Leotards and Black Belts

I have been searching for a ballet class for Tara for about 18 months now. One thing or another has usually held me back. The most recent being Ally not liking the place that I like the most. Well today I was introduced to another ballet school and we have been invited to come and see it tomorrow.

We just happened to meet up with Tara's old best friend from Preschool (who changed preschools) today and she was off to Ballet. I asked her dad where she went and he told us. So I have cruised their website and it seems to fit in quite well with what I like about ballet schools (and what I don't like too!)

So we might go off and do that tomorrow afternoon and see how she goes. It's a bit exciting though, to have worked it out a little closer.

Talking about classes, I also would love her to do a martial arts class at some stage, and the logical one for us is for it to be Tae Kwon Do, after all, it's kinda in the family! well, after weeks of searching, I finally found one that I think we can do when she is older, so around August we'll see how she is mentally/physically/emotionally/etc and see whether she is old enough to start. While the classes are not designed until 5 year olds, she's been invited to come along a bit sooner to get used to the class (if she likes it and fits into the group), and so she can be settled into the class before she starts school (and has new things going on there). I think the stability of having classes as part of her ritual before school is a good way to make some transitions. but we will see.

Oh... Tara and I are both suffering from sunburn. foolishly I did not think about sunscreen outside yesterday after I was in a weird mental place. I just was not thinking. Well, tara's poor beautiful white skin paid the price for my absent mindedness. Granted, so did my skin, but her's is the one I worry about more. Though, strangely enough, even after all the sunscreen again today, we still both managed to get kissed again by the UV rays!

and OMG. Wow. another post, can you believe it?!

3 years today.

Happy Birthday Sweet baby - er - big girl!

You remind me every day now "I'm a big durl!" It wasn't so long since you were a little baby and then bam. You're holding conversations.

The last 6 months has seen you blossom so fast. It's almost as if I have turned around and someone new was staring at me. It's amazing the changes that have come forth. You can dress yourself, express yourself, marvel at your own achievements and make your own friends.

Your speech, while not the same as "other kids" is really developing and you can come out with some wonderful phrases.

"I am dood!"
"I am tire"
"I had a big sleep"
"She's my friend"
"Dat's my favourite (to everything you see!"
"I love you as big as a house!"
"Bugger"
"Shut Up"
"Oh, man!"

You love to do puzzles and to draw. Unfortunately you have your mother's creative chaos thing happening and move from one thing to the next very quickly leaving Tornado Tara in your wake.

You have some wonderful friendships forming and it is so lovely to see these happening without interference from Mummy or Daddy. There have been many tears when we have had to leave Sam, Hailey, Savannah... You have loved to join Matilda in the park and cannot wait to see Bella at school.

You have seen a new day care centre this year and have truly embraced it. Some new friendships, some new experiences and a real jump in your development. It's amazing to see you embrace puzzles now, so different from previously where you shied away. And painting! You never cease to amaze me with your artistic endeavours.

Some other random bits about you. You love Pooh Bear, your toy Kiwi (who must go to school every Friday), you sleep through the night, are toilet aware during the day and almost completely during the night and you love your food - Chicken and Rice is apparently on the menu every night!

I love watching you take in the world around you and reach out and be yourself. Not a mini me, not a mini daddy, but 100% you. You can throw a stomping fit to threaten even the most rebellious of all teens, slam a door like the best of them, and say things under your breath while storming out of a room. You put the term Threenager in the dictionary.

I love you to pieces and watching you each day is a blessing and an honour. You are beautiful, adorable and truly special.

My beautiful beautiful girl, I love you. Happy third Birthday.

The end is near - and so is a new beginning

So the end of the year is coming very quickly. I cannot believe how close it is.

There is so much to be done in the lead up to christmas. I wish there was more time (and money!) but it's just speeding along so quickly! I have worked out what I am doing for pressies for most people, but I still need to finalise it - and buy them all!

Today we had a lovely party at the park with our playgroup friends. It was a lovely day, switching between slightly overcast and hot. The afternoon ended with a pretty fierce storm complete with thunder and lightning. We had lots of fun with all of our friends and it was so lovely to sit and just relax. I did nothing much at all (other than eat and talk) but was utterly exhausted when I got home. I even managed to keep Tara away from the playground most of the day without much trouble (no hat, no shade, very hot and it was too far away from the conversation!). I loved catching up with S, M, P and baby A. So much time flies in 6 months.

I need to do some hefty work on Mamaluna in the next week. I need to sew and send out my tester nappies. This is a lot more possible now that I have official branding cloth tags! whoo hoo. very exciting. Mental note: need to call the printers about my business cards! The website is almost done - kind of. I need to get some photos and start making some of the other merchandise. Oh, and I need to get my tins, fleece and PUL. Soooo busy. I would love to get a lot more done however 'cause I am really feeling the need to bring in some extra money. Hopefully it is not too unrealistic to want to sew and make around 150 nappies over a 4 week break. Scrap the week of christmas, so that is 50 nappies a week... I might be pushing it, but hopefully it can be done!!!

