Little Social Butterfly...

Since our last update, little Maddie has had a smashing time enjoying play dates, entertaining lovely guests and getting out and about with friends. We are making the most of every day that we have together before I have to start work again in May.

We were lucky enough to have a visit from our beautiful friends Eoghen and Tara (from down under) for a couple of nights which was wonderful. They are expecting their first baby in July, so they had loads of practice cuddles with Maddie. She particularly enjoyed the mad rantings of Eoghen and his 'baby in space' game which had Maddie flying through the air defying gravity (there is nothing more wonderful than the sound of a baby giggling with delight)!

Maddie also had visits from Howie, Barnie and Hudson the dog on Friday night and Cindy and Steve on Saturday night. She adores it when her grown up friend pop in because they always bring her beautiful gifts and smother her with kisses!

We had a great lunch in Soho yesterday with our lovely friend Sarah Bird and my boss Ian Morton (who doesn't normally 'do babies' but seems to rather enjoy hanging out with Maddie).

Maddie moved into her 'big girls cot' in her own bedroom last week. She is sleeping through the night and loves her new found independence (see pic of her snoozing under the blankie that her God Father Benny knitted)!

She has also been enjoying lovely play dates with her friends from baby massage and the pushy mothers exercise class. Maddie insists that I take her to the pub on a Friday afternoon for a spot of lunch and a couple of glasses of rose after our pushy mothers class so that she can play with her friends... Dylan, Gia and Ianna. Friday has now officially become known as 'Rose Friday' in our mothers group! Start as you mean to go on Maddie...

Lots of love until next time xx

First Teeth, Nurseries, Visitors and a Field of Daffs

After a few of nights of uncharacteristic waking and tears, little Maddie welcomed us with a smile that revealed her first two teeth last Sunday morning! I started to sob when I realised that our little lady is growing up (Simes looked at me as though I was completely nuts)!

Maddie and I did the rounds checking out the nurseries of Maida Vale and we think we have found the perfect place for her to hang out for two days a week when I return to work in May. It's called St Stephens nursery and it is in a lovely old building and is staffed by really caring, sweet people. As soon as we walked in we got a warm feeling, which made it a little easier to get my head around the idea that someone other than Simes and I will be looking after our beautiful girl.

We also had loads of gorgeous visitors in the last couple of weeks including my dear old friend Niki, her lovely husband Simon and their gorgeous little boy Michael. A couple of my Fox UK friends, Emma and Lisa, also popped over for lunch with their beautiful baby girls, Scarlett and Isabella.

Maddie is becoming more of a character every day. She loves going for long walks in the park and thoroughly enjoys my commentary explaining every detail of the world around her (well... at this stage she has no choice but to listen to my constant mad rantings!). She particularly enjoyed the beautiful field of daffs that have sprung up in Regents Park (see pic).

Love to all xx

A Stroll in Hyde Park and an Aston Villa Beanie

Little Maddie has had a busy couple of weeks. She has been everywhere from the Portabello Markets in Notting Hill, to Soho Square to visit my work colleagues, to Hyde Park for a stroll in the spring sunshine. The poor little lass had to endure her 3rd session of immunisation needles this week... she was terribly brave (I think I cried more than she did!).

The blossoms and daffodils are making an appearance which means that spring has officially sprung (thank God... winter in London seems terribly long!).

Maddie is a healthy, happy, beautiful little soul and is growing as fast as her hair is falling out. Our little girl really is as bald as a badger and her cheeks are getting cubbier and cuter by the minute! I have tried to save the little lady from being dressed up in Aston Villa outfits, but her father insists that wearing claret and blue is simply part of being a Nicholls (take a look at the little beanie that Nanna Nicholls knitted). Oh well, she'll just have to develop a fabulous personality to compensate!

Love to you all xxx

An Arvo at the Pub...

Our little baldie spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at the pub with her mates Simon, Nattie, Howie and Barnie. She had a marvellous time being passed from pillar to post (lots of cuddling and smooching). I have become quite comfortable getting my knockers out in just about any setting. Naturally, after mummy has had a few quiet bevvies, Maddie reverts to the bottle to keep her going. She seemed to really love the pub... we can't work out who she inherited that from!

