I slept so good and woke up with you, Forrest stirring and snuggling into me. It was around 7:45. I got up to go to the bathroom and put the kettle on as daddy was just beginning to wake up too. He told me that he had the ultimate snuggles all night from you, Nixie and that they were on a whole new level. Shortly after I got back the kettle started whistling and forrest you wanted to be the one to turn it off but first I needed to rush to get you dressed as the outside is all muddy and wet from the crazy day of rain we had. The forecast still says a bit of rain today but hopefully it won't be anything like yesterday. Yesterday after Kelly, Brent, Lois, Cam & Stanley left we spent most of our time inside the tent.

Nixie, you got up just after 8 and started playing Dobble with Forrest. Then I got everyone dressed and we headed to the Greenwood cafe in Lyndhurst. We had forgotten about this place but it's the same place we went to when you, Nixie were around 2 or 3 and it was a super traumatic experience because you would not sit still. I remember those times where we would have to take turns to eat. Now here you are doing the kids colouring pages and reading the menu and just relaxing waiting for your food. It’s crazy how things change!

You both ordered pancakes with strawberry compote, maple syrup and whipped cream. You, Forrest, asked for chocolate and Nixie, you, wanted apple juice. I got reminded of a memory on Facebook where it was your (Nixie) very first plane ride 8 years ago today when you were just over 10 weeks old going to visit our family in Sweden. It brought back all the memories. It's crazy that you are now 8. The time just flies by in a way I never knew possible until the two of you came into my life.

Breakfast was absolutely delicious. We all devoured everything on our plates. Then you, Nixie, wanted to look into a shop and go into the visitor centre to look for a magnet to go on our fridge. This is our new thing since moving to our house and having a proper full sized fridge!. Then we had a look in the gallery where it was all about the little people of the forest, the fairies in the new forest. Then Forrest, you wanted to go look in the museum so we did that too. I can’t believe we've been here 6 years and it was our first time visiting! Afterwards the two of you suckered daddy into getting you each yet another stuffed toy. Forrest, you needed a new pig and Nixie you absolutely needed yet another fox.

Then we made made it back to the tent. For some reason you, Nixie were in a mood where you needed to argue with Forrest or any of us over anything. We've already declared today a love day after yesterday's afternoon went a bit pear shaped with big upsets and lots of irritations. I don't think being stuck inside the tent helped so much. It was all cosy and amazing until it wasn't. So today me and daddy are trying our best to diffuse everything. I think also everyone is a bit tired from camping itself, it's our 8th day and even though we are generally sleeping amazingly, it still somehow takes it out of us and it's been a while since we've camped. But next year we're gonna get back to doing it all of the time because we all miss it and love it. As soon as we got out of the car the both of you wanted to hang out in the tent for a while which was perfect because it gave me and daddy a chance to make some more coffee and relax a bit before going on an adventure.

At one point you, Nixie, started talking about wanting to be a teenager and wishing you were 13 because that's when you think you'll be able to go alone to the shops and the first thing you want to do is take Forrest to the sweet section in Tesco so he can choose whatever it is he wants. You can't wait to be older at the moment. 

We decided to go on a hunt for beautiful trees to take photos in and it felt really good to move our legs and to smell the wet earth and the forest. Today we are due to have 50mph winds! But the wind didn’t feel so intense in the forest as we were sheltered by all of the trees. We discovered after yesterday's rain that our tent is no longer waterproof and we have decided to throw it away tomorrow when we pack up. But it’s ok, we’ve had Emerald (the name you, Nixie gave our tent) for almost 8 years and we've created so many memories with her and it feels like a good time to get something new. 

On our way back to the tent you, Forrest, were telling me that the wind was blowing you to the tent and telling me to imagine if the wind had a face and arms and a bum and could carry us places and how amazing that would be. I just love hearing your thoughts. 

We hung out at the tent and had some lunch and then the two of you played with your animals and went and collected food for Bluey your, Forrest's pig and then Nixie you wanted to do some drawings. You are both really winding each other up today. Forrest, you got really angry and hit Nixie and then you had a big upset afterwards. It just seems like neither of you can be nice to each other today although somehow you do manage nice moments as well. But I know it’s just because we are all very tired. After a while you both decided to go play in the car. You were pretending you were escaping from a tornado and you were hurrying to get yourselves to safety. Then after a while you came back out and loaded up with snacks and a book (The Witches) and you, Nixie, read to Forrest. 

It was crazy windy today especially when we were at the tent and we did have a lot of showers, some heavier than others. While you two hung out in the car daddy focused on his whittling in the sheltered area and I hung out in the tent crocheting. You two then started listening to the Witches audiobook. Eventually we went to Tesco to get ramen for dinner. Then when we got back the two of you continued your audiobook while daddy made some coffee and I collected some water to make dinner with.

There was a lot of jarring between the two of you during dinner and you both fought over who would sit next to me. Somehow we found a compromise where both of you could sit next to me. After we finished eating it was time to go to the bathroom to brush our teeth. You both had your walking sticks & Forrest, you managed to get stung by a nettle which really hurt but luckily the pain didn’t last too long. 

I had hoped bedtime would go smoothly but it didn’t. Not even in the slightest. It all started to go wrong when I was about to read one of the books, Billy & the Minpins, that  you, Forrest, had chosen for me to read because you, Nixie, didn't want me to read and wanted daddy to read instead. We even tried to compromise that I would read until Forrest, you were asleep and then daddy could continue but this was still absolutely not ok in your mind. You began being violent and lashing out at me and saying not so very nice things and when eventually you calmed down and I began to read you covered your eyes and refused to listen. At one point you, Forrest, asked for “numnum” and actually fell asleep nursing! This was incredible to me because earlier in the morning I had been feeling a bit emotional thinking that our breastfeeding journey had officially come to an end since it had been several weeks since the last time you asked for any and it felt like we were so telepathically connected for you to ask to have some. It’s like you knew. 

Before daddy began to read the story, you, Nixie, needed the bathroom and wanted to go with me. On our walk there you told me you loved me and clung on to me. I know this was your way of saying sorry and feeling bad. I know you are just incredibly exhausted and when we are tired everything is just hard! I think we are long overdue for some girlie time. When we got back into the tent, you really struggled to fall asleep. We held hands and I squeezed your hand 3 times and you did it back (this is our code for I love you). And then I massaged you and just placed my hand on your back with the intention of breathing love into your whole body and eventually you were sound asleep.