Visits from family and other non internetty times

My sister was here for just over two weeks (which is just under a million weeks too short if you ask me). And means I've not done any blogging for quite some time. Basically I was having too much fun, and pouring myself in to bed each night totally utterly exhausted in the best possible way.

I LOVE having her here, and I wish more than anything that she still lived in the UK (why oh why can't commonwealth citizens move freely between countries!?!?)

Although the last few visits we've had from her have been a lot about her spending time with the tiny human - there has also been a lot of sistor time. Shopping, eating, drinking and chatting...just so much chatting. The time I get to spend with her is SO valuable and happens so rarely - it's amazing how quickly it goes every single time.

Park life

We went to a few of our fav' places to eat...drank a LOT of bubbles and gin and did ALL THE SHOPPING.

train trips to London

She's gone back to Canada now to do her last year at Uni (smarty pants!) and we all miss her so much. Tiny Human has been asking after her everyday, and was really confused when he saw her on Skype with my Mom just days after she was in our living room.

Shopping anxiety attack....too many cute things....

Thankfully we're seeing her at Christmas so not long to wait (but if you ask me she should just move in already).

axx

See you soons vs. good-byes

You know when you have those people enter your life…in a weird way or unexpectedly and circumstances align just so – and then all of a sudden you can’t remember what life was like before they were around?

I have a few of those. But notably, and for the case of this mini essay one fam jam in particular.

I met T in a breastfeeding support group (yes they exist, no I didn’t EVER think I would go to one). I was 10 days in to being a Momma and we were terrible at breastfeeding. Like the worst. And I was determined (by guilt mostly) to not give up so soon…so off we went to this room in a community centre where there was a circle of Mommas with their boobs out, most crying, all sleep deprived and all desperate to feed their baby.

It was a few weeks before we got to know each other but once the hang outs started happening outside of that room the friendship was quickly cemented on our North American roots, love of day drinking and new mom status.

It helped that our littles got on so well and are so close in age – so as long baby naps at the pub turned in to running after them at the park we were always in just about the same phase, which made our time together SO easy.

I went back to work, but days off were spent having play dates and bitching about things (literally anything), shopping, drinking coffee and wine and letting the two littles entertain each other.

Two and a half years later and we’re doing the same. Adding in weekends away, nights out without the littles, sleepovers, lots of wine and gin and about a trillion WhatsApp messages from evenings and bad days…and she’s leaving me, they’re leaving us.

The three of them are off on their next adventure, returning to their homeland (although not the home state!) and while I’m excited for them – my heart is breaking just a little (ok a LOT).

The tiny human said goodbye to one of his best buddies on Sunday, and he had no idea what kind of goodbye it was. They didn’t get down our street before I was sobbing. And while we know we’ll see each other in less than a year, and there is SKYPE and FaceTime and good old fashion snail mail it won’t be the same. Not to mention every time he’s talked about her this week I’ve had to hold my emosh mess together…this will get worse as time goes on. Time zones and international moves don’t mean much to a two year old!

In my heart I know that they’ll always be a part of our lives, and we’ll have more adventures and sleep overs, the littles will chase each other around, share meals and bath times together – I also can’t help but mourn the loss of the proximity of the friendship. How easy it’s been, and how lucky we are to have these incredibly generous, loving and hilarious people 20 minutes away.

So I wish them nothing but luck and love on their next chapter – the three of them deserve all the happiness in the world.

…and thank everything for technology or I think I might actually be stopping the plane on Saturday.

a xxx

Photo Friday

two of my favourites from my favourite

had a hot coffee in my pjs on Sunday morning - ALONE!! T'was awesome.

This kid and his penguin. I tell you, it's true love

One of many 'Pit Stops' at dinner on Monday

Two of my best bishes.

Canadian Tux styles at the duck pond

a full on day of filming for work in the most gorge house

axx

A good Mom night

Last night was a good Mom night. 

Usually on my ‘single parent’ nights (when A is working late, or out) I rush around trying to get stuff done and organised, stick to a schedule and I always, ALWAYS end up stressed and frazzled and the poor tiny human does too. 

Last night was a beautiful spring evening – the sun was shining it was warm and lovely. We played in the garden and when we were done the tiny human had a long extra bubbly bath, even though it was an hour before ‘bath time’ – the bags remained unpacked, the dishes in the drying rack and toys out.

I didn’t check my emails when he was bathing, instead I took pictures of his adorable face and played with him…and when the grime and dirt of his very busy day was washed off and the bubbles were gone we got out and put on our PJ’s snuggled up on the sofa and watched Toy Story had bananas and milk and ALL THE CUDDLES. 

He happily went up to bed half an hour early and I managed to get all the ‘important’ stuff done once he settled down. 

I didn’t have to do one time out – there were no raised voices, just laughter and cuddles and good times. 

