Tuesday, February 25, 2014

back to work

he
He helped me shop for a couple of new work shirts. He tried on every bangle at the shop. All at once.

me
I have courageously re-entered the grown-up world, one day a week. I started back at work last Monday, and yesterday was my second day. I'll be working on a couple of interesting projects, so it's been pretty fun so far. The teachers have all signed up for a pedometer challenge - part of a workplace health/safety initiative, or something. Not one to pass up a game, I joined my friends' team and bought a pedometer. Sometimes I even remember to wear it. I probably shouldn't have remembered to wear it last Wednesday, when I went for a swim, with my new flippers. Thankfully, we took it apart and it magically started working again the next day, so I'm back to counting steps! Ten thousand a day, here I come...

Sunday, February 16, 2014

more home-made ice cream

he

This was our latest attempt of 'zip-lock-bag' ice cream (during a last holiday frolic with our ice cream friend before school swallowed her up for another term). Sharing a bowl, little guy kept sneaking the ice cream off my spoon as I brought it (past his mouth) up to my mouth. So I stole some sneaky kisses while he was so close. 

me

FOUR DOLLAR ICE-CREAM MAKER FROM AWESOME CALOUNDRA OP SHOP!!! 
We made (and devoured) a fairly successful (and definitely delicious) coconut ice cream at Schultzfest, and then a 'Welcome Home' banana frozen yogurt when B returned from his NT trip.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

fancy new toys

he
Oh yes. A dinosaur/light projector. A late birthday present from Auntie. He operates it very seriously and likes to make the image bigger and smaller by moving it back and forth.

me
 
Finally! 
The 2nd picture is us taking it home. The collection slip we found in our letter box (from the Post Office) said "Small Parcel" so we popped in to collect it before play group, and ended up having to cart this heavy box around our neighbourhood all morning. I didn't mind.

Friday, February 14, 2014

schultzfest 2014

he
Family time. Cheese. Playing in the sand. Winter Olympics opening ceremony commercial breaks. Ships. Swimming. Toys. Books. Cuddles. Play. Excavator. Dinosaur.

me
Family time. Wine and cheese. Relaxing on the sand. Winter Olympics opening ceremony replay. The view. Gorgeous weather. Op shops. Icecream machine. Reading. Sewing. 

Thursday, February 13, 2014

just the two of us

he

 His Dad is away for the week. So far, during the week he has:
- skyped Dad
- helped me bake cookies
- tried a new playground after swimming lesson
- read lots of books to Giraffey when they both woke from naps.

me

 So far, during the week I have:
- had just a few moments of NOT being his sole company while  our downstairs housemates had a bubbly play with him
- been op-shopping with a friend
- pulled out my big costume suitcases and helped a friend find a costume for a 21st
- visited ikea and single-handedly assembled a whole new desk with fancy roller drawers.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

wedding fun

he
Our downstairs housemates got married under a big, bunting-filled gumtree on Tallebudgera creek. He was excited about it - talking about it a lot in the lead-up. He kept himself occupied during the ceremony, playing and reading on a picnic rug, and then stripping down to his undies for a swim in the creek. He partied all day and LOVED hanging with all the 'big' kids. During their speech, he wandered up to the front and stood right in front of them to listen and watch. He even got a beach swim at Burleigh with a bunch of friends before we headed home.

me

We organised a (very dodgy) ukulele flash-mob as a wedding surprise, changing the words to "You are My Sunshine". We had contacted everyone we thought might be there with instructions. Lots of people joined in! It was pretty funny!

Monday, February 10, 2014

lone pine

he
  
 His highlights were the cassowary, who he had an in-depth discussion with, and (of course) playing with the rocks and gravel.

me

 
We got an annual pass to Lone Pine for Christmas (well, I did, he's free for another year), so we had our first excursion there last week. Obviously, I ADORED all of the animals, and loved hanging out with him in a new context. But an unexpected highlight was the solitary small bag I carried. This is the first time we've been out and about for a proper outing without a pram or a big bag. Such a novelty that he walks and is out of nappies!

Saturday, February 8, 2014

haircut

he
Don't get excited... Not an actual hair cut, I just cut off the most persistent of his teeny little dreadlocks. But I did tape it into his baby book, so it could possibly, maybe, tentatively count as his first haircut? He isn't the hairiest of babies. Past his 2nd birthday now, he still doesn't have a great deal. People still rub his golden head for good luck. 

me
I always cut my own hair. Growing up, my Mom cut my hair, and I just never got used to the idea of going to real hairdressers (or paying for it). I think I've had it cut at a proper hairdresser's salon twice. The first time was when I was about 16 and my pal cut it for me, with the instructions (from me): "Just cut off all the bits that are annoying." I ended up at the local hairdressers' to 'tidy it up'. That was the day I went from having long-ish hair to having quite short hair. I have figured out some clever ways to trim, layer and thin my mop over the decades. My last attempt, a couple days ago, was a little brazen, and I ended up with a fringe which I hadn't even considered adopting just moments earlier! I think it's going to be okay.

we
Lately, we all get a bit excited about B's haircuts, as it means an outing to Gabba Antique Centre! Once a month, on a Sunday, they open an old-school retro barber shop in the back corner.

