The evenings have really drawn in now that the clocks have gone back. With it getting dark by 4.30pm, our after-school adventures tend to be restricted to quick trips to the park.
As I was taking Thomas in his pushchair, Sophie decided she wanted to take her doll’s pram so “we can push our buggies together, Mummy!” She and Jessica used to love pushing their buggies together on trips to the park. I’m glad I was able to recreate that a little for her.
With Sophie’s pink bear Millie snuggly wrapped inside the pram, and Thomas wrapped in his blanket too, we headed off. I thought Thomas might enjoy getting out and exploring at the park, but just as we turned the corner to get there, he fell asleep.
It was lovely watching Sophie having fun putting Millie on the swings and pushing her down the slide but it made me sad too, especially when she put Millie on one side of the seesaw and sat on the other side. She and Jessica were just the right sizes to be able to balance each other out on the seesaw before Jessica died. I used to take a lot of photos of them on it; it was one of the things in the park I loved to watch them play on together. To see Sophie have to share the seesaw with her toy instead absolutely breaks my heart. She seemed happy enough and I’m glad of that, even if it feels so very wrong that it should be this way.
After Sophie had finished having fun with Millie in the playground, we went to find some leaves to make Sophie an autumn crown. This was very simple to make from a circle of cardboard, covered in sticky dots (I couldn’t find the double-sided tape!) We made the cardboard circle before we left for the park – now all we had to do was add the leaves. Sophie used horse chestnut leaves for the crown and we managed to find a few conkers to take home as well. She was very proud of the end result. It looked very effective!
Thomas was still enjoying his nap and there was just about time for a little more fun in the playground before we needed to head back home.
I’m not always so good at making time for after-school trips to the park at this time of year but it did us all good to have that time outside. Thomas had a lovely long nap and it was good to have a bit of one-to-one time with Sophie. Being able to combine it with a little nature crafting made it more fun too!
What a fabulous crown! It sounds like a lovely trip to the park. It must be heartbreaking not having Jessica on the seasaw. They’re at the perfect age for it. x
Thanks Kim. The seesaw always makes me feel sad – I know how much the girls loved being able to go on it together x
What a perfect craft activity to do at the park. I Felt for you with the see saw and Sophie, but there are always going to be moments like this on every trip as you did so much as a family with Jessica. A lovely post to look back on, you won’t have many more with Thomas asleep! #CountryKids
I do always find seesaws particularly sad, but yes there will always be these kinds of moments. Making the autumn crown was so much fun 🙂
That’s a beautiful crown and lovely to have some one on one time with Thomas napping, but heart breaking to watch Sophie on the seesaw xx #countrykids
Thank you Mary, it was nice to have that time with Sophie x
It does feel so very wrong that Sophie has to share the seesaw with a cuddly toy – how heartbreakingly sad. Love her autumn crown though – she looks so happy in that last photo!
#CountryKids
It’s the one thing at the park that I struggle most with – the empty space where Jessica should be is so much more apparent at the seesaw. We did have fun making the autumn crown though and she was so happy with the finished result 🙂