Thursday 24 January 2013

To rock

We have our own rock star at home today and it rocks!

Lots of things going on so haven't found the time to blog for a few days. Change is in the air and feel that life will also become a bit more rock n'roll soon, time to leave that rocky road.



 
Apologies for the blurry photos, as always taken with the iphone but had to be taken very quickly, catch the moment and all that...

Saturday 19 January 2013

To have a play date and a bit of snow

The children shrieked with laughter and the adults grumbled...the snow is here and yesterday it came en masse. Mind you this is London, not Sweden so 3 cm is a lot and it covered London beautifully. We bought a sledge as a surprise and M had to try it out yesterday evening after having picked her up from a play date. There will be more play in the snow today.

Play dates with new found friends are also fun for the parents. I've got to know several new parents who I would happily continue having play dates with in the future. I love meeting new people, finding out what you have in common apart from just the kids who happen to be in the same class. It doesn't always work like that but so far I've been lucky. Even better when you find out they already know some of your friends, then you know you're in safe hands. The play date yesterday was with a girl that M has talked constantly about over the last month, and vise verse (5-year olds tend to be fickle when it comes to friends so a month is a long time) and when the mum and I bumped into each other last Friday afternoon at the school we swapped mobile numbers and arranged a play date. For me it involved coffee and  Prosecco (it was Friday after all) and the girls played for 3 hours straight, whilst we talked for three hours straight. I think we're all looking forward to next play date.

Well, better get out there and show M how a true Swede plays in the snow.


Monday 14 January 2013

To be a ballet girl

Tomorrow is a big day for M as she starts at the Ballet Club at school. They don't need to get changed as it's at lunch time (brilliant, no need to worry about it after school or at the weekend) but they do need a pair of "ballet shoes" and M asked me for the ones (see pic) specifically so I obeyed.

I always wanted to do ballet but there was no such thing in the village. In the nearest city we did find out there was a ballet class run by a quite strict looking Russian lady. We could come and have a look if we wanted but she said we're a bit old at 8-9 years. And old we looked indeed, and tall, and perhaps a bit chubby compared to the little pink fairies prancing around to piano music in their pink leotards and tutus...I remember feeling a bit out of place and decided that it was not for me (and especially not in my brown(!) leotard). A pink leotard and matching tutu were high up on my the wish list at the time but for some reason I never acquired any of those. Instead I went on to do Jazz ballet or Jazz dance and did that for several years, in neon and black outifits, before I discovered aerobics...

We'll see if M likes ballet. She's already attended dance/drama/singing school for a year on Saturdays, but she seemed to lose interest after a year as she ended up being the oldest in the group.
It took place at 9.30 on Saturday mornings so I think it got to both of us in the end. She's only 5 and we only want her to do activities if she enjoys it, and hope she'll find something she really likes. I played the piano from I was seven till I was twelwe and I hope she'll try an instrument too at some point. In fact, I would love to have a piano again. But I digress, better separate my own childhood dreams from my daughter's. And hope she enjoys her ballet lesson tomorrow in her very pink Hello Kitty ballet shoes.


Saturday 12 January 2013

To have plans

M is back at school, and even after a few days of "I don't want to go back to school (she loved the Christmas and the holidays...) on Tuesday morning she stated that school was indeed fun "phew" and there were no tears.

I asked M the other day what she would wants to do when she grows up. She responded with the following "stitch clothes (great, that's creative, a budding designer perhaps), reading lots of book (as a book lover, that pleased my ears) and drink wine (oops, not sure where she got this from but perhaps when we enjoy a glass of good wine we should not mention it loudly...however a "sommelier" has probably lots of fun too).

So what do I want to be when I grow up? Could it be that as the big 40 is coming closer that I feel that a change is in order? It is the year 2013 after all and the world did not go under so here is hope. I have some plans and feel quite excited about it but can't share it just yet. Just need to embrace change and be positive.

At the moment all I'm thinking of is the big 40 in June and I sent out the party invites on Facebook yesterday. A proper one will follow but wanted to get the date in the diaries as soon as possible in case friends need to travel etc. The theme? Fab 40's of course so bring on the Victoria rolls and tea dresses. Can't wait to dress up a la Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall or Paloma Faith.

We also booked a trip to Gothenburg in February, when M is off school,  and we're going to stay with my brother's family and meet up with my parents, can't wait. M is really looking forward to see her cousins and grandparents again. Another thing to look forward to. I have feeling 2013 will be a good year, a very good year.

Fab 40s

Monday 7 January 2013

To enjoy the last day of the holidays

As today was a so called inset day M won't start school until tomorrow and I took a day off work. Always find it a bit sad when the Christmas holidays come to an end but there is a life after Christmas and I am excited when thinking about that there is a whole new year ahead. I have decided to make the most of it.

In order to make the most of today we ventured out to the V&A Museum of Childhood (after a slight detour as I'm still useless when it comes to maps, even Google map, but exercise is good for you, so I kept telling M...). It is a great museum, not too big but lots to see and do and M really enjoyed it. They had some truly beautiful doll houses and also toys from my childhood which made me feel slightly old...Anyone remember Strawberry Shortcake?







Sunday 6 January 2013

To bake a semla

I couldn't wait any longer. Love the Swedish "semla" and just had to bake them today even if it's a bit early according to tradition.

Most of the Christmas decorations have been stored away in boxes today and I'm still working on that New Year's resolutions list...

Friday 4 January 2013

To enjoy Disney on Ice

It was the best ever according to M, especially the Little Mermaid and Peter Pan. In fact we actually enjoyed it too and think it will become a yearly tradition as long as she enjoys it.

Not sure it ticked all the boxes of one of my New Year's resolutions - to be a bit more cultural and enjoy London i.e. visit museums, theatres, musicals and concerts more frequently, however it was a success with M and therefore totally worth it.

Life is not all about Disney princesses though and on my day off on Monday I'm planning to take M to the V&A Museum of Childhood to show a different side of the story. And that will certainly fit with a more cultural new year.





Tuesday 1 January 2013

To celebrate a new year

The days between Christmas and New Year went fast. My two days with Crisis is certainly one of the best experiences ever. And things got even better as a very good friend arrived from Sweden the day before New Year's eve to stay with us for a few days. We had a lovely New Year's eve, lots of dancing and cooking. We started the new year with a visit to Tate Britain today and the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition. It brought back memories from my art history study days and M enjoyed it too.

It's time to prepare for reality as I'm going back to work tomorrow. M won't go back to school until the 8th and husband has got another week off. But it will also be good to get started on those New Year's resolutions - more on that later.

Happy New Year!