Bumblebees and bubbles

Ben amazes me. We were out in the garden this morning, I was slowly hanging out washing and Ben was playing on his bike. We spotted some bees on the lavender and stopped to go and watch them. I went off to get the camera and came back to find Ben standing really close, quite happy for the bees to fly around him to get to different flowers, totally unafraid of them! We've been watching Bee Movie quite a lot recently, he's obviously decided bees are ok :)

It's not been a great day for me or Ben really. I've been feeling really quite rough and Ben has been extra-clingy. We eventually gave up early afternoon and curled up on the bed together and fell asleep, all curled up into each other.

But, swimming lessons were back on so we had to get up and try and get out. I rediscovered weetos :) I lived on them for a few months when I was pregnant with Ben. Couldn't eat them during normal life, too sweet, but they appear to be just what my tastebuds can cope with right now. So, refuelled with weetos and finally not feeling grim, we set off for swimming.

And Ben was good as gold.

No clingyness. Walked next to me on the pavement all the way to the bus stop. Didn't run off, didn't have to stop to look at everything. Waited for the bus like a pro. Told the lady waiting there with us about every car, van and bike that came along. Hopped on the bus when it arrived, went and found a seat, (the lady we'd been waiting next to got on first, and then went and took up the only double vacant seat left. That was nice of her.) and sat on my knee good as gold all the way there, chattering away to the lady. She didn't listen to him of course, just assumed what he was saying, but Ben was very earnest and patient and repeated himself many many times until she finally understood (or I got twitchy and had to interpret).

Steve met us at the pool and watched Ben swimming while I quickly nipped off to the shop, Ben is a fast swimmer and doesn't get easily distracted either! It was a good first lesson back after over a month off for holidays and whatnot.

While dinner was cooking Steve and Ben went outside to play with the big pot of bubbles! I love that Ben can see and understand what's around him, and can decide for himself what he would like to do, or watch, or eat. And I love that when presented with other suggestions he gives them a chance too. Sometimes. Like broccoli :)

Chicken kievs for tea with gnocchi (ran out of potatoes yesterday oops!) and broccoli and carrots. Ben has decided that actually broccoli is pretty good and doesn't even need to slather it in gravy to eat, unlike me who loves to slather everything in gravy :) I never thought I'd see the day when my little chocolate-biscuit-monster would eat broccoli. Happily.

We sat listening to some music after tea and I was telling Steve about how after our nap earlier Ben had told me to close my eyes, and then had given me a kiss on my eye! Very sweet. So of course Ben heard me say this and made me take me glasses off so he could give me another kiss. I asked if he wanted to give daddy a kiss and he made Steve take his glasses off as well, then he gave Steve such a lovely gentle cuddle while telling him to listen to the pretty music. Then I was treated to a lovely cuddle too!

He was very very tired by bedtime again though and cried and cried with Steve until I went upstairs to get him undressed and into pyjamas. "Mummy do it" was the cry. He fell asleep fairly quickly.

He came and climbed into our bed much later on after we'd watched a movie and finished off bits of housework, and would sort of wake up every so often and let out a cry of "mummy do it" or "Ben need blow nose" or something and then roll over and go back to sleep. I wish I'd heard him say something about swimming, or bees, or bubbles.... but you can't have everything I guess. I'm glad the day ended slightly better than it began. I'm glad that, although it was a horrible day sickness-wise, it was interspersed with some really beautifully bright lovely tender moments. And it's the moments like that that make life worth living sometimes.