North of Scotland: Being there.

So if you haven't already read 'part one' of our little trip then go here to read it.


So...if you've read part one you'll be up to speed that we took our 19/nearly 20 month old on a long journey on public transport and all was well (kind of) by the end of the trip. 


I'm going to admit that I never took a lot of photos while we were away because I was so distracted or busy. But here's what I did get...

So...after our trip we got to my parents lovely house. Where we froze for the night until we figured out the heating. 


I had a few things to take care of while we were up there but once I was done, I spent time with the two of them. We'd huddle around the TV and catch up with Quantum Leap or Raising Hope (two of the best TV shows made, I think.) 

Roman loved the zoo up there. On the first few days the cats were very wary of him, every time he'd shout 'CAT!' and chase after them they were like speeding bullets out a gun. By the fourth day they would let him clap them. He was very careful and gentle with them. Shadow was the opposite. At first she would be okay with him, but then as time wore on her growls got louder. One time she even 'herded' him by butting her head on his side.


This called for splitting the room in two - Fort Roman was made...

More pictures...with a little narration. 

One of the days we went into town. We waited an hour for a bus.

The bus finally showed...

 (1) inside the sweet shop, loads of chocolate-inspired mugs. (2) 1,000 welcomes. (3) Thistle bag.

I really enjoy going to this sweet shop when I'm in Thurso. Pretty much all of their sweets/candy aren't vegan, but it's how I remember sweet shops; hard boiled sweets and other goodies in jars, known as 'quarters.' 

Something Scandinavian about this...

Bryan bought himself some chips...so we gave Roman his first chippy chip. He was a fan so had another. I think, when he's a lot older, we'll have chippies every so often. I hadn't wanted to give Roman any chocolate or junk foods as obesity, heart disease and other problems relating to food are such a huge problem in Scotland but I figure if we are sensible about it and show Roman how to manage his eating then we can't go wrong - that is far healthier than trying to not give him these things ever. 

Could he live without these things? Yes. Of course. But if we, the parents, are going to eat these foods then it would be hypocritical not to allow them. 

And since we're talking about food. This is how vegans cook anything that requires eggs (although, not really, I just use oil when I don't have egg replacer.)

And it comes up looking like wall paper paste. Yummy wall paper paste. Mmm.

{Peanut butter and chocolate button cookies - not a fan of the buttons but there were hardly any in there.}

To finish: some yummy 'cakies' which were meant to be cookies but baked big and cake-like.

And this, my friends, concludes our little holiday up north. Going home was hilarious...but that's another story ;). 

Growing and growing. And growing.

Parenting: going by in a blur. 

I don't know where 18, nearly 19, months have gone. I would have 10 children if they could all be like this. But that's not reality. The reality is that everything is a gamble and that having babies is a gamble. 


For me that gamble is knowing I could make myself more sick, perhaps totally crippled and totally confined to bed/my house forever more. That's a daunting and scary thought. As it stands I will never be that mother who pushes her child in a swing at the park. Meanwhile life moves on for others and Roman gets bigger - and smarter - by the minute.


He is figuring out this World around him without my help, aided completely by his curiosity and helped by my inability to move fast and keep up with every leap, bound and stride he takes.

The mimicking has reached a new height. He copes e v e r y t h i n g I do. He wants to be in my business constantly. And has no regard for doing it to my standards - he just wants to learn, he just wants to be part of all the excitement and be wherever there is something going on.

When my Mum told me that I shouldn't be so quick to have him walking, she was spot on. But of course, as children do, I didn't take it seriously. I was in a flap about him not walking so much that I got over excited when he did start walking...and now...well now I find myself trying to claw back the babyhood a little. Stay a little bit tiny, for now, stay in my arms and on my lap. But he is too quick, too fast and already has me beat on physical strength. 

On top of this, he is asserting his independence on a daily basis by running behind the couch, his new trick of opening the door, brushing his hair and teeth, dressing and undressing himself and sitting on the toilet seat - where did my baby go? And when did the big boy move in?

He doesn't particularly like TV - and, well, we don't own a TV, but he does get to watch some Arthur or Mr Bloom when I'm struggling during the day -, but worships his book collection. He loves to take baths, loves his ducks in the bath and is growing tired of water being dumped on his head and falling into his eyes.

We never did follow Baby Lead Weaning (smack on the wrist because we started him on food at 4 months when I felt under pressure for him to put on weight and didn't want to move him onto formula) so on Sunday I handed him the spoon and let him get to work on a yoghurt that he made short work of...

I wasn't going to mention this at all but I am getting a new camera. And I am excited. 

I had a plan which involved not mentioning it to anyone and dazzling everyone with the amazing photo's I'm going to take...but the truth is simple and it's this; no matter how great my camera, my lenses, lighting and any other equipment - I need to stay true to that original fire in my belly feeling. I need to keep my passion going and not be trampled down by all these 'rules' that photographers seem to follow. After all a majority of my 365 photos were taken on a mobile phone and I didn't let it stop me back then. 

Happy Pre-Easter.

(Image: Cheeky Kitchen)

This cake came up on my Blogfeed.

And talking of feed I would love to feed my face with it.

It looks totally delish. 

Chocolate hasn't appealed to me in weeks so when I saw this I really shouldn't have been bothered but it looks like the old chocoholic in me wants to fight to get out.

Yum.

I love Cheeky Kitchen. Most of the recipes are not vegan and this is a good thing (it's like window shopping when you're broke.) I also have a little loss of will power when it comes to food, although the upside is that I am too sick to prepare, bake or cook anything unhealthy - or well, anything. 

I also love Easter. It's the one celebration I have never, ever had a problem with - maybe something to do with all that chocolate?

The best Easter I had was one year we were at my Gran's. We'd driven through after church like we did every year. Our dog at the time was called Goldie and she went everywhere with us. I can't even imagine having a dog now, they seem like so much hard work on top of the day to day everything else.

So we get to my Gran's and are loaded up on even more chocolate - I think we'd even went by my Granny and Granpa Kirk's, too, so well it was obvious I was going to be OD'ing on sugar. I burst into just about every Easter egg (I had a small frame and was a tiny girl when I was a kid) and had a bit of every one of them. They were sooo good. I never tired of chocolate. I could probably eat it till I burst and then keep on eating it.

And as a matter of fact, I did. We were playing some game we'd invented - which involved a lot of running around for some reason - meanwhile the adults were inside arguing about politics and playing Trivial Pursuit. 

I suddenly had a massive wave of nausea hit me. I didn't feel great at all. I turned back to run inside and threw up all over my Gran's front step. I knew if I admitted to throwing up that I wouldn't be allowed any more chocolate. So I did what any honourable child would do and I blamed it on the dog.

"Muuum! Daaaad!" I shouted from outside. "Goldie's been sick."

Goldie went without food the next morning.

I'm sorry old girl. I hope you're not going to haunt me for that one.

Note to my parents: Yeah, I kind of told a white lie. I'm sorry about that.

And speak of Easter...

Do you fancy a freebie?

Here's what you have to do:

1. Follow this blog (and if you already follow go to 2.)

2. Leave me a comment with your own very favourite Easter memory.

3. Go here to print off a voucher from Thorntons chocolates - you'll receive a voucher for a Treat Egg of your choice.

Last but not least...

4. Take the personalised voucher to a local Thorntons store and exchange it for your yummy Treat Egg. Unwrap and enjoy one on me!

*Oh and I'm sorry guys, girls and dogs: this offer is UK only :(. And well...everyone knows chocolate is poisonous to dogs so I'm sure the dogs won't mind so much.