Walking on...Sharks!!

Daddy had the best idea today: to go to the London Aquarium!!

Right after we bought our tickets, we walked into a little tunnel and we looked down and...we were walking on sharks! Yes! Right beneath our feet, was a whole tank full of sharks. Mummy said that made her a little nervous, but I wasn't scared. I thought they were awesome!

The whole Aquarium was full of all different kinds of fish. We saw sting rays, jelly fish, sea horses, guppies, tetras (they were bright blue!) angel fish, clown fish (just like Nemo!), and we even saw some sea turtles. At the end, we went into the Antarctic section and saw a few penguins swimming!

My favorite part was definitely walking through the tunnel--it was like we were under water! At the bottom, they had a little hole that was just the right size for me to crawl in to. I wanted to stay there all day, but Mummy said we had to let other people have a turn.

I really want to go back and see all those fishies again!

Paddington

Duxford is my bear. Mummy and Daddy got him for me for Christmas. He sleeps with me every night. Mummy says that he fights away bad dreams while I am sleeping. Before I go to sleep every night, I tell him all about my day and when I wake up, I tell him about the dreams I had. He is a great listener and the best bear in the world.

Today, Duxford got to go to London with me! While we were there, we had to stop at Paddington Station to change trains. That's when Mummy and Daddy surprised me.

Duxford brought my old coat and a red hat just like Paddington Bear wears! He was all dressed up just like Paddington in the stories. Mummy and Daddy took lots of pictures of us. I was so happy to see Duxford and his costume made me laugh.

This is right after I saw him all dressed up. So cool!!

I was feeling really tired...

 When we got inside Paddington Station and were waiting for our train, Mummy started telling me the story of Paddington Bear.

 When she got to the part when Paddington was left all alone in the train station, it made me so sad, I had to cry. It would be so scary to be left all alone in a train station!!

 But then Mummy told me about two people, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, that read Paddington's tag (Please look after this bear. Thank you.) and decided to take him home with them. Then I was so happy! And I was even happier because I knew that Duxford was just pretending to be Paddington and that he would be coming home with me!

Duxford makes a pretty good Paddington bear, doesn't he?

p.s. Mummy told me later that there is a statue of Paddington Bear in the station! I was too tired to go see it today, so maybe next time!

Goodbye 2013!

Mummy and Daddy took me on an adventure New Year's Eve: we went to London!

Aimee and Jonathan Smith, our friends from church, came with us. I was really glad, because not only are they lots of fun, but they have a car. So, we drove most of the way and then got on the tube at Gant's Hill. That meant I got to sleep in my car seat on the way there and all the way back!

This is the first time I got to wear pajamas into London! Daddy had me in the tummy pack the whole time, too. I love being in the tummy pack because then I'm up high and I can see everything.

We got off the tube at Holborn, right by the British Museum, then walked down to the River Thames. We found the PERFECT spot on Waterloo Bridge--we could see the London Eye, Canary Wharf, and (most important of all): Big Ben!!

Our View from Waterloo Bridge

We laughed and danced and talked until 9:45---and then I told Daddy it was time for a bottle and sleep! I was so tired--I really wanted to stay up and see the fireworks, but I was just too knackered (as the British would say). We were on Waterloo Bridge...having so much fun....I started to sing...Daddy was so nice and warm....I'm just wanted to close my eyes for a second....



So---Mummy here. Little Brute fell asleep around 10:00 and, unfortunately, missed all the excitement of the fireworks. Daddy and I were so grateful, however, because that meant actually got quite a bit of sleep! Daddy zipped him up in his coat giving him a warm, dark place to sleep. It even muffled the sound. Which was probably a good thing.

All you could see of Little Brute was one foot....awww!

It's long been on my bucket list to spend New Year's Eve with Big Ben in view. When we found out we would be in England for a year, it was one of the first things I mentioned to Daddy---we MUST be in London on December 31st. The Christmas holiday was full of fevers, coughing, chest pain, bad sleep, and more used tissues than I care to mention, so it was looking like my dream might have to be put on hold. Luckily, by the 31st Little Brute was better and I was the only one battling the chest cold. So, we jumped in Aimee and Jonathan's car and headed for London.

When we got out of the tube at Holborn, I was surprised to see very empty streets. Oh, a handful of people were milling about, making their way towards the Thames, just as we were. Little Brute was chowing down on his first bottle of the night, with Daddy cradling his head as we walked (he's become quite the proficient feeder/walker, that Daddy). When we got to the Embankment, the crowds appeared, though nothing like I had anticipated. Waterloo Bridge was right in front of us and we found a nice spot where we could see Big Ben and the Eye.

