2

Guess who turned 2!?

More details to come on the birthday girl. This mama is tired!

the week in review

It has been a busy week!!!

I got my stitches out last week and my foot is healing pretty well. Thankfully I am able to fit into my Ugg boots and so I no longer wear the fashionable navy sandal. The unfortunate thing is that I cannot yet get my foot into my new fabulous boots. Believe me I really tried!! Still too swollen and sore.

Brian surprised me and had my friend Johnna come over last week for a visit. Seriously people, he is THE best - but he cannot keep a secret to save his life. He told me about 5 weeks ago!!! We had such a fun visit. She flew in last Thursday and we had sooooo much fun seeing "the" concert. Wow. This show was incredible. The best show ever. We also visited the spa, had afternoon tea, shopped, ate and had some good quality hanging out time.

Mandeville Hotel

Claridge's

The Flu has struck our house. Kaneu tested postive for H1N1. He was out sick last Thurs and Fri. He is feeling better this week but still pretty tired. Ruby is now showing signs - high fever and cough. Our dr did not treat Kaneu and thankfully he had a mild case of it. I hope the same goes for Rubes. Poor baby will probably be sick on her birthday, which is Monday.

Okay, well that is it for me. I am not feeling great and am praying that I do not get sick!!!!

one year

One year ago we met two people that would change our hearts forever.

When I look at this picture it takes me back to that day and all I can think of is I can't wait to go back. And so we shall.

23 (for only 11 more days)

So our little 23 month old will be 2 years old in just 11 days. Here is the latest and greatest ...

She runs. Or hops. Or gallops.

The girls does NOT walk. Ever.

She is talking SO much.

Putting sentences together.

"I'm all done daddy". "I love you mommy."

Over the last couple of weeks I have seen an eruption of language. Words (sounds) that I have heard a zillion times but that got lost in translation have meaning now. I can understand what she is saying!! Not that I couldn't figure it out before but now the words are recognizable. She has an ugly doll (Chukanuka) and we were playing with him and I told her what his name was one time and then ever since then she insists on sleeping with "nuknuk". It took me approximately 5 times reading his name to remember it and she heard it once? She blows me away.

She LOVES her Nunu.

But she also LOVES to hit her Nunu and can sometimes be naughty.

Timeouts have begun.

She LOVES "Bozzy" (Rosie). But then again how could you not?

She adores books.

Sometimes books can lead to a disaster. Oftentimes we don't actually read but instead look at the pictures and point out the animals, colors, etc. She will ask "who dat mommy?" and then if the person in question has on shoes than she must point that out and then she must look at her feet and then she realizes she does not have on any shoes and then she goes and gets a pair and insists on putting them on - only we don't wear shoes in the house and then when I tell her "no" then that usually results in a meltdown of sorts. She does NOT like the word "no". Nosirree.

She's counting!

If I say "one" she'll say "two", then "ee, oor, hive".

We are in for it.

The girl is SO sassy. If she does not like what she is hearing (ie "Ruby, put that snack away.") then she will actively ignore me!!! She will cross her arms and turn around and give me the cold shoulder!! Where did she learn this?? I know she is going to be a handful but I love that she is feisty. I know it will be good for her when she is older but in the meantime we are going to be hard at work!

what a difference

I can honestly say that there are days from last week of which I have no memory. Scary and awesome at the same time. What a difference a week makes!! Oh, and I forgot to mention that while hanging out in my hospital room Brian saw H*gh Grant out the window walking into the hospital!! Anways, back to my point - I have never felt more rested in my life. Now if only I had the physical ability to go and to do. I did make it out of the house this weekend... in the rain with a gigantic ziplock and chip clip over my sandal. I should have taken a photo. It was a disastahhhh. I was all about getting out but by the time I bathed, dressed, dried my hair and got out to the curb I was ready to go back to bed. Sitting at brunch I nearly fell asleep in my muesli. Afterwards we popped into one of my favorite shops because they were having a F&F 20% sale and I was not going to miss it no matter how tired and sore I was. I was on a mission and the sandal, hobble nor rain were going to sabotage my Saturday plans. I am now the proud new owner of a pair of fabulous (flat) boots. They are kickass and I cannot wait to wear them (or really just lefty) ... to Beyonce on Friday night!! So so excited.

