Summer has come to Christchurch

After a frankly terrible start to the day/week, today turned out to be quite lovely. Was very tired so went back to bed when Louis went down for his morning nap... and work up at 10.50! The whole morning was almost gone. But then I felt just terrible. Louis woke up, so had had his lunch out in the sun. Wasn't very interested in his lunch, and I wasn't very interested in a food fight, so when we started chatting to the neighbours through the fence I gave up on lunch and we went to visit. Louis played with the kids next door (first time on a trampoline!) and I discovered he is not the only child who puts stones in his mouth. Good to know.

 Gorgeous summer-like day. The Kowhai is in full bloom. Never seen one so glorious!

I let Louis play in the garden, but it was really hot and sunny and he refuses to keep his hat on. I sun-blocked us both and let him explore the camelia-sheddings, while I sewed a strap onto his hat. This was a truly brilliant moment of mine, I must say. I found a tiny premie size onesie in the sewing stuff and cut off the strips down the front that have all the domes on them. I shortened these and sewed them onto Louis' sunhat, then put it on his head and snapped it in place. Aha! Mum wins. Hat stayed on after that.

 Louis wearing the un-movable hat! Score 1 for mum. But he's eating my apple. Little thief. I wanted that. Score 1 for Louis.

I had a slightly less brilliant, but not far-off, moment later on: gave him some naked time and squirted water from my drink bottle onto the playmat (it's kind of rubbery - I think it was once a physio floor mat) which Louis happily splashed around in and got totally wet. We'll be playing that game again this summer methinks.