Abbelina and Katie-Pie

2009-05-08T21:51:00.002+10:00

I listened to Kate singing the ABC song today whilst waiting For Abby to come out of class....and she sang it through without making one mistake, well done!!

On another note...biting your friend Bianca yesterday because she was trying to use the same pole as you to spin around on....!!!!....not good! Hopefully punishment served will mean this was a first and last.

Then Abby made Clarissa cry this afternoon as we were leaving school....she can be a little sensitive...but sheesh, I wonder if Bec thinks being friends with me is not such a good thing sometimes, lol. Of course Abby pointed out that Clarissa hurts her feelings at school too, so it's not just my two that do wrong but two wrongs don't make a right and it seems my two always do it when us mums are around to see....so then embarrassment for me and discipline required...something I feel I am forever doing, sigh.

The girls are loving their butterfly/dragonfly lights that I bought them. They are actually solar garden lights but I bring them into their rooms each night for them to enjoy. The lights are exceptionally bright and flash alternatively.

Abby has jumped a level in reading and is now up to level 11, whoo hoo Abby, well done sweatpea!

Over summer Abby has developed a dependency on having the fan on her at night. The other night she came out to me asking for a third blanket. I told her to put some winter pj's on but she refused. She then woke Kate up going into her room looking for a spare blanket. So I got up and went into Abby's room only to find she'd put the fan on!! She has done it again tonight...this is going to be a hard habit to break, I think!

Speaking of habits...Kate is addicted to watching Chicken Little. Before it was Toy Story 2 (or Woody 2 as she would call it). She can watch the same movie again and again and again and again and again and again...well you get the picture, lol.

2009-04-05T21:24:00.002+10:00

Oh and I mustn't forget today's special date (lol, even after my little whinge, lol)! We had the big party yesterday of course and then Poppy and Nanny (and Trixie) can over today to celebrate and give their gift. Abby was totally spoilt with gifts this year. Will list everything later.

But for this post:

Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear Abby
Happy Birthday to You

Happy 6th Birthday my beautiful girl.

I love you,

Love Mummy xoxxx

2009-04-05T21:18:00.002+10:00

Oh and while on the subject of discipline. I am so over being ignored by the girls.

I hate that it takes me going off before they will take any notice of me and do as I have asked them.

Many many times I will ask Abby to do something, eg, put her school bag in her room, and I will ask 3 or 4 times over a period of time as I see it still needing to be done but it's usually not until I blow my top and threaten punishment that it will get done.

Have to say that I am so OVER IT!!!!!

It's draining, it's stressful, it's frustrating.

The bag is only an example too, it happens with so so many things.

Sigh.

2009-04-05T21:10:00.002+10:00

Ok, while I remember this pearler I need to get it down.

About a week ago I was telling Abby off, once again, about not running about after she leaves the classroom as I really want to just go straight away. I will occasionally talk a few minutes with my friend Bec but I want to girls to wait and then we will head off. It really isn't a long wait as we both like to take off and miss the traffic. Anyway, also after losing Kate one afternoon as she took off chasing one of Abby's class mates, I was reminding Abby that she wasn't to encourage playing tag at school break up.

To which she responded with: "Well, I don't want to stand there and listen to your chit chat!" Said with major attitude!

Oh boy....I was not happy...very cheeky Abby and one comment to look back on and smile about one day but I have to be honest, I saw red at the time (after my mouth fell open)!

2009-04-03T19:42:00.003+10:00

Abby is on level 9 readers!!! Well done Abby!

She only moved up to level 8 last week and is now on another level already!

Kate is constantly wetting herself...has been doing this for weeks now (not sure if I blogged about it yet?). Anyway it is quite frustrating as she knows when she needs to go, she just doesn't WANT to go. I thought she had come good with this over the past week but she has started it up again...argh!

Kate and Abby both love to sing. Kate likes to walk about and sing 'cheeky monkeys', 'grey elephants balancing' etc. Just the other day in the car, Abby started singing along to The Frays 'You found me' song. She did really well and I quite enjoyed it.

Abby is right here and telling me that she is helping around the house now...well it's a new thing that she decided to do just this afternoon after she found out that one of her classmates is always getting tuckshop money and he told her it was because he helps out at home. Lets see how long this lasts, lol.

Bugger, it is pouring down with rain again! Brian was going to mow the lawn on Thursday (it is LONG) ready for the party but it was cyclonic here. So he is supposed to do it tomorrow morning now...damn, I hope it passes over and is fine in the morning.

The girls are loving the new polly pocket toy I picked up on special a couple of weeks ago.

Ice creams by Poppy. The girls love spending time over Nanny and Poppy's because Poppy loves to spoilt them with icecreams.

2009-04-03T19:27:00.002+10:00

Buying up for the party.

Invitations

Cake helping with making the cake.

Taste testing obviously!

Outfit organised....just did the shirt today, almost forgot!

Kate helping with tidying and cleaning the house today...can you see her?

Gosh, piping is hard work!

The doll has snuck lower than I would have liked:(

Finished!!! Urgh, not quite...there is a mistake! Can you see it?

2009-03-03T16:34:00.002+10:00

Abby is having an issue with a boy at school who has been pulling her hair, giving her chinese burns on her arm and yesterday pushed her over. She is constantly telling him NO STOP and to leave her alone.

