Let's get this new year started!

Another year gone by...

It started off with me turning two in London and it ends with me bringing in 2012 in our new life in the USA.  

With a new year comes new beginnings and mami, papi and I are ready to GET THIS YEAR STARTED!

Saying goodbye to another year (and going fishing!)

We don't really have resolutions...I mean,  I promise mami everyday I will be a good boy and mami says "she'll be more organised" so it's an ongoing thing.

Anyway, this new year will mostly be about mami finding freelance writing, Social Media and PR work,  papi getting a new job and of course, getting OUR OWN HOME! 

I hope everyone has a great New Year's party tonight and best wishes for 2012.

We could definitely use a fresh start....so here we go!

How do you top this?

Mami has never received such a personal, made especially for her gift as the one my tia Denise gave her this Christmas. 

We are all for home made gifts but this was the ULTIMATE one...

This just blows our pine cones and painted boxes out of the water! 

She was so overwhelmed that for the first time ever she had no words. Imagine that. 

So to my favorite auntie, THANK YOU for this great present and I'm sure you must have *loved* looking at my mami's face for hours and days on end! Ha!

Now can I have a portrait too?? I'd like it to be of me with my dinosaurs, bugs and riding my wagon. Okay?

But really, how can mami top this?

P.S. We would love for you to leave Denise (the artist) your comments. We are thinking of showing you more of her stuff. Gracias!

Trendy Toddler Tuesday

Not to toot my own horn, but I think I'm a pretty stylin' tot. Okay, so mami picks out my clothes but I think she's done a good job so far. 

She always says there are more options for girls (it's true). Any time we go to a store it's mostly pink, polka dots, ruffles and lots of bows everywhere and only a small boys section with not a whole lot to choose from.

So when we do find some really cool clothes, I like to show them off! So I thought I would share with you some of our latest stylish finds (by the way, this is not a review or sponsored post).

So welcome to our Trendy Toddler Tuesday...

Are you checking out my hat? So cool, right?? It LOOKS like I'm wearing headphones! It is from Gap Kids and it keeps my ears nice and warm and I don't have to keep pulling my hat down.

Now, who does my coat remind you of? Take a close look....maybe a certain furry friend? Maybe Paddington...BEAR! Yesssssss! It's my favorite because we have (almost) the same coat. It is also from Gap Kids and mami got it for only $19!

Anyway, there are some sweet after Christmas sales out there, so go out and get some good deals!

Gloves and trousers also from Gap Kids 

Your turn! 

We also want to see what other kids are wearing out there, boys and girls! So if you have a stylish little one, please link up and show us what you got. It doesn't have to be new, just fashion related.

Here's how it works:

It's all about link love!

After linking up, please leave us a comment about the picture or blog post you are submitting, or just say hello and visit the other trendy toddlers. 

If you see our Trendy Toddler Tuesday tweets please give mami an RT. We would like to start off doing this each week to find new trends and cool clothes for us kids.

We ask that you please link back to us on your blog either with our badge (on the sidebar) or mentioning Trendy Toddler Tuesday.

Mami and I will choose our Top Three Trendy Toddlers each week and feature you on our Facebook page, twitter and here on the blog.

You will get a Trendy Toddler Award to display.

We will also promote the entries that are linked up during the week, so make sure to leave your twitter name too.

We can't wait to see all the different styles everyone is rockin' so get linking!

Best tree decoration...EVER

Last night while everyone was busy getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner, I decided to do a little bit of decorating. 

Who says kids don't have style?

Happy Christmas!

The most wonderful time of the year...

 Wishing everyone a lovely Christmas!

We celebrate and open gifts on Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena so today is the big day. We tried to stay off the naughty list, did you?

See you in a few days!

Elf Mode: Last minute Christmas gifts and tips

After mami's post about being overwhelmed I got a little worried, but we are okay now. It seems it was just a bump in the road, but now we are happily moving on and getting ready for the big day.

Today mami and I finished finding gifts for papi and my tío Tomás. Now all we have to do is wrap them. Mami says we are in Elf mode... busy working away, wrapping, baking, making last minute gifts and decorations.We even move fast like Elves...it's really like Santa's workshop at our place!

So we wanted to put together a little list to help others who are doing some last minute shopping or need quick ideas.

Quick gift: painted box lined with tissue paper

Here we go!

