Marlborough Playground Grafitti

Used to walk past this all the time but never really paid much attention to the site itself, wandering round it looks like it's an initiative by Bankside Open Spaces Trust to get all the local kids involved in outdoor activities, the site itself was set aside (all the way back) in 1919 by the Duchess of Marlborough purely for kids to play in (but until recently it was just a large tarmac square)...now, however -

- it's got beach volleyball -

- a very nice 5-a-side football pitch (didn't take pics but) - basketball hoops, a few objects to grind off if you like skateboarding, a very large bag stand (presumably for kickboxing) and this -

- a "Growup box" (complete with "Shutterpatch") -

- looking at the BOST website, it's been *extremely* successful (like 3000 users successful)...the Duchess would be proud... ;)

Thomas and "dip dip!"

Sunday had been a "FOOD!" themed day from the off, Thomas had started by snaffling some baby wipes while I was doing his morning nappy, then proceeding to (violently) clear every work top at his height (his little cupboard and the incidental table etc.) of any toys while I was in the kitchen doing his milk drink, forcing me to issue a sharp "QUIET Thomas! Mummy is sleeping!"...when I turned around and opened the stair kitchen gate I realised he had cleared the tops of toys in order to thoroughly clean them with the wipes...So, he got a "Very clever boy!" for that, which was answered by a quick dash across the living room, the words "FOOD PEEEEZE DADDY!!!" and a firm point at the play box containing his little saucepans and plastic and wooden food items...Okay, no problem... ;)

We spent the next hour repeatedly, but happily, eating chopped wooden pears prepared in various ways (pear a la kettle, fried pear with potato, oven baked pear with asparagus) each time Thomas saying "All Cooked Daddy!", me taking a pretend nibble and then saying "Mmm, thank you, that's delicious! Yum yum!"...

So him being in a bit of a foodie state of mind, when it came time for breakfast and I asked him what he wanted he said "Bread - DIP DIP!" and then "Pasta!", "Okay" I said as he reached up to be lifted into his high chair...after slicing some nice, fresh granary bread and pouring him a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a dish I popped them down on his high chair and went back to the kitchen to collect him some olives at which I was suddenly subjected to the most horrific gagging/drowning sound I think I have ever heard, causing me to immediately drop everything and rush quickly back into the living room where I was *just* in time to see him *drinking* the last drops of the dip (blinking tears from his eyes with a very miserable look on his face)...I handed him his water double quick saying "Thomas, drink this it will make it feel better" (which he did)...and (thank goodness) his normal colouration and rate of breathing slowly returned...

The next words (croakily and quietly) out of his mouth ?

"More...dip...dip.......peeze"

*face+palm*

Playing in Priory Park

Here we go, just a few shots from the park -

- walking along with Flyingpops (like such a big boy) -

- swinging on the swings -

- climbing the climbing frame -

- playing on the seesaw -

- appreciating the works of art (and finally, a first) -

- walking along in his new shoes -

- taking a little tumble -

- and getting back to his feet without having anything near by to hold on to -

- oh and exhibiting all the signs of separation anxiety (not)...bye then Thomas! ;)

Baby Thomas playing with his mobile

Hehe...not *hugely* acurate (yet), but obviously having soooooo much fun even just trying to interact...!

I could watch him do that for hours... ;)

Although it's not *all* such hard work -