Conversation snippet

This little guy can be so funny and charming. This is what I overheard this morning:

Bubster: "Why do you use 'degogerented' (deodorant)?"
Daddy: "Well so I can smell nice!"
Bubster: "You mean like pudding or chocolate cake?"

Ha ha ha!! A new Calvin Klein fragrance for dads perhaps?

Happy Christmas Everyone

Baby Jesus has arrived! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Mary and Joseph

The bubster arranged them tonight. They are hugging.

Joseph arrives

Joseph arrives.

Mary looks pleased.

And more stars in the sky!

Mary's Star Walk, Day 19

Some new characters........


Getting closer.............

And closer.................

Pneumonia

Well, the bubster has pneumonia. So far we are managing at home. We've been trying to sort out what has been ailing him for over a month with no success. Hopefully, he will now get better.

He's not too keen on taking medicine as you can imagine. After our last discussion - the one about how mummy and daddy want to help but if he won't let us we would have to find someone else who could and that would be at the hospital.

He said hmmmmm, he'd have to think about it.

I shouldn't do this to myself.

Out of the blue, I decided to look at property in the area that we currently live. As our initial move from Sydney is for a 2 year contract, we currently rent and do not know if we will be in Canberra permanently. So why look? (Don't do it, don't look!)

I really love this place (not all the white, but that's changeable!). We went to the inspection over the weekend and I could see us living there so easily. There is no backyard (which has been a fun change in our current digs) but there is green space out the front door. The bike path is literally out the front door and it goes directly to Magnus' school. Door to door without a single road. Perfect!

Why did I do it. I wouldn't even know it exists if I hadn't looked! Now I can't stop thinking about it. The price is not ideal, yet all things are negotiable. Most likely, we will be returning to Sydney. So it's all a bit of a moot point I guess.

I'm hoping the property market becomes more possible for us in the near future. We'd need some serious price drops though. Plus, if we ever (finally) get our adoption application in, we won't have any money for a deposit anyway since it will cost us $20,000/$30,000+ buck-a-roo's to accomplish the impossible. International adoption (as an Australian) is just about as impossible as coming up with a house deposit, I reckon.

Oh well. Money schmoney right?

You all know what you can get me for Christmas! LOL

Mary's Star Walk, Day 11

A sheep comes to the stable.

Wearing things out

I'm finally cleaning out the bubsters drawers. Here are some nappy's that we loved. Very very much! I'm thrilled that we got to use them so well. It's a feeling of tremendous satisfaction, to actually wear something out.

Now, I plan to transform them into polishing cloths. And thus begins their second life!

Giveaway jackpot!

I hit the jackpot on giveaways throughout Blogtoberfest. I just feel so loved!

Juddie over at Flightless Boyd's sent the package above. She was giving away some fabric from her stash and I put my hand up for these two pieces.

The gator skin one will become a dragon/reptile costume for the bubster. And the floral is earmarked for a summer skirt. Can't wait to get busy! (crap photo, sorry. Must get new camera actually....or new light coloured table.)

Yet there is more! Juddie hid a few goodies in the package just for me.

I am in love with this necklace!

And the ribbon, ornament and button are so fun! Thank you, Juddie. :-)

I also (jackpot!) received this apron from Michelle at Leni and Rose.

So so sweet! I love it and have cooked in it a couple of times already and that is saying alot right there. LOL I think it will be great to wear while making Christmas cookies with the bubster. I'm smiling thinking of it. :-)

Thank you both. I feel like sharing the love. I want to do this giveaway thing too! I am working on stuff...... Stay tuned. :-)

Mary's Star Walk

Mary's Star Walk

I love Nativity scenes. At the Shaker Workshop website, there are several worth salivating over from all over the world.

In keeping with the idea of a Corporate Free Christmas, I decided to make our own simple Nativity scene, inspired from this book, All Year RoundWe made Mary's Star Walk - finally! We are a little late for the start of Advent but we just caught ourselves up.

Mary moves forward through Advent along the star path. At the end of each day, the day's star goes up in the sky above the stable. By the end of Advent, the sky is filled with stars over the Nativity. Each day or so, a new stone, animal or shepherd appears at the Nativity scene. Joseph appears on Christmas Eve, waiting for Mary.

The bubster loves putting the stars in the sky. We just need to spend some time learning the song. My hope is that this will become a new family tradition.

