Crying High / 3 year old / 17 month old / easyJet

I'm back for the third in my thrilling Crying High series. Truth be told I've missed a number of blog worthy flights, including taking my two all the way to Australia and back!! One day I'll find the strength to write about that particular adventure but today it's just another London - Lanzarote mini adventure.

Getting there:
For some reason easyJet likes to kick off your holiday with ungodly flight departure times like our 6am flight out of Gatwick. A little while back we cottoned on to the fact that a night at the airport Premier Inn hotel will set you back about as much as a cab fare to the airport at 3am and that it's a hell of a lot more relaxing. Please do this if you have a 6am flight! If nothing else, give yourself this luxury!

After strolling across to the airport at ungodly hour, we had an easy time checking in and getting on board. We foolishly decided to travel without a stroller though and that meant dragging 3 year old by the hand through to the gate when our slowly caffeine absorbing bodies were still getting into gear.

We had some awful people in front of us on the plane who glared and tutted at every ear piercing scream our 17 month old made and every kick to the back of their chair our 3 year old gifted. They were especially thrilled when our bottle of water slightly showered them after take off but all in all it was a good flight, confirmed by the lady behind us who informed us she barely heard a peep out of the kids - phew! That's the glory of a 6am flight if you play your cards right and tire out the kids in the play area pre-flight, they are so sleep deprived and exhausted, they crash out for the flight - win!

Coming home:
Awful. Never want to fly again. I'm here to tell you that no matter how many flights your kids have been on, every now and then they will turn into those kids that people will still be complaining about the next time they go to book a flight! There is just nothing you can do to change that. Our 3 year old loudly lamented the fact he was no longer with his cousin and abuelos the entire way through security, check-in and the flight...only pausing to occasionally watch some pre-downloaded Netflix...which also produced more noise because Mami didn't remember to pack the kid headphones or to download the show she's never heard of before! Our 17 month old has a scream, a high pitched, cover your ears scream that makes you want to punch a wall..or crawl into a hole. She used it, frequently...thankfully she crashed out for two of the four hours but she put in her best effort to make up for lost time when she was awake.

Sometimes, you are THAT family. And so we vow to never travel again...but of course we already have tickets to Belgium in October...stand by for Crying High - Eurostar edition!!

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Crying High / 7 Months / Ryanair / 2 Hours In The Air

Yes we flew Ryanair with a 7 month old! CRAZY I know but there isn't much choice on flights between Lanzarote and Seville so it was both ways with the notoriously difficult airline. But kudos to them, they are actually improving and I would definitely fly with them again - in fact we're going to shortly for  four long hours back to London.  Here's the lowdown.

Checkin and baggage allowance: We paid an extra £25 for a 20kg bag since we were going to be there for a couple of weeks as well as £10 to carry our car seat. We later found out the carseat could go along free because you're allowed to carry two baby items without charge but not to worry!




Boarding: Last time I vowed to not carry much with us in the form of hand luggage but once again I was with sombrero in hand, too many toys and an overkill of spare clothes. I promise this time I have learned my lesson. So much so that the hat is still in Seville having quickly been adopted by a family member on my murmur that I might not take it.

Here's the big thing about boarding with Ryanair though - they overbook their on-board luggage allowance so if you're at the back of the line you may have to handover your bags for storage with the checkin's. Also as I've mentioned before Ryanair doesn't give priority to those traveling with babies so either hightail it to the front of the line, hang out at the counter until the gate is open (yeah right!) or spend the paltry fiver to get priority boarding. I feel in the deepest parts of my soul it would have been worth the cost. But on to happier things.



The flight: As usual you'll be handed a baby seatbelt as boarding - I had a gangly teenager looking chap hand me the belt with trepidation as instructed by his trainer as he enquired as to my prior knowledge of how to use it. I've waved myself through a self proclaimed expert, having used it once before. Nobody should really need to be instructed on how to use this thing. Okay so, when we first flew with the wolf he slept blissfully for most of the flight. That was at five weeks, at seven months not so much. He slept, kind of, awkwardly on my arm, then on his Papis...a seven month old no longer snuggly fits on your lap on an aeroplane chair. It's an uncomfortable time. I have ideas for how to get around this on our next flight which is next week so stay tuned. We did one nappy change - I sent the men off to do that alone so can't report on it, a couple of terribly uncomfortable breast feeds, quiet songs and games before we shoved a Kindle Fire in his face. Thankfully we had a cryer two seats up so any noise our guy was making was drowned out by what for us is merely background music now. Not so great for the SINKS and DINKS.


The disembark: No dramas either way. Much nicer if you have someone keenly waiting to take your child at the other end. Coffee with free hands just tastes better.


A little side note for the practicalities. This time we skipped the slings as we had our pram. Both are good options but having tried both, I'd say for little babies a sling (they sleep through most of it) and for bigger a pram as they are more keen on watching the action and are a hell of a lot heavier. We also always travel with laptops and other electronics so this time we had the laptops, kindle etc at the bottom of the pram so that as we approached the belt we scopped them up to thier trays and collapsed the pram. Then they went back into the main bags on the other side. This seems like a small thing but for some reason it made a difference because we weren't trying to take laptops out of cases in the midst of collapsing the pram and having no free hands.

