Monday, May 16, 2011

London Calling!

today is monday. litlbit and i leave for london in three days! it is so very hard to believe that! the funny thing is that even though i have lost count on how many times i go i still get anxious about right now. add to this the fact that litlbit is going too is making me double anxious and triple the amount of procrastination for packing! i am so a need to know person. i have to know what to expect at all times. seeing that litlbit has not been with me to london this whole need to know bit is just about to drive me crazy! i keep running scenarios in my head on the long flight...getting all of our luggage...maneuvering london with a five year old...these things are old hat to me now...but adding an additional mini-me is causing my brain to hurt! packing too...oh packing. how to pack best so that i am not about to break my back but yet can get to everything and also where litlbit has all of her stuff readily available. i will be crazy by june 1st! so far i have decided that we will go to the following;

  1. hampton court
  2. windsor castle
  3. tower of london
  4. kensington palace
  5. the royal mews
  6. the science center
  7. natural history museum
  8. mass at the brompton oratory (have to take her to a beautiful catholic gothic church)
  9. high tea at either the grovesor or kensington palace at the orangery
  10. london zoo
  11. boat ride on the thames
  12. a play just for kids- complete with an activity to make a book afterwards
  13. a longer and more real play- looking into shrek the musical
  14. a movie - they have pound days akin to our dollar days- british theatres are a bit different as you have assigned seating etc. will be neat to see a kids' movie with an accent!
  15. legoland- this is a maybe
  16. hamley's- perhaps the biggest and best toy store in the world!
  17. london eye- again a maybe, i really think that it is pretty boring but she may like it

whew! i am tired just thinking about all of the above! i figure we can pick one item a day to do. it does not get dark until late in the summer (a bit later than at home). so, by the time we leave the house (after working in the office then lunch) we should have the afternoon to ourselves for the most part. i have highly considered taking the train to edinburgh as well. we have some free rail passes so i may just have to do this! spend the night in scotland! i keep telling myself that litlbit may not remember much of this whole journey. however, there will be parts. so, i am going to have to diary it for her! so, the goal is to diary in the atlanta airport, on the plane, and then at the house every night. hopefully, i will have some good photos to add to the diary. i plan on getting a photo book made with it all in it! while we are there i have bought photo mats for her to paint. i am hoping to get someone to take a picture of us to put in it and give to everyone. would love one in front of big ben. now ask me if i am going to ask a stranger to take that photo with my baby of a camera? yep, nope, can't do it. may take the little point-and-shoot and ask with that one! looking forward to taking her to the royal mews! for those that don't know what that is you can catch a gander. as much as she likes horses she will love this. plus she will love to see the carriage that princess catherine rode in a few weeks ago!

litlbit has already had an exciting weekend. this weekend was her recital! last year her recital was at the alabama theatre. this year bjcc concert hall. we have changed where she takes from last year as well. this group is great! watching some of the older ones was great! they start competition in 1st grade (i think i am remembering right!). i have to say it was a much longer recital than last year! this year mommy actually had to work running back and forth from stage. i like it though! litlbit was so excited to see everyone there. after her first dance i brought her back to the audience with us so she could watch some of the dances (from number 15 or so until 35). much to my shock she went straight to her papaw's (my father's) lap and stayed! she bypassed everyone (including daddy) to get to him and she was quite content with staying with him! they were actually a bit cute. her in her little outfit. she talked and giggled...watched intently and "danced" in his lap (hand movements the girls on stage were doing). such a sweet angel! she has taken to my dad quite well. too bad that others in this world are not as caring. not sure why. how can you not be to a child? oh well. not sure of a lot when it comes to why people do what they do! she was happy so i am happy. the rest simply does not matter! she did great at her recital! she and her little friends were beyond adorable! i cannot wait until next year! i am looking at gymnastics and cheer for her too. looks like i am going to be one busy mommy if all of that occurs! she loves dance and gymnastics...although it has been ages since she took...she really wants to again. i think she would be great.

we visited her school last week too! 5 k here we come! i keep telling the hubs if i do not like it she will be in catholic school in 1st grade! this whole public school thing is foreign to me. after all, i was in private school from her age through high school. granted you may not be doing as much in terms of outside stuff...but...private beats public any day, honestly. but, i agreed. try then decide. i doubt i will dislike where we are zoned for. it is considered one of the best in shelby. i have tried to find out bad stuff! just can't. since i am on the board of directors for the foundation i am getting my name out there early too. being involved is a high priority for me.

litlbit is full of excitement from the past days and the future ones! she is so funny too! she keeps counting down the days! she has asked me to call the queen so "we can come over". then today i was talking to her in a british accent, she told me that the accent hurts her head but not her ears. i so understand that comment! i love the accent but after a week of listening hard to understand...my brain hurts too! yes we both speak english but one a bit more refined than the other! she is so excited! we are both going to miss daddy! will be sad to leave him for both of us. although i am glad to have her with me, i hate leaving him alone. we are one of those rare families now a days...we enjoy being together! litlbit was so happy to spend the day all together as a family yesterday. we all went to lunch and then to a movie together (rio, it was a cute movie). afterwards she immediately asked what we were doing as a family next (but it had to be all three together). for the record, we went grocery shopping! i love my litlbit! she is my angel! no matter what, those little blue eyes are gleaming and keep my heart smiling!

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