Mr Tumble

My little Bee has a slight (massive) obsession with Something Special on Cbeebies. When I say 'obsession', I really do mean that Mr Tumble occupies her every thought, every hour of the day. I'm sure she dreams about him. When smaller, Mr Tumble would be the only thing that would calm her during her bouts of extreme illness, even now sometimes only Mr Tumble will do. She can't yet say 'Mr Tumble' but can sign it with a vengeance. 'Mr Tumble' has become the standard answer to every question.

Do you want some toast?
"Naow", signs Mr Tumble

Shall we do some colouring?
"Naow", signs Mr Tumble

Do you want to go outside?
"Naow", signs Mr Tumble
 

You get the idea. She can be relentless and in her desperation to ask for Mr Tumble she sometimes ends up hitting herself in the face. Yes, incase you were wondering, I am a terrible mother and can't help but giggle when she does. Honestly Bee absolutely adores Mr Tumble. This adoration used to extend to the whole Something Special programme but just recently she's even started getting impatient with the 'Justin' parts of the show and will continually ask for Mr Tumble during the non-Mr-Tumble sections.

Mr Tumble

 For those without kids, outside the UK or living in a remote cave in the Himalayas - Something Special is BBC programme aimed at special needs children and is presented by Justin Fletcher and his alter ego, Mr Tumble. The programme teaches Makaton (a communication aid that's a little like sign language) in a fun and absorbing way. As it's educational for Bee I don't mind indulging her. We've always concentrated on introducing signs slowly with Bee, 3-4 at a time and always ones that are useful for her day-today routine, like 'more', 'yes' and 'no'. 'Hello' was one of the first Makaton signs she mastered, and was one we hadn't been teaching her. She learnt it from Mr Tumble. That man is a wonder beyond price.

Late 2010 we discovered that people were selling small Mr Tumble soft toys on eBay. Apparantely they'd been given away free with a copy of Cbeebies magazine that summer and were now selling like hotcakes on the web as the BBC don't actually produce any Something Special merchandise. It didn't matter what it took, I wanted one of those dolls. I 'watched' many on eBay but just couldn't justify the £30-40 they were going for. Crazy considering they were given away free with a £3.50 magazine. I persevered though and my vigilance paid off when I spotted a newly-listed one on a buy-it-now for £15.99. Yes please! I hit the 'purchase' button and didn't look back. I knew that no matter how much we spent on Bee that coming Christmas, this little Mr Tumble doll would be the most treasured thing she recieved.

Bee with her £££ Mr Tumble!

Fast forward to early 2011, only a few months after we bought the Mr Tumble doll (which went down a storm) and we find out Something Special is to have it's own magazine! Wonderful! Of course, what's given away free with the first issue? That same Mr Tumble doll I'd paid £15.99 (plus P&P) for! Still, the important thing was that Bee had one, regardless of how we'd come by it. We bought two issues of that initial magazine so we had spare Mr Tumbles, should anything happen to the original. Since then we've had a Something Special magazine each month, each time with a lovely little freebie to add to Bee's growing Mr Tumble collection. I don't see the obsession abating any time soon! So you can see why I was so over the moon with excitment when I discovered we'd won the tickets!

The show was to take place at the BBC's new MediaCityUK at Salford Quays (http://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/) in The Piazza, a large open space bordered by the BBC buildings. The FAQs stated that the show would be outdoors, with no seating and hopefully evoke a 'festival-type' atmosphere. With that in mind, we planned to get there early, well before the stated 11am 'doors open' time. Clare and Isla were coming with us and I couldn't have been any more excited!

The few days before I'd been racking my brain trying to think of something special to do for the girls and I eventually settled on making 'Mr Tumble' bowties. My sewing skills are pretty non-existant and I thought they would be simple and effective. With that in mind, on friday I headed to TP Textiles to make my fabric purchases so I could get home and get started.

I take Bee's walker everywhere now and encourage her to walk, which is unneccesary much of the time as Bee demands to walk. TP Textiles is on the first floor, so up we went in the disabled lift, with Bee pressing the buttons for me and shouting out an excited 'wheeeeee wheeeee' all the way up. After much browsing, umming and aahhing and deliberating over colours I finally made the purchases I needed. Bee had chosen that moment to throw a tantrum and refused to walk so I picked her up, grabbed the walker and started down the steps, back to the car. Reaching the bottom step I went over on my ankle and almost fell, managing to just about stay upright and keep hold of Bee. I dropped the walker as I stumbled and managed to lower Bee to the floor before collapsing on my hands and knees in a ball of agony. Bee, of course, thought it was all some kind of hilarious game and sat there laughing and signing 'more'. Very helpful.

