Happy Easter Tooting twin chicks!

It's been a while. It transpires that full-time work, twin motherhood and blogging do not mix. Or certainly not in this household anyway. However, this weekend we had such a lovely Easter that we had to share, so here we are!

First up, a trip to the heart of the East End, Bethnal Green, to visit the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood (which has a good sensory space) followed by a delish lunch at The Pavilion Cafe, Victoria Park, where our Uncle Duncan regularly serves up award-winning dishes. The hot cross buns are fabulous. Mummy was most proud that we made the transfer from the Northern Line to Central Line at Bank all by ourselves, even if we slightly held up the human traffic on the spiral staircase. The trials of public transport with twins are a perennial theme in our lives.

Then, on Easter Sunday, the Easter Bunny left a trail of paper eggs (note from Mummy: cut from spring-coloured magazine pages) from our bedroom down to the kitchen, where we found a small assortment of chocolate eggs and chocolate cornflake nests. Don't worry though, despite being a stingy quantity, it was more than enough to send us on a 48 hour sugar high (second note from Mummy: don't give your children chocolate - it is so not worth it.)

After brunch at home, we headed to Deen City Farm with aunties Harriet and Jade (who has just moved to the Big Smoke), to meet all the new baby animals, including two goat kids which were born over the weekend. A total cute-fest: as well as the baby goats, we met ducklings, quail and chicken chicks, two lambs, six-or-so piglets, plus all the usual suspects and a new Barn Owl. Unfortunately, we actually slept through our visit, possibly owing to a post-chocolate energy slump, so Mummy and Daddy took us to the farm again on Monday, and we had a much more successful meet and greet.

Le weekend: Ice-cream, ice-cream everywhere!

Mmm, mmm, mmm. The floodgates to ice-cream - or preferably gelato - have opened. We have discovered the delights of gelato at La Bottega di Giovanni, aka the Italian deli-cafe on Franciscan Road in Tooting. Super child-friendly (when we were babies they didn't baulk at our buggy taking over half the space) we are finally big enough to share a few scoops of gelato with mummy at the table. We also love their selection of pasta, especially the finger tubes which are the perfect size to fit on our fingers.

We've also been sampling the ice-cream from the Tooting Common Cafe too. Not quite as lush as the gelato from the deli, but good. Mummy was pleased to see that we actually stopped eating the ice-cream once we'd had enough, rather than scooping out and slurping to the last lick. Maybe a legacy of our breastfeeding days? That said, it is something mummy finds difficult to do, and she was breastfed.

 Bert (tee-shirt Stardust Kids Clothing)

Freddie (tee-shirt Stardust Kids Clothing)

Mummy has slightly decided that a little bit of ice-cream won't hurt, and if she wants to eat it, it'd be hard to explain why we shouldn't. Although we don't get to gorge on it and she makes sure we brush our teeth well morning and night-time (we're getting good at brushing teeth). Latest ice-cream spot to try out: Limoncello on Mitcham Road...

Le weekend: Twins make a splash at Tooting Bec Lido

What a scorcher, mum! Today was a very hot day and we rode on the back on mummy and daddy's bikes up to the Tooting Bec Lido to meet our buddies Matilda and Ben for a splash in the paddling pool. It was busy - we queued very patiently for about 15 minutes, toddling alongside mummy and daddy as the queue progressed towards the entrance - but not so hectic you couldn't think, and we loved splashing in the pool. Mummy and daddy were disappointed when a floater in the pool meant it was closed down for the day - unsubstantiated rumours abound that the culprit's parents hadn't even put him/her in a swim nappy - but we were happy playing under the trees and eating our picnic lunch, with Matilda very kindly sharing everything she had with us.

After the paddling pool closed, mummy and daddy tried to convince us to swim in the big pool (largest outdoor freshwater pool in Europe or summat, don't ya know), but we were not having any of it, so we still haven't quite managed to have a proper swim yet. Soon, soon...

Four hours of playing later (could've been longer if not for the pool closure - good value for £5.50 per adult) we cycled back via Matilda's house where we played in the paddling pool and with a hose (to the point we were shivering with cold!), and we had yummy pasta and sauce, and ice-cream and a cake! Thanks to Matilda's mummy. Again, next Sunday please!

Le weekend: Father's Day out with daddy (and mummy) at Deen City Farm

Happy fathers' day daddy! Seems unbelievable that this is our third fathers'day already. We each made daddy a card at nursery, very successfullly we might add(!), and bought daddy an American football top from Xclusive on London Road in Tooting. More importantly, we went by bike along part of south west London's Wandle Trail to Deen City Farm, one of our favourite places to go and see animals, and usually have a picnic lunch too, while watching the horses. this fantastic resource has just had its funding from Merton cut by 12% with a further cuts planned in the next financial year, threatening its survival. Mummy could rant for hours about how wrong this is (and may well do in future posts, when she is less tired) but meantime, if you'd like to know more hit their website, or better still sign the petition to urge Merton to reconsider the cuts.

Anyway, where were we? Ah yes, the horses. Having sung several rounds of 'horsey, horsey don't you stop' to said beasts as they cantered and jumped around the farm's riding school showring, we had baked potato in the cafe (which also has a very entertaining fish tank). Afterwards we did the rounds of the farmyard - ducks, geese, rabbits, guinea pigs, finches, chicks - and then the paddocks - sheep, twin lambs, cows, pigs, alpacas, goats and (bucking) horses.

As well as the farm, we have also been to two friends' birthday parties - Scarlet and Matilda both turned two this weekend - happy birthday girls! This meant we have spent a lot of time singing 'happy birthday to you' and blowing our imaginary candles (as well as a few real ones). Matilda got given an amazing cow-shaped space hopper, which caused much covetous excitement and a bar brawl broke out between all toddlers in attendance. The quantities of cake consumed over the past two days may also have had something to do with it.

