Tag: home
Playtime in Wood Wharf
This week my wonderful friend Sonja and her beautiful daughter Keira spent the day with us in Wood Wharf London. The weather was stunning and we came prepared with picnic rugs, toys, balls, bubbles and food.
Sonja and I have known one another since we were both in the late stages of pregnancy when we met through our local antenatal classes run by the NCT. We still have a very close friendship with the girls in our NCT group and regularly meet up with our husbands, toddlers and new babies in tow.
I love the special friendship that has blossomed since birth between Imogen and Keira. They’re such good friends and always so excited to see one another and play!
Keira and Imogen wait patiently for the bubbles to be blown.
The bubbles float up into the air and they’re off to catch them …!
A little rough and tumble is lots of fun on the grass.
Then it’s time to play grab and run with the Elmer ball.
… and to stop for a special hug.
Sonja and I enjoy catching up in the sun while the girls giggle and run around and play. After a morning full of outdoor activity we share a picnic and Imogen feeds Keira raisins.
Fifteen minutes later Imogen is fast asleep in her buggy on the walk home!
3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter Review
I’ve been an admirer of Micro Scooters for a long time, having seen my friends with their toddlers and children racing around the park on scooters. I thought I’d need to wait until my toddler was at least 3 years old before trying a Micro Scooter, until I found out about the ingenious 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter which is designed for children aged 1 to 5.
A few weeks ago we were very lucky to receive a 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter for review with my 2 year old toddler from the lovely team at Micro Scooter. We chose the scooter in a vibrant neon yellow colour, which Imogen loves.
The 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter comes with the Scooter, Seat, O-Bar handle and T-Bar handle so you can adjust it accordingly for your child’s age giving your child the flexibility to grow with the scooter. It starts out as a ride on scooter with O-Bar handle and seat, then transforming into a small scooter when the seat is removed and eventually it becomes a Mini Micro Scooter when you add the T-Bar handle.
The black O-Bar and Seat is easily attached and we find it’s perfect for use when toddlers are gaining confidence in their agility and skills in balance and coordination.
Imogen loved trying her new 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter. For the first couple of weeks she rode the scooter using the O-Bar and Seat, which is suitable for children aged 1 to 3 years old. We find the scooter is perfect as an indoor toy and it glides smoothly on our wooden floors, adding variety to Imogen’s playtime at home.
Imogen soon got the hang of it and was scooting around at increasing speed, using her feet to push her along. The 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter provides toddlers with a skillful challenge in balance and coordination of movement. I’ve been impressed with the stability of the scooter and the very gentle turn of the wheels, making it safe and sturdy.
When Imogen was ready we transformed the 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter into a small scooter by removing the seat and leaving the O-Bar handle attached to the scooter so she could scoot around on it standing up.
Imogen enjoyed stepping on and off the scooter and soon learned the basics of riding a scooter while she practised steering with the O-Bar, which is very easy for little ones to hold on to.
Finally we transformed the 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter into a Mini Micro Scooter by replacing the O-Bar handle with the T-Bar handle. We simply couldn’t resist taking Imogen out to the park on her Mini Micro Scooter and she thought it was wonderful!
Imogen rode the Mini Micro Scooter with Mummy and Daddy holding the scooter whilst she got a feel for being on it outside. The Mini Micro Scooter T-Bar provides a good grip for young children to hold whilst moving along with the scooter.
After a few minutes Imogen was putting one foot on the ground to push the scooter along herself. It was great to watch and shows how she’s progressed from using the scooter with the O-Bar. The Mini Micro Scooter is suitable for children up the age of 5.
Imogen adores her 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter and it’s rarely out of her hands.
As parents we think it’s one of the best activity toys around. The scooter is well designed, safe, durable, suitable for indoor and outdoor use, flexible, light to carry and most importantly it encourages Imogen to discover and master the skills of balance and coordination whilst giving her a new found freedom.
The Mini Micro Scooter won Best Toddler Toy in the 2012 Nuremburg Toy fair. You can find out more about the incredible range of Micro Scooters at www.micro-scooters.co.uk.
Disclaimer: I was sent a 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter for the purposes of this review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The Photo Gallery: The Letter C
This week’s Photo Gallery theme is The Letter C. Immediately Cats came to mind, my beloved rescue cats from New Zealand and London. These cats have been a part of my life over the years and I love each one dearly for their unique and special personalities.
It all started with Molly the tortoiseshell cat, when I was a second year University student in Wellington and I found myself missing our family cats. I was renting a flat and desperate to have some feline company during those long hours of study. The local RSPCA had a large selection but it was Molly who chose me. She jumped into my arms and ran up to my neck to snuggle underneath my hair, purring loudly.
When I moved to London I missed Molly and started to look for animal rescue centres near us. There are plenty in London but it was the Celia Hammond Animal Trust that really stuck a cord with me. They work tirelessly with very little funding to help animals of all ages who are neglected or suffering.
It was here that we discovered the beautiful black and white cat, Coco. She was very small and had a face like a kitten but she was obviously an elderly cat. She had been with CHAT for over six months and looked like she really needed somewhere to call home again. We rehomed Coco and found she had the most loving and playful nature. Every morning she’d jump into the bed with us for cuddles and in the evenings it was straight onto one of our laps. Coco was always giving affection and love.
During the three precious years we spent with Coco she battled through many health issues. We discovered early on that she had congenital heart disease and she later developed a tumour. Despite her age she will always be remembered as our little kitten.
Since 2008 we’ve had the adorable duo of Mia and Louis who are delightful sleek black cats and were also rehomed from the Celia Hammond Animal Trust rescue centre.
They’ve watched Imogen grow since the day she was brought home from hospital and have become accustomed to her cries of delight each time she sees them! Last week she ‘baked’ them a plate of cakes and they enthusiastically sniffed the wooden cupcakes before them which brought such happiness to Imogen.
I love having cats around Imogen, she has learnt to be patient and kind and caring and she tells me if she thinks they’re hungry or need a drink of water. Her level of empathy for living creatures is admirable and I’m sure it’s helped by having animals in our home.
