Big girl

There is so much to report from the festive season that it's quite difficult to know where to start so to keep you going while we order and pick photos to share here are the highlights from today. Apart from a little shopping the best thing about today is that we eventually decided to change Della's sleeping areangements. She was still in her cot - she is quite old for this but has never shown any sign of climbing out so we thanked our lucky stars and kept her in as long as possible. 

Today though her and daddy changed her cot into a bed... 

She does like DIY and fixed and helped as much as she could - mainly sticking screws in any open holes. 

She was very excited when it was finished... 

And although all was going well simon is currently sat with her as it is all a bit strange. We could be in for a long night! 

And we are ready

Bring on Christmas 

Nb: it's not a piano 

This is happening

So della is very excited. she has been coutning dow to Santa coming for a while now and at last he is coming tonight and she knows it. the day has been filled with preparation but this afternoon we went to a christingle service at the church. we sang songs - Della knew them already - and made our very own cristingles. It was nice. Della had a glo stick not candle in hers...

Then della prepared for her visitors. this included a discussion about what Rudolph will need. Just carrots and water. And then what Santa will need. Here is got a bit more complicated. His snack includes carrots, peanuts, cheesey biscuits and some chocolate. Finally we introduced her to the concept of whiskey which santa is eating right now whilst building her present. Here are her preparations... 

Right now this is happening - thank you ikea for flatpacking Della's new kitchen (also see Rita on the horse in the background - Santa has eventually brought her some clothes, yet to unwrap!)  

Thank you James

Not only did we have a lovely day for Simons birthday we also took advantage of having gran Helen being here and for the first time in a very long time went out into town together after della went to bed. We ate noodles and drank beer and talked about things other than della. It was very nice.

Our friend James gave simon a cd as a present, it contains a selection of ska tunes. Here della enjoys listening and dancing while building towers...

After all this excitement della needed a lie down, she choose to use Gordon as a pillow 

Birthday boy

Here Della blows out candles with Daddy

Adventures with gran Helen

I thought I had posted this blog before Christmas. Turns out I hadn't. Enjoy...

We have done lots of exciting ad fun things with gran Helen over the past couple of days. A highlight today was talking to Della's cousins in Texas. Della found out that that just as bluet is Ilona's sister. Uncle Ben is daddy's brother. This was very interesting to her.

We also braved the gusty weather and took a refreshing stroll by the river. After a coffee in the fabulous reading cafe at the park we played on the swings and roundabout until it was time for home. 

We spent some time on the bridge talking about the river. Della made her own story up which went something like this... 

If I was to fall in the river I would swim away and be wet. I would swim to the side and meet the birds and then fly home with them (whilst flapping arms like a bird). At home I would get dry and warm in a towel and put my dry clothes on. Demonstrating her new joy for making up her own stories. 

Then she sat on a horse and did some singing

Happy birthday daddy!

This weekend we celebrated simon turning 35. Gran Helen is also visiting so it make it even more of a lovely weekend. We had a slow birthday morning then after some playing went into town to paint some pottery. While there della and daddy got creative with paints and pots. They painted a storage jar for treats in the kitchen and a porridge bowl for gran Helen... 

Then we walked slowly home through town which was looking beautiful at dusk with Christmas lights 

After tea at home we did birthday singing and ate cake. Video to follow... 

Ho ho ho

Gran Helen is here and we are playing in the bath. Della is mainly being Santa... 

Previously unpublished posts

You will see below there were quite a few posts recently which I thought had loaded up but hadn't. Enjoy 

Books, games, olives and singing

Della has very much enjoyed her time with granda Andrew. Mornings have started mainly with him reading books then relaxing lazy breakfasts. This morning it was eggs - definitely Della's best favourite food! 

She also tried olives for the first time. She normally enjoys trying new food and likes strong takes but olives were not a success... 

http://youtu.be/X-6R8ugoUQ0

Then there were more games and book reading

Whilst doing a jigsaw della put granda Andrew straight a few times, mainly when he was trying to do it himself but didn't realise he was building it upside down... 

