Week 1

Wow! that was both fast and slow all at the same time. I can't believe that at this very time last week I was wolfing down a hospital meal with great fervor after having given birth... Pretty amazing times.

It's like a little bit of heaven having my mum here with us... I'm starting to get a little panicy when I remember that she is only here until the end of the month. I will miss her so much!

Well pictures really do say a lot more than words do in most cases... so lets do that....

So she pretty much changes look every day but this is pretty much what we're going with for now... (insert squeel of cuteness here)


Did I mention that my nickname is squooge?


Now here is the father... multi-tasking with both his girls


Serious busniess... thank god on day two the breast pump although totally comedic, helped give some welcome relief to my poor nipples... and of course a chance for Fredu (and Lilli) to feed her.


Sleepy Fredu and Sienna... so cute!



A not so sleepy pic of these two little angels

And just for good measure a fab little short video clip where you can see her smiling... she's not actually smiling as she of course is not yet able... but gassy business allows a sneak peak of sorts of what her smile will eventually look like... I think it's just like mine!

Success!

Yes, my lack of posting was indeed due to birthing activities. Last Friday they told me that they mis-calculated my dates and instead of being a week overdue I was only a day overdue. This was NOT what I wanted to hear... thus Friday afternoon mum and I decided to put the whole thing on the back burner and go for a spot of shopping... That indeed helped lift my spirits.

By the evening we retired home and had a yummy pizza supper and retired to bed. At around 5h30 am I awoke after having a very surreal dream which involved me giving birth to a tetrapack cube which contained a plastic doll... to find that I was having contractions... Then the fun started...

We got up and got ready and roused mum and we arrived at the hospital at just past 7am. They checked me out and were quite pleased to see I was already 5cm dialated... It all happened quite quickly after then... I managed to do the whole thing without and epidural (and no gas or air as they don't offer that here)... quite the procedure... I'm not quite sure I'm ready to reccomend it... but perhaps the happy 'i forget hormones' will come in shortly and all that not so nice stuff will be erased... until then I think it's just my poor short term memory that seems to be erased like an etch a sketch... I can't even remember what I did yesterday anymore.

The two day hospital stay at hospital del mar was brilliant. The service was so good and I don't care how many negative things I've heard, our experience was so positive. We we fortunate to be assigned a private room which was just heaven. They had nurses for everything... they even had a special bellybutton nurse, and then another one to bathe and change her every morning... and for me they even managed to pull out veggie meals (which is a great feat considering we are in spain!). I can't but offer a glowing reccomendation of the place. It honestly felt like a mini holiday being there:)

Oh yes, did I mention the baby? Her name is Sienna Ellice and she arrived weighing in at 3,1kilos and measuring 48cm. She is the spitting image of Fredu. She is like a little china doll. She's currently sleeping more than I could ever imagine which is great... but we are expecting this to be the calm befoe the storm... a good storm at that :)


no really, how on earth did we make something so clever???


Sienna in her hospital issued 'taquito' baby wrap


Me and mum... don't I look smug? This was just an hour or so after she was born


3 generations all in one!


No really, there is a father... but he's shooting all the pics...


Sienna with Maria... checking her out.

More to come of course... but I have to try and remember everything... as I said my mind is like a gold fishes'

I am sooooooooooooo past the sell by date...

Just in case you don't believe me... and you think perhaps I'm being sneaky not letting you know that the baby has arrived... here is proof to show that I am not telling porkies. The expression on my face pretty much sums things up.


Still life

Last Sunday while we were walking the beast in the park with mum I snapped this pic of Fredu and Lilli. You can imagine what a lovely spring-esq day it was! Sorry Canadian people... We thought of you and your snow plights as we soaked up the sun!


Park life

You guessed it...

Still no action... not for lack of people asking :) She is such and anxiously anticipated arrival I hope she doesn't come out with a premadona complex... who am i fooling, she will be my daughter *evil chuckle*

I went back to work today for half a day today to try and get some yet to be sorted things out of the way... still a lot to do so I'm guessing she will not agree to arrive until I finish all my tasks... again... she will be my daughter and of course it is a very logical way of thinking about things...

Mum is on the mend, thank goodness! We had a beautiful lunch in the sunshine this afternoon. Temperatures here are nearly 20! Much better than the -23 that she has escaped from... we figure that at least if I can't provide a grand daughter, we're doing okay with delivering the good weather.

Surprise baby showers, Canadian arrivals and more waiting...

To round off the hormonal crisis I had last wednesday... I was totally surprised when Chiara arrived to my flat and insisted that I come downstairs and see her... As you can imagine, this was the last thing in the world I felt like doing... however once downstairs she ushered me to my favorite little cafe around the corner where Alfredo had arranged for all my friends to be there waiting for me for a surprise baby shower! This custom of having a baby shower does not at all exist in this part of the world, thus it was even more special! You can tell by the pictures how run down I was looking but I didn't care as all my dear friends were there and it was so sweet! Even Lilli was there wearing her 'best in show t'shirt'.