* Buy wrapping paper, tissue paper and bows at the Dollar Store or Poundland. Just as nice for a better price!

* OR make your own wrapping paper using newspaper or magazine pages, then tie with a red bow or string and your gift is very stylish!

*  T.J. Maxx (T.K. Maxx) and other brand names for less stores have great items for the home and trendy gifts for everyone in the family! We got a pair of Ralph Lauren leather gloves for someone (I can't say who) for only $16.

* A special gift? Take an old box (of any size) paint and decorate to your liking. Line with tissue paper and fill with sweets, potpourri or even another handmade gift. Mami made the red one pictured above in 30 minutes (includes drying time).

* Photos! Print your favorite pictures in a larger size and buy cheap photo frames (again, dollar store or poundland) and decorate the frame to your liking with stickers, glitter, coins, buttons or bows.

* Make cookies! Buy the ready made sugar cookie dough and decorate with frosting. Or better yet,  make the super easy Thumbprint cookies which we made a few weeks ago. Then take festive tissue paper, wrap the cookies and tie a red ribbon at the top. Perfect last minute gifts for neighbors or friends stopping by.

* Still need decorations? Make sparkly festive pine cones. Collect a few, paint them white and sprinkle with glitter. They brighten up the mantel, or in a bowl as a center piece, hang on the tree or use them as name tags.

Festive pine cones

* Didn't send out any cards? No problem. Go to Picnik (you don't even have to register) and make a quick collage with a few of your favorite images. Add some text, and choose from the Christmas card options and save to your computer. Then email to your family and friends.

* Not that you should leave all of your shopping to the last days, but if you do shop last minute, like today and tomorrow, look out for some stellar deals, even up to 50% off!

Got some other tips? Let us know...we will be working like Elves up until the last minute.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Overwhelmed by Christmas!

A post from mami


Anyone else completely overwhelmed by the Christmas/Holiday season?

I know everyone is having a rough time, but living off your savings and not having a job is way too stressful.

For the first time in my life I don't want any gifts and I don't want to buy any gifts. It's mainly to due with the fact that we are still in transition here in the US after moving back from the UK and we don't have jobs or a home. We live with family and don't have any real structure to our days.

I told my husband "don't get me anything" and I meant it. But we ended up agreeing to one gift at $20 max. Besides, we just went to New York City for my birthday and a much needed weekend away from Little M (which we had planned a few months ago), our wedding anniversary is in early January, then Little M's birthday, then his birthday. It's all too much in a short space of time and we need to budget carefully. I just want to fast forward to mid February after all of the parties and festivities are over.

I tried to go shopping today for the family and all I got from it was a stomach ache and a bad mood. And not to mention I have had a few people say "Oh I got you something!" which means I have to get them something even though they were not on my list but I have to in order to avoid looking selfish. Or should I not bother? I'm still on the fence about this one. HELP!

So much fun decorating the tree!

This is not to say that we don't have any gifts for anyone, and that I haven't been excited about Christmas. On the contrary! Little M and I have had a great time crafting and decorating my mother's house. But the realness of our situation really hit home today and it left me nervous and scared. 

Truthfully, I am looking forward to our delicious Christmas dinner at my mother's home and sitting by the fireplace. I don't need gifts, just my boys and family to keep me company. But the reality is that there will be gifts, albeit very simple ones, and I hope the feelings of guilt and "not  having enough" soon subside.

On a more cheerful note,  Little M is very excited about Christmas and I can't wait to see his face light up when he realizes there are gifts under the tree! Our families have been overjoyed buying him toys and clothes and for that we are very thankful.

How are you feeling about Christmas? Do you feel pressure to have gifts for everyone?

María José

P.S. New for 2012, Little M and I will be sharing the blog. I'm going to be writing more now...I think he needs a bit of a break. It's been two years!

What I Wore Wednesday (Birthday edition)

Monday was mami's birthday, but she has been celebrating since last Thursday in New York City. 

She wore lots of different clothes, but on her actual birthday we had everyone over for a family dinner and celebration. 

This is her last and final birthday outfit (it's a tribute to London) for Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday link up. 

Shoes: T.K. Maxx (T.J. Maxx in US)

Jeans: Primark

Top: Primark

Blazer: Uniqlo

Necklace: Primark

I'm going to be handing this blog over pretty soon. Mami isn't as busy as she used to be and I think she wants it all to herself now. I'll still be around, but keep an eye out for a whole new look!

