After a rather stressful term of job hunting, baby worries, water polo finals and general work, we decided to spend a relaxing half term
potty training and packing.
Packing went well, with me doing the housework to save
pregnant Clare from too much work - although this plan actually led to Clare doing far too much by being left to pack up the multitude of trinkets and antiques that have accumulated around our house. Some of these things include: An antique head that shows you where to massage, a glass bell shaped thing that I am told is expensive but have no idea what it could ever have be used for, old jars, old pots, old bottles. Things that Victorians would have put out for Ye Olde Recycling box, we have displayed proudly around the house. Emma Bridgewater pots, Emma Bridgewater plates, Emma Bridgewater jugs, Emma Bridgewater tea towels, Emma Bridgwater coffee pot, Emma Bridgewater pasta jar ......basically if its got spots on it - we've got it!
And whilst all of this was being wrapped in bubble wrap, further wrapped in newspaper and then carefully shoved into a box.....Tilly was being potty trained. Last time we tried this it ended up with a 2 year old girl becoming terrified of the potty and more pairs of wet knickers than at a Daniel O Donnell concert. So we waited a half term... and tried again!
First day ......... The potty no longer seemed scary...phew! but Tilly seemed to think that going for a wee and then telling us about it was the best plan. End result = lots of washing for Clare (I still don't know which buttons to press on the machine!).
Second Day ........ Tilly starts weeing, then tells us and so some of the wee actually ends up in the potty. Clare and I then follow this with a rousing rendition of "pee pee on the potty" song and progress is clearly being made.
Third Day ......... We finally have success. "Mummy, mummy, wee wee" is actually said before the event, this follows by a mad run over to Tilly and throwing Tilly onto the potty just in time. Cue Double rendition of "pee pee on the potty" with added dance, jig and waving of the arms. This potty thing looks easy. We even managed a trip out to see Grandma and Nanny without any incidents (although Tilly has found that disabled toilets have sinks that she can reach and so says she needs the toilet just to use the sink - rather than for any wee events).
Fourth Day ......... We have the great idea of a tube trip into London. Drive to the staion ..... no accidents (although we do have to stop of the hard shoulder for a false alarm). Tube into London ..... no accidents. Then on the circle line "Mummy need a wee wee". Dilema... what do you do. Daddy takes Tilly to the end of the carriage, daddy gets out the potty by the doors to the tube and then Tilly wees away. We stop at a station half way through the wee event and the passangers on the platform give me somewhat of a wierd lookas I am sat holding a two year old girl on a potty in the centre of London. Tilly finishes and Daddy is left carrying a potty full of wee along Baker Street until we find a toilet to empty it into. Elementary My dear Tilly.
We manage to have a full day in London, trip to the Olympic Site (although this does look more like a giant industrial site than anything else) and a drive home.... without any accidents at all. This deserves 3 renditions of "pee pee on the potty".
So packing is well under way. Potty training is going well and Saturday is both the only non-raining day of the week but it is also Charlie's birthday (Tilly's cousin for those of you that do not know). There can only be one option..... A trip to
Legoland. The child inside me gets excited just thinking about it. Legoland, the place I have dreamed of going to ever since I first put two plastic bricks together (and then lost three teeth trying to bite them apart again), the place that was once a fantasy (as it was only in Denmark), is now a reality (as it is only a 30minute drive from where we live). Legoland - Scandinavian's greatest gift to the world that is not made of MDF or bacon. Legoland - like Alton Towers without the chavs. Legoland - the only place where you go to look at a plastic skyline of London instead of looking at the horizon where that actual skyline is there in reality.
We get there early and have time for a look around Lego Starwars before the main gates actually open. Just when I thought the child in me couldn't get more excited.. I see the many worlds of Starwars made out of Lego. I see the big walking things from the Empire Strikes Back made out of Lego, the ewok tree houses made of Lego, the Millenium Falcon made of Lego, the crap Jar Jar Binks army made of Lego and then a shop selling every starwars character (you guessed it) made of Lego. Fortunately for Clare (and our bank balance) the main gates had opened just as I stepped into the shop and so I only had time to buy one keyring. The wierd man behind the counter also put me off a bit as he tried to talk to me a bit too much (with me looking around the exhibition on my own, it seemed like he was trying to recruit me into some ,kind of grooming club). So with my CRB check now laminated and hung around my neck, I entered Legoland with Tilly and Clare.
Lee and Emma (Charlie's parents)had their map ready, their plan of action ready and so we set off at warp speed to get around with the aim of getting as many rides into the first half hour as possible. A course had been planned after weeks of meticulous preparation and not since Ranolph Fienes first placed his foot onto the Artic Continent has a route been so well prepared. We did the roller coaster in 5 minutes and were just about to go on the runaway train when diaster struck. Now, Tilly was allowed on this ride and we were sat happily waiting to go when Tilly suddenly decided that this was not the ride for her.
