Christmas day Futers style

Well, we had a lovely Christmas day for the most part. It started at 2.30am when Toby woke up, found the stocking at the foot of his bed and shouted "Mommy! Daddy! Santa's come!!". Toby, Jason and I got up and Toby checked out all of his presents. Rosie very sensibly slept through this part of the day. J has a cold so he went back to bed and Tobes and I stayed up until 4am trying out his Superman bike, turning the Transformer into a car and then back into a robot half a dozen times, dressing Polly Pocket up in each of her outfits (that's my boy) and opening and examining the contents of every box.

We went back to sleep at four then got up again around nine with Rosie. It was all a bit over Rosie's head. She has a stomach virus and is not a happy little girl at the moment. She did love the tea set Toby gave her and her dolly that opens and closes her eyes. I was surprised that Rosie is already able to play make-believe but she was giving her dolly sips of 'tea' and bites of 'cake'. Very sweet.

While Rosie napped and J and Tobes went out to try the new bike I started preparing lunch. I don't know why I bother with such a big meal but I do like to do the whole traditional thing. Today we had turkey, stuffing, sausages, cranberry sauce, gravy, honey roasted parsnips and carrots, roast potatoes, brussel sprouts and cauliflower cheese. I just can't imagine not doing the whole thing. This year I made the cauliflower cheese with an amazing goats cheese we got at the farmers market. It was lovely. I make a ton of food because the leftovers are almost as good as the meal. I make a turkey pie and bubble & squeak with the leftover veg. So yummy.

So I got the meal ready, just over an hour later than planned, and even managed to shower before we sat down at the table. Toby decided he didn't want to eat anything and would rather go watch a DVD on his own in the living room. Rosie was cranky and grumbling because of her stomach virus. J and I were doing our best to enjoy the meal. I had put Rosie in my lap to calm her and just when I thought I was going to get to actually taste some of the food I had spent the previous few hours preparing Rosie threw up all over me, herself and my plate.

Much, much later I did manage to sit down and enjoy a plate of food without any regurgitated additions. It was worth the wait.

You know, there are families who all sit down together at lunchtime on Christmas day. They're all clean and dressed in their Sunday best, have good conversation and eat well. No one goes off to watch A Muppet Christmas. No one declares the food to be 'a bit yucky'. And no one throws up on the plates. What a strange family they must be.

Track Santa

We've been having fun with the Norad tracking Santa website today. We just looked and he's in Kabul now giving out presents. Tobes loves checking to see how close he's getting to London and I'm hoping this will provide a good incentive to go to bed at a decent hour tonight. "Santa" has a cold and needs to put a bike together tonight. I'm hoping it won't be a late night or Mrs Claus might have to finish that bike which could be dangerous.

London fog

Growing up one of the stock images of London was the fog. I remember reading about it in novels, especially Sherlock Holmes. It was as much a part of London as Big Ben. Well, in all my years of living in England I have to admit that I've rarely experienced real fog. The occasional misty morning and early evening but nothing like the current state. When we left the house this morning we couldn't see the end of our street the fog was so thick. The heath looks like something straight out of a horror movie. It's well creepy, as Annelouise's Rowan would say.

It's funny how it changes the quality of sound too. Everything sounds more crisp, as if all the usual background noise is muffled into silence by the weight of the fog. All domestic flights from Heathrow have been cancelled and even some flights to Europe. It's causing chaos for people trying to get home for Christmas. They think we have about another 24 hours of it. Sounds nice to me. I'm actually enjoying it. The legendary London fog. Makes me want to get out my deerstalker and magnifying glass and look for a crime to solve, though I think I would probably look more like Elmer Fudd hunting wabbits.

Santa's Ho (Ho Ho)

I've been doing my Santa work this morning, wrapping presents and sorting out the stocking stuffers, making sure that neither child has 'more' than the other. This is particularly tough because it's not straightforward. This year much more has been spent on Toby because he's getting a bike but Rosie has more physically large items but Toby has more presents to unwrap because he's getting more little things. It makes my head spin.

The funny thing is I'm not sure the kids will even notice this stuff. Rosie certainly won't. I should probably be careful I don't start projecting my gift concerns onto the children. Geez, I think I need to go lay down.

Lightning strikes twice

Drove into the village at 8.30 this morning for a breakfast with Santa. Cafe Rouge was having a special childrens' breakfast with a visit from Santa and even little gifts for the kids. J went in with us and while he was sorting out the parking ticket I went around to the boot to get the stroller out. It wasn't there! A quick series of thoughts ran through my head. Why would anyone steal a stroller... deja vu... haven't I been through this once before... oh shit, where did I leave it this time?

After some quick crime scene reconstruction in my head I realised that the last time I had seen the stroller was the night before when we met up with Elizabeth, Andrew and Mary Catherine for a last supper before they go off to the States for the holidays. Obviously I had the stroller when we left the restaurant. I took it to the car. Do I remember putting it in the boot? No. Crap.

I think J was genuinely shocked that I could do something so stupid TWICE. Oh well, nothing for it. We had a date with Father Christmas and a missing stroller wasn't going to get in the way of that. So I picked up Rosie and the nappy bag, took Tobes by the hand and schlepped through the village. We had to pass the spot where I had parked the night before and lo and behold it was a Christmas miracle. The stroller was still there.

Some kind soul had pushed it up under cover and it was fine though a little wet with morning dew. I had a quick sniff to make sure it really was morning dew and not some drunk guy's wee from the night before then plonked Rosie in it and we were off.

Very glad to have found the stroller but I must admit that I was already planning what kind to buy next.

It's hard being in this family

I was just looking at the photos from Texas. I had some bad parma ham yesterday and wasn't feeling so great while sorting them out last night. It was nice to look at them today without thinking I might throw up. One of the things that made me laugh are the pics of me and Toby trying to take a photo of J in the shower. My family have always been big on practical jokes which was a shock to J when he joined up. He was so reserved and shy and, unfortunately for him, it just made him a bigger target.

When I was little Mom used to play jokes on us all the time. She would hide behind doors and tell us stories that ended with her jumping up and shouting something which made us jump out of our skins. Jon and I were terrible to each other. We would roll each other's room in toilet paper and he would tie my doorknob to the one across the hall so that I couldn't open my bedroom door and would have to climb out of my window and through the hedge. I remember once putting mascara on Jon while he slept, the night before swimming lessons. When he got in the pool the next day the mascara ran. So mean but so funny.

Then there was the time that Jon thought he would really get me. He put cling film over the toilet bowl and Vaseline on the inside bathroom doorknob. Then he sat in his room across the hall and waited for me to go in. Unfortunately, Dad went in before me. Dad shut the door, there was a moment of silence then "Jon!" then the doorknob started rattling as Dad tried to open the greased door and then "JON!!".

So, when I decided to pick the lock on the bathroom and try to get a naked photo of J, I was just following family tradition. The proof of this is that Dad walked down the hall and saw me standing in front of the bathroom door with an ice pick in one hand and a camera in the other. Did he looked shocked? Did he ask what the hell I was doing? Nope. He just asked who was in the bathroom and kept walking. I think he was just glad it wasn't him.

Texas pics

Finally got the Texas pics up. They're here. The password is either 'texas' or 'quentin'. Never can remember.

Stolen from Ebeth's blog

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I'd have to go with hot chocolate. Especially if it's Swiss Miss (I'm a cheap date.)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? When I was growing up Santa would arrange the toys in little vignettes. I especially remember the year I got a family of dolls and they were arranged around a little playset. The children were swinging, Mom was pushing them and Dad was watching. Santa isn't quite so creative these days and the gifts are usually wrapped in red paper.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White, always.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? This year I did buy some mistletoe from our fruit and veg shop in the village. Once I got it home I couldn't decide the best way to hang it. It sat on the kitchen table for a while but I kept freaking out about the children touching it because it's apparently poisonous if eaten. At the moment it's drying out on top of the TV in the kitchen. The only way anyone could get under our mistletoe is if they laid down on the floor next to the freezer.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The weekend after Thanksgiving which is at the end of November.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I love the whole meal. We usually do the full American Thanksgiving and then have an English Christmas lunch with turkey, brussel sprouts, roast potatoes and parsnips, sage and onion stuffing, etc, etc.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? The one that stands out is the year Jon wanted a bike but we didn't have enough money for a new bike. Dad took my old bike and painted it red then painted black web all over it and a Spiderman face on the seat. He put on new handles with tassles and it was the coolest bike on the block!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? It wasn't a big revelation. It was the year I got my Lemon Meringue doll (part of the Strawberry Shortcake family). I think I had been suspicious before then but that year I remember laying in bed and hearing lots of shuffling and moving in the living room and Mom and Dad talking. That's when I knew for sure.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Usually just one and it's always pajamas.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With a mishmash of homemade ornaments and odd baubles. This year it's dominated by some Lego ornaments Toby and J made and a big rainbow coloured paper chain that Tobes and I made. I still have ornaments from mine and Jason's first Christmas together. We were completely broke so I made all the ornaments for our first tree. I dream of a designer tree but the closest I've come is the tiny tree we had in Tokyo. I had to buy all the ornaments and they were all either white or crystal. Very pretty tree but I think I prefer the mishmash.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it but never really experienced it. My first Christmas in England I remember walking down Barnet High Street and it started to snow really hard. It's barely snowed since.