I looked at my phone: 8:30. Holy wow--we still had 3 1/2 hours before midnight. In an effort to kill some time, we decided to see how close to Westminster Bridge we could get. Not very close. They had been keeping count of how many people were in specific areas (very smart Fire Marshall) and had barricaded the end of the Embankment by the entrance to the bridge. Oh well--our journey through the crowds burned at least an hour and we still made it back in time to find a fantastic viewing spot on Waterloo Bridge.

Pre-sleep for Little Brute. :)

As the time slowly ticked by, I was incredibly grateful to have the Smiths with us. It's so nice to have great conversation to pass the time! We talked, laughed at the drunken Germans trying to start the wave, took pictures,  danced (ok, just Aimee and me), and looked forward to the 12 dongs from Big Ben himself.

At 11:30---it began to rain. Brollys went up and we huddled together. Luckily the "rain" (it was more a bit of a drizzle), quit coming down around 11:50, just in time for us to get really excited about the fireworks!

And then it happened--10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3..2...1...Big Ben's glorious voice echoed down the Embankment and across the Thames to where we were standing, welcoming in the New Year. Red and gold fireworks exploded the from London Eye and within seconds, our senses were overwhelmed with the smell of sulfur, the beauty of the fireworks, and the music of Britain, welcoming in the year 2014. Daddy and I snuck a kiss right at midnight, careful not to squish our sleeping babe.

The fireworks were spectacular, just as I hoped they would be. The Houses of Parliament quickly faded behind of the smoke and ash as hundreds of fuses were lit, sending red, green, blue, purple, and gold explosions into the night sky.

As I was snapping away with my new camera, the people around me suddenly took several steps back. Daddy quickly retreated to the edge of the bridge--yes, a drunken fight had started. Luckily, it was contained and stopped within a minute and we went back to enjoying the fireworks--but with a wary eye on those around us.

Before the show was over, we started making our way back to the tube--best to beat the crowds and the trampling that often takes place in these events. We left at just the right time--the mad dash quickly followed us as we made it through the gates and onto the streets of London. Our adventure wasn't over, however. We enjoyed the embarrassing antics of drunks, particularly a foreign couple who could barely walk. He made his way down the street kissing any girl who would let him, while his partner giggled and fell over as they tried to get on the tube. Luckily, being sober, we made it down the escalator before they could and secured our place on the Central Line, loosing them in the crowd (there's only two people I'd take a kiss from on New Years, and they were both right next to me. I was glad we avoided that awkwardness). All the while--Little Brute slept on. Completely safe and secure in his Daddy's coat. When we got to the car, we checked our pockets--none of us had been pick-pocketed while we were there. Every camera, coin, wallet, and iphone was still in our possession.

As we rode the tube to the car park outside the main bit of the city, I couldn't help but stop and think about what an amazing year 2013 was. We welcomed our sweet little boy into this world, moved a few times, Daddy graduated, we crossed the pond, Disneyland....so many things. We have so much to be grateful for. So much that is wonderful in our lives. And on the last night, one of my dreams came true--to be with the family that I love in the best city in the world, on the biggest night of the year.

Christmas in London

We went to London again this week (on the 18th)! Mummy really wanted to see the Christmas trees and go to a Christmas Market, so Daddy said we could go back--just three days after we went last time!

This time, the first place we went was Trafalgar Square, to the National Gallery. I was so tired after the train ride, so I decided a bottle and a nap in my stroller was a good idea while Mummy and Daddy wandered around the museum. I did wake up just in time to go outside, though! I got to see the tree that the people of Olso, Norway gave to London as a Christmas present (Daddy read a sign that says they have been giving a Christmas tree to London since 1947. It's a thank you for helping them in World War II) and then Daddy introduced me to the Lions! They were so big. They sit at the bottom of pillar where Admiral Lord Nelson stands.

After we grabbed some hot chocolate from Pret-A-Manger, we walked down the Mall (say the "A" like "Apple". It's not a place to go shopping, Mummy says) and saw Buckingham Palace. That's where the Queen lives! She had a pretty Christmas tree in the front of her house, too.

By then, it was getting dark but it wasn't even 4:30pm yet! So we went down to see the London Eye and go to the Christmas Market that they set up right next to it. On the way, we stopped to see Big Ben (Mummy's favorite) and look at the Christmas tree Parliament put up there.