After a few minutes of sitting alone in the small foyer at the bottom of the stairs I managed to lever myself to my feet and get myself, Bee and the walker to the car. It was extremely painful but not unbearable so I figured the pain would wear off through the afternoon and thankfully I drive an automatic so no problems in getting home. Through the 10 minute drive home my foot and ankle had started to throb and, once home, bearing my own weight was agony. I hopped to open Bee's door, lifted her out on one foot and placed her on the floor. There was no way I could carry her into the house. Thankfully now she is cruising so I managed to encourage her along the car, then helped her cross the gap between the back of the car and the front door step. I was home. Mission accomplished. But we had Mr Tumble Live the next day and it was a standing event. The timing couldn't have been worse.

When Foz got home a couple of hours later and the pain was getting worse I decided the best thing to do was head to A&E as I knew, although it was just a sprain, I could loan some crutches to get me through the Mr Tumble show the following day.

So, that evening, crutches collected and cup of tea made, I settled down to make the Mr Tumble bowties. I'd initially intended on sewing them but with my limited skills and rapidly diminishing time frame I decided to wonder web the lot. Even if they hold held together long enough to go to the show it was enough.

The following morning we had a very early wake-up call. The doors to the event opened at 11am and as there was no seating we wanted to be there mega early to make sure our girls got near the front. Unfortunately that morning had dawned overcast and rainy so it was a wrap-up-warm-and-load-the-pram-with-raincover kind of day. It's only a short journey to Manchester and traffic wasn't too bad with it being a Saturday. We arrived and met Clare and Isla in the multi-storey car park, got bow-tied up and and headed to the site.

Mr Tumble spotty bow-tie!

We were very early and there were approximately 10-15 people in front of us. Perfect! All we had to do was wait. Easier said than done of course, in the rain with two toddlers and me on crutches! We'd brought Bee's walker with us and for a while she contented herself with toddling about the huge open space with me hobbling beside her. Every so often she'd stop to say hello to someone, or point at the larger-than-life Mr Tumble on the side of one of the buildings. But then it would rain again so back into the pram she would go.

Finally the gates opened we made our way inside. We'd already decided that they should leave me behind and make a dash for the front, I'd hobble along behind. The early start was worth it: we were able to get a great vantage point! Then it was only another hour to wait. Unfortunately the weather chose not to co-operate and it tipped it down. Relentlessly. By the time Justin took to the stage we were soaked through.

Hello Mr Tumble!

That was all it took though: Justin taking to the stage, to make everything seem brighter despite the bucketing sky. The show was lovely. The first half was Justin as himself, doing some singing, skits of his various characters and generally interacting with the audience. There was a lot of cheering, clapping and screaming (and that was just the mums!) Bee coped very well, especially considering all the noise, although I don't think she really understood what was going on. Despite our best efforts to direct her attention to the stage she seemed to spend a lot of time watching the giant screen to the side of it. I'm not sure she really understood she was looking at the real Justin Fletcher and thought we'd just brought her to see a giant television! Justin even noticed Isla and her spotty bow-tie! He pointed at her and said "I like your spotty Mr Tumble tie!" Clare and I were thrilled!

Look! Mr Tumble!

Once the first half had finished the was a brief interlude from Rastamouse (another Cbeebies show) who performed a handful of songs from the show, then the second half, all Mr Tumble, began. Unfortunately it seemed like they'd turned the volume up during the interlude as when the voice over started with the 'MR TUMMBBLLLEE" Bee started to cry. It was just too loud. We tried to distract her by explaining Mr Tumble was coming but all we got was a very distressed "bam bam". Pram. It got slightly better as Mr Tumble appeared but Bee remained upset on and off. Thankfully the rain had stopped by the interlude and we were able to put away the umbrellas. Mr Tumble did lots of gags, slapstick and songs. It was lovely to hear the whole crowd singing the 'hello song' and 'goodbye song'.  

