Wallmead & Center Parcs

Helen, Emma and I went to visit my parents in Wallmead on the weekend before last. Emma mastered climbing the frame.

Rosie stayed over on the Saturday night with us and was very helpful in the morning with the pastry.

Emma enjoyed playing with the toys in Granny's drawer with her.

Emma also enjoyed meeting the cows. She was very brave.





Rosie showed me a calf that had been born only a few days before. The calf below was a few weeks old.

This cow (below, lying) had had a complicated birth the day before so I helped Peter roll it over. It had filled up with gas and gave a mighty fart when rolled onto its haunches.

Here's an artistic shot looking down on Rosie who was climbing on the bales. We were very careful because Billy had fallen off the day before but luckily was only winded.


Thomas is getting very good on the piano. He's using both hands and playing more and more complex pieces.

On the Sunday, Auntie Angela's parents came over with Dave and Angela and pounds and pounds of grapes. There were eight of us sat round the table talking and picking grapes off the stems. Dave helped me crush the juice out using a press.

I took Emma to meet the calf that Rosie had shown me. She was very keen to stroke it.

Last weekend was one we'd been looking forward to since the Spring. We had 3 nights booked at Center Parcs in Longleat. There were 5 couples and 3 babies. All three (Emma, Daniel and Madeleine) were born within a fortnight last year!

Here are Maddie and Emma enjoying a Teddy Bear's picnic.

And here's Jim and Daniel enjoying some music.

Maddie is SO cute! And she took a shine to me (David). I felt very honoured!

In the Saturday afternoon, four of the ladies retreated to the spa and bravely left the kids with their dads. Luckily, we had Emma along to help. The rugby was on so at least us the grown-ups were occupied. We went to a playground to let the children run about.

Emma found a good mushroom to sit on.

Maddie enjoyed a swing.

And here we all are on the see-saw.

Emma went to sleep when the rugby started but the others stayed awake.

I enjoyed reading some highly stimulating peek-a-boo books. John entertained the kids (and Fiona) with spoons-for-eyes.

Here's Emma showing off on a stump. Well, OK, I put her on it....


Emma joined us for some badminton.

And had her first chocolate milkshake through a straw.

Emma didn't sleep very well in her travel cot in out room. We decided to go home in the evening before our last night as we were going to be chucked out in the morning anyway.

And these last two pictures were taken today with my newly restored camera! It has a new autofocus mechanism and a new lens now.

Brean Birds

Here's Emma sitting on Spencer, her Great Grandma's teddy. She got up onto the armchair all by herself. Connie was very unwell with her arthritis when this was taken. In the last few weeks she's feeling much better thanks to a timely visit to the doctors.

I bought a Fisher Price cookie jar for Emma where you post the cookies into the jar and it plays music. Emma was more interested in the box of course!

After the cookie jar box, she moved onto climbing into bigger things. Unfortunately, the laundry basket wasn't very well balanced.



Once she got her bearings she set about the important task of putting on all the clothes that were now strewn over the floor.


I don't think that's the way to wear pants though Emma!




On Sunday 9th September, Helen, Emma and I went for a picnic on Brean Down. Before we climbed up onto the Down we went into the Tropical Bird Sanctuary. Emma REALLY enjoyed meeting the parrots.




And the parrots enjoyed meeting Emma too.

Unfortunately, those were the last pictures I took with my camera before it broke. Fortunately it was 2 weeks within its 12 month warranty so I sent it off to be repaired. Helen and I have pledged not to let Emma touch it ever again!

Play time for Alex & Emma

Helen, Steve and Alex came to visit over the weekend. It was fun to see them and for the kids it was a real party!

I missed the first evening as I was at a work leaving do for Tracy and Keri at Bottelinos. Tracey is left of Amy, and Keri is to her right.

The other photos is Chris & I, Chris being the pharmacist working at Somerset Square. His eye's don't normally match his shirt.

After a busy morning at work, I got back and Helen and I went to the tip at Portishead while Helen and Steve were visiting relatives. On the way back we went to a farm shop where Emma chased a chicken, and we popped into a country fair where Emma enjoyed sniffing some flowers.


Alex & Emma had a whale of a time together. They ate together...

Watched In The Night Garden together.

Alex showed Emma how to open doors. And play hide and seek behind curtains. Also how not to ride the bus (inside the compartment.)

They had tea and cake together.

And a refreshing drink.

They enjoyed riding the bus together, until an unfortunately cornering incident threw them both off.

They played on the slide together, although only one could sit at the top at any one time unfortunately.

Such a shame when it was time to go home.

We had Sunday lunch with Bryony, Andrew and Bry's mum, Margaret. We went to The Salthouse where the carnivores had roasts. Nobody was tempted by the dog leg.

We took a walk along the seafront afterwards ending up at Scarletts for an icecream. Emma enjoyed sharing my chocolate one. In the picture she is playing peek-a-boo behind the chair.