A little update

So I am one of the worst possible bloggers that existed. I don't update regularly, I forget to respond to comments and most of the time I write about dreary topics like death and bad friends. Still, in case anyone wondered, here's an updat of what I've been up to lately.

1. Going back to natural - This seems to be a trend now, but already in the year 2000, I cut my hair off and kept it all natural for 11 years. After 3 years of sporadically relaxing my hair, I'm going back again! I'd love to say I'll report on my progress here, but knowing the bad blogger I am, I won't make any such promises.
2. Getting ready for school - Not me, but Em just turned 6 (yes, 6!) and is starting school next term. This seems to mean a lot more mental preparation for me than for her. My baby's all grown up!
3. Making my home homelier - In September last year we moved to a much bigger space. We're enjoying it, but it takes time to fill a bigger space than one's had before and make it cosy. Next project: a photo wall!
4. Beach 2015 - I don't know what happened, but suddenly I've only been to the gym once in the last 7 months. That all ends on Thursday when I intend to become a gym bunny for life!
5. My next career move - My girls' night in on Friday might just be the beginning of a new successful venture and I feel excited! 

Half full

I have had an absolutely lovely Christmas, I hope you have too. Unfortunately, I'm not at the computer where I stored my pictures so a full account will come later.

I have always known I am a positive person. Despite my sometimes cynic nature, I have a "glass half full" mentality and often repeat the mantra "PMA", or "positive mental attitude".

Nowhere was that more clear than yesterday, in the kitchen. After a marathon cleaning, I had just gotten the mop ready when Em's horrid cough lead to her throwing up, all over the kitchen floor. My thought? "I'm so lucky she did it before I mopped the floor".

Then, forty minutes later, when I had finished all my mopping, she came back, to the same spot and threw up two more times. Whilst I wiped up the worst of it, all I was thinking was: "Aren't I lucky that I still have the mop and bucket standing there all ready to go".

Now how's that for positive mental attitude! (And an insight into parenthood for those of you who are not there yet...)

Introduction to potty training.

I usually let Em run around without a nappy for a bit every day to air her little botty, it just feels a bit cruel that this little person should have to wear a nappy 24 hours a day. Also, I read somewhere that children who go diaperless are pottytrained faster. This evening, she was running around, no nappy in sight, being a little busybody, when my mum - who had been taking care of her all day whilst Virgo and I were in business meetings - said "She still hasn't pooed today". We continued doing what we were doing, watching TV, on the internet, eating dinner when suddenly I catch something happening. Almost seeing it in slowmotion, I watched in horror as a solid, soft, brown mass fell between Em's legs on to the marble tiles.

"Poo, poo, poo!", I heard mysef yelling as the next few minutes turned into what looked like a well choreographed farce. I threw myself over the newly bought toilet roll, ripping of the plastic as fast as I could, as my mum tried to identify any other defacated areas (there were four in total) and Virgo simultaneously picked Em up, took her to the bathroom and washed her down.

All this took place in a matter of about 90 seconds after which we all got back to normal as if nothing ever happened. Well, it's good to know what to expect in the next few months when potty training begins!

Under lock & key

I've been feeling a bit down for the past few days, so down I haven't been able to write. Why? Since Sunday I've been under house arrest. No, this has nothing to do with my political convictions or profession, but rather I made the mistake of leaving my car key on the sofa. Saturday morning, in the corner of my eye, I caught Em playing with it and when I went to take it from her a few minutes later, it was nowhere to be found. We searched as much as we could that morning, but in order to make it to the Homowo celebrations (more on that later), we gave up. Em's car seat was in my car, but luckily, since one of the doors is a bit shifty, I was able to break my way in, unlock the car doors and get her seat out.

After a lovely Saturday that ended too late for key searching, I went to bed and woke up Sunday morning with new energy to look for the key. Every sofa cushion was turned over, I crawled around the floor looking underneath all the furniture, checked any boxes, bags, pots, ANYTHING, that this 17-month old is tall enough to reach into, including her new favourite toy: the toilet brush (nice). Removed all the shoes from the shoe rack and searched through each shoe, thoroughly. Anywhere I'd pass, I'd think 'could the key be here?'.

