We've all been sleeping in as of late and I'm enjoying it.  I woke up in a love bubble sandwiched in between the two of you,  it was bliss. Today you (Forrest) and I made our way downstairs around 8:30 and pretty much straight away chatted to daddy on the phone who was already at work in London! It's our second day without him here after more than a month of having him home with us. Nixie you came down maybe 15 min later in tears that you missed daddy again.  You wanted to say bye to him.  It took a while but after a video call with him you were happy again. 

While Forrest and I made porridge for breakfast  you (Nixie) played in your room. When it was ready I went to tell you and you were so immersed in your world,  you had created a paddock and shelter for the horses and some horses were lining up around it to protect the foals from the mountain lions. I really love walking in on you when you're immersed in play. Before you sat down to eat you had to write daddy a love note which said,  "I love daddy"

Afterwards the two of you played in the lounge while I packed our lunches and once I had gotten dressed I got the two of you ready. I'm getting quite good at timing things for getting us out of the house and onto public transport and today we're taking the bus. I really cannot wait until I can just drive us wherever we want to go! Right when we're about to leave Forrest you did a poo. Then it was a mad rush and I'm ashamed to say I lost my cool, became frazzled and shouted at you Nixie. I wanted you to hurry up and as my horrible shouty voice left my mouth I wanted to put it right back in but it was too late.  I immediately apologised and felt such shame, I told you it was not right for me to shout and it was a horrible thing for me to do and how you don't deserve anyone to shout at you. 

Somehow we weren't late,  the bedtimes I got online were off by 5 minutes so we actually had plenty of time!  When we got on the bus we were greeted by probably the nicest bus driver we have ever encountered!  He was so happy and joyful and I'm pretty sure it spread to everyone he came in contact with.  I left the buggy downstairs and we all made our way to the top deck.  Forrest it was your first time awake on the bus and you really liked it. You especially loved looking out the back windows.  "It's very bumpy isn't it?!" I heard you Nixie say and I said, "it is!" "I wasn't talking to you! I was talking to Tom clay and Jamie Morgan!" (these are characters from your dinosaur cove books) and then you repeated yourself and continued.  I apologised for interrupting your conversation.

Today we got off at the fire station in Lyndhurst and crossed the road and started exploring the Heath around there. The very first thing you did was find a couple of great trees to climb,  you really love climbing and I am not allowed to help you even in the slightest.  Forrest you were still in the buggy at this point and you actually enjoyed watching your sister climb even giggling at her when she made it to the top but then you started getting annoyed and wanted to get out so we continued on our way,  we still hadn't made it very far,  we were still right next to the car park and I wanted to be away from cars and the road before I let you out to explore and be free.  We saw some trees in the distance and decided that they would be the perfect spot for a picnic and on our way there we passed several horses who you told that you loved them. 

 When we reached our trees we decided that another tree was better so we walked a bit further before we laid out our blanket and had our lunch. I love being out with the two of you so much,  just seeing the way you interact with each other makes my heart so happy. Forrest you were so happy to be able to walk around and loved being fed by Nixie.  

The weather started to change and it started raining,  not the full on proper rain but an annoying misty kind of rain and the wind started picking up so we packed away our stuff and put away our blanket so it wouldn't get soaked.  Just as I put everything in the buggy I looked up into the tree and saw a lone crow staring back at me. I have always loved crows and got really happy and took a few steps closer and looked into her eyes and invited her to come down to us,  I even said to you Nixie how I wished she would just come down and say hi to us!  And I kid you not about 10 seconds later that is exactly what she did (you insisted this crow was a she)! You had some crumbs in your hands from Forrest's biscotti which the crow loved,  she was even eating directly out of your hands!  You became so excited and couldn't believe you were doing "bird feeding today!" it was so incredibly sweet and absolutely incredible to see.  Even you Forrest were intrigued by the crow and tried to stroke her but she would run away from you but never going too far away from you,  she didn't seem scared of you,  it looked like she was playing a game with you.  I was truly in awe of the whole experience. The rain was starting to become a bit more intense so we decided to head back home, I put you,  Forrest in the buggy and it wasn't long before you started to get upset,  I knew it was because you were tired as you still hadn't had your nap and it was already 12:30 but we had some time to spare until the next bus came so we found some shelter underneath some truly beautiful conifers and I was about to put you in the wrap but once you were out of the buggy you were as happy as could be and loved playing with your sister next to this big log.  I love the way you look up at her and the way you imitate what she's doing.  Nixie you,  were making a stovetop so that you could create gourmet baby food for Forrest.  At one point you stopped your work because you saw a pinecone that had been eaten and you thought it looked so cool and that we needed to bring it home. Eventually it was time to head to the bus stop but before we did I put you, Forrest into the wrap where you had some boob and finally fell asleep. You actually slept the whole way home. 