Live from New York... Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center

Having a birthday in December is "never easy" says mami.

Friends are out of town, it's too close to Navidad and someone always gets you a double present. You know, one for "both Christmas AND your birthday".

So with a bit of planning, mami and papi went away for three days to a place called New York City. It was to celebrate mami's birthday which is today and keep it separate from the rest of the festivities.

I stayed with my Omama here in Virginia and we made cookies, Christmas gifts and mami's present. I missed mami and papi every day, but they called and said they would be back soon.

They did lots of things, including going to the top of the Empire State Building, but all mami really wanted to do was go ice skating at Rockefeller Center just like Elf does in the movie...and she did!

She said she did some swirls and twirls, but I just don't think that's true. I think she may have fallen a few times.

Anyway, it's her day and I just want to say feliz cumpleaños mami! 

Do you have a birthday in December? What do you do to make it special and separate from Christmas?

Oh yes! A DRIVE THRU STARBUCKS

Starbucks are everywhere. Everyone knows that. But today mami and I found a DRIVE THRU one...oh yes!

Obviously we are not the first to discover this, but we think there are probably other people out there like us who didn't know about these.

Living out here in the suburbs after living in London for so long has been a big change for all of us. I mean, I had never been in a car (much) before now. So mami and I drive around. A lot. It's the only way to get where we need to go.

And getting me in and out of the car can take a while. I admit, I like to go at my own pace.

So mami stopped going to Starbucks when she was with me because "it's too much work" to go in for five minutes then back again.

Long story short. She found a DRIVE THRU Starbucks today on Fairfax Boulevard in Fairfax very close to us. The look on her face was priceless and even before she had had her coffee she was beaming with happiness. To be honest, she didn't need the latte after all.

Apparently they exist in some of the major US cities, but still not enough we think. Here's a quick note to Starbucks, GET MORE OF THESE NOW! How there are not more is a mystery. Especially for us suburban folk.

We found a few more locations around here. So next time you are in the Northern Virginia area, try driving on thru to some of these places to get your cuppa:

Kamp Washington 
10930 Fairfax Blvd.
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-218-5403

Village Center at Dulles
2407 Centerville Rd. Ste. B
Herndon, VA 20171
571-643-0240

Liberia Ave.
9642 Liberia Avenue
Manassas, VA 20110
703-365-2154

Countryside Marketplace 
3 Pidgeon Hill Drive
Sterling, VA 20165
571-434-0247

Ashbrook Commons
20035 Ashbrook Commons Plaza
Suite 194
Ashburn, VA 20147
703-723-3065

Just perfect for families!

Miércoles de Moda

Just a quick one!

This is for Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday link up.

As you can see, we added a little latin flavor to the title (It means Fashion Wednesday).

Today we woke up late, lounged around and then headed out to the post office, food shopping then we hit the playground.

So mami took her own picture before going out...

She's not so dressed up today, but who can blame her. We didn't have anywhere important to go or anyone to see (and it was laundry day). 

Get the look:

Trainers: Converse

Jeans: Gap Slim Fit

Jumper: Banana Republic 

Camisole: The Limited

Jacket: H&M (bought before moving back from London)

Glasses: Gok Won for SpecSavers (yes, they are real)

Still think this counts as Comfy Mama Chic?

Christmas crafts: Make sparkly festive pine cones

Look! We crafted. BIG TIME!

We've never been much for crafts. Mami tries, but we don't have a history of making things.

But now being back in the USA and mami being home all the time, things have changed. Suddenly she has lots of ideas, especially now during Christmas time!

So here's a little project we did and you can too!

Make sparkly festive pine cones and decorate three different ways

1. Go out for a nice walk and collect the nicest pine cones you can find. Try to avoid the crushed ones, those are no good.

2. Clean them off with a damp cloth. We didn't clean them well enough and there were little bugs in them!

3. With a medium brush paint the pine cones white or gold  in the downward direction.

4. Let them dry on a piece of construction paper or newspaper on the side while you paint the others (we like using acrylic paints, they dry fast and wash off your hands and clothes easily).

