London

Before Christmas I took Gregor to London for a couple of days. We stayed with an old friend, Saffron, who lives and works there during the week but rushes back to Whitstable at weekends. So he missed a bit of school - not a problem then, but won't be so easy once he starts "Big School Reception" next week, but more on that another time. Here he was exploring Diana's (Saff's mum's) wonderful home, just brimming with magic.

Even more wonderful is that 'Granny Dan Dan' (as she is fondly known), just says "Yes, here you are, do it, let me show you, there's a bed - I bet you'd like to bounce on it, wouldn't you?"

Gregor was treated to a Playmobil car that we had fun putting together and racing. He did indeed bounce on the bed - having been so warmly invited - and Granny Dan Dan noted his neat toes and straight back and announced he could be a dancer. Saffron says she puts people in two categories - those who should be dancers and those are aren't.

The following day while Saffron was working, I took Gregor to the Science museum and the morning raced by.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of it, but Gregor's favourite thing by far was the dissected toilet showing the flushing mechanism and the fateful journey of a (plastic) poo.

But we liked plumbing and fridges,

and lots of water play

aiming and squirting

looking at noise

then shopping for toys. Being accosted by a dinosaur on Regent Street with Saffron.

A little chat with the Hamleys man before a full-scale assault on all floors.

Ooh, the indecision.

Although we weren't feeling Christmassy at the time, the window displays did help.

Saffron pointed out all the Selfridges ones from the bus.

Then after a bit more hustle and bustle it was time to go underground.

Gregor was a different boy away with me by himself. He loved everything we did, particularly all the different modes of transport. He kept trying to catch people's eyes and strike up conversations.

He liked having the responsibility of carrying his own rucksack and helping me with my bags. He kept reminding me how he was a big boy. He welled up with that Belousov emotion at the thought of going back home.

He was comforted by the thought that we were travelling east. "That's where the sea is, isn't it, mummy?"

"Yes, darling, now eat your breakfast and be quiet."

Blinis

A fortnight ago we had a few things in the calendar. First Gregor and Alastair were invited to a birthday party. They are in the same class as the birthday girl, and I chat with the mum most days. As far as kiddies' parties go, this was the calmest, quietest and best behaved one I have ever attended (including my own at that age, which was usually gatecrashed by my dad who tried to con all my friends into giving him their egg sandwiches and chocolate fingers).

It made a change from the soft play centres which usually play host to birthdays nowadays. Here we had Pass the Parcel, Musical Chairs, Statues, and Pin the tail on the Donkey, as Gregor was gearing up for.

Very suspicious how they all managed to go straight for the same, correct, place though!

Later on Charlotte and Nick came over for the evening. Here she is being beaten by Gregor at a shopping game. Once the boys had gone to bed we did our usual - Indian takeaway - but were quite disappointed this time so will be looking round for a new restaurant in future. I think I was spoilt by my food in Brick Lane the other week.

The following morning we had nothing on and so decided to make blinis. This is the same hand mixer that Alastair used to run away from in fright, then he began to watch me use it to whisk his milkshakes. Now he knows it means breakfast, he seems to have conquered his fear admirably.

Although he's not really able to do all that Gregor can, it doesn't stop him wanting to have a go, and if I try and distract him or brush him aside he makes a real fuss, so I'm learning to let him try as much as he wants. It's a great measure of his progress and his drive, because recently he has begun to say "Gega" and go to something or somewhere to indicate that that's something Gregor does and he wants to do it too.

So picking up the knife and saying "Gega" didn't mean he wanted to get him, just that he wanted to try chopping.

Which didn't cause any distress since Gregor was on grating duty.

And I got the fun job, of course.

Alastair had great concentration when it came to sprinkling the chocolate on by himself, and wasn't really interested in anything savoury once he'd discovered his magic combination of apple, chocolate and ice cream!

Gregor doesn't have quite as sweet a tooth as Alastair, but turned out to be just like his dad.

I'd calculated that 20 blinis would be plenty for us all, but those greedy gannets got through them in no time and were clamouring for more. Misha said afterwards that in true Kiev style, each person should be assigned 20!