Thursday, September 30, 2010

Relax, Restore and Ready For Bed




Having potted about ever since putting Nahla to bed around 7.30 this evening, trying to get unpacked and organized, I have now finally found time to sink down with a bowl of steamy hot and spicy tomato soup, the latest copy of Vogue I picked up in Dublin airport before departure- knowing fine well I'd never get a chance to read it en route, and an ice-cold can of Diet Coke, one of my very few vices. I only allow myself one every now and again, and trust me, it is such a treat!

Sweet dreams, guys! xoxo

On Holidays In Our Beautiful Ireland...


... we love having lazy mornings in pj's en famille.



... late night dinners with friends- Nahla LOVED the wok-fried greens at Wagamama's!




... plenty of fresh Irish air and walks in the country. (PS: The main battle in Braveheart was filmed on the field in the picture!)


... hearty pub lunches after road trips on windy ivy-clad country roads.


... indulge in LOTS of peppermint latte's from Starbucks!


... enjoy the late summer sunshine in beautiful sunny Tramore!


... and treat ourselves to raspberry and vanilla muffins from Avoca- always a winner!

Can you tell we are totally blissed out by our little Irish holiday?!

Today's Yummy Mummy Style Crush


Sure it is no trouble at all looking fab fab fab even when pregnant for stunning Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr. The Australian beauty, who is said to want to return to her native country to give birth to her firstborn, was spotted today enjoying a day of shopping in Paris with her handsome husband Orlando Bloom. Miranda, 27, is in good company in terms of mommy-bonding as there seems to be a bit of baby boom amongst the Victoria's Secret angels of late!

(Photo Credit from here)

Bathtime...





... sure is fun in my new Aqua Pod that Mummy picked up in Mothercare! Seriously genius gadget, as not only does it suit for now, when Nahla still needs a little support sitting up in the bath, but it can also fit both a toddler AND a baby later, as the toddler sit directly on the anti-slide mat, and baby in the pod. Oh, and for all you twin-mummies out there, they do a double-pod version too! Baby bath must-have if you ask me!

Oslo, Oslo, Here We Come!






After lovely lovely days in Ireland, our second home, Mummy and Nahla are yet again headed for Oslo. So sad waving bye-bye to Daddy/BF in Dublin airport, and we are counting days till our little family is reunited again soon! But in the meantime we revel in how relaxed we feel after our little break, and now cannot wait for crisp autumn weather in Oslo, quality time with little baby B- who now has been given the BEAUTIFUL name of EMINE SOFIE, packing, packing and more packing, an intensified effort at the gym and in general just a really nice October time!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

From Minus 9 Till Plus 9: Motherhood So Far


It is almost impossible to get my head around the fact that yesterday Nahla was 9 months old! Meaning that she has now been as long out of my belly as she was once in it! So hard to belive that my mummy adventure started as long as 18 whole months ago, from this tiny little tadpole nestled deep inside me, flutters and kicks and a wiggely baby carried under my heart, to now, a crawling, babbling, smiling, adorable, amazing baby girl. My little princess. A love greater than anything I have ever known. So powerful it at the same time scares and amazes you, this lioness-like urge to protect your baby, to make sure she is loved and safe and happy.

I remember finding out she was on her way, sitting there with a plastic stick in my hand, in the office bathroom, having bought a pregnancy test at the corner pharmacy while out on the morning break coffee run. I took both tests that were in the pack, the two of them confirming with the uttermost certainty that I was pregnant. Very much unplanned. But at the same time not unwanted. There was never a doubt in my mind, despite the fact that BF and myself had only been together just over a year, that I wanted to keep this baby. No matter what. I am a firm believer that certain things happen for a reason, like life is forcing us to take a different direction than originally planned, and this was one of those times, I just knew.

After breaking the news and coming to terms with the reality of it all and figuring the logistics out, my pregnancy was pretty much as amazing as amazing pregnancies can be. No morning sickness. No crazy mood swings (BF might have a different opinion of this, but if there were any, they weren't that bad. Seriously.) My skin glowed, my hair grew thicker and shinier than ever before, nothing was swollen- except my growing tummy which was meant to be! The only thing I craved was sour worms from The Natural Confectionary Company- and I mean HAD TO HAVE THEM. Oh, and I had heartburn. But apart from that, most amazing months ever. I LOVED the whole experience. The feeling of being so utterly womanly. The closeness to other mummies. The bond with BF, knowing that we had created something like this- even if it was by total accident! Serendipity. And just perfect perfect bliss.

From the moment I laid eyes on my newborn, screaming, purple-looking, most-beautiful-thing-in-the-world daughter, I was in love. It seemed so unbeliavable, so science-fiction'ish that we had created this perfect perfect creature. And ever since that moment, a whole 9 months ago, I have counted my blessings every day.

