Bank holiday

I LOVE bank holiday weekends. Even more so nowadays, as Lola and I get to have our husband/father around for an extra day.

On Saturday it was a barbeque at the Lightlys' with the gorgeous Rick

Rick bought Krispy Kremes, god love him. Here's Freyja enjoying her doughnut

and Lola after trying chocolate for the first time. Yes, we know, we're terrible parents...

On Saturday we had a visit from Laura and Will, which was brilliant. After an unusual bout of shyness from Lola, she quickly adopted them as her new parents

On Monday we made like bank holidayers and drove to Kent (again). We went to Ashdown Forest, home of Winnie the Pooh. We played Pooh sticks at Pooh Bridge

and Lola won. Not only that, but mine and Paul's sticks came through tangled together after hers. Paul thinks there's a man who sits under the bridge fixing the results. Cynic.

Some nice pictures of Lola in her new favourite place




I wish every weekend could be three days long.

Carnival Dancing

Lola and Daddy getting into the carnival spirit

Aunty Taz

Lola and I were lucky enough to be visited by my sister this week. We had a brilliant time.

On Wednesday we went to see WALL-E at baby cinema and then wandered around Greenwich.
Here's Lola eating grass in the park.

On Thursday we babysat Freyja


and played football in the garden. I'll have to get video footage of this one day as Lola really does have the skills. She's a mini Cesc in the making.

walked the neighbourhood and watched the shadows


On Friday we went the Horniman and visited the Aquariam

and the gardens

We had a perfect week, were very sad to see her go and hope she's going to come back soon.

Night out

Tonight Paul and I had a night out. The fifth in as many months since our daughter was born, we went to Nobu. It's officially Our Favourite Restaurant in London. Not at all overhyped, or overpriced (even though you practically have to remortgage to eat there). The first time we went Paul said of the experience, "it's like angels dancing on my tounge". He wasn't kidding. Tonight we let our waiter select our food for us and ate yellowtail sashimi with jalepeno, steak tartare, tuna salad, black cod and dover sole with chilli. And a chocolate bento box of course. We may have eaten something other stuff but I was a little bit tipsy so can't remember. That'll be the raspberry bellinis I had beforehand...

We had such a good time. It feels so good going out nowadays and just being us, on our own. Here we are in the Met Bar, post raspberry bellinis.

And sneaking a quick kiss in the cab. Hope this isn't too gratuitous, it's just I really like the picture.

And here's me with the fantastic babysitter, who had a brilliant night as Lola decided it was time to party and spend much of the evening awake.

Everyone's a winner.

Apart from me the next morning. I had my first proper hangover since Lola was born. I wanted to curl up and die, but was saved by the fact that my sister was there to look after both of us. I got pizza, garlic bread and glasses of full-fat coke and Lola got danced around the living room to hip hop.

My lesson for the decade is hangovers and babies REALLY don't mix. As my sister wisely explained mothers who drink champagne cocktails have nannies. Bully for them.

Another Sunday in Kent

Hanging out in Hythe




Lunch in Farningham

While we haven't started properly weaning Lola yet, she has tried a few things, including green beans and apricots. Here she is demonstrating how to eat a carrot. She seems to have a better grasp of it than her father.

You can be my wing man anytime.

Farming World

Farms might be a way of life in the North, but they're a tourist attraction down South.

Cricket at The Oval

So you know that sinking feeling you get when a great holiday has ended, you're stuck in a tiny airport in France with one tiny vending machine which only sells coffee and Ryanair have announced a delay due to a serious technical fault? We do. But it didn't last. Just after the onslaught of hideousness, which was all of those things combined, Paul had a call from his good friend Ollie who had won a competition. To compete in the Betfair 20/20 Challenge. At the Oval. With an ex-England player captaining the team. Seriously!

Here's the day in pictures:

Paul greeted his family for a quick kiss before the match started

Adrian bowled Devon Malcom who could do nothing but stare at his stumps

Just a little bit excited

Paul bowled a couple of overs and took a wicket (that's Dean Headley (c) wicket keeping on the left)

The WAGs were out in force

Bowled Rushforth, Caught Lightly.... arrrgghhh!!!

So exactly how many more overs left, Daddy?

(Ollie and Paul) Kids in a sweet shop or what?

Time to get the beers in. Deano proved he was a worthy Relisher by joining in with the boozing at 11am
More WAGs (and Lola in her cricket whites)

Getting ready to bat

In the dressing room, at Mark Ramprakash's locker. Just when I thought I couldn't love him more, I found out he's an Arsenal fan (check out the Thierry Henry quote scribbled on the wall). There was a picture of him with no top on pinned up and it took every ounce of strength in me not rip it off the wall and take it home

Stealing a quick cuddle with the captain. Who could blame her?

Big O's Golden XI unfortunately lost by just two runs. You can see a write up here in The Sun.

So, so close. Not that it mattered. It was like everyones Christmas and birthdays had all come at once. Can we do it all again please?

Lascombe

We had a fabulous time on holiday en France at Lascombe



There was much rosé and relaxation. Just what the doctor ordered. We went with our friends Solveig, Adrian, Caroline and Ben. We used to spend nights like this

But are now grown up (yeah right), with children, so spend days like this

It was just lovely and Lola had a whale of a time. Here's some video footage of her first pool experience (higher quality version is available on youtube)



and a few more pictures