I spoke to her teacher last week who reinforced to Abby that she needed to report this these to the teacher on duty...which is what I'd reminded her she needed to do.

Yesterday when he pushed her over, it was witnessed by two of Abby's friends. One held his arm whilst the other got the teacher and explained what had happened. I believe he was punished but am not sure as Abby couldn't say for sure.

Today she seemed to think he was 'changing' (her word) as he called out to her to play but she was already playing with some friends and didn't want to play with him. Can't blame her!

Up until yesterday afternoon she couldn't remember his name as he is in another class. But now she does know it and I will be having another chat with her teacher in the morning. I want to make sure this stops now! And even though he didn't do anything today, neither did he on Friday as she didn't see him, so it doesn't mean he has 'changed' as Abby liked to say. I will be passing his name on to Abby's teacher and making sure that this is nipped in the bud.

They have a duty of care to my daughter to make sure she is safe at school.

Something about Kate

2009-02-23T22:21:00.005+10:00

Kate: going to playgroup on Weds morning for 2 hours

loves to sing...cheeky monky teasing mr crocodile/monkeys jumping on the bed/grey elephants balancing/and the little on said roll over roll over/ and lots more

we sing these every night at bedtime and Abby joins in. The girls (with stuffed animals) pretend to be the monkeys and I am the crocodile.

Is starting to move around a little bit on the trampoline but still only goes on if I am on, will on sit and crawl and does NOT like any bouncing at all.

Continues to make major messes in the morning on the weekends!!! argh!!! Sat gone I woke up to cornflakes all over the family room floor and kitchen floor, with puddles of orange juice and orange juice all through the dishes cupboard!!! argh!!!

Is still a dream to put to bed. Some days I will let her watch tv after her normal bedtime and it's not long before she is asking me to put her to bed. She always goes off to sleep once I close the door...with the exception of a few very very rare times where she is upset about something and wants one more cuddle or kiss. She will always cry for me to come back when this happens and never leaves her room as it's not a stalling tactic, it's a need for reassurance. Later on of course she leaves her room when she wanders down to my bed.

Is a fussy, fussy eater...hey she's a good sleeper, I guess you can't have it all!

As like last year when doing the school run, Kate must pick a flower or two or three or four on the walk to the classroom and again in the afternoon. I'm sure the garden from last year is breathing a sigh of relief that we are parking on the opposite side of the school now, lol.

Wants to go to school, like Bianca. Bianca has been going to daycare since last year and this year I think Kate fully expected that she too would be going to school like Bianca. I know because that's what she asked me, "Can I go to school like Bianca?", "Am I going to school like Bianca?" I think had she gotten into 3 year old kindy she would be loving it and coping amazingly but unfortunately there was not one spot for a 3 year old as they need every single one for the pre-preps. But next year she will get it I have been assured that. She isn't missing out, Abby only did playgroup and then kindy and then prep. Actually Abby's playgroup stopped after Jeff passed so she missed out on that the year before kindy.

Is the most ticklish child that I know of. She laughs and laughs calls enough but waits for more. And how can I not tickle her with that gorgeous laugh of hers.

Is very assertive. I see her go up to other children and put her hands on her hips as she talks to them. I don't think it is all bad though as I approach one mum recently and asked she is was not being nice and was assured that she was not doing anything wrong. I think it just looks like she is arguing but it's just her stance....most of the time, but I have caught her at other times being a little bully. I recall pulling her up just recently for intimidating another child and off she took into the garden to sit in the dirt, back to me in a huff....lol.

Still loves to go as high as the boat swing can go.

Makes me feel like the worlds worst mum when I smack her. Her whole reactions is like...How could you?! How could you smack me? That is so wrong! This look flashes on her face before she dissolves into tears.

Doesn't know how to lie yet which is helpful when catching Abby out because at times it can help me confirm that Abby is lying. I may be suspicious that Abby is but once Kate pipes up with her version, I then know and Abby knows I now know and will give in.

Another post soon...about Abby

Stinky Kate

2009-02-23T22:02:00.003+10:00

So Kate stank out Abby's classroom this morning but at the time I didn't know it was her, lol.

As soon as we arrived, Kate sat on the mat and started playing a game with Abby. I was wanted to check something with Abby's teacher and was waiting for her to come out of her office. The classroom started to fill up and then there was this awful smell. I noticed some of the other kids on the mat screwing up their noses and one was even holding his nose (lol!). Abby came over to me and told me she thought it was Kate. I didn't think so at the time because I was thinking she is toilet trained and it's not like she would have on a dirty smelly nappy. But I checked her just in case she had an accident but all was ok.

Shortly after we left.

A little while later whilst sitting on the lounge together Kate let go this almighty pop-off....more like 20 pop-offs in a row. And it stunk....and I just cracked up as I realised that it WAS her that stank out the classroom.

LOL! It's still making me laugh now....what is it about pop-offs that make us laugh :)

I might add that on the way home after school I was telling Abby what had happened at home and that Kate must of been responsible at school, Kate quite adamantly denied that it was her but I have no doubt it was.

