Visit from Granny and Grandpa and lots of parties!

Last week my mum and dad came to visit, which was lovely! It coincided with my birthday so that made it extra special. In the morning, Isla and Evie and I took a little visit to the aquarium to have a look at the fish. It was a bit dark and very busy, but we saw some nice fish, a lobster and a big octopus. There were loads of seahorses there too.

We had a nice quiet time with my parents, making crumble at home and just playing. We have since had loads of birthday parties to attend. Almost three-year olds have hectic social calendars!

Christmas Time!

Just before Christmas day, we made a chocolate yule log with Nigella's recipe to take for our Christmas day meal. Isla enjoyed making fingerprints in the icing sugar snow and checking it tasted ok.

On Christmas morning, Isla woke up at 6ish and came to ask us about some things she had been thinking about. She asked about when we could go for bike rides together and also about what tigers eat. Then we thought we should remind her it was a special day and that maybe we should go and see if Father Christmas had been to visit us. He had!

Pob and Monty really enjoyed their gifts! and became kittens again for the morning.

I woke Evie up so she didn't miss out on too much of her first Christmas. She seemed to like her new colourful rings!

Isla quickly got her new train set opened up and put a railway track together.

A little bit later on, Isla served Daddy at her post office, where he needed a new tax disc.

Evie had a relaxing snooze before we headed over to Granny Margaret and Grandad David's for the rest of our Christmas Day.

Everyone enjoyed their Christmas lunch:

Back home, we enjoyed the rest of Andrew's time off.

Granny Ilene and Grandpa Alan came to stay for New Year. Here is Isla helping open Evie's Christmas present from Uncle Peter:

Isla loves serving everybody in her post office shop. Evie needed some stamps and popped to the shop for them, which is handily in our living room.

Constructing an amazing gingerbread house that Granny Ilene baked: 

Isla sprouts a puff pastry moustache while eating Rudolph pie:

Back to normal after Christmas, Evie tried out the door bouncer and enjoyed it lots! She generally spins around in it at the moment.

Evie has started sitting in the high chair for the first time this week, while Isla has moved onto an adult low chair. Evie likes sitting and examining her toys, as well as learning to drop them on the floor with a loud bang, whilst we are eating.

We've been going for walks between rain storms. The muddy puddles produced by the storms have been great fun.

Evie has started sitting in a proper buggy rather than the pram, and much prefers being able to see everything around her on our walks and whilst going to toddler group and pre-school.

We visited the park today as it was a sunny morning. Isla really enjoyed it, especially the swings, roundabout and see-saw. Evie had a snooze in the buggy after a while.

Evie enjoyed sitting in the buggy while we had a meal out. Isla was very lucky to have ice cream and also a bambinocino after her pizza!

Decorating the tree and the cat

We've all had colds the past couple of weeks, but hopefully getting over them now. We've been doing lots of crafty things as well as decorating the Christmas tree on the 1st Dec!

Evie has got over her cold after a week and is back to her normal gurgly self, although she is blowing fewer raspberries now. She is getting better at sitting up supported in her rubber ring and is much more interested in toys. Her favourite thing is still watching Isla. Isla likes to cuddle Evie at any opportunity and put her finger in Evie's hand for her to grip her finger. Evie likes waving her arms about. One day she was just waving her left arm manically about, and then a few days later it was her right arm which got working and waving about! She likes pushing up with her little strong legs and standing up while being held, looking very pleased with herself. She can hold toys and things now and likes colourful patterns to look at. She shows she is happy to see you or excited about something by smiling lots and kicking her legs. She likes looking at the Christmas cards we get through the door.

There are lots of things to do to prepare for Christmas such as making presents and cards and Isla enjoys helping with everything as well as playing with Happyland and waking her sister up from naps.....! 

Isla often asks what things are made of, and knew that our chimney is made of bricks. We had a look outside to see where the chimney is for Father Christmas to come down, using a bit of magic of course. Isla has been planning what to leave out on Christmas Eve for him and his reindeer. We have been having lots of other interesting discussions. For example, Isla asked the other day about how fish drink and how dolphins drink. She is very into counting things and we often have to think how many legs various animals have. It was very quiet when Isla was poorly with her cold and sleeping in the day. She was so poorly that she didn't want to eat her chocolate from the Christmas advent calendar train. I had a little time on my hands to crochet Isla a snuggly hat and also a little hat for a friend's baby.

Isla and all of her friends were in the pre-school nativity play this morning. It was lovely. All of the children walked in past the audience of grown ups. Mary and Joseph walked in first while we sang 'Little Donkey' as they pushed a little donkey/dog toy along. Then we all sang 'Silent Night' as the angels and shepherds walked in. Isla was wearing her colourful tutu skirt and a sparkly gold tinsel crown whilst she held hands with another little girl as they walked in and sat at the front of the stage. We all sang some more songs including 'We Three Kings', 'Away in a Manger' and 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas'. The children looked so cute and no-one cried! The first of many nativity plays.

Here is what else we have been up to:

One of Isla's drawings:

Isla doing some gluing with some paper pieces we've cut out:

Showing Pob her artwork:

Meeting a new robot friend:

Playing with Daddy's old toys at Grandad and Granny's house:

Evie having a cuddle:

Putting up the tree and decorating it!!

A meal out together. Isla got to feed Peggy the dog a biscuit in the pub.

Exciting post!

Making a house and a dinosaur out of Duplo. We've also had to make lots of postman pat houses with chimneys on. Everything is about chimneys at the moment!

Isla's drawing of a crocodile:

Evie modelling a little hat for our friend's newborn baby:

Isla modelling her new Hello Kitty hat:

Making a space rocket:

Doing some cutting and sticking:

Isla's first nativity play at pre-school this morning: