Two little friends

Sassy's little friend Tilly turned one on the weekend. We drove out of town to the Scented Rose Gardens for her party on a blustery spring day. We gathered in the mint green teahouse and watched as all the people who adore that sweet little girl filled the room.

Kelly is one of my dearest friends and it's been so wonderful to share the journey of mamahood with her. For this reason (and more) she will always be a very special person in my life and I'll always be especially fond of little Tilly.

There's something so charming about two little friends following each other about, oblivious of the action happening above them. Dressed in party dresses and tights, wearing matching bows.

Happy Birthday Tilly x

*Kelly wrote a beautiful post about the day here

His first Father's Day

We let him sleep in. And Sassy opted for the traditional present: (happy) socks, hand-picked chocolates and a subscription for a fat kind of magazine that you'd never buy yourself. I think the socks will make him smile at work and think of his (happy) Little One.

We picnicked by the lake in the afternoon sun, eating olives, turkish dips and bread, and took Sassy on the miniature railway. K said it could be our little tradition.

Although it was his first Father's Day as a Papa, I think it was a hard day for K. He was missing, and remembering his own.

Meu Amor, I love the way you love your little girl. There is no better feeling than knowing we are three...Happy Father's Day to my own Dad. I hope you know how much I adore you.

Peepo

It makes my heart so happy that the Little One just l-o-v-e-s books. When she wakes from her nap I hear her calling out. I find her standing up in her cot, leaning on the rails and facing the books. As soon as the door opens her little arm shoots up and she points at the shelves. Look, look*.

...

We transitioned Saskia to the cot for day naps (and for the first sleep of the night) a few weeks ago. It had become a little risky to have her napping in our bed during the day and for various (logistical) reasons we weren't able to alter our bedding in line with bed-sharing suggestions. I still feed to sleep so the transition was fairly smooth.

She now sleeps once a day and will often wake after 45 minutes (eek). Most of the time I will lay her against my chest and rock her on the rocking chair and she'll drift off again and have another 45 minutes back in the cot. I realise this isn't forever so I treasure this time. It's a lovely way for me to slow down and be quiet. I'm not picking up toys, or preparing lunch, or tapping on the keyboard. Just closing my eyes, rocking, patting, and breathing in that precious baby (almost a toddler) scent.

Moving to a cot is made a little easier when you are sleeping on dreamy muslin sheets I suppose.

*I'd love to do a few posts of some special books we've been reading lately. I've built up a lovely little collection over the years. This book is of course, the classic Peepo by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. According to my Mum every baby should own a copy. In fact, you can't go past any of their books.

Ahead

I've been thinking a lot about how this Little One is growing, developing, changing...and how quickly it seems to be happening. She points, sings, responds to questions, explores confidently, moves freely, demands, sighs, tests boundaries, moves, questions, entertains. And oh, how she laughs. Already she is a little person. Taking everything in. Absorbing it all. Sometimes I allow myself to look ahead and the thoughts makes me giddy.

We've enrolled Saskia in the Parent and Toddler programme at the local Montessori school (only 10 minutes down the road), which she will attend from 18 months. As an educator, this approach has always appealed to me, and as a parent it intrigues and excites me. Lately I've been reading more about Montessori philosophies - in particular, providing environments which support growing independence, and creating spaces which are accessible and aesthetically pleasing. Flowers in small vases, wooden utensils for little hands, nature boxes, adjustable furniture, carefully chosen toys, a clean and simple aesthetic. I think it's a great place to start exploring Montessori's ideas, and to use what works for us.

So much to look forward to.

Oh and spring is just around the corner.

*So many simple ideas for Montessori-inspired activities at home here - and a beautiful learning space here.

Outside again

    

It feels good to be having outings outside again. We've been having those fresh, sunny winter days that Canberrans rave about. Making the mornings in the minuses seem worth it.

Mum and I rugged up the Little One in her woollens and went for a walk around the Botanical Gardens. She loved touching all the spiky banksias and crawling about amongst the towering eucalypts. We ate hummus on the lawns and Saskia tried desperately to pat the birds. My parents are headed to the States for a 6 week holiday so we've been making the most of hanging out with JanMa and Grandfather lately.

I am appreciating the beauty of the native Australian landscape more and more these days. Being amongst the banksias took me back to family summer holidays at Jervis Bay, and I kept thinking about how much I will enjoy reading these Australian tales to my daughter one day.

We'll be coming back here again very soon. It's one of those places that you never grow tired of.

10 months

10 months and the Little One...
...is turning into a super eater, especially when it comes to finger foods (vegemite on toast is number one)
...has started to wave (it's right up there with peekaboo on the cuteness factor)...and will even wave goodbye to her toothbrush when we pop it away bathroom medicine cabinet...
...is often found under a table, chair, the bed...
...moved into her cot for day naps and the first sleep of the night
...walks with her wooden block trolley (with a bit of guidance)
...hands you book after book, and will happily sit and have you read the same story again, and again, and again (this makes my heart so happy)
...says mama, dada, behbeh (baby in Peepo), flower, agbar (?) and many other beautiful little sounds
...points this way, points that way...
...is sporting 5 'pegs now
...threw a top little tanty coming home from a playdate (oh my, has it started already?)
...has free reign of the living area, but still loves to find a spot at my feet on the kitchen floor
...is crazy about other babies and children
...has stolen her parents hearts (they will never be the same)

*Photos featuring two of the latest favourite toys - both from oppies. A red and white rattle (of the old fashioned kind - I had one similar as a baby - does anyone else remember these?) and a wooden toy car (the knob at on the bonnet is always thoroughly inspected).

Prioritise

I feel like a have a lot to write about in this space, and would love to try out a few little ideas...but here's that same old tired excuse coming...no time.

At night I am trying to keep up with sew school, or reading a book. Now that I can read in bed at night I find I'm more likely to do so, much cosier or something? We've moved the Little One to the cot for the first sleep of the night (more on that later), so it's a bit of a novelty to have the bedside light on. And on Monday nights K and I watch this on TV. It has me itching to read the papers. But I find myself making crepes, or spying on Sassy and her Papa at play on a weekend morning instead.

During the day, Sassy is having two short naps so I just get enough time for a cuppa, a quick blog trawl or some emails, and maybe a spot of gardening if I'm lucky.

So there's time. I just find that I'm prioritising other things at the moment. And that's fine. A tricky (but ultimately rewarding) side of mamahood.

*A little lined zipper purse I made from a beautiful embroidered doily from the oppie. Broke my heart to chop it up. But it is enjoying a new life as my sewing bits and pieces bag.