Unimaginable Zero Weather

This past week has been full of outings, trying to make the most of the gorgeous weather we've been having. Everyone in Edinburgh collectively seems to be saying "Let's get out there and enjoy it now." With the silent afterthought of while it lasts.

Although it's been hectic, and I've found myself struggling to keep up with housework and shelter work and all the other home-bound chores, I've been trying to say YES as much as I can.

Wanna meet up and take our girls to the park to play this afternoon? HELL YES. I'll bring the picnic!

We lathered on sun screen, took hats and footballs and sandwiches, and spent a couple of glorious afternoons out in the sunshine with Christine and little Daisy - one day at Braid Park, another at the Meadows.

I love it when Audrey spends time with her little friends, and it's so good to talk to other mums who understand the ins and outs of our day to day life and who can give us new perspectives at the same time. We all have different styles of mothering, but the same undercurrent of loving our little ones with everything we have.

Audrey was pretty amazed by the grass, and kept trying to eat it. She also got SUPER excited every time a dog came past and pointed and waved her arms.

They're starting to actually play with toys now, it's so charming. I was reading this interesting article about children's toys recently, and it resonated with me. I try to rotate the toys she has out, have only a few out and switch them every hour or so that we're at home (she's easily bored), take the current favourites out when we have a car or bus trip, but switch those up every day or two as well. This article gave me a lot of food for thought when it comes to what toys to choose to buy for Audrey, and what toys to choose to play with her. Toys which involve interaction between her and me, toys we play with together in some way, really are her favourites and I've been making an effort to find new ways to play with her whenever we can.

And the odd moments really stack up! We're on the bus, even for a short trip - well, that's a great opportunity to get a puppet or other soft toy out of my bag and have it growl/roar/woof/meow at her, talk to her, sing the wheels on the bus with her. She shrieks with laughter and grabs it and gives it a huge hug, and by the end of that short journey my cheeks are aching from smiling.

As with so many things, you get out what you put in. So I try to put in as much joy as possible.

And I'm inspired and challenged to do that by other mamas.

Christine had tickets to the new exhibit on Egyptian mummies at the museum, and very kindly invited us to go along with her. It was really interesting - a little spooky, a little morbid, but at the same time awe inspiring and beautiful. I love to take Audrey to places full of interest and history. She may be too young to take much of it in, but I hope it leaves her with a general background impression that the world is far bigger and older and stranger than she can currently understand, and I hope it starts to give her an excitement for learning about it.

We then proceeded to try to find a nice spot in the Meadows to sit with our little ones. Audrey fell fast asleep for ages, while Daisy charmed everyone and looked like a wee film star.

By the time she woke up, bleary and sleep-rumpled, the wind had picked up and it was nearly time to go home.

Bye bye Daisy. Bye bye Christine. Thank you for such a wonderful time.