Christmas Party at the Nursery

This afternoon, Vera's nursery had their Christmas party so Mark and I were invited. It was in a room adjacent to the restaurant on campus so the children walked over from nursery. All in their high visibility vests!
 They all did activities, the Roo children focused on putting cloves into tangerines, although I think as many were taken out as were put in. Vera hogged the cloves, refusing to letting any others have any.

Afternoon tea, mince pies and juice were followed by singing Christmas songs, before Father Christmas came to visit. He called out every child's name (took a while, think there's about 60 of them) and they each got a book and a card from their key worker. Vera's book is called "Betty and the Yeti". Very sweet all in all!

 Campus

 Vera arrives. Not that bothered about seeing us, or maybe not expecting us!

 Vera in the middle with all the cloves and tangerines

 Vera and Mark say hello to Santa and get her present.

Anticipation

I know that smugness is not a very pleasing quality, but I am pleased that I have (nearly) all Christmas shopping done so that we've been able to enjoy this weekend at home and with friends, relaxing instead of stressing/battling the crowds.

Saturday had a Swedish focus with Swedish fika, glogg and some Swedish Christmas food. I made red cabbage (rodkal) and Mark made a beautiful Janssons temptation, we also had meatballs, ham, gravad lax and all the condiments. It was lovely for me to have a taste of home before we set out for Ireland next weekend.

We also gave Vera one early Christmas present. As we cant bring all the presents in all the packaging to Ireland, she got to open her doll on Saturday, which already has become a firm favourite and companion.

Yesterday, after baking and relaxing we went to Ana & Mark's to say hello, swap some Christmas presents and of course meet the gorgeous Ariane. Ana's mum is also over from Portugal, so lovely to see her again too!

Vera had about 20 party sausages, enjoyed running around as well as being "wrapped up" by Mark (see photos below). All in all, a most lovely afternoon!

 Vera and her doll. Vera also enjoys wearing my new hat!

 Swedish Christmas glogg fika

 Mark and Vera playing with the wrapping paper

 Maria Alexandrina, Ana and sweetest Ariane (nearly 5 weeks)

Lucia

Yesterday was Lucia and when Vera gets older I'll make more of an effort to seek out Swedes and celebrate properly. Instead I watched Lucia from Uppsala on SVT Play http://www.svtplay.se/video/907512/lucia

In the evening Vera posed with her candle from mormor and morfar. Together with Santa. It's a rockin' Santa, playing the same tune over and over and over again! One of Mark's first secret santa presenrs to me when we started dating many moons ago. Mark replaced the battery and I think he's regretted it ever since as Vera presses play 100 times every night!

She's also started to recognise herself in photos, there were some lovely ones taken at nursery that we were given the other day and she points at the photo and says "ee-a" (Vera)

 She's also been making decorations at nursery, explains all the stains and glitter that constantly covers her clothes when we pick her up!

Cold

Compared to -26 degrees in Sweden, we're experiencing a "balmy" -5 here today. But as with anything, if you're not used to it, it feels cold and I don't feel that acclamatised any longer!

It was a beautiful morning though, no snow, only frost and a gorgeous sun rise as we were arriving at nursery.

Vera is very funny and is learning more and more words, "tree", "sky" (with a lisp), "cow", "cat", "dog", "Nana" and "dough" (! meant to be Joe, as in Nana and Joe). Will see how that'll go down in Ireland in ten days' time!

Here she is snug as a bug after bath time last night. I make sure the towel is warm and then we have a little cuddle before we put on nappy, pyjamas and brush her hair

Sunrise at Hinxton

Frosty grass

Outside nursery

London

We had a great day in London on Saturday, visting Terese. We got the train from Royston and Vera was so excited on the train, shouting, yelling and making lots of other noises. After about 45 minutes the excitement turned into frustration at having to be still, so we were all pleased to get off!

It was a sunny, clear day and a temperaure of just above zero, so we walked from the re-vamped Kings Cross station along the canal to Camden where we had lunch.

We then got the overground to Gospel Oak and visited Kentish Town City Farm. Vera loves seeing the animals, but wasnt so keen at visting the goat with daddy, as goat nibbled on her coat!

We walked back through a crips and clear London to Camden and popped into the Colonel Fawcett pub for some drinks before we headed back. Terese had bought Vera a present, so she was playing with that and a Jenga game.


Sunday was very quiet. I work up at 6.30 before anyone else and read my book for a while before the others started stirring. We took it easy, went to the shops, had some mulled wine and a mince pie, Sunday roast and watching an afternoon film. All good for the soul.

 Vera on the train, in her own seat

 On the overground with Terese

 saying hello to the ducks

 Daddy and the nibbling goat

 Happy T(h)ereses

walking back through London

Snow

We had a surprising snow fall last night, not forecasted. A pleasant surprise to wake up to, but as always snow = CHAOS in Britain, Stansted and Luton airport closes, more road accidents than I can count and and people not being able to get into the office.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2243251/UK-weather-Britain-wakes-inches-snow-parts-delays-airports-theres-icy-weather-way.html


Still, makes you feel Christmassy!

