Magic words

I think my glue ear is getting better, I am talking lots more and even saying short sentences.

Mami and papi are so proud and I'm just excited to be hearing new sounds!

I can hear the keys in the door when papi gets home
I hear the music on mami's computer when she logs in
I can hear my teacher call my name at nursery
I can hear the ducks quacking at the park
I can hear the neighbours dog barking outside

I always could hear something but it wasn't very clear. Now I am repeating lots of words that mami says and trying  to pronounce them right. I am still having a hard time with that, I just can't properly say certain words.

But I have learned two very magical words: por favor (please) and gracias (thank you).

When I say them, mami's eyes light up and she smiles at me. Even if I've been naughty, she softens up and most of the time I get what I ask for.

Magic I tell you, M-A-G-I-C!

I think all grownups should try saying these magic words and don't forget to include a smile.

You will be amazed at how they work, I say them every chance I get!

Review: The Wizard of Oz

Superbreak and The London Theatre Guide invited mami to see the The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium (that's the name of the theatre).

Mami and papi loved the show and were surprised at just how good it was. I heard there is a dog in it too!

The story is about Dorothy and her dog Toto who are transported from their home in Kansas to a magical place called Oz. Along the way, they meet a Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion who help Dorothy and Toto along the yellow brick road.

Mami had seen the movie, but she admitted that it wasn't her favourite. How could she not like it, it sounds so exciting!

However, being the theatre lover that she is, she could not pass up the opportunity to see the Andrew Lloyd Weber production of The Wizard of Oz on stage.

She loves musicals, enjoys the costumes, the props, looking at the faces in the background, and seeing how it all comes alive right before her eyes.

Both mami AND papi were blown away at just how modern and colourful the setting and the characters were. Papi is not a big fan of musicals, but he kept looking over at mami and saying "it's really, really good".

Dorothy, is played by Danielle Hope who is winner of TV's Over The Rainbow. Mami said her singing voice was superb and her American accent was spot on. Thank goodness for that! I know mami would not have enjoyed the show otherwise.

Another well-known actor from the Phantom of the Opera named Michael Crawford plays the role of The Wizard. He got lots and lots of applause.

Mami said the humour was up to date and modern and the best one liners came from the cowardly Lion. She never ever thought this would be a funny show, but the Lion, Tin Man and the Scarecrow certainly had the audience in stitches.

Having been part of his high school band, papi focused on the orchestra. The musical score was "beautiful" he said and each character had their own special tune.

The chorus was upbeat and happy and Dorothy's rendition of "Over the Rainbow" was even better than mami remembered from the movie.

I want to meet him!

Now for the best part of all, there was a REAL dog on stage!

Yes! Mami said the true star of the show was Toto!

She said he was the best stage dog she has ever seen (not that she has seen many) and that Toto had absolute poise and immaculate timing.

He stayed seated, he didn't mind being held and he even ran off on cue! She said she wished I was that well behaved...yeah right mami, keep dreaming.

I wish I could meet Toto. We have a lot in common, he's a blogger like me. Check out Toto's Corner!

Mami and papi say this is a "must see musical" and hopefully next time they take me.

Now go and book your tickets!

Mami's marathon report

Uh oh. Bad week for mami. I didn't see her go run once. Or go to the gym.

As a matter of fact, she came home from work when I was in bed so I guess she had lots to do at her office. She is being sponsored by Nestle Pure Life for the London Marathon and she knows she had better get running or else!

But yesterday despite the cold rain, mami got up and got ready to go for a run. And papi was dressed in his running clothes too! I thought great, we are all going together. After all I have my special running buggy.

But then the doorbell rang and my friend and babysitter Sharon had come over! Yesssssss!

Two hours later, mami and papi came back home, cold, sweaty, and compleley wet! Mami looked miserable. Turns out she couldn't find her hat and gloves before the run so she paid for it big time.

Papi didn't look so bad, he had taken his hat and gloves.

However, even though she didn't train this week, she did complete her two hours. She has been drinking lots of agua, especially with the special delivery we had this week.

Even I'm drinking some of it!

So Karen, I hope you are proud of her!

Tip of the week:

Buy proper running shoes. No point in training if you are hurting your feet and legs in bad shoes.

Mami recently bought herself  pair of Asics Gel 1160. She says they are like running on pillows and have made running more more enjoyable.

Papi and I are on her case. She knows she has to run this week to be ready to go for the Silverstone Half Marathon and we will make sure she gets it done.

After all, a full marathon is 26.2 miles!

Ouch!!

Guess what? After hurting my finger yesterday at nursery my teacher put a band-aid (or plaster as she calls it) on my finger!

I've never had to wear one of these, but she put it over my cut and it stayed in place. I walked around very carefully making sure my band-aid and finger didn't touch anything. I didn't want it to fall off.

When mami came to pick me up, I walked right over to her and showed her my band-aid and said "cool" (that's a new word I learned recently).

Later, when papi got home I ran to the door and showed him my finger. And because I wanted to be cuddled, especially after cutting my finger, I asked daddy to give me my milk just like a baby.

Hey, sometimes you just want that extra attention. I mean, mami does it all the time!

Coffee anyone??

Mami loves coffee. I mean, really loves coffee.

I have a feeling she likes it as much as I like milk.

I've never tried the drink but I know her mornings are not complete unless she has a cup and then has a few more throughout the day.

I can't blame her, we all have something we can't live without. For me its my milk and tete (dummy) and for mami it's her coffee and iPhone.