12. Can you ice skate? Oh yes. We're going skating at Somerset House this year. Can't wait.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I had a Barbie perfume maker that I loved. And my Pink Thunder Huffy bike. My EasyBake oven too. I was a lucky little girl.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family and friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mom's sugar cookies.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? This will only be the second year that we've done it but I love the Christmas Eve procession in Blackheath. A little girl and boy ride through the village on a donkey as Mary and Joseph followed by other children dressed as shepherds. Everyone follows them down to the heath carrying lanterns or flashlights. We all gather outside All Saints Church and sing Christmas carols. I love it last year and I've been looking forward to doing it again.

17. What tops your tree? A little angel.

18.Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Probably giving. That's not me being generous, I just dread getting a gift I really don't like and not being able to hide my reaction.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love most of them (barring Cliff Richards) from the traditional carols to the children's songs to the modern stuff. I do love Wizzard's I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday. Perhaps I've been in England too long.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Definitely yum. I carted back over a hundred of them from Texas. The ones here just don't taste right. You can do so much with them - hang them on the tree, make peppermint bark, put them into cookies, smash them up and sprinkle them on ice cream. I even got some tiny ones for the tops of cupcakes. They're so festive.

Really getting into the Christmas spirit now. I went to the grocery store this morning and the Salvation Army band were playing. Lovely to do my shopping with the accompaniment of a brass band playing Christmas carols.

We had the ceremony to turn on the Blackheath Village Christmas lights a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun. They had a little funfair for the kids and an Elvis impersonator entertained the crowd with some of his greatest hits (and was surprisingly good). The vicar of All Saints blessed the occasion and the lights were turned on to lots of cheers. I love this little community.

Ye olde U S of A

Well, it's that time of year again. When Toby starts behaving (Look, I'm being nice not naughty, Mommy.) and I attempt to eat my bodyweight in Ferrero Rocher and Matchmakers. My Mom gave me some great little cookbooks called Gifts from a Jar. The idea is that you put all of the dry ingredients for a recipe in a jar, a bit like those colorful jars of sand we used to make at school, then attach a note with the wet ingredients that need to be added and the cooking details and voila! A nice little homemade gift. I thought that it would make a good present for Toby's teachers since it's something he can help me make.

My first task was finding the jars. This is the kind of thing that would be no problem to find in the States but requires a bit of hunting in England. Only people who make their own jams would buy them so I needed a specialist shop. Luckily we have a gourmet kitchen store right here in Blackheath. I went in yesterday and explained that I was looking for the equivalent of an American quart jar. Obviously I grew up with 'quarts' but when I said the word out loud it sounded funny to my ears and I wasn't quite sure whether to pronounce it 'kort' or 'kwort'.

The sales assistant squinted his eyes and said 'Quart? I have no idea.' He then got out a big conversion book but American quart wasn't listed. He scratched his head and said 'Well, I assume it means a quarter of something.' I had never thought about it but that made sense. Suddenly a 'quart' seemed like a strange and ancient measurement. Almost quaint.

After coming home and doing some research I discovered that a quart is very conveniently almost exactly a litre. That makes it much easier. Now I'm planning to use some of the Christmasty chocolate chips that I dragged back from the States for the teachers' jars. I'll be off to buy two litre jars tomorrow and Ms Suki and Ms Carla will get their very own American-style Christmas presents this year.

Just opened another book of matches. This time they were from Homeworks, site of the infamous 'you may lose control of your movements' discussion.

Motherhood necessitates invention

I was hoping to post our holiday pics tonight but one very small girl has kept me busy. Rosie Rae was not a happy gal this evening. There are a number of reasons why this may be.

1) The GP and chemist can't seem to get their act together and haven't fulfilled Rosie's formula prescription even though I put in my request last Thursday. We ran out of formula powder this morning so I was unable to give Rosie her bedtime bottle.

2) Rosie managed to get to some bread that Toby was eating. She was shoving it in her mouth as fast as possible when I saw her. I'm sure she got at least two good bites. It's a wholemeal granary bread and I'm wondering if the wheat has given her a poorly tummy.

3) She might be teething.

With all of these things in mind and after two hours of trying to get her to sleep I came up with a plan. First, a dose of Calpol to help with any pains she might be having. Second, a bottle of something. I had given her water but that obviously wasn't doing the trick. I thought about fruit juice but if the water didn't satisfy her then the juice probably wouldn't either. She needed something to satisfy her, fill her up. Finally I came up with a concoction. It reminded me of when I was little and would make 'potions' which usually consisted of things like milk, sugar and peppermint oil or milk and food colouring.

Rosie's potion contained 220ml of warm water, a teaspoon of enriched baby rice for vitamins and body, a teaspoon of olive oil for fat, half a teaspoon of sugar for calories and flavour and a teaspoon of Rosie's calcium supplement... for calcium. I put it all in a bottle, shook it up, offered it to Rosie and she drank it down. Five minutes later she was fast asleep. Hopefully I haven't poisoned her.

Better just go and check on her...

Body clock disfunction

OK, so first night back we sleep 16 hours. Last night, not so lucky. Tobes was up until after 11.00 and Rosie finally went to sleep some time after 2am. I lay awake wishing for sleep until almost 5am then Rosie woke up at 10am and the day started. I have a feeling I'm not going to be at my best today. Jet lag is a bitch.

Back to normal. Well, almost.

Last night I went to bed with the children around 8pm. We woke up this afternoon at 12.30! Toby missed school and swimming lessons because we slept right through them. I'm suffering with jetlag more than I ever have before. I woke up with a pounding headache, double vision and nausea. Nothing some food, coffee and paracetemol couldn't fix though.

I thought fresh air and exercise would be a good idea so we all bundled up (funny to think that Tobes was wearing a T-shirt and shorts the day before in Texas) and went into the village. It was nice to abandon the hair and make-up routine I fall into in Texas and just go out with a messy ponytail and no make-up. They were testing the Christmas lights for the big turning-on ceremony on Saturday and the village looked lovely. We spent a couple of hours running errands and stopping at Costa for a snack. We bumped into Rosie's friend Fillipa, her brother Freddy and their nanny Haley. By the time we headed home around 4.00pm it was already dark and I had fallen back in love with Blackheath which looks particularly gorgeous this time of year.

Every time we visit the States I start to feel a tug at my heart. That feeling of 'belonging' that I'm not sure I'll ever really have in England. My accent changes, my body language is more relaxed. I can really feel myself shifting into Texan mode and I enjoy it. I start to worry that our flat in London is too small, that life in England is too hard and that maybe it's time to move back. Then we come back to London and I see that our flat is tiny but it's lovely and that I fit in more than I think I do. I do find my Texan accent fading. I speak more quietly and I sit straighter and walk differently but I guess that's just me fitting in. A full-on Texan in Blackheath would be a little disruptive! We've made a lovely life for ourselves in London and I think we'll stay a bit longer.

Our trip home was one of the best ever. Mom had really prepared for us and had gotten a travel cot and double stroller from a cousin. It made things so much easier. I've also learned over the years to keep a kiddy box at Mom and Dad's with a bedguard, kiddy plates and cutlery, sippy cups, sun visors for the car, etc, etc. Having the organic grocery store for Rosie really helped too. I was able to stock up on snacks for her. We came back with some great apple cinnamon oatmeal that Rosie loves. I'm going to have to see if I can buy it online. It's really yummy. Even I like it.

I did buy another suitcase and we stuffed it full. I bought so much but I know we'll use it all. I found some peppermint and white chocolate chips that will make great Christmas cookies and I brought back some shredded coconut. The English coconut is like sawdust but the American kind is soft and sweet. Not sure what I'm going to make with it yet. Maybe a big coconut cake. That always looks festive.

I came back to some amazing news. A friend of mine had a baby over the weekend... and she didn't even know she was pregnant! I thought that kind of thing only happened in magazines or talk shows but I guess not. Thankfully she and the baby, a little girl named Sophie, are both fine. I'm looking forward to introducing them to the world of double strollers soon.

We're baaaack

Arrived back in London a few hours ago. I'm typing this with puffy, tired eyes. Got little sleep on the flight but it all went well. We did have two people ask to be moved away from us. One of them loud enough for J to hear. The guy said to the flight attendant "Do you mind if I move because... you know." He then pointed at us and made a face. Oh well, can't say I really blame him. Rosie was her usual noisy self and ended up waking half the flight once she finished her nap.

