Poor old Chicken

Here is the latest soft toy object i have created, a baby chicken to look after old chicken in his old age.
Daisy quite likes him/her but Chicken is still the leader of the pack.

Will you look at the state of poor old Olli Chicken (who i didn't make), he has been patched up twice as you can see but he really does need an overhaul, i keep thinking about it but i just can't quite work out how to do it so that he still looks like the chicken she knows and loves, it would be far easier to throw him away and start again, but that is a big no no.

Here is a link to the Olli Olbot website (the creators of our Olli Chicken), but don't bother to click through cos it's in Danish or Swedish and on top of that the site is being redesigned.
If you are interested in them, then they can be bought online from all over, for example Amazon.co.uk

Interestingly, although he is called Olli Chicken in our house, he is technically a duck.


Here is a pic of how Chicken used to look with no holes or patches.

Funny little things they say

Daddy and Daisy were having a bit of a to do about Daisy getting dressed this morning.
He asked her a few times to put her tights on but she was prancing and dancing around and generally being a normal(ish) distracted 3 and a half year old.
In the end he said, "Daisy put your tights on or i'll put them on"
She replied with "but they won't fit you"

I kid you not.
I was really trying not to laugh too hard in the other room.


Oh and this morning we were on our walk around Hackney Marshes, and we had passed the playground on the way out and she had been very good about passing it and not going in.
Daisy "Can i go to the playground still?"
Me "Yes, we'll go past the playground on the way home"
Daisy "I don't want to go past the playground, i want to go in the playground"
I had to laugh again.

The pig

Here is the pig i mentioned before, he is actually a lot cuter in real life but somehow the white felt with the red stitches just doesn't really work, and i couldn't take a good pic of him, he wouldnt' pose or i kept focusing on the mice or something, anyway i gave up trying to take another pic.
i'll make another one soon, in fact i think Vicky said she wouldn't mind one so a new pig coming up shortly.

Mice mice everywhere

Have i told you that we have mice in our house?
We have had them for a while and we can't catch them, we have tried putting poison down but they do not seem to be eating it (or perhaps they are, i haven't seen any dead bodies), I have placed traps down and we have caught one but to be honest that looked like he was scooting past and his leg got caught.
So as some sort of cathartic therapy i am making felt mice now so that i can look at them as cuddly and cute.
It isn't working, i like these felt mice but i still hate the mice that scuttle around in our house.

Mosaic Lego

Daisy got a "Building Fun with LEGO® Mosaic" for Christmas, this link might take you to it, not sure.
We have created the elephant image which was by far the best.

Christmas Day

Here are the girls opening some presents whilst sitting in their 'Dora the Explorer' matching pj's. (present from Nana)


Here is Daisy playing with her new Leapfrog / Leappad / Learning system thing-a-me-jig


Here is Iris looking really rather strange (if a little common) in Daisy's large shoes, Iris is officially obsessed with Daisy's shoes or slippers.

Merry Christmas

Just a quick post to say Merry Christmas to everyone.

These girls have been very very lucky with all the christmas presents they have received this christmas, as the moment they are quiet watching Charlie & Lola No3 which came from Anne, thank you very much Anne.

They also got lots of dressing up outfits, colouring in stuff, a Dora scrapbook, chocolates, books, hat boxes, wind up toys, clothes, a scooter, ballet shoes, and loads and loads of other stuff.

A big thank you to (in no particular order) :
Auntie Vicky, Auntie Polly & Auntie Emma n Uncle Paul
Grandad Tony & Helena, Nana & Grandad by the seaside, Grandma Bonjour & Rog.
Great Auntie Wendy, lovely Anne, Dotty Dee
and Caroline & Ian.
Oh and a thank you to the chef at the Quayside Hotel for feeding Daisy on Thursday.

If i have forgotten anyone else then please know i am eternally sorry and will be apologising until next christmas.

Merry Christmas to all and photos to come soon.

