Nikolai has learned how to kiss. His kisses range from wet French ones (no tongues though) to formal pecks on the cheek! It’s now become our favourite past time.

Another new achievement is lifting a plastic watering can full of water in the bath and pouring it over his tummy! Fun and splashes!

Here is a glimpse of our ‘film-star’: No  cameras, please!

Just an interesting observation - today was the first time I felt like telling Nikolai a bed-time story (he will be 11 months on Wednesday). Somehow, before he did not seem ready/interested in this kind of thing and I did not have the inspiration… But tonight, he got a story and a half with his usual top up of mummy milk before he snoozed off.

And here is a glimpse into an improvised photo shoot we had today with Nikolai after he’d just woke up from his late morning-early afternoon nap… Isn’t he a model in the making? I know - must be a very biased opinion!

I think many mums would agree with me, that the best moment of the day during the week is when the Daddy comes home! So weekends are great, as you get the Daddy all to yourself for two days, but Bank Holidays are the best! For example, today - it’s a Good Friday and Nikolai and I have been getting looked after by our Daddy all day long! And there are three more days like that ahead - yippee!!

Making cuppas, changing nappies, playing with the little one as I get and extra hour of sleep - and these are just a few of the things our Daddy has been busy with today…

Here below Vincent in action with Nikolai snoozing in our favourite Sleepy Nico Baby Carrier.

What every new mother needs is a good Yoga session! Ideally including meditation and breathing exercises, but as a minimum Sun Salutations and Postures. When you are looking after a small baby, there is rarely a moment to yourself, when you can lie down and stretch out or close your eyes and switch off your mind. I went this morning and did just that. I regained my body in this 1.5 hour class. I relaxed in a Child Position, challenged my muscles in a Head Stand, nearly snoozed during the Final Relaxation…

Now every week I look forward to these 1.5 hours of ‘me time’, while Nikolai is at home with his Daddy having breakfast, playing, listening to music and do whatever boys do when Mum is not around…

The class I go to is taught by Kamal, who runs Chaithanya Yoga School

It’s very small, but very friendly! I have mostly enjoyed Pregnancy Yoga, which has prepared me for a wonderful Birth of Nikolai.

Babies are ill so often! It breaks my heart every time Kolya catches one of the million colds flying around. I suppose keeping him indoors will not solve the problem either. He has been ill for more than a week now, going through a bout of croup, painful coughing, runny nose and generally feeling ‘under the weather’…He shared it with us as well, and it took us a while to got over it - must be a tough one!

GET WELL SOON, MY LITTLE MONKEY!