On My Own. Sat Aug 30th

Today I wandered down a street that had FOUR shops of shoe stores with size 10 and up!!! My big foot is size 11 and I had choices like never before. As I browsed from shoe store to shoe store, a person followed me. I don't think intentionally. But this person also was looking for very large size woman's shoes. At first when I heard the voice of this person, I thought, "What is a man doing in this ladies shoe shop". Then I looked. This person was about 70 yrs, over 6 feet tall and definately a man with size 15 shoes (I watched him/her trying a pair) dressed like a woman. We even commiserated on lack of selection for our big feet. I bought some funky shoes.

Oona was off with mummy and daddy and Kiefer choosing pink streamers and pink pom poms and pink sparkles to make hats at her B-day party. S and A say they have not taught her be 'pink.'

Tonight Sonja had her first night out for a couple of hours with friends and family. I watched a most delightful Penguin film with Oona and Kiefer.

~I~

Visiting and Zip Cars. Fri Aug 28th

Here's Kiefer visiting Wilfred or "Wilf'. Wilf is 4 months young. His Mummy impressed the heck out of me because she writes for the Economist. London seems full of creative, bright, energetic young people. Wilf has a younger sister named Catherine. Catherine and Oona have a lot in common as they both have to cope with the new interlopers in their lives. Here they are taking their agression out on a piano.

We drove to the visit in a Zip car. Zip cars are a truely brilliant innovation. You rent them by the hour (4 £ per hour), reserve and pay for them on the net, pick them up and drop them off without an attendant, use a membership card to lock, unlock and start the cars, AND this is a big AND you do not have to pay congestion penalty charges for taking a car into central London. The pick up spot is 2 minutes from S and A's house.

Planning for Sept 2nd - Oona's Birthday!!!! Gummy bears are a must.

~I~

Visiting Fri Aug28th

We Did It. Thurs Aug 28th

WooooHoooo we did it! Out the door by 10am, at the pilates studio by 10.45, workout done by 12 noon and then a light lunch.
Kiefer slept in the corner of the studio the entire time without a peep. So he can go for 3 hours now without feeding or burping!
Sonja is not really supposed to exert herself re her abs until 6 weeks postpartum. Today is 5 weeks. She did very well indeed.

The babysitter took Oona to her favourite place - The Ball Room where she says, "I did it!" every time she climbs.

Oona is such a climber. I never would have predicted that as she was a very cautious baby.

~I~

"Pack Pack"

Haircut. Wed Aug27th

Today we took Oona for a haircut. Her hair covered her eyes, looked pretty messy, tangled and green from the pool for a week. She would not let us comb her hair but was fine with the barber. Because he let her watch a music video.
Then met a friend of Sonja's for lunch in St Johns Wood at Carluccio's - a very Italian kiddy friendly place with puzzles and crayons and table toys and lots of other moms and babies making lots of noise and throwing food around. Well, we lasted an hour and a half with the friend who has no children.

Took Oona to a video store with her little pink "pack pack" that Alex's uncle Peter from Florida sent to her as a big-sister-present. Here she is studying the videos as if she can read. She actually picked a good one from looking at the cover pictures. She is so clever.

Tomorrow Sonja and I hope to go for a pilates workout with a friend who runs her own fitness studio.

~I~

By the Pool with Beano and Button Aug24/25

Beano and Button and Muzzles

Beano, and Button in the foreground who looks very guilty, behaved badly by the poolside. Week-end hikers use a marked public footpath that winds through forests, across fields, into quaint little towns and past castles, and right next to a hedge that borders the pool where we swam and lounged at Horns Lodge. Button and Beano heard people walking. They darted through the hedge. We heard a woman's voice.. "Oh look at the cute dogs." Then, "Oh sh..!" Then, "Your dog just bit me!" Then Alex, "I'm so sorry."
We think the culprit is Button but we are not sure.

Button, because she is a mummy dog, thinks her duty is to protect the baby or us or something like that. If enough people complain the town council can request that owners put their dogs down. Hence the muzzles.

Here's Sonja and babies AFTER babies have been bathed, read a story, tucked into bed and supposedly sound asleep. Both wailed at our dinner time - Oona with a nightmare and Kiefer for food. Dinner time seems always to be the most unsettling, especially when Sonja wants to sit down and eat.

We are all back in London. Oona did not want to leave Horns Lodge. She travelled nicely with me on the train and the tube. Caribbana-like festival is on this entire week-end in London. We could hear the parade music from S and A's place.