Maddie is getting stronger and more vocal every day. She happily lies on her mini mink (courtesy of her Granny Rozzi Roo) singing, chirping and chatting to herself. She makes us smile sooooo much and as her personality starts to peep out, it looks like she is going to be quite a character.

Love to all xxxx

Snow, Boys and a Bumbo Seat!

Winter has finally kicked in and we have had a couple of days of quite heavy snow (see pic of our back garden). Very exciting to watch out the window, but a little bit difficult to negotiate the sidewalk sludge with a baby buggy.

Maddie and I have made lots of great mates through her baby massage class and our week days now seem to be packed with long walks, lovely lunches and coffee dates. The truth is that Maddie sleeps through most of these outings, but I am having a smashing time! All I can say is thank goodness I am not Britney spears because the papparazzi would have got a cracking photo of me in a Japanese restaurant last Wednesday breast feeding Maddie with a beer in hand (don't worry mum, I only had 2 beers)!

We have had lots of lovely visitors in the past week including two little chaps called Archie and Luka. Maddie was quite taken with the boys as you can see from these pics.

The little lady seems to get more gorgeous every day. She is reaching out to play with toys and can almost support herself enough to sit up without the help of mum or dad. Our lovely friends Pam and Mike gave her a fantastic 'Bumbo' seat that helps her sit up straight (see pic) and she seems to love the independence of being upright! Nothing like seeing the world from your very own 'Bumbo' seat!

Lots of love to one and all xxx

12 Weeks - Time to Celebrate

Maddie is officially 12 weeks old today. She seems to get more beautiful every day (although we may be a little biased)!

A lovely girl that owns one of the agencies I work with at Fox popped in with some gorgeous 'Maddie' cupcakes to celebrate. Obviously Maddie is a little too young to enjoy the cupcakes at this stage, so the adults are helping her out by knocking them off! Looks like I had better increase the workouts for at least the next week!

Here are the latest snaps of the little minx!

Lots of love xxx

Baby Massage and our First Night Out!

Maddie and I have started our baby massage classes and she is absolutely loving it. During the first class she managed to belt out an enormous burp as I was introducing us to the group and then proceeded to do a spectacular poo as soon as I took her nappy off to start the massage! I guess she wanted to make an impact and be remembered! The wonderful thing about baby massage is that she sleeps like a log after she has had her rub down. There's nothing quite as lovely as a contented, chilled out bubba.

Simes and I had our first night out without Maddie last Saturday. Richard Fearn (old Fearny!) was kind enough to ask us to join him to celebrate his mum's 60th birthday. It was a truly spectacular evening. The party was held in a very grand art deco ballroom at Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square. The dinner was amazing, the company was fantastic and being the 70's kids that we are, we all got a kick out of the Abba Cover band that entertained the guests. Simon and Nattie looked after little Maddie while we were out celebrating and when we got back to their house just after midnight she was as happy as Larry. They are truly amazing friends and Maddie loves hanging out with them. She particularly likes their giant plasma screen TV (I think her love of TV comes from her father!).

We have a busy week ahead with lots of visitors popping in. We have also joined an exercise group called 'pushy mothers', which pretty much involves a gaggle of mums pushing their babes around Queens Park and doing all sorts of odd exercises to help shift their jelly bellies!

Until next time, lots of love and keep smiling xxx

Regents Park via Abbey Rd

Happy New year. Maddie and I have been lucky enough to have Simon at home with us over the last three weeks and it has been brilliant. We have enjoyed long walks around Maida Vale, Notting Hill, St Johns Wood and Regents Park. Here are a couple of picks of Simon walking Maddie across the famous Abbey Rd zebra crossing (kind of like the famous Beatles shot - I did say 'kind of'!). There are also a couple of pics of us chilling at home.

Maddie is starting to get out of her little jump suits and road testing some of the beautiful clothes that she was given for Christmas. Huge thanks to all her incredibly generous friends and rellies. We are hugely appreciative for all your kindness.

Maddie and I start Baby Massage Classes next week. Should be good fun to meet some other mums and babies in the area. We are also getting into post natal yoga ... gotta get plugged into the mumma / baby network. At the moment, her only friends are drunk adults!

Here's to a brilliant 2007.

Lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxx