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.... 

Fathers - I salute you...

My good friend E tweeted something yesterday, on Father's Day, that really got me thinking. It went like this, "Don't mean to moan, but can we stop with the single mother awareness for a sec. Today is about the MALE dad, let's keep it that way." I paused for a second and then thought, "Girlfriend really does have a point." Now before you jump on your PC high horse I think all single mothers out there do a truly wonderful job. But I also think that father's sometimes get a rough deal - there are thousands of single fathers out there, not to mention fathers that are co-parenting and they need to be celebrated much, much more. That's what Father's Day should be about. I grew up with a wonderful father. Papa Acheampong, aka Dr Samuel Acheampong, aka the Don of Everything is a daddy and a half. He is the definition of hard work. He was a dentist for 30-odd years in rural Scotland and even now you can't get on a plane (to Cyrpus, Florida or indeed Ghana) or go to a Marks and Sparks with him without bumping into a patient of his. Always there with a terrible joke or a savvy piece of advice, he's a best friend, a confidant, a role model and sometimes even a bank rolled into one. He is a gooey grandfather to Nai Nai, who joyfully pulls at his glasses whilst he walks her around his garden in sunny Elderslie and teaches her about the plants and trees. He gets up every Monday morning to listen to me on 1xtra in his PJs and then Googles the songs I reviewed to listen to them afterwards. I feel sorry for you if you don't know him because he's bloody marvelous.

I am also truly blessed that my hubs, Mr Adom is another amazing father. Although he didn't grow up with one, he's excelled in his role. I always hoped and knew he would be an amazing dad but he has exceeded all my expectations of how fabulous he is. When Nai Nai was tiny and we were still adjusting to parenthood, he was up in the night with her so I could get some much needed rest, then would get up to go to work the next day like it was nothing, come home and help with the chores etc and sometimes do it all again. My man's a soldier for real. Yes, he does fall asleep on the sofa every Sunday afternoon but hell he deserves it. (Don't ever tell him that.) Not only does he bring home the bacon every month, he rains love on Nai Nai like a tsunami and puts up with me to boot. I'm really f***ing lucky. * pauses to high five hubs, will explain to him why later*

Becoming a new mum, you forget sometimes that loads of new dads have been made at exactly the same time. It's truly amazing to see them grow and flourish and develop. One of my favourite mummy gf's J has a partner who seems to be the carbon copy of Mr Adom. Although we spend hours laughing at their love of a bargain, arguing with the Sky TV call centre operators and asking ourselves why they must watch Match of the Day, Match of the Day 2, Match of the Monday, Match of the Tuesday etc etc we both agree we couldn't do it without them. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by fantastic and inspirational grandfathers (Papa Acheampong, that's you), fathers (hats off to you Mr Adom) and even future fathers (my brother K will be the best, if most bonkers, father ever - I can't wait to see that day). I can't say that behind every great mother is a brilliant father, but in my case, there most certainly is. Big up the daddies because they deserve it - fathers I salute you.

Music to bathe to...

At the end of a long day getting covered in banana (Naima's new favourite food), baby massage and picking up teething toys a million times (no, Nai Nai, it's not a game), I like to sit in a huge bath and stew in my own juices with a Weight Watchers choccy biscuit and sometimes a cheeky pint of vino. I'm not a fan of sitting in silence so I always have some tunes to help zone me out and think up outfits for tomorrow, interesting things to cook for dinner, features to write, etc, etc. Here are my top 5 albums I'm zoning out to this week:

(1) Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman. An absolute classic. 'Mountain O'Things' is one of the best songs ever written. It's a shame Boyzone destroyed 'Sorry' for me.

(2) Paul Simon - Concert in the Park. Incorporating music from Graceland, Rhythm of the Saints and hits with Art Grafunkel, it is the best live album I've ever heard apart from...

(3) Jay-Z - MTV Unplugged. Just Jigga, backed by the Roots. What an amazeballs combo.

(4) Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials. More atmospheric than the debut Lungs, it's just so powerful. 'No Light, No Light' will take you to a pretty dark place whilst 'Shake it Out' will encourage you to, well, shake it out.

(5) Ed Sheeran - +. The Sheeran-meister can do no wrong in my eyes. 'Give Me Love', 'Lego House', 'Small Bump' - beautiful, beautiful, beautiful...

Keep on running...

As I type this my fingers physically hurt. Actually every single part of body hurts thanks to my sudden love of exercise and getting fit. Today I tackled the Mothers Meeting Workout courtesy of the Nike 1948 studios in Shoreditch. The workout took place in Shoreditch Park, with about 15 ladies and babies lead by our ultra-fit male trainer. It was a ton of fun but ridiculously hard and involved using Nai Nai as a dumbell (which she didn't take kindly too), swinging kettle bells around, lunging, squatting and running round patches of grass. At one point my entire body went into shock at the thought of running but once I threw myself into it I felt a whole lot better. It helped that all the other girls in the group were really friendly and completely down to earth. Being intimidated by an exercise class is no fun and that's exactly what I wanted to avoid. Thank God I did! I would totally recommend this to any mamas out there that want to get super-fit super-quick. At this rate I'll be back to pre-baby body before I can say, "Look – I've got my American Apparel disco pants on again..."