Winter Wonderland

On Saturday, we got about 4 inches of snow here in London! It was beautiful watching it snow and a bit shocking to see so much of it stick so quickly! We had a great time playing with our friend Jill and her daughters Elizabeth and Victoria. Wiley and I made it out late morning to run quick errands then go to their house for lunch. It was pretty magical to be drinking a peppermint mocha while walking in the snow!

Wil was waiting patiently at home for us to get back (read: man cave time) and play in the snow. Tackling followed.

There was a big snow angel out there. Wil was not going to miss the fun, and very delicately threw himself down into fresh snow and proceeded to do the angel motions.

Wil, Wiley, and Elizabeth built a wonderful snowman!

Winter Wonderland! (This is our square's garden)

There is still more snow forecasted this week. We've still got tons on the ground, so if it could hold off until my family gets back here from Paris, that would would be grand. I'm all for a white Christmas, but only after the jet-setters return!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, a lot like Christmas since it's 2 weeks away.

Here is Wiley at his school's Christmas party. They did a dance that followed the plot of the Snowman, and they sang sweet songs complete with jingle bells. And then Santa came and sang about how busy he is and did a little rap. Yeah. 5 brownies were later consumed by Wiley, and we crashed hard later that day.

Our Christmas tree! Nothing feels more like Christmas time than when you have your lights on, Christmas music on and you are with your little family.

In other news, we are just waiting. I need to get in the mindset of "December 29th" is the day. (It is, by the way). I'm currently in "Any day now!" mindset which while true, kind of just makes you more crazy than is really necessary. My bag has been packed and re-packed and I'm feeling good about that. I had Wil take a picture of me with my belly so that I could remember the end of it/I think there are maybe 5 pictures of me being pregnant this entire past 9 months. After looking at them, I was reminded why we don't take pictures of ourselves when 9 months pregnant.

Hope you and your family are enjoying the season!

Just because...

I'm not really entirely sure where we were going. Obviously a tacky Christmas party. But I had to share this one. I was going to do a sweet sentimental pictures of Christmases past, but this one was too good to pass up. Poor Wiley and his elf hat. Love you, Wil!

Strange

Strange strangers in London are just well, strange.

Some kids are shy around their teachers, neighbors, dog, you name it--anyone.

Some kids know no strangers.

I happen to have one of the latter. And living in a big city with lots of stranger action makes things...strange.

Like the time Wil was "in charge" on the tube and I looked over and Wiley was sitting in a Spanish girl's lap, and they were laughing and having the best time. Not okay, Dad.

Or the time tonight when we just had to be on what seemed like the longest bus ride ever. Sitting by the chattiest woman ever. Who I think legitimately thought that when we said we were from America, then Alabama (I always add "in the South" because some people actually have no idea where Alabama actually is situated.), that we were from "South America."

What do you say in "South American?" Can you say "Howdy do-di?"

Lady, I don't even know how to spell that phrase to even tell my friends back home about how bizarre this situation is. And South America is a completely different continent--where they speak Spanish.

"In England we say, Hello, Good Morning. Good Afternoon. Good Evening. Do you like my English accent?"

Lady, he's been here over a year. If he is like me, your accent does not phase him. It stopped phasing him after a month of being here. Nor is saying Good morning, afternoon, evening that English. If you want to roll with the stereotypes, you can tell him that in England you say "Cheerio Mate"-- a phrase used just about as much as Howdy do-di is used back home.

It got even weirder and continued with her being a nice, complimentary, overly chatty lady having me agree about his nice gloves and how nice he is ("Aye, Mom?" "Yes. (please stop.)" Needless to say, I have never been more keen to get off a bus than this evening, and proceeded to harp on stranger education to Wiley.

Good Evening Strange Bus Lady. Good Evening.

Snow...in November?

It snowed here yesterday--that's right. In November! What a wintry place we live in, apparently! Tonight and tomorrow we are forecasted to have more snow...1-3 inches in fact! Not really that much, but to Southerners, that is a lot! And it is absolutely, positively freezing--especially with that damp London air and arctic winds.

One friend at school, who moved from Charlotte, was certain school was cancelled since it is in Charlotte (and anywhere in the South) for 1 cm of snow; but this is London, and we trudge on. However, last year the city was pretty shut down with minimal snow--so maybe tonight and tomorrow will be enough to do it. London is like the South in that way--not totally prepared for winter precipitation.

