Me time

Because I spend all my days and nights with Una (and don't get me wrong - I love to!) going to the gym becomes a treat for me. I walk out the door without the pushchair, put my headphones in and listen to music on the way there. As we sit down outside the studio and watch the last 15 minutes of the class before, Aga and I have a good chat and catch up. The hour in the studio goes by so quickly, I am focusing on myself and my mind is clear of all stresses and worries. Afterwards I enjoy the leisurely 30 minute stroll home with a feeling of achievement and calm.


The expression "me time" has been done to death and brings to mind cheesy TV adverts of groups of girls giggling whilst doing girly things, such as drinking cocktails, shopping or having bubble baths, accompanied by some horrendous Girls Aloud tune.

But the expression perfectly describes how I feel about going to the gym, it's "me time".

Una's things

I love buying cute little things for Una, even though she is too young to appreciate them. She has her own chest of drawers in my bedroom, and on top of it sits some of her things. The teddy was a gift from her Irish great aunt, and little Miffy was a gift from a friend of mind. Tha Babushkas and the mini suitcase are both from the Danish interior shop Tiger. The picture is simply a wrapping paper from Oliver Bonas, framed in an Ikea frame.

A picture says more than a thousand words...

Things in my garden...


Sweet smelling roses

Luscious strawberries

 A bonny baby

I've got sunshine

Yesterday afternoon I met my friend Ema in Holland Park. She had brought us a picnic, which was great since I hadn't brought anything at all! I was in such a rush to get there on time and my mind was all over the place, as usual.
We had sparkling elderflower presse to drink, I love elderflower. The sun was beaming and we talked about love, life and all the rest. A lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Hard earned sunshine

Una and I are about to head out in the gorgeous weather. Could it be that we will actually have a bit of summer now? We are meeting my friend Ema in the park, I'm planning to sit myself down on the grass and soak up the sun all afternoon. I've cleaned the house this morning so I have pretty much earned the right to be lazy all afternoon. I hope you can all enjoy the day as well!

A walk by the canal

Today Una and I went for a long walk to the Swedish embassy. I needed to register her with the Swedish authorities, so I can get her a passport. It's an hours walk away, I decided to take the scenic route by the canal. In spite the light rain and that my flip flops were giving me blisters, it was nice to just stroll along, look at the scenery and relax.

Wake up and smell the curry

This morning I didn't get around to having my breakfast until 10ish, so I decided to have some boiled eggs for a change. I also had some blueberries with greek youghurt, topped with desiccated coconut, my flavour of the month.

I am drinking a nursing tea at the moment, it contains the herbs fenugreek and fennel. Fenugreek is supposed to increase your milk supply while fennel should calm your baby's tummy. Unfortunately it has the side effect of making me smell like someone who eats curries for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Not a good thing. I've actually just had a bath before going to the gym, to spare the senses of me and fellow gym-goers!

Teardrops

Tonight at 9 pm my friend got on a flight that will take her home to Australia (with a stopover in Dubai of course). I still haven't got my head around the fact that she has left. I am not looking forward to when reality hits, that I can't just call her or go and see her for lunch whenever I want. 
This day has been full of tears and sadness, but as always, I like to think that tomorrow will be a better day.

Overslept like a baby

Una and I overslept this morning, as I had not bothered to set an alarm, assuming she would wake me. When I finally got up at 9.30 she was still fast asleep. I was meant to meet my sister at 10.40 so she could watch Una while I did an 11 o'clock class at the gym. I managed to inhale my breakfast in about two minutes, poured my coffee in a plastic cup left over from some picnic, and took it with me.
 
After my first ever experience with Body Pump I was sold, I fear I may become an addict! I met up with Sabina and Una and we went for some lunch at El Camion, my favourite mexican.



Now we are taking it easy for the rest of the afternoon, Una is having a nap on the couch. I've just had a coffee and some frozen blueberries, defrosted and topped with greek yoghurt and desiccated coconut.

A picture says more than a thousand words...

Stop following me!

Una's new bath pals.

Let's pretend it's really summer in London, and not this rainy, windy poor excuse for the month of June.

I wish we were going somewhere hot, only so Una could wear this on the beach. Too cool.

This isn't good bye

Today was the goodbye lunch for my friend who is leaving. We met up in a pub called The Fox, in Dalston.
I had a yummy steak sandwich and a shaky bridge cider..

Una had milk and plenty of cuddles from everyone.

My beautiful sister came too.

This girl breaks my heart, wish she wasn't leaving.

After a couple of hours of good chat, plus some awful/hilarious photo boot pictures it was time for Una and I to head home. We just about survived the hellish tube journey back across London and Una is now asleep next to me in the bed, and I am about to turn in as well. Those kids are no doubt just getting started, but I am very happy to be tucked up in bed with my best person in the world. Oh, how things change.

