So this week has been cold, like flipping FREEZING cold as the boiler went bust and it took the boiler man 3 whole days (well it was the weekend over 2 of the days) to locate the part we needed to finally defrost.
Barnardo's Support the Unsupported advert is a powerful film highlighting the importance of Bernardo's vital work in helping sexually abused children in the UK.
I was actually going to name this post as 'The Americanisation of my son' with maybe the use of 'z' not 's' in Americansation to be, well a little ironic.
Isn't March turning out to be luminously glorious in the UK? My family's certainly relishing in this window of unexpected sunshine, fully enjoying a more outdoorsy way of life after being cooped up for what feels like forever this winter, set free to roam around, a renewed spring (and a jump) in our step. Yay!
The fab folks at Ticktock sent my son Oliver two vibrant, captivating books 'Animals' and 'Planes, Trains and Cars' to entertain and they sure, did deliver.
Kids have honestly made me more creative. That's a fact.
I was of course creative before kids working as a screenwriter, director and magazine editor...you get the picture. I was born creative, baby.
Hear me out though, those kids took my creativity to another level.
Throughout history (and I've found throughout my life so far too), creativity arises and thrives within limitations, be it time, budget, tools/access, they exist and are are actually vital in making creativity happen.
Let me start off by writing, I'm not currently pregnant (that picture above was taken 18 months ago) but I too clearly remember the pressures I felt when I was (both times) by myself, the media, everyone around me with an opinion as I seemed to become public property (irrespective of this blog) with daily editorial judgments from usually joe bloggs off the street, ranging from, "You don't look pregnant to you're about to pop, right" to "Is it twins?"
Saturday night was spent with old friends for a girly dinner at one of my parent's restaurants The Olive Tree, catching up, enjoying great Greek food and the odd glass of Prosecco too.
Nothing of course replaces healthy, seasonal food-tonnes of fruit and veg, lean meat, pulses (you get the picture) but vitamins help ensure I get everything extra I need, especially at times of sleep deprivation (always), times of PMS (oh those dreaded days come weeks) and much needed sun rays in a bottle when Blighty can't provide the real thing!
Mother of three, Annabel Karmel MBE is the UK's number one parenting author, best-selling international author, and expert on devising delicious, nutritious meals for babies and children.
Little Oliver (just 4) takes after my brother, his (not so little) Uncle Solos (31) who I'm currently calling Naughty Uncle Solos as he usually arrives to see the kids with bags of sweets on the naughty list (which aren't on the list to be fair), toy guns (definitely on the naughty list) and ice pops-mostly in the winter. Le sigh.
I cannot believe Alexander is 16 months already, time sure is flying! I feel like I'm enjoying every second with this little one too. I found first time-motherhood tougher, a foreign world in many ways, a shock to the system (amazing too of course) but I'm a seasoned pro with my second son now!
Life is always busy with two kids and a freelance career but I pride myself on having the children in a routine-not a super strict, crazy routine but a healthy one where dinner is at a similar time each night, where we sit down as a family to chat, laugh and sometimes shout (it's the Greek way of talking) before we start winding down for bedtime.