We came home and had some lunch and I asked Tobes if he was glad to be home. He said 'Well, a little bit." He was adamant that he wanted to stay in America and never come back to England. I guess that's a sign of a good vacation. After the time at Mom and Dad's we spent a few days with Jim and Kellie and Toby had a brilliant time with their boys, Jack and Benjamin. They all got on so well. Rosie got right there in the middle of the action every chance she had and they were both exhausted at the end of the day.

Lots of pics to come but I hear Rosie crying. Think it's time for naps.

Fluidity of time

I remember writing about this last year when I visited Mom and Dad. Time here is different. In England we wake up in the morning, go to bed at night, then wake up again the following morning. Not so in the Black household. One night last week J woke up at 3am and heard chopping noises. He got up to find Mom in the kitchen chopping onions. She couldn't sleep so she decided to get up and make onion quiches. If you wake up in the night, 9 times out of 10 someone else will be up too.

Mom is unique though. I'm not a big Benny Hill fan but I always hear his theme song if I watch Mom when she's busy. She moves like she's in fast forward. The woman is like the Energiser bunny. One afternoon this week I decided to lay down with Rosie during her afternoon nap. Mom was reading in her chair and said that she might lay down in her room too. After a while it became obvious that Rosie wasn't going to sleep but I was still very tired. I got up and saw that Mom's chair was empty so I went looking for J. I explained that Mom was resting and I wanted to nap so could he look after Rosie. J pointed out that Mom wasn't resting and I looked into the back field to see that she had built a bonfire and was throwing old branches onto it. I hope I have that kind of energy in 25 years. I wish I had that kind of energy now!

It seems like Mom and I have always knocked heads but really that all started in my teens. Having children of my own now I've started to remember what Mom was like when I was growing up. She was always good at things like making tents, playing cat's cradle, twirling batons, baking cookies and telling ghost stories. We would have special theme dinner nights and even 'romantic' dinners with candlelight and fancy food. When I think about it, a lot of the things that I like most about my own parenting style are straight from Mom. I think she would be very surprised to hear it but I do have a new respect for her these days. I just wish it hadn't taken me twenty years to get to this point.

Turkey induced coma

Turkey, spiral ham, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn bread dressing, cranberry sauce (the kind that comes out of the can and is sliced), mashed potatoes, macaroni cheese and giblet gravy then banana pudding with Nilla Wafers, Godiva chocolate cheesecake and a pecan rum cake (a Cajun tradition that Angie made). By round two I had to go take off my skinny jeans and put on something with an elastic waist. Rosie has eaten half of the turkey on her own. She's in her element here. I think there's a lot of Texan in that girl.

We watched the Macy's parade all the way to Santa at the end. Santa has trimmed his beard quite short and I swear he's had Botox but then it is New York City. The guys watched the football while Toby, Dyllin and I played Sorry! and did some jigsaw puzzles. Then it was more food.

Soon we'll put the kids to bed and then we'll open a bottle of wine, get out the cheese and crudite platters and watch HGTV or the Food Network until very late. Tomorrow is the biggest shopping day of the year and Nikki and I are contemplating taking part in the madness. I don't think we'll be getting up at 4am but we might just be elbowing grandmas out of the way to get that last toaster/egg poacher for a mere $9.99. How could anyone pass up a deal like that?!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's not even 10.00am and the turkey is done, the cornbread dressing is in the oven and the ham is waiting on the sidelines for its time in the heat. The sweet potatoes are cooking and I'll be mashing them with butter, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar before adding the marshmallows on top. It's not Thanksgiving without sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. Mom cooked the turkey on a low heat all night with herbs and 7Up (yes, 7Up) and got up at 2am to check it. It's definitely Thanksgiving!

Of course, it's not about the food. Well, not all about the food anyway. It's about being thankful for family and friends and all the good things we have in our lives. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year. A safe, healthy and happy family, good friends and a life that I'm thankful for every single day. This year I'm giving special thought to my new little nephew who'll make his appearance in the spring, to my friend who is struggling with his health, to J's Nana who's body is getting older though her spirit is just as sharp as ever and to all the friends that I think about all the time but haven't seen in years.

Hope you all have a special day today.

I think we need a bigger suitcase

One cupcake stand, one pair of Disney Cars light-up trainers, six magazines, thirteen books, 100 mini candy canes, two bags of Hershey's kisses, two pairs of jeans, three pairs of Batman underpants, boxer shorts, undershirts, socks for the whole family, clothes, clothes, clothes, Benefit's Realness of Concealness and Some Kinda Gorgeous, Estee Lauder's Perfectionist eye pen (the closest thing to a magic wand I've ever seen), one pair of fancy 'feels like you're barefoot' Nike trainers, one T-shirt that says "Everyone loves a Southern girl", two pairs of ladies' shoes and all the other stuff that was bought, put into the suitcase and forgotten.

Plus all the stuff Mom has bought us including one T-shirt that says "Kiss my Southern roots", a jar of sweet potato butter, a jar of blueberry jam, DVDs, clothes, clothes and more clothes for the kids and the list goes on.

One item still in debate - the Bake and Fill cake pan. I really, really want it but I don't think I can get it in my luggage. I'm dreaming of the ice cream cakes I could make in this pan but I might have to buy another freezer to have space for them at home.

Howdy Ya'll

Cinnamon rolls, bacon sandwich, peppermint patties, jelly bellies, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, meatloaf, Olive Garden, Kraft cheese slices, Mrs Baird's bread (yes, Stacy you were right!), Miracle Whip, olive loaf, Dippin Dots ice cream, rainbow sherbet... that's what we've done so far.

It's been a great trip already. Toby is at that age where he's suddenly so aware of everything and remembers details from our last trip. Before now it was new everytime but he's old enough to build up a continuity and has jumped right in to life at Papa and Nana's. Rosie made herself at home as soon as we arrived and they've both been having lots of fun.

We've had a few ups and downs. Today J, Mom, Toby, Rosie and I went into Beaumont for the day to get J's hair cut, do some shopping, see Jon and go out for lunch. It was all going well until we got to the Olive Garden and Rosie threw up. I think it's just the change in her food and water and her tummy is getting used to it all. The American food is richer than what's she used to as well. We were all sitting at the table and I noticed Rosie start to gag. I instinctively put my hands out and she threw up right into my cupped palms. I was sitting there with two hands full of vomit. J had been in the loo and he came running over and whisked Rosie off to the loo to clean her up while Mom gathered napkins and we cleaned up the mess. Afterwards Mom said "I forgot what it was like going out with children. From this side of the table it's pretty funny."

The incident used up all of my baby wipes but I wasn't too worried. I thought I could get some more when we went to the mall. A few hours later we were at the mall, Rosie had diarrhea and not a single shop sold nappy wipes. Mom had bought Rosie a new outfit and we were planning to change her into it because she still had some vomit stains on her clothes. When we found a baby changing area I had to remove Rosie's dirty trousers, wet them in the sink and use them to clean her bottom. Not ideal but the wet toilet paper was useless and the paper towels were too rough on her little bottom. While all of this was going on Toby decided he needed to poo too and was sitting in a stall shouting 'Mommy, I'm finished!" Once we redressed Rosie in her new clothes, sealed the dirty ones in a plastic bag and wiped Toby's bottom things calmed down. Thank goodness Mom was there. J had gone off to buy some new trainers and I think my head would've exploded if I had been on my own.

I also heard a very funny family story for the first time today. I think it's a good example of my parents' relationship. When Mom gave birth to me Dad was in the waiting room, as was the custom in those days. After I was born they asked Dad to come in to see me and Mom. Mom was still on the table with her knees up and a bright light shining down between her legs. As Dad walked into the room he shouted, "Linda, your butt's on fire!" Mom said she was in no mood to laugh but she couldn't help herself.

Everyone send positive vibes out towards San Diego tonight. Nikki's first show as a set designer opens in about an hour. I can't wait to see the photos of her set. It sounds very dramatic. I'm sure it'll all go well but it's a big night. Good luck Nikki!

Tomorrow is the big day

24 hours from now we'll be somewhere over the northeastern US. We leave for Texas tomorrow. I've been packing like crazy since yesterday but I'm sure I'll forget something. As long as we've got the passports and Rosie's milk everything else is expendable.

Before a big trip I always like for the 'last supper' to be a little special. Today I took Tobes and Rosie out for our 'last lunch'. I let Toby choose the venue and he picked Pizza Express. Tobes had the black olive pizza and Rosie and I split a chicken salad (she ate all the chicken). I would've had a pizza but I knew I would be sharing with Rosie and, with her allergies, the salads are all she can eat at Pizza Express. Oh well, Rosie saved me a few calories.

We came home, did loads of laundry, finished the packing and now I'm going to sit and read some of the tabloid mags I bought for Jon & Angie. This time tomorrow night (well, plus the time difference and everything) I'll be sitting at my mother's kitchen table eating a pimento loaf sandwich. On white bread. With Miracle Whip. Ahhhh, home.

