Up a class.

Today is a big day, today LV moves up a class to the 3-5year olds room. She's been excited for weeks and I've been excited for her too, until today when I was walking her up the stairs. It felt very school like...I panicked, held the tears back and felt like shouting 'what next, university?'which I know is irrational because she's 3, so of course university isn't next, she has to actually start school first, and I would have looked a total loon shouting to myself on a nursery stairway. So I clung onto her thinking I'd have to peel her little hands from me as she begged me not to leave, I'd shuffle off feeling distraught at abandoning my child. But no, she shouted 'Go mummy, NOW', before practically pushing me down the stairs! So, I still felt distraught, mostly because I nearly fell down the stairs, but also because LV is growing up so fast. Distraught, but quite proud as well at how independent she is.
xo.

What LV did.

We're loving Autumn, me because I like the nights drawing in and snuggling down all cosy indoors, LV because she gets to wear her new coat. It took us an hour to get out of the house yesterday morning, for one reason:

LV: 'MY SKIRT'S NOT FLIPPY ENOUGH! SEEEE'

Like a weak willed weak person I allowed her to try on every skirt/dress in her wardrobe to test them all out for 'flippiness', she finally settled on a blue and white checked boden skirt, I'll be trying to find more online today or I think we'll be in danger of same skirt syndrome, like LV's friend Jake who wears a superman outfit to nursery every day. Rob was at work so it was all about the girls and we had a super day:

We walked into town.

Had breakfast in the park.

On you marks...get set....GO! We had a race, I won. (Just kidding, she won). Note the 'flippy' skirt.

She found a 'spaceship' in the kitchen and played in it for 45 minutes!

And then we met up with friends Kathryn (my firend) and Jenson (LV's friend), who brought us a prize winning carrot to see. Shortly after this pic was taken LV took a bite out of it.

xo.

Train etiquette.

This week I had the pleasure of tripping down to London with work, usually this is something I enjoy. This time, not so enjoyable. Mainly due to other passengers on the train, so I've experienced some weird train encounters before, like the time my pal em and I were sat opposite a drugged up mentalist who rapped loudly for the majority of our 2.5 hr journey, eventually when it was discovered that he didn't actually have a ticket he was escorted off the train, by the police!drama. Then there was the time Rob and I were travelling up to Manchester and another unusualist joined us, she sat opposite and talked to us at around 100mph before disappearing to the toilet, on return she was enjoying some sort of high which encouraged her to hum, slur her words and nod off mid sentence. Odd. So, I'm not new to unusual train encounters however, Thursday wins the 'most annoying' prize. I was subjected to 1.5hrs of a mother forcing (loudly) her children to partake in 'number bombs' - calculations and timetables. On more than one occasion the child said 'mummy, I just want to look out of the window', pushy parents, yuk. Then, on return from London there was the snorer, the cougher, the loud music listener, the one that smelt like onion and the big man that sat next to me, claiming the centre armrest as his own, even though I was there first! He also threw himself down in the seat with such gusto that my tea spilt onto my work notes...was there an apology? No there was not.

So my advice to you all, select your carriage, your seat and your time of travel carefully. Unless you enjoy being subjected to any of the above.
Xo.

Sorry...I was asking your name.

Typical me, I'm quite good at getting names wrong (there was the 'Sarah' incident a few weeks ago) but today's name faux pas is most certainly my best/worst. LV was having a visit to the older kids class at nursery in preparation for the big move in a couple of weeks, the 3 - 4 years room! We arrived to collect her, we ventured into her usual class to be told she was upstairs so we headed up to collect her. I introduced myself :

Me: 'Oh hi, I'm Kat, LV's mum'
Her: 'Cinderella'
Me: 'Oh sorry no, my name's Kat' (I wondered if she had mixed up me introducing myself with perhaps asking her what her favourite Disney story was)
Her: 'Cinderella'
Me: 'Sorry, Cinderella?'
Her: 'That's my name'
Me: 'Oh I see, sorry, nice to meet you' (I couldn't say her name)

Then it dawned on me, the previous week LV had requested that Sophie, Grace and Cinderella come over to play. I said that Cinderella could definitely come (it was too short notice to invite Sophie and Grace - actual people) so I spent a good while role playing pretending that Cinderella was playing with us - thinking that LV must have heard the story at nursery. She must have thought that either her teacher 'Cinderella' was invisible all of a sudden or that I was playing some sort of sick joke on her! Oh dear.

