I woke up around 7:00 with you, Forrest attached at the boob. As soon as I got up I had a buzzy feeling, I just can't believe you are going to be 3 tomorrow! It was a bit of a rushy morning as I had promised to make pancakes and we had planned to be out of the house by 9:30 for our mini roadtrip to charmouth beach. It's where you requested to go, you just love the beach! 

While I rushed around getting everything ready the two of you hung out in the lounge watching encanto and getting super snuggly with each other. Nixie, you are just the sweetest and are so excited about Forrest turning three, you have even made him a countdown calendar. 

We managed to actually be on the road by 9:45 but only made it to brockenhurst before you, Forrest said you needed to wee so we stopped and I got you out only for you to say you no longer needed to! Today's the first long journey you've done without a nappy. You refused to let me put one on you which was a first and just shows how much you are growing up! Once we were back on the road we made our usual road side stop to get coffees and hot chocolates. As we made our way closer to charmouth a warning light came on the cars dashboard which was a little worrying, so were going to need to call the garage and see what they say, hopefully it’s nothing too bad!!

Once we arrived and parked the car we headed straight for the beach and you, Nixie found sea glass straight away and within minutes had a whole handful of them. Today we really wanted to try to find some fossils, especially some ammonites but didn’t have much luck but  had fun hammering rocks either way. Forrest, you were being so sweet searching for sea glass and every time you’d find a piece you’d ask me or daddy “this seaglass?” and when we said yes you'd get so excited each time. 

Along with spending hours with our heads down sifting through the pebbles we also had a lot of fun playing in rock pools and exploring the low tide. At one point I had found a little snail in the water and you, Forrest asked if you could hold it and I said yes but you need to be very gentle and you said “OK!” and you were so gentle and then after a short while i asked if we should put him back home and you asked “no one will step on him there?” and i promised no one would that it was a safe place for him and then you were ok with putting him back.
You are so bursting with personality and so full of joy and it's the most beautiful thing

After a few hours, you, Nixie started getting really cold and got really sad. It wasn’t very cold at all but the sun had just gone behind the clouds and you have just started getting a runny nose so I think you are just coming down with something. I felt so sad seeing you feel so uncomfortable and unhappy. We ended up heading back to the car. As we approached the sidewalk you, Nixie were being so sweet and making sure that Forrest was on the inside so that he was furthest away from the cars. You are such a protector. But before leaving charmouth the two of you had so much fun doing rolipolis down the hill right next to the heritage centre, this is something you absolutely need to do everytime we come here and it was the first time you, Forest were truly able to join in and it was so sweet to see!! At one point you, Nixie just layed in the grass looking up the clouds telling us you could see a turtle and an elephant. Forrest, you als stopped and laid in the grass looking up but you were admiring the birds. We had such a beautiful day by the beach and when we got back on the road luckily the warning light didn’t come back on. 

We made it back on the road in perfect time as we had one more stop before heading home: The blue pool in Wareham which had a special event hosted by Illuminate. It took us about an hour to get there. 

As soon as we arrived we headed into the cafe for another coffee and to get some marshmallows. You both loved roasting them, especially you, Forrest  and we had a really nice walk through the lit up forest. Nixie you loved running ahead of us and exploring on your own and then hiding and trying to scare us. At one point there was a path of light to walk under and when you saw it you made me cover my eyes and led me to the start of it before I could open my eyes and then you said “look how beautiful!” By the time we made it back to the car it was pitch black out and we could see all the stars above us so clearly and you, Nixie loved that we could see Taurus constellation. We also heard owls in the distance which fascinated you, Forrest and you just wanted to know where they were. 

It took us another hour to get home but we were all happy in the car and then we saw the moon rise and wow, it was incredible! We were all in awe.  We arrived after 20;00 and it was a quick dinner for the two of you and then straight to bed. It was my turn to put you both to bed so we all snuggled up together while I read a couple of stories and then we turned off the light and I nursed you, Forrest to sleep and once I got my boob back I turned over and massaged you, Nixie, until you were sound asleep too. It was the smoothest, fastest bedtime we’ve had in forever!! You were both asleep before 21:00!

I snuck out of bed and went downstairs to join daddy in wrapping your (Forrest) bday presents and decorating the room so that it was all ready for tomorrow! We even managed to watch an episode of our new favourite documentary series together, “this strange rock” before joining you both in dreamland.