Lunch Today at Child Friendly Giraffe Cafe Inspired this Poem

We had lunch today at Giraffe Cafe in Belsize Park.  I was so impressed I wrote this poem on my phone on the way home on the train.

***

The Lunch Bunch

You get to Giraffe in the midday sun

Place a yummy order with your Mum

Get a tad bored and your drink arrives

Time to show the Giraffe a few nose dives

When that gets stale the man fetches some drawing

Mummy joins in to ensure it's not boring.

A 3 year old boy soon needs more!

Mummy's worried we'll be shown the door!

The staff are not phazed

They've been here before

Used to handling children 

always wanting more!

A balloon's blown up in a matter of seconds

It contains helium so the high ceiling beckons.

Surely off to the roof it will go

But the man hops on a chair, not low.

In fact he's too small so a yank sees our plight

The balloon that we loved has taken flight.

He hops on the chair and the ceiling is nearer

The balloon's back in hand so I can see clearer.

No need to "see red" or have a feeling of dread

When you eat in Giraffe you're just very well fed.

No need to cry or have head in hand

Because Giraffe caters for kiddies like no-one else can!

Homeward bound, happy, full tummy

I'd love to go back soon with my Mummy....

.... please :-)

TGI Friday for Two Year Olds

Friday 23rd November I met up with my friend and her little boy, also 2 years' old like Aaron.

We met up half way between where we both live (they go to nursery together) and travelled together on public transport to the nearest soft play area.

We had a lovely lunch and the boys really enjoyed climbing and playing.

I didn't blog about it before now for some reason.

Anyway as we headed out of soft play to the bus stop, my friend suggested that we go somewhere for dessert.

We ended up in TGI Fridays.

The good news is that the sundae is THE BEST I have EVER tasted. It was £3.99 I think, and despite Aaron climbing on the furniture I just HAD to finish it - yummy!!!!!

My friend laughed until the tears streamed down her face and she was doubled over, watching our two boys running around instead of staying in their seats.

There wasn't many people in the restaurant THANK GOD, and the waitress in charge of our table was VERY sympathetic giving us colouring in books and balloons etc...

I felt very welcomed.  Except that there was a customer at the table nearest to us who WAS very disapproving, regularly giving us looks of disgust at them not staying in their seats.

But when I show you below what the walls looked like, you can kind of understand why they wanted to roam and investigate.

Plus how does a 2 year old know that the rules are different to the soft play area we have just come from LOL :-)

And the Superman below... Aaron had great fun moving his arms and legs as it is a 3D picture.

TGI Friday fun!

Bye for now
Liska xx

London Transport Museum - For Baby Boys!

Last Saturday, Aaron and I woke at 10:12 and I went on the computer over breakfast and realised I was meant to be at the British Chiropractic Association event (to give parents top tips on looking after our backs) hosted by Publicasity PR (who are based in Covent Garden). 

I resigned myself to the fact that I'd have to miss it and between 10 and 11 only had breakfast, but did not get ready. Then at 10:46 a.m. I decided to Tweet-Out 

@NewMumOnline Liska

is anyone going to the chiropractic event in covent gdn today?

and discovered that I heart Motherhood (Sharon) was going:

@iheartmuthahood 

@NewMumOnline I'm going! I'm going! Phew someone I know!!

I emailed the PR 

@aaronhuckett

and asked if it was okay to attend only the last hour and got a resounding "yes" so the panic to start getting ready commenced. 

As the hubby was in bed I asked him to get up to look after Aaron and only got expletives because I'd woken him up. 

So I decided I'd get me AND Aaron ready. 

That is no mean feat considering it was 11 and I'd need to be out before 11:50 to have time to top up Oyster AND get the required train. Well we made it..... oh and one thing came to delay us (and test us)- 

Dad had left the buggy in the car, in the garage (!) from the day before and I would need it. So with time and the tick tock of the clock dead against me I had to ask for his car keys and garage keys and get the buggy out. I do not know how I dressed us both, packed Aaron's bag and got out but we made it and boy am I glad that we did, as we had the best day out that we've ever had since he was born. 

We ended up in the LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM and it was the most child friendly place that I have ever taken Aaron and joy oh joy we will get to go again as my £13 entrance fee is valid for a YEAR!

So, first of all, after the British Chiropractic Association event finished, we went to the park with Kate and her wonderful son Skig.  We went to the Drury Lane Gardens park.  At the time, I did not know the name of it and it has just taken me 30 full minutes to find it on t'internet.

Aaron loved it.  He went up the steps by himself and down the slide by himself - I was flabbergasted but he was just so so confident it was unreal. I just stood and kept my arms ready in case something went wrong, without passing my fear onto him.

All 4 of us then walked to Covent Garden where we went our separate ways.

I introduced Aaron to the mime artists and ermmmmm he wasn't impressed:

Take him away Mummy!

I then got very very very hungry and had a bad experience in the 1st restaurant we went into (not at all child friendly) so I decided to go to the London Transport Museum.  I asked security about 100 questions before we queued up (1) do you have a changing room - yes (2) are you child friendly - a humble yes when they should shout it from the rooftops (3) do you have a cafe/restaurant - yes two! and (4) they have a FAB shop.  Also, she gave me leaflets to read whilst in the queue and I was even showing them to others, which really made us know it was worth our while to queue.

Entrance Fee:
When I paid I was so impressed.  £13 for me and Aaron free.  I was asked if I was a UK tax payer as they treat the money as a donation so they apply for gift aid on it.  If you do this, the ticket is valid for a YEAR - I am so pleased by that and will be back! Hopefully the day after tomorrow if things work out!

When you go in, you get the lift to the 3rd floor and then visit each floor in turn, descending.

It was all so beautiful and the visuals were so strong, that Aaron's eyes were forever like saucers.  And he'd been about to nod off when we 1st went in.

We eventually got to the children's play area and he was in 7th heaven. You can see all of the photos here.

At the end of the tour (above the shop) there is a fab cafe.... they have LOTS of high chairs and wonderful staff BUT Aaron threw a fork at a breastfeeding lady when we were in there - yes the shame of it!

Anyway, all of our photos are here:

As you can see the art-work at the Museum is out of this world.

I really really enjoyed myself - as did Aaron.

If you have a child under 6 I would HIGHLY recommend the play area.  Aaron was able to pretend to drive a train, tube, bus and taxi and was in his element.

Liska xx