Yankee Doodle Rosie

It's official, Rosie is an American. We spent the afternoon at the embassy today and the Government of the United States of America now officially recognise Rosie as a fellow Yank. She has a US passport to add to our collection. When we travel to the States next week the four of us will be going with seven passports - the children each have British and American passports, J has his British passport and I have to travel with both my old and new American passports because the old one has my residency visa in it. Ah, what a diverse little group we are.

So, as I like to say, Rosie is now officially 'half and hawf'.

A bit late but...

I've loaded the pics from last weekend. We had Rosie's birthday party at The Orchard on Saturday then J helped put up the Christmas lights in the village on Sunday morning and Toby had a Halloween party Sunday night. Busy times. The rest of the pics are here:

http://futersfamily.shutterfly.com/action/?a=8AaMmbVqzcNmM0

The password is 'texas' or 'quentin'. I can never remember.

Just had to post the early pic of Rosie. Hasn't she changed!

I tried to post this yesterday for Nikki and Rosie's birthdays but blogger was playing up. Here it is now.

Ah, memories

The Japanese are big smokers and most restaurants have their own matchbooks for customers to take. When we lived in Tokyo I collected the matchbooks and put them into a pot. Over the years whenever I've needed matches I dipped into the pot. Today I decided to light a scented candle and pulled out a matchbook from La Boheme.

We used to go to the one in Omotesando and the interior is all done up to feel as if you're sitting on a roof terrace surrounded by chimneys and rooftops. Gotta love that Japanese whimsicality. I went there mainly with the girls (Annelouise, George and Nikki) for pasta and the best cream cakes ever. They do one that's layer after layer of crepes and cream and is sooo delicious. I remember J and I went there the weekend after we discovered we were expecting Tobes. We went and spent a silly amount at Baby Gap then walked across the street for coffee and cakes at La Boheme.

Enough nostalgia. Best get back to the kiddos. Typical afternoon here. Tobes has stripped down to his underpants and pulled the blue duvet off of our bed to make a 'swimming pool' on the living room floor. Apparently there are sharks in the pool because he keeps saying that Rosie is being eaten by one.

It must be love

I have to admit that I did something last night that I once read about in a book (Angela's Ashes, in case you're wondering). I read it before I had children and thought 'I know I'll love my kids but I can't imagine ever doing that.'

Poor little Rosie has a cold again and she's really congested. Last night she couldn't breathe through her nose and the decongestant, nose drops, humidifier, Vicks rub and Olbas oil were making very little difference. She was laying next to me snuffling and then taking big gasping breaths through her mouth before snuffling again. Tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable or be comforted without her dummy, which was just frustrating her when she couldn't breathe through her nose. I kept thinking about the book and finally in desperation I did it. I sucked the snot out of her nose. It actually wasn't as disgusting as I thought. I just sucked it out, spit it into a tissue and it was done. Rosie was so happy to be able to breathe freely again and she rolled over and went straight to sleep. I guess it was worth it but I hope I never have to do it again.

On this day

Twenty seven years ago today the world was blessed with my sister Nikki Rae and on this day one year ago the world was blessed with my little girl Rosie Rae.

I've never written Rosie's birth story. There was a lot of negativity that day and I guess I'd rather concentrate on the precious little bundle we got at the end of all the frustration. It's basically the story of a lot of waiting and a very fat and frustrated lady throwing her weight around (that's me). Pretty scary.

The funny thing is I can remember seeing Nikki right after she was born as clearly as I can see Rosie. Nikki looked at me and Jon with calm wide eyes. It seemed she was trying to take it all in. She still had blood in her hair and I asked the nurse to show Jon the umbilical cord just to gross him out. I was such a sweet big sister to him. Rosie, on the other hand, literally came out shouting and has been shouting ever since. My first look at her was mostly her tonsils because as J held her down for me to see she just kept shouting with her mouth open wide. She's still one of the loudest children I've ever met. I hope it means she'll have a strong personality and not be afraid to speak her mind when she's older. Lord help us all.

So, my two favourite girls born on the same day with the same middle name. I hope they'll grow to love each other as much as I love them. Though I don't think that's actually humanly possible.

Party pics

These are from Kate's party on Saturday. You can see that Jenny prepared a feast for the kiddos. Rosie was such a big girl and sat at the table with the other children. I brought her lunch (allergies, allergies) but she was able to have some fruit from the table. She was so happy to be eating with the big kids. There's also a pick of Rosie playing Pass the Parcel and Tobes in his knight costume sword fighting with Jack. You can tell the kids had a brilliant day.

Just realised I didn't get a single pic of the birthday girl!

Ah chocolate, like kiddie cocaine

I decided to have a trial run with Rosie's birthday cake today. I've been debating making a cake that everyone can eat or just a little cupcake for Rosie. You can imagine that a dairy, wheat, egg, soya and nut-free cake might not taste so great. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. I found a milk and wheat-free chocolate mix and with a little substituting (it called for eggs) and playing around I managed to make something that's actually quite nice (and guess who got to lick the spoons).

It's more of a brownie than a cake but that ain't no bad thing. And with some chocolate drizzle and Rosie's name on top it should work quite well. Phew! I was so worried my baby wouldn't have a birthday cake.

[We went to a Halloween craft class at the library today, hence the orange ghosty T-shirts on the kiddos. I do like for my children to be dressed appropriately.]

Birthday party and disco brunch

Had a lovely weekend. We went up to Cambridge yesterday for Jenny & Kieran's little girl Kate's 3rd birthday party. It was a princess theme so Toby took his knight costume. Jenny was her usual creative self and the party was a big hit. Lots of food, games and fun for the kiddos and a chance for the grown-ups to chat. The highlight of the party for me was when Tobes was in his knight costume and a pretty little girl in a pink fairy costume came up to him and said 'I'll be your princess if you want me to." Toby's reply, "OK, but we need a dragon."

After the party we went back to Jenny & Kieran's to hang out, let the children play and have dinner. Jenny was my first friend in England. We met when we worked together at Cambridge University way back in '94. We lived across the hall from each other for a year when she and Kieran moved into Chichester House which stands out as one of the happiest years of my life. She and Kieran are like family so time spent with them is always special.

Today we went into London and met up with Elizabeth, Andrew and the lovely Mary Catherine for brunch. We went to Smiths of Smithfield in the heart of the City. We hadn't realised that it was the seventh birthday of Fabric, a very cool London nightclub next door to SOS which has a dancefloor beneath the restaurant. They were celebrating with an all night party that ended at noon today which meant that our brunch was accompanied by a vibrating, pounding beat. It was an opportunity to dust off some dance moves and Elizabeth and I giggled and took advantage of our right to occasionally be typical noisy Americans as we got the children to do the cabbage patch and the snake. Even Rosie was bopping her head along and Elizabeth and I threatened to go next door but weren't sure they would let us in wearing our weekend 'Mom gear'.

We did manage to snag some party favours. They were handing out oven mitts (yes, oven mitts) with 'LOVE' and 'BAKE' on the knuckles of the mitts. Strange but apparently very cool.

Marie Antoinette

Saw the film today and really enjoyed it. I think you'll either love or hate it and I loved the fun and frivolity of it. So beautiful and so little dialogue. The story is told mostly in facial expressions and images. Beautiful, beautiful clothes and shoes and pastries and an interesting combination of period and contemporary details (loved the pair of lavender Converse in Marie Antoinette's wardrobe). Like a Laduree macaroon it was gorgeous, sweet, delicious and surprisingly fulfilling.

Lurgy, lurgy and a movie

Illness continues. Rosie has started waking up in the middle of the night for a bottle, which is something she hasn't done in ages. I think it's because she lost weight from her tummy bug and is trying to make up some calories now. That's great. Fine with me. Just wish I could sleep through it somehow.

I've been fighting a bug and not sleeping very much, which hasn't helped. I hate being ill and can only tolerate about a day in bed before I get antsy. I decided to just ignore it, carry on as normal and ride it out. I've become one of those people that you see out and about, eyes streaming, nose bright red with something disgusting dripping off the end, and you think 'For God's sake go home and go to bed!'.

Finally, last night in desperation I got the children and myself ready for bed and we all went to sleep in 'Mommy & Daddy's bed' at 7.00. J slept in Toby's room to avoid the night wakings but miraculously we all slept through. I woke up this morning after twelve hours of sleep and felt... like crap. So it was off to the doc's to be told that I have a very bad sinus infection and need lots of drugs. I'm hoping that within a day or two I'll be as good as new.

I really want to get better because there are so many nice things to do. Toby has half term next week and I'm making plans for lots of activities and days out. We're also on that slippery slope to Christmas. They're hanging the village lights on the 29th and J is volunteering to help this year. It's always surprised me how much community spirit you can still find in a city as big as London. Our little village is like a little world of its own and I can't walk down the street without seeing familiar faces now. We have a Halloween party on the afternoon of the 29th, then Halloween itself, then Guy Fawke's Night on the 5 November with a huge fireworks display on the heath on the 4th, and then we'll be getting ready for our trip to Texas for Thanksgiving. Such a wonderful time of year.