Afterwards we hung around, hoping to catch a quick smile, wave or even a photo from our beloved Mr Tumble. We knew there was a second show a couple of hours later but hoped against hope that he would make time for some of his little fans. After 10 minutes or so of waiting he walked past, talking to some assistants/crew. He would have walked straight past until Foz shouted "Justin can we have a picture?" He turned and started to say he was in a rush but then relented mid-sentence and acquiesced with a "a quick one then". It was so rushed that I hobble over on my crutches in time to get a decent picture before he was gone. What could have been our only chance to meet the wonderful Mr Tumble and it was gone in a flash. There was no interaction with our two girls, just a quick lean over the fence, a smile, then gone. I was bitterly disappointed. It happened so quickly I don't even think Bee and Isla understood what was going on, a real shame as the whole point of the trip was for them. In retrospect I understand he'd done a tiring show, was pushed for time and had everyone clamouring for his attention. But those things don't matter to two little toddlers who worship him.

Our 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' moment

 Sadly that wasn't the only thing about the day that had been disappointing. Overall I feel the event had been very badly organised by the BBC. Something Special is a show aimed at disabled children. Now I know Mr Tumble appeals to all children but it shouldn't be forgotten that his core audience are children with a variety of abilities and needs.

My first issue is with the choice of venue. Outdoor with no formal seating made it a very difficult and uncomfortable experience. Our girls fall in that awkward area of being unable to walk but being too big to hold for too long. Yet they are too young to be considered for a wheelchair, which means they had to remain in the prams if they were not being held. Without wheelchairs we were not welcome in the sectioned-off disabled section at the front, yet being in the main part of the area meant the girls couldn't see in their prams. Which means we had to hold them. I know the weather was not the BBC's fault but anyone who's lived here more than a week knows you can never rely on sunshine in a British summer.

There was very few facilities at the venue. Outside the fenced-off area of the event there was a cafe in one of the larger buildings, with toilet facilities. However, once admitted into the show area there was no pass-outs and 4 portaloos along the edge. No baby-change or facilities to change a profoundly disabled child.

The sound was particularly loud, all coming from great big speakers at the front. I admittedly don't know anything about speaker systems and sound at concerts but I do know a lot of Mr Tumble fans will have sensory issues. Certainly my Bee does, and she just couldn't cope with the noise coming from those speakers. I couldn't help but feel it may have been better if the sound had been pumped at a lower volume from speakers dotted around, rather than so loud from one place. If that's even possible.  

All-in-all the show itself was wonderful but the overall experience of the day left a lot to be desired. For a TV show that's aimed at disabled children I didn't feel disabled children were catered for. Our disasterous meeting with Mr Tumble was just the icing on a very soggy cake. By the time we were being ushered towards the exit by security (in a friendly way!) the cold was starting to set in and my ankle was agony from taking my turn holding Bee and Isla. At least the rain had stopped.

It hasn't stopped us watching Mr Tumble though or abated Bee's adoration for him, that continues apace! Justin Fletcher is a wonderful presenter who helps change the lives of special needs children across the UK. His MBE is more than well-deserved. I hope one day we get a better chance to tell him in person.

For more information on Something Special click here: http://bbc.in/CoGbd

For more information on Makaton click here: http://www.makaton.org/

Bee's Dictionary Updated

Bee is gaining new words slowly but surely and we have some new ones to add to the pile...

*NEW*

Me                                  Me
Pram                               Bam

Word                                Sounds Like

Yes                                  Yeah

No                                    Naow

Ta                                    Gaa

Thank you                         Guy-or / Guy-oo

Car                                  Bum bum

Ball                                  A-bawl

Monkey                             Ooo ooo

All gone                            Uh gnnn

Baby                                Ba ba

Hello                                Hey-yo / Hiya

Bye bye                            G-bye / Be bye

Dog                                  Uff uff
Food                                Num nums
More                                Moh

Bubbles                            Bu-bull

Door                                Dior

Up                                   Up

Keys                                Daa

Bag                                 Ba

Play-Doh                          Bawl

Bed                                 Ba

Chair                               Ka

Book                               Booo

Outside                           A-hide

Boat                               Ba

People                             Sounds Like

Mummy                            Mama

Daddy                              Da-de / de-de

Grandma                          Gam-ma / Gram

Great-Grandma                  Noo noo
Clare                               A-Ka
Gem                                Dem


Makaton Signs
Yes
No
More
Book
Finished
Bubbles
Bed
Please
Thank you
Mr Tumble

Makaton Monday

Marching On

Yesterday morning we attended Bee's weekly group speech therapy session. As usual she scooted through the door with her walker and didn't look back shouting 'a-bye mama' all the way. I rescued her discarded walker and left her to sit with the books while waiting for the session to start. Every so often she would look up and say "mama? Boooo". Mama, book. Beautiful.