This routine (i.e. search the sofa, floor, shoes, boxes, etc.) continued on Monday and Tuesday. By Tuesday afternoon I had opened up and refolded all the laundry, checked unused cassette and VHS compartments, emptied all handbags and changing bag, before I finally gave up.

Then I thought, let me check the night stand one last time. On my way there i glanced at the bed and realised there was a tiny gap between the mattress and the bedframe. Need I say more? Of course, that is where I found the key to my teeny, tiny Tata! I swear, I can't remember the last time I felt so jump-up-and-down, screaming-at-the-top-of-my-voice happy!

Suddenly I could feel the joy I should have felt at noon after completing three agreements long before my deadlines. The key-finding energy lasted all the way til that evening, where I pushed away all tired feelings and headed onto the Tema Motorway for la Baselette's cosy birthday celebrations in Accra.

Although this morning I am still on a slight high, somehow I can't stop myself from looking around, for a key I have already found!

Fimbles & Flu

Days, weeks, months are flying by and I don't know if it's me, old age or 2010 that really is racing by? So many things happening at once but somehow in their own time. Last week started out filled with meetings, work, appointments and crisscrossing all over Accra. Of course the reward for that was getting stuck in the mother of all traffic at the end of the week, just making it in time to the doctor's before closing, only to be diagnosed with a respiratory infection (is that a fancy word for the flu?)

Spent the weekend resting, recovering and socialising. Halfway through recovery I managed another day of work, appointments and meetings yesterday. I was close to completing some very important work when I realised Em had a fever. So that meant pushing aside any feverish, drowsy feelings of my own, working hard last night and this morning, to finally be able to send of the important document by 10am. That way, I've been able to spend all day nursing my little darling who only wants to drink water, be carried by her mama and watch the Fimbles.

(Image borrowed from here)

As I walk her up and down the corridor, hoping she'll fall asleep and sleep off her flu, I don't know whether it's my own flu or thoughts that are making me dizzy, trying to figure out how we are almost in August.

And when do mothers go on holiday???

Bits of my baby

Quite a few times I've been asked to show pictures of my darling daughter. I haven't yet. I'd love to show her off to the world as she's the most wonderful thing I've ever seen, but at the same time I am an intensely private person (I know what you're thinking, why keep a blog then?). I don't want to display too much of her and later regret it, but whilst I debate whether or not she'll visually be a part of this blog (and of course, ask Virgo what he thinks), I'll leave you with some of the best bits:

All she got from her mama was her nose (and possibly lips, we're not sure yet).


Eyes that follow me EVERYWHERE


I hope I never forget these chubby little hands...


...or feet

Motherhood and travelling.

My life in Sweden is about to come to an end. Towards the end of the week baby M and I will be leaving our birth country, heading for rainier pastures. As a first time mother, I'm a bit anxious about this. Sweden is an extremely baby friendly country. Because of the fantastic parental leave opportunities (yes, parental rather than maternity, as father's also go on paid leave) the whole country has been adapted for mother, father, baby & pushchair. Everywhere you'll find a lift, ramp or side road to be used as an alternative to a staircase. And here in Gothenburg I have not yet seen the rumoured "no pushchairs allowed" signs that apparently have popped up in Stockholm.

So naturally, public breastfeeding is accepted and you'd rather be considered the odd one out if you have anything against it. But as we now head to London for a while, I am bit concerned about how breastfeeding and baby handling will be perceived. From my days at Starbucks, I know it's a baby-friendly place, but I can't remember seeing pushchair on the Underground or experiencing anyone being nice and helpful to a new mother (like me!)

I know that in Ghana I'll be fine. If I feel too embarassed to breastfeed (why would I, considering my own boob juice observations) in public, I am never too far away from my car and as long as the AC is working we should be cool in every sense of the word. But for London, I think I'll have to purchase a "privacy" blanket to shield myself with so I'll never have to experience of someone yelling "put ´em away!". For now let me focus on an even more difficult task: how to fit four months of living in my 20kg baggage allowance.

Do you have any advice in life with a baby in London?