Thursday, February 11, 2010

Tantrums and TuTu's

Just a quick update -
Maria is really into ballet, and wears her 'tutu' everywhere with her leggings and 'ballet' shoes (little pink flats with hearts on them). She twirls and whirls and looks lovey! I have some pictures I will upload hopefully this afternoon. Just finished my summer uni subject so I have remnants of free time again! Very exciting. Maria is loving kinda and is doing really well. We went to the pool yesterday and she is such a fish! There is a slide at this particular pool, and I couldn't believe how big she looked lining up and taking turns with the big kids to go on the slide. My baby is growing up!!

Samuel was put to bed early and without a story the other day because he had been hurting Bekah all day, and sitting on her was the last straw. He chucked a huge wobbly about going to bed, so in the end we took his Lightning McQueen off him. Well, that sent him into a huge rage, and after about 5 mins of listening to his scream, Mark went in to tell him off. There was silence then Mark told me to come and see something. There was Sam, in the middle of his bed completely naked, will all his sheets, doonas and clothes on the floor. He was sitting there, arms crossed, glaring at us. We burst out laughing at him, which defused the situation. He laughed back and after we got him dressed and put his bed back together he went off to sleep quite happily.

I've just started playing netball on a Thursday morning, and while I play the kids go into the creche there for the 50 mins while I play. They are all in a big room with tons of toys and 3 lovely carers that just let them go wild. After my game, I went to pick them up and asked the lady how Bekah was (she can be VERY clingy to mummy). The lady laughed and said that Bekah ruled the room and spent her time dancing to the music, laughing at the big kids and talking to all the inanimate objects she could get her hands on. I can well imagine Bekah calling the shots!!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Beach Babes

Today we decided on a whim to go to the beach. The kids had a ball!
Maria is a water baby and wants to spend the whole time swimming. She loves duck diving and splashing around. She also likes finding beach treasures in the water or on the sand. Today she found a few different types of seaweed, a star fish, some crabs, and some ooh-ie goo-ie long strings of jelly fish. There were only two other kids anywhere in sight, and of course with in the hour Maria had befriended them and was initiating crab hunting, pier exploring, and lying together in the rock pools. Sammy tagged along and was soon in the thick of it all with them. They are such social butterflies!!
Sam likes to roll around in the water nearer the shallows and commando crawl in the warm pools. We got him a little swimming vest, which has really helped his confidence and also takes the pressure off him going too deep for his ability. He's really good and doesn't go far, but he still is not happy putting his head under and the vest helps him to bob around. He really likes it - it's orange. He also likes finding treasures, although his treasure of choice today was a long bit of driftwood that he spent ages throwing it into the water and retrieving with great commentry to go along with it.
Bekah today was the surprise bundle! On the previous occasions when we have gone to the beach she has really enjoyed herself, but today she was over the top crazy in love! As soon as she saw the sand and water she started waving and flapping in my arms and getting really excited. As soon as I put her down she was playing in the sand and telling us all about it. We then followed the other two into the water and she was in heaven. She was crawling all through the little waves and splashing around like her siblings. If I wasn't there to grab her she would have quite happily crawled out to sea - the waves and water in her face only egged her on and she was laughing with excitement. She loves Maria and Sam so much - the whole time she was giggling at their antics and trying to follow them. She crawled everywhere saying "Reeee-a! Reee-a!" (Maria/Ria) and only wanted to be with them. Sam crawled around with her and she was climbing all over him shrieking with delight.
We had such a lovely time. We are going to have to make the beach a regular expedition!

