Delayed return..

Talk about being snowed in! I couldn't open the terrace door without snow falling in

Magical views from our bedroom
The house we are staying in here in Colorado

Hello! There's been a change of plans on this side of the pond... It's been snowing non stop for 48 hours here in Boulder, which has made the surroundings even more magical and our stay more pleasant but because of it, we decided not to risk driving the hour long journey (in snow storm)to the airport yesterday and changed our ticket and delayed our return with two days, which now means we are back in London on Sunday. See you when we're back! X

Hello! from Colorado

Waiting around for our flight in the business class lounge in Terminal 5 Heathrow

BA screwed up by not finding the bassinet we booked for Sean, but as you can see, he didn't mind the slightest because he got his own adult seat

We used the place meant for the bassinet on the aircraft to change Sean's nappy. Very handy indeed

Food served on the plane included lentil salad (see if you spot my feet)

and a chocolate cheese cake and champagne for dessert


First morning in Colorado. Here we are sitting having a cup of fresh java, on the terrace of my friends house up in the mountains

If these surroundings doesn't do good for your spirit than I don't know what will

Just leaving the house to drive to the nearest big mall, Nordstom, which is only 20 mins away

Pic taken this morning from our bedroom window when a deer decided to visit us

Shall we Tweet? :-)

Good morning! In about an hour, me and my little family will be leaving for Colorado for 11 days. Unfortunately (for those of you who likes reading my blog), I will not be taking my laptop with me, which in other words means this blog will be on holiday (I will make an effort with the odd post now and then containing pictures to not let you starve haha).

However, I may be late to the Twitter party, but as an experiment for this trip, I have now signed up and whilst on holiday I will update regularly. Why don't you too try it?

You can follow me here. Looking forward to tweeting with you, or see you when I get back xxx

Birthday celebrations

Baby Bear was in a jolly good mood when we arrived at the restaurant on Friday

Before all the guests arrived we took the opportunity to make use of the empty dance floor

Baby Bear not so awake anymore because the cosy atmosphere in the cave made him sleep

Birthday singalong - Mum and baby brother in their element

Some of my birthday pressies - what a lucky girl I am! From left to right: Louis Vuitton tote handbag, new Swedish sparkling vodka from Camitz & Lindberger, black and white pearls from Chanel, Mark Jacobs Daisy parfume and lotion, Louis Vuitton large scarf, Pink Champagne Truffels by Charbonnel et Walker, tickets to Michael Jackson West End musical, Thriller and tickets to the actual MJ concert in January 2010, Hello Kitty PJ.

TGIF (no I don't care that it's the 13th - stop going on about it!

These pictures are from today after I'd been to the hairdresser (whilst Mum looked after Baby Bear). I am really getting things done when Mum is here. Yesterday we spent hours clearing out our utility room, cleaning it, throwing away unused stuff and made space for Baby Bear's outgrown clothes.

I don't look particularly happy on those pics, I know - but believe me, I really am! I'm in good spirits today.

My brother and his boyfriend are coming over later and then we are all going out to celebrate my birthday in a nearby restaurant. Afterwards we will probably end up back here, have a few night caps, pick up the guitars and play and sing like we normally do. Even though my bday is not until Sunday, I have learnt the hard way ,that under no circumstances should one go out on the lash if you are travelling the next day.

All sorts of thing can go wrong if you do that, and I am not risking screwing up this trip by forgetting passports, important stuff for Sean or just feeling ill on an 10 hour long flight across the Atlantic.

Now I'm going to try and find an outfit for tonight. I'm thinking of my high healed pointed black leather boots with one tassel hanging from the back of each boot, a black military style cotton dress with a belt around the waist and lots and lots of bangles on my arm. Have a fab Friday evening. Mine couldn't get any better as I'll be surrounded by the people I love xxx

Rolling over, Michael Jackson and baby foot massage

Sean has finally learnt how to roll over! I'm soooo excited! The biggie is of course the belly-to-back roll but that requires more strength, so we most likely won't be seeing that for a bit

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Today, he executed a perfect back -to-belly at the perfect time - just when Mum and I were playing with him, so we got to witness his roll together. We had put him down on a blanket and my little boy promptly flipped over. Of course his arm got stuck under him which made him angry. Once he wriggled it free, he tried to push forward but didn't quite manage it. But now I just can't stop him from rolling.

I put him on our bed just this morning and he flipped over right away. I flipped him back onto his back again and sternly warned him to not move. The moment I straightened up, he'd flipped back onto his tummy again.

While I'm absolutely thrilled that Baby Bear has hit this physical milestone, it now brings a whole new set of problems for me. I normally put him on the bed in front of the TV to keep him busy whilst I shower but I guess that's out now that he can roll over...

Now over to something completely different. Bear woke me at 7am to say he had got me tickets for Michael Jackson concert in London January 2010 (tickets went on general release today). I'm really excited as I've always loved his music and I've been waiting to see him since I arrived in this country - i.e. 13 years and no concert in the UK (only one TV appearance).