Sunday

It was an action packed Sunday, it started with a third birthday party at a soft play area - at 9am. Dedication on our part on a Sunday to be out of the house and at a soft play area by 9am. It was for two of Della's friends from nursery so it was fun to see her playing with children we don't really know. 

After that we came home and after a little  nap della decided to copy her cousin bluet and put a toy basket on her head, this continued for some time... 

Then she sat in the washing basket for a while with her friends... 

After that we went swimming. Della is normally quite cautious in the pool but today seemed to have grown in confidence a bit and did some very splashy jumps in the water. 

Finally we came home and did some crafts - this is because up until tonight we had nothing to top our tree. Della and daddy corrected this with some gold card and a toilet roll! 

Della digging with Grandad Andrew

A couple of pics and a video from the weekend of Della both supervising Grandad Andrew and then learning how to dig properly on the allotment. Once she'd learnt to use her foot to stamp in her spade, she lost no time in telling Daddy to do it properly in a very foremanly manner.

More from Christmas

Della has a Christmas party at nursery next week and parents are invited. I'm assuming the children will be singing lots of Christmas songs to us as they are constantly on her mind. She even taught me and SImon one about a Christmas tree the other night.

Here are a few versions of her singing - she likes to make jokes in her songs and changes the words herself - whilst cleverly remembering rhyming rules. This one is not about one Santa now - but according to her - two Santa's




This is without doubt her favourite. She loves Rudolph and especially loves the Rudolph Daddy crafted her out of an old bubble wrap envelope, a bike light and a head band...




I think December will mainly be themed with Christmas posts

It's Christmas

With the help of an advent calendar Della completely understand what Christmas is. She believes it to be a time when, if you are a good girl, that Santa works with his elves and brings you a present. She loves the whole concept and talks about it a lot. For example on the way home from nursery the other day our conversation went...

D: Have the elves been to our house
M: Yes, and they put a Christmas tree in our living room
D: Where do the elves live?
M: With Santa
D: where does Santa live
M: at the north pole
D: where is the north pole
M: a long way away
D: are the elves at our house now?
M: no, they are very tired so are asleep at the north pole
D: with Santa?
M: Yes
D: Santa will be patting their tummy's to get them to sleep

The conversation went on to include a general discussion about how Santa also lives with Polar Bears.

Two weekend's ago Della met Santa for the first time. She was very excited to see him and insisted on going on his sleigh. She was especially happy that Santa let her take charge of Rudolphs reins...

I asked her the other morning what she would like from Santa (after first asking if she had been a good girl) and she said this...



It is quite sweet that she feels for Rita (her dolly) because she is the only one of her dolls who has a nappy but no clothes

Penguin dance

Given the success of watching more than a five minute clip of television - thanks to Pat and Mat and Moley we got her the Disney Classic Happy Feet. Although she did enjoy the story she was far more impressed with the opening title sequence - where you choose whether you want to play the film, put subtitles on etc. This is her dancy with the baby penguin!

Granda Andrew is here

Granda Andrew is staying with us for a couple of days. Della was very happy to find him here when she woke up this morning. After he read lots of books to her we all sat down to a big breakfast of porridge together. 

We then hit the road to Fangfoss which is a village outside of York to go to the rocking horse shop for some supplies for granda Len. 

Here are the highlights. 

Della rides a horse... 

We meet an owl and play in the leaves... 

Anna comes to stay

This weekend we had a visitor. My friend Anna came to stay. We got up to lots of exciting things including... 

A march into town

Lunch at the library

Then as a treat on Saturday night, and because della loved them so much last time, we set off our remaining fireworks left over from bonfire night

Della said the ones that went high in the sky scared her a little bit but using up the remaining sparklers soon put a smile back on her face