A wee trip to cyprus

After a long summer of Rob working, 2 weeks away to 1 week home he finally got back to his normal shift pattern 2 + 2 but with an extra week thrown in for holiday. With 3 weeks off we decided to take ourselves off to Cyprus for a week.

We flew from Edinburgh to Paphos where we picked up the hire car and drove to Polis about 40 mins North of Paphos. Polis is fairly underdevelopt with regards tourism, this meant that it was much quiter and thankfully meant we could escape the tourist tat.

We rented a beautiful villa, it was in a small village called Goudi about 5 mins drive from Polis, its was lovely and peaceful and the views were fantastic.

The first day of our Holiday we drove up to pomos and then off into tylliria, heading for stavros tis psoka to see the mouflon. We eventually found ourselves heading down a narrow dirt track with a sheer drop to the side. After a 20km white knuckle journey (so glad we hired a 4x4) we ended up at Gallia. After lunch the rest of the day was spent in the pool.

day two we decided to have a day at the pool, this was lovley and we brought Olivers play pen down so he could sit in the shade between dips.

Day three we decided to brave Paphos

Lonach Gathering

We went to the Lonach Gathering at Strathdon today, it was a fine mix of Tweed, Tartan & English accents.

The weather was that true Scottish wet rain but we still had a good time.

When we arrived and began walking to the field the march of the clansmen was walking passed, this was some sight and certainly would have been an intimidating sight back in the day.

Rob & Oliver watching the march of the clansmen

The clansmen

We arrived at the main ring and off course in true smart style headed straight for the coffee & cake stand. yummy! After some much needed refreshments it was straight onto the charity and fundraising stalls. Rob played the strathdon primary school bottle stall and won a bottle of black label johnny walker whiskey, nice for £1.

We then watched pipe bands, highland dancing, Medium & Heavy weight highland games in the main ring which were good.

Oliver wondering where all the noise was coming from

proof i was there.

At about 1pm the clansmen walk into the main ring and parade round, miraculously Oliver managed to sleep through this in the back carrier.

All got a little too much for the wee guy.

We decided to make a move after this as the weather was getting a bit colder and Oliver would

need fed when he woke.

Rob & Oliver trying to remember where they parked the car!

We drove back to Rob's parents and had lunch with them.

xcx

Creepy Crawlies

Well, i'm not sure if we can say Oliver is "on the move" but he is certainly trying. Rob and i filmed him yesterday and as you will see he moves in his own "special" way!

He seems much more at ease on his feet then on all fours, i think because his legs are so strong. Rob calls him T Rex - small pathetic arms and seriously strong legs.

Can you see the resemblance?

xcx

Summertime fun

At the begining of the summer we bought oliver a swing for the garden, he seems to really love it and finds great amusement in it.

I took this video of him the other day, I was hanging out the washing and he was quite happy to sit in his swing.

Yesterday we had my friend Linda's two girls here as she is back to work, we had a lovely day. They arrived about 7.30am, Oliver had already had his breakfast so the girls played with him while i got myself ready. We walked millie and nipped to the shops.

When we got back Oliver went down for his nap, so i set the girls a task of making boats to float on our afternoon bike ride to the river. The girls did ever so well and even made me and Oliver a boat each.

Once we had all had lunch, (bbq chicken, cous cous & salad), we got ourselves sorted and onto our bikes. We cycled down to the river and donned our water shoes. Once in the river we set the four boats off. The first race was won by Jenna, Oliver's grounded itself on the banking.

Jenna & Leah with the boats

For the second Race we upped the stakes and decided to try out the rapids. On this occasion Olivers bought rose to the challenge and left the others standing. Both jenna & Leahs boats met a watery fate and were lost in the white water of the deveron rapids!

Boats heading for the rapids

The girls decided they didn't mind getting wet and played in the river until they were soaked, Oliver and i sat and dried out on the rug.

Oliver watching the girls in the deveron

On our cycle home we stopped off a Rizzas ice cream/sweetie shop for some "crap sweets" or penny sweets as most people know them. After carefully selecting their mixture we headed on home to watch a movie while oliver took a nap.

For tea i left the girls in charge of making us all pizza's, including one for mum when she got back from work.
We had a really lovely day and Oliver thoroughly enjoyed the company.

xcx

p.s good luck to Jenna for tomorrow - she is starting at the high school!

