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Thursday, 29 November 2012

I'm baaaaaaaack!

It's almost been 6 months since my last post and the time just flew by. I have a ton of excuses but I'm sure they would just bore people :)

Instead here's a picture of Buzz Lightyear having crashed into our Christmas tree (aka lit the lights before putting them on the tree, left the room for 15 minutes and came back to this). I think he looks worried that I am going to tell him off.



..... aaaand a photo of little Nikki (with her partner in crime) who cut 3 teeth in one day this week:


.....and lastly a photo of us doing what we do best - weekend lunch at VIPS restaurant...





Sunday, 1 July 2012

David Turns 3!!

And here are some photos from when David turned 3. He had been asking for 5 months when his turn was to have a Birthday, and I think me and him were equally as excited to make the day the very best it could be! Enjoy. Xx

Saturday, 23 June 2012

June... a busy month

The 3 intense months of summer are here and June was fast and furious! Here's a mixture of photos from nights out, David with daycare at the zoo, the pool opening party, David's graduation (super dooper important) and midsummer celebrations this weekend gone. I'm knackered already but I think that's because my day starts at 5am at the moment.





Friday, 22 June 2012

My little counting trilinguist - take one!

This was the first take, maybe I'll make a blooper reel for the next post ha ha.

xxx

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

Fashion Week

In a desperate bid to try and pretend I am a super cool and modern mother here are some pics of a fashion show we went to last week.



Manolo Blahnik shoes (I was happy), La Perla underwear (husband was happy) and free Moet all night (everyone generally quite pleased).

The small print is that I am still recovering almost a week later and that Nikki woke me at 5.45am the following day.

Karma.

PS Catwalk models have cellulite and wobbly bits too. That's awesome.

Monday, 30 April 2012

When it's Challenging Chill Out

"When it's Challenging Chill Out". That should on a poster in my house.

Or this one...



I have come to see that parenting is only as stressful and complicated as we make it, and I have for sure often made it too complicated and therefore stressful!

I discovered this when mike's been away most of the last 2 weeks on business. As per usual I kind of panicked, especially this time there is no daycare several of the days. But then a weird calm took over and I guess I 'gave up' on panicking. Instead I thought "let's see what happens if I just observe, am present for the kids, stop clock watching and stop obcessing about getting everywhere 'on time'"? David's not even 3, I don't think he'll get fired from daycare if we're 30 minutes late.

As luck would have it I found a handmedown Lego electric train set in the basement and so the rain problem was solved. We also painted, cooked, all three had a bath together and chased each other round the house.

Nikki is developing at breakneck speed, eating any food I put near here (she tried to eat a french fry straight out of my hand), grabbing everything within reach and already attacking her big bro.

Sometimes I think when you panic you can't see all the fun you can actually have. We've had fun!! Plus much less tantrums when you let David decide when he will agree to do what you say, turns out he needs to think it through a little first.

That said, I am currently typing this in David's room, at 9pm, with him having just emptied his bed and he is refusing to sleep. That's it, no more daytime naps.

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

"No carbs before marbs"...



... was my favorite quote of the year so far, however one should note that it would be prudent to not have carbs afterwards either to avoid looking like a whale.

Fabulous food, drink and great friends in Marbella, always a pleasure never a chore!

xxx

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

Reset.


Yet another soul searching rambling post today I'm afraid!!

I recently heard the idea that you should now and again reset your computer (not your 'actual' computer, I mean reset yourself), erasing its contents, and then decide what you want to put in it.

I love this notion... what indeed would you put in? Which friends and family? What activities? What in life is giving you pleasure and what quite frankly is just a pain in the ass and more trouble than it's/they're worth? Who is brave enough to actually do this?

Well, I can say that if I had been erased and woke up with Mike, David and Nikki like I did this morning... I'd be pretty darned chuffed. Good start. Lucky me.

xxx

Thursday, 22 March 2012

Post Hired Help Depression

So I have been super out of sorts for the last 2 weeks and couldn't put my finger on why until a temporary new cleaner came for 3 hours today. I felt 100% better.


