Family Days...

With Spring ebbing and flowing its way into 2017 this year, and my adoption leave drawing to an end, we decided to invest some quality time into Family Days. The basic premise being that as we are a newly formed unit we needed to make sure that we spent some time helping the 'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing' process before Mummy was left flying solo...

The Forming stage was thrust upon us back at the beginning of January with the arrival of Niomi, and from there we've had plenty of Storming in one shape or other from all of us. But as we've moved through March we were definitely trying to get things as Norming as possible for my return to work.

And so we took to the road in a series of day trips...Niomi LOVES the outdoors, so this was sure to be a winner.  The weather was pretty grim. Colds and tiredness were ever lurking in the shadows. But we were not for turning. And so armed with endless fruit, crisps, raisins, cheese and crackers - this family was undeterred to have to have a good time. And so we did, well...for most of it, and you can't expect perfection with a 2 and 4 year old. So despite the odd tantrum from all of us, much singing, cajoling and putting on our bravefaces to the weather - we hit the Trossachs and the Campsies, and introduced Niomi to the great Scottish outdoors.

And it must have been successful, as she still wants to spend every second she can exploring out there and beyond...which suits us fine :-). Oh....and the poor girl's also been stuck on a bike too...but she loved that as well :-). She's certainly one for an adventure bless her. Now just where exactly did I place my spare eyes in the back of my head....

 First family selfie in the Trossachs

 You can't beat trying to blow bubbles in a 'hoolie'

 A drowned fairy at Fairy's Knoll

 Learning to wade in Scotland's rivers

 Cuteness Part 1

 Cuteness Part 2

You see - she LOVED it

Sisters in Hobbitland

Every picture tells a story...

Stories are a big part of all our lives. Kids can tell amazing ones and certainly love hearing them. Emily's imagination is growing by the day and her love of fairies, dragons and castles is just fuelling her storytelling. As is her love of all things 'Frozen'. She's still writing to the fairies that moved in 9 months ago, and they're now regularly appearing in her pictures like 'one of the family' as well. 

The downside of all this is I am now having to read endless 100+ page books to her everyday. What downside? This is wonderful I hear you cry. And on one level you're right, but having recently completed the first 42 books in the Rainbow Magic series I was somewhat relieved that we moved on. Each book consisted of the same two girls helping a fairy find something that it had lost, at the same time as avoiding Jack Frost's goblins, in order that Fairyland be saved. . And guess what? Each time they miraculously managed to retrieve said item and avoid said goblins. Never a plot twist or hidden turn. 100% predictable and quite hard to stay awake to read after a long day. Still, Emily never seemed to cotton on and each story miraculously held her gripped, so they must hold some magic for a 4 year old's imagination...

"Daddy, I hope the goblins don't get the girls this time", Emily stated excitedly.

"Emily - the goblins NEVER get the girls, they also find the missing object EVERY time and Fairyland is ALWAYS saved", Daddy replied. Or at least he did in his head... 

Videoclip: A Story - by Emily Rooke

One of Jack Frost's goblins

In order to keep on integrating Niomi to full-on Rooke life, and to build on her musical introductions, we've been encouraging her to get downright dirty in her play. Her birthday treat was to somewhere called "The Messy Place" (does what it says on the tin really). We've also had the paints, crayons, glitter, glue, sticky paper and anything else you can lay your hands on, out big style. She's generally an outdoor kinda gal so can be quite vocal in her avoidance of such nonsense, but, with a little perseverance and persuasion she's coming on grand in the creativity stakes as well. So if she's not trying on men's clothes, she's now making odd art, as well. Plenty of people have made a living doing far worse in the last 50 years, so we have high hopes for her future career prospects in the 'retro' art field...

Girl's only art session

Red hand of destiny

Purple hand of freedom

Shoe Fetish Part 1

Shoe Fetish Part 2

Sisters hand in hand

A 'handbow'