Olivers first camping trip

We are just back from a camping trip to Loch Morlich, when i say we, i mean, Oliver, me & the dog. Camping with a 9 1/2 month baby on your own is well, lets just say, not for the faint hearted.

Millie & Oliver in our tent

Oliver seemed to think the airbed was fun.

We arrived at the site on wednesday lunch time and pitched our tent, Robs parents were staying in their beast of a campervan, his sister sara, her husband joe and 4 kids were staying in their caravan, Roof tent & campervan. His sister Alison, husband karl & 3 children were in their tent and his younger sister lib and her boyfriend James were also camping.

Sadly the weather was not great, wednesday was spend settling in and as the weather brightened a few drinks and games on hte beach at the side of the loch.

The weather overnight was horrendous and i don't think many of us (apart from Oliver) slept, the rain was very heavy and i was getting worried that the tent might not survive the night! However it did and we woke up to more rain on thursday morning.

Oliver slept in a tent inside a tent, this was fantastic. I used a camping chair with a tie round highchair, this worked wonders and oliver seemed comfy enough. As always my little man did me proud.

Oliver asleep in his travel tent

Im ready for dinner mummy

After getting ourselves ready, Rob's mum, Sara and 3 of her children along with Oliver and myself went for a walk around the loch. There weather was not great but we all enjoyed it, especially the 3 dogs who were in and out of the water.

Thursday afternoon i went out on Joe's canadian canoe, this was very cool, really enjoyed this.

Thursday night we all had dinner and a few drinks fllowed by an early night as we were all exhausted from the night before.

Friday we woke again to yet more rain, so we took shelter in sara and joes caravan.

Oliver chillaxing in the caravan listening to tunes

It began to look a little more promising, we decided to go on a bike ride into Aviemore. Sara, 3 of her children and myself and oliver all set off for aviemore. There is a fantastic off road path the whole 7 miles which was fantastic. After an ice cream we began to cycle back, Alison and karl and their children decided they would cycle back so they were dropped off and we were driven back to the site.

Let the cycling begin

Hit the road mummy im ready

Somewhere between aviemore and Loch morlich

We made it, now where is the ice cream


Friday afternoon we all had a game of rounders on the beach, followed by a few drinks and a bbq. I had promised the children i would go swim in the loch, so at 9.30pm in the rain, myself, Eleanor, Megan & Tom all went swimming. It was freezing but very good fun, luckily the hot showers were only a short run away!

Running into the freezing loch at 9.30pm

So much for it being warm Megan!

My little stove for warming up Olivers food.

xcx

high tea at the Grouse inn

Today we had beautiful weather, Rob, oliver, millie and i went up to the cabrach for a lovely walk. It was really nice and we all enjoyed the fresh air. We decided to contine you up the cabrach road towards Dufftown and stopped at the Grouse inn. It was like stepping back in time, the tea room / bar is open from april to 1st october and is well worth a visit. We had high tea and it was scrummy. We went for a little look in the bar and the range of whiskey's are extensive, a very impressive sight, probably lost on us as we are not whiskey fans.

xcx

Daddy's home!

Rob is on his way home.

This to many may not be a very exciting concept but in our family its the highlight of the month. Rob works offshore so is away two weeks out of four, so the tuesday he comes back is very very very exciting.

This summer has been particularly difficult as Rob has been doing two weeks away, one week at home. He is actually only home for five days this trip so we are going to make the most of it!

xcx

Ollie Willie Smartie Pants!

Oliver William Smart (Ollie Willie Smartie Pants) arrived on the planet with a grunt at 10.50am Saturday 24th October 2009, weighing 8lb 6oz. Our little bundle arrived the day before our first wedding anniversary.

in labour friday 23rd october

I was induced 2 and a half weeks early as i had severe pelvic pain from my pregnancy and had been in hospital for 4 weeks prior to the birth. He was a large baby and was born naturally being delivered by forceps which left him with fluid on the lungs. This happens when they don't spend enough time down the birth canal allowing excess fluid to be squeezed out. The fluid meant Oliver was grunting when breathing, thus not taking in enough oxygen. Sadly this was not picked up quick enough and he had to be taken to the neonatal unit for the first 5 days.

Oliver Hours old

It was very scary seeing our little bundle in an incubator and i found it heartbreaking not to be able to hold my new baby. Thankfully he made a full recovery and was allowed back onto the ward with me.

Oliver day he came out of neonatal unit

Oliver is a very happy little man and fills both Rob and i's life with lots and lots of joy!

