Summer holidays and half term breaks are really my only opportunity to catch up with family and friends and even then it's a struggle. Everyone is either working, on holiday or already booked up with their own plans to make amends with people they haven't seen in ages. Weekends fly by so quickly and are so jam packed that it makes the time gap between seeing friends and family even bigger. Soon enough months are flying past before you even realise it and then you feel guilty for not seeing the ones you love the most.
Thankfully most people are in the same boat and there are no hard feelings but it does make you realise how important holidays are for everyone, even if it is just the odd bank holiday weekend here and there.
So with this in mind when Richard's cousin Claire contacted me wishing me a happy birthday I just had to seize the opportunity to ask if she and her son George were free at all. Luckily they were and yesterday we spent a wonderful evening with them and had tremendos fun. Every time we see them I marvel at just how much time has passed and how much he has grown and changed. For someone so small he has a big personality which is just wonderful!
We headed over to their flat and caught up on the past few months events before settling down to a delicious meal of homemade fajitas and chips, which were quickly polished off! Seizing the beautiful summers evening we took a trip to their local green space; Mentmore Park which is just a five minute walk away. It's great for such an energetic toddler like George and a photography enthusiast like Claire. As for Richard and I? Well we just like to be out at a kids park, acting like we were toddlers not twenty something's.
It was a really warm, pleasant day and perfect conditions to take some shots of us all clowning about...
George has grown so much in confidence and is such a little adventurer. He is keen to try out everything and even when he takes a tumble or two puts on a brave face and doesn't let it phase him. As he is becoming more vocal he is also becoming far more interested in the world around him, trying to communicate not only his questions but also what he has learnt through the experiences that have happened to him. He really is just a pleasure to be around and listen to. Hats off to Claire for everything she has done for him and her constant positivity with him that has led him to be such a lovely little boy.
It is sometimes hard however to tell who is enjoying themselves more- the actual kid or the big kids..?
It is also lovely to see Richard with George. In my line of work with children I have always found two trends with them and socialising: 1. New people fascinate them and 2. They love men. This can definitely be seen in George's eyes when he looks at Richard, who is effectively a big kid who he doesn't see all that often but whenever he comes to visit has all the time in the world for George. I could watch them mess about together all day!
It's safe to say we were all rather tuckered out, especially Richard!
We made our way back to the flat and snuggled down to a cup of tea and cake, looking over all of the hilarious pictures and videos of the trip. To me this is what family is all about and these are the sort of memories that will last a lifetime.
So call that person you've been meaning to catch up with, make a date and just get out there!
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