Tomorrow Rosie and I are going to the Big Scream at the Greenwich Picture House. They're showing Marie Antoinette and I'm really intrigued to see it. We're going with Pete and Philippa and their new baby, Joseph. I'm really looking forward to some popcorn and a good film.

Momentous event

I've just turned the heat on for the first time this autumn. We would've done it sooner but the boiler needed a little help getting started. J and I seemed to be in a stand-off as to who was going to do it and the cold has finally broken me. I had to go through an endless chain of "Push 1 for cranky operator", "Push 2 for staff who know nothing about our product", etc, etc and then scrabble around under the boiler to top it up, reset all the thermostats and finally... we have heat!

I've saved the nasty job of going around and bleeding all the radiators for J though.

Look who's got hair!

Rosie is finally getting a bit more than fluff on her head. It's sandy now but Mom is convinced that she's going to be a blonde.

We're all much better. Just lingering colds now. Toby has half-term next week so I'm trying to find some fun stuff for us to do. Tate Modern has a new installation using huge slides which sounds like fun.

Take a look at Dad's blog (link on the right in the sidebar). He has some photos of the rain in Texas. You can see why I love it so much.

I guess it had to happen

I've caught the lurgy. Woke up at 4am on Thursday morning with a high fever. By 9am I had my head down the loo. Feeling better today but still not great. J had to cancel a business trip to Paris to take care of the kids. Poor thing. Now we're all just hoping for a nice weekend.

Just a typical breakfast at our place

I'm finally loading my photos from this summer. Here we are having a nice, peaceful breakfast. I love the look on Rosie's face in one of the photos - "Can you believe what I have to live with?!" I can't remember what Tobes was singing that morning but he was keeping us all entertained.

For those contemplating children - a cautionary tale

Rosie is still vomiting. We've been to the doctor and they say it's a virus and we just have to ride it out. So, I'm riding the crest of a wave of sick. Nice.

Last night I went to bed at 9.30. At 10.00 Rosie woke up. I was immediately on Vomit Watch. No, she was just unhappy. Put her in bed with me and went back to sleep. Midnight and Toby woke up. J was in the kitchen and didn't hear him so I got out of bed, trying not to wake Rosie. Toby wasn't happy so he got in our bed too. J went to sleep in Toby's bed. 3am Rosie woke up, leaned over and puked on my chest. Got up with her as quietly and carefully as possible trying not to wake Toby. Took Rosie into her room, cleaned her up and changed her jammies. Cleaned myself up. Got Rosie a drink of water, got clean towels, went back and stripped my side of the bed. Went back to the kitchen to get Rosie a clean dummy. Resettled Rosie, looked at the clock. It was 4am. 6.45am and Toby woke up ready to start the day. He sat up and woke Rosie and my day began. When I brushed my hair this morning I found two perfectly formed regurgitated peas nestled underneath.

And that was the best night this week.

My boy

J was given a survival pack by one of his clients and it included some glow sticks. One of the perks of working in risk management, you're always prepared for natural disasters. Tobes has been playing with one of the glowsticks. He likes to pretend he's a superhero with amazing powers and he puts the glowstick down his trouser leg then says "I'm going to show you something you've never seen before. I have a magic bone. Let me get it out and show you."

Funny, I'm sure one of my highschool boyfriends used the same chat up line.

And how's your day going?

Rosie has a tummy bug. She's thrown up in the kitchen, the living room and most recently in her car seat. Toby's contribution to the car-full-of-vomit situation: "When did she eat raisins?!"

Rosie is sleeping now, Tobes is watching Batman and I have a date with a chunk covered carseat.

Mystery of the fire trucks solved

We've discovered why the fire engines were here on Saturday night. On Friday night, or the early hours of Saturday morning to be precise, I opened my eyes to look at the clock. 6.23am. Suddenly the room was filled with bright white light followed a millisecond later by the loudest clap of thunder I've ever heard in my life. It was so loud that it woke Jason up. Now, this is saying something when you consider that J has slept through earthquakes, my screaming nightmares and an IRA bomb going off about 100 yards from our flat.

I said to J that it sounded as if the lightning had hit something close by to be so loud. He said something along the lines of 'hmmm' which translates into 'don't be so silly things like that don't happen in southeast London'. Apparently things like that do happen in southeast London because after the heavy rain on Saturday night our neighbor's chimney collapsed. It had been hit by the lightning. Bricks fell onto the roof, the pavement, and a car parked in front of their house. Needless to say, a lot of damage was done. The area is still cordoned off.

We've got it all on Quentin Road. Stabbings, acts of God, you name it. What we really need to lighten the mood is a streaker. I wonder if I could talk J into doing it?

Dad, you would've loved it

I was woken up at 2.30 this morning by the sound of a large engine and blue flashing lights. I laid in bed thinking 'Good lord, what is wrong with this street!' before curiousity, or plain old nosiness, got the better of me. I was very concerned to find two fire engines parked outside our building. I leaned out the window to see if they were at a house on our side of the road. The walls between the terraced houses (that's what they're called when they're all stuck together like on our street) are over a foot thick solid stone so they're quite safe but it's still very scary to think of a neighbor's house on fire. There didn't seem to be any panic and I couldn't smell smoke so I went back to bed.

Soon I heard the high whine of a different kind of motor. Perhaps it was a false alarm and they were retracting the hoses. I lay and listened. No! That's the sound of the big ladder going up. I was out of bed again and sure enough there was a fire fighter suspended over the rooftop of a house across the road. These are tall houses, three stories, and it was quite a site seeing that ladder fully extended and the silhouette of the fire fighter against the night sky. Then he turned on a bright light and started examining the rooftop and chimney. It looked as if he was taking samples too.

I decided not to fight my natural inclination and made myself comfortable at the window. As I looked down our side of the road I could see other heads popping out of windows for a look and the people across the street had pulled up chairs to their window. A few neighbors (all men) had put on their dressing gowns and gone down to the pavement to see what was going on. I so wish Dad was here because I know he would've been down there like a shot and I would have the full story by now. I toyed with the idea of going down myself but it looked like a boy's club so I stayed put.

Eventually they started to bring the ladder down. They were brilliant. Aside from the engine noise there were no raised voices, everything done so carefully. At one point it looked like the ladder might damage the branches of a tree so one of the fire fighters climbed up and held the branches out of the way as they brought the ladder down.

And then, the moment I had been waiting for. The moment that I knew would come. The moment that makes me almost misty-eyed over England. One of the neighbors further down the road came out with a big tray of mismatched mugs of steaming hot tea and a small plate of biscuits. As soon as the ladder was safely back in place the fire fighters gathered round the tray and warmed themselves with tea and biscuits.

Now they're packing up and leaving as quietly as they came. It's 3.30am and I absolutely must get back to sleep. I just wanted to be sure to capture the adventure before other things got in the way.

Good night, Dad.

J took Tobes to school this morning so I've been catching up on odd jobs in the flat. Now Rosie is napping and the flat is so peaceful. It's raining again and I've turned off all the lights and cracked the windows. I do love the rain. I have lots of memories of sitting wrapped in blankets with Dad on our patio on Loyce and listening to the rain on the metal roof.

I made myself a cup of tea and while I waited for the kettle to boil I stood and leaned against the window. I love these old houses. The dirty bricks, the slate roof tiles, the old wonky chimneys. Even the drafty windows. I stood for a long time and just watched the rain.

It's getting to that time of year when I just want to wrap my arms around London. I'm already thinking about Christmas and the procession through the village. I wonder if Tobes will be a sheperd in the nativity play this year. I want to take the children ice skating at Somerset House. They have little sleds that Rosie can ride around in. I can't wait to see her all wrapped up in her winter coat, her little cheeks all pink with the cold. It's my favourite time of year.

D'ya ever have one of those days?

J left the house just after 7am for work. He had a meeting in Oxfordshire today and needed an early start. I had been awake since about 5.15am and out of bed since 6.15am. The children have had a string of terrible nights. From Rosie's teething to Toby falling out of bed it's been hell. They both want to get up about 5.30 most mornings too so J and I have been zombies.

This morning was one of the worst ever. Rosie was tired and cranky and kept screaming, not out of sadness but out of anger and frustration. She's at that age where she thinks she can do more than she actually can is always trying to keep up with Toby. Toby has suddenly realised that there's someone in the house smaller than him and has started bossing Rosie around. Well, I guess it's more that he tries to be a little parent to her. He's constantly telling her what she can't do and sometimes he'll eat something that she can't have, like a cookie, right in front of her. Every time she tries to take a bite he'll say 'No, you can't have this Rosie. It has wheat in it.' Then take another big bite. Little stinker.

Of course, I do intervene but this morning they were getting on each other's nerves and they were both driving me crazy. Finally managed to get Tobes to school and thought I would have a coffee while Rosie napped. She woke up as soon as the cup hit the table and I ended up leaving almost a whole cup to go cold while I dealt with her.