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Mine, mine, mine!

Talking to a two year old is a fun but confusing experience. They lack so much of the vocabulary they need to communicate the big feelings and ideas they have. 

A few weeks ago my little wolf was lying next to me taking his time to go to sleep for the night. In a moment he sat up and started tugging on my pillow saying 'mine, mine, mine!'. 

What did he mean? 

Scenario 1: 

Wolfie: "I don't want to sleep, I'm basically just taking the piss right now to annoy you"

Me: "No more games, you are now seriously pushing the limits"

Scenario 2: 

Wolfie: "I'm a bit uncomfortable, maybe if I change pillows I will be able to sleep better"

Me: "Okay, you can have my pillow if it will help you sleep" 

Scenario 3: 

Wolfie: "I love you mummy and tonight you can sleep with my special Pluto pillow so let's swap pillows"

Me: "My little love, you are very generous sharing your special pillow with me!"

"Mine, mine, mine!" - which conclusion should I jump to? Either my son is being incredibly generous or seeking to manipulate me in the last moments before he enters dreamland. Or actually maybe the kid is just uncomfortable. 

Whatever the scenario, chances are his limited vocabulary at this age will lead him to declare "mine, mine, mine!". 

I did give him my pillow...I'm still not sure what his reasons were but i do know I got the joy of resting my head on the special Pluto pillow that night. 

I like the idea of giving everyone the benefit of the doubt...especially your most treasured ones. 

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Little Man, Big Wardrobe: the humble singlet

Before the little wolf was born I searched in vain for some singlets for him. Don't know what I'm talking about? That probably means you're not antipodean like me. They are referred to as vests in England and apparently they don't even exist for babies! What!? Madness since they are the best thing ever. When it's cold, they keep them warm and when it's warm, they are perfect to cruise around the house in and even better for nighttime sleeping. That being said, I've had to have them shipped and carried by friends and fam from Australia and here's a look at why they are so awesome.

If you want some, Bonds  is best and they deliver internationally if you need it but if you're in Oz or NZ you have a plethora of options including Target, Kmart and just about everywhere you can buy clothes for little ones - you are spoiled for choice! I think overall, the singlet is the most useful item in the wolf's wardrobe.

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For the not so illegal 'boat people'

I said I was working on something more serious for you and I am, but in the meantime I wanted to share my brother's response to an email chain going around about the 'boat people' seeking asylum on Aussie shores.  Siblings don't always see eye to eye on every issue but in this case, I would put my name to his words. Hoping there are loads more that share his view. 

 That's the ad campaign by the Australian government...okay first for the email chain and below his response.

Side note: I cringe at how poorly written this email chain is and had to forcibly hold back from correcting it. 

Subject:  Someone, please tell me what the Hell is wrong with all the people that run this country!

Both LABOR & LIBERALS


 We're "broke" and can't help our own


Seniors,


Veterans,


Orphans,


Homeless,


Etc???


In the last years we have provided direct cash aid to:


Congo  - 359 M
Egypt  - 397 M
Ethiopia  - 981 M
Haiti  - 14 B
Hamas  - 351 M
Iraq  - 1.08 B
Jordan  - 463 M
Kazakhstan  - 304 M
Kenya  - 816 M
Libya  1.45 B
Mexico  - 622 M
Mozambique  - 404 M
Nigeria  - 456 M
Pakistan  - 2 B
Russia  - 380 M
Senegal  - 698 M
South  Africa - 566 M
Sudan  - 870 M
Tanzania  - 554 M
Uganda  - 451 M
Zambia  - 331 M,


Indonesia – The mind boggles as to how much they get(they got $650m in 2013!)


And with literally Billions of Dollars and they still hate us!!!

Our retired seniors are living on a 'fixed income'


Do they get any breaks while our government and religious organisations


Pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food
To Foreign Countries!

We have hundreds of adoptable children who


Are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of


Foreign orphans.




"AUSTRALIA",


A country where we have


Homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry,


Elderly going without needed medication and mentally ill without treatment...  Etc.


 YET

We still allow illegal "Boat People" & other free loaders on our shores


While we are lining up with food, clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies.

Imagine if the "GOVERNMENT"


Gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries.

Sad isn't it?"

And now for response:

"WOW. That's not a very nice email, yeah the budget is crap and nobody benefits from it except for a few but wow talk about anger directed at the wrong people.

Immigrants and asylum seekers are not "illegal boat people", they are fleeing their country because they are being persecuted for their religious or ideological beliefs, escaping war or maybe just for the colour of their skin. They have the right by international law to seek asylum from horrible conditions that we can't even comprehend. Australia's "policy sovereign borders", works by intercepting boats outside Australia's waters or forcing boats back ILLEGALLY into their own waters so that they have to return to where they set off. The only illegal thing in this whole debacle is what the Australian government is doing while maintaining complete silence for "operational security".
 

I'm really quite shocked you'd send me this email to be honest, there's some pretty disgusting words up there. Those who have the ability to help the less fortunate, should as a matter of principle. Do you realise that in this budget foreign aid was drastically cut to all those in need? I know people who worked for AusAid and lost their long time job because the government decided that we will no longer provide help to those we are able to and instead spend a couple of billion on fighter jets. Millions of dollars were cut from disabled services and elderly services as well but its okay to invest millions more in internet and telephone surveillance?

