Jessie would you like a new baby?........

This morning I was in the bathroom and Jess came in. I said to her "Jess would you like mum to have a baby". Jess says "Yes mum. I would like a brown one please". She then goes on to say "And I will be the grandma ma". Righto............... Out of the mouths of babes eh..........

Maisie's favourite things........

As Maisie is only 10 months old her possessions are limited. However since starting Child Care she has become particularly attached to her comfort bunnies named 'Marshmallow' and 'Bobbin'.

I have been putting Marshmallow in the bed with her since she was 5 weeks old. And Bobbin was a present from Santa which automatically went into the cot for sleep times. I knew she loved going to bed with these toys; but had little knowledge of how attached to them she had become. I think it's nice for a child to have a particular toy or item which gives them comfort and confidence to face the real world. The lovely ladies who look after Maisie give them to her if she get's upset; she instantly calms.

A few of Sophie's favourite things.......

Sophie a hoarder of junk like my mother. She has many favourite items. Some of which are rather quirky. I have taken some pics of a couple of them as there are too many for one post.

I will start with the wardrobe. I have bought Sophie many nice things and hand made some very nice things. But good old Sophie will always go back to the same few items she loves to wear. I was the same as a child. A complete dag. Included in these favourite things are: three brown skirts, a pink dress with an embroidered miss Polly, a butterfly t-shirt and her 'sparkly jeans'. She also loves her pink Clarke's sandals. She wears these with knee high socks pulled up. I wonder if she will remember these items when she reads this diary in 20 years time.

A few of her favourite toys are: Rosie the doll (grandma picked up at a fete), brown doggy (which belonged to me as a child), squeaky doll (another bought at a fete and has a bad arm that squeaks) and a fairy doll mum bought her for using the toilet. All but one of these toys are second hand. Why is it that children love pre-loved toys so much. I have bought her some beautiful toys but she always goes back to these.

She also has a little note book for drawing in.

Sophie has several fairy dress up outfits which she loves to dress up in.

Sophie's favourite movie is BMX Bandits. I have no idea why. She calls it the 'Bike Movie'. I am pretty sure it was one Nick picked up cheap and played it one day. For anyone who doesn't know it was a classic kids movie from the 80s. One of the main character is played by Nicole Kidman. I think most children from the 80s pretended they were a BMX bandit at one point. I know I did.

It will be interesting to see how her habits progress as she grows. I love the fact she can take an old biscuit box and make it into something using her imagination. I will never need to spend much money on her. She is more than happy to make do with things around the home. Or bought at fete's by her grandmothers.

This Week's Book......

This week were are reading the classic fairy tale Cinderella. I loved this book as a child. I have never read this to the girls so it will be interesting to see if they know the story. I am sure they have been exposed to many fairy tales at preschool.

Nick and I have set time aside each night for Sophie and Jess to do some homework. We hope this will get them in good habits before they start school next year. They will be younger for their year so we want to give them as much help as we can. I do believe they will be more than ready to start school. The time each night is spent reading and writing and playing a special education game Nick bought the other day. It's a little like twister and helps them with getting to know lefts and rights.

I plan to have a 'book of the week' starting each Monday.

I have taken some pictures of the book for you all to enjoy. Unfortunately the pictures do the book no justice. The book itself is Circa 1947. I am a keen collector of vintage children's books.

Maisie's lost doll.....

Well we didn't even realise it was lost until this morning. Nick walked down to get some milk and noticed a doll sitting on our neighbours mailbox that looked very much like Maisie's first doll. That being a beautiful Corolle.

Yesterday Nick took her down to the city in the pram. The doll who has no name as yet always goes in the pram with her. I am guessing she threw it out somewhere around here. A kind person has picked it up and sat it near where it was lost.

Ahhhhhhh nice to see there are still lovely people in this world. The doll is worth $60 so I am happy I didn't have to replace it.

A Post for the Birthday Girl Suzanne....

I have been really busy and slack at the same time for about two weeks now. I received a lovely PM from a friend on EB Suzanne (Duimelot). I met Suzanne hanging out in my favourite section 'Product Reviews'. We seem to have the same taste in things like 'Oilily' clothing and accessories and 'Bugaboo' prams rofl. I am a total Oilily tragic. Nick can back me up on that one. I just love anything Oilily. I love the colours and quirkiness. All of my EB friends know that I like to hang out in the product review section too *blush*. And they know of you too Suzanne.