The train had slowly started moving, the man on the loud speaker was getting everyone psyched up for the ride, and the bar had descended to keep everyone in place. Everyone apart from Tilly - who stood up and said "Tilly want to get off!". I tried to sit her down - no luck. I tried to push her down - no luck. I tried asking her to sit down - "no! Tilly get off!". The man on the loud speaker said "will you get your child to sit down sir!" - No luck! The ride was stopped, we were escorted from the ride area and Tilly started smiling again with the knowledge that she had won. Yet again, Tilly had got her own way. Nothing could stop her - not even a theme Park! Needless to say - I was a little bit embarassed as the people on the ride stared at us, the people waiting in the queue stared at us and for a moment it seemes that even the Lego models turned their heads and stared at us. Tilly just smiled nonchalantly as all she was aware of was the fact that she had won! I was even more embarassed then when she was on the tube pointing at 2 men sat opposite us and saying- little man.... big man ..... little man .... big man...... as she pointed at the two men one after the other leaving no chance that they could misunderstand which one was big and which the smaller of the two.
"I don't like that ride" was then her new favourite saying of the day. Tilly do you want to go on the mini pirate ship - "No, I don't like that ride". Tilly do you want to go on the carousel - "no, I don't like that ride!". Tilly do you want to go on the hot air balloons - "No, I don't like that ride". So we gave up on rides and headed to the Duplo Theatre and Duplo World. The 3 Little Pig show and the Duplo train ride were sure to work and like Tiger Woods at a nightclub - Tilly could just not resist!The Duplo Train was finally a ride that Tilly got onto, followed closely by the Duplo Play area, the 3 Little Pigs theatre Show and the Lego fairytale Boat Ride. The Girl that at 3 months old went on Dune Buggies and Speed boats was now the 2 year old that would go on the somewhat more subdued slow trains and paddle boats.
But at least we did not have to stop any of these rides. We then watched Charlie get his Lego driving licence and ride the wave rider before seeing the Lego Miniworld, riding the rapids and then returning home. We began the week wanting to relax, not put too much strain on Clare and make sure that we went back top work refreshed, relaxed and ready to go. Instead we had chased Tilly with a potty, done the hellrider, packed 7 billion antiques (rounded up) into hundreds of boxes and walked 50,000 miles around Legoland (when adjusted to the scale of Lego miniworld).
We wre definitely ready to go back to work - if only to get some rest. So here it goes - The final 4 weeks at HABS!
After a rather stressful term of job hunting, baby worries, water polo finals and general work, we decided to spend a relaxing half term potty training and packing.
Packing went well, with me doing the housework to save pregnant Clare from too much work - although this plan actually led to Clare doing far too much by being left to pack up the multitude of trinkets and antiques that have accumulated around our house. Some of these things include: An antique head that shows you where to massage, a glass bell shaped thing that I am told is expensive but have no idea what it could ever have be used for, old jars, old pots, old bottles. Things that Victorians would have put out for Ye Olde Recycling box, we have displayed proudly around the house. Emma Bridgewater pots, Emma Bridgewater plates, Emma Bridgewater jugs, Emma Bridgewater tea towels, Emma Bridgwater coffee pot, Emma Bridgewater pasta jar ......basically if its got spots on it - we've got it!
And whilst all of this was being wrapped in bubble wrap, further wrapped in newspaper and then carefully shoved into a box.....Tilly was being potty trained. Last time we tried this it ended up with a 2 year old girl becoming terrified of the potty and more pairs of wet knickers than at a Daniel O Donnell concert. So we waited a half term... and tried again!
First day ......... The potty no longer seemed scary...phew! but Tilly seemed to think that going for a wee and then telling us about it was the best plan. End result = lots of washing for Clare (I still don't know which buttons to press on the machine!).
Second Day ........ Tilly starts weeing, then tells us and so some of the wee actually ends up in the potty. Clare and I then follow this with a rousing rendition of "pee pee on the potty" song and progress is clearly being made.
Third Day ......... We finally have success. "Mummy, mummy, wee wee" is actually said before the event, this follows by a mad run over to Tilly and throwing Tilly onto the potty just in time. Cue Double rendition of "pee pee on the potty" with added dance, jig and waving of the arms. This potty thing looks easy. We even managed a trip out to see Grandma and Nanny without any incidents (although Tilly has found that disabled toilets have sinks that she can reach and so says she needs the toilet just to use the sink - rather than for any wee events).
Fourth Day ......... We have the great idea of a tube trip into London. Drive to the staion ..... no accidents (although we do have to stop of the hard shoulder for a false alarm). Tube into London ..... no accidents. Then on the circle line "Mummy need a wee wee". Dilema... what do you do. Daddy takes Tilly to the end of the carriage, daddy gets out the potty by the doors to the tube and then Tilly wees away. We stop at a station half way through the wee event and the passangers on the platform give me somewhat of a wierd lookas I am sat holding a two year old girl on a potty in the centre of London. Tilly finishes and Daddy is left carrying a potty full of wee along Baker Street until we find a toilet to empty it into. Elementary My dear Tilly.
