Agia Napa was chosen as the perfect location to spend time on our own. Georgie, it was decided, would spend a whole week with his grandparents in the mountains. Two more days than the time we flew to Brussels, which meant I was dreading the separation anxiety attack. Oddly, it never came. Perhaps because I knew he was within distance therefore could see him if I felt like it- and of course, assuming I was willing to drive for three hours. On the third day we did just that. We visited him for the day, which completely threw him off because that evening, after we had left, he threw a couple of tantrums and wouldn’t settle down after his bath. With good reason though. Seven days is a long time to be away from my child. I began feeling anxious, guilty and depressed last night, before we picked him up. I had enjoyed myself thoroughly and was so very proud of finishing two books while lazying around on the beach and snorkeling… but-excuse the pun- I was like a fish out of water. But somehow I managed to do exactly what I wanted to do. It was truly a relaxing time spent with good friends and nights out. Candlelight dinners and late evening departures from the beach. Boutique hotels and long chats.Movies at midnight and Oreos! …to papa! Would you believe me if i told you THIS kept me going all day? Probably my favorite part of the whole week. Now let’s get back to business. . . easier said than done.
beach
Life has been good this past week. We headed to the mountains on Sunday, where Georgie will also be spending a week with his grandparents while mummy and papa get some alone time. We found a gorgeous tavern sitting on a mountaintop complete with a treehouse and really good food. I think it’s called Adventure or something. There’s also a paintball field and ice rink. It’s just outside the village of Kyperounda. The next day we went to the beach and stayed there for three days. I’m not kidding. We were at the beach ALL DAY. With the exception of naps and rest, for the most of our little holiday Georgie was covered in sunscreen and sand. Pity I forgot to be so vigilant with myself- I haven’t been sunburnt in years and now I’m heading into my thirties I’m pretty sure signals bad news for my skin. But thankfully, nothing affected us, not even Georgie’s routine being thrown off. My little dude was in a delightful mood and enjoyed everything. From the different types of food he tried for the first time- salmon sashimi and prawn crackers!- to his very first roller coaster ride and carousel ride. And yes, I was the goofy mummy with her iPhone taking pictures and recording videos that I’ll probably never watch because you can’t actually see Georgie.
Right before my little dude got horribly sick, we had enjoyed a windy, yet lovely late afternoon at the beach with my sister and the kids. it’s so hot, only late afternoons here make it bearable being outside. I knew something was brewing when he woke up during the night and then wanted a nap the next morning. As I’ve mentioned before Georgie has stopped napping in the morning so this was odd behavior. By noon he was boiling hot and a quick thermometer incident said it all: 39.8! WTF? I know it’s not that high but it’s still high, you know? Throughout the day he was miserable. Apart from the first moments when the paracetamol would kick in. I am proud to say that Georgie hasn’t needed antibiotics so far- yes, I know I shouldn’t go near them with a bargepole and yes, I just knocked on wood- so giving him Calpol wasn’t something I was comfortable with but I chose that route. What does that say? That I am all for giving my baby all kinds of bullshit? No. I just believe that it kind of eased the pain and kind of worked. And I was ok with that. It was a rough night but we got through it. My little man is kind of special, you see. Having a friend close by helped, I think.
I’ve become a huge fan of Instagram. I might be a bit ‘late’ discovering this amazing app but better late than never, right? With the help of special filters you can upload beautiful pictures, very 70s and very cool, for everyone to admire and take inspiration from. I picked up this rocking babygro at the Werchter Festival and found it complimented my Smurf-coloured toenails, perfectly. I would like to say: Look at my beautiful new maxi dress but I fear Tano and his new ‘haircut’ have stolen my thunder. Papa was supposed to drop him off before we left on our trip, for a shampoo and blowdry. Georgie’s godfather, who was kind enough to take Tano in while we were away, called me that night to tell me that he was convinced the girl at the pet store place gave him the wrong dog. He sent me a picture and papa got an earful. But if I’m being honest, i quite like it. No more long thick dog hairs and he seems happier and lighter. Sushi delivery! It was a Friday ritual for months before Georgie was born and unfortunately it was never picked up again. Until this Friday when it was sushi and movies all the way. Vintage-inspired postcards from Amsterdam. An extract from John Holt’s Learning All The Time, an eye-opening book on how children learn by themselves how to read and write. I haven’t finished it yet. A few months ago I discovered Goodbyn, a cute tupperware style lunch bag. So far I’ve taken it to the beach and the park, many times. Basically it’s perfect for snacks and a light lunch. I’m hoping it will come in handy when Georgie needs one for pre-school.
Need I say ANYTHING! We are experiencing some weird weather conditions. It rained today. I think we’re nearing a tropical climate more and more every year. My really good friend Ilia was on TV this morning demonstrating her ridiculously perfect makeup skills. Woohoo! Georgie playing with his cousin in their new paddling pool. A beautiful breezy day at the beach where we also had some good old fashioned fish and chips with tons of vinegar! Devoured it in a second so no pics. Oops. Yiayia and pappou. Pick n’ Mix. Not really my idea of good fun unless chocolate is involved. Awesome birthday card. Homemade bolognese. Georgie in my dad’s MG. Mia and Oliver. Enjoy your weekend. I’m off to pack……..something is brewing…x