The market was so fun! We bought some roasted chestnuts because Mummy has always wanted to try them. She and I both decided they are gross! So, we made up for it by getting some roasted Almonds (they had a sugar coating all over them that Mummy let me suck on! I don't have enough teeth to chew it, though). We walked around and looked at all the beautiful things for sale. Mummy's favorite was a stand that had a bunch of wreaths made out of oranges, limes, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. It smelled really good!

My favorite part was looking at the lights on the London Eye. There were some really pretty trees covered in blue lights right at the bottom of it, too. But it was getting cold and I was tired again. So, just as it began raining, Mummy and Daddy took us down into the tube to head home.

Can you see me and Mummy?

We had another really great day in London. I can see why Mummy says it is the greatest city in the world. But man--all that adventuring is exhausting!

When Walking Through Cheapside...

Mummy says that if you're walking down Cheapside, you must stop at St. Paul's. I think she's right!

This is us just before we got on the train, and then me and Mummy on the train in our Christmas jumpers!

Yesterday, we took the train down to London again. We visited St. Paul's Cathedral, which was really cool. We didn't spend a whole lot of time in the main part of the cathedral, cause Mummy and Daddy had been there before. But we did climb up to the top of the dome!

To get up to the Whispering Gallery, you have to climb 257 steps. Whew--that was a lot of steps! Luckily, Daddy carried me in the tummy pack, so it wasn't any work for me! The Whispering Gallery is really cool. They call it a Whispering Gallery because you can hear someone whispering from the opposite side the dome, no matter how big it is! In St. Paul's, the Whispering Gallery is huge and decorated with beautiful gold mosaics. I wish we could have taken pictures inside.

After the Whispering Gallery, we climbed up 119 more steps to the Stone Gallery. This is outside of the building, right at the base of the dome. I loved that part! The wind was blowing my hair all over the place, and we could see all of London from up there! It was also fun to look up at the dome. Did you know, that when Sir Christopher Wren first presented his idea of the design for St. Paul's in 1673 they told him he couldn't do a dome? So, he built things around the middle of the building while men were working on it, and built it in secret! Then when they were all done, there was nothing they could do!

Here we are on the Stone Gallery. Whew so windy, but so much fun! Can you spot the London Eye?

Mummy says a lot of people won't believe that, so I need to tell you where I learned that (she says that's called "citing your sources"). It's from a letter that Christopher Wren's son wrote. I think that is really cool, though.

Anyway, after the stone gallery, we climbed 152 more steps to the Golden Gallery, which is at the very top of the dome! I was amazed at everything we could see from there. We saw the London Eye, The Globe Theatre, the Houses of Parliament, the Gherkin, The Shard---lots of things! London is really a HUGE city.

On the Golden Gallery at the top. Do you see the London Eye again?

After we went to the tip top of St. Paul's (528 steps in all!), we went down to the very bottom: the crypt. They bury people in the crypt! I thought it was going to be creepy, but it wasn't--it was actually very beautiful. There are some very famous people buried in St. Paul's Crypt. Their graves in St. Paul's are really big and fancy. There were two that Mummy and Daddy told me about:

1. Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson
2. The Duke of Wellington

Do you know how they are? Well, Lord Nelson was the man that beat the French and Spanish Navies at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. He was injured in the battle, but kept on fighting--until he died in the middle of the battle. Mummy said that he is a great hero in England. Mostly, I think he's cool because he only had one arm and he was still fighting!

The Duke of Wellington is also a special guy--he defeated Napoleon! He is another important British Hero, that Mummy says I better not ever forget (I won't!). ***

After the Crypt, we bought some souvenirs, then headed out the door to the Museum of London!

The Lamp in the Victorian town. 

The Museum of London is seriously just down the street from St. Paul's. It is seriously an amazing museum! It tells you all about the history of London, the city, from before humans lived there, until today. I asked Mummy and Daddy what their favorite parts were:

1. Daddy: His favorite part was seeing a Roman Eagle that was recently discovered in London, in September actually! A lot of people say it is one of the best pieces of Roman art ever found--it's in almost perfect condition. (I wish we had a picture of it, but you can see it and read about it in the article I posted on here)

2. Mummy: Her favorite part was walking through the Victorian Street. The Museum set up a part to look just like a city would during Victorian Times! They had all different kinds of shops, a pump for water (that told you all about the gross things that were in it! EW!), and they also had a real lamp from that time. It was really cool.

3. Me: My favorite part was definitely the model of London's streets. They had a bus, a taxi, and a horse drawn carriage that you could drive along, and underneath they had a tube! It was so cool. I played with it for quite a while before Mummy and Daddy said it was time to go. Oh! And I also really enjoyed listening to the stories of people who lived in London during the Blitz, when the Nazis were bombing it. They had a big room where you could go and sit and watch a video, see pictures, and listen to the people tell what it was like.