5. Once dry, dip another brush in glue and brush onto the pine cone and quickly sprinkle with glitter.

6. Touch up as needed or add tiny ornaments such as little stars (pictured) or berries.

7. Leave to dry overnight (or for a few hours just to make sure they aren't still wet)

8. The next day spray with varnish to give it an added glow

9. Once dry, you are set to decorate!

10. You can place them in a colorful bowl as a centerpiece

11. Or adorn the mantel wreath

12. Or tie a little string around the top and use as Christmas tree ornaments.

You can also give them as gifts, make them into gift tags, hang some from your door wreath or window or fill a glass bowl with them.

The possibilities are endless, but there were just a few ways we have used them in our house.

Hope you give them a try. They are easy and fun to make, and leave the house looking very pretty and sparkly.

What do you think?

Don't have any glue in the house? Make your own glue in 4 easy steps! 

1. Use an small, preferably old frying pan and mix a few spoonfuls of flour and water
2. Make a paste and constantly stir over medium heat (no more than 1 minute)
3. Do not let the paste stick
4. Once well congealed, removed from heat and it's ready to use!

First EVER pictures taken by ME

I've never taken a picture before. 

I'm usually the one with a camera pointing AT me. Mami and papi snap away any chance they get. 

When I do play with mami's phone it's to LOOK at the pictures she has taken of us.

But this weekend mami taught me how to do it myself!

First I hold the phone with one hand, then I look at what I want to take a picture of on the phone screen, then I just press the camera logo at the bottom and BOOM we've got the picture.

So easy!

Here are a few of the shots I took:

Then mami helped with this one, but I pressed the button

I managed to hold the phone steady a little bit! That's mami! Pretty good, right?

I was trying to get a picture of the tree

How do you like them?

 I think I should be the one taking pictures for this blog from now on. As a matter of fact, I am going to add a camera to my Christmas list. 

Watch out mami, you've got some competition coming your way!

Oh Baby London: Clothing for lucky kids

Before leaving London one of the coolest kids clothing company called Oh Baby London sent me one of their new tops to show off here in the US. 

Even before I was sent the Naughty Kid Sweatshirt (seen below), I had been wearing their "clothing for lucky kids" since I was born. My good friend S was even featured on their website! 

Thanks to mami's friend Kim, I was sporting their black tie playsuit and their robot print t-shirt in my early days. 

Located on 162 Brick Lane in East London. Oh Baby London is a small and funky shop. Mami and I went when I was only 6 months old. She likes the edgy clothing and the original designs that creator Hannah McHalick has come up with. 

Oh, did I mention I also have one of their tin/lunch boxes? Told you we love their stuff!

We can't shout enough about Oh Baby London. Really.

Here are a few tips when shopping with them:

• We think their tops run a bit small so be sure to go up a size
• The quality of their clothing is exceptional and feel as if they were made specially for you
• They deliver WORLDWIDE, no extra charges just shipping
• Right now many of their items are on sale starting at £4
• Make sure to sign up for their newsletter to get 20% off your first order

So if you are looking to stand out, make a statement, or just add a bit of Brit fashion to your collection like me, then this is the place to go. Especially if you are looking for an item that has more character...why not go for a statement t-shirt like the I Rock top or even the Naughty Kid Sweatshirt I'm wearing.

Mami has been asked where I got that one lots of times. It really does make us kids look extra cool! We highly recommend you have a look at their site to see just how exclusive this range is.

You find them on Facebook and Twitter @OhBabyLondon.

I really am a very lucky kid!

GIVEAWAY! 

Oh Baby London and Mummy's Busy World are teaming up to give one reader the chance to win any item of their choice worth  £20 and FREE shipping anywhere in the world!

So if you want a rock a fresh new look, enter now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Swiss Bakery: Merry Swissmas!

One of the things we most miss about London are the cafés. Some are better than others, but we miss the atmosphere and being able to enjoy some yummy treats. 

On Fridays mami and I would go to our local café called The Bread Shop and she would have her skinny latte and I would have my usual croissant and juice. We would sit outside and watch people walk by on Chiswick High Road. Most of the time we saw people we knew and would join us. 

The only "café" we go to here in Virginia is Starbucks...don't get me wrong we like it for a quick coffee or babyccino, but it doesn't have that special feel to it. No yummy breads or pastries in sight! 