2009-01-21T19:31:00.002+10:00

I just had to get this cute little thing that Kate is doing written down. Every morning when I tell her it's time to get dressed her response to me is, "Where are we going?"

Lol, why she thinks getting dressed equals going out I don't know because we do get out of our pj's even when we are staying home.

2009-01-21T19:13:00.002+10:00

We had a lovely day yesterday with Brett and Kristie and their boys Dezi and Jaiden visiting. It was great to catch up and the kids all had a great time together.

Here having chocolate ice blocks...chocolate ice cream is usually a hit.

Dezi and Abby doing a puzzle together. Later they pretended to get married and I walked in on them sealing it with a kiss!! Well I didn't see the kiss actually, I walked in just after when there was a lot of giggling about it.

Meanwhile these two went travelling on their bikes.

2009-01-17T21:34:00.003+10:00

Kate can NOT be trusted AT ALL with pens, pencils, crayons, you name it. She will draw on the wall, the sofa and other unacceptable things....arrrrgh!!!!!! I would have thought she was old enough to be over this by now, sigh.

For some reason she has decided that wiggling and jiggling for a long time is necessary before going to the toilet. I am constantly telling her to go to the toilet but she won't until she has done the dancing about for a while...what's with that? She looks so uncomfortable but will stop wiggling when I suggest she go to the toilet but then within seconds starts up again.

Abby likes her home...that makes me happy. Leaving both Grandparents, after staying there a while, she has told me she is happy to be going home because home is the best.

Kate hopefully is over her swearing. Before going up the coast to stay for the week it was out of control.....just the F word as in F'can but just the one word is more than enough. She would swear at Abby mainly and when I wasn't around but I could still hear her. Needless to say she got into trouble but it didn't seem to deter her. But I don't recall her saying it at all up the coast. I hope she doesn't start it up again.

Abby and I had this argument in which she insisted that I bought cucumber one time and she really liked it. After trying Grandma's cucumber, which she thought was awful, she still insisted that I'd given her some once and it was nice. Mum thought maybe it was another type but I knew it couldn't be cucumber at all since I dislike it intensely and would never buy it. But Abby is the type that just won't back down, she insisted that I had bought some and refused to listen to me. Anyway, after much thought I realised what she was talking about......zucchini!

2009-01-17T21:24:00.002+10:00

The other week while I was reading, Abby noted that I was using a plain old till receipt as a bookmark. So off she went to make me one. I thought it was such a lovely and thoughtful thing to do. On the back she wrote, "To Mumy Fom Abby"

In this photo is the bookmark and a painting that Abby did at prep and gave to me for Christmas...Abby is the largest one, I am the next sized one and Kate is the tiny one, whom she forgot to finish painting. We are at the beach, waves in the background and a sand castle beside us.

The case of the GREEN, yes I wrote GREEN, poo.

2009-01-17T21:14:00.004+10:00

Well, they do say you learn something new everyday. Well on Friday it was that blue food colouring could make your poo go green!

Yep!

Who knew? Well, I didn't but many did, so when I needed to do a google search after Abby called out to me with concern from the toilet, I was able to work out that the triple coloured ice cream that Abby had eaten (white, pink and BLUE) had caused what I was a witness to in the loo.

Ha ha ha!

Funny now but sheesh it make me feel sick, not just the requirement to look at her poo (haha), but the thought that it could have been serious.

Thankfully not and all is back to normal now.

So there you go, blue food colouring = green poo!

Just some photos

2009-01-17T20:54:00.002+10:00

Taken this week with my phone camera.

Out to lunch...So sweet, I wish I'd gotten this on my good camera and better quality but happy to have it still.

We had fish and chips on the beach and the girls loved giving the leftovers to the seagulls.

And Kate loved to chase them also.

Early Christmas present

2008-12-11T19:33:00.003+10:00

Christmas card 2008

2008-12-11T18:45:00.002+10:00

This years chrissy card....now I just have to get them printed and sent! I unfortunately, have run out of my good quality printing paper and have to order it in and it will take too long. So tomorrow I am hoping to get some printed at Big W or the like, then posted. But we'll see....

Kate has been unwell and covered me in vomit yesterday while waiting to pay Abby's 2009 school fees.....yuk! I am so surprised I didn't vomit too but I think I was too embarrassed to be bothered by it that way. We were a mess, she was covered and I was covered inside and outside of my top, ewww. I had been holding her and she had been whinging that she wanted to go home (well she got that wish!). Another mum gave me some wipes and I had a small packet in my handbag that I used to clean us up a bit and then I had to walk from one end of the school to the other to get back to the car, strip her off to get in the car and then travel holding my seatbelt out from me as I didn't want it messed up too. Striping off to have a shower was a challenge too. And it had all pooled and sat on the band of my denim skirt I'd been wearing...yuk yuk yuk!

Abby finished up at Prep today. There is one more day tomorrow but it is just a clean up day and the teachers will get more done without the kids there. As I don't work it is easy for me to keep her home (and I'm taking her and Kate to see Santa). They had their breakup party today, I'll post photos once I load them off my camera. The weather has been quite lovely but today it was a stinker! It was outside (to keep the mess inside to a minimum) and there was minimum shade. But the kids had a great time and there was SO much food. Way too much (we were all asked to bring a plate). Abby gave out her gifts...for her teacher a Christmas ornament with a photo of Abby from day 1 of prep, a CD calender I printed and some choccies. The teachers assistant got a CD calender and choccies and Abby also wanted to give the teacher of the class that shared the double room a gift too so I did and extra CD calender for her too. Earlier in the week Abby had handed out cards to all her classmates....she loved doing this. Her little face was lit up and so excited as she gave each one out. She had worked so hard over the weekend writing them all out.

