To Think I Ever Worried...

... that my heart was already stretched to capacity with love for Nahla. So how could I possibly have room in there to love another baby in the same way?! Take it from the newly enlightened: Hearts grow. Clearly. Because mine has doubled in size in just three little months. That is the power of love.

My Best Friend

If someone had told me that going from 1 to 2 babies would be more challenging than going from 0 to 1, I might have not believed it. I mean; Baby No. 1 turns your life upside down - in ways you pre-motherhood could have never imagined. But then; when Baby No. 2 makes his or hers arrival, you'll find that why you are utterly in love with your new little bundle, your mind will also still be firmly fixed on No. 1 - who, up until that very moment - has been the single most amazing and important thing in your life.

It is a struggle to make family-life work. And to balance time and cuddles between two babes, so that no-one is missing out, requires some serious juggling. 

2 Months Today...

... and already such an AWSOME little person! Around here we struggle to remember what we did with all our time before Luca made his arrival. Well; this mama does anyway. Writing 7-8 articles a week suddenly seems like nothing but a vague memory... Happy 2-month birthday, little munchkin!

Life With 2...

... is hectic, amazing, fun, exhausting, hilarious and a little crazy. And I am loving every minute.  Everything is suffering; blog, housework, skincare regime; the lot. All my energy has gone towards these two - a whirlwind 8 weeks since little Luca joined the family, making sure Nahla gets the attention she needs. Making sure the baby is fed, burped and changed. Making sure I have time for showers and the odd meal. Making sure clothes get washed, petrol gets put on the car and bills get paid. And now I think we have nailed it. So far, so good. Hello world; I am ready to re-join!

My first true great love. My little game-changer. I have never known how crazy hard you can love another human until she came along.

These two... I swear; I well up just looking at this picture. Hormones; HELLO!

Chaos on the coffee-table. I'm not worried. I'm sure it will be tidy again when they are off to college. Maybe.

My brand new little guy. I had never thought I had wanted a little boy - being so utterly in love with my girl. And now? I have to stop myself waking him when he sleeps, because I CANNOT GET ENOUGH. 

Family. What life is all about. Hands down.

I am back. Hello blog! Here's mama!

He Is Here!

Baby boy Luca Phoenix was born exactly one week ago this evening, on Sunday June 2nd - just one day after my own birthday. And he is beautiful. And amazing. And perfect. And I still cry and pinch myself at just how lucky a mummy I am. Two beautiful babies. Two perfect little people to raise and care for and share our lives with. 

He kept us waiting 9 long days after my due-date before he decided to join us - and this mummy was slowly loosing her mind, being close to 10 months pregnant in the sweltering Oslo heat. But once the midwife put this big (4575 g/10 lbs 1 oz), dark haired and beautiful little boy on my chest, all was forgiven and forgotten. 

He made our family grow. He made Nahla a big sister. He fitted so perfectly into our lives. I am happy, exhausted, delirious with joy and so very very blessed.

Weekend Hightlights

A Mother's Day card from Nahla that made me cry. OK, so I'm pregnant and hormonal, so it doesn't take all that much to get me going, but still; how sweet is this poem?!

Being served breakfast in bed by my two loves. After being allowed to snuggle under the covers till well after 10 am. I am one lucky mama!

My little tiggeriffic Tiger was pretty pleased to have her face painted - again. 

The arrival of my latest order from My-Wardrobe.com. I LOVE how fast and amazing their service is! 

Weather spring-y enough for my little munchkin to wear her her new tops that we bought from Etsy. Seriously; LOVE Etsy!

So all in all; who can complain about it being Monday again when our weekend was as good as this?!

How Can It Be Monday Again?!

This past weekend just whizzed by in a whirl of activities - as per usual. Balletclass (Nahla), Spa-appointment for maternity massage - which was utter bliss (me) and putting together a chest-of-drawer for the baby (BF). As well as the usual cleaning, cooking, washing, shopping, lunching kind of stuff that goes down on any given weekend. It never cease to amaze me just how quickly those hours between Friday afternoon and Monday morning  go by.

And now; back to Monday, work and deadlines. Again. Maternity leave countdown: 7 weeks!

(Image via Pinterest)

Scenes From Our House...

This mama is trying - as always - to find a balance between work and life, and is wowing to get better at blog updates! 

So delighted with the new Aden + Anais swaddle I found 50% off in Avoca the other day. And sure red stars are suitable whether baby turns out to be a prince or a princess!

N is currently into doing shows with her new microphone. And we have to sit down and listen. Sometimes for really long stretches at a time. Other times we have to stand up and dance. Is stage school in the cards?? Part of me is hoping that this is just a phase...

A Fun Winter Break...

... is coming to an end, and tomorrow this mama and Nahla are heading back down to Oslo before flying home to Dublin on Sunday morning. So so long snow, cold and winter and hello almost spring-time!

Lazy Days Up North...

... are filled with family, fun, winter, snow and love. Just the way we like it!

This Weekend...