The gang!


The giftage!!! (ah yes and an ever elusive picture of my bump)

Thursday my mum arrived! We greeted her at the airport and after some confusion due to the actual flight she was supposed to arrive upon being cancelled... we collected her and took her home. She brought with her oodles and oodles and oodles of things for the bub. 40 kilos of things to be exact! We feel so spoilt! Lots of thank you cards will be written for her to take back with her! Thursday night was the opening of the gallery where I've got my paintings. We mustered up enough energy to stop in... mum stayed home as she was exhausted by that point... I think I've sold two pieces already... all to be confirmed but I'm pretty sure they're sold. I'm not sure how I feel about it really... I think I liked them too much... too late now...

Friday was my due date and the day started with a 9am apt at the hospital. They did the stepford wives style stress test again to make sure the baby is okay. The girl hooked up next to me was in full on labour and having contractions... I was so jelous, I mean she wasn't even due until next week! But what can you do? I finished the test and met mum and fredu and dog on the beach for a walk and then a nice breakfast in the sun.

However yesterday mum came down with a flu and we spent most of the day trying to get her comfortable and on the mend. Poor thing! Today she is much improved and several pounds lighter once would think. Bless her she is so sweet!

The other day Fredu took some pictures of the bump (not really suitable to post on the blog) but when we were finished, Lilli insisted that she too have some pictures done... She sure is pretty!


A model pooch

No action

not for the lack of people asking though... the only thing going on with me is a fury of hormones which have turned me into a hysterical crazy woman. Cleaning my flat seems to help soothe the neurosis but the ever pilling up work load from my real life job is making me just that little bit more crazy!

I've not even made it into the office today for fear of accidently screaming at any of my unsuspecting colleagues... They are all so lovely I would hate myself if I lost the plot on one of them... I'm hiding in the confines of my home hoping that I can get at least a few things done today that will count as productive...

I was sadened today to hear of Heath Ledger's death. It's always so sad when people check out so early... his poor little girl!

Bump watch is boring...

There is no action and the moon or new moon or whatever is having no effect on her arrival... boo.

Lilli is also bored of waiting... but I think she will miss her little nestling spot between bosom and bump... here is a wee pic of her taking advantage of it just the other day... To be honest I think it's more the silky pj's that she likes... she's fickle that way.

Hurry up... and wait

I'm fighting the urge to clean every inch of the flat with a toothbrush... that should help kill some time surely... Too bad I've not the energy for such things. Other more furry members of my family tired themselves out running like a mad-dog around the terrace this afternoon and are now resting in a donut shape on top of a blanket... perhaps that's the right way to do this... The weather here today was unseasonably warm at 17 degrees which meant it was very condusive to helping dry the three loads of laundry I did... It's times like this that I am reminded that my wild ways of London living are truly a thing of the past. Not that it's a bad thing, but I've sure changed gears... there is no doubting that! Other parties are doing their best to scrape out their last few days of freedom by enjoying the multiple bread and butter parties that are littering the city this weekend. Change is sniffing around the corner and I think we're all a bit hesitant to face it..

After

Four... count them, four! Trips to the dr's this week I'm happy to see that the weekend is now not far off. Today's 9am jaunt to the hospital was for the 'anti-stress' test. They give this to you just before you are due to make sure that the sprog is not showing any signs of distress that may require them to induce you... I did it in a room with two other women who looked so much more pregnant than I do. They were of course both miserable and complaining about how they could not sleep and how they could not wait for their babies to arrive... It was all a bit creepy to be honest... Three women in one room, bare bellies exposed... with two monitors strapped to them. They gave us this buzzer thing to push every time we felt the baby move... The creepiest part I guess was the audio of three fast beating fetal hearts that the machines emitted. I felt kind of like I was in some sort of stepford wives situation... Back I go again to repeat the test next Friday (my actual due date)... sigh, I guess this part really is the most taxing time... waiting can just never be hurried no matter how fed up you are!

Mum has booked her flight and I am so overjoyed to report that she will arrive next week Thursday. My terrible fear is now that the baby will not arrive... and that the month period she is due to be here will be spent waiting until they finally agree to induce me. They don't schedule inductions here until 42 weeks... I feel ill just thinking about it. Ah well... lets hope the new moon on the 22nd brings us some action... if not I will be quickly whipping out the raspberry tea and all the tricks that old wives tales tell you that will help induce labor.

So apart from all this baby business... there is actual office work still to be done... and lots of work at that. I'm frantically trying to get stuff organised for the office before I go...