2008-11-28T20:14:00.002+10:00

Abby is watching BH&G's beside me this minute. An ad for Victa mowers came on.

Abby turned to me and said, "I don't want to mow, I want my husband to mow."

And this afternoon as we were watching some of the videoing from last night she commented about Beau who was standing next to her last night..."Oh, Beau is on there, my true love."

That's so sweet...but concerning, sheesh she is only 5!

She had also been telling me on the way home in the car from school that she tells Beau she is going to marry him...his reaction is to run away...lol!

2008-11-28T13:57:00.003+10:00

Abby had her Learning Celebration last night and at the end of it received her Prep graduation certificate. It was an emotional night. Watching her up on the stage singing and doing her actions, was well, bittersweet. I love that she is growing and learning but sometimes I wish I could make it stop just for a little while. With only two weeks of prep left, I just don't know where the year has gone.

The kids sang a number of songs and did so so well. This semester they learnt about other countries and it was all about the world...."What a Wonderful World". So the songs were a reflection of this, a couple were about their investigations into the natural world and the finale was the school anthem and "I am Australian". For the world songs, New Zealand was a popular country so the girls wore a skirt they had made (see photo) and did a Poi Medley dance (with ball spinners they made) and the boys did the "Haka". It was adorable!

Gargling

2008-11-17T20:57:00.001+10:00

Abby taught Kate how to gargle last week.

2008-11-13T10:43:00.002+10:00

Level 5!!!! Abby came home with level 5 reader book yesterday. She is so happy and proud of herself.

Kate is going though a difficult stage where she hits me when he doesn't get what she wants or calls me bum bum head or stinky head. Oh and the drawing on furniture, wall, the tablecloth has got to STOP! She drew all over my good lounge with blue crayon yesterday....got into trouble for that and then this morning drew on the tablecloth with biro! ARGH!

Kate has a nasty bruise on her right cheek after slipping and hitting it on the car frame when getting out yesterday afternoon...ouch!

Abby's cough that she has had for some time now is slowing going. I had been using a borrowed vapouriser re the doctors recommendation but finally decided the situation needed more than just stream and bought some solution to go into it. At the same time I picked up a vapouriser as I expect this won't be the last time I will need one and I don't want to be having to borrow one again....which may not be available anyway.

We are having some fun baking here lately...biccies, slices, cinnamon scrolls, honey joys. It is so easy and I know what is in them then, rather than colourings, flavourings, preservatives etc.

Also on cooking, I made hamburgers the other night and they were a hit! It's hard to find things (other that chips!) that the girls will eat. I also bought some salmon again after not having it for a while (not sure why I haven't been buying it) and the girls gobbled it up. So now we have a few regulars I'll do...hamburgers with chips, salmon with potato cubes and mixed vege, home-made chicken nuggets with chips and veges, garlic bread pizza (I used to do pizzas on normal bases but lately I've been using a focaccia garlic bread as the base and it's so yum), home-made sausage rolls, oh and the easy I'm too tired don't feel like cooking meal of eggs and soldiers. I like to do batches of sausages rolls and nuggets bag them up to freeze. Then I can just grab a bag of one of them and in the oven it goes (not the bag of course, lol!)

Abby had a friend over yesterday and had a great time. I expect it won't be long before there are sleep overs too. Bec and I talked about it yesterday when she came to pick Clarissa up. I talked to Abby and am hoping this will be the incentive she needs to try to stop needing pullups for bed...fingers crossed!

Abby has her own email address now. One of her friends is moving to America and has her own email address so this way she will be able to keep in contact with her. She sent her first email to Mason and Connor last week. Friday nights (which are already sleep over nights) will also be email night and I will let her write her emails then.

Ok, that's it for now, just wanted to get a few things down for memories sake.

The Skirt top

2008-11-08T19:16:00.003+10:00

Both the girls on their own decided one day to wear this skirt as a shirt. I'm not sure if they think it is actually a top of just thought it looked nicer as a top rather than a skirt.

Abby has also accessorised (we were on our way out to the hospital to visit Daddy. As you can see she has on my shoes, a bag (which is a dolly nappy bag) and the dolly bottle is her lip gloss.

I just asked Abby and she says she thought it was a top but who knows for sure, it was so long ago and she was so little.

Sigh, look how little she is and less than 3 weeks left with her Daddy :(

Abby's school talk

2008-11-06T17:22:00.003+10:00

Zebras are part of the horse family.

Zebras have black and white stripes.

Zebras eat grass.

A baby zebra is called a foal. Its mother is called a mare and its father is called a stallion.

A group of zebras is called a herd.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-06T12:41:00.003+10:00

My cute little black cats. We missed out on the annual Dezi and Jaiden Halloween party but the girls still got to dress up after receiving another invitation to another party....so that got to dress up and celebrate after all.