Loud music is coming out from our speakers, Mum is now making prawn and egg salad, Bear is at the shop buying some Burgundy white wine and I'm off to bath Baby Bear and give him a very much appreciated foot massage. Have a nice evening, see you tomorrow X

Best birthday present ever

Baby Bear has a swollen tummy and has started to vomit quite often these days

On Monday night when Bear came home he had an unexpected visitor with him - my Mum!!! Guess if I was shocked. My first reaction was really weird - I screamed! It was such a surprise and I think I saw a ghost!

It's my birthday on Sunday (turning 33) and Bear had arranged with my Mum over a month ago, to come over as an early present, and boy was that a perfect gift! I've really missed my Mum since she left in the end of December, and for every milestone Sean hits, I always wish Mum was here to see it.

It's now only 5 days left n(YAY!) until we go to Colorado, and this week is spent preparing for our long haul trip. We've bought nappies, formula milk to last during the 10 hour flight, Baby skiing suit and other necessary warm clothes for Sean. We've also had to get a Visa (it's a new requirement for the US, and they will send you back home if you don't have it), and a Swedish passport for Baby Bear.

It's great having her back and of course she's a huge help when it comes to relieving me from Baby Bear. Since she arrived I've been to the dentist already, I've made an appointment at the hairdresser on Friday for a wash, cut and blow dry and I will go and get a manicure too before we travel :-)

Earlier today I took Sean to the doctor where I asked for a referral to the paediatrician. He has a very swollen tummy, vomiting quite a lot (several hours after he's eaten) and seem to be very uncomfortable at times (mostly evening and nights) although nowhere near to when he had colic. I'm hoping once his digestive system is fully developed he will get better, but until then I still would like a baby doctor to give me his opinion.

It's no doubt a constant worry when you have children, but now that Sean has started to interact so much, making so many sounds and movements, its really so awarding. He is my everything, and to be able to show my off my pride and joy my Mum daily again, is really making me so happy. PUSS PUSS

Being grateful

Morning- I'm back! Sorry for the no blogging in the last few days. I don't care so much about myself but when it comes to Sean, he is my priority as you can imagine, not the blog.

Today I've got lots to catch up with after spending most of the weekend in bed. We are about one glass away from being out of milk, there is blueberry stuck to the floor (from our smoothies we made) and there is Kleenex tissues spread all over my bedroom *sigh*.

Not sure if you've heard about Little Miss Hannah, a 7 month old little girl diagnosed with Gaucher's Disease. If not, then I highly recommend you watch this video and learn a little bit about her life, diagnosis and future. I got very emotional when watching it (yes I cried!), and ever since having Sean, I'm finding it difficult watching children's charity adverts on TV regarding child abuse or starving children in Africa etc.

Well anyway, her mother put together a website in honor of her baby girl and her fight to find a cure to save her daughter's life. You can visit Hannah's site HERE. Hannah is also hosting her very first giveaway to raise awareness about her disease, so make sure you check it out.If anything, spread the word, post the video and say a little prayer for this child who is fighting for her life. And before I post the video I thought to write a very appropriate list.

Today, I’m grateful for:
my adorable baby boy Sean and the health of my family
waking up without an alarm
Not going back to work
the sun shining over London
fresh choc chip cookies
large coffee cups
my heated mattress pad,
dark red nail polish
my beautifully cosy wonderful home that I share with my two boys
Elvis Presley
friendship and funny girlfriends
Monday morning’s grande latte with a little foam on top
a long hot shower
the nice scent from the pink lillies in our livingroom
Now have a nice Monday and remember to be grateful. Here is Hannah's film:

feeling under the weather

Today both Baby Bear and I'm not feeling very well. We both have a temperature and I'm generally feeling weak. Curled up in bed and back when we're feeling better.

Yesterday in pics

I just love this pic! Sean's milk bottle in the coffee cup holder

My jewel trying out the new car seat

Arriving at Stoke Park

and we took the car seat with us for the restaurant, as Baby Bear is still too small for the baby high chair My back was hurting from squeezing in to the back of the otherwise two seater car!

I ate a mushroom soup and a caesar salad with the dressing served on the side (sometimes in certain places the caesar dressing can have an overwhelming fish flavour from the anchovy paste)

Bear had butternut squash soup with a side salad and prawn in dill sandwich

After the gym we walked over to the main building

Can't wait until the weather get's warmer so that we can start going here more regularly because even if it looks quite nice, it was really freezing cold !

Welcome Wednesday!

You might remember that Bear works from home on Wednesdays. :-) Well, I am sitting on our big cosy sofa wearing my grey Juicy velour tracksuit and my ('ridiculous but so cute' according to Bear) slippers, Baby Bear on my lap and my large Starbucks cup with English breakfast tea + lots of milk in it, and the laptop in front of me. In the background I'm listening to the radio, Magic FM, whilst Bear is sitting at his desk in our home office, working his way through a lot of emails.

Once he is finished we will be going for a drive to Stoke Park, our country club (see previous posts from there) where he plans to use the gym whilst Baby Bear and I use their lovely facilities, whether it is the playgound or just walking around in their beautiful surroundings. We will then have lunch in one of their lovely restaurants. Oh I forgot to mention that we finally bought a car seat. It might seem crazy as it's for babies up to 9 kilos. Sean is already 7 kg's so with any luck it should hopefully last us to the Summer and then we will have to get a new one.