 I agree that religious organisations shouldn't be given the tax breaks they are given but if you don't like it, get on the line to your local politician and tell them, otherwise it will remain this way for another couple of hundred years if no one says anything! if you want to see the separation of church and state then don't vote for the Christian liberals or the Christian democrats! Keep your religion and politics separate.

 There are people in every single country on earth who go to bed hungry, who don't have a place to sleep and elderly that go without medication. But Australia is one of the highest grossing GDP's in the world, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world (maybe before Abbott starting firing everyone and closing down businesses). We have the ability to help those struggling, why on earth wouldn't we? If the situation was reversed, would you be saying the same thing if you were a "foreign orphan" in need?

This "budget emergency" is a farce from the liberal government as an excuse to cut basically everything. Our country is doing fantastic economically, it is all just a lie to help you accept the budget cuts. Abbott is a far right liberal, what did you expect? That's what they do! And who voted for them?

The problem is not that there are people in need other than in Australia, the problem is who controls how the money is spent. Don't direct your frustration at the situation of these people, but the people who you elect to represent you, create policies that are meant to represent you, and spend to benefit you. Get angry at the politicians and write them an email, don't send these hate emails around that's not helping anyone and just fueling the fire.

Steve."

 

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Little Man, Big Wardrobe: Zara

When the little wolf was three months old I was having difficulty squeezing his sizable behind into trousers. Don't give him too much of a hard time, it's pretty padded back there with a nappy and his culo isn't any bigger than it should be! Why, dear God why, do the children's clothes factories churn out baby trousers without room for the nappy? I mean, isn't that an obvious part of the design?

Then, in a desperate search for leggings which are quite common for little boys to wear in Oz, I popped my head in at Zara kids. And what a wonderful time I had buying up half the store. My favourite purchase was these lighting bolt leggings which are super comfy and just about the cutest thing ever. Last week, I took a chance and went back for more in a larger size and to my delight I got some! So the little wolf will be sporting the bolts for some time yet.

Do yourself a favour and walk straight past those rows of baby jeans and cord trousers which are torture to put on a baby and help your little person slide into a pair of Zara leggings.

 

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Crying High / 5 Weeks / Monarch / 4 Hours in the air

Here it is, the start of my official notes on flying with a baby or small person. Since we are spending maternity leave in Lanzarote but normally live in London with my husband being from Seville and me from Australia but born in New Zealand and with my extreme love for travel you can imagine that we spend quite some time in the air. And now we have a baby to help make those journeys even more special (forced smile). Because what could be more fun than being confined to a tiny chair for 13 or 14 hours with a baby on your lap also?! Not much beats that!

But let's start smaller than such a grand voyage. So far, we've successfully flown twice with the little wolf so here's the first story. I'm including info on the airline and how far we flew etc in case we later find out there are better airlines to fly with or huge differences in how to prepare for the hours you are in the air. Then standby for the next in the series which is when wolf was seven months  and we flew Lanzarote to Seville on the dreaded Ryanair. Gasp - who would do such a thing to themselves?! Well it wasn't all that bad but wait and see.

Okay so the low down.

Checkin and baggage allowance: We had brilliant luck in that the lovely lass behind the counter was a baby person and rather than giving us a hard time about our borderline luggage weight she took some of our hand luggage and processed it as free check-in as well. Tip: take the line with the most likely baby person standing behind the counter and prop your little person up to say hello - works wonders in many things! Monarch gives you 20kg each FREE to checkin and they throw in an extra 10kg FREE for the baby so it's really great for when you need to lug a lot of things around. But don't be trapped, you only get 5kg hand luggage regardless of whether you use the free 20kg...my advice, check in everything you can to free your hands up and wait the extra time at the other end to reclaim your bags. Prams and car seats are totally free but travel cots go as part of the weight allowance. EASY!


Boarding: We were kind of hoping to board early because we had the little wolf in tow but we weren't given that as an option so we staggered on with everyone else. We didn't have a pram with us so can't tell you how they handle that but we did pre-book allocated seats which definitely takes a bit of stress out of the moment. My big fail here was my hand luggage.  Yes, I met the 5kg restriction but I had SO much unnecessary stuff which inevitably was flying out of my bag and falling all over the place; including a sombrero (FAIL) and a coffee in my hand (MEGA FAIL), toys for the wolf...what? He couldn't even hold a toy at that point?! Who knows what I had in my bag but it was too much and I'll never do it again...except I did on the next flight! Fail once more... never again!


The flight: As we boarded the plane we were handed a baby seatbelt - all very easy to manage and no drama there. The wolf was making some whingy noises and I cringed as people glared at us boarding, wishing us and especially our baby away. But, once in our seats, I gave him a little feed and he promptly fell asleep for the rest of the flight, including take off and landing. I was all prepped to feed him during both but there was no need. He fit snugly in the seat with me and I propped a jacket up under my arm for extra support and even got a little shut-eye myself! The only annoyance on that flight was the tiny tots behind us that wouldn't shut up and the older baby a few rows up whose parents decided it would be a good idea not to follow the strict rule of not changing your baby in the seat...the shitty smell wafted towards us but was quickly sorted by a replacement seat by a less than impressed stewardess whose face contorted in a way that suggested she may at a stretch love an animal, but never a child.

