Up until last week, the sofa has held us captive. There’ve been so many afternoons when it’s all I could do to drag myself to the kitchen and the thought of actually leaving the house seemed impossible. Morning (or “all day”) sickness does that to you.

Last Friday was the first one in ages that has been both free of commitments and morning sickness. So I decided to celebrate by taking Frog on a mum / daughter day trip to a local farm that’s been recommended by countless people. 

Pennywell Farm is just down the road from Buckfastleigh, with gorgeous views over Dartmoor and the surrounding countryside. It’s not cheap (by the time I’d paid for admission, animal feed, a donkey ride and lunch I’d spent £40) but it’s packed with activities and was well worth the treat.

We spent five hours there but, to be honest, we could have spent even longer had Frog not been overwhelmed by tiredness and pending tantrums. I spent most of the day (apart from the tantrum bit) grinning from ear to ear, as I enjoyed some quality time out of the house and away from the sofa with my excited three year old.

We bottlefed lambs, cooed over tiny newborn pigs – so relieved I’m a pregnant human and not a pregnant pig – and fed goats and sheep. Frog rode a donkey, bounced on the bouncy castle for far longer than necessary and we had a tractor and mini train ride too. There was lunch in the cafe and much playing in the sandpits, slides and activity playground.

It was one of those days I hope my three year old remembers when she grows up, realising that I wasn’t that bad a mum after all.

P.S. My favourite picture of the day – Frog getting photo-bombed by an eager lamb.

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