Violet Lulu

Find me here...

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 04:12:00 +0000

Hi there,

As you can see for yourself, I'm not really here very often anymore. I'm not saying I won't be back, either for good or to throw up a little update here and there, who knows what the future holds... it's just that things are very, very busy at the moment and I'm not feeling blogging so much. I really miss the community though and i'm on instagram every single day.. I would love to catch up there, see what you're up to, show you what we've been up to too.. so come and find me!

@hannamason_

Beatrix at 16 months

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Beatie and I took these pictures on Wednesday while Violet was still in the middle of a marathon nap. It was after an altercation with one of our morning play date friends, Baby Ryan (not a baby anymore, still known as such), a sweet little boy about one month older than Beatie who decided that morning that paper was for chumps, and following Beatie around with a marker drawing on her head was the right way to do art. She was very put out by this, you can see the remnants on chin and nose. Also note the amazing red cheekedness of a baby toddler who is still flushed from sleep. Beatrix at 16 months is hilarious. She has so many words and so many preferences. She only likes weetbix with honey. When she asks for "wattah" she is really hoping you'll provide "mulk". And if Violet eats all of her dinner first, thus being first (and usually only, Beatie is a slow slow slow, distractible eater) to claim her prize of the worlds tiniest tub of jelly (that's jello for you Americans) for dessert she WILL park herself almost on top of her so as better to watch her eating it from a distance of about one centimetre between Beatie's nose and the cup of jelly.

Here is a list of words that a Beatie can say:

mulk (milk), wattah (water), Byah (Violet), Beeeeetieeee (Beatie), wed-upppppp! (wake up, a game where one pretends to sleep and the other wakes them up, also used in real life when one falls asleep before the other. Adorable), Puppa (Peppa. Pig. 4eva), arm-ee (arm in. for getting dressed and into car seat), stuck (it's her favourite word), nope (another favourite), yep, bag, duck (followed by WACK WACK WACK), dunstairs (downstairs, where food can be found), look, Poppa (Poppy), neeeeeeeigh (the sound but not the word for horse), baby (another favourite, she usually has one), nana (banana), air (hair), mow (mouth), eye (eye AND eyebrow!), noe (nose), ee (ear), owie, poo-poo, my (mine), buttle (bottle), cup, meow (cat), twinkle twinkle (words illegible but tune is obvious), wah you (love you, only when prompted to say it) and my favourite of all the things in all the world..... DUDDLE (cuddle), said with arms in the air, hands opening and closing and a hopeful, quizzical look on face. I'm melting at the memories.

Actually she's a pretty good parrot if you say "can you say"...those don't really count though, do they? If only I could convince her to waddle that waddle that 16 month olds do. Although that could actually be on the cards since I just turned around to see her trying to trim her toe nails with nail clippers. Where did you get those from and why so clever/reckless? Anyway, this is my second, second last, second to second last? 16 month old ever and she's light enough to carry long distance, and cute enough to think wearing underpants over the top of her nappy/pants makes her a big girl like her sister. She's happy enough to share her bed with Violet and hold hands in the car. 16 months is sweet and cuddly and not very cheeky yet, but soon. I am really very in love with motherhood at the moment (and always but sometimes it's harder and the days seem longer than it is right now, you know?), especially watching my two as siblings.

it's winter in the city

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Winter in the city can be anything. More often than not it's crispy, cold and grey with hints of sunshine that keep you dancing between too hot for one zillion layers and freezing beyond belief. It is always, always beautiful though. We took our car to be serviced in South Melbourne and instead of visiting the market or a cafe nearby we decided to make the 40 minute walk into the city. Just for something to do, why not? It's been a good few years since I lived close enough to walk into the heart of it, it was nice pretending to be a city dweller again. I say all the time that if there were more parks and playgrounds, I'd take apartment living in the cbd over space any day. I wouldn't but it's nice to pretend when the stakes are low and no one is going to call you to commit ;). Truth be told, there isn't enough life times in my one to live out all my alternate universe dreams. It's a good thing that reality is so sweet.

plaster painting/girls weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Sun, 06 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Last month Rob went to Sydney for Hair Expo alone for the first time since Violet was born. Last year was really too much with a newborn and a toddler and so this year I asked my girlfriend Nicki to stay with me for 3 days to help relieve the pressure of him being gone. Yes, I know, I could do it alone. I don't want to, a girls weekend was just what no doctor ordered. The girls' godmother, Caity, came for dinner, drinks and movies the two weekend nights and our friend Sarah came to stay for a night and a day too. It was actually way more fun than stressful, even though after a couple of days Violet was full to the brim with show-off vibes and starting to test my patience on listening (why listen when there are a gaggle of girls to giggle at your silliness?). Truly though, for the very most part of the weekend they were both angels and I'm seriously questioning whether commune living/village to raise a child theories aren't the way to go. Nicki on the other hand, may be feeling somewhat different. That feeling is probably lingering exhaustion. I always forget what it must be like for non-parents to stay with parents for longish periods of time. There are tricky problems without solutions. Like, I want to day drink but there are children around so i have to wait until after 7pm. Just kidding. Sort of, it's a problem. I think the solution is a real girls weekend away. Child free, many wine, etcetera.

