Charlie O'Brien My Kent Family blog: At Christmas Tree Farm, Downe

Firstly I must just start with a big “hi nice to meet you”, and a virtual handshake or hug – whatever you feel comfortable with!

I’m delighted to be blogging weekly for My Kent Family.

I have lived in and around Kent for most of my life and am now raising my 15 month old son Noah here along with my fiancé Jay. We are also getting married in Kent in August so life is quite hectic right now.

We love getting out and about and exploring our beautiful county, especially now Noah’s started to walk.

Every week I will blog about what we’ve been up to as a family and please do feel free to share ideas of things we could do in the comments section.

So this week we had a little trip to Christmas Tree Farm in Downe. If you’ve never been to Downe I thoroughly recommend it. It’s a beautiful quaint village and was home to Charles Darwin so there’s loads of interesting history. Oh, and two great pubs!

Christmas Tree Farm is wonderful for children because it’s small and friendly, as are the animals! (Well apart from two ducks we saw attacking another one but perhaps I’ll leave it there in case you’re tucking into your lunch.)

We went as a family last summer when Noah was very small but this time I went along with two of my best friends and their babies.

It’s lovely at the moment as they’re both on maternity leave – but I’m not looking forward to them going back to work soon. Motherhood can be lonely at times huh?

I’m really finding the age Noah’s at now really fun. He’s walking, albeit still a bit wobbly at times and he’s suddenly SO interested in the world around him. He spent the whole time at the farm pointing at the animals and chatting away in his toddler babble.

He had a little wander but he’s not quite at the stage of heading off and walking a great distance alone yet.

'Pub lunches aren’t quite the same once you’ve got children are they?'

I’m also struggling to find wellies for him because he has TINY feet! Any suggestions/recommendations welcome.

We had a lovely pub lunch after the farm. Well I say lovely – pub lunches aren’t quite the same once you’ve got kids are they?

I spent half my time grovelling on the floor picking up the food Noah decided he didn’t want. He’s a very fussy eater – more on that in future blogs!

This week we’ve also been painting. He loves it at nursery so I decided it was time to let him get messy at home.

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I’m very aware that messy play and exploration is so important for children and apparently is helpful if they are fussy eaters.

He made a right old mess and took his painting very seriously. Trouble is kids want to paint everywhere BUT the paper don’t they?

The point at which he decided painting our labrador Isla would be a good idea, I decided it was time to pack up. She got away unscathed this time – but it took three baths to get all the paint off Noah’s legs!

Next week I’m going to try some less messy paint activities – I’ll let you know how we get on!

Until then,

Charlie X