As the session started she scooted her bum towards the therapists, ready and eager to join in. The sessions can be a little overwhelming for Bee, she's never done structured group learning and here the other children are older, mobile and much more boisterous; shouting out answers and bouncing around. She tends to sit, wide-eyed and slightly open-mouthed, watching all the goings-on around her and taking everything in. Although the SLTs do take turns with each child, giving them an opportunity to interact.

Yesterday's session seemed a little different. Bee was a little more confident this time and joined in a little quicker. Sporadically she would turn to me with a big smile on her face but it was fleeting, her attention soon turned back to the myriad of toys coming out of the SLTs bag and the other children clustered around them.

Then it hit me, right there in the session: I was looking at my little girl as she will be at nursery, only two weeks away. Eager, alert, a little apprehensive but willing to try new things and join in. My heart ached to look at her, ached with love and a sense of loss for that little baby that is melting away right in front of my eyes. But most of all it was pride at the confident, strong and cheekily infectious little girl that is emerging from the cocoon.

Every day I feel overwhelmed with love for her

Every day she makes me proud of what she achieves

Every day I dread that inevitable march towards adulthood

And every day I look forward to the person she'll grow into along the way

I love you my beautiful little Bumblebee

Love and sloppy kisses (coz they're the best kind)

Mama xxx

Space and Steam!

Last week we visited The Space Centre with Families United. It's a multi-sensory centre for special needs children and we had a wonderful time!

Bee loves soft play anyway but when you throw in some funky lights, bubble tubes, sensory wall and a great big slide, she was in playtime heaven!

The moment she got a peep through the door the the centre beyond she wanted to be away. She wriggled so much to be off and playing that it took me a minute to get her shoes off!

Once in she wasn't still for a minute and headed straight for the bubble tubes, discovering a box of musical instruments on the way. Of course, she had to give them a good nibble but then made some lovely music with the shakers.

We climbed the padded stairs and tried the slide, although she would only go down with Mummy or Grandma, never solo. Bee has never been keen on slides. She's always struggled to hold herself in a sitting position and seems to be afraid of lying down on one. Still, with Grandma or Mummy holding on it's much more fun!

Bee's favourite has always been the ball pool. She loves to sit in them, throw the balls around and shout "ba!" Today was no exception. It was a very deep pool, she got a little overwhelmed every time she started to sink and would ask to be taken out. Consequently we spent a lot of time in-out-in-out-in-out of the ball pool. 

That's a girl having a good time

Sadly our session was only an hour and it passed way too quickly. At the end I don't know who was more tired: myself, Bee or my Mum!

We'd already decided to go on and do something nice after Space, so we spent our afternoon on the Ribble Steam Railway. It's a little gem tucked away near the marina in Preston with a lovely steam train journey, museum, workshops and cafe. Your (very cheap) admission price gives you unlimited train rides and access to the museum and we got an even better bargain as Bee was free and my Mum and I got in for the 'carers' price! Win!

I've never been on a steam train before and I wasn't prepared for how much I would love it. The smell of the steam, the sound the train made, it was a wonderful experience. Bee seemed to enjoy it too. She knocked on the windows, waved at the pedestrians we passed, pottered up and down the carriage using the walls for support... it was brilliant to watch her enjoy it.

Enjoying the view with Grandma

The journey was a lovely one, winding past the marina and running parallel to a river for a mile and a half before returning the same way. Bee managed "ba" for boat but train has proved a little more elusive for her. So far "bum bum", meaning brum brum, is as far as we've got. The 't' sound of train is something Bee has mastered yet though, most of her words are 'soft' sounds like 'b, m, p', she has very few 'hard' sounds.