They even got to go treat or treating for the very first time. After some play and some dinner at the party. We took them around the neighbourhood. I thought Abby was going to miss out after nearly twisting her knee on a step on the pathway of the first house. But fortunately she was ok and took off after the other kids. Kate had her own little accident (forgot to take her to the toilet before starting) but that was after knocking on a few houses so she still ended up with a nice lolly stash, even though i had to take her back early. Poor little thing, she was so upset about it all but soon was ok when changed and settle in to munch away.

2008-11-04T20:43:00.002+10:00

I woke up to a massive storm here last night. The lightening and thunder was amazing. Kate was next to me and I didn't know she was awake until a large thunder clap happened and she said, "That storm is frightening me, it's scary" or something to that effect. Then she followed it up with this little cutie...."Cuddle me"

Awww...so sweet.

2008-10-15T17:58:00.002+10:00

Level 4!!!!

Abby came home with level 4 reader book tonight! She is doing so well and I am so proud of her. She also had her first oral presentation yesterday and did really well. She did speak too softly and had to do it again with a stronger voice. Although the 2nd time she still was too soft in her delivery. Today she had another turn in front of the class for their "what's in the can?" project and was much louder her teacher said.

For the "what's in the can" project, Abby had to choose something from home to go in the can and provide 3 clues as to what was in there. She chose a toy cat and her clues, that she came up with all by herself were:

1. It has a tail that it swishes.
2. It has two ears and some whiskers.
3. It can "meow".

As for the oral presentation. She had to talk about an African animal and bring a picture of one. She chose to do her talk on Zebras. I helped her find a picture on the computer and some Zebra facts. She practiced heaps and even knew all the facts off by heart!

I will soon add a video of her practicing yesterday before school.

On another note, Abby has been very interested in her body. After catching a part of the show Friends the other night where a woman was giving birth, she was curious as to where babies came out. So I explained they came out of a woman's vagina (not going into c-sections yet!). She wanted to have a baby but then after asking if it would hurt (umm, yes, it can) she responded with, "Ohhh, I don't want a baby now. Noooooo" (Ok, that's good as I don't want it happening for a LONG time, lets refocus now shall we).

Oh and then in the car this morning, Abby was complaining that her car seat straps were too tight and hurting her. "Where?", I asked. To which she replied, "Where my baby comes out!"

Lol!

2008-10-12T22:06:00.002+10:00

Just quickly,

Kate is toilet trained!!! But I still like to put a nappy on her when we go out just to be safe but today at Andrea's bridal shower she asked to take it off and go on the toilet when needed. I haven't rushed her and we have once or twice gone to pick Abby up from school without a nappy on and been ok. I still don't want to when going shopping yet but I think i should be able to forgo nappies for school runs now, just making sure she goes just before we leave.

Poor Brian has now had GD number 2 piont out his 'boobies'!!! Will post story later.

Abby has gained some weight, she was 17.5 kgs and is now 19kgs.

2008-09-12T21:30:00.002+10:00

I had a meeting with Abby's teacher today to discuss how she is doing this term and to point out any areas that may need attention.

Abby is doing very well. She knows all her letters and sounds. She is reading level 3 now but needs to work on making her sentences flow more rather than pausing between each word. She does flow at times but it is not yet consistent. Along with it flowing she needs to work on her expressions (ie, excited) but that is starting to come along now too.
She is no longer allowed to point at the words as she reads either but she knew that and hasn't been doing it. I do have to watch and make sure that finger pointing is not replaced by head pointing (nodding at each word) instead. There are a number of words that she should just recognise now and she is doing well here too. I must remember regularly to get her reading exercise book out to go over her 'golden' words as they are called.

Her writing is coming along well also. I have to confess that I have neglected this a little lately but recently have been encouraging her to practise her letters again (there is no homework for writing as there is for reading). Her teacher is happy with her writing/spelling.

Oh another note though, she seems to have a problem with the boys and will screw up her face and is not happy with paired with one of the boys when walking outside the classroom. Which I was surprised about as she had only told me this week that she "sat with all the boys at lunch as she doesn't have to sit with all the girls all the time". Her teacher had noticed that too but I also had her asking what a thumbs up meant and when I told her it meant 'good' and a thumbs down meant 'bad' she then told me girls where thumbs up and boys were thumbs down....that happened this morning. Her teacher advised some playdates with some boys. One of the boys she likes, J, (and I've had coffee with his mum a few times, usually when school is in but Abby has had one outside of school get together with him there too) is overseas at the moment but when they get back I will arrange something with them.
Without telling her what her teacher said, we had a little chat about boys and how they can be friends just like girls, on the way home in the car. I reminded her about how helpful H had been at the disco the other week when he shared his pizza with her because she didn't know what topping I'd ordered for her (despite telling her several times, oh well. I actually think it was too overwhelming for her, kids where everywhere! And VERY noisy). She then immediately decided that next time she was asked to take the roll or tuckshop up, that she would ask one of the boys. And surprise surprise, H was her choice. I'll have to have a little whisper in her teachers ear I think.

2008-09-11T19:48:00.007+10:00

Abby received another certificate at parade on Monday. So she gets to wear the class cape all week and receives another mask to wear all week and bring home to keep on Friday.

