Second summer together!

I am a big girl now!

I just had a thought that this is Little Miss S's second summer in this world (although it seems that she has been in our lives forever). However, they seem to be so different regardless of a fact that we did pretty much the same things (holidays, barbecues, parks).

Last summer Little Miss S was a baby and this summer she is a fully established toddler.
Last summer she was very content with just playing on her mat (be it in the garden, park or beach) and this year we are very lucky if she sits still for five minutes without any bribery.

Last summer we (parents) had time for afternoon drinks in the sunshine whilst Little Miss S was happily napping in her pram, this summer I got soaked in sticky strawberry cider because I made an error of misjudging the distance between my glass and my child. She likes to remove everything from the table.

Last summer shopping for clothes in the actual shops where I could browse through things and try them on was still possible. This summer I know I only have fifteen minutes, so I mastered the art of walking quickly into a shop and scanning through all the items like a robot, then picking up something that caught my eye, paying for it and dashing out before the all-mighty tantrum begins (are they allowed tantrums before they even reach two?!). There is no time to think about the purchase or try and see whether I can find something better.

Last summer we could walk for hours whilst Little Miss S would sit happily in her pram, this summer she wants to push her pram by herself and there is no stopping her. On many occasions I would find myself walking past cute little shops without being able to go in there because my precious little darling wants to carry on pushing her pram forward!

Last summer I thought that giving your child chips is a crime, this summer they come as a 'life saver', if Hubby and I want to be able to enjoy our al fresco lunch.

Last summer white jeans were still possible, this summer - only for child-free evenings out.

Last summer was the best summer ever - and so is this summer.

Some healthy ideas for your little ones

I haven't written about food and cooking for a little while. All this shopping business has taken over, but those who have been following my blog will know that I am passionate about food. I am not at a MasterCheft standard just yet, but I like to eat and I like to make sure my Little Miss S eats as healthy as possible. Toddlers, however, are famous ( or shall I say infamous) for being fussy eaters, but us, parents, are ingenious creatures and we always find ways around this 'problem' (like hiding fruit and veg in our children's plates).

So here is what we have been eating (and not).

Tomatoes are a big 'no no' at the moment. Even finely chopped and hidden in a scrambled egg, they will always be identified and spat out. Shame, as I am a great tomato lover and they are full goodness (Vitamin A,C, K and many more). However, I found a solution. Beetroot, celery and fresh tomatoes sautéed in some unsalted butter and then blitzed into a puree. This can then be mixed into mashed potatoes and served with fish, chicken or even form a part of healthy spaghetti Bolognese sauce. It is such a tasty combination that really goes well together and it tastes a little sweet because of the beetroot which toddlers, of course, love. Moreover, it is bursting with vitamins.

Quinoa. She loves it. I have been eating these lovely little grains since I was her age and, apart from being a great source of iron and fibre, it is actually very tasty too. I serve it either as a garnish with her fish or meat, or as breakfast - simmer quinoa in milk and add your child's favourite fruit and yogurt.

Broccoli or kale (broccoli's more healthier brother). No toddler would eat broccoli on its own, but if you mash it up with sweet potato, unsalted butter and crème fraiche, it really does taste delicious. I serve it with salmon poached in milk. So far, so good.

Raw food juices are great, in my opinion, for making sure that your child gets his/her daily dose of vitamins. Carrot, apple and beetroot juice tastes great and Little Miss S loves it . Yes, the juicer is a pain in the bum to clean, but all for good cause!

Let me know about your clever little ways of making sure your bundle of joy gets 5 a day.

Sea breeze

Hello sunshine, hello sea

Can you actually believe it that we had a warm and sunny weather here in the UK during the Bank holiday? No, neither can I and when it was pouring down with rain and hailstones (!!) last Friday in London , I was kind of expecting the worst for our trip to the Isle of Wight (actually, I am contemplating an idea of adopting a new motto in life - expect the worst and you will never be disappointed...). Anyway, after nearly being blown off the Portsmouth Harbour by gail force winds early on Saturday morning, Isle of Wight greeted us with sunshine and as the day went on, it got warmer and warmer (I am not a great fan of cold weather whatsoever).

We stayed at The Grange, which is a lovely and very 'informal' family run hotel with the most stunning gardens.

