15 month update

Ok, so I haven’t done an update here for a few days, but I tell you – apart from spending all day chasing Sean which leaves me with hardly any time to sit down, as around this age, adult supervision is the utmost importance. And, I have one other major problem, my laptop!

I had it sent back to me with the message that nothing can be fixed (or recovered so I’ve lost everything on it) because the hard drive is broken. So I’ve kind of been wallowing in self pity and I am currently using an old laptop which has none of my favourites on it and it shut down every so often because of over-heating.

Anyway, on to more positive thoughts, it's hard to believe Master Sean is now 15 months (yesterday)! When we went to the A & E a couple of week ago, he weighed 12 kilos. And he has now got 8 adorable little teeth. He is still not walking(!) – that’s not to say he is not moving around fast!

He points at objects and says “Ba”(for ball) and when I ask him in Swedish “where is Mummy’s nose” he will correctly point at my nose. He also says “mamma” or more like “mamamamama”. But I can tell that he is understanding so much more of what I say and to watch his language comprehension skyrocket is fascinating.

Sean also loves music now. Whenever he hears it, from the radio, toy, tv or even a mobile phone – he will start to dance and sometimes clap. He also goes nuts, like almost in a fit, of excitement, when he hears police sirens outside our window – it’s hilarious to watch.

As for his vaccinations, Bear took him on Thursday for his latest ones; MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), Hib, Meningitis C and pnumococcal infection protection. Next ones are thankfully not due until he is 3 ½.

One not-so-great milestone is some whining and tantrums which I am really trying to ignore. He is such an actor and pull faces trying to make me feel sorry for him. And pram – trips or any trips to the restaurant can be a nightmare as he does not like to be in his harness or sit still so the only way is to take lots of different snacks and toys to keep him entertained.

The sleeping is going fine. He now sleeps all night in his cot from the time we put him down,
7pm until 6.30am. Sometimes after finishing his morning milk bottle (210 ml, same amount in the evening too) he goes back to sleep.

Well, all in all though, Sean makes me smile and laugh out loud a million times a day, and my love for him is immeasurable. I’m so proud to be his Mum!

All showered, dressed and ready to go out for a nice lunch or so this Sunday - but it doesn't look as if we will be going anywhere as it's pouring down with rain in central London today

:-(

Paving a new road

I really like this Dolly Parton quote. Its so true - we are definitely in charge of our lives/ our destiny!

Most of us live our lives in the rush of the rat race, but I think every now and then it's important to check in with yourself and try to keep track of what you've done (or haven't done) to acheive your aspirations, accomplish a goal, or perhaps just looking back and see what you don't like, and then do something about it.

This is a reminder for me that there are some things that I am not entirely happy with but am tolerating them (it could be anything from a really small issue that just irritates you, i.e a stain on the wall etc to something more significant that you have been putting up with) so that is now where I will start paving a new road.

For today...

FOR TODAY: .... Wednesday 24 February 2010

Outside my window: a little sunlight is coming through finally

I am thinking: maybe Bear and I should have a little wine with our dinner tonight

I am thankful for: my adorable son and that Bear is coming home at 5pm already today

From the kitchen: nothing yet but am planning a wintry beef & veg stew with mashed potatoes for dinner

I’m wearing: grey velour Juicy Couture track suit bottoms and a black stretch vest from Primark and a pair of indoor UGG-style cosy black slippers

I’m creating: a beautiful flower arrangement from the hyacinths, daffodils and tulips I bought earlier

I’m reading: booklet “Travelling with tots the easy way”

I am going to: unpack all the groceries that has just been delivered

I’m hoping: for a perfect sunny skiing weather when on holiday in Courchevel

Im hearing: best of cd with Dire Straits

I’m praying for: as always; health for me and my family

Around the house: a very jolly 15 month old baby

One of my favourite things: afternoon nap with Sean on my chest

A few plans for the rest of the week: Thursday: playgroup 10am then vaccination booster for Sean at the GP surgery followed by lunch with my gf Helen in Hampstead, then seeing an ENT doctor at the Royal Free Hospital at 4pm

Cosy time with my gorgeous baby

this is no doubt my absolute favourite thing to do

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Free brownie at Starbucks!

This offer is exclusively for my dear readers. No, not really LOL! But most of you probably don't know of the "Free brownie day" at Starbucks. They are celebrating that not only their coffee but now even their brownies are Fairtrade certified.

