Catch-up

January started off a bit slow, but the past few weeks have been really busy. We rearranged the living room, putting the second, smaller couch at the far end of the room and moving our table to a more prominent (and accessible!) position. So now, family dinners take place a lot more often! E and I visited the Imperial War Museum while B and C stayed home - the museum was a little bit too heavy for him, so we left earlier than I'd intended... but that's fine because it's not far from home - a short walk from Waterloo station, which is only a quarter of an hour's train ride from where we live. E liked the walk-through submarine, but they'd closed the Children during War exhibit so there was less to do than I'd thought. The trench warfare walkthrough was way too intense for him and we left at the entrance, bumbling about past various, less-scary displays on our way out. And, on the way back, we stopped to balance on benches, low walls, to smell the flowers on display at the outside florist at the bottom of our hill, and as a special treat, to walk through the "curly gate" of the graveyard that strollers don't fit through. Having young children has (mostly) taught me to slow down and live in the moment. Less agenda, more flexibility and all that.

Today, B and I went on a date for afternoon tea at our normal posh hotel in Marylebone, near Baker Street (of Sherlock Holmes fame). It was good. We talked about things, uninterrupted. 1 year plans. 5 year plans. Memories. Anecdotes. All the while drinking tea and eating far-too-rich treats. I, in my unabashed Americanness, mentioned a left-out, treat-loving, 3-year-old boy at home, and could I have a box to go for a few leftover treats, please? They did one better than that, and sent us home with two little boxes of extra treats. Splendid.

C is climbing things (successfully, I might add....gah!), jabbering away in nonsensical baby talk with the occasional "E-rriii-gah!" which is what she calls her big brother, dancing, loving music, pointing imperiously at anything she wants (and then climbing you to GET it, if you don't respond quickly enough), and generally being non-stop. We have been referred to a pediatrician for her sleep issues. Which, over here, is kind of a big deal. Hard to get referrals like that. But she is up every few hours (or less) throughout the night. Yesterday, for example, we had resettles at 10ish, 12ish, feed at 1:30, then 3:45, resettle at 5, up at 6.... that's not by any means unusual, either.

So... some promised pictures from the Horniman Museum, which is a nice little place in Dulwich. Some of its exhibits (the outside animals, the bandstand, some of the gardens) were closed, and they now charge for aquarium entry, but it's a fun place to spend half a day, and you can get lunch in the cafe (or bring your own, as we did, and eat in the large greenhouse/conservatory).

E and I blitzed through the hand-on wildlife section while B sat in the car with a sleeping C. E turns the dial to listen to the different sounds of wildlife here.


Getting a bit too up close and personal with a taxidermied fox:

The large walrus in the middle of another exhibition - we read about and looked at extinct or nearly-extinct animals, including a replica of a dodo, and perused monkey and other skeletons/skulls.

C woke, and joined us in the aquarium. 'Scuse the bluriness - flash wasn't allowed.


Then we headed upstairs to the instrument exhibit, where there's a hands-on room for children to make their own sounds:


After lunch, we went outside to burn off some energy. Spot the boy in this pic?

C gamely tried to keep up, but she hasn't quite mastered running yet. Behind her is museum and conservatory.
Spot the boy, Part II:


"This tree was planted in 1953, the coronation year of Queen Elizabeth II."

Looped the rest of the grounds, then back to the car and home. And that's all for now.

2012

I meant to do a 2011 recap, but things around here have been way too hectic.

Every day, I manage to feed, clothe, and clean myself and the kids, do some basic housework, and write at least 100 words (usually around 250-300). Anything else is gravy. We try to catch up on the weekends. It's not bad - just tiring. And sometimes I look up and I realize I've neglected this blog, to take stock of how far we've come.

So, in that vein....

In 2011, E wasn't yet at preschool. Next year, he will be in Reception (Kindergarten) and C will be 2. Big changes. E is really starting to appreciate outings more - museums are fun to him. He is fairly gregarious, extremely verbal, and continues to be overall a kind, gentle and fun boy. C is walking confidently but is shy, especially of new people. She won't have anything to do with strangers and will flee them angrily. At 13 months she is beginning to understand some words and short phrases/requests. We went to our first solo playgroup (sans brother - he was at preschool) last Thursday.

And some photos....

Christmas Morning....

Grandpa's piano on Christmas Day, a duet.

Checking on us at the local fair, on Boxing Day. We ran into someone I knew from the neighborhood (she lives a few streets down) and her 3 year old and E were immediate fast friends, going on ride after ride, and culminating with this bouncy castle, which they stayed in for ages. Actually met up with them the next week when I was out walking to the park with E, and we wound up going AGAIN, totally impromptu. Pro tip: Never buy "toasted marshmallows" at these events, they cost 2 quid and were roasted with a mini-blowtorch. Yeah.

In and around all the fun, someone found the chance to wreak mischief.

"Wait... how many calories?"

Hampton Court Palace post-Christmas, watching the costumed actors give a performance in Henry VIII's great hall.

C surveying the landscaped gardens.

Oh-so-artsy.

Hedge maze!

Triumphant.

A stroll along the outer edge of the palace, toward the fountain.
"Oh all right, one go on the carousel before we leave."

I have some more pictures, these from the Horniman Museum (trust me, the name has no bearing on anything) last weekend. It has a little aquarium and some good kid-friendly hands-on things, like instruments. But it probably deserves its own post.