This past weekend we went on a barge trip, which was a birthday present for Graham from his brother and sisters. If you're not familiar with what a barge (or narrowboat) is, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrowboat
Inside there was 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 1 shower & sink, a kitchen and a living room. We had enough space to sleep 6 adults and Ava, so it was a pretty big boat. It was a lovely trip up and down a canal for three days, however on Saturday while we were stopped in the village of Newbury, we ended up having to take Ava to the local emergency room.
We were sitting outside at one of the pubs, just having a drink while deciding what to do about dinner. Ava was running around on the patio, and after a few minutes Robin got up and they were dancing around on the deck together. Suddenly Ava fell forward and landed on her forehead. We didn't realise anything was wrong until Robin picked her up and we saw she had blood pouring all down her face.
It turned out she had landed on a piece of broken glass and had quite a deep cut on her head. Graham and I took her to the hospital to have it cleaned up and repaired. Luckily she didn't need a stitch, they just put some sort of healing glue on it and told us to keep it dry for 5 days. It forms a scab and heals without a stitch that way. It's pretty gross to look at but hopefully it'll heal soon.
I think there will probably be a scar left behind, but at least it's right at the hair line and shouldn't be too noticeable.
At the hospital they gave Ava a cute little teddy bear dressed in yellow to keep her happy. We were back on the boat maybe 15 minutes when it was dropped overboard. Luckily one of the guys was able to fish it out and it survived the rest of the boat trip.
Aside from the detour to the hospital, it was a really relaxing weekend. I'd love to do it again sometime, it's a shame it's so expensive to hire these boats.
21/04/2011
14/04/2011
Inside Joke
Ava seems to have this inside joke with herself that no one can understand. She will sometimes just suddenly say "Mister Publish!" and burst into giggles. Every time she says it she giggles her little head off and we just can't figure out what she means. There isn't anyone on her Cbeebies channel by that name, and I've tried to find out if it ryhmes with one of the characters but so far I haven't figured it out. She doesn't point to the tv and say 'Mister Publish!' so I'm pretty sure it isn't from there.
I wonder if we'll ever understand?
I wonder if we'll ever understand?
13/04/2011
The Highly Sensitive Child
Yesterday was a difficult day. Graham was at work and we had company coming around in the evening so I had a lot of cleaning and laundry to do around the house. Ava decided that it would be a good day to drive me crazy.
She spent almost the entire day following me around the house, clinging to my leg and shouting and crying. Nothing I did made her happy, she was being terribly needy and after several hours of trying to either ignore her or calm her down, I finally snapped. I burst into tears and sent Graham an angry text. He called me a minute later and asked what was wrong. I shouted at him that his daughter was driving me crazy and I had so much work to do around the house that I couldn't handle both. I was ready to get in the car and just drive away forever.
He tried to calm me down by saying I should take her to the park where she can run around and not bother me, but it was cold and windy outside and I didn't want to deal with the bad weather on top of my horrible mood.
Ava and I have had several days like this and yesterday I think I reached my limit. I ended up Googling something like 'clingy child driving mom crazy' to find out what other parents do when they're in this situation. I stumbled across an article called 'The Highly Sensitive Child.' It was actually an excerpt from a book, which I discovered at the end (I had wondered why it hadn't seemed finished.)
After a few paragraphs, I started crying again. I began to realise that Ava might be a difficult child, and it's not going to change any time soon. I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was as though they had studied Ava and written about her specifically!
She spent almost the entire day following me around the house, clinging to my leg and shouting and crying. Nothing I did made her happy, she was being terribly needy and after several hours of trying to either ignore her or calm her down, I finally snapped. I burst into tears and sent Graham an angry text. He called me a minute later and asked what was wrong. I shouted at him that his daughter was driving me crazy and I had so much work to do around the house that I couldn't handle both. I was ready to get in the car and just drive away forever.
He tried to calm me down by saying I should take her to the park where she can run around and not bother me, but it was cold and windy outside and I didn't want to deal with the bad weather on top of my horrible mood.
Ava and I have had several days like this and yesterday I think I reached my limit. I ended up Googling something like 'clingy child driving mom crazy' to find out what other parents do when they're in this situation. I stumbled across an article called 'The Highly Sensitive Child.' It was actually an excerpt from a book, which I discovered at the end (I had wondered why it hadn't seemed finished.)
