Tellin it like it is
Friday, 9 December 2011
I dunno when 'biting your tongue' or being 'polite' develops but it hasn't happened yet for A&Z. At the risk of sounding like a womens magazine column here are a few observations from the last few weeks from A&Z: 1. This morning, after some hesitation, I put on some sunglasses I'd recently bought online. They were unbelievably discounted and are great for running and riding but, having not been able to try them on before purchase, I'm a bit unsure whether they look OK for general wear. So after a bit of hesitation I put them on and walked into the lounge room. Abby looked up, and without missing a beat, said "Daddy you look like a clown." I'm sure she meant it literally too. 2. Mid morning today while talking at a playground with a friend I hadn't seen for a few years we were interrupted by Zoe who said "Daddy I can smell your feet" (I was wearing birkenstocks) 3. Belinda got home a bit late from work one day after treating herself to an eyelash tint at the local Beauty Parlour. Any sense of feeling pretty and pampered lasted about half an hour when Abby said: "Mum next time you come home via Jamison I don't want you to put that stuff on you eye lashes" |
Advent
Sunday, 4 December 2011
In November Belinda spent most evenings slaving away with needle and thread, sewing machine and scissors. The end result? A lovely hand made Advent Calendar for A&Z. Some family history made there and then. On Day 3 the girls are loving it and so far have received a chocolate or two (Abby eats hers at breakfast, Zoe saves hers for morning tea), some little figurines (Zoe a frog, Abby a galah) and a stamp (Zoe has put green elephant stamps everywhere, Abby has lost hers). The slight draw back is the get up time seems to be getting earlier and earlier and this morning was 5.30am...... 
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Not Yellow!
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Over the last week a project that has been on our agenda since we moved has been completed. We no longer live in the yellow house opposite Aranda Primary! We now just live in the house opposite Aranda Primary! Hooray. I'm still not sure what to call the colour we have, it was officially called 'Porcelain' but I don't think it looks like a bathroom basin. We chose it, with help from the Colour Consultant (how do you get a job like that?) based on it making the house blend into and highlight the native garden. We think it does that and the weeds, native or not, have come up a treat. Certainly would recommend the painters we used if you are interested - they turned up on time, worked like slaves, have done a high quality job and billed what they quoted. So a few photos.... 
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Awkward Blog Moment
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Well that was a long ABM. Its mostly been because I have been waaaayyyyyy busy setting up my own (with another Psychologist) practice. Its been quite intense and certainly time consuming and when I have had a few moments I've tried to re-aquaint myself with A&Z rather than write about them. I have got a, so-far, half baked website for the new practice at www.thinkps.com.au but hopefully I can now get back to more regular blog-transmission!
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Tulips 2011
Monday, 26 September 2011
I'm not much of a gardener but I try to do a little bit each year with tulips. A very little bit. This year I ditched the green bulb tub and the bulbs I'd used for a few years. Mum sent me up some bulbs from Daylesford and with some time in the fridge, the right bulb mix and stealing this old sink from Belinda's chook shed project I felt I had the right ingredients. Come spring and, as can be seen above, up came the tulips. Yeah! And some different colours as Mum predicted. An affirmation of my gardening skills and wise knowledge of tulips and bulbs........ That was till yesterday when I went round the back of the shed looking for the spade and found the old green tub. You can't see it that well in the photo but lets just say leaving the bulbs and tub on the deck all summer and plonking them round the back of the shed under some other discards (I think Belinda moved it) resulted in two perfect tulips! And dare I say the only reason there wasn't more was the other discard sitting on top. 
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Bike O
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
We are quickly learning why Orienteering is the family sport and why our respective parents got into it so much. Theres something for everyone! On Sunday, while I ran, Belinda and Nat took Abby and Zoe and Ella and Katy Hogg round the Blue (Novice) course. As is the usual way now the girls went round the course on their bikes and had a great ol time on a beautiful picturesque Canberra spring day. Thanks to Nat for the photos, although apologies to Zo I didnt manage to squeeze a photo of her in. 
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Treasures
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
 Abby has taken to carrying round for a fair portion of the day what she calls her "treasures". It started out as a "treasure box" but when that wasn't big enough it has become a treasure basket. Abs will carry these round and regularly count and review all the items as well as play with them. Unfortunately this also leads to regular pleas to help find various lost treasure items which can be a little patience testing. This regular losing of treasures has lead to a new phenomenon that before going to the Y (childcare), and after Abby's parents stressing that things can get lost at the Y, Abby has begun laying out all her treasure items next to the door before she leaves the house. On the left are her treasure items laid out from this morning and from top to bottom are: a cardboard mobile phone, a fish note pad, the original treasure box, 4 pieces of styrofoam (from a package we had delivered), a lolly packet, another cardboard mobile phone, a blue control card folded in half, her Western Bulldogs 'wallet', a lollipop, a ceramic starfish, two stamps (a pink echidna stamp and a kiwi fruit stamp), a paper cocktail umbrella, a pink hair clip, her 3 'dinosaurs' (these are jube lollies and after being carted round everywhere are feral and infuriating to have to look for), a small chain and a small chain with a taso attached. The basket is in the middle and I suspect will soon need to be a shoe box to hold everything!
