would you believe....???

THIS was 2 years ago (give or take a week)!!! the last time mum and tilly met  last time we saw mum in the flesh....

(as she is in New Zealand now)

See  that is Tilly sitting on Nana Lou's lap looking adorable as she pinches cream from hot chocolate

 

now that little bundle has gotten very tall and has beautiful long hair.. with a red head's temper and a very mischievous personality.

what can we say? other than GORGEOUS!

 

speaking of MUM and TILLY

there was no shutting tilly up the other night on Skype

It is rare for us both to be online at the same time because of time difference and being busy.. but last time Tilly spoke to mum on Skype, she was very timid and unsure of what to do other than watch her TV.

This time.. (a good 2 or 3 months later)... there was  chatterings on about alsorts from treasure, pirates, jumpers, toys, nana's cat.. nanas tea cup and tilly's too.... it was lucky mummy even got a word in edgeways to either translate at quieter sections or words not as clear.

growing up far too quickly and learning fast...

just think... 5 months time  3 years old!

 

right Must go make lunch and have play time.

 

 

Christmas songs (old, new and ruddy rude) are playing, "I FARTED ON SANTAS LAP...."

I farted on Santa's lap, now christmas is gonna stink for me
I farted on Santa's lap, now I'll get nothin' under my Christmas tree

 

Now it is an ongoing joke that POP POPs is santa... as Tilly points him out all over the place in excitement that her grandfather is everywhere at this time of year....... "is Pop pops!!!.. There..., presents!!!!"

 

And yes   there have been many sittings on Pops knee and letting Rip   so this years favorite song is the above by the Little stinkers.

Here comes some festive fun such as tree decorating and crafty business.. and just pain Tilliness for you

We shall start with Aunty Sam, who gave her a doctors kit and some bandaging from her work (a vet nurse) Poor H bear was in the infirmary for a good while being bandaged up repetitively and checked over regularly.. He was soon better and ended up back on Tillys bed where he usually lives wearing one of nana lou's cardigans

Here is Poor H bear getting his arms checked over after mummy bandaged them up.

 

This was also one of Aunty Sam's gifts to Tilly.. 80 sheets of christmasy colouring in fun.

 

Here is Tilly "helping " mummy decorate the tree... (mummy redid the lot because she likes everything just right)

 

Tilly loves the lights. "mummy tree lights on. pease"

 

Tilly dibbling and slurping her way through tomato soup

 

This morning was fun......

Christmas crafts as it is a day of just mummy and Tilly.

Daddy is at a Cadet Mess dinner all day, helping prepare and serve a turkey roast to local youth Naval cadets.

Here is what Tilly and Mummy made.... mummy cut out and coloured most of the trees, tilly had a good go at colouring too.. then tilly was let loose with cuts of paper and buttons...after mummy put a bit of glue on each piece.

Cotton Wool snowman was also made, now on our front door ( apartment block) with pride, already had some praise of neighbors of how clever and grown up Tilly is getting whilst we were taking the rubbish bag down to the big bin (mummy nearly always gets help from Tilly.

Ah... the beginnings of a dragon I am making

it was an impulsive make so far..

 

we have a little more body now and his legs attached and hope to have him finished soon.

 

Some of you know I am a little bit of a steam punk nut!

and so I decided that some of the baubles needed a makeover....

see  the top one has cogs, rivets and an almost patchwork painted on as sheet metal

the bottom one has airships painted on.

a crochet airship.. with a bit of practice I May be able to make a better one.

Another hand painted bauble

and a fascinator I made nearer to the beginning of 2015

 

There are other additions... such as another fascinator and also a crochet pocket watch  added in (the picture of the Tilly and Soup has a glimps of that)

 

I don't have Big slow on as much as i would like

It is rare I start her up these days, usually to archive some pictures, change music on my phone or essay write... that's only 3 more times within the next 10 months too. My tablet helps with my studies when it isn't TMA work.

 

Lets show you what I've been up to..... as usual no order to these.

Poor gardeners have had visit regularly to clear up the leaves, but by the next morning there would be a huge blanket recovering the garden. got to feel for them, as 4 lawns and a drive area to clear and at least 12 very full trees that shed seeds and leaves. Finally there are signs of the leaf shedding coming to an end.

Dolly head comfort blanket!

Tilly pinched it, Like I was going to have a chance to let another little girl have such a cool make.

A clutch bag or tablet case looking item. I had been making a few items for charity to see what sold... a little market research for a future project.

Tilly found Bertie and a hand made cardie from her Nana Lou... Bertie ended up wearing shoes too and being walked around like a toddler learning to walk.

one of the experimental phone cases I made.

