Hartlepool

We've just come back from a relaxing, though slightly soggy week away catching up with family. We stayed in Sheffield on our way northwards; Neil's parents have a caravan on a farm on the outskirts of the city and we thought Matthew may enjoy this. He loved the tractors and cows and didn't stir at all during the incredible thunderstorm at 3am which thrilled us as it lit up the sky and rumbled up and down Rivelin Valley!

The majority of time was spent in Hartlepool where Matthew enjoyed rock pooling (despite the fact it wasn't very successful and we only found one live and one dead crab) and the wildlife (frogs and squirrels) and toy (supersized football and bubble machine) delights of Grandma and Grandad's garden! We also went to Flamingoland - a theme park/zoo - for the day which, in between frequent soakings from unforecast rain showers, allowed Matthew the opportunity to 'fly' a helicopter and 'drive' a tractor!

Neil and I got some time out too and visited Durham (which we often do when we get time together 'up North'). I realised there are very few pictures of me with an ever expanding tummy so thought that now I've reached 28 weeks there ought to be some photographic evidence!

July

It was sooooo good to meet up with Emma and Dan when they were back in the UK at the beginning of July - surreal to be walking around London with them when we hadn't seen them for 18 months but feeling as though it had only been a few weeks. They both did an excellent job of carrying Matthew around the dinosaur exhibit in the Natural History museum and bonus points go to Dan for participating so willingly in the lunchtime football practice!

The predictable mixed weather of the British summer has meant we've got out whenever we can. Mags and I met up with the children at Dyrham Park where Matthew and Skye demonstrated they can still get into mischief together - they really love it when they see each other again!

Neil celebrated his 31st birthday the day after breaking up from school for the summer. The weather was great so we headed to Chew Valley lake and Matthew was delighted that he could make a cake for Daddy's birthday and he could sing for him!

Matthew has grown up so much in the last three months; every few days his speech and language seems to have made huge steps forward and he's increasingly independent. He loves his Daddy very much and likes to copy him in many ways - including taking shots in football with his hands in his pockets (Neil obviously has a very casual style when playing with a two year old!) and shaving!

The other stage in his development has been potty training. I decided to attempt it this summer before Baby Shepherd #2 makes it's appearance in November. I was prepared for him not to be ready but he seemed to take to it well for the first few days. Bob the builder underpants sent by Nanna were definitely a big incentive in the early stages! It was after that that we had many, many accidents (definitely D2 for those into Lifeshapes) which was not the way Gina Ford had said it would go in 'Potty Training in a week'! We decided to stick with it, it seemed pointless to go backwards, and it's getting better but definitely not done and dusted in seven days!

Winners!

Neil's football team won their league - they are the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Year 7 champions! Not only that but the staff at Fairfield can't remember the last time there was a winning football team from their school!

June

June was quite a busy month and we were away more than we were home. We were around for our local street party though, the theme of which was the Olympics so Matthew dressed up as a swimmer and got his first taste of sports day style games; he didn't really grasp why he shouldn't hold onto the 'egg' in the egg and spoon race!

We loved catching up with friends in Sheffield and had lots of fun hanging out with the Hewsons; this is Suse and our gorgeous boys at the butterfly farm.

Most of the Shepherd family met up in Liverpool for a trip to Chester zoo. It was nearly thwarted due to a pretty much unexplained illness for Matthew (we did have to visit Alder Hey children's hospital in an ambulance!) but we did make it and had a good day, in spite of rather windy and chilly conditions. Emma and Matthew enjoyed the tunnels and viewing of the prairie dogs but their highlight was the ice-cream and I think these cheeky faces say it all!

May

So the major event of May is my excuse that I've been hopeless at updating the blog; we moved house and hence no internet access for weeks (ok, not months but then there's all that catching up to do...). So the era of The Ark ended and the Kellys and Shepherds went their separate ways; it's amazing how much Matthew and Skye have changed in the 11 months that we shared a house. This photo is a similiar pose to one posted just after we moved in last June:

Matthew turned two and likes to tell everybody how old he is - "I two!". The weather was fantastic and so hot that we needed a paddling pool, a big change to last year when there was torrential rain all day.

Matthew and I joined my mum and dad for a few days of their holiday in Cornwall and Grandad got up with Matthew so Mummy could have a lie in - what a treat!

Ilfracombe

In the Easter holidays we went to Ilfracombe on our first holiday, just the three of us! Yes, we can't believe it took us that long either. We had great weather and enjoyed building sandcastles (well, Neil built them and Matthew knocked them down), rock pooling, walking, eating ice cream and just being together. Matthew had his first meal out at a tapas bar too but his highlight was the fact the apartment we were staying in had FOUR Thomas the Tank Engine jigsaws which he did at least three times a day!

Stockholm

I was very grateful to my wonderful husband and friends who looked after Matthew and made it possible for me to go to Stockholm for 4 days at the beginning of April. Mal was speaking at a church planting conference and it was great to go as part of his team - getting to know the team and learning from them was one of the highlights. I really enjoyed the opportunity for the space to focus on something other than being mummy (which I love, don't get me wrong) and to be involved in what God was doing in a different context. We didn't see much of Stockholm (probably a good job as the shops looked fantastic!) but the Sunday afternoon did give us a couple of hours to look around the old city which was beautiful.

I really enjoyed spending lots of time with Olivia.