Grandpa pig's train.

This week we have chilled out a bit more then usual to recover from the excitment of all the visitors. We went swimming which we have been meaning to do for a while as Albert has been a bit unsure of the pool, but since his liking the bath again we wanted to see what would happen. I dragged Zoe along so she could push Rowan round in his little chair. He seems to like the water and he got a good kick around and splash which tired him out for the post swim coffee. After some gentle coaxing into the pool Albert was brilliant by the end of the time he was running round on his own and jumping in to be caught. He wasn't bothered when his head went under a bit and he loves splashing. I think it's something we will be having to do a lot more of.
Albert wanted to ride grandpa pigs train this week it's small and called Gertrude, we didn't have one of those near us so we went on the 10:48 Cosham to Havant.

Rowan really enjoyed it too, we got off the train walked over the bridge bought some sweets and came home it was a lot of fun, especially as when you are with little people you can say things like "let's ride the rails, woo hoo!"

We also made a multi coloured host of Peppa pigs and Rebecca rabbits out of play doh which kept us entertained for almost an entire morning!

We also managed an almost tantrum free trip into town this week, it was going really well with boat bribery while I fed Rowan:

And then it all got too much, we did however pick up some lovely fruit at the Market and Albert entertained an old couple by eating a tomato like an apple, apparently because I wasn't feeding him enough!
Also all this week Albert has been waking us up when he hears Rowan so even though it is 6am it's hard to be anything other then chuffed when crazy happy boy appears in the bed.

30!

My little sister was 30 this weekend which was scary. She got a proper middle age present - a slow cooker, although it was purple which I think is pretty cool! She decided to have a BBQ party thinking I think, it's June. She was wrong however although we did have a BBQ and we did have a really good time.

We had a full house this weekend as people came to stay for her party, my friends Lou and Mike came with their little girl Molly and Jo who makes the excellent pimms. Out parents also came
down the day after the BBQ.
Albert loved having Molly to stay he was very excited, which is good as we are going away with her for 2 weeks. He showed her his local.

Then we tool Nana and Pop down to the seafront for ice cream, while Rowan had cuddles at the castle.

I took Albert on the carousel at the pier for the first time this weekend, I think I was more
excited then him because I remember loving them. He always looks so serious on things and it is hard to tell if he enjoyed it but he wanted to go on again and all the other rides when we got off so I assume he did. We rode a horse while Aunty Gemma rode a big chicken next time I think we might have to try the chicken!
We also went to southsea castle which has just opened for free it has a lovely cafe and some exciting tunnels that go out the castle all the way to the sea.
This Sunday was also fathers day, Adam went to see England v Sri Lanka at the test match, we made him a cool handprints bowl do he knows how good he is.

Happy fathers day!
Happy birthday Gemma. X

Peacock blue

Today at breakfast Albert informed me my cup was light blue while his was peacock blue! I don't know where that has come from but he was indeed right his cup was peacock blue.
This week it has been rainy on and off, today we decorated Albert's home made cooker, which is made from the many pampers boxes we have around the house.

I think it looks pretty cool.

We have been to soft play this week, there is a nice centre in fareham called Moby's it is
clean which is nice and has a good slide and a really good under 4 room. Albert enjoyed the big boy stuff so did I although it gets hot when you are squeezing through tight corners and swinging foam things. We didn't go down the dark curly slide as there were bears in there but that's ok as it did look quite scary. Rowan enjoyed the coloured lights and bubbles. Although there was a sign that said don't chew the fibre optics have they ever met babies! He didn't quite get any in his mouth.

Also they do good coffee - very important!
One of our favourite places is 100 acre woods it has a huge sandpit, treehouses and swings all hidden in the woods. Albert is going through a swing phase and will be pushed on one for hours if you ask him if he wants to get off he will but only to move onto the next one in the row. Rowan had a go with him, Albert was squashed apparently and it was a very tight fit!

There was also lots if hiding in the trees from the rain.

Unfortunately there has been a bit to much Peppa pig this week while we have been waiting for lots of cakes to bake for my sisters 30th this weekend.
Albert will get square eyes soon, although he is crazy excited about his new George pig socks :)

Rowan has also started sitting in his highchair this week at meal times as he was getting annoyed being so low down in his bouncy chair, I can't believe how grown up he is getting, time is going by way to fast.

Centre parcs

This weekend was my annual centre parcs trip. This year we went to Longleat instead of sherwood forest. This was because Erika and I had new babies and so they came along. In the 10 years we have been going Rowan was the first male to make it intothee villa and he seemed really happy to be sharing his space with 9 females! It was totally relaxing and very quiet I had forgotten how peaceful it could be and there still be babies there.
10 years ago our stays were slightly more raucous now it's all about the rapids in the pool, cocktails and board games. Unfortunately adult trivial pursuits still a little beyond us so we had to play the kids version still took quite a few hours to crown Mags the winner.
Thank you to Jo for being the best pimms maker ever!

