Phoenix Loves... Bolibompa.

Yaaaaaaawn.

It's hard work getting up at 5:30am, all those early mornings start to catch up with you after a while. That's why it's good to start the morning the right way - you know, set yourself up for the rest of the day.

I think we all know what I'm talking about. The most important part of the day? Helps keep you going until night time? Begins with a 'B'... No, not breakfast - Bolibompa!

Good morning.

Bolibompa is kid's TV and it's on every morning here in Sweden. Dad says it's a bit like something called 'The Broom Cupboard' in England - for those of you old enough and ugly enough to remember!

They show all my favourite programmes and not just the Swedish ones, but loads of my old favourites from England too, like Mike the Knight - sweet! And not only do they show my faves but they also dedicated a day to celebrating my name. You see, in Sweden Phoenix doesn't officially have a names day but thanks to Bolibompa I do - check it out.

That's my name!

And it's not just me that enjoys Bolibompa, the folks do too.

Dad likes it as he can watch all the shows and try to understand what's being said in Swedish. He's been learning at S.F.I (Swedish For Immigrants) for almost two months now and he's getting better, but kid's TV is still just about his level...

Mum on the other hand has a whole other reason for not minding the early mornings. Each day there's a different person presenting the show and one in particular seems to tickle mum's fancy. His name is Farzad and I think he's my favourite too. Dad says mum fancies the pants off of him, whatever that means! Anyways, here he is in all his glory.

Farzad's the one on the right!

Don't worry though dad - you've got nothing to worry about. You may not be as tall, dark, handsome, young, cool, stylish, funny... Oops got a bit carried away there. Basically what I'm trying to say is that you're ours and no amount of Bolibompa can change that. We love you!

Phoenix Love x x x

Phoenix Loves... Words.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

A lady called Mother Teresa said that. She's not my mother (she's called mum!) but I guess she must be someone's mother. Answers on a postcard please...

I've been told that if I want to grow up and be a real boy then I have to practice something known as talking. Now, to be able to talk you have to know some 'words' of which there are millions - all meaning different things! All sounds rather tiring to me but I'm on a one way path to boyhood you see, so needs must.

I thought I'd been talking for months, but dad says I've just been making noises. He says that once I can talk a bit then him and mum will be able to understand me better. That explains why they never do what I ask...

So far I've managed to say 'mamma' which I really like 'cos it's fun to say, but apparently it also means mum. I say it quite a lot, even when dad tries to make me say pappa, which makes mum laugh and dad frown!

I think I've also mastered 'yeah' which is pretty funny to say over and over again, usually when mum and dad are still in bed. Cue evil laugh!

Then I think I've managed to get the hang of 'no' too or 'nej' here in Sweden. This one's good to use when I fed up, which isn't that often really.

Finally, the other morning dad says I managed to say the word 'Barry' which is in fact a name. The folks have been wracking their brains to think why I might have said this. Barry Manilow? Barry McGuigan? Maybe Barry White? No, after much soul searching they've decided it must be inspired by the one, the only, Barry from Eastenders. They say a picture paints a thousands words and I think this calls for a picture!

Barry from Eastenders . a.k.a Shaun Williamson

That's all folks!

Phoenix Love x x x

Phoenix Loves... The Dark Side.

As I grow up I'm quickly finding out that with age comes something known as responsibility and there are some pretty tough choices out there to be made. In particular this happens for me every evening around about 6:45pm.

Picture my bathroom - well it isn't actually mine as it belongs to my mormor and morfar, but it's where I have my bath every night. As soon as I get in the water I'm allowed to choose one of mormor's rubber ducks to play with - check them out!



Decisions, decisions.

You see there comes a time in every little baby's life when they arrive at a fork in the road and simply have to decide. Good versus evil - which way to go?

- Nice kind helpful policeman duck Phoenix?
- No thanks.
- Friendly life-saving lifeguard duck then?
- No thanks.
- Biker duck?
- Hmm sometimes, but I think I'll plump for robber duck, devil duck #1 and then back for devil duck #2!

I can't help it. That's always how it goes down. No matter how hard mum and dad try to make me choose the good guys, I just can't. I don't think I'm particularly bad, in fact I think I'm a good boy really, but let's hope for mum and dad's sake that this isn't a sign of things to come! Mwah ha ha ha!

Yours evil-y,

Phoenix Love x x x



Phoenix Loves... Halloween.

Scary!

I don't know about you guys but I know I wouldn't want to bump into these freaky people on a dark night. Just think that some poor kid probably has these two for parents - bad luck or what?! That man's nose is even bigger than dad's and the lady has funny coloured hair... Wait a minute, isn't that my old moses basket in the background? Oh no, that's MY mum and dad!

