Little bit proud...

...of what I hear you wonder? Because I know you are all super interested in my life....lmao!

Well firstly I should update that the BEC went well (coz you were all just hanging out to know how that went weren't you?). Sazz and I rocked it, we had a few technical hitches, such as no white board (improvised using the back on laminated posters stuck to the wall) and the DVD wouldn't work (we had to suck this one up) but all in all it was a good first BEC. Room for improvement, always is, but a good base to start from.

However, I digress, that is not what I'm particularly a little bit proud of right now.

I am proud of myself for venturing out into an open space with both kids alone. OK, OK so I had friends there, and wonderful friends too, who all kind of watch each others kids, but it was a first for me. We often go out as a family to open spaces, but the thought of baby girl needing me while Xave bolts in the opposite direction terrifies me. It doesn't help that my son has absolutely no fear and a natural attraction to water. And well, there is my general contempt for the great outdoors and all things associated with it.

Jen & Jack and Sazz & Harriet, who we hung out with!

But yesterday I piled the kids in the car and headed off to the Frankston Children's Day at the Botanic Gardens. I decided to risk it and let the big boy walk from the car to the gardens while baby girl, (who had fallen asleep just as we parked the car), was in the pram, wide awake by this time as the car stopped. Xave does a good job staying close to me in shopping centers(chanting as he walks, "stay close to mum, stay close to mum, stay close to mum"), but this walk included crossing roads, walking past driveways and people's gardens. I was just a little nervous, but he was fantastic. He stayed close, he touched flowers, he said "hi" to a lovely old lady whose garden he picked a flower from and he happily held my hand as we crossed roads.

We quickly found our friends and scabbed a spot on their picnic rug. Ours was in Adam's car. Not long after we arrived a kid's band started playing, Xave loves music and dancing, so he had a ball doing the actions, clapping, jumping, flapping... and Stels was also happily kicking her legs in the pram. They both ate their boring vegemite sandwiches I packed for them, and shared some watermelon that our friends had. Xave also wandered over to the picnic rug behind us and helped himself when he saw they had chips. At least he said chips please and thank you, he might be a scabby seagull, but he is a seagull with manners.

The kids band was followed by African Drumming, again he enjoyed all the dancing that was encouraged with that. He did some tree climbing with his friends, Stella joined if for a photo op before we packed up and headed home.

He was happy to hold his friend, Harriet's hand, as we left. Harri, was in 7th heaven with this. She is a very tactile little girl who love hand holding and hugs, but her best friend Iris isn't so keen on this invasion of her personal space, so Harri was thrilled that Xavier was so happy to walk holding her hand. Harri's mumma, Sazz, and I have been planning our children's wedding and the beautiful grandbabies we are going to have, for a while now. We did turn our backs for a second to get cameras out and lo and behold the 2 of them were nicking off into the bushes.. going to have to watch those 2 as they get older.

Xave and Harri planning their great escape

The kids had eaten but the parents were ready for lunch. I knew my 2 cherubs, despite being so amazingly behaved at the festival, were not going to last much longer. So I suggested we all come back to our house so my 2 could have a sleep (yeah right!) It was great, watching the kids all play together, Xave refused to wear pants once he was in the comfort of his own home, but they all had a ball.

It was a great day. I learnt that my son can be trusted to stay close even with roads nearby, I learnt that I can go out in open space alone and that when its not stinking hot and a little bit overcast I can enjoy the great out doors, despite my favourite cardigan ending up covered in pine needles...