What a day! I took a walk with Joss and Tobydog this morning, we got caught up with blackberrying and disaster struck, somewhere between leaving home and the brambles little car car got lost!

Joss was consoled by little bear for a short while but was hungry and grouchy…

We mad for home and I set about lunch, as you can see we’d reached meltdown so I gave her some cheese and set to work making the fastest batch of pancakes ever.

A mashed banana beaten into a large egg, a cup of milk and a rough probably three quartets of a cup of flour I had no idea whether the guessed quantities would work but relatively fluffy pancakes emerged!

They were needed so badly she ate them in the pram!

And the best thing about today, look what turned up in the pram cosytoes, car car!

Mr Daddy took a week off and we decided to spend it having a ‘staycation’ – it has been a classic case of ‘we’ve come on holiday by mistake’ (big Withnail and I fans we are) as of course it hasn’t really been a holiday at all. Gone are the 10am lie ins and late nights in from the pub, Joss even managed to outdo herself by pulling one all nighter so I guess she’s been in the holiday spirit anyway!

We have however done a series of nice things, including a day out to Durham, my Uni town, and a spot of blackberrying, I have been avidly reading A Girl Called Jack and meal planning and of course little miss has had some shoes to get to grips with!

Having a rest on holiday…

We did some good peeking!

Daddy made me a daisy chain Joss’ middle name is Daisy!

And Joss kept us awake ALL night and when we hit breaking point sang “be ‘appy, be ‘appy” her rendition of Dr Ranj’s Get Well Soon which is both hilarious and sweet to a mama who often needs to be told to lighten up, and wanted to look at the trees and car cars at 3am!

All in all a really fun week and lovely to see Mr Dad, though I suspect if we have another all nighter he may never holiday with us again!

So before the schools go back and autumn comes, ‘appy holidays from my family to yours!

I love to look back at old photos, especially holiday pics, this is El Palo beach near Malaga in 2009 at sundown, we’d just eaten at a crazy restaurant we’d seen on Rick Stein’s Spain where the waiters walk around the tables shouting out the names of tapas just cooked and you grab what you like the look of as they go by, “gambas pil pil” “pulpo pulpo pulpo” gallons of sangria are served and the atmosphere is fantastic, afterwards we strolled along the beach and remarked at all the people out for a run along the beach.

We absolutely love fresh fish in this house and holidays are more food than drink orientated for us! This week we’re holidaying from home which isn’t terribly relaxing with a little one! That said I’m pleased we’ve had ten years together to enjoy more romantic holidays, and who knows what the future may bring, perhaps the odd weekend break action packed family holiday?

Here’s a new thing, I got my nose pierced this weekend. Why? I’ve been asked if I’m having a midlife crisis (I’m 29 :/ ) but its not that, its something I’ve always wanted to have done but haven’t had the balls until I had Joss.

I want her to be comfortable in her own skin, to feel confident to express who she really is and not spend years conflicted about those things as I have. I have three piercings and three tattoos, I have been surprised by people’s reactions to them in this day and age, perhaps its that I’m aware people think I’m quite a ‘sensible’ person?

Part of the process for me has been learning not to care what others think and putting my best foot forward, each one tells a story, especially the tattoos and they’re deeply personal and motivate me in various areas of my life. They’re not for everyone but they’re a new part of me and it’s been quite freeing, what’s the opposite of crisis? Mid-life calm perhaps?