Tara is doing wonderfully. For her birthday she received some money from Granddad and Nanna-Yvonne and some money from some friends. We got her a new doll and a necklace from Nanna and Granddad, and from our friends we used the money to get a book. Well, the book is by far the favourite pressie out of everything. It is called "My Little Word Book" and is wonderful!! She carries it around and reads it over and over again. She can point out about 60% of the photos in the book. She can say "s-ooooos" and "bay-bee" and "mummy" and "tar" very easily. We just need to get her to start pronouncing some other words. She talks non-stop, and most of the time we know what she is talking about. The fact she uses her hand signals so much is a big help too!

All in all, everything is going pretty great.

Now to just remember to update this blog some more!

Bottom's Up!

Today I got to meet Nicholas. He was born a couple of weeks ago. With a tussel of hair and a quiet disposition, he slept as his mamma, R* told me how he came into this world.

He came fast. After waters breaking, R* was pushing within 30 mins. That's when the midwife said "It's not often I can do this, but - you're having a boy! He's coming out bottom first!"

This midwife is apparently known for her breech delieveries. The universe was smiling on this labouring mamma - as he was head down at last appointment. Yet when she turned up to the Birthing Centre, the midwife who can do Breech Births is on staff, just as her baby had turned.

R* tells me how her body moved her baby into place, and worked with the contractions the way Nicholas needed them. He was out under 2 hours. R* glows telling me her story. Although it was not planned as such, her little boy Thomas was in the room as Nicholas came into the world. Thomas is a couple of weeks younger than Tara, and such a beautiful little boy.

I was with R* today to show her how to use the ring sling with a newborn. SHe was a natural! Nicholas curled up in the foetal position, chest to chest with his head listening to his mamma's heart. It was beautiful, peaceful, natural, calming. He feeds wonderfully, and now his mamma can feed in the sling (hopefully!) and have hands free to help Thomas when needed.

R* looks amazing! And says she feels so great.

R* you beautiful birthing goddess, you!

Hand-me-downs

Can I just say how flipping cool it is to have proper decent hand me downs for tara?

We got some lovely ones from the lovely harriet/casso today. Beautiful clothes that I just love. Tara has never really had "great" hand me downs before - not like this. I feel honoured because I have a really really big thing for hand me downs. Especially funky handmedowns.




ARGH. tara has done something to my browser/computer and my text is not keeping up with my typing speed - it is lagging behind!! I use FF, does anyone know how I can fix this or where I should go to look? I don't want to show Ally just how ditzy or clutzy I really am with a computer!!

A week! A week!

Oh my golly gosh... a whole week has gone by without me posting! what is the world coming to?!

Friday last week my best friend Ruby came to visit. While she was here we

*went shopping
*went shopping
*went to the show
*went shopping
*went to SAP
*went shopping

It was loads of fun to have her here and I love her to pieces.

I bought underwear for my wedding which is just lovely. Now I need to find a pair of sucky-inny knickers to pull in the bit of baby flubber that hangs down under the corset! doh.

I got some brooches for the bridesmaids which match the dresses perfectly.

I ran through many ideas with her about the wedding and think she helped out loads. Though I still could have done with an extra weeks with her ;)


Tara had a playdate with Harriet on Thursday, while we (the mothers) drank copious amounts of coffee. Mmm. Coffee!

I have been listening intently to Tara's language skills this week and even though we don't understand what she is saying, she definately has words! Jack, Shoes, Hi, Hello, phone... I think these are words she has. I just gotta listen harder...

Tara and I are going to a High Tea today. Over indulging on chocolate! whoo! though she might just get a cupcake!

I cannot find shoes for the wedding. I know exactly what I want... but do you think there is a pair out there?! noooo... I need champagne/gold satin shoes with a peeptoe and ankle straps... I can decorate them myself if needed - I just need the basic shoe!

er... posting this now as I keep walking away and forgetting what I am writing! oops

Stop and smell the ro... er Waterlilies!

I found the owner of the wonderful bouquet pictured back a few posts. She kindly shared her detaild quote with me.. this is what is in it...


A very natural, uncontrived teardrop bouquet using sculptural clusters of flowers. To include varieties such as white phaelonopsis orchids with a brown tongue, brown Singapore orchids, creamy pink waterlilies, pink shell antheriums and pink peppercorn berries (or rice flower if unavailable) and vine. To be approximately 25cm wide x 40cm long.

How fantastically cool that someone is lovely enough to share the exact details of their bouquet..?!

I have decided I want Rosemary added into the bouquet for Rememberance...
I think I will have three roses in there too.. Lagerfeld if I can find one, and two others - one for Nanna and One for Granddad.

*bounce*


And even more exciting - Ruby is coming to visit - picking her up from the airport tonight!