So two awards now, one the day after fathers day and the other on Jeff's anniversary....I wonder if Jeff had a hand in the timing of these?

Kate's latest little sayings:

"That's not fair" (cute until you hear it 20 times a day)
"I'm very excited" (so cute, she is very good at describing her feelings. For example I have heard "I'm sad", "I'm very happy", "I'm very upset". The other day we were driving to school and Kate says, "I see Beccas car. I'm very happy. Yes! Beccas car. I'm very excited"
"Oh, my God" (! oops, was that from me? I'm not sure)

I bought a new rug for the lounge room that the girls are loving at the moment. Kate brings her blanket and pillow out to lay on it after dinner before bed. She has even been doing a few belly flops on to it...which I stopped as it may be a shag pile but it's not THAT soft! And Abby loves laying on it and rolling about on it too.

The girls dressed for book parade:

2008-08-28T15:34:00.008+10:00

Last Saturday Grandma and Pinky Poppy came down for the day. We walked to the local Maccas and the girls had an ice cream (well chocolate sundae for Abby which I am going to stop since it is $2.45 compared to 50c for a cone!) and a play. On the way there and back we feed the local ducks some bread. I forgot my camera but I took the girls back the next day to feed the ducks again and got some photos then. We also stopped at the park on the way home and lucky we did as we found Abby's sunglasses there that she must have dropped when there with Poppy the day before. Down side of the day was that a young boy nearly kicked Kate in the face! I'm not sure if he was intentionally being aggressive or just mucking about but as we were getting ready to live he was nearby Kate would was complaining that all their "tickets" were on the ground (knocked down by the boy) and that's when it happened. I yelled out, "Hey! Don't you kick her" Then walked over and got her.

Where was this boy's parent?

His Mum was sitting in her car in the carpark....way to go to monitor your child!

Feeding the ducks.

Duck family

"Get your tickets here!"

So that little voice has been talking to me again. I listened but not as closely as I should have. Tuesday afternoon Kate came to me complaining that her top was all wet from her drink. I told her just to change it. Her tops are in the second drawer from the bottom but that little voice was telling me to not leave it up to her. So I went into her room with her and she wanted her pyjama top which is in the top drawer. Lately I have seen Kate pull out her bottom drawer and stand on it to get to her knickers socks etc in the top drawer. I am not happy about this for obvious reasons...it's not safe. So after she put on her fresh top, I went to start dinner. I then was in the laundry when I heard this almighty crash bang....I knew straight away what had happened! I ran into Kate's room to (thank God) fine her ok but in shock and very upset over what had happen.

I am so thankful she wasn't hurt. I think what saved her was that she stands on the side of the draw and not in front on the chest. There was broken glass ( from a framed pic) and a broken money book and Abby wanted to get in there and pick it all up. Needless to say as much as I appreciated that she wanted to help, we had just avoided having to ring the ambulance, I didn't want to make a trip to the hospital for stitches! So I closed the door, finished making dinner and cleaned up by myself when the girls were eating.

Later that evening as I was putting Abby to bed, I heard a small noise in Kate's room that sounded like she had kicked her wall and thought nothing of it. Then I heard her crying...well, sobbing actually and she distressed! I dashed in there to find her stuck in the corner of her room beside the chest of drawers where I keep the change tray and spare nappies. There is also I horse toy that when you squeeze it's ear it snickers and plays the William Tell Overtune. So for a little 2 yo, in the dark, no idea where you are and this loud horse snickering and this music playing, it would be very frightening...my poor little girl. And after the early fright it was no surprise that I took her into my bed that night.

ETA: The reason she was getting something out on of the top drawer is she wanted her pyjama bottoms as well, which I didn't give her originally as she'd only wet her top and still had to have a bath.

On another note, notice that Kate's cot is missing the side. Without another child on the way (as there was for Abby), I can utilise this feature of the cot and Kate is now in her first "bed". This is for safety as she can climb out now. I did this last Friday and so far Kate has ended up in my bed, oh 6 nights out of 6!

2008-08-22T13:14:00.002+10:00

Another one.

Kate came to me this moring to tell me that she wanted jam and vegemite (not together) on her toast this morning. She then told me she wanted the "crusts off", something she doesn't usually want but Abby does.

At first I thought she was telling me to "f*ck off"

!!!!

2008-08-18T21:25:00.002+10:00

Can't remember if I've listed these before but whenever Kate says these words it sounds like she is swearing!

Crackers (f#ckers)

Vaccum (f#ck you)

Thank you (f#ck you)

Truck (f#ck)

Frog (f#ck) although she is more clear with this one now

Kookaburras (kookabuggers) hehe, this one is cute

The other morning (Sat) I was having a lay in and as I dozed I'm sure I heard Kate saying repeatedly "Oh, my God....oh, my God....oh, my God". Later when I was fully awake I wasn't sure if it'd been a dream, but it's not like I can ask her.

2008-08-15T19:36:00.005+10:00

Abby - when she grows up she wants to be Catwoman!

Kate - one phase we hear often from her is "Stop it"

Kate - today drew all over the side of my good lounge with a felt pen! Thankfully it came off with some water and scrubbing.

Kate - is not having a day nap but is asking to go to bed at 5pm some night "Mummy, I tired, go to bed" (waking up and coming into my room at 6.30am).

