Right, we must be official

I think we need a laminator! lol. Today’s activity with the ranger at the local nature reserve involved making our own tree identification cards with leaves that we gathered during the course of an hour long walk. Big really enjoyed herself, and wants to keep her cards as a book, so I think they need laminating.

We had a really good day, despite a terrible night. Small was up just before 5, screaming fit to burst, and nothing I could do sorted him out. It wasn’t nappy, he fed and that didn’t help, drink of water didn’t soothe him, no songs, no walking and swaying…it was not good. Resorted to calpol, and that was not appreciated – I ended up wearing it! 🙁 Eventually he had another drink of water, gave a very loud and unpleasant belch, whined a bit more and passed out. But before he managed that he woke Big up too, so she was not impressed at being dragged out of bed for her swimming lesson.

That went OK, but we are definitely out of her comfort zone now. She still made best efforts at everything today, but her best efforts frequently required physical assistance from the instructor to complete the various tasks. He is great though, doesn’t talk down to them (well not overly much) and is very encouraging – I don’t think they’ve noticed too much how he is beginning to treat them all differently – asking more of some and less of others. The only big sticking point today was climbing out of the pool – she really can’t do it, and she just dissolved completely – for a bit I thought I was going to have to find someone to hold Small and go in to the water to get her out!

After that we went on to the nature reserve, and as I’ve already said, it was a really good day. We didn’t have the usual ranger, apparently she’s on holiday, and the chap we did have was great. He was very up front that he’d never encountered home edders before, and didn’t really know what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised that there was no disruptive element as there pretty much always is (according to him) when he delivers stuff for schools. He made a really good effort to pick up the children’s names, and chatted to several of the adults too – didn’t seem at all phased to discover the range of ages from a few weeks in a sling right up to teenage.

The group had a new family there today – I’m hoping that P will find her way on to MP very soon, and possibly from there to the blogs. Nice to catch up with a few ppl I haven’t seen for a while as well.

Didn’t get home til nearly 3.30, which made for a long sticky day. Thankfully the sun wasn’t out until we were on the way home, or I think it would have been unbearably hot for pushing a buggy around little overgrown paths. I want an Ergo! Once we got back, Big vegged in front of a Discovery Channel program about how dogs help out ppl with medical complaints (!?)

Right, typed all this much earlier this evening, and got interrupted trying to get Small to sleep – finally succeeded and, as I’m feeling remarkably shattered myself, going to drink the hot chocolate dp has waiting for me, and go to bed myself. Sorry, haven’t fixed my comment template yet, will have to get to that tomorrow. Night all.