With all the horrible news today, I am spending my evening looking at photographs of my babies to remind myself that some things are actually great the world.  So here is a photo blog of some of our daily ordinary over the past few weeks – maybe some of the photos will make you smile too.

In the rare days when it’s been sunny and warm, we’ve been making the most of the newly reopened Ruskin Park Paddling Pool, saved from closure by a successful crowd-funding campaign I wrote about a while ago.  Here are Alex and Sophie at the opening party a few weeks ago – clearly delighted!    It’s been a real pleasure watching them in the pool – they are both so happy playing together and with friends they make while splashing.  I can actually put my feet up while they play1

We’ve spent lots of time in our lovely local playgrounds – clambering up ropes in Ruskin Park:

We’ve cycled and rocked with friends in Dulwich Park:

We’ve investigated modern sculpture in Dulwich Park:

And we’ve been sliding and climbing in Sunray Gardens:

Sophie and Alex have their moments where they hugely annoy each other, but mostly, they have been playing beautifully together.  I love watching them inventing games together and bossing each other around!

Alex is getting increasingly obsessed with football thanks to his gang of friends at school.  So here he is in his Crystal Palace kit getting excited about the FA Cup Final with his friend Sam (and up a tree with his sister!):

Meanwhile, Sophie has finally mastered her balance bike and has made her track debut at the Herne Hill velodrome!  She managed third place in her first race!

She was also extremely excited to have her very first playdate a couple of weeks ago!  With my childminder away and Matt and I at work, she spent a lovely afternoon with her little friend Una.  They were so thrilled to be having a proper playdate together – normally they are dragged around with their big brothers!

I shall close with two pictures that will always make me grin – firstly my duo at Imperial College, playing on the Queen’s Tower lions as I cleared my desk ready to leave after 16 years there.  So many happy memories!

And finally, just because its gorgeous – we lost Sophie the other day whilst at our new neighbours’ house-warming party.  After a bit of a panicked search for her, it transpired that she had snuck through the gap in our fences and fallen asleep on the landing at the top of the stairs.  So random – but so so cute!