A ‘first period’ box, to prepare for the first menstruation

Slowly but steadily I’m getting the news of Sara’s friends getting their first period. Between the age of 11 and 13 it will most likely take place. (Of course some girls are younger, and some are older.) Sara is not there yet, but it might not be that long now!

Do you remember getting your first period? For me, it wasn’t a big event — my mum just smiled and handed me a sanitary pad, and that was it. A little later, a friend showed me how to use tampons and I’ve never looked back!

I want Sara to be more prepared for when it happens, so I thought it would be cute to get her a box of ‘period necessities’. I also included a few other treats to make it all fun. Getting your period is not a big deal, but at the same time it totally is! It’s a step in the transition from girl to woman, it’s a big change, and on the other hand, it’s something so incredibly normal to all women. It should be totally discussable, acceptable and even celebrated!

Here’s what I put in the box:

• a range of organic tampons and sanitary pads in different absorbencies (from MyFreda and Yoni)
• lavender bags for a relaxing bath
• lavender essential oil to use in a diffuser in her room (also relaxing, and calming)
• a cute box of herbal tea with honey straws
• a bar of her favourite chocolate : )
• a little ’emergency’ pouch for in her school backpack, with a few tampons, pads and some sanitary wipes. I also included a few painkillers, in case she suddenly gets cramps.

When I gave her the box, she was so excited! She immediately put the emergency pouch in her backpack and told me she already had been worrying about what would happen if her period would start at school. It was a good opportunity to explain a thing or two about pads and tampons, how to use them and what to do if you leak, etc. (She had been talking with her friends about this too, who already are having their periods.) It was also a good time again to explain more in depth about the uterus and the monthly cycle, about cramps and tender breasts and hormones and mood swings. Thankfully Sara is very comfortable with her body and she knows that she can always come to me with questions.

It’s a safe feeling for her (and me!) to know that we are now prepared for her first period, and that there are a few treats waiting for when it happens : ).

xxx Esther

PS If you’re curious about the box — this is just a box I found in our trash and decorated myself with an illustration I found in (last year’s?) Flow for paperlovers…

PPS Some sweet gifts for a girl who just had her first period. These would be cute to include too!

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The ACE hotel London — fun, cool and family-friendly

The ACE hotel London is conveniently located in Shoreditch, one of London’s hippest and most creative urban neighbourhoods, with all sorts of trendy galleries, restaurants and shops right on your doorstep. (Check out our guide for Shoreditch here!) The ACE hotel itself reflects the creativity of its surrounding area. The lounge is always filled with hipsters, working on their fancy laptops and drinking their fancy coffee or smoothie from the ACE café. It’s all just very, very cool.

We’ve now stayed in the ACE hotel London twice, with all four of our kids. It’s been a huge success both times. You might not immediately think that such a hipster hotel is a very family friendly environment… But it totally is!

We love the ‘Super de luxe double double room’. We’ve requested the specific one with a daybed in front of the window. The ACE staff is always easy and eager to accommodate: they will just make the daybed into two extra beds, so we can share this room the six of us. Which by itself, the kids LOVE! Then, there’s a table, a luxurious bathroom with bath, and, perhaps the funnest part of this room, a cool turntable with a collection of vintage vinyl!!

Downstairs, the restaurant is conveniently opened all day and has a yummy menu including some good choices for children. They provide cute colouring books and masks and the atmosphere is easy and laid back.

The ACE hotel London really is an experience by itself, but also a great base to explore London. There’s public transport (busses and overground train) in close proximity. If you would like to leave this fun neighbourhood at all, that is!

xxx Esther

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Merci Maman — prettiest hand engraved, personalised necklaces

I don’t tend to wear a lot of jewellery, I actually don’t even have pierced ears! Every piece of jewellery I do own has some sentimental value. A little trinket bought on a holiday, or a present for a special occasion. Possibly not worth much, but very valuable to me nonetheless.

For our 10 year anniversary Esther, Courtney and I received a gift from the lovely brand Merci Maman. They are so special! A necklace with a little plaque that has 3 little xxx engraved on it, representing the 3 of us and the letter X in roman script. Super cute, right? And it is something we will always treasure, as it is a great memento of the adventure we embarked on together, ten years ago.

Merci Maman was founded 10 years ago (just like Babyccino!) by Beatrice, a French mom living in London. She started out engraving at her kitchen table, but now leads a team of 30. I love this story and the spirit behind it. Each plaque is unique, and has been hand-engraved with a personal message. Traditionally children in France received a gold plaque for their birthday or baptism, with the specific date engraved on it. I love this modern interpretation of this tradition.

Emilie x

PS Many Thanks to Little Kin Photography for taking the lovely photos at our anniversary party last December!

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Walnut Shell Animals, such a sweet craft to do with the kids!

My daughter is going to Steiner (Waldorf) School and every year in November there is Martinsmarkt, which is a special 2-day event with different kinds of activities held in almost all the classrooms. And all families participate. Last year we had to either buy or create little treasures for the Fishing Game. They had to be small enough to fit into tiny sacks that were then caught with “fishing rods”.

So this is how I came up with this idea of making different cute animals from all the walnut shells laying around our house and they turned out much better than I first feared! These are also, just like all my crafts, very easy to make too, they do take a tiny bit more drying time though.

So, what you need is:
– Halved walnut shells
– Paint
– Sealer
– Paintbrushes

First I paint all the shells white, so the final colors are more intense. You can do this once or twice. Do wait until the first color is dry before applying the second layer.

After the white paint dries to the touch (it takes about half an hour or not even that much) I paint them with their primary colors (ladybugs – red, hedgehogs – brown, bees – yellow etc.). I do this two times and wait in-between until they are dry again. Now, with three or even four layers of color it’s better to wait a couple of hours for them to dry completely. Ok, one hour if you’re impatient like I am.

