Down to London

Our content Ailsa watching chickens at Grannie's house.
Isla causing havoc at the new store...
6:30am in a foggy Glasgow..Starting off our journey! (Sorry, turning them is a big pain as they came off my blackberry..)
12:30pm Saturday. The back of the British Museum
9:00 Saturday on High Holburn just out side the Krispy Kreme which didn't open until 10!! Honestly! The Dunkin Donuts man would be rolling in his grave. Our hotel is in the background (with the big dome)..Marriott Chancery Court.
Daddy bought Isla a Winnie the Pooh Balloon a few weeks ago. Isla figured out that Ailsa likes it too and has been caught more than once putting it in Ailsa's hand. Ailsa does think it's great fun to bat at.
Isla, her sand table and her wet suit. It's not been a great week weatherwise, but the joy of Scotland is you can just put your kid in a suit like this, with some wellies and send them out anyway!
Isla does have remarkable dexterity for a 2 year old. This is her making her bracelet with Claire. She made one for Anne's birthday and one for Mum too.
Baby Ailsa and her hair bow

Ailsa lent her bow to Eva for a picture with Isla, until Eva bought her own. These two are hilarious together and love to run around holding hands and knocking each other down.Isla at Grannie's. She found some chocolate Easter eggs that she was very proud of. She even asked Grannie on the phone if she could have them. (her wellies are clean)


This week has been a busy one. Working backwards, Friday morning Mum and Ailsa got up bright and early and caught the 5:30am train from Gleneagles to Glasgow, and then went on to London for a one-year follow up appointment on her eyes. The doctor's are all very pleased and her eyes have healed better than anyone could have hoped. Ailsa was a wee gem of a traveller and did really, really well.

During mum's appointment Alisdair's friend Nicki babysat, and then they went out for dinner at a fantastic place called "My Old Dutch" which served GIANT pancakes the size of tyres in either sweet or savory. It was a fun trip. Kenna is getting the knack of London and on Saturday morning we did a walk up to Regent Street (where we bought Isla some Peppa Pig stuff at Hamley's) and then back by the British Museum (no, we had nothing to do with the gas alert/evacuation at 12:30 although Ailsa does let some whoppers go! Alisdair asked if perhaps Ailsa had done something outside the air conditioning vent...hahaaha). We walked back to the hotel on High Holburn and then up to King's Cross. Ailsa lost a sock somewhere on Gray's Hill Inn Road, but other than that the walk was uneventful. The train ride home was long but pleasant enough. London is a fantastic place, I only wish it were closer to Scotland. (I went into the Aveda Institute and had a little consultation with the head colourist there. He informed me that the key to decent colour in Scotland is telling the person you want "copper" not "red" as we all know how taboo "RED" (or Ginger) is here!!!

While Mum was away Alisdair watched Isla on Thursday and took her to the shop with him. She watched a lot of Peppa Pig on You Tube and did some minimal damage to the till. Saturday it was a better idea to have Auntie Claire come over and as always Claire had some great crafts that Isla enjoyed.

Sunday was our lazy day to go to the farm. Mum and Isla and Ailsa went down to see Mr. Chicken and saw something brown, with a round bum and very quick run into the fence. Dad says from the picked apart dead rabbit he thinks it was a stote, but mum thinks it was a rat. Regardless, he set some traps. As there are new baby chicks down there we want to catch whatever it is.

Earlier in the week it dawned on mum that Isla gets new clothes when she grows out of the old ones, but not many new toys as she's grown. Due to some good coupons and good deals she ordered some stuff to keep Isla entertained while she was away. Included was a Gruffalo Trunki (for her travelling adventures), a camera (Isla LOVES to steal dad's), and a work bench and a sandbox. They have all been big hits and hopefully will entertain her for awhile.

On Thursday there was a Continential market at Baxter's and we headed over with Eva and her mum. We bought the girls hair bows which were a hit. We've also learned that our new double buggy is actually a triple buggy as Isla and Eva and Ailsa can all ride together. Isla likes to ride in the foot well and Eva in the other seat. We can go anywhere in town in it! Isla also started Playgroup this week on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings. She seems to enjoy it (Eva is there) and it means mum can get other things done. It is amazing with a 2 hour window and one sleeping 12 week old how productive one can be :)

Ailsa is growing like a weed. All this time on the train and being mum's sole attention meant lots of feeding for her and she has enjoyed that. She's also earned a new nickname....Scooter. In London we stayed at a Marriott. As they have ENORMOUS beds, mum didn't order a cot for Ailsa but figured she's just sleep on the other side of the bed. Mum got little sleep as Ailsa kicked her all night. No matter where mum moved in the bed, Ailsa somehow managed to "scoot" her way there. We no longer leave her on high surfaces as she can roll and more scary is she is drooling like mad, so we are afraid that teeth might be on the way. Isla got her first tooth when she was 4 1/2 months old so it could happen.