All jokes aside though, she is so fabulous with children and came up with the best idea of all time that I have personally never thought of. Plaster Fun House trip! Although I picked a place called Glaze It in Elsternwick instead. Don't ask me why but I am glad that I did. Elsternwick is a beautiful suburb and the owner graciously squeezed us in when they were already full. We called earlier in the day to see whether we needed a booking or dropping into the studio would be ok. The young girl on the phone said dropping in would be ok but we didn't get there until the afternoon and obviously either things had changed or she only meant the morning would be ok for drop ins. I really appreciate being fitted in after travelling a fair way to get there and having excited children ready to paint mugs and whatnot. For the record, it looks not so busy in my pictures but I did try to wait until there weren't other people's kids in the shots to take them (obviously i still accidentally got a couple of other kids) plus they were booked with birthday parties who were off picking their ceramic pieces at this point. Violet chose a pig money bank and I chose a mug for Beatie. Nicki chose a little mug and saucer. I chose to monitor the toddlers with paint brushes because anything else would have been a disaster! Violet finished way before everyone else so she picked another mug. Not really pictured. It's hilarious. It's this disgusting monster mug with a gross worm for a handle and googly eyes/protruding teeth. I sort of tried to steer her in the direction of something more um, three year old friendly, but nope, monster mug it was. Who can argue? Who even wants to?

We had to wait for a week to pick them up so they could be fired but it was totally worth it to be able to unwrap the tissue paper and reveal the finished pieces with Rob. I had no idea what they would look like because the paint is so pastel before it's fired. And you're supposed to do three coats to get the full effect but who can tell a three year old and a fifteen month old to do that? I wonder if my mum still has any things like this that I made as a child? I do know I was obsessed with making plaster things in molds somewhere in my early tweens. I had a little kit where you mix the plaster yourself with water and who knows why i would want even one of those silly little plaster clowns or ice creams that I used to make but I probably made one zillion of each, I really loved that kit for a while. Anyway, for posterities sake I wrote their ages on the mug and money back, and heaven help me if they should ever be used for their intended purposes, I'm a bit too attached. I guess that means more trips to Glaze It are in order, so that my kids can have some things they made themselves instead of having their crazy mum hoard them all in the event that they gasp grow older and gasp I get nostalgic for their littleness before they even have.

baby blowdry

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000

When I posted one of these pictures on Instagram and shared to it Facebook so many of my friends thought that it was a picture of Beatie getting her first haircut. To them I say, for shame friends, don't you know me at all?? I'll never cut my girls hair until the day they ask. Thankfully for me, Violet spends many minutes a day double checking that we are not going to cut her hair. She likes her "big" hair and does not want "little hair wike Beatie". I'm not really sure how Beatie feels about her "little" hair, since she has only just mastered the word "air" for hair. She does seem to like being pampered in the salon though. And she will at some point in the very, very near future, be the proud owner of one times mullet. Perhaps at that point Rob will be able to convince me to let him give her a trim. I don't know. There's something really important seeming about the hair that was on my daughters' heads when they came into the world. Don't you think? Probably not, most people seem to be able to snip, snip, snip it away in favour of sweet bobs and fringes. Maybe they're sentimental about other things. Maybe I'm just sentimental about everything.

My children are so lucky to grow up around hairdressing. At it's best it's such a vibrant, fun environment. There's nothing else like it. I'm grateful to never have had a true office job. I'm grateful that some of the clients I had I can still call friend. Every day that we pick Rob up from work in the car Violet is sure to save her toilet trip until we get there. Nothing makes her happier than her daddy coming out of the salon after all the clients are gone to grab her out of her car seat and take her inside. Usually the need to wee is forgotten instantly in favour of being twirled around by the hairdressers or running around the salon showing off. Beatie might be left out on those evenings but when Violet is at daycare and the crazy energy of just one is much more manageable in an environment with paying clients, we often stop into the salon for a visit, just Beatie and me. On this particular day we were coming from somewhere very special, having gone on behalf of both Rob and I, to look at somewhere that's going to be very important to our family very soon. I'm so excited about what's in store for us! I wish I could blurt it all out but it's not quite right for the internet just yet. I'll tell you this much, it's not another baby (yet). Sigh.

little winter moments

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000

There's romance in winter and underground car parks. The ice-box quality of the concrete walls, floor and ceiling. The promise of the city above and the daring gamble placed on whether children will behave or scramble to throw legs over the side.

Or about when we over do it and colds threatening to take hold necessitate family snuggles and snack cups on the couch.

The places I find tiny play scenes on those days when the rain buckets down so hard I'm afraid we'll be washed away if we poke our heads out the door. In the heart of each season there is a period where it's too something. We're here now, loving homemade soup and under the table cubbies, movies that are not Frozen (mine aren't into it. is there something wrong with us?), and puffy jacket/red nose trips between car and indoor destination. Hurry, hurry, too cold for dawdling.

kid gang

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 22:21:00 +0000

Here is another mantra, repeated all day every day until forever; i'm so lucky, i'm so lucky, i'm so lucky. I'm so lucky to be able to stay home, I'm so lucky to live in the city, I'm so lucky to have friends with free days to spend with our kids, I'm so lucky that my kids have friends they love to see every week. I'm so effing lucky that my kids are so damn cool, I'd never rather hang out with anyone else. Sometimes winter is the season where the heavy cloud and freezing wind push your spirit down but this one, we're feeling lighter than ever. Of course, post-natal depression is lifting and having given up both the anti-depressants for it and breastfeeding this month, my body is finally hormone and chemical free for the first time in forever. That helps. So many things do. I found two under two (we just scraped in with two months to spare but hey) incredibly difficult until just recently. Different schedules, different needs both basic and developmental, all the things that made it feel difficult to get out and live well every day. It's been a very long while since I've made the old mum joke I grew fond of in the first few months after Beatie's birth ("pyjama days? more like pyjama weeks! haw haw sob sob) but that doesn't mean that excuses like "it's too hot" and "it might clash with naps" haven't gotten in the way. I think Violet probably napped at home in her own bed a handful of times in her babyhood, her pram became her bed away from home.

