That time of year again

Charlie's been especially pongy lately and as the kids all love to cuddle with her, despite the weather, we had to give her a thorough bath. She loves the 'post bath' treats.

Tall boy

Yesterday he was wearing an 18 month outfit. Like all kids, he loves sucking on wet wipes--guess it's a plus they are the herbal/natural ones. He is a tall kid.

Apples!

Today is one of those hideous Scottish days that makes you feel really bad for sending your children to outdoor nursery---sideways rain and TONS of it...not very warm either....I'm sure the girls are fine, but I'm still worrying a little as Fergus and I enjoy lunch indoors..(Ailsa did have tights under her trousers, so should be warm enough)....now the thunder and lightening has started as well...Isla won't be phased (thanks to Steve's science lesson), but I am wondering how Ailsa will be.

Baking Help

We're making treats for Anne's birthday!

Foreign objects

I like to take a picture of the sun on the infrequent times it comes out, to help me remember what it looks like. Maybe I could arrange the twelve or so occurances this year into a charity calendar to fund a holiday or move to somewhere with decent weather, where Isla wouldn't ask 'is it summer still today in America?"

Mini salon

Just discovered girls in front room--ailsa with toilet paper woven between toes, Isla applying Elmer's glitter glue..(They know they're not allowed fingernail 'vanish' as Isla calls it).

Scottish sunshine

A Kiwi capture!

Exploring the great Scottish savannah on a Sunday afternoon

Pizza and frommage friche

A winning combination!

Pressies!

Auntie Erin sent a package that arrived yesterday, with all life's necessities---jello, band-aids, tic tacs, kitty/doggy shirts, hair elastics and altoids. What a treat!!

'Who's that dog?'

The girls made up for their 'lost bonding time' with Charlie while they're at nursery, by harrassing her extra today.

Shhhh

Anne's birthday is Monday and I just finished her present---a Charlie Brown 'flying geese' quilt with a black minky backing.

Mr Sun

Fight, Mr Sun, fight to come out. We're all tired of clouds and rain!

Morning, ladies

'My artist'

Was informed by the teacher when I went to pick her up, that Isla is doing a 'show' (all self planned) at school and decided to do her own make-up and that of any kid or teacher who would let her...and this is my little blue girl-so pleased with herself. It took awhile to soak it all off her in the tub last night!

Fun at the playground

August in scotland

The heather is in bloom on the hills. It is looking very purple from town.

Lovin steak, tatties & milk

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Dinner

Yup, haggis really is a real food and not just a dare...

New food

Cold pineapple seems to be a hit

Post pool fashion choices

This short of shows the back

Reversable tunics

Made one of these for each of the girls yesterday. They criss cross in the back and the otherside is grey/red stripped. They seem to work well for those 'I don't want to wear clothes days.'

Swings

We jigged the swings in the back yard so EVERYONE has their own now. I will know where to find Ailsa all day! (It's 5 ft off the ground so she can't get out)

Culture

Edinburgh this time of year is literally taken over by "artists" at the Fringe. We've been to four shows, "Scotch Broth" (a Scottish kids singer), Tiddler (the Julia Donaldson musical with four of her stories), "Hairy McClary" and the "Freedom Family Circus". Isla and Ailsa have enjoyed them all, but Isla has been especially "inspired" by the circus and believes it's her future career. She uses her swing in the back garden to practice.
Ailsa is all very happy that she has a new friend "E-ona" (Fiona). Fiona is actually Isla's age, but Anne took the three of them to see "Beauty and the Beast" yesterday and when she brought them home, dad had run to Perth to deal with a workplace injury and mom was still away at a "jack and jill sale"...so she let them play in the backyard. They found some water and had a good water fight..(soaking Anne in the process). When mom ran in the house  (trying to find the kids) and upstairs to the shower, she found three very happy (and very tired) little girls, having a great time. When Ailsa got up this morning at 5:30, her first phrase was "E-ona friend me!" "E-ona come back?"

Saturday night sewing

Made some more bibs for Fergus tonight.

7 months old

'Just a tiny bit'

Ailsa telling Isla she didn't drink all her soda, on the way home on the train. 'There was only a tiny bit'!

More high culture in Edinburgh

We can into the city for another show, Hairy McClary (a dog that looks just like Kiwi). We met up with some friends from our NCT class 5 years ago--and her kids, Bertie and Max. The sun is out, Ailsa did okay walking.

IMG01771-20120815-1537.jpg

A good day in the story hut

Success!

She loved nursery. The teacher said you never would have guessed it was her first day--like a duck to water.

Ailsa's first day

We'll see how this goes! She woke up this morning very excited...'Me school!'. (On the other hand we had to wake Isla)

Morning views

We had a few spectators on our morning walk. Bit foggy and damp today.

First day success

She loved her first day, even with a thunderstorm. Her teacher told her all about cold and hot air meeting--so she's fine with thunder and lightening now. Plus, some of her little friends came for afterschool club! Long may it continue.

A new career

Maybe if policy work doesn't work out for me, I'll have a career working for the NHS making hospital gowns...haahaa. Actually, it's meant to be a nightgown--I just traced one of Isla's. Ailsa likes it.

