Just like the good old days

The thing about water restrictions is that I feel a bit sad my children won't get to experience the same things I did. Things like making a home-made water slide with plastic, water and detergent and sliding down on our tummies. Until the kid across the road breaks his arm...

Then there was running under the sprinkler. And my favourite - washing Dad's car. I have a photo of me helping my Dad wash his car. I must be about 2.

Thanks to our neighbours having a water tank - my little girl got to wash her Dad's car today. It was cold and wet and probably an inappropriate thing to do in winter - but they loved it!

Wet washing fun

In the midst of winter my family room has been turned into a Chinese laundry. I have wet clothes and sheets drying all over the place.

Sienna particularly enjoys it when I dry my sheets inside...they're fun to play in.

Talk. Talk. Talk. Stop!

It's incredible how much my little girl talks. It's endless from the moment she wakes until I kiss her goodnight. It's endless, but I love it.

I love to hear Sienna chattering away to herself, using anything long and slim as a telephone and exclaiming "Yeths, oh yeths" as she walks her doll Daisy in a doll pram holding the "phone" to her ear with her shoulder. Multi tasking already.

It's kinda scary how accurately she immitates me. Bit like holding a mirror to my behaviour which gives me food for thought some days.

The only time this one is not talking is when she's glued to the television watching the Teletubbies or Hi-5. Not a word passes her lips. She gets the zombie stare...and I get to clean the toilets without a helper.

Lovin' her curls

I've never had curls. Only the type my mum would create with hot rollers or the soft ones you'd wear overnight. It was a big ordeal to get my hair to curl...and then after 30 minutes in the outside air, we'd be back to square one. Dead. Straight.

I chased the idea of soft curls in my hair for many years. I remember when I was 12 the spiral curl perm was in fashion. I had it done and was most disappointed with the results...it looked like I had slept with plaits in my hair. Not a spiral curl in sight.

A week later they tried again. Yes, two perms in one week - oh the split ends! Again, not one spiral curl. And so my hair was diagnosed as "unpermable" if that is a word I can make up for this story.

So you can imagine my delight to see that my little girl has inherited a gorgeous soft curl from her Daddy. I enjoy them so much. Adorable.

Winter Sun

Felix enjoying some peaceful warmth in the winter sun. As cats do...

Rocking chair

Getting more and more adventurous...Sienna has not only discovered she can climb onto this chair...she can also rock herself.

Hopefully my days of cuddles while I rock her will not be numbered!

Dress Ups

During a visit to her cousins house, Sienna was pre-occupied with climbing the stairs because she was a bit bored with the toys on offer.

Don't get me wrong - the toys were great but it went a bit like this: Justina brings out the plastic animals - nah. She brings out the Duplo - nah. She runs upstairs and returns with fairy wings, a fairy skirt and a Hawaiian lei - yes please!!!

She was delighted to dress up and have us all admire her. A true princess in the making.

Breakfast

Sienna wakes up a very hungry girl. There is to be no mucking around in the morning - getting her breakfast is the first order of the day. Sometimes I even get up before her and make it before she wakes up to avoid the tears of hungry impatience. That is if she sleeps in past 6.30am.

So we have a routine. It's super fast and nutritious. Gotta love that.

Pre-prepared porridge heated up with blueberries and Jalna strawberry yoghurt. It's yum. She loves it and eats the lot. With her hands. We're not fairing too well on the introduction of the spoon.

But she's nourished and happy by 7am and that's good enough for this mother.

The sound of silence

During a play date with my dear friend Jo, we were enjoying ourselves, talking animatedly - when we suddenly noticed the silence. Where minutes before the kids could be heard playing on the deck, now there was just the sound of our own voices. The deck was silent.

Our eyes locked in horror because we knew this could only mean one thing. They were up to something.

Poor Jo has a vegie patch that's struggling to get up and running with two curious toddlers. Add Sienna, a wheel barrow with rain water at the bottom and a garden bed to the mix...and we have a mud party.

Jo just laughed. I laughed eventually after getting over the sight of my grotty daughter and wondering how I was going to get her home without a change of clothes in my bag.