The very best thing about being friends with the mother's group I've been in since Violet was six weeks old is that many have also had second children now. Second children to become instant age appropriate friends for our second children. Maybe that's the second best thing actually, after the friendships I've made and the support we give each other at all hours, even the cold, early mornings that our still-pre-baby hearts have us hardwired to never grow used to. Definitely the best day about this day was discovering a ride for everyone at our friend Kate's house and the hilarious journey from house through shopping plaza to playground with three adults, five children, three of them mobile on scooter or trike and wild with excitement at being let out of the house to swing, and slide, and bicker over all of the important things, like whose turn it is to swing. Really, that's probably all they bicker about. Any child, any where. More swing time, please. We're going to watch two of these fair haired lovelies this morning, our side of an amazing deal struck with their parents. Casual babysitting for casual babysitting between two families without family in the city. Amazing. I'm not sure that today will be the day that I hazard taking all four out by myself but then again, the sky is blue. But it's 11 degrees, winter, that's for nothing. (thanks for everything).

and here, for fun, is a picture of how I wrote this, with a peach on my lap and a very silly dressing gown bought by Rob for the hospital when Violet was born. I'm a little sentimentally attached to it, even in all it's pinkness.

baby teeth

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 07:00:00 +0000

There's a rumour going around that the dentist is a scary place but we don't think so. I've always loved going, love having my teeth cleaned, love having them fixed (and they need it often, weak enamel). Violet complained of sore teeth for a week before I could get an appointment. I was 99% sure she'd watched Muno's baby teeth wiggle out one too many times but it doesn't do to gamble on these things, even if according to Violet I am "gaffa lamb" (DJ Lance). One purple chair, a quick examination for Little People Cinderella, 5 declarations that the the name penned on the side of the toy contained a "V for me!" and many goadings to open just a bit wider later we got down to business. And 20 healthy, clean and beautiful teeth counted later, Violet was in love with going to the dentist. So of course at least once a week her teeth are "sore" again and she just needs to see that dentist. Actually, if you listen to Violet the dentist is a miracle worker who will fix sore legs too. Why not?

Apparently you're supposed to go around your second birthday but I guess, like anything, you need to go if you need to go and happily, and luckily, we didn't. The tooth fairy visited Violet's day care last year and made a very lasting impression on little miss. Her wise instructions that Violet must let mummy or daddy brush her teeth before she tries has stuck pretty well and we have rarely had issue getting her teeth brushed properly. Staying in bed after lights out, I wish there were a fairy for you. One of my favourite things about a Violet (they're all my favourite, actually) is her need to shout her good experiences from the rooftops. Everyone on the street for a week or two heard about the purple chair and the laying back with the mouth open wide, and the dentist who "fixed" her "sore teeth".

The wrong picture.

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 10:43:00 +0000

If I were allowed only one photo to sum up each of my children, this is the wrong one for Beatrix. Happily, it's just A picture, not THE picture and obviously, sometimes she looks like this. Sometimes. The rest of the time she is usually squeezing a doll to her chest and trying to find her big sister. Or carrying a handbag, looking very busy and important, and grown up. 15 months is a glorious age. Having had my head pretty permanently over a bucket communing with the gods of morning sickness at this point in Violet's life I can say without doubt and with a little sadness, that I missed out on much of this ages' beauty first time around. Not to worry, swings and roundabouts. I'm amazed at what she can do/say/understand and I'm constantly having to keep myself aware of the fact that she's also got Violet to copy and converse with. I've been telling everyone- last week she started coming to me, clutching her nappy-clad bottom saying "poo-poo" (in the most adorable of ways, with lips barely opening and cheeks fat with air) and lo, just minutes after, she goes number 2 every time. A baby genius! Or, a baby-toddler who desperately wants to be a big girl like big sister. I guess that is up for interpretation, ha. Of course, I did enthusiastically get out the potty this evening and let's just say that if your interpretation was that she's not quite ready for that just yet thankyouverymuch, then you were right.

Two is wonderful. Three might be better (or four, or five, dear lord I hope Rob isn't reading this today!) and a couple of months ago I thought I would explode with cluckiness. There's more time, there's more time, is a mantra I have been using when that feeling becomes overwhelming. I've hit the baby jackpot and they just adore each other. You can tell because Violet likes to tell everyone she sees that excuse me, my best friend is Beatie, not mummy and not daddy and your best friend is not Beatie, my best friend is Beatie. Or, by the way Beatie will go into their shared bedroom and come out looking very pleased with herself "wearing" Violet's clothes. Or, by the cute little (cute? or mean and I should stop this in it's tracks?) thing they have going on when they eat sandwiches. Violet eats the guts and passes the crusts or Beatie who dutifully eats them up and passes over her sandwiches, rinse repeat.

