London Day 6

 

I am NOT going to complain about a single day that I am here         (I am not going to complain, I am not going to complain…) but Wooeee!  Today was a doozie!

I think that all of our busy days plus my week without Brian is starting to take a toll.  Mamasita is TIRED!

Also, last night as I was lying in bed I thought- wait a minute!  I only have 2 days left in London!  AHHH!  So I decided to cram a few things into today.

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First of all, we went to Oxford Street, which is a famous shopping area. (Brian is horrified by this news.)

We had a to walk a 1/2 mile to a subway station and then go on a long subway ride with lots of me carrying Isaac and the stroller while Joseph “easy did it” down lots of stairs because the station didn’t have a lift.

But once we were there, it was worth it!

We only went into two stores, three if you count the cookie store

(which you should.  Seriously these things tasted like yellow cake but with the creamiest chocolate chips… wait a minute!  I have more in my stroller!  Happy day!  I’ll be right back…)

and most of my time was spent like this

(note:  Isaac is trying out some boots that we did not end up buying because they fell off 500 times.  Does anyone know of any children’s boots that will stay on?  You can be my best friend!)

but I was able to throw a few items of stripy English adorableness into my bag, as well as a couple of things for my newest niece Bianca (kiss! kiss!  Auntie loves you!) and some Spiderman pajamas for Joseph. (Yawn.  But he loves them)

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From there we went to Carnaby street, a more “alternative” version of Oxford street.

 

By this time the boys were pretty restless, so I didn’t end up going into any stores, but we walked around the neighborhood quite a bit and it was so lovely!

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After my shopping was (temporarily) satisfied, I hailed a cab (I feel so awesome every time I do this by the way) and we headed to the Science Museum!

Joseph was in Heaven!

If you look closely, you may ask, why is Isaac’s arm in his sleeve?

That’s why. (“Come ON, Isaac!”)

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Notice that my kids are the only ones not wearing the aprons. 

American brats! 

Joseph got told by a staff member that “an apron is the rule!” so he decided to pass on the water table.

Isaac, however, was allowed to go naked and played here for quite some time.

He also loved the noodle things.

Joseph got a kick out of wearing a hard hat and directing some construction play.  It was so funny to hear him trying to communicate with the English kids with their word/accent differences.  They got their points across though!

I didn’t take many pictures because it was so crowded and both kids were dashing in opposite directions- rather stressful.

After about an hour I dragged (drug?) the kids away, screaming and crying, for some refreshment.

(Isaac approves of the English strawberries and cream)

(blueberry frozen yogurt heaven)

(Joseph’s chocolate ice cream had “gum balls in it!” –maltballs)

My plan now was to walk around the rest of the museum for a while so that Isaac could fall asleep in the stroller, and that then we could return to the children’s area and let Joseph play some more.

But…

(Isaac is so big and strong that he can walk the stroller where he wants it to go)

So no nap for Isaac.

I repeat- No. Nap!

We went back to the children’s center anyway (I’m a glutton for punishment) and played for another hour or so until my legs threatened to give out and I dragged (drug?) the kids away, screaming and crying, to start our trek home.

At this point I thought, ‘Joseph?  Why in the world are you sooo flushed and cranky and crying about everything?  Oh, is it because you have had no nap for days, and Mommy only fed you COOKIES and ICE CREAM for lunch??’

Mom fail.

Fail!

My poor little lamb, he perked up after riding on the back of our stroller’s buggy board (more about the board in another post. It’s a lifesaver!) and had some peanut butter crackers.

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So then we started our 45 minute subway ride home, plus more stairs, and a trip to the grocery store to get a few fruits to supplement our peanut butter and honey dinner in the hotel room (Joseph’s 4th night in a row.  He doesn’t like new food.)

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Here comes the kicker of the day- are you ready for it?

Ahem:

After we returned to the hotel, took off our clothes (I am trying to conserve laundry you know), and ate dinner, I logged on to the laptop really quick to watch some videos of my dear friend’s new baby.

I was engrossed in the fresh baby adorableness and the boys were being so good and laughing and wrestling beside me on Joseph’s bed-on-the-ground…

until I looked up and realized that they weren’t just wrestling, home fries, they were MUD wrestling.

Except, you know, we have no mud.

I said a quick prayer (“Please, Lord, let that be peanut butter”) and ran over to investigate.

and…well… it wasn’t peanut butter.

I shrieked and grabbed Isaac and sent Joseph to go wash his hands (yes it was on his hands) (I hadn’t noticed yet that it was on his feet and arm)

I grabbed the packet of wipes and went to town on Isaac- his diaper had shifted somehow and he had “not-peanut butter” everywhere!

Joseph came out to watch the proceedings, and I finally got Isaac passably clean and set him down to clear away the diaper/wipes when he ran over

(I screamed- SCREAMED – “NOOOOOOOOOOOO” and ran in slow motion)

and he took a giant leap with a giggle and flung himself onto the “not-peanut butter” slip and slide.

He slipped.

He slid.

I grabbed him again and held him at arms length.

Joseph and I looked at each other-frozen with mouths wide open.

Then we burst out laughing and laughed and laughed.

(Do you notice that a lot of my life involves laughing at ridiculous circumstances?  It’s a coping mechanisms that I developed.  Also a lot of times my life is just plain funny.)

We laughed all the way to the bath tub where I scrubbed every inch of their poopy little bodies.

And I laughed when I sent Isaac to bed at 6:30 and Joseph to bed at 7.

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Now tell me- what do I do with the…ahem… soiled comforter?

Because right now it is folded up under the desk that I am sitting at.

Do I call down right now and have them take it?

Do I leave a note for housekeeping? “Beware of comforter!”?

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They didn’t cover this in any parenting class.

Also, well, I didn’t take any.

(see: no lunch but cookies and ice cream)