Getting into the Christmas spirit...

So it's the 1st Advent here in Sweden this weekend, when everyone gets all the Christmas lights and stars out of the basement.  Lights candles and bakes nice smelling buns and gingerbread cookies.  It's also time for the kids to open their first little present from the advents calendar.  Normally I find it difficult to get into the actual tradition because I am always busy at work or just not quite there yet with the Crimbo buzz.  However this year I am feeling all into it and I think it has to do with this mostly...

It's snowing already and really cold at the moment which is nice since it has pissed down rain for weeks and there is nothing worse than rain!  The other reason is that Tilly has started to understand Christmas and all the things that go on and is singing all the songs she has learnt in dagis.  She has written her letter to Santa and Santa you better get a ticket to Disney Land because that is where most of the shite she is asking for comes from!  

But it's so fun, because it was only 3 years ago she was a teeny tiny little creature we were just keeping alive, surrounded by a teeny tiny tree and a poor excuse for Christmas in general.  Except of course our big gift was her, a whole 3 weeks early, 10 days before Christmas.  Thanks Santa!  

So I have settled down tonight with a glass of Cava, lit lots of candles, written the cards, planned the gifts and am now looking forward to a fun and cosy weekend with my family getting all merry!

Only 13 days left until Lucia (another Swedish tradition I will write about) so wrap up warm folks and spread the joy.....x

Sweet dreams...

Soon Tilly will be 3 and it's time to get her a big girl's bed.  She is sleeping in her cot which transforms into a bed, but it is still only the length of a cot.  Although she is cosy, we think it's time for her to have a change.
There is nothing better than decorating a kids room.  I went all out from day 1.  She has slept in her own room since coming home from the hospital, because we never wanted her to get used to the idea of our room as a place to sleep.  Absolutely as a place to cuddle up with mamma and pappa in the mornings, but to have sweet dreams at night, everyone needs their own bed, especially mamma and pappa!

She really loves her room and often closes the door and says 'go away!' - which is quite nice sometimes because we know she is comfortable and independent.

She has a little cosy corner where we read at night, and she can reach everything that she likes to play with.

I ordered this bunting with her name on from a place in New Zealand called Little Kiwi's nest.  It's cool and has taught her how to spell her name.

There is lots of colour and patterns and things to keep her busy.  Just the way a kids room should be I think.  I've seen a lot of muted tones in kids rooms and I just don't get it.  There will time enough for beige and brown when they get older.

Right now anyway we are contemplating a kind of loft bed.  It is only 107cm high, which is not as scary as the high bunks and that way it shouldn't take up anymore space in her room and still have a spot for her cosy reading corner underneath.  What do you think? Any other great ideas welcome....

Ageing gracefully and naturally...

I'm just sitting at home half watching some programme about plastic surgery for people who have stuff wrong with them like an extra large nose, or boobs that literally touch the ground.  And it got me thinking of all the people, especially in Hollywood who have so much shit done to themselves, when they looked perfectly above average to begin with.  And then I looked over at the damn Barbie doll my daughter got given against my will, and it got me thinking even more about what kind of image kids will have of how they should look.  Considering Barbie is like 50 and still looks pretty good, Tilly might think that's normal.  Girls seem to be starting so early now with botox and skin products and are so obsessed with ageing.  I've heard of girls getting lip enlargements for 18th birthday presents.  And I see alot of girls with the same profile - duck lips which they think looks natural.  It's not natural at all and if they are starting so young, what will they look like when they get older.  

I scanned the net and found some interesting pictures and wonder how these celebrities think we can't see that they have had surgery. Duh?!

 

Then I found some pictures of older woman who I think have aged naturally (well almost) and they still look beautiful.

All I know is that I will try my best to encourage and be an example to Tilly, to show her it's ok to get grey hair or a few wrinkles.  It shows you've lived.  

Happy living all you beautiful people....