You know you're in America when...

Nick says to Grandpa, "Can I please have a weapon?"

Enough said.

Mom

It was my Mom's 60th birthday the other day. 

Okay, well nearly 2 weeks ago now...

I was just letting you ease into your 60's Mom, you know, 

instead of bombarding you on the day with lots of that 

"oh welcome to your 7th decade" stuff... ;) hehe.

I love you more than I can express, and miss you just as much. Thanks for all the love you've poured into my life. I owe so much to you.

Ballet concert

Did I ever EVER think a child of mine would wear makeup at 5 years old?

Nope.

Did I surprise myself by thinking it was sorta kinda fun to indulge
this girly side of my daughter that only faintly exists in me?

Admittedly, yes.

 She was blissfully happy and I found myself very much
enjoying the day with her.

She's had such a fun year doing ballet.
She performed so well on stage with her group, paying attention to detail
and feeling so proud to be doing it in front of so many people.
Perhaps it's not such a terrible thing to let her continue for a bit... the jury's still out...

Luckily the makeup is only for the concert - it's more makeup
than I have ever worn, even on my wedding! :)

3 on 2

3 years old and on 2 wheels.

Go Nick.

I'm telling you, my sister's trick really works!

He's always been coordinated and hugely interested
in anything physical, but this is cool. 

Wish I'd tried it with all the kids, but then
you tend to go with what they are interested in...

Can't wait till he's confident enough to go for a real bike ride!

Well done Engel

Andrew's grandfather turned 90 last week and we all travelled up to make an event of it, of course! He's such a trooper. What a weekend watching our kids interact with one of their great grandfathers. Looking forward to more of this at Christmastime...

Here he is playing Uno with Laura, Alie and me. I won and he accused me of cheating. The question is not whether he still has his marbles, it's whether or not he can handle losing! :)

He was rather impressed at the ability to see ourselves as we took the photo!

At the end of the party...

Quote of the weekend courtesy of Daniel (and proof that I underestimate what kids are capable of):

"Do you know what my favourite part of the party was? Listening to Opa's stories about his life when he was younger. I even understood some of what he was saying." 

Never say they don't pay attention.

Stick it

Did you know stick insects are the "newest-coolest" birthday gifts? 

This one was a friend's thank goodness. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, 

but [call me a controlling parent] don't wrap it up and give it to 

my child without my tick of approval! :) 

But it is a really really awesome insect...

3 and counting

Nick turned 3 a day after his birthday...because he spent his birthday sick on the couch after throwing up overnight...lucky for him he was too young to really know the difference and we just made it his birthday the next day. Easy!

Daniel told Nick maybe the round green present was lettuce. After Nick opened the ball, he looked at Daniel and said, in all seriousness, "Daniel you're wrong, it wasn't salad!"

Keepin up with the siblings with his own scooter

He wanted green and blue cupcakes.

Too easy.

Happy birthday little big kid.

We love you like crazy.

Not to worry, we won't let Aunty Sharon keep you.

7 years, really?

7 years wiping bottoms. Kids close enough together not to have had a break. (mind you, not quite as close as my cousin Shelby who had 3 kids in 2.5 years, which paid off at least a bit in terms of less years changing dirty bottoms!!) :)

So that's that. Nick turns 3 tomorrow. A week ago he was wearing nappies and didn't care, and today he's standing at the bathroom door telling me he's busting. Gotta love it.

Dislike

Dear Head Lice please go away

Don't come back any other day

You should be gone by now

But you returned - I know not how

The only comfort I can muster -

Is that it's in clean hair you cluster

Bleh.

Happy Snap

Happy kids on holidays
(sept school holidays here, kind of like spring break in U.S.)

She rides on 2 wheels!

Firstly, thanks goes out to my sister Jenn for her fabulous trick in Teaching Kids to Ride a Bike 101: seat low so their feet are flat on the ground, with pedals off so they can run along, push off and coast. Then when they have the idea about balance and holding the bike, put the pedals on and it's a short road from there!

So, I thought she could do it and so I took Laura's pedals off on Monday, and on Friday (after only 2 times practicing without pedals), we put the pedals on and she rode. Simple as that. First try. She didn't expect it and neither did we. But how thrilled was she!

...nevermind the bit where Daniel kicks a soccer ball in her path, well done for not crashing Laura!

Gut Feeling.

You know it's going to be one of those days when it's 9.30am and you:

- have already changed your top because it had poo on it. yep.

- cleaned up spilled milk AND throw up at breakfast.

- don't care that he's only 2 and he's sick, you just want him to stop whinging.
- arrived at school to find out that you were supposed to bring
a shared plate for the class party lunch.

- leave school and decide to get an Egg McMuffin for breakfast
and you like it.

Ok, I"m off to keep living this day! I feel better already. 

More sleeping

It's becoming a common thing in the morning for Nick to wake up and wander into Daniel's room to climb in bed with him or play in his room while he is [of course] still sleeping. But to do it quietly at bedtime without us hearing? Good effort Nick. This is what I found at 9pm when I turned off Daniel's light after he fell asleep reading. Made me want to snuggle in too! 

Don't worry, I didn't.

And one morning last week Daniel said Nick came and stood by his bed, waking him up saying, "I have to get in your bed Daniel." I just told Daniel that he didn't have to let him get in if he didn't want to, to which Daniel said, "Oh Mum, I'm not going to say no to him." Good onya big brother, if you don't mind my Aussie slang... 

How can this be???

Completely and utterly asleep.

I think my mom might say like mother like daughter, not sure... ;)

Superwoman

I really do not strive to be this particular image of a woman...

...but it's a striking image nonetheless...

...and a great article about perfectionism, high standards, what it is I am striving for, and whether or not it's valuable to me or predetermined by others to be valuable.

Personally, dot point 3 and 5 are ones I relate to...

That's all. :)

41 years (or 492 months if you prefer)

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! 

Thank you for your wonderful example and support all these years.

Snow Yeah

It's been pretty cold here. The mountain has had snow for weeks and a student-free day at school meant we had no excuse not to go!

Snowball fights...

The view driving home

7. A pretty great number.

7 years of this kid, what a treat. I love him more with each year, though that doesn't seem possible. I love how his smile starts in his eyes, and how he is so often aware of how people are feeling. 

Happy birthday Daniel, it's a joy to be your mum.

Opening presents...

A new desk...

...turns into a group event. Fun!

Taking me by surprise

This boy is growing fast, as they all do, I know... but he has a favourite colour, and it's from inside his own mind, not copied from anyone. It's just adorable, to me, of course. "Me like green. And blue. But green my favourite, I love it." And he loves to move. Moving to kick anything, or moving to music. He loves doing air guitar and air drums. He loves air hugs and air kisses. No more babies. Just 3 kids who play cafe together, a big sister who can help the little brother get dressed, and a big brother who makes toast for them all, on a school morning, and even on Saturdays! These are the days I remember as a kid, parents who stay in bed on Saturday and kids who get their own brekky and watch cartoons. Bummer about the lack of good cartoons, but that's another story altogether... 

Sunrise from my bedroom window

I think I posted a very similar picture last winter, but it never seems to grow old for me...

It's sad, I know

The kids have gone their whole life until now without experiencing aerosol whipped cream shot directly into the mouth. 

It's almost as bad as not ever experiencing a Tim Tam Slam. 

Result: 1 kid not impressed, 2 kids couldn't get enough, and 1 adult who chose the whipped cream over the dessert it was meant to be on top of. 

Thanks for the fun Terri!!