To have February

We're still waiting for the snow but as they don't cope very well with snow in this country I think it's enough with the rain...

As many others at this time of the year we've had a few colds and aches over the last couple of weeks. Today I'm working from home due to the tube strike, but M has got a bad cold so has been at home resting for the last two days.

At least she managed to join the school trip to Kew Gardens on Monday, which she really enjoyed. One of the mums took some lovely pics and I borrowed a couple...

To have a New Year

December passed too quickly, as usual, and Christmas too - my favourite time of the year. I think it was really special for M this year especially as we had a Swedish mini-Christmas in Gothenborg with her cousins which meant the celebrations lasted a bit longer.

Today is the last day of 2013 and a new year is waiting for us. I'm looking forward to 2014 - there will be no resolutions but I do have a list of what I'd like to achieve...

Happy New Year!

M and her cousin

Even Santa arrived early!

My version of a nativity set, nordic style...

And we met Rudolph in Covent Garden on Christmas Eve. We decided to do something different this year and went to the Royal Opera House and saw The Nutcracker - beautiful.

It was Christmas for Moo Moo too...a new bed arrived, all the way from Sweden...(love that little wooden bed, bought in a beautiful little toy shop in Gothenburg).

To have Advent

The weeks seem to pass so quickly as they tend to do when having fun (and being busy). And now it's Advent, finally, and time to enjoy Christmas. Less than 3 weeks to go before holidays but we'll also going to fit in 2 days in Gothenburg next weekend, a mini-Christmas celebration with family and hopefully a visit to the Liseberg Christmas market. We're ready for Christmas!

To have autumn

October went fast and tomorrow it's Halloween, or/and All Saints Day already. We didn't really celebrate Halloween when I grew up, it was more of an American tradition. But we did light candles on the graves and I remember it looked beautiful in the dark autumn night. So more than happy to have an extra candles and lanterns even if they're in a shape of a pumpkin...

M is on half-term now and we're making the most of the time off, only two days for me though.

We went to see the film "Cloudy, with a chance of meatballs 2", a favourite!

Already preparing for Christmas!

I took M to Oxford Street (very brave indeed) for the first time and we visited Disney Store, Hamleys and some other shops. Luckily she liked her new Dr Martens as much as I do  (even though I haven't had a pair since the 1990's...). The main reason for going to Oxford Street was to meet up with M's aunt/my sister- in-law who were on a shopping trip from Sweden, together with her sister and children. We had a great time at Hamleys and managed to fit in dinner at Pizza Express but after 7 hours out and about we're both tired when we got home at 22.30 that evening. But M didn't complain one single time, however, she did get spoilt rotten.

Our first Halloween pumpkin ever...Maya decided on the design and drew the eyes and mouth, and I was in charge with the knife. Not bad! A baby pumpkin with one tooth...

To have a birthday party

And today was the day for the actual birthday party! M wanted a smaller party so we only invited the girls from her class. Out of 13, 10 came in the end. 

We had booked a lovely and quite unusual place for the party (called Colour Makes People Happy) where the children could make their own "spin painting" to take home. Mini-pancakes and hot chocolate were on the menu too; and we brought snacks and a cake, of course. 

Everyone seemed to be having a lovely time and M was really pleased. A success!

Preparing of the party bags.

The big spin!

The colourful Simon running the workshop.

There was time for a little bit of film watching.

The red painting was made by the birthday girl and the very colourful one was made by all the girls, a gift for the birthday girl!

To celebrate a six-year-old

Today is the day - M is 6! It was a very happy little girl who woke up this morning. But she decided to not open all the presents in the morning and wanted to wait till she's back from school with some - willpower! At least the stubbornness can bring something good too...

I took a day off work so I should be able to pick her up, and prepare for the pajama party of the year - two of her best friends from her class is coming home with us, and one is going to stay over - the first sleepover ever. Definitely something to remember. Just hope we will make it through the night...

My beautiful (I'm allowed to say) big little girl who still loves princesses and unicorns, may it last.

New single bed who turned into a double bed, all ready for girls, film and popcorn.

Birthday books and DVD.

I used to bake birthday cakes but this year I was a bit lazy....found what she wanted anyway, a cake with roses, cute as a button.

To have a "brother"

As M doesn't have a sister or brother she sees my friends' younger children as her sisters/brothers, especially "baby JJ" and "baby A". On Sunday it was JJ's birthday - not a baby anymore but 3 years. He adores M. Very cute