Friday Stew

This is a stew of random bits of information.   

I am slightly amazed by the amount of letters you receive when your daughter starts nursery school.  It makes one feel very popular.  Today's collection included the very complex instructions for the packed lunches which will be required twice weekly from the start of October.  (To be honest, I was beginning to sweat slightly when faced with the list of prescribed and unacceptable lunch stuffs...and to be honest, wondering how Bea has survived thus far.  I was feeling the pressure of having the contents of her lunchbox monitored and my role as a parent critiqued on it's contents....until I chatted with Sarah on the way back from the morning deposit, and she told me that Katie's lunch partner has an apple and a bag of harribo....is it a bad thing that this reassured me somewhat?  I feel superior that Bea's lunch will be healthier and also relieved that despite the threat that "the nursery will WORK in PARTNERSHIP with the parents to make sure the children have a healthy eating lunch" it is unlikely that they will contact Social Services if I fail to include some oily fish.  In celebration, Bea and I made some Rice Krispie buns when she finished nursery.  We added some raisins to give a healthy balance (just practicing for October).  Then she insisted on taking a photograph of them.  I felt obliged to do likewise....

The buns were to celebrate lunch with Grace and Miriam.  The girls made their own pizzas.  (Honestly...I am not trying to stuff as many bits of contraband in before we start our "healthy lifestyle" in October)

We did indulge in a little physical activity....This is Bea showing Grace the moves to "I like to move it"

Bea has become slightly obsessed with Katie, her friend who lives a few doors away.  When she asks at very inappropriate times if she can go and visit Katie I sometimes say "No, I think Katie has to work on her homework"  (This may be true, but is unlikely at 7.30 am).  This possibly explains why, while waiting for the arrival of Grace this afternoon, she flung herself into her little blue chair, sighed dramatically, drooped her shoulders and announced "I wish I had homework"*

*This is true, I promise you...now let your eyebrows return to their normal position.

Ah....the second letter of the day...an announcement of a Book Fair in school, stapled to a competition entry for the nursery pupils to draw their favourite character.  Ta Dah!  

"Look Bea you do have homework"

"Hooray!  What is it?"

"Go and find me your favourite story."

Now, I'll be honest.  I was expecting "Dogs don't do ballet....Some Dogs Do....Hairy Maclairey...the Gruffalo....the Owl who was afraid of the dark"....what Bea came down with, clutching to her chest was "Get into bed".  A very simple story of two bears, the little one who says "nah" to EVERYTHING and it's dad.  "I just love this book Mummy!"

"OK...now draw a picture of Bartholomew."

Off she goes returning with a dye cut teddy.  She draws around the teddy, colours him in and tries to cut him out.  I finish the cutting.  

"Mummy, you draw his bed"

"No, it's your homework"

But I did help her cut up squares of tissue which she glued onto a piece of paper (Bartholomew has a patchwork quilt).  "What can we do for pillows?"  

"What do you think, what are the pillows like?"

"They are white and fluffy like clouds"

Bea looks up for inspiration and spots the clouds in her creation wall hanging.  "Let's get cotton wool"

It is glued on and then the scrapbooking mother steps in, and with a twist of double sided tape, we made a little pouch for Bartholomew to sleep in.  The entire story is then retold, with Bartholomew saying "nah" and jumping in and out of bed while Bea admonishes "GET INTO BED" in a much louder voice than George ever used.

...meanwhile...mummy was playing too....

Once her homework was completed, Bea made a mummy bear and a daddy bear and made a big bed for them.  Homework Bartholomew popped into their bed a couple of times..."just for a wee cuddle" but eventually went back to his own bed.  

Bea found (I have no idea where) dye cut teddies which I used for her second birthday party invites.  She wrote a secret message on the back of one, made an envelope (a sellotape dispenser is the single best crafting device for kids!) and gave it to her Dad.  When he opened it, he asked if the bear was supposed to be him.  Bea laughed dismissively (if that is possible for a four year old) and pointed out the additions she had made to the bear.  "No Daddy, that bear has boom booms....it's Mummy"

(I seriously need surgery if this is an accurate anatomical representation!)

Finally....I saw this postcard in Paperchase.  I read it and imagined a certain little boy reading it.  I had to get it for him.

Well, who would you give this card to?