He is such a good reminder to me to slow down, and let go. Yes dishes in the sink stress me out – but they’ll get done eventually. And let’s be real, the Queen isn’t popping round any time soon. 

This tiny human of mine won’t be tiny for long, so here’s to more nights like last night. 

Less dishes and more cuddles. 

ax

Saturday Selections 16.05.15

Watching: MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA! My evenings are complete for the next few months.

Listening: New OMAM – love love LOVE

Reading: Hey Natalie Jean – loving it so much.

Wishing: For a quiet weekend – I love keeping busy and we’re doing so many fun things, but I want lazy afternoons and causal naps in my life.

Loving: All the flowers in my house – they make me so happy and smell lush!

Doing: SO MANY THINGS – lots of mini house projects, garden stuff, normal life things etc etc everything is so busy.

Making: Trying to finish the mini sideboard/bar thing I’ve been redoing…it’s missing two hinges and locating the right ones has proved to be mission impossible
 
Eating: Too much right now – all the socialising is fun but bad for the waistline, I’ve defo gained back all the weight I lost in Feb/March…sad times…time to get back on track!!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!!

a xxx

It's almost DECEMBER

Can you ruddy believe it.

It's Friday afternoon and when I'm back at my desk on Monday it will be DECEMBER.

My most favorite and also most stressy month.

We usually don't do the Christmassy stuff until later in December, with me being a December baby and all and my mother refusing anything Christmas oriented until the 16th.

However as I've grown older I've slowly started letting Christmas seep in to my life earlier and earlier each year...and this year, with the Tiny Human not understanding why exactly, but know that something very exciting is going on...I'm going full hog as early as I can (so much so, we even went to see Santa/Father Christmas last Monday...in NOVEMBER!)

I have plans, and things are happening. There are pantos, and baking and tree picking out and decorating, and seeing Christmas lights, and present buying and wrapping said presents, and card writing, and crafts. Not to mention seeing friends and family, going for meals, and drinks and just SO MUCH FUN AND LOVE.

Weekends are full but not overflowing allowing for plenty of movie watching, naps and chilling...we're making plans, but not too many. The goal this year is ALL the fun, with limited stress.

Christmas baking starts in November this year, and if this means I can stay up reading Christmas books to the Tiny Human, or watch Christmas movies (hello Love Actually) and drink mulled wine with the hubs and have no guilt about all the things I should be doing to make everything perfect, I'm ok with it.

I'm going in to December striving for balance, organisation and calm (but exciting) enjoyment of the season.

Bring it on, deck the halls, be merry and bright and all that other great stuff.

a xxx

Non-waterproof umbrellas

The other day I was waiting for my train home and the rain was coming down so hard it actually started raining INSIDE my umbrella.

I love the clear cold numb cheeks and noses, and cozy clothes days of autumn. Crunchy leaves and the sun having just a little bit of warmth.

What I don't love are soggy leaves, wet feet (one of my worst things in life!!) and damp everything...

So rain rain GO AWAY!

Unless I don't have anywhere to go and can sit inside, drink lots of tea, coffee and red wine, read magazines and books and watch movies...those rainy days are just fine by me!

a xxx

Giving thanks

Even though I live outside of my 'home and native land' I still try to celebrate the national holidays...as well as being an excuse for nice food and spending time with friends and family (let's be real, that's the basis for all good holidays!) it's also become more important since the tiny human showed up - as I want him to have some Canadian...and American traditions and understand his Mommas background.

There are very few moments I genuinely and honestly feel like I wish I had a teleporter to take me home immediatly - but seeing the insta's and snapz from my sister really made me want to click my heels together and go home.

I have lots to be thankful for, and I really appreciate having a day where the whole purpose is to be thankful...think about the things that make you happy and are the good bits...which for me, often get stuck behind the bits that aren't so good, or that annoy and frustrate me.

So here's to a day dedicated to giving thanks, spending time with family and friends and being really really full.

For those who want to know what Canadian Thanksgiving is all about, or why it's different than American...here's a link.

a xxx

Five years

So I’m doing that #fmsphotoaday thing from Fat Mom Slim as a reminder mostly to be looking out for things as I’m rushing to work, from work, on errands, around the house…rushing rushing rushing. It’s a word or phrase a day that reminds me to really slow down a little and look at things more.

Yesterday’s picture was ‘five years ago’…and it amazed me to think that five years ago I was freshly deported from the UK due to losing my job and as a result my visa. The recession (at least in London) was in full swing and I was 4,707 miles away from my fiancé. My life was in total turmoil. I was miserable and exited, sad to be away from London and happy to be home, I was separated from my life in London and my future husband…and also planning our wedding and our future together. It was a weird time for me.

Five years later feels like no time and tons of time has passed. I’m married (twice…to the same man), have a tiny human I’m responsible for, have changed jobs twice and bought a house to name a few things!  

I’m bad at ‘reflecting’ – at looking back…I’m so focused on forward, it is something I think I should take time to do more of.

a xxx