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Liking What You Do

A little Sunday inspiration for those of us lucky enough to like what we do. 

Hope you're having lovely weekends!

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Spring!


Actually, I think we've bypassed spring and gone straight into summer. Next week promises endless sunshine, blue skies and temperatures upwards of 25C. That's what I'm talking about!

We're planning on having a little date night on Saturday - leaving Bubs with my mom and treating ourselves to a Gold Class experience of Iron Man 3 (we're talking massive reclining chairs and champagne and nibbles brought to your seat. Honestly, there's no other way to watch a movie).

Next week is also our  Greek Orthodox Holy Easter week. I use this time as an excuse to eat a lifetime's supply of chocolate, followed by a big lamb feast on Sunday. If I think long and hard about it, I think this is my favourite holiday: chocolate, good weather, the longest bank holiday of the year (four days!), family, candles, bunnies, good food, coloured eggs... what more could you ask for?!

I'm not religious by any means, but I can't wait to instill the traditions of Easter in my son: dying eggs, church at midnight, eating sweet bread. Keeping these traditions alive in my family is religion enough for me.

What have you got planned for this weekend?

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The Little Things

Sprinkles make everything better

When I'm feeling blue all it takes is a cup of authentic Greek frozen yoghurt covered in sprinkles, fresh strawberries and chocolate buttons to really lift my mood.

The last few weeks have been slightly tougher than usual. While it's great to see family, it was quite tiring having visitors come over from the UK one after the other with only one day apart between each new set. I can't blame them for being excited to meet Bubba, but the whole thing has taken its toll.

I don't let myself wallow too much in things that trouble me. The last few weeks have made for wonderful memories and I shouldn't forget that these have been happy days which we'll all look back on fondly. I haven't been allowed to forget how quickly time passes when you have a small baby (one blink and Henry will be a grumpy 15 year old asking to borrow the car), so I try to remind myself to cherish every single second with him. I stare at him for minutes on end, trying not to blink, as if somehow, by doing this, his picture perfect image will forever be emblazoned in my memory and I'll be able to call on that image and feel exactly as I do now. I think about what priceless treasure has entered my life and everything else seems so small.

However bad I'm feeling, though, it only takes the aforementioned cup of fro-yo and a day of endless sunshine to make all my (silly) little worries melt away. 

And that's all it should ever take.

What gets you out of the doldrums?


Around The Corner


Summer is right around the corner and I'm so excited about what this means for me and my little family! Wide open balcony doors, warm breezes, endless sunshine, afternoons by the pool, refreshing cocktails, salty beach swims, sand between our toes... Seriously, summer trumps all the other seasons and I don't care WHO knows it!

I can't wait to take Henry to the beach and play with him in the sand. I can't wait to dip him into the sea for the first time with his little ridiculous arm floats. I can't wait to take him to my family's home island and continue the family tradition of going there every summer. For my sister and I as kids (and then as wily teenagers), the summer would only truly start when our feet landed on the warm soil of the island of Chios. We plan to go in August and did I mention I can't wait?!

For now, my in-laws are visiting from the UK and we've been going out for long walks with Henry and BBQ-ing on our roof terrace. Yesterday, we went out for Mexican food and that's when I felt the first hints of summer. The alcohol-free lemon sorbet at the end of the meal was the real deal sealer for me. Summer, it's been too long!

Did I mention how cute Henry is looking in his stylish summer outfits? Seriously, this little dude does not look 5 weeks old.

What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
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The Many Faces of Henry


On Monday 8 April, you turned one month old. You're a big boy now! We're no longer counting the days - it's whole MONTHS from here on in. You've learnt to focus on our faces with those big round eyes. We don't know yet what colour they'll be and we can't wait to find out! Grandma would put money on them turning blue (just like your Daddy's) but I'm convinced they'll be darker. 

You pull such funny faces and make us laugh uncontrollably: grumps and frowns, pursed lips and wide-eyes, questioning brows and squinty smiles, shocked looks and wide grins. Your repertoire is never-ending! And yesterday, the pediatrician even confirmed that when you smile, you really do mean it now (and it's not just the face you pull when you get gassy).

You're slowly learning to hold your head up high and you're making the most adorable little sounds: 'coo', 'aah', 'goo'. You've given Mommy and Daddy a few hard times at bedtime (although you're getting better now), refusing to go to sleep no matter how tired you are lest you miss something (nothing exciting going on here, we promise!). 

You're driving everyone around you crazy with your utter cuteness. Grandma can no longer form proper sentences in your presence and your Grandpas have a permanent grin on their faces. You love having Daddy walk you around the room (sometimes, it's the only way you'll fall asleep, much to Daddy's dismay), and you're just about getting the hang of tummy time.

This weekend, you met your cousins for the first time! We hope these relationships bring you lots of joy in the future (cousins are just the best). Grandma even made you a delicious towering apricot cake to celebrate your 1 month birthday, but Mommy forgot to light the candles (you were asleep) and we ate it anyway. This weekend, you'll even meet your other Grandpa for the first time. He. will. go. nuts.

You wriggle around like a little worm, and yet you look so much like a little bean... Our little Henry Bean (aka Beany Bean, Stinky Bean, Beany Boo/Bonce).

This song will always remind me of your first month...



We can't wait to see what the next month brings...

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4 Weeks


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We hit the 4 week mark today. This little man entered our lives in a funny little whirlwind, and here we are, 4 weeks later and I can't imagine what my life was like before Henry. I'd thought I'd be getting these weird moments where I'd look at him and wonder who and what this strange little person is doing in my home (like I often do with my husband!) but funnily, that has yet to happen. I feel a closeness to this little dude that I've never felt with anyone before. I feel like I've always been a mother.

And there I was, almost a year ago, wondering and questioning whether I would ever develop maternal feelings. I had these doubts right up until the last stages of my pregnancy. But the minute he showed up, that all went out the window. 

He is so loved and we are so deeply loved up!

P.S. I'm not sure how many posts it will take before I stop gushing!

Did you ever have doubts about your maternal instincts?