Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware that cartoons and TV do not substitute a mother’s love and attention, but Cartoons have helped me out of a tight scrape more than once!

Because of working in animation, my husband and I might be overly concerned about what our 2-year-old is watching. Movies like “A Bug’s Life” are cutely animated and have a great storyline but are actually quite scary, (and the “grasshopper nightmare” for children even as old as four has become a known phenomenon). So maybe I am being overly protective, but I have been really careful about what my daughter is allowed to watch.

It has also been really hard to find a cartoon that is suitable for a 2-year-old and also well animated and designed, call me an animation snob…

A cartoon that our 2-year-old particularly loves is called “Pocoyo”. It centres around a little boy called Pocoyo and his friends, Ellie the elephant and Pato the duck. The stories are very simple but really engaging and cute. So cute in fact that I actually like to sit and watch them too! The English version is narrated by Stephen Fry, who, I reckon, has one of the best voices on English TV.
Check it out: Pocoyo

-Emilie in Paris

Some babies sleep through the night from 6 weeks onwards. Some babies (really, I’ve heard about these babies!) even sleep through the night from birth!! Most babies eventually sleep through the night from the moment solids are introduced.

My babies are not like that. My first baby didn’t sleep through the night until she was nearing her first birthday. Yes, we have routines. Yes, we stopped breastfeeding. Yes, we tried the Gina Ford method. Yes, we tried controlled crying. We even tried uncontrolled *&*# crying. But she steadily woke up for her bottle at 5 in the morning (to thankfully go back to sleep again until 8)!
Baby number 2 proves to be even worse. With all the moving going on, he basically got used to co-sleeping (with a self-serving milk restaurant lying right next to him)!
Now that we have moved into our new apartment, we have finally managed to get him off the breast and in his own bed,  but he still wakes up at least twice every night (he’s nearly 10 months old, for the record)! Sigh.

Yesterday, he stuffed himself with dinner, and after his bath, he completely emptied a big bottle of formula. Promising, I thought! However, the moment I put him down in his (clean) bed he starting coughing so badly that he threw up his entire dinner and milk!  Poor little guy. (Thankfully, I’d been lazy and gave him a ready-made jar for dinner – how I hate my children to either not like my home cooked meals, or, less their fault but still painful, throw it all up)!
After changing both the baby and the bed, I am ashamed to say that I was so knackered that I put the exhausted baby down without offering him a second bottle of milk. He went to sleep without complaining and I went to look for a big glass of wine to prepare myself for yet another interrupted night…

Do you recognize that feeling of waking up at 8 in the morning, wondering what the hell is wrong? Wondering why you are spooning with your husband? Wondering where that little creature is who is usually steeling your pillow? Wondering if you really didn’t wake up at all?  Sending your husband to your baby’s bedroom, to check if he is still alive???
LAST NIGHT, MY BABY SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. After throwing up his entire dinner. It’s a wonderful world…

xxx
Esther in Amsterdam

Believe it or not, my 2.5-year-old son cannot blow his nose! Whenever he has a stuffy nose he inhales instead of blowing out, making things even worse. And often, when he is down with a cold,  I’m woken up at night by a very loud “I cannot breathe!”

It’s for this reason that I’m very grateful to the inventor of a very smart piece of equipment: the Narhinel nasal aspirator.  It’s a tube which has a mouthpiece at one end (for mummy) and a disposable mucus reservoir with an anatomic tip to put in the nose (with a filter that prevents mucus from going up the tube) at the other. My son does not love it, but it does the job brilliantly!

And we can all go back to sleep!

-Michela in Milan

Yesterday we ended a very successful Christmas dinner with a ‘Scropino’. I’d never heard of it before, but it is basically a grown-up smoothie – extremely yummy and easy to make!

3 scoops lemon sorbet

1 shot vodka

150 ml champagne

Mix it up, serve, and enjoy!

xxx

Esther in Amsterdam

It’s funny how I can really hate the cold, dark winters in London, but not be so bothered by them when I am “home” for the holidays ( all cozied up in a big house with a fire)! I love sitting around in my pajamas, listening to Christmas music and watching the rain splash against the windows (I’m in rainy Seattle, after all).

And of course, nothing makes sitting inside more enjoyable than a big plate of Christmas sugar cookies on the counter!  Every single year at this time we make these cookies (frosted in red, white and green colors), and every year they disappear off the counter more quickly than anything else!  These cookies are a tried ‘n true favorite.  They are one of my favorite things about Christmas (and fun to make with your kids).

Here is the recipe…

Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 3/8 cup of butter
• 3/8 cup of shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Mix thoroughly the shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Blend in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, (or you can stick it in the freezer to speed it up a bit. It just needs to be nice and cold when you roll it out and make your shapes)!

Roll dough out to 1/8 an inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes (Christmas trees, stars, bells, Santas, reindeer), and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes at 400°F (until very light brown).