I found the most amazing little when-your-energy-drops life saver to keep in my bag at all times. Seriously, all pregnant mamas should gave one nearby for those my-bloodsugar-is-low-I-am-in-danger-of-killing-someone moments. Tastes so yum, is totally better for you than a packet of M'n'M's and will have you back to your normal self in a heartbeat. Must buy!

I treated myself to a KeepCup - this clever take-away cup that you can bring with you and get barristas to make you latte into - as it is a standard barrista size. Very clever and tres environmental friendly. Oh, and not to mention pretty. Triple points.

We stocked up on fruit and veg for the week at Dublin's best - in my opinion - food market, Fallon & Byrne. Seeing how Nahla does not like meat, and me not so much either - especially in this pregnancy it seems - we need to broaden our horizons when it comes to cooking vegetarian. So watch this space...

We drove to Cork - which to you not in the know is all the way down south in Ireland - and stayed in the lovely River Lee Hotel for a night. So while the rain poured down outside, this lil' family stayed snug in a 5-star hotel and sipped hot chocolate in the hotel bar, snuggled in our room and off course, visited the lovely hotel swimming pool (daddy and Nahla) and spa (mama).

So all in all, a weekend of utter bliss and family fun. Just as we like it!

Scenes From The Weekend

Weekends come and go by much too fast in this household - as I am sure they do for all other busy young families. And this weekend which has nearly wrapped is no different. The weather as absolutely freezing, which resulted in a lot of time spent cuddles up inside. Family lunch in town, ballet classes and a couple of shopping outings rounded the weekend off perfectly. Mummy got stocked up on some beauty goodies. Nahla got her very first (proper) pair of ballet slippers. The weekend papers were skimmed through in between everything else that went down, and all in all; we are relaxed and ready for the week ahead!

PS: For a running update on what we are up to, follow me on Instagram: @honningpia.

I'm In Baking Mode...

... which is rather tricky, as I should really be in work mode, considering the 4 deadlines that are looming. I blame the pregnancy hormones! So handy having these to blame, by the way. Last night, for instance, BF and I landed in a little minor domestic over what to watch on TV. Me: "The Sex & The City movie is on! The first one, I LOVE the first one!" Him: "But you have seen it 700 times already!" (He wanted to watch Match of the Day and The Daily Show, man that he is). Me: "But I'm carrying your child!" Domestic over. BF rolled his eyes, and retreated to the bedroom with his Windows Surface and let me get stuck into Carrie & Co. in blissful peace. He muttered something about getting a house with two living rooms and leaving me with the one with the smallest TV, but sure, so far, so winning, as Charlie Sheen would say. 

Now; roll on lovely vanilla cake!

(Photo Credit: Kamille magazine)

My Terrible Blog Absence...

... has a pretty awesome excuse. This little thing has been making me alternate between sick and tired for the last 14 weeks - but finally it looks like the second trimester feeling-good-mode has kicked in, and I am back in business. Nahla is going to be a big sister in May, and we feel happy, blessed and so very very lucky.

Life's A Beach...

... when you are on holidays in Norway and get to spend plenty of time out in fresh cold air. Nahla thinks the beach is just as fun far north of the Artic Circle on a freezing October afternoon, as she does on a sweltering Greek holiday resort in August. Variety is the spice of life, I suppose!

Only One More Week...

... till this mother/daugthter duo once again heads for Oslo and some sweet family time! Also, as Oslo Fashion Week is well under way then, this mama is hoping to sneak in some show-time will devoted Bestemor (Grandmother) babysits my little munchkin. And as our week in Oslo will come to an end, sure Daddy arriving a week in the Greek isles doesn't sound to shabby either. Hello; summer!

Days Of Our Lives

Mummy has successfully tricked Nahla into thinking raw-food bars are sweets. Mental high-five to me!

We have been to the Zoo again - and concluded that Nahla is not really all that into animals yet. Except for giraffes... For some strange reason.

Nahla got her very fist love-letter! From very cute Connor in her playschool. Daddy had minor melt-down as he now envisions his life a few years from now, having to fend off smitten teenage boys...

Nahla had a "bitch-stole-my-look" moment with the zebra in Dublin Zoo...

Pink dip-dye hair was a roaring success with our very pink-loving 2-year old...

Little Emine Sofie, who is on a week's holiday with us in Ireland, also got to enjoy the zoo - and the sleeping tigers...

And two little cousins are loving each others company and wake up every morning calling each other. Heart-melting stuff. 

Cupcakes'R'Us

Just another little snapshot from this past Sunday's Father's Day celebration. I don't know about the rest of you, but this little family pigged out on the yummiest of cupcakes from Avoca - as well as Nahla's and Mummy's homemade marshmallow-pops - dipped in crushed Skittles. Sugar-shock? Check.

A Day In The Life...

We celebrated Daddy's third (!) Father's Day in style - with plenty of beautiful homemade cards...

... then waited and waited for the binmen to come pick up the bins - always very exciting according to Nahla...

... got some fresh groceries at our local deli-shop...

... picked up some more pods for Mummy's beloved can't-live-without-it Nespresso machine...

... before heading home for even more family time! As far as Sundays are concerned, I would say this one was pretty pretty perfect!