We're just back from a few days down in London. We'd been planning to stop in for a couple of days on the way to the Branch family reunion in Maldon, which didn't happen in the end, so we ended up staying an extra day with Grannie & Grandpa, and I think everyone was very pleased we did.We had a fairly easy journey down on Thursday morning; Tom only slept for half an hour and started yelling on the M40, so we stopped for lunch at Cherwell Valley services, which seemed to do the trick, and he then spent a good 20 minutes charging round and round the aisles of WH Smiths laughing like a drain, much to everyone's amusement.
We got to London around 2.00 and tried to put Tom down for a nap in his very nice cot there. Not a chance. Red in the face and apoplectic with rage. He may have been over-tired, but we think is was more because he hadn't finished exploring the house/garden and was furious that he'd been put to bed. Exactly the same happened after dinner & bath. There was no way he was going to sleep. In the end, Nik sat with him on the bed until he fell asleep and then put him in the cot. Not a peep until the following morning after that. Little bugger.
We all decided to head to the RHS gardens at Wisley after Tom's morning nap. Ha ha. More screaming and fury. Ho hum. So, in the end he had about 30 minutes kip in the car on the way. However, he loved Wisley and walked his little legs off, especially round the huge glass house, where we could hardly keep up with him at times. Just like last time we took him there, he was fascinated by the waterfall and sat there staring at it. Perhaps we should make a trip to Niagara. We then had lunch in the family room of the restaurant, where Tom wolfed down a very large lunch and a good chunk of our bread pudding before heading off into the soft play area and riding the hell out of a frog. We took him out onto the lawn with a football to try and tire him 
out good and proper, and Nik then sat in the back of the car on the way home to keep him awake. It worked. He was absolutely shattered and actually looked grateful when we put him down in his cot. So, planning works sometimes.
out good and proper, and Nik then sat in the back of the car on the way home to keep him awake. It worked. He was absolutely shattered and actually looked grateful when we put him down in his cot. So, planning works sometimes.We had a play in the garden after Tom woke up, and discovered that the current toy of choice is a large, galvanised wheelbarrow (see video). He quite enjoyed being carted around in it, but was even happier pushing it up and down the garden himself. We were amazed he had the strength to do it, but he did it over and over again, grinning from ear to ear. I feel a trip to B&Q coming up. He had another good dinner, weed all over me in the bath and then went down for another good sleep, this time also without a murmur. He woke once during the night, but it was quite hot.
Grannie & Grandpa offered to babysit, so Nik & I went out for dinner round the corner at an Afghan/Lebanese/Turkish restaurant. Reasonable prices (for London) and excellent nosh. Really delicious. Hope we get a chance to go again before long. We then took a stroll around the mean streets of East Sheen and had a quick pint before heading back. A really good day for all concerned.
Change of author. Saturday saw us doing some typical London things that Grannie and Grandpa had planned:- a ride on a double decker bus followed by a boat trip on the Thames from Richmond to Teddington Lock and back. Tom had a brilliant time. He actually sat still on me for the first half of the journey, staring out at the water and waving at any boat that went by. On the way back, he decided that he was bored of the water, but that charging up and down the boat would be great fun. (Just as well there weren't many people on board). That kept him occupied until we got back. We then had lunch at a local cafe - Tom was in radar mode, his head was spinning from side to side and there was no way I could get any food in, so we gave up.
After lunch we headed off to Richmond Green, so Tom could stretch his legs, which he did. We also managed to convince him to eat lunch which was good. Tom ran his heart out and managed to show us some good moves on the football. Once he showed signs of tiredness we headed back. Tom then got shown off at Pat's shop before being put in bed, whilst I walked up the road to a sugarcraft shop which stocks lots of odd shaped cake drums so I got a whole load ready for the orders I know I have coming up. Lady in the shop was very very helpful, think I might be popping in there each time we visit.
Tom woke up in a grumpy mood in the afternoon. Took a good hour to get a smile from him, but Matt managed to sort him out in the end with a combination of dental gel, dummy and wheelbarrow trips. Then dinner, milk and bed. We forgot to take Tom's bottle with us, so he was forcibly weened from it. We know we can't give him any other drinking vessel after his bath, so I've been filling his water bottle with milk after dinner and trying to get him to drink it before bath. It has been moderately successful.
Saturday night saw us playing Scrabble (as is tradition in the Young household), I of course lost, but it was played in good humour. Matt then watched the MotoGP qualifying whilst I fell asleep on the sofa.
Change of author. Saturday saw us doing some typical London things that Grannie and Grandpa had planned:- a ride on a double decker bus followed by a boat trip on the Thames from Richmond to Teddington Lock and back. Tom had a brilliant time. He actually sat still on me for the first half of the journey, staring out at the water and waving at any boat that went by. On the way back, he decided that he was bored of the water, but that charging up and down the boat would be great fun. (Just as well there weren't many people on board). That kept him occupied until we got back. We then had lunch at a local cafe - Tom was in radar mode, his head was spinning from side to side and there was no way I could get any food in, so we gave up.After lunch we headed off to Richmond Green, so Tom could stretch his legs, which he did. We also managed to convince him to eat lunch which was good. Tom ran his heart out and managed to show us some good moves on the football. Once he showed signs of tiredness we headed back. Tom then got shown off at Pat's shop before being put in bed, whilst I walked up the road to a sugarcraft shop which stocks lots of odd shaped cake drums so I got a whole load ready for the orders I know I have coming up. Lady in the shop was very very helpful, think I might be popping in there each time we visit.
Tom woke up in a grumpy mood in the afternoon. Took a good hour to get a smile from him, but Matt managed to sort him out in the end with a combination of dental gel, dummy and wheelbarrow trips. Then dinner, milk and bed. We forgot to take Tom's bottle with us, so he was forcibly weened from it. We know we can't give him any other drinking vessel after his bath, so I've been filling his water bottle with milk after dinner and trying to get him to drink it before bath. It has been moderately successful.
Saturday night saw us playing Scrabble (as is tradition in the Young household), I of course lost, but it was played in good humour. Matt then watched the MotoGP qualifying whilst I fell asleep on the sofa.
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