Going To The Dell

There's a place that we love to go to, just a short walk from where we live. We step into the parkland bush just off a rather busy main street, and we are immediately met with a sense of stillness and calm. It's one of the things I love about this area we live in. There are remnants of the bush, walking trails and wetlands. A lake, where there are ducks and frogs. Tall trees and wild flowers. Open grass areas and picnic tables. If you come to visit one day, I must bring you there!


The boys, their eyes sparkle with excitement as they stumble upon a fort, tall and majestic. They play pirates and make their little sister "walk off the plank". They chatter with the ducks, I kid you not. Both of them squatting on a big rock by the lake, making small talk like "have you had dinner?" "I had ducks in pancakes the other night but I won't eat you for dinner tonight" etc. It was so funny I wanted to cry!


My 1.5 year old toddled about in the grassland, intrigued by the plants, wild flowers, pebbles and the multitude of wildlife droppings. It wasn't very busy when we were there, just a couple of kids walking past after school, dogs on leash with their owners. And in amidst that stillness and the quiet enjoyment of the lovely lush surroundings, a crazy mother was yelling out to her children. NO DON'T GO TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE, DON'T TOUCH THE POO POO, NO PLEASE DON'T TOUCH THE WATER, GAAHHH NO WE ARE NOT HAVING DUCKS FOR DINNER!!!


But it was great! A nice place to stretch out our legs, recharge the soul.

Here Kitty Kitty

I am SO in love with handmade. Anything handmade. But especially cute little girl's stuff. Isn't it obvious already? My poor boys, they go around in their K-Mart trackies and hand me down t-shirts. But little missy gets dressed up to the nines even on the rainiest, darkest, coldest days. Who says there's favouritism around here?

:)

(The boys do get showered with love in different ways!)

Anyways, this post is to point you over to this gorgeous site on facebook: Here Kitty Kitty. Stacie, a WAHM (Work at home mom - sounds crazy if you ask me) makes beautiful retro-inspired clothing and accessories that makes other moms like myself melt with jealousy, and husbands cringe with horror, every time she hosts a Market Night sale on her website. Thank goodness that doesn't happen too often.

So the spoils for the night: A cape for my little red riding hood ($30) and a matching bag ($25)! Aren't they gorgeous? *Happy dance* I could not wait to get them in the mail.





Hop over here to see some of my (meagre in comparison!) handmade creations: Hello Dolly, Super-E (sock monkey) and Ollie the Owl.

Happy weekend!

Sleeping Children

I love this picture of my sleeping babies. This was the last photo that I took in our previous home. It brings back lots of memories. Ask Lachlan what he remembers most in that house, it would be this last night that we spent, all 5 of us huddled together in the living room. That very room that he came home to as a newborn, that he toddled into his pre-school years and watched endless episodes of the Hi-5 on telly! It is precious. I'm glad I took this photo as it is how I would like to remember "the old house", forever.


I sleep with my babies, all of them. And I still do! Not simultaneously, just when they are babies. Well, it's nothing to be proud of, but it just felt like the most natural thing to do. I believe that there is no right or wrong way to let your children sleep. And believe me we did have many sleep battles (and still do!). So over the years, we have just learnt to go with it. Sleep baby sleep, and just let mummy and daddy sleep with you.


And we do get there eventually, believe me! Lachlan slept with us for years, even after his baby brother arrived. We thought he would never grow out of it! But he did. He sleeps independently now in his own bedroom and he did that just before he turned 5.

And Lucas. He was a darling! He was such an easy going baby. He is the one baby I slept the least with. He would go to sleep in his own cot. Until we moved him into Lachlan's bedroom, in hope that he would teach his older brother a thing or two about sleeping. That is when the opposite happens! He is now daddy's baby. My poor husband, he shares a teensy tiny IKEA single bed all 6 foot of him and his size 12 feet, with his baby Lucas, who isn't exactly quite a baby anymore, nor is he petite.

Aahhh this is MY baby. Isn't she just the most adorable thing in the whole wide world? Watching her drift to sleep is like a magical moment. Eyes fluttering. Chest breathing. Limbs getting heavier... and heavier... God, I love my children! If you don't normally sleep with your children, you should snuggle in with them one night. It is one of the most beautiful moments of being a parent.

Playgroup

The best part about being a stay-at-home mum is to NOT stay at home with your kids at all.

Really, what do you do with 3 kids five and under everyday, all day under the one roof! Let me tell you, I have tried this and it is not good! I must tell you, it is not by choice that we have to do it this way. But having a kitchen reno going with trades people coming in and out, we'd rather have someone home at all times. And who would be a better person than THAT stay-at-home mom and all her little lambs that will sure to follow, every where she goes. Or not.


So today, glorious weather and NO trades coming in *yippeee* We went to playgroup. Little explorers run free with the wind and growing through play. Look at that big carefree smile on her face (and the unruly hair), it screams happiness!