But this is about Beatie, who snuggles in bed with me to have very long and very serious conversations about my facial features. I have a mow, an eye, a no, an ee and some air. Figures. And who loves to brush and play with my hair, and cover my face in kisses as she accidentally pulls it with her little fingers. There is nothing as divine as baby and toddler kisses given freely without being asked. Nothing, I say! My girl, my girl, both of them. We have been living well and haven't missed you a bit, dear blog, but the days are short and sometimes I know, I know, I'll regret not writing these moments out for the time they're grown, and I am missing fingers jammed in my ears, and the sweet squeak of "ee! ee!". x

hen's high tea

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 02:13:00 +0000

Before the was the country wedding there was Lulu's hens day. Her maid of honour, Ruby, organised a high tea at The Windsor Hotel and also a private burlesque dancing class afterwards. Now, burlesque dancing is awesome but I think my dancing skills are better enjoyed in private. Alone. Probably in the middle of a desert island surrounded on all sides by at least one hundred thousand million kilometres of sea. Obviously because they're that good. Luckily for everyone involved I was unable to attend that portion anyway, thanks to Violet's daycare not offering overnight or week long stays. Imagine a week of uninterrupted sleep! I can't imagine that because I will probably ugly cry tears of desperation.

So I was, standardly, just there for the food. And the henning. Whatever that is. The Windsor Hotel is fairly famous for it's high tea but as it was a Thursday in the middle of the day it was pretty quiet. This was great news for me because it meant that after Beatie was done being mum-to-be Ruby's new best friend forever, she could easily fall asleep on my lap. Leaving me so much more opportunity to shove sandwiches and pastries in my mouth. Delicious. You probably won't remember this dress that Beatie is wearing as a hand-me-down from Violet (who in turn got it as a hand-me-down from who knows who dropped it off at the thrift and when) but I can't believe it fits already. Nearly 6 months old. Nearly 16 years old any minute. Just for the record, I was later informed that Lulu did not in fact use those boobie tassel thingies at the burlesque dancing, as if I ever thought she would..no one is that henny, surely?

Aloha Friday blog hop

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 01:31:00 +0000

Guess what today is? It's the city of Melbourne, Australia's 178th birthday. Didn't know? Me either, the radio told me as I drove Violet to day care this morning. I didn't even get it a cake. This city has also just been voted the world's most liveable city for the third year in a row, take that other cities of the world. Anyhow, completely irrelevant, but I am feeling a little extra love for this city of mine today.

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What Beatrix ate: for the first time!

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Baby Rice Cereal!

(with extra iron)

So I guess you can see how she felt about that. Not super positively, let me tell you. Look, I wasn't surprised. Through hell and high water, trying every trick under the sun barring actually leaving the house and letting her starve it out until she's hungry enough, we have been unsuccessful in getting her to take a bottle. Not even of breast milk, let alone formula. Baby loves her (my) boob. It's been a challenge, especially given that she still wants to eat every 2-3 hours. When Violet was a baby it was so easy to go out on dates or to places that I'd be uncomfortable breast feeding in. That kid would eat anything in sight if it remotely resembled milk of any kind! And when it came time to try solids she was just the same. Gimme, gimme, gimme all the foods. Beatie's a fussy eater. That's ok, I'm kind of fussy too, I can relate.

This was try number one, just iron-fortified baby rice cereal and cooled boiled water. Yum, yum, yum (not). Really not. Violet begged a spoonful towards the end of the feeding session and on tasting it had an involuntary full body shudder. I'm taking that as proof that it tastes pretty awful. Not only that but Beatie's automatic response was to push it out with her tongue. I remember that from when we started Violet on solids and after a few tries I deemed her not ready and held off for another month, or thereabouts. I don't really have that luxury with Beatie, at her last maternal and child health nurse check up we discovered that she's not gaining as much weight as she was previously. She's tracking on a curve for height and head circumference but her weight has gone from being in the 75th percentile for weight to being just below the 50th. She's still eating A LOT of breast milk but since she won't take a formula top up for anything, solids have to begin now. It's time anyway, they had us starting at 4 months with Violet, now they say 6 months is the best time to start. She's 5 and a half months, open wide baby girl, here comes some yucky rice cereal.

The next day I tried it with formula instead of water and today I tried it with breast milk instead of formula and the reaction was the same both days: "hey, imma wear this cool paste all over my face and clothes, mouth shmouth". Persistence and patience, persistence and patience. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Hey, I think she might have swallowed a little more today, or so I've been telling myself. I wish you'd hurry up and get this skill down little Beatie so we can move on to the cool stuff.

country wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 01:26:00 +0000

Last Saturday we made the hour long drive out into the country to The Mill @ Malmsbury to watch our friends Lulu and Matt pledge their love for each other officially and forever and ever. Their five year old daughter, the flower girl, was dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast and led the bridesmaids down the aisle to My Girl by The Temptations before Lulu came down to At Last by Etta James. Everything was super sweet and lovely, including stories about the long stemmed red rose he bought for her to their first day and an acknowledgement of the privilege they enjoy as a straight couple that they are able to marry and a hope for the future that marriage for all people be recognised as a human right. They were wed with traditional vows and a hand-fasting ceremony before leaping over a broomstick in true celtic style. The bride was about the prettiest thing I've ever seen.

