Sledging!

This was a first for Mummy and me!  I quite liked riding along the flat, but going down the slope was scary!  Mummy thought it was awesome though!

First Snow!

There was, admitedly, the odd snowy day last year, but this is the first proper one ever.  We invited Madeleine to look out the window, and she complies. Double took.  Looked again.  OMG - what had happened!  The World had turned white!

We went for a walk to Colinton - which is quite far when you only have baby legs.  Madeleine walked about half the way.  Her wellington boots were incredibly cute, but didn't really keep her feet that warm :-(   We met lots of dogs and 3 horses.  It was very exciting!

When we got to Colinton, we had a cup of coffee and a slice of Carrot Cake.  Very nice it was too.

The Science Museum

Breakfast in Borough Market - a huge foodie paradise, filled with every foodie delight imaginable.  We sampled and bought some preserve and chutneys, the best artisan sausage we have ever tasted (and it was British) and a punnet of lovely fresh raspberries, before nipping into this baker for breakfast.  A choice of artisan breads and pastries and a peanut butter that even met with Daddy's approval.  Superb!  A lovely walk, via Southwark Cathedral, across the river with views of Tower Bridge, before heading off to the Science Museum.

Another bright, busy space - very different to how John and I remember it!  Madeleine enjoyed the Bubble Show, in to which they had shoe-horned a teaspoon of "science" and the Space Exhibition.  I was chuffed to see Stevenson's actual Rocket.  How amazing is that?  John saw Ernie.  Apparently that is exciting too.

Another long walk in the afternoon - all the way from Kensington to the South Bank.  Ducks featured heavily again, but we also saw the changing of the Guard or should it be the changing of the horse  at Horseguards in Whitehall.

Just time for a quick ride on another kind of horse altogether on the South Bank.  Madeleine spent half the journey frantically pointing at the London Eye - maybe next time!

A beautiful city.  We had a lovely time.

The Natural History Museum

If you love animals, it really doesn't get any more exciting than this.  Madeleine hadn't seen a dinosaur before, and was hugely excited by the exhibition. The animated full-scale T-Rex excited her as much as it had her big sister. They both clearly thought this was real.  Since coming home, Madeleine has been pointing out dinosaurs and bringing me our plastic models.  It clearly made a big impression on her!

Madeleine especially enjoyed the bird section - walls covered with every species you could possibly imagine!  

Afterwards we blew the cobwebs away with a long walk in Hyde Park, pausing for lunch at the Lido on the Serpentine.  It would be lovely to come back in the summer when we can hire a little boat. This is Madeleine in front of the Duck House!

We went back to see Trafalgar Square in the daylight and clamber over the lions like proper tourists, before a quick flick around the National Gallery to play boobies and babies.  This is a traditional family game - well Catherine played it anyway...  you have to look for things that excite little children.  When they are bigger you can include dogs.  Early art is great for boob spotting...

The Christmas Tree in Covent Garden was definitely the most impressive.  Just time to watch some street theatre beneath it, before grabbing a pizza on the piazza before bed.

We went to London to see the Queen

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to see the Queen!

OK, I admit the purpose of our visit was a little less regal, but it is the only child-friendly rhyme I know about London - that and the one about the Bridge falling down, which doesn't sound very promising.  Madeleine took it all in good stead as we bundled her up at the crack of dawn off to catch the train.   We were busy congratulating ourselves that we had at the very last moment remembered the rain cover for the buggy, and were happily waiting at the bus stop when we remembered that we had completely forgotten our case.  Fortunately Daddy runs quickly!

 Just 4 hours and 20 minutes to King Cross, and across town on the tube.  It has to be said that the tube was not built with buggies (or wheelchairs for that matter) in mind, but you can cope if you are prepared to hang precariously off of escalators ignoring all safety warnings.  As the tube thundered into the station, Madeleine looked up at me with huge alarm - clearly checking to see whether running screaming would be an appropriate response.  Despite the noise and the bustle, by the time we left 4 days later, she seemed quite the veteran tube-traveller and wasn't phased at all.

First stop was the Tate Modern - just over-whelming for the scale of the place.   We waked from gallery to gallery with a gawping Madeleine in tow.  Of particular note, some birds arrowed to the wall, a canvas streaming with colour and some blobs, which might or might not have been meant to be poo.  We also watched a puppet silhouette performance, where an African slave grew a huge penis and then gave birth.  It was all very disturbing.  Madeleine, in between gawping, began to shout "DUCK.  DUCK".  At first, being a little literal, we, her parents, looked vainly around for duck-like shapes.  I think however, when you only have 50 words max, this was her attempt at art-critique.  She does like ducks, so I guess she was approving.

Afterwards we went for a walk along the river.  The South Bank (we stayed in Southwark) has changed out of all recognition since I lived in London twenty years ago.  I hadn't been in London since her 20 week scan - and Madeleine had only ever been as an inside-baby before, so we were both a little blown away - by the scale of the place, by its bustle, by how very alive and exciting it is.  Madeleine expressed this by sitting upright in her buggy, squealing and pointing. We ended up in China Town.  Madeleine was totally wowed.  It is so, so bright.  So busy.  So noisy.  With amazing cake shops and restaurants by restaurants by more restaurants - all wafting amazing smells, and proudly displaying spit roasted duck.  "Duck. Duck" yelled Madeleine.  Absolutely.

We went to the place that we'd eaten in just after her 20 week scan, when she had been given a clean bill of health, but was still 4 weeks from even being viable.  So much to play for then.  This time she sucked in the busy restaurant and tucked into prawn crackers and duck pancakes. 

We walked back to Southwark via St Martin in the Fields.  London, all decked out for Christmas - the bells of the church chiming away across Trafalgar Square.  Madeleine could hardly believe her eyes, and sat in her buggy frantically signing "horse" as she pointed at the statue of King George.  

What an amazing city!

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas is coming...

Christmas is coming

the Goose is getting fat

Please put a penny in the old man's hat

This is the first year I've managed to catch on about this  Christmas lark... it seems to involve a lot of eating.  Here we are - an early Christmas dinner - Granddad declared it the best pudding he had ever tasted - which given he is exceptionally old, is something of an accolade!

This is also the first year I've managed to make some Christmas arts and crafts - a whole set of plum pudding Christmas cards, a paper plate angel, a number of pictures, a crown and a gaggle of little toilet roll penguins.  I won't bore you with pictures of all those things.  They are however exceptionally good - just look how pleased Granddad is to receive his!

Grandad and Gran Kat took me to the fair with Mummy and Daddy.  It's not the first time I've ever been on a carousel - but it is the first time I was thrilled to do so.  I also rode in the front carriage of the rollercoaster - Granddad bought the picture that they snap of you as you round the fastest loop!  That shows he is mellowing out in old age... (according to Mummy!)

This is me at the Christmas Market at Santa's Post Box - I'm finding Santa a little bit overwhelming this year - maybe next year I'll be more interested?

Moving swiftly on, I'm more than happy to give Stollen and sweet German biscuits a try....

Finally, this is our tree - all the presents are for me!