Fresh Air and Friendship

Lovely day today - it was really nice to get out of the house - we went on a group trip to the RSPB Rye Meads reserve.  I was a bit concerned about the boys, whether they'd be able to 'behave' within the group.  It's not that they're naughty, but they're not the quietest of boys.  I love that they are full of life and enthusiasm, but it does bother me slightly in scenarios where their behaviour may be judged as out of control.  Anyway, they were fine (it helped that our fabulous lodger came with us & provided a welcome second pair of eyes/ hands etc)... and we did have a really lovely time, identifying lots of birds, bugs and other things, stretching our legs and generally enjoying the fresh air.  Youngest and Eldest were very keen to talk to the helpful man who showed us around - no shyness there!

heron enjoying the view at Rye Meads

We had a picnic while we were there, including some yummy flapjacks (see below) made first thing this morning by Youngest with help from Mummy...

After lunch we came home to spend some time with a friend who is looking at Home Education for her children.  It was a lovely afternoon too - all of today's socialising kind of making up for the rest of the week's reclusiveness!  My boys played really nicely with her two young daughters (who are younger than any of mine) - the girls took a particular shine to Eldest and he was really good with them, letting them sit on him, hug him, climb on him etc.  My friend was pretty amazed that her two were so relaxed and not-clingy, especially as she'd been told that as they were too clingy she should send them to nursery! (weird logic or what: "if you have insecure children you should remove yourself from them so they can get over it"!  How do people buy into this kind of advice?).  It was also really encouraging to see Middle (who six months ago had become quite introvert and lacking in social confidence) just leaning up against my friend (who I don't think he'd ever properly met before) and showing her his game - utterly relaxed and confident that she would accept him... it really blessed this Mummy's heart.

 

That was pretty much it for today's activities, other than Youngest also having time on Reading Eggs, Middle spending some time drawing, and Eldest taking his diary everywhere with us to keep writing in it - you can tell he was snatching time to fill in brief updates, but there is still a little bit more included below for his growing fanbase! Busy weekend ahead, so I'll be back when I get the chance - meanwhile, I'll leave you with Eldest's version of today's highlights...

 

September 21st 2012

8:24am

Thinking about the pos. and neg. things about the colourful slugs.

1. p. they'd look great

2. n. they would have no camouflage

3. n. Birds could see them easily

4. p. wait, then so can I

5. p. Everyone would like them more

6. n. they'd probably show off

 

10.17am

Going to Rye Meads now

1.21pm

Finished at Rye Meads

I saw...

adult coot

adult moorhen

juvenile moorhen

juvenile shoveler

juvenile tufted duck

juvenile little grebe

adult heron

adult swan

adult gadwall

mystery duck

adult cormorant

juvenile cormorant

adult  greater spotted woodpecker

5 newts

10 different plants

16 different pond insects

WOW

1.45pm

Kestrel flew right next to my window

WOW

5.30pm

the girls came round at 1.58pm AND CLIMBED ON ME!