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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2014

You are six months this week little hearts. That is quite a momentous milestone and one which highlights time passing. You are half way between being born and being one; a jump too vast to happen in just a year. And yet it does. In just six months you have gone from being newborn babes, wrapped in a cocoon of newness and protection, to real babies wrapped in chubby rolls, with dirt under your finger nails, laughing at our personal jokes. You’ve gone from knobbly skulls encased in fine seal down to beautifully shaped heads with what-not hairstyles and big open faces that invite the world in with one flash of your gummy-toothed smiles. Your tiny bodies have blossomed with amazing strength as you roll and stretch and push up and grab and kick and hold and reach and move around like inchworms. You’ve gone from nursing instinctively, to nursing habitually, now with your soft palms kneading my breast and grasping the fabric of my clothes tightly in your fists. Yet something inside of me still melts every time I look down at you in my arms. I loved you right from the very beginning and I love who you are becoming every day.

Welcome to a world of food

Last week I introduced the twins to solids as they are six months old. An exciting prospect, yet one which wrenched my heart. For nine months in the womb, and 24 weeks outside in the world, my babes have been nourished only by my body. I loved that I was the only one that can feed them. I resisted bottles when at times that would have been easier as night after night I was the only one who could answer their cries. It was our own little world that no one else could enter. And now it's time for them to take this next step. To taste the wonders of food. To try textures and tastes on slippery little tongues.

 

I took these pictures on the day my babes had their first taste of solids. Sweet potato was the food of choice. Steamed and blended into a yummy purée of light golden deliciousness. I loved watching them taking their first mouthfuls, opening up to new tastes. The reactions were true to their personalities - Anna was slow and deliberate in experiencing this new sensation, even though she has been so curious about any food I have eaten. She thought about it. Tasted it slowly and neatly. And then took a few small mouthfuls, carefully assessing each suck of the spoon. Although the expression on Florence's lips may have indicated otherwise, she enjoyed the food with vigor. Her hands grabbed the spoon, fingers were in the mouth, toes were in fingers and soon we were wiping sweet potato from all sorts of nooks and crannies.

Welcome to a wonderful part of life my cubs - Food, glorious food.

cheska goes to france in the winter

I am headed to France this weekend. Yes, I know this sentence sounds very nonchalant but I am actually bursting inside. Of course heading to Europe this time of year means some serious cold weather so I have been brainstorming my looks for months.

Here is what I am going for:

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As you can see, I am into a layering overload, soft neutral colours and this holiday I have decided to experiment with hats. If in doubt, accessorize right?

ps. I am admitting upfront that I will not look anything like the above, after all I am not traveling with excess luggage, I don't own designer clothes and I am a South African girl that ends up being a serious wimp in the snow! 

Animals inside the womb

These pictures are incredible! They aren't actually real but have been created using ultrasounds, tiny cameras and graphics to create these as-close-as-possible pics. I can't get over them!

Elephant

Polar bears

Dolphin

 Shark

Leopard

Penguin

Chihuahua

Bats

Horse

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3/52

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2014 - Anna Clementine (top) Florence Willow (above)

A week of first tastes and new tastes; of sweet potato and squash and butternut. Of veggie garden visits and neighborhood walks, wrapped tightly against our bodies and getting sweaty as the morning heats up. A week of dipping tiny toes into cold swimming pools, of evening showers and kicking in the bath. What a rare sight - photographs of you baby girls by yourselves. But a week of wonder as I see you experience each of these things in your own way.

I need this now

I desperately want this print for my kitchen! How fantastic is it?

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happy weekend

Woohoo! Weekends are even better in the summer! I love that you get home on a Friday after work and it's still so sunny that it feels as if you have a little bonus day! What are you up to? We are having a busy one... lots of family lunches and other fun things.

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Since this is the first 'happy weekend' post of 2014, I've decided to link to posts which relate to the new year, new resolutions, new promises and things like that: 

I am joining an online book club! Our first book is The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles.

Have you heard of Cardio Tennis? It's apparently the best to get a sexy tennis player body (not the Williams sister kind). There is a group starting in Joburg which I am going to join. 

And while we are on fitness, here are the top 10 workout songs in the US. 

I have joined the #100happydays project. Each day, for 100 days, you post a picture of what makes you happy. You can follow mine via Instagram.

This year, Bailey has committed to the 52 portraits project. She will be posting a portrait of the twins each week for the year.  Here is the first and second one, incase you missed them. 

My new year's resolution this year was to try at least one new recipe every single week. So far both have been from Jamie Oliver. The first was his famous Bolognese and second was Jool's favourite pasta - both are now on our 'repeat' list!  

In case your new year's resolution was to work out of the office more or hit some cafes for internet browsing, then here is Grazia's round up of the best wifi spots in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town. 

And finally, incase you are not interested in any of the above: Shaved alpacas. It's a pleasure. 

animal crew

I recently discovered Animal Crew and think they are seriously cool. If I were decorating a man's study or a little boy's room I think these would make the perfect addition. I just love the expressions on their faces'.

You can buy these prints from Society6, I have had fantastic experience with them delivering to South Africa.

office envy

We are huge fans of Airbnb, in fact I am staying in this Airbnb apartment in Paris at the end of the month. So we are not surprised that their offices are so beyond cool... some of the offices are decorated like their most popular apartments across the globe, I mean come on! Have a look:

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2014

It has been sweltering hot in Joburg this week so we spent most days in the nude. Seeing your bare bodies relish the fresh cool air of shade brings so much sweetness to these summer days. It was a big week for you darling girls. Anna you sprouted two teeth and you learned to roll, just three days after Florence. And I heard Florence giggle more than ever before - what music to my ears. 

Mister Finch: textured art

These are the most fascinating pieces of artwork I have ever seen. Before you freak, they are not made from real fur or anything like that but rather scraps of thread, fabric and paper which are stitched together to make the most magical creatures.

Ps. I love the way Mister Finch describes himself, "Finch works alone and makes everything himself by  hand in a studio full of books, glass jars and naughty cats."

leaves are the new flowers

I love having fresh flowers in my home - who doesn't? But lately I am kind of obsessed with different leaves, here are some examples of simple leaf beauty.

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