Then we got our cameras. Sienna was the only one this messy. Angus and Daisy have learned to play without the mess. Happy days.

Baby's first Babycino

We tried out the new Eastlink freeway today. I decided to celebrate my mum's birthday with coffee and cake at a cafe by the beach in Frankston. It was a really cold wet day, so we warmed our tummies and our hearts with a good coffee and some conversation.

I thought Sienna may be old enough to try her first Babycino (not quite knowing myself what to expect - I'd heard it's just frothed milk). Try again. This cafe serves mini hot chocolates to toddlers.

I've never seen Sienna quite so animated over food. "Yummyyyyy!", "Oh wow! Yummy!", "More pees!" were just a few of her exclamations. Needless to say we drew a bit of attention to ourselves.

What have I started? Happy birthday to my beautiful mum. xxx

Ouuchhh!

Over confident + Over zealous + Under skilled in the running department.

Add parents questionable surveillance = Ouch!!!

There were tears. There were cuddles. There was an icypole to suck on to reduce the swelling...and the crying.

They tell me mouth injuries heal quickly. Hears hoping.

In my shoes

What's mine has become my daughters - especially when we're talking about shoes. Sienna loves shoes.

This is not something I've encouraged - in fact it drives me crazy having to keep cleaning up after her shoe parties in my wardrobe. It must be in the girl genes. Shoes. Or "Shooths" as she puts it.

And yes that is my lingerie she's wearing. At least someone is getting some wear out of it! :)

Schwing

Nearing 18 months old and one of her favourite things in the world is to swing. Particularly high. Higher than most mums in the park push their toddlers...I've noticed the gasps and wary eyes quite a few times. But she likes it high, she likes it scary. Apparently it's just not fun unless your tummy feels funny and you have to grimace.

That's my dare devil girl.

Playing ladies

How much does this look like an actual replica of what goes on at a salon? Here Sienna is doing her best to sit still while her cousins create hair masterpieces one after the other within the restrictions of her little bob cut.

She seems happy with the result:

Oh Sh*t!

So when you have your in-laws staying with you it goes without saying that we are all on our best behaviour...right?

Well not so much when it comes to the toddler of the house. You see she was babysat by Aunty Lise recently who dropped something in front of Sienna. This morning when Sienna dropped what she was holding whilst in the arms of her Grandma, she exclaimed "Oh Shi!"

Perfectly clear. Embarassingly obvious. Halo ever so slightly slipped. Shi happens I guess...hence the face washer in her mouth. I had to wash it out.

Make-up Mishap

Check out that face. This is what happens when Mummy is amazed that she gets 5 quiet minutes to put on her makeup...but hang on, where's my eyeshadow stick? Fast forward to finding Sienna facing a corner in the lounge room madly applying it to her lips.

Too funny!

House guests

Sienna's Papa & Grandma are in town for a couple of months and will be staying with us for just over 2 weeks. She is absolutely delighted to be sharing her home with her grandparents. With all the extra attention and love she's been getting, my little girl is on Cloud 9.

Here's a pic of us celebrating her arrival at Domaine Chandon last year.

Wintry walk

(photos taken 30 mins apart)

I must admit that even the likes of me (being exercise phobic and all) can be enticed outdoors for a walk at the first rays of sunshine that break through the winter gloom. I love winter, but having a toddler and needing to be inside, protected from the unfriendly weather, gets a bit...well...sh*t after a while. If I'm to be completely candid.

I think I was a little too optimistic that the weather would hold, as we just missed more rain thanks to some speed walking!

Sitting up like a big girl

The high chair is so last season. Get me out of that thing and up where the real action is - the kitchen bench.

Preparing dinner will never be peaceful again with all the "More, ta" sample requests amongst discussing the rules of standing on the booster seat. Which is on the stool. Which is up high. So sit on your bottom please.

A lock of hair

Alas the time has come for Sienna's first haircut. Surprisingly it didn't hurt as much as I thought...for me that is!

She sat reasonably still as I did a few quick snips...and now we have a toddler bob, Suri Cruise style. We also have one lonely lock of baby hair that was 17 months in the making. How time is flying.