The disembark: Nothing to report, very easy. He woke up as we landed, I fed him for a couple of minutes on the plane while waiting for the doors to open. We popped him in his sling with his Papi and wandered off to baggage claim.

So, all in all, a four hour flight with a five week old (mine at least) is not a scary feat. Keeping in mind that I had A with me. Babies that age tend to sleep and eat most of their days away so it's probably the perfect time to board a plane.


Here is a photo of A and my FIL just after arriving in Lanzarote, with the sling we traveled with him in. Which reminds me, putting baby in a sling is great because they generally don't make you take them out to go through security which gives you your hands free and is very helpful at that point!

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Yes, I am rubbish...

Well it has to be explained I suppose, why I have been so absent from the blog of late. Obviously it's not because I'm not doing interesting things - I am! I've been to two more spas and even popped over to Sevilla and Cordova - all MORE than worthy of a post of their own. The problem is I don't have a camera right now and I'm sick of posting dodgy photos which don't do any justice to the thing I'm raving on about. Normally I would steal A's photos...after all he is a much better photographer than me, but he has 'done a Maree' and also broken his phone!! This means until I return to London in August and pick up a new phone contract I am stranded with the most frustrating little annoying phone I have ever had. I can't even get through a full whatsapp message without seeing my favourite 'force close' message!

So, I think the best camera phone at the moment is the iPhone 5? Any thoughts on that?

Rest assured, my posts will be back soon and more wonderful than ever. There's a whole other side of London to explore with tiny feet after all! Also I'm heading back to work so who knows how that is going to go down...let's see if I can even remember how to add!

In the meantime I will try my best to uncover some hidden gems in the form of other people's photos and attempt to get some posts up. If I don't, you must know that both Sevilla and Cordoba are incredible and you should definately put them on your must-do list if you haven't already.

Baby is crying...should probably respond. :) 

From where I sit...

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Mother's Day...

Today is Mother's Day for me (in Australia)...my first Mother's Day! And I'm lucky enough to have my mum here staying with us this year as well...pavlova is cooking in the oven to celebrate of course! (Don't worry, I had no hand in it so it should be okay)

So just a quick post to mark this day and all the joy our little guy has brought us in the last six months. Whoever said your life is over once you have kids, couldn't have been more wrong. In many ways it feels like life is just beginning! The days of cafes, vodka shots and dancing till your feet hurt aren't over, they just have to be more carefully planned..and let's face it at 30-something, we don't want to dance till our feet hurt too often anyway, with or without a child to think about. I'm reminded of how often in recent years me and the girls have walked right past that loud club to the cosy looking cafe nearby and settled in for a steaming hot cup of tea and good old gossip fest.

Okay so, things that currently cause me to go all gooey inside...seeing O's eyes light up just before his mouth cracks a killer smile, how he looks at me with such excitement in his eyes when his Papi is making him laugh...it's like he's saying 'my goodness mama, can't you see how funny this guy is?!', that moment right before he sleeps when he curls his face into a blanket and, my morning 7.40am alarm clock of uncontrollable smiles.

Here's some of my favourite pics of late...and to all the yummy mummies out there, Happy Mother's Day! And to all the lovely couple's out there I know that want more than anything, their own pint-sized alarm clock, but for whatever reason haven't been able to just yet - my thoughts and hopes are with you today as well.

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Aquarsis Wellness Centre Lanzarote

This is the first of what I hope will be a plethora of spa reviews as I hope to spend many of my days frequenting such places. So, if you're a spa owner invite me along and I'll do you the courtesy of a review...don't worry I'm sure there are at least two or three people who read my blog that you will influence into a visit...and now to the review of Aquarsis.

Okay, this spa is part of a larger complex which houses a gym, hair-dresser and options for beauty and massage treatments but what we're talking about is the Hydrothermal circuit. There are eight different things to use including a jet pool with different levels of water pressure to target the sore bits, a jacuzzi which if you're brave follows a cold water pool. Turkish and Therma baths, a pebble river for the toes and an essential oil shower! To end things, there are reclining heated chairs to lie back on. 

Best for: Relieving tired muscles or aches and pains especially in the back with the different water pressure massages. Feeling completely beyond question relaxed after an essential oil shower has left your skin glistening with smelly goodness and you plonk down on the heated chairs with a book to finish off the session. Another plus is that this place is often deserted during the weekdays so you can often score the whole place for yourself which adds to the relaxation. Obviously once this blog goes viral you'll need to book months in advance.

Try to avoid: falling asleep. I have to admit (whether it's due to sleepness nights or not!) to falling asleep both in the jacuzzi and on the heated chairs! It can get quite toasty in there if you stay in one place for too long. Also the lying down area in the jet pool squirts cold water along with the warm...not sure if it's intentional but it's not for me so I normally skip that particular attraction.

