'Monster eating rice cake!'

Roman has a new snack pot that I thought we'd try out today on the go and as soon as it was in his hands he was in love with it. I filled it with apricots, which he wolfed down very happily and while we were out I filled it with rice cakes. He was a bit strange with the rice cakes so I pretended the monster was eating them. 

"Monster eating rice cake," Roman told me, stuffing one of the rice cakes between the monsters 'teeth.' I think he's quite smitten with this little snack pot ;).

He's Juggin' It.

I can't tell you how long we've searched high and low for a little jug for Roman and turned up nothing. So when my mum scouted out this little jug on Thursday it was a happy day. Finally, I thought to myself, Roman can have the independence he craves and demonstrates on a daily basis.

Today he got his chance to use it and the verdict is that he seems to quite enjoy his little jug. I'm happy, he's happy and Bryan is happy that Roman has this independence to pour his own milk and water into his cup, therefore less frustration and some novelty at meal times for Roman :). 

Hiding.

I didn't mean to shy away from the camera - there was the issue of my toddler pulling my hair in front of my face, for a start - but it made me think about how uncomfortable I am when a camera is pointed in my direction and how I don't want to pass this onto Roman. I want him to be completely at ease with his beautiful self.

I spent the day very sick - I woke up through the night with shivers and body aches all over - and out of my surprise I asked Bryan to photograph me and Roman together, despite me not looking my best or least dis-shelved. Every time I asked Roman to kiss my tummy better he would scream "NO!" rather loudly and run away ;).  

Bryan brought me through a packet of dried fruit that I didn't manage to eat one piece of. Instead? Roman managed to get the packet open and quite happily munch on them once his nap was done. "Mummy's froot (fruit)," he told me. "Mmm!" and all I could do was laugh, to appreciate that he isn't ill and I just pray things stay that way - there's nothing worse than a sick child when you're sick yourself.

P.S: I nearly gave up on this project yesterday. Today I'm glad I didn't. I couldn't face lifting my camera yesterday and so I just decided that was that...the end of this photo a day project. When I used my camera today I felt so much lighter, so much more free because I wanted to use it. I'm glad I'm still going strong, I think I'd feel awful if I just gave up when we're so near to the end of it all.

Restless Summer.

This summer weather is more like October weather; drizzly rain that doesn't quit, grey skies that threaten to shower me every time I leave the house with a half-decent hair style and there's the temperatures; one minute cloyingly humid, the next chilling my very marrow and requiring heating, socks and even blankets.

I wish I could drive or that public transport was less of an expense so that we could see new things every day, instead of the same old same old (not that I'm complaining at all, I don't mind the same old same old...a change of scenery would be nice.) Going to Stirling by train isn't really an option I like to take - there is the issue of getting his buggy up and over the stairs and while there have been willing public volunteers in the past, I can't always bank on that possibility. I feel very itchy to take an adventure but then confined by circumstance and house mess.

Roman's sleeping isn't any better these days; if he naps during the day, he won't sleep very well at night. I've been thinking we should cut naps but I'm not ready to lose them, either. Even if he naps for an hour or so he won't sleep at night. Instead he much prefers to take 5 or 10 minute rests with a blanket in the middle of the floor, just like the picture above. As I write this he's happily munching into apple-sized strawberries from Fife, a jam bagel cut in two pieces and a home made ice lolly right next to me, in his high chair. If anyone wants to know how anything gets done in a home with a toddler, the answer is always food and a high chair (with supervision, I felt that went without saying but that I should say it anyway.)

Boys Who Bake...

I come from a family who bake, this means that Roman does too. It's in our genes, in our blood and to get it out of our systems we must bake something yummy every week...or at least me and this boy do. I normally bake with him on a Friday morning and then we spend the afternoon swimming, you know to work off those calories ;).

This morning it was a well rehearsed baking session as I've become so practiced in the art of distraction and removing items I don't want a little mouth venturing near - I failed on this when I turned my back to wash the spoon from the icing...Roman was drinking the 'last bits' of the icing. 

The photo is when I handed him the whisk, after I'd used it, and let him have at it. Not adding eggs to the ingredients brings me back to my childhood; before people knew all the ins and outs of salmonella poisoning and children licked the bowl/spoon/whisk very happily. That is the one joy of cooking egg-free.

It's still a bit of a task to bake stuff in the time frame I'd like to - for instance it took us 20 minutes or so to get these from the packet to the oven because of so much stopping and starting, but we're getting there. It's getting easier as we practice, it's getting easier as I let him be more involved (that's hard, I have my compulsions, rituals and I am a perfectionist to top it all off) and the emotional outbursts from both sides seem to be less and less. Today I even enjoyed baking with him, it didn't end in tears, shouting or hair pulling (Roman.) Nope instead it ended with me laughing at the boy who was drinking the 'last bits' of icing very greedily from the bowl.

Briarlands Farm.

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With our feet and public transport as our means of getting about our options can be limited when doing things with Roman. 

When the weather was better I decided to check out some local venues that could be fun and educational to visit but felt a touch disappointed when I realised that Briarlands Farm was completely inaccessible to us. The main thing that drove me towards it was the idea that we could pick our own strawberries - which we ended up not doing at all today! Ha.

Luckily my sister Fi and her boyfriend Neil came to the rescue when they came along with us to the farm - and were able to take us there. It was fairly cheap to get in and while they didn't have many animals on display (which was disappointing) Roman was quite pleased with the animals they did have out. Especially the 'pinks' - his name for pigs. I think if he could have managed to squeeze himself in there with them he definitely would have ;). 

I was glad we went - even if the animals were fewer in numbers than expected and the strawberries were all picked by 4pm - but I think Roman was very tired out when we got home when he had a massive melt down - the melt down to top all melt downs, it was truly horrendous to watch because he was clearly distraught and very, very tired and there isn't an awful lot any parent can do in that circumstance. I'm happy to report that he went off to bed relatively happily - and quickly - and while I'm a big advocate of expressing yourself, whether for better or worse, I don't like the thought of him going to bed with some unresolved sadness lurking at the end of the day.

Bed.

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Roman putting Iggle Piggle to bed with his 'blanket' and of course a little friend (elephant) to cuddle - he then crouched down to cuddle and kiss Iggle Piggle in his bed. "Night, night Giggle Piggle (Iggle Piggle). Good BOY!" he said, walking away from his Iggle Piggle in his 'bed.'

Roll.

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It was a bit of an upside down day today. A surprised little face when we woke you from a nap - a face I wish I had immortalised forever in a photo - and then shortly after you woke up properly from your nap you were demanding a roll. Easily your favourite food right now.

And then you delighted in watching the London Marathon (and for once, I did too.) I haven't really sat down to watch it before, brushing it off as boring, but it was fun seeing three runners dressed up as characters from the Wizard of Oz. And to daydream about living there again (no chance.)

It was a fun afternoon. We just got on. Me and my friend Roman.