Larks in the Park

Now Joel is a proven park enthusiast I find that we're heading to various play grounds all over the place.  Just so he can sit in a swing and be pushed for a while!

Yesterday my mother-in-law came up for the day to see Joel, so we went to Victoria Park which is a wonderful little town park with lots of different things to do and being a Monday afternoon was nice and quiet.   The last time I brought her here, he was too small to do anything really but this time...

Joel went on the swings.....  (he looks quite small still doesn't he!!)

Then we tried rocking him on a bouncy horse thing.  Then we put him in a spinning cup thing (didn't get a picture of that as it didn't last long!).  Then we put him on a climbing frame sort of toy with sides and he crawled up and down it for a while (with one of us at each end he was quite safe)

and he loved it being something new and different!  I get the feeling it won't be too long before he's running around of his own accord jumping on toys rather than being held by me or Granny!

The funniest moment was afterwards when we went to look at the birds in the town aviary as there was a rather malevolent looking parrot which was very loud indeed and Joel loved him as he could talk to him in it's own language!!

The parrot went 'squawk' and Joel went 'squawk'!  They continued to copy each other for a while and Joel giggled to himself and it was all rather lovely!

I caught it on camera too so here you go!.....

Lacklustre

Oh dear.  I've not blogged for what feels like ages.

Pretty much I've not been well, Steve's not been well and Joel's not been well either.  We're catching the same lurgy that seems to be doing the rounds.  I think they all originate from Joel's nursery to be honest!  There's always something coming back with him now he's going for full days on a thursday and a friday.

Joel isn't too bad with it now.  He's got a rattle in his chest that will be seen by a Dr tomorrow and my head is very woolley with popped ears and a chesty cough.

He's rather brilliant at the moment.  He's all about passing things back and forth.  He'll pass us a toy, and we have to take it, smile and say thank you, then pass it back to him.  If it doesn't go his way he gets cross!  In creche at Church this morning he was trying to play this game with a baby a month younger than him who was happy to take the toy, but didn't quite grasp the concept of handing it back.  So he had to take it off her and try again.  It didn't work properly for him but it was cute of them to be interacting so nicely!

What else did we do?  Steve was away for the weekend (and didn't bother calling or texting at all on Saturday to see how we were so is in the dog house) so Joel and I went to the park again!  And we fed ducks and swung on swings.

And I helped Joel slide down the slide which he thought was marvellous!  He saw an older child playing on her own and he really seems to love watching other kids and it inspires him to try to do more!!

he's also starting getting cars and vrooming them back and forth with noises which I guess he's picked up at nursery as I've not played that game with him.  As a girl it's never occurred to me to 'vroom' a car about so we got him a cheap one to play with at home as it's still 6 weeks till his birthday.  I don't see the point in making him wait for something when he can get the benefit now.

And baby is now sounding tired and bed ready so off I go......

Attached

Joel is quite simply besotted with his blankie.

On being lifted out of his cot now he insists on bringing it with him and cries if it's left behind.

It's always around somewhere even if he's not playing with it at the present moment.  He'll have stashed it up a corner and be able to grab it if the need arises.

He likes having it at nursery and holds onto it when he needs reassurance.  His photo is on the wall and a coat peg and blankie appears in both!

He sucks it, chews it, plays peekaboo with it, wipes it round his face.  He only has to see it, crawl to get it and he'll roll on the floor whilst stroking it to his face with his thumb in.  It's like instant sleepiness!

And it gets rather stinky, rather quickly.

I do have two.  I alternate them for regular washing.  He doesn't seem to mind a clean one!  Yet....

Holiday Booked!

Hoorah!

We've finally decided on a holiday!  Gone are thoughts of cruises to Norway (we are going for cheap and cheerful and saving for a new house instead!) and flying anywhere (I don't want to risk Joel's ears on a plane yet)  so we're camping in south Wales which will be new for us as neither of us has been to the south.  We'll then be able to have a weekend in a B&B in North Wales after the camping week.

I've found a nice looking, family friendly site, Izzy can come too, there are animals to see and a play park.  It's 3 miles from the coast and there are some beautiful beaches and lots of places to see and visit.  Best of all it's £17 a night for all of us!  We already have all our camping equipment and Joel will probably sleep in with us but we have a travel cot from my sister if needed and we'll get him a little sleeping bag!

It'll be lovely to have something to look forward to once I have to go back to work!  I'll be counting down the days from the 3rd April.

Waybaloo Time

This program seems to really relax him! At least it means I get to have some cuddle time once in a while!

Snack Time Mess

I gave Joel a laughing cow triangle on a biscuit for a snack and he loved it!

And made a bit of a mess!!

First Shoes

Joel is a standing man at the moment and beginning to cruise. As he's meant to wear slippers for nursery we went to get him some from Clarks!

These tiny things were £12! Cruising shoes were £24! Wowsers! Who knew?!

We'll leave cruisers for another day but he's getting used to them!