Rowan got to go swimming for the first time and he loved the water, he also enjoyed sitting in a little inflatable chair and watching - looking very much like and evil genius. The only time he wasn't having fun was in the ouside pool in the heavy rain, understandable it was a bit
chilly.

Yesterday we went to a soft play centre and Albert and I got to play on the big slides, he also really enjoyed the wind thingy!

Bzzzz

Today our garden was buzzing, we have lavender and poppies and the bumble bees are going crazy over them. I love poppies and they are so vivid in the garden that I can see why the bees love them.

This week, Adam has bought a monocular which is a wierd little telescope that fits in your
pocket so you can wip it out whenever you feel the urge to spy on your neighbours or look at a bird. I am very amused by it so far and the word monocular makes me really laugh.

This week we have chilled out a bit, recovering from our peppa pig world trip. Albert has also been obsessed with peppa pig cartoons so we have had to watch them. Alot. We have all perfected our pig impressions though :)
We went to the farm and Rowan went in his sling forward facing for the first time which was slightly nerve racking as I tied it up. He loved it though after being very grumpy from his teeth he totally loved hangin there and watching the big boys play in the park and chase the chickens.

We got home and had peas to pod which Albert really enjoyed he was very good at popping them and then chasing them and eating them up - Omp like a tiger!

Rowan came with me to see the new x-men film this week too which was good, we enjoyed it although it was very long and I think that he got a bit bored towards the end. We went straight from there to Arty Potz with Aunty Gem Gem which was fun and I think we may have to go back without children. It was crazy in there as it was full of toddlers and babies making father days presents with paint and breakables - the lady who ran it was very calm throughout although I feel she was probably glad to see the back of us. Rowan is starting to pull himself up to sitting and he has crazy hair in the light, not unlike his brother!

Seen as Rowan is so dribbly at the moment and I have t shirts I am never going to wear again but am sentimentally attached to I turned them into funky bandana bibs!

Peppa pig world

Yesterday we braved the scorching weather and headed to Paultons park with Albert and his baby group friends. They have just opened a brand new Peppa pig world, which was rammed. The rest of the park was ok though and Albert turned out to be pretty good at queuing which was a bit of a relief.

Here they all are looking a little confused by the oversized animals wearing clothes :) they were all pretty tired by this stage.
Albert surprised us all by being really excited about the rides, unfortunately for him his parents both have weak stomachs and were unable to go on the teacups again or spin them round any faster! We did however man up enough to take him on the balloons,

Well I did!
Adam ventured onto grandpa pigs car ride,

And also the boats, we went on some great Viking boats too, little ladybirds and the biggest slide ever.

We went round dinosaur land which was full of roaring plastic dinosaurs hidden in the woods and he loved it! He ran around roaring back far louder and scarier, helped by the fact his face was stained purple from his healthy ice lolly mid afternoon snack!

We all came back sweaty and shattered and then Adam and I watched Dr who which is brilliant, am upset there is a break till the autumn though!
Lastly the tide is turning, Rowan was being squashed by Albert like normal the other day when to Albert's great suprise Rowan pulled his hair really hard with both hands. Didn't go down well he also tried to chew his arm when he was getting in the way, am proud if my littlest one standing his ground and of Albert for letting Rowan have his sun tent back - well half of it!

Check out Albert's arm, first proper big boy graze!

Our bank holiday weekend had pretty cold windy weather, I think that was probably down to Adams cousin having a picnic on the Saturday. It was still good fun and Albert had his first ever game of rounders - he did an excellent job helping me be backstop.
We went to the aquarium, we have an annual pass so we go a lot. The fish are great even though it's quite little.

Here is Albert eyeing up the moray eel. The best bit for him is there is a big sand pit/ splash pool area out back which he can spend hours in even though it always seems to be a bit grey when we are there.

Rowan always seems to pretty much enjoy the aquarium looking like this:

His little hat rocks!
We also went to one of Adam's teams leaving do Tuesday night. Like most leaving does it was camping in a field on a week night so we only went for a little bit. But Albert does now think daddy works in a field with horses and a dog. A lady with a motorbike,

A man who lives in a van with a big hat,

a bunch of tents and a BBQ. Hard to feel sorry for someone with a job like that!

Now the holiday is over the weather is really good so we have had all the tents out in the garden and the water tables. Albert had some of his friends round it is amazing how much chaos 3 small people can make. Now they are talking is getting better they are having little conversations which is cool.
Albert: Holly!
Holly: Albert!
Albert: down ( she was still in her buggy), outside, garden tent.
Holly: ok.

Also yesterday we got Albert a wheelbarrow with his birthday money as he wouldn't stop talking about them, his new fave game. Collect up all toys and taggies and give to Rowan, judging from his expression and Albert's load we are going to have to watch this!

Yesterday Adam bought this home from work,

Turns out he is a ghostbuster and I never knew. Will now have to spend my days worrying he won't cross the streams