Playdoh

Playdoh is quickly becoming one of the preferred activities around here.





I think Jasmin was happily entertained for close to an hour.......that seems like a long time to be focused on one activity doesn't it!! But she did have her brother helping her out.



Yes, even when you're home SICK this activity is sure to still make you smile





And let's not forget drawing and colouring in. I can't tell you the hours that are spent (or the amount of paper piles accumulated) due to this little activity. I don't think they will ever tire of it. EVER.

Homework has begun

Actually for Rylan it started a couple of weeks ago.



year 3 homework is serious business.......serious I tell you......



Today it started for Zahn too. He was quite happy to sit there and do his work. We'll see how long it lasts :)





And let's not forget about Jasmin. Apparently her "work" started today too......



definitely not one to miss ANY of the action. no matter what it is :)


PS) I LOVE the fact that with the second child (or maybe it's just Zahn?), everything school related that is introduced (like homework), is not really new, and sometimes it's even anticipated. I guess he has been watching his brother do this for 3 years now.

To illustrate this little point, when I told Zahn he needed to do homework today, his eyes lit up and while holding back a smile he said "WHAT, I get to do homework too"?? he was quite thrilled. It was the same this morning when he realised it was library day. Thrilling stuff I tell you. Thrilling :)

Feeling life

There was DEFINITE movement going on inside 'the bump' tonight! 19 weeks, 6 days.

Somehow this seems to make everything 'feel' much more real! VERY EXCITING!



photo courtesy of the 8 year old.

Talk time

I was recently reading in a blog that I frequent, that in the world of teenagers, there should be an unwritten law stating, "DRIVE TIME IS TALK TIME". Basically suggesting that parents should never miss a moment to connect with their teens and impart their words of wisdom, talk about life etc etc.


luckily we are still a few years off 'teenager-hood' in this household (which I am completely afraid of by the way) and although we do A LOT of talking about A LOT of things in the car, the conversation never gets too far, or too 'deep' without being interrupted (due to the almost 2 year old that also likes to TALK while we're driving :)

But we still do have 'talk time'. Just not in the car.

For us Bed time is talk time. Somewhere in the world of parental advise for 'younger kids' this should be stated in big bold fat letters!!!!!

It's funny cause this really kind of started accidentally. Rylan is our first child. and unlike our other 'trained' children, either Chad or I would lie down with him pretty much every night until he went to sleep. This lasted until he was about 6.

So by age 6 Rylan had started school and when we would lie down together at the end of the day it always inevitably resulted in a few minutes of talking!

AND MY OH MY I can't tell you all the things that started 'spilling out' of this boy.

After being at school for a while he started asking all kinds of questions. Questions about 'this word' and 'that word' (some more shocking than others). Questions about friends. Questions about right and wrong etc etc. Our chats are now often still about friends and apparently a time for him to confess whatever it is he thinks he needs to confess.

So this has become our little opportunity to talk about 'life' and all things relating to the musings of a young boys mind.

Sadly we haven't done this much lately. The climb up his ladder to the top bunk has seemed like a rather extreme activity - and then i've got to ackwardly climb back down when i'm all relaxed and sleepy......but i digress.....

Now that's he's a little older I'm pretty sure that he's catching onto the fact that when we lie down together, there's just some things i'll ask and talk about and there are just some things he'll say. (to illustrate this point a couple of months ago he said "mum tonight can we just talk about pokemon"......and so we did :) but not without me sneaking in a few 'questions' about school and friends first :)

Like I said before, teenagers scare me. Maybe girls more than boys. But I do worry about communication with boys. Let's face it, when Rylans 16, I can't imagine that we'll be lying down together having little chats before he falls asleep????? (I imagine it more like sitting on the end of the bed chatting ?? but then do 16 years old boys even let their parents in their rooms???? And even talk to them????

I hope so! And if I'm too uncool by then hopefully Chad will be granted access to his room :)


I often hear that now is the time to create open communication with children. That way, by the time the 'terrible teenager' years arrive, TALK TIME is something that is already established. something they are already comfortable with. Something they already do. Man I feel a LOT of pressure about this. AND I often feel guilty if I don't feel like we're doing it often enough..... like at the moment!