Gloria the Feral

A few Sunday's ago, the door bell went at 7:50 in the morning. Mark was having a sleep in (we take it in turns - I had a lovely 4 hr sleep in the day before) and my first thought was that the door to door salesmen were getting a bit too keen.
I opened the door to our very apologetic neighbour who asked if we owned a little grey bunny. I said we do, and he proceeded to explain that there was a very happy rabbit chewing on his petunias with gusto, and that she wasn't a problem except that she might run on to the road if he left his garage door open. I told him to give me two minutes and I'd be right over.
I stood there for a moment trying to decide what to do. I thought it unfair to interrupt Mark's glorious sleep in, so I whipped the kids out of their pj's into their day clothes quicker then a hare out of a burrow.
I then told them that we had to go on a mission (I might have called them 'troops' - although this might be too embarrassing to mention on a public post). We marched over to the neighbours with Maria and Sam armed with nets on poles, Bekah in her stroller, and my charming self in a jumper, pj bottoms, with gorgeous ugg boot completing my outfit. Hot stuff.
Our neighbour must have heard us 'one-two, forward march' -ing over and met us at the door. He looked a little bit confused - I think it was the uggs...too overdressed? - but he let us in anyway. I couldn't help but feel a bit out of place as we trooped through his house to his back yard, but I quickly overcame the uncomfortable feeling as I spied Gloria dearest sunbathing on his patio.
We decided the simple round up was the way to go, and prepared for a long battle. However it was over pretty quickly - yours truly managed to do a running dive and catch the little pet in one of the nets. I though it was pretty impressive, but the puzzled look was back on my neighbours face so I decided to get out pretty quickly before he started asking about where I get my style.
However, there was a slight problem with getting the rabbit home. Gloria has turned slightly feral after the last escape (she was finally caught by Mark after nearly half an hour of blocking up holes that lead to under the house and cunning outdoor furniture barricades around the garden, complete with a similar running tackle by my dear husband. He wasn't amused with the incident, however I reackon that his deep thought into the catch proved otherwise).
Anyway our slightly feral darling pet has taken to biting whoever tried to hold her. When I say biting, I actually mean attacking and trying to decapitate the person trying to touch her. Needless to say I am quite frightened to touch her. I said this to our neighbour and asked him if he would mind picking her up and taking to back to her cage. The puzzled look deepened, and so he pinned the bunny down by her neck and picked her up quite easily. We all walked back through his house - the kids delighted by the early morning adventures. He asked me how the rabbit had managed to escape. I explained that she had been planning a coup, and seized freedom when I was trying to fill her water up. He seemed unsatisfied with my testimony, and was rather quiet. Mark met us as we came back into our front garden and was greeted with elated pratter by the kids. Mark took Gloria off our neighbour, who made a quick retreat. Mark put Gloria back in her cage, turned to me and asked how she managed to escape after his great efforts last time, and long lectures about how she was never allowed out of her cage again full stop. I told him my story, however he quizzed me a little too closely. Silly questions like how long was the top of the cage open while I was doing this alleged change of the water? And are you sure she was planning a coup, or did you leave the top open so that the rabbit that you were complaining was depressed by capture could be liberated by freedom again?
Like I said, silly questions.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Kinda Kid!

Yesterday was Maria's very first day of kindergarten! She was so excited and ready to go long before we had to leave. She picked out a very pink outfit - she has something to say about the mater (she's sitting here on my knee dictating to me what to write).
"Um - the other day there is going to be more kids on the next day I go to kinda. I gave my teacher (what's their names?) Bree and Marina some biscuits I made all by self, Maria Clare. Some 'Maria's Munchies'. I loved everybody. I played in the dolls house after morning tea - I goed outside and then...and then...what about you...doll house after morning tea time." "Are you finished?" I just asked. "No yet yet..stop your typing for a minute. Then we went outside, I play with the..there was a little house and there were people and it had lots of different things"
What was your favourite thing at your new kinda? Playing with the houses and the cubby house and the house that they made out of 1 sheet. Guess what there was some toys in the cubby house.
What did not like at kinda? The tent with the bookshelves. I didn't play with that one because no one wanted to play with me in there.
What are you looking forward to next time you go? Playing play-dough. Next time at kinda there are going to be so many kids - lots of children and they have forgotten their names and we have to tell them. It has white walls inside.
I love you everybody - love Maria

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Funny Farm

Yesterday we took a trip to a children's farm to entertain the troops. We drove up and I have to say I was initially disappointed. It looked slightly dilapidated and there didn't seem to be much around. However, after we had bought the kids some bags of animal food, we put on our enthusiastic faces and went to find the animals.
Simply put, we all had a ball. There was a 'nursery' barn with pens of baby animals that the kids got to hold and cuddle, a long walk around the property through the paddocks of different animals that the kids got to feed, tractor rides and lovely grounds for a picnic. We had the best time - Maria befriended an alpaca, Sam chased a deer, and Bekah laughed at the bunnies. Mark rode the tractor with the kids and I helped Maria milk a cow.
Our picnic was really peaceful. Maria and Sam harassed the nearby turtles while Bekah snoozed in her stroller. Mark and I were sitting at the table when a harassed looking lady dragged two young kids past kicking and screaming. We looked at her slightly bemused (usually it is us with the disruptive kids). She caught our eyes and said "I'm so sorry - you are both probably having a serene and tranquil picnic and here we are ruining it!" We both laughed and I said "Oh no we have two more they are over there chasing a duck!" She looked over to see Maria and Sam running at a full sprint trying to catch a big, fat rooster. Maria was adding flapping wings and a waddle for effect.
Just as the lady left, we lost sight of our angels. Just as I was beginning to wonder where they had gone we heard Sam let out a loud yell. I jumped up and found him clutching his finger, saying "The duckie pecked me!" I was concerned until he burst out laughing and said "The funny birdie bit me it was so funny!"
Maria had a great time with the baby animals - she fell in love with a little white chick and wouldn't put it down. However when it was time for us to go, she accidentally let all the baby chickens out of the cage, so all the visitors in the barn were chasing them back into their cage.

Ps. Sam at the moment is hilarious - he only answers questions or replies to statements in full sentences. For example, if you ask him if he had a nice sleep he replies "Yes I did." If you ask him if he is handsome, he will reply "Yes I am." Common conversations:
"Sam, do you like tomatoes?" "No I don't."
"Do you know where you put your hat?" "No I don't. It is lost."

Opps gotta go baby just woke up but Ill post this and finish it later!!