Dosh: Its 13€  a session for a one off but you can get multi-passes if you're in town for longer which reduces the price drastically. I myself have a 12-week pass for 100€ meaning each session is only 8.30€. Bargain!! Pics are from my last visit when my parents rolled into town last week. Sorry they're not the best quality as the temperature steams up the camera a bit.

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Bonds Baby Please!

I'm back! Sorry for the hiatus - I promise to be better now. Okay, this is a mama and papa post so if you're not in a phase of  life that involves little people this might not be for you. I just want to say how much I am in love with the Aussie brand Bonds, when it comes to baby clothes. Before O was born, we were gifted with many cute as anything outfits and it wasn't until we actually came to dress him in them that we realised how much of a nightmare baby clothes can actually be! Being an Aussie, it seemed improper for me to have a baby and not dress him in Bonds so a few weeks before due date I sent the call out to my girls to send supplies to London...and that they did! Handpicked by yummy mummy Stef, I received an amazing box filled with wondersuits, leggings and trousers. Everything about Bonds is great but I want to talk about two things. The Zip Wondersuit and the Singletsuit because these two beauties will revolutionise your baby changing days!

Zip Wondersuit

 Why it's wonderful: It has a two two-way zippers...yes, two of them so you don't have to completely unzip them if you're just changing the nappy - the top half can stay warm and toasty. There's a safety fold at the top so don't worry about the zip bothering bubs. And let's pause here to acknowledge just how much easier a zip is to do up over the myriad of buttons we are normally faced with. No guessing which button goes with which hole, quick and easy. In fact, whenever DH dresses him, he only goes for the zip wondersuit and if there isn't one handy I get a 'where is an Australian suit?!' call bellowing out of the room. Okay other great things are that the sleeves and legs turn into feet and mittens. Good for all year round, inside and out of the house. At the moment we're using these at night with the feet and hands out as its a bit warm but we've had the feet as socks until now. 


Singletsuit

Why it's wonderful: I've found that 'singlet' is not a word outside of Australia and New Zealand so for those wondering it's also called a vest and you can see what it is the pics anyway. We currently only have two of these so I've ordered a stack more online and they're due to arrive this weekend along with my mum and all sorts of other Australian treats. I've always dressed O in a singlet because I like him to have warmth on his chest even if it's sunny outside. So the beauty of this little number is they can wear it on it's own if its super sunny or under a cute litte t-shirt if not. And when that little t-shirt inevitably rolls up to under his arms, the singlet is still keeping him warm because it buttons up at the bottom.  Babies need a bit of help controlling their body temp so this works wonders. Plus, they are super cute!

This blog was inspired by the look on my MIL's face after she dressed O in some pyjamas from the Little White Company recently. Let's just say it looks like a piece of fabric with buttons and sleeves and you can sort it out for yourself from there. If you're expecting - these will be a good investment and save you a lot of pain! 

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Makeovers! Hair and Web

As promised here are the pics of the new hairstyle that came from a moment of courage. Also because something else they don't tell you is that a few months after giving birth your hair starts falling out in clumps! Much easier to manage with short hair so keep it mind if you're female and planning to balloon up any time soon.

So unfortunately I haven't gotten around to actually taking a sensible photo but as some of you are bugging me for pics, I've found some paparazzi (DH) shots below. Ignore the fact that my roots are begging for some blonde and let me know what you think.
 

  

Also let me know what you think of the makeover the blog has been given! I'm summoning all my old html coding skills to try and make some magic.

The cafe in the pic is Dreams cafe in Lanzarote. You can read my review of it here.

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Dreams Cafe & Restaurant - Best Cafes in Lanzarote

Since so many English make their way to Lanzarote to indulge in a touch of sunshine I thought it only right I make known some of the best spots to eat, drink and play. I live in Puerto del Carmen so my options will often stick to that area but as fate would have it, it's also the area most tourists shack up in so we're good! Okay so first up cafes...there are plenty of bad ones to avoid but I won't name and shame, instead I'll point you in the right direction. Since I'm a mum now, I've learned just how important kid-friendly spaces are to find so I'll let the parents know the low-down on any places I mention.

 First up is...

Dreams Cafe & Restaurant, Avenida de las Playas 10, Puerto del Carmen (next to La Ola!)
I'm sitting in this cafe as I type as I frequent here a couple of times a week. It's Arabian inspired and full of comfy chairs, bright colours, an amazing view and genuinely nice staff! It's at the top of my list for a coffee, milkshake, beer, champagne, breakfast or snack.I haven't eaten dinner here but have snacked on a friends calamari which she ordered by "accident" and it left me wanting more. It's a place I bring every visitor and often spend a few hours reading while Orion sleeps or playing with him in the big colourful cushions. The cafe next door - La Ola, is the most well known in the area and for good reason but I prefer it's partner, Dreams.

Best for: breakfast with a view, coffee dates, a good cold beer in the afternoon, milkshakes and sorbet

Try to avoid: ordering too much...it is a little more pricey than it's neighbours

For little feet? 5/5! High chairs in abundance, colour everywhere to keep little eyes happy but the best thing...a whole room set up for changing! What a difference it makes to not have to awkwardly crouch down or balance your baby on something to change them. (See my little guy in pic below)

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Breastpads and Earl Grey Tea

If you had of asked me if I wanted anything from London a few years ago I doubt my response would have been for breastpads and Earl Grey tea! Think about all the wonderful things I could get from London…oh how the times have changed. As friends and family come to visit us here in Lanzarote they inevitably ask if we would like them to bring us any treats and it turns out these two items are the only two I am desperate for.

