We have just enjoyed a lovely long weekend with glorious weather and some really lovely days out.
Good Friday was such a sunny day we decided on a trip to a local beer garden, which includes a nice big playground, with Lilly and Isla’s Nanna and Grandad and Aunty Laura. We all sat and enjoyed the sunshine while Lilly played on the slide and swings, while bossing the much bigger children who tried to play on the one slide that was “out of order”! The highlight had to be the huge trampoline at the bottom on the field where Lilly surprised me by wanting to get on without hesitation after seeing another little boy bouncing away. (Previously at the soft play, she’s had two tentative bounces before wanting to get off – and she wouldn’t even entertain bouncy castles, except to sit on the outside and bounce on her bottom a bit!) Soon when Grandad and Laura saw how much fun she was having they wanted to join in too – in the end we were all bent over double laughing as they bounced away together!
After that it was back to their house for a bbq – we had some delicious meat but tried to keep the amount consumed down a little bit with Weight Watchers in mind. Lilly’s wendy house was brought out of the shed and she also enjoyed cycling around the garden and playing football with daddy and grandad (“It’s MY turn to score a goal now!!!”)
Isla wouldn’t sleep in her pushchair after lunch, and after less than five minutes shut-eye in the car, wouldn’t sleep at Nanna’s house either, so she was a little grouchy towards the end of the day. But she still enjoyed sitting on her picnic blanket in the garden and picking daisies, and even had a little sit in the wendy house which she seemed to enjoy.
On Saturday we decided to go on a (slightly ambitious) day trip to York. We absolutely love it there, and actually went last Easter for a long weekend before Isla was born. We left the house at 8.30 and got there for just after 10am, so it wasn’t bad going at all. A tip for other daytrippers is the station car park, just by the railway museum – £2.50 all day on Saturdays, and you can reserve your place ahead. 
We started at the Railway Museum, where we enjoyed cappucinos (no cakes) for us and a muffin for Lilly before looking at the Royal trains, Japanese bullet train (once again Lilly loved sitting on this and didn’t want to get off “until the train goes”), and of course enjoying the coin operated Thomas ride and shop of the same theme – where a Thomas Flag was purchased with much excitement – exactly the same as this time last year when we last stayed.
After the railway museum we went for a picnic by the river – it was such a glorious day, really warm and sunny and combined with it being Easter weekend York was absolutely packed. However where we spread out our blanket, in a very lovely park with the war memorial in it, wasn’t too busy and we all enjoyed our sandwiches and salad. Mind you, Lilly managed to get a whole sandwich stuck to her dress and was walking around oblivious… Luckily, (and unusually), I had packed another sun dress for her…
We went for a lovely stroll along the River Ouse, and tried to find a pub where we could have a little sit down – not easy due to the hoardes! Then it was back home and a slightly less peaceful journey as Lilly managed to wee in her seat after not very much advance notice of needing the loo. So there went the last change of clothes – she had to travel home in nothing but a cardy! Isla was grizzling because she was hungry. But hey, no matter, a lovely day!
Easter Sunday started a little early – not sure which of the girls woke first but by 4.50am they were both awake (usual wakeup time at the moment being about 5.50am) We had left a pair of bunny ears and a couple of tiny chocolate eggs for Lilly outside her bedroom, which she was very excited to discover. “Do you think the Easter bunny left you those, Lilly?” I asked her. “No, he didn’t”. she said. “Because Sasha at nursery has got those ears too…”
Anyway the chocolate was eaten aproximately 10 seconds later and she was happy with that!
After lunch I set up an Easter egg hunt for her, complete with ‘cryptic’ clues, and she enjoyed hunting all over the house collecting little chocolate eggs, chicks and bunnies. At the end of the hunt was a present each for the girls and a bigger Peppa Pig egg for Lilly with a rocket shaped cup.
Monday was a slightly cooler day, although still sunny and we went to see my mum where Lilly enjoyed yet another Easter Egg hunt as ‘uncle’ Jack (my sister’s boyfriend) had hidden 70 small eggs in the garden for her to find. Isla meanwhile enjoyed putting the chocolate eggs in her mouth and tearing off the foil wrapping with her teeth- oops!
Then we went to a country fair in Southport, where I may or may not have exposed my knickers to the crowd while trying to rescue Lilly from impending doom trying to climb up a ridiculously difficult ladder thing on an inflatable slide, and I also may or may not have nearly wiped out about five children in failing to rescue Lilly and instead sliding rather un-ladylike back down said difficult ladder thing. I, er, can’t quite remember now… Anyway the upshot was that Lilly plumped for the bouncy castle instead, and, after at least five minutes sitting in the corner of the castle observing… she got up and bounced!!!! Quite a breakthrough after being too frightened to do it before. And, guess what? She absolutely loved it!
If only we had more four day weekends… oh, wait – there’s another one next week (thank you, Royal Wedding)