I've loved the book All Year Round from the get go. I love the inspiring ideas for seasonal celebrations. It doesn't exactly fit for Australia - since the seasons are not matched with Christian calendar holidays, but I still get so much out of it.Here's Mary. I think she turned out rather lovely. :-)

How old are you?

Our recently turned 4 year old turned to Daddy and said in a puzzled tone, "You know, I still feel like I'm 3 years old not 4..... How come?" Daddy explained how the transition is gradual and that one day, he will feel 4.

I can relate. I still sometimes feel as though I am 27 years old. But that transition happened a long long LONG time ago. Still though, there are times I feel a little shock of surprise; by both my age and my weight. I really should be that svelte 20 something right?

Do you have an age that resonates in you?

The Pirate Party!

Arrrrgh!!!

We had fun! It wasn't so bad after all to be a host. We got great feedback. 7 friends arrived just on time. Each child fished their pirate gear from the sharks jaws. I had a lot of fun making this guy.

I tried to paint him with a smile. The pirate gear was a felt pirate hat, eye patch and dagger, made by me for each child. It was hilarious to see their reactions when they saw the shark and then their gear. The pots and pans strung up for our 'banging wall' became a great way to announce each new pirate. Yaaarrrrr!

(Note to self. No paper clips for fishing hooks please (!!) Must I explain "The possibilities" should someone wish to run off with the pole??)

After they got their pirate gear they eagerly tried out the ship and their daggers.

They had fun pulling the sail up and down and engaging in some swashbuckling pirate fighting.

The bubster opened a few presents. This was a sweet moment where he sat down with his friend to open his pressie and then said, "Oh tank you!" Heart burst from mum here!

Everyone had fun with the pirate photo board. I got such a kick out of painting again!



We didn't have any structured activities. They mostly ran around and played. Food was simple; just sandwiches for the kids, homemade punch, guacamole, salmon dip and salsa for the adults (and champagne). We also made some goodies. We were missing the help of a grandma with the food.

The kids seemed to enjoy battering the banging wall and fishing for their treasure through the sharks jaws. When the timing seemed right, I directed a search through the sandpit for treasure tokens to exchange for ice cream cones.

Then we got the cake ready.


Once everyone was sitting with their cake, I read a pirate story.

As they were leaving the party, I handed each a party bag that I made.

Each bag included chocolate coins, a bouncy ball, a finger puppet and this matching game made from an axe handle. They seemed to really like these tokens.

So that is about it! We didn't get any really good photos unfortunately. Many shots are blurred or just not the right timing. It's hard to photograph while directing. But I guess its about the participation, not the documentation. I know they all had a great time. I feel very pleased to have pulled this off!

Happy Birthday Capt'n!

Bedtime for 4 year olds

Tonight, while getting ready for bed, the bubster announced that he wanted to read the 'E-ton-num-nist' for his bedtime story. (LMAO!!) Ok......Daddy's the most qualified for that story. Must be a 4 year old thing. He's all grown up now you know.

Then he wanted to hear 'Beethoven's Fit' on the ipod. (Ha Ha!!) It's so restful and all. Geez, being 4 really means big boy!

The bubster turns 4 years old

Remember this little guy?
The one who looked so much like Søren at birth?

Well, he has turned into this big little guy.
I guess that is what 4 years will do.

Time moves effortlessly and without consciousness for these little people but for me, one blink and it's gone. It's hard for me to not focus on this time warp thing. I feel like I'm always running to catch the bus as it pulls away from the curb. There is this saying, is it by Bette Davis? "Getting old ain't for sissy's." I feel this way about motherhood; it ain't for sissy's. We mothers are strong people. It seems that our hearts take a beating in so many different ways. There are losses to death and losses to growth. They are not the same losses certainly. And with growth there are gains.

Still sometimes I have a hard time looking at photos of my beautiful baby boy. After wanting to hold my take-home baby in my arms for so many many years, I didn't get to have him very long, not because he died but because he grew up to be a big 4 year old boy. And despite how my heart can feel, my most ardent wish is that he just keeps on growing and growing and growing. My heart can accommodate this kind of pain. For we all know so well that what we have now may be lost to us in the future. Nobody knows this so well as a bereaved parent I think.

So, 4 years. Blink! I can barely carry him in my arms now!

Will update I hope tonight, on the Pirate-tivities! And also, it's time for the birth story. Stay tuned.