Flower Book

For the last week Chloe has been creating a 'Flower Book'. It was inspired by J who gave her the idea but also to do with her class studying non-fiction books and how to look up information. She stuck all the pages together by herself and then carefully made a contents page and numbered all the pages. I didn't know she was capable of working it all out by herself but she did.

Next Chloe sat on her climbing frame peering into all of the neigbours' gardens to look for inspiration. She copied the various types of flowers and also looked up more exciting ones in a book I have on 'Small Gardens'. She coloured them in and then wrote a sentence for each one (they were quite funny; eg - 'this flower is different because it doesn't have yellow in the middle, it has brown'. She told me what she wanted to write and I wrote the sentences on a separate piece of paper for her to copy.

Last night I sent her to bed with the paper with the sentences on, her flower book and some pens. When I checked her a couple of hours later she had fallen asleep with most of the sentences copied out and one half completed before she fell asleep with the pen next to her, gradually soaking into the pillow case. Chloe also had a considerable amount of pen on her face, arms and knees! I didn't mind at all.

I am sharing this story partly because I am proud of her project, but also because it sums up my little Chloe so well. She is a dreamer who loves to create things, especially when they are beautiful, like flowers. She also has a desire to please and make people proud of her; a big part of her motivation for this book is to take it into school and show her teachers. I know this can be a dangerous personality trait but it's also lovely. I love that she likes to make people happy and that she would work so hard on something of her own creation.

Enjoy the snuggles!

I'm embracing the really soppy title because my heart's feeling all fuzzy after an indulgent cuddle with my Livia. Chloe is out on an emergency shoe-buying misusing with Daddy (don't ask) and I put Livia to bed just the 2 of us. 

When I said goodnight to her, I couldn't help but climb into bed with her and have a cuddle. 2 year olds aren't the best at cuddles; they are more interested in squirming out of your arms to go and explore. Or there is a jealous 4 year old around who also wants to climb on your lap! So a sneaky cuddle when she's in bed and in a sleepy mood was perfect! 

I lay there watching her while Livia chatted away at me, loving the attention ('mummy, lolly, i-ceam, daturday, Nenna, bed!'). It's such a treat to just stop and adore your children. To breathe them in and feel their warmth and tell them you love them. Livia's face when I left had the biggest smile; I will be sneaking in for more cuddles soon.

2 year old

I think I'd forgotten how difficult the 2 year old stage can be. Before I launch into a bit of a moan, I want to point out that I also love the 2 year old stage. I think there's nothing quite as sweet as a child learning to talk and all the funny things they come out with. Seeing Livia starting to copy her big sister and attempt more and more is so much fun.

Things feel hard work at the moment because Livia has very definite ideas about what she wants to do/doesn't want to do. A lot of these things aren't allowed or involve danger and if she doesn't get her away Livia does the typical throwing herself on the floor and screaming. She also isn't yet at the age where she understands bargaining - 'get in the buggy now and you can get out when we get to the park' / 'give the toy to Chloe and you can have it in a minute' / 'eat three more mouthfuls of dinner and then you can have pudding'.

We had a dentist trip this afternoon where I also had to be seen and trying to keep Livia from destroying the place while I was sitting in the chair was impossible! The dentist gave me an X-ray which involved trying to get Livia out of the room but not running off... not going to happen! I may have to beg a babysitter next time.

On the plus side I don't get as embarrassed about her behaviour as I used to with Chloe. I know it is a phase and it will pass. Can I keep the little girl cuteness but have some of the grown-up sense please?!

And...

I have been interested by the Gilette advertising campaign called 'Use Your And'. It's not often that I pay attention to adverts but I think the concept behind their campaign is a really good one. The idea is not to give in to labelling and to think of all the good things that define you. Everyone is so complex; you can be lots of different roles and have all sorts of desires and interests which may not fit in a particular box. I always think of American teenage films at this point, where they have the groups: 'jocks', 'geeks', 'mean girls' etc.

So, on the advert Gilette say 'they told you were pretty, say "yes, and?"''; the idea being to not stop at that one pigeon-hole. It inspired me because I think it is so easy to believe what other people see you as being, how you look on face-value. The line that got me in the advert was, 'shy but bold'. I have had a few wobbles in confidence the last few months, especially when it comes to leadership roles and what I can bring. I am not a natural up-the-front person. But I am gradually believing that I can be 'shy' and also bold too. I need to resist believing something about myself which is not true just because it is easy to give myself a label.

Bringing God into this, I am thankful that He sees all that I am and that He created every bit of it. There some parts of me which don't always seem to fit, or desires which I am yet to fulfil. But I know that they are not out of place (as long as they don't contradict what the Bible says!) and God has planned them all for a purpose. A big one for me is writing. I still don't know what purpose God has for this desire. But I enjoy that part of me so much and I won't keep it hidden; it is who I am!

What is your 'and'?