Funnily enough, on Tuesday, I was going from our area just outside central London to the Marylebone area. I texted my friend to say I might be late because of the slick conditions. I felt crazy (and was sure she thought I was crazy or telling lies!) when I got off the bus and there was absolutely NO snow on the ground there. Just a few miles into the city and no accumulation. Shows how warm the city itself is, as well as the slight difference in elevation (or at least that is what I'm told) between the areas.

Wiley of course loves the snow, and hopefully tomorrow there will be enough for a snowman. I'm just trying to encourage him to stop eating snow off of London sidewalks/houses/gates/you name it.

Pregnancy in London

I'm 35 weeks. Still have 5 weeks to go until the baby comes! But I feel like it has kind of whirled by, and I want to remember a few things from this pregnancy.

Read this:

Not this:

Let's just take a look at the Mum on the Expecting book. She looks miserable. Like she is about to go through torture--wait, she sorta is. But that is not particularly encouraging for any pregnant woman. On the other hand, check out the Yummy Mummy in book 1--on the go, nappy bag on shoulder, latte in hand--nevermind that the baby is with the nanny. She is hilariously British and tells it like it is. Not to mention she has some great tips from Kate Winslet and other well-known hair, make-up gurus. You might should still get Expecting, I mean it is a classic and might be more medically reliable. But if you want to laugh and have some humor while your uterus expands to 1000 times its size (says babycentre.co.uk this week), read about becoming a Yummy Mummy.

Wear this:

A yummy mummy turtleneck (it's freezing here) from Isabella Oliver. Thanks to hand-me-down maternity clothes, I have loved this shirt. It's ridiculously comfy, it's got stretchy material, so unlike my 100% cotton turtlenecks, it doesn't stretch at the end of the day. I'm much more into the tighter shirts this go around compared to the tent like flow from beneath the breast area shirts that I wanted to burn after the last go. I think they are comfy regardless of the fact they accentuate my bump and possibly bum that has also expanded to off-set the front.

Walking.

I have walked a ridiculous amount this pregnancy compared to the first. Probably because we live in London and are car-less. But despite the fact that I curse the school run every morning now (You would too if it was 8:30 and 30 degrees outside and you have to walk a mile and a half--total.) I really think it has kept me in better shape (it is all relative, of course) and feeling better. It might have curbed some excessive weight gain, but since they don't weigh me at my midwife visits I guess we will never know!

Footwear.

Maybe because of the loads of walking, my feet seem wider than they did with Wiley. Not necessarily swollen around the ankles, but some of my flats are too tight and I certainly can't wear my black boots anymore. Leaving me with Uggs, clogs, and my trainers. Trainers are winning out today and I unashamedly wore them with black cords last week. It wasn't cute, but neither is pregnancy.

Cravings.

I have eaten an unreal amount of peanut butter, but I probably would have done that anyway. No real cravings this go. I am to a point where eating isn't the most fun thing but I attribute that to lack of space. Coffee and tea don't sound nearly as good as they used to, although I still drink both.

Healthcare in Britain.

I will be thankful to have BCBS again. They love a natural birth here which is not the way I'm going. However, despite some frustrations along the way, the care has been really thorough and good. I have seen one midwife twice, Celine from France who is kind and wonderful. The others have been good, too, but Celine is just so nice! I have seen a doctor for a routine visit once, and it was slightly disastrous. Here's hoping today's goes better! My hospital has a new maternity wing, so it feels much more modern than most buildings in London.

Wiley.

He is actually excited about the baby. He says he is thankful for the baby. He also thought there were two (a boy and a girl). There is only one. He now thinks there are four. (2 boys. 2 girls.). There is only one. Unless the ultrasound scanners are completely incompetent. We will also see how thankful he is for the baby when he realizes what this baby means to our family life. But I'm betting that Wiley will be a very sweet big brother even if he does get a bit frustrated at having to share everyone's attention with a crying baby after 4 years of having everyone all to himself.

Baby Gear.

