Tiger, tiger, burning bright...

Well, it has been commented that I'm not updating like I used to so I thought I would start with today and maybe go back and fill in the blanks as and when I have time/can be bothered.

The day started well - Nate has been going through a period of not sleeping through the night for the last couple of weeks and we finally seem to have broken that pattern as he slept right through until 8.30! I was so pleased I let him have a well done sticker. We decided to have pancakes for breakfast but were almost out of milk so John dashed out to the shop to get some and also some chocolate chips to try choc chip pancakes that he had had in the US before. While he did that, Nate and I weighed out the flour, beat the egg and unpacked/repacked the dishwasher.

Once he got back I started making pancakes (once Nate had acted as a taster to make sure the chocolate chips were good), and very quickly I had a whole plate of... mess. John had neglected to mention that the choc chips weren't put into the batter but added when the pancake was part cooked so they just disintegrated when I tried to turn them. I only managed to get one good pancake out of the batch (we still ate the rubbish ones - they tasted just as good). Regardless they were a HUGE hit with the little boy of chocolatey doooooom...

2011-05-28 - Choc chip Pancakes for brekkie (link to album)

John then had some work to finish off for next week so pottered off to his study to get on with it and Nate and I decided to have a shower (no mere flannel was gonna get all that chocolate off). Once we were done and dressed, Nate decided he wanted to practice with his scissors so I gave him some coloured paper and he set to it while I folded up the playpen ready for it go in the loft. Once he was done with cutting we then decided to glue the paper bits to some paper to make a picture and also to use some of the coloured rice from playgroup (the ladies from playgroup will be gratified that I will be finding rice for months to come!). Nate worked hard and produced four pictures, only one shown below.

John then realised that it was nearly 2 and we wanted to go to the local Fire fighters charity day (organised by the owner of the Golden Retriever as thanks for their help with the recent Swinley Forest fire) as they had stuff for kids and there would be a nee-nah (translate from Natish to English : any emergency services vehicle, in this case a fire engine) there, and Nate would never forgive us if he missed it!

The place was fairly busy when we got there but no nee-nah had got there yet so we settled down for a drink in the garden while Nate played, mostly with the see-saws but there was also circus stuff for the older kids.

The nee-nahs weren't too long coming then one turned up - Nate was very excited, particularly as he got to go in one AND get a sticker too!

Walking back to our drinks we spotted some girls were doing face painting for donations. Now I was more excited than Nate about this but he played a bit while we waited for one to be free and he was very good about sitting still for all that time...

He actually wanted a lion but they only had a tiger and that was deemed acceptable. We then asked him to roar for the pictures and he was happy to oblige us but a bit over enthusiastic at first...

He then declared that tigers eat pizza so we bought a cup cake for his dessert, had a final look at the neee-nahs and then headed off to Pizza hut.



He wouldn't roar at first for his favourite waitress (Karen is in Glee with me) but eventually, with pizza in his belly, finally warmed up. We headed home and he devoured his cup cake while Daddy went to sleep off his cider's.

Then we hosed Nate down before doing my favorite thing, snuggled up under my blanket on the sofa and read books and watched tv. He went to bed a very tired but happy tiger...

(fingers crossed for another sleep filled night)

The Big Day out at South Hill Arts Center

The weather today was amazing and we had nothing planned so decided to go to the big day out at the south hill arts center. We were suprised that the queue was fairly long but luckily it moved quite quickly so we got our wrist bands and Nate was in to his first festival (only my second, but hey, whos counting). Just that short period in the sun meant we were both parched so headed straight to the bar to get drinks (while Nate swigged his),

wandered along the food stalls deciding on lunch, then settled down to listen to the music

and sent poor John off to queue for food.

We started with crepes and Nate sat in my lap and shared my cheese, ham and mushroom one while John devoured his cheese and ham one. We then swopped when John realised he had fungi in his. Both were yummy!

John wanted to take a picture of Nate sat on my lap but it didn't go well - first he escaped

then he spotted Daddy kneeling down so headed over for a cuddle

After around 10 minutes of trying, Daddy gave up...

The music at the time (Bordeaux, with three x's) was enjoyable, Nate like clapping along with the crowd but also liked pointing out escaped balloons.

After such a strenuous lunch we decided to rally our spirits with another crepe, chocolate this time. Nate decided to break for some milk

And then spent time running round the buggy then bouncing on Daddys lap and giving us both kisses on the way round...

At this point, Nate lost interest in the music and decided to text his friends...

We spotted Shirley and Louise so wandered to say hello to her and Thomas and Jessica then had an amble round the stalls. We had a look at the airaquarium which was disappointingly a tent with a clear roof and some puppets then John's recent bad health began to catch up with him so we headed back home to soak the many layers of sun block off of the boy and to veg for a comfy evening.

Aside : REJOYCE! Apparently tonight footie is the last game I have to endure this time round - woooohoooooo!