They joined us all upstairs, after heading out to take photos around the old Mill and it's gorgeous grounds, for a cocktail reception, cake and lots of love, laughter and well wishes. We were mostly stuck like glue to the thoughtful activity table they had set up for kids. Although we had lots of adult visiter hoping to poach the party pies and chicken nuggets from the children! And if we weren't drawing or running around trying to keep Violet out of the open fire then we were exploring the ground with her and the troupe of older children who were playing the most delightful games. Apparently there are tiny goblins living in every single tree at the Mill and if you need safe haven from them you'd better leg it to the almighty fairy tree and hope they'll take you in!

Our children were so well behaved, considering. They lasted all the way throughout the day and only fell asleep in the car at 7pm without so much as tantrum or meltdown. Of course, Rob did take Violet outside halfway through the ceremony when it became apparent that "shhhh" is as good as inviting her to shout at the top of her lungs. The more I whispered it to her the more she chattered, and when she loudly let me know that her fruit pouch was finished coincidently just after they said "i do" and were pronounced husband and wife, we knew it was time for her to stretch her legs outside. Luckily everyone seemed to think it was funny rather than rude. I just can't believe the timing, I seriously would have explained 20 times that she wasn't talking about the ceremony when she loudly said "it's finished now!"

What a wonderful day in the countryside!

Beatrix: five months

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 06:43:00 +0000

Sweet Beatie,

5 months! Well, 5 months two weeks ago. I'm a bit behind. I'm always a bit behind these days, no point making any more excuses, it just is. One day you'll have two little babies of your own, if you want to and if you're lucky enough, and you'll understand. Your smile makes me melt like an ice cube, it's so incredible. We're yet to be sure we've heard any giggles. A few times your Daddy and I have looked at each other in that way that people do when they're excited and don't need to say why because you both just <i>know</i> but we can't be 100% certain. I need to deal in double digit percentages for certainty. You squeak and squawk and squeal in delight however, and you are often delighted. You like it best when your sister shouts "OHHHHHHHH BEATIE!" over and over.

You're also a chatty cathy, yowling and yammering away all day long. If you're not too busy blowing bubbles and raspberries. Or sucking your bottom lip all the way into your mouth so that you look like a one hundred year old baby. Lately you've also been busy gnawing your way through my fingers. I'm certain that one day soon I'll discover I'm missing a few. I can see a little white dot on your bottom gum and I'm relishing every last day that you're a toothless gummy worm. I love that even though all the things you'll do and the ways you'll grow are the same as Violet's milestones but that they feel new because we're coming at them from a different perspective. I looked forward to all of Violet's growths and developments, I yearned for them. "so and so's baby is crawling, i hope mine does soon" and so on and so on. With you everything is treasured and every new thing is exciting but a tiny bit bittersweet. I'm not wishing the days and months away in anticipation of what comes next at all. I savour every second of your tininess.

You're starting to do the wiggle on your tummy like a slow, slow snake towards the things you'd like to chew. In the shower when I lay you on your tummy you pull your legs up underneath you, one at a time for now but it will feel like a flash and you'll be commando crawling your way into creating chaos. And you like toys! You like to hold them and chew them and drop them without a care as if you're indulging me in checking out this strange object or that before hurrrmphing your way back to watching your sister.

Sweetheart, you're a doll. The best thing about waking up in the morning is seeing your big blue eyes watching my face quietly, patiently and the huge gummy grin you give me when you realise I'm staring back at you. We think you're the bees knees, we love you so very, very much.

Aloha Friday blog hop

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 01:24:00 +0000

I took a wee break from blogging for no reason other than that it's been cold and wet and I've been enjoying snuggling up with the girls, or have been very busy with exciting things like a girlfriend's hens party. The wedding is tomorrow so I probably won't be back until after the weekend. But I will. Have a great one!

Hey there people and a very Happy Aloha Friday to you all! Welcome to the most hoppingest of all hops - The Aloha Friday Hop :)

Grab a button and link up below! If you'd like a different sized button click here.

Don't worry if you already have Jean's lovely Aloha buttons on your blogs - switch if you'd like to. Or choose one of Jean's buttons here.

If you'd like to host future Aloha Hops with us then please get in touch at our swanky new email address alohahop@gmail.com

We're all set for September and October with lots of lovely co-hosts but feel free to get in touch about November onwards.

If you'd like to spread the love even more, why not tweet and twitter all about it? Just click the pic below :)

Grab a button if you were featured this week!

Aloha Hoapili translates as Hello Close Friend. So, without further ado let me introduce you to this week's featured friend ...

Kellie at Delightfully Ludicrous.

Kellie blogs all about all things humorous and taking a bright outlook on life. Want a little taste of her blog? Check out these posts to find out what you've been missing:

Naughty Bedroom Fun Time! How to go on the lam Y is for Youth

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now let's start hoppin'! Click on the links in the linky to visit some lovely bloggers and make new friends. Oh, and don't forget to link up yourselves!

Aloha and have a great day people!

get the InLinkz code

Aloha Friday blog hop

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 01:55:00 +0000

Again, I'll try to visit as many of you as I can but if you leave your blog link in the comments I promise to click it :)

Hey there people and a very Happy Aloha Friday to you all! Welcome to the most hoppingest of all hops - The Aloha Friday Hop :)

Grab a button and link up below! If you'd like a different sized button click here.

