A matter of choice

Day 237 - Loukas' first birthday, we had a fab day celebrating with a 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' party. Here's the birthday boy about to eat his cake whilst watching all the goings on with interest!


Day 238 - a random shot of Louka sitting under his high chair. I love this photo, it was taken with Aaron's posh camera that I have no idea how to use but even on auto the photos always look great!



Day 239 - Spent a morning at the beach with my Dad and Leo, we made a boat which Leo christened 'Bucky' due to his current obsession with 'Jake and the Neverland pirates'


Day 240 - Trying watermelon, he enjoyed mushing it about but not sure if he ate much!


Day 241 - Leo was overjoyed to be given his own 'Bucky'   (in fact he has had it for ages but has been sitting in my parents shed as he was never interested in it and I'd forgotten all about it!) 

Day 242 - Had a fab child free girls night at a friends on Friday which turned into a bit of a po…

Although we've been taking Leo to the beach for four summers now, this is the first year that he has let us build anything without him knocking it down before you actually get anywhere!

It turns out though, that its my Dad who is the expert in sand building, whether it be castles, boats or cars.  (although from memory I believe a car is pretty similar to a boat!)

Looking back through old photos, I can't imagine that I built many things all by myself.....  I do remember my Dad giving considerable assisitance - well, it was a good way to get the sun on his back!


But they were not nearly as impressive when I did then all by myself, even though I do seem to be quite pleased with it.....





Linking up to Jenny's 'Flashback Friday'

I have vague memories of queuing to see the 'nit nurse' at primary school and the dread that I might have 'nits', I remember how everyone used to repeat like some protective mantra that 'they only go on clean hair' just in case it turned out they had them!  I'm not sure what my childhood fear was, the reaction from the other kids or the thought of my Mum having to sit for hours with a comb and having 'stinky shampoo' to use. 
It turns out that I avoided head lice right up until the other week when after a long sleepless night with Louka I discovered that the poor little man had somehow caught them himself.   I guess they had come from Leo although it was a couple of days later that I discovered his and they didn't seem to bother him much at all. 
It was relatively easy to get rid of them, although a huge pain to have to do so and ensure they did not come back so I was pleased with the brilliant timing of an email offering me bottle of Hedrin &#…

Linking up with Real Housewife of Suffolk County

For many months now (possibly even since before he arrived) I've known that I was going to do a 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' theme for Loukas first birthday. As you probably know I adore parties and the planning of them so I've been enjoying getting ready for this one.


This time I had a little helper too,  part of the reason I chose the Hungry Caterpillar theme is because it is a book that Leo has enjoyed for a while now as I did at his age, and I knew he would enjoy being part of the preparations.


I decided it would be fun to theme the food, and match the items that the Caterpillar ate.  (of course when I say 'I decided' clearly I meant I spent the evening on pinterest!) 

Without using a book as a 'menu' I would never had served that much fruit but was stunned that the children and Leo in particular, ate almost every bit!


I really enjoyed making the cake, the first one of the boys I have made entirely by myself and I was very pleased with the finished res…

Hey Louka mou,  today you are one whole year old!


I'm not sure where this last year has gone, I said the same when your big brother turned one but I'm sure your first year has gone even faster!

You seem to have flown through all the milestones, one after the other from rolling over, to sitting, to crawling, cruising and now in the last week walking your first few unaided steps.... and climbing which is one I'm not enjoying so much!

I'm pleased that you seem to be learning how to get off of things, like the sofa and Leo's bed by turning round and going backwards. Not so impressed about how you try to get on the table, and anything else you can find when my back is turned!


You are the cheekiest little monkey and you are well on the way to a wicked sense of humor it seems. You have an infectious laugh and are very playful.

You can now wave and clap and you love to dance, waving your hands and bouncing when you hear music.

At the moment you are a real Mummy's boy a…

I wondered where my sieve had gone!

First time playing with crayons, well actually the second but it was the first time he drew with them!

Party favours all ready!

Leo's way of 'helping' me make the birthday cake!

First proper pair of shoes!