But on Saint Nicholas Day, Omama took us to a place called The Swiss Bakery. It's location is nothing fancy. To be honest, it's very uninviting but if  you can get past the fact that it is located in a strip mall then you are okay. Believe me, you are in for a treat!

Once you are inside it's decorations and delicious pastries make it worth while. They import cheese, sausages and meat from Germany and make have oven fresh bread.  One of my favourites is their bread men called Grittibenz...they taste so good! 

I think the Christmas season really brings out the German side of mami...even though she doesn't speak it, the traditions this time of year are very special to her. 

This weekend they are having a party. Yes a SWISSMAS party! Live music, and even Santa Claus is coming by. They will have a special menu just for the day and all of their Christmas treats will be available. We already bought our German Stollen...that's a fruit bread with marzipan and covered with icing sugar...mmmmm!

So if you are in the Northern Virginia area, mami and I recommend you stop by. The Swiss Bakery is located in at the Ravensworth Shopping Center in Springfield and in Burke Town Plaza. You can also buy online and find them on Facebook for all the latest. 

Frohe Weihnachten!

What WE Wore Wednesday

Okay so mami roped me into doing a post about clothes...ughhhh! But I know how much she loves all that girl stuff, so I let her talk about our fashion styles today.

Don't get me wrong, I have lots of clothes, I just don't like to talk about it too much. Well, some days I have to admit I do look very handsome - especially when mami combs my hair to the side like papi and I have on a polo shirt. 

Anyway, here we are, telling you about what we've worn in the past week for Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday link up. Mine is actually from a few weeks ago, but it's one of my favourites.

My style: Little M

T-shirts with robots, dinosaurs, skulls, you know, the cool stuff. 

Polo shirts, cargo trousers, trainers and jeans. 

Anything that is easy to move around in at the playground. Dark colours. Easy to wash off food, dirt, mocos (snot) caca, pipí and anything else that comes my way.

When photo was taken:

Thanksgiving Day when Green Bay were playing.

Get my look

Jeans: Cherokee (a gift from my tía Denise)

Trainers: Adidas Cars 2 (gift from PR in London)

Jersey: Reebok Green Bay Packers ( papi's home team)

Blue Scooby Doo t-shirt: Fruit of the Loom

Mami's style

No trainers! Nope, she doesn't like them. Well, only Chuck Taylors. Other than that, trainers are for running. Skinny jeans, flats, loose tops with fitted blazers, scarves. Anything that is fitted but not tight. Easy to wash and move around in at the playground. When she goes out she likes dresses (papi and I think she looks very pretty when she wears them). Comfy Mamá Chic as she calls it.

When photo was takenBefore going to our (her) first blogger event here in the USA.
Get mami's lookJeans: Primark Boots: TJ Maxx Top: Ann Taylor LoftScarf: Jones New York Blazer: H&M
Be honest, should I just stay out of the fashion posts?  
What about mami's look, sí o no?
Let us know what you think and check out what everyone else is wearing this week!

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

Here at our house we have a mix of traditions, a lot of them come from my Omama's side of the family who are German. This time of year, one of them is the celebration Saint Nicholas Day on the 6th of December.

Traditionally in Germany and other European countries Saint Nicholas is the one who brings the gifts, not Santa Claus, but really, he IS el viejito pascuero (Santa in Chilean Spanish).

How else would we get our toys and gifts to us?

On the night of the 5th, we leave our nicest shoes by the door or chimney with our Christmas lists. Mami and I worked on ours during the day. I looked at hers and it looked like this:

• Car  done!
• Our own house
• Chanel bag
• Sleep

Good luck getting that bag mami!

Oh yeah, back to my story. Saint Nicholas comes at night, takes our lists and fills our shoes with yummy treats like nuts, raisins, chocolate and fruit!

Mami has been leaving her list since she was a little girl and it seems to work. She and my tío Tomás would wake up early get their shoes, then go back to bed and eat all of the treats! Nowadays, even papi doesn't miss out on this!

This year, we made special little bags to put the lists in (part of our Advent crafting), and we put them by our fireplace at Omama's house which is where we are living right now. She left hers too.

Of all the things mami makes me do, this has got to be one of my all time favorites. And I've been really good. All day. Every day. It's true. So I KNOW I am getting gifts!

Do you celebrate Saint Nicholas Day? We want to hear from others who do this too.

Now I'm off to crack open some of the peanuts I got.