Autumn leaves

Sienna enjoying the gift of autumn...her leaves!

Mothers Day

We decided to celebrate Mothers Day this year by walking in the Mothers Day Classic, which is 4kms around the botanical gardens. Mum, Alisa, Sienna and I were out bright and early and walking with what seemed like the rest of Melbourne. It felt great to be out with so many in our community.

We were humbled and moved by the tributes many people were wearing in remembrance of their mums/sisters/friends that had died of breast cancer. It is a priviledge to be walking for the fun of supporting the event, and not doing it to honor someone we loved that has passed away.

After our walk we headed to the Carlton Gardens to meet up with more of the family and have some lunch. The cousins had a ball...and I was on chasing duty to ensure non of the little ones ended up in the nearby pond or busy Nicholson Street...as if I hadn't had enough exercise!

Rocking Horse heaven

Sienna's cousins Evelyn and Justina have graciously loaned us their precious rocking horse that Papa made Evelyn for her 1st birthday (12 years ago). It has taken her several months to get the hang of it, but Sienna can now climb onto and ride the rocking horse. She uses it several times a day, and it never fails to get a smile out of her. She even makes "clip, clop" sounds as she rides.

Papa has made one for Sienna's 1st birthday which she'll be getting when they come to Melbourne in May. A precious family heirloom. A tangible piece of love from Papa to Sienna. I will be sure to reveal it to you in good time.

Airing my dirty laundry!

Sienna has discovered our laundry hamper. Since it has been discreetly hidden within a drawer (thanks to a recent laundry renovation) it's taken her a while to discover the delights of dirty laundry.

On any given day I will find my delighted daughter walking around the house proudly sporting a pair of my knickers around her neck. She wears them like a necklace by putting the leg part over her head. Ew! No matter how many times I say "Dirty clothes, lets put them back. They're not for wearing" she insists on finding them and wearing them... Perhaps something to mention at her 21st party?

Shoo-ooo-esth

Shoes. Our child is mad about them. Particularly my shoes...especially if they have a high heel. She tramps around the house in my shoes, dragging it around on one of her feet, stopping to put it back on when the heel gets caught on the carpet. She could be occupied for days if her temper didn't get the better of her after about the 4th shoe drop.

So this week we introduced Sienna to her first very own real pair of shoes. None of this soft soled baby stuff, but a REAL shoe.

And so it is that these are the first and last things Sienna has on each day. She begins her day with wanting her "Shoo-ooo-esth" on. We end the day in tears when we have to take her "Shoo-ooo-esth" off. Notice the lisp? Cute!

All grown up

In an effort to further tire my little dynamite, today we tried walking along the Yarra river after playing at the Warrandyte playground. No hands were to be held...apparently we're too big for that now. That myth will have to be shot to flames another day.

Today it was catch me if you can! And, is that running water I see at the foot of that 2m drop?

PS. Happy 9 year wedding anniversary to my patient, kind, loving, long suffering, funny, romantic...sick husband. Feel better quickly - we have celebrations to enjoy!

Dress Ups

Sienna came out from about 15 mins of quiet play in her room with this delightful Get Up. I say a hat and handbag with shopping list in hand means pretty in any language.

Can You do a Hair Do?

By some miracle cousin Justina managed to get Sienna to stay still long enough for her to put several hair ties and clips in her hair. The double miracle was that she left them in! Wonders will never cease. I have not been able to keep so much as one clip in her hair before this event or any time since.

I'll just have to wait for the stage that she asks me to do her hair and put pretty things in it. Until then, pretty hair is for special cousin play times only.

Water Play

I've found recently that when the going gets tough inside our 4 walls, I put a hat on Sienna and send her outdoors.

Water play is her most favourite outdoor activity. I assign a certain amount of water to her and once it's gone, I spend the next half hour explaining that there a water restrictions and that's all the water she had to play with. She's 14 months old but I'm sure she understands the concept of restrictions...well, at least the "no more water" part.

But let me tell you - while the water flows, there is happiness in abundance in our little corner of the world!

Swing!

We have a dare devil in our midst. Comes in the form of a 14 month old girl who responds favourably to heights and anything fast or dangerous. Take for example the swing. I have to lift it above my head and let her drop before I see a smile of satisfaction and then a weird little grimace as her stomach drops, followed by more smiles.

I really have to keep in mind that my child is not necessarily the norm. My poor niece, Mia, burst into tears the last time I pushed her on a swing...apparently dropping stomachs are not considered fun for all toddlers. Oops, lesson learned.

Friday fun

It's only taken over a year of being a stay at home mum...but I've finally picked a day to clean the house. You see, it just wasn't getting done. What with coffees here, play dates there, grumpy clingy baby days, stay in your pj days...where does the time go? Well turns out that time never got to the "cleaning up the house on a regular basis" bit... So Friday's it is.

Consequently, Sienna loves Friday's. It's her "I get to follow mum around the house, getting in the way while she drags that long noisy snake around with her" day. If I'm extra lucky, sometimes it's her "I get to follow mum from room to room crying extra loud so she can hear me above that God awful noise" day. Luckily today was not one of those Fridays.

Happy Friday to you! Enjoy your weekend.

Peek-a-boo!

Sienna enjoyed a play date with Callum today. I had put a blanket over our closed up treadmill and it created a little alcove. Callum discovered the alcove first and sat happily behind the blanket in his own little sanctuary. Sienna followed soon after and I began playing Peek-a-boo with the blanket.

I found them later playing Peek-a-boo with eachother on their own. Too cute for words.

The beginning of the end...of order

So I guess it's time to admit that my baby girl is perhaps more of a toddler than a baby these days.

Take for example her behaviour when her friends come to visit. She's so hospitable that she helps them pull every little thing from every corner of her play room and anywhere else I let her roam. Usually at the end of a play date my sometimes ordered home is left looking like a bomb site. Granted, a bomb site that only takes 15 minutes to clean up...but talk about mess!

I remember the days of a little one kicking her legs while she layed happily on her back. In one spot. Not moving or lifting or rearranging a thing. Just being still and gorgeous.

Well, those days are gone. At least she's thriving - and that's all I could ever want for her.

Brighton beach

We visited Aunty Alisa today and since it was an uncomfortable 37C we decided to head down to Brighton beach for some relief. Upon our arrival we were greeted by what seemed like half of Melbourne...all with the same idea as us.

Sienna was happy to be able to play around in the sand and took a keen interest in the water. She's never seemed that interested before, but I guess because Brighton is a bay beach with no waves she seemed less threatened. Definitely less threatened. I waded into the water with her holding her hand and she kept trying to drag me further in...I was reluctant since the water was already up to her chest! Little dare devil.

We quenched our thirst with a few glasses of sparkling wine...and with the combination of a hot day and sitting in the sun, our bubbly drinks oddly had no affect on us. Good thing given we were on baby beach patrol.

Too cool for school

I can barely wear my sunglasses without Sienna thinking it's hilarious that my eyes are covered by big shades. When I lift them up to reveal my eyes and say "Boo!" she thinks its funny every time.

Lately she's been wanting to get into the action herself. So now I can't keep my sunglasses on for long before Sienna wants to take them off and play the "Boo!" game with me...this time wearing them herself.

Swinging in the sun

Time as a family is doing us all some good. Check out the delight that swinging in the sun with Daddy brought this little girl...

Happy Leap Day!

Collecting sea shells

After a long walk to find the beach that we could hear around our accommodation, we finally found the entrance to Beach No 5. While AJ and I arrived a little tired from the long, lost walk (we had no map), Sienna arrived fresh as a daisy relaxing in her pram protected from the elements.

So after we had carried the pram down several flights of steep steps, it was a very excited Sienna that we picked up and planted on the soft cool sand. That is when the sea shells caught her eye...and it was a frenzy of collecting them from then on. Except for one small problem. She wouldn't relinquish any of the shells in her hands to free herself up to collect more - no matter how many times I offered to take them so she could. So with little smiles on our faces we obeserved as Sienna tried desperately to pick up that elusive fourth shell that she couldn't fit into her already full fists.

Stubborn and independant is this Little One. I have no idea where it came from...