Luna

Last week was my fifth infusion of Intragram . Even though I was told it would get easier  as the months wore on, it hasn't. The days afterwards are still a lot like you'd imagine the after effects of colliding with a Mac truck would be, with at least one day on the bath room tiles surfing waves of nausea. This time around was my kind of weather - a classic hot summer day, the school holidays and the bliss of retreating into a cool, still home afterwards. Archie had had his birthday party the weekend before at "Tunzafun" - little boy heaven with dodgems, laser tag (whatever that is), and unlimited games - and all the presents he'd received from invitees were still strewn over the lounge room floor. He is still spending hours playing blissfully constructing, sorting, building etc.  Before long, with myself parked on the lounge just watching him idly, no thoughts about what I needed to get up and do next, a sense of contentment had come over the room. For the...

About a year ago,Archie made a sudden switch to his Dad as Most Favoured Parent, as boys do around this age. That's a while ago now but doesn't mean I have given up trying. In fact I have come up with a brilliant reverse psychology strategy that involves going in to say goodnight, after story time with Dad, and saying I just want to give him a little cuddle, but please no kisses . It goes like this. Me: Goodnight. I'm just going to give you a quick cuddle. Remember though no kisses. Him: (confused, and hiding under the covers to resist my cuddle): No kisses? Why not? You love kisses. Me: Yeah, I used to. But not any more. Him: (still confused) But why? Me: (casual) I don't know why. I just don't like them. So just a very quick cuddle. What happens then is I get covered in hundreds of little delicious quick kisses ("just to annoy you"). I know what you're thinking: I really should write a parenting book.

I now have a sculpture that doesn't look unlike me (the goal) and if you are brave enough scroll down to see it's latest progress. I'm only just brave enough to put it up. I actually think it looks more like Special Agent Dana Scully from the TV show The X-Files I also confronted my fears of lino and just committed to doing the best with what I had available -an artists book titled Intimate/Obscure which uses lino print self portraiture to hint at aspects of yourself. Lastly a couple of photos from my mothers birthday brunch last week. Mum has been unwell lately so dad took control of the festivities and produced an impressive effort of a birthday cake. My little boy had also put in requests for his favourite foods - waffles and fresh donuts with sugar and cinnamon. My overriding image from the day is him sitting up at the bar eating waffle after waffle after waffle long after everyone else had finished. Then springing up on the news there would be no school the next d...

Yesterday, Archie gave Ruby some advice. Fashion type advice for her first day at high school next week. I can't be sure but I think she took it on board. Like any twelve year old girl Ruby can be very particular about what she wears and I try not to intervene. I did insist on our week down the coast however that she choose a hat and we found a really nice one she was happy to wear, even with a small nautical motif embroidered on the side. Driving home yesterday I suggested she might even wear it at school (we live near the only public school in the state that has no school uniform or dress code) to protect from the heat. No? Bad idea. I offer to embroider some black felt skulls over the nautical motif for a more morbid take on summer. No again. Then Archie, listening in, offers up his advice "You could get one with a monkey or dinosaur on it" he suggests. "They are very pop'lar wight now". which made Ruby smile. Which means, like I say, that she must be tak...

Archie was telling me the other day how funny one of the boys in his class was being, a child with a rep for being the naughtiest boy in the kindergarten class. I said "Did everyone think he was being funny?" Archie said "Just the boys". I said "Why don't the girls think he's being funny?" Archie said "Because they know he's being naughty" "Don't the boys know he's being naughty?" I asked. "Yes" said Archie "But they can't help it" It was hard to know what to say next. You'd probably pay a psychologist with a Phd in gender studies a fortune to reach an insight like that...

A week ago now but Book Week at the school ended on Friday with a dress up assembly. The kids assembled their own costumes - Batman and Harry Potter. See those blue girls sports pants doubling for Batman's uhmm... shorts ... over his grey tights? That was my idea. Frankly though I was surprised  Archie went for the suggestion. Glad he did though, they complete the ensemble.

Have you seen Billie Bones on TV yet? He's a plastic skeleton delivered to your house bone by bone in weekly instalments alongside a magazine booklet full of interesting facts about the human body. Suitable for young kids. Aimed in fact at young kids. Probably mostly six year old boys like the one in our house. I was oblivious until Billie's elaborately packaged skull turned up to the house the other day with my mother. Archie had somehow spied it in the local newsagent and told his Grandmother all about the fantastic series you could collect and guess what? This introductory offer of skull and magazine - which comes with a life size poster of Billy and all twenty of Billie's teeth which you get to insert yourself  - is yours for only $2.95. That's right, you heard correct. Only $2.95. Trouble is all instalments after that are $11.95. So if you end up collecting all of Billie's bones to build his life size (six year old) skeleton plu...

I've been seizing on Archie's new found enthusiasm for whipping up cards when the occasion warrants (birthdays, Mothers' Day...), delighted to see all the magic a six year old contains expressing itself on paper. These latest examples bring a great big smile (and sometimes even a laugh) to my face.

This is what you might be wearing if you were a little dude in 1960s England off to church on a Sunday morning. You would need to team it with a buttoned up shirt off course and some very long socks to stay warm. Possibly even a smart cap. More clearing out of Grandma's house has unearthed this little suit that belonged to my partner when he was the same age. Do you think I can coax him into wearing it for Grandma's 90th birthday party???

