Ernesto Neto @ Nike 1948...

This week Nai Nai and I were lucky enough to have a workshop with amazing Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto thanks to Mothers Meeting and the Nike Flyknit Collective. We learned about Flyknit, we did yoga using sculptures, babies played with installations and we counted Nike fuel points. It was a pretty inspirational morning, not only hearing Neto's motivation for his sculptures but connecting with and meeting like-minded mums and doing some powerful yoga. And of course Nai Nai had a great time too...

One of the best things about mummy-hood is the inspiration you get from your baby and your new life to do things that you never thought you would or could. Did I ever see myself working out with a whole bunch of mums every Thursday? No. Did I ever see myself workshopping with legendary Brazilian artists? Absolutely not. But when you allow yourself to, for want of a better phrase, think outside of the box, you find yourself open to all these new experiences and that's amazing for mind, body and soul. Motherhood truly give you the fuel to do things you never thought you could, the impossible suddenly becomes possible and that is the greatest gift your baby gives you. Thank you Nai Nai, I owe it all to you!

Ain't no mama like my mama...

The past few weeks have been busy but relaxed as my mum came all the way from Glasgow to spend some time with us. It was the longest my mum had stayed since Naima was born and the last time she was here it was kind of fraught thanks to two weeks late baby, emergency cesarean etc etc etc. I have to admit I was a bitch to my mum then (I blame the stress and hormones) and when she left after 6 weeks I felt horrible that I had been so moody when she had been so wonderful. This time things were different. I feel like I have fallen in love with my mummy all over again. Even though she's not in the best of health, she cooked and cleaned like a demon all week, took Naima at any given moment and seeing the two of them together was so amazing. I would catch myself looking at the two of them together and think, "I never realised how much my mum loved me til I was a mum." All her life my mum has been selfless, thinking of family first, whether that be my brother, my dad and me, or her extended family back in Ghana and we have all benefited from her gorgeous spirit. She's stylish, she's funny, she's warm and she's strong - all the things I want to be. I dread a time in my life when I am without her. So I would just like to say to my mummy, if she every reads this (which she won't as she doesnt really get this new fangled world wide web thingy) I love you more than I can ever say. Come back please...

So much to do, so little time to blog...

I've been the worst kind of blogger recently - a busy one! I've been everywhere and been doing so many things I should write about but I just haven't had the time! I guess that's life....So here's an abridged version of the past few weeks....The heatwave kicked off with chilling with my new found mummy pal CO at the Shoreditch Festival. Again another example of why I love my borough, the Shoreditch Festival was a gorgeous celebration of everything that is good and cool about Hackney taking place all along the canal with bars, food stalls and musicians galore. Amazeballs. The next night saw me and the BFF, AA have an impromptu night out at the Plan B album launch party. Now I've never been the biggest Plan B fan, but the thought of a free night out to hear some live music appealed to me. I cannot lie - Plan B more than delivered. He was passionate, he was was wild, he sung, he rapped, he got the crowd going.

My grainy pics don't really do it justice but he brought Kano and Labirnth on stage in a multi-storey car park under the arches of London Bridge and it was a truly fantastic venue for the Ill Manors launch. I'm not surprised the album went to number 1, Plan B is truly a modern day poet, brave enough to say what everyone else is afraid to against the backdrop of clever beats and slick harmonies. Buy it now!

The rest of the week went by in a haze of sunshine and picnics in the park with Nai and AA, rooftop swimming at Shoreditch House, working out at the Nike 1948 studios and supping wine by the canal at  Waterline....Bring back the sun please....

Monster supplies...

So I was just wandering up Hoxton Street, Nai Nai in her carriage, chatting my mummy pal V whilst baby M napped in his own vehicle when we decided to pop into a store we always pass. It's called Hoxton Street Monster Supplies. "What the hell is that?" you may ask. Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I guess it's part children's project, part monster supply store - I don't know how else to explain it. You can buy farting gas, monster's bile and salt from the tears of anger. I kid you not. It sounds ridiculous but myself and V spent a good 15 minutes in there just laughing-out-loud at all the hilarious stuff to buy. A must for the big kid inside you, I urge you to stock up on your monster supplies sooner rather than later...

Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, 159 Hoxton Street, London N1 6PJ
www.monstersupplies.org/

With a little help from my friends...