Just print this voucher, take it to your local store on Friday 26 February and present it when buying your usual cup of whatever. You will then get a free brownie. Great, I know! - You're very welcome! ;-)

our weekend in pics

my little family, my life, my everything

Father and son, also referred to in this blog as 'mah boyz'

Tip: bring a book to keep your little one entertained if you're staying for more than just lunch, with perhaps some champagne ;-)

Guy Richie's famous Mayfair pub

Fist time I've seen the new Porsche Panamera in real life so I had to take a picture. A four door, four seat luxury - the perfect family car! lol

NY - this time two years ago

February 2008

Afternoon Activity

Sunny Marble Arch

..where we dropped off Daddy on his way to work this glorious Friday morning

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Patiently waiting for brekkie

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Technology Trouble

Last night my second laptop in two years crashed on me. Just like last time, I had not done a back up for several months. After several hours (and tests) with Dell, we had established that its the hard drive that's packed up. An engineer will come on site within five days and replace the hard drive, but hopefully I will have it back in 10-14 days.

At first I got depressed at just the thought of not having a laptop, but I'm guessing it will do me (and my family) VERY good, to spend some time away from it. So pls bear with me until I get it all fixed. Meantime, I will of course carry on tweeting but also do the occasional blog update from my Blackberry. Ciao for now!

Spring holiday no 2

It's booked, confirmed and all paid for - it's official - we are going to Chicago on in mid May!!! My Mum will come over to London to look after Sean, and then stay for the duration of our Lake Como trip at the end of May too! We're so privileged to have my Mum :-)

We are both so excited as neither of us have been there. We opted to go to New York first, but since we've been several time we wanted to try something new. And we've heard lots of cool stuff about Chicago. WEEHEE! If anyone's been there, tips and advise are very welcome.

Too cool for school

This morning Seany is wearing his new nautical style hooded top and is messing around with the baby sun glasses I got him last week.

Brief recap of our V-day

Bear surprised me with a unique restaurant experience at the Supperclub, where you dine whilst lying on beds (comes from the original one in Amsterdam where Bear already has been). All diners gets served simultaneously in an all-white dining room that then transforms in to a club. It was a truly fabulous evening!

Stunning bouquet of 40 deep red velvet roses

A soft leather in cerise 'Bond Street Organiser" from Smythson, with a loose leaf diary inside to be replaced every year. I just know that I won't be leaving home without it!

Beautiful Bargains

Yesterday I went to Primark for the first time in a very long time. I had almost forgotten how amazing that shop is for finding extreme bargains.

However, its also very easy to over-do it and buy things you don't actually need, but can't resist buying because they're so cheap. I managed to resist temptations and left very satisfied having spent a total sum of £15.50 (ca 176.00 SEK) for one pair of shoes, a skirt and a vest.

Black ruffled mini (so feminine!), black suede ballet flats and a stretchy vest

up close you can see the cute big bow-tie detail on top - perfect for both casual and dressy outfits

Sean is excited to see his uncle Erik

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Shoe porn

And these are the high heels-peep toe-platform-with ruffles in the front, that I mentioned earlier. Perfect to wear at the wedding we're going to in May - now I just need to find a matching dress! lol

morning glory

Good morning, from my climbing monkey and I!

I only just got up and am now having breakfast and admiring my new shoes that I have bought specifically for the Lake Como wedding. (pics up here soon). It's just a glorious day here in London with the sun shining through our blinds, and I can't wait to go outside. Funnily, I have that Friday feeling today, full of optimism! :-)

Mah boyz

Baby Bear celebrating papa Bear yesterday morning (with a very appropriate top saying "Dad rocks" :-)

Pampered

This is what our office looked like when my masseuse brought her massage table here on Monday and gave me a full hour's massage. I am now considering pampering myself like this once if not twice a month. It will do my body and soul real good!

wedding invitation

Our invite to a Spring wedding in the Italian Lakes

We have been invited by one of Bear's friends to their wedding, in Lake Como. I've always wanted to go and it's on my bucket list, as the surroundings are breath taking. The weather should be perfect in late May - the only thing is that as the wedding is a 'no children' one, so we need to find a baby sitter for Sean! Pictures of the venue below:

Soldier of Love

Weehee - the long anticipated return of Sade (Nigerian father, English mother, raised in England)! She is releasing her first new album in 10 years and I can't stop listening to this very powerful, sexy and seductive track! I predict it will go high in the charts. Well, let's see :-)

Fun filled week and life's little luxuries

Morning, and welcome new week! I am feeling really positive and we have a fun-filled seven days ahead of us!

Tomorrow it's Bear's birthday, so he has taken the day off to spend it with Sean and I (love it!). And as we all know, on Sunday it's Valentine's Day, and Bear has told me to arrange a baby sitter for Saturday night because he has got a surprise in store. I am really excited and have no idea what sort of thing he has come up with. Watch this space! :-)

Tonight at 7 pm I've booked Anabel, a masseuse that I used during my pregnancy. She will be coming to our flat with her whole kit, including a massage bed.

