Tales of The Termite - 10 months

I have had such a busy month, no more new teeth this month but I'm getting lots of pain so I think there's going to be more soon.

I've been on my second holiday this time to Egypt, you can read about it here.

I can now walk along furniture holding on with just one hand and I can move from one piece to another even if I have to reach out for it, I can climb on the sofa too!

I've perfected my hi five, I can say hiya and wave at new people without being asked and when mammy says 'good girl' I clap and she thinks it's dead cute even though I've been able to do the clapping thing for ages. I love to dance still and I can make loads of noises too, peanut likes to copy me but mammy tells her she should be using her words so I can learn them. 

I like to nod in agreement with mammy and daddy.  I have also learned to sign 'birdie' (that's those feathery things in the sky that I love) and 'daddy' which has pleased the daddy one no end , he's such a softie. I've also taken a shine to mammy's phone and look I can take a 'selfie'

We've used loads of stuff this month our favourites have been The Munchkin Inflatable Duck Bath, Vtech Baby Walker, Lindam Play Pen, 

Happy Birthday To My 'Golden Child'

Happy 4th Bithday Son, it feels like no time at all since I was excitedly watching House on  TV  at 4am with Daddy timing my surges as you started your journey to meet us. You took a while but 25 hours later there you lay perfect in every way snuggled in my arms. 

You are a kind and gentle boy and you bring me so much joy, spending afternoons with you, hugging on the sofa playing in the garden or tootling around fills my heart with happiness.

You give such lovely kisses and cuddles without being asked and you can cheer up my most miserable day. I love how you like to discover but you like to know daddy or I are close enough to touch while you are discovering. You make me laugh with your funny sayings and the natural comedy timing you seem to have. Using the quote 'that's a woman' from The Lorax at the perfect moment still makes Daddy and I laugh so hard we almost cry! Your 'crazy laugh' and ability to imitate a minion (ha ha bottom) could make even the toughest audience crack with laughter. 

And your run cheers us up immensely Daddy claims you pedal your arms so fast it diverts the energy from your legs and you end up going nowhere fast. 

You are in touch with your feminine side, which can only be a good thing as you are surrounded by girls. Just today you asked for your nails to be painted blue because Peanut was having hers pink! 

Please don't ever lose your sensitivity and natural empathy for others, your nurturing and caring side has shone through in your baby sisters first year, showing concern for her (and my) tears trying to think of ways to make us feel better, being kind and helpful and also celebrating her achievements with absolutely no envy for the attention she gets when she does achieve something new. These traits will make you a good man when you are older and stand you in good stead for the career you choose, which I think will be medical but dad thinks will be more business based. 

I look at your big sister and see hints of the woman she will become and I feel

No doubt she will choose someone to share her life and her dreams and this settles well with me, I look at you though and my heart aches that one day someone will become the keeper of your heart and it won't be mine anymore. No one warned me that this is part and parcel of mothering boys!

You fill my heart, make me laugh, brighten my days, you are a smart clever, kind, caring, funny, sensitive soul and I will miss the day when it's no longer cool to crawl Into mummy's bed for snuggles or to spend 15 minutes cuddled up talking about ' tell me what did we do today mammy' so for now my boy I'm going to absorb every ounce of affection from you. Thankyou for being such an amazing son I look forward and yet dread helping you transition into big school and seeing you blossom into the new discoveries of the learning that awaits.

I love you more than all the sweeties in the world my boy and all the sand on the beach! 

Sensatori Sharm - Day 4-7

We've fallen into a nice routine here , peanut and the Golden Child spend the morning in kids club, then we have an early Lunch in the main restaurant. Then an afternoon in the pool followed by quiet snoozie time then dinner and evening entertainment. It's a hard life but I'm willing to put in the work in order to write an honest journal for you all! I'm kind like that. 

 

We have had a wander along the huge floating jetty on the private beach to take a look at the fish, you can snorkel right off the end of here or you can just spy into the sea. Be aware though that sea breeze is deceptive you WILL burn without sun lotion, I would also recommend beach shoes as the sand is ridiculously hot as is the jetty and the sand is quite rough.

The kids are loving kids club and Playhouse live and we are positively awash with certificates and art that they have brought home.

One of thier very favourite activities has been science day and the mentos/pop explosion delivered by Mr Bubbles the crazy scientist 

We have dined in Casabianca Italian Restaurant, Marhaba Middle Eastern Restaurant and Tiran Diner for our evening meals, so we have now tried all of those included in the all inclusive package but I will review them seperately. We are still somewhat dissapointed in the Main Restaurant but haven't had any bother booking into the al a carte's so it's not too much of a problem.

