Memorykeeping: a peek

Memorykeeping has always been important to me. My parents kept a handmade baby album for me, bursting from its binding with cards, drawings, photos and teeny gym certificates. They also kept scrapbooks from every trip they took: Dad collected endless pamphlets and ticket stubs, and Mum wrote the captions for photos. When we were old enough to write, my parents encouraged both my sister and I to keep travel diaries. I'm so pleased that they persisted once the novelty wore off for us - they are priceless keepsakes. The habit took hold, and as a young adult adventuring around the world I found myself collecting ticket stubs, postcards and feathers, and although it sometimes felt like it was becoming a bit of a nuisance to pause and reflect when excitement beckoned, I would stay firm about writing a diary entry and pasting in the day's collection of papers and beautiful things.

The past month or so I have been working on Saskia's baby album. Watching the beautiful leather bound album triple in size. I'm nearly finished sticking in the bits and pieces I've collected over the last few years, but I still need to go back and write on each page. When I'm finished I'd love to post a little about it.

I've always been inspired by Ronnie's memorykeeping process. It's why I was a teeny bit beside myself when she put the call out for the Life:Captured workshop and I signed up straightaway. I've been counting down since early June. I'm travelling to Sydney and I'll spend my first two night's away from Saskia...

29/52

A week of firsts. First pair of gumboots. First pair of big girl pyjamas. And tomorrow, our first day at Montessori parent and toddler programme*. 

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

*I'm a goof...lucky I checked the letter Monday morning...it starts next week...

Return

Today was my first day back at work. I sipped my smoothie from the kitchen bench and couldn't look at you without feeling a tingle of tears. You spent the day with your Dada and visited your little cousins. I spent the day wondering about what games you were playing, if you woke up in a mood to read books in your cot and whether you asked for me, calling my name, mumma, with a question mark.

In truth, I did enjoy the bus ride into work reading a new book, catching up with dear friends who also happen to be work colleagues and inspiring ladies, being surprised with a welcome back card and small gift, and walking out for lunch as soon as the hunger hit. I longed for that cuddle from you at the end of the day.

As you and your Dada walked through the door at the end of the day (I beat you home...that wasn't how I imagined it either), I waited for the look of sweet jubilation to cross your face. Bubbies? Bubbies? You took one look at me and launched yourself at the basket of dolls and dress ups.

Easter: The first real hunt*

Things you loved: the chance to run amok with your three little cousins, wearing fluffy bunny ears and your birthday tutu (you twirled, and twirled and twirled), eating lunch at the littles' table with the TV turned on (you were looking at me like, get out of town...no way), digging up Vovo's garden mid hunt,   the bunny statue you discovered in the courtyard that morning (you knelt down to give him a little kiss)...but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that eating chocolate was probably the highlight.

This year we had a mini hunt at home in the morning. Mum and Dad were at the Blues Festival so K and I hid a small Kinder chocolate from Grandfather in the courtyard, and found a little home for the bunny from JanMa. We went to Vovo's in the afternoon for lunch and the Big Backyard Hunt. Vovo gave you bunny ears and a basket and I watched you swing it round the garden, thinking how grateful and happy I am that you are going to grow up adored by, and adoring these beautiful cousins of yours.

*Last year you slept through the hunt in Vovo's backyard!

Simple pleasures of ordinary days

...some pretties for the balcony
...from the markets, the creamiest yogurt to pass my lips
...we waited for dada at the bottom of the road to greet him on his first day back at work after holidays
...peepo
...my favourite sculpture in town
...box city: oh to be a child again
...golden tiles
...this would be my last supper: cheese and bean papusa with a mountain of chilli sauce
...we took the Little One for a morning out in town; no trip to the city would be complete without a ride on the carousel (her first)...
...and, she couldn't get enough. And I couldn't get enough of her not getting enough. A lovely memory.
...an outtake from the 52 project
...Happy 100 Canberra. Gosh you look good
...there's that dress up bag again
...but yesterday it was all about the wand

Joining Em and creating a collection of weekly images, recording simple pleasures of ordinary days.

