Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!  Hope this one brings happiness and health to all! 
Willow is 2 days back at nursery.  After such a long break it wasn't easy to prise her off me.  I know she enjoys the time when she is there but it is hard (for both of us) to make the separation!  Nearly all her friends have left and moved to their 'big' schools.  Although not a legal obligation until 5, as in other countries, the majority of parents put their children into school at 3.  Can you believe it?  She is doing really well learning Spanish at her nursery which is international but mostly Spanish speaking.  It's exciting to see her progress.  And besides, she is still on the list for the school we want her to attend in September, St Georges, so fingers crossed till then.

 We have had a downpour this past 2 weeks but Sunday was a day of respite, the sun came out so we made the most of it and enjoyed some outdoor activities...  Tanc and Willow hit some golf balls at the driving range...

 and we took Willow to her favourite stables.  She was delighted to be able to ride Princess Lobada for the first time.  She was a wonderful pony.  Willow insisted on wearing her jodphurs and riding boots that we bought at the car boot sale for 6€, what a bargain. They fit her a little bit better this time... 

I'm really happy with how my bunting for the baby shower turned out.  It's now in Willow's room!

Such a cute pic of Barbara and baby Lana at the baby shower!

The letters are all going in Willow's room too, in process of making the whole alphabet out of cereal boxes!

Willow is very proud of her new riding hat.  Supposed to be a Christmas present!

This is the cake I made for Mikey's birthday party

This is me at 8am in the morning decorating the cake!  Taken by Willow

I so love being mother to Willow.  She is a pure bundle of joy, however cliched that sounds and brings me such happiness.  I am loving her 3 year old self.  I do miss baby Willow though and still try to baby her at times but it's not easy with 1.04m and 18kg! 

An example of her gorgeousness....  I was sitting doing my blog entry (8.30pm) and she called out from the bed that she was finished with her DVD (I told her I would come and lie with her only when she had turned the DVd off).  So I lay next to her in the dark holding her hand and said goodnight precious girl and she giggled and said goodnight precious lady then said let's go to sleep shall we.  5 minutes later she was snoring and I came back to the computer.  Sweet!  I'm afraid I don't do things by the book at bedtime.  I lie next to Willow everynight until she falls asleep.  Mostly this is a short time and to me it's a wonderful peaceful time for both of us.  She can do it without me as proven when we have had a babysitter, but when I'm here it's our routine and I wouldn't change it for the world.

It's quite a luxury for her being an only child, so much attention!  I guess we have to watch that she doesn't get spoilt.  She doesn't appear to be so far.  She has inherited my shyness though.  After 2 years of the same nursery she is still shy every morning with her teachers and friends.  Apparently this doesn't last long!

Hubby and I had a barney of an argument this past weekend with lots of shouting (long overdue!) and poor Willow was in the middle.  Instead of getting upset she was so adorable and sat with me, stroking my head, wiping my face, telling me to drink water and saying it's ok, it's ok.  So adorable!  Although she did stand by me, when I told her to, she went and gave her dad a cuddle to make sure he was ok too.  And then when we kissed and made up she was right in the middle, arms around both our necks!

Thankyou to my wonderful family for my birthday parcel!  It arrived yesterday and was all fab!  I had a lovely birthday lunch on Sunday.  Here are the sweet, well behaved kids, (I'm serious!) they had a ball too!

Weekends

We shared a stand at the Benahavis Car Boot Market on Sunday and sold some Fiesta Fiesta cakes....  I think the girls ate more than we sold!  I was very happy to purchase some jodphurs and riding boots for Miss W, 2 sizes too big but she loves them!  She is going to ask Papa Noel for a riding hat.

Here is Willow earning her keep!

Had a fantastic girls night on Friday night at girlfriends villa as her hubby was away.  She cooked delicious Mexican food and did some killer flower arrangements!  Left at 1.30am and thank goodness we did as I had quite the hangover next morning!

Took my girlfriend to my favourite furniture and accessories shop the other day, El Trastero de Macarena in San Pedro (on the corner opposite McDonalds and next to Salamanca).  It is packed full of fabulous stuff .  She went crazy for it as well.  If you haven't been I thoroughly recommend it.  You need to spend an hour there just browsing (and dreaming!).  The great thing is that they have little everyday bits and pieces as well as large feature pieces.  I bought a cute pink koala for Willow, some rose napkins and a watermelon shaped rubber spatula for making cakes.

Here is Willow and her girlfriends in Puerto Banus.... 

We have decided to meet on a Thursday afternoon so the kids all stay friends as they are all going to different schools now.  OMG it's exhausting when they are all together!  Such excitement!  Notice Willow is prepared for all events in her safety helmet!  (We were actually cycling she's not just eccentric, well maybe a little...)

We stopped at the park behind Polo House after nursery yesterday.  So lovely in the gardens.  I love this bouganvillea in tree form.

Here is Willow wearing the gorgeous headband that her Auntie Claerwen from Melbourne made her for her birthday.  So adorable. 

Here are some arrangements that Claerwen has done in her house.  I just love these.

The weather is so difficult right now, it's so hard to wear the right thing.  Hot and sticky one minute then cold and wet the next.  Reminds me of home in Melbourne actually!  I think this outfit would do the trick...

Juicy Couture Dress, Michael Kors shoes and Alexander Wang bag

(via Net-a-Porter)

I was just doing a few errands in Marbella the other day when I came upon a new little kitchen shop.  Now I love a good kitchen shop and must admit to a bit of a kitchen gadget addiction (my husband too).  So I was so pleased to enter and find all my favourite bits and pieces, inlcuding things that I usually have to buy when I am in the UK or online.  I made a purchase, a cute egg shaped rubber spatula for non-stick pans that I am very happy with.  Speaking with the man in the shop I found they had only been there 3 months and were only an online shop before this.  I told him I was very happy they were now in Marbella and that I would be seeing him again soon!  The shop is called Cuisine Paradiso and is situated just up from the corner on the right hand side of the street running between Ricardo Soriano and the Mercado (before you get to La Pesquera Old Town) Apparently the street is called Calle Huerta Chica.

Gabby's Birthday Party!

One of Willow's best friends is Gabby.  She had her birthday party on the weekend.  Hello Kitty theme...  all the girls are Hello Kitty crazy!   I made her a cake....

Willow was  very impressed!

My Hello Kitty Princess.... she had been looking forward to this party for ages!

Willow and Tiara

Nicola and Tiara have been in the south of France for a month, in Antibes where Livio is working as a Captain on a large boat.  They have just returned home and we went to visit them yesterday.  The girls were very happy to see each other.  It's cute to see how well they play together.  They have always clicked as friends and I am sure it will continue throughout their lives!