This photo is my folks on October 31st 2011 which was before I was born, although if you look closely enough you can see me there - in mum's tummy!

October 31st is Halloween - also known as All Hallow's Eve, which in Sweden is a time when families light candles and lay them on the graves of their loved ones. That's a sweet thing to do I think. Mum and dad must not have got that memo though as it seems they just like to get dressed up in silly clothes, and this year they got me involved. Well, if you can't beat them... join them!

Roar!

Check out my spooky jack-o-lantern.

Dad says that when I'm older there'll be tons of fun stuff to do on Halloween, mainly involving something called sweets. I haven't tried these but I always see mum and dad sneaking them into their mouths on Saturdays. They don't think I notice but I do and if the noises they make when eating them are anything to go by then sweets must be well tasty! I can't wait!

Phoenix Love xxx

P.S. In Sweden having sweets on a Saturday is known as 'Lördags godis' - mums!







 

 



Phoenix Loves... A laugh.

My mum and dad are always trying to make me laugh. Sometimes they're good at it and sometimes they're not, but you can always guarantee they'll make fools of themselves just to try and put a smile on my face. Kind of sweet really.

They've even gone as far as to invent the 'mum and dad' shows where they come up with new stuff everyday to make me chuckle. It always happen after my evening bath and they take it in turn every other day, but you see something that I find funny one day might not be so funny the next day, so that keeps them on their toes and they always have to try out new material on me.

The mum and dad shows started off as loads of fun but I must admit it's got a bit out of hand of late - my folks have been getting really competitive over 'ratings' (i.e. me laughing) and dad has even accused mum of stealing his material - silly stuff!

Anyways, the point of my post is just to say that there's nothing better than a good laugh. I love it. You love it. We all love it. So I say do something today to make someone you love laugh, and I mean REALLY laugh - like yours truly...

Phoenix Love x x x

Phoenix Loves... Domestic goddess mum #2.

A while back I was telling you all how great my mum is getting at this whole... well, mum thing! She's been making this, sewing that and cooking all kinds of tasty things. In fact in Sweden we say 'mums' if something is really tasty and I reckon this is the perfect word to use!

So I told you about the cool bibs mum was making, which at the time were all a bit hush hush, top secret and all that. The reason is that they were for two of my new friends, babies Leo and Tallulah, who the stork delivered to mum and dad's friends recently - Leo to dad's friend Vik and Tallulah to mum's friend Jenny.

Well when I last wrote the bibs hadn't been sent to them yet, but now they have so I can show you my mum's handy work. They're so stylish she's even had other mum's asking her to make them for their babies, and they'd pay! Go mum, but make sure you keep 30% of any money you make for me - for being your inspiration... :o)

Reversible bibs by My Mum Design.

Catalogue pose - modelling the gekko style.

But it doesn't stop there, mum has been making even more stuff. Recently she's been talking lots about something called Christmas. I'm still not too sure what this is, but from the way she talks about it, it sounds like LOADS OF FUN. She gets all excited when she starts thinking about it, and apparently it's even more exciting now that I'm here...

I'm not sure if I should have seen this but I caught a glimpse and it's got my name on it so what's a boy to do! I asked dad what it is and he said it is called a stocking and that you put things in it at Christmas, but he wouldn't say what... Interesting. Anyway, check out the stocking thing with my name on it - can't wait to see what they put inside!

Way too big for my little feet...

So all hail my domestic goddess mum - the best mum making the best things. Or so says I.

Phoenix Love x x x

Phoenix Loves... Being back in town.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Phoenix.
Phoenix who?
Exactly.

Yes, yes, I admit it has been rather a long time since my last post, but there's so much growing up and fun to be had that sometimes I forget. But you all forgive me right? Hopefully my cute new profile picture will help with that...

So what's been happening with me? Well, things have been ticking along nicely. My teeth are coming on (two at the top coming through now), I've been accepted into Fågelsång dagis (Birdsong nursery school) starting the day after my first birthday and I've finally started to crawl. Finally.

A million times more important than all this is the news that I'm coming to England at the end of November. Now you have to understand how ace this is as I haven't seen my farmor, farfar, aunties and friends since we left four months ago - feels weird to think it has been this long. I can't wait for everyone to see what's new with me!

Before that though my auntie Sophie is coming over to see me - the first person to make the trip. Go auntie Soph! Oh and I guess she might want to see mum and dad a bit too, but they'll have to wait their turn...

Finally, I've been doing a little bit of redecorating which I hope you all like - spacey and stuff. I am nearly nine months old now so I like loads of different things all the time - keeps mum and dad on their toes!

So much more to tell but that will have to wait for now. It's good to be back!

Lots of love,

Phoenix Love x x x