I had booked a session at the gym at 2.00 and had booked both children into the creche. Rosie has decided that she hates the creche so I thought having Toby there with her might help. I was really looking forward to my quiet time on the treadmill. It's so stress-relieving.

We rushed through lunch and I miraculously got both children in the car on time. I got behind the wheel, turned the key... and nothing. The engine didn't respond at all. I tried again... and again. I was ready to bang my head on the steering wheel. Back inside I called the creche to cancel, texted J and called RAC to come out and take a look at it. J rang and asked if I had checked whether or not the car had been left in gear. I hadn't.

Back to the car. Sure enough the last time I drove the car I had left it in reverse! I put it in Park, turned the key and the engine sprang to life. Ran back in the house to cancel the RAC call-out. I thought about still trying to go to the gym but the way my day is going I just know I would break my neck on the treadmill.

A weight off my mind

Mom found a shop in Beaumont called Basic Foods that sells organic fruit, vegetables and meats AND they stock lots of wheat- and dairy-free foods that Rosie can eat. Mom gave me their number and I rang today just to make sure that they had suitable food and it's fantastic! I'm so pleased. I could really feel my tension building as I worried about feeding the smallest kiddo in Texas. They did say that they're the only supplier from Louisiana to Houston! So glad they're in Beaumont.

Rain, rain

Felt like a real English mummy today. It was chucking down rain when it was time to pick Tobes up from school so I bundled Rosie up and put her in the stroller with the rain cover. I put on my wellies and my waterproof jacket with the hood (umbrellas are for wimps), grabbed Toby's waterproofs and we splashed off to get the boy.

Since it's such a rainy day we stopped at the DVD shop and got the second Harry Potter film then we all stomped home together. Rosie has learned how to kick her rain cover hard enough to get her legs outside. I think she likes to feel the rain. You know, I've heard the phrase 'bull in a china shop' but I don't think I ever really saw it until Rosie started crawling. The child is into everything. She never wants to stop. About the only time she's still is when she's sleeping or eating and even then she's usually trying to stand up in her highchair. I was cooking in the kitchen one afternoon and turned around to find Rosie sitting in the centre of the dining table merrily eating grapes out of the fruit bowl. The girl is a handfull.

But back to the rain. We've come home, stripped off, hung our jackets over the bathtub and had a nice lunch. Now it's Harry Potter until Toby gets bored and then we'll probably make some cookies. Can't wait until wintertime when the hiss of the radiators will make it feel even more cozy.

An allergy-free Nigella

Rosie's dietician gave us the details of a website that specialises in food and ingredients for people with allergies. I did a big order for Rosie of things like corn pasta (they even had it in animal shapes!), rice flour, egg substitute and special oatmeal cookies. She's been having the pasta with veggie purees and small pieces of meat but tonight is the first time that I've really cooked anything for her.

One of the challenges is getting enough protein, calcium and fat into Rosie. For some reason her formula, Neocate, is high in vitamins and amino acids but not these other things. Rosie does take a calcium supplement but the dietician recommended trying to get as much calcium as possible in Rosie's food too. She eats a lot of beans, spinach, broccoli and dried fruit. I decided to start out easy today and make fishcakes. I looked up my favorite recipe (Nigella, of course) and adapted it using the special ingredients. They were fantastic! Even I liked them. They're great for freezing too which will make things easier on busy days. Very pleased and looking forward to adapting some more recipes.

I am starting to worry about feeding Rosie in the States in November. She can't tolerate lecithin and so many foods in America use it as a preservative. Organic fruit and vegetables are also difficult to find where Mom and Dad live. I'm planning to take a suitcase full of Rosie's pasta, biscuits, rice flour, formula, egg substitute, etc, etc and then just prepare very simple meals for her. What a big fuss for such a little girl.

Learning and looking

Had a day out today with my friend Natasha. It was London Open House this weekend when a number of buildings of architectural interest that are not usually open to the public open their doors. We decided to visit the Ismaili Centre in South Kensington. It's a kind of social club with a prayer room for Ismaili Muslims. The Aga Khan himself helped to design the building which is really beautiful. It's an amazing place and forms the heart of the Ismaili community in London. We removed our shoes and visited the prayer room where we learned about the history of the Ismaili religion and were able to ask questions. The speaker was very eloquent and patiently answered some rather rude and inappropriate questions.

Afterwards we went for lunch in an outdoor cafe and then visited the Serpentine Gallery. I wanted to see the exhibition Uncertain States of America and Natasha wanted to visit the Koolhaas/Balmond pavilion before it's removed in October. The exhibtion was OK but there were a great number of works that seemd to have no concept or craft and left us both cold. There were some great video works that saved us though and the giant hazelnut meringue we shared in the pavilion topped the day off nicely.

Afterwards we walked through Kensington Gardens and I stopped to take a photo of the Peter Pan statue for Tobes. It was lovely to see Natasha and to learn something new.

Oh I do love to be beside the sea

After pilates class this morning my friend Poppy and I were chatting over coffee. Poppy was telling me how much she enjoyed living in this area. We have all the urban grit and excitement of London with the convenience of Bluewater (Europe's largest shopping mall) just twenty minutes away and the coast only forty minutes away. She told me about a lovely seaside town called Whitstable that they like to visit.

By the time I got home I felt ready for an adventure so we loaded up the car and headed off to Whitstable. One of the best things about living on such a small island is that you're never very far from the sea. In just over an hour we were in Whitstable and it was as lovely and charming as Poppy had described. First stop was lunch. We found the East Quay Restaurant with tables outside on the beach and had proper chunky fish and chips with lots of salt and vinegar. Afterwards we walked down to the water, took off our shoes and went wading. Even Rosie had a splash.

Now I should explain that English beaches are not like the beaches we have in Texas. No one was swimming and I didn't even see anyone wearing a bathing suit. There are sandy beaches in England but most are pebble, as is Whitstable. In high summer and in places like Cornwall you do get more of the typical beachy atmosphere but places like Whitstable are more for walking and wading and enjoying the sea air. It's on the North Sea and that water is COLD. Described as 'bollock shrinking' cold today (well it is September).

It was a lovely day. Even the drive was nice. Getting out of London and seeing the patchwork of fields - bright green pastures dotted with sheep, plowed fields all golden brown with dark green hedges in between. Tobes had a great time and didn't want to leave. Of course, we came home with a few seashells and promises to visit again. Maybe for a long weekend next time.

Fame still awaits

Well, didn't hear back from Dove. Felt a bit down about it over the weekend, mostly because I had already spent the money in my head, but OK now. At least it was a new experience.

I've been sorting out the flat this week. I moved the furniture in the living room around on Monday. It's an improvement but still not how I'd really like it. We need a TV cabinet before I can get it just right. Then I sorted through the hall cupboard and put loads of stuff in the charity box. Cleaned out the storage under Toby's bed so he can actually keep some toys under there now. Today I cleaned out the bookshelves in the living room and organised the utility cupboard. Just felt like the place needed a good tidy. We basically shoved things into closets when we moved here then had Rosie two weeks later and everything just stayed put until now.

Speaking of Rosie, she's started pulling up on the furniture and is into everything. She can now say 'cracker' and 'banana' and nods her head yes and no (mostly no). It's so funny to suddenly be able to have a conversation with her. Admittedly they generally consist of 'Rosie, would you like a banana?'. Rosie nods yes. 'Rosie, are you ready to get out of the bath?' Rosie shakes her head no. 'Rosie, do you love your Mommy?' Rosie shouts 'dadadada'.

Holding my breath

Well, the audition was an experience. As I was getting ready to leave the house with the children, checking the nappy bag, packing Toby a 'picnic' dinner, getting jackets, etc, etc I did wonder what on earth I was doing dragging the kids across London at dinnertime for something as frivolous as an advertisement. It all went surprisingly well though.

We arrived in WC1 with lots of time so we sat in an outdoor cafe and people-watched while I fed Rosie. Toby is very good company and it was nice to just sit and chat. I thought we'd have a little walk around the area before going for the audition and as we were strolling Toby suddenly announced that he needed the loo and that he 'might've had a very little accident'. Geez. We ran into the British Museum and found a loo. Toby's underpants had a small wet patch which I had to dry under the hand dryer. As I stood there with Toby naked from the waist down, holding his underpants under the dryer, I noticed that Rosie had a very concentrated look on her face. So, I changed Rosie's poopy nappy while Tobes got dressed. By the time everyone was clean and dry we had about two minutes to get to the audition.

I arrived sweaty and flustered to a very chic office. At first I thought the receptionist was working on a shoot or something and was only half dressed but no, she was actually wearing a very, very short dress and hadn't forgotten to put her trousers on. I felt absolutely ancient. I sat in an industrial looking waiting room with a bunch of twenty-something American girls. They sat calmly chatting while I was trying to fill in forms, feed Rosie raisins to keep her quiet, put on lip gloss and help Tobes colour all at the same time. We were given a wide berth. The receptionist came over to look at Rosie and told me how cute she was while standing back and cautiously touching Rosie with one finger. She seemed to think that Rosie was a bomb that might go off at any moment.

