Abbey Road

One of the iconic images of London is the Abbey Road crosswalk where the Beatles so famously walked. We took advantage of having a photographer (thanks Michal!) and did our own Beatles-esque photo. I felt slightly embarrassed seeing as I normally am the one ploughing ahead through the tourists en route to run my errands--there's no telling how many pictures I've ruined. Sorry, but one must walk with a purpose. :-) Fortunately, we've scoped out when is the best time to do this picture (we've taken this picture for friends before), and Sunday- morning-London has to be at its quietest, so before church we headed out.

Our timing was a little off in the first few...

But we finally started to get the hang of it!

And now we have our own Abbey Road picture with our foursome. Someday when Parr is bigger, we'll just point to that stroller and say "there you are!"

Wills and Kate...in the home

Around these parts, we are getting a bit excited about a certain Royal Wedding. From the day they were engaged, watching how Brits responded to Kate and William has been very interesting. It is certainly an event that we, as Americans, cannot quite fully grasp. The respect immediately given to the "future Queen" is foreign. Hearing others joke about her being "common" was quite hilarious as you are reminded that it is actually something that a Brit thinks about--that ever-so-important social standing. Royalty and the monarchy--something to Americans that belongs in a Disney movie or the dreams of little girls--is a reality here, and it commands respect, fascination, and in Kate's case--a bit of envy from millions of young women across the world! Stores even are capitalizing on the upcoming event with loads of commemorative items. Here are a few should you wish to have your own!

from John Lewis

from Judith Michael & Daughter in Primrose Hill

from Cath Kidston

{click the item for the link to the website! some places, like John Lewis & Cath Kidston have other items available}

Considering London

You know you live in England when...

...bangers and mash sound like a viable option for dinner.

And then you actually cook it.

And serve it to guests in your home.

Confused? We are having sausage and mashed potatoes for dinner.

Technically we are eating early, about the time of children's tea. Did I confuse you again? No, the English don't give their children Earl Grey tea at 5. Although I thought my friend was doing just that for awhile and was quite confused. They feed their children their dinner at 5. Just the children. Then Mum and Dad will eat later, I suppose once Dad is back from work.

Another odd dish that I've had [English] friends order at a restaurant and eat: rice pudding. It's not a misnomer. They actually make a pudding (another word for dessert, by the way) that is similar, I thought, to creme brulee that has rice in it. When I questioned this, asking "But there isn't actually rice grains in it?" They said, "Oh yes, there is. And it is delicious." (Or something perhaps that sounded more English...brilliant, nice, or beautiful, perhaps? Certainly not the American awesome!) Taking on my brusque American tongue, I informed them that that was the most bizarre idea I had ever heard--putting rice in a dessert!! Upon which I was forced to try it. Fine. It was fine. I can eat it. But as I told them that I still declared that it was just not natural to put rice in a dessert. (In the English's defense, I had one friend say it was a "boarding school dish" and she didn't really care for it either.)

Well at least I'm not fixing bubble and squeak. Or black pudding. Or toad-in-the-hole.

Catch Up

We had such a fantastic time home! From seeing family and friends to celebrating Brian and Carleton's wedding, it was so fun and so busy! Not to mention the warm, warm weather! Here are just a few pictures to highlight our trip.

Hanging out with Aunt B who also taught Wiley (and me) to appreciate some of the more current music...we may or may not have a slight Bieber fever in our house.

Squeals!

Hanging out with Maddie! (And Allyebug came too!)

Playing with Pop.

It was a little sunny, but I'm not complaining.

Thanks to Cole and Raymond, Parr got to meet a lot of our friends in B'ham.

Meeting Gena and Charlie!

I loved getting bathed in T's sink!

Meeting NaNa and PaPa!

Now that we've enjoyed our trip to the States, we are back in London to enjoy the rest of our time here. We are excited to have friends visiting for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully I can do a better job of blogging about life here in London, too!

We've just been loungin'

But not really! Big Brother is in the States, but Parr and I have somehow stayed busy between running errands and getting to visit with friends. Less naps have been taken this week than originally planned, but nonetheless it has certainly been low-key. Parr was definitely missing his brother at bath time!

We've been out and about getting fabric samples, window shopping, and visiting with the friendliest 91 year old man (He tried to get me to guess his age. I'm not falling for that one!) in the yogurt aisle at the Waitrose. He stopped me as we were meandering through to look at Parr. We agreed that children are miracles and that Italy is a fabulous country. I learned that one of the best tenors (opera) is named Florence and is from Peru. I also learned that the secret to old age is keeping your mind sharp. He was so sweet and friendly; I felt like I could have been in the Piggly Wiggly having this long conversation with a complete stranger. That just doesn't happen here.
Parr also had his 6 week check up. I was planning on them weighing him, but alas, while the baby clinic (where you are supposed to go on Wednesdays to get them weighed) is in the same area as the GP, they cannot access the scale to weigh a baby. I don't get it. I may or may not have dropped a minute amount of sass and name dropped our pediatrician's name at home.

But apart from having no idea how much Parr weighs (he is gaining weight), all else is well.

5 weeks

Parr will be 5 weeks old tomorrow, and we are enjoying some time with just Wil, Parr, and me. I am missing Big Brother and the house is eerily quiet without him; however, he is off having a ball in Alabama where so far (last I talked to him) he had had bubblegum and homemade waffles with a promise of an icee this afternoon. Needless to say he is a very, very happy boy! And we cannot wait to join him in a few days. [I would like Zoe's chicken salad and sweet tea in lieu of an icee. ]

I'm thankful for this time with Parr, and selfishly, it is a chance to slow down and (as corny as it sounds) reflect on the past month. That is, when the jackhammer next door is not going strong. If the workmen spoke english, I would have some thoughts to share about jackhammers and infant naps. Oh wait, Wiley already took care of that. While my parents were here, he marched next door, and told the worker men (as he says) that their noise was really bothering him and was very annoying, and when would it stop. Mom said they said 5 days. Not so much the case.

We've made quite a few outings with Parr--to church, Bible study, to Wiley's school for the school run, coffee with a friend, dinners, and two Junior League meetings.

Perhaps the best was when Wil and I got a "posh curry" after getting Parr's passport (Wiley was in school). [Warning: Spit up involved. I should just put that under the header because let's face it, with a baby, spit up is always involved.] We arrived early at 12 noon (no one eats til 1), Parr starts crying after we sit down even though I had just fed him. After trying everything else, I had my "posh curry" while nursing Parr. (I love my "bebeaulait" nursing cover.) Of course, Parr spits up all down my side of my leg. Whatever. What is a little spit up? I clean it up on myself and him. Then, a while later, a busboy comes up with a wet towel. He kneels beside my chair and starts wiping something off the floor. On the same side that the spit up incident happened. As businessmen and women began trickling in from their "posh cocktails in the bar area," I couldn't even make eye contact with the busboy. I just pretended it never happened. And that was Parr's first "posh curry."

This little boy is on the go, and he loves, loves, loves sleeping in his stroller. He wouldn't nap in his moses basket this morning, so finally after trying to get him to sleep for over an hour--I popped him in the stroller and off we went to run errands to the library, post office, and butcher. In minutes the boy is asleep. And stays asleep when we get home so mommy can eat lunch!