Sunday 26th August 2012
This photo was taken on Loukas first full day in the world,from the balcony of my hospital room. It would have been about 5.30am and I was awake in the hospital enjoying the coolness and the peace and quiet when I looked out the window and realised the sun was just coming up.
I had been initially so worried about giving birth here in Cyprus but by the end of my pregnancy I was confident in the help that my doula Claire would provide (and so ready to not be pregnant anymore!) 
Loukas birth had been brilliant, something I never thought I'd say.  Before then I'd been all about the drugs and would never have chosen to have a natural birth in a million years - as I always used to say 'you wouldn't have your appendix out without drugs'  which does seem like a very daft comment now - as its hardly the same thing!
I only managed it without, as gas and air is not available here (had it have been I would have been on it without a seconds hesitation!)…

Back in June, with the 3 month school holiday looming I was a little nervous as to how we would make it though and stay reasonably sane at the same time.   Leo is on the whole a very good boy but at the end of the day he is only four years old and that means he can be a right royal pain in the bum when the mood takes him!

I'd only used a reward chart once with him whilst potty training and although it worked well I didn't know how I could make it work now.  The problem wasn't so much that I wanted him to do specific things it was more that I needed him NOT to do things.

As I realised I couldn't 'reward' him for 'not hitting his brother' or 'not whining/ banging/ interrupting/shouting etc  so when I saw this fab idea on Pinterest I thought it might just be the answer.

Leo hates to think he is 'naughty' and was always asking me if he was good or becoming very sad if he was told off. Although he is no angel, he really wants to be good and make…

Today Aaron and I celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary.  Well I say celebrate.... we'll have a couple of drinks on the balcony, maybe we'll turn the laptops off and maybe I'll even cook a nice dinner. It might not be a huge celebration but hopefully an improvement on some previous ones - last year being 5 days away from giving birth, year before I passed out in a restaurant in Agia Napa  (I feel the need to point out I was  ill and NOT drunk!) and on our 1st anniversary I had food poisoning in Prague, we've had some pleasant ones in-between though!

As much as I hate getting up at 5am after three or four times in the night it does mean I get to see the gorgeous sunrise, (and wonder how many people are still out clubbing in Agia Napa!)

Monday night, in the pub for a girls night out for my friends Baby Shower, fab night with great friends.  Sam did a wonderful job hosting it with a brilliant display of decorations, gifts and games. My contribution was the cake!

Spot the dancing baby!

Leo started swimming without his armbands this week!



Leo sharing his drink with his little brother.

Swimming in the morning at home with Grandad, and again at a local hotel with our friends ensures a very tired boy!

This photo was taken this time last year, on or just after my wedding anniversary and due date of 20th August.  I spent a lot of time in that pool, although rarely sitting like that - the effort needed to get in and out of that position was huge! I really missed being able to get in the pool from the side as there was no way I could do it with the bump!
I'll never forget the moment when at my first scan at about 9 weeks pregnant the doctor gave me the estimated due date.....  I think I could have cried - AUGUST!!!   ARE YOU SURE!
I had been dreading the summer heat all year and it was a justified concern. Daily temperatures of 40 plus degrees, big bump and a lively 3 year old are not a good combination!
Everything seemed to be twice as difficult, it turns out I'm a bit rubbish in the height of the summer anyway but shopping, cleaning, even sleeping was just horrendous.  God knows how many times I looked at the calender, at the days which seemed to be passing oh so slowly and …

Back in June a group of us decided to spend an afternoon entertaining the kids and making gifts for Fathers Day by visiting The Pottery Place in Protaras. I must admit that at first the idea didn't appeal to me, and over thinking it as usual I thought it would be more hassle than it was worth with my two and I'm really not the creative arty type but it was one of those places I'd been planning to visit one day so I went along anyway!

However I was more than surprised and not only did I really enjoy the afternoon but am looking forward to going again sometime. 
The Pottery Place is very popular with locals and due to its central location in Protaras also with tourists.  
The idea is simple - pick your piece of pottery, paint it, and then return a couple of days later to collect your item once it has been glazed and fired. 
Leo chose to paint a mug for Daddy and then we made a hand print tile for my Dad using my hand print as a base followed by Leo's on top and then Lou…