C, M, D & I.
xxxx

Saturday - Brokers Wood

On Saturday we went to Brokers Wood with Grandma Bonjour (Margaret) Granddad Roger, Auntie Emma & Uncle Paul, Roger's daughter Caroline (who is technically my step sister-in-law) her husband Ian and their children Sophie and Finlay.
We met an elf who guided us to the train that would take us to see Father Christmas in his little house. Daisy was nervous of the elf and didn't want to go too near to Father Christmas but i think she enjoyed the whole experience.
In the photographs below are Grandma Bonjour and cousin Sophie along with Iris and Daddy obviously.

Friday - Pantomime at the Princess Theatre in Torquay

On Friday we went to the Princess Theatre in Torquay to see Jack and the Beanstalk which was like a typical pantomime, lots of 'he's behind you' and 'oh yes he is' etc...
Some fun was had by all but Daisy was terrified of the witch.
"What Witch?" i hear you say, there isn't traditionally a witch in Jack and the Beanstalk, but in this show there was a wicked witch, a good fairy, a brother to Jack called Simple Simon who moved most of the plot along, and to top it off a princess called Jane not to mention her dad the king.
Jacks mum called Tilly, who was also the dame character (man dressed up as lady) had the most fantastic outfits, I would have taken more photographs espcially of the outfits, but i got a severe frowning and a telling off by an offical lady who worked there.

Here are a couple of shots i took before or after my telling off.

Friday - Kite Flying on Berry Head

We (Marc, Iris and me) went up to Berry Head with my little sister Polly and her new boy Paul to fly his kites.
It was a lot of fun.
(Daisy was being a lady what lunches with my older sister Vicky at this point)

This is Marc flying the smaller of the two kites (it was huge)



This is sister Polly with Paul, who seemed very very nice.


This is Paul flying an even bigger kite, it was so huge that he was jumping around the field to keep hold of it.

Thursday - Nana's and presents

Here is Daisy getting one of her many many presents from the family in South Devon (Nana, Grandad, Vicky, Polly, Anne, Auntie Wendy)
This particular one is a micro scooter which I'm hoping will help her with her balance, she sometimes seems to be lacking balance.
She does really love it though, and has already asked me to hide it when her friends come round to play.
She got a wind up torch off Granddad so that she could read in bed and find her way to the toilet in the middle of the night.


Here is a photograph of Tilly (Nana's dog) Iris simply adores dogs, and in particular she loves Tilly, she bum shuffled around after Tilly for ages, wherever Tilly went, Iris was soon to follow, and when she did catch up she just wanted to press Tilly's shiny black nose.
Tilly soon learned to hide in her basket.

Iris simply loves dogs, in person, in books or on the telly and as soon as she sees a dog she gets all excited and says 'Dogologol'
Very funny.

The Christmas journey began on Wednesday

First of all we visited Grandad Tony and Grandma Helena, where the girls got a load of good loot for Christmas.
Iris especially seems to love small wind up creatures, you have to wind them up again and again for her and she giggles with delight.

Iris got her birthday present of Mega Blocks whilst we were down there (yes a little late cos poor Granddad has been poorly) but sadly the pull along cart full of Mega Blocks was so big that it wouldn't fit in the car, so we will have to try and get it soon, both girls loved it.

I didn't do it, whatever it was.

Although this photo does look like i caught her doing something rather naughty, it was in fact posed.

I was setting up to do some pics of my friend Tamsin's lovely pregnant belly and i asked Daisy to sit in for me to test my lights, and she did it willingly.

She seems to quite like being photographed at the moment, so i should really take advantage of that.


This photo was taken moments before or after the last one (i've forgotten which) That is my old teddybear lying on the floor, Daisy was mildly amused by it for about 5 mins, for some reason although my teddy bear was pink, he was always a boy.



I will ask Tamsin if i can put up a photo or two cos i really like them.

Unflattering pic of Iris with pants on her head

Here is a rather unflattering pic of Iris with pants on her head.

