Birmingham Think Tank

We took the boys to the Think Tank on bank holiday Monday. We got the train from Coventry which was really exciting for the boys as they haven't been on one for about 10 months. This was our day....

We decided not to take the pushchair for the first time on a big outing. The boys wore their reins and did really well with their walking. If going by train you get get off at New Street station and the Think Tank is located at Millennium point which is a 10-15 minute walk away. You could always get a taxi if you didn't fancy walking but the boys managed it fairly well.

 

Water play, Building bridges, dentist chair and Sammy playing in the cafe. There's lots of water play, so it would be better going a sunny day as you can get wet outside but there is enough going on inside too.

 

 Playing in the mini dentist, escalators and diggers.We did not like the escalators the first time. Holding on for dear life!

Dinosaurs and Polar Bears. This was a big wow. The animal attraction is only small but they did recognize most animals.

 More outside water play, Fin visiting the dentist and on the train.

 Selfies with mummy & daddy

 

 Getting wet in the garden. These were taken just before the costume change!

 

 Strawberries and cream milkshake on the way home.

Sleepy boys on the train.

I would really recommend this place for people which children 1 year and upwards. There as so much to do and we didn't manage to see nearly half of it. The outdoor area was particualtly great with a little river running through and lots of water play. There are many interatiove attreactions where children can push buttons, pull leavers and twist things.

On the floor as you go in there is mini children city that has its own road, dentist, doctors, cafe and other little areas for the kids to play. We could have spent a lot longer in this bit. We will take the boys again in about 6 months and they will be able to enjoy some of the other parts.

Easter Fun

We had a very packed Easter break this year. We took the boys to Birmingham Think Tank which I will write about later. But Easter Sunday we went over to may parents house who kindly hid a load of eggs all around the garden for the boys to find.They really loved looking around for the eggs and little rabbits. When the first batch ran out, we did have to do a second run. Funny how eggs kept appearing in the same hiding place ten times over!

 

 Fin needed binoculars to try and spot the eggs!

  

 Hiding places in the trees.

 Hunting with Papa. We didn't use your traditional Easter baskets, we improvised with a peg basket and plastic tool carrier!

 Upon finding all the eggs and rabbits, they had to be stripped of their foil! Don't know why but apparently this is the way to do it.

 Some of those eggs can be tricky to catch! Between the legs was a favored method!

Surprisingly, most of the chocolate didn't get eaten. We have it at home in a bag. I think the amount that was in there will last for a good few months. (Unless I feel the need!)

Thats not my child....

 I found this the other day and had to share it!

 If you can't see to clearly from the pictures, its says:

'That's not my child... He's picking up'

'That's not my child... Shes sitting calmly'

'That's not my child... Shes sleeping'

'That's not my child... he's sharing'

'That's not my child... Shes eating my cooking'

That's my child! He's...um...err...spirited.

Love this!

Taking time out

 Over the past few months I have noticed that Fin has these little moments where he just needs to break away from everything. The first time we noticed it was at my brothers house. We were all over there for Mothers Day tea and with 6 adults and 4 children. It was a bit noisy, nothing crazy but there was just a  lot going on. It was just after dinner when Fin took himself away from the table and decided to lay down on the sofa. He was there for about 15 minutes, not wanting anything, no cuddles, no food, just away from everyone and laying down with his donkey. He wasn't upset, just zoning out. After laying there with Nana keeping him company, he got up and was back to himself again, like nothing had happened.

The second time we noticed this was at a small soft play area at a garden center. It was very quiet there, unlike the usual hell holes that soft play are. He decided to lay down on one of the soft steps away from everyone and give himself 5 minutes out. Once he came back, he was fine and refreshed. I think with Fin is more sensitive to chaos and noise. His brain cant cope with so much going on and he needs to get away from it all and be by himself for a minute. 