Even things friends/magazines/16 and Pregnant had warned me about either never happened or was not as bad/horrible/scary as you sometimes are led to believe. Giving birth? Sure it was sore and yes I cried, but it was all over and done with in 4-5 hours, at the point where I figured I was about to die it was almost over and I have no problems commiting to doing it all again some time. Several times over even.

Sleepless nights? Have yet to have one. Sure there have been some late night feeds, but feeding Nahla myself for the first few months ensured I never even had to get out of bed. And now sometimes, when I have to heat up a bottle or two during the night, sure I can think having to get up for worse things than my daughter wanting some milk!

My hair has not fallen out either- despite everyone warning me this was bound to happen to my lovely due-to-pregnancy much thicker and glossier hair. Still there- thank God.

"When she has teeth she will bite you when you feed her." Nope. Clever little Nahla never bit her mummy- yet another scare that never came through.

Ok, so my social life is different than before I became a mummy- but for those nights out in fancy bars that have for now taken the backseat, I have coffee mornings with fellow mummies, walks in the park, trips to the playground and have more so than ever learned to appreciate date nights!

My body- although close enough to pre-pregnancy status for me not to have a melt-down, will maybe never get there 100%- and that is perfectly OK. A little more yoga, a touch of pilates and some nights pounding the pavement with my iPod plugged in takes me as far as I need to go.

I have developed multi-tasking skills of super-human capasity. I make a mean mashed carrots and sweet potato dish. I can change nappies at the speed of light even with my eyes closed. I have learned that when babies start to move around they reach further every day- a lesson i learnt the hard way in terms of tablecloths being pulled down, books ripped apart, juice spilled all over and mobile phone smeared with banana; you get the picture.

And most importantly, I have survived, enjoyed, been amazed by, grown from, stumbled through, learnt from and LOVED the past 18 months of my life, and cannot wait to see what more motherhood will bring! Happy 9 month birthday, Nahla!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Multitasking Mummies? LIKE!



Five days(!) after giving birth to her fourth(!) child, busy yummy multitasking mummy Jools Oliver is already out and about with 1,5 year old Petal and tiny little Buddy Bear. The wife of celebrity super-chef Jamie Oliver was spotted taking her two youngest children to a park near their home in north London yesterday. It is amazing how much more relaxed you get with time as a mum, realizing that the small stuff that you used to sweat at, is bot only doable, but even totally enjoyable too! I remember when Nahla was newborn, and I was afraid to bring her anywhere- well, for the first few weeks anyway, literally only feeling safe and secure and in control within our own home. Now, feeling more like a mummy-pro than a rookie, I think I would be a lot less worried about bringing a newborn out and about, knowing we'll be fine no matter what. So go Jools, you are a mummy hero!

(Photo Credit from here)

Date Night!


I think a date night is totally deserved for myself and BF- with tonight making our official 4th date post Nahla's birth! Granted we haven't officially lived in the same country most of the time, but still. So tonight, leaving our beloved fast- asleep daughter in the very capable care of her uncle, we are right now heading out to catch The Town- which BF have assured me ten times over is very good- and as he refused point blank to go see Eat, Pray, Love (my suggestion clearly), I suppose I just have to believe him. Oh- and organize to see the latter with the girls!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Park Play


There is no denying that Gisele is a model mama. Looking at these pictures of the Brazilian beauty playing with her little Benjamin in a park recently, the pair look as if they are posing for the glossy pages of Vogue- and not just enjoying a sunny day out, which they probably were.

Gisele, who created fury amongst many mums a couple of months back with her comments regarding breastfeeding, was recently quoted in an interview saying that she is so "in love with her son. And his dad too." Also poiting out: "But before you have children, you have got to make sure you've got a great man. You can't settle for less . . . someone you love, and someone who has the same beliefs." True, true, Ms. Bundchen.

(Photo Credit from here)

Monday, September 20, 2010

Alive And Well!

Sorry for the lack of blog posts the latter days, but just wanted to make sure you guys know that Mummy and Nahla are both alive, well and enjoying some down time with Daddy/BF. After today's shopping trip I have lots to report on the autumn/winter wardrobe front, but more of that later! Will post long update tomorrow- with lots of cute pictures of my little munchkin- who got her brand new cotbed and is loving it!

xoxo

Saturday, September 18, 2010

It Is Hard To Believe...




... that it was less than 9 months ago that BF and I were standing in this very hallway outside the maternity ward, showing off our little bundle! And that was then, and this is now! Nahla was less concerned with her brand new baby cousin yesterday, and more busy playing with Mummy's cousins Andreas and Therese, who think it is great fun that Nahla now can crawl after them, play peek-a-boo and in general join in with the fun! Time is going by so fast it can scare you- and these precious precious baby moments must be cherished as much as possible!

