Naked gardening!

How wonderful it is to be of an age that when the sun comes out you just strip off and get naked.  Izzy is definitely still 'get naked whoever is around'. Abi is now a little more conservative and does at least check who might be watching, but yesterday there was none of this as they both enjoyed the early May bank holiday sunshine and a spot of 'gardening' (otherwise known as 'mud-pies').  Watching them as they played on the patio, then roaring around the garden chasing each other just reinforced again how lucky we are to have the house and garden we do.

So 2 days of playing together, inseparable as ever, followed by today where Izzy was invited to go to Marwell Zoo with Aran, on her own!  Poor Abi was devastated that she hadn't also been invited ("Why didn't they invite me Mummy, it's not fair!"), and even Izzy was a bit put out ("Don't they realise we are sisters Mummy?"). So after many tears and suggestions they get used to this - it's more likely than not to be the way forward, off Izzy went to the Zoo, without Abi.  I tried to make it better with plans of where we might go to have a day out together, only to realise that the key issue was the thought that Izzy was likely to come home with a new toy and Abi might miss out. Ah, the priorities of youth! In the end Abi and I went to the Hawk Conservancy and had a lovely morning together, followed by a bit of gardening (clothed). This, coupled with an obligatory day-out softtoy, made up for the pain of not being invited. Funnily enough it was then Izzy who threw a monumental tantrum when she got home because Abi was gardening and she wasn't - I can't win!

This week I have started to get all of us used to the idea of me going back to work.  It's probably 6 weeks and counting now - how that time has flown! When I said this to Izzy as we went to her swimming lesson she asked whether I would still pick them up from school once a week like before.  When I said yes, but that we should be grateful for this time I've had off over the past few months, she responded "Yes Mummy, it's a good job BP sacked you!"  I've given up trying to explain the difference between redundancy and dismissal - out of the mouths of babes...

So back to school tomorrow after the long weekend, a few days then off to Taunton for the weekend, with Glenn and I doing a 100km sportive and the girls getting time with Fifi and Grumps and Ben and Laurie. They can't wait - they have lots of things already they want to talk about and tell them about. I love the fact that they think about them when we don't see them - it feels important that this is the case.

A final few words to remember Bobby Gilberthorpe, second son of Kate and Scott, who was born on the 4th March with Thanatophoric Dysplasia.  This is a form of Dwarfism which is normally fatal before birth, but Bobby defied all the experts and fought to survive beyond everyone's expectations. Despite being family we don't know Kate and Scott, but we followed Bobby's progress with our hearts in our mouths. It brought back memories of Abi being in hospital - pictures of incubators and the emotional rollercoaster of your baby being in hospital with an uncertain outcome. Sadly Bobby lost his fight on the 2nd May, dying in his father's arms with his family around him.  Our thoughts are with Kate, Scott, Freddie, Graham, Moria and the rest of their family and friends. Rest in peace Bobby.