Legendary Christmas Sleigh Ride

At our ordinary morning meetings at work, Christmas things that must be featured on air or the website was discussed.  A few people started to discuss the 'legendary Coventry sleigh ride' - what? I'd never heard of it.  Surely I would have heard of that, I've lived here 8 years now. 

After investigation I found out that it regularly attracts huge queues of children and has been running for no less than 51 years! Many people claim never to have missed a year.  Matilda is now a Cov Kid (whether we like it or not) so I took her down for a trip on the Coventry sleigh ride. 

The ride was great, I've attached a video link so you can enjoy the ride for yourself below. Matilda squealed as we bobbed up and down on the sleigh.  I was worried that she may cry at Father Christmas, she didn't.  She was given a bit of cheap plastic tat to take home, a pink wand that was motion activated and made a noise and lit up when it was moved.  It didn't take long for me to put the battery tag back in to stop it from working as she bashed it around while we walked out of the shop.  The noise was so loud.  I felt so mean that I took it out again once we were outside, not long after that she dropped it on the floor and it stopped working altogether.  I was relieved but sad for her, she looked disappointed - but hey it was literally cheap tat after all. 

Already I was starting to really enjoy being a mum, I can use the excuse of taking Tilly to some really great stuff. 

To experience the sleigh ride 'at home' visit: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/content/articles/2005/11/15/santas_sleigh_ride_feature.shtml

Bright lights and stickers

Due to the excitement of Coventry Market the Musical, we missed out on a trip out to a firework display with Tilly. Instead we watched them from the back bedroom window and she seemed interested but as they were a home display there were big gaps in between the rockets and she got distracted.

To make up for it, we took Tilly to Coventry's Christmas lights switch on this evening. Entertainment started early in the afternoon but we were planning to get in for the carnival and then the switch on. Got in just after the carnival had passed! So we watched the crappy stage show in Millennium Place and bought Tilly a cheap plastic spinning light wand (essential at any winter event!). She loved watching the lights in this odd plastic toy, a dome with LED lights that span round. I love watching her face when you can really see that she is taking everything in, she watched and grinned as acts sang Christmas carols on stage and could not take her eyes off a local punk teenagers hair! I'm always so proud to walk around with her, I'm not sure if every baby gets as much attention. I don't think I've ever been out without someone stopping me to say how lovely, what a lovely smile she has etc. Tonight was no exception and Richard and I stood proud as we heard people all around us go 'ahhh' or 'oooh' as they looked at her smiley face.

We were given all sorts of leaflets and even a sticker for The Belgrade's panto this year, Dick Whittington. The sticker was stuck directly onto Tilly's coat and she picked away at it while we were out, so I removed it and stuck it to her hat.
When we got home I was making her tea and I left her in her highchair as I often do.  I approached the table with a confused Tilly trying to shake something off her finger. It was the sticker, but sadly not a whole one . .she'd been chewing it and approximately 1/3 has been consumed. Well I've been very careful for over 8 months and I suppose it is a sign of things to come. I'd better have my beady eye ready for anything consumable soon - she later tried to eat a tissue so maybe she just likes the taste!

The leftovers of the sticker!