So here's Archie all dressed and ready for his first day at Big School. He was really excited all weekend and had fun labelling all his stuff. Up early on the actual day, all eager. As soon as his name was read out in the school hall to join the teacher he jumped up to go and was off - forgetting his bag and that his mum, Dad and Ruby were going to be accompanying him. A pretty big moment. Parents were allowed into the classroom for five or so minutes to say goodbye and watch as the teacher introduced herself to the little ones as they sat on the floor. I took this other picture as he listened, wondering what was going through his head. I guess there's no comprehending what's to come. It's the end of 11 years for me at home with my babies. A reminder just how fast the time can go.

I love this photo from our week in Pambula. It's so beachy and full of sibling love. We did a fair bit of the beach while there and Archie is grown up enough now to let me sleep in. That way I was able to manage much more 'surfing' than would otherwise have been possible. He was especially good the morning of our trip to Magic Mountain in Merrimbula. I know he was absolutely itching to get there but patiently allowed me a good amount of rest to make the most of the day. And so make the most of it we did - water slides, roller coasters (6 goes for Col and Ruby, zero for Archie and I!), mini golf, tobogganing and Grand Prix racing cars. The day went so fast and we were there till closing time. Other highlights from the holiday were a visit from Aunty Lynette, watching 'Meet The Fockers' with the kids and a visit to the 'Lolly Shop' in Merrimbula on the day it rained. Ruby still can't believe Archie chose to spend his money on a rubber ball that came out ...

Woke up to find: Archie enjoying Ice Age 3 for the One hundred and fifty fourth time since Christmas (bless him). Ruby working on an internet recipe for Advanced Stem Cell research which apparently uses your very own self raising flour and table salt.

A short new year visit up Sydney way to visit Uncle Gareth and Aunty Karen was cancelled due to illness in our household. And not just me - the kids too. I tried to cheer things up a bit by stitching some easy projects from the Felties book I recieved as a Christmas present from Aunty Lynette. The book suggests each project only takes two hours but I don't think that takes into account flus and chest colds. As a result I had to disappoint Archie when the Chihauhau wasn't done before he went to bed. Not to worry - it was ready for when he woke up. As for all the other projects sitting by my sewing machine I thought this might be their time of year, sadly not. Only one bag to go in the Getting To know My Sewing Machine mission and then I'm free. So many other things I'm desperate to try out...

Archie and I found a goldmine of little dead sticks in the backyard that are perfect for christmas crafts: witness antlers for the polymer reindeer he made and a trendy Christmas tree for the doll house! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

While Ruby faced up to the year 5/6 disco with a case of bronchitis last Thursday and hasn't been back to school since, Archie seems to be suffering more from little boyitis. Attending his Preschool concert last week I noticed all the little girls march into the opening number waving their colourful chiffon scarves energetically while the boys trudged in like robots. And none more so than Archie whose rainbow coloured chiffon scarf hung motionlessly at his side. Waving encouragingly at him and mouthing the words to the song didn't help either. As I continued to tape the 'event' I wondered at the point of a video if it looked as though a tranquiliser had been rubbed through his vegemite sandwich at lunchtime. I was busy recalling Ruby at her Preschool concert six years ago, taking centre stage and performing as though everyone had come to see her, when I noticed Archie and friend Nicki had crossed into each other's 'dancing' territory and a up had ensued. Th...

Todays afternoon fun took the form of: A tent made of lounge cushions for Archie. Extraction of a loose tooth with rusty barbeque tongs by Ruby.

Australian's have spent a long time resisting the Hallowe'en thing on the grounds it is too American but, we've finally been worn down, and embraced the traditions. First making these Witchy cup cakes for the kids to decorate and second taking Archie and his friend Nicki from accross the road around our small cul de sac trick or treating (we reversed the trick or treat however by providing the treat ourselves - the witchy cupcakes).

Having to make an annoying unscheduled visit to the bank in civic last Friday (to fix up mistake THEY made) was sweetened by the discovery of a new cup cake cafe opened up a couple of door down from the bank. It's called the Jazz Apple Cafe and quite simply the cup cakes are INCREDIBLE. The kids chose Jaffa but I know somehow we will find a way to try them all - particularly keen to try the Jersey caramel and Lemon merangue. So rich Archie couldn't finnish his so I had to step in and do the job for him even though I knew the chocolate would give me a headache.

Glory be to Ruby who has broken the Canberra drought this week by painting the outdoor table in "Poppy".

It can't be easy being five years old and trying to get your message accross. Frustrated recently by his inablity to get out the exact right words, Archie has taken to more visual means of communication. Aided by the universal symbol for DON"T (A circle with a slash through it) he has signalled to his family what is acceptable and what is not. I wonder if this would pass muster in all relationships? Someone has a problem with something you've done? Do as Ruby does with Archie now and just tell them to "Put it in writing". Sisters should not share your allocated time on the computer. Sisters should not slam doors -if you do I wont love you. (See love heart on right hand side with a cross through it). When returning home from a party sisters should share out the lolly bag by half. Please don't put honey on my crumpet.