There is...

a boxing match going on in my abdomen and a volcano erupting mouton lava in my esophagus... other than that things are just peachy :) someone kill me. Can you tell that I'm just about fed up with this gestation thing?

Clearly if she chooses to arrive early, it would be today as Fredu is in Valencia shooting pics for this article on the the Fallas which is a festival that takes place on the 19th of March... and in true Spanish tradition they make massive paper statues and then torch them... All Spanish festivals simply must include some sort or dangerous group pyrotechnic activity or ritualistic burning of some sort. Don't get me wrong it's this very madness that I love about the Spanish.

But on a positive note... it's Friday. Phew!

There are a few good ones out there

The other day when my mum and my sister ventured out for a little walk to take advantage of the very unseasonably warm temperatures that they are experiencing in Toronto... they were chatting to each other and both noted that they were about to walk by Pizza Pizza and it had been ages since either of them had had a slice... 'Too bad we don't have any money with us' they said (as they had both left their wallets at home). Just then a teenage boy who could not have been more than 14 turned around and walked back up to them. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a fiver and offered it to them explaining that they could buy a slice with it. How incredibly sweet! They of course thanked him for his kind gesture but assured him that they would be okay and that it was simply a case of not having their wallets... not that they hadn't any money. What a sweet gesture from a random stranger! And they say kids are all bad! I think this proves that there are still a few good ones out there.

In tune with the cocktail site that Karm has created...

Our little yet-to-be-born miss received the most beautiful summer cocktail dress from our lovely downstairs neighbours. I just love that it's black as most kiddie clothes are pink and frilly...


I think someone perhaps thinks it would be a good option for him... if only it were a wee bit bigger!


HiI'm Lu... the downstairs neighbour! I'm sporting the cutest hat that Alfredo and Sarah bought me... but lets face it, I'm beautiful with or without it!

It's simply not pleasant...

To find yourself with the stomach flu while also being 37 weeks pregnant. It was not pretty but I think the worst has now finally past. So much for me getting back to the office today...

I had two very good nurses... one even decided to throw up with me (the dog) I think she was so upset as she did not know what was happening to me that it just threw her whole system off kilter. The other nurse is still sleeping... but I fear that he may have contracted the virus too and will soon be re-inacting what went down with me yesterday.

Just how much of this day will I manage to salvage? That remains to be seen...

Cocktail anyone?

Although my ever cronic heartburn makes it nearly impossible for me to even imagine the joy of a cockail right now... My ever clever friend Karm has just launched a new site... Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, I'll simply quote him directly...

hey gang, I've recently created a new website/blog and I'd like y'all to check it out.

http://www.cocktaillounge.ca/

I've found that on the internet researching a good cocktail recipe is fairly difficult. There are a ton of sites that list 10000s of drinks, but what I need to know is, what does it taste like? is it good? bad? is it a shot? cocktail? what should it look like when its made? what glass to use.. all of these things...

So what Im Planing on doing is once a week or so, have sombody over to my house, or meet sombody in a bar and have a cocktail of some type and discuss the creation of it, maybe look up the history, take some photos and then convey all this back to this blog.

I have 2 cocktails up there so far, more to come.

So when I call you up on a tuesday asking to go for a drink, you might just be my guinea pig and guest drinker.

Take a gander, thoughts and drink suggestions always welcome.

Take it off me!!!!!!!


If she could speak this is definately what she would be saying...

Thank you auntie andrea! Although she may not be so... Fredu and I are greatful for the shirt!

Winter was not here today...

The sunshine was out and as long as you were in it, it was warm!

dig Lilli's fox hunting jacket!


If you have her facing the sun you can see clear through her ears... I swear!

This is KJ's happy place when she is here visiting thus we had a brindis (cheers) in her honour... while we sat and soaked up the sun, there was an american family sat at the table next to us. One of the two little girls was very inquisitive and talked nearly incessantly (nothing like me...) any way, the smallest of the two who must have been 7 or 8 inquired loudly to her mother while looking at us...

'Mum, why aren't black people and white people allowed to get married?'

The mortified mother quickly responded to her daughter assuring her that they indeed could. I think she was concerned by our difference in skin colour and of course my baby bump. It was pretty funny. Fredu and I are certain that our little one will be very well skilled in embarassing us in the same way... we'll just have to wait and see!

Joeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!

Came to spend a few days with us from London just before xmas. As always it's a pleasure to have her here. Especially so when it's xmas time! We did a spot of shopping and of course had lunch in the sun at Joey's happy place (Al Passatore)



She also came bearing gifts on behalf of her and Andrea and Danny Baby. We were so touched they were all so wonderful! Lilli managed to open her's all by herself!

The pressie inside was BRILLIANT! It was a best in show T-shirt!