~I~

Walking and tree climbing

Walking in the Countryside Fri Aug22nd

Jack usually ignores Oona. But here he is on a lead pulling Oona up a hill in a vinyard. If Oona stopped. Jack stopped. He waited for whoever lagged behind, and came back to us as if to say, "come on then". He is an old dog yet leaped over footpath stiles and ran down a hill with Oona. I have never heard Oona laugh so much. `
We stopped to look at cows and Oona said, "I scared." We saw 'sheeps' and billy goats and more chickens, and thatched roof cottages and listened to a rustle in the forest and Oona said,"Oh, fairies."

Came back a bit tired and I had to carry Oona up a hill. Sonja stopped to feed Kiefer while Oona and I gathered blackberries.

At Grandad and Omi's home when I look after Oona and cannot see her, sometimes I call out "What are you doing?" She usually answers and tells me. But sometimes she says very sweetly, "nothing." Then I look. I have caught her poking a long stick at the chicks, or doing something else that she knows she ought not to. "I naughty," she says.

Am learning...or rather relearning.

~I~

Kiefer 4 weeks young

"I ready" Thurs Aug21st

Oona's favourite chores consist of feeding the fish, feeding the baby chicks and feeding the dogs with Grandad. Whenever he asks her to and come help, she quickly puts on her little pink wellies- on opposite feet sometimes - and says, "I ready." In London for her to get ready with me I have to bribe with gummy bears. I know, I know, but gummy bears have the least sugar and consist mainly of gelatin and flavouring.

Went to the Bottle House pub for a light lunch and a dark ale. The pub is a few centuries old. It has low ceilings and one old low beam over the bar has a bumper cover to prevent someone braining themselves. The pub made me think of the old English novels I have read- weary travellers on horseback stopping at the roadhouse in the rolling hills for a rest.

Supermarket eggs will never taste as good to me as Omi's eggs that Oona collects every morning. The egg yolks are so very yellow or "lellow" as Oona says . The taste and texture makes other eggs pale in comparison.

Kiefer sleeps in the fresh air among the rosemary bushes that grow all year long and do not freeze in the winter as ours do.

Oona's evening activity was to show her daddy how she could climb like a mountain climber, placing her hands and feet carefully on the shelf edges, to the top shelf of the floor to ceiling bookcase in the sitting room.

~I~

Rainy Monday Aug 18th

This morning Oona gathered one egg with Grandad and very very carefully brought the egg to Omi. Sigi drove Kiefer, Oona, Sonja and me to the Penshurst Castle gardens delightful children's playground where Oona bounced on little carved wooden bunnies on springs and walked balancing on planks a foot off the ground. Very different and innovative. Rained poured down from the skies and we returned home.

Had a long swim in the the warm pool under a misty drizzly sky. Oona had a little swim, warmed up in front of the Aga, and had a long nap. So we are ready to go the Bottle house pub down the lane for dinner tonight, I think.

When we passed the Bottle House pub in the car today Oona said, "That's the pub."

Pictures from Kent

"Two Ones" Sun Aug 17th

Arrived at Horn's lodge last night in beautiful, bountiful Kent at Oona and Kiefer's Omi and Grandad's home.  Oona had an early morning swim, gathered two eggs from the chicken house and said she would take "two ones" to Omi, sat behind the wheel of the grass mowing tractor with Grandad, went for a boat ride on the pond with her daddy standing and rowing like a gondalier while Oona sat with an oar in the water at the back to steer. And then Oona took her blankey and fell asleep on the green grass with the dogs. 

To back track, Aija from Latvija with her boyfriend James came for lunch in London at Sonja and Alex's house. Sonja last saw Aija when she came to Canada on her first flight ever 10 years.

 ago when she was 18. Aija now lives and works in England and flies all over the place.

After lunch, a walk and a visit, Aija and James left, Sonja and Alex packed the car with 2 baby seats and luggage and nappies and snacks, and I tottered off to the tube and train station as the car was full. Had a very peaceful 40 minutes on the train to Kent. Somehow I was supposed to arrive first but Sonja and Alex beat me to it. Very good nights sleep here in the fresh air.

Oona at full speed

Here's Oona at full speed going down hill on her scooter with a leg lift on tippy toes going to

 Paddinton Rec park with me. Here's Kiefer sucking on his hand. 

Today, at home, Oona  drew on a newly painted wall with an ink pen. Nice elaborate artistic lines. Sonja lectured Oona. Sonja told Oona how unhappy she was. So Oona took a piece of news paper and drew on it. Oona  said, " I make mommy happy."

How can y0u get mad at her?

Sonja got a Zip car and we went to Portobello market for lunch. We parked right next to the cafe and Kiefer just stayed in his car seat and slept in the car right next to where we sat. We also bought veggies and and meat because tomorrow Aija and James from Latvia will come for lunch. Then we will go to Kent.

