Shopping

It was Miss L's first day back at school today and it all went surprisingly smoothly this morning. We were up, dressed (summer uniform, woohoo!!) and fed all by 8am. And we managed to leave by 8.30am. A triumph!!
As we drove down the drive I asked Miss E did she feel OK? Was it a bit weird?
Beaming she said no, it was fine!!!
And I was fine too. It's just the endings I can't stand!
After dropping Miss L off Miss E and I headed to Milton Keynes. Initially just to pick up an anniversary present for Mr K but it turned into a lovely outing with Miss E. I can't remember the last time it was just me and her for any length of time.
She held my hand right from the car, chattered away as we walked and said "It's not that I don't like Miss L but it is nice that it's just us. We should do this more"
We parked at one end of the centre and then made our way all the way up to John Lewis. Stopping at many shops en route - Clare's Accessories was a big hit!
In John Lewis cafe we both tucked into a child's breakfast - egg, sausages, tomatoes and granary toast for me; egg, bacon, sausage and white toast for Miss E. 
She'd panicked a bit when I asked did she want breakfast and said no, choosing her usual five item picnic. Once she saw my breakfast she changed her mind and very sweetly and politely told the lady her choices for breakfast. She was so excited and pleased with herself for ordering proper grown up food! 
And she got to sit on the high seats which Mummy hates!
Then it was a brief visit to the toy department and a lengthier visit to the iPad department. She is her father's daughter!!
Next it was to Next for her first real clothes shopping experience. I rarely buy them new clothes (as they rarely grow out of anything!!) and if I do I generally either buy it without them or show them stuff and then buy it.
In Next I let her choose almost whatever she wanted and we headed round to the changing rooms.
Oh my goodness she loved it!!!
There was twirling and swishing and dancing and total happiness!
It's been a while since I've experienced that much joy in the changing room of a clothes shop!!
I loved hearing her say "I'll need that in a smaller size" and bellowing "Mummy, you can come in now" and - closer to my usual experience - "Mummy can you help me? I can't get these off!!!!"
Just brilliant!
She ended up with a new cardigan, two new pairs of jeans, a stripey dress and a couple of t-shirts. 
Worth every penny.
Then it was back to the car via Build-a-Bear, the Disney Shop, Poundland, The Works, the Apple Store and the Lego Shop.
She only bought one thing - a motion activated frog from the Pound shop!!! - but just loves looking. I don't know where she gets it from!!!
Well, obviously I blame her father for the Apple fixation!
Unfortunately she got a bit stroppy in the Lego shop when I wouldn't buy her some mini-figures. She got tearful and couldn't understand why I was cross after everything I'd bought her and the spoiling of the lovely day we were having.
Anyway.
We popped into the new school on the way home. I had to drop off the admission forms and the five hundred page medical questionnaire. Nothing like leaving it all to the last minute!!
Home for an hour or so before going to get Miss L and heading to gymnastics and McDonalds. 
The two Mr K's are at the cinema tonight so I've had a leisurely chicken curry and wallowed in Australian soaps, Holby and Masterchef.
Just another normal night then!!