Quick Catch Up

We love going to the Baltic. There's an excellent room on the second floor called 'the Quay room' where the kids can run, draw, read, climb into an old boat and have a tea party, (!) and generally just relax and have a bit play. There are two comfy settees which makes breastfeeding the little one a lot easier too.
We first went to the Baltic to meet the Tyne and Wear under 7s home ed group but we've been loads of times since. I really wish I could figure out how to put the photos on here in some kind of logical order, however, it's beyond me at the minute.

Friday, March 19th 2010

We had a brilliant day today. I took positive action and decided that Sylvie wouldn't be going back to nursery, so, we all went to Bill Quay Farm to meet the Tyne and Wear under 7 home ed group instead and it was fab! I will upload some photos later.

Sylvie seemed so unhappy when I was dropping her at nursery and it just seemed so wrong. I thought to myself this morning, 'if she dies next week and I've been sending her to nursery two days a week when I don't think she's happy, then so much of her little life has been wasted doing nothing of value'. Crikey, I know this is totally morbid and perhaps a bit irrational, but still - she's far to young to know misery. Anyway, she won't be going back. We are a family and we're going to stick together and embrace each other's highs and lows. Time is precious and so is life, none of it should be wasted, especially when she states she'sd rather stay with us as opposed to going to nursery.

The girls love being outside and I love to see them running. It gives me a lump in my throat to see them in the wild, picking up sticks, jumping in mud, being free and uninhibited. Thank goodness Sylvie came with us.

I was really suprised when we got to the farm. It's bigger than I thought it would be and really easy to get 'round. The girls had a fab time looking at the animals, paticularly a huge ginger pig which seemed quite taken with them. Bea picked up a massive pile of filthy straw from in the middle of the road and started feeding it to the pig. Gave her hands a good scrub after, but she had a great time.

We got there at 10 and everyone else arrived at 11. Annabelle was twisty and tired in the house which is why we set off early. Nicola brought her dog and a friend's dog along with her and Sylvie got to hold the leader which she enjoyed, however, mark's having none of it. He so doesn't want us to have a dog! I'm not suprised really. He's always tasked with cleaning out the guinea pigs even though I said I'd take care of them, I should imagine he's worried about having to take a dog for a walk before work too. He wouldn't have to - it would be my exercise regieme! Nevermind...

Sylvie's staying at my dad's tonight to give her a change of scenary and to keep him company. Even though she's there he still sounded down on the phone when I rang him earlier. Very, very sad, and not going to get any better. Mark and I have scoffed a curry and Bea's presently banging something off the radiator in the living room and it feels like the entire house is moving. I've made some carrott muffins for our day out tomorrow, (don't know where to yet, depends on the weather), and Annabelle is flat out on my knee.

All is good.

I, however, need sleep.
8.40pm, this is me, over and out.

Well, Wednesday was a fab day. Sylvie decided that she didn't want to go to nursery. There was no kicking or screaming, she just looked so totally miserable; you could have hung a coat from her bottom lip. Anyway - instead of leaving her at nursery she came with me, Bea and Annabelle to 'Play and Rhyme Time', a fortnightly home ed meet up that happens in Durham city centre. She had a great time, so did Bea. They dressed up and bounced about until Sylvie decided all she wanted to do was complain about being freezing. Her little hands were really cold so we headed back to the car then home to wait for Aunty Emma and baby Thomas to arrive!!! As soon as they got here we jumped back in the car and went to the Botanic Gardens.
What a fantastic afternoon. It was so goo to see Emma and Thomas and to actually feel sunshine! We walked through the trees where Sylvie tried to catch the fairies, (midgies!!!). The girls ran and ran and ran, picking up sticks, playing in the water, shouting, laughing and generally being happy. It was so good to see.

Thursday was another good day. We met our friend Angela and her baby Annalise at Broom House Farm. The girls ran, and played, and shouted and laughed and ate cake. Sadly, I also ate cake, though not much due to the gannets scoffing most of it, (thank goodness!!!). Annabelle had been up all night which is out of character for her. She seemed really unhappy and cried when I tried to feed her. I noticed discharge coming from her ear so Friday meant a trip to the docs!!! Poor little thing has an ear infection.... boooooooo. It's started to clear up a bit now though. She's not crying as much when she's feeding and she's sleeping a little better, (though I don't want to jinx this).

After taking baby A to the docs on Friday we headed to the Glass Centre at Sunderland for the weekly Tyne and Wear home ed meet up. I didn't have Sylvie with me as she decided she wanted to go back to nursery - nought like being fickle eh!! We had a good time but I was shattered from Annabelle's all night party so came home, ate carbs and waited for Mark to finish work.............

Where we're at, home ed and life in general

I've known for a long time that home ed is the way forward for us. Some times I think that I might crack up being with the children all day and all night, every day and every night, however, I made them therefore I should be the one looking after them! When people say, 'I don't think I could handle the responsibility of home educating my children', I generally think and some times say, 'I can't handle the huge responsibility of handing them over to the education system. I don't think I could live with the guilt either'!

Sylvie goes to nursery two days a week. Sending her to nursery was a decission I really struggled with, and to be honest, I didn't think it would be a long term thing. I was used to seeing mum at least every other day - she was a huge help with the kids. When she fell ill before Christmas our world became a bit smaller. I didn't have a car and was heavily pregnant with Annabelle which wasn't easy. I think I hada spot of SPD this time 'round. I literally couldn't stand up. My poor old pelvis... it's been very busy over the last three years.

Sylvie only attends nursery for the free 15 hours per week, this means that she has a four week break over the Easter hols. I've decided to immerse us in all home ed group activities over that time and if she settles and enjoys being with the other children etc. etc. we'll just carry on like that and she'll not go back to nursery. There have been so many changes in her little like since October that I want to stop pushing her from pillar to post so this will be the last 'fiddle' we have with the rhythum of her week. She lost her bear, Ning Ning who she took everywhere. He was a disease waiting to happen, so filthy but she loved him. She lost her Nana, she had a new baby sister and she started nusery!

Anyway - too many hours were spent in front of the TV before Christmas which is why I decided Sylvie could go to nursery. She loved it the first couple of times she went and I was thrilled, but then her mood changed. She seemed to loose confidence and become a bit withdrawn and would have a sad little face when I dropped her off on a morning... I've rattled on and on about her not going back, however, she is still going and she does like it again. Her old personality shines through once more and I'm no longer worried about her.

There's a fab meet up in Tyne and Wear on a Friday that I've been to a couple of times. Home ed mums have made a list of venues to visit and things to do and it seems to be going quite well. I was all ready to go and meet them last Friday but I met a relative in Durham who I'd not seen for years and that kind of put a spanner in the works!!! Hey ho, nevermind... I will be more organised this week.

A new page has turned over in our lives, not a happy one but a new one nevertheless. My mother died six weeks ago. The loss of her light is a huge blow to us as a family. She adored my three children and the hole she's left behind will never be filled, however, I now understand what's meant when people say that life moves on. I'm clinging to the past with every part of me but the hands of the clock keep turning, my girls keep growing and needing and nothing is standing still.

This blog will chart our home education adventure therefore will no doubt cover the trials and tribulations of being the mum of three very young children. It will also be about my weight loss journey. Before mum died she said, 'Fay, look after your bowels and loose weight' so, shock horror, that's what I'm going to try and do! I've done it before so I'm sure I can do it again. Wish me luck happy campers....