We have yet to capture an image of her wearing it... but there is a wee pic of Fredu holding it up!

A little xmas magic

Due to popular demand... Uncle Ollie compiled one more video of his shoot with Lilli while he was here. This one is very cute but it lacks Fredu's protesting in the background which made the previous video so funny!

Without further a dieu I proudly present...

Breakfast at Tiffany's

It's not fun and it's certainly not clever!

I was quite fortunate in the early stages of bump growing in that I gained very little weight... well clearly we are now at the part where that cleverness is overturned by my rapidly expanding weight. I've lumbered up to 76 kilos (10 kilos more than the start of all this). I am mortified. I know it's all part of the process but it doesn't make it any easier to digest... mind you those two massive pastries I had for brekkie on Wed ... perhaps were and thus are directly related to this issue. Interestingly of course the bump weighs the same amount as the dog right now. Approx 2.2kilos. add a few on for liquids and all other gruesome baby things that still leaves me with quite a few kilos that can only be attributed to the eating habits of the host.

We did a visit of the hospital yesterday with some of the ladies in our pre parto birthing classes... We saw the dilation rooms, the delivery rooms and then the recovery rooms... a bit grim but not too too bad. To say I'm not terrified would be a lie... I'm not sure if it is better knowing how it's all going to go down... or for me to have simply kept it as a surprise... Interestingly they have a handful of private rooms and we were told that it was simply luck of the draw as to if you get one or not... The place looked pretty booked up when we were there... perhaps hoping I don't end up in the hall would be a good starting point!

We did however run into the lovely star pupil of our pre parto class... She was there with her hubbie after having successfully delivering her baby. She still looked enormous even though the baby had arrived. They had to do a C section... She looked well. The rest of the pupils looked at each other nervously secretly all dreading this part of the process... I actually feel nauseous thinking about it... good thing there is xmas and a bunch of work to get through between now and the birthing thing.

This is what happens...

When I'm at work and Ollie is in town visiting...



my dog is clearly not meant to be an actress... but if you're lucky you'll get a glimpse of her new collar from auntie KJ. It's beautiful!!!!!!!!

Turn your sound on! Catch Alfredo's winging at the end... I laughed so hard tears came out... We will see if the can come up with a second title....

Some of us are indeed fortunate....

They received a special package in the post yesterday from Auntie KJ. It contained the sweetest doggie rescue coat and a brilliant pink dog collar. The dog collar is not featured in the picture as some parties are fussy and don't think wearing pink and red together would be a good fashion choice. She mentioned something like rescue jackets just don't go with diamontes... likening it to wearing pearls while in gym gear... anyway you can see that she is warm! The jacket looks a bit like a life jacket in these pics (because we had to put her harness on the outside) but once she's moving she looks like she's wearing a search and rescue jacket! So cute. There is a hood but it's a bit cumbersome for her and today was not too cold therefore we removed it. Thank you auntie KJ!


Rescue dog!


No, I simply will not be subject to anymore photographs!

She's here!

KJ and Bryan's baby arrived on Saturday. She shot into the world with three pushes. She didn't even make it into the delivery room. Kudos to KJ for doing it without an epidural! So yes, after much speculation and much conviction that it was a boy (on my part) she is here. Her name is Isabella (Reine) Heaney the middle name is not yet confirmed but it means queen in French. She is the spitting image of my sister when she was born. If you compare her pictures below with the one we have from the hospital when my sister was born 33 years ago... pretty much the same!

Mum and baby and pa are now resting at home... now the hard work really begins. Good thing it's xmas as they will have lots of helpers about to keep things rolling.


Just moments after arriving (after being cleaned up of course)


Check out the size of those feet!!! She will be able to borrow her mum's shoes! (lucky girl)


Big hands too! All the better for shooting hoops :)

I'm thinking that...

Today is the day that I will become an auntie. No news yet but of course it is the middle of the night in Canadia land... but yesterday after her visit to the doctor they told seestor that she was 3cm dialated... she hadn't even had a single contraction yet... so we're hoping that today we should see some birthing action... I'm liking this dilation without contractions thing... mum suspects that this is how she delivered both of us within 3h of her first contraction... I'm praying that genetics hold fast and true through to me as I'm all about that quick labour concept!

The first of our week of guests arrive today in the form of the lovely Ollie and his dear friend Nadia. Someone is at home busy sprucing up ze casita for their arrival. I hope they bring their winter warmers with them as it's quite nippy here in BCN town!

Icy grave digging...

Well my family are never ones to shy away from humorous endeavors and every year my mum indulges in one that always makes me laugh. She very lovingly buys a Christmas wreath to place on my father's grave. The funny part comes in when you see her arrive at the cemetery with shovel in hand... to clear the snow of course... I can just imagine how the care takers must react... do they have a moment of fear that this person has arrived and decided to dig up her husband? I like to think that the answer is yes... it would be a bit of a feat considering the ground is frozen solid there...