The breast pads because they are insanely, stupidly expensive here and the tea because we haven’t been able to track it down and if we ever did, I’m sure it too would be a ludicrous price.  All that to say that I think it’s quite funny how priorities change in the different seasons of life.

So as I have noted my change in requests from London it makes me think that I have to be careful to not become a person that loses touch with the things that I loved before this new (amazing!) season began. Just because I have a baby now doesn’t mean I forget my own wardrobe while I’m funnelling all my attention on making him look cute. No, mum’s and dad’s there is no need to forget our own hopes and desires. Actually I think it’s really important FOR my son that I don’t neglect these things because more than anything I am one of the most important role models he has in life. I want him to see me enjoying things and people, feeling good about myself and finding joy in discovering new things. And yes, he should know that his mother loves the spa and deserves to be pampered there…OFTEN.

Lots of days I have big bags under my eyes from lack of sleep the night before and here on the island makeup melts off your face so there’s no quick cover up option but I am slowly getting myself back into shape post baby and the sunshine days have given me a tone I couldn’t paint on.  And so to further aid my commitment to being “young”, free and in love (with my two guys now),  I have made an executive decision to chop my hair short! I’ll post a pic of the result whether it’s good or bad…it’s only hair – it will grow back. And next time someone asks me what I want from London I will consider something a little more exciting than breastpads and tea. 

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Spa days

Every Wednesday I go to the thermal spa. Yes, it is a luxury and yes I will miss it greatly when I return to London and the price to visit a spa quadruples.  And so it is for this reason I set about researching the health benefits of this little luxury so I can justify forking out a little extra cash for it on our return.

Well it turns out the spa is more than just a relaxing place to chill out for an hour or so before I hightail it back home to what is very likely to be a hungry little boy waiting to eat. Not a surprising fact – why else would the Romans have built an entire city around a hot spring and called it Bath? I’ve found it is actually an investment in your health, as much as if not more than some other exercise options. Here are some examples of how, which I found while starting to build my case for further visits to the spa.

The sauna: Sitting (or lounging to be accurate) in these little heated rooms after you’ve splashed some essential oil over yourself does more than just relax you. It causes your body temperature to increase and this has a few helpful benefits. One is that toxins and waste are expelled from your body through sweat and apparently not only from your skin but also from the metabolism of your organs. Sounds scary but basically means you get a deep cleanse of your whole body. Also when you’re in there your body is tricked into kind of thinking it has a little fever because your skin temperature has risen and it reacts to this by boosting your immune system which can help you avoid the coughs and colds of winter – ahem, Londoners…this is our perfect excuse!

The water stuff: So my spa has two pools, one is a jacuzzi and the other is a larger pool with a series of pressurized water jets for the various parts of your body. Essentially you are having an underwater massage. There are countless health benefits from massage itself but one of the biggies is stress reduction. Now I can’t claim to be under a large amount of stress here on the island but we are building a case for when I return to work in London remember. Warm water massage releases endorphins and increases blood circulation which help our bodies deal with pain, stress and emotional issues – hence the stress relief but this also helps with headaches and general aches and pains of which I can assure you I have many! Carrying around a seven kilo little guy all day means you crawl into bed each night with a certain dull ache in your back. And that’s supposedly another benefit of the water – better sleep!

I’m also told that the pressure from the water jets can do wonders for cellulite but I think I’ll need to commit to the spa every week for a few years before I can be the judge of that particular benefit!

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If the jeans fit…

And yes, the jeans fit! There were celebrations in our house recently when my weekly attempt to squeeze into my pre-pregnancy jeans surprisingly didn’t end in its usual whimper. They are a little snug but more than comfortable and the biggest surprise was that they fit in a week that I had actually gained weight. Not sure how that is possible but I am pleased to say I’ve since lost that little extra and an incey bit more leaving me with 7.5 of the 10kg to go.  A self-congratulatory pat on the back for me. Here's a reminder of what we're coming back from.

 

Following my last post on shedding the kilos, a friend introduced me to the seven minute workout. Let’s just call it the six and a half minute workout because on what planet someone expects me to be able to do a side plank I do not know. It’s only 30 seconds per exercise (supposed to be done at high energy) and you would be surprised just how long 30 seconds can actually last. So I’ve only done it twice because the effort to get into my gym clothes takes at least another seven minutes. This is the challenge of the breastfeeding mother – how to do exercise when you are weighed down and puffed up with all that milk? I nearly suffocated myself trying to squeeze into my gym top. Not actually kidding.

I am the kind of person that needs to constantly invent little games or tricks to keep myself motivated so I will now embark on the monthly challenge. It’s currently fizz-free February meaning no soft drinks or even alcohol free beer – anything with the fizz is out. It will be a Munchie-Free March which will be my hardest challenge given my penchant for all things sweet and choclately and all this will lead up to Active April. Anyone wanting to join me in this madness, please do!

