I can’t let this weekend finish without sharing some photographs from our wonderful 4th July! We had just about the most English experience you can have as our friends across the pond celebrated their independence – we had a proper afternoon tea at the London Four Seasons! Our cousin Linda is visiting the UK from Canada, and she invited the family to afternoon tea at her hotel – and what an amazing time we had.

We arrived to the most beautifully decorated room and were greeted with champagne and stunning flowers.  Linda gave the children gifts, which were supplemented by the hotel which had also provided a basket of presents for them – it was like Christmas.

From start to finish, we were made to feel so welcome.  Any fears we had about taking our crazy pair, along with their one-year-old twin cousins, into the Four Seasons evaporated immediately – the staff did everything they could to make sure we were comfortable, from providing toddler friendly sandwiches, to smoothies, juice, ice cream etc on demand!

The spread was wonderful – check out those cakes:

 

Sophie even enjoyed a champagne flute of apple juice to go alongside our bubbly!

 

She was very impressed with the tea – look at that little face peaking out between the goodies!

 

The children were all brilliantly behaved at the table.  Alex and Sophie even managed to eat some sandwiches before tucking into scones and jam!  The food was delicious – and seemed never-ending.  As soon as we neared the end of a platter of sandwiches or cake, it was immediately refilled – who knows how many scones I ate.  Whoops!

It was such fun having the four cousins together – it happens so infrequently that we attempted lots of photographs (once we’d wiped the jam off their faces and hands!)

Can’t believe how quickly they are growing up!  Don’t they look smart!

We just about managed to get all four of them sitting calmly together – although never quite managing to get them to look at the camera at the same time!

Alex and Sophie love their little cousins!

Sophie got some extra twin cuddles – they loved the little Paddington Bears the hotel gave them!

After our tea, the children opened their presents from Linda – two remote controlled cars.  Thankfully we were the only event taking place in that area of the hotel – I’m not sure how often children run screaming along the marble corridor racing cars in the Four Seasons!

It was a stunning building – great toddler walking practice!

Alex was in heaven – I love his face here.  And love the reflections in the shiny floor of Linda going in for a twin cuddle!

Before we dragged ourselves away from the wonderful tea, we did a few group shots.  Here are some of the ladies

And then all of the ladies together – if only my mum didn’t have her eyes shut!

We didn’t manage so well with the boys – Alex cut his knee and was far more interested in inspecting the injury than posing for the camera:

What a dramatic boy we had (the cut was about 1 cm long!)

What an attractive family:

There we are – full of cake and champagne!  What an incredible and special afternoon.  Massive thanks to Linda for being such a generous host.  It was such a pleasure all being together.