Staying Warm in Amsterdam

It's taken me years to figure out how to keep myself warm in this bone-dampeningly cold town, and now I need to find ways to keep Cal toasty too. My old Italian boyfriend used to tell me to dress like an onion - layer upon layer - and Granny was sure it was all about warm wrists. My solution is to wear what David calls my "Apocalypse Coat" an enormous black ski-jackety number every single day from October to April. It's not chic, and I used to try and swap it out for nicer felt trenches occasionally, but as each winter goes by I become less resistant to the draw of Apocalypse Coat's loving warmth.

But I digress, I want to keep Cal warm but I also want him to retain movement of his limbs. I don't want to go overboard with the onion layers. Also because anyone who has ever tried to dress a 10 month old knows that more than two layers in one go is a losing game. So this week as the temps dropped I scoped out what other mothers do. Of course. Sheepskin lined sleeping bags that attach to prams. Not something you'll ever see in Australia, however I've lived in a few places in oz where you would definitely get use out of a sheepskin sleeping bag. And if they made them in queen size I would say goodbye to sheets and duvets forever. And if they made them in lady-sized jumpsuits, well, it's probably a good thing they don't.

Sheepskin sleeping-bag goodness

Making Mum jealous

'Apocalypse Coat' circa 2010