Back in Ely

Now that we are back in Ely, Benjamin and I are doing our best to keep busy.  It's been nice to see our friends again and I think Ben enjoys seeing other children.  

Benjamin is doing really well.  He finally has mastered the art of rolling from his tummy to his back.  In fact, when I tried to give him tummy time today, he started rolling over before he was all the way on the floor.  Still no progress moving forward, but I'm sure it is only a matter of time.  I try not to fuss about his motor skills.  He'll run around one day.  I was quite happy though when Sue, the woman from Early Intervention, said that he was very vocal and social.  That makes a ton of sense.  From what I understand, both Joe and I were quite verbal children, though we may not have been stars athletically.  (Yes, I still walk like a penguin.)  And Ben seems to have inherited Joe's love of the limelight.  Everytime I have brought him to a playgroup this week, he has squealed and babbled non-stop as if to say "Look at me!  Look at me!"  

Speaking of talking, Ben has started to make consonant sounds.  I never would have thought of that as a milestone until I read it in a book and realized that none of his sounds had any consonant sounds.  While we were in Lossiemouth, he started the "B" noise, but now has many more.  It probably helps that I've started making these noises when he screams.  I was getting nowhere by telling him "No", so I asked Sue for any advice.  She said to make noises at him and see if he will copy me.  He doesn't exactly copy me, but it has gotten him to stop screaming for fun.  I guess the point is that he has found a sound he can make and wants to try out his new skill.  Just give him a skill that does not give Mummy a headache.

Sorry if all of my news is Ben related.  I spend 90% of my time on him so expect lots of healthy observations of my beautiful boy.  However, I am doing my best to reclaim some Marsha time.  I am going to start attending an adult beginning ballet class.  I am actually very excited about this.  My plan is to get a babysitter, take myself to a nice dinner, and then hit my ballet class.  I took one ballet class in college.  I remember in being difficult, but I would love to increase my grace and flexibility.  Plus, my feet naturally fall into first position anyway so I am bound to be quite talented.

Additionally, I have been working on some projects here at home...namely the house itself.  We have so much stuff crammed into a small space and it simply isn't working.  I am purging and organizing.  I am hoping to have a lot done by the time Joe is done with his training.  Yesterday, I got some great motivation.  I made $25 at the base thrift store!  So I am going to continue to sort through our junk.  Let's hope I make a ton more money. :)  

Mother's Day Present

This Sunday is Mother'sDay in the UK. As you can tell by the picture, Benjamin is so sad that he was only able to get me this cookie. He said his favorite mum deserved so much more. Isn't he sweet!

Typical Wednesday

Well, today was a lovely ordinary day. Since Joe is working nights (no, the irony is not lost on me), we spent some time together this morning. That is always bittersweet since I know I won't get any time with him in the evening.

After Ben's first nap, we drove to Elgin to visit the library. The children's section of any public library has got to be one of the best inventions in modern history. (At least it is if you are a stay-at-home mum) It's free, has fun funiture to climb on, and full of books your child has not read. Ben seemed to really enjoy it. He especially enjoyed flirting with the little girl who was also there. I swear that boy truly thinks he is a ladies man. And maybe he is. What do I know...

After nap #2, I finally took him to the local park. I've been meaning to for the last week and have only now gotten around to it. He still not sure what to make of the slide or the bouncy horse, but the baby swings are a big hit. Ben seemed quite relaxed as he swinged.

When we got back, I put him on his tummy for some forced tummy time. And although he wasn't thrilled, he did put up with it for a decent amount of time. Bastian was on the floor next to him, which was perfect. Ben loves the dog and wants nothing more than to go after him. He tried to scoot towards him and even though he didn't exactly move forward, he wanted to and that is huge. He even managed to change his direction a bit. Maybe he will crawl one day...

Life in Lossie

On Friday, Joe and I will pile our little family into our big American car and head back to reality. I am not looking forward to that. I have enjoyed the last week and half so much and I hate to see it end.