Simple pleasures of ordinary days

From the last two weeks...
...I was surprised by her sustained and genuine interest in the animals at the zoo (especially as my mum kept laughing about how 2 year old me was more interested in the chains and fences on my first trip to the zoo)
...A different platform (a vinatge tray table) inspires a whole new way of playing
...She begs to go higher
...Are we really entering the dress up phase already? (secretly, I love this)
...A local park by the lake...
...with mosaics to unearth, tiled photographs to dust down, casuarina seeds to collect
...I love knowing she's there by my side
...Granny's gardenia: her beautiful perfume now greets us at our front door

Naturally dyed playdough

Playdough has been on my list of things to make for a long time now. And there was something so satisfying and strangely maternal about cooking the dough late at night, quietly kneading and rolling it into balls and packing it in a container ready for tiny hands the next morning. I felt like I'd reached a mama milestone.

The first few times we brought it out Saskia seemed most interested with feeding the dough through the gaps in the balcony railings (I just took deep breaths). Slowly, over a few sessions, she started exploring with rolling, squashing, and breaking the dough into pieces. The cookie cutters (staaaaar and 'art) fascinated her.

I used this recipe and coloured the dough using natural dyes. For each batch I boiled 1 cup of water with a good sized handful of blueberries/2 medium heads of beetroot/2 teaspoons of turmeric (seen left to right in the first photo). I let each potion simmer on the stove for 20 minutes or until it had reduced by half. I left one ball of dough undyed and made this mix with wholemeal flour - such a beautiful texture. A few drops of essential oils (I used lemon and lavender) add to the sensory experience. 

***

If I'm honest, one of the things I am most excited about as a parent is providing art activities for my children. Having worked in early childhood education, with a focus on visual arts, I have worked with some highly talented educators and beautiful souls, and I know I will be forever inspired by them. I've also read a lot of literature about childhood art education, and now having my own child, seeing so intimately the developmental stages and changes, there is a relevance and a deeper understanding.

If you were to ask me what I have learned about children and art play from my experience, my conversations with colleagues and teachers, and readings, I would tell you I have come to understand three key points: the value of quality materials, thoughtful, considered presentation and the luxury of time (unhurried, not specified, revisiting). There's nothing revolutionary there really, but there needn't be. It can just be as simple as that.

15 months

15 months and the Little One...
...loves to create a bit of abstract art...her favourite colour to draw with is yellow (she reaches straight for the yellow crayon every time)
...climbs on and off the sofa like it aint no thang
...felt the utter delight that is running under the sprinkler on a balmy summer eve for the first time
...has mastered some more pretty cute words (angel, pear, purple, moon, star, hippo, Humpty, Mima, egg, click when holding up her camera...) and keeps adding to her repertoire of animal sounds: owl (ooot ooohh), fish (opens and closes mouth with little pops), and bee (uuuz, uuuuz) are some of our favourites
...now walks up the stairs to our letterboxes without holding onto my hand (boo hoo)
...shows determination and focus when playing with the shape sorter, still loves making 'cups of tea' for anyone who will throw one back, but she'd spend all her days reading books or having books read to her if she could
...makes her mama and dada feel big joy and the dazzle of happy hearts

One

Your first birthday, Little One....and wasn't it magical?

The day started with cuddles in bed, as all birthdays should. Mama and Dada read aloud their birthday messages and opened parcels sent from special people across the seas. Your dearest little friend came over for a pikelet picnic on the living room floor. You greeted each other with the widest smiles, and she gave you beautiful gifts, carefully considered (she knows you so well). The rain drizzled outside and the kettle boiled. Mama iced a cake while you napped and thought about the birth day, this time a year ago.

JanMa and Grandfather took us out to the gallery after lunch. You seemed most taken with Leger, Olsen and the brass fittings on the floor. You walked, and walked, and walked. We ordered you a babycino and you lapped it up with a look that said, I could get used to this. You left the cafe hand-in-hand with your Dada. At night, before bed, we sung Happy Birthday and you were mesmerised by the candle's flame. You went to sleep stowing away beautiful memories of a special day.

Saskia Rose, our lives are so much sweeter and richer with you in them. We love you with all our might. Happy first birthday Little One x