Well, someone must be keeping close tabs on us, because the coffee people Douwe Egberts sent mami their new ground coffee product Douwe Egberts Aromettes that launched yesterday exclusively at Tesco.

What makes them different is that they are individually pressed servings of ground coffee. They have been compressed into the shape of a coffee bean and have the taste and aroma locked in. You can use one aromette for each cup of coffee.

Easy!

You can use it in a filter coffee machine like we have or in the cafetiere, which we also have.

There are two different kind : Smooth (that's number 3) and Intense (number 5).

Mami went straight for the number 5 - Intense.

She even has a cup of coffee before going for a run to give her "an extra boost".

Now you can try these too!

One lucky winner will win two tins of Douwe Egberts Aromettes AND a £50 voucher to Tesco (that's where they are sold)

So what are you waiting for? I know how much all of you mamas love your coffee!

Here's what you have to do:

Follow @DouweEgbertsUK on twitter

Follow our blog or mami on twitter (take your pick) @verybusymama

Leave us a comment saying "Show me the coffee!" and how best to contact you

For an extra entry you can tweet:

Show me the coffee! I want to win Aromettes and £50 Tesco voucher with @verybusymama and @DouweEgbertsUK  http://ow.ly/3WFrM

One entry per person

UK only

Ends Tuesday 1st of March
Winner chosen at random based on entry requirements

Prize sent out within 30 days

Buena suerte!

I'm just like mami!

I don't know why people still think mami is my nanny.

I mean we are so alike!

And what mami feels, I feel.

When she laughs, I laugh.

When she is upset, I get upset too.

When she hugs and kisses me, I give her a hug and kiss too (well, sometimes)

Don't believe me? Check look at the pictures!

Happy LOVE day mami.

Te quiero mucho!

P.S. that's a dinosaur on my face!

Mami and Dove Visible Effects

Holaaaaaa! It's been a week or of non-stop action.

Nursery is getting serious now, gone are the good old days of running around and playing with toys.

Now I actually have to pay attention.

I have to count to 10, learn colours, learn different shapes and repeat new words. They are even trying to teach me something called French. It can be overwhelming you know.

And mami, well, she says she is "all over the place" with work and well, mostly work. Oh, and training for the London marathon, running makes her extra tired.

Anyway, I'm here now and mami has asked me to do a special giveaway for all you mamas out there.

Dove sent mami their new visible effects body lotion and hand cream to try out. I'm sure that if I have dry skin during the winter, that grown ups do too.

It's a new formula that provides "supreme moisture" because it works and nourishes every layer of your skin and making your skin look really nice.

Mami has been using it a lot on her legs and elbows because she says those areas are the most dry. Just like me! (but I have my own lotions)

So far so good and it smells good too!

Mami likes it and since we like to share what we like, Dove has given us both the body lotion and the hand cream to give to one lucky winner - and it's really easy to enter.

This is what you have to do:

1. Give Dove a like on their Facebook page

2. Leave us a comment saying you have done so and a quick hello!

And if you want an extra entry you can tweet:

Say NO to dry skin! Win Dove Visible Effects with @verybusymama and Little M http://bit.ly/hHPJRk

(you will have to leave me a comment to tell me you have tweeted)

And that's it!

One entry per person

UK only

Ends Friday 25th February 8.00pm

Winner selected at random if No 1 & 2 are complete

And of course, buena suerte!

You cheered us up!

Some days are harder than others, you know the pressure of going to nursery, having to play all day, sing the loudest, dance the best. You get the idea.

And for mami too, being tired, having lots of work and all those grown up problems she seems to talk about.

But then the smallest gestures of kindness from others can cheer you right up!

1st thing that cheered us up

A few days before turning two, I got a card from "a fan". Yes, really that's how she signed the card. Well, I know her, she's Diane, mami's friend, a Style and Arbonne consultant, but still it made us laugh. She sent me card wishing me a happy birthday, now how cool is that?

Thank you Diane you really cheered me up!

2nd thing that cheered us up

Antonella from Living Abroad always stops by my blog to say hi and to see what mami and I are up to. She also knew it was my birthday and a few days later I got some very special gifts from her.

Antonella, you really cheered mami and me up and we are so grateful that you thought of us. We hope we can meet you in person some day.

Besos!

3rd thing that cheered us up

After losing the tops to mami's swiggies, you know, the water bottles that strap to your wrists, Louise from Swiggies UK not only sent her a new pair, but I got my very own kid sized swiggies! Hers are purple and mine are green.

Very, very cool!

4th thing that cheered us up

In one day we received a big box with yummy cupcakes and special honey from Rowse Honey AND a pint glass from Make Mine Milk to take the milk challenge. I tell you, the fastest way to a bloggers heart really is through their tummies.

Thanks for thinking of us!

5th thing that cheered mami up

However, the second way to mami's heart is through makeup and "girl things". So when the nice people at Montagne Jeunesse sent mami a love day, or "Valentine's" day package with a few goodies, including some fruit tasting lip gloss mami was beaming with happiness (and fruitiness).

Thanks for cheering her up - she needed a pick me up.

And the final thing that REALLY cheered us up

Now this one really took us by surprise, the girls at Azaria PR sent mami and I...wait for it...a Bloggy Brilliant Award in the form of a cookie! Not only do they like my blog but I can eat my award too! It really doesn't get any better than this.

But before I eat it, I took a picture to remember it.

That's me with my cookie award!

I hope it tastes as good as it looks. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the team at Azaria for thinking of mami and me.

You most certainly cheered us right up.

I'm off to take a nap now, but I'll be back soon!