Playgrounds and Meltdowns

Eve playing in the newly redesigned playground in Perrett Park

We had some sunny days last week, so Eve spent a lovely time playing in Perrett Park with Daddy during their mornings together.

This weekend we've spent our time mainly at home, pottering about, playing and going to the park. The weather was set to be rainy on Sunday. We planned to drive into town so that Sam could spend his birthday voucher from October (this is how much we don't go shopping!) He bought a smart mod suit which will be really nice to wear when we have some events to go to that involve dressing up. 

Ready with her lunchbox to go shopping

Shortly after finishing our shopping Eve woke up in her pram, she hadn't slept very long and was woken up by loud music in a shop. She had a great time walking about Cabot Circus; in and out exploring shops and saying hello to passers by. 

I thought I had a good idea for lunch and headed to Bella Pasta (not somewhere we would usually go), thinking that a nice bowl of pasta would be perfect for Eve's lunch. She was given crayons and a colouring in sheet and some bread sticks to munch on. She was happy enough but seemed a bit on edge and wanted her lunch to arrive. I think I put her bib on a little bit too soon, so she started getting agitated wanting to know where her lunch was. When the waitress brought out her pasta and put it on the table in front of her, we suddenly realised how low the 'high' chair was. The high rimmed bowl was almost as high as her face so she couldn't feed herself as her hands were too low down. She immediately started crying. We tried placing something under her to raise her up, but she had already started getting very upset. We then tried to sit her on our laps so she could try to eat like that, but this method didn't work and she proceeded to scream down the restaurant.

Moments before meltdown

Thankfully as we were inside the shopping centre, I took her, screaming very loudly, outside to the restaurant tables which are undercover. Eve proceeded to writhe around as I desperately tried to feed her something - she wouldn't touch a thing. In the end we gave up trying to give her anything to eat and tried to calm her down looking over the balcony at all the people below. I must say that the restaurant staff were incredibly nice to us. About six waitresses came rushing out, following us to a table outside with our various plates, drinks, and bits and bobs.

As Sam was walking her about, they bumped into Emily; who is the girl in charge of the baby room at nursery. Sam says that Eve stopped crying and even said 'bye bye' to Emily as she wandered off. From there things improved slightly.

Sam and I took turns bolting down our lunch to make a quick retreat. Paying for this awful experience at the end of the meal seemed to be the cherry on the cake. When we got home, Eve calmly walked over to her highchair; I put her in it and she started eating straight away. The poor girl had been in such a state and slept for almost 3 hours after she finished her lunch. 

Enjoying Thomas the Tank Engine in Broadwalk shopping centre.

We didn't need to put any money in it, Eve was happy just standing pushing the buttons.

When Eve woke up around 4pm yesterday, Sam went upstairs to get her. He said that she was clearly trying to say 'sorry' to us both as she was hugging and stoking him and kept asking for me: 'mummy? mummy?' When he brought her downstairs I gave her a hug and she curled up on me and just stayed there silently for a few minutes - something she's never done before. It was very endearing. We had told her throughout the situation that it wasn't her fault and tried to reassure her. I feel that there is always a positive to be taken from a negative situation. I for one will definitely research a restaurant a bit more in the future. It just didn't dawn on me that a restaurant might not have high enough highchairs/or that the tables just didn't work with the chairs.

Mummy and Eve in Perrett Park

I emailed Bella Pasta yesterday to thank the staff for their help and also informed them that this is something they might want to take a look at. I should imagine that by the time a child is big enough to sit in the 'high' chairs there and reach the table, they will be big enough to sit on a seat instead.

I picked up this cute hat for £1 in a charity shop the other day, 

after seeing them online for £14 - happy bargain shopping