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.

Christmas Eve

The Oxen

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel

"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.


-Thomas Hardy

It's Beginning to Look...

...a lot like Christmas. Although the weather is fairly balmy (for here) especially compared to last year's bitingly cold winter. We decorated our tree at E's insistence...


B and I have got everything sorted except a pie dish (which is due tomorrow) and possibly some more wrapping paper. Presents are starting to pile up underneath the tree. I feel pretty acclimatized to a UK Christmas now although I feel mince pies are a poor trade for reg'lar old non-alcoholic eggnog. You know what I don't like, though? The commercial aftermath of Christmas. The Boxing Day sales and all that stuff - ok, fair enough to get a few deals, but after the actual HOLIDAY is over, I just want to let go and start living normally. We've already had Black Friday (well, that's more of a States thing but it's making its way over here), Cyber Monday, etc, and frankly I'd rather sit back and enjoy what I've already got rather than think about Acquiring More.

'Scuse my mini-rant. Here are some photos from our (my and E's) recent visit to the Museum of London. It really is a wonderful place and child-friendly. I have been known to spend most of a day there (pre-children).

They have fairly recently revamped it, adding more to the downstairs exhibits. They also added on a replica Saxon house (wattle and daub).

E in front of the (recently added) Victorian Pleasure Garden exhibit. Since I recently wrote a novel set in 1877 and am currently writing one set in 1843, I love going through these indoor "gardens!" They have little movie-type scenes projected onto the walls with people talking/acting, benches and a little winding ramp down which to promenade.

Nearby is the Victorian Walk, which is a series of shops from the 1800's all kitted out with different Victorian gadgets/products. There's even a little pub you can sit in and listen to the piped-in recorded sounds of glasses clinking and people talking. Here, E looks at the toy shop. The museum had the walk set up as a Santa's Grotto this Christmas.

One of the exhibits - Victorian pottery set into the floor and covered so that one can walk over it. E was very interested.

The gaol (jail) exhibit. I read about debtor's prison while he looked at the child-friendly interactive display. Inside those boxes are handleable objects such as padlocks, keys, chains etc.

This was E's favorite exhibit. Moving trains, buttons, lights, roads, and a traffic light in the background. Fortunately it had a nice table and chair nearby for me.

After sharing lunch, E and I headed outside to catch the bus near St. Paul's Cathedral.

We rode past the anti-capitalism Occupy protest.


Down Fleet Street and the Strand....

Over the Thames with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the distance.

Back to Waterloo Station and then home. Merry Early Christmas to all! I will try and do another update tomorrow with the picture of our tree and all underneath it.

Dec Misc

We are counting down to Christmas, with several packages from the USA under the tree and one slightly impatient little boy. He wakes up and asks "Is it Christmas yet?" although he is somewhat mollified by being able to open the advent calendars. (Yes, plural. We have two! Why not?)

Both kids are a little under the weather - today and yesterday E has been coughing, and C's been hoarse and snotty. I caught it too, but was able to shake it off after a few days... hoping it won't last long for the kids.

This little girl turned 1 on the 9th:

She very much enjoyed her chocolate cake.

She would like to let everyone know that this is what a proper kiss looks like:


This little boy went to his school's fete (winter fundraiser) and requested "stars" on his face. He wound up with a gorgeous night sky and stood out most wonderfully from all the generic Spidermans running around.


He is off preschool until January. We hit the Museum of London yesterday which he enjoyed, but was feeling too under the weather to really get into. We also recently tried out the fondue set that B and I received as a wedding present. It was an interesting experiment. I think E enjoyed it more than B or I did. He kept dipping and dipping and forgetting to eat!

He and his sister do get along splendidly overall, despite photos like the following....


C continues to keep us on our toes by carrying out frequent fridge raids:

"Hmm? Blueberries? On the floor? Who coulda done that?"

"Okay, I admit it. I'm triumphant...

"...and I ate THIS many before you made it into the room!"

And I'm off to bed before one of the hooligans wakes.

Wales Misc

A few more pictures, since I have some time. I have been working with C on bedtimes lately and have now gotten her to the point where I can go through the bedtime routine and then leave her in the crib sleepy-but-awake to fall asleep herself. This is a major breakthrough for us and it means more free time for me of an evening. Now... if I can just teach her to stop waking up 3-4-5+ times per night, things will be much better. Crying it out doesn't work so am continuing to muddle through with her.

Back to Wales....

Exploring the onsite lake near the village.

C all dressed up and ready to--

...escape, and crawl off at lightning speed. Toward the bottom of the slide, which she tried to climb about 823452 times.

Hot chocolate, the decadent too-sugary kind, after a little hike around the lake/site. And, back at home...

...the smile that says "You have caught me, but I am wholly unrepentant, and actually rather proud, of my destruction/mess/horrible stain/fill-in-the-blank." Note the toothpaste in her other hand. She hasn't figured out screw-top caps, but it won't be long, folks.

Weather has gotten markedly colder, with frosts appearing. I am once again thankful for a well-insulated double-glazed flat. It really makes heating so much more efficient.

I am currently 35k+ into my current novel (projected 80k), set in early Victorian England. I've had a submission (on another historical) out to a publisher for the last 6 months and they've asked for more time to consider, so I'm hoping that's a good sign.

Counting down to Christmas, and B is taking a few weeks off work, which will be nice. Hope everyone reading this (yeah, all 4 of you!) are staying warm and happy in this new season.