This morning when I took Oona to the park I met a young muslim woman who was a homeopathic doctor. We had a long discussion about the birthing trends of today. Cesearean sections are in for the sake of doctors and schedules and the press. Mothers are more depressed because they are expected to get right back to normal immediately- as in Angelina Jolie - who had C section. Mothers do not bond to their babies. The press does not give an accurate account of what happens to women who follow the C section trend. 

Will try to keep you posted from Kent.

~I~

Time Management Aug13th/14th

All of

our collected energy goes into looking after Oona and Kiefer. We are trying to establish a routine.

I usually take Oona for a workout at the track and sandpit in the morning while Sonja and Kiefer sleep. Then after lunch we try to have an outing, though today we missed on that completely, and I can't exactly say why. Then Alex comes home and and takes over. He plays, reads Oona stories and bathes her. This evening she said, "Hello daddy, how was your day."

When Alex asked how her day was, she said, "Mary's baby hurt her lip and Mary was crying."

Mary is the Philippina baby sitter who is here in London looking for work while her child is back in the Philippines. Mary took Oona to the Ball Room today for a couple of hours. When she got back with Oona, Mary started to cry and told us that her 5 yr old daughter in the Philippines fell and split her lip. Oona listened and said to Mary, "Mary, thank you for a nice day".  Just like that!

 I don't understand the women  that come from south America and the Philippines and work here as nannies and leave their own children behind. Can their governments not subsidize them or do something?

Oona is difficult to get to bed. She likes to fiddles on the computer and when you ask her what she is doing she says, "I working". Sonja says she messes up all the files. Alex unplugged the key board to night.

Last night we went to Sonja's pregnancy yoga class. The tradition is that moms from the class who have had babies come back and tell their stories to the other moms who have not yet delivered. Sonja told her delivery story, and another woman told her's. The other woman had a home birth where the midwife could not get to her on time. The husband delivered the baby. Both of their stories were so interesting. They had a captive audience. Lolly, the  teacher made a point to the other mothers to be that everyone of them would have a different and unique story. 

We are planning to go to Kent. If you do not hear form me, I am in Kent and do not have a computer in my bedroom.

~I~

More 'limpics' and a Fight. Tues Aug13th

Here I am holding that sweet little Kiefer cuddle bug. He grows before my very eyes. But then again all he does is hang on Sonja's boob.

This morning we got off to a late start. Sonja was very groggy, Oona refused to get dressed, Kiefer wanted to feed,  so I brought breakfast for everyone up to the little terrace off their bedroom.

 Oona  did a 'limpics' demonstration. We had watched the syncro diving the night before and Oona says, "I do dat" and "I go dere."  Then she hangs upside down off a chair with her arms in a diving position. By the time we showered, dressed babies and ourselves , got ourselves downstairs, the clock read 12.30 and we made lunch.

Then we took the bus to the Ballroom in very blustery, windy, rainy, cold weather. The Ball room is in a huge new sports facility with beautiful pools and gyms and tennis courts and a room full of styrofoam balls with a laberynth of slides and platforms at different levels from which the kids jump and land in the styrofoam balls.  Oona loves this room.  The only trouble is that you can't always see her and there a hundred kids shreeking with glee.

The parents are supposed to watch their kids. We sat next to a mom who all of a sudden jumped up and asked a child where her mommy was. This child had hit her child. So the mommy of the hitter came and the mommy of the hittee started to yell at her about her child's behaviour. The mommy of the hitter did not apologize or say she would talk to her daughter and instead yelled at the  mommy of the hittee. They got louder and nastier and I thought they would hit each other. The attendant did nothing, the kids looked on, and I was about to intervene and tell the mommy of the hitter that she could defuse the situation by simply saying "sorry" on her daughter's behalf and talking to her, but Sonja stopped me and we almost had a fight. Phewww!  Oona did not see this.

The place also has a beautiful eatery with yummy food and comfy couches where moms can nurse their babies.

Tomorrow though, we will go build sandcastles at nice peaceful Paddington Rec and run around the track.

All for now,

~I~

Oona's Nose. Mon Aug 11th

Oona likes to snuggle Kiefer and give him kisses. Today Kiefer latched onto Oona's nose and had a suckle. Oona laughed and laughed. Kiefer gets stronger by the day and better at feeding. He feeds every 2 hours.

We try to develop a routine. This morning Oona and I went off to the track again with her pail and shovel. She builds castles in the broadjump sand pit at one end of the track. Usually another mom from Iran with a little girl Oona's age whose name is Safiya also hang out there. The mom Liela, who I am getting to know, does a good hour of laps with Safiya in the pram with the big wheels. Then Oona and Safiya share shovels and pails and then we jog around with the little ones. Liela and I do situps and what not and she tells me a bit about her life.

Some strange sights at that track in the morning - a black burqua clad woman jogging and talking on the cellphone, 2 young Somali men doing fancy warmup dance like steps before their run, an elderly Chinese lady chasing her 2 grandsons around the track.