Abby - up to number 2 reader books that she brings home every night.

Abby - new word last week was "(can't remember right now, will edit when I do)", new word this week is "yep" changed now to "nana nar nar na". She just announced that she had a new word and likes to use it regularly.

2008-08-04T16:18:00.005+10:00

Just a few photos from the great day at the Well.

Jaiden and Kate run from the waves (tiny tiny waves).

Feeding the seagulls leftover chips.

There are dump trucks under there somewhere.

Template examples

2008-07-30T14:32:00.002+10:00

Kristie, just a couple of templates to show you what I start with most times. I used to do my layouts from scratch but the templates have helped with catching up. These two were free from a blog that I came across one day. They ended up being the "paint" and "I like to Twirl" layouts I posted below.

2008-07-27T18:47:00.005+10:00

Some layout....posting more later

2008-07-27T17:26:00.005+10:00

Pirate Day

2008-07-27T16:31:00.004+10:00

Abby had a pirate day at school a few weeks ago. She had to dress up as a pirate. The pirate hat is one that she made at school and there is a photo there of all the "treasure" that was waiting for me when Abby took me into the classroom. Included is a photo of her and Daddy, a book about her favourite things and a treasure chest made out of paddle pop sticks.

Learning to read and write

2008-06-11T20:59:00.003+10:00

When Brian and Mum were here a week and a half ago, Brian drew a picture of a cat and Abby wrote CAT above it.

Yesterday, Abby drew me a picture and put SARIN above it....her attempt at sounding out my name and writing it. I think it was an excellent attempt!

Abby now brings little reader books home along with her reader sheets. She reads them to me and I have to sign off that she has done this. I love how when she is trying to sound out a word she has this cute little hand movement that goes along with each letter sound.

She is loving learning how to read and write and I am so happy she is excited and eager about this.

2008-06-10T12:17:00.002+10:00

The girls had their first train ride on Sunday. We went into the city where they were having a big free BBQ in one of the parks there. I also had a trip down memory lane as I travelled though the stations I used to when going to high school. I wish I had taken my camera to capture their first ride but I was over visiting Dad and Dawn after their return from overseas and didn't have it with me.
There was lots of entertainment for children, including Dorothy the Dinosaur but we weren't able to see her due to the number of people there. Dawn and I tried putting the girls on our shoulders but this didn't last long! (I already had a headache and this just made it worse). This was a bit disappointing for Abby and she was a little upset but we took her and Kate to the playground, which they enjoyed and they were able to watch some other shows that weren't as popular.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10!

2008-05-22T11:18:00.001+10:00

Yesterday as Kate and I sat out the back having some morning tea and soaking up the warm sun....she counted to 10!!!!

Well done my baby girl!

2008-05-20T12:54:00.002+10:00

Random happenings:

As Abby was with me in the office on Saturday and hanging off the treadmill arm she turned to me and said, "Mummy, i think you such be using the treadmill, you are getting big...getting fat"

!!!!! Thanks!

I walked out of my room this morning to see Kate, nude except for a pair of bunny ears, hopping up the hallway singing, "Hippity, hoppity, hip, hop, hip hop" (Justine Clarke song).

Yesterday Abby had her school sports day. It was a good morning with lovely weather and I got lots of videos on my camera of what she did...running race, long jump, high jump and ball games.

Abby also received the weekly reward (which can be for anything achieved) for "Knowing our sounds". She was able to say the letter sounds correctly (ones they have learnt so far). She gets to wear a pink cape and special mask at school and got a certificate to take home. At the end of the week she can take the mask home. She is soooooo happy. She was so excited to put her cape and mask on again this morning. I am so happy for her.

**Kate is saying, "I love you" on her own and not a repeat after I have said it. She first did it on the weekend...sadly it was after I gave her a little smack and she came to me crying and saying, "I love you". Now she just says it whenever. Like in the middle of the sports field yesterday she was holding on to my leg, looked up at me, got my attention, "Mum", then said, "I love you"

Why Kate do you feel the need to play in any dirt you come across during the walk to the classroom and back again to the carpark. Argh! Not so bad when going home but not great when going out and you wipe your dirty hands all over your clothes! Oh and while we are on the subject, the need to walk on the top of the retaining walls and benches and have me (or Rebecca) hold your hand when you jump off can be a little annoying at times when in a hurry. But it HAS to be done before you will move on.

2008-05-11T18:15:00.004+10:00

I really need to try and post more to keep up with what the girls are up to and funny little stories about them because they get forgotten all to quickly.

Mothers Day today and Abby bounded into my room at around 7am eager to give me my gifts. She had a little clay pot that she made at school and painted red with a pink heart painted on the bottom inside. This was wrapped in some lovely hand painted paper. She had also made a paper dress and decorated it. It has a cute little poem on it:

Here's a gift for Mother's Day -

I'll try my best in every way.

But when you get upset with me,

Relax and have a cup of tea.

Attached was a teabag and on the back is handwritten:

Happy Mothers Day. I love you. From Abby.

