January 9: splashing (and creating families)

Thursdays, last year, were traditionally our 'at home' day. Pascal's school week finished on Wednesday, and we were always out on Fridays for Mums' Group so Thursdays just became our day for some down time. Until school begins in just less than a month (yikes!), we might keep to our traditional Thursday schedule :-)

So today began with no plans of going anywhere. Josie continued her clingy morning routine, and was off for an early nap again (the trouble with the early nap is that she gets grumpy again just before dinnertime, and only sometimes do I manage to sneak her into bed for an extra 45 minutes kip before dinner).

After Josie was in bed, it was chore time for me, and fun time for the kids, just amusing themselves with a little tv and a little crazy running around. Pasc and Roh were excited (as they always are) to have popcorn for their late morning snack. They're getting better at deciding amongst themselves which jobs they'd like to do while helping, which makes for a much more pleasant experience.

Because it was a lovely, sunny, warm day, I'd promised that we could take Josie's new Santa-delivered water table outide and fill it for the first time after Josie was awake in the afternoon. Even though it was a warm day, I knew there'd be great temptation to soak each other, so I filled it with warm water. Josie was first for the soaking. I think Roh dumped a bucket of water over her head, but it turns out she didn't mind at all.

I had set them up so I could see them through the window as I folded yet another basket of washing (and watched part of the first episode of Lark Rise to Candleford) but at one point Pasc and Roh went out of view. That didn't worry me until I heard a thud on the concrete and realised Josie also was out of view. It seems that as well as swinging toys in the fitted sheets I had on the washing line, Rohan was giving it a go as well! I think a lesson was learnt!

Later on, after watching the afternoon Play School on telly, Pascal wanted to make a toilet roll family. I was busy making a chicken curry for dinner, but helped her out once I had it in the oven. We went upstairs and she had free rein over the dk yarn tub to choose hair and the fabric stash to choose some fabric for clothes. She was surprised (and very appreciative) that I wasn't limiting her choices.

We got back downstairs and Rohan (who'd been busy doing something else when we started out) wanted to help as well, and wanted to use the fabric Pascal had chosen to make her boy. All was chaos until we set Rohan up with his own family-to-be. 

At bedtime, the families went along with their makers to bed. Pascal's sat on her bed head, and Rohan's Daddy and Boy snuggled into bed beside him.