Weekending Colour

Talia sucking the flavour out of a strip of mango leather in the car in Wirksworth.  She is very happy that I've decided to trust her instincts above mine - she thinks food is the most wonderful thing ever.  Except milk, of course (those overjoyed smiles when she realises I'm about to nurse her!!).

I got another fairly successful picture of them all before we headed out to my brother and sister-in-law's housewarming party.

Sometimes I really see the family resemblance!

I was being pretty brave, for me.  I decided that one way or another we *were* going to the housewarming, knowing it would be likely that mine would be the only children, knowing that there would be nobody able to rescue us or take us home if it rained or we needed to leave early (or both).  Martin was working until late so I wasn't even sure we'd have a lift home if we stayed to the end.

Actually, it wasn't as far as I thought.  And we didn't get lost.  And the children didn't complain.

And although they *did* run around the apartment shrieking (of course) they weren't any louder than the adults present.  ;)

Tali spat up on the floor.  I told them it was good practice for when my little nephew arrives.  Maarja is blooming and lovely - I refrained from making comment about the size of her bump, knowing how much it irks me when folks do that to me!  They are on the home stretch.  Bitter-sweet, remembering my pregnancy with Jenna and knowing that in spite of all the things I wish I'd known, advice is a double edged sword and the most helpful thing I can do is affirm their rights to make the choices that suit them.


Jenna makes friends everywhere we go.

Almost everywhere.  Some kids were picking on her at the park - saying she had a stupid laugh, that she had no friends, and that they would steal her scarf if she put it down.  She told me she wanted to call them idiots, but didn't - though she did threaten to hit them if they came any closer (not sure how I'm supposed to feel about that as a pacifist but I'm glad she defended her boundaries).






I have been trying to spring clean (again).  I may be a stay-at-home mum, but I am *so* not housewifely.  :S  Oh I like it when it's all clean and pretty, well enough.  I just lack the will to get it there on any regular basis.

There now seem to be more board games than fit on the shelves.  Which is probably a sign that the top shelf (mostly paper and card) needs sorting out too so I can put some up a shelf!  *sigh*  I am getting the urge to just charity shop every second item I come across in sorting out.  I have this chronic fear of wanting tracing paper or acetate some day and not having any...


Jenna recovered somewhat from her negative experience on the park by lying on my bed playing maths games for an hour.  Not the recreation I'd choose, perhaps...  But she's OK now.  She just needed a hug, mostly.