he can be so determined

We thought we would wander around London today, just like tourists do. Babycake has fallen asleep slumped over the pram. He fought us every time we tried to settle him back into the seat. London is great, by the way. We have been to Covent Garden Market and wandered down Regents Street. Very nice.

merry christmas everyone

I thought I would take a moment out of my busy day to wish you all a merry Christmas. I was going to post a picture of the glorious sunrise from McMuffin Mansions this morning, but the weather and the view is sh*t. Here is a pretty picture of a Scottish sunrise instead. Hope you all have a lovely day.

still more spots

Our GP surgery is pretty good and we got an appointment straight away for Babycake this morning. It turns out that he does have chickenpox and as both my parents are quite elderly and my poor Mum had shingles only two years ago, they and Babycake can't be together for the next fortnight. This rather spoils our family Christmas and we're still trying to work out how to salvage some of our plans.

Babycake is still very chirpy and energetic, but we've stocked up on calamine lotion and the essential drugs, just in case. We know that he needs to be isolated and Mr McMuffin is having a panic attack over the idea of not being able to go out shopping or for coffee during the day. I think we should make the boy wear a little NBC suit, but I can't imagine he'd put on such an item willingly, when he has screaming fits over putting his socks on. So there it is, Merry Christmas to one and all...

spots

Babycake has now developed red spots on his trunk and they're beginning to creep onto his legs and face. He seems perfectly happy and healthy other than this, but I'm a bit worried that he might have chickenpox and spread the lurgy to the rest of the Christmas celebrants. I was fortunate enough to have had chickenpox so mildly as a child, that my Mum swore blind I'd never had it until the results of my pregnancy blood tests confirmed that I had had the virus, so I suspect it doesn't follow that the boy will be sick with it.

Anyway, it's quite exciting bathing him at the moment, as we're not sure what new blemishes and rashes we might find. Babycake seems to find our interest quite flattering and this evening he proudly held his top up for Ms Ginger Cake to inspect his spots. She thought they were chickenpox like, so I suppose time will tell if the poor lad is going to get another illness so soon after the last.

auf wiedersehen, berlin...see you in summer

Berlin was really too cold to be hospitable and even though the Christmas markets and the wonderful tree in KaDaWe made the icy wind feel almost festive, we just weren't really prepared for it. After we spent the first day freezing, we got the hang of putting on about twenty extra layers and stopped for coffee more regularly. Rock Cake and Gypsy Tart coped a lot better, but I just seemed to be unable to warm up properly.

Anyway, I liked what I saw of Berlin and will definitely go back...in the summer. Babycake seemed to enjoy himself, despite starting off the holiday a little unwell with hand, foot and mouth disease (which I then caught). However, he didn't quite grasp that the ratio of adults responding to his little toddler charms was lower in Germany than every other country we've visited and including the UK. The warmth of response was the same, but Babycake seemed a little puzzled by his poor hit rate.

We got back in the small hours of Friday and I just about managed to get to a meeting at work, my Babycake alarm clock having failed to go off at the usual time. I've rushed around frantically since then and I've only got to shop for Mr McMuffin and then I'm done with Christmas. I just cannot be arsed to do any more than I have and that includes sending Christmas cards. I think I'll make a donation to World Vision of the amount I would have spent and feel virtuous rather than lazy. Bone idle and smug with it!

babycake's new toy

For some reason Babycake has decided that my willy is his new toy. He has made a grab for it a couple of times as I was getting dressed. It gets better. As I was brushing my teeth I suddenly felt his little hands, with their baby talons, starting to dig into my bum and then he started kneading it. Very unpleasant I can tell you. A bit like I imagine being flailed with barbed wire might feel. I hope he doesn't make a habit of this.

i forgot mention...

As a little tribute to Germany I decided to change the language on my iPhone to German. I don't understand a word of it but fortunately I have more or less memorised where everything is.

Berlin is great

But very, very cold. We have spent the day wandering around accompanied by that font of knowledge, Mr Rock Cake. Whatever he reads he seems to remember. Saw Checkpoint Charlie and wondered what it must have been like living in East Germany while a few feet away they were living it up in West Germany. Had the most fantastic lunch of little sausages, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. Went down very easily I can tell you. Babycake has been suffering from the cold, but we were able to ignore him and push on with the day, at least until his screams began to bother other people. At that point I began to question the wisdom of having another baby.

By the way, Mr Rock Cake picked a fantastic hotel. It's the Park Inn on Alexanderplatz. It's one of those modern tower block places and doesn't look too inviting, but good design is everything. The room is no bigger than the usual hotel room, but it has been really well designed. Huge windows, glass walled bathroom and tons of storage makes it a delight to stay in. I would certainly recommend it. Oh, and it was cheap. Three nights for £200. Can't say fairer than that.

Mrs McMuffin has taken Babycake upstairs. I am sitting in the hotel bar drinking a beer and posting on my iPhone. Have I mentioned recently how much I love my iPhone?

christmas in Berlin

Imagine our surprise to find not one but two Santas singing Fairytale of NewYork.

berlin berlin so glad they named you twice etc

After a short hop, skip and a jump, we have all arrived safely in Berlin. First thing we did after leaving Mrs McMuffin in our lovely hotel room, more on that later, with the Bairn, was head out to find a beer. It's a civilised country were you can buy a beer at midnight. Looking forward to exploring this fine city.