Frog spotting and leaf collecting

Title: Not a song lyric or book quote today rather the response me and daddy came up with to the question, "what hobbies do you have in common?" We were asked this when we first told people we were engaged and we couldn't think of a real answer so decided this would be it. We had rather imagined ourselves out and about putting spots of paint on unsuspecting frogs. But back to reality.


As well as the usual one hour in at gymnastics, followed by an hour in the play park, we met went frog spotting at Warnham Nature Reserve today with fellow home ed friends. The plan was to go frog spotting as it happened the mums were rather frog marched around the reserve. The children moved at an alarming rate along the paths and thoroughly enjoyed a good walk around, dipping in and out of hides and climbing the occasional fallen tree. Pumpkin did spot a snail shell when he was riding in the buggy and Bean came for a closer look using his magnifying glass from his National Trust explorer kit that grandma and pops got him for his birthday. We decided that as the snail was missing it would be okay to collect the shell and bring it home so he doned his gloves and put it into an appropriate sized pot to bring home.


The day had begun with some craftiness. Bean emptied a box of craft bits and constructed a picture of our garden and a picture of daddy's steam train (the one that takes him to work.) What I love about the craft movement is that although it took Bean almost five years to show any interest in anything arty he is really finding things he is good at, home ed allows there to be little restriction in the time he spends on it or which medium he wants to work with, and there is only room for exploration and his own sense of accomplishment in his work. There is no-one to tell him he can't use pink or draw flowers or put the sandpit in the sky or daddy on a steam train. I think these things combined has helped him move on in his art work and not stunted or hindered him from continuing.

The remainder of the day saw us entertaining friends, making chocolate cakes (again), watching some iplayer, playing games on mummy's phone, and Pumpkin finally falling asleep at 5pm and not waking up... I feel a 3am wake up call approaching!

Who would've thought?

I spent about an hour with the boys this morning building a train track with them. Have I mentioned how I am finding Bean quite difficult of late? He really won't give on anything. If it's his idea we can't do anything else anyone wants to do, Pumpkin isn't allowed to change things or want to do something his own way, there is no give or compromise and it usually involves a lot of suggestions of possible solutions from me and a lot of shouting and tears from Bean. The most difficult part is that he gets very angry and if I'm not there when it happens it can result in Pumpkin being bashed uncontrollably by Bean usually with the nearest toy. Today it was a train thrown in the face, followed later by a piece of train track, a pen stabbed into the arm and treading on his hair (all separate incidents.) Fortunately Pumpkin is forgiving and accommodating but I need to find a way for Bean to recognise, vent and express his anger without damaging others.

We've had a real reading day. Bean read to Pumpkin this morning, the books were the first port of call at the Play and Stay session we went to and there have been multiple other reads today but all between themselves, I haven't been asked to read anything today (most unusual.)

Our trip out took us past this snail crossing the pathway. We found one in a similar location on the return home, I wonder if it is the same one?

We have also coloured and played with salt dough today as Bean wanted to know how to make dough go hard. We made the salt dough and Bean and Pumpkin made blobs and cut out shapes. I sat with them and made a few things for Father's Day. As we haven't used salt dough before I'm not sure that the boys will really understand it's potential until we have made and baked a few times.

Plum took hold of her first foods today. This is how we introduce solids to ours. She wasn't overly impressed and pulled a few lovely faces. Today's tempting morsels were apple and avocado. 

The boys ended the day as they had begun, playing with the track again and Bean thumping Pumpkin. The good thing about keeping a blog is that you can look back on a day that has appeared to be draining and tiring and grim and realise that we have had more wonderful moments than upsetting ones and that these angry outbursts have been just that... outbursts. The rest of the time has been our everyday busyness and calm.