Don't worry if you already have Jean's lovely Aloha buttons on your blogs - switch if you'd like to. Or choose one of Jean's buttons here.

The rules are the same as before and are posted below. The Aloha Hop is one of the most hoppingest hops of the week, attracting over 400 linkups on the regular. Let's keep that blogging tradition going people!

If you'd like to host future Aloha Hops with us then please get in touch at our swanky new email address alohahop@gmail.com

We're all set for September and October with lots of lovely co-hosts but feel free to get in touch about November onwards.

If you'd like to spread the love even more, why not tweet and twitter all about it? Just click the pic below :)

Grab a button if you were featured this week!

Aloha Hoapili translates as Hello Close Friend. So, without further ado let me introduce you to this week's featured friend ...

Linda at Twin Mom.

Linda blogs all about mamahood, trying new things and leading an inspiring life. Want a little taste of her blog? Check out these posts to find out what you've been missing:

Food Memories On Having Twins So You Think You Can Write?

Now let's start hoppin'! Click on the links in the linky to visit some lovely bloggers and make new friends. Oh, and don't forget to link up yourselves!

Aloha and have a great day people!

get the InLinkz code

Do you zoo too...two? (tutu?)

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 09:39:00 +0000

Toddler lore is writ like this: Do (eth) something (eth) cool and I shall find (eth) the most ordinary (eth) thing therein and love (eth) and squeeze (eth) it until you try to move me on and then (eth) I shall scream. Direct quote from the book of OMG-you-have-a-toddler-wouldn't-wanna-be-ya-at-bedtime by Anonymously Tired. Which is how, in a wonderland of lion enclosures, tree top bird aviary walk throughs and elephant families, we found ourselves camped out at the duck pond for the longest time. Actually, I'm not even sure that the ducks were part of the zoo. I suspect that perhaps they're just squatters who moved into a decorative lake. One day the keepers probably said to each other "hey, did you guys see those ducks on that nothing pond, what's up with that, did you put them there?". Just kidding, ducks deserve to be at the zoo just as much as any animal or bird. (not). Violet does love her some "chwact chwacts" though.

That was also the first day that we switched our pram around from Beatie being in a baby bassinet in the back to Beatie being the queen of the world up front while Violet creates a teenaged boy esque cave of disregarded food in the back. Its super awesome for both of them, I'm not even being sarcastic, they're so happy with their new spots. Finally though, it had rained all it could rain and we'd seen all we could see and it was time to go home, the sugar high finally having worn off. We had to make a huge game out of keeping Violet from falling asleep in the car. If she has longer than a 15 minute nap in the car she won't go down when we get home so we spent the ride laughing at her poor tired eyes drooping as she struggled to stay awake. And when she lost the battle we shouted and clapped and told her there was ice cream in the front seat. She kept opening her eyes and saying "ice-treen? more ice-treen?". By about half way home she had worked out there was no ice cream and was in on the joke. I heart family.

Do you zoo?

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 00:53:00 +0000

So I hope you like the zoo. I'm going to assume that anyone in the not zoo loving camp has feelings about captivity and not feelings about animals. Unless you're a vampire. Vampires don't like anything except whining, I've learned recently. I've been watching the Vampire Diaries while I wait for all the shows that aren't dramatic vampire drivel to start again. My brain is sad. But anyway, unless you're a vampire you like the zoo. And if you like the zoo you're going to be very happy to hear that you're in for another wall o' pics tomorrow. There are too many good zoo photos on our camera to cull. Sorry and you're welcome.

We haven't been to the zoo since this trip over a year ago. I'm really glad we waited, it was such a different experience with a kid who cared and who knew most of the names for the animals, which made her even more excited. Not to mention pleased with herself. We're terrible organisers on the weekend. It seems like whatever time we say we'll leave it's at least an hour after that that we're even walking to the car. So we kind of showed up to the zoo around nap time. Whatever, juice is like drugs for babies (my juice aged one, anyway) and once in a while I don't see the harm in pumping your kid full of fruit sugar and letting them run it off. While we were getting some drinks and waiting for Rob's hot dog to be ready some bigger kids came in with their parents and got icy-poles (or popsicles, if you will). Bearing in mind it's winter and it rained half the day, I thought this was a bit wacky but from what I remember of being a kid, any time you can convince your parents to get you a treat is a good time, no matter the weather.

Well Violet wanted to know what they had. "Ice-creams" I said without thinking, because there was definitely no cream, iced or otherwise, in sight. And then she had to have one. How could we say no? Well, there are lots of ways we could have said no but we didn't. And lo, her first icy-pole was had and it only took eating half of it to figure out that the stick is for holding, not the icy-pole itself. That was a sticky learning process. Juice plus "ice-treen" equals zoo party extreme! And meercats are actually doggies, that's the truth according to Violet. Just so we're clear, the kangaroos are Rob's favourite, the giraffes are mine and the elephants are Violet's. Beatie really likes the elephants too because that was pretty much the only part she was awake for.