Only a week and a half of work left before the xmas break and there are many guests to be seen during that time! The lovely vero has been staying with us this week... then Ollie and Nadia arrive Friday and then Joey on the 20th! Since we are not able to travel, it is nice that people are able to instead travel to us!

No news on my seestor's sprog yet... still no labour and the induction unless determined critical will not take place until Sunday as they've got no room. She must be getting pretty frustrated by now as she's over 1 week late... She better hurry up before I decide to one up her and deliver a month early!

Fredu accosted my camera phone during our pre-parto classes on Monday... He snapped this pic of me... sadly he did not get a shot of the Colombian woman whom I've written about before... she's the star of the class! The girl in the picture next to me is due on the same day as I am.. but her baby is horizontal... check out the size difference! I feel huge, but when I'm in that class I am definitely one of the smaller ones!


Bump class

The colder climates have forced Lilly to wear some protection to keep her warm. She HATES it but hey... fashion or freeze... here is a not so good pic I snapped of her the other day when she was sporting her new little green parka!


Lilly Parka

And just for shizz and giggles a few bump and puppy combo pics... Lilly normally steers well clear of the bump as I think she can smell her competition a mile off... but on these chilly mornings I think she can put that aside for a moment if she just thinks of the bump as a pillow...
Don't get me wrong... I do not like the feeling I get about what rumbles within...


But for now it will do as it's warm and kind of like a pillow..


ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Switching gears...

From dog blog... and cat I guess based on my last posting...

I was speaking with my mum on Thursday and she mentioned finding the cutest albeit over the top jacket and blanket combo while shopping the other day. She was having a hard time convincing herself that it was not too indulgent to buy someting so decadent for a baby so small... I however did not have any quams about it. She very dutifuly returned the next day to purchase the said indulgence. She sent a picture...


Fashion from the very begining... hard to tell how tiny it is but apparently it's a new born size.

Now if anything will make my sisters’ baby come out a girl... this is surely in impetuous that will provoke it... maybe she will still put her boy in it... or maybe just maybe I'll be lucky enough for mum to bring it with her when she comes in January.

how cute is this??????????????

It's quite exciting...

I got a call from a new gallery in town whom I had spoken with months ago. They are finally ready to open and thus good news for me. They are going to exhibit 10 of my pieces... 12 if I manage to finish the two I started a few months ago before Thursday when I need to go and drop them off... I truly have no idea what it will bring... however it's exciting to put up all my work in one place. Perhaps it will inspire me to paint more as my house will be completely devoid of artwork for 3 months... The walls will look mighty bare... there is talk of putting up some of Fredu's pictures to fill the void. We are fortunate to have such choices :)

Baby watch is in full alert... not for mine of course but last night as I was speaking with mum on the phone her other line rang twice and we both were anxious to hear if it was seestor with news of her sprog... nothing but telemarketers from Bangalore named Jim. Apparently in Canada they have taken to getting their Indian call centre employees to use more western names in an attempt to mask the fact they are calling from India... I don't get it. What's wrong with using their real names? It's still annoying whether it's Jim or Gervinder!?!?!? Do they not realise a very hefty percentage of my mum's town's residents are also from India? Doesn't make much sense...

Baby classes last night were all about the hospital and what types of births you can have... It's pretty cut and dry here... pain control or no pain control seem to be the only options... no fancy birthing pools or Doolahs here folks just plain and simple birth. I'm not so hot on the 48h hospital stay. I'm planning to have a quick birth and I want to get out of there and home asap... maybe I'll have to make a break for it... Mind you, the hospital is right on the beach and looks out to the sea thus perhaps a sea side break after the toils of birthing may be well appreciated...


The reflection of the sea from the hospital doors

To be fair...

Working weekends doesn't happen very often here at porn towers... we are due to soft launch tomorrow thus the crunch... but what it does mean however is a very sleepy start as my system doesn't quite understand why we are not having a proper weekend.

This morning was no exception... some parties were dozing blissfully...


Notice the dead dog front and centre stage

It is now but a few days until the scheduled birthding of seestor's yet to be gender identified sprog. I keep dreaming that it's a boy with ginger hair and I'm holding him. Strage. Not long now I hope. I will think that it is infinately hilarious if in the end after all the speculation they have a girl...

Hello sir... would you like to buy some rubber niiiiiiples?

Note to self

It's perhaps not the best idea to spend your morning labelling galleries for the new porn portal we're working on only to then attend immediately afterwards your first pre-natal class... Picture 9 women with their hands propped against the wall doing pelvic rotations... I nearly died of giggles. Giggles of course at this stage of pregnancy can VERY easily provoke bladder failure... which can then lead to something altogether more embarassing. Luckily Fredu shot me enough disapproving looks to avert this event from happening...