Turns out I don't have Post Natal Depression, I am just completely co-dependent on getting help at home. My poor nanny, who is only 33, had a stroke - totally unbelieveable and one of the worst/scariest things I've seen. The worrying about her made me loose a couple kilos more of baby weight but thankfully she is home as of yesterday. Maria I miss you get well soon!!

So to recover from this (which is a joke as I lead a very privelaged life) we went to Marbella for the weekend where we had the good fortune of running into both sets of grandparents. David was OVER THE MOON all weekend, as were we. So click above and enjoy the pictures, I was in 'team no cream' that's why I look red in some shots.

xoxo

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Highs and lows

Ah, the highs and lows of being a parent. I looked at the last entry and thought "who wrote that? surely I never felt that good such a short while ago?" After a fantastically fun Friday things went a little off...

So yesterday Mike's flew off to UK to eat drink be merry and stay in a hotel... the way I see it... although that's not how describes it... he says it's 'work' which technically it is I guess but any free time (sans little monkeys) sounds like a 5 star holiday all inclusive trip to me.

Love my 2 little angels more than anything else but in the last 24 hours there has been rather a lot of tantrums, crying and carrying an angry child over the shoulder (whilst pushing a stroller with a hungry baby crying) as passers by stare. Plus the whole keeping mommy up all night (they literally take turns every hour) isn't doing me any favours.

So to counter this 'low' I have stuffed my face with Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter cups*... to hell with loosing the baby weight I am going for the short term high before the evening fun commences. (* kindly brought to me by my neighbour who is now my favorite person ever)

That said, March and April is FULL of trips and visitors and I can't wait. If I'm going to be tiered I will do it in the company of others and whist having FUN!

xxxx

Monday, 27 February 2012

February 2012
















Here are some photos from February. I can't think of anything to complain about today so I'll brag. Temperatures hit 20 degrees in Madrid yesterday which meant we were sunbathing in the garden. Nuff said. Click on BELOW photos/slideshow for larger pictures :)




Saturday, 18 February 2012

Like father like son

Look at these two GO at the buffet table at daycare's 'Medieval Party' on Friday.

Ha ha ha it doesn't stop being funny to me... especially the silent communication "no, this one's no good, do you want to try... no? ok..."


Saturday, 21 January 2012

Happy New Year - wait is it still January?

Well, time flies when you're having fun and even faster when you have a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn. I have no idea how Nicole is turning 7 weeks tomorrow and how the weekends fly past faster than you can say "it's the weekend wooohoooo... oh now it's sunday night". Although Monday is the new Friday for me as I am finally able to decide what to do and when to do it. I can also be alone which is so much FUN!

A few random mentions...

The Spanish women can be hard to win over for a blonde foreigner but I have my latest accessory - a newborn - which is proving to be quite the popularity card. Ok they may still instantly dislike me but they have to pretend to like me to come and ogle at my blonde baby - ha ha that's good enough for me.

Shopping online at 3am is a great way to liven up the fact that you have to wake up and feed a baby every 3 hours (2 if you count that it takes 1 hour to get the whole thing done). I am so tiered I forget what I have bought and it's christmas every time the delivery man comes with an Amazon parcel.

Nikki is smiling like a champ (my mom taught her, they are already in cahoots). David loves helping out and I have caught him stroking her when I'm in the kitchen and thinks no one can see him. He helps me make her food and bathe her.

I am not going to bang on about the tierdness or how badly I sweat when both kids are crying at the same time because I am really lucky. I am lucky to have my family - family of 4 awesome, sometimes crazy & frustrating but ultimately adorable people. Ok... I will mention that my back really hurts and I wish I was physically a 25 year old - this would all be so much easier.

Click for larger photos.