Almost 2 chrysalises now (what is the darn plural of that and no I can't be bothered looking it up Stu!)!

We're growing butterflies...5 caterpillars arrived by post last Wednesday (I bought a 'grow your own butterflies kit from the science museum and had to send off for them!), about 1.5cm in length each. 7 days later, they had quadrupled in size, and 3 days after that we have our first chrysalis. Technically we now have one and a half - a second caterpillar has almost finished encasing itself as well - it's been a fascinating process. Once all 5 are safely cocooned away I get to then open the jar they're in and transfer them to our netting cage, where hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll be able to maintain the right temperature and light and humidity so that 5 pretty butterflies will hatch out in a few week's time. I thought we were growing the same sort of butterfly, but the caterpillars were different so I'm not sure. I guess we'll find out what happens in this living version of the Very Hungry Caterpillar in a few weeks, stay tuned!

I went to my first 'school' concert at Sophia's nursery on Friday afternoon, it was a Mummies only gig as today is Mother's Day in the UK. I'd picked Sophia up early one day and had a sneak peek of her singing the songs and doing all the actions - good thing as she sat there on Friday looking completely shell-shocked and not moving, before bursting into tears!! So we sat together for the concert cuddling and singing along (well, me singing, Sophs sniffling), before I received my beautiful rose and hand made card.

It occurred to me today...I feel happy, properly happy and content, for the first time in a while. I'm busy, I'm tired, I never make it to the end of my weekly 'to do' list, but, it's all ok. Making the decision to slash my working hours, being able to spend more time with Sophia, and on my studies, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. And I think Sophia is happier for it too.

My studies are going really well, I just had another hypnotherapy weekend so if you want to stop smoking or get rid of a phobia let me know, those were the topics of the weekend! I'm still trying to kick my dissertation off the ground, but will get there soon.

Spring is here, one week ago it was was miserable and grey and the next there are the bright bobbing heads of daffodils and crocuses cheering the ground, and the big fat buds on trees and shrubs readying themselves to burst forth and share their glistening luminscent green newness.

Things are good. And I intend to enjoy this happy part of my life.

Crikey! My exam timetable is up! May 26 and 29...better get my study skates on....

So after the chaos of the past month and Stu and I living a 'pass the salt'/'goodnight'/'haven't we met somewhere before?' existence with insanely busy times at work, my studies and my being unwell, we decided that a long weekend away was very much needed. So we went to Brighton, so I could be close to the ocean (which always soothes my soul and calms my mind), so we could take Sophia to the fabulous Sea Life Centre, and so Stu could have some down time and we could all be together in a more relaxed state.

It was fabulous. The weather was cool enough to keep the seething hoardes of summer from filling the seafront walkways, the hotel was just the spot of luxury we needed, Sophia loved the Sea Life Centre and was wide eyed throughout as she saw sharks, turtles, stingrays, frogs (sea life??) and the many various fish, and we even had one (early) evening meal out at one of the oldest seafood restaurants in Brighton! We ambled around town and through the Lanes, did a bit of shopping, strolled along the seafront enjoying the view, and generally had a quiet, relaxed, happy time together. We found a wonderful children's playground where they had shipped in tonnes of clean sand and Sophia had a marvellous time playing with bucket and spade, tasting the sand, savouring the sensation of sifting it through her fingers.

Pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=229690&id=679470392&l=51b15

Not quite sure where the past month has vamoosed to! I guess for two weeks I was knocked sideways with the flu, which coincided with my last week at work. My first week of only one day a week working I decided would be a good time to get builders in to sort the hallway out (strip, skim and paint walls and ceiling) and bathroom (knock out a small wall, move the cupboard door back and move the washing machine from kitchen to bathroom cupboard). Not the most genius idea I've ever had, I should have had a quiet week! Oh well, they're gone now, unfortunately I hired muppets, our washing machine is still in the kitchen, but at least the hallway is (mostly) finished. So now we just have to get the bathroom ceiling patched and the floor replaced...not looking forward to that. But enough about our renovations...

Sophs the little bookworm has been thoroughly indoctrinated into the world of reading, and loves to sit and read through all of her books. Miraculously she doesn't draw in them either, although everything else is fair game - the table, floor, toys, walls!