Daddy & Oliver sporting Huntly rugby tops after boxing day game

Oliver enjoying the beer garden on his first holiday in North Yorkshire

Smart pets

Thought i had better do i little blog on our pets, seen as they were the babies long before Oliver arrived.

We have a lovely black lab crossed named Millie, she was three in May. She is a fantastic dog and brilliant with the little guy.

We also have a cat called Tula, she was five in May. Tula has mellowed alot but is still very antisocial and tends to avoid you unless she wants something (typical cat).

Tula and Millie get on really well, Tula however seems to wear the trousers in the relationship and tends to share Millie's tea, play chase with Millie's tale etc however none of these things are reciprocated.

We also have a half lionhead rabbit named Mr Wellington, he is all white apart from a splodge of grey on his nose. Wellie is two and a half, we were given him by our nieces and nephews, he needed a home and of course i said ok!

These are the smart pets and we think they are super cute.
xcx

Landmark

Monday 26th July

Teamed up again with Sara, this time Eleanor and Megans friend came as well. I took oliver, Eleanor & Cieran in my car and the others went with Sara.

Landmark is a theme park with a difference, its set in woods in the small town of Carrbridge in the Highlands. It took about 1hr 20mins to get to from huntly, heading cross country along some seriously hairraising roads.

When we got there we parked up and headed to the park, fantastically i found Sara had exchanged tesco clubcard vouchers which meant we all got in for around £15. So thats two adults, five children and a baby! Not bad i think.

The weather seemed alright when we got there but we did find ourselves in a bit of a downpour through the day, typical scottish weather - four seasons in one day! Not that this was going to stop us.

The kids and i went on the highwire rope walk, which was alot scarier than it looked, we had harnesses on and had to do a tree top assault course.

Eleanor on the beam walk

Balance never was my speciality

Just so you know those beams are not connected and they swing

Megan fairing a little better.

I have to say i really did enjoy this once i got over the initial shock of how high you actually are, it was great fun and a really good work out, perhaps Rob could set one up in the garden.

We then went onto the water slides, these were a real hoot, Eleanor, Tom and i teamed up. It seemed with my adult weight and the rain the slides were much faster. We actually went into the air coming down the middle one.

After lunch i was convinced by the kids to do the skydive, ah ok this i do regret. Scariest thing i have ever done in my whole life. It is simply two masts 50 feet up which you climb and then throw yourself off. This may seem simple enough, but when your up there having the bottle to just step off is not so easy. Im proud to say i did it, but i will NOT be doing it again!

Eleanor about to jump

We decided to go for a walk in the forest and climb the fire tower, this was lovely and waht a fantastic view we got from the top. Sara again sat with Oliver, she is not too keen on heights and i think she was glad to watch him. Once we came down from there we went on the boardwalk through the trees, this was great as we saw red squirrels while being able to push the pushchair.

Sara, Eleanor, Megan, Tom & Cieran up fire tower

Before we left we went into the bamboozeleum which is an interactive meuseum. Its trickery of the mind and senses, i loved this and Oliver seemed to aswell. There were light rooms which seemed to have him mesmerised.

My head on a platter

We left the park around 6.30 (think we were last out) and drove home. We all had a fantastic day.

Getting ready to head home.

xcx

Aden country park

Saturday 24th July Oliver, Millie and i joined forces with My sister inlaw sara, three of her children and their dog and headed off to Aden country park, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire.

Tom, Megan, Oliver (asleep in pushchair), Millie, Morag, Sara & Ciaran

Packing for this trip was, well extensive, who knew what the weather was going to do, or what Oliver might need. So armed with an array of backpacks, changebags and carrier bags off we went in the big red fun bus.

We arrived at the park and the kids took the dogs over to the dog playground, fantastic idea. Little morag seemed to understand the agility course and did very well. Millie however was better at the obedience side of things.

Megan & Oliver

We headed onto the playpark and then for a walk. On our walk we found the river, ah what great fun kids and erm well big kids have with water. With the sun shining and a newly discovered rope swing i was off into the river. Oh yeah i was soaked! Thankfully Megan had more sense and looked after Oliver while the boys and i enjoyed some swimmng and swinging in the water.

Well i was wet anyway.

Thanks Tom i think the flying leap got rid of any dry bits!

We had a fantastic sunny day and the park had even more to offer but we got a bit preoccupied with the river.

xcx