I will be truthfully honest and admit that I was a little apprehensive about the trip (you can just see the positivity seeping through me). We were staying in Shanklin town because the main reason for the trip was a Christening and some hotels that my good friend Google recommended were not that inspiring to say the least. I am not overly fussy and I certainly do not need 5 star luxury all the time, but something just a little special certainly helps...especially when you have a toddler with you and you need things to go as smooth as possible. The Grange was pretty, laid back and thoughtful (sounds like me). The beaches were sandy and clean, and the Old Shanklin Village was postcard perfect. Oh, and we had our own little terrace overlooking a garden, which was great for a glass of red once Little Miss S fell asleep after a very exciting day on the beach (trust me, this is important when you have kids).

Sunset and Greek Gods - view from our terrace

Little Miss S wore:
Jacket: JoJo Maman Bebe
Scarf: Jacqmar London
Jeans & hat: Vertbaudet
Top: Klass Collection
Shoes: Converse All Stars (I want exactly the same ones for myself!)

I wore:
Trousers: Zara
Top: Ralph Lauren
A little bit of bling (earrings): Swarovski

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'Manual labour' and other joys of Motherhood

Occasionally you do get to put your feet up...

Right then, after all those shopping trips, I thought I will write a post about something that is even closer to my heart than shopping. Motherhood. Now I'm pretty much an established Mama of the whole 19 months and I know, or think I know, a thing or two about a wonderful world of mothering...

When you don't have a child, you either hear people say that it's the best thing ever - absolutely yes, although all good things come at a price - or they ('lucky' people that have children) warn you about loss of freedom - erm, yes, it's true, and loss of sleep - we've actually been very lucky with this one, but I've heard some horror stories (although now I said it out loud, we will probably have a sleepless night!). Anyway, so these are the most obvious presumptions about motherhood. But there are literary thousands more.

Guilt, for example, appears to be the most 'popular' amongst all the mamas (and papas of course) I got to know. In pre baby days I never really thought about that, but guilt comes hand in hand with motherhood and all the love that you feel for your precious little angel (or devil). Once you are a parent you feel guilty about pretty much everything... probably to the point where you feel guilty about feeling guilty!

Worrying. I've just got over the fact that Little Miss S's hands will never be clean enough and that it's not the end of the world if she picks up an ancient looking biscuit crumb from the floor once in a while and eats it... At the beginning of my journey into motherhood I used to carry antibacterial wipes everywhere.

Frazzled brain. I constantly find myself thinking about ten things at a time. Whilst I think, I also make to do lists in my head (cannot do written lists), watch Little Miss S getting closer and closer to grabbing my BlackBery and smashing it to the floor, worrying about Little Miss S hurting herself and thinking whether I will need to buy a new BlackBerry. Feeling guilty that I'm not in control of the whole situation...This is just an example of many examples.

Manual labour. No one ever told me that there will be so much lifting involved in motherhood. So, you lift your child in and out of pram, in and out of cot, in and out of highchair, in and out of car seat, in and out of shopping trolley, in and out of bath... And if you are not lifting your child then you are lifting a pram in and out of boot (whilst holding your child and two shopping bags...maybe even a dog). And it's not just lifting, it's catching, running, bending over, jumping... I try to go to the gym in evenings (that's if I'm not being distracted by wine and My Hubby's delicious cooking ...), but by the time I get to the gym I already feel like I've done a triathlon. On a positive note - you are pretty much guaranteed a very muscly looking arms!

Hats off ... Everything off!

Parcel arrived this morning. Not for me. For Little Miss S from Vertbaudet (courtesy of mummy and daddy). Part of her Spring/Summer 2013 wardrobe ( mine is still in Selfridges and will probably stay there for quite a while...). Didn't bother trying on all of the items that I bought as otherwise it would turn into a very lengthy process (toddlers are not the most easiest creatures to get dressed). I'm sure everything will fit and everything looks super pretty. Tried the hat though, which, surprise surprise (not surprised one bit) came off straight away! We had this problem already with our winter hat. A stylish beret had to be replaced by a very practical all-in-one (scarf and hat - once the scarf is wrapped around the neck, hat doesn't come off)! Same story with gloves. Literally had to tie them around her wrists with strings! I gave up on pretty things (hair bands, ribbons ... no chance), but I just want to make sure that she doesn't get a cold or a sunstroke!

