Valentine's Day Still Rocks...

... even after baby and domesticity and 3 years of coupledom! LOVE!

It's February...

... and Valentine's Day is only a few days away. I am half planning to organize a hot night away for BF and myself - as I think every parent deserve that every now and again - and certainly on the most romantic night of the year. And as of yet I am considering the following:


The awesome Bellinter House, simply for the dark, moody and super-sexy factor. I can just picture us snuggled up in one of those grand rooms, sipping some Bollinger... Or...


... the very gorgeous Ten Square Hotel in Belfast. Granted it is a little further away (although only a couple of hour's drive up the motorway), but I have stayed there with work (a total fun press trip where the point was to review Belfast as a city to spend your bachelorette weekend in - I am talking underground salsa clubs, lots of bubbly, fun shopping trips and being pampered from one end of the trip to the other thanks to some sweet PR woman!) and know it is total luxury. Plus it would mean a fun filled night out in Belfast city AND a little hike around the shops before we hit the road back to Dublin again the next day...

Now; decisions, decisions....

My Two Loves...

... certainly look to be enjoying their cafe-trip! There is nothing Nahla loves more than being allowed to eat the froth of Daddy's cappuchino or Mummy's latte! Looking at these pictures, I feel like a very lucky girl!

Oh, Memories...

... Not even three years have passed since BF and I fell in love, but still we have so many amazing memories from amazing amazing times shared. It is so nuts to think about when I think back, how everything happened so fast. From just class-mates to friends to lovers to parents, all in the space of a year. Sure it was unplanned and yeah it was fast, but still; there is not to this day a single doubt in my mind that this was the way it was meant to be. This was part of the plan for us, how our family was meant to be created. And whatever people tell you about the strain of being new parents; I think it probably helps if you are going through all that while you are still in the first flushes of love!
Faith, serendipity, carelessness, I don't really cared what it is called; we did it our way, I am so excited for every magical memory we are yet to make, and I totally feel like the luckiest girl in the world!

I Dream Of...

... babies and bellies and love love love. I cannot wait for the day BF and I will add to our little family, to give Nahla a brother or a sister. I cannot wait to be pregnant again. To feel those flutters and kicks, to know another bundle of love is growing inside me. I have never in my life felt happier or more content or more real or more like the me as I was meant to be since BF and I had Nahla, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I want to do it all over again. And again. And again. And - maybe - again!

(Images from here)

Lovely London..

... was everything we wanted it to be. Sunny, busy, relaxing, romantic, recharging and a lot of fun. We walked through busy streets and lush green parks. Sat down for a lot of laid back coffee breaks and indulged in some yummy lunches. St. Christopher Square is my new favorite foodie gem, lots of lovely bars and restaurants tucked away just behind Oxford Street. We strolled through Notting Hill and read the Sunday papers in Hyde Park. We cuddled up in the dark and romantic hotel bar and indulged in lazy lie-ins and late brunches. I swear, so romantic and blissful was our weekend that I hardly bothered venturing into any shops - only a few qualified as too awesome to pass by.

All in all our first weekend sans baby was lovely and romantic and grown-up and made us wow to do this at least once a year - because making sure your relationship is still romantic and healthy and strong surely benefits your family life in the long run. And Nahla, who spent the weekend in Sweden with Bestemor and Bestefar (Granny and Granddad), where she played on beaches and playgrounds and more than likely was spoilt rotten, did not seem too bothered at all that Mummy and Daddy jetted out for a romantic rendez vous all by ourselves! Talk about a win-win!

A Romantic Weekend Ahead...

... as BF and I are headed to London for our first ever trip away together sans our little love. Much as I am so so excited at the prospect of romantic days spent in amazing London, in a fabulous hotel and with awsome shopping and bars and restaurants at my fingertips, I am also acutely aware that I will miss my little munckin so so much! I genuinely HATE being away from her, and even though I know she will have a great time being doted on in Sweden by her besotted grandparents, and that BF and I really need this little trip just the two of us, that does not make it easier being apart from her. Oh, motherhood!

London, Baby!

Guess who is THOROUGHLY looking forward to a romantic, hectic, fabulous break in London with BF in exactly 3 weeks from today?! Yeah! 3 whole days with just each other, with Princess off having fun with her doting grandparents, I can simply not wait (Although I know already I'll miss her like crazy too - that's motherhood for you!) But the joys of busy bustling London (I haven't been since November 2009!), hotel breakfasts in bed, long lazy lunches, some serious AMAZING shopping and just fun, fun, fun! I love that I have been to London so many times before that I don't feel like I have to do the tourist stuff, and we can just go straight to the actually just enjoying the city! My poor Mastercard; prepare yourself!

Feeling Fall..

.. is so wrong when it is only the beginning of July and the weather is super-hot, but I can't help it, I LOVE fall fashion. Always have, always will. And this photo just reminded me. And seriously, is there anything better than an autumn city break with your favourite person?! BF and I are booked to go to London in a couple of weeks, and even though I know it is still very much summer, I think I know who will be hitting the shops of London for some very fabulous autumnal outfits!

(Photo via Pinterest.)

This Autumn's Staycation..

... is booked. Yeah! BF and I will spend a romantic weekend curled up in front of a roaring log fire, drink bellinis and red wine till our hearts content and just celebrate romance at the stunning Bellinter House come October. And seriously; after a long lovely summer, is there anyhthing better than autumn, with crisp fresh air, leaves on the ground, rain on your window, a cup of hot chocolate and romantic candlelit dates with your love?!

Is It Just Me...

... or is EVERYBODY getting married lately?? Seriously, it is as if the whole world has been bitten by the wedding bug, and we keep being bombarded by images of sobbing brides (well, I suppose I might cry too if my brand new husband was in the midst of ANOTHER paternity scandal!), veils so beautiful it made me have a little oh-my-God fashion moment (yes, Kate, I am talking about yours!), romantic churches, far-flung honeymoons, adoring husbands, stunning brides, floral decorations, Martha Stewart Wedding and on and on and on it goes... Funny, while I may not have been ready to get married when the opportunity presented itself (LONG story!) before, I now feel strangely grown up and in love and commited and, well, a little more ready. Maybe babies will do that to a girl!

Sunny Seaside

As today was a Bank Holiday in Ireland, meaning that everyone is off work - yeah! - we decided that a little family outing would be just the perfect way to spend such a gloriously sunny day. So off we went - after a morning spent building IKEA furniture - to the seaside towns of Malahide, Portmarnock and Howth, just north of Dublin city. And promise me, if you ever visit this beautiful little island, that you make sure to stop by these lovely little villages. They are a hop and skip from the city, bustling with life and people during the summer months, have the freshest seafood you can imagine and are just completely lovely and very Irish and super charming.
There is nothing quite like...


... running around on green fields, not being constrained into a pram - according to my little munchkin...




... a impromptu picnic with the best fish'n'chips in Dublin...




... Mummy getting to break in her brand new Anya Hindmarch tote... HEART the pink details...



... spotting the cutest seals having a little swim just outside Howth pier...




... being able to buy the freshest fish possible for tonight's dinner...



... and even squeezing in some playground time in sunny Portmarnock before heading back home, all tired and happy from the wonderful fresh seaside air! Talk about blissful day!