Spinach soup

One dish I like to cook is spinach soup. My mum used to cook this dish when I was a child and it was always a favourite with us kids. This version ticks all the boxes: simple, healthy, cheap and delicious.


This recipe makes about 3 portions of soup.

You need:
A large bag of fresh spinach (or the equivalent in frozen)
Half an onion
1 garlic clove
Splash of double cream
450 ml chicken- or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
1 egg per person

Start by sweating half a chopped onion and a finely chopped garlic clove in some oil. When soft and translucent add the spinach and let it wilt. Season with plenty of black pepper and a bit of salt, but not too much as the stock will be quite salty. I use chicken stock but you can use veggie stock to keep the dish vegetarian. Add about 300 ml of stock to start with. Let it all simmer together for a minute or two, then turn off the heat and let it cool a little before blending it to a smooth consistency. At this stage you can add a little more stock to get the desired consistency before finishing off with a splash of double cream. 


Serve with a boiled egg and enjoy the goodness!

Stop and smell the roses

Today I've been for lunch with a friend I'd not seen in ages. I've also remembered the old saying "that which does not kill you makes you stronger" and hoped it holds some truth.

Honeyjam

There is a lovely little toy shop on Blenheim Crescent, off Portobello Road in Notting Hill. In fact it is right next to the very special cook book shop I told you about last week. It's full of cute/fun/cool/pretty toys for privileged west London kids, it's not exactly cheap but perfect for a special gift.

The paper carrier bags are really cute, covered in illustrations of various random things.

I saw a little something I had to get for Una, a little choo choo train, puffing along spelling out her name, lest she ever forgets it!

Picnic in Holland Park

Summer finally seems to be back on track, today was warm enough for bare legs! Una sported one of her (my) favourite summer outfits, a cute little coral number from H&M which was a gift from my aunt.

We celebrated the nice weather by having Una's first ever picnic in Holland Park. We met up with my friend Ema, got some food and coffees and plonked ourselves down on the grass by the orangery.

It was lovely in all ways apart from when we were repeatedly attacked (I use the word in the loosest possible sense) by hungry ducks from the nearby pond, as well as a peacock! My phone died on me so I don't have any proof, but I promise I will go to Holland Park with the camera one day and show you what a wonderful park it is, birds and all!

Tena lady, anyone?

Stark reminder to do my pelvic floor exercises: nearly wet myself when doing star jumps at the gym yesterday.

pointless narcissitsic mirror photos

I hate goodbyes

A dear friend of mine is moving to the other side of the world in less than a week. Even though I know she is going I still don't seem able to get my head around it. I have known her for something like 6 years now, feels like forever. She is the one person (apart from my sister of course!) that I can count on, that I can call in the middle of the night, that I can tell anything.

Living in London it's easy to meet people, but hard to make true friends. The amount of people that have come and gone in my life over the past 9 years is remarkable.
London is the kind of place that people move to. You COME here, you weren't FROM here. Because of this London is full of interesting people from all over the world, with amazing stories to tell. You end up with friends from all walks of life. The downside of this is that people invariably, at some point, decide to move home (or away somewhere else, but mostly home). Life changes, you grow up, you move on, you move home.

You say you'll stay in touch. I'll come and visit! There's facebook and e-mail! We'll speak all the time!
But slowly over the years you lose touch. Suddenly that person you used to count as a close friend is someone whose life you know about through looking at their facebook photos. She dyed her hair? She got married? She's pregnant? 


Back home in Sweden I have the same friends I've known since I was a child. We grew up together, we shared everything. They know me, the real me. There is something very special and hugely comforting in that. Since living in London I've always missed that true friendship, and I've always cherished it when I have found it here. This is one of those friendships. She knew me 6 years ago when my life was completely different, and hers was too. She knows me inside out. She cried when I told her I was pregnant. She left work and come to the hospital only a few hours after Una was born. I can't tell you the amount of times I've cried on her shoulder, and the times she's cried on mine. We've also had big arguments and made each other cry! Because we care about each other. She is my best friend and now she is leaving.

We've said we'll stay in touch. She'll come back to visit. I'll come over when Una is a little older. There's skype and facebook! We'll speak all the time... 
I really hope we do, because I can't imagine losing her as a friend.

Best babysitter in the world

My sister watched Una while I went to the gym and I when I got back she had baked these goodies, low carb chocolate muffins!

The flowers in the background were a gift from her as well! You'd think I was the one doing her a favour, not the other way around.

Things to make and do with oopsies

Last night my sister came over for dinner, we had quorn burgers with oopsies, yum! Apart from the fact that they didn't hold together too well, they were perfect burger buns.

This morning I had an oopsie with kaviar and let me tell you, amazing! The best kind of oopsie by far.

Read this when you feel like crap!