Don't forget to sign the petition to urge Merton to reconsider the cuts to funding of Deen City Farm! You don't have to be a resident to appreciate how fantastic a resource this city farm is.

Le Weekend: Twins leg it to Legoland Atlantis Submarine ride

What a busy weekend! Following a flying visit from Nanny and Grandad yesterday, today we headed to Legoland in Windsor with mummy and daddy, to try out the new Atlantis Submarine ride and generally get acquainted with Lego (and Duplo) bricks on a grand scale. This involved three underground trains, two big trains and one taxi/bus each way, but we assure you it was absolutely worth it.

We were lucky enough to be invited to a special preview morning, which meant no queuing and a ride in a yellow submarine alongside Dom (of Dick and Dom fame) and also Matt Baker (Blue Peter.) Not that Mummy realised, as she is generally not a good celeb spotter. When we first embarked, we weren't too sure about the submarine, Bert even started to cry - it's dark and they're on a constant loop so we had to be carried in - but once the lights went up in the water and we could see the fishes (and in the next tank, the sharks) we really enjoyed it.

The submarines have floor to waist-height (head-height for us) windows, so you have a brilliant view of all the colourful fish, sharks and Atlantis-themed lego sculptures. Afterwards we enjoyed the mini interactive aquarium features, which included a tank with a tunnel so you could pop-up in a bubble in the middle, and also touch rock-pools. We touched a crab and also a sea apple.

We were unlucky with the weather, which was very wet but not too cold, but there was still plenty to do and it meant there weren't too many queues. We watched a puppet show, where we also ate a picnic lunch, and Freddie took a ride on a miniature blue train with Daddy (Bert wasn't keen and helped mummy take pictures instead.) There were lots of well-designed activities for all ages, and we could imagine there'd be lots of fun to be had in drier weather, although mummy and daddy suspect we'll appreciate it more when we're a couple of years older, and if we had better waterproofs in case of rain again. Mummy has certainly decided she's looking into more stylish wet weather gear after Keisha ex-Sugarbabe mistook her for the staff.

It isn't a cheap day out, but Legoland does seem to be great value for money, with more than enough for an action-packed day out, and there are often offers for one and two day passes and overnight breaks - and look out for Legoland Hotel which launches in 2012!

Mummy's been looking into going back and discovered it's actually free for under-3s to go to Legoland, but adults pay £37.20 each if they book online. There is a great 'Pre-School' pass for 3-5 year-olds, which costs £45 for a year of unlimited access for a child and one accompanying adult - we want one for two-year-olds!

Le Weekend: Twins bike Tooting Common

This weekend we had our first ever ride on a bicycle, and we think this is definitely the way to travel! Mummy and Daddy are excited, as it suggests that a return to cycling holidays is on the horizon (albeit a few years away yet.)

We were very intrigued at the prospect, trying to help Daddy fix the Hamax Sleepy seats, which Grandpa gave us (previously used by our aunties), onto the bike, wanting to try out the seats, wear our 'bike hats' and generally wanting to get involved. Picnic packed, wearing our new Met helmets, Daddy bought for us from Mongoose Cycles on Colliers Wood High Street, we set off - with Mummy veering precariously for the first 20 metres or so. The balance is all different with a seat on the back, and also she hasn't cycled since she got pregnant nearly three years ago (a bike and a buggy in our hallway would just be awkward!) but it really is true that it is just like riding a bike...

Once mummy had worked through her wobbly patch over Figges Marsh, we hung a left and headed up to Tooting Common, where we stopped to see the ducks and play in the playground. Then daddy realised he had a puncture and we had to detour via the very friendly Crazy Horse bike shop at Tooting Bec to get a new inner tube. Needless to say, as we were wheeled there, we both fell asleep (seats are obv comfy enough then!), with Bert having to be taken out at the shop so the wheel could be attended to.

Overall we very much enjoyed being passengers on mummy and daddy's bikes, and have been clamouring to go out again ever since. It made getting around so much quicker, although the downside being that mummy and daddy have to keep cycling if we fall asleep, and promises to be the key of lots of fun days out this summer (not today though, as it rained. Boo.) Mummy and daddy will make sure they take the puncture repair kit next time though!

Battersea Park Children's Zoo as we hit the twos

Happy birthday to us! Two today and what a blast life is so far. Mummy is writing this, glass of well-earned champers in hand, while we snore away next door (having refused sleep till at least 9.30pm - gah!) The day didn't go quite how it did in her fantasy head (like, she didn't get us a card, or one for dad, and we left the house later than planned, which is usual. Then we fell asleep before getting to our destination so went in later than planned), but Daddy pointed out that it was still a great day, and Mummy chilled out and enjoyed herself and all the things which were gerat and did happen rather than the bits that didn't.

Mummy and Daddy took today off work and we went to Battersea Park Children's Zoo, where we forked out £26 for a family ticket (by the time we discovered they start charging once you turn two it was too late to hide the two massive '2' helium balloons Daddy bought us and tied to our buggy), which felt steep at the time, but in fact was great value, even just for our entertaining monkey impressions. If we went again, we'd take a picnic (La Gondola cafe on the park's lake is a rip-off, although the zoo's cafe more reasonable) and go for a whole day, as there's loads to do, with farm animals to the more exotic (and they do feeding time), and also loads of activity spaces - a sandpit, climbing frames, a fire engine, a tractor.

We just got back from a fantastic week on the Isle of Wight with our buddy Joby and his mum and dad, after which we made it as far as Bristol for a couple of days to catch up with Nanny, Grandad, Granny, and lots of family and friends. This included two birthday teas, which involved eating far too much cake, and grim poos.