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Two Bottles

After almost three months separated from my first love – wine – we have finally been reunited. It took me three days to express enough milk to buy me six whole hours of breastfeeding free time so that I could partake. One kind of bottle for me and another for Orion. My friend Lorren was visiting us from Australia this week and she, like me is a bit of a wino so we thought a day visiting the wineries of La Geria was in order. 

First of all let me say, if you hold a similar love for vino and you are ever on the island, put La Geria at the top of your list. Not only will you try some great wines (stick to the whites in my opinion) but also have a feast for the eyes. The area backs on to Timanfaya National Park to the east and it’s an incredibly unique landscape shaped by the volcanic eruption of Timanfaya from 1730 – 1736. Basically what you’re looking at is a vast area of volcanic ash, which makes you think you’re on the moon rather than in the middle of a thriving wine region.

The landscape is made up of pits in the volcanic ash for the vines  (empty at the moment) which each have a small half circle stone wall around them for wind protection. The result is quite stunning and something a photo doesn’t capture so hightail it over here to check it out.

Alvaro was designated driver and chief baby feeder (gracias) and the day was more than worth those extra ten minutes to express milk a couple of times a day in the lead up. Ironically Orion didn’t want to eat for nearly four hours after the first bottle and I was beginning to think the milk would turn bad and the little one would be left in a dilemma with the options of getting a little drowsy from my milk or going with nothing at all. Thankfully he came to his senses and scoffed down the second bottle right on the time mark and then promptly demanded more shortly after. A word to those giving this a try – always leave another feed at home in the fridge just in case you want that one last drink.

My one last drink was indeed fabulous, the Caipirinha, and drunk I have to say in a truly fantastic place - the side of a quarry. London, Paris, Sydney hang your heads in shame - Lanzarote has the best cocktail bar I’ve visited. It’s at LagOmar, which is also a museum, art gallery and restaurant.  Think exposed stone walls and white washed concrete mixed in with a little Arabian Nights and Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom and you are there.

Reminding me I’m a now a mum incase I was feeling a little too cool in the bar was Orion and his bottle. He wanted it and it was cold. And God forbid there be a tap with hot water around.  So despite the fact we already had a baby in a cocktail bar we extended our ridiculousness a little further when I spent several minutes waving his bottle in front of an outdoor heater where two German women were trying to enjoy their beverages. They seemed to understand my predicament, or at least they pretended to as I completely invaded their private space to warm the milk. Whatever the case, I know this -  I’ll take a sideways glance over a crying baby any day.

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Half a kilo – BOOM!

I’m not sure yet if it’s a fluke or if the somewhat limited restraint I showed in the past week has actually paid off but in my first official weekly weigh in I have scored a loss of half a kilo. Keep in mind I’m feeding another person so I’m not actually allowed to lose more than one kilo a week if I want to keep producing that prize winning milk that has Orión already wearing a jacket for a six month old!

I have to admit to a couple of little fails during the week; one being the pack of salt and vinegar chips brought into the house by my visiting little brother. He is also to be held responsible for the half a pack of cookies I consumed last night. Well, he’s now gone back to Australia so I can’t blame him in the weeks to come but I’m sure these little mishaps will continue as I just plain love food.  

The plan to lose 10kgs is essentially this - follow the eating regime of breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper and try to avoid any of the naughty foods as much as possible, especially when it comes to snacking. Then, to take a walk each day, toting my latest fashion accessory, the stroller, of course. My downfall here is that while I have been going for a walk more or less every day, I find myself stopping in the various café’s along the water to sit back and relax with a book or stare at the ocean instead. Nonetheless, the walk to the café is a tick on my list. Then there is the five mile run I do each day…well not literally but it’s supposedly estimated that a woman can burn as much as 500 calories a day breastfeeding, so an easy win for me there.

My husband Alvaro and I are thinking of taking up the sport of paddle once a week…I’ll let you know once/if we achieve this. We have been known to be all talk when it comes to fitness. In the meantime I’ve scheduled for us to do one kind of extra activity aside from the walking each week. A run, a swim or a bike ride for example. Alvaro has run twice this week and I have, well I haven’t done anything extra but let’s see what next week brings on that front. If all else fails we are taking a friend on a wine tour and that’s bound to involve a lot of walking right?

The first goal is to fit into the dress in the photo. It's on our wedding day at 12 weeks pregnant and the goal is to wear this to dinner when we celebrate our first anniversary this April. To be honest I'm not sure if I'll meet this goal so I was hesitant to post it which means I'll need all of your support to get there. The weigh in is every Thursday. I have to create a sort of reality TV experience for myself or I just won’t stick to any of this. What happened to the days of being able to eat whatever you liked, do literally no exercise at all and just stay the same? I actually used to start each day with a Mars bar and coke before I swiftly moved on to a hot dog and caramel slice for lunch. Memories.

For those wondering if any more of my wardrobe fits yet, the answer is still a resounding no. I tried three pairs of pre-pregnancy jeans on this week to no avail and even wore one around without the button done-up just to cheer myself up. I will say this about maternity jeans though, they are heaven to wear and thank God for ASOS and Top Shop for bringing out ranges that actually resemble wardrobe normality rather than the awful outfits of the pregnant lady past.