She is such a happy, content and fun little baby. We feel really blessed that she's so good and laid back.

The Week to Forget

Jumping on mole hills during our walk.
Wellies off, trying to play in rabbit holes with the dogs.
Charlie in action on the rabbit holes.



Following in Daddy's footsteps Isla decided about 2pm that she was tired of her clothes and as it was Sunday she needed to be "comfy" so she went upstairs all by herself, took ALL her clothes out of her bureau till she found her favourite outfit--this fleece set of pyjamas Grandma Maughan sent her-- and came down to hang out with daddy in them. When it was time to walk the dogs she refused to put on anything different, added her red wellies and for some odd reason decided she had to take her wallet! As you can see, she is happy as a clam and her new favourite game (thanks to Anne) is "Ready, Steady, GO!" and she runs EVERYWHERE. This is her running through the Games park.Still running! "Run Forrest, Run..."!
The new stroller!!!!! and Charlie and Cassie running (sort of a family theme with some) The mega wheels are amazing for being off-road and we make it across the bridge just barely to go to the humpy-bumpy with the dogs. The suspension is fabby for Ailsa and the rain guard ideal.

Yes, I know this is dangerous and we all have urban legends or worse of kids getting dislocated arms or legs, but she did think it was great fun.
Running some more....wellies on the wrong feet and everything....


It's just not been a great week. Isla was sick and vomiting on Monday night, Wednesday we had the baby dropping incident and Friday mum spent the afternoon trying to get some help for mastitis. Ironically when she went to the pharmacist she was told they couldn't help her because she was breastfeeding!

The highlight of the week was the arrival on Friday of our new double pram!!! After lots of thinking, ordering, planning and waiting it finally arrived from the States (thanks Emily!) and is all we'd hoped and more :) Isla likes it (well, sort of), Ailsa is such a happy kid she likes anything, but it finally gives mum a bit more freedom to go out with both girls.

On Saturday we took neighbour Anne with us to Perth (Alisdair was working) and went into the town centre. We bought Isla some new toys and thanks to the incredible hauling capacity of the double stroller, we made it back to the car in one piece (we'd bought a sand and water table and 15kg of sand, along with a Peppa pig doll and a ball pit to replace the cardboard box that has slowly fallen apart since Christmas).

Sunday morning we went for a family walk (next to family hugs, it's Isla's greatest request when Daddy is around). We drove just across the A9 and started up the road that we had no idea where it led to. 2 miles in, we decided to split up and mum and the girls went up to the Gleneagles fly-over and dad took the dogs back to the car. Dad made it back to the house first and we were out about 2 hours in total but it was nice to see where some of the one lane roads near our house go. We ended up walking parallel to the motorway and back through the top end of the village. Isla was not happy about having to sit so long, she wanted to run...but thank goodness mum had a pack of fruit flavoured polos in her pocket that Isla had fun crunching through (like Lifesavers).

Ailsa is turning into a very funny little kid. She is so alert and observant. On Friday night when mum was changing her for bed, Ailsa kicked mum. Making a big deal out of it, mum said "did you kick me???" Ailsa then gasped, and did the funniest belly "laugh"...this game when on for 10 minutes--she kicked, mom said something, she'd laugh and finally we called Alisdair in to observe it all. For being 11 weeks old, she's hilarious.

Isla has been pretty good this week (considering she's 2). Her big issue this week is she is starting to talk like she's from Denny (not a nice accent). She drops all "tt" sounds in the middle of words...."wa-er", "Bo-le", "be-r" "la-er"....It drives Alisdair crazy and he spends his time ignoring her requests for anything until she says "water, bottle, better, ladder, etc"...She really enjoyed her time with her daddy this morning.

