We've done it!

Well, we've done it now. The house is "on the market."
I am 80% sure we are making the right decision. I love NZ, but timing and fate seems to be telling us to head back home.
Things happen for a reason, eh?
I've been homesick for a while now, and with Maya's arrival family has become immensely important to me. The thought of her growing up not knowing her grandparents, aunties, cousins... well, to be frank it breaks my heart.
My nightmare pregnancy brought home to us both just how far away we are. Things got quite serious there for a while, and my poor hubby could have ended up here alone with both Maya and me in ICU (or worse). Its at least 30 hours, and $3000 for anyone to get here. Hideous - it doesn't bare thinking about.
So, check it out: http://www.nz.open2view.com/Property/187329?key=ad4256453fffe19ac373&search_id=6346429

Any interest?

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Europachic! Thanks hun.
The rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog
2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others that you like and tell why.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post. (I don't know 7 people so have tagged 3)

OK, my song choices are....

1, Guns and Roses Paradise City - the ultimate housework song. If I need to do a major spring clean I put on the "gunners"
2, Pina Collada ( I think its Rupert Holmes) I can't help but dance to this one, and I love the cheesy lyrics - so easy to sing along to
3, Land of Hope and Glory, or the official title - Pomp and Circumstance. This brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it. I get goosebumps. I love Last Night of the Proms for this song alone.
4, Its a Kind of Magic - Queen. This song sadly reminds me of work, and an amazing conference I went to. It was played everytime we needed some motivation.... and it worked. (I think it was a bit of a cult conference - along the lines of Tony Robbins!) Now when I hear it I still feel inspired to "WoW my customers"
5, Poi e - The Patea Maori Group. Unless you are a Kiwi, you won't get this one... but I encourage you to Youtube it. Its a fab song with a totally awful video. However, it was created by a group of people to raise money and awareness for their plight when the whole town was made redundant when the local industry closed its doors. Very catchy, and quite inspiring. Unfortunately, the town is a real ghost town now.

The 3 people I now tag

One Fabulous Mom
The Persuader
Get Artsy, Mama

Hunting for style

To accomplish my mission of reinstating my fashion sense and becoming a yummy mummy, I have treated myself to a nappy bag. Its the Skip*Hop Duo, and I love it.

Look at this yummy mummy. I'll look just like her soon - except with bigger bazoombas!

Skip*Hop are fab - I love this:

I'd like it for eating off myself, never mind for when Maya starts eating.

A Kiwi sense of style

I set off on my daily walk today. Its about 15 minutes into the city - I follow the river route and cross quite a high bridge, so it can get pretty windy. I wore my slouch jeans, a lovely merino wool sweater and my gortex walking shoes. In a hurry as my wee girl was screaming blue murder, I threw on my purple pashmina, black snowboard jacket, my black wool beret, black leather gloves and my CK large frame prescription sunglasses. Ran out the house pushing the stealth bomber style buggy, and thought "success" ( I had managed to put on some bronzer with my mascara today!)
It was only as I reached the town and passed the bank with the mirrored windows that I realised I looked like a French assasin from a James Bond movie! All be it, quite a stylee one, but certainly not the yummy mummy I aspire to be.
When did my fashion sense dissolve? I think it has been a gradual process since moving to NZ. I have become a bonafide Kiwi!
My hubby is far worse. I looked across at him tonight.... What an icon. I so need the fab five from Queer Eye to come give him a makeover. He was wearing: Camoflage 3/4 shorts, dark brown ugg boots, a black and blue merino longsleeve thermal (known over here as the polyprop) and his old England Rugby t-shirt, which was covered in paint and baby sick! Oh dear.... it is a worry. Our daughter is the best dressed out of the 3 of us. I must go on a shopping spree now that I am back to my pre-baby weight.

2 minute makeover

I love make-up.

A couple of years ago I was seeking a passion in life - and decided that make-up was it. My lovely hubby bought me the Bobbi Brown vanity case, and I treated myself to some brushes. Every month I would set out on my pilgramage to the Mecca that is the MAC counter and splurge on an eye shadow. I was the proverbial kid in the candy store.

Personal fovourites: Viva Glam VI lipstick, and Bobbi Brown Bone eyeshadow. Item I can't live without.... YSL Touche Eclat- what else?

So how am I coping at the moment? With a new baby I just about have time to brush my teeth in a morning, never mind sit for 20 minutes painting my face.

Thank goodness for post natal hormones thats all I can say. My skin has never been better. I do not have a pimple to cover. And that is huge for me after a lifetime of acne (2 times on Roaccutane!)

That aside, I am desperate to get into some sort of routine that allows me to "get some slap on" just for the sake of it. I am missing the pampering, the preening and the feeling of looking in the mirror and seeing someone a little bit different from yesterday.

My current 2 minute make-over comprises of mascara and Purelan nipple cream (I've discovered this is the best lipgloss in the world - it beats Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream hands down!)

My passion has been sparked again this afternoon when I discovered that Bobbi has created personalised palletes. She is selling individual square eyeshadows and blushes which slot nicely into a sleek pallete with mirror. I am coveting.... http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/whatsnew/wn_getpersonal.tmpl Favouries look to be Slate, Steel, Smoke and Navy. However, I may have to plan a trip into the city next week to check them out in the flesh, so to speak. I wonder if I could schedule a make-over in between feeds?

Seven perfect hours

A very quick blog to express my excitement...

My baby girl slept for 7 hours through the night!!!!

Oh yes, for the first time in ages I do not feel like a complete zombie. Heaven.

I blame it on Greys Anatomy

A medical question;
Since having Maya, Doctors now appear to have a golden sheen. Why is this?

Is there some hormone produced during pregnancy that makes the medical profession more attractive? Is the sleep deprivation causing medical related hallucinations? Or is it the pure emotion of motherhood?

It started with my anaesthetist. Laying on the operating table, I was laying back and thinking of England (although, of course not in a sexual way) My life was literally in other peoples hands. As my blood pressure dropped, my vision faded, tongue swelled and jaw froze I looked up into my saviors eyes. Never mind McDreamy - he was McWonderful. He may have used drugs and oxygen to bring me back, but in my mind, he used his big blue eyes and bedside manner to save me.

Then came the South African midwife who gave me my little girl to hold. This was after multiple doses of morphine and a sugar laden ice lolly.... so you can understand when I say she had a halo and a golden aura.

The Irish paediatrician who looked after Maya was the gentlest, kindest, most caring....the list goes on. Doctors that take care of children are extremely special, and those that look after babies practically walk on water. McIrish was young, wore plaid shirts and glasses of circa 1995.... but my heart skipped beats when he walked in the room. Although perhaps that was because he made the decision on when we could go home.

Finally, on Wednesday a visit to the GP. This guy confirmed our pregancy last September. I remember leaving his office thinking "he was nice." He is late 30's, with hair in need of a haircut. Looks slightly like Martin Clunes without the ears. But on Wednesday I came out with a vision of Martin Clunes playing an iconic figure - Gladiator perhaps. (Oh, imagine that. Martin Clunes instead of Russell Crowe - would it have won any Oscars? I think not!)

Is it that these people now play a different role in my life, or is it the role of the medical drama? Did it start with George Clooney and I am only now seeing the light? Whatever it is, long may it continue. We have an appointment with the osteopath today... I wonder if he has the same effect...