Equally amusing was the VERY heavily pregnant colombian woman who is 36 weeks along asking the instructor what the best position was to have sex at this stage. Again I had to heed to Fredu jabbing with my elbow so as to not open my mouth to giggle nor to suggest... Hey I mean I see lots of different positions in the pictures from work so it could have been helpful to advise her no? hmmm... something tells me that these classes are going to be more fun than I thought they would be *evil laugh*

Never a dull moment

As Luca, Ana and myself roared with laughter while watching the elimination portion of 'a shot at love with Tila Tequila (episode 5) we could barely resist peeing our pants at the site of 'Amanda' almost instantaneously vomit when Tila called her name. I tell you the footage is priceless. Look it up on YouTube... just make sure you're prepared to spit whatever you may be drinking out through your nose when you burst into a fit of laughter...

We started watching a clip of it after discussing my mother's apprehension at us naming the baby Teala. She said we simply could not name our daughter after a 'bisexual' who had a disgraceful reality TV show. Well you see to us over here on this side of the Atlantic, we have no idea who she is... or didn't until we saw the clip last night. Now we're all hooked. I think it would be way more fun to tell her we named her after a bisexual glamour model and American reality show participant rather than after a 'relaxing tea' (the name's meaning in Spanish). Much more exciting than naming her after a distant auntie or something like that! The verdict is still out!

After escaping the giggle-fest at the office Alfredo came to collect me to walk me home. He was then gripped by the urge to indulge in a traditional Spanish winter treat: 'chocolate con churros'


Churros! Which are dipped into a steaming hot mug of hot chocolate with the same consistency as custard.

We made it to the little run down cafe that serves them (there aren't so many here in Barcelona as they are more native to Madrid). We skipped out of the shop only to be met by the most horrific accident. It's too upsetting to write about and I really don't want to re-live it. But it involved a dog, a car a collision and at least a couple blocks. I don't think I'll ever get the sound out of my head. I was absolutely hysterical to say the least. I stood there clutching Fredu with my head in his jacket sobbing out of the sheer shock of the whole thing. And to think that just an hour before hand I was in a fit of giggle in the office. One extreme to the other. I think I will forever correlate churros with this incident... perhaps it's a good thing as they are indeed devilishly good. I did manage to sleep last night which was a concern as I was really effected by the incident... which coincidently happened within 500m from where that guy groped me the other day.... I swear I'm beginning to think that there is some sort of curse with me and that area. The strange thing is that there should be nothing extraordinary about it... bad karma? who knows... I'll be walking home the long way around from now on. I don't know if I can take much more!


Santa Caterina Market... the scene of much of my recent traumas... shame really as it's so beautiful.

Doing the impossible...

This weekend I agreed and not even reluctantly to go hiking in the great outdoors with Mele, Nico, Fredu and Ollie (who was here for a visit). One of the many great things about this sea-side city is that beyond the beaches the mountains are right on our doorsteps as well. Okay well maybe foot hills as the mountains are about an hour or so away, but still... terrain exists that does not yet have concrete and SUV's.

A quick 15 min train ride and we were right in the thick of nature. Miss Lilli (aka mountain dog) joined us and miraculously managed to hike the 6k or so that we managed to cover (up hill and down valley). She did more than any of us as she kept running from the front of the group to the back to assure that we were all sticking together.

We made it back to the city lights just before we lost day light which was a bit of a worry for a while as the map we had was not as helpful as it should have been... however we made it even if we did have to scale down a rocky mountain side to get us where we needed to be... I had lots of help of course to make sure ze bump was not compromised. Not bad for 30 weeks pregnant! Don't get me wrong, the star of the day was Lilli. Who would have thought she would have had such stamina???? Oh and kudos of course to Nico, Mele and Ollie for being in charge of the navigation.


Ollie and Fredu enjoying the sunshine and a spot of lunch before we set out onto the trail.


Someone was ready for action... or was the the cava they had with lunch that was fueling it?


Fashion was put aside for warmpth... but hey a gal has to be practical sometimes!


Mele on the other hand looked fab and very glam as usual!


The valley that we hiked through

The valley that we hiked up! Lilli agreed to be picked up so that she could be in this shot... Light was slipping away quickly at this point....


We reached the top of a clearing and found this most lovely view of Barcelona down below. we were south east so you can't quite see the sea in this shot... but you could see it when you were there in person. From here we scaled down so we could make it out before the sun set... talk about high up!!!!!!!!!!


