Joining the dots...

Both Emily and Niomi have really been doing great just recently. It seems that as we've emerged out of winter and into the season of new life, then they've both been finding new growth, depths and energy to draw upon. Emily has generally flourished with her reading, writing and drawing and has been growing steadily in her abilities, but its Niomi that has particularly impressed recently. She's never found learning any of these things easy. Language has been difficult for her, numbers equally so. But just recently it seems she has exploded in terms of her interest and grasp on these abstract concepts. Its been an absolute marvel to watch and she's just so happy with herself and everything that's going on. I'm really dead proud of her just now - she's literally and metaphorically starting to join all the dots.

Pleased as punch with her completed dot to dot

Videoclip: Joining the dots

Elsa John

 Jack and the Beanstalk in pictures by Emily

Emily's poster for #TeamLairdsland (her school parental engagement campaign)

As ever we've been trying to get out and about as much as possible - outside where the weather's allowed but inside where it hasn't. There's been lots of laughter and smiles, dancing and silliness plus sticker books have taken over our lives again. One particular highlight was our first Trossachs outing of the year on what was one of the few true spring days we've had so far. More often we've had storms recently and our beloved trampoline has born the brunt of one of those. Still spring is starting to exert itself, and all the flowers are definitely weeks earlier than last year. Crocuses are gone, daffodils are just emerging and our house is covered in over 120 baby plants that I am cultivating. So let's hope soon spring is truly upon us in time for our April trip to the Isle of Mull. I can't wait...

Spring joy

 Fish were jumping

One of the loveliest picnic benches

Trampoline carnage

Sister love

Going solo...

STOP PRESS: Niomi's off!

Following in her sister's footsteps at the ripe old age of just turned four, Niomi is off solo on her bike. She did us proud this weekend with a very brave peddle-tastic effort. Both of them learnt on balance bikes, and they both made the transition to full peddle bikes look like a skoosh (used in the Weegie sense of something that's incredibly easy).  No stabilisers, barely any help, just away she goes. Worry is there'll be no stopping her now...

Ready for the off...

Videoclip: First solo ride...

Fabulous February...

Time as ever doesn’t stand still. And from late January it’s been pretty much non-stop for us.

There’s been a wintry weekend in Pitlochry, Niomi’s 4th and Tanya’s 24th birthdays, our annual anniversary visit to Gargunnock, and a sneaky weekend away ‘sans enfants’ in Perthshire. Major milestones have included Emily losing her first tooth, Niomi learning to hop, Mummy learning how to work Netflix, and Daddy…well Daddy has learned once again that the blog doesn't write itself. Sigh.

Whatever though...It’s definitely been non-stop fun, fun, fun.

Toothless

 Sure is a Queen's View

 Enjoying the air

 Drone attack

 Welcome to Scotland...we're only open April to October though

The money tree

 Obligatory birthday bike...internally recycled

 Cow cake was a hit! Well done Mummy

 A very merry gathering

Emily bake off

Niomi eat off

Videoclip: Birthday hop, skip and jump

 Strolling in Gargunnock

 Emily in charge!

 Niomi in charge!

 Parental escape

 Yurt-tastic

Mummy's 24th birthday cake

Hip, hip hooray...we're two today...

As I wrote just before Christmas, I'm definitely one for sneaking an extra birthday into the year and what better way to do that than have a Family Birthday. Two years ago on January 13th a certain little Niomi came to live with us - since then we've had so many adventures, ups, downs, roundabouts, smiles, tears and laughter its impossible to write them all down. But regular readers will know a little about the wonderful journey we've been on.

Practically though, the idea of a family birthday is more than just an excuse to eat cake and treat ourselves. It's also a great opportunity to reflect on our journey, to see how much Niomi and the whole family has grown. And importantly its an easy way for us to talk to Niomi about her life before she was with us, hopefully all in an attempt to 'naturalise' things as much as possible for her as she gets older.

 We're two today!!

So there we are - our little family is two years old. Let's hope its not the terrible but more the terrific twos that the next year has in store. And if the rainbow that watched over us most of the day at the Sea Life centre in Balloch is anything to go by, then it could be a cracker...

 Great bond formed over the 2 years

Happy birthday to us :-)

Terrified by the largest fish ever

 Which one's Nemo?

Good Cod!

Stunning views over Loch Lomond

Our lucky rainbow :-)

Ho, ho, throw (up)….

And then the festivities were upon us…

There were parties to be attended, friends to be fed, family to be hosted, sickness to be endured. Yes, the festivities this year saw the dreaded vomiting bug swathe through the family – attacking each victim in turn (all except Niomi who seemed to be magically protected by her low-level antibiotic). But whilst it inflicted its woe on the victims we did all rally at appropriate moments to do our best to enjoy ourselves. And, looking on the plus side, I am now fully acquainted with the intricacies of our washing machine 😃.

So, as we watched the arrival of the Southern Rookes circling above our garden, we prayed for a miracle cure before bringing them safely to the nest in time for carols and mulled wine at the neighbours. That afternoon was then quickly followed by preparations for the arrival of the Big Man, putting excited children to bed, vegetable prep and catch up. Christmas Day was my least stressful yet as all food was safely cooked and warming by 11.30am, ready for the commencement of Le Grand Repas at precisely 1pm (well, that was according to the plan). It was a tasty affair which also saw the Annual Christmas Star Awards, and the inaugural Duckatella Fluff Conducting competition (full disclosure available on request). All followed by a small libation to the Christmas gods.

And so we moved on through the festivities with food, Mary Poppins Returns, walks, games, laughter, debate and lots of great fun…all interspersed with an occasional ‘man-down’ succumbing to the bug, and the boys allegedly winning the annual Cranium competition due to the girls being unable to field a team. But eventually the Southern Rookes had to sadly depart, kindly taking our bugs back with them to share down south. Sorry, sorry, to everyone!!!!

By now we’d abandoned ambitious plans for New Year and just settled down to a few days of R&R, or at least Tanya did. Having fared the best, I now was in charge of the children. And like any good Dad when flying tout seul, I reached for my wallet and got us out the house with epic walks and ice cream bribery. Eventually though, we did all manage a New Year’s Eve meal together which saw the final crackers pulled and a dodgy rendition of Auld Lang Syne, but by 8.55pm I was left contemplating 2018 all alone. Still I saw in the New Year – and by the following day the troops were starting to rally. A few more days of newly discovered expeditions round and about were had, and then the Gurney’s arrived to top off the celebrations nicely along with our friends Yvonne and Wilf.

And there you have it….Welcome 2019. I hope you bring peace, joy and happiness to everyone (and less vomiting all round).

Wishing all our family and friends near and far a very Happy New Year. Lang may yer lum reek.

 Little Miss Christmas

Little Miss Reindeer

The great Rooke gathering 

Hat slippage

This year's Christmas Brie

That's me apparently 

 Inaugural Duckatella Fluff champion

Victory to the boys by default (harsh but fair)

The game of Christmas - its hard to be genuinely beaten by a 3 year old

 Christmas angel - Penguin champ

 Cherry trees blossoming

 Out and about I

 Out and about II

 Candy cane Christmas

 Little and Large

Cousins

Eventually all out together