Baby memories

It's sunny outside, looks like summer might be on it's way back to us, let's hope so.

I'm having to re-arrange a few things in our very cramped living room to make room for Una, who is like a little whirlwind, she doesn't stay on her playmat very long. She is growing up way too fast! I know, she is only 4 months old, but everything changes so quickly with a baby, she has changed so much since she was born. Sometimes I worry that I am going to forget all the special little baby-things she does. 

Things you may think are pointless but which I never want to forget:

When she is having a bottle she puts her hands over her eyes, so sweet.

When she gets cross she says "ningningningning!!!"

Another favourite sound is "hoooooo-hoo-hoo". She also does the cutest little face when she makes this noise.

When she is trying to go to sleep in bed she turns her head from side to side until she can settle.

She loves standing up, especially on my lap when I hold her wrists to steady her. She really is very strong!
She loves watching the TV (bad I know!) or looking at my phone.
She smiles for the camera, symptomatic of how many pictures I've taken of her!

Big girl

We haven't got a lot done today, some washing and a walk this afternoon.

Una's favourite place to sleep is in the pushchair. We strolled up Portobello Road to Notting Hill Gate where I ran some errands.

Home and after a nice feed, Una decided to hit a big milestone by rolling over from her back to her front! Doesn't she look proud? I know I am!!

The baby stole my brain

We had plans to see friends this morning but they got cancelled as the little boy has chickenpox. I won't be seeing them now until it's all cleared up, definitely don't want Una to get it this young!

So now we are all dressed and ready, with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Well, not quite nothing to do. Actually my to do list is quite long. One thing on my list is food shopping as I've had to throw out most of our food. We had an unfortunate fridge incident the other day. I got up in the morning and noticed the fridge didn't seem to be working. I thought it was strange if it was broken as we only got it a few months ago. Well as it turns out, it wasn't broken, it was switched off at the mains. I am assuming I am the one who has got it confused with the light switch which is on the other wall. Stupid, I know, but having a baby has made me just that, stupid. I am hoping it's hormonal and won't last forever... right?

What they call smaljeans...

A better day today. Still they same stresses hanging over me but still, a better day.
An undoubtedly positive thing was that I wore my pre-pregnancy topshop 26 inch jeans (smaljeansen!!) for the first time since I was about 3 months pregnant! Yes, there was a bit of muffin top hiding under my baggy T-shirt, but still! I'm excited to start seeing results from changing the way I eat and going to the gym.
Excuse the messy bedroom, was in the middle of changing the sheets due to a leaky nappy incident this morning....

I got myself a halloumi, pumpkin and caper salad from St Helens cafe which I ate in the park while Una had a nap in the pushchair. Yummy but very filling, I couldn't finish it all.

I went to visit a friend and her little boy today. She had some amazing news which really cheered me up. We chatted all afternoon and I ended up staying for dinner. Now I am in bed with Una in nice clean sheets (due to aforementioned leaky nappy incident) she is sleeping and I am about to do the same.
 
Good night!

Did I tell you I'm an emotional eater?

Yesterday started off so great but as the day went on I had to deal the less nice parts of life. I felt totally overwhelmed and stuck. I barely did a thing all afternoon, just sat and stared in to space, meanwhile my mind was racing at a million miles an hour. Trying to figure things out, make sense out of things. Trying to picture the future and finding it impossible.
There is a lot going on for me at the moment and but I know (hope?) it will all turn out ok in the end.

Cooking was the last thing I could think of and to be honest I felt like junk food to make myself feel better...
Enter pizza and Haagen-Dazs! It was tasty but I couldn't eat nearly as much as I used to, a third of a pizza with salad was plenty and the 2 scoops of ice cream I could only just finish at a push.

This too shall pass

Today: fear, sorrow, dread, emptiness, hope, hopelessness, regrets, anxiety, stress, anger, sadness.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Books for Cooks

There is a small bookshop on a street called Blenheim Crescent, just off Portobello Road. It's a shop full of cook books, aptly named Books for Cooks.

Apart from the extensive range of literature and the friendly and knowledgeable staff, they also offer a delicious and ridiculously cheap lunch. Every day between Tuesday and Saturday they serve up three courses chosen from books that they sell. A perfect way to end Maria's visit, we went there on Thursday before she left for the airport. It's £7 for three courses, we paid £33 for the three of us, which included two glasses of wine and three coffees.
The starter is usually a salad or soup, with home baked bread. This time it was asparagus soup.

The main is some sort of stew or braised meat. We had stuffed lamb belly with polenta.

And for dessert, a choice between three scrumptious cakes. We devoured these so quickly I didn't get the chance to take a photo.

Una attracted lots of attention from little old ladies passing our table. Must have been that cute polkadot dress my aunt sent her the other day. Or maybe just because she's so darn cute.