I can't pick many faults with the hotel, they listen to feedback and react to it, they are helpful and friendly and the place is scrupulously clean. If I were to complain about anything it would be that The Ramps around the hotel are very slippery and could do with a more non slip surface and hand rails, I've slid every single time I have taken the kids down to kids club (luckily without falling) but there is nothing to grab onto. Wifi is slow in the public areas and not yet available in rooms, despite Thomson claiming otherwise in Sensatori publicity, and lastly a safety concern, we've had a day of power cuts this week which was no problem at all until all the lights wentout during   Playhouse live, with no emergency lighting it was impossible to see where anyone or anything was and the Theatre Manager part of me  instantly thought of the disaster that could happen had a fire knocked out the power in a full venue it would be almost impossible to safely evacuate everyone especially as mostly the children are on the dance floor in front of the stage whilst parents sit around the venue on different levels.

On the flip side, I can list many things I love, peppermint tea served in a bar looking over the ocean, discovering Mojitos are now included in the drinks package, the little reading light by the bed that means I have just enough light for middle of the night feeds, decent toiletries replenished everyday, our swim up pool, a huge breakfast selection, bottled water provided daily in our room, the staff at kids club, Thomson Guest Relation Team who  stop to chat and appear interested in guests, Egyptian Cotton, mango smoothies delivered to the pool and special offers on hotel laundry service! But most of all our room is just pure  luxury, big and spacious with lots of lighting options, our own little pool outside and waiter service for our drinks, we've had swim up rooms in Crete and there's no waiter service around the pools there  and it  really is a step up in luxury.

Sensatori Sharm - Day 3

Last night the kids went to Playhouse (Kids Club) and we met Caroline , who we have seen in two previous visits to Crete Sensatori, we were greeted with warm hugs and enthusiasm which has meant the kids want to go to every play session on offer (4 per day). 

This morning they have spent two hours making pasta bracelets, painting with strawberry jam and making lovely pictures. The kids are excited to go to more sessions and also working hard to earn thier good behaviour points from us to be able to attend next weeks sleep over.

Spartacus and I have chatted today about our opinions of this resort over the others we have visited and he thinks he likes this hotel better but agrees Tenerife is top trumps for luxury and Crete is the winner for relaxation and friendliness. 

The food in the main buffet restaurant is not quite to the standards of the other resorts we have visited, the food seems to be left out longer so for example the pasta goes hard and dry, the fresh cooked areas are nice though. But tonight we dined in Marhaba (Egyptian cuisine) we ate a selection of dips with fresh bread to start and then a kebab selection for main, the dips and bread were great and the meat on the kebabs was succulent and tasty but the acoompanying salad was a bit limp and feeble and the meal could have done with some dips and a fresher salad. The service however was the best we have encountered so far, friendly efficient and intuitive, with drinks being topped up without asking, bread being replenished and not a single member of staff on thier phone (something we see a lot of in other areas).

We are very much looking forward to eating in the Italian tomorrow and the Tiran Diner on Tuesday. 

Today we also discovered the swap boxes and 'Cassanova' the reputedly world famous camel!  The swap boxes are boxes situated in the guest relation lounge for sun lotions, toiletries and then childrens clothes. The clothes are taken regularly to the local orphanage but the toiletries are there to take should you run out or forget something. I'm really grateful as I forgot Toothpaste but we are all sorted now.

 As for Cassanova he rests by the beach at the edge of the hotel with his owner who seems a friendly chap, although from experience I'm positive that a pause for further chat would have led to an invitation to sit on Cassanova for free,  then be charged to get off! We have encountered this bit of banter before in Sharm, Cairo and Luxor!

Tonight we went to Playhouse Live, this is the childrens evening entertainment, dissapointingly these are now only on 4 times a week instead of the 6 times in other resorts. Brilliantly though this show seems to have been tailored more to the age of the audience so a very pre-school feel to it rather than the more 'tween' feel that Crete had and they ended with a bedtime story which we loved. 

There's a light and water show at the fountains at 9.45pm which is a great end signal to the night for the kids, and with a two hour time difference that means if they are in bed by 10pm here it's still technically 8pm ! Win win 

Sensatori Sharm - Day 2

It's been hot hot hot here today so we've just been finding our feet, I must admit to feeling dissapointed in some things.....

This mornings tour of the resort was rather frustrating, the lady in charge wasn't waiting for everyone before she described different areas so because I was with the pram I kept having to find alternative routes, and then missing all the information. 

A brief look at the splash pool led us to think there's nowhere to sit around the spray ground in order to supervise the children, we are going to wanderback tomorrow to have a reall look  

We had lunch in the Tiran beach  bar which is waiter service but it felt very rushed, almost like an inconvenience for us to be there not the normal 5 star service we would expect.

My biggest frustration has been (wait for the first worlds problem here people!) we have had the do not disturb on the front door so housekeeping wouldn't disturb the kids having some much needed sleep, but instead housekeeping rang our room waking everyone up to see if we wanted cleaning! I know the sentiment is good but to me sleep deprived mother) do not disturb does not mean please don't knock but feel free to call. 