Last summer was easier. Little Miss S was still a baby and the hat stayed on during our beach holidays. This year things are trickier! Even putting on a sun cream is a mission very much impossible. More goes onto my hands than her face.

Did someone say that newborn stage is the hardest?! I'm not entirely sure about that ...and we haven't even reached 'terrible twos'!

Take this stupid thing off me!

Oh, you beautifull spring!

Well, at last sunshine the whole weekend. Warmth. Colour. Food outside! Happy people. Oh, how I missed spring. We spent the entire weekend outside (park, garden, outside cafes). By the end of each day I felt slightly dizzy from all the fresh (or as fresh as it can be in London) air. Even Cayman the dog is knackered today after running riots out in the open for two days. Oh, and Little Miss S. How much fun did she have?! She has red cheeks, couple of bruises and lots of muddy clothes. She was rolling around on the grass, chasing poor Cayman and then pouring the entire content of dog's water bowl over herself. I, normally not a big fan of stains and dirty hands, just watched all of this scene unfold with a smirk on my face and glass of Sauvignon Blanc in my hand. Sod all the grass and mud stains. How amazing to watch your child explore new things in the garden or a park. She even tried ice-cream for the first time! Well, daddy gave her some, and I, with two scoops of salted caramel in my hand, decided not to protest, and then even gave her some of mine. Spring does crazy things (wink, wink)!

Two downfalls of warm weekend outside. 1. On a Monday morning the house looks like it pretty much needs to be rebuilt from scratch. 2. I should really be going gym tonight after all the steak, barbecued sausages, roast chicken, cheese, more cheese, gazillion crisps dipped in houmous, chocolate tart with cream, toasted sandwiches, salmon bagels, ice-cream ... all washed down with quite a few glasses of vino...

Whose idea was to put Little Miss S in a skirt?! Oh, my Hubby's actually!

Some (goat's)cheesy ideas

It has been a very snowy and cold weekend in London. I like snow...it makes everything look peaceful and pretty...just maybe not March.




In March I need colour. So I made a very 'unwintery' salad.







Extremely easy and colourful Goat's cheese salad

1 pear
Goats cheese (as much or little as you like)
1 not overly ripe avocado
Just cut everything up!

Dressing
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
1 tea spoon of Dijon mustard
1 tea spoon of honey
Small pinch of sea salt
A squeeze of lemon juice

However, salad is obviously never enough so I made this too












Goat's cheese spinach and caramelised onion tart

Puff pastry
1 tbsp of brown sugar
Half a bag of spinach
Half of red onion
1 tbsp of butter
Goat's cheese (as much or little as you want)
1 tbsp of milk

Roll out puff the pastry as per instructions on the packet (unless you are very cool and want to make your own pastry!). Then place it on the baking tray and score a line around (about 1cm away from the edge). Brush the edges with some milk.
Wilt you spinach.
Heat up your butter in a pan. Add finely sliced onion. Cook for a few minutes. Add sugar. Cook for around 10mins (until brown).
Make sure you drain your spinach before placing it on your puff pastry. Then add caramelised onion and top up with sliced Goat's cheese.
Cook for around 20-25mins at 180 degrees (or as per instruction on your puff pastry).

Little Miss S enjoyed it very much.
I served hers with some freshly squeezed carrot and apple juice





And vino for adults (naturally)

My perfect little girl!

