Rotten weather...

I have to say, it's been a dreich few days of weather. At the weekend, it seemed to rain most of the time. I woke up on Sunday morning early, before anyone else in the house, and lay in bed listening to the rain drumming on the velux window. It went on and on, and didn't really stop all morning.



Today, Tuesday, was really miserable. It was hammering down with rain again when we got up, and Anna phoned her pal Jo, who kindly saved Anna and Sandy from being soaked walking to the nursery with her offer of taking Sandy down in the car. It was much appreciated. After nursery, Sandy went to his Enjoyaball class, where he continues to love playing games with his pals. Granny arrived, and brought him home.

Meanwhile, Sandy has mastered his telling of the time! When asked what the time is, he won't say "It's nearly ten to five." Oh no, it has to be exact, and he'll say, "It's twelve minutes to five!" Both Anna and I are really proud that he can do this, at the age of four years and eleven months. It has been achieved simply by ensuring he always wears his watch, and by continually asking him to tell us what the time is. Who said children don't learn by practising? I have always maintained that they do- and there is the proof! Well done, son...!

As for Olivia, well she has taken to trying to dress herself at every opportunity, as can be seen, below. Not always with total success, but she's certainly keen to experiment!

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A Russian cartoon video! (Nu Pogodi)

"Nu Pogodi" ("Just Wait...") is a very popular cartoon produced in the 60s in the Soviet Union. The plot is very simple: a bad wolf is running after an innocent rabbit. He never manages to catch him and at the end of each series the wolf says: "Nu zayats, pogodi!" ("So, rabbit, just wait..."). It's funny that even though the plot is quite similar to Tom & Jerry, the cartoon has a very distinct style... somehow the Soviet wolf seems much more malicious than his American counterpart.

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Some days off school, an improvement in the weather, and a cycle to West Barns to feed the ducks...

It's been a short working week. I went back to school on Wednesday and Sandy only had one day of nursery, Thursday. On Thursday, Anna's weekend started, as Lachlan didn't come to see us, as he was sick.
After the cold weather that brought us snow the previous weekend, this weekend was lovely, even spring-like when the sun was out. We had planned to go to feed the ducks at Seafield Pond on Saturday, but Olivia has had a pretty bad cold, so she was actually asleep when we were supposed to be setting off on bikes! However, we got there this afternoon, when the sun was again shining.
By the time we got home again, it was getting cooler though. That didn't stop Olivia trying her luck at getting aboard a wee motorbike at the next door neighbours' house!

Olivia with Anna, in the kitchen.


Sandy, busy at the table.


Swans at Seafield Pond.


"Where are the ducks?"


In the sunshine.





Olivia decides to bypass learning to ride a bike, and goes straight on to the motorised version of two wheels!

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A snowy Saturday!

It's the half-term break, and Sandy and I have a couple of days off school at the start of next week. The weather has been pretty cold over the last few days, so today we set off up to the hills to see if we could find somewhere to go sledging. This was after heading on to the Lammermuirs yesterday afternoon from Garvald, passing the Whiteadder reservoir and returning through Gifford to Haddington. We saw lots of people sledging beyond Snawdon, and intended returning there today. However, today that proved impossible as the road was blocked by blowing snow just above Nunraw Abbey, past Garvald.


(Above)- Sandy, about to be pushed off by Anna! (Below)- AAAAAAHHHH!


When we tried from the Gifford end, the "road closed" signs were up, so we stopped just beyond the Garvald turn-off by a nice wee hill. Olivia, thankfully, was fast asleep in the car as we headed onto the hill for a few high-speed runs down in the sledge. Great fun!


(Above)- Sandy with me. (Below)- Anna and Sandy, caught hurtling down the hill at high speed!


(Above)- A Highland cow, at Tanderlane Farm. (Below)- Sandy with Anna.

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Today, it snowed!

Yes, it's true! Sandy and Olivia went to play in the back garden after there was a light covering of snow here. Can you spot the robin with them?

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Our wee beauties....and what they have been getting up to!

I thought it would be nice to show how Olivia is getting on with some of the things she has in her room. She has already mastered shape puzzles, finishing them in a few moments flat. Of course, Sandy likes to be close by, and sometimes helps her with things, if she allows it!



I've also been able to take a couple of close up pictures of Olivia today, which are shown below.




Sandy has been mastering his telling of the time over the last few weeks. He has been confident with the hours, i.e. two o'clock, three o'clock etc for ages now, but making him wear his watch has seen him become much better at recognising other times too. At the moment, he is confident with half hours, eg half past ten, and has been improving with five past, ten past, up to half past. He still needs to think about these sometimes. Quarter past and quarter to the hour are managed, with a little prompting. He is getting there. The secret, as I tell the children at school, is just to keep at it, as practice really does make perfect.




At nursery, Sandy made a lovely drawing of a snowdrop today. It confirms what his nursery teacher keeps on saying, that he is very creative. Well done Sandy!

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