She's started to use "I wonder" now in sentences, speak in the conditional tense and is doing all kinds of funny things with verbs. It is great fun to talk to her as she has started calling everyone "your majesty" because Anne calls her that when she gets bossy or demanding. She doesn't quite pick up on the fact Anne is mocking her a bit but is such a little chatterbox she repeats everything.

Another visit to Accident and Emergency

We had a horrible incident today. Jim (The guy who does our garden) was over and Isla was playing with Charlie and I was going to feed Ailsa, so as Jim was at Anne's I went over to tell him "goodbye" and check up if he had any questions for me (we'd been gone all morning). I came back in the yard (where I'd left Isla) and was looking for her as I was carrying Ailsa. I stepped around the clothes line and I was looking for Isla (rather panicked at this point as she was no where to be seen), stepped in an uneven patch in the lawn and twisted my ankle, falling over and dropping Ailsa who bounced, landed face first on the grass and started screaming. I was panicked now that Isla was gone and Ailsa was injured. I limped in the house to find Isla (who was happily playing in the pantry feeding marshmellows to Charlie who she had on a lead), I phoned Alisdair pretty upset, and then thought to go ask Jim for help (who is ex-police and so first aid trained). Jim was fantastic, took off his gardening gloves, checked her over and said I should take her to the dr's in Auchterarder just in case. He volunteered to watch Isla (her DREAM!) as well. (she'd spent the first hour of his visit following him from window to window across the front of the house talking to him the entire time through the small gap that the windows give when open)

In the end, Grannie was on her way back from dropping off sheep fleeces in Perth and she answered her mobile (which she never does when she's driving!), so she came straight to the house, and went to the health centre and we discovered they have a casualty department in up the back. A doctor checked Ailsa over and said she looks fine. I just have to keep a close eye on her for the next 24 hours. I have a sprained ankle that hurts but I'm just relieved that Ailsa is okay!

Then to top it off I was making dinner, I heard Ailsa (who was on the kitchen table) gag! I looked over to see Isla was feeding her water!! the health visitor when I was having issues feeding Ailsa gave us this little cup for babies if you don't want to give them a bottle. Isla had filled it from the kettle (cold water!) and was pouring it down Ailsa's throat (and all over her!) Poor Ailsa!!!

I think it's just bedtime for everyone. Isla has been up the past two nights screaming and refusing to go to bed from about 11:30pm to 3 or 5am...We'd actually gone to Stirling today to bring daddy some coffee to help him stay awake (the only starbucks in Stirling is in the Council canteen so we went down and had Anne buy some for Alisdair). Hopefully rest will help everyone tonight.

Growing like a weed

The original plan for Saturday morning, as Alisdair was working (again) was for Mom and the girls to go down as early as possible to the farm to help Grannie with chores. In a pleasant surprise Alisdair spent the day with us and went to the farm too. Isla adores daddy and we decided to make it a family affair and put everyone in their Carharrt overalls and wellies (well, Ailsa is a bit too small for wellies just yet). They were too cute to not get a picture of.
Our Regal Charlie. All the dogs got a bath this week. Cassie had to be lifted into the shower, Charlie was fine and Kiwi kept trying to escape. Isla was my number one helper and dog-treat-giver-outer. She loved it!
Isla talking to Auntie Emily on the phone in the kitchen. She loves talking on the phone and is remarkably good at it for a two year old. Those are fruit polo sweets stuck to her shirt.


She is still sucking her thumb! It started when Ailsa was born and she does it now when she is tired.
As a mother, I am not above bribery. On a recent trip to the grocery store Isla was promised if she was good she could ride "Fireman Sam" on our way out. She was good (well, minus one incident of sticking her finger in Ailsa's mouth but she thought she was being helpful in letting Ailsa use her like a binki) so this was her reward. She thought it was great fun. For those of you who don't know who Fireman Sam is, it's a BBC kids animated programme about a Welsh fireman (and everyone in Pontypandy) including a little naughty boy named Norman Price. Isla now thinks that if daddy can't fix her problems, she can call Fireman Sam..."
When he hears that fire-bell chime,Fireman Sam is there on time.
Putting on his coat and hat,
In less than seven seconds flat.
He's always on the scene.
Fireman Sam!
And his engine's bright and clean.
Fireman Sam!
You can not ignore,
Sam is the hero next door.