Massage is according to me one of life's little luxuries - its just sheer indulgent pleasure where I'm able to escape and completely relax. She will give me a full hour's back massage, and hopefully all my tension, stress and fatigue will hopefully melt away :-) Jealous? LOL

tips on how to start your spiritual journey

Good morning! I had a question from one of my readers re spirituality and if I could recommend some sites/books for those looking to develop their own spirituality and explore the power of thought and just in general about body, mind and soul.

For many years I had heard from others about the concept of spirituality, and knew quite a lot about it - but it just didn’t flow for me. I wasn’t ready. I believe it’s discovered mainly through self exploration in combination with a teacher/mentor. And as they say “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear” – and that is exactly what happened to me when I met Bear, who gratefully is spiritual and has taught me a lot.

For me, there is no real definition of spirituality as it means different things for different people, but what I do know is that it controls our purpose, driving force, relationships and well being (and I suppose all other areas of our lives). Basically, if I was asked to describe a highly spiritual person, he/she would be HUMBLE, HONEST, COURAGEOUS, KIND and have INTEGRITY.

Here are 10 books (that either Bear or I have read) to start your spiritual journey:

1. The secret – Rhonda Byrne

2. The monk who sold his Ferrari – robin Sharma

3. Awaken the giant within – Anthony Robbins

4. The Tibetan book of living and dying - sogyal rinpoche

5. Heal your life - Louise Hay

6. The Invitation – Oriah Mountain Dreamer

7. Feel the fear and do it anyway – Susan Jeffers (which we btw have on cd that we uploaded on the ipods, and it’s great for when ur too tired to read)

8. The four agreements - don Ruiz

9. Ask and it is given – Esther hicks

10. Loving What Is - Byron Katie

PS Veronica – thank you for trusting me to advise you

Friday night at the children's A & E

Sean's been suffering fr a stomach bug for several days now and its been getting progressively worse.

So far we've been here a couple of hours and are doing some tests on him. Hoping to b back at least before midnight *yawn*


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Skiing holiday booked! :-)

Spring skiing 2009 - Here at our friends house in Boulder, Colorado - truly beautiful scenery

Vail, Colorado

Walking through Vail Village with our (then) 4 month old baby

So we have now finally booked this year's skiing holiday, - 1o whole days, hooray! :-) Last year we went to Colorado, USA, when Sean was only 4 months (and slept most of the journey), and I think I speak for Bear too, that it was one of our highlights since getting together.


However, after discussing back and forth, and speaking to other mums, we have now come to the conclusion that, now that he is older, flying long haul with Sean is simply not worth the hassle!


Nevertheless, I am still ecstatic, as we are going to rent one out of six beautiful ski chalets which form part of a newly renovated, absolutely gorgeous hotel, Le Portetta, in Courchevel in the French alps.
I love the fact that the apartments, located on the top floor of the hotel, are more spacious than the hotel rooms and have a kitchen, living room with fire place and balcony.


It is right on the foot of the nursery slopes at Courchevel (so convenient for me as I do not like walking very far with my ski equipment)


There is also a lovely sun terrace which will be great for lunching on the sunny days and for Apres-Ski. And as you might have read in my previous post, my Mum is flying in from Copenhagen to meet us there and will be Sean's favourite baby sitter whilst Bear and I are skiing :-) Can't wait! Below are some pics from the hotel and apartment where we will stay:

The lobby our bedroom

lounging area and the balcony

Gratitude

Good morning Wednesday! This picture really inspires me! :-)

Following on from my previous The little things post, here are the little things I’m thankful for this week:

Having escaped nasty bugs when my both my boys are feeling under the weather

Friends who understand that my weekends are sacrosanct, i.e. - quality time for me and my boys (with some exceptions of course LOL), but that I’ll see my friends any week day

hair treatment "Absolut Repair" by Loreal Professional

Bear is taking the day off work on his birthday on Tuesday, to be with Sean and I

My ongoing magazine subscriptions

Becoming more spiritual and learning more and more about the power of the mind and that I myself can choose how to feel

the best ever hand cream, Aveda's "hand relief"

That Bear has a surprise in store for me for Valentine’s day

Smooth FM, a fave radio station playing both new and old music, that always manages to cheer me up with a song that brings back good memories

Chanel’s Rouge Noir nail polish, my current obsession

My mother, who is coming with us on our skiing holiday, as our own Mary Poppins, to look after Sean when we are up on the slopes

Waitrose’s organic blueberries

The additional one hour or so I get in the mornings, when Bear takes Sean when he wakes, changes him and give him breakfast

Me, a proud new mum, in my over the knee boots, one year ago today

morning duty

this morning I got two coffees (I opted for our local cafe instead of Starbucks, because of the shitty weather) as Bear left for work later than usual.

heading home

Bear with baby Bear on his shoulders

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