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Birthday girl

Birthday girl

Rose and raspberry cakes

Cardamon and Orange blossom cake

making party bags

making party bags

making party bags

The last time we had a birthday party for the girls was Edith’s first birthday and Astrid’s third. We skipped last year. I’m so tired. I’ve been working weekends and evenings for the last three weeks. Yesterday I baked tarts, cake and cupcakes and today we hosted the party and I’ve been creating an intricate sitemap for work since 7.30pm.

The brilliant news is I’ve perfected the orange blossom and cardamom cake – I even did pink icing for it. The Alsace tart was a winner. Not so much the carrot pie. I’ll work on that recipe.

The girls’ guests had a lovely time at the party. I made party bags for all. They were finished half an hour before the guests arrived at 11am. The face painter came at noon. Kids had lunch then cake at 1pm and everyone left by 2.15pm. Then we went out with my brother’s family for a nice long walk on the Heath and a well earned cup of tea at the caff.

I think ten was the pefect number of children to have at the party. We had enough chairs for everyone including the adults so we didn’t need to call in chair hire! Edith really wasn’t happy near the end – it was all a bit much for everyone I think.

The guests all left happy and I’ve had reports back of children spending the afternoon eating loads of sweets and drawing in their new books, happily leaving their parents in peace for a bit. Happy Birthday girls!! It was a swell party.

5 (Hello Kitty) candles

Astrid turned 5 this week. Five.

Five years ago in New Zealand on a Summer’s evening and there she was. End of 2006. That was the time I began writing this blog. It was a time to begin documenting our lives with the children. We’ve made family albums. I’ve not done the last two.

The best thing about this year for Astrid is that I look back on last year’s birthday photos when Astrid refused to have her photo taken – yet this year she got a packet of Hello Kitty candles weeks in advance for her birthday, she even got us to light them twice so she could blow them out twice.

She’s been talking about her party all the time and who she wants to come (it’ll be after the holidays), out riding her new bike all day, finding out how things are made, how I made the pastry for the Alsace tart I baked tonight, wanting to bake, insisting on going outside in the garden, standing up to Edith.

Astrid is really settling in here in London.
Settling into herself. Settling into some form of permanence.

Happy birthday little love.
I wish all the joys that life can bring for you in 2012.

ballet recital

ballet recital

The other Sunday we went to the girls’ first ballet recital. I can’t remember why there wasn’t one last year, although last year I went to see their final ballet performance and I went to end of year festival for Astrid. This year I did neither. I’ve taken so much time off lately while we had an au pair while our nanny was away and I know there’s more of that ahead during Christmas. So Astrid cried this morning that I couldn’t come. And tonight somebody told me about their good friend who’s a photographer who earns bazillions of pounds to work a few days a month.

I know what next year’s goal is now.

My Yquem arrived yesterday. And James came over to work on his site so we tiptoed down to the cellar and opened one of the gift boxes. Ok, well I’m not giving any away so the fancy box was a nice present for us. It is indeed the best wine I’ve ever ever had.

And tonight I was reassured I wasn’t such a terrible cook after all and that simple has its merits.

All in. A good evening.

And look at that. What a smile she put on Astrid’s face. NOT that you can tell from either photo that Astrid and Edith were really happy this morning.

They loved having a visitor. And they loved even better new dresses from HEMA!

cheops

mookins pookins

thank you

thank you

I’m far too tired to be making much sense really.
Firstly a beautiful white Christmas. A lovely time at home. Time to just be here and be together, quietly.

Astrid and I went out for a long walk in the snow on Saturday and ended up getting caught in a snowstorm. It took us by surprise. That’s the second time in two weeks I’ve found myself caught up in something so unexpected so easily. Two weeks earlier I was caught up in student protest in Russell Square. I managed to get out swiftly but it was astonishing how easy it is to just walk into something with no way out and it can happen so quickly.

Secondly. Thank You. Thank you to you who still carry on reading my blog from fun times to shit times. From being prolific to being barely here. Thank you. And thank you to the amazing Dallas Clayton for sending me a copy of his brilliant new book. An Awesome Book of Thanks.

Astrid can’t wait to get her hands on it (and she can now I’ve written this). Yet more brilliant unicorns and magical creatures. More wonder. More pure imagination. Good for Dallas for being so ace. Good for Dallas for bringing a bit of strange mad himself into the world to make us smile. Thank You.

morning

the A

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Astrid has an amazing singing voice. Did you know that? I knew she liked singing but there has been a transformation. A great transformation.

I was in the kitchen the other day and the most wonderful pure little song was being sung, perfect high notes, and such sweet melody. It was Astrid. And now that Astrid is at Kindergarten she is learning songs to sing. And having singing practice.

Songs like, ‘this is the way we tidy up’, and ‘we go back inside the kindergarten’. Astrid is getting me to teach her ‘@N08/3183483474/">rise up o flame‘ – that’s one we learnt at school. And after that we’ll learn ‘wenn der frühling kommt‘. And after that we’ll learn ‘Sumer Is Icumen In‘.

It was so sweet this morning when I walked with Astrid and Edith and Ashley. We got to South End Green after dropping Edith off and I had to run for the bus. And after I’d got on I raced to the top of the stairs and stood there and waved at Astrid in her buggy. And Astrid was so proud waving to her mum at the top of the Red Bus. She was so proud of her mum. And I was so proud to be waving at her from the exciting Big Red Bus.

