A slow toy birthday and Christmas

Following our recent visit to see Father Christmas in a crystal grotto, POD did begin to believe he might do more than just fish. She wasn’t convinced though.

With her turning three on Christmas Day, it was a perfect time to step up the magic.

So on Christmas Eve a biscuit and a glass of Baileys were left out for Father Christmas along with carrots for his reindeer.

The following day POD was delighted to see he’d left some presents for her. These included a colouring book and pen set, a finger painting set, Mr Grass Head, a couple of DVD’s and a blue balloon. She‘d asked for a scooter and a blue balloon when she visited Father Christmas in the crystal grotto. 

The look on her face when the balloon was blown up was priceless. She didn’t let it out of her sight after that and even held onto it throughout our subsequent car journey.

Christmas presents came once we’d arrived. Daddy looked even more excited than POD when he set eyes on her Bubble Guppies bath toy – he’s yet to see purple streaks in her hair turn pink in water though!

POD also received a TOMY Megasketcher, several books including The Rhyming Rabbit, Paper Dolls and The Snow Queen as well as CD’s for the car and great crafting sets.

On a recent short break to Bruges we purchased a wooden picnic table – already being fully utilised for meals and colouring. We also bought her a small wooden kitchen from Pintoy while we were there. Adopting a few of the little people from a red wooden bus of hers, she’s taken imaginative play to a whole new level! 

POD received some fantastic new games too including Peppa Pig Snakes & Ladders and Charades for Kids.

The Haba Sleepy Princess game from The Toadstool, is a great adaptation of the classic Princess and the Pea. The idea being to build a bed for the Princess without it toppling over. It’s a great idea for a game and POD’s already had it out several times so hopefully we can play it together soon.

The Shopping List game from Orchard Toys saw her win her first game – albeit with a little help. She also received Farm Snap although she’s not sharing her cards yet!

She loves her Doctors Suitcase from The Toadstool. POD already enjoys pretending to be a doctor so this set provides the perfect accompaniment.

Once she’d taken out the contents, she set about making her friends better. Peppa, George, a dinosaur, Mummy and Daddy were the first to be treated.

All this activity was a lot to take in so POD was tired by lunchtime. Not that it deterred her from eating a sizable Christmas lunch!

In the afternoon we all sang Happy Birthday while she blew out the candles on her cake.

Among her presents was Baby Annabell, complete with beautifully hand-made clothes, a smart new coat from Monsoon, tickets to see The Gruffalo live, films, her first Cath Kidston bag, clothes, a wooden hobby horse and the scooter she’d asked Father Christmas for!

We’re linking this post up with The Toadstool’s Slow Toys Linky which is open until 31st January 2014.