As you might remember she likes pants, especially Daisy's pants, and you may also remember that Daisy once put pants on her head and told me that she had a beard.

Crafting

Oh my goodness, i've gotten into toy making.
I think Lisa O'Neil got me into it by sending me a link to a blog from a woman who made nice things with paper, and from her i linked into one of her friends who made soft toys and then that was it, a whole soft toy making world opened up to me.

These were my first attempt, i saw something similar on a website made from felt but i didn't have any felt so i drew out a pattern and improvised.
(By the way Daisy and Iris are getting these for Christmas so don't say anything when you see them)


Yes they have D & I tatooed on their bottoms.

Then i found a free mouse pattern and had a go, again they were with felt and i only had a tiny bit of red so i made Mouse No 1 out of denim with red felt ears.
The denim was hard to sew on such a small scale.


Then i made Daisy and Iris matching mice with extra long tails for holding.





I'm currently making a pig, which seems quite easy, i have since gone and bought some felt, but they only had white so it's a white pig.
I have also just won some felt on Ebay, horay, so lots of multicoloured toys to come.

Iris two new teeth.

Whilst cleaning Iris' teeth last night, i noticed two new teeth coming through either side of the top two.

Well i didn't' realise she was teething again, so i guess the necklace is working.

Girls sick again

Daisy was sick in the night, but she did have the ability to come to us to get us and go to the bathroom to be sick in the toilet.
This is a brilliant achievement because it means less washing.
She seems fine today, not hungry but fine.

Iris was fine last night, but then vomited up all her porridge this morning, literally straight after and thankfully straight into her pelican big, which again meant no mess.
She seems fine now but again not hungry and very tired.

Thriller, performed by 1.500+ prisoners

This is amazing, i guess that's what you get for practicing 12-16 hours a day on one song.
"1,500 plus CPDRC inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines at practice! This is not the final routine, and definitely not a punishment! just a teaser."



I did see another video uploaded by the same user where it tells of the torture that these prisoners suffer if they don't comply, yuk.


If you don't know what Thriller is (DAD) then here is a link to Michael Jackson's original video, but maybe only watch the beginning unless you have 13 minutes to spare.
Michael Jackson's - Thriller
(couldn't embed that one)

Eddie Izzard lego movies

Now this is funny, far funnier than being offered an afternoon nursery place.

This person 'Thorn2200' on YouTube has created little Lego animations to go with Eddie Izzard funny snippets and they really are funny.

This one is titled 'Do you have a Flag?" and it's very short, only 50 secs.


This one is Darth Vader in the Death Star Canteen, it is a bit longer 2m 54secs, but it is very very funny.

No nursery place

Very annoyingly, Daisy has been offered an afternoon place at the local school nursery, and this was after i took the trouble to go in and explain very politely how an afternoon place wouldn't be any good for us at this time due to three or four of her friends going to this nursery and other friends going to other nurseries in the morning.

I tried to explain that if Daisy got an afternoon place, it would mean that she wouldn't see any of her friends anymore, because either they would be at nursery in the morning or she would be at nursery in the afternoon.

Well they sure listened to me didn't they, i sure made an impression, i expect if i'd been bolshy and rude and had an attitude they'd have listened.

Good job we're moving out of London isn't it.

Can you tell i'm annoyed?

Sidney the Spider

We have been getting the Charlie and Lola comics recently and they are brilliant, they have really rather good activities in them for daisy to do like make this spider called Sidney.
I highly recommend these magazines to other little budding artists of at least 3 years old.
Charlie and Lola Magazine
Link to the official Charlie and Lola website.

Iris's amber necklace

Lisa P has been going on about these amber necklaces for teething pains for ages, so i only went and gone and got one didn't i.
As you can see Iris seems to quite like wearing it which is good, but now of course Daisy wants one, which is typical, except she wants a pink one and they don't do pink ones so tough.
If you look closely at the pic you can see Iris' teeth, she currently has five, two on the top, and three on the bottom.

