Birth from the other side

In the early hours of Tuesday morning I got to witness childbirth without going through it myself!

My sister Jill gave birth to her 3rd boy.

It was beautiful. Welcome baby Isaac. We love you boy!

What to do...?

I leave on Saturday for a driving trip to Oregon by myself - ALL by myself. And I am busy-in-my-head trying to decide how to spend my time. It's like this panic (not really, of course) of wanting to spend it exactly the right way and not waste it. Like thinking it's so good (and so rare!) that it might just slip away if I'm not careful (4 days goes by fast in normal life, right?). So what would you do?

Bring on Thanksgiving!

I do love the American
Thanksgiving tradition
- so much so that I did
my best to reproduce
it a few times Down
Under, right down to
the very same dishes
that my family makes.

Today, while Laura
and I got out the
winter gear for fun,
Daniel was busy
making pumpkin pie
at preschool.

Each kid brought
their own pie home -
how impressive!

They each made a
pie crust on Tuesday,
then filled and
baked them today.
He was pretty proud.

I think cooking at
preschool must be
much more fun than
cooking with me...

Daniel

...the bike and the scooter are having a rest.

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...my calendar gets some decoration!

1st picture: I've written so much about Laura lately. Maybe she's learning so much, so quickly, that it's just fun to share. And besides, Daniel is just busy riding around outside this week, giving his scooter and bike a real workout. I think preschool has made him more independent and happier with his own company

(and more bossy to other kids too, but we are working on that!).

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2nd picture: When he's not outside he wants to read, draw, do activity books... He found my calendar the other morning before I came downstairs. At a glance it looks like scribbles, but no... look carefully - he connected the numbers like many other 'dot-to-dot' activities in books (he added decorations on other months too). And although the look in his eye told me he knew he shouldn't have done it, I did leave it on the ground, so I couldn't be too annoyed with him. . :)

Music class

I have been taking the kids to a toddler music class for nearly a year, and I was debating whether to sign up for the next session, but we go with 2 other friends, and I can see how much the kids love it - how could I say no?

Halloween

In true American fashion, we did Halloween this year. Last year I think I was in a mild state of culture shock, not quite being able to handle the idea of putting Laura, then 4 months old, in a costume, nor the idea of knocking on doors asking for candy. But this year was fun, and my two Tiggers loved their costumes (thanks Anna!).

First the pumpkin patch tradition... They both loved the bunnies. Laura looks so serious, but I think maybe she was eyeing off someone who wanted a turn... :)

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And then the costumes -
Two Happy Tiggers! ...but don't mess with this Tigger!

For a long time to come

I think Andrew and I are still not quite used to the fact that Laura will be making us laugh [in an exasperated fashion] for a long time to come. Here's another example of how different these two kid creatures are: Daniel is 3, and he still could care less who is up when he has to go to bed. Laura is not quite 1 1/2, and she very much cares who is allowed to stay up when she has to go to bed.

For my mom

One of the classic stories of my childhood (which has been terribly embellished, I'm sure) is of me trying to negotiate my way into having 2 or 3 books before bed. Mom says 1 book, I say 3, then 2, then she says, "Sarah, 1 book or no books." I stubbornly choose no books and go to bed.

Well, repeat that conversation between me and Daniel truly word for word, until I tell him 1 book or no books. He says "no books". I say "okay", at which point he frantically scrambles to undo his decision and says, "yeah, yeah, 1 book, 1 book!" So he pretends to be stubborn, and he really does try, but the follow-through is just not in him.

But not to worry Mom, child #2 will play the whole scenario back to me, and I'm sure she will walk straight to bed without a book. You can quote me.

MARATHON BLOGGING: not for the faint at heart (and mostly for the grandparents!)

It's been over 3 weeks since I've posted anything. So here goes. And I mean it when I say marathon. This is not for the casual readers who just want a couple photos. :) I had to post something about our final week with Andrew and Lisa in early Sept, our trip to Australia (late Sept), and this last month of life back here at home. (...actually, no, it's just the trips. Life back here at home can wait. It's 1.02am here, and I'm going to bed.) Here's the photos.

Vegas/Grand Canyon Fiasco!!

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When I told Daniel the next day that Lisa and I rode on the rollercoaster, he was so impressed, "you rode on that rollercoaster while I was sleeping last night, whoa!"

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What do you do in Vegas with kids?

Go to the pool!

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We think Laura and Summer really did like each other, as Summer would start kicking and flapping when Laura walked in the room. We hope it wasn't cause she was scared... :)

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Obligatory Canyon family shot.

----------------------------Woke at 5.30 (by myself!) to see this. Couldn't pass up the chance to see a Canyon sunrise, even with a couple dozen tourists around me all enjoying it too...

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While the adults were gazing at the canyon, the kids were more fascinated by this hole in the wall!!

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We all have our own ways of coping with 6 hours in a car with 8 people...

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While I frantically unpacked from the Vegas/Canyon trip, did laundry and repacked to head to Australia, Daniel declared that he was ready to go. A couple undies, a couple tops, (a cute girl in tow)... what more does a boy need?

-------------------------------We said goodbye to the Harris' right before our own flight. After they left, Daniel happened to fall down, and cried, "I want Ella!" When I said that they had gone on their own plane, he said, "But I want to keep her because she's my friend and I love her!" Ah, they really did have fun together...

------------------------------------Some stranger guy in the airport happened to take this excellent shot, which I think is my FAV PHOTO of the whole holiday. We love you Harry's!!

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AUSTRALIA

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We got some nice end-of-winter weather, so we flew kites and had a picnic. Oma is a great photographer, I love this one!

--------------------------------------Oma and Daniel

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What you do at Bruny Island:
chop wood, walk on the beach, read, go for a row...

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I can do girls' hair, right?! :)

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...even Auntie Sharon joined in the fun!

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Daniel's new past-time is hide and seek, and of course Laura loves to do anything Daniel does... She has even begun to cover her eyes when she is 'counting'!!

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3 cheers for the Bruny Island jackets...and cute shot of the sister and her brothers!

I won't cry. Bye!

Well yesterday was Daniel's first day of preschool. I must admit, I didn't think it would go smoothly, given we had just arrived home, he was still pretty tired, and so much of his routine has been different over the past 5 weeks. But no, much to my delight, I stayed for a short while, and he seemed pretty comfortable for me to go, saying, "Mum, you'll do your stuff, and I'll do mine, and then you'll come pick me up, right?!" Yep, that's right, Daniel. Then as I walked away, he calls out "Mum!" (with me thinking 'oh here we go...'), and then, "I forgot to give you a hug! [hugging takes place] I love you. And I won't cry. Bye!" And off he runs. Ooh, I love it. He loved it. It's all good. I love being that kid's mum. (hmm, is this blog becoming a bit of a journal instead of just a few pictures every once in awhile...?)