Friday, February 7, 2014

visitors at work

he
He popped in to see his Daddy at work, and (unsurprisingly) went straight for the lego-shaped eraser stash!

me
My laptop and I spent a productive work morning at The Little Prince. He and B dropped in on their way home from a morning of playing, for a coffee, a babyccino and a little chat with me. When they left, I discovered that my laptop and I were not alone...

Thursday, February 6, 2014

new swimming lessons

he
His favourite part, without a doubt, is swimming in the little 'elephant' pool before and after his lesson.

me
I was VERY excited about our new swim school, as I'd heard wonderful reports from other parents in our neighbourhood - including the fact that, from 18 months, kids don't need their parents in the pool with them! Hurrah for floaties and independence-building! I love the water but after a year of weekly lessons at our old swim school, I was very ready to not be needed every time (and to not have to bother with all of the extra organisation and clean-up - particularly in winter)!

We've had 4 lessons there so far:
Week 1. He refused to stay with the teacher, so I had to get into the pool, and he clung tightly to me, squealing relentlessly for the WHOLE 30 minutes. Needless to say, I was a little reluctant to head back again.
Week 2. He insisted I come in the pool again, but moved, fairly happily, between the teacher and I.
Week 3. I didn't need to get into the pool initially. I was cautiously ecstatic! About half way through the lesson, the teacher asked me to come over to see them, and when my little swimmer saw me up close he freaked out and I had to hop in for the remaining 15 minutes or so.
Week 4. I STAYED DRY FOR THE WHOLE LESSON (the photo is my dry swimming clothes)! And then got quite wet when it rained during our bike-ride home...

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

new chickens

he
 Capalaba Produce is an awesome 'shop' for a toddler! Animals everywhere, just like Wilbur/Charlotte's barn (we're STILL reading Charlotte's Web). He spent the entire visit babbling - a little manic - about what he was seeing and hearing: "I saw a goat. It said 'Meeeeee'. There's a white duck and a brown duck and a black duck! What's it saying? Ducks saying 'waaaack'. What's that? Pig! Pig saying 'pwwwwnfffff'. There's a goat! I saw another goat. What's it doing? Goat said 'naaaaaaahhhhh'. I saw a chicken. Cow! There's a big one! What's it saying? What's that? Goose! Turkey! Gobble gobble gobble..." And on and on...
As always, he loves our chickens, pats them gently and calls them by name.

me
Of course, due to the animals mentioned above, I was also extremely excited about the 'shop', almost to the point of squealing. Together we named the new chickens: Tall Tower, Triceratops, Yellow Submarine, Henrietta the Third (for our housemate who has had preceding Henriettas). We waited until night time before we put them into the coop (we've heard that, if they don't actually see the new ones arrive, the oldies wake up the next morning and just assume they've all always been there), and so far there doesn't seem to be too much biffo. Or daring acts of escape. Fingers crossed!

PS I haven't blogged about why we had a vacancy for new chickens - it's too sad - we're pretty sure we had a visit from a fox recently.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

first day of daycare

he
 
 He insisted on the purple shoes and yellow sunnies. We decided to walk to day care (less than a km) without the pram (I guessed I mightn't enjoy coming home with an empty pram). He headed down the stairs and carried his backpack for a good 10 metres or so before handing it to me, the packhorse. He walked another 10 metres before asking to be carried! I spent half an hour there before heading off. He used the little toilets, washed his hands, chose a shelf for his bag, put his hat on, said 'hi' to his teachers, ignored the one child he already knows there, played with puzzles at the tables and trucks in the sand. When I left, he was completely absorbed in singing nursery rhymes and didn't respond when I kissed him and told him I was leaving. None of the anticipated moment-of-separation tears and trauma. 
Later, the teachers reported that he remained happy and engaged all day - apart from sleep time (not a wink!). Their reflections in the 'Day Book' began like this: " We had a new friend start today. He had a great day with us and he had a big smile on his face the whole time."
He walked (almost) the whole way home.

me
After I said 'goodbye' to him in the morning, I grabbed a take-away chai for my walk home, wrote a HUGE 'to do' list and got started. Obviously the list was ridiculously ambitious thus I will probably be referring to the same list each Monday for the forseeable future. 

Monday, February 3, 2014

appreciating local music

he
 
While I was cooking dinner last night, he came into the kitchen to ask me for money. He was excited and in a hurry. It didn't take me TOO long to figure out what was going on in the other room. In B's words: "I was playing songs on the ukulele in the loungeroom and he came up close and said 'Give Daddy some money'. I realised that he thought I was busking and wanted to give me money because that's what we always do with him when we see a busker. I told him to go in and ask Mummy. While he was gone I put a hat out and he came back in with Mum who got out his piggy bank and he gave it all to me, one by one. He also wanted me to say thank you each time he put one in like real buskers do."

me
There are a couple of songs which have popped into my ears and crawled slowly through my mind during the past day or so. Paul Kelly's "I'm on Your Side" and the Audreys' "Sometimes the Stars". Lovely, both.