My Little Miss S now gives me a proper kiss when I say "kiss kiss". She know how to do 'round and round the garden', she loves 'head, shoulders, knees and toes', she brings me her sticker book when asked, she points to her shoes when I say "mano batai buvo du" (I had two shoes - in Lithuanian), she points at things if she wants something, she says "daddy, dog, mama", "niam niam" - when she sees food (a Lithuanian expression) and "nite nite" when she goes to bed. She loves doing 'shake shake wiggle wiggle'. She is My clever little girl. Daddy thinks she is an absolute genius. He just cannot believe how much she knows. Daddy hasn't got clue about 'development milestones', he doesn't see other toddlers at her play group. All he sees is his healthy happy child and that's all that matters. I took a leaf out of his book and started doing the same, because although your conscious mind knows that every child is different, your 'stupid' mind cannot help but compare sometimes. She is nearly 18 months or 16 and a bit corrected (she was born early). It used to be rather frustrating before she started crawling and walking, because she would 'reach her milestones' (hate this expression, it's like reaching targets at work!!) slightly later than other children of her actual age. "Oh, how old is she?", "14 months", "Oh, not walking yet?", "No, and now fuck off". Well, I wouldn't actually say that (although sometimes I would like to). I would just say "no" and leave it at that. Sometimes you just don't want to go through the whole 'she was born early' palaver. Sometimes you don't feel the need to share it with everyone (contradictory then that I write about it here, but I see this as my space). Actually, I stopped seeing my child as a premature child long time ago, if ever. Actually, I'm not a fan of word 'premature'! It is like labelling someone. I'm not a fan of word 'normal' either, because what the hell is that supposed to mean? She is just my child. My perfect girl.

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Women in your family




Multitasking

What comes to your mind when you think about those days (50s or 60s, depending on your age) when your grandmothers were bringing your parents up? Men at work, women at home? Full time mothers? Stay-at-home mothers? Domestic bliss?

For some reason we tend to believe that 'back in the day', all women stayed at home and men went out to earn the money. Alison from Not Another Mummy Blog wrote an interesting post about her fascination at the discovery that her grandmother was a working mother in the 50s and faced similar childcare issues as today's new mums.

This made me think about women in my family and actually, I've come to a realisation that I must be a first woman in our family (obviously only going back two generations) who is a stay-at-home mum (my freelance writing aside). Sounds a bit crazy to me, but yes, both my grandmothers were working mums with very successful careers and so was (and still is) my Mum who even managed to 'squeeze in' her PhD whilst I was a toddler! How do I feel about all this? Well, first of all very proud of my family. Secondly, happy with the choice I made and just grateful that I was able to do so. See, when my parents were growing up and then, when I was growing up, we had our close family nearby. Grandparents and even great-grandparents would contribute a lot to childcare. I was looked after quite often by my amazing great-grandmother when mum and dad were at work. I hated going to the nursery with a passion. My mum occasionally was able to take me to her workplace (she is a fashion designer amongst many other things) which was pure heaven for a 'little me', but on the days when she couldn't I loved nothing more than being spoilt by my great-grandmother, who was an exceptional cook (I must say her cinnamon buns beat the ones at the Nordic Bakery ). Both of my grandmothers were still working when I was a child, so they couldn't look after me through the week, but they contributed immensely on weekends and summer holidays.

For my Hubby and I the situation is very much different as we don't have any family members living within a close proximity, so had I decided to go back to the 'office', my Little Miss S would have to be in a care of someone else pretty much full time and I just couldn't do that. I know that some mums simply don't have a choice, so I do feel fortunate for not having to deal with a guilt of leaving your child behind... Well, that's one guilt less in my world of Motherhood.

Any ideas about women in Your families?

My daughter




Mother and daughter 

I've been giving Little Miss S her evening cuddles before putting her to bed every night. These are the most special and most enjoyable moments. As she was laughing away with no care in the world, more troublesome thoughts crossed my mind. As for every parent, their child is most precious thing in the world. She is my Little Me and she is Daddy's Little me (female version of course). I can only hope that she will stay so genuinely happy and carefree for as long as possible.