The third time this happened, we went to a fellow twin parents house. There were 8 children, 6 of which were twins, two dads, me and Nana. After a particularly loud morning and following our 'picnic' lunch on the floor of a currently being refurbished kitchen, Fin decided to lay down. He was laying on a package which I think was the back board for some kitchen units. The bubble wrap must have been comfy.

 I gave him a pillow and covered him up with my coat and he was there for over 30 minutes. Again he was not upset. Just wanted to hide away from the noise. I decided not to worry about these moments and put them down to needing a break form everything. 

We all get our moments when work is hectic and we just need a tea break. Or there is so much going on around you, that you need to take yourself away and collect your self. I think that's what he is doing. I must admit that I did google autism signs as that was my first thought but after looking at them, I know hes OK. He gives eye contact, copies gestures, loves cuddles and is very affectionate.  I think being sensitive to your surroundings makes you wants to break away and regroup when things get too much.

Sammy on the other had can keep going all day. Nothing stops him. They both still have a two hour nap in the day and hopefully will continue to do so for a long time. Bit even with this, Fin still needs his own time out.

I decided to help Fin with these moments and give him his own little area to go to when he needed to get away. This doesn't help when we are in public but I think he will take himself away if he needs to. But when at home, I have bought him a den.

  

 Its nothing amazing. Ideally I would like a lovely patterned wigwam but we don't have the room for that. For now we have an Ikea play tent with cushions and blankets in. I will put in fairy lights too. But if he needs, he can go in these and hide. I have a blanket on top which can make it darker.

 

Hopefully my little Fin will enjoy his own space. I know the cats do anyway! xx

A few things that happened this week.

Its been a much shorter week this week. Daddy came home early on Thursday which makes my job so much easier! Plus with Good Friday off, I feel like a get a bit of a break.

A few things have stuck out this week that have really made me laugh. The boys are getting so funny with little things that they say. Sammy has started saying 'del-lic-ious' all by him self when ever he has dinner. Now that's not something that we have taught him. Unfortunately I think hes got it from Pepper Pig. But hey, if he says it every time I serve him dinner, it makes the effort of actually making them dinner worth it.

No that those faces actually look like they're remotely enjoying this dinner! Oh, to touch on last week food blog, a great tip if they wont eat - take them to Ikea!We went yesterday and by the time they had ran around like lunatics for an hour and a half they were so ready for lunch. I dont know what it is about that place but they are so well behaved and eat brilliantly.

We went to the park this week. It had been raining the night before so there were plenty of muddy puddles about. I went with two friends who have a boy who's nearly three and another one at 10 months. For those that know this park in our town, there is a lovely, perfectly round puddle just to the side of the bottom of the slide. Usually its dry, but on occasion where we do get rain, it turns into the mother of all muddy puddles.  I blame Pepper Pig for this one too, but could I stop him? No chance!

 

 All the time, Sammy was egging him on.'Big splash'! The other children and adults around the park also found it very funny. At one point, he was taking a running jump and I managed to step in front of him and swing my bag across to stop him jumping in but I knocked him over and he landed belly first in the mud, hence the muddy coat and trousers.

 I was weighing up the pros and cons. I can either spend my whole time at the park chasing two boys away from every puddle which inevitably will end in screams and dirt anyway or just let them get on with it and be happy. they have to run around with wet socks and shoes. If they're OK with that, so be it. I've learnt that mud doesn't matter. Mud and sand together make for uncomfortable chafing, but that doesn't matter either.

 

Lets just say after about 20 jumps, his boots were wet through, so much that every step he took, there were bubbles coming out of the tops and his trousers were soaked up to his nappy. We did manage to do lunch in the pub for an hour after whilst still wearing this wet clothes and they didn't bother him at all. I was anticipating trench foot by the time we got home though!

Mark bought the boys their own little cups for tea this week. By 'tea' I mean basically milk but they still felt very special.

So special, Sammy decided to wear his Pepper Pig pants to mark the occasion!