We manage to have a full day in London, trip to the Olympic Site (although this does look more like a giant industrial site than anything else) and a drive home.... without any accidents at all. This deserves 3 renditions of "pee pee on the potty".
So packing is well under way. Potty training is going well and Saturday is both the only non-raining day of the week but it is also Charlie's birthday (Tilly's cousin for those of you that do not know). There can only be one option..... A trip to Legoland. The child inside me gets excited just thinking about it. Legoland, the place I have dreamed of going to ever since I first put two plastic bricks together (and then lost three teeth trying to bite them apart again), the place that was once a fantasy (as it was only in Denmark), is now a reality (as it is only a 30minute drive from where we live). Legoland - Scandinavian's greatest gift to the world that is not made of MDF or bacon. Legoland - like Alton Towers without the chavs. Legoland - the only place where you go to look at a plastic skyline of London instead of looking at the horizon where that actual skyline is there in reality.
We get there early and have time for a look around Lego Starwars before the main gates actually open. Just when I thought the child in me couldn't get more excited.. I see the many worlds of Starwars made out of Lego. I see the big walking things from the Empire Strikes Back made out of Lego, the ewok tree houses made of Lego, the Millenium Falcon made of Lego, the crap Jar Jar Binks army made of Lego and then a shop selling every starwars character (you guessed it) made of Lego. Fortunately for Clare (and our bank balance) the main gates had opened just as I stepped into the shop and so I only had time to buy one keyring. The wierd man behind the counter also put me off a bit as he tried to talk to me a bit too much (with me looking around the exhibition on my own, it seemed like he was trying to recruit me into some ,kind of grooming club). So with my CRB check now laminated and hung around my neck, I entered Legoland with Tilly and Clare.
Lee and Emma (Charlie's parents)had their map ready, their plan of action ready and so we set off at warp speed to get around with the aim of getting as many rides into the first half hour as possible. A course had been planned after weeks of meticulous preparation and not since Ranolph Fienes first placed his foot onto the Artic Continent has a route been so well prepared. We did the roller coaster in 5 minutes and were just about to go on the runaway train when diaster struck. Now, Tilly was allowed on this ride and we were sat happily waiting to go when Tilly suddenly decided that this was not the ride for her.
The train had slowly started moving, the man on the loud speaker was getting everyone psyched up for the ride, and the bar had descended to keep everyone in place. Everyone apart from Tilly - who stood up and said "Tilly want to get off!". I tried to sit her down - no luck. I tried to push her down - no luck. I tried asking her to sit down - "no! Tilly get off!". The man on the loud speaker said "will you get your child to sit down sir!" - No luck! The ride was stopped, we were escorted from the ride area and Tilly started smiling again with the knowledge that she had won. Yet again, Tilly had got her own way. Nothing could stop her - not even a theme Park! Needless to say - I was a little bit embarassed as the people on the ride stared at us, the people waiting in the queue stared at us and for a moment it seemes that even the Lego models turned their heads and stared at us. Tilly just smiled nonchalantly as all she was aware of was the fact that she had won! I was even more embarassed then when she was on the tube pointing at 2 men sat opposite us and saying- little man.... big man ..... little man .... big man...... as she pointed at the two men one after the other leaving no chance that they could misunderstand which one was big and which the smaller of the two.
"I don't like that ride" was then her new favourite saying of the day. Tilly do you want to go on the mini pirate ship - "No, I don't like that ride". Tilly do you want to go on the carousel - "no, I don't like that ride!". Tilly do you want to go on the hot air balloons - "No, I don't like that ride". So we gave up on rides and headed to the Duplo Theatre and Duplo World. The 3 Little Pig show and the Duplo train ride were sure to work and like Tiger Woods at a nightclub - Tilly could just not resist!The Duplo Train was finally a ride that Tilly got onto, followed closely by the Duplo Play area, the 3 Little Pigs theatre Show and the Lego fairytale Boat Ride. The Girl that at 3 months old went on Dune Buggies and Speed boats was now the 2 year old that would go on the somewhat more subdued slow trains and paddle boats.
But at least we did not have to stop any of these rides. We then watched Charlie get his Lego driving licence and ride the wave rider before seeing the Lego Miniworld, riding the rapids and then returning home. We began the week wanting to relax, not put too much strain on Clare and make sure that we went back top work refreshed, relaxed and ready to go. Instead we had chased Tilly with a potty, done the hellrider, packed 7 billion antiques (rounded up) into hundreds of boxes and walked 50,000 miles around Legoland (when adjusted to the scale of Lego miniworld).
We wre definitely ready to go back to work - if only to get some rest. So here it goes - The final 4 weeks at HABS!
