christmas morning

Introducing...

Darren Neal Wayne Hart

Dec 20, 2012

6 lbs 14 oz (3.115 kg)
20 inches (51 cm)

11:45 pm

The Nutcracker

Taking the girls to a theatre show has been on my list of things to do in London for awhile now and I finally got to fulfill that on Friday afternoon. Months ago I booked front row tickets for the girls and I to go see a matinee showing of The Nutcracker! This particular show was child-friendly so the theatre was filled with little children. It was fantastic.
I love how easy it is to get into Central London via public transport and once again, while looking out the train window, I couldn't help but think how much I'm going to miss being able to do such rad things like this.

The girls were completely entranced the entire time. It would be really hard to be bored when the orchestra is right below us, when you can see every small technical movement of the ballerinas feet, and all those beautiful tutus up close! Natalie kept making comments like, "Oh, I like that girl.", "She is beautiful.", "I love her dress. It is beautiful."

Father Christmas in Canary Wharf

I love where Tim works. Canary Wharf is such a nice place to shop and visit. This year they had some fun activities for the kiddos for the holidays. Cookie decorating, face painting, ornament decorating, and of course, the one and only Father Christmas himself. Thanks to the best Daddy ever for standing in the almost 2 hour queue for us to see Santa whilst we did these other fun Christmas activities! 

Natalie asked Father Christmas for a "cupcake" and Marisa asked for a "princess pony wedding castle." It was cute. And Natalie was in heaven with her red lipstick. She is just a tad bit obsessed with make-up these days.

38 weeks

38 weeks!

The next picture of me you will see will be of me and my baby boy in arms!

Baby has turned from posterior to anterior, whew. 

No more back pain or anxiety over delivering a posterior baby.

I have had two nights in a row where I wake up thinking my water broke.

On the 3rd night Dad woke up suddenly thinking my water broke.

Just a waiting game now.

Oh baby, how I daydream of your little face everyday!

Winter Wonderland

Last year we went all out with everything Christmas in London. We saw Father Christmas no less than 5 times, which included the Harrod's Father Christmas experience, I walked through the streets of Bond and Oxford for Christmas shopping, and we visited Central London for numerous activities which of course included Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.
This year, because of baby, we decided to pick one Santa experience that we liked best to do again and add different, fewer, smaller scale London Christmas experiences.
First on our list this year, Winter Wonderland yesterday again.

Ok, Winter Wonderland is definitely not a smaller scale London Christmas experience but Tim and I agree that it is the best Santa. Plus, Winter Wonderland is flat out a must.
This year they expanded the place and it was phenomenal. More rides, more food, more markets, it was fantastic. We didn't get there early like we did last year to see Father Christmas like we wanted to, but don't worry, we plan on seeing him this Saturday in Canary Wharf. Hopefully he is a decent Santa. So instead the girls did nothing but ride rides after rides in Hyde Park. And what is a trip to the city without sweets?

Funny story: At the end of our outing we had two tickets left for the girls to ride a final ride. Marisa chose the mini roller coaster ride. At this point Natalie was a little out of it, hungry, tired, and wanting her Mama. We kept telling her one last ride and then we were going to go get lunch. She was really hesitant to get on the ride when it came time to do so but Tim just picked up both girls and strapped them in and walked away. The ride is basically a figure 8, only 2 times around, and not really "scary". Well, poor Natalie was bawling the entire time! As parents we were laughing, I felt a little sad for her, but Natalie was obviously not having it.
Afterwards she was crying hysterically to me saying it was scary and that she wanted me with her, then Marisa starts crying saying it was scary to her too, (even though the entire time she was laughing and yelling). I think she was just having a sympathy cry with her sister.

Before the ride: (Natalie a little out of it. Marisa happy.)

During the ride: (Natalie's face was actually much worse than this.)

I wish I had an after picture. It would be a picture of me on my knees holding and consoling each girl in my arms. That was how our day out ended. Both our children crying. haha Merry Christmas!

The funniest bit is that Natalie held a grudge against Tim the rest of the day. haha She would not look at him, she did not want him sitting next to her on the tube, and every time Daddy tried to talk to her she would quickly snap her head the opposite direction and completely give him the cold shoulder. haha She was so mad at him!

Tim said it was good for her and that he would do it again. :) Oh dad....

Merry Christmas 2012!

I have been on top of things for the holidays this year. I usually am regardless, but with the baby coming days before Christmas day, I am forced to be more than on my "A" game.

I took our Christmas pictures this year in October for our Christmas cards that were ready in early November and they have been sent out today!

You would think that getting two older kids to smile or stay a little more focused would be a little easier, but nope, after 10 minutes, they were both over it. Especially the three year old. Gotta love 'em!

writer of the week

In the beginning, whenever you asked Marisa what she liked least about school she would yell out, "Writing!"
Marisa came home yesterday saying that two kids in her class were chosen to be writer of the week but that she didn't get chosen.  Knowing that writing has been a challenge for her I encouraged her that someday her hard work would pay off and that she would get chosen to be writer of the week. She wasn't discouraged by the other kids being chosen at all but it was cute to see that she had complete confidence in herself that it would happen too.

Well, today, as we walked home from school she pulled out a surprise for me and was completely estatic!!!

And so was I! Way to go Marisa! I'm SO proud of you. I know writing has not come easy for you but you are catching up and doing so well! Hurray!