Big Day Out!

On Friday, Henry and I had an awesome adventure day. Seriously, it was like Kids Day, but better.

Hong Kong! 

It's not his hometown, but that's his city!

My little baby has turned into a little boy!

First, we had a very decedent afternoon tea and shared a slice of molten chocolate Ferrero Rocher cake at the plush Isola in IFC.

I told Henry that he couldn't have any cake until he smiled for a photo.... 

It's amazing what a little bribery does 

Intense concentration required. He didn't realise that the molten chocolate part ended up on my side on the plate. Haha.

Then, we went and saw Hairy Maclary - based on the kids - books onstage. I thought it would be super fun because Henry's G-Mum has given him all the Hairy Maclary books for us to read together.

Waiting for the show to start. Super excited!

He certainly got into it, yelling out to the dogs onstage and participating in the show. It was so much fun to watch him getting involved.

Finally, we headed to Bowrington Street Cooked Food Market. Unfortunately we couldn't find a taxi and so, despite already being a little exhausted, the poor boy walked the 2km from the theatre to the market. That's a long way for such little legs at dinner time!
However it was worth it for what is possibly the best Canto food in town. Henry feasted on rice and I had some amazing seafood.

Total Chinese boy; washing his bowl and utensils in the tea.

Henry eating rice, the other stuff is for me. Haha! What a feast! 

We are going through a "no photo!" stage. 

Washing up after the day; I love going here, it reminds me of  being back in China.

No taxis anywhere! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

I took this photo on my morning run. The gardeners of Discovery Bay have obviously been planning for Valentines Day for sometime now!

What did you get up to for Valentine's Day? We had a fab day, filled with lots of Valentine's love and all my favourite people!
I started the day as a total tai-tai and got my nails done - I haven't done this for about 6 months. The girl doing my nails thought it was hilarious that anyone could go without a manicure for that long.
In keeping with the spirit of the day, I chose the cutest ever love-heart theme.

My nails. Too cute! I was so excited

Then I caught up with two of my best girlfriends for lunch. We lived in Shanghai together, and had babies there too. Now we all live here. It's so wonderful having enduring friendships like that when you are an expat. I don't know what I'd do without my girls!

Then it was time to be joined by our boys for some Valentine's cake and jumping on the trampoline to Avril Lavigne. So much fun! I honestly thought that being a stay-at-home mum would be like this everyday. While that may not be the case, it's days like this that make it worth it.

The boys had a really hard time waiting to have cake so that they could have their photo taken. Look how happy they look knowing the treats they are about to receive!

Too much excitement! 

Too much sugar!

Too much sugar means too much trouble for mums! 

Then we had a wolf and a crocodile jumping on the trampoline. I took the matching animal beanies to be a sign that the mums have great taste!

Total sugar high! 

Valentine's cuddle!

Next, Henry and I called my Nana and his Great-Nana for her birthday. She turned 86! She said she got loads of cards, phone calls and had eaten so much cake that she was too full to eat any dinner.

Me with my Valentine, blowing kisses to my Nana. 

Finally, Lachlan came home and cooked us dinner. Henry got stuck into the garlic butter snails. 

What a great day! So much fun!

So ghetto

This time last year, Lachlan, Henry and I spent our first Christmas in our house in wet and windy Normandy. Lachlan thought that he was being hilarious when one day he came back from the shops, having spent a not inconsiderable sum of money on an adidas tracky for Henry.
To put it politely, Henry looked like a bogan. At least he fit in with the locals!

This year, Santa went one better.

Check it out.

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Shopping in rural France, and Henry's take on French fashion

Our Amsterdam adventure

Dear readers, loyal followers; I've been on a blogging hiatus, celebrating Christmas in Amsterdam.
I hope you have been having a great Christmas break! Lachlan, Henry and I had a wonderful Amsterdam adventure. I love this city!
On Christmas day, despite neither Lachlan or I being religious, we decided to take Henry to a Christmas Church service. I must say, I had a great time belting out Christmas carols and sharing in the spirit of the day with so many others. Though Henry slept through most of the service, he enjoyed the bits that he was awake for!
We followed this by a non-convetional Christmas lunch of toasted Turkey sandwiches and apple cake, which were absolutely delicious. We then had an amazing 5 course Christmas dinner. Henry was happy as he got to eat his favourite spaghetti bolognese and then promptly slept through the rest of the meal. It meant Lachlan and I could enjoy a proper night out - well as much as you can with a sleeping toddler in tow.
All in all, an excellent Christmas and an excellent week spent in one of my favourite cities of the world.

13 hours into the 15 hour plane trip; we flew through the day, had about 3 hours sleep between all three of us, and Henry was an angel! I'm not sure who had kidnapped my son!

I LOVE shopping in Amsterdam!

Jet-lagged and cross!

Amsterdam Christmas Markets! 

Henry's new thing; in freezing cold weather  he insists on "no jacket!"

We stumbled upon an organic food market with live music. It was so cool!

At Amsterdam's famous Christmas circus!

Henry is enjoying sleeping through the circus 

Henry insisted that the left picture was of Lachlan, the right of me. Can you see the similarities? 

At Moeders restaurant. We first went here when Henry was 8 weeks old. That first meal was a lot more peaceful! 

Stedljik Museum - Amsterdam's modern art museum. Henry thought this was a picture of him. The typical reaction of a self-obsessed 2 year old!

Henry getting amongst the art 

Here is a kid who does not like the cold.

After our third attempt, Henry and I FINALLY made it to the Van Gogh museum. It only took us 2.5 years!

The best part about museums? The cafe of course!

Free to run after the boring museum. Right after this photo, Henry fell face-first into the mud. 

Tram rides; much more fun than boring museums! 

Henry insisted on a photo in front of the Christmas tree.

And he insisted on multiple photos in Santa's sleigh. 

Lachlan insisted on a Christmas photo too!

Unconventional Christmas lunch

Unconventional Christmas dinner

That's some family Christmas photo! 

On our last night, Lachlan and I got a babysitter and headed to the Michelin starred restaurant, Envy, it was incredible. Henry has actually been here - as an 8 week old, but we figured since he'd been before he wouldn't mind missing out. (And we wouldn't mind either!)

Leaving Amsterdam. Belated Merry Christmas from Henry and Elmo!