Icing for cookies:

• one box of powdered (icing) sugar
• 2 tablespoons (or so) of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• food coloring (red and green)

That’s it- so easy and soooooo yummy!! 

I also make them on Valentine’s Day (cute pink hearts) and for Baby Showers. They are always a huge hit. Try them- you will see….

Merry Christmas!

-Courtney in London

……the mountain will come to Paris.
This is exactly what has happened in front of the Hotel de Ville in the 4th.  An ice skating rink and sledge lane have been erected in front of the town hall, and taking into account the sub-zero temperatures here in Paris, you might as well be in Chamonix. The sledges (or sled lanes) are only for kids under 12 and everyone gets a 10 min turn. Kids under 6 need to be accompanied, (but watching the parents going down the lane, it really did not seem like a chore). There is also a merry-go-round which my daughter loved even more than the sledge.
And the best thing of all: It’s free.

This alpine entertainment will be around ’til the 9th of March, so there is plenty of time to go and enjoy yourself.

Happy sledding!

– Emilie in Paris

Who doesn’t love Miffy? My daughter surely adores her! Dick Bruna created this little rabbit in 1955 and by now her stories have been translated to more than 40 languages! Did you know Miffy has her own website? It’s great to explore with children: there is an audio book, animation, music, games, and more! There are also links to a variety of webshops: the books are great and I can also recommend the DVDs!

Last weekend we decided to treat our children to a little trip to ‘Miffy’s House’ (a.k.a. the Dick Bruna House). The house is located in Utrecht, a beautiful city about a half-an-hour drive or train ride from Amsterdam. It was brilliant! My 2 1/2-year-old had the time of her life exploring the museum. There’s a real (kid’s scale) house where children can sit at Miffy’s table, try her bed, test her clothes, etc. There are interactive computer games, videos to watch, books to read, big elements to play with, and more.
My 10-month-old loved crawling through the tunnel (with real windows and curtains) and checking out the displays of Dick Bruna’s characters. There is also a workshop where they can make Miffy masks, ears and dolls. I liked seeing Dick Bruna’s other graphic work (posters and book covers), by which I was very impressed! The shop has a fantastic selection of Miffy books and toys, and ships internationally!

xxx
 Esther in Amsterdam

So… we have crossed the big pond and survived the 9-hour flight to Seattle (where we will be spending the first half of our holiday).  We are all settled in and cozy, (despite our 4 a.m. wake-ups), and are adjusting to things here in the States…

…like huge grocery stores with hundreds of options, big vehicles on wide streets, loads of space, and anything you want whenever you want it (I’ve seen more “open 24 hours” signs in the past few days than I’ve ever seen in Europe)!  There is really no limit to what you can find here, and how easily you can find it.

This is why I am always stumped to find that there are actually a few of my favorite European things that you can not find here in this ”land of plenty” (nor find a suitable alternative)… like my Beaba Baby Cook!

For mothers who prefer to cook their own baby food (which, let’s be honest, I only do about half of the time),  the Baby Cook is a must-have. It steams your food and then purees it (all in the same container).  Easy Peasy!

Beaba, (which is French, I think) also makes handy little containers for freezing the food. Plop the containers of frozen food into the Babycook and it will defrost and reheat as well.

It’s brilliant. What do these American moms do without it? Make a mess of their kitchens with dirty pots, steamers, and blenders?  I should start importing these…

p.s. I love their baby spoons too. They are the perfect shape, made with soft silicone for sensitive gums, and have nice long handles.

-Courtney in London

While my husband thinks I have too many handbags,  I own way fewer than I would actually like to. (Husbands don’t really get the whole handbag-per-season idea)!  Still I do not switch bags very often because of the hassle of moving all my paraphernalia from one to the other.

Now I might have found the solution: VIP (very intelligent pockets) by Tintamar.

Nine pockets to help you find all your things with your eyes closed. All in a stylish and hard-wearing material that’s washable in soapy water. You move it from one bag to the other, making bag change quick and stress-free. They come in many colours and have a business version (larger, to fit in briefcases) and a men’s one too.  Another excuse to buy a new handbag!

-Michela in Milan

The French “joie de vivre” is well documented, and French women are also known for taking good care of their bodies.  But I have to say that when I first heard about state subsidized “re-education” of a certain part of the female anatomy after giving birth, I could not believe it.

But believe me girls, it’s true……

Here is an article in the New York Times I read describing the phenomenon of making mothers “as good as new.”

– Emilie in Paris

I have tried to deny it for a while, but I recently celebrated another birthday and here is the truth: I am definitely (way) over thirty now.

So.

