Little Things {Paint the Town}

"Can we have a toy today?"
I hear this every. single. time. we go to the newsagents.
Ugh.
And I hate saying no.
So I avoid going there!! Pretty strong of me hey ;)
Parent of the year award for handling those 'tough' confrontations right here!!
Anyway, awards aside - today I decided to suggest it instead!
"Let's go get something fun from the newsagents"...
The catch? I got to choose! So chalk it was!!
And you know what? They loved it. And they used up every little bit.
Best $1.99 I ever spent...

Even Stella got in on the action...

Sweetness.

Little Things {Happiness}

A's recipe for happiness...
One pointer finger and one worn 'cuddles'.
She takes it everywhere. It isn't meant to go outside; so she will leave it in the car, or the bottom of the pram, or her backpack. As long as it's there.
Especially at bedtime.

It was my Grandma's baby blanket.
Then my Mum's three older sister's baby blanket.
It was my Mum's baby blanket.
And then it was mine.
My sister's.
My brother's.
It was her brother's baby blanket.
And now it's hers.
Period.
And she's happy. So we are too...
Love you my little Flicka x

Little Things {Bump}

If there is one thing that has to be up there with finding out you are expecting your first baby... It would have to be that your sister is.
They have been trying for 12 months... and just as she started to wonder if she should be worrying - two magical lines and it's official!!!
She's going to be a Mum... and that of course makes me an Aunty!

And I can't wait ;)

The first few weeks (six actually) of M's life I was really sick. Like horribly sick. And I thought it was 'normal'.
My sister visited every single day.
Just before seven weeks postpartum they finally figured out I still had quite a bit of retained placenta so I had surgery to remove it.
She still visited every day. Lunch breaks or after work - she came, and she played.
And up until she fell pregnant herself - four and a half years later - she has visited her nephew (and now neice too) and played.

My Sister and Brother with M and A - Christmas 09.

She really is an amazing aunty, and I hope so badly that I can be 'that' aunty to her little one.

Did I mention I can't wait??!!

Little Things {Follow Your Dreams}

"Oh you've got to; follow your dreams"... This is what I hear my baby of just 4 years singing in the tub tonight. This - and a little bit of 'oohhhh deee dooo dummmm deeeeee". He is an old soul my boy, and a wise old soul is he.

He dreams big, and he imagine's bigger.

His eye for example. How did it happen? A 'bull riding accident' of course! That's what he told the doctor in the ER anyways.

And it's true. Sort of :)

To an untrained eye, he was putting on a 'show' and riding a broom around the lounge room. Tripped on the rug and fell and hit his eye on the coffee table.

But if you ask him?

He was at a Rodeo, riding his bull on the arena. He got bucked off... but the clown saved him. 

I love his little mind, and I hope he does indeed follow his dreams - wherever they may take him.

Little Things {Steam Rally}

We spent Easter Saturday camping in Aunty Mash and Uncle Germ's backyard.
M has wanted to do this since he was little and we all decided we should probably do it now or regret never having done it when he grows out of the idea.
And he was right - it was great.
After a visit from the easter bunny - we all took the kids to a steam rally; complete with train rides, pony rides and lots of big old steam powered machinery.
M (of course) loved it! He wore his Aunty's 'train master' (AKA sailor's) hat, just in case the train driver might decide to take a break and choose him to take over.

I think it suited him too.

Little Things {Biker Boy}

Everyone talks about the first smile, the first steps, the first tooth, the first day of school. But no-one tells you about the first time they ride a bike. It's hidden there in the middle somewhere - waiting to jump out and surprise you. No one warns you that they may just get on and go. That your hand on the small of their back will only be needed for one short minute. That they may not ever need training wheels and that you won't be prepared. And that they will look so big - oh so big - and then they're away.

My little man is on his way...

Little Things {Mornings}

There's nothing like an early morning 'adventure' walk to keep the kids happy, and practise finding some of that yummy morning light :)

Finding and using great light is all part of CMU's RYC201 (now called 'Shooting101') this week... I wish this workshop would never end...