Happy Days

Christmas day was enjoyed with AJ's family. We played, talked, ate, drank and enjoyed each others company. It's what it's all about.

I hope you enjoyed your day remembering what it's all about. Family. Love. Hope.

Carols without candlelight

This evening we met friends at a local venue and sat down with our picnic blankets to enjoy some festive carols by candlelight. A first for our family. We arrived, we sat, we chased Sienna in a vain attempt to stop her from crawling into the neighbouring carolers picnics, we got the kids faces painted, we ate, we lip synched to one unfamiliar song (I am not blessed with a pleasant voice)...and we left. Whew.

It was still daylight, they had not even started on a carol I was familiar with (they must save those til last) and our spot was taken by seagull patrons looking for a better spot within seconds of us folding up our blanket. Fun for all of the family! Actually, it was.

Season of change

I have a complicated past with Christmas and as a result have mixed feelings about it. I enjoy the idea of a holiday where families pause to spend time together and show each other how much they are loved and appreciated. I like that Jesus is celebrated for having been on this earth and sharing his example for us to follow. I like that kids get excited about this magical time. My secret is that I’m not keen on Santa and all the excessive gift giving.

Buying gifts gets my knickers in a knot at the best of times (secret number two shared today) so to do so for many family members is enough to make me want to hibernate until it all goes away.

AJ’s family is in Melbourne for Christmas this year and we plan to spend it with them. I am thinking a lot about what I want Christmas to mean to Sienna. I’m thinking more along the lines of the family time and celebrating a life worth knowing and less about a fat man in a red suit that I have to make up stories about to answer all of Sienna’s future questions such as “how does he get around the whole world in one night?”.

So wish me luck as I endeavor to enjoy and create some special traditions that will be unique to our little family at this time. A definite change to enduring “the season to be jolly” as I have in previous years.

Stolen Kisses

I looked after my nephew & neice - Dylan and Mia - today while my sister-in-law Sue had an appointment. Sienna loves seeing her cousins and gets lots of cuddles and kisses from Dylan whenever she sees him. However today there was a different sight to enjoy. Dylan was running around doing what boys do while Sienna was crawling madly after him trying to keep up. Mia (bless her heart) was crawling after Sienna with the sole intention of grabbing her, bringing her to the floor and planting kisses on her face. She kept doing it over and over again. It was beautiful.

She stands

Sienna is standing up on everything now. Everything and anything whether it’s stable or unstable, she’ll give it a red hot go. She has the biggest smile of achievement on her face with each successful stand. I love her enthusiasm…however there have been tears of late – such as when the rocking horse, well, rocks.

Beach love

Day 2 of our weekend in Lorne began quite indulgently for AJ and I as we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in a nearby café. While Mum and Alisa looked after Sienna on the beach, we were sitting at a table enjoying a meal I didn’t have to prepare, eating it uninterrupted, having a conversation, looking into each other’s eyes whilst listening to one another…and relaxing. As a couple. For a change. It was lovely.

After breakfast we spotted our baby girl being pushed in her pram by her proud Aunty on their way to the beach. We thought about having a window shop but after an hour away we decided we’d prefer to be playing on the beach with everyone. So that’s what we did.

Alisa took some family pics of us mucking around on the beach which I’ve attached for you to enjoy. What a beautiful day.

Every girl needs a good lippy to match her outfit

Alisa is going overseas for 9 weeks in mid December so we took it upon ourselves to enjoy a family weekend away with her in Lorne. Mum also came with us so there has been lots of fun and frivolity that AJ has had to endure/enjoy.

Sienna has so far thought it is the coolest thing to have Nonna and Aunty Lise around 24/7 as she has been kissed, cuddled, played with, laughed at and attention overloaded since we arrived.

Highlights of today include:
- Sienna's first introduction to lipstick by Aunty Lise. She was so good and stayed very still while lashings of dusty pink were being applied to her baby lips.

- Soaking up the sea air and feeling myself take a breath and relax my shoulders for the first time in a while...

- Dinner at The Cumberland to celebrate Mum's retirement next Thursday (Sienna slept peacefully in her pram soon after we got there!)

- After dinner drinks in our apartment reminiscing about childhood antics while sharing a cock-sucking cowboy with my mum. The cocktail.

Simple pleasures

A basil plant is growing happily in the garden bay window I am lucky enough to have in my kitchen. I walk passed it every day and today I stopped and enjoyed the pretty flower it was adorned with. Simple. Beautiful. Worth taking a moment to appreciate.