The tired troops retired to a local cafe to celebrate with a drink... and for some exhausted dogs a nap and for some people in 'estado' we had suisso (KJ it's your favorite thick hot chocolate treat)

Needless to say some parts of my we leggies are still feeling the aftermath... It was kind of funny today when the nurse at my monthly check up was asking if I was exercising... I was like... hmmm, yup!

With this said I'm now up another 3kilos which is the most I've gained so far... so in total I am at 7 kilos... best start being careful as I hear this is when the weight really piles on...

There is nothing in the world

Like the feeling of finding 20Euros or dollars or quid or whatever your local currency may be, in your coat pocket... you can't quite figure out how on earth you would have left it there.

Well today was like that but better... way better. Today I found out that my second invoice here at porn towers was not yet paid... meaning, I've not been so careless as I thought I had been with my mission to save to support things when ze bubby arrives and I'm not working! Happy days indeed.

Note to self: this does not mean that you can go mad buying fancy pressies for yourself... Save Sarah save!

More than anything

I'm angry... really really angry...Before I go into the story let me just confirm that I am fine... the bump is fine... there is no panic needed.

So last night I was walking home from work... the same route as always... only thing different was that I was 30mins later than normal. It was freezing and the icy wind was not at all pleasant. I turned off via Laietana and towards Santa Caterina market... when i turned right to walk along side of the market I got the feeling that there was someone following me. I had my headphones on... The street is a wide street, well lit and there were at least 30 people around as lots of people were doing their grocery shopping before going home. I crossed the street to avoid the person whom I felt was following behind me too closely... not thinking much more other than that I was paranoid... and that at this time of night with all these people around there really is no need for alarm. At the moment I crossed to the other side of the road I rang Fredu to see where he was as we had previously planned. I spoke to him briefly using hands free as I had my headphones on... and agreed to meet him shortly. As soon as I hung up the phone the person who was following me turned out to still be following me and at that moment lunged at me from behind and grabbed my ass with both his hands and thrust his body up against my back. Needless to say I let out the loudest blood curdling scream. I whipped around to see who the culprit was... and my jaw dropped when I saw that it was as I feared... a complete stranger. He said nothing to me... I was waiting for him to come up with something like I'm so so sorry I thought you were someone else... but nothing... only a cheeky self righteous grin spread across his face. He started walking backwards while still leering at me. I looked around frantically for help from any of the people around me.... all I got was a round of chuckles from the bunch of guys who were standing outside a bar on the other side of the street. I then turned back to the culprit who was still walking backwards away from me and mustered a measly 'cabron' (bastard) to which he then responded with a barrage of 'puta etc' and how i was a dirty whore blah blah blah. And still, no one stepped in to help. Not a single soul. I was so shocked I just shook my head and made a hasty retreat home. Luckily I live only a few blocks away and I was greeted at the front door by Fredu and Dani. I told them what happened and of course immediately Fredu wanted to march right back there to try and find the guy... I was having none of it. I wasn't too keen to drag on the incident any further.... All I can say is what in the hell is wrong with this world when a clearly visibly pregnant woman gets jumped on in the street and no one... not a single witness came to my aid?

I'm more angry than anything... I'm angry that that asshole is out assaulting women and no one seems to care... I'm angry that even if i report it and they catch him, they would probably just let him off with a warning... I'm angry that it makes me feel unsafe in my own neighborhood. I'm angry at myself for not doing more when it happened like grab the security guard from the grocery store and get him to help me or simply kick him hard in the crotch... all of this just plays over and over again in my head. Needless to say I did not sleep last night. Half of me wants to go and fill in a police report but the other half of me just knows it's pointless... Fredu is playing Magnum PI and has got the security people at the market to agree to show him the tape from last night to see if we can see the guys face... but the odds are slim as it was night and lets face it... the only thing remarkable about the guy was the ugly brown jumper he was wearing...

sigh....

This is all too remenicent of the sort of problems I used to have all the time when I lived in Lyon when I was 21... guys would constantly grab and grope you in the street... for no other apparent reason than that they simply could if they wanted to...

Never a dull moment I tell you...

I'm bored already...

Of looking at the figs... not that I have anything to replace them with but still, it had to be said.

The post office is the new black. I was there this morning to re-collect the package that joey sent me from London. The coat I sent her that she was looking for... ended up not fitting so it made the journey back. The doggie winter warmer goodies we received yesterday which were way too large are too going back today to jet back to malaga where they came from... Just why there is a doggie clothing store in malaga that sells warm things is beyond me... but hey... then as if from nowhere kim's popcorn goodie package that she sent oh so many moons ago finally arrived too. I guess they delivered it when Fredu was out at the bank... we will have to wait to collect it tomorrow once they drop it back to the main post office.

KJ and Bryan are in The final weeks of their gestation... I think she is definitely ready to meet the little one. I'm dying with curiosity as to what it will be. All bets are on it being a boy but how can you know. We shall wait and see.

