It's been a few days since I've posted, and I feel like I've been far too busy to get time to sit down and write anything - although at the same time I feel like I haven't done anything much at all!
The biggest 'thing' over the last few weeks was my working a few days in my old school, helping cover classes. Working means getting up early (6.30am gaah!), rushing around to get myself and Isabelle ready, and trying to condense an hour’s drive into much less time than that, as I inevitably leave late after trying to find my hairbrush, forgetting my phone…But it also means catching up with my friends and being able to sit down for a few minutes and have a hot cup of tea without little hands pulling at my leg (just little voices nagging 'Miss...Miss...Miss...' instead!) As always, I thoroughly enjoyed being in school, and Isabelle and I even headed down on school sports' day to allow everyone to catch up with her while she carried the relay batons about, and allow me to see how my all time favorite pupils got on after the Geography GCSE. I can hardly believe that they have done their GCSE and are ready to leave school - it seems like no time from we all started together, and I am ridiculously proud of them all. And, while I was at work, Daddy decided to play hairdresser...creating the delightful 'style' below...Needless to say, she won't be having anymore pigtails any time soon!
Of course, working days have been in the minority! So we've been filling our days as always with getting out to see friends, to baby classes, and spending time with family. We eventually got round to starting Sing and Sign classes, which are nice and something a bit different. They replace the Baby Sensory class we used to do on a Friday morning, which Isabelle had grown too old for. I miss it so much, but have actually just started Toddler Sense classes on Saturday morning instead. These are great as they have activities much more suited to Isabelle's age, and she is actually the youngest in the class, so it's fantastic for her to see the bigger toddlers and be able to learn from them. There is a lovely park just outside the Sing and Sign class, so we play there every week as well, and she is has a new love for slides - especially climbing up them!
We've also gotten out and about to some one off events. Now it's coming in to summer there seems to be so much more on. We went to the Balmoral Show - a big agricultural show held every May in Northern Ireland - for the day, and it was beautifully sunny and a great day out. Simon, Isabelle, my dad, Helen, Jacob, Isaac and I made quite the little troupe as we moseyed around. Isabelle had her first go on the teacups, while brave big boy Jacob went on the Ferris Wheel with uncle Simon. We saw some animals, petted some baby animals, and Jacob even held a snake - not while I was anywhere near him I hasten to add!
Simon and I also popped in to the Maritime Festival in the Titanic Quarter, and had a wander round the stalls there, getting a dose of churros, which is usually reserved for the Christmas Market.
We celebrated little Isaac’s christening on another lovely sunny day, with a big family get together. Isabelle enjoyed having a little zoom round in Jacob’s Cozy Coupe, and on his trike too.
Other than that, it’s been the usual rush of visiting family, swimming, walking the dogs and trying to keep up with all the house work.
At home, Isabelle has been working on her fine motor skills, and her absolute favorite thing to do at the minute is take things out, and put them in, out and in, out and in. We bought her this little pop up toy with some birthday vouchers, and while she can't quite get them to pop up yet, she will spend ages taking the figures out and putting them back in again. She has been playing a lot with her stacker toys too, and it's great to see how much her motor skills have developed in the last few weeks. She's a big fan of the dogs at the minute, and loves patting them, but has developed a bad habit of handing food to them which we are trying to stop! She adores playing outside, so much of our day is spent in the garden, blowing bubbles and playing with pegs! We have played in the sand pit a few times, but a sighting of a HUGE spider in there last week has really put me off...She especially loves playing outside at Granny and Grandad's, as they have lots of grown up toys for Jacob, like his tractor which she loves!
The next few weeks will be busy as well with Jacob’s birthday, a visit from Granny and Grandad from Norfolk, and another trip up to the north coast planned. Plenty to keep us busy and out of trouble!
