After a lovely evening catching up with some old friends, Adrian popped off to Birmingham while I showed Hayden the sights of London Town.

We started the day at the Foundling Museum, built on the site of the old Foundling Hospital. Established in 1741 by sea captain Thomas Coram, it provided a home for children who were deserted under the age of one. For the first five years of their life, they were fostered out to farming families who lived in the region, breastfed by wet nurses and often treated as one of the family. However in their fifth year of life they were abruptly transferred to the Hospital, where they were dressed in uniforms indicative of their future careers – miniature military-style uniforms for the boys and domestic servants’ uniforms for the girls.

Most of these children were illegitimate, given up by their mothers to save their reputation. An unwed woman with a child was seen as morally repugnant, and often would no longer be able to find work. Often these women would continue to write to the hospital for years, inquiring about their child’s health and sending gifts. These letters were rarely passed onto the children until recently, often after the mother had passed away. There were so many women petitioning the hospital that a lottery system was initiated. I put Hayden in the lottery and he was admitted to the Hospital pending a medical review.

After our tour of the museum and an excellent caramel slice in the cafe, Hayden and I took a short walk to the Coram’s Fields Park, also on the site of the Foundling Hospital. As no adults are permitted without children, it was my first time inside. Filled with children running barefoot through the fountains, I took Hayden to see his first goats, chickens, and rabbits at the petting zoo. He wasn’t terribly impressed, but he loved spending the day out and about in the stroller and in my arms. He was in an exceptionally good mood all day, charming strangers with smiles and giggles. One of the best days he and I have had together, a glorious way to enjoy the sunshine.

Hayden and I are tagging along on another of Adrian’s work trips. While he is presenting his work to a university, today I am giving Hayden his first glimpse of London.

When we checked in at the hotel yesterday, they told us they would guarantee a good night’s sleep or give us our money back. I laughed and pointed to our cranky little peanut and told them it looks like we’ll be staying for free.

Happy Oktoberfest Friends. Our trip to Munich was cancelled at the last minute, so instead we celebrated with some German friends in Liège. Maybe next year Hayden can have his first taste of bier und brezel (beer and pretzels).

Our flight to Norway was the first time Hayden left his country of birth to go abroad. Equipped with his own passport complete with photo and “NO SIGNATURE” on the front page, he was ready to travel. Our first flight was a dream. He fell asleep from the moment I put him in the Baby Bjorn at home until we were on the airport train in Oslo, with only two short dream feeds during take-off and landing.

Airport security let him stay in his baby carrier as we passed through the metal detectors, Brussels Airlines ushered us on first and took care of our stroller, and Vincent the flight attended thought that Hayden was so adorable that he gifted him with an autographed bib.

I think that Hayden enjoyed his trip very much. If he wasn’t being lulled to sleep by the gentle motion of the train or the ship, he was bumping along in his stroller or nestled up against us in his baby carrier. Lots of fresh air, new sights, and friendly strangers chatting away to him in exotic tongues, he was better behaved than when he is at home cooped up inside with us. I’m sure that logistics will be more difficult once he starts crawling, but at the moment he is a great travel companion.