we got eggs

this says it all!!

Thank You Chick Chicks .....!!

Just cute pictures!

She is really good company just now and after our reunion picnic in the park we headed to the nearest Pizza Express to eat before heading back home - where she insisted on eating with large knife and fork!

Another Reunion...........

Last summer!

This year
Chaos!
will you all stand still!

Nine little ones with some help from big sisters and mothers holding them down!

We were so lucky in that we were a large group from the Uk in China together....lots of us live ( lived!) in or near to London so we have decided that regular reunions for the girls will be great - we did the first one last September and then one on the anniversary or thereabouts of meeting them all....So yesterday was our second summer reunion! last year we had a bunch of small toddlers and a year on - so much changes - we spent most of the time running around the playground in regents Park chasing them! We had amazing weather and there were nine out of the 13 families there for the day....so we had a big picnic and lots of catching up. Last year we took a group photo and tried again this year - More like herding cats this year!

Controlled Crying

so the time for Nelly to be rocked to sleep is coming to an end....The Banshee screaming resumed again as we decided that enough was enough of rocking her to sleep and being woken at 2 in the morning and her coming into our bed ..

So Monday evening this week we bit the bullet and armed with copy of Richard Ferbers Sleep problems book ( the one that I was going to give back to my friend as I thought I was not going to need it! HAH!!!!) and the 12 point list of how to do controlled crying we developed our plan and stuck to it...so four nights in she is now sleep ing in her bed all night ( one hiccup at one this morning but we maintained the controlled crying thing of waiting 5 minutes and then going in and going away again - she then realised that we meant business and went off to sleep...) and tonight there was not even a whimper as I turned out the light and left her room...here's crossing all fingers that she is back to being a good sleeper and good at going to bed!!!!!!!!!! Never say Never I say.....

Bagging a Bargain on the Only Summer Day this year ...........

Nelly and Her Bargain Silver Cross Pram!

Lilly and Nelly - being pursued by some woman in a pinny! Sorry Sara!

I love my new Pram -

Getting into the Bran Tub!
My Bran Tub present!

The sun shone on Saturday and there was an amazing balmy almost Mediterrranean feel to the day...we spent the afternoon with friends at their local village Arts festival and bagged a bargain for Nelly on the White Elephant ( £2 for a Silver Cross Pram - there were three for sale courtesy of a family of triplets ! so enough not to disappoint! ) and she had a great time with her friend Lilly at the Bran Tub digging out presents that mainly consisted of chocolate! Nelly has really enjoyed these fete / fair things this year in the country! we just never would have done things like that in London - it is real Midsommer Murders type event - on the village green / in the churchyard....loads of kids and dogs running around, drinking tea from a hot water Urn and eating home made cakes! playing coconut shy, jousting, Punch and Judy, tombola, local produce, second hand books , crafty bits....better take her back to London next year for some Urban fun !! In London we did have something called the Lambeth Country Show in a local park but that was mainly reggae bands and West Indian foods! with a few sheep thrown in from the local City farm!

Sunday - normal weather resumed and it rained all day - ...................!!!!!!!!!!!