the little mr.

I finally can access the photo I took of his first painting. He did it on canvas board, because I figured the first was definitely one to keep. It's currently sitting on our mantle in the dining room, but will eventually find its way into a frame.

He is getting more clever and more cheeky with every passing day. Since staying at his grandparents on the weekend he has decided to give up on naps. Everytime he is about to do something he shouldn't, he turns to make sure we're watching, grins and does it. Like bashing our mirror (particularly with toys... i wouldn't mind, but it might break!) or the paper lamp, or opening our fridge....those kinds of things. His grin just gets cheekier. And cuter.

He is also starting to understand more - I can ask him to pass me something, and if he thinks that's acceptable, he will. And I told him that we had to bring his ball in...which he ignored, till he realised that I had his other toys and we were really going to leave the ball, so he went and brought it to me. And he moos with the best of them (although his moo often has a b instead of an m).

He also wants to spend ALL of his time outside. On nice days I'm fully supportive of this, but on wet, rainy cold days like today...having to get him into his rain suit, plus everything else... and then stand out in the cold whilst he chases a ball around... well that's for a limited time only I'm afraid. I can't wait for the summer (if we get one!) so I can take a camping chair out, and a book and let him play to his heart's content. Today I got out the old baby bath and we would put the ball in, then get in himself...then throw the ball out, get out and chase the ball...and do it all over again!

Anyway. I think he's FINALLY gone to sleep. So I better get tidying.

The weather this week has been AMAZING. Eden & I can't get enough of outside. Yesterday involved a 6 mile round trip to the farm for lunch. All our days are involving as much fresh air and sunshine as possible. This was his first time in that adorable wool hoodie. It's not generally warm enough yet, but that day was. And on his hands are actually slippers, but his mittens were in the car at phil's work!!!

His 3rd molar has appeared much quicker than the last two, but is still effecting him greatly. Stupid teeth!!!

He is requiring a lot more interaction in his play now. For ages he wanted you in the room, but not involved. Now he prefers me to sit in the middle of the room and be involved and left at his choosing. This morning we spent a long time playing with a box one of his toys came in - cardboard with one clear film side... He got so excited that he could put things in, including his hand, AND STILL SEE IT!!!

He is getting bored quite quickly as well. He thrives when we're out and about and doing new things. This is slightly difficult on a tiny budget and no car when you live in a small village, but I'm working on it!

Carrying on

Eden's favourite thing in the world is to be set free outside. He chatters and makes funny noises and giggles whilst walking around poking, and licking and falling over. In fact, i think he begrudges how much time we spend inside. (despite going outside once or twice a day for varying amounts of time).

This morning in an attempt to making life inside less boring, i introduced eden to finger painting. It didn't quite go as a i expected. I thought he'd immediately start trying to eat the paint, and that it would occupy him for awhile...

it didn't. it lasted 3 minutes. I took a photo of the finished piece but it's not letting me post it. i think the bib was the problem, he was NOT impressed when i put him in it....it'll be easier when the house is warmer and he can just be naked.

I've currently got him in his cot, hoping he'll go to sleep...as we have a playdate this afternoon and he NEEDS naps... but he's chattering away so I may be fighting a losing battle. I wish napping wasn't so important, because I'd like to be more relaxed about it...but days when he doesn't get enough sleep, he's a nightmare! and i don't think it's fair to him, either.

so i'll leave you with a funny photo of him and a molehill. this happens a lot.

formby point

we went to the beach

and it was good.

another day

I know you'll notice that in some of these photos eden is wearing his santa suit - and yet, I took them yesterday! It's nice and warm and our fleece sleeping bag doesn't like to zip up anymore... so we use that. he doesn't know it is seasonally inappropriate!!!

He's becoming obsessed with megablocks as well as with his toy trains that have blocks that you have to get onto sticks (there are holes in the blocks). These things keep him occupied for a long time.

Eden's still struggling with teeth or his mmr or something. His behaviour is unpredictable and quite unlike him. We're hoping it'll pass soon, for our sake as well as his!

His newest favourite toy is definitely daddy's guitar... it's hard to keep him away!!!

oh & he was in his high chair in the pictures from the last post...

how our days pass

There is a lot of this: (different locations, but same theme!)

And some of this happened yesterday:

If you add snacks, meals and naps, that's most of our day!!! Eden loves nothing more than being able to walk. He'll happily walk back and forth between our lounge & our kitchen, just because he can. I think he thinks closed doors are his enemy!!!

He's got another molar, which explains our string of bad nights. I don't know what caused last night, but today has been a bit of a battle. Normally you can set your watch to him - by 10:20am he's ready for his nap ... but today he was knackered at 9, so I tried to put him down... which resulted in a dirty nappy & screaming... so i tried again at 11 and the same thing. So maybe it's his belly? Anyway. It's 12:44 and he's finally asleep. I keep trying to be nonchalant about it, but when he doesn't get his naps, he's a nightmare from 3:30 until he goes to bed...and by the time we put his pjs on, he's sobbing and trying to lie down. So nap time it is!

Well we've been having a weird mix of really good days and nights and really bad days and nights. Yesterday was brilliant. Last night was awful. His digestive system seems to be pretty weak, so sometimes we have 'poo' nights...which are nights when his tummy seems to bother him all night long and then with a dirty nappy in the morning, all is well. Except a sleep deprived mummy.

The snow is going now... yesterday was eden's last chance to play in it. Phil was keeping him entertained outside whilst i made lunch. Eden, as seen above, decided it was high time to try eating -or at least licking - the snow.

He just loves being able to walk. Let him loose outside and he'll just do circles around the carpark, happily talking to himself. In his room he'll do laps with certain toys - yesterday it was his little toy piano. He'd bring it to me, play a few notes, then take it to other side of the room to play a few notes...and bring it back to me!

He's carrying on with his 'oh, ooooh, uh-oh' noises. They're very cute. He also has discovered how to moo (sort of) and does it all the time. Anytime he sees a black and white animal, not necessarily only cows!

anyway. have a lovely friday... 'oooh'