Travelling

We arrive at the airport exactly two hours before our flight yesterday morning only to find that it had been delayed by 2 hours. And then delayed by a bit more. The excitement about going on holiday to somewhere exotic suddenly diminishes slightly as we face the prospect of entertaining Jack for over 4 hours in the airport and then another 3.5 hours on the plane.

After paying out our lifes savings on lunch in the airport, Jack helpfully decorates the floor of the restaurant with our food. Time to make a quick exit and head through to departures. Where there are uncomfortable chairs. And shops. And nothing to entertain a small boy with. Hold on a minute. Tucked in the corner of the departures lounge is a Hamleys. They have toys outside for children to play with. We are saved. Jack spends a delightful hour playing with a piano mat (Simeon quite enjoys it too). Two Hamleys staff then make it their mission to entertain Jack with bubble machines. He is a bit bemused. The other passengers and decidedly unamused.

Finally time to go to our departure gate. The lady sat next to me it wearing a furry coat. Jack strokes it like a dog. For twenty minutes. Fortunately she quite enjoys the attention and amuses Jack while we wait.

In the queue to board the plane Jack makes another friend. A small boy travelling with his family smiles at Jack and he smiles back. Jack giggles, the boy giggles back. Both are delighted with their new acquaintance. We board the place and the family with the small boy are sat behind us. Both Jack and the boy are excited. Jack spends a large part of the flight standing and looking at them between the seats. He reaches out a hand. And steals some wotsits. Repeatedly. I'm a little embarrassed. Jack throws all the food I've brought him onto the floor but continues to be offered food by the small boy which he gratefully accepts. He sucks the wotsits and then tries to feed them to me. How delightful. Have you ever tried entertaining an active 1 year old on your lap in the economy section of a budget airline? I can tell you its rather a challenge. Jack behaves rather well (apart from the food stealing) but by this point is really rather tired. As am I.

We land. We go through passport control where there is no queue and Jack charms all the staff. We collect our baggage and go to meet Carrie. Finally we are here. Just a hair-raising taxi journey to go and we are done. What a day. What an adventure. What to do now?

The Playhouse - Assembled but not complete

As the title suggests, the playhouse has been sewn together but I have not yet finished all the embellishments. I thought that maybe you would like to see it as it stands:

Happy Being Me

Sometimes being me doesn't feel good enough. I'm not as creative, stylish, interesting, thoughtful as I want to be. I started this blog to showcase some of the things that I have made and eventually to start selling some of my creations. But I haven't managed it.

Somehow, other women, other mums manage to care for their children, create amazing things, take beautiful pictures, blog about them and often include tutorials on how to recreate them. I aspire to be like that. How do they have time? How do they come up with all the ideas? How are they so darn cool? Dana has an amazing home and makes fabulous clothes for her children and herself, Megan is an inspiring mother and seems to do such fantastic things with her children, Cheri has an incredible imagination and is current champion of So You Think You're Crafty. All three take stunning photos of their crafts, homes, families and there are many many others that I haven't mentioned.

These women have beautiful homes, beautiful children, beautiful style and create the most beautiful things. I have a very messy home (oh how I wish I was tidy), wish I was more stylish and only occasionally create wonderful things. I can certainly compete on the beautiful offspring front though.

But today, I am content with being me. Actually, what I really mean is that today [and tomorrow and the day after] I am [wanting to try really hard to be] content with being me. Its so easy to compare myself to so many other people around me. (I wonder how many of them are in turn comparing themselves to me?). But maybe I should just concentrate on being myself, focusing on the who I am and doing what I love to do rather than trying to be like someone else.

I am me and noone else is.

A weekend in the country

Today we are off to my parents for the weekend where Jack can play in the field, pick apples and pears and blackberries, run around the garden chasing the dog and hang out with Grammy and Gramps. What more could a small boy want?

Birthday Treat

Today is my birthday. Jack has celebrated this by sleeping for 12 hours straight for the first time ever. And also by producing the sort of poo that involves hosing him down still half clothed in the bath. Twice. Oh how I love that boy!

A quick update

I was hoping to get the playhouse finished this week but its been an incredibly traumatic one so no progress has been made. I'm not sure I'm ready to write all the details here yet as it will make it seem too real and my poor little heart may not be able to cope. The short story is: Jack got sick, and then sicker and ended up in Intensive Care but is fine now and we are all home. Hopefully, normal service will be up and running soon xx

Trying not to take it personally

Today was my first day at work for over a year. Jack spent the day with his Fairy Godmother, Sarah at the Botanical Gardens and had a great time. When I got home I was looking forward to being greeted with a smile and some excitement (in much the same way he greets his father everyday). But no. Not even a flicker of recognition. Not even a smile. And when I picked him up for a cuddle he just wanted to get down and play.

I'm trying very hard not to take it personally. And I know that I should be happy that he is so well adjusted and confident that he can spend the day with someone he hardly knows and not be miserable. But I kinda would have liked him to miss me a little bit. And be a small bit excited to see me. I feel a little dejected and rejected.

Oh well. I'll probably be soon complaining that he wont settle at nursery or something similar.