February 2015

February 1, 2015
Mom and I went to High Tea with the Tawney's to Fortnum &Mason. It was very special and such a fun experience! Our high tea selection cost £44, and came with as much tea and food you could eat. Let's just say with our table being HUGE tea fans, we tried just about every black tea on the menu. My favorite was the Black tea with strawberry, mom's favorite was Wedding Breakfast (blended for Kate's wedding) but she liked all her selections. Dad babysat Harvey again...he's going to be a pro real soon!

Lobster omelette...YUM!!!

Deciding on what tea to start with

Scones...now a huge fan of lemon curd and clotted cream

The biggest tea lovers I know

February 3, 2015
4 weeks 6 days old
Harvey had his first doctor visit today. He has a rash on his face from this crazy weather. The GP gave us some cream, so hopefully it works. The prescription was free, but we had to wait 1 hour and 10 minutes to see the GP (yay free health care!). After the doctor we took a bus ride to Westfield Mall. It was a long ride but its easier with the pram (stroller). It was a great place to shop since it was inside and had tons of stores, just like an American mall. We are training Harvey early. Of course we had to get our American fix for lunch at Five Guys! It's about the same cost in £, so a bit expensive...we got burgers, and shared fries for £16 about $30...but so yummy! Check out where the potatoes were from today.

First American restaurant

First Mall trip

February 4, 2015
5 weeks old
Mom, Harvey and I went to Hyde Park. It was very cold but we went early in the day so it only will get colder. We met up with some other American Moms that I met on social media. It was fun to meet the other babies too. On our way to the park we saw the Queen's guards out for a stroll on the horses.

February 5, 2015
5 weeks 1 day old
We went to pick up Josh's dry cleaning so this was the first time out with the pram (stroller) and the dogs! Remy loves her baby so much, she kept checking on him...Cricket on the other hand was walking in front of the pram and is going to get hit with it and be scared for life.

February 6, 2015
5 weeks 2 days old
Harvey has been smiling for awhile now, but I know "people" say its gas. He sees Josh and smiles, we sing in the morning and he smiles. He wakes up in the morning very happy. Today I captured it! Its not the best picture as its early morning but he was so happy and chatty to see Josh since he has been in Amsterdam this week.

Today we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum to view the Wedding dress exhibit. The exhibit has dresses from 1775 to 2014 including many celebrity dresses. We loved seeing the history of how wedding dresses have changed. Admission to the museum is free, but this special exhibit was £12. On the way home I saw this BMW that was covered in jewels. So silly but cool at the same time. I wonder how long this process took...or cost!

February 9-15, 2015
6 weeks old
This week Harvey has his community clinic visit, 6 week GP, and hearing screening. He now weighs 11 lbs. What a big boy. He is doing great! The rash on his face is spreading down his body. It's from the horrible hard water and the dryness due to the cold weather. Poor baby, but we got some different cream to put on it. Harvey had his newborn hearing screening...yes, weird it wasn't done sooner, but he was great and was so chatty I had to pop a bottle in his mouth so he could finish the test in silence. Harvey's passport arrived! Let the trip planning begin!

Maverick Pizza

Mom and I took Harvey to the Westminster Cathedral to talk to the priest about his baptism. It would be such a beautiful experience if we can make it happen. After the priest meeting Mom and I ate at Maverick using the Taste Card. Glad it was half price, we won't be back. Much better pizza out there, but they were very accommodating with our pram (stroller).

Josh has been in Luxembourg this week, and we are happy he is back for Valentine's Day. Mom babysat Harvey while Josh and I went out with the Stones. We ate at Big Easy. I wish I took a picture of my crab bowl, it was great! They have an all you can eat fajitas that we will for sure be back for. After dinner we went to see Kingsman. I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did. I had no clue it took place in London.