We had enough time before they closed to have two journeys on the train. The first we spent in a carriage at the back of the train where Bee enjoyed standing on Grandma's knee and looking out of the window. I tried standing at the open window with her but she became a little agitated by the feel of the passing breeze on her face.

For our second trip we tried the 'Harry Potter' carriage: the posh little compartments further down the train. It was actually quite exciting, really like travelling in a by-gone age. Bee was happy sat by the window for a short time but her inquizative nature got the better of her and she was off the seat and cruising towards the door. Interested to see how confident she would be walking down a moving (and unfamiliar) train I opened the door and let her go for it! There was no stopping her then, she made it all the way down the carriage by following the walls then onwards through the next carriage to the end of the train! Success! Not only a fair distance to walk with only the wall for support, but on a moving train too! After that it was a breeze for her to walk back and forth, back and forth between the compartment and the end of the train, with a little door-playing in between!

Waving to Mummy

So all-in-all it was a fantastic trip out and my little miss was all tuckered out by the end of the day!

Makaton Monday

Golden Oldies

I've just found a an old phone of mine with a wealth of baby Bee pictures on it! I just had to share!

Pre-tube

 

 

Having her ECG

Baking!

Today we did something that I've been dying to do since Bee's FunPod arrived: we baked cakes!

As it was our first time we started with a cake mix, I thought it would be easier than managing different ingredients and a grabby, inquisitive toddler! After browsing the baking aisle in Tesco I decided on the Milkybar mix as Bee loves white chocolate so I knew I'd be on a winner.

The bit Bee enjoyed most was the mixing!

She started with hitting the mixture, which certainly sent a few clouds of powder all over, and eventually mastered the technique of mixing. We also had some attempted tasting which I managed to halt before any raw egg sneaked into her mouth!

Putting the mixture into the cake cases proved difficult, we ended up with more mixture on the kitchen counter than in the cases. Those flimsy little cases are not useful for children with poor coordination, who are a little heavy-handed. We did our best though and we may have come out with a few odd-shaped cakes but they'll still taste good!

The best of the bunch

Once the cakes were in the oven and baking we started on the icing mixture. This wasn't as easy as the cake mix as it involved beating butter. Not so easy for Bee, I ended up just quickly whizzing it up myself. This gave Bee the opportunity to lick the bowl and spoon, something that shouldn't be missed during any baking sesh! 

Fairy cakes out and cooled, Bee and I could start on the decorating. I gave Bee the chance to put the buttercream icing on herself with me holding the cakes but she couldn't get the hang on scraping it off the spoon. To be honest she was more interested in tasting it. 

 

I decided the best thing was probably to ice the cakes myself and let Bee stick on the Milkybar Buttons. It took a lot of encouragement for her to stick and not eat them but we got there....with the odd half-eaten button!

Our finished cakes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All-in-all we had a wonderful, if slightly messy, time! The FunPod has been a wonderful addition to our home, giving us opportunities like this together. Bee managed the new baking experience with aplomb, even allowing the mixture on her hands! As always, I'm so proud of her.

And the cakes aren't hard. Just slightly crunchy.... 

Makaton Monday

One of Bee's favourites!

Sensory Success!

Last Saturday Bee and I spent a lovely afternoon at a local garden centre with my Mum and Ken. Bee had been a bit off-colour for a couple of days and was quiet and a little clingy. We took her walker as my little miss is very keen on her independence these days and I wanted to give her the opportunity to try new places and new surfaces to walk on.

Bee was not keen at first. She wouldn't walk, only wanted to be carried so I obliged. There's no point in forcing Bee to use her walker, it should be fun. The last thing we need is for her to be afraid of it. We had a little walk around the gardens and a look at the animals and then it was time for some milk for Bee and a cuppa for Mummy!

Once milk was over and done with Bee was keen to be out of the high chair and away! She asked for her walker and I was more than happy to oblige. Without waiting for me to follow she hot-footed it out of the cafe and on to the patio outside, navigating the tables and chairs very well. There was a slight pause as she realised the paving gave way to gravel, but after that small hesitation she tackled it with her usual aplomb and was off. Bee loved walking the paths! There were flowers to look at and turns to navigate... so much fun!

