Another month and another instalment of Month of Firsts. The series of posts I started because I was struggling to keep track of what you did and when you did it.  I have to say that August has to be my favourite so far.   Whether it was more poignant because it is the month before you started pre-school or perhaps it was just because we had such a fun family holiday, fitting so much in to it.  I honestly can’t put my finger on it.  It could well have been both.  So, Harry this is what we got up to in August:

• Had your face painted – I can’t believe that I left it this long.  You looked so bloody cute despite looking more Amish than Animal.  It was lovely to see you get in to character; jumping out of the rhododendron bushes roaring at passers-by has to be the highlight.  Thankfully they were as charmed as we were by your orange glow and flashes of black whiskers.
• Visited a National Trust property – We didn’t make it in to the House because you were too excited about hiding in all the flower bushes (see above).
• Played Pooh sticks – simple, free and entertained you for far longer than I thought it would.  A winner.
• Licked the wall of a public toilet……wwwwwhhhhhyyyyy?!?!!?!?  I don’t think you even knew, but put it this way after the talk we had I am confident that it won’t happen again.

• Met Dinosaurs at the Zoo. Remarkably you were really wary of them. But at the third time of going round you had managed to overcome your fears and join in with the roaring.
• Had a poo in the caravan toilet.  First rule of caravanning – don’t poo in the van toilet unless it is for an emergency.  BUT, what we hadn’t made crystal clear is that you shouldn’t poo in any caravan toilet!  We were sat out with our neighbours having a cheeky glass of wine and thought you had just gone in their awning to play…….
• Stroked an iguana
• Went in a butterfly house
• Played archery – The following day you were treated to your own bow and arrow because you weren’t very good with the set the grown ups were using.  Although by then (24 hours later) you had already lost interest. Typical!

• Visited a lifeboat station and got to drive a lifeboat (toy one).
• Took a ride on a pony – Tommy.
• Ate a beefburger (1), cooked on the BBQ (2), by Mummy (3) – This says more about me than it says about you.  I just don’t get BBQ’ing.  Surely I am not the only person that thinks it’s a lot of mess for something you can do under a grill/on the hob/in the oven.  I also like to eat without worrying about whether it is cooked through, and without tears streaming from my eyes because of the smoke!

Despite all the fun we have had, I find myself feeling really melancholy.  It feels like everything is coming to an end all at once; the summer, the caravan season, and another stage of your childhood.  Pre-school is just around the corner.  I am genuinely worried about you starting pre-school; what if the little boy I adore changes because of new influences in his life? What if he isn’t liked?  What if he doesn’t like it? I guess I am not the only Mum that goes through this.   For now I just have to wait and be prepared to deal with whatever happens.  So I just have to be thankful our summer was a good one and we got to have some more memorable moments. Thanks for making it special.

Love you x