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A new pain // It always ends in shopping...

When your husband tells you it looks like you've just run a marathon and asks if he could take your photo (I guess to laugh at later) you know you've just been through an ordeal. That ordeal this week was called vaccinations. No, not for me but the dreaded two month immunisation plan for little Orión. He had a couple of jabs on his first day out in the world and they didn't phase me too much but after two months of looking into those little eyes (still blue by the way!) and them staring back at you; well, this round of vaccinnes was different story!

There I was sat in the doctor's office with him happily breastfeeding and not knowing what was about to hit him. I held him extra close and as the first jab went in (poor little one needed three!!) his eyes burst wide open in a mix of surprise, fear and pain as he let out an almighty shriek that broke my heart and most definitely engrained a new "stress mark" on my face. Now I know why they say having kids ages you. Two more to go I told myself as I held him closer and my husband shooshed in his ears to calm him. With each jab came his screams and we cuddled him into calmness a few minutes later. If you found me in the cafe of the clinic ten minutes later you'd have sworn I was the patient that day not him. Even as we left half an hour later I caught a glimpse of my still reddened face in the mirror. What an ordeal.

So, as we women do in all difficult moments, I suggested we head straight to the shops for some retail therapy... so Orión might feel better. The photo is the result. I suppose it's not wise to teach my son that with every little difficulty one deserves a treat but actually it's quite a nice philosophy to have in life when you really think about it. Takes the sting out of it a bit. My mum told me not to worry that it hurts you more than them but I am already dreading the next round which are just four weeks away.

In all this I discovered a different part of myself - the protector. Sure there have been moments in life where I have felt protective of others and feared for them. I am much older than three of my brothers and they have kept me worried for the past twenty odd years with their various shenanigans and anyone who knows of my ridiculous pandering to the needs of my cat will have heard the tales of my tears over him; but this, well this is different. This is the kind of protective love that would find the strength of ten men to fend off the slightest bit of pain coming his way. This is a kind of feeling that I guess you only get to know when you become a parent. It's a fierce kind of love, it almost has an angry energy behind it. You can imagine yourself having developed ninja skills overnight to protect him. I've just noticed myself typing this with a terrible frown on my face as I remember my startled pequeno's (still learning Spanish yes...) tears.

In other highlights of the week, I've started expressing milk and Orión got his first try of a bottle. Actually we tried (and failed) last week with the bottle that came with the express machine but today with a new bottle that actually resembles the nipple (kind of needed right?!) he took to it pretty well. So now his papa is getting in on the feeding bond too. We don't plan on using it all the time but it will be nice to be able to make some plans in advance without worrying about how I will feed him. Yes, the first appointment will be a back massage, you can count on it.

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Span-English

The New Year has arrived and with it the sunshine so I feel a little more antipodean this January than those few just past. Yesterday I took my first swim in the ocean and I swear I’m at least two shades more tanned than when we arrived on the island three weeks ago. My husband disagrees. Okay so I’m still a little fluorescent but getting there. London squeezes all the tan out of you. You might remember I have given myself three challenges this year; to be the best mum I can to my sweet little first born, to lose 10kg that I gained in pregnancy (this one doesn’t start until the 7^th Jan when all the Spanish celebrations are over – hooray!) and to learn Spanish. Since my last blog I’ve had two classes with my father –in –law and they are proving helpful but what I really want to talk about is my own efforts to spark up a conversation in Span-English.

Unfortunately a lot of the shops near where I live are touristy ones run by foreigners to Lanzarote and Spanish isn’t their native tongue anyway but there are a number of cute café’s and other more functionary stores where I’ve been honing my skills with the locals. I’ve struck up a deal with the local salon owner Ester whereby she will only allow me to speak Spanish in her store. She even caught me reading Time magazine and quickly switched it for Hola! I think I read that Prince Harry has a new girlfriend. Anyway with a full head of highlights only costing 11 Euros you can bet Ester and I will be spending a lot of time together. I’m to say “Por favor, Ester, cobréme!” when I want to pay and we have managed an awkward conversation about how bad my hair needs doing right now. I pointed at the baby and hoped she would accept my pleas that I was busy giving birth and what not. Ester is one of those remarkably happy people that has seemed to adapt to the changing environment of Lanzarote over the years. She warmly embraced my desire to learn Spanish just as much as the next customers need to speak in English and then the next who only wanted to converse in German!

The waiter in what has quickly become our go-to café seems a little hesitant to assist me in my venture. Not too many smiles from him but he’s nice enough and if I keep going back I’m sure I’ll win him over eventually. He has taught me ‘para llevar’ which means I want my coffee to takeaway and which I confidently blurted out earlier today. He seemed unimpressed with his student’s progress. Perhaps he is yet to realize he is my teacher for the next 7 months?

Last night I watched Toy Story 2 in Spanish and particularly enjoyed watching Buzz do a Spanish character, in Spanish.  I can’t really say if I’ve improved my speaking too much just yet but let’s give it some more time and hope the Span-English eventually drops the latter half. Oh and a note to those that want to embarrass themselves by showing their lack of ability to remember even the basics like numbers; play Bingo with your in-laws and be the one that calls the numbers…

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