What was even more unusual was when another dad popped his head in to say thanks 'Cheers, Cinderella, see you tomorrow', REALLY?!

xo.

Germany in photos part deux.

Bright but chilly.

Amazing Autumn vegetable display - why can't Morrison's get on board with this! It makes me want to make soup.

I managed to find an Oxfam on a speed shopping adventure! 

Mini trolleys for the mini people. 

xo.

Oh how we ate...

One of the many things I love about Germany (besides visiting my beloved parental unit) is the food! Yes indeed, you wouldn't think it, but the Germans do put on a lovely spread. Actually, I'm not sure that the food I love is in fact German, some is (Bratwurst!) but some of my other food obsessions may be from elsewhere. I get beyond excited in preparation for a trip to Germany and have been known to plan meals in advance of the plane landing, it's difficult to fit all the meals I enjoyed (for 16 years) whilst living in Germany into a 5 day visit. I do my best though. These are some of the foods I enjoyed:

1. Gyros with cabbage salad and chips (with mayo)
2. Ice cream (Banana boat, the cafe I visited didn't do a Spaghetti eis!can you believe it!)
3. Kinder Chocolate & Milka
4. Bratwurst with chips (with mustard & mayo)
5. Flammkuchen (like pizza, but yummier)
5. Feta & Garlic spread (I think this might be Turkish)
6. Fitness rolls (seeded bread rolls) with salami, cheese & salad (freshly made at the Bakerei)

I didn't hold back and I'm pretty impressed with the meals and snacks I devoured. I'm avoiding the scales, at least for a couple of weeks. I managed to snap a few before attacking, I remembered far too late to capture most on camera, which I think is wise, I wouldn't want to cause myself any unnecessary longing.

First time I've had this one, I'm a fan.

I'm a bit ashamed about eating this, it's a Banana Boat (ice cream and cream piled onto a chopped banana)

The biggest bar of Chocolate in the world. Not fact but it's very big.

Germany I miss you already.
xo.

Germany so far...

We've managed to squeeze in some speed shopping and cafe dwelling...

Lovely jacket in the sale - I heart H&M 

Fringed Suede Espirit boots reduced from 120 - 29 Euros!

Jazzy red fur lined boots for LV

Lovely tiles at the Stadt Cafe

Where I had me one of these! 

xo.

This weeks vintage finds.

Yesterday LV and I thrifted like there was no tomorrow. She had a great time and was good as gold, she got herself a mini guitar and a play first aid kit. I was a little less focused as I had to keep one eye on the wild one but I still managed to pick up some super finds.

Stock.

Stock.

Wedgewood cakestand. Stock.

I also got my sister a lovely Christmas present (can't say what, she reads). Another little vintage dress and some vintage fabric. We celebrated our successful morning in Cafe Nero.

xo.

Say what LV?

A few gems from this week:

In Sainsbury's...
Me: Daddy is taking a long time, lets go back and get him.
LV: I'll shout him 'COME ON DADDY MINCER'
Yep, LV has misheard the word minxy and has started to refer to Rob as Daddy Mincer.

En route to a friends party...
Me: Please can you point Isobel out to me when we arrive, what does she look like?
LV: She looks like a Kangaroo
Oh super, she should be easy to spot then

Clean up operation
Me: LV please can you start tidying away your toys?
LV: I can't
Me: Why not?
LV: It's too tricky

Flapping, trying to get out the door for work/nursery in the morning
LV: Come on, lets get cracking!

She makes us laugh. And here she is dressed in her home-made fairy costume, she wasn't impressed. Rob thought I'd dressed her as a wizard!uh no.

xo.