And finally, the real fun begins! Drawing their faces, noses, eyes, stripes, dots, tails… Again, after drawing the face wait for them to dry and then go to eyes and everything else.
Now let them rest over the night and then use a sealer if you wish (spray is the best, because some paint tend to smudge when applying the sealer with a brush; please trust my word, I have learned the hard way!). I used a sealer on the ladybug and the bee, not on the hedgehog – you can see the difference. Also, the sealer makes them much more resilient to the kids’ play; it makes them live longer.

Aren’t they super cute? They are played with in our house all the time. I’m even thinking about making them into brooches, has anyone any idea how could I do that? I thought about maybe filling them with paper clay and then knead the pin into it or glue on, but I’m worried clay might fall out… Does anyone have a better suggestion?

Polona xx

PS Painting rocks!

***

You can follow Polona on Instagram or visit her online boutique Baby Jungle shop!

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The Secret Society of Letter Writers, by Master Boddington

The Secret Society of Letter Writers (S.S.L.W.)… If something sparks the imagination of a ten-year-old, it is Secrets and Societies! A while ago, I brought home a little card from the ShopUp in New York, inviting the reader (in this case Pim) to join the S.S.L.W. The Secret Society of Letter Writers strives ‘to honour and protect the hand-written letter’. The aim is to entice members (children) to re-discover the hand-written note, doing so by sending out regular post with ‘important news, secret messages, letter writing projects, pen pals and the club’s annual Who’s Who’. So fun!

Pim sent the application card back, and it wasn’t long before the first mail for him started to arrive from New York. A cool membership card with a pledge to honour the hand-written letter (to be signed), a form for a pen pal search… Plus a card enticing him to start writing his own notes or letters (with bullet points to cross off for each handwritten card).

After a few days a personal, handwritten note arrived from the S.S.L.W., and now Pim was intrigued. That afternoon, he wrote two notes to his two best friends. And after a few days, he got his first reply! It is so cool to get old-fashioned, handwritten mail! He has now sat down to write a letter to his grandfather, who I know will take the effort to write a proper letter back. It is so cute to see him discover how fun it is to have a written conversation. The anticipation of waiting for an answer to come… The excitement of finding a letter that has arrived just for you!

The S.S.L.W. can be joined for free here. Such a great initiative! And don’t forget to check out Mr. Boddingtons amazing stationary line. I’m a big fan!

xxx Esther

PS I love these beautiful custom return address stamps.

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Deliciously Ella — plant-based food in delis across London

There are now three Deliciously Ella delis across London, all serving delicious and wholesome, plant-based food and drinks.  We visited the Weighhouse Street Deli, which is located on a quiet corner just off busy Oxford Street, and it was the perfect spot to grab a healthy meal away from the crowds whilst in central London.

There’s much to be said about the bright and cheerful space and pretty decor, but it is truly the food that is most remarkable.  Made from entirely plant-based foods, the menu is vast, offering everything from cold-pressed juices and turmeric lattes (made with coconut milk, of course), to Thai curries and five-bean chillis served with rustic cornbread drizzled in garlic cashew cream. And don’t even get us started about the desserts! We tried a selection of different meals and loved them all. (You can view their menu online, which is a good idea so you avoid standing at the deli counter for ages trying to choose from all the good options, like we may have done!)

The delis are open 7 days a week — the perfect place to grab a quick and healthy breakfast, lunch or afternoon snack. And while you’re there, you can pick up a copy of Ella’s wonderful cookbooks, which come recommended by us as well.

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My New Years Resolutions 2018

I actually had completely forgotten to make New Years resolutions until I read Esther’s post earlier this week! It inspired me, so I decided to write down my very own resolutions and share them with you.

I am totally aware that some of these ideas will fall by the wayside (see above photo where I had resolved to becoming a skater, which was not that successful), but as a friend of mine always says: “start as you mean to go on!”. So I want to start the year at least with all my good intentions — and then see how I go. So here is my list in no particular order…

Run:

One of my main resolution is to be able to run 10K by this summer. I think it is a realistic goal, but I am not at all a sporty person, so I need to force myself into my running shoes. I am an enthusiastic shopper of shoes and the relevant accessories, but the actual action has up to now not been my thing. But I really want to give it a go this year!

Adventures:

I want to get out of the house more and have adventures. Between moving flats and life and everything, we have stopped vagabonding around as much as we used to. And we miss it. I don’t mean only big adventures (though we are going to head off to South Africa in February, which I am beyond excited about). Little trips, to catch up with friends and family. We have the wonderful chance to live in Europe and be able to jump on a train and, in a couple of hours, we can be in a totally different country. It is so easy to procrastinate, but getting out and about is one of the things that makes us happier then anything.

Mindfulness:

I have had a bit of a hard 2017 and have lost a few people very close to me. I want to stop rushing all the time and start living in the moment and appreciating what I have. We are a a really lucky family and I know that I often forget that.

Recycling:

A hard thing to do in a city like Paris. I read that France is one of the worst countries in Europe when it comes to recycling. How terrible is that?! I am going to do my hardest and possibly get a little worry for my balcony – I will report back on that!

Friendships:

My friends are scattered across the world and it is so easy to lose contact, and yet one of the big advantages of social media is that it is so easy to stay in touch. I recently received a couple of old photos from a good night at college from a friend I have not spoken to in a year. There was not even a message, but it was so sweet that she had come across the photos and thought of me! So I want to remember to send a quick message to someone when I think of them. Not a long email, but a quick message.

Emilie

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