Seaside Soul Food

We are lucky. 

We are blessed. 

In countless ways.

'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!'

Not least because Cornwall is our home.
The place everyone dreams of retiring to, the county everyone squeezes in their hot cars to drive to en masse on Bank Holidays. Home to pasties, clotted cream and fabulous Camel Brut champagne!

If we leave our house we can be on one of about 15 beaches within 20 minutes, but when Natalia was born, the very first thought that entered my head was that we would never again go on holiday and we would never be able to go to the beach again. *small pause to re-read that phrase, scratch my head and wonder what on earth I was thinking*

Camerawoman NattyG presents her family

I really wanted to leave you on a Friday with a giggle. A light-hearted laugh. An antidote to all the parliamentary shanannigans and serious SEN articles and so on.

Well this week, when we returned home from Mia's school play, all on a high and singing proudly, full of jollity, Natty decided she would like to take some photos of the family.

We were all in the kitchen, just scoffing a late supper before bed. After all, you can't do a school play that finishes at 7.30 without celebratory chips afterwards can you....

Anyway, Daddy Downs Side Up gave Natty his phone and she began snapping away.

First she came up with this

then this

and finally this

Aren't they lovely? And very well taken Natty I must say.

Well then the little photo button must have slid across to video. We were all oblivious and carried on our happy dancing, whilst tidying the kitchen in readiness for bed, and posing for Natty's snaps in between.

When we looked at the results afterwards, this is what we found. Hilarious little 3 second clips of Natty's world. I have to admit that after watching them all, I was laughing so hard that I had to jiggle cross-legged to the loo. Maybe you just had to be there, or maybe you'll find it funny too. Bear in mind we all thought she was taking stills...

I bring you, Natty's camerawork: Clip 1, My Sister Mia

aka Animal from the Muppets

My Daddy and Mummy posing.

Haha, I had them fooled.

Mummy didn't know I took this one. 

Check out her moves!

And the one that made Mummy laugh so hard she cried:

Mummy folds a tea towel and poses for the camera whilst dancing.

Enjoy your Easter weekend! Much love from the Downs Side Up team x

Mummy and Daddy Love You Both More than Words Can Say

Mummy and Daddy Downs Side Up

Just a couple of weeks ago Natty spontaneously said "I Love You" for the first time. Those three words that mean so much.

She'd signed it, repeated it back to us, shown us with hugs and squeezes, even said "Mummy, Daddy, you happy me", but this was a new high for us.

Mia continues to tell us daily with words, poems, drawings and letters.

Here are some words I wrote for the girls at the beginning of the school year, on Natty's fisrt day, exactly a year ago. We gave it to them in an envelope with a gift of flowers. This was written before I began blogging.








Mummy and Daddy are so very proud of you both for so many different reasons...

Mia Bella, you were born beautiful and smart, dark and strong, with a wise knowing face that midwives said 'showed you had been here before'. You instinctively and impulsively knew what you wanted out of life from day 1, and communicated it to everyone around you. 
7 years on, you are not only clever, musical, artistic, feisty and unafraid to stand out and be different, but you are the most caring and thoughtful and hilarious friend, clasmate and family member anyone could wish for.
Believe me, you will get there, wherever 'there' is.

Natalia, you have overcome obstacles that few can comprehend. You fought for your life in those first weeks in intensive care. You learnt to breastfeed after 3 months, against all odds. You survived heart surgery. You have learnt to walk and talk and smile and sing and paint and cook and ride horses amd make friends. Most of all you have changed opinions and melted stereotypes wherever you go. Today you confidently stride into mainstream school, making a mockery of all who doubted you ever would. This is the beginning of a new and long journey, but it is an exciting one.

We love you both more than words can say xxxx

Daddy Downs Side Up Remembers

A usually intensely private man who holds his cards close to his chest, Natty's Daddy speaks of her arrival into our world.

Daddy Downs Side Up remembers the moment his youngest arrived in this word

A blog about Natty, by her daddy. 

As our second pregnancy progressed we were told there was a one in 300 ‘risk’ that the baby had Down's syndrome.  (I now note with sadness the negative language used.  We think of it now as a 1 in 300 ‘chance’.)