 I had hoped you'd continue to sleep once we were home but you decided you were awake,  I don't think you even slept an hour. But you were being so sweet and just wanted to give me huge open mouth kisses over and over. We ended up just going back downstairs and another pretty new thing is that you are really into clapping and it's the cutest thing and every time you do it, immediately afterwards,  you bring your hands, now clasped, to your chest and bring your chin down in the sweetest bashful type way all while also having the sweetest smile on your face. You melt me every single time. Another new game Nixie has created for you two to play is lassoing each other and this you played for ages while I took the opportunity to clean your coat which I had completely forgotten about but that was caked in the thickest blackest mud and which you need for forest school tomorrow. 

Nixie you said a funny thing to me while I sat on the couch, you said, "I wish he (Forrest)was still inside, that he could just squeeze himself in and out of your womb because I miss feeling him kick but I do like that he's here because he's my little brother and I'm a big sister."

In the late afternoon you and I actually managed to make little owls out of cardboard toilet rolls and we had so much fun! You became so excited about it. We made a makeshift table right outside the baby gate in your office so that Forrest could see us.  And amazingly he actually let us and was completely content playing amongst himself and his toys.  I always find it hard to be able to do things with you when Forrest is awake but today worked out so perfectly! You, Forrest did get upset right towards the end but I had just finished mine so it was perfect timing and then you and I snuggled on the couch and you had some boob. Then we all looked at some craft books we got from the library and we got really inspired!  You want to make so many things! Then I put on a movie,  Dora the explorer while I went and made dinner. 

Nixie you really loved dinner tonight (your favourite sun-dried tomato pasta) which makes me happy because for the last while you seem to barely touch anything that's put in front of you and you even sat down with us the whole time rather than running off, playing games and making dinner take forever. Forest you on the other hand didn't eat much and you looked so tired I thought you were going to fall asleep at the table at times. 

Afterwards you guys had a quick bath then we came back downstairs and finished watching Dora the explorer until daddy came home at 19:00 but before that you Forrest do the funniest thing once you've been dried off after getting out of the bath, you run as fast as you can into the bedroom to try to get away from me to get out of getting dressed,  you literally dive bomb onto the bed in a giggle fit when you realise I'm right behind you! You do the exact same thing every night and I love it,  it's the cutest thing!!  I really love this stage you're in,  but you are growing up way too fast. 

Nixie, you're not really happy about daddy working back in London. You said to me in a sad voice that "daddy was late for dinner again" and I said "I know but at least there's food for him to eat when he gets here " which you replied(your voice sounded even sadder), "but I want to eat with him." It makes me sad that you're finding the transition of him being back at work so hard.  After the movie finished the two of you had so much fun dancing to the songs that came with the credits and Nixie you got some new moves and Forrest you just had the biggest grin while bopping up and down and clapping your little heart out. 

When daddy came home the two of you got so happy and you Nixie decided to have dinner again so daddy wouldn't have to eat alone. I could not keep Forrest awake any longer and brought him to bed where he fell asleep within 5 min. I came back downstairs to hang out with you and daddy but didn't last very long before I decided to go to bed too.