Tilly konked on a wonder. wearing her ear warmer, which she has stretched to the point it is too big for even Daddy to wear.

MUG COSY... easier to hold a mug of tea without burning fingers whilst warming hands.

OOooook. any terry prattchett fans? Tilly looked a little like the librarian for a moment

Beautiful smiles Tilly says "Cheeeese" so beautifully

And my hair is gone! The Pixie cut is Back!

Managed to grow it  just a little further than shoulder length...

Then got annoyed.

Right had best get the hoover back out. in a space of a half hour dear Tilly has decided to make more mess with her snack instead of eat it... then off to Nana Mumbles to cause havoc and find Tillys new outfit (maybe it is a Christmas jumper to wind hubby up!)

 

Wow time flew by....

You may already know I have started a Degree in Psychology...

My first year is on Child psychology and childhood studies....

 

There has been a lot happening....

Hubby is on his Diabetic insulin pump  (artificial pancreas) and has got energy he thought he would never have again. Granted he will never be his old 100% but he feels FANTASTIC.

Tilly is now at the stage of "chatter box". and her character is starting to evolve further into a funny, cheeky and intelligent little lady... of course, her hair colour comes with the price... When she tantrums....  the poor lady down stairs knows about it (stomping, shouting into the floor and slamming doors)

 I have apologysed to her, but she understands.. one of her now grown up children is a redhead and lived up to the hair colour too...

 

Now lets get to show and tell 

 

 

Tilly Loves Blocks and making "party cakes" with them.  she even puts them in her toy oven and tells people to" stand back very hot..."

a first attempt at a Stocking for Christmas....

Autumn fun outside full of making leaf rubbings and running around like a loonie in the communal gardens.

A TILLY MASTERPIECE

her use of space is Fabulous

and love the colours too...

Proud mummy moment

Another Proud mummy moment!

Tilly's first try at baking... Biscuits

Tilly did allll the mixing (apart from mummy making sure it all came out of the bowl), and patting down (no rolling pin) she also cut them out too (tiny bit of help there)

But they tasted brilliant! mix winter spice .. they would be nice with some mince pie filling on them   NOM!

Hubby's insulin spares pouch... anything he needs in his pack that used to slosh about in the bottom of his pack now sits snugly in his Joker themed  pouch.

 

there we go....

I had best get back to studies....

 

busy bees

As you well know, having a toddler can be rather busy work...  but between attempting to keep our home tidy, Tilly occupied and a bit of crafting here and there...

 

Poor Daddy (molei)'s Diabetes has been playing him up. Insulin is burning up any energy he has so doesn't have chance to play as much as he would like to. (type 1)

We hope to have Daddy on an insulin pump by Christmas... as Mummy is just as tired as Daddy now running around after a certain cheeky Tilly.

 

As well as that.. Mummy is thinking of going back into the PUB TRADE as a manager again.. (hope to get a live in pub so Tilly is near by). and Also going to tackle a degree in Psychology... eek....

So a busy household...  It is all starting to get on top of me (want to better myself ).. as everyone knows I have trouble writing, notes, essays and "important letters" at the best of times... and often get panicy.. (on average it takes me an hour to write and type what most can in 15 minutes) when people are dictating or we are to write notes when people talk  often people have to repeat a couple of times and with note taking from books I have to read 2x before I take notes as I read again (if any of that makes sense) so this will be interesting.

When it comes to my blog, it is a little easier but still takes me twice as long as any body else to type anything out.

 

Anyways onto the fun stuff!!!

 

As usual  there is no order to these so Apologies....

 

Tilly in the park (about to give mummy her dodey) doing the wiggle bum chicken dance that she does all too well

A tilly masterpiece using the back of a plastic spoon a sponge and a finger

(trying to use things other than paintbrushes for different patterns and textures) there were bubbles in the sponge too at one point (needed cleaning and forgot to rinse the bubbles out)

Hair back looking ever so adorable and cheeky. And she knows it!

her new hiding place is behind the curtain by the small sofa when she knows mummy is chasing her about.

Running around Nannys garden like a Tiddly bear... one step two step  MUMMY TICKLES UNDER THERE!!!

of course hiding places chosen by Tilly aren't as good as she thinks.

Tilly also Loves "helping" in the garden by making mud pies... putting bits nanny hands her into the bucket, picking up gravel or dropped apples  and putting them in a different bucket, standing and deligating to Poppops  or attempting to move the wheel barrow...

An extra early Christmas pressy (more to come too)

Nanny and Poppops Neighbour lives right next door in a disabled bungalow.

