A high drama of new youth, parenthood and smelly nappies

Posts from April 2008

11:40pm Monday, 28th April 2008

it’s been over a week away for the Henley’s 3 and 2 weeks since we posted a blog entry so time for a catch up.

cole headed off for a conference in londinium on the 16th april before heading up to leamington spa to spend a week with uma and oompa. this sadly meant that P had to do the dreaded drive south all on her ownsome with mister G in the panda. but made it she did and all in good time too.

on sunday we had a manic but fun day as we all got together to celebrate cousin samuel’s 2nd birthday but also gethin’s recent 2nd and oompa’s imminent 60th. a great day was had, added to by the visits of oompapa, great-gramps ken, great-aunt lynne, cousin (once removed) stefan and their respective partners david and lucy. presents, fodder and cake galore ensued followed by some playage on oompa’s 60th birthday treat from the family: a nintendo wii. the highlight though was seeing Leiske – feel so far away being in Scotland since she had her second stroke last December. She is doing so well but it will be a long haul recovery for her and those around her. Just wish we could be closer to help her along.

on monday we visited oompapa in warwick, playing with G whilst cole tried to fix his computer/telly before a stroll through the historic town, baulking at the small fortune required to visit warwick castle. bah humbug!

tuesday was the birthday treat day for the boys with a trip to west midlands safari park. a great time was had on safari and the subsequent trips round the animals and on the choo choo. snaps will ensue! we all returned after a lovely, sunny day for fish and chips before Leiske had to get back to hospital and we all crashed on the sofa, shattered from our fun day out.

on wednesday P disappeared for a few days to visit friend Kate in Cambridge. this meant some quality bonding time between dad and bairn with trips to the town, soft play, the park, getting caught out in the hail, shopping and other malarkey. on friday peta returned for our last day in the midlands. heading over to warwick again, G hung out with oompapa whilst cole made the final touches to pc/telly issues.

friday night we all settled down to watch some telly (a treat for Cole and Peta who are without such luxury in Scotland), avoiding the packing, before a long journey back home on Saturday. In the morning we paid a quick visit to Lorraine and Abdul, the parents of one of Cole’s school friends, for a blether and beverages before setting off and negotiating the rabid panic buying petrol consumers of leamington spa, out in their chelsea tractors to sniff up the last fumes of diesel before the country ran out with grangemouth going on strike. idiots.

the jounrey back was eventless and getting back on saturday meant we could enjoy a day at home before the shock of returning to work after so long an absence. to boot, the weather was gorgeous leading to a spontaneous and unprecedented outbreak of gardening from the henley’s 3, with weeding, planting and general mischief to be had with any tool that came to hand in the warm april sun. hopefully this will be the shape of things to come this summertime!

anyways, by way of apology for so long an absence here is one of a couple of videos that we took in the garden this evening of peta taking gethin for a spin. the other video can be viewed here.

10:46pm Monday, 14th April 2008

what a perfect weekend for the henley’s three.

saturday morning we headed off for some steam train action at the bo’ness and kinneil railway. C + P hadn’t been since their wedding day and it was the first time G got to see a proper choo choo. we got there early after getting the times wrong and had to negotiate our way through the shop – replete with thomas goodies – on our way to a couple of cups of coffee. a short while later the choo choo arrived and we all set aboard for an exciting seven minute train ride to kinneil halt. we set upon a stroll, complete with multiple puddles (and ensuing splashes), before catching the train back. all told a fantastic trip and gethin was absolutely agog during the whole experience.

on sunday we headed to the farm to catch up with ruthie, ben and the kids, feed the animals and follow ben and casper as they tagged and tailed some newborn lambs, awwwww. the kids get on so well together and shortly P had to dash for another sunday stint at work. as the day was nice c + g stuck around before strolling home, G catching a mammoth snooze en route and after before cooking up some bangers and mash with daddy for P’s return.

to cap the weekend off today has been a lovely day. the sun was still shining when we got back from work/childminder so G set about making some messy mud pies in the garden whilst C + P cleaned up the car, Cole doing a spot of gardening. I kid you not – a spot of gardening – dusting off the old trowel to clean up the overgrown paving slabs out front.

What a super weekend

11:12pm Thursday, 10th April 2008

We are now officially a week into Gethin’s terrible twos after a hectic week for the Henley’s. Last Thursday was Gethin’s birthday so after an early start and much present unwrapping (the highlight being a pink toy buggy from our childminder) we headed into Edinburgh for songs at Granton library with Peta’s bookstart colleagues.

Many songs were sung, beverages quaffed and cakes eaten. Then all off to North Queensferry for an aquatic encounter with sharks and the like, stopping off to pick up our friend Denise and a lunchtime treat from Maccy Ds. At Deep Sea World we met up with Ben, Casper, Wren, Poppy and Merce. Gethin really loved it, particularly the underwater tunnel, and had fun on the Black Pig.

We had a lovely day and G got loads of presents from his adoring friends and family. Sadly Cole had to dash off before the day was through to head south for his gran’s funeral in Warrington. It was a sad day but a fond farewell and it was good to catch up with the extended family that haven’t seen in ages. The trip had a positive side though and Cole headed south after the funeral to Leamington to catch up with his sister – the first time since Christmas when she was still in hospital having suffered her stroke. It was great to catch up and really looking forward to spending some more time down in Leamington later in the month.

The next day was a first class trip by train back up to Scotland, complete with complementary refreshments.

The last few days have flown by. On Sunday P was back at work so Cole and G hung out and did manly things like defrosting the freezer iceberg and made pizzas for supper – though Gethin seemed more intent on stuffing the olives in his mouth than atop the pizza bases. Sunday night saw a bout of the pukes for wee G in the middle of the night where he crawled into bed with us to vomit :(

On Monday G was still ill so P lost out on her planned home alone day to care for him – he has certainly inherited Cole’s “I am dying” mood when poorly. Since then he has been excelling at this terrible two’s malarkey with regular tantrums and early morning/late evening screamage. I will never understand how someone can both want and not want something at exactly the same time. A complete mystery and catalyst for a few more grey hairs…

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12:57am Thursday, 3rd April 2008

well, just finished priming G’s room for his second birthday tomorrow. P has been busy baking a cake whilst we stealthily pinned a garland of balloons to his new bunk bed and sprinkled the multitude of gifts and cards that have steadily been arriving by post across his floor.

bright and early tomorrow – off to see sharks and other aquatic gubbins in south queensferry. think me and P are probably more excited about the wee ones bianniversary more than he is!

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