Luckily we're still 5 years off teenager-hood around here, so hopefully there's still plenty of time to TRY and establish good habits for 'talk time' and confessions of a teenage soul :)

food for thought

Mum: what are you doing Jazzy??

Jasmin: arnee hone (translation: aunty phone)



She then spent the next 10 minutes sitting against the bath having a conversation with her hand to her ear!!



It sounded like a very intricate discussion.



hmmmm there could be a message here. maybe I spend too much time on the phone with my sister???

sickness...

The last couple of days, this boy has been SICK!!



Sick as in 39 degree temps and covered in crazy welts?? Welts that literally appeared in front of us within the space of about 15 minutes. Bizarre!!!! They were everywhere. Even on his little face.

Luckily they have now all gone, and the only spots left are his freckles!

Hopefully he's good to go back to school tomorrow!!!

ADORE

I completely adore the fact that Jasmin is such a GIRL. A girl you say?? of course she's a girl?

I guess what I mean is, I adore the fact that she's so GIRLY.



Somehow she just instinctively knows that she should spin around when we put a pretty dress or a skirt on her. She knows how to put lip gloss on (ok the lip gloss usually covers her lips and her chin - but she 'gets' the idea). She knows that she MUST wear the Dora nighty to bed with the flowers on it, even though she has no idea who Dora actually is.

I adore that she already asks for the "bink bup" (pink cup) and "blips" (clips) for her hair (even though she pulls them out 2 seconds later)!



It's really quite amazing watching this little girl evolve. so many differences to the boys i've watched before. so many things she just 'gets'. things that seem so instinctive to her.

So many things she loves. Just because she's a girl......





her handbag that she insists on carrying around.

that she loves to collect random things that are 'bink' (pink) and carry them in that handbag.

the sparkly shoes that are too small for her but she tries to squeeze on her chubby feet.

the fact that she loves to clean things. (NOT that that's a 'girl' thing but it's just really cute)

that she knows how to comfort her brothers (after she's pulled their hair and made them cry).

that she loves to cuddle anything soft.

when she hears music. she can't resist dancing.

how she can say the word 'Dardy' (daddy) and get whatever her little heart desires. (this one doesn't work for me. i've tried it :)

that she lies in bed and sings until she goes to sleep. (this is after she has 'skulled' her bottle :)



I can't believe there was a time I thought I wanted 4 boys!

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE MY BOYS TO DEATH. And I would've been happy with all boys. it's just different having a girl. And I didn't know this before.



I REALLY can't wait for Jasmin to become a big sister. I know that of all the things she instinctively LOVES, being a sister and taking care of another little girl will be the most natural.

I hope.

And if it's not i can just hope that they'll be best friends when they grow up like I am with my sisters!!!

edibles

Our current favorite snack.



Spirilina and garlic multigrain crackers. topped with colby cheese. and some sweet fruit. oh delish!

(these crackers are SO good! if you haven't tried them. you should go right now and buy some! they are that good. and they're from aldi (of course)!

Besides the small portion of 150c in them they are surprisingly 'additive' free :)


ps) ADDITIVE ALERT is the BEST place to check out what all those nasty numbers mean if you haven't already visited their site or one like it!!!


pss) If I start talking about food too much and posting too many pictures of random edibles like what crackers I like best. feel free to let me know. What can I say. I am pregnant. AND delicious food does occupy a large portion of my thoughts at the moment. (sad i know but true :)

a few of their favourite things.....

Our kids get a serious kick out of watching FUNNY you tube videos with Chad! I have no idea how they find them. but they do. and they ARE funny!

There are a couple that have now become 'famous' in our house and are watched regularly.

This is one of them.




Definitely one of their favourites! It is a classic listening to the kids laugh EVERY TIME they watch this!

deprived and reconciliation

Until Thursday, this boy thought he was somewhat 'deprived' because he'd never had a double scoop ice-cream.

But after his 'surprise' lunch during school he no longer feels that way!



I loved seeing his little face light up when it was revealed we were 'running away' together for the lunch break.



After ice-cream, sushi and a little time together all feels right again!

(AND i'm pleased to report there was NO complaining while practicing the piano this morning :)

Truth

"Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He loves. That is because the greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships."

- Henry B. Eyring

Amen to that!