I now have to drag myself away from here and go and put away all the food that was delivered to us this morning.

This is what it looks like in our kitchen after the Tesco driver has dumped all the food he delivered. Not sure why it didn't come in bags today like it normally does...

Swedish Mum 'n' babies gathering

Giving you some pictures from earlier today. 3 new Mums and their babies came to visit me and Sean. We were all due to go to the Swedish Church for the toddler group, but because we hadn’t seen each other since towards the end of our pregnancies, we had a lot of catching up to do and therefore ended up staying in just chatting, 'compared notes' and swapped ideas on babies/motherhood and such like.

People think I’ve gone mad when I say my feet have grown half a size since becoming a mother. No, my feet are by no means swollen, that's not what I mean. They are just bigger than before. And then to hear that two of the three mothers that visited also have bigger feet since having a baby, was quite reassuring to say the least! :-)

So there were two baby boys and two baby girls, all gorgeous in their own way and with their own character. I am such a baby lover these days, it’s like I’m hooked on them. When I’m out walking with the pram, and see another Mum and pram ahead of us, I tend to walk a little faster and catch up with them, just so I can catch a glimpse of the baby. Sometime I even start talking to the mother, and actually find that most times it’s very welcomed, and that other new Mums normally feels the same.

Oh and one of the Mums, Viki, had the most gorge pram ever! Made by Emmaljunga, (same make as I have), only 40(!) years earlier! Would you believe it??

I'm soooo jealous! ;-)

" I don't want to sit here Mummy, I wanna sit next to the girls of my age!!"


Sean in different trousers (GAP) after an "accident" , but with the same body suit from RL that Daddy bought him

Sean was very content in between the two girls

From left to right: Elliot 5 weeks, Maya 4 months, Sean 3 months, Polly 8 weeks


def some flirting going on here! :-)

A more gorge pram than this will be difficult to find!

A beautiful Grape Hyacinth plant that Viki brought for me

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Random ramblings

A much more energized me earlier


Sean will no doubt be delighted when he gets to enjoy this swing

Tonight's dinner simmering - a very hot chili con carne

I think this pic speaks for itself

Today I’ve been running around like a headless chicken. I'm totally exhausted actually. I’ve been to M &S to buy kitchen utilities. I then had to go to Boots and buy milk formula for Sean. A whole box of it is coming with tomorrow’s supermarket delivery, but I just haven’t got enough to last us throughout the night. I know, bad planning!

I’ve done three(!) loads of washing and hung it to dry(I don’t use the dryer, only for sheets), I’ve been to check out a nursery in St Johns Wood and walked back from there.

I then went to the Swedish shop where I bought cakes and biscuits for tomorrow's Mums' n ' babies gathering in our flat. After that I walked to Marble Arch to see a friend as promised, and helped her with downloading programs and decoders that enables her to download movies. She kindly gave me a huge swing for Sean which I had to balance on the pram whilst walking back home really slowly.

Then realised that I have no kidney beans for tonight’s dinner, chili con carne, so after taking Sean out of the pram, and taking my shoes off, I then had to put him back again, shoes on again and pop out to our local shop. I had to empty the dishwasher and remove a vomit stain from the sofa. I have only just now slipped in to my cosy gear and prepared dinner which is now simmering on the cooker.

And during the course of the chores, Sean has pooed three times, of which two I had to change the clothes he was in because it had gone through the nappy. I’ve also sterilised his bottles and dummy twice and tried to keep him entertained so he would’t cry, whilst cooking. I certainly know what the concept of being a “full time Mum” means...

Sorry for rambling, perhaps not making much sense today. Only thing I guess is that tomorrow is another day!

I 'm off to bed now

Night night from a very tired Catharina

xx

Bluebells and butterflies

Sunday morning at ours!

Earlier Bear popped out to get us fresh bagels, coffee and the Sunday papers as usual. I know..we're so predictable, but we like this routine! :-)

Note the beautiful roses in the background ,that I picked up from our local market yesterday - £3.50 (circa 45.00 SEK) for a dozen, not bad, eh?

So we have entered a new month today - We are now one step closer to turning the clocks one hour forward (at the end of March) and saying goodbuy to wintertime, yay!

I really look forward to Spring. It's such a wonderful time of the year. What I mostly like about it are the flowers, such as Bluebells, the cherry blossom on the trees and the sounds of singing birds outside your window. Oh, and not to be forgotten is the first butterfly emerging from its winterlong hibernation to inform us of Spring's approach.

I love the butterflies. To me they are a symbol of a new start, something fresh, being inspired to start NEW with many things, incl Spring cleaning, which for me includes clearing out my closet, including my knicker drawer (throwing away the ones I haven't used for 12 months) which I do every year.

Later we aim to find a car seat for Baby Bear so that we can all go for drives as the weather inproves.

Here I give you a little peak of Sean in our bed last night. Luv n kisses!!