Time flies..

It's crazy that 18 days of the month have gone by already.  Time flies nowadays, and I'm not so sure I like it!  I'm finding it difficult to get a handle on it and feel like I'm chasing my tail all the time.  But at the same time we have got a lot done and have had a great start to the new year.  I feel something good about 2013 and I can't wait to see more.

We finally had Tilly's thumb operation which went much better than I hoped.  She is super happy wearing her pink bandage and hasn't complained once about it!  Go Tilly.

As a reward she got a new bed (and a lot of ice-cream!) - a heart bed as she calls it.  She is totally in love with it and I had great fun doing up her room again, and although I didn't really change much, the room looks different.   She is sleeping really well in it and hasn't fallen out! 

(yes it's not the best picture, but more to follow another time)

Husby and I have a new obsession and it's actually brought us closer together.  MAD MEN! Both of us sit and fantasise about life in those times.  Smoking, drinking cocktails at all hours, lovely dresses, manners, sex, drinking cocktails at all hours, sexy music, new discoveries and drinking cocktails at all hours.  I'm hoping we regress and go right back!

And then there is work which is busy and challenging and fun.  I got a bit of a promotion so the heat is on now but it means we can finally start looking at houses!  So fingers crossed that we can move our little family to a more spacious pad, where Tilly can play in her big room and mamma and pappa can drink cocktails and throw parties!

:)

Happy New Year...

I hope all of you readers have had a lovely Christmas and New Year, with happiness and love the whole way!
We sure have and I will say that this was the best Christmas in a long time.  I think it was to do with how spread out all the festivities were and how I got to share it will almost every special person in my life, bar the few lovelies which are literally on the other side of the world.

First there was the mini Christmas here in Sweden on the 20th, as all the family would be travelling to other parts this year.  Santa came to visit the kids and brought them LOADS of gifts.  It was one of those moments when you decide that next year the meaning of Christmas might be made a little more clearer so that giving overtakes getting.  But needless-to-say they loved it and had lots of fun.  We ate nice food and drank nice wine, and got to be together on a snowy night.

Then husby and I decided to have a little Christmas evening of our own so that we didn't have to lug the gifts to Ireland with us there and back.  We made a yummy dinner and enjoyed some sparkling while opening gifts.  It was cosy and special.

Then came our trip to Dublin to be with my parents and sister.  What a great time it was.  Tilly got a beautiful new bed with special princess linen, and was in her element.  The present situation was more or less the same, with a lot of parcels for everyone.  We made Tilly wait until we were all there which was very hard for her, because she spoke about Santa coming all day and night the day before and could not hardly fall asleep.  She left Santa his milk, cupcake and a carrot for Rudolf of course.  And was very pleased when he left her a little note in the morning.  We had a delicious lunch of traditional Irish food, with stuffing and gravy and all the trimmings.  Gingerbread and custard for dessert which was like re-living my childhood!  The day was brilliant!  

We got to spend quality time as a family and Tilly enjoyed spending time doing fun things with Granny and Pops and Gucci too.  

After 4 amazing days we went to stay with our generous and fantastic friends Mark and Audrey, who may I say are the hosts with the most!  They organised all our friends to come over for a big dinner and the kids had the best time playing and running around.  Tilly was loving the new environment and new toys of course.  It was brilliant catching up with everyone and hearing their news and just seeing them all in one place was perfect, especially with their children.  Over the few days we went shopping, sightseeing, eating at amazing restaurants, walking the streets of Dublin, having pints, meeting more friends, going to the park and just relaxing at home.  It was like being a tourist but in your home.  

I am now more in love with Dublin than ever before and miss my friends and family EXTRA now. 

But now we are home in Stockholm and have so many great memories and such a content feeling inside to start the new year in right.  I am looking so forward to seeing what is installed for us in 2013.  Thank you all our friends and family for making the end of 2012 one to remember.  We love you. x

Now lets start work tomorrow........

To all those who are struggling at Christmas...

Over the last few days I have read so many sad things in the news, mostly relating to children.  Obviously what has happened to those innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary is unfathomable.  Every time the thought comes into my mind of what the parents and the children who survived are going through, I have to shake myself to stop thinking about it.  And to,  of course stop and appreciate how lucky I am.  There has been so many suicides of young people over bullying recently too, and I just wonder how my little Tilly is going to handle the big bad world when she is really in it.  

At this time of year it is hard for so many people, for so many different reasons.  Losing loved ones, being far apart or in the army, feeling financial pressure, having nowhere to spend Christmas, being hungry or homeless or being depressed.  And sometimes I think we forget this when we are stuck in a long line in a shop, buying another gift for someone who has so much already.  

So lets all take the time to talk, listen or give to someone who is struggling at this time of year.  

Here is a poem I read on FB dedicated to those little angels who are watching over us tonight.

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mous

e.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

My miracle...

3 years ago today I became a mother to the most special little girl in the world - well to me and her pappa anyway!  It was truly a miracle.  I went through a silent miscarriage just a few months before she was conceived and then another one when I was 20 weeks, where I was sure it was all over!  But no,  little Tilly was still in there and the doctors suspected it was a silent miscarriage of a twin.  I was overwhelmed with the fact that something survived after what I had experienced but there she was, the little stubborn and persistent madam.

It's been a fun-filled ride, and my life has changed for always and I sure know husby's has!  But I would not change a thing.  Of course it is daunting to know that it us who will be responsible for who she becomes and who her children become for that matter.  But when you just focus on each funny thing she says or expression she makes, then it just feels like you have been hit with a big rush of love and goo and you can't believe how lucky you are.  

So I can't wait until Sunday when all of Tilly's little cousins and friends come to her birthday party and they get to eat cake and ice-cream and say funny things.  And I can't wait until we get to spend Christmas in Dublin with all of her important people that make her one half of herself.  And hear her speak swinglish and chase the dog around the house.  I can't wait to cuddle up in bed with her and husby and just feel grateful that we have our miracle, and don't need anything else.

Happy weekend y'all and remember guns are bad!

Advents calendar...

Here's a topic that's got my attention this year, for different reasons.  The first reason is that at work we developed an advents calendar as the theme for our Christmas campaign, and it's ALL I have been doing for the last 2 months.  Finally it's ready and hopefully customers are enjoying it and getting some great Christmas gift ideas.

Listen to the Christmas song here too!

The second reason is that I didn't get to choose Tilly's calendar this year, because it was chosen for me (story needs a blog of it's own, so don't ask!).  But during my conversations with different people about advents calendars, I got some great ideas.  Like my colleague who's calendar was a story which was read over 24 nights.  How wonderful!  No expensive, unnecessary presents, or candy or just stuff!  But something that stimulated her imagination and meant cosy time for her and her mom.  Or how about filling each day with an experience like baking gingerbread on day 4, or visiting an animal shelter on day 10 or donating a toy to orphanage on day 15.  You know something meaningful and important and that teaches kids that Christmas is not only a time for getting but also giving and sharing.

I'm slightly obsessed with the whole idea and can't wait for next year when I have control again!

Here are some great crafty ideas for calendars - there are so many fun things to do.  

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....