Since my late teenage years I have always, without thinking and without a complaint, used the Clinique 3-step skincare range. Only in the mornings of course – in the evenings I was usually way to lazy (or drunk) to do much more than brush my teeth and take the pill (or 2, just in case). So for over a decade, during my usual morning shower (in Holland we generally shower in the morning; baths are evening occasions) I ritually washed my face with the Clinique Facial Soap ( which used to come in a bar in a clumsy drawer-like case and was thankfully changed into an easier-to-use liquid soap with pump). After, I would use the Clarifying Lotion, and lastly the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (which used to come in beautiful, real frosted glass bottles but were regrettably changed into plastic ones). Easy as 1,2,3.

Lately, however, I’ve been having the feeling that my skin has somehow changed; it has become a bit dryer (especially around the eyes) and tighter maybe. This is when I started to count my years and ouch – were these maybe the first signs of aging skin?
I decided I needed to change my skincare (no time to loose!!). I needed something richer! Unfortunately, the latter doesn’t reflect my financial situation so here I am – on a quest for affordable, easy-to-use skincare products suitable for 30+ skin.

Any recommendations (30+ or not!)?? I could use some help!

In the meantime I can share with you these two discoveries that I have made in the cleansers section:
Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil. Fantastic for evenings!! It’s an oil that is massaged in the skin, then ‘loosened’ with a little water and finally rinsed off with plenty of water.
For mornings, I like Shu Uemura’s Foaming Cleansing Water. It’s great for when you’re in a hurry or dealing with screaming children and have no time for a shower (it happens). It’s refreshing, has a beautiful scent, and is easy to use because it is applied without water and foams on the skin. Rinse off with water.

In Amsterdam Shu Uemura products can only be bought at Magna Plaza. In the UK I know Space NK sells it, and in the states you can buy it online, (much cheaper as always), sigh…

P.S. Courtney shared a little secret with me: the Shu Uemura eyelash curler is the absolute best!

xxx
-Esther in Amsterdam

Ever since that blasted day at French Class when my wallet was stolen, we have stopped going to class. (I hate that mall).  Sadly, my son really misses it.  And the few French words he knows are not doing much for him these days (unless, of course, he wants to ask for a raisin…)

Thankfully, as I was surfing one of my favorite sites, Cool Mom Picks, I came across the perfect solution:  foreign language DVDs for your kids!   The Little Pim videos are designed for babies and toddlers. (Apparently kids under the age of 6 are most capable of soaking up different languages).   Their unique method combines immersion and repetition with animation (a cute little panda named Pim), and images of children engaged in everyday activities.  The videos are now available in French, Spanish and Mandarin, but nine additional languages are soon to be released (including Enlgish- which, I thought, would be good for your Italian, Dutch and French-speaking children)!

I just bought the Little Pim: Playtime DVD in French, which promises to teach my son more than 60 new French words!
Much easier than dragging my 2 children to French class every Wednesday, (and cheaper too)!

Oh- and it’s an American company (think $$$s), but they ship worldwide! 

-Courtney in London

thanks Cool Moms!

We all know that dressing a newborn can be tricky! That’s why side-snap bodysuits are so useful. Unfortunately not all the brands have them in their range, they can be quite expensive, and your baby may only wear them for a few weeks (newborn size especially). On the other hand, if you buy cheaper ones they may not even last this little time.

At H&M you don’t have to compromise! They sell side-snap bodysuits in packs of two for 7.99 euros. One is solid colour, the other is stripy and they come in pastel colours: blue, pink, green and yellow. Good quality cotton that can be washed at 60°! What more do we want for those first few weeks?

-Michela in Milan

I married my husband out of love, not because of the country he comes from, as it is possibly the most unpractical country to travel to from Europe: New Zealand.
New Zealand certainly has a lot of advantages, namely it is 30 degrees there at the moment (not 2 degrees as in Paris), and the New Zealanders were the original inventor of the Ugg boot!  They also host important cultural events like the international gum boot throwing competition and the world famous golden shears championship!
I am actually really looking forward to being in New Zealand. It is the getting there with the 2-year-old toddler that fills me with dread. How do you keep a 2-year-old happy and quiet for a 24-hour flight there and back??

We are going to take the obvious lap-top with a stack of DVDs with us. A friend of mine recommended not giving her a single big Christmas present but multiple small ones and wrapping them individually. They can then be brought out at hourly intervals and you can fill at least a couple of minutes with the toddler unwrapping the present, admiring it (hopefully) and playing with it, before it gets discarded.
If anyone has any other great tips, please let me know…..

  – Emilie in Paris

Well, this proves that there is a lot to write about beanbags. (The third post already)! Though these ones aren’t for sitting on…

I bought these 12 tiny beanbags in NY about two years ago and they are a favourite in my family. The baby loves the different colors, texture and feel of them (they are filled with little rice grains). My 2-year-old loves stacking them (and tumbling them down, of course). I like making funny little guys or animals out of them. And we really like the way they look too! They are called Kushies Zolo Beanstax, and easily available in the US (unfortunately difficult to find in Europe, but this  American store, Babesta, ships to Europe – and stocks more of the cute Zolo range)!

-Esther in Amsterdam