Autumn

We had a daddy daughter day last weekend, which I enjoyed a lot.  It was only a morning really, but we managed to visit two different parks (Lister Park down in Bradfod and nearby Roberts Park) and enjoy the autmun.  Here is my autumn girl.

Risky's starting to go further in her poddling, happy to wander off on her own for quite a way, especially to find dogs.  Here she is, just wandering off.



And here she is running back to me!

Lister park has a nice duck pond, which unfortunately didn't have the advertised open cafe, but did have ducks .  Not a bad photo given that I couldn't get more than arm's length from her.  She's very much less clumsy on her feet than she used to be, but I didn't fancy fishing her out of the cold water.



So we went to Roberts park where we knew there was a nice cafe that would be open.

And yes, that is the nice warm white coat that Andy bought for her at Christmas last year, which still fits pretty well.  6-9 months, and she's nearly 18!

I still like sheep

I've started liking a lot of animals.  I can now tell the difference between dogs and cats, can identify butterflies and bees, and have a fondness for frogs.  But sheep are still my favourite.

Family photo

We visited my parents the other weekend, at the same time as Jennifer, Catriona, Ian and Alice.  This seemed like a good opportunity to update the family photo for this side of the family, so here we all are!  Well done everyone for smiling/looking at the camera (we'll let Alice off this time).  Hard copies will be in the post to relevant people soon...

Holiday in the Lakes

We had our last holiday of the year in the Lakes in the last week of September. We camped. I think our weather friends must have worried for us spending a week in such a wet place with a one year old under canvas, and went to the trouble of organising a country-wide heatwave for us, which was nice. I'm not sure the Lakes really does heatwaves, but we certainly had a couple of very warm days and it was always fine in the valleys, if sometimes 'misty' on the tops.

We had a really great time. Marisca was so good around the campsite, poddling about all over the place. She enjoyed being in the backpack when we climbed some big hills (Langdale Pikes and Coniston Old Man, as well as up to Black Sail pass). She didn't complain too much at being dragged around Grizedale forest in a bike trailer. And she liked the sheep an awful lot.

Marisca having fun in the tent:

and sitting on her new ladybird chair, which she enjoyed pointing at, having climbed onto one of our chairs, rather more than she liked sitting on it.

On the way up to Coniston (apparently - we never saw it), and the highest up she has ever been.

We had a quiet day on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway where Risky loved the trains in the display cabinet (choo choo! choo choo! choo choo!) and enjoyed playing on the train shaped climbing frame even more.

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On another cloudy day we went to Wasdale and started a big walk, to be turned back by the stubborn peak clouds. That left us with time to paddle in the lake, mid lunch. We didn't go far in - it is the deepest lake in England and we didn't have our arm bands.

All in all, a lovely holiday in lovely surroundings, and a tiring one.

Seventeen months

Two typical poses for our girl: playing with gravel, and standing with her hands behind her back.

My biggest feeling this month is one of wonderment: how on earth did our little girl get so grown up?  I know in the grand scheme of things she isn't grown up, but she suddenly seems so big and such a toddler.  She has a lovely sunny disposition and smiles at everyone.  And she loves walking, which obviously we're rather pleased about.  She will happily poddle along for quite a distance these days, and generally heads in the right direction.  Of course, it takes a while to walk anywhere at Marisca-pace, but it's worth it to see her enjoying herself and discovering so many new things along the way.

Johnson's

Marisca is definitely growing up. As much as anything else we observe day to day, here is the evidence. She has finished her first bottle of shampoo. Quite how it's taken her 17 months to finish a freebie given to her when she was a day old, I'm not sure!

Puddle jumping!

Baby!

Marisca is no longer the littlest person in the Crocker family. Say hello to Alice:

Catriona and Ian are now the proud parents to this little bundle of loveliness.  She looks like her Dad, with her Mum's hair colouring.  And even though she's the same weight as Marisca was when she was born, she felt so light!  How on earth did our daughter get so big in comparison?

Marisca was rather non-bothered by the baby, which is good as last time I cuddled a newborn she threw a tantrum.  She was far more interested in toddling round the house, eating her apple and playing with her old playmat.