We found a new stroller that is London-friendly (ie, I can take it on the bus, tube and the baby can be flat and nap on the go if needed)--the Bugaboo Bee. I salvaged a Moses Basket for the bed (funny story, but I have some pride, so I won't divulge that one). We have clothes from Wiley. And we will borrow a couple of other things for the first few months. Needless to say, this is a bare bones operation due to lack of space and not wanting to buy things we already have for just a few months. It is bizarre to not have a nursery to set up, and I think that has prevented me from truly nesting. It is difficult to nest in a tiny flat because no matter what you do, stuff is everywhere and you don't have a place to lay out all the baby things and say to yourself, "Ah yes, I am ready now." But amazingly enough, we don't really need all that stuff, do we?

Readiness.

I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Wil says this will be like riding a bike--we'll remember what to do when the baby comes. I'm a bit more nervous that I will have lost nappy changing abilities and will have no idea how to hold a newborn.

The lingo:

diaper=nappy

pacifier=dummy (I can't get used to this one)

sippy cup=beaker

junk that baby accumulates=bits that baby accumulates

mom=mum

stroller=pram

So there is a bit of a brain dump on the pregnancy. I'm totally shattered (exhausted in Brit) by the end of the day, and thankfully Wil arrives to save the night. We watch TV and put my feet up on pillows until our bedtime arrives around 9 pm. Yes. Cooking is lazy. Sleeping is hit or miss. My eyes have that "I'm heavily pregnant and tired and puffy" look that just stinks. Braxton Hicks contractions are the most annoying thing at this point. Doing breathing exercises while trying to continue to have a life with your 4 year old is not fun. Who knew that with the second baby, the rest of life spins on instead of stopping so you can nap and rest? And taxis. Those rides are happening more and more frequently. Thankyouverymuch.

I still can't wrap my head around being a family of four. And that we will have two children soon. I'm so thankful. And I can't wait for all the adventures to come.

(PS: Sorry to my sister, mom, and dad for calling Brooke multiple times Saturday morning at 7 am her time, 12 pm mine. I forgot about the time change. I just wanted the Lake phone number to get help with the dressing I was cooking from Mom (I also didn't realize it would be 6am at home). I didn't mean to alarm you into thinking I was in labor. You can obviously tell my head is in the clouds. I'll repeat call at odd hours less frequently from now on.)

Twas the night before Thanksgiving...in London

Twas the night before Thanksgiving (in London) and all through the flat,

not a toy was picked up, and Mama was looking fat.

The buttermilk was missing but the pecans had arrived,

a turkey would come- we hope he fits in the oven or we'll cry!

The child was nestled all snug on the sofa,

while stories of Little Bear flit by on the television-a.

With Dad still at work and Mama with her belly so dear,

she wished she could open just one can of beer.

When out on Facebook, the statuses they sang

"to the farm, the lake," "a feast," and "cooking" in Mama's ears they did rang.

Away to the door, she ran like a horse out of the gate,

the repairman still not here--3 1/2 hours late!

The sun had set around 3:30 p.m.

the light in Mama's brain was equally dim.

While flashes of Thanksgivings went by with family so near,

She knew all those to come would be held so dear.

The dishes they love, the family they miss,

And not to give London any sort of diss.

But to search hi and low for cornmeal!

when you find it, what a steal!

Turkey they know not,

nor Pilgrims and Indians they think of naught,

In fact, the husband proclaims to the English we fought,

Thank goodness for the day we left you lot!

While we will celebrate on Saturday,

At home to watch Macy's Parade tomorrow we'll stay.

With pumpkin muffins to eat and hot chocolate to drink,

We won't let Turkey Day stink!

Because it's not about the casseroles, the turkey, the place.

It's about being thankful in any case.

A flat that's warm, a healthy child,

and one on the way that seems quite wild!

We are blessed with so much,

we should spend each day saying thanks a bunch,

To those Pilgrims who left a country rainy, cold, and dark,

because when they landed at Plymouth, they sure hit the mark!

*Yes, I realize this could be written by a small child. Let's not judge.

**Yes, we are celebrating on Saturday. I know. Soo un-American.

***Yes, we will cook a turkey and all the fixin's. On Saturday.

****Yes, I really do want that can of beer. Let's not judge.

*****Yes, I really am thankful for more than the Pilgrims setting sail on the Mayflower (way to go, guys!).

******Yes, I said I wouldn't diss London. And then I did.

*******Yes, I am still waiting for the repairman. 4 hours later. And I'm still thankful for the Mayflower.

and 9* Yes, I know I might have mushed 4th of July and Thanksgiving together. Over here, both are reasons for a bit of patriotism in any form or fashion.

Gobble Gobble my good chap!