Just back from a date out to cinema (courtesy of baby sitting brother here this week).

Been dying to see 'The Kings Speech'. Lived up to all iv heard about it and hoped it would be. It was absolutely 'SPLENDID'! I love a good British film. Our Colin definately deserves that Oscar, still hav'nt bumped into Colin yet, he lives down the road from me, just the other side ofChiswick high st. I'm fed up of hearing my friends say they saw Jude Law, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant (not fussed about the latter!)on Chiswick high st....Need to spend more time aroundChiswick high st me thinks!!

So far iv only bumped into these measly TV faces.......

Above, Adrian Chiles was playing ball with his son in st peters gardens across the road from my house.

Below, James May lives across the road, his local even closer.....

Iv spotted Nigel Havers a couple of times running along the river behind my house....and this lady (below) from Eastenders...don't know her name just know i recognise her from Eastenders! she too was running along the river.

Anthony saw Graham Norton attending a funeral across the road in st peters church....but that's all we got so far in our little neighbourhood.

I shall do a 'star spot' feature when ever i see one. When i first lived in London, i was attending the theatre a lot and saw a TON of them then, goodens too. When I tempt in Harrods I had A-list customers daily.....But these days i don't get out to those kinda places so much...even with Hammersmith Apollo just 5 min's walk from my house! Think of all the famous faces id see if i hung out there more! I guess you have to care......and well I dont.

Happy Birthday William!

You can just about make out 'William' in dried fruit. That's all William would eat off his birthday cake! we haven't given him cake yet so he was a little cautious!

Last Sunday he turned 1. A WHOLE YEAR OLD.

He is strong willed and independent. I worry for the future how many battles we will have....and how many he'll win!!

He often wont let you hold his hand when walking, he wont let you feed him unless he is holding a spoon also within reach of the bowl so he can try and feed himself (very messy). He would rather walk up the stairs with out me behind him, but there is no compromise with this one! He persists until he gets the shape in right with those shape jigsaw things. He (and this one hurts) pushes away from me to get into his cot, no longer will he get sleepy in my arms and let me cuddle him for a bit longer! He shouts with his hands in the air when he wants something and knows things from packets are more exciting food! He fights me off when ever i try to change his nappy...i always win this battle but usually through creative means!

more things he does:

holds the phone up to his ear and pretends to talk,

turns the pages of the book and pretends to read,

copies me when i do my work out DVD- bounces during the squats, lies down with his legs in the air during the floor work, picks up his blocks when i am using the weights!! i love this!

He loves helping us do the laundry, especially shutting the doors, draws and knows what buttons to press on washer/dryer's.He also helps empty the dishwasher and puts things in the bin.

If he finds a cloth he wipes it around.

He sits on his bus and indicates for us to push him...and as we do he goes 'oooh ooooh' like choochoo (train) or 'eeeeeee' like weeeeeeeee!

He plays 'peek-a-boo' when he comes across a curtain or anything that he can hold over his face, is VERY ticklish and loves anything which appears like a game of chase! even if its not he turns it into one!

He loves escaping and going to visit Daddy in his office/shed.

He pushes his cars around the floor, he LOVES music and musical instruments,

He's starting to follow directions quite well and when i dress him, he goes and picks out a pair of socks with out me even telling him to now!.......i ought to nip this in the bud because I'm guessing this is getting boringly long for anyone outside of the family.

What he says:

'wa wa wa' = quack quack quack

'duck' =duck

'duck' = book

'ar' = car

'mumma' = muma

'dada'= dada.

BUT he will not perform on demand! he wont do it if you tell him too!

Iv also started taking him to sing and sign and he's starting to use some of the signs. Its helping with that intense, 'incredible hulk' style, shout he does!

CHEERS 2010! onto 2011....

William's Kiss', 7 months old.

So i took January off......everything felt so busy in the run up to Christmas, come 1st of January I ended up sick AGAIN (how many times can i get the flu?), so Anthony and i decided to take a couple of weeks off life...and i decided i was gunna take it easy this month. No big commitments, no traveling. Just getting my life in order and set for a new year.

When reflecting over 2010, Anthony and I feel that its been the most wonderful year of our lives so far.

And the reason for this came into our lives on the 23rd of January 2010. William. cant believe how much we love him.

We've really enjoyed being a family this year, enjoying marriage and parenthood. A complete contrast from the previous year which, bar my marriage and honeymoon, was the worst year of my life. I know I sound dramatic but lying in bed pukin' for 6 months just ain't my idea of living.

We are feeling excited for 2011, I'm enjoying my evening courses and have TOO MANY ideas whizzing round my head that I want to action this year to make some extra moola.

Anthony has even more ideas whizzing round his head that he wants to try and action, and get the momentum on them going...all surrounding property (of course) in different forms one way or another.

So we just need to get our butts in gear, and get going! Happy 2011..........

Vivian Maier

Cant get enough of this photographer right now. Hope she comes to Tate soon!

I'm totally hooked. spent hours enjoying the quirky details of her photo's and also love how she was discovered (read blog info and watch clip on Dec 22). Typical artist, only discovered after her death.

'.....its what Ive never seen before that I recognise...' - Diane Arbus. (another fave)

WISHANGER CHRISTMAS

Christmas Eve we left to go to Anthony's mum's, and there we enjoyed a White Wishanger house Christmas.

William and Sophia with Grandma Dixon

On Monday 27th we headed up to Colchester for more Dixon cousins, more amazing food and more tearing open of presents. All in all Iv had four Christmas Dinners, several helpings of Christmas pudding and custard, mince pies, cheese and crackers, and we have got through a few boxes of biscuits and chocolates......I'm ready for a post Christmas run!!!!

After all the traveling around, Anthony and I are looking forward to a chilled night in our own cosy flat. We'll bring the new year in with some DVDs and Indian takeaway! are we getting old??? HAPPY NEW YEAR!

KENNY'S CHRISTMAS

On the 17th we traveled up north to Chester for our nephews baptism and the Kenny's Christmas, We had a long weekend of food, gifts, snow and fun. We enjoyed the open fires and marshmallows on the agar. My personal highlight (after Josh's baptism of course), was when all the kiddiwinkles where getting out of the bath, Oliver (age 3) was last to get out finds a floater in the water and handed it to me mum before she had a chance to see what he was handing her! haha!....Turns out William was the culprit!

I know I'm home for Christmas when I see the table laid out with the fine china! love it.

Be sure to dress for the family photo! pj's: a scousers second skin!

We also got to enjoy a fun conversation with Christine who is burning in the heat of Madagascar.

Gotta get this Christmas post out before December is over..... Its been a jam packed month and this year I feel like I have fully taken advantage of the season to be jolly!

Christmas shopping in Westfield (Westfield - aka my lifes great big fat indulgence! I don't even have to buy anythin', just walking around the place is enough!).

William watches the ice skaters.....looking forward to taking him to see Santa in that grotto next year

The Church Christmas party.....William is petrified of all things Santa, Anthony cant even put on THE RED HAT! He starts crying, He HATES Santa!

He just about held it together for this 'authentic' Santa here who pulled his beard down to talk into the mic! It cracked me up, but other mums with Santa believing children were not so impressed. Too many Santa's take their role too lightly, and don't even get me started on skinny Santa's!

(Check out my wrist wear in photo above here).

Wups sorry Anthony, you are clearly not the focus of this pic.

William and Ephpraim.

Santa and Elf.

Santa's little helpers open ALL the display presents under the tree. William then uses the box's as walkers spreading them through out the room.

Making gingerbread houses at the Furbanks turned into a Gingerbread DIY SOS job!