Found my camera

Thank goodness.
I had looked everywhere, Marc had looked everywhere, but obviously we hadn't.
I went into a frenzy this morning, looking all around the lounge, and then i lifted up Daisy's bike seat (which is just propped up in the lounge) and it was there, poked underneath. I guess Iris or Daisy or even two friends children who were round last Sunday 25th, might have pushed it under the seat by accident etc...

I have to say, i'm sure i pulled her bike seat forward at least two times which would have revealed it, but i never saw it, but perhaps i'm mistaken.

Sometimes i do feel like things do move and re-appear in our house.
I always have thought that.

Or perhaps i'm just a crazy old woman.

Anyhow I'm very glad that my camera is back.

Missing Camera

Arggggg....
All this week i have not been able to find my little digital Canon Ixus camera.
Now i've mislaid my camera before but it's always been in the bottom of a bag or on a shelf and i've usually found it (or Marc has usually found it) within 24 hours.
But today it has become apparent that i simply cannot find my camera, Marc cannot find my camera and i've looked everywhere that i can think of looking.

I am beginning to come to the conclusion that i have lost it.

The last place i believe i had it was at the Nursery's fundraising day on Sat 24th, and i don't think i've seen it since then, so i shall ask the Nursery on Monday if they have it and then after that i guess i need to talk to our home insurance.

This is so annoying, so so annoying.
My life evolves around taking photographs of what we are doing, i'm not sure i can actually function without my camera.

I keep on looking around the house for it though, in crazy places, wondering if i've put it somewhere without even thinking, or if Iris has posted it into some toy/box/bin etc...
but i fear it's gone.

boo hoo, i am very sad.

Couple of cute pics of Daisy (taken on my phone)

Daisy poorly, but all better now.

Daisy was poorly on Monday and Tuesday night, she must have caught a tummy bug, she woke up in the night needing to be sick, poor sausage.
But now she is all better.
Thankfully 'touch wood' Iris hasn't caught it yet.

phew...
can't cope with any more washing.

Daisy has a place at Nursery now

Daisy now has a nursery place at our local school.
Hooray, you hear me shout from the rooftops.
It will start in January, although we haven't' been allocated a morning or afternoon place yet, but i did stress how much she would love to come in the morning considering all her friends go in the morning.
It's only for 2.5 hours so it will take ME some adjusting to, cos when she does go to her current nursery two mornings a week, she goes for 4 hours.
2.5 hours really isn't much but i guess the benefit is that it's free and it's five days a week.

Here are some photographs from Daisy's current nursery which is very good, she does seem to like it at the minute, in fact when i asked who was the nicest teacher at nursery, she told me the name of the one person i didn't think she liked.
Very strange.

Her nursery won an award earlier on this year for it's amazing design both inside and out
"The Rooftop Nursery in London, was built for the Learning Trust on the site of a derelict house next to a primary school and features the UK’s first granulated rubber play roof, to make the most of the limited space available. - Guardian Unlimited website

Links
http://www.guardian.co.uk
http://www.architecture.com.

Visiting Auntie Emma and Uncle Paul

We went down stay with Auntie Emma and Uncle Paul (or Auntie Paul and Uncle Emma as Daisy ended up calling them).
We actually went down to view some houses in little villages south of Bristol but that is a whole different story and nothing to do with these photographs.

We went for a very short walk (it was very cold!) in the field opposite their house.

Grandma Bonjour came to visit

Grandma Bonjour came to visit this week and i took some photographs of her with the girls.
Grandma doesn't like having her photo taken so i did well in that she actually quite likes the pics.

I had a day off on Wednesday and went into town all by myself which was lovely, i enjoyed myself no end walking around London, shopping and people watching.
London seemed busier from when i used to go in all the time, or maybe when i used to go in all the time i just didn't notice everybody else, who knows but there was definitely a lot of people.

Here are photographs of Grandma and the girls.