After our park time we walk home with a little bag of gummy bears and milk. Oona showed me an alternate route home. She knows exactly where to go. "Dis way, Dis way, my house."

This afternoon, a babysitter came for 3 hours, Oona fell asleep on the couch and Sonja, Kiefer and I had an outing. Sonja bought some post partum tops and we stopped in at a proper tea shop for  scones, clotted cream and jam at 4pm which is the custom. Great pick-me-up.

Tonight at dinner Oona  lay down on the carpet by the dinner table and did "excises like Nana"

She puts her little hands behind her head and strains and strains  to do a sit up but can't quite make it  YET.

Good to know all is well with you M.

~I~

 

Oona on ride in Hyde Park

Picnic in Hyde Park Sun Aug10th

Today we spent about three hours to ready ourselves for a picnic in Hyde Park to meet Simon, his wife and their new little baby Amalie as in the movie Amalie. Everything went well on departure. Oona fell asleep in the pram, Kiefer fell asleep in the baby Bjorn on Sonja and we gathered our nappies, bottles, snacks and umbrellas and caught the bus. Alex had to drop in at work so we met him there. We took the bus and walked thru the huge beautiful park which I had never seen before with Oona skipping ahead.

We met at the children's area and the area reminded me a bit of Tivoli. Of course not so elaborate or cutesy but beautifully landscaped with lots of activity centres. They even had a pirate ship. Oona can actually balance on the big kids swing. (Maybe I mentioned that)

We met Simon's family and friends and everyone sat around on blankets under a big tree. Lots of other groups doing the same. A Philippino group with lots of kids picniced under  tree next to us and the little kids came and had watergun water fights  with out little kids.

What a diverse group of nationalities here. I love to watch moms and kid or dads and kids of all shapes, sizes and colors.

Kiefer made the biggest, messiest poo ever in the park, or so Sonja said. He looked very contented afterwards. Oona gives  him lots of kisses. She really is wonderful to him.

Lucky with the weather as rain started at 4.30 and we dashed for the car and home.

Made Xmas fish filets and Oona refused to eat anything but ice-cream. I think she had too many doritos at the the park. Oona jumps around, sings, falls off the kitchen chair, sweeps the kitchen floor and does anything else to delay bath and bed time. We popped a soother into Kiefer's mouth and he stopped crying immediately!

Tired.

~I~

 

Oona locked in garage Sat Aug 09

Aug 09

Today Oona locked herself in the garage. Early this morning before I got up, I heard a muffled Oona yelling her head off. I thought she was having one of those Oona moments. Unbenownst to me Sonja and Alex upstairs thought Oona was with me. Turns out that she went into the garage and the heavy door slammed behind her. I think maybe Alex went into the bathroom and she thought he had gone downstairs. So she went looking for him and since he often goes into the garage, that's where she went. Finally Sonja twigged in and thought where IS Oona. Sonja ran downstairs and retrieved a screaming child form the dark garage. All was well.  

Then Oona and I went to the  park and jogged around the 400 meter track again.  No Problem. She loves to run. We came home and everyone, adults and babies napped. 

We woke and went on a giant shopping expedition.  All of us!  Just before we left Oona had watched the gymnastics parallel bars event. At the supermarket she swung on every bar she could find and there were sets of two near the cash.She did a little swinging routine. So I asked her what she was doing and she said "I doing limpics."  

The grocery  bill cost over 200 pounds - the first big shop  since Kiefer's birth.

Sonja calls Kiefer a little barnacle. He just wants to be on her body or boob. He makes little grunting noises. Very difficult for her to do any thing.

Watching limpics this evening. Everyone very very tired -except for Oona. I think I will take her to the track for a couple of laps in the evening. Alex says she will just get more fit, that's all.

Signing off.

Aug08 oona around the track

Today I took Oona to the park with a pail and shovel. I sat with her as she made sandcastle in the sand pit by the track. When I said that I would jog around that track and would she like to come, she said "yes".

Oona RAN ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TRACK WITH OUT STOPPING!

When we stopped at the sand pit she took a few breaths and I said that I would go again and would she like to come, she said "yes".

and off she sent again laughing, skipping and jumping over the painted lines. She ran all the way around again with her little feet flapping out to the side. Is this normal for a not yet three year old???

The 400 m track, by the way has a sign that says,"Roger Bannister" trained here. Bannister was the first person to break the 4 minute mile in 1954.

Kiefer is a sweet little squeeky door and keeps Sonja up at night. She is pretty sleep deprived. When we were at the park, Sonja and Alex and Kiefer went to the registry office. Kiefer is now registered as a British citizen.

Oona went to bed at her normal time with as much spunk and energy as usual. She and I did have a nap in the after noon. 

That's all for now.