Ready to be Baptized!

Today Andrew, Juliette and I went to Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church off of Kensington High Street to attend a Baptism Preparation Course for Jules. 

It was only and hour and a half, but it was nice to meet some of the other families in the Parish looking to have their new babies baptized as well :) 

We are thinking of having Juliette baptized while we are in the States over Christmas since it's the only time we will for sure be around lots of family for any extended period of time! I hope we can get it all together, but it was kind of exciting completing the course, knowing that we are free to go through with the ceremony! 

4 Months!

My little Angel is 4 months old! Where does the time go? Juliette is now "chatting", playing in her Baby Einstein activity center, able to keep her head up while on her tum tum as long as she wants and kind of half rolls (nothing seems to tempt her to go all the way). She is really starting to enjoy books when we read them together. 

I think this month, we will start looking for more baby friendly activities to get involved in now that she is more curious about the world around her! I hear Monkey Music is quite fun and most likely some swim lessons as the new term starts in November! JJ currently goes to the gym's nursery at least twice a week for an hour each time and we have once every other week play dates with Jaya (a new neighbor friend). Juliette is really starting to become enamored with other older kids!

Here are some pics and video to commemorate her turning 4 months! 

  

Date Night!

Because I am a total freak about not leaving Juliette with a sitter (as anyone we would get to sit her here would be a complete stranger), one of the great things about my mom being here was Andrew and I got not one, but TWO date nights! 

Our first one was last Saturday. It was the perfect opportunity to go to Kitchen W8 - the Michelin star restaurant in our neighborhood. I did my hair, my make up, put on a dress and boots other than uggs! And for a night, it was crazy...it felt like old times, before we were parents! 

The restaurant was deceptively big as it had a relatively small store front. The wallpaper was super modern in a black and gray pattern with green seating and lovely little corner booths for two so Andrew and I could sit next to each other instead of across from each other. We talked all night over a beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir and enjoyed each other's company.  

The food was exceptional, the company amazing, and it was just an overall perfect night! 

Wednesday, the night before my mom left, we also took the opportunity for another date night down the street from W8 at Whit's. Again, we had another exceptional meal, complete me a pop rocks style crackling fondant desert! 

It was these two date nights that really highlighted the importance of taking a little adult time for ourselves to ensure we don't get lost in all the diapers, bottles and baby gear! Guess I will have to get some REALLY good sitter recommendations so I can feel good about leaving the baby for a few hours in the future...

First taste of Disney

Juliette got her first taste of Disney in the form of two Minnie Mouses from my good friend Eileen! 

Eileen and lived together in Baltimore right after college for almost two years! She recently went on a family vacation to Disney world for her nephew's first Disney experience. Yesterday Juliette got a surprise Halloween package with not one, but two Minnie Mouses and some Halloween cookie cutters for me. Why is this a funny Halloween package? Because Eileen HATES Halloween! We used to have to force Eileen to dress up with us! 

It made me very nostalgic to get this for Juliette. And Juliette really loved her Minnie!

 

17 weeks!

Today Juliette is 17 weeks. She is officially 4 months on Thursday, but I took some cute pictures today so I thought I'd do a quick post. 

She is really out of her baby phase it seems. She coos or yells to get my attention constantly, she's incredibly interactive and she's dominating her Baby Einstein activity station this week! 

JJ loves being talked to and almost expects it when you are looking eye to eye. She just started sleeping 8:30 - 9:00 PM until 6:30 - 7:30 AM. That has been the BEST improvement. Although I don't really sleep because I am worried she will need me! I guess me sleeping through the night comes later! 

My mom is here this week as well which has been WONDERFUL! I have taken extra long showers, wandered around the supermarket absentmindedly, gone to the gym in record time... all activities that are done at the speediest of speeds on a daily basis when the babe is with me. And I still have almost three days left of this! 

It's weeks like this that make me really want to move home to be near family and friends because I still refuse to leave her with someone I don't know. 

Here are some cute pics of her from today and over the weekend:

 

Crazy Stage Mom?

With all the positive feedback I get on Juliette's pictures (and from random strangers) I decided to send a few pictures to two well known child modelling agencies here in London - just to see!  I figure we have plenty of time on our hands during the week and a city like London has plenty of fun experiences to offer.

Well, Jules was two for two with contract offers! We went with the bigger of the two agencies - Starfish Models - due to their impressive client list and overall business practice. 

There was a ton of paperwork to go through but it's been completed, note signed from the doctor that she's healthy to work and headshots taken (after several attempts by Andrew and me). Now we just have to wait for her child working license to come through and then we are good to go! 

She may not get offered anything, but it's kind of exciting to think when they get hundreds of applications a week and they only take 10%, that Juliette got chosen! And of course, if she does get work and doesn't like the experience, then we won't continue. 

Here are the headshots we submitted: 

Meeting baby Emilia

On Sunday, the JVM family ventured into the trendy neighborhoods of London to visit the Otremba family's new addition - Emilia! 

For the baby book and her time in London!

Emilia is a little doll baby! Seeing her at 4 weeks makes me realise just how much Juliette has grown! 

Pretty Mama and baby :)

I love her lips!

It was nice to chat with Vale - it had been awhile - and to swatch parenthood stories. It's amazing how everyone's experience is a bit different yet sometimes we do some similar tricks out of desperation to make the babies happy! 

I was very impressed that Valentina and Rob had a lovely food spread (because I can't even get dinner together on my own on a daily basis for my husband, let alone guests!) and how chill the night was with two infants in the room! It definitely makes it easier to go to baby friendly homes because A) they know what it's like to have a baby aka that babies aren't always happy! and B) they have anything you may have forgotten in the journey over. I think I'll feel better going to destination hang outs once I stop breastfeeding, but right now, it's just a lot of hassle. 

Watching Football with their dads

We loved meeting baby Emilia and can't wait for our next play date. It's crazy how different life was just a few short months ago. It's so nice to have friends going through the same life stages as you at the same time!