This week my friends have really pulled out all the stops and been particularly fabulous. Now, don't get me wrong, my friends are always wonderful, warm people, maybe it's just that this week I've had a chance to think about just how special they are. My best friend from Glas-vegas, K (she will from here on in be known as Glas-vegas K) sent me an amazing pair of earrings from Topshop as a good luck pressie for a wee project I've been working on, my fab mummy pal V invited us to her son's beautiful christening then proceeded to ply us with wine and Vietnamese food, another good friend of mine E who lives in Spain is coming for a visit in a few weeks and I can't wait to see her and for Nai Nai to finally meet her. Three examples of fabulous friendship. When I first became a mummy, after the first six weeks when everyone had stopped visiting every day, I felt like I was so distant from some of my friends. It took me a while to figure out who was really going to be in my life for the long haul and who just wasn't worth caring about. It was a hard process but one that was so necessary. Looking back I realise I have gained so much more that I have lost. I've figured out who my real friends are, the ones who are going to be in Nai Nai's life aswell as mine, the ones who love me whether I'm wearing my mummy hat, my journo hat or my chatting-s***-at-a-hundred-miles-an-hour hat, the ones who aren't just drinking buddies. I've made a whole heap of gorgeous mama mates who truly understand what it's like to combine your old self with your new self. And I reaffirmed so many friendships and my relationship with my besties (K and AA) have become so much stronger. It's so refreshing not to have to expel energy on people that I just don't really care about. And all this has made me want to be a better friend too, to take the time to reach out to my buds who I truly love and be more generous with my time to be there for them as much as they are for me. For all the mamas (or just anyone) out there who feels like they're losing friends - don't worry. The truth is if they can't be bothered with you now they weren't really your friend in the first place. And you never really lose friends, you just find out who your real ones are. To all my friends, you know who you are, I love you more than you know. Group hug y'all....

Zen baby, water baby...

As little Miss Adom nears seven months her social calendar is getting more and more packed. This week we took in baby yoga, which is exactly as it sounds - your baby doing yoga. Okay, so she isn't quite meditating and deep breathing but think stretching, singing and dancing with baby whilst you breathe deep and stretch yourself. Flipping awesome I tell you, and a new regular in Nai Nai's already jam-packed schedule. The next day it was time for something all new - swimming. Naima loves to kick and splash in the bath so this was a must for her. Unfortunately my little one also suffers from eczema so we've had to hold off swimming til her condition is under control. It is now thanks to the wonderful paediatric dermatology department at the Homerton Hospital so nows the time! Armed with an ultra-cute and ultra-stylish swimsuit and three of her fave buds - Jasper, Max and Theo, Naima didn't quite take to the water as I expected. At first she was a bit unsure as to why she was in all this water and what the hell was going on but after about 20 minutes she was involved in a serious splashing competition (which she won of course) and was kicking her wee legs like David Walliams swimming the channel. Too cute for words. I can't wait to see her swim in the sea when we (finally) take a much needed trip to sunnier climes. Now just to get mama's beach body ready...

I Heart Hackney...

Where the hell have I been? To be honest, I'm not really sure. This past week has taken me on an adventure around my beloved Hackney. It all started last weekend where I roamed a seemingly ordinary patch of grass in deeper east London that have been temporarily turned into a cracking festival venue for the BBC Hackney Weekend 2012. Now, say what you want about the TV license but our national broadcaster sure knows how to throw a good festival. I and my lovely mummy pal J scoffed Giant Robot burgers, Homeslice pizza and guzzled prosecco in the guest area like there was no tomorrow. In between all the eating and drinking (hey, we mums need to take on fuel) we azonto-ed to D'Banj on the 1xtra stage, cringed at Nicki Minaj on the main stage and of course just threw down to the one and only Jay-Z on the main stage who was joined by Rihanna and M.I.A and then of course Kanye West who came out for a half hour Watch The Throne encore. Amazeballs just doesn't cover it. And the best part of it was this all happened in my neighbourhood – Jay-Z was in my borough! * gets momentarily lost in a daydream of shopping in Pak's, Dalston for come cocoa butter with Jigga* 

This is proof to me of something that I have suspected for years – Hackney is amazing. It truly is. From the Barrel Boulangerie on Hoxton Street to the brand new pound shop two doors down (get your weaning essentials in there mamas), from the Dalston Superstore to WAH Nails, from my barbers on Kingsland Road to the hair shop that keeps my lashes game up, from De Beauvoir Town to Hackney Marshes, Hackney rules. I love it. It's just the right side of rough and the wrong side of edgy to keep me on my toes and in my hipster American Apparel influenced outfits. Having a baby really makes you get to know your neighbourhood, walking around with a pram takes you to places you would never have gone before and it's really helped me discover how great this part of London is. It's taken me six years but I truly, madly, deeply, heart Hackney. Now, if you'll excuse me I've got to yell at the jakes on the corner to stop arguing, Princess Nai Nai is trying to get some beauty sleep....