Um, where's January gone?

Wow this month has flown by, virtually without me noticing!  I've been very busy with the childminding; even had a couple of enquiries but I've just said I've no places.  I will only be offering emergency cover, as I'm happy with just having the one full time minded child.

Rye is loving having company too and misses C on Sunday's when she's not with us.  Part of me does regret a little agreeing to Saturday's because it limits me a bit; but saying that I know mum has cover for Saturday's so I can always ask if not to have C if there was something really pressing I wanted to do with Rye.  I know what it's like though to be a single, fulltime working parent and being reliant on your childminder.  Before I moved to Folkestone, my previous childminder fell pregnant and she couldn't have Rye when she had her midwife appointments etc, and while I understood it did make life very difficult for me.  This all means I prefer to be as reliable as possible for my "mum", she's not having an easy time and I have no intention of adding to her stress.

Anyhoos, off on a tangent there.  Its been a mix bagged month.  Some weeks we've not ventured far at all because of illness; indeed, much of the month has been fairly housebound, hard on the ears.  This past week though, we've been out quite a bit.  And the past few days has been glorious, if very cold;

I snapped this photo yesterday morning, while waiting for C to arrive.  Later we went for a walk around the estate, charge in sling and Rye on his bike.  Its been equally beautiful today, so once the fogginess of dehydration had been sorted a bit (woke up with a thick head and horrible dry mouth), I went out with Rye, down into the village.  That bike was a fab present, Rye asks constantly to go out and play on his "motor bike".  He is excellent at stopping and waiting before crossing roads and, he's starting to really balance on the bike.

 

I did try to get a photo of him lifting his legs up but I kept missing it - this is on the way home, he really was starting to "get" how to balance and using both legs to propell himself along before lifting them up and cruising....
 

There was the odd crash into a wall though - thank goodness this bike has limited steering, I think he'd be ramming into everything otherwise.
 

Straight back on and off down the road again.

I've also stocked up on pulses and spices from the Napelese shops down in the village.  I love these shops, the staff are so friendly and helpful; and bless, in one of the shops the keeper gave Rye a lollipop.  I'm quickly understanding the Napelese love children :-)

I'm not entirely sure if it's cheaper than the supermarket; some bits are definitely - spices for example; nonetheless I prefer supporting local shops to the supermarkets.

I think I must be a bit of an oddity as initially when I first started going in everyone in the shop, i.e. all napalese would stop and look a bit surprised.  I'm guessing not many "white" folk go in, which is crazy, these shops have fantastic foods in there, the people in the shops are soo friendly and helpful and I'm finding more and more Napelese smile and say hello when they see us and they particularly make a fuss of Rye.

Then popped into the coop for a few bits and then homeward bound :-)  Included a stop off at the park;
 

He's getting so brave and more sure of himself.  Just even a few weeks back he would get very nervous and start saying he couldn't do it and cry.  Couldn't keep him off the climbing frame today :-)   Zipping across the rope bridge, sliding down the pole (with help) climbing along the wall (with help), great stuff :-)

And yes, I've cut his hair; I love it longer but when lice are about its easier to comb through shorter hair, and also to do his hair in sections.  I really hope we've got them all now, I'll go through his hair again tonight, and mine too and fingers crossed all clear!

Eating yummy spiced rice pudding.

Had a few parcels arrive too; some clothes from a GP mama, really nice tops, shirts, jumper and cargo trousers and my order from Little Acorns, Mighty Oaks.  I order a couple of bamboo toddler bowls, bamboo forks and spoons, the large Klean Kanteen; I do often take water out with me but alwasy in plastic bottles and if I don't have any handy, then I'll buy when I'm out.  I decided to  buy the waterbottle because the opening is big enough todrop icecubes in, which will be handy in the summer for keeping water a bit cooler, and hopefully save me pennies in the long run.  Lastly, I picked up some natural sun protection, thought if I started buying a tube here and there by the summer I'd have plenty for Rye.