Finally the casting agent came out. She took one look at the children and said 'oh look, little people' in the same tone in which she might've said 'oh look, someone has shit in the middle of the floor'. Not a great sign. I followed her into a room set up for a shoot with a white backdrop and a video camera. As I struggled through the heavy metal door, trying to hold it open and maneuver the stroller and Toby (who was clinging to my leg) into the room I said "Well, you asked for real women. It doesn't get any more real than this!"

I was asked to stand in front of the camera while they asked me a few questions. They asked how long I had been in England and when I said almost thirteen years they said "Ah, that's why you sound like Madonna. Can you turn up the American accent?" which I dutifully did. Then I had to put my hands on my head while they took a few photos. They had asked me to wear a white tank top and I'm sure they took a close-up of one of my arm pits which felt very strange. Then I had to throw my hands in the air and say "Seven days! Yes!". I felt very silly.

The children were very good. As I was standing in front of the camera I could see Toby, stony-faced and bored, watching me which made me laugh. It all took about five minutes and then we were gone. I should find out by Friday if I've got the job. I was so flustered that I didn't ask about being paid. It just seemed like a bit of a laugh to me but a friend today told me that she knew someone who was in a Dove ad and they were paid quite well. So, who knows!

The media career continues!

Oh my good lord. You'll never guess what I'm doing tomorrow. Going for a screen test! You know how Dove soap has stopped using models and started using real people? Well, I heard through the Texas Exes (my American expat group) that they were looking for Americans in London for their next ad campaign. I thought what the hell and sent off an email with a couple of pics, thinking nothing would actually come of it. Very excited now!

So tomorrow the children and I (they were very happy for the kids to come along) are going down to a casting studio in WC1 where I'll be photographed and filmed. Even if nothing else happens it sounds like it'll be an interesting experience.

Big Nikki-shaped hole in the house

Nikki left on Friday and I've been moping ever since. When I'm down I clean. Today I cleaned out the fridge including removing and washing each shelf, scrubbed the bathroom taps to remove all the limescale, washed the children's bath mat with bleach, cleaned the doors of the kitchen cupboards, cleaned the garbage bin and did five loads of laundry. Yes, I'm missing Nikki just a little bit.

Her actual leaving was quite manic as Heathrow was in full chaos as only Heathrow can be. Nikki was one of the last people to get on the plane because the lines and delays at security were so long. She did make it to Boston though, where she's staying with her friend Mary, and will head back to California on Wednesday.

I know the children are missing her too. I rang Nikki yesterday and Toby said 'Tell her that we miss her, Mommy.' A few days before Nikki left Rosie started saying 'Kikki' and has been asking for 'Kikki' ever since. Thank goodness it's just a few months before we see her again for Thanksgiving.

It was so great having her here. We talked a lot about our childhoods. A lot of things we shared like spying on Jon through the AC vents and Mom's Christmas cookies but a lot of things were different too. There are nine years between us so while my childhood memories include Nancy Drew books and wanting to look like Linda Blair in Roller Boogie, Nikki's were all about Sweet Valley High and Grease 2. I remembered 'Chinese night' when Mom and I would wear cheong sams and we would eat dinner sitting on the floor, lots of baking with Mom and even once having a taffy pull. By the time Nikki came along Mom and Dad were that bit older and had three children so her memories were more about pee wee drill team and me sneaking her into inappropriate places like clubs on Sixth Street when she was 11 or letting her drive my car when she was 9. I left home when Nikki was 11 so there are a lot of things that I missed. It was nice to hear about it all and to have the time to really talk.

I think Toby saw a different side to his Mom. More than once Nikki and I would be sharing stories, rehashing old family tales or just bursting into song at the breakfast table and Toby would look at us both with surprise and rapt attention. I suspect he's saving some of the stories for future use. Jon and I played endless practical jokes on each other when we were growing up and I'm sure my stories gave Toby more than a few ideas.

So, now life goes on. A bit more quietly. It was wonderful having Nikki here. So young and fresh and (dare I say it) American. She kept me on my toes and being with Nikki reminded me of who I was before marriage and babies and England. It was nice to reaquaint myself with some of the qualities that I've lost along the way. After a summer with my little sister I definitely have a lighter spirit and my toenails have never looked better.

Budapest

Thought I would share a few more details of our trip to Budapest before I forget them! We stayed at the Kempinski, which was lovely. It was the weekend of St Stephen's Day so there were lots of outdoor markets, live music and performers throughout the city. We spent a lot of time walking along the Danube and eating at outdoor cafes. We visited Buda Castle, took a night cruise on the river, had ice cream at Gerbeaud and walked around the city looking at the beautiful architecture.

Rosie was a little trouper and did fine with the late nights but I decided to stay in the hotel room and let her nap on our last morning while Nikki went to the baths in the city park (that's the pic). Two of the pools are thermal and are said to cure a number of ailments. It looks like an amazing place and I'll definitely go next time I'm in Budapest.

It was such a fantastic place. I think the only issues were the heat and the food. Anyone who knows me well knows that I can't stand to be hot. In Budapest it was hot. I'm sure I was driving Nikki crazy on Saturday as I followed the shade around Buda Castle. As for the food, it was delicious but very heavy for such hot weather and Nikki had difficulty finding vegetarian options. I did have goulash, of course, and on our last night we went to a traditional restaurant where I had stuffed cabbage with saurkraut, pork fillet and potato dumplings. It was garnished with a big fried piece of pork fat cut into the shape of a crown. I am not joking.

It was a great trip and I'd love to take the whole family next time. Maybe when it's a bit cooler.

We're back!

Back from Budapest and had a wonderful time. I wasn't sure what to expect but it's a beautiful, friendly city and we'd both like to go back sometime. Details and photos to come soon!

Just before we left Rosie started crawling, waving and sayine 'mama'. All in one day! I do remember Toby having similiar sudden developmental leaps but it was still thrilling. While we were away Rosie also started putting objects into holders. That probably sounds strange to those without children but it's a big deal in babyworld. It started with putting her rice cakes back into her cup (over and over again!) and now she's using her stacking cups. She also started going from laying down to sitting and back again on her own. All very exciting.

We're now into Nikki's last two weeks in London. This weekend will be our last weekend before she leaves on Friday 1 September. I don't know what we're going to do without her. I'm going to miss having a friend to run around with and I know J will miss having someone to stay up late with. Nikki is the only other person besides me and J that I've seen Rosie reach out for, even when I'm holding Rosie which is really unusual! And I know Tobes will really miss having Nikki around. He loves playing with her and likes to show her his schoolwork. Nikki is the named guardian in our wills and I know that if anything were to happen to me and J the children would be happy and well-loved.

After Nikki leaves life will be very quiet until we go to Texas for Thanksgiving.

Off to Budapest

We're off to Budapest tomorrow. I've carefully packed all of my fluids in the suitcase including Rosie's nappy cream, my lipgloss and hand cream. Our small carry-on has the bare essentials and Rosie's baby formula which I will, of course, be tasting for security tomorrow. Ah well, I'm sure I'll think about the whole terrorist situation at some point but it must be safer than ever to fly right now.

Have barely thought about the trip as we've been so busy. My Aunt Kathy and her husband Don were in England and came down to say hello on Tuesday. It was so great to see them. I was amazed that it had been thirteen years since I last visited them in California. We've made plans to all get together in March '08 for Nikki's graduation and Nikki is going to visit them when she gets back to CA. It was the first time any family outside of the immediate family have visited me in England and it was really nice to introduce them to the children and show them our little home.

Yesterday we went and had a portrait done of Rosie. It's the next in the series for her first year. We also did one with Nikki and the children and one of 'the girls' (me, Nikki and Rosie). They look really nice. I'll post the link when they're on the web.

Tobes is being a handful so must go do the Mommy thing. Back on Sunday and then a relatively calm couple of weeks before Nikki has to leave. Not sure how we're going to handle that. We're all so used to having her around now!

Feeling broody today

We're still not sure if we want to have another baby so I thought I'd remind myself how lovely the ones are we already have. Go ahead, turn the volume up on your computer and get weepy with me...


Our babies

The best apology I've ever heard

This from Mumsnet today:

The parenting website, Mumsnet, last night responded to allegations by parenting guru Gina Ford that a posting on the site claiming she: "straps babies to rockets and fires them into south Lebanon" was "a serious and very offensive libel".

In a statement, Justine Roberts, co-founder of Mumsnet said: "It is undoubtedly a tasteless joke, particularly under current circumstances, but when the post appeared on our site no-one imagined even the most humourless reader could possibly take it seriously. But evidently we were wrong."

Earlier in the day, "MorningPaper", the mother who sparked the internet libel row with her posting about Ms Ford, wrote an apology on the community website, which is used by 250,000 mothers every month.

She said: "I apologise profusely to any childcare guru that I may have offended by suggesting that they are involved in military action in Lebanon and her followers for suggesting that she/they strap their babies to weapons of mass destruction.