After a few paragraphs, I started crying again. I began to realise that Ava might be a difficult child, and it's not going to change any time soon. I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was as though they had studied Ava and written about her specifically!
" A highly sensitive child is often bright, articulate, creative, and insightful, easily able to tune into other people and their feelings. She may display a deep sense of empathy and compassion for other people. "
Just after I read that and was crying, Ava said 'What's wrong mummy? What's wrong mummy?' over and over again.
" And yet, she is also clinging and whiny, sometimes bossy and demanding. "
She is very bossy! She's always demanding me to move, sit down, copy what she's doing, or that I pick her up.
" A sensitive infant is often colicky, finicky, irritable, demanding. She may cry constantly for the first year of her life (or so it may seem to an exhausted parnent) and want to be held continually. "
It didn't last as long as a year, but for the first 6 - 7 months, she would only sleep or calm down when she was in someone's arms, or in the bath tub.
" ... She fell asleep only when her mother or father rocked to for an hour or longer. Several times each night she woke up crying and needed to be rocked back to sleep. "
I can't even remember how long we did that for. So many nights we were in her room rocking her or rubbing her back for ages until she was finally in a deep enough sleep that she didn't realise we had stopped. I'm sure she was more than a year old before we were finally able to stop doing this.
The excerpt just goes on and on describing Ava in almost every way. There were only a few traits that she doesn't have, but everything else described her perfectly. I've decided to order the book because I need to find out how I'm supposed to handle this behaviour. Although it made me sad to discover that she's highly sensitive and going to be hard work, I feel better knowing that there's a reason why she's behaving this way and that there's a way to work with it.
The strangest part about reading the article, was that I recognized my younger self in a lot of the description. I don't remember how I felt as a two year old, but I certainly remember things from my elementary school years. I was never very good at making friends, I was shy became embarassed easily. It didn't take much to hurt my feelings, and that still goes to this day.
The excerpt just goes on and on describing Ava in almost every way. There were only a few traits that she doesn't have, but everything else described her perfectly. I've decided to order the book because I need to find out how I'm supposed to handle this behaviour. Although it made me sad to discover that she's highly sensitive and going to be hard work, I feel better knowing that there's a reason why she's behaving this way and that there's a way to work with it.
The strangest part about reading the article, was that I recognized my younger self in a lot of the description. I don't remember how I felt as a two year old, but I certainly remember things from my elementary school years. I was never very good at making friends, I was shy became embarassed easily. It didn't take much to hurt my feelings, and that still goes to this day.
09/04/2011
Weekend in Switzerland
Just over a week ago we were invited on a trip to Switzerland. Graham's boss and his family were going skiing and they asked if Ava and I would like to come along as well. Graham and Ava and I stayed in the town of Sion while his boss and family went up the mountain and stayed in Verbier.
We arrived later Friday afternoon and had dinner outside at a restaurant in town. The weather was amazing the whole weekend. It was sunny and 24 degrees during the daytime every day.
Ava and Teddy Bear waiting for the train to take us to the base of the mountain.
Once we arrived at the mountain, we hopped on a cable car and went for a ride!
Ava didn't want to sit with Daddy while Mummy took pictures. Oh well, we don't always get what we want!
The Swiss Alps
Cable cars
Being a good girl.
We had to take a few different cars to get to the top of the mountain.
At the top, we decided to have lunch in one of the restaurants. Ava wasn't very hungry and ended up using her bread as a pencil holder.
Not entirely sure what Ava is doing in this picture, but it looks a bit like her snail impression.
We stopped at a playground to let Ava run around for a while. She had been cooped up in cable cars and her stroller all day.
On Sunday we had most of the day to tour the town, so we walked through the city centre (which was deserted) and headed towards one of the castles.
Peek-a-boo!
Ava and Mummy
Running to Daddy!
Hmm.. maybe not.
Lots of steps to climb in Switzerland.
Halfway up the hill towards the castle.
At the top! You can just see the airport in the background to the right of Graham. We could even see M-ARTY from there :)
We had some lunch in the cafe at the castle. Ava kept herself busy by chatting to the little girl in the mirror.