 Outside the front door, just before 7am

Vera by car park at nusery (before Mark had a chance to put her gloves on)

Fare well...

It's beem a bittersweet last few days, where we've said good bye to a very dear friend, Tahlia, who is moving to Australia with her husband Brian. They currently live in Germany, but leave Europe for good in a few weeks.

We are very blessed to have so many friends, of different nationalities, around the place. However, in today's world there is so much movement and it's sad to leave and to see people go...

On Sunday a bunch of us met in the Old Spring and last night Tahlia, Junko and I had a gorgeous meal in D'Arry's http://www.darrys.co.uk/, one of my favourite places to eat here in Cambridge.

Today we popped into Ana's during lunch time so that Tahlia could meet the gorgeous Ariane (still tiny!)

 Junko & Tahlia

Junko, Ariane and Tahlia.

It's not good bye, it's see you again soon!

18 months and Advent

On Friday 30th we celebrated Vera turning 18 months and mormor Gunnel's birthday. Vera celebrated with pancakes and blueberry jam. Yummie! These 18 months have gone very quickly, but at the same time, what an adventure and amazing how much she's developed and learnt. It sort of strikes you when she holds out her cup and asks for "molk piiis" (Mjolk/milk please).

Saturday morning was busy with a visit to the Post Office and two lots of baking. Made a bunch of gingerbread and cranberry muffins for our NCT Christmas party.

At 2:30 we wandered over to Clare and Al's (same as last year) and we had fun catching up and tasting lots of international baked goodies! That's the beauty of an international group of antenatal friends,  traditonal Britidhscones, Taiwanese moon cake, Brazilian cheese puffs etc etc.

QingQing and Ken and their son Philip made it too, which is quite astonishing as QingQing was due last Wednesday!

The kiddies wandered around lots, they dont really interract as such, just sometimes join in in various activites such as slapping cardcoard boxes although they did all enjoy singing and dancing together. The song is one about sleeping rabbits who get woken up (a bit like Bjornen sover in Swedish) and involves a lot of jumping after "sleeping".

The kids (with a lot of help from parents) also opened their Secret Santa gifts. Vera got a drawing tool, one of those that you can erase.

*

This morning Vera and I have been on a frosty walk around the village and soon I'll head out to meet some dear friends for a farewell lunch. Vera and Mark will probably stay at home as they're both a bit under the weather. The germs take turn this autumn...

 My gingerbread and cranberry muffins

 Vera getting ready for the party

 Frosty walk

 All wrapped up. // Vera's advent calendar below

 Mark reading a book to Hania.
Below Vera and Alex, so cute dressed up as Santa's helper!

 During the singing game!

 The ginger biscuits I prepared for the kids!

 Vera and I

Long Weekend Round Up

I've had two days off work, Friday and Monday, and a "bonus day" today as I've been off sick.
On Friday, Mark and I did some Christmas shopping and then popped in to see Mark, Ana and Ariane.

On Saturday we were meant to go into London to see Terese, but as Vera was a bit under the weather, quiet and off her food, we stayed at home. It was lashing down with rain as well, so quite pleased to be indoors.
I made two doughs for ginger bread, one for a house and one for biscuits.We also did a bit of Christmas decorating, can't help myself!

On Sunday, we went to St Albans to see Fiona, Dan and the gorgeous Robbie. I can't believe we haven't seen them for so long! Robbie is so cute, a very happy, chatty boy - nearly one year old.

After lunch we went to Harpenden, where they had a Christmas market. It was mobbed with people, we walked around for a bit, browsed in the shops and I picked up another Christmas decoration. Vera was not herself all day, so we headed back after the market. She was not normal chatty, smiley self.

Once back, I rolled out and baked my gingerbread house and we had a relaxing evening.

On Monday, I went to the hair dresser's. I enjoy going to her house, cat on my lap and browsing her wedding photos as my colour was developing. In the afternoon, early evening I decorated my Gingerbread house. Got a bit of help with the sugar glueing from Mark though

I got a text from Fiona saying that she had to rush out of the class room to be sick at lunch time on Monday and at 9pm last night, I was sick too and it went on to be sick until 1-2 am. As a result, I felt like an old dish cloth this morning and have stayed in bed all day... I don't know if we brought the bugs to St Albans or where we picked them up, but anyhow, the joys of children & bugs!

 My cinnamon sticks from Singapore and Swedish Christmas ram

 Cute and cheeky Robbie!

 Fiona reading to Vera and Robbie

 Mark reading to Robbie and Vera

 Vera on Sunday, tired and quiet.

 My Christmas decoration from Harpenden

 Vera and Santa fell asleep on the sofa

My finished house!