exploring the wilds

Arlo's MMR jag from last week finally came back to haunt us with IMPECCABLE timing, as soon as we set up camp. For two days he was not himself and was a bit down in the dumps and completely clingy (and also very sleepy which was quite good) and yet again, I felt so sorry for him at missing out on all the fun.

Bry had decided that he'd like to do some family camping for his birthday so 5 families signed up to it with a combined 6 children, with an extra 2 boys and their mums and dads coming to visit us on the Saturday. It was just absolutely lovely. The children all played so perfectly together - even the less obvious combinations such as 5 1/2 year old Sam and 2 year old Eve. Poor Arlo missed out on it all and sat and watched and looked forlorn all the way through until late on Saturday afternoon where he finally agreed to spend 8 minutes away from me and sat and played at shape sorting with Eve and Sam.

By the Sunday it was just us three and Vicki and Eve left, which was a very mellow way to finish it all off. The sun came out for us and we toddled around, sort of packing up but mostly eating breakfast and chatting.

Arlo and Eve sat on the porch of our tent and played happily for ages. They were making each other cackle with laughter and copying everything the other did. Eve had seen Arlo crawling around so crawled off calling on Arlo to follow her - he did and it was just brilliant to see him scuttle off behind his friend without giving me a second thought. I was delighted.

Eve had had enough of the crawling malarky though and shouted 'ARWO! JUST WALK!!!' as she took off, leaving Arlo in a cloud of grass.

I can't emphasise enough what a lovely weekend it was - all of my daydreams for our happy life together with our child coming true.

Sigh.