Little Planet news #2: We're weaning her off her buggy, getting her to walk more, building up her stamina so we can ditch the buggy altogether. I'll miss her buggy because it is a divine red Bugaboo Bee that we've had since her birth. It will be a while till we ditch it completely, I think, as we tend to go out for long days on the weekend and walk for miles. But the point is, we're working on it.
Little Planet news #3: I'm taking her to Church every Sunday now. Just me and her. Mr Planet is an athiest. I'm very proud of her - she's a fidget and I need to take stickers and plastic dinosaurs with me, but she manages to keep fairly still and quiet for forty-five minutes. I think it's the perfect way to get her used to being patient and keeping quiet, excellent preparation for school. More importantly, she enjoys it and likes saying hello to the Father at Communion.
Little Planet news #4: She's a week and a half away from turning three!
Little Planet news #5: This September, she starts preschool. Next September, she starts primary school, gulp. Like me, she's a Summer baby, so will start primary school just turned four. To be honest, she's ready for proper school now.
Mrs Planethalder news #1: I'm one month away from completing draft two of the novel. Thereafter, I want to do a third draft but that should only take a month (fingers crossed) and then I will send it off to agents whilst at the same time start writing a new novel.
Mrs Planethalder news #2: I'm taking another year off, coinciding with Little Planet starting preschool and an idea for a new novel that I'm itching to write. I want to take Little Planet to activities such as football and/or ballet, I want to bake cakes with her, I want to do dropoffs and pickups and chat about her day. And I want to write. Simple.
Mr Planethalder news #1: Mr Planet starts a new job soon - still in law, still in the City, but at a new firm that he is very, very excited about.
Mr Planethalder news #2: He's still very much in love with David Chang's Momofuku cookbook and I am very much in love with eating David Chang's recipes.
Planethalder family news #1: In between potty-training, buggy-weaning, winding down in old jobs and getting excited about pastures new, we're dashing about London enjoying ourselves - the science fiction exhibition at the British Library was sci-fi-tastic and the Philip-Lorca DiCorcia Polaroids at Spruth Magers were inspiring; I highly recommend the sliders of ground beef & bone marrow and the salt beef & mustard at Spuntino in Soho, alongside the shoestring fries, cheddar grits, brown sugar cheesecake and pretty young male servers with tattoos; much shopping and browsing at A.P.C on Dover Street, Skandium & Divertimenti in Marylebone, Albam & Postcard Teas in and around Soho, Oliver Spencer & Folk on Lambs Conduit, and toy shops in Islington (Highbury end) for Little Planet's upcoming birthday.
Planethalder family news #2: And much cooking and eating, of course - everything from seared tuna steaks with rocket & orange salad plus wasabi mayo; through paneer, tomato & pea curry and chicken curry with fenugreek leaves; to sausages with fennel seeds & Marsala gravy with buttery mash. Tonight, either pizzas from Princi or linguine with artichokes, chives, lemon zest and Dijon mustard.
Planethalder family news #3: This Bank Holiday weekend? Oh lots and lots. Stay tuned.