Week 30 for us this week... my flying wings are soon to be clipped...not that I'm planning on going anywhere... train it will have to be if I do...

Life is full of new experiences

A few months back... approximately 7... before this whole baby thing and puppy thing entered my life... I found myself gallivanting around the city with the lovely Ollie... He bought me a fig from the market near my house. Something which I had never tried before (outside it's dried form)... Considering how I am with food and with fruit in specific it was a great achievement for me! Man was it yummy! Have I had one since? erm... no...

Figs people! figs!

Today as part of 'Life is full of new experiences' and Ana's relentless quest to give my unborn child a hint of nutrition... she brought me in a 'caqui fruit'. I had NO idea that they even existed... they look kind of like a tomato that got mixed up with a bag of oranges from the wrong side of town... I ate it with a spoon and scooped out the yummy insides... and I must say... YUM! No seeds or other fussy things that make fruit so undesirable for me. But of course we've got to do something about the name of the thing I mean you just can't have a fruit named after what most american men deem as standard office casual attire (kakis)... thus when thanking Ana for the fruit I referred to it as ' American men's trouser fruit ' she suggested that instead it would be better to call it 'Gap fruit' I couldn't agree more. So Gap fruit it is! Go out and try one today!

Don't mess with them... they're danger just like the gap!

The things they don't tell you

You know when you're small and you dream about being a grown up so you can eat a box of after eight's in one sitting if you fancy? Only to then grow older and find out that if you did indeed do that you would feel disgusting? Or what about when you first graduate from Uni and you feel so proud only a few months later you find that you can't actually get an entry level job as you're suddenly over qualified or in other cases underqualified... and you just don't understand why no one ever talks about this pergatory phase that happens after uni and before you find your first job???

Well I've been discovering there are a few home truths regarding gestation that somehow I've just not heard of before... the most relevant to me right now would be the uncomfort that one endures when you can feel the skin across your belly being stretched like a piece of leather over a basket ball... and how it HURTS!!!! So why is it that no one happened to mention this before??? Or was it simply that I wasn't listening... don't even start with stories about delivering the placenta or nipple pads for breast feeding... I'm not ready for that. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww.

Ah yes, and a lovely happy birthday to my beatiful mother who is 57 years young today!

As per the singular request

from my sister... here is a pic taken by...we yea you can see it's by me... with my phone cam... of ze bump...



And then a more artistic one taken by the professional...


It's as close to nude as I get on my blog folks... stretch marks and all!

And just to cleanse the sight of all that pale flesh and offending stretch marks... here is a beauty of miss lilli in her favorite sun spot... chewing on a pen of course!

I hope everyone had a happy Hallowe'en!

There were a splattering of costumed peeps here in bcn town... and I managed to ring my mum late enough for her to describe to me the outfits that the little trick o' treater's arriving at her house were dressed as. So sweet! We will have to bring the bump to Canadialand one year to let her experience the thrill of the tradition. Mum says she's still kept the groovy trick 'o treating bags she sewed for us all those years ago. They are shaped like pumpkins but made out of a printed orange fabric.

No sweeties for me today... just yummy almax antacid which is helping keep the relentless heartburn at bay... who knew that simply drinking water could give you heart burn?

While walking to work this morning I was accosted by this mad Peruvian guy who had clearly not yet been home yet from his festivities the night before... I tried my best to politely ignore him but eventually ended up agreeing to chat with him as I made my way into the office. It was quite comical as I politely rejected his advances... and at one point did point out to him that i was nearly 7 month pregnant... and clearly spoken for. He was thrilled by this and aided by I'm not quite sure what drugs or residual alcohol... then he begged me to show him my eyes which were safely tucked behind my shades... too funny. However to be fair he was nothing but a gentleman albeit a tad over-friendly but indeed harmless. He walked with me all the way until my office reception... thank goodness he did not insist on following me in... as there is no one else working here today as it's officially a day off but we've collectedly decided to transfer the day off to tomorrow... only because of course the boss did not want to participate in the 'puente' which is Spanish for the word 'bridge' which usually means that when you have a holiday on a Thursday you get the Friday off too... no worries we're content with the long weekend.

Something I thought that I would never live to see has just graced my inbox...


yes you are seeing correctly... my mother on a motorbike! Did I mention she´s 57 in about one week? I hope I have here genes!

She looks so cute! It belongs to my not-so-little 20 year old cousin... If only my father were still around to see this!

Clearly summer was still kicking about in Canadialand last weekend as she is kitted out in proper summer gear!



Here is another great pic of seestor and mum outside her house. You wouldn´t really guess that seestor is about to pop out her own wee one in just a matter of 4 weeks! Impressive work sis!