On Saturday, Evie had her first taste of independence when we let her walk up the high street with us. She was so proud and so happy, stopping to look into every store window and causing everyone who passed us to exclaim over her cuteness.
Even the Gap was a whole lot more interesting when Evie was out of her stroller. Her usual reaction to going to the Gap or any other store is to put on a look of pure boredom and, after approximately five minutes, to start yelling so that everyone knows just how bored she actually is.
Jim was one proud Daddy.
Ducking through a Hampstead alley. You probably had to be there to really appreciate how monumental this event was. We all had a blast! If we are this proud when Evie just walks up the street, what's going to happen when she gets through all of her other life accomplishments!?
On Saturday night we were invited to a birthday party for our friend and former neighbor Phil. Phil, Julie, Maddy and Joe have been great friends since we all lived next door to each other in our first London flat, so we were excited to go and celebrate with them. Perhaps you don't recognize the woman in this picture. Believe it or not, it's the same one who was walking up the high street in her puffy jacket and ponytailed hair. When given the opportunity, I still clean up pretty well. Jim spends most of his time looking respectable since he has a job. From Mom and Dad to Party People....we headed out!
Name dropping is really not my style, but Phil is in the music industry and is good friends with none other than Bryan Adams, who, to everyone's surprise didn't just attend the party, but also got up to jam with the band. To his right is our friend Dave, another great musician, and the Dad of Evie's friends Marilyn and Christina. Everyone was having a great time and we were all a little star struck by Bryan Adams, I think. (Jim and I were at least)
Joe was busy learning important life skills from the bartender. Here he makes a delicious and nutritious mojito.
Claire, Claire (Christina and Marilyn's mom) and Maddy, who was very embarrassed by our dancing. And Joe said my dancing looked like I was about to go streaking. HAH! Nothing like teenage honesty to make you feel old and uncoordinated. I warned them that when Evie is a teenager, she's going to think that they are big dorks, too. What goes around comes around!
Phil was serenaded by Bryan and the jumped in and played/sang some of his own songs. He has several well known songs and a few recent number one hits here in the UK. It was fun to hear him singing them instead of the usual pop starlets.
Birthday cupcake extravaganza. YUM.
The lovely Julie was serenaded as well, as being "just too good to be true." Very sweet. Unfortunately the pictures that Jim took are ones that I know would not have Julie's approval, but I can vouch for the fact that she looked beautiful in a purple dress and was the picture of a glowing hostess. She planned a great party!
Cool times with Joe:
Learning to dance like a club kid. This is some karate chop move. We also learned 'milk the cow' and 'milk the bull' (use your imagination). I demonstrated my best 'cabbage patch kid,' 'stir the soup' and 'sprinkler.'
Oh what a fun night it was! And how painful was the next day, as we morphed back into Jim and Claire, parents, starting at 6:30 am. But it was worth it.
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