Konstam at the Prince Albert

On Thursday evening Jerry, Alex and I went for dinner and drinks at Konstam at the Prince Albert. A fabulous restaurant, near Kings Cross, that we discovered at the Green Man festival last year. They had a catering stand where we had all of our breakfasts and they made the most sensational porridge, eggs and bacon and lattes. The pictures are from Google.

Easter Card

The Agbo family came to tea the other night and Jean-Charles, Ibolya's Godson, gave us this brilliant Easter card, he'd made us.



Thanks Jean-Charles, we love it! Happy Easter.

Anyu Goes Home

I took Granny (Anyu) Nemeth to Victoria Coach station this morning, to catch her bus back to Hungary.

It's been wonderful having her to stay and we're going to miss her a lot. Especially all the amazing Hungarian food we've been eating.

Ruby Drinks!

Our clever little daughter held a cup (with a little bit of help) and drank water, for the first time on Sunday! Am I going to feel this proud everytime she learns how to do something new?

Saturday

The weekend started with the beautiful view over Vauxhall Bridge, towards Battersea, for post work drinks by the river

On Saturday morning, Ruby and I walked back from our first Father and Baby group at St Mark's, and passed blossoming trees, down Tubbs Road

Our lawn was badly in need of a mow

so the mower came out, for the first time this year

After lunch, Ruby and I had a walk in Roundwood park

and stopped by Tony's ice cream van

for a 99

On the way home, we went to our local Bill Hills and placed Ruby's first bet, an each way punt on Rambling Minster, riding in the Grand National

After some playtime

we realised what a tremendous mullet Ruby has

and watched the Grand National. Mine and Ruby's was pulled up but Ibolya won a tenner!

Early evening, we all went to our first barbecue of the year at Danny and Hollie's

Hamstead Heath Pik-nick

It's April!

What a great month! The daffodils, tulips and magnolia tress are in full bloom, they're mowing the grass in Hyde Park, I can cycle home (and even pop into Sainsbury's) before it gets dark, we're starting a new financial year, have a long Easter break to look forward to and President Obama is in town to save the world.

Claire, Lorena and Vittoriano came over last night for some of Ibolya's Mum's Hungarian home-cooking; a spicy sausage and potato layer bake and two amazingly rich desserts.

Lorena and Vittoriano also brought with them £100 worth of Premium Bonds for Ruby. An immensely generous and kind gift. Thank you both so much.

1st Day of Summer

and the 1st Year Anniversary of our 1st Momentous Day.

It's one year ago today that Ibolya and I sat in our bathroom, at 10.00, on Sunday 30th March 2008, on the first day of Summer, with the sound of church bells, we found out we were expecting a baby.

It was heart stoppingly momentous news and one if the happiest experiences of my life.

I couldn't dare imagine, at that time, that the pregnancy would last, or even conceive that we would be blessed such an astonishing and wondrous little person as Ruby. Nor could have dreamt that 12 months later, each morning, I would have the profound experience of starring into my beautiful daughter's eyes, with mutual wonder and awe, making us both smile and giggle, uncontrollably, at each other.

I felt strongly that I needed to capture these momentous events and record some of the important things that would happen, in the most amazing year of our lives. So this blog is also a year old today. I never thought I'd keep it up and I'm very surprised and very glad I have.

During the last 12 months, Ruby's life has gone from 2 lines on a pregnancy test

to a scan of her as a 12 week old foetus
to tapping her forhead, with her fingers, at 21 weeksto emerging into the world, battered and bruised, after a long struggle to be bornand becoming this adorable little poppett, sucking her thumb for the first time, last weekend.

Weekend Bits and Bobs

Some very quick highlights from our weekend......
Ibolya's Mum's incredible Hungarian cake
and Hungarian chicken escallop with spinach.

On the train with Ruby to Richmond, to meet Sarah and go to.....

the 3rd Hampton Boy Scouts Jumble Sale! Our twice a year ritual, our first with Ruby.

some boy scout knots

We went back to Sarah's (in-between jumble sessions) for a tremendous lunch and met her monkey

and the lovely Daisy, Ibolya and Sarah's boss's dog

On Sunday we went out and about with Ruby and Ibolya's Mum. Ruby wore the hat I love that Helen Riley knitted for her.
Ruby with a magnificent Citroen DS we passed. Officially, my favourite car in the whole world.

Sunday lunch at The Paradise, for a pint

and a roast pork