nov, 17th - all change please....

day 625:

it's been an interesting year trying to teach Limi about goodbyes, we've seen plenty of far-flung family and friends and i've watched her grapple with them being around and then suddenly only existing back in Skype. there's no doubt that children adapt quickly and live in the moment, but it's still been hard for us when she asks to go 'Up Up' with someone on Skype and wonders why they can't. i've tried very hard to remind her that she said goodbye and that they are now at home/school/ Hong Kong/Australia/ South Africa. it seems to be working.

anyway, it's time for more goodbyes......Jae, Limi's brilliant nanny, {see days 389, 484, 546} is leaving us. her overseas visa runs out in December and so it's time for her to head back. there are plenty of things that we appreciate about Jae (which i will leave for a different post) but one BIG one for me are the little images that she started to send me when i am away working. we use WhatsApp which is brilliant and free....the latest 'Limi-drops' were these three pics, playing fashionista-blogger dress-up

dealing with change and saying goodbye is always difficult but at least A. and i have time to prepare for it. for Limi, the tough part is that she has no idea what's coming.....and these two are very tight.

ps. on a completely different topic, have you heard this version of The Calling's 'Wherever you will go' by Charlene Soraia...i've been playing it on repeat.

oct, 4th - swimming....

[pic of Limi courtesy of Little Dippers Photography]

day 581:

if there is one thing that you should persevere with as a parent then I think that it's swimming lessons....well also singing, dancing and reading.....and i guess, eating vegetables and potty training (probably not a good idea to give up on either of those two)......but swimming is such an easy one to give up on.....especially in the cold, blustery, Winter months in London. although, I do need to caveat that by saying that it's now Jae (Limi's nanny) who tackles the cold and wet on a weekly basis.

[pic of Limi courtesy of Little Dippers Photography]

but between the three of us, I'm so glad that we have persevered every week since she was 4 months old. not only because Limi is now obsessed with water and swimming (and who can deny someone 30 minutes a week of such unadulterated glee) but also because I am astounded by how comfortable she is in the water. instead of clinging to us, it's more a case of us clinging to her to stop her from swimming off.

[pic of Limi courtesy of Little Dippers Photography]

years ago, I did an underwater shoot at a baby swimming school in Cape Town and having seen beneath the surface just how comfortable these babies were in the water, I was sure that it was the most natural thing to learn to swim from as young as possible. i am so happy that water for Limi is something wonderful and safe rather than foreign and scary. and also incredibly grateful to Jae for obviously making it such a fun lesson.

[pic of Limi and Jae courtesy of Little Dippers Photography]

this blog is very rarely used for preaching....but people, swimming....seriously.......as important as carrots....in my opinion.

[pic of Limi courtesy of Little Dippers Photography]

aug, 14th - who's been playing in my photobooth......

day 546:

Jae {see day 389} and Limi left me these pics in the photobooth on my laptop......the last one is Limi's 'official' smile.....if you say 'smile'.....that's what you get.

safe travels Jae. see you soon.

jun, 7th - jae....

day 484:

Jae {Limi's nanny, see day 389} needed some pics for a specific project....in between shots, i managed to snap a couple of her and Limi......

these two have a huge amount of fun together and i love that our home is full of laughter, music and lots of dancing.....

Jae trained for many years as a dancer before deciding that kids were more fun.

mar, 2nd - introducing jae......

day 389:

introducing jae, limi's nanny.......a dancer turned nanny, from pretty much the same area in Australia as A.

it's only been a couple of months but already jae feels like part of the family and an extra person to shower love and zerbets on Limi......with family scattered far and wide, it feels like we're creating our own small community (with friends like this and this and this around the corner) to ensure that Limi gets plenty of different influences......

more on how i am adapting to the loosening of the Bugaboo strings....to come.