Battle Of The Yummy Mummies


We all know London is a fashionable place. But when super-model mums and designer-superstar mums are spotted casually chit-chatting on the local high street, you know you are in mega-stylish neighborhood indeed. As busy working mothers they could be forgiven for relying on a dressed down "mummy-uniform" of T-shirts, jeans and trainers, but off course these girls wouldn't let standards slip to that. Stylish friends Stella McCartney and Claudia Schiffer looked ready for the catwalk as they caught up this morning near their homes in West London. In fairness, looking good is part of the job when you are these two, but still.

Stella, who celebrated her 39th birthday on Monday, is as previously mentioned here expecting her fourth child with husband Alasdhair Willis, already being mum to her brood of Miller, five, Beckett, two and Bailey, three. Whilst Claudia, also 39, who gave birth to daughter Cosima in May, is happy with her lot of three, stating in an interview earlier this month: "I love being a mum but I am happy with what I have got, so now that's it." Claudia and husband film director Matthew Vaughn, are also parents to Caspar, aged seven, and five-year-old Clementine.

Busy stylish great yummy mummies- WE LIKE!

(Photo Credit from here)

Desk Duty


I LOVE LOVE LOVE this very cute children's desk. I know I might be jumping ahead a tad, as buying a desk for a 8,5 month old was be sheer madness, but when Nahla gets to that drawing stage, I know what we'll be getting!


(Image borrowed from here)

Today's Yummy Mummy Style Crush


It is hard to believe Christy Turlington is 41 years old! This gorgeous mama could very easily pass for a much younger hottie, no doubt. And I am relieved to note that supermodels eat ice cream too!

The super-model was spotted in NYC, taking her 4 1/2-year-old son Finn out for ice cream and a walk in their Tribeca neighborhood yesterday. Turlington, who is also mom to 6 1/2-year-old daughter Grace with husband Ed Burns, is the whole beauty and brain package, being a health and human rights advocate on top of her modeling credentials. She is currently completing a master's degree in Public Health at Columbia University and released a self-financed film on maternal health titled, No Woman, No Cry. Smart lady!

(Photo Credit from here)

Easy Like A Saturday Morning


It certainly is a relaxed morning here at our house this blustery autumn Saturday. While I pack and pack for Ireland (our flight is at 7.05 A.M. tomorrow morning!), Nahla relaxes with her after-breakfast bottle. And although later on our day will pick up and get more hectic, with a visit to the hospital, family dinner out, more packing, and then movie-night up in my auntie and uncle's house, where we are staying over- knowing that some kind souls will drop us to the airport tomorrow morning- as it is so early my mind is not working yet!

Friday, September 17, 2010

A Deserving Break...


... in all my packing, is to sit down with a cup of Green & Black's Organic hot chocolate and a copy of one of my all-time favorite mummy magazines, Norwegian monthly Kamille Mor & Barn (Kamille Mother & Child). Bliss!

Rain, Rain and More Rain...


.. is the forecast for our first few days upon arrival in the Emerald Isle, where we are headed Sunday morning. But we couldn't care less! Being with Daddy/BF is sunshine enough for us!

(Image borrowed from here)

Welcome To The World, Beautiful Baby Girl!







Introducing: My beautiful beautiful newborn niece, still just fittingly called Princess Bergum! Her parents beamed with pride, joy and so much love, and we are one happy family these days- and look forward to so much fun family time in the years to come!

It's About Time...





... I got on the baby-proofing band-wagon! Note to self: In bottom drawers, at least have the common sense to tidy away screwdrivers, matches, batteries and plastic bags! (Note: While rummaging around in this drawer, Nahla was under constant adult supervision!)

New Shopping Mecca!


Today as I was in town passing time until we were heading up to the hospital to visit my BRAND NEW NIECE (still unnamed, mind you!) I happened to be going by the Steen & Strøm department store as I was picking up some stuff for Nahla in Polarn & Pyret ( such cute baby stuff!). Accidently I excited the lift at the 4th floor instead of the 5th, and what a lucky break!


The whole floor was transformed into what I instantly recognized as Fashion Heaven! I was speechless- it is not often a whole high end shop opening takes place without me knowing about it- but now it had happened! I blame my week up north- cut off from important news like this. Anyway, more about my new "Place Where Credit Cards Come To Die" (i.e. be maxed out). The floor was fitted out beautifully, chandeliers, vintage dressers, cowhide rugs, bare floor boards- and lots and lots of clothes so beautiful it made me almost teary-eyed.


With labels including Day Birger et Mikkelsen, Odd Molly, Desigerns Remix, Stella Nova, DKNY, Epilog and Diesel- as well as many more, it is needless to say this place made my heart skip a beat.


Even Nahla was on her best behaviour as Mummy shopped- clearly she is her mother's daughter in this regard!


This beautiful beautiful scarf from BECK SÖNDERGAARD, one of my new favorite Danish design houses, got to come home with me and live in my wardrobe.


Our first visit, but most certainly not our last! Totally worth checking out if you are in town! Big fashion credentials- take it from a very well experienced shopper!


Love these cushions from Day's home collection! Think one or two would look fab in my Eames chair!

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