books

soapy

who, me?

he normally uses the toilet, but the potty still gets some attention.. (look sis, his 2nd b'day pres still fits!)

sea creatures

look gran, new habitats for all my new sea creatures! Janu loves playing with these, and our bath is full of exciting sea life, stories and adventure! He knows which ones like the deeeeep water and which ones stay in the shallows, and mum you can fill him in more when we see you! He is not sure that octopuses do have arms, being quite convinced they are legs. so you can fight about that.  

john..

john, adrian's friend from school visits and regales us with stories from palestine, jordan and all sorts of adventures he's been up to. janu has a very soft spot for him.

puzzling

quick progress..

brrrrrr

and it kept snowing and snowing - we found some great slopes in Newton Abbot and skidded and slid down with glee. one sled between 4! Below the 3 very grown up Porter kids! & Janu riding on uncle Van's shoulders through the burnt out Buckfast church and graveyard. He often asks us why things die, and will he die, and what happens when you die. starting early, maybe because of the death of blackie (the chicken) and our neighbours dog.. 

new shirt!

Look what aunty trina made me! I do love love love it. and the face paint from aunty julie! What amazing pressies..(do you like my xmas dinner??)

Pressies

Janu was a bit under the weather this Xmas, and actually burst into tears after opening each present. I think he was so excited about the day, and to have so many of his family around, and that it was all happening when he had a streaming cold and probably a headache and just feeling rotten. So it was all a bit too much. He perked up a few days later, but for Janu the day itself was actually pretty painful!

Xmas!

What a Christmas present!

A bike! Just missing some pedals, but we can afford them for next year.  He scoots along very happily on this, and helps allieviate some of the 'gallery fatigue' that can come with walking anywhere with an easily-distractable two year old.

pro-fit-er-olls

mmmmm. amber and julie make yet more delicious xmas goodies.

24 Dec

twas the night before xmas, and not a creature was stirring. except for us with our glasses of milk, and mince pies, and nibbled carrots, and floury-snowy footprints.  and look at the smile in the morning!

lucie

lucie sent me these gorgeous pics of her time in devon - it was the height of the jam and jelly extravaganza. i'd set off for work in the morning, having set Lucie the task of peeling 189 apples, collecting hawthorns and sterilising jars. nah, we just stayed up late in the evenings poring over coring. and swearing when it didn't set.

jokes

somehow I started luring Janu onto the loo by promising him silly jokes. have no fear dad, he indeed has your sense of humour! Why does the monkey cross the road? 'cos he slipped on a banana peel'... what did the snake say when he crossed the road? 'Snakes can't talk, silly!'  ad infinitum!

mum made these soft, comfy overalls for janu last xmas! but his legs have only just got long enough for them, and they have kept him toasty this winter (mum, sorry, it only just occured to me i could have taken the hems up!?). He loves leaping and jumping on the couch, performing dangerous feats of twirling jumps, flying head over heels and splatting...

silence

it was fantastic delivering our xmas cards by sledge! All the roads were just for kids, sledges, snowmen & giggles. 

snowy neighbourhood

our very own bamboo weighed down with snow, as Janu steps out into the street.  sledging around our street - free from cars in the beautiful white stillness that snow brings. no one could get to work, the country (happily for me) ground to a halt.  mum, he found your sheepskin boots perfect for keeping his toes warm (I have been clothed like a sheep for some time!)

sledge

so lovely to be the snow (with a cup of hot choc being very nearby!) Our friends Ivana and Paul gave us this lovely sled (they have now moved into thier amazing cob house - it's absolutely wonderful). I love the expressions on his face.  

tractor

 favourite toys & beautiful music. evidence of our xmas paper making extravaganza behind...

friday girls

5 lovely ladies were at my house this friday. we put together the bike trailer (from ebay - my sneaky tip is to look for summer things in winter!). Trailer use soon scuppered by ice and snow...sylvi shows off her favourite ted-ted. she is too cute for words. so earnest and excited and joyful.  it's so lovely that we all know each other well now, and each others' lovely kids - biggering and biggering. we started getting together each friday over a year ago I think. every week there is a different combination of us, and always something useful to be done... (and drink lots of tea...)