Manx Moods Missing Mum

Finn and I went to the Isle of Man over the Easter weekend, without Cori, so I suspect that it's reasonable that it's me who writes it up (and it will give us some more time to try and pin Finn down for his monthly picture!)

The Boy Trip was planned long in advance: knowing that Cori had to work and that nursery was to be closed on the Friday and Monday, we thought that it would be reasonable for me to spend the time looking after Finn on the island with help from his granny and nephews instead of kicking our heels around the flat for four days. This sounded great to us all in advance - Cori getting a rest, me getting to the Isle of Man, Finn not being bored at home - but when the time came we were all a little apprehensive or sorry to part.

Things would have been all super, were it not for Finn's teething (or something to the same effect) that had him in an inconsolable wailing mood for nearly three of the four days we were on the island!

Things were quite terrible at times - such as in the mornings when he was in a grump from waking up, or towards evenings, and certainly at dinner time - but he was ok when he was out of the house, and especially around his cousins. So he still had a lot of fun, even if he would weep and wail without respite at other times!
Unfortunately Finn's granny saw most of the misery, as we were staying there instead of the flat, but at least she got to see the beam of sunshine which was Finn's good mood on the final day, when a final forlorn dose of Calpol had the almost miraculous effect of restoring him to top mood within minutes! (So I'm hoping that we might be allowed back at some time...)

Unfortunately, because there weren't two of us, and there was one needy Finn, there aren't as many pictures as I would have liked, but there are some that tell some of the tale of our four Manx days...

Finn was delighted to find that granny's house also stocked his favourite cereals... but he was distraught two days later when it ran out (not pictured):

Finn had a whole new set of cars and trucks to push around, such as this very manly green rubbish truck (just out of shot is the pink and purple animal rescue van, complete with baby giraffe with a bandages on its knee):

You might also note in that last picture that Finn was making his fart-like noise that sometimes accompanies truck-pushing, although nursery today reports that everything received a "nee naw" fire engine noise from Finn today - just one of the many skills his granny taught him in the Isle of Man. Cori was most impressed to hear his new noises when he returned, and especially the "choo choo" for anything train-like, which was another of granny's introductions. (I don't know why he took up those words from her when he generally just stares blankly at us when we try words on him - it must be all the chocolate she gives him!)

Finn was also introduced to Lego for the first time, which was quite something (although he did mainly just like the cars and bikes!):

We were also very excited to go to the Auldyn School playing fields to see some top-level football courtesy of Finn's excellent footballing cousins. Action shots of Oliver, Thomase and Jake include the following (I suspect that Jake is here working on his goal celebrations!):

Finn also got to hang out with his cousins at their house. There he would be found shouting his way happily up the stairs in order to thrown himself into Jake or the twins' toy boxes with joyous abandon. Unfortunately I used such times, with Finn finally occupied with something, in order to slip away and drink more than just a sip of tea, and so there are very few pictures. But there is this nice one of Finn and Thomase (with the original "nee naw" -ing vehicles within sight (as is a suspiciously Calpol-looking box on the table behind!)):

If anyone was in doubt about the root of Finn's mood over the weekend, this otherwise lovely picture of him and his granny shows how mouth-conscious he was, shoving his hand into his mouth like this almost constantly:

Other than that, we went swimming in Douglas, to the Wildlife Park in Ballaugh (where we rode on a miniature steam train!), to the gate of Peel Castle (but not in, as it was closed due to the snow), to the Peel 'House of Manannan' museum, on a nice long walk around Maughold Head, and through 8-foot-high snow drifts south of Kirk Michael. - Lots of exciting things to keep Finn from feeling too much of his misery!... It's just  shame that I don't have more pictures.
(And, since some might be wondering, Finn also had two perfect plane journeys: sleeping throughout on the way over without even a shout, and happily playing or looking out the window on the way back to London).

But I do have one last picture of Finn looking nice in his Ohio State top, probably wishing that his mum was there with him to hear him say "choo-choo"!

- James