Back down at the bottom of the hill we found this water tap. Ava had fun splashing around with it for a while.
I was amazed that she didn't fall into the trough!
Worn out after a long day of climbing and exploring.
Ava seemed to find this step particularly interesting. She ran all the way across the road and just sat down on it. Luckily it was a pedestrian road and there wasn't any traffic so it was okay for her to run around.
We had a really great weekend away, but it was just a little bit too expensive for our bank account! We must have spent about £350 on 4 meals and the train and cable car ride, in just two days! Yikes.
We got very luck with the weather, it had rained on the Thursday before, and then again Sunday evening as we were leaving. The timing couldn't have been better! I'd love to go back some day, but we should probably wait until we're a little bit richer...
We arrived later Friday afternoon and had dinner outside at a restaurant in town. The weather was amazing the whole weekend. It was sunny and 24 degrees during the daytime every day.
Ava and Teddy Bear waiting for the train to take us to the base of the mountain.
Once we arrived at the mountain, we hopped on a cable car and went for a ride!
Ava didn't want to sit with Daddy while Mummy took pictures. Oh well, we don't always get what we want!
The Swiss Alps
Cable cars
Being a good girl.
We had to take a few different cars to get to the top of the mountain.
At the top, we decided to have lunch in one of the restaurants. Ava wasn't very hungry and ended up using her bread as a pencil holder.
Not entirely sure what Ava is doing in this picture, but it looks a bit like her snail impression.
We stopped at a playground to let Ava run around for a while. She had been cooped up in cable cars and her stroller all day.
On Sunday we had most of the day to tour the town, so we walked through the city centre (which was deserted) and headed towards one of the castles.
Peek-a-boo!
Ava and Mummy
Running to Daddy!
Hmm.. maybe not.
Lots of steps to climb in Switzerland.
Halfway up the hill towards the castle.
At the top! You can just see the airport in the background to the right of Graham. We could even see M-ARTY from there :)
We had some lunch in the cafe at the castle. Ava kept herself busy by chatting to the little girl in the mirror.
Back down at the bottom of the hill we found this water tap. Ava had fun splashing around with it for a while.
I was amazed that she didn't fall into the trough!
Worn out after a long day of climbing and exploring.
Ava seemed to find this step particularly interesting. She ran all the way across the road and just sat down on it. Luckily it was a pedestrian road and there wasn't any traffic so it was okay for her to run around.We had a really great weekend away, but it was just a little bit too expensive for our bank account! We must have spent about £350 on 4 meals and the train and cable car ride, in just two days! Yikes.
We got very luck with the weather, it had rained on the Thursday before, and then again Sunday evening as we were leaving. The timing couldn't have been better! I'd love to go back some day, but we should probably wait until we're a little bit richer...
Who's the boss?
Some conversations with Ava this morning:
Ava: Mummy what you doing there?
Me: I'm typing.
Ava: Big hug! Big hug!
Me: Okay.
I went over to her and let her give me a hug. As soon as I got there, she pushed me back and said 'Go sit down mummy.'
Ava: Easter bunny chocolate!
Me: Not before breakfast.
Ava: Chocolate.
Me: We have to have breakfast first.
Ava: Chocolate.
Me: No.
Ava: Chocolate!
Me: No.
Ava: CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE!
Ava: Mummy what you doing there?
Me: I'm typing.
Ava: Big hug! Big hug!
Me: Okay.
I went over to her and let her give me a hug. As soon as I got there, she pushed me back and said 'Go sit down mummy.'
***
Ava: Easter bunny chocolate!
Me: Not before breakfast.
Ava: Chocolate.
Me: We have to have breakfast first.
Ava: Chocolate.
Me: No.
Ava: Chocolate!
Me: No.
Ava: CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE!
***
I also recently noticed that she has 3 tiny little moles! It's very cute, there's one on her left leg above her knee, and then one on each bum cheek :)
07/04/2011
Talking
Ava's talking is coming along quickly these days.
On Monday evening we were all in the kitchen, Graham was sitting on the table and I was on the floor with Ava sitting in my lap. Ava looked up at Graham and said 'What you doing up there Daddy?'
'I'm sitting on the table. What are you doing?'