Adventures in surprising a little girl

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 03:34:00 +0000

When I found out I was pregnant with Violet I imagined all of the cool things we'd do together. All of the special memories Rob and I would create for her both as responsible, typical parents and as young, fun parents. She's finally at an age where these desires we have to make her childhood special and magical can start to be acted upon, and that it means something to her when we do. What little girl wouldn't love to be told she was going to bed, made all ready and then instead whisked out to the car on a late night trip to the toy store to buy Woody? This little girl loved it. I love the joy and the excitement she has, I love knowing that she knows this was a treat, and how happy it makes her. I love knowing that for all the times I've had to clean something when she wants to play or be somewhere when she doesn't want to leave the park there are, and will be times like this, when we can surprise her with something that's just about her. And that there will be the chance to do it all over again with Beatie when she gets a little older. I think I'm addicted to babies, I can't get enough of this joy for living they have when everything is new and a first time.

Aloha Friday Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 11:19:00 +0000

Hi there, again! Last week I tried very hard to visit all of the blogs that linked up. This week I think that there will be quite a few of the same people linking up so I'll say that if you'd like me to visit your blog please leave me a comment with your url, I'll come right over and say hi, I promise :)

Since you're here, you should definitely enter this giveaway for a chance to win $100 paypal cash.

Hey there people and a very Happy Aloha Friday to you all! Welcome to the most hoppingest of all hops - The Aloha Friday Hop :)

Grab a button and link up below! If you'd like a different sized button click here.

Don't worry if you already have Jean's lovely Aloha buttons on your blogs - switch if you'd like to. Or choose one of Jean's buttons here.

If you'd like to host future Aloha Hops with us then please get in touch at our swanky new email address alohahop@gmail.com

We're all set for September and October with lots of lovely co-hosts but feel free to get in touch about November onwards.

If you'd like to spread the love even more, why not tweet and twitter all about it? Just click the pic below :)

Grab a button if you were featured this week!

Aloha Hoapili translates as Hello Close Friend. So, without further ado let me introduce you to this week's featured friend ...

Abigail at Abigail Davidson Art.

Abigail blogs all about art, illustration and inspiration. Want a little taste of her blog? Check out these posts to find out what you've been missing:

Owl Print Beautiful Kitties Fairy Tale Inspirations

Now let's start hoppin'! Click on the links in the linky to visit some lovely bloggers and make new friends. Oh, and don't forget to link up yourselves!

Aloha and have a great day people!

get the InLinkz code

saturday night diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 02:37:00 +0000

Remember I said that having two babies has given me back my evening social life? Well, it's kind of had to be that way. Otherwise there is the ever looming threat of drowning in spilled cereal and unfolded laundry, both literally and with all of the souliness of my soul. I must confess though, this newfound whipper-snapperiness i've been displaying the past few saturday nights has not been my idea. It's been Rob's. For one thing, I would much prefer to be on a date with him (sorry friends) since we don't see many of those. But you know, we don't see many of those. For another thing it is cold, I am lazy when it comes to the choice between braving the cold in nice clothes and wearing the one jumper that Rob HATES, HATES, HATES on the couch with the heater blasting.

But you see, he wants to get me out of the house. He's having an affair with dot dot dot hair products. He's making them. He's making them all night long if I let him (I did, now I don't, one hours sleep a night and then work does not a well functioning partner and father make). If I'm out of the house, I'm not bugging him with silly questions like 'what's that going to do?', 'can I have some bench space please?' and 'oh my god, you're going to clean that up when you finish, aren't you??' (his mouth says yes but his eyes say 'noooooooooooo, i'm going to pretend I forgot!'). And so here I am, enjoying yet more cocktails with yet more beautiful child-free friends and Madame Brussels, a rooftop terrace cocktail bar in the city with synthetic lawn for flooring, white picnic tables, waiters dressed in white tennis uniforms and probably the most delicious cocktail menu out, by the jug please. We ordered many of the Amaretto Sour (without egg white in half for our very vegan friend Nicki) and stayed until they shut up shop at 1am. Not a conversation about nappies or breastfeeding in sight, folks. It's like I got my non-mummy groove back. Where am I going this week? Somewhere good, let me tell you.

tea with old friends

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 02:26:00 +0000

This weekend an old friend came to town from interstate. We lived together in a crusty old 1800s built house with 4 bedrooms, one living room converted into a bedroom by a curtain and just one bathroom which housed both the shower and the only toilet in the house. And we saw our fair share of nutty housemates. And we were our fair share of nutty housemates. But we had so much fun. And for my birthday one year Clare bought me my only fish I've ever owned on my own after I became mildly and embarrassingly obsessed with an iphone game about running a fish pet shop. I wish I remembered what that game was called, it was good times. Ok actually it was the most boring thing that ever was created but there's no accounting for accidental iphone app addictions. My fish, Jesse Custer was his name-oh, outlived all expectations and in some ways, his welcome, because he was a pain to move house with before we had a car and he died sometime in the hazy haze of newborn Violet induced emotional turbulence and sleep deprivation. He lived for years. He even lived through a holiday in which his babysitter, Clare's replacement housemate, thought that he was supposed to have half a handful of food pellets a day instead of just one. Boy, he was slow for a few days after that.