Happy Weekend! We might go check out some of the Chinese new year celebrations in the city and have a Sunday picnic after conference with the Ligits (my sister and her family)!

Little girl love

Every time Jasmin sees a baby she gets more and more excited! I think babies have become more loved to her than even dogs. YES. even more than dogs. Today we saw twins. She almost cried she was so happy!



I'm thrilled that i've got the next 5 months with just me and this beautiful girl of mine. at home. together. all by ourselves.

Dear Dymo Label Maker,

I thought I should confess. I am a little bit obsessed with you.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time printing, cutting and peeling insanely small labels tonight for Rylan's school stationary and supplies. I even printed labels for the pencils and textas. every.single.one.of.them. I'm glad i only bought the 12 pack of pencils NOT the 36 pack.

Now, despite the crazy amount of time wastage that occurred tonight. I don't regret it. You have met all my expectations. And. I'm feeling very happy.

Thank you for not disappointing me.

Thank you for making Rylan's school supplies look so neat and tidy.

Thank you for being $15 cheaper at coles than you were at woolworths.


Kind Regards!

Felicity

ps. I can't wait until tomorrow to stick your cute little labels all.over.my.house.

Re-visiting Patience

Last week in relief society one of the things we talked about was patience. At the time I was thinking to myself "yeah i'm doing pretty good with this 'word'.......

But.

As of Monday morning all that changed. Isn't it funny how life has a way of humbling us sometimes.

I have to say the last 3 mornings before school I have felt anything but patience. And then I get all guilty (this really eats me up) and I feel bad that i've been short tempered with the kids (one boy in particular - who for privacy reasons will remain nameless). My lack of patience seems to reach it's peak around 7:15am when the 'nameless' child is meant to practicing the piano (love that boy :)

When our piano teacher asked me this week if I was interested in having the 'non piano playing boy' start taking lessons (who will also remain nameless to protect the first child's anonymity :) I politely smiled and said "I don't think i'm ready to help 2 boys practice just yet. not this week anyway. Oh did I just say me. I meant I don't think HE'S ready just yet" :)

SO. In spite of all this lack of patience and somewhat frustrating feelings i've been having, (some of which are likely related to pregnancy and lack of sleep and not just said child's behavior) I've been trying really hard to focus on the things that these little boys do do (nameless child again in particular). And even though piano practice has seemed a little torturous the last few days, this boy goes to school everyday with almost everything on his 'morning chart' done. He rarely misses one tick in those little boxes (i'm going back to last year too :)

So instead of feeling frustrated i'm going to TRY really hard to remember all the good things this boy does and the GREAT things there are about him. Because there are many. So very many things. And after all he is only....oh wait, if I tell you his age that would give away who it is :)....he is only a kid! And all the good things he does, SO FAR out way the things that are currently frustrating. And I know the frustration won't last. He practiced piano again tonight and did his homework without complaint. getting better already!!

Even as I write this, I realise I can't really complain. The hair I've pulled out this week around that 7:15 am time will grow back. AND we've introduced "friends Wednesday" around here (more about that to come) which is sure to motivate this boy of mine.


POST SCRIPT: The above pic has nothing to do with any mentioned or unmentioned child in this post. It's just a pic of me and a boy I LOVE! A LOT! :)

Actually, I think I'm going to go and kiss that sleeping child and whisper to him that I love him. I hope somehow he hears it.

Cookies and Monsters.....

Thanks to my creative genius sister Fiona and the celebration of her sons first birthday, today we made these little babies. The kids absolutely LOVED them!!

Cookie Monster on the other hand was not impressed when he saw what we were eating........

Goodbye hugs

3 years ago we had our first 'goodbye hug' on the steps of the school.



On Monday we had our second. But this time different kids played different roles.



Jasmin cried in the car on the way home today and kept calling out Zahn's name. Despite the tears it was very cute. She misses her brothers. So do I.

(to see some more pics from Zahn's big day CLICK HERE)

Our day in snaps....

This is what a portion of our 'last day' at home together looked like.......















If Zahn wasn't so CRAZY excited about going to school. And I mean CRAZY excited. I would be much sadder than I am. I can't express how much I am going to miss this funny little companion of mine!!