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It feels like the run for the finish line is over. Almost. Unpacking and sorting aside. The home we’ve dreamed of. The big London home. With a proper country kitchen. And all white walls. And wooden floors. The home with the sage green front door and a huge old rambling rose tree in the front garden. The home in a beautiful street lined with old old apple trees. The home right next to Hampstead Heath; a home we can spend many years in – now Astrid has started school, Kevin and I have our careers sorted and a big long list of projects; all now begun and finally set up these past few weeks – a lifelong job to write for, to photograph for and to grow.

Children to nuture, who need to stay in one place. Happy children. The difference in Astrid since she began kindergarten is just magic. She now eats three proper meals a day, sleeps like clockwork and she now finally seems settled and happy. Edith too is sleeping properly and even the cats seem so happy in their new proper, final, settled home.

Edith however seems to have just begun the terrible twos which does involve a fair amount of shouting and wailing every afternoon on her return home. The only respite is a swift batch of scrambled eggs, mixed quickly in the pan using our new, divine, real eggs from Riverford.

Perhaps it’s the new farm fresh food. Perhaps it’s the permanence of a long term real home and a new school that will be school for many years to come. Whatever it is there’s much happiness around, infusing us, infusing our new space, infusing the future with much love and peace and happiness and hope.

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I am saving up to buy The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts. But in the meantime I cheat with my breadmaker. And I cheat by buying non organic pre-made pastry from M&S. I don’t have the time to be a purist. Much as I’d like to be one. For now as an Art Director in Advertising Mum, I use machinery and pre-made pastry. Heck I even bought the kids Walls ice creams and Waitrose pizzas this week.

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Somehow this morning seemed to organise itself. We arrived in true London fashion twenty minutes late, after making several phone calls from the car to Eireann, who was also running a bit late. Erin, Fatty, Jane and Kate were all there looking very fresh for people who not that long ago were sitting on a long flight.

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The girls love the little path down the side of the house where they take their brooms and hide on the little porch where there are taps to play with.

It’s a lovely gentle English summer, if not a touch chilly. Life is brilliant fun – mostly. Daddy even bought mummy a new red KitchenAid food processor that Astrid chose. Last night we baked sour cherry and vanilla spelt and almond meal muffins in our new silicone muffin cases.

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Tonight I am filing things, to print out. To tick off. And I thought I would just delete EVERYTHING off my desktop. Until I found February 2006. It sort of looked important.

This is our favourite house.

And here’s Kevin all those four years ago the day before we got on the plane for my brother’s wedding. Wish there was a photo of me. I’d have disallowed it due to thinking I looked too awful. Which is such a pile of lies; I’m sure I looked great. But still, no photo.

So, while we’re on history this was a funny thing I found today; notes to a nanny – will be fun to look back on when we are older. Was already fun looking back on it today.

8.30 start – give Astrid breakfast – cornflakes / jam on toast / yoghurt with a tsp of jam stirred in

8.50 leave for Lorraines

Park pram in Lorraine’s courtyard or on the street with strap over gate with brake on. There are a few weirdos who pass so you need to keep a very good eye on the pram at all times! I have had someone put a balloon on Edith one time when I wasn’t looking. Ensure pram brake is on and strap over gate rail and that you have Edith in view. I pretty much reverse up the stairs.

Make sure you put the plastic rear cover on over Edith as this helps to hide her from view and prevent people putting balloons on her.

Astrid needs her hand held on the stairs.

4:45 leave for Lorraine’s for 5:00pm collection – do not be late ever ! Lorraine is very strict on collection time.

Wednesday collect Astrid from Lorraine’s at 11:45am

Edith gets fed when she wants it. Usually either a 120ml or 180 ml bottle. Sometimes she’ll have two 120ml bottles.

Formula in kitchen. Wash bottles in very hot soapy water and rinse with very hot water from tap. Use rubber gloves as our hot water is VERY hot. No need to sterilise as long as you use pure hot water and rinse well.

To make up her bottles: 4 scoops for 120ml bottle; 6 scoops for 180ml bottle. Use approx 1 eighth boiling water and cold from the tap. Test first ! Formula from Mistry’s chemist in South End Green.

Switch for heating on/off is in small upstairs room. Temperature gauge is by stairs downstairs.

Ensure you double lock the door when you go out.

Ensure stair gate and kitchen gate are always shut.

Cats need to be let in during the day – you will see them sitting on the windowsill or you might hear meowing. Also need letting out as and when. If you do go out if you could call cats (rufus and oscar) ten minutes before you go out it would be nice if they are in – but not wildly important. And if it starts to rain / hail also keep an eye out for them.

Astrid’s dinner: when she gets home from Lorraine’s – she’ll eat most things. Favourites include steamed brocolli, pasta with pesto. Use fusilli or penne in cupboard. She doesn’t like lettuce. And isn’t that keen on bread. She eats rice crackers with hummous. Frozen peas in freezer. Tuna in patnry. A whole peeled carrot, jam sandwich or toast. Just water in her drink bottle. Astrid also likes ham and mayo sandwiches from M&S or croissant.

Edith will sleep in the moses basket with various blankets. need to puff up mattress as it tends to slope down one side. Astrid needs to sleep in the pram – sometimes needs in the night garden dvd on. Curtains closed. Sleep time is approx 2 – 4pm although if she looks tired at 1.30 act quickly so you don’t miss the sleep window! A walk around the heath or just up the road usually works to get her to sleep – or pushing the pram back and forth in front of the (quiet) tv also good.