'I'm sitting on Mummy.' she replied.
It was an actual conversation :)
On Monday evening we were all in the kitchen, Graham was sitting on the table and I was on the floor with Ava sitting in my lap. Ava looked up at Graham and said 'What you doing up there Daddy?'
'I'm sitting on the table. What are you doing?'
'I'm sitting on Mummy.' she replied.
It was an actual conversation :)
Chocoholic
Ava woke up this morning and the first thing she did was ask for the Easter Bunny.
Hmm.
Just now she walked up to me and said 'Do you member Easter Bunny chocolate?'
I think she has a new favourite holiday.
Hmm.
Just now she walked up to me and said 'Do you member Easter Bunny chocolate?'
I think she has a new favourite holiday.
06/04/2011
Visit from the Easter Bunny!
Today Ava and I met up with George and her daughter Aimee at Wisley Gardens. We haven't seen them since the end of the summer and decided to have a picnic in the park. The girls had fun running around and then feeding the fish and ducks at the pond. The weather was perfect, it was so warm and sunny.
After Wisley we went to a toddler play centre where Aimee and Ava ran around and played with toys for a while. The lady who runs the group announced that the Easter Bunny would be coming to visit and she handed out little bags for the children to collect eggs, and then led us all on an easter egg hunt. We ended up in a little secret garden filled with daffodils where they had hidden chocolate for the kids. Ava loved it and kept waving to the Easter Bunny and thanking him for the chocolate. She even tried to eat some with the foil still on it :)
Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me and had to use the one on my phone so the picture quality isn't great.
Afterward, we went over to Auntie Jenni's house for a barbeque with her friends from work. Ava entertained herself by chasing a neighbourhood cat around the back yard and by throwing pebbles from the walk way into the grass. I finally had to put her on the 'naughty step' by the back door to stop her from throwing the stones everywhere.
About 30 seconds after I made her sit down, one of the guys kicked a soccer ball toward the house... it bounced off the table and smashed a bottle and a glass of coke, sending the shards of glass flying straight at Ava! I couldn't believe it. I ran over to her and brushed the glass off of her clothing, checking her over to make sure it hadn't cut her or was in her hair or eyes, but she seemed perfectly fine. After a few seconds she said 'Oh my goodness. Oh my gosh.' but she wasn't upset at all. I was so shocked but relieved that she hadn't been hurt that I decided to take her home. I felt terrible that I had put her right in the line of fire, but I had no idea that someone was going to kick a soccer ball at her. Thankfully she was okay though.
Anyway, we went to Switzerland on the weekend and I'm going to post some pictures of that trip as soon as I get a chance.
After Wisley we went to a toddler play centre where Aimee and Ava ran around and played with toys for a while. The lady who runs the group announced that the Easter Bunny would be coming to visit and she handed out little bags for the children to collect eggs, and then led us all on an easter egg hunt. We ended up in a little secret garden filled with daffodils where they had hidden chocolate for the kids. Ava loved it and kept waving to the Easter Bunny and thanking him for the chocolate. She even tried to eat some with the foil still on it :)
Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me and had to use the one on my phone so the picture quality isn't great.
Afterward, we went over to Auntie Jenni's house for a barbeque with her friends from work. Ava entertained herself by chasing a neighbourhood cat around the back yard and by throwing pebbles from the walk way into the grass. I finally had to put her on the 'naughty step' by the back door to stop her from throwing the stones everywhere.
About 30 seconds after I made her sit down, one of the guys kicked a soccer ball toward the house... it bounced off the table and smashed a bottle and a glass of coke, sending the shards of glass flying straight at Ava! I couldn't believe it. I ran over to her and brushed the glass off of her clothing, checking her over to make sure it hadn't cut her or was in her hair or eyes, but she seemed perfectly fine. After a few seconds she said 'Oh my goodness. Oh my gosh.' but she wasn't upset at all. I was so shocked but relieved that she hadn't been hurt that I decided to take her home. I felt terrible that I had put her right in the line of fire, but I had no idea that someone was going to kick a soccer ball at her. Thankfully she was okay though.
Anyway, we went to Switzerland on the weekend and I'm going to post some pictures of that trip as soon as I get a chance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)