Toddler Toddling

Today was Princess Lollipop's Big Toddle, a sponsored walk in aid of Barnado's that the Nursery School participate in. The nursery teacher rang up a couple of weeks ago, to ask if Princess Lollipop (and the other children who are already registered for Nursery next year) if they wanted to join in.

I had completely forgotten that the children were invited to wear fancy dress if they wanted to, and Princess Lollipop was among the only children in ordinary clothes, luckily she didn't seem to notice. Although Little Prince did this morning when he was one of two children in school uniform on a non school uniform day!!

The walk was from the Post Office, which is almost across the road from our house, to the school, a distance of about half a mile. Princess Lollipop at just over two, has never been expected to walk that far and I didn't realise that she could have ridden in her buggy if she had needed to!! We started out near the middle of the walkers but ended up right at the back of the group by the time we got to school. Princess Lollipop is a typical two year old walker, she has to stop and investigate every stray leaf, stick and stone and step up every door step she can so it was pretty slow going. She was also the youngest child who actually walked the route, all others her age were in their buggies!

When we reached the school, the children from the juniors (including Little Prince) had lined the sides of the route just before the finish line and were cheering and clapping all the littlies :-) Princess Lollipop walked along incredulously exclaiming "I can't a-lieve it!" (I can't believe it) although she did stop for a victory hug and kiss from her best big brother :-) The nursery children were then all given a picnic box lunch, but the younger children who don't attend nursery yet were told they couldn't have one! A bit upsetting obviously! Nursery staff did bring out some sandwiches and buns for the younger children later, but Princess Lollipop wasn't having any of that and refused to eat at all. She took her shoes and socks off ready to play on the bouncy castle, but then found she had to walk on the grass!! I had hoped she had grown out of her tactile aversion tendencies, but no, she carefully balanced on her heels (I would have though tiptoes would be easier?!?) to the mat in front of the bouncy castle and waited there for her turn!! Of course once it reached her turn she had two bounces and wanted off!! I think she was a bit intimidated by the older children bouncing, as when she had a turn later with children her own age and size she stayed on for ages with them.

Princess Lollipop was upset when we had to leave to walk home again, the school children had come out to play and she wanted to stay with Little Prince! It took us about 25 minutes to walk home again, as each leaf, stick and stone had to be re-examined to see if anything had changed since the last investigation lol. Luckily we had enough time so that I could finally persuade her to eat something, and to pack Little Prince's swimming bag. Then we were off back to school, in the car this time, to pick Little Prince up and take him to his swimming lesson.

Mr Messy met us at the swimming pool carpark, and took Princess Lollipop (in her buggy!) round to OUR shop leaving me to watch Little Prince's lesson in peace :-) He had a great lesson and seems to have come on so well, I can't believe how much progress he makes each week and his swimming teacher is thrilled with him too. Due to his much improved behaviour I have been letting him get in the pool early and I stay on the side and watch him until his teacher arrives. Today I felt that he (and probably me!!) could cope if I went and sat down in the spectator's chairs and supervised him from there. He was thrilled that I trusted him so much and was allowing him some more freedom, and even though I was nervous it was lovely to see him so proud and pleased with himself :-) He joined in with a group of boys around his age, and played jumping in with them, he acted quite sensibly and no sillier than the other boys :-) I'm so proud of him :-)

After the lesson finished we drove over to OUR shop to pick up Mr Messy and Princess Lollipop, who was almost asleep watching Phineas & Ferb on her Daddy's knee. We waited for Drama Teen to arrive and then sent her to the Chippie and had tea in OUR shop. When we got home we hadn't been there for very long, before an exhausted Princess Lollipop fell fast asleep on the sofa! Apart from disturbing twice when Little Prince went to bed, she has stayed asleep since then :-) I'll have to try tiring her out more often :-) Although I'm not sure I've enough hours in the day for her to walk to school and back each time lol.