Saturday morning chores with Grannie and Daddy. Alisdair realised that one of the sheep was eating something green so they all hopped the fence and went to investigate (this was the third oddity of the morning. On our way up the drive mom looked up and thought she saw a sheep in the bushes at the corner of the drive. Upon closer inspection she realised it was a shorn sheep with a giant tumour on its face...quite odd! Then Mrs. Grouse was dead when they went to feed it). Seems the sheep got ahold of a piece of green mesh fencing. Isla had fun retrieving it! She is absolutely Grannie's little shadow!
Not the greatest picture, but the heather on the hills is actually purple on the top half and still brown-ish on the bottom half of the Ochils. This was our walk on Saturday afternoon. Neighbour Anne had Isla (and three other little kids) so it was a remarkably fast, whine free walk! Been years since we had one of those. The other kids ran Isla ragged. Alisdair gave her a bath after tea and put her in her pjs. He tried to comb her hair and she just said "no daddy, I'm too tired" and promptly feel asleep with no singing, prayers, stories or coaxing. It was lovely!
Ailsa is a hilarious little girl who loves to laugh and smile. Daddy has taught her to stick her tongue out on command and she gets a big kick out of the attention she gets from her winning grin. She had her first set of injections this week. Mom is still a big wimp and so Grannie came along to hold her. The doctor examined her and she was weighed and measured. She was 4.315 (kilos) at birth and is now5.84 (so she's gone from 9 pounds 9 oz to about 12 pounds 4 oz). Her head has grown 2 cm and she is now about 8 cm longer than when she was born. She's in the 91st percentile for both height and weight and head size and seems to be thriving. She also seems to be quite hearty as Isla fed her chocolate this week and once mom found Isla in Ailsa's crib "moving" her.

Pictures of August

Supervising Daddy behind the counter with Minicheddars and her camp chair. She later insisted he stole her "nola" bars (granola...she so rarely gets words wrong, it's hilarious when she does. She has a "pi-mano," a "jumpoline" and likes to ask "what that is?" but other than that, she talks like she's 4. The other day on the way into Edinburgh she "called" Grannie (she likes to pretend to phone people) and said "mummy and daddy and Ailsa are going to the...what's the word mummy? Embassy" just not a common word you see in little kid's books. She rarely asks what the word for things is, but loves to make them up or talk her way around it. Slightly funny really. Sometimes we can't figure out what her new words are, until we apply 2 year old logic.

We're still baffled that she keeps talking about "My Mother, Rab-cion" She phones this person all the time, tells Anne about him (?) and insists on telling me stories about him...quite baffling really. One of the few things we can't figure out.
Miss Isla reporting for work at the new store. Camo and all (camo crocs and her waistcoat and khakis to match daddy)--and her Nintendo DS to play Peppa Pig games on (and stay out of dad's hair while he dealt with customers).
Isla and her "Baby Cappicino" at the Pizza place back in May (just found the picture). It was warm milk with chocolate on top. She LOVED it and is a big fan of "tea with Grannie"
The girls "sleeping". Isla was actually acting for the camera (she's a little thespian). Again, an old picture but was cleaning out my phone today. It's been raining a lot so while I was feeding Ailsa I let Isla watch Peppa Pig and I looked at old Blackberry pictures.

This week mom had a dentist appointment so daddy watched Isla for the 45 minutes and Ailsa went to the dentist with mom. Isla was super happy she got to "help" dad with the new store.

Isla has gone two nights in a row staying dry all night (with no nappy!) and Ailsa slept from 7pm to 8am this morning....HOORAH!!! The only slighting disturbing thing was having Isla RUN from her bedroom at 7:30 shouting "there's a lion after me"! and then shutting the bedroom door behind her. It took some coaxing to assure here there was no lion in the house and tell her what dreams are.

Another American

Today we made the trip through to Edinburgh to register Ailsa as an official American. Grannie took Isla, which was fantastic as we had to wait in the teeny waiting room for over an hour and a half (and there weren't enough seats) while we waited for the paperwork to be processed. This is the view from Regent Street (and mum didn't realise she was in the photo). We did learn today that when we renew the girls passports when they are 5 and older, we have to show a progression of pictures that they look like their infant photos to prove it's them!

Sleep!

Although Isla was up in the night complaining of a stomach ache, Ailsa slept from 7:30 to 1:30 and 2 to 8am in HER OWN BED. She only woke up for a feed at 1:30. Fantastic for a 2 month old I'd say. Mom sure appreciates the sleep!!!