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Bikes
Sunday, 4 September 2011
These days there is plenty of bike riding that goes on. The girls loving riding their balance bikes (no pedals) and its certainly speedier to get anywhere compared with prams or walking. Abby likes to lead the bike riding and can crack it if not up front. Zoe enjoys having Molly in her bike-basket and isn't afraid to stop suddenly to examine a stone or gum nut. Below is a shot from a recentish trip to Jammo which it looks like 'Baby' came along for as well as Molly. 
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Awkward Blog Moment
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Hmm its been over 6 weeks since last blog entry. What to do? Just go with a normal entry? Seems a bit like I'm ignoring the obvious. Apologise and offer excuses? Well I could but then again its my blog I can cry if I want too... and besides what lame excuse could I offer? busy? Its the kids fault? My computer froze from the severe Canberra winter? All seem pretty lame (all are true though, I swear). So having said all that I think I'll just go with an awkward blog moment and try to drum up another entry.
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Influence (aka brainwashing....)
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Here I've been working hard to 'impart' my love of the Bulldogs to the girls when right under my nose there has been a more subtle operator at work. Over the past month or so, for starters, Abby has refused to eat virtually any meal without using her (well its hers according to her) Darren Hanlon spoon (Darren Hanlon is Belinda's favorite singer and the spoon is a Darren Hanlon souvenir spoon one of his tours..). This love of Darren Hanlon developed into insisting on playing one of his CDs on car trips and even more lately into playing the great man's music during dinner! And now, to add to the Darren Hanlon infiltration, each morning includes a 15min sit down for Belinda and the girls to watch the morning update from the Tour de France. Zoe is keen on the Euskaitel-Euskadi team for their lovely orange colours while Abby likes Lampre's pink and blue. Still I can't complain - Dazza Hanlon is not too bad at all and the Tour in the morning is alright by me!
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Herding Cats...
Saturday, 16 July 2011
During the week Belinda decided it was time to take a "nice" photo of the girls for their Great Grandma's forthcoming birthday. Here is a photographic history of what happened. Great Grandma, if you are reading this, I'm sorry but you're not getting a photo...... 
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Top 5
Saturday, 16 July 2011
I'm a regular reader of other blogs and I've noticed a common article is the bloggers Top 5 (or 10) lists. Top 5 albums, books, websites or even baby-related items for new parents. Well I figure the girls don't want to miss out so based on the last month or so here are the Top 5 ways to describe, somewhat excitedly, the poo you have just done: 5. A snake (pretty obvious really...) 4. A rocket (just a snake standing up really...) 3. A beach poo (this was more about location and was somewhat dissapointing because it was 'advertised' as a beach wee...) 2. A caterpillar (reflects the level of examination that can occur i.e. a snake, on closer examination, might actually be a caterpillar) 1. A snail!
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Off to the Y
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
A&Z off to the YMCA (Childcare) today with beanies and backpacks. Oh and Abby showing off. 
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Toilet Training Part 3
Monday, 6 June 2011
 Well on our 3rd attempt at this toilet training caper it appears we've got it. Abby & Zoe are now 2 and a half weeks into a nappy free world (well at least during the day) and to mis-quote Kramer from Seinfeld "We're lovvving it". There is the star chart, potty and undies and all are working together like a well oiled machine (....with occasional mishaps). Of course this has meant a great deal of conversation is being had around the key issues of "poos" and "wees" (if you just winced reading that then best you don't read on....) including many announcements of exactly what is happening, a quickly reported end of the day "tally" when one gets home from work and the now famous "Look Daddy, Zoe's done a poo like a sausage!". All of course reported with much youthful exuberance. I've also learnt that women going to the bathroom together starts at a very young age.
An unexpected development that has come with the new toileting skills has been the need to pack and take your own bag full of "spares" with you when you go out. I don't know if Zoe was expecting a sudden regression in the toilet training but one day last week her bag contained 5 pairs of undies and 3 sets of pants/tights! We were only going out for an hour! And I also present for you the chocolate drinking powder container Abby has taken out the last few days which when unpacked contains a handkerchief, spare pair of undies, spare pair of tights and a pack of sultanas. All a girl could need!
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Hip Hip Hooray!!!!
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
After a long break yesterday was another all day trip up to Westmead Childrens Hospital to see Zoe's hip specialist. This trip was a good one though - we were preparing to make plans for operation as Dr Little had said last time 80-90% chance that surgery would be needed however as he said "whatever you're doing keep doing it" coz her hip is a lot better, "catching up" to her good hip. Back in 12 months for another check up but surgery is now Plan B which was great news. We will certainly keep doing what we have been doing - trampoline, lots of activity, visits to the Osteopath and tiny tots gym class. Yeh! :)
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