He had a serious stroke and doesn't have quite as much energy, patience or dexterity as he would like.. He knits  sometimes crochets and has a sewing machine too...  and was having a clear out!

We often natter about what we are up to over the fence and swap ideas.

In the makings of a blanket for him to say thankyou.(as it would take him 3 times longer to make)

TILLYS BIG GIRL BED  she loves sitting on it during the day reading her books (its hard to get her out of the bedroom sometimes)

bedtime comes around she is aloud an hour or sitting and reading in her bed before we say time to sleep.. (daddy is favorite to sit with her at bedtime as long as mummy sits on her bed and reads(studies ect)... only daddy can manage to get her to sleep at the moment.

Another tilly work. This time with an old fork, fingers and a sponge

 

And this one is pure fingers and spoon

TEA LEAF!

pinching nannys grape.

Aftermath of painting..... there was more in the bath than on the paper!

9 days till a certian little Monster is 2 years old

We have been busy....

 

now the summer days are upon us, Tilly and I have been a busy pair, lots of walks (buggy as well as reigns)...  there has been drawing, painting.... crocheting and planning for Pops fathers day card are in progress.. (I'm going to get some stick for what has been scribbled out in rough ready for final drawings.... something to do with  seeing hearing and speaking GNOME  evil).... oops..

 

It is already 8:00 here... been up since 5 ish..... and already halfway through the days jobs....

 

whilst having a Tea break.....  I thought I'd show the best pictures off...

 

as always  a little jumbled up...

Lets start like most mornings.....

Tilly wakes up at 4, gets given dodey and usually goes back to sleep...

This acts as Daddy's alarm clock for work so we get up  and I can get on with one or two quieter jobs  and sometimes can get back in bed after daddy has left even if its for 10 minutes.

As it is coming up to Tilly's Birthday and  Hiding places are hard to find when this little Madam knows all the knooks and best hiding places...

So  she got her new BIKE early...

She was heart broken to find that the bike is for when she is at her Nanny's House when we had to go home.

She will love going to Nanny's local park on it.

Smiles for Nanny.

All Nanny's are FUNNY.. and what a whopper of a toothy smile...

I was instructed to get as many DODEYLESS smiles as I could as it is rare to catch Tilly without one.

Our first LONG  walk on Reigns only

It started out that we were only going to go as far as the shops, but we had nothing to Hurry home with. I asked Tilly which way she would like to find some Ducks and she chose Left which took us to the Canal instead of Right which would have taken us to the Park and lake.

she walked all the way down  and along the canal to Bourneville train station (the stretch of canal is not much more than a mile and the route down to the canal is about a mile and a half from home).

We waved at every duck ( about 6) and every Barge (2... one was named SENIOR MOMENT with a pair of gorgeous dogs and an elder gent waving and grinning back ). Oh  we cant forget the TRAINS... Tilly loves those.... (2 local and a fast train heading to town from Hereford) as we were going up the ramp towards the bridge heading home...

at the top  Tilly took a little tumble... and mummy carried her home ... she fell asleep on mummy's shoulder.

Ah, MUD PIES next to her rose bush.

One of My little Fascinators  that I have been happily making

Yesterday!! Tilly had her first Hair cut...

She was not impressed but Mummy was impressed with how well behaved she was....

just an inch off each layer... so she can keep her beautiful curls. The man that cut her hair was truly amazed at the colour and length of a not even 2 year old.. and was in more shock at seeing a picture from when she was born in proof of how much hair she had then too.

Tillys Birthday Present of Mummy and Daddy is her Kitchen and all food. and as we go Mummy has been making accessories (oven mitts and tea towels ect.)

she loves it. Pop Pop bought her a little kettle and toaster too... plenty of tea and toast to go round.

Tilly's progression with holding her crayons is Fantastic.. Little Leftie! and she tries so hard to copy mummy drawing shapes... not quite yet....

A "hippy" bag that I made recently

Tillys Multitude of accessories and food for her kitchen!...

I spend half an hour tidying everything away in their boxes, draws( and fridge / dishwasher compartments) most days.

These little Fishies for Pop's reading students he works with at a local school. They are heading for a bigger school and wanted to give them something unique to say goodbye.

Red and orange is for a Liverpool football fan...
red and white is for an Arsenal football Fan..

And Bluey is the Girlie fish for a young lady who hopefully gets exactly what she asked for... LIPS... EYELASHES and BLUE.

loved Making them.

HAHA    tilly has been let loose with paint at home!

there is no stopping her now.

trying a little right handed work.