I have read her book many times and I can confirm that this IS NOT suggested as part of any childcare guru's recommended routine.

I apologise to any new mums who may have been confused by my post and would advise that if you are considering utilising your baby in any sort of warfare or military conflict, please speak to your health visitor first."

Don't mess with the Mommies!

In the news today

Daily Mail The baby guru who threw her bottle out of the pram

Guardian Unlimited Childcare expert threatens to have website shut down

Times Online Childcare guru goes to war over website

Independent Mothers' website falls foul of Queen of Routine

BBC News What the papers say

Telegraph Baby expert stamps her foot at website chat

Gulf Times Childcare expert tries to shut website over ‘slurs’

And for you commuters in London there's also a mention in Metro

If the story makes it to the States could someone please let me know. So pleased that all our emailing yesterday has gotten the story out there.

Annelouise, thanks for your advice. Will be sending out more emails as you suggested today.

To catch all the latest news google "Gina Ford", then select to search News rather than the Web ...

I love Mumsnet

Still fuming over this Gina Ford malarkey but feel better than I did this morning. The women on Mumsnet have started a letter writing campaign. We've been writing to every media outlet we can think of plus politicians, internet rights groups and anyone who might get the story out there and make a difference. I've personally contacted the New York Times, USA Today and the Today show in the States as well as media people here in England. So far the story has been picked up by BBC 5 Live, Handbag.com and the late edition of today's Evening Standard (page 8 for those of you in London). A number of Mumsnetters have given interviews and we're hoping for a lot more coverage tomorrow. Power to the Mommies!!

This has all made me think about how much Mumsnet has meant to me and how lost I would feel if it was shut down. When I had the miscarriages two years ago I don't know how I would've survived without Mumsnet. I could put on a brave face in real life but Mumsnet let me fall apart. Even at 3am there was always someone there to talk to. It was through a discussion on Mumsnet that I first started thinking Rosie might have a milk allergy and it was the other mums who gave me the courage to push for a referral. Mumsnet helped me through the big stuff and the little stuff. They helped me find a Spanx supplier in London, reassured me that Toby dancing in his underpants at school was totally normal, helped me with Toby's nightmares and Rosie's nappy rash, made me cry sometimes hearing other mothers talk about their own stories and problems and made me laugh a lot too. I learned new words such as 'chav', 'norks' and 'parp' on Mumsnet. It is invaluable.

Freedom of speech? Apparently not.

[The opinions expresssed in this entry are mine and mine alone.]

I have been really shocked to read that my beloved Mumsnet has been forced to post the following message on all of its talk threads:

It is with great regret that we have to ask members to refrain from any further discussion of Gina Ford, her methods or her books on the site. To find out why click here. We'd be very grateful if members could report any mentions of Gina Ford using the "contact Mumsnet" facility (the little red exclamation mark to the right of each posting). Many thanks. MNHQ.

For those of you who don't know, Gina Ford is a babycare expert who has published a number of books. I would say that most mothers in England own or have at least read one or more of her publications. I bought The Contented Little Baby Book when Toby was tiny and borrowed George's copy of Potty Training in One Week. Her methods are controversial because they are quite strict and include such things as enforcing a schedule when babies are very young. It didn't suit me, but I did learn a thing or two from her books. She's one of those people that you either love or hate and discussions about her approach often generate quite heated debate.

Mumsnet's talk facility is specifically for mothers (or fathers) to support each other and to discuss issues relevant to parenting. It is unbelievable that the site has been forced into banning all mention of Gina Ford and her methods just because there are those on the site who disagree with her advice. It's not just about slander or libel, they are being forced to stop anyone from expressing his or her own opinion regarding GF, whatever it may be.

I remember the night that this controversy started. Gina Ford herself entered into a discussion online and said some pretty nasty, shocking things. She came across as a deeply troubled and insecure person and it seemed she may have had a drink or six. At least, I hope she wasn't rambling and saying such things while completely sober. She made a fool of herself and now she and her lawyers are punishing Mumsnet.

Gina Ford is a public figure trying to tell people how to raise their children. She is going to be criticised, her methods are going to be dissected and there are going to be people who disagree with them. There are also a huge number of people on Mumsnet who follow her methods and hold her up as a goddess. It goes both ways. There have been inapproriate personal comments made about Ms Ford on the site but they were deleted as soon as possible. People sometimes say things that aren't very nice but that is the nature of discussion forums (and life, really). I wholly support Mumsnet in this situation and find it surprising and sad that Gina Ford obviously isn't comfortable in her role, both good and bad, as a childcare expert. It is doubly sad that she has chosen to pick on Mumsnet which has been a huge support to me and thousands of other parents. Isn't Ms Ford's profession supposed to be helping parents? And now she and her lawyers are trying to destroy a huge parenting support network because some of the participants don't like Gina Ford's methods. Absolutely shocking.

If you support Mumsnet then please send them an email expressing your support. I'm telling everyone I know about this situation and pointing them to the link that explains it in full. I certainly will not be buying any more Gina Ford publications or products. Now that I have seen her true colours I would never support or take advice from such a person.

Party boy

A few pics from Toby's birthday party and the birthday boy himself in his Sportacus gear including mustache.

Here, There and Everywhere

I can't believe it's been so long since I updated the blog. We've obviously been busy. Nikki had a great week in Kent. She made some good friends, learned a few Irish jigs, did some scene work and had a good time. In fact, she's going to be in the play now and will be going back down on Monday to take part.

Tobes had a great birthday. We had his party on Sunday and it went really well. The kids were so cute making their pizzas and afterwards we flew kites on the heath. Photos to follow soon. I can't believe my baby is four!

The caterpillars made their cocoons and we already have two butterflies. The process has been much faster because of the heat and we lost two of them when they tried to come out of their cocoons before they were put into the butterfly cage. The remaining three seem to be doing well. We're already talking about ordering five more caterpillars before their season ends in September.

It's been great having Nikki here and we've been going and doing a lot with the children. We took them to a music class on Tuesday and to the movies on Thursday. It was Rosie's first visit to the cinema and she did really well. We saw Stormbreaker, which was pretty good. Definitely left the theatre feeling very cool about living in London.

Today Toby's school had a special police and fire awareness day so Tobes did a whole day: 9.30 - 4.30! They had a police officer come and talk to them in the morning and they got a chance to sit in a police car. In the afternoon a group of fire fighters brought a fire engine to the school and the children got to check out all the equipment and learn about fire safety. It was fantastic and Tobes came home happy and exhausted.

Nikki and I took advantage of having a day to ourselves (plus Rosie, but she's easy) and went off to Piccadilly Circus to shop. We headed straight for Rigby & Peller so Nikki could experience one of their magic fittings (and yes, she's a completely different bra size to what she thought). We stopped for lunch at Ristorante Biagio where the staff cooed over Rosie calling her 'princess' and 'bella'. They were so nice and the food was very good. Most impressive was the coffee menu and we finished the meal with a 'cappucino argentine' and a 'sorbetto cappucino". Both delicious.

We stopped off at the Japan Centre so I could stock up on Pocky and gyoza, two things that I miss from our time in Japan. Nikki picked out some ice cream mochi balls too. Unfortunately, they started melting on the train home but, thank goodness for Japanese packaging, they are each in individually sealed bags so they're still edible. Can't wait to try them once they re-freeze.

J's birthday is on Monday but he's leaving for California that morning so we're going to celebrate this weekend. They're having a teddy bears picnic in Greenwich Park and we'll probably go to that on Sunday. Oh! I almost forgot, we've joined a gym!! Well, it's more of a leisure centre with a gym and activities for children. I'm doing a pilates class on Saturday morning and we're going to hang out and check out the facilities. Next time you see me I will be svelte. :-)

Still sweltering

The heat wave continues. It's becoming absolutely miserable. I'm sitting in the living room next to an open window with the fan on high and still sweating. I have found a way to beat the heat though - develop a very high fever and get the chills. Last night I woke up shivering. I had been feeling ill all day and my temperature shot up when I went to bed. Tobes is ill too and J took us all to the doc's today. We now have three prescriptions between us and will hopefully be feeling better in a couple of days. Hot and ill, what a combination.

In happier news, Toby's fourth birthday is on Monday and we're having his party on Sunday. It's a Lazytown theme of course. The flat is too small for a bunch of kids to run around so we're having the party at Pizza Express in the village. The children will make pizza and then we're going to fly kites on the heath.

The caterpillars are doing very well. Amazing how quickly they grow. We're expecting them to start making their cocoons in about 7 - 10 days. Very exciting. They're in a special little cup with their food and Toby carries them from room to room, showing them around. He had me read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to them the other night and afterwards he said to them, "Now, that's what you're going to do guys!". We have a butterfly habitat that we move them to once they make their cocoons. It's all very sweet and Toby is really enjoying it.

Nikki is in Kent this week working on a children's outdoor play. She's actually building the sets and they're camping onsite. I hope she's managing to keep cool.