Happy Valentine's Day

Josh made breakfast

Loving the play mat

I made a British meal...Shepard's Pie 

Cricket hates the winter cold but loves Harvey's lovies

February 16-22, 2015
7 weeks old
Happy President's Day, Ash Wednesday, Chinese New Year this week! Monday I had a dr. appointment and it was pouring rain all day. We trekked all through the streets with the pram. What a mess! Harvey was snug as a bug, I wish I could ride around the city like him. We took Harvey to Westminster Cathedral for his first mass for Ash Wednesday. Of course he woke up and was starving, even though he ate right before we left. They gave him ashes and a blessing, it was really sweet. The ashes here were different, like a muddy paste. It dried and crumbled off my head. After mass we walked over to one of my favorites, Zizzis and then to M&S for some shopping after.

Ashes

That evening, I attended my first Junior League of London committee meeting. I am on Done in a Day, and we have a big event coming up in March. Harvey came with Granny, and he people watched.

On Friday the Wives Club met for lunch at La Tasca. It was Harvey's first time meeting everyone!

Mary and Harvey

up early on Saturday

Love peek a boo monkey

Sunday was a huge Chinese New Year celebration in China Town. It is the largest celebration in the world outside of China. Mom and I took the tube and got off at Leicester Square Station and it was easy to spot the parade. The parade was a bit unorganized compared to parades in America. There were no gates up so people were getting in the parade path after each float. The police were in front of each float making a path. Mom and I were VERY adventurous and tried a restaurant called Lido (41 Gerrard Street). It was pretty good, we got noodles and prawns (shrimp). When we were walking back to the station we smelled some yummy desserts. Chinatown Bakery was making fresh fish shaped dough with cream in the middle called Tai Yaki...yum!

Excited to leave for Chinatown

Lido

Year of the goat

February 23-March 1, 2015
8 weeks old
This week I participated in the Junior League of London's Little Black dress Initiative. I wore the same black dress for 5 days to raise money for the league while bringing awareness to the homeless and poverty in London. A homeless woman may get a job yet have nothing to wear to work. I have included all my "looks" for the week.

Mom took a Master Tea Class at Twinnings on the Strand. She loved it! She is now a tea expert. It cost £30, but she was the only one in the class so it ended up being a private lesson and she learned so much.

After her class Harvey and I met her at the first Indian restaurant I tried in London (thanks to our friend Lauren Tawney) called Dishoom. My mom was very nervous to try Indian food, but this place isn't the typical curry kind of place. We got grilled prawns (shrimp), veggies, gunpowder potatoes, and the best cheesy naan I have ever had...oh and mom got some tea. She really enjoyed it and maybe changed her mind on Indian food. I was very proud of her for trying it. For dessert we got the mango ice pops...yum! On Mondays they play a dice gambling game, if you roll a 6 your meal is on the house! We rolled a 1, but it was still fun!

My preppy look

Meeting granny for lunch

Yum!

Dessert

Roll a 6!

One of the last adventures on mom's to-do list before she leaves is to visit Westminster Abbey. We went during the week and arrived early to avoid the crowd. There was no line to get in! The tickets cost £20, but mine was free since I live in Westminster. It was an interesting tour, much like the other churches we have visited. Harvey loved the stained glass windows. Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton are 2 of the many big names buried here. No pictures are allowed inside but we did get to walk the aisle like Princess Diana and Kate did at their weddings.

8 weeks

This week Harvey is 8 weeks old so that means his first round of vaccines. I had to do lots of research to be sure we were aligned with the US shots. Harvey was a trooper! He weights 11.5 lbs.

Harvey and the GP

Sad face for a shot

After shots

We read about a place called Smack Deli that is famous for their lobster rolls. We decided to go on Friday for lunch. I got the California roll with lobster chowder. The bread on the roll was delicious! Its right by Oxford Circus so a great place to get lunch after some shopping. We also picked up the pictures from Harvey's newborn shoot. Mom's knee was hurting her so we got a black cab home. It was Harvey's first taxi ride! The driver was very nice and took the pram (stroller) in and out of the car for me.

Smack Deli

Harvey & Granny

February 28, 2014
2 Months old

Harvey loves smiling and laughing at silly sounds, playing on his floor gym (and starting to reach!), riding around in his pram (stroller), and he LOVES bath time. He weighs 11lbs 8oz