Happy 3rd Birthday to our baby girl

Robin's birthday was a busy one! Following a wonderful Frozen singalong birthday party yesterday with some of her very good friends, we had a day of gifts (balance bike!) swimming, a bit of Frozen during Blake's nap (of course) then a trip to Kenwood house today. 

Robin has been enjoying a series of books called "Katie and..." which introduce children to famous painters and works of art through Katie's adventures at the gallery. Robin told us she wanted to visit a gallery for her birthday, just like Katie. With a lovely cafe garden, looking at the paintings in the house, some hide and seek and teaching Blake scooter skills, Kenwood House was perfect during this Indian summer birthday.

It was as warm as the day she was born.

We finished off the afternoon with an ice Cream of course at Marine Ices in Camden and right now a slightly sugary Bo doesn't want to go to bed in her new treetop house. But that's ok, it's only her birthday once a year :)

We love you and your dancing hop. The way you say I love you and your sweetness.

Love always, Mummy Daddy & Blake 

Blake turns 1

Philip spent a good long while putting together this video which sums up the past year; so many wonderful emotions contrasted with levels of tiredness that it's impossible to describe!

http://youtu.be/o8RqYSZ4Fc8

Our little boy has been such a wonderful, joyous, fun, and cuddly bundle, we are grateful for him every day. He has shown us just how much a little person can be so demanding but so patient and loving and accepting all at once.

Dearest Blake, a very happy birthday to our little boy.
With love from daddy, Mummy and Bobo x

July 2013 - more summer fun and the lead up to Number 2's arrival

July was an amazing month in London. Sunshine and outdoor fun. I was getting pretty big and immobile at near full term so I started maternity leave the second week of July. Janita Masi was here for three weeks and we had lots of fun together.

Kaka's (Rashmi dada) annual summer BBQ

 

The 2011 NCT gang

Aoife and Robin's first trip to the little angel theatre to see We're going on a Bear Hunt!

Dinner at Diwana, Drummond street. Somewhere which was open before Mummy was even born!

Welcome to Leo!

Parliament Hill Lido

First Ice lolly!

Second!

Our last walk as a family of three through Regent's Park

Kissing Noodle

Robin's first modelling shoot for Poppy Children

June 2013 - Summer begins and we have a Trullo Adventure in Puglia

The beginning of the month saw Philip and I take a trip away for our 5 year anniversary. We had a lovely weekend in Bilbao/San Sebastien, while Robin had a wonderful weekend with Nana and Nani.

Summer made a hint of an appearance finally!!! Robin and Daddy enjoyed some outdoor time.

The fountains at King's Cross and Robin's favourite little hut at Highbury Bandstand

Watching Peppa Pig with Noodle

Our Puglian Trulli adventure: After a little panic at Gatwick with overweight luggage and bit of a run to the plane, we had a great plane trip our to Bari and a wonderfully behaved little Robin, excited to go on a plane.
The journey the other side was fairly easy and before too long we arrived at our gorgeous trulli house which we rented for a week. We were greeted by several Italians, with varying English skills, all keen to show us round the lovely garden and pool and our "'ouse" for the next week.

The house was near Cisternino, a gorgeous little hill town, just the perfect size for us to wander around and Robin loved running through the little streets. We had ice cream in one of the squares nearly every evening and there were a couple of great places to eat and a wonderful wine shop. Really, a perfect small town to be right next to, with beautiful views of trullo and the local countryside.

I like this town!

Our little bench and some stairs which led to the roof of the Trulli. Robin didn't try to climb up them at all, despite us being slightly worried about the sheer drop!
She spend a lot of time trundling around our gorgeous garden and patio with her buggy and also another which some kind people had left behind before us. Fun was had playing with water and taps and stones as well as just being able to freely roam a large area of grass and of course, splash in the pool.

 The pool was a little chilly for me but these two are brave and had lots of fun splashing and swimming!

Outdoor nappy change with a view - Ostuni

We visited quite a few towns over the week but were never too far away from a lovely lunch at our villa or afternoon play around the pool. We think Cisternino was our favourite town (luckily) but also visted Martina Franca, Ostuni and Locorotondo. We had been to these last time we were in Puglia, in 2009 but the weather was very different in February!!



Shopping for amazing Buffalo Mozzarella and Burrata and the market in Martina Franca

 

 

About as deep as mummy got into the pool



Il Frantoio, a place we vowed to return to after our 2009 trip. Who would have known it would be with our gorgeous Robin!

We really were so sad to come home after a wonderful week, eating so well, Robin being an angel, sleeping well and loving her time with us both and the "'ouse". Plane journeys are easier now as long as we have a seat for Robin and enough entertainment and S-N-A-C-K-S to keep her occupied.She seemed to understand she couldn't just get up and run around which we were grateful for.


Masi arrived from Australia mid month! Robin was very excited to see her after having lots of facetime with her at Nana and Nani's house and perfected her school girl grin!

Daddy went to Glastonbury at the end of the month which left Robin and me to enjoy some solid time together. She is such a lovely joy to be with, we had an amazing weekend hanging out locally. We went to Abigail's house to have brunch with Charlie, our neighbour's son, Finely's birthday party, swimming and a lovely Sunday evening dinner with The Price's. Daddy returned home on Monday having been away since Thursday and was so happy to see Robin!

First Limbo at Finley's 3rd Birthday Party

First juice from a carton! Intense concentration needed



Reunited



A few random pictures from the month: 



May 2013 - Fun in the sun and a new addition join the Highbury crew!

May in lovely London. Quite a few activities, fun and "firsts" to report on!



Pretty Haircut



We had a fantastic lunch organised with the NHEHS girls this month but I can't believe I managed not to take a single photo! The pub chosen had a lovely outside function room, perfect for the tons of mini NHEHS kids running around.
We popped over to Richmond after lunch to visit another Robin in his garden.

It was a very exciting day when I met the new addition to our baby gang. Little Leo :) He is a gorgeous little boy and hugely anticipated and loved by everyone - especially his big brother!  

First trip to the London Transport museum and a surprise meet up with Dylan!

 

      
Robin meets a mannequin. Dylan asks granny, "where is she taking us?!"



Clissold Park had a funfair and we had to take our daredevil Robin in for some rides....she picked some pretty hair raising ones!!

A lovely Sunday lunch with the Saints and gorgeous Willa

Bobo could't fit under the old jungle gym she used to kick about in when she was tiny!

Bobo Mummy, Noodle and Baba the White watching "Piddy"

The morning after a sleepover with Aoife! This was the first time Aoife stayed over without Chris and Amy and everything went very smoothly! Bobo was extremely have to see Aoife-mouse in the morning!

A very proud Mummy and Daddy return from Robin's first Parent's evening. "She is doing really well" ;)