I hope that no one will hurt her for as long as possible
And if, in the future, someone will hurt her, she will have the strength to 'brush it off'.
I hope she will be content with who is she is, and where she came from and only have the best memories of her upbringing, because mummy and daddy only did their best.
I hope she will be confident enough to think that she is 'perfect' without coming across as 'self-absorbed', because mummy and daddy think she is perfect.
I hope she will be kind to herself and others.
I hope, one day when she realises that people aren't perfect, she will still have the ability to see 'best in them', and realise that those who love - they try to do their best.
I hope that she will listen to her parents, even if it is with 'one ear', because once you grow up and have your own children you do realise that your parents (and grandparents) were right.
I hope she will like her name.
I hope she will look back on her childhood and think it was the best - filled with love.
I hope she will be able to confide in her mum and dad because no one else can give you more impartial, honest advice.
I hope that she will understand the fact that 'we are all different' and it would be quite boring if we were all the same.
I hope that she is not afraid to question things. Better ask than not understand.
I hope she is not going to be pushed by the 'society' to become something she doesn't want to be. As cliche as it sounds 'be true to yourself'! :)
I hope that when she tries something and she doesn't like it, she will have the strength to start all over again. You only live once.
I hope she will be blessed with true and honest friends who will accept her as she is.
I hope she will have big dreams, but will not be disappointed if not all of them come true. Sometimes 'having it all' does not equal happiness.
I hope she will know that 'not all things that glitter are gold'.
I hope she will take care of herself. You always need to start with yourself.
I hope she will laugh a lot. Genuinely laugh.
I hope she gets inspired a lot.
I hope she doesn't get pressured into doing something she doesn't like.
I hope she is happy with her body.
I hope she doesn't get frustrated if she is not the best at maths or physics. Wise and clever are too different things and a lot of times wise wins!
I hope she doesn't get frustrated if occasionally she fails at her exams. Just pick yourself up and try again. No one has died.
I hope she reads a lot of books and lets her imagination 'go wild'.
I hope she will always be very much LOVED and never lonely. Because she is!

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Let's talk about food!

My Little Miss S tried curry for the first time last weekend (home-made by our friend). She absolutely loved it and I am very pleased about that because my Hubby cooks curries a lot on weekends, which means she can eat them with us now (just don't go crazy with spices and obviously no take-aways).

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here is that, in my opinion, kids should be introduced to as many different flavours as possible from the young age. For me personally, this belief comes from my own childhood. Food played an immense role in our family life, and no, I'm not talking about take-aways, food prepared freshly from seasonal ingredients. There would be a starter, main and dessert for dinner. I remember when we lived in Kiev (my father was a diplomat so we travelled a lot) on weekends all of us would go to a market to choose stuff for our lunch or dinner. I cannot even begin to describe these markets (think Borough Market 10 times better with delicious smells and vibrant colours). You could also sample anything you wanted which is ideal for exploring new flavours. Back then it seemed normal, but now living in London I see that it is not that easy to find a good market. Fresh salmon on fresh bread with butter and lemon, caviar in jars, meaty tomatoes, spicy pickled carrots, stuffed aubergines... This is just a small part of my childhood food memories.

I've taken this particular photo from Google images. Haven't been to Kiev for over 10 years, but just wanted to show how colourful our local market was. And that's just a tiny little vegetable section ...

So, what I mean is food formed a huge part of my childhood. I remember all the tastes and smells as though it was yesterday. For me food is not just about eating. It is about exploring, smelling, bringing family together, talking, enjoying and forming memories. Food makes you smile, it makes you think and it encourages you to share. This all stems from the way I was brought up and therefore, I want the same for my child. I want her to 'embrace and understand' food. I want her to know her vegetables and fruits, and understand what's seasonal. I want her to know that in different countries around the world people eat different food and I want her to enjoy it or at least - try it.

Little Miss S was first introduced to Greek cuisine at around 10 months. This was her first meal from our favourite restaurant in Crete. Stuffed zucchini flowers and tzatziki (red wine is for parents).

All this made me think about what's it going to be like for my daughter once she starts school. I think we've all heard or even experienced (those who have children at schools already) that school meals in Britain are not as healthy as they should be. Some of them are even appalling. I'm not going to write much on this particular subject as firstly, so much has been said already, and secondly I'm hoping that by the time my Little Miss S starts school there's going to be an improvement, because otherwise I can see myself choosing her educational establishment not just on a basis of academic achievements and extra curriculum activities, but on food as well (if such search is possible;)

Anyway, I've recently purchased a brilliant book by Karen Le Billon.


She is an American lady who moves her family to a small town in France where her husband is from. The book is about her daily experiences of trying to adapt her family's eating habits to French food culture. It is not easy at first, especially for her daughter who is a fussy eater, because in France children from the young age are highly encouraged to eat everything (no snacking is allowed!). Anyway, I haven't finished the book yet so I cannot comment more, but Karen also writes a blog which I very much enjoy and really hoping to recreate some 'yumminess' that she is writing about (one day, hey).

Here is an extract from her blog that I just think is brilliant (shall I move to France now?!).

