Family Days.

I really look forward to Rich's days off at the moment. I think it's probably because since being given a four week break, I know that a day off doesn't mean we have a hospital appointment. Sundays are usually my favourite. We don't have to be doing anything, I just love us all spending the day together. This Sunday, we just spent the day in the garden. Jacob absolutely loves being outside. Whether it's bright sunshine or raining, he wants to be out there. We ate breakfast out there, I made American pancakes (from scratch!!!) and Jacob ate them, which I was really happy about. Although I could give that kid anything and he'd eat it. Something he gets from me I think, Rich is so unbelievably fussy when it comes to food and I was determined for Jacob not be like that. I will eat anything, except corned beef. That isn't real food. It freaks me out. I had a bit of a baking bug on Sunday too and I'd had an Ella's Kitchen Pear and Raspberry oaty crumble recipe that I'd wanted to make for ages but just hadn't gotten round to it. I was really impressed with how it turned out because I'm actually pretty useless at baking. We had it for pudding after dinner, I ate so much I felt sick afterward.

Jacob has gotten really into books lately, he absolutely loves the "That's not my..." collection and "Dear Zoo." He has to be read "Dear Zoo" every night before bed and he lifts all the flaps himself. I love this because it shows how well he copes with the one eye because they are quite fiddly but he manages just fine. The same with the "That's not my..." books. They have little touchy feely bits on the pages and he can see the difference straight away and goes straight for them. 

Book morning.

My two most favourite people.

Enjoying my homemade crumble. The recipe is from Ella's Kitchen "The Red One Cook Book." Or you can get it here on the Mother & Baby website.

It was so nice so I'd recommend it! Really easy to do too.

It was my brothers birthday on Monday and he loves animals and wildlife so we arranged to go to Colchester Zoo. I couldn't wait because Jacob absolutely loves animals too so I knew he'd enjoy it. We went with my brother Aaron, his girlfriend Lou and her sister Ashleigh came along too. I love Colchester Zoo but it's like a maze! They have one "easy" route that they recommended for wheelchair users or people with strollers, but it looked like it skipped half of the animals. So we just wandered around, getting lost and going back on ourselves. But we saw everything so that didn't matter! It turns out they'd mapped put the easier route for a reason, pushing Jacob's stroller up some of the "non-easy route" hills was a nightmare, especially when I'd loaded it up with a picnic for six (which included 8 cans of diet coke!) plus Jacobs stuff. I definitely got a work out included in my entry fee. 

We fed the elephants while we were there which I couldn't wait to do, I took Jacob with me and he just kept trying to grab hold of it's trunk. The kid actually has no fear. He tried to climb over the fence to go hang out with the monkeys at one point too. He didn't have a nap which was great because he didn't miss anything, so I was expecting some grumpiness towards the end but he was brilliant. And he was carried around by Lou and her sister which was amazing because he had started to get quite clingy the last few months and not wanting to go to anybody. He absolutely loves Lou anyway, but took such a shine to her sister. He was just staring at her and smiling all the time. One year old and already trying to get a girlfriend!!! 

Jacob slept the whole way home which was good because we were having everyone over for takeaway and birthday cake so he had a little bit more of a late night than usual. And slept til 7am this morning! Which is glorious! We have a play date with Jonah today which I love because they've started to really notice each other now and they're like little friends. 

I'm off to clear up all the Cheerios that have just been launched across the living room. Have a great day!

He's getting too grown up...

My family.

Uncle Aaron and Lou Lou.

I want one. 

He wants to be a monkey.

xo