Anyway my point of this post is to let Suzanne and for anyone else who is interested have and update on what Maisie (otherwise known as the slug) is up to. Suzanne's daughter Luna is the same age as Maisie. She was due on the 25 March 2006 and I was due on the 26 March 2006.

Maisie is going through this separation anxiety thing at the moment. If I dare leave a room she gets very annoyed and follows me crying. This is making things around here hard and draining as you can imagine. I know it's just a little phase and I love her to bits. My Bear Hug Baby sling is coming in very handy. I have mastered the art of vacuuming and watering the garden all while Maisie happily sits in the sling on my hip. I have also converted the Bug so she is facing us (gotta love that feature)

Maisie started crawling around November. She is so fast now and is into everything. The twins never ventured much but Maisie is a different story. She has been cruising around the furniture for a couple of months and is very strong with pulling herself up.

She says mum, dad and bub. And I think said 'bye' the other day to Nick. She has mastered the art of clapping and waving.

Nick had 2 weeks off over Christmas and really bonded with her. At 8am each morning her would pop her in the pram and take her down to the city for a coffee or to pick something up from the shops. She adores him. When ever he enters a room she lights up and throws her arms around.

That's another thing she is doing. When she gets into trouble she waves both her arms up and down. Very funny. She thinks it's a game lol.

She still dribbles heaps. I think if we collected all her dribble she could break the drought. Hence why she has the nickname 'slug'. She leaves a slug trail where ever she goes.

Like Luna she is a very easy baby. Nick and I are forever saying that. She goes with us where ever we go and never complains.

That is all I can think of at the moment.

I hope you had a great birthday. It was my 30th in November last year and I kept it very low key. I hate getting old. I was in denial all day.

Here is a link I thought you might like for your enjoyment and everyone else (thank you Amanda)

http://www.myretrobaby.com/content/Home/1

Love Belinda

Some more pictures....

I thought I would start this blog and bombard everyone with pictures. This posts consists of some more from Christmas and a few of Maisie with her cousin Ruby. Ruby is the daughter of my brother James and his lovely wife Natalie. She was born in June 2006. Like Will she gives her parents grief with her sleeping habits.

I am also including one from New Years Eve. We had our good friends Kim and Dave over for dinner and we were outnumbered by kids. The picture is from left to right Maddison, Chloe, Sophie and Jess. Kim and I walked down into the city to get away from the kid overload. We got back in time for the countdown and watched the fireworks from the font of our place. Nick and Dave took the girls up to the balcony to watch the earlier ones while Kim and I were out. it was a quiet New Years Eve. In our younger days Kim and I partied hard. Now we are mothers things are different.

Nick and I are thinking of booking a Harbour View room in Sydney in a few years time. We will take the girls up with us.

Some of Maisie's friends....

Over the last 12 months I have met some of the most amazing women on my favourite mumma website Essential Baby. I thought I might (with their permission) put up a couple of pics of these beautiful kids who are around the same age as Maisie. Who knows one of the boys could be my future son in law. And with mother's like they have I wouldn't complain.

The first is 'the man' Zane. Born in October2005. Zane has been a great little guy for his mum and dad. Zizzy did resort to some funny methods with him at one point but that is water under a bridge now. Zizzy, Zane's mum has been my rock over the last six months. We recently met up in Melbourne.

Second is the 'Punk' Will. He was born in January 2006. He gives his mum a little grief with his sleeping habits but I'm sure he'll grow out of it. And then start again when he reaches 18. Will's mum Mel has been wonderful company for me. We have had some very funny conversations. We both share a love of cloth nappies.

Lastly is Miss Ava. Who was born in March 2006. She is the most adorable easy going baby. Her mum Amanda is someone who I consider a really great friend. She has a great sense of humour and I enjoy our chats. We have been great support for each other having babies so close in age.

I have many more online friends and I will chase them up for pics to post here in Sophie, Jessie and Maisie's meeting place.

Christmas Day 2006 at Aunties House

Third time lucky..

This is my third attempt at posting in this blog. For some reason or another I have lost it when I am about to publish it.

It is 38 here today and I couldn't be bothered typing everything out again. I might just post a few pictures of my beautiful girls and their cousin Ian from Christmas.