An afternoon in Stratford .... X

We had Toddler Sense this morning. Today's theme was 'The Blue Lagoon'. During 'free play', there was a big, long tunnel to play in that went the length of the room with different compartments to it. To keep the tunnel lifted up, there was air blowing through it, like what you use to inflate a bouncy castle, but each entrance to the tunnel had the air blowing quite a bit, so despite my best efforts to entice Eva to have a go, she didn't want to. In fact I think only one child actually 'braved' it and his Mommy couldn't get him to then come back out, hehe. Eva was quite happy sitting in the ball pit, however, and holding the little beach ball with the duck inside. When we started 'circle time', Avril brought out several washing up bowls then, filled with the blue lagoons and sea creatures. It was actually blue jelly bath with plastic sea animals immersed in it. I got Eva all ready, by first of all taking her in dark coloured clothes and then actually took her socks and jeggings completely off and rolled up her sleeves. I needn't have bothered, as she didn't even want to touch it lol. Mind you, the water was freezing cold so I don't blame her.

My brother came round when we got back, as he brought our Dad's birthday present round for me to wrap to take to his birthday breakfast tomorrow morning. He had tea and toast here with us and had a munch of Eva, then I put Eva down for her sleep as he left, around midday.

We were going to Stratford this afternoon and decided to get the 1.45pm train in. I made Eva a packed lunch for on the train and woke her after just over an hour at 1.10pm so we could get our stuff together, go and pick Nanny up enroute and get to the train station on time to meet Lisa, Harry and James and catch the train. Eva did cry to be woken up, but once she was up and we were out, she was her usual happy little self and remained totally fine for the afternoon, despite the fact I'd woken her up early.

It was so lovely having my mom out with us this afternoon, we're definitely going to have to do more stuff together. We walked down through Stratford to the Butterfly Farm where the butterflies were flying all around us. We looked in the insect and spider houses and Eva liked watching the water splashing at the side of her when we stood on the little bridge over the big fish pond with the waterfall to the side of us. She also was intrigued watching the little quails and quail chicks just randomly wandering round the ground underneath the hedges. After the Butterfly Farm, we walked round to the park. Eva had a great time on the swings and then we went and sat in this little boat in the baby play area. Eva wanted to sit on the wooden floor of the boat so I let her, she then crawled over to a raised bit of the boat, pulled herself to stand, lifted her knee onto the platform and hauled herself up and on, then turned round looking at me with a huge, proud grin on her face. She did it so fast and easily, I could not believe what I was witnessing, little monkey. Considering she still isn't walking, she does sometimes make me wonder if it's a capability or a choice thing lol. My mom then bought me a flake cornetto and I offered it to Eva to have some of, but she was not impressed with it at all. Hehe.

Today's little photo montage includes a group photo with Nanny and shows the huge butterflies on the fruit, Eva giving Harry a high 5 and kisses, and her sitting in the little platform in the boat that she'd climbed on to. Xxx