NATIVITY: our little Mary

Last week Josephine starred as Mary in her pre-school nativity play. She was completely glorious - singing beautifully, putting all her energy into the actions and smiling so happily at us at every opportunity. I giggled with joy throughout, and could have watched it a thousand times.

When we left pre-school afterwards, we asked her if she was nervous and she replied, "No, I wasn't nervous. I just wanted to get on the stage and sing!"

Making us proud every day, our darling Josephine xx

I wish I could post a few more pictures, but we're not allowed to share those with other children in on social media, so this one of Phiney and her best buddy Oliver (who was adorably Joseph!) as they came onto the stage, will have to suffice :)

PETERSHAM NURSERIES

It's been a tough few months. We've had one sleep issue after another and I have felt the most exhausted of my life, even more so than those newborn days. It's a funny old thing, exhaustion. With it comes illness and impatience and a lack of drive and ability to get anything done. Thankfully, I feel like we're coming out of this period of bad sleep (touch wood/fingers crossed etc etc!) so my visit to London to see my dear friend Polly came just at the right time.

I think as parents, and especially mamas, it's so easy to put ourselves last; to put the children, our partners, the house and everyday life before us, and yet sometimes it's the most important thing to ensure we can keep on giving the best of what we have. The last few weeks I've really felt like I've being doing a pretty crappy job as a Mama. Getting cross and raising my voice - my patience is the first thing to go when I'm tired, let alone exhausted to my bones.

But today, after hours yesterday of uninterrupted conversations about mamahood, marriage, photography, blogging, IG - everything - with Polly, I feel back to myself. Inspired and energised. I just needed some me time, and I'm going to try and remember that; try and put myself first sometimes and get away for a day. Take the time to reflect, breathe, talk and listen. I've already noticed a difference today in my motivation, my interaction with the girls, my general outlook.

Polly and I walked along the river to the beautiful Petersham Nurseries (my new favourite place) where we ooohhed and ahhhhed over the Christmas decorations and where we ate a delicious lunch (without having to share, and whilst it was still hot!) before a stroll into Richmond and home again.

I've written here before about how grateful I am for the blogging and Instagram world for bringing some wonderful women into my life, and today I feel that same gratitude. I've found such a beautiful friend in Polly and I think, especially as we get older and that gets harder to find, that I'm incredibly lucky. She's genuine and warm, inspiring and creative, down to Earth and funny. I came home last night buzzing with ideas we'd shared and fun projects for the future.

I can't wait for our next meet up, and am so grateful for yesterday giving me these fresh eyes on our life, the adventures just waiting to start and 2016.

treasures from a special place

A few days ago, as we rushed home from somewhere, Josephine asked me if she could pick something up that was hiding in the leaves in the gutter next to the pavement. When I asked her what she'd found, she held out a single, pristine bright pink petal and said:

"Look Mama, at this beautiful treasure. I think Grandpa dropped this for me from his special place, for me to find. And whenever we look at it we can think about him and it will make us smile and be happy."

The beautiful petal is now sitting in Josephine's flower press, ready to be tucked away in one of our scrap books alongside Josephine's story. I've never told her any stories like that before regarding my Dad, which only makes it more magical and more beautiful; that she thought of it by herself, in that fleeting moment.

That my Dad is always in her thoughts, always with her, is such a comfort to me. That he lives on within us all, even if he's not here himself. That he's never forgotten and remains a huge part of our lives and will do forever.

As happy tears filled my eyes, I cuddled my darling girl for giving that ordinary day a little bit of magic, for being so kind-hearted and seeing the wonder in the smallest thing; the beauty of that pink petal, buried in a pile of brown crunchy leaves. For talking about my Dad, and remembering him in her own such special ways.

MONTHLY PORTRAIT: sisters

A little late, but November's Monthly Portrait of Josephine and Coralie. Little Mamas together.

LITTLE MAMAS: part three

I know, I know...more pictures of the girls and their prams, but I just can't get enough of them. I think it's something about the way they play out there that really gets me. Indoors playing can sometimes be a little more fractious these days...Josephine sets up a game and Coralie 'investigates' (read: destroys!) and anything Coralie is playing with, Phiney instantly wants. I'm sure it's just a phase, but it can get a bit stressful for us all, so getting out in the winter sun and watching them play so happily together is lovely.

They walk together chatting away; Coralie following Josephine's lead and every move and Josephine so sweetly looking out for her baby sister.

My sister and I always loved playing with our dolls together, and it makes my Mama heart so happy to see my own girls doing just the same.

I made a little film too...

WHAT CORALIE WORE

WEARING: cardigan handknitted by my Grandma (for Josephine when she was small) // vintage white linen French blouse // Coco & Wolf denim bloomers // La Coqueta tights // Clarks shoes

I adore this cardigan my Grandma knitted when Josephine was little - she's so on trend (and didn't have a clue what I was talking about when I said it was just like Misha and Puff!) The bloomers are an absolute stable whatever the season, and I'm so happy that this little vintage blouse finally fits Coralie.

I love dressing Coralie in Josephine's hand me downs, but I'm finding as she gets older that she's more suited to the bloomers and tops combo rather than the floral dresses that Phiney mostly wore when she was this age. Perhaps it's because it was high summer, but I love the differences between them as much as the similarities.

Another notable difference is Coralie's absolute dislike for hats and hair bows. She barely keeps anything on her head or in her hair for more that 10 seconds, so today she got a Mama hair cut and I cut her a fringe. She was starting to resemble a shaggy sheep dog so it was a must. And I have to say, it's damn cute. A picture to come soon, promise :)

PARK LIFE

A few weeks ago, our best friends moved back to Bath after a year living away, and we couldn't be happier about it. Impromptu trips to the park, hanging out with your buddies, can make even the most tiring and stressful mornings all better. These kiddos have know each other forever, and they really are such awesome buddies. Here's to mornings at an empty park, bikes and scooters, fallen leaves confetti, houses under the trees and hot chocolates for Mamas :)

Oh, and thank goodness for waterproofs...the weather has definitely turned over the last week!

A few photos by budding photographer Theo...and a little film I made on my phone over at Vimeo too.