My first Bochelli's vanilla ice cream

Yum!

Roasted parsnips are a hit

Sunshine on the Glorious 12th

News

Just yesterday, Ailsa had her 'developmental check-up' for being two. The health visitor watched her play with toys and asked me all kinds off questions about her---'can she run?' "Yes, but she has a very odd style." 'Does she show shame when she's done something wrong?' "Not really, but she is very compassionate towards the baby--just not her older sister." 'Can she turn the pages in a book?'. "Yes, if she has to, but she prefers to treat everything like an ipad and first tries to 'flip' pages with one finger." 'Does she say her own name?'. "Oddly, no. She knows everyone's name, but will never say her own--she always refers to herself as 'me'.".
WELL, in typical stubborn fashion, this was the case, till our favourite neighbour came over last night. Anne has already stopped giving Her candy unless she asks properly and makes her say 'faster' (with a correctly pronounced 'F') if she wants to sing 'Row the boat' on Anne's lap. This has led to big discussions about saying 'Fergus' as well. This whole week we've been teaching Ailsa to say 'Faster, Fergus, Frog, Bog, log, dog, Uncle Michael's mog...'. It's all a big game with her but you see her trying so hard with her little tongue and teeth to say things and make herself understood.
For some reason, after 26 months of life, last night when Anne asked her her name, she came up with 'Ail-Sa.'....which got a big cheer from us and a double thumbs up. It's now her new 'party trick' and she kept repeating it at dinner to get the cheer and 'double thumbs up.'.
She's also well able to count to 10 (again, Anne and the candy has helped this--she gives her 6 dolly mixture bits every visit--but only if she'll count them out and we always count as we walk down the stairs in our house--pausing to say 'hello, good morning & 'who-who' to Mr Owl's statue--we've started this with Fergus too--hilarious as he tries to pet the little ceramic statue just like the girls at that age), when she wants to. Guess it's now time to just work on colors...the whole world is still 'b-oo' to her!
Incidentally, the health visitor said she was fine and seems to have hit all her milestones for her age.

In bigger news, the girls got along yesterday (and Eva came over to play). It was a proper summer day, with 3 loads of laundry finished and we broke out the paddling pool. The girls were nice to each other (HOORAH! Days without biting, scratching or screaming are so much nicer) and helpful in keeping the house clean too: it was a nice change from some of the typically chaotic days we have. It give me hope that they might grow out of the 'mean' stages.

The glamours of North Muirton

The girls are so pleased with their morning treats from the shop near the volvo garage. (We're waiting for the car's inspection).

Olympic Edinburgh

More culture

We trekked back into Edinburgh today with the girls and their mates from town. We saw a really well done Julia Donaldson show of Tiddler/the smartest giant in town/a squash and a squeeze and monkey puzzle. We then took a cab (ooohh!) To a circus which was a little less impressive (jugglers). Isla preferred the circus and is now determined to practice so she can be as good as those people (who I'm pretty sure busk on street corners in Northern California the rest of the year). She was thrilled she ran into one lady in the foyer after the show who shared some 'tips' on how to start her juggling career by balancing peacock feathers on her palm...Isla just happens to have some and couldn't wait to get home and try it out...

More sewing

She's now moved onto quilt piecing. We made a pink and purple double-sided and lined pillow case last night. She's learned how to unpick mistakes, line up blocks and why the right sides of fabrics go together. She didn't get to stay up tonight however, as she and Ailsa have been outside all day in the paddling pool having a blast....it wasn't till I went out to bring in my FIVE (yippee!) Loads of dried laundry that she cheekily said 'look mom, the dogs must have poo'd in this bucket (the old diaper pail). Not having fallen off the turnip truck yesterday, I questioned whether it really was the dogs. She then accused Ailsa...who said 'no me'....after some prying, Isla finally admitted her involvement...needless to say, there was no 'reward' to stay up and sew tonight....daddy is now full of jokes about buckets...

Talent

While waiting for Anne outside a pub in Edinburgh, the girls decided to pu their monkey skills to work, trying to climb the bollards.

Wisdom

Is tying your sister to the swing while you twist it up REALLY a smart idea??

Full body

Not sure what she's put in her hair...treacle, popcicles, baby spit up....it sure is 'full' today!!!

Off to the show!

The Edinburgh Fringe is on. Grannie has taken Fergus and the girls and mum are into the city to see a show called 'Scotch Broth' with Anne and Fiona. Fiona is Isla's little mate who's 5th birthday party she went to on Saturday (and I made the last quilt for). The show is a man singing silly Scottish songs (like Sam the Skull & 3 cra's sat upon a wall.) Isla was so excited she was practicing her dancing last night (when she was supposed to be in bed) and got dressed & slept in her clothes! We'll see how Ailsa takes her first 'cultural' encounter---unless it's the Legoland 'princess show' I'm not sure she'll be impressed....

Oh dear...

The sun was out today, and daddy was away again so we went to Anne's house. She had a picnic rug down in the garden, and someone was having great aspirations of his future mobility!

More swings

The latest quilt