Our time in Lossiemouth has been so peaceful. I'm sure a large part of that is that we are all together. But we're also together in a lovely little beach cottage in a very laid back area of the world. Everyone individually has something to make them happy about this place. Ben has both parents to dote on him. Plus, he seems to enjoy our trips to Tesco. Joe's work is painful, but I know he's happy to be flying again. And he's made some great new friends. So Family + Friends + Flying = Happy Joe. Bastian gets to run amuk on the beach every morning without a leash. As for me, well I have my family all together. But also, Bastian's walks are just as much for me. It's beautiful scenery and so relaxing. (Except, of course, when he's found a dead sea gull to play with.) I hope that when I get to heaven, there is a dog beach.

And of course, Scotland is great. I would love to bring Ben back in a few years because I'm sure he would get such a kick out of it. You can't spit without hitting a castle and what little boy wouldn't love that. To be fair, Joe and I think that's pretty cool and we're obviously much older. Plus, there is a lot to do if you enjoy the great outdoors. They have a law here that most land is available for the public to explore even if it is someone's private property. You just have to respect it. (That would never work in America) But there are lots of great hills to climb and forrests to run around. Perfect for a little boy with energy to expend.

We have enjoyed exploring too. Including the one at Loch Ness, we saw three castles last week. Of course, they are all in ruins, but it's fun to imagine what they looked like. My favorite one was Duffus Castle. It's very close by. It's also surrounded by farming fields so there weren't very many people. It felt like our own little castle to explore. Ben seemed to enjoy it, but I think the one who enjoyed it the most was Bastian. The castle is surrounded by a moat so we didn't have to worry about him running off. We just let him off the leash and let him run. Heaven!

Arival in Scotland/Loch Ness

Well, today I am writing to you from Lossiemouth, a lovely coastal village on the northern coast of Scotland. Joe and I have rented a cottage on the water for the next two weeks in hopes of having some family time together. For those of you who don't know, Lossiemouth is where Joe is doing his training course and will probably be here until sometime in May. It is also a 10-hour drive from Ely, about as far away as you can be and still be in the UK. Joe has come home twice, but it is a long trip for just a weekend visit and the weekends always seem to go too quickly. So when Joe found this cabin, we jumped on it.

We arrived here on Friday afternoon. Fortunately, my dad was still visiting so he helped me make the trip. The four of us (me, Dad, Ben, and Bastian) left Ely Thursday and stayed at a hotel just over the Scottish border. Both Ben and Bastian did much better than expected. It was a long trip for the adults so I know it awful for them. While the scenery is lovely, English roads are terrible. Friday's trip was much better since Scottish roads are better too.

The cabin is really quite lovely. It is cosy and has everything we need. The owners are very hospitable. Not only did they have portable crib and high chair we requested, but there were baby toys and books for Ben. There was also milk, eggs, bread, and bacon in the fridge so we could make breakfast the next morning. Yum!

On Saturday, we piled in the car and headed for Loch Ness. It is truly a magnificent site. No sign of Nessie the Loch Ness monster, but we had a blast all the same. We also toured Uruqurt Castle, which is on the edge of the loch. By then the rain had stopped, so we were able to really enjoy ourselves and take lots of pictures.

Seven Months!!

Well, Benjamin is 7-months-old today.  I can still hardly believe he is so big.  He's gained 11 lbs, grown 7 inches, and is working on his 3rd tooth.  He now enjoys bathtime and flirts with every woman he sees.  But most importantly, he has his mummy wrapped around his little finger.  

I am doing my best not to let him know this, though.  I appear to be quite stern in matters of naptime and discipline, but it's really a show.  Last night, Dad and I went out for dessert.  We were sitting in big comfy leather chairs.  Ben was sitting in my chair off to the side.  As I was trying to eat my sticky toffee pudding (yum!), he kept pulling on my sweater and smiling at me.  It was one of those moments where you say to yourself, "I really love you and you are all mine."  

This week, we're all heading up to Scotland to visit Joe.  Joe and I rented a pet friendly cabin in Lossiemouth that is right on the water.  I can't wait to see all of the places he's been telling me about.  We're going to take a drive to Loch Ness and visit the highlands as well.  I hope Joe doesn't try to talk in a bad Scottish accent the whole time.  I may need to remind him that he is not Braveheart.  He's already bought some "knickers" pants.  I fear a kilt may be next.