We made our way to the small playground as Bee loves swings and we thought she might like a go. Of course, now Bee has the walker she's discovered a very strong sense of independence and we took a long and circuitous route to the playground. Along the way we had a lot of stoppages with "no, up", to which one of us would pick her up and carry her a few feet before she would wriggle and demand to be put down again. It's becoming a game, this pick-up-and-put-down, I'm gonna have to work on stamping that out, it's no good for the back!

On reaching the playground we found a lovely little wooden boat that you can sit in, which of course Bee definitely wanted to! However she was not impressed with the grass and wouldn't walk.

After some sailing down the river and letting dolly have a turn to steer we tried Bee with some of the myriad of natural objects around; sticks, leaves, grass and such. She's never been good with texture. Case in point: refusing to walk across the grass to reach the boat.

 

As it turns out, Bee was very keen to try the new things. I've discovered that if you relate the new objects back to something she's familiar with she's more inclined to try. And so we made some beautiful music from nature's found objects: drumming with the sticks and shaking with the leaves. We played 'peepo' and tickled and generally had a great time.

This was a big success for Bee. We tried rough, smooth, bumpy, sticky, spiky.... 

A lot of walking on top of new sensory experiences made for one tired girl, Bee was exhausted by the end of the visit! It was worth the tears when we got home though, every small success is worth it's weight in gold!

Peepo!

 

UK Riots

Tonight I just want to send my best wishes to all my friends around the UK. Stay safe, remember to check on elderly or disabled neighbours and let's stay united!

Much love x

Makaton Monday

Equipment Excitement

We've had a very exciting week this week and one I've been dying to share!

We received a phone call on Monday from Bee's physio to say that the walker we've been waiting for has finally arrived!! Excited? I could barely contain myself!! Thankfully Foz was off work that day so we were able to go down and collect it together as a family. The phone call came mid-morning and the physio said she could fit us in for the collection at 1pm. So 1pm it was, only a couple of hours wait but my word, did it drag.

We didn't take the little toddle truck Bee has been using as we wanted her to give the walker a really good try and not see the toddle truck as something to fall back on. Bee generally enjoys physiotherapy. It's a large room with lots of space and lots of things to climb on, plus toys that are different from her 'home' toys. All that equals lots of fun and a very tired Bee! This time there were no toys out save a musical toy Bee especially likes and a doll with a walking frame.

We'd be expecting standard-issue NHS equipment: black and/or silver, very ungainly and ugly. Yet in the middle of the room was a lovely, shiny gold walker with red rubber handles, small and dainty, perfect for my little miss. I was thrilled! My only slight reservation was the way in which Bee would have to walk with it. She's used to a toddle truck she pushes in front of her. this walker wraps around the back of her legs and has two handles on the sides to hold. I wasn't sure how well she would adapt to this new technique.

Bee did not like the walker. We had tears and tantrums before she would finally try it and even then it took a lot of encouragement. We'd been prepared for that and expected it. Bee can take a while to adapt to anything new and to be honest we didn't expect her to master her discomfort, verging on fear, in the first session. The doll the Physio had brought out was a masterstroke though and a wonderful aid to ease Bee's tension about her new walker. It took lots of encouragement from myself and Foz for her to walk and then it was slightly under duress but she did it! I can't begin to describe the pride when I saw my little girl walking, under her own steam, and choosing where she wants to go. Such a small thing but so huge.

The walker has swivel wheels which can be locked so they only go in straight lines. We started with this as Bee is used to a toddle truck which doesn't turn and we were a little concerned about her ability to steer, as she's never done it before. In short order Bee had straight lines down to a tee and I was feeling giddy with excitement! Throwing caution to the wind we decided to try the swivel wheels, just to give Bee a go. She was a little tenative at first and had a tendancy to drift one way when walking but she soon had that down too. The Physio was happy with her progress and we were confident that with more practise Bee would fly. We were deemed ready for home and so we headed for the door... Daddy in front, Mummy in back and Bee chugging along in the middle! We had a couple of small mishaps into walls and doorframes, partly due to steering inexperience and partly due to being unable to stop herself before hitting something! After making it out of the appointment room, through the waiting room and to the main door we gave Bee the choice stop and be carried. Carried be damned! My girl wanted to walk!!