"Fresh baguette, eaten plain, is also served. The kids drink water (there are no other drinks of any kind available at lunch, and there is a national ban on vending machines and junk food in all French schools). Dessert is usually fresh fruit, but a sweet treat is often served once a week"
National ban on vending machines;) I am determined to make sure that my little one only drinks water (well, and fresh carrot/apple juice that I try so hard to prepare on a daily basis!) and it works now. Well, of course it works as she doesn't realise that other very sugary drinks are out there in the world, the question is what happens when she does find out ... My niece is half-french, actually. She is seven now and she is happy to drink water, so let's hope good habits are there to stay;)

And just to round things off, here is an example of a menu from one French school (taken from Karen Le Billon's blog).

Monday
Salad: Savory olive bread
Main: Sautéed chicken with green peas à la barigoule (a traditional sauce made with artichoke hearts)
Cheese/Dairy:Fromage blanc (a light, creamy cheese that is somewhat like a thick yogurt in consistency)
Dessert: Seasonal fruit
Tuesday
Salad: Cucumber with balkan yogurt sauce
Main: Roast pork with gravy and lentil stew
Cheese/Dairy:Reblochon de Savoie A traditional unpasteurized cheese from the Alps: rich creamy yellow, nutty-tasting, and a little stinky!
Dessert: Apple compote (sauce)
Wednesday
Salad: Green bean salad
Main: Sautéed veal with bulghur wheat
Cheese/Dairy: A mild, very light cheese (made with skim milk), also from the Rhône-Alpes region
Dessert: Seasonal fruit
Thursday
Salad: Grated carrot salad (a French kids’ favorite)
Main: Filet of fish with lemon; ratatouille and rice
Cheese/Dairy:Mimolette
Dessert: Liégeois au chocolat The treat of the week! A rich chocolate ice cream topped with whipped cream, served in a tall glass. Say no more.
Friday
Salad: Cabbage salad with mayonnaise (sort of like cole slaw)
Main: Sautéed beef with sweet and sour sauce, and pasta
Cheese/Dairy: Organic yogurt with organic sugar
Dessert: Fresh fruit cocktail

When can I start packing?!

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Happy 'Toddlerhood'

I had a couple of emails asking where have I disappeared as I tend to write a blog post a day (or that's the aim).
Firstly, I have been doing some research into eating habits around the world, so that's to come. Secondly, my child has recently 'lived up' to her title - a toddler! All of the sudden this huge burst of 'super active toddler' just came sweeping through. No sitting down for more than 2 minutes, moving around at a speed of Ferrari! Super fast. Super active! I love it though, no matter how 'desperate' the situation might become;) Things are on the floor, nothing remains on the shelves, everything keeps coming crushing down. I said word 'no' or 'ne' (in Lithuanian) about 100000 times a day! Little Miss S finds this word hilarious.
Apparently once babies get bigger, things become easier.... Umh, not too sure about that... Once they get bigger, you need strength of a triple Snickers bar combined with Lucozade to get you through the day. If I didn't like my food and wine that much I would probably disintegrate!:) In a 'pre-first Birthday' days Little Miss S had two naps a day and that was my time to get things done and regain composure. Now it is down to just one nap and so whilst my little angel is peacefully sleeping, I am running around the house in an attempt to make it habitable again.
Shopping used to be great once upon a time when Little Miss S just slept in her pram. Now she doesn't even want to remain in her pram (let alone sleep). She wants to try and destroy the clothes and eat the labels!:)
Car journeys are still good, train and tube journeys - not so good anymore. Little Miss S seems to have some sort of 'allergy' to public transport... Well, cannot really blame her as I'm not a great fan of it too.
I feel like I'm running two London Marathons a day! And of course I love it (she says whilst letting out a tiny sob). Little Miss S has developed her own personality which is so incredible to watch. This is an exiting time. Seeing her being so strong and determined when only just over a year ago she was so tiny and helpless.
Motherhood is the most amazing journey of discovery. Every single step is different. It's lots of fun with a pinch of frustration and a table spoon of guilt. And tons of LOVE.



My little treasure


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Our Friday in photos

Today was a glorious day! Sun came out and stayed out throughout the whole day! So Little Miss S and I went walking, shopping, eating and looking at art. Here it is in pictures.






























































































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