Adventure-time at Grandad Col's

Eve inside Grandad Col's greenhouse

Eve had sore teeth both days this weekend and woke up earlier than usual. Saturday she was a trooper and had a great day, even though she was in pain. But Sunday was quite bad and she cried and whimpered all morning. It was one of those tricky ones where you're trying to get things ready to get out the door, but Eve wouldn't let me put her down. Thankfully we were heading down to Wedmore near Cheddar, to see Grandad Col and Jeggsy. Sam and I managed to get Eve in the car after lots of tears. Sleep did her the world of good so that when she woke up she was a lot happier.

She didn't eat much lunch and has been off her food since Friday; however she did love Grandad Col's real 'Cheddar' cheese.

Daddy and Eve, with Saffy the dog and Grandad Col

We had a lovely time wandering through Grandad Col's garden. It was drizzly and grey but it was so good to breathe in the fresh countryside air. Eve loved going inside Grandad's new greenhouse.

Garden construction has been underway all this year and it's really coming on. I feel so happy that Eve can run around three lovely gardens that her grandparent's own, as she grows up. My grandparent's lived in America so we never had the joy of exploring their garden.

Looking at the apple trees, with the greenhouse in the background

Daddy and Eve walking by the fruit cage

I put Eve in a nappy for the car journey down to Cheddar. I didn't take it off her when we arrived as she had been upset with her teeth, so I figured I wouldn't rock the boat. After our walk in the garden we went inside for lunch. Eve then told Daddy that she needed to use the potty. She didn't wee in the nappy at all. Both Sam and I were delighted, it seems that I underestimated our girl. I think we may be able to dismiss the nappy for naps and bedtime in the next coming months which is exciting. To be free from nappies is going to be a wonder!

Eve loved playing with the pebbles in the garden. I remember that during springtime when we visited she did the same. She just loves exploring her surroundings.

During a rather grey lunch break last week I was a bit naughty (but not really) and bought Eve a little pink Mason Pearson hairbrush. The children's size nylon and bristle brush is very cute. I remember my sister having one when we were small.

My mum had a Mason Pearson hairbrush when she was a child and thought it was important that we should also have them. The hairbrushes are expensive but they literally last for a good 20 years. I've had x2 of them during my lifetime, they are made to last and are brilliant things. This classic design was invented in 1885 in London.

http://masonpearson.co.uk/why-us

My mum's mother told her that 'you should brush your hair 50 times every evening.' I helped Eve open the box when we got home from nursery. I was hoping that it might make her happier about having her hair brushed. Of course, I was wrong. She took one look at the hairbrush and started crying.

It gets through tangled hair in one stroke and is definitely helping to keep Eve's hair under control. She's still not keen on it, but I can usually hang onto her for a few strokes of the brush before she wriggles free. 

                                                    Morning pyjama time with Daddy

I learnt a lesson last weekend. Eve and I were having a nice time in the bathroom whilst Sam was out playing basket ball. I told Eve that Daddy would be home to say goodnight to her before she went to bed. We finished up in the bathroom and Daddy had not come home. Eve didn't want to go into her bedroom as this symbolised going to bed without saying good night to Daddy. I took her downstairs to try to calm her down but this made her even worse as we don't go downstairs after bath time usually.

I walked from room to room holding Eve who was by this point very distraught. I sat with her on the rocking chair in her bedroom and tried to explain that Daddy was coming home but he was a bit late. She asked me, 'Is Daddy fine?' and looked very worried about him. I kept telling her over and over that he would be home soon. Thankfully he arrived home and Eve was so happy to see him, she said to him that she wanted to say 'night night' to him. She was completely exhausted and fell asleep straight away. 

For some reason it hadn't crossed my mind that Daddy would be late home. Eve is fine if Daddy is out when she goes to bed, but not of course if she is expecting him to be there. A big lesson learnt there, Mummy.

Eve is so funny with her Dad. He is a massive basket ball fan and loves watching the NBA on his laptop and playing the game on the Playstation. Eve isn't very impressed by this and says to him, 'off the bench Daddy, this way,' and leads him into the lounge to play with her. She also tells him to turn his Playstation off. He complies; this is something I've not managed in fifteen years. Well done Eve! ha ha!

Last Monday morning I got up for work and Sam told me that Eve had woken up in the middle of the night from a bad dream and that he had gone to settle her back to sleep. I didn't believe Sam and told him that he must have been imagining it. But it turned out to be true. For the first time since Eve was born I didn't hear her cries as I slept. It shocked me a bit and it's definitely strange. Things seem to be happening so quickly, each evening when I pick her up from nursery she seems more and more grown up. The days of babyhood are now long gone.

One morning last week before nursery, Eve and I were in the kitchen. She looked up at the fridge and said to me, 'O' and pointed up at the magnets. I pulled it off the fridge and gave it to her, she looked at it and said, 'O.' That sent me off to work feeling very happy.

On Saturday night during bath time she sang the full alphabet song without any mistakes. She's been enjoying singing it throughout the summer, but hearing her sing the whole thing made me feel very proud of her. I love waking up in the morning hearing Eve singing in her cot, it is just the cutest thing and fills my heart with joy.

When I collected Eve from nursery on Bonfire night she gave me a 'firework' biscuit that she had decorated with icing and sprinkles. I was missing her a lot last week. It seems harder to be away from my girl when it's grey outside. I just want to be at home giving her cuddles and tickles. I'm so thrilled with her development; she's such a determined and amusing little thing.