The Friday Focus 22/05/15

Jessica had her latest cardiac check-up yesterday afternoon. She was so good during her heart scan and stayed nice and still, happily watching Postman Pat throughout, and just got a little upset when I had to remove the ECG stickers. It is always such a huge relief to hear that she is doing well, her heart function remains stable and there are no plans for any intervention to take place until next year. Fingers crossed that this continues to be the case when we go back in four months’ time.

This week's word of week is 'relief': The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big Love

Out and About:

Whilst the weather has been quite mixed this week, we’ve been making the most of the sunny spells. Jessica and Sophie had a wonderful day at Chiltern Open Air Museum, seeing the lambs in the fields, exploring the old buildings and dressing up in some of the costumes. There is so much space there for them to run about in and they certainly enjoyed making the most of it.

Enjoying dressing up at Chiltern Open Air Museum: The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big Love

We may have visited all but one of the Olympic and Paralympic gold postboxes but there are a couple of variations on the gold postboxes we’d not visited – two sets of gold lock gate controls at Bray and Boveney locks, painted in honour of the rowing teams. Saturday was the perfect day to take a walk along the Thames and watch the boats go through the locks and we had a lovely afternoon in the sunshine.

Gold lock controls at Bray lock: The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big LoveGold lock gate control at Boveney Lock: The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big Love

Fun at home:
Both Jessica and Sophie had fun doing some ziplock bag painting – a great way for them to enjoy exploring paint and colours without any mess to clear up afterwards!

Ziplock bag painting - a quick and easy mess-free alternative to painting with toddlers - Little Hearts, Big Love

Jessica and I had a lovely afternoon playing her Three Little Pigs board game for the first time while Sophie was napping. She loved putting the three houses together and spinning the wolf spinner for the wolf to “huff and puff and blow your house down!”

Playing the 'Three Little Pigs' board game: The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big Love

We saw a puppet version of the Three Little Pigs at the Duplo Theatre in Legoland when we were there a couple of weeks ago and the story really seems to have captured Jessica’s imagination. After winning a couple of times on the board game, she then wanted to make some piggies and a wolf out of paper plates (with a little help from Mummy).

Paper plate three little pigs and big bad wolf: The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big Love

Piggies and wolf completed, Jessica has now requested that we build the houses too so I have got some cardboard boxes ready for making these over the next week or so.

 

Time for me:

There’s not been a lot of me time this week – just a little time in the evenings working on the blog – but I’ve been having so much fun with my girlies this week that I haven’t really noticed the lack of me time!

On the blog:

I was featured over on What Katy Said’s blog as part of her Real Mums series this week – thank you Katy for including me in this.

My happiest moment:
Watching Jessica and Sophie running about the village green at the open air museum, hand-in-hand and having so much fun together.

Two little girls running hand-in-hand: The Friday Focus 22/05/15 - Little Hearts, Big Love

Next week I would like to:

Make the three little pigs’ houses with Jessica.

 

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What Katy Said

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54 thoughts on “The Friday Focus 22/05/15

  1. What good news. I can’t imagine how worrying it can be for you all but to see her she’s so happy and looks so healthy x
    Love the pigs And wolf plates too xx #wotw

    1. Thank you Beth – always a relief to get good news at the check-up and the pig and wolf plates were fun to make 🙂

  2. You must be so relieved. I love the pig plates! My boy loves board games I think he would love this one. I love that you count your blessings & set goals, it’s a really positive thing to do. love Lizzie xo

  3. Happy to hear that Jessica’s check-up went well, she certainly looks very healthy in the photos. Here’s to another fabulous week and hoping that the weather improves a little x

  4. That is a relief, great news, glad all is well. Your week does look lovely, lots of fun and quality family time. I’m hoping that with half term, my week looks like this next week. Love that photo of the girls holding hands, so sweet x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

  5. I’m so glad the cardiac check up went well……I hope she continues to do OK too!
    Looks and sounds like a great week! Have a fab weekend x

  6. So happy that all is ok with Jess! Must have been a massive relief and it looks like she has enjoyed all her crafting. She’s so photogenic! The weather looks better down south – I might move hehe xx #wotw

    1. Thank you Sarah – it was such a relief to get good news. Hope you are getting better weather up north this week! 🙂

  7. Glad the test went well. Lovely smiles in the photos. I remember my three playing with the paint in a bag. I think we used to put marbles and glitter in as well, to ring the changes. I didn’t know the painted lock gate control. That is fun. #WoTW

    1. Thanks Cheryl – love the sound of putting marbles and glitter in too – will have to give this a try 🙂

    1. Thanks Sarah – we had fun making the piggy plates. We’ve really enjoyed finding all the gold postboxes 🙂

  8. What wonderful news about Jessica’s heart. It must be so nerve wracking for you and your family. Best wishes for continued health!! It looks like you have gorgeous weather. The girls look so happy out and about on your day trips. #HappyDaysLinky

  9. I thought of you the other day, as while I was in London I walked past a shaun the sheep model outside Lloyds of London. I meant to message you to see if you have done those ones yet?

    Was the show good? We have the board game too 🙂 and I love the paper plates – good luck with the houses looking forward to seeing them 🙂 xxx #HappyDaysLinky

    1. We have done the Shaun the sheep – did them over the Bank Holiday weekend and will be posting about it soon! The Three Little Pigs show at Legoland was very good – the girls really enjoyed it 🙂

  10. Such great news about Jessica! Both my girls loved the three little pigs a lot too, the plates pugs and wolf look brilliant. The last picture of both girls holding hands is adorable. Sounds like a great week Louise, hope you are having a good weekend x

    1. Thank you Lisa, I love that last photo too – it’s definitely one of my favourite photos of the girls. Hope you are enjoying half-term 🙂

  11. Hi Louise, your little girls look like dolls and it must be a worry having a child with a heart problem, fingers crossed that things remain as they are for Jessica.

    The ZipLock painting is an excellent idea! A genius thought that up (must have been a mum!). And I would have fun playing the three little pigs board game.

    Hope you manage to get round to building the house next week.

    xx

    1. Thank you Debbie – the houses have been built and Jessica has been having great fun re-enacting the story 🙂

  12. A huge relief for you Louise, I’m pleased all is well with your daughter’s heart. Fingers crossed it’s the same at the next appointment xxx #WotW

  13. So pleased to hear that Jessica’s heart check up went OK. I hope you have the same lovely news in 4 months time. 🙂

    Those paper plate piggies look fantastic – what a brilliant craft idea. 🙂

    Thanks for joining our #HappyDaysLinky

    Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx

  14. You are so welcome re- real mums, was lovely to have you. So glad Jessica is ok and nothing more needs to be done. I have been to the open air museum too, many years ago- lots of fun for little ones! Thank you for joining in with #HappyDaysLinky x

    1. Thank you Katy – it was so lovely to be featured on Real Mums and always a pleasure to link up to #HappyDaysLinky 🙂

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