I can fairly and squarely divide my life into pre-baby and post-baby. This is the perils and the joys of having babies long before your friends are ready or even ready to be ready (ready, ready?). Post babies life has bought me some of the best friends I've ever known, mums from mum's group and the playground and the strange places you talk to strangers when it's ok to because your children are sharing a water bottle so it's kind of rude not to share a few words. In my pre-baby world things have not stopped turning, there's still all the people doing all the things. Going out for drinks on thursdays and fridays and saturdays. Eating most meals out because the bills to be paid are only being made by one, or maybe two. Starting over when relationships break up and getting to realise that the ones they're with might just be the ones forever and ever. It's an exciting, busy, adventurous and tumultuous world. I don't miss it, at all. What I do like though is that even though we're in different places, they can still stop in and spend a day in my world every few weeks and sometimes I can go out and spend a night in theirs. I like that a lot. It's like that old saying about new friends being silver and old ones being gold, except that as far as I can see old friends are gold and new friends are gold and pretty much anyone who has love in their heart for me and my children and my love are the goldiest of goldens.

A really big cash giveaway, hurrah!

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:37:00 +0000

Enjoy friends, you deserve to win this, all of you, even if you don't.

Welcome to the My Life of Travels and Adventures 1,000+ Bloglovin' Follower Giveaway!

I have teamed up with some great blogs to help celebrate and give you a chance to win $100 Paypal cash! Simply complete the tasks below to earn entries for this giveaway.

Not In New Jersey / My Life of Travels and Adventures / Raising Reagan
My So Called Chaos / Violet Lulu
Back Home Again / The Dwelling Tree / A Closet Intellectual

Details:

- Giveaway starts August 5th and ends August 19th.

- Open to everyone worldwide

- You must have a paypal account to enter.

- Winner will be notified by e-mail.

- Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.

Entries will be verified, so please don't cheat.
- Questions should be address to mylifeoftravelsandadventures@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Aloha Friday blog hop

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 02:24:00 +0000

Hi there, in August I'm going to be co-hosting this once a week. I hope that you'll join in, have a look at some new blogs and really get something out of it. I think it's so important to build a community online if you blog a lot and this one that Sarah and Jean have created, it's really great, I've found some of my favourite reads through it.

Hey there people and a very Happy Aloha Friday to you all! Welcome to the most hoppingest of all hops - The Aloha Friday Hop :)

It's time to meet our new August team -you're going to love them! Just don't forget to head down to the linky to click and follow them when you link up your own lovely blogs :) Our hosts and co-hosts links are always the first you will see, so it's easy for you to click and follow.

Grab a button and link up below! If you'd like a different sized button click here.

Don't worry if you already have Jean's lovely Aloha buttons on your blogs - switch if you'd like to. Or choose one of Jean's buttons here.

If you'd like to host future Aloha Hops with us then please get in touch at our swanky new email address alohahop@gmail.com

We're all set for August and September with lots of lovely co-hosts but feel free to get in touch about October onwards.

If you'd like to spread the love even more, why not tweet and twitter all about it? Just click the pic below :)

Grab a button if you were featured this week!

Aloha Hoapili translates as Hello Close Friend. So, without further ado let me introduce you to this week's featured friend ...

Sara-Jayne at Keep Up With The Jones Family.

Sara-Jayne blogs all about family adventures, Disney and Attachment Parenting. Want a little taste of her blog? Check out these posts to find out what you've been missing:Bathtime Adventures Short Term Goal Setting Let's Party!

Now let's start hoppin'! Click on the links in the linky to visit some lovely bloggers and make new friends. Oh, and don't forget to link up yourselves!

Aloha and have a great day people!

An InLinkz Link-up

oh, hello

noreply@blogger.com (Hanna) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 00:26:00 +0000

I was pretty down when Rob was away for work. For starters I had no phone to talk to him and my adult relationship felt totally bizarre being confined to Facebook messaging as the only form of communication. I felt kind of like when I was 14 and had a boyfriend I only ever communicated with via Yahoo Chat because he went to a different school. Gross. For secondsies toddlers can smell when somethings up emotionally with their parent. Seriously, I thought of that book Perfume the other day and thought 'yeah, you can smell an apple from that far away? Cool dude. You can smell innocence on a woman? Cool dude x 2. BUT CAN YOU SMELL FEAR ON AN OVERWHELMED AND MODERATELY LONESOME PARENT? My two year old can. Beat that Frenchie'. It was an elaborate thought process. I can't call the behaviour naughty because it wasn't, it was just extra much. Extra much attention needed. Extra much bed time drama. Extra much frustration when it takes me too long to work out that "mummy putpt" means "hey ma, be a doll and grab me a cup from that cupboard. Oh, and fill it with milk while you're there. please." And in return I was extra much short on patience, extra much full of pleading- "please please please, just go to sleep, please!" which of course makes those situations worse, every time. Oh, sigh sigh.

Well, this friend made a pop-in visit and saved at least one of our days. I usually hate a pop in visit. There's always something embarrassing happening- I'm in my pyjamas at 11am, or the bin needs to be emptied but that's a Dad job and he forgot, my bench is full of crap I would have cleaned off if I'd known someone was coming over (see above) or I'm holding out on folding the 6 loads of laundry that are piled up because I'm certain that this week there will be a zombie apocalypse and no one will need folded clothes. This day I did not care. Let it be known, if I ever do not have a phone again, please, come on by. Don't call, you won't be able to, just arrive. I'll be happy to see you. My children will be happy to see you. No one will care that Violet won't stop climbing on the table because I'm not the boss when Daddy is away, because YOU can be the boss. Of my heart. Because my heart needs company when it's feeling bad.