It´s Magic...It´s Christmas...It´s Barcelona

Did I tell you that I love this city? I think yes, and not once. Now, even more, as it is Christmas time and all the city is magic. It becomes magic, because are different events organized on streets, the streets are iluminated with Christmas lights and the atmosphere is very warm.

One of the events that are organized on streets are the fairs, or ¨Ferias de Nadal¨ how the people called. In Barcelona city are 4 fairs, where you can buy all the ornaments for Christmas and New Year´s Eve. Each fair is an open space market, organized on the most important streets:  the Fira de Santa Llúcia, located around the cathedral, is undoubtedly the most emblematic, then in the Plaza de la Sagrada Família, just across from the Nativity façade, the Fira de Nadal Sagrada Família, with lots of stops with the elements which distinguish Catalan Christmas. The third one is Reis Fira Gran Via, where you can buy toys, treats and gifts. And the last one the Jardinets de Gràcia, this is a solidarity fair, where different companies sell their products for a solidarity reason. These fairs lasts almost 5-6 weeks, each one different, but all of them lasts from 28th of November till 6th of January. Last year we were on Fira de Santa Llúcia, but this year we went to the Sagrada Familia Fair, where we bought the Christmas tree as well.

This fairs are traditionally organized, and on these markets you easily find what you need, passing by this fair make you feel overwhelmed with it´s magic aura, and you really hope that all your dreams will become true on the next year.

Damian I hope that enjoyed our walking within this fair :). Enjoy the magic Barcelona.

On this fair we´ve met a very known Catalan character called ¨caga tio¨ or ¨Tío de Nadal¨, this character in Catalan mythology is related to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia. Each child on Immaculate Conception Day (December 8) begins to give the tió a little bit to "eat" every night till the Christmas day. Then the child puts the Tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to defecate. The tradition says that before beating the Tió all the kids have to leave the room and go to another place of the house to pray asking for the tió to deliver a lot of presents. This makes the perfect excuse for the parents to do the trick and put the presents under the blanket while the kids are praying... funny :)

And here is our Christmas tree:

That moment when you think your baby will help you...and not... he is just curious :)

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Girona - a place to go!

Last weekend we went on a getaway, not so far from Barcelona, a place that I think you have to go if you come to Barcelona. We decided that it would be great to visit a new place, and to spent some time within our little..BIG family.

Damian is one of the children who like to go on holidays, I think so, because when we go out he always accepts to stay on his pushing chair, the thing that he doesn't like if we go for walking. As well I like to go out for a day or two as it is easier to manage his energy and to accomplish all his wishes.

What about the food, now it is much easier as before, he eats almost all the things that we do, the only think I need is boiled water before he sleeps for his bottle.

Below you can see some fascinating pictures about this old city - GIRONA. But before I would like to share how we pack our bag for getaways.

BAG:

1. Diapers + wipes + changer

2. Bottle of water (and a big one, :))

3. Two or three pairs of clothes

4. A ball to play with, and other toys to play with in the car

5. of course his lovely music, or a disc with the songs that he knows if you don't want to listen all way long how he cries.

6. Food (not special food, but the things that he can eat alone, like biscuits, bread, etc)

this is not Girona, it is on our way back, great views

that's the reason I like getaways :)

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Ideas for a rainy day

As you may know the most difficult time with your baby is when it is raining and you cannot go out to play with him.... yes... in Barcelona as well is raining... sometimes, luckily not always. Damian has a lot of toys, but as each baby he is bored to play with the same toys every day.

Today we tried to make an interesting evenining for Damian and ourselves. Here are some ideas for these laaarge evenings.

1. PAINTING. We´ve opted for 2 ways of painting, first one with crayons and other one with watercolour. What to say, it was easy to organize this, funny, and Damian was entertained for almoust half an hour, belive me this is enough just to be happy.

2. PASTE STICKERS. Because we didn´t have real stickers we have cut some circles of white and yellow colors and with the help of a glue we paste them on a red paper.

3. PLAYING IN A CASTLE. Dad made a castle from sofa cushions and they were playing with this imaginative castle.

What are you doing in these rainy days with your children?

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I´m a big boy! I´m 1 year today!

Being a mum it is a nicest thing that could happen in my life, and today I´m feeling like it is my second birthday. Isn´t this strange? ....no, in case you are a mum.

As it is Damian´s first birthday we wanted to create something special for him, it was a little bit difficult if we take into consideration that he doesn´t understand that it is his birthday. So, we´ve opted for very colourful things today, that he can feel that today is a special day, no matter what is happening, but it is special for him.

All the decorations we were preparing during the last two weeks me and my husband, all the ideas came from pinterest and youtube, nothing new I think. If you want to create a nice party, just go there and you´ll find millions and millions of ideas. The only one thing you need is time and pacience.

We have choosen yellow, as it is our favourite colour, as well we were thinking about green, but we thought that it will be too much to combine more than one colour. See below how we´ve decorate our living room :)

We have printed 100 images, for creating this wonderful number one, with all the brightest moments during last year.... but in case you want to do it as well, you just need 50 as much.

Pom-poms are done by me, pinterest - my teacher :)...and how you like our big number one?

It is too much of number one.... are you sure?... no, I think it is good enough :)

Of course, how without a family portrait. And Happy Birthday our little sunshine!

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Bath time, BABY

Dear friend, today I want to share with you one of the most important moment of the day for our baby - BATHING. It might be that you already know all the tips that I will give you, and you think that you are doing better, please don´t hesitate to leave a comment of your success story.

I don´t know how it is in your case, but this activity we are doing together with our lovely daddy. We think that it is very important to do bath or other activities together because in such case the child can feel our love and be much closer to both of us.

Steps to prepare the bath:

1. I prepare chamomile tea (you can use as well lavender tea or any bath foam). Your question is why am I using this? Chamomile tea helps that baby skin to be clear and prevent that any red points to appear on its finest skin. Lavender tea, I have never used it, but I have read that it helps baby to sleep better.

As well you can use bath foam, it doesn´t matter... which you like more... and of course you can use just pure water.

2. At the same time daddy is preparing the water. Perfect temperature for this is 37-38 C degrees. You can measure with special termometer or in case you don´t have it, you can easily measure it with your elbow. In case that for your elbow the water appears good, so you have the perfect water for your child.

3. I prepare all the stuff that we need during the bath and after. These are: shampoo, towel, diaper, pajama and body lotion or cream for massage (about this I will tell you on the next post)

So, almost done. The water is ready... the baby is ready...and very happy, because if you are doing the bath each day at the same time, he already knows what is expecting him.


Bath time... I was reading many comments about how it is better to do a bath for a child. To begin with the hair or to finish with the hair, I tried both methods and can firmly tell you that there is no difference in baby´s behaviour. But,it is VERY IMPORTANT that in his ears won´t step the water, just because your baby can take easily a cold.

After the bath EVERY TIME I´m doing a massage for all his body, because in such case his body is relaxing and he sleeps well... and now is the time of pajama and dinner.

I hope you enjoyed the time reading this post, and then the time bathing your baby!

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