Abby had also bought a gift (from her and Kate) from the school stall. She chose a little notepad and pen.....awww so sweet and so cute as Abby loves her notebooks and paper....no surprises there that that was her choice of gift :)

Behind Kate is the hand painted paper and behind Abby is one of the many drawings that she has been doing for me because she was finding it hard to wait to give me my gifts today so she did the drawings so she had things to give me as she waited.

* Kate has this cute little night time routine where she says "I wake up" followed by "I see Rissa, I see Ancar, I see Becca, I see Abby, I see Mummy, I see Kate. I wake up" It is so cute. Tonight out of the blue she said, "I see Daddy" Sigh, I wish.

* Kate prefers to go on the toilet now instead of her potty. She still has accidents and wears nappies outside of home though. I will have to get something to help her get up on the toilet and to stop her falling in. We never had one for Abby as she was older once she decided to go on the toilet and was able to get on herself.

* For weeks Kates favourite DVD has been The Fairies after Abby got a copy for her birthday from Nani and Poppy. She would watch it over and over each day and would insist on dressing in her princess dress each time so she could dance and twirl about the room. In fact she would get a little stressed trying to get her dress on before they started singing. Justine Clarkes "I like to sing" DVD is favourite now after I bought it last week. I also ordered the CD for the car....what was I thinking!!!! I will be so over it before the CD even arrives!!

* Finally Kate has some more teeth coming though. She has gaps between the top front 4 and the 1st molars and same on the bottom. I can feel the top left one coming in tp fill that gap and can see the others will not be far behind. I was a little worried, wondering where they were!

* OK Abby....I don't think I've spoken about the first parent/teacher interview for Abby? Anyway, she is doing very well. She has noticeably improved on writing her name since beginning prep. The only things needing improvement were that she needed to try to share more and needed some more practice and confidence on the obstacle course...especially the balancing beam. no surprises here, she has trouble sharing at home too and she has been slow to even want to go on a swing. Slowly though she is becoming more adventurous on the swing set here and even gets on the swing by herself now.

* Abby and I had a regular sleep over date that we do on Friday nights. She likes to stay up and watch Better Homes and Gardens and then enjoys hopping in to my bed. I know she would love to be in my bed every night but she has been doing so well staying in her own bed for a while now and it's a nice treat for her for being so good.

* Getting ready in the mornings has been fantastic since I started a check off/rewards chart. I will offer different rewards each week. So far she has gotten a chocolate sundae and some new colouring in pens (she needed theses anyway so I made it the reward for the week). She has to bring her bag, hat, uniform and clothes out to the lounge room (bag pic), have her breakfast and brush her teeth (next pic), then get dressed, shoes and socks on (last pic). Then she gets the reward at the end. So far, touch wood, it has been working well. I give her time limits too, ie she has to finish her breakfast by the time the big hand gets to the bottom (which is 7.30am). And dressed and ready to go by the time the big hand gets to the top (8am) so there is plenty of time for her to achieve these and I am finding I don't have to be hounding her as much to get things done.

2008-04-11T20:23:00.002+10:00

Oh, to add to the previous post, another things Kate likes to say is, "I need that" as she points to whatever it is she needs.

This evening I poured myself a glass of Solo and Kate asked for one too. She doesn't usually like softdrink but I gave her a small glass of it anyway. I placed it on the girls little table and told her she needed to sit down and drink it. I was trying to avoid a spill. Rather than sit down she picked the cup up and turned to me.......and dropped it!!!!!

Sigh, just wanted to write this down as cleaning up these sorts of spills are at least a few times a day....usually I lose count. Earlier on it was her milk.

Kate is unbelievably messy!!!! I'm sure (make that positive!) Abby was never this bad!

2008-03-31T17:56:00.002+10:00

I can't remember if I've blogged about this before but I am sitting at the kitchen table and Kate is drawing. She just accidently drew on the table and as is typical of her lately said,

"Oh, Abby did that"

Haha, I can laugh about it because it is rather cute but poor Abby gets blamed for everything these days.

A mark on her body
A bruise
Spilt food
Pen on the table
Something broken
Etc etc

Always..."Abby did that"

Good thing for Abby I am wise to Kate! Although that wasn't hard since so much of it happens in front of me and Abby is no where near!

2008-03-30T21:03:00.001+10:00

So cute....Kate discovered her "boobies". She came to me pointing at them saying, "Boobies Mummy! Like Abby!"

Oh, they say the cutest things!

March photos

2008-03-25T13:06:00.008+10:00

:( Kate scratched Abby.

Abby's playdough girl (I made the playdough too!)

Follow up head lice treatment....ewwww!

Hunting eggs

"Look at me" Kate likes to sit on this table to watch tv.

Kate is NOT allowed pens, crayons (colours the grout) anymore!!!!

YUM!

Argh!!

2008-03-23T20:16:00.002+10:00

Girls!

The vacuum cleaner turned on is NOT the signal for you to start SCREAMING!!!!

STOP IT!

Argh!

2008-03-01T19:10:00.002+10:00

The cutest thing happened today whilst out shopping. Kate was just ahead of me, Mum and Abby. There was another little girl of a similar age and height approaching from the other direction. Both the girls noticed each other, looked at each other then stood right in front of each other...then the other little girl opened her arms wide and they cuddled each other.

It was so CUTE!!!

2008-03-01T18:28:00.003+10:00

I'm thirsