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...

Unwinding: with a little help from his girl

Who knew that 9kgs on your shoulders could feel so good?

Quick Escape

AJ has been feeling stressed of late, so I hatched a plan and we made a quick escape to Venus Bay for a few days of quiet family time. We slept, ate, walked, soaked up the sunshine, breathed in some fresh sea air, sat and observed nature and enjoyed watching Sienna explore her new surroundings. It was much needed bliss.

When I say we "observed nature" it is more that nature brought itself to our back door where we flipped out in excitement and trepidation to see kangaroos so up close. The pics tell the story.

She Walks!

Our little girl took her first steps today...and never looked back. She has walked all day. Aunty Alisa stayed the night last night to help me prepare for a family lunch we hosted today. While we were lazily eating breakfast and chatting on the lounge room floor Little Miss began to walk between us. Then passed us. Then around us. And into the next room. And so it was for the rest of the day.

While I am so happy for Sienna that she has achieved this little milestone...I am also very excited by the longer sleeps she's had due to all the new physical activity!

(photo taken a couple of weeks after her walking debut)