What a momentous day!

Two amazing things happened today - Obama became President and Rosie started nursery.

Today was Rosie's first day at St Margaret's nursery and she did really well. I think she'll fit in just fine. Her friends Amelia, Ruben, Libby and Theo are in her class and they really made her welcome and showed her around. I stayed with her today but tomorrow she starts going on her own. She already goes to a playgroup on her own on Friday mornings and has stayed in the creche at the gym so it won't be a shock for her to be there without me. I think the main adjustment will be being in a class with all kinds of children.

In her classes the mums or nannies stay with the children so everyone is generally well behaved. At her playgroup the children all seem very calm. Nursery is a different story. There are some rough and rowdy kids in there and I think it will be a big change for Rosie. At first I felt concerned but this is how she'll learn her social skills and we all have to learn how to deal with rough and rowdy people. When she's older, if she's as bright as we think she is, she'll be able to go to a more academic secondary school with like-minded children. Now is the time to learn that there are all kinds of people in the world and we all have to learn how to get along.

And that's a great lead-in to the other amazing thing that happened today! I decided that I let too many American events pass us by so we invited friends over to watch the inauguration and really celebrate the day. We ended up with 8 children and 6 adults all watching it together. I thought I should do 'American' food so we had hot dogs, pizza, Doritos, chips & salsa and ice cream floats for dessert. The Martha Stewart in me couldn't resist making a flag out of blackberries, strawberries and bananas (with a white chocolate dip... mmmm). The more decadent part of me couldn't resist a good bottle of champagne to mark the occasion. At one point in the proceedings I realised that I had a hot dog smothered in French's mustard in one hand, an ice cold glass of Veuve Cliquot in the other and I was standing in my house in London watching my President being sworn in 4000 miles away in Washington DC. What a strange life I lead.