On the positive side we managed to get booked up for dinner for the next two nights using the machine with absolutely no problems so we are visiting The Egyptian and Italian restaurants 

We needn't have worried about the small terrace as it's soooooo hot we've not been able to sit out so have just been in the pool! 

We have had a lovely drink in the cool of the lobby bar, and discovered some nice looking shops, a beauty salon and some areas of the hotel, we've splashed in our pool. Where one of the pool bar waiters popped by regularly to see if we wanted drinks and also bought us snacks too! We have relaxed in our nice cool room and because we are all a bit tired from yesterday's journey tonight we have an early night planned.

Something we've really noticed is the hygiene measures in place. We have been asked to use hand sanitiser upon entering every restaurant, the chefs wear gloves when handling your plates and there are signs everywhere to say please wash your hands. It's great to see they are taking all steps to prevent Poorliness. 

We have used our Buggabandz tonight  for the first time and where I would normally be bitten to bits (and I mean I've been hospitalised previously in Egypt, because of so many bites) I'm so happy to report we have so far had no bites. 

Sensatori Sharm - Day One

Despite a delayed flight, which we had no notification or announcements about until almost departure time, we arrived a little crumpled but all in one piece. The kids behaved brilliantly and 5.5 hours wasn't as torturous as I'd anticipated.

The airport in Sharm is a little intimidating with people telling you to queue without explaining why, baggage handlers asking for money to pass your pram through and people trying to 'help' with your bags  who will then ask for cash. But it was quick and not too crowded 

First impressions 

It was lovely to be greeted with a cold towel and cold drink. There were not many seats in reception though

Check in was quick and friendly

Staff are friendly and informative and very happy to help

Food wasn't great but it was 10.45pm and the restaurant was closing at 11pm so I'm reserving judgement until we have seen a fully functioning sitting. 

The room is clean and spacious, we have a family swim up but disappointingly we have only one sunbed outside which I don't understand at all, are we to take turns? 

The terrace is tiny and we are covered in so I'm concerned we won't be getting much sun. 

The kids sleeping area is very cramped but the main sleeping area is large and easily fits the cot in without feeling crowded.

Tomorow we will see how the restaurant is and have a fresh look at our outdoor situation. 

Thankful Thursday Week 23

Oh My what a time we have had, Last week my Thankful Thursday Post had some sort of bug and refused to work! This week we have been once again without internet thanks to EE and their not quite seamless switch over! So anyone who tried to link up I send many many apologies to you we are hopefully fully funtioning this week but this will be the last Thursday post until July as we have a very busy time in Monkeyfeet HQ.

I hope you have all had a great week and I can't wait to catch up on my fix of gratitude.

 Thankful Thursday  is my weekly linky for us all to share our silver linings, brags, boasts or just something that made us smile. Be it a picture, a word, a sentence or a great big essay lets share what we are thankful for this week. It can be a new post just for this linky, a picture, a video, one word or a thousand this linky is all about thankfulness so whatever has made you grateful this week I would love to know.

If you would like to link up I would  love for you to grab the badge below and spread a little linky love to some of the others taking part, and dint forget to spread the word, invite lots of people and help me grow this and make Thursdays a happier place.

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Plum Greek Yoghurt Review

You will remember we tried out some Little Yums a while ago and really loved them, so we were delighted to be offered some Plum http://www.plum-baby.co.uk/Greek Yogurt Pouches

What They Say

Our organic yogurt blends are made with creamy Greek-style yogurt, fruit & vegetables, in the delicious and unique combinations Plum is famous for. Greek-style yogurt has a beautifully smooth texture that’s perfect for growing babies. We blend it with nutritious spinach and naturally sweet raspberries, then pack it in a convenient, resealable pouch that's perfect for flexible portions. 

• No added sugar and nothing artificial
• Contains a daily portion of fruit/vegetables
• Certified organic, no genetically modified ingredients
• Convenient, resealable & portable pouch for on-the-go feeding
• 100% BPA-free packaging & child-safe, recyclable cap

What We Say

First impressions were mixed I will admit. The pouch is big which was a bonus for my bottomless pit of a child! But the flavours....

I have to admit I had to put on my best game face so as not to influence Termite's reaction. Because to me Yogurt is a pud right? A nice sweet treat for afters, not something to mix with Carrot,Kale or Spinach!

Choices Choices

But Termite really likes them, they aid  her need for independent eating because the pouch is easy to use and there was very little mess which scores big for me. And she loves the taste, there was actual lip smacking! Even the daddy one commented on her enjoyment, and he never says much! 

The Good Stuff

• All natural and organic
• Good portion size
• It's one of her daily portions in a single serving 
• Easy to throw in a bag for emergency snackage
• Tasty
• Healthy
• These are going to be great for our next holiday as a staple for the plane journey and any day trips

Room For Improvement

None really they are nice and handy not loaded with chemicals or rubbish and the kids liked the taste so a 5/5 from us 

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