By the way--another funny thing they had in the Victorian City part (Mummy's favorite part) was a urinal from the Victorian Times. Daddy explained what a urinal is to me.....huh.

So the Museum of London is definitely on our list of "best places in London." A lot of people don't go there, because it's not very well known outside of London. I Loved it!!

Anyway, after that, we went over to Harrods to see the lights and their Christmas windows. It was so crowded! We didn't stay very long before Mummy and Daddy decided we should go home. Which was good, because I was exhausted!!

Harrods all lit up for Christmas

Here we are on the Tube on our way home. 

***Mummy's note: We didn't get many pictures of us outside of St. Paul's, because it was getting dark by the time we left the Cathedral (it's pitch black outside by 4:30 p.m now) and we wanted to get to the Museum. Daddy promised me that we would go back and get photos outside of the Cathedral another time---we better!!!

Locked in the Tower

We went to London again yesterday! We took the train again, which is so much fun. Daddy fed me my breakfast while Mommy held me--I love doing that. And I got to look out the window and see England go by really fast.

This time, we went to a place called The Tower of London. Daddy has been wanting to go there for a while, and since the weather was perfect for being outside yesterday, Mummy decided it was time she and I took him to see the Tower!

The Tower of London is actually a whole bunch of towers, 21 actually. The oldest tower, the White Tower, was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. At first, it was actually a castle, where William lived. Then it became a prison. The English held prisoners there until 1952--not that long ago!

A man called a "Beefeater" gave us a tour. Beefeaters used to be the body guards of the kings and queens. Now, they guard the Tower and tell everybody that comes to see it all different funny stories. Our Beefeater, Dickey, told us about people who had their heads cut off just outside the tower, and then a couple Queens who were killed inside! It sounded pretty gross to me.

Mummy and Daddy told me about the Ravens that live in the Tower. They are really big black birds that make kind of a croaky squawk. Mummy said that there are always six ravens at the Tower. British people are really superstitious (Daddy says that means they believe in things that might not be logical, but are important to them. Huh.), and that they believe if there aren't six ravens at the Tower at all times, then the Crown will fall!! I'm not sure if he meant the Crown with the big diamonds we saw or what, but it sounds pretty scary.

Mummy carried me in the tummy pack for most of the time we were in the Tower. There are lots of stairs, and I was pretty tired. Plus, I'm just a lot happier when I can be up high to see things. I did get really tired after our Beefeater tour though, and so I got a bottle and took a nap while Mummy carried me. Ah! That's the life!!

In one of the towers we went in, we read about a few prisoners that were kept there. Usually, prisoners that were kept in the Tower were really important people. Mummy said they must have been really important because they were still allowed to get Amazon deliveries (oh Mum...).

When we go out and see new things, I always want to touch whatever I can. The Tower had lots of really cool brick walls, railings on the twisty staircases, and funny iron soldiers. Mummy and Daddy let me touch as much as I could reach! I almost got to touch some of the graffiti prisoners made in the walls. They must have been really bored, because some of the things carved into the walls were amazing!

The soldiers that protected the Tower a long time ago were pretty amazing. But, we did read about one time when the poor people got really mad at the King, and actually invaded the Tower! If Daddy had been a soldier back then, I bet they wouldn't have gotten in. He's way too tough. 

Just outside the Tower is the Tower Bridge, one of the most recognizable bridges in the world! Lots of people call it the London Bridge, but Mummy said THEY ARE WRONG!

We had a really fun day at the Tower of London. There were lots of things to see, lots of things to learn about, and we even got to see the crown jewels (lots of sparkly things that I think Mummy would like to wear). When we left the Tower at 4:30, it was already starting to get dark. But, we did get to see the sunset over the Thames and look at some of the really cool buildings in London. 

This is the Tower of London

Just outside the Tower, is a statue of the Roman Emperor Trajan. He built a huge wall around the city of Londinium when he was Emperor (well, he made other people build it). Mummy said lots of people get confused and think it's Hadrian's Wall, but Emperor Hadrian built his wall on the border between Scotland and England. I can see how that would be confusing, but you just need to have a really smart Mummy with you to tell you those kind of things when you're traveling.

After we grabbed some dinner at Subway, we went shopping on Oxford Street. They have all their Christmas Lights up--it was beautiful.

 On the way home, Mummy let me have a piece of a Ben's Cookie on the Train. WOW--those are delicious! Mummy told Daddy we can't go in to London without having Ben's Cookies--good thing there's one near Oxford Street!