Walking back to the car

And so she's away! Tomorrow we'll have had Bee's walker for one week and she's flying! She loves to walk! We've walked round Tesco, around a garden centre, down the road to meet Daddy off the bus, even just around the front drive. Any excuse is excuse enough for Bee. Not a day passes when she doesn't say "mama, dior, a-hide", which translates to "mummy, door, outside". What an achievement for her! Not just the words and stringing them together, but that will and desire to walk, to have her independence. We couldn't be happier.

Whoops, wrong turn!

Of course with this new-found freedom comes a small sting-in-the-tail: when Bee wants to go <<- this way and I need to go that way ->> we get some epic tantrums!! We've been amazingly lucky so far in that we've had barely any 'terrible twos' and so this is all part of the bargain. Those tiny rare meltdowns are an insignificant price to pay for such pure, unadulterated freedom for my girl.

A while back I found a piece of equipment online that looked just perfect for Bee, only it was £90, a lot of money. It's called a Little Helper FunPod and is designed for use around the home to replace standing on chairs and such to reach things. Bee is getting to an age where I'd like to do bake with her, let her help with the dishes and similar activities. Unfortunately Bee does not have the balance or co-ordination to stand on a chair, she isn't even standing unaided yet. I could never trust that she would be able to stand safely on a chair or similar. The FunPod states that it's suitable up to age six so in theory Bee would get a lot of use out of it.

We recently ordered one and I've been waiting impatiently for the day of arrival. Coincidentally delivery day happened to be the day we were out collecting Bee's walker with the Physio, we came home to a 'missed delivery' note. How frustrating! The following day Bee and I travelled to the parcel warehouse to collect it, a lovely big and heavy box with 'FunPod' emblazoned all over the sides.

Bee's FunPod

Getting home I unpacked it, built it up and put it in the kitchen. Bee came snooping around and was very interested in this wonderful new addition and was very insistant about being picked up for a good look. I placed her in it, hoping she'd love it but worrying she'd be afraid. Not a chance! Such excitement from her! She had a good look at the edges, a bit of a nibble and did lots of standing up and sitting down inside it.  All in all, a win! That first session we spent eating chocolate biscuits and playing 'peepo', with Bee sitting down and standing up shouting "hiya, bye, hiya, bye".

Since then it's more than proved it was worth every penny of that £90. Bee stands in it to colour or munch on snacks while I cook tea, we play splashing in the sink and I can't wait to try baking. All the while I know she is perfectly safe, at no risk from falling.

Fun in the kitchen sink

Splashing!

There are so many things that parents take for granted with their children, the small things every day that you don't think about. For them to jump in puddles, run and kick a ball, climb in the park... Such simple pleasures a child has and ones that should be appreciated. Now, thanks to this walker and FunPod, my girl will get those same opportunities. I can't wait for the grazed knees, grubby trousers and rock-hard cakes!

Bedtime Bee!

We've had a lovely little development recently and it never fails to make me smile.

Bee has started saying 'bed' (ba) and making the corresponding Makaton sign. I'm always thrilled when Bee learns a new word or sign but this one has become quite special.

A couple of weeks ago I was in the kitchen, putting some dirty clothes in the washing machine and folding the clean ones. The living room was suspiciously quiet so I popped my head around the door to find it empty, no Bee. I walked through and into the hallway to find her sat at the bottom of the stairs. On seeing me she pointed up the stairs saying "mama a-ha", which is Bee's way of indicating what she wants. In this case, to climb the stairs. "Go on then kiddo" I replied, "mama's watching". She started to climb and I followed her up, ready for any mishaps that might occur although Bee is very steady and confident with stair-climbing. On reaching the top she crawled straight to her bedroom, sat next to the bed, pointed and said "ba". Well done honey, that's your bed. But Bee wasn't happy with that, she wasn't telling me it was a bed, she was telling me she wanted to go to bed! In she climbed and lay down. I was astonished! It was mid-afternoon and Bee hasn't had an afternoon nap for six months or more. I unfortunately couldn't let her sleep, the reason I cut the naps in the first place was because she wouldn't sleep at night, but how wonderful that my girl had learned how to ask for bed!

It's now become a regular thing, once teatime rolls around Bee starts asking and signing for bed. It never fails to make me smile and wonder if I am the only parent in the world who has a toddler who wants to go to bed!

Bee's first night in her new bed, May 2011