So now I am sitting here pondering how in the world I will pick Kaneu up from school. A classmate's (Tynne, above) parent walked him this morning but so far I don't have anyone to pick him up. I could take a taxi but I have no cash. Stay tuned ...

the good, the bad, the fugly

the good? 4 nights in Grand Cayman, celebrating 40th birthdays, sitting on the beach all.day.long, sipping Caribbean lemonades, eating lobster quesadillas ... it was good. really, really good.

the bad? Surgery was on Monday and it went well but it did not go as expected. My doc was not able to do arthroscopy though. It turns out the damage was more severe and therefore he had to open up my foot and repair the torn cartilage and then drill into the bone to initiate the healing process - also called microfracture surgery. Needless to say I am sore but am happily drowsy on really good meds.

the fugly? I am wearing this bandage and sandal for 2 weeks until stitches come out on Nov 23. My MIL leaves tomorrow and I have no idea how I will manage next week on my own while Brian is at work. Kaneu's school is a 15 minute walk so that should be interesting. Plus, it's been raining here and this foot must stay dry. I will be the one with the plastic bag on my foot. If you see me on the street don't tease. I just might cry.

Bruges - part 1

Last weekend we travelled to Bruges and had a sweet time. We took the train there and what a great way to travel with little ones. This was our first European adventure as a family of four and I cannot wait for more. Bruges is beautiful and so very clean. Here are some snapshots from our weekend.

dancing in the square

sleeping ruby

proof I was actually there!

going home

I have about 400 more pics but my internet is slow on the uptake ... so until I return from my very fabulous few days away this will have to do!!

getting ready

First - thank you all for your incredibly sweet comments on the last post. Our night out was so much fun. I have to give a huge shout out and thanks to our friends, the South Africans, who just celebrated their first wedding anniversary yesterday. A few nights before our big night out Elaine and JD came over after work (while Brian was out of town) and while Elaine was giving me a manicure JD was bathing the kids AND putting them to bed. Elaine then came over the night of the premiere and did my makeup. These friends are seriously the most thoughtful bunch. South Africa breeds good peeps! The kids LOVE them so much. Ruby chants "jayday" when she know he will be coming over. She loves her "jayday". Kaneu thanks God for them each night during his prayers. These friends are heavensent!

We met these guys out last night for some dinner and drinks to celebrate JD's birthday - they got married on his birthday so it was a double celebration! Today Elaine came over and again "pampered" (tortured) me with some "extreme waxing" ... a full leg and bikini, mani and pedi. It was not quite as painful as I expected but something tells me that the bottle of wine helped significantly. On Tuesday Brian and I are off for a few days away. Meme (Brian's mom) is visiting and will be watching the kids for us while we are gone. We are incredibly blessed with good friends and loving family. When we return on Sunday I will be getting ready for foot surgery on Mon am. It's minor and am not worried about it in the least. It turns out I have torn cartilage on the ball of my foot. I am really thankful that it's not more serious. It will be sore for a few days but I should be up and walking by the end of the week! Until then I am exercising like a mad woman - trying to get in as much as I can. I will have to take 6 weeks off and no running or heels for 12 weeks. I think I may go crazy!!

Hope you all had a happy Halloween. We did. It was insanity. We took the kids to a neighborhood closeby that should be renamed "little America" instead of St J*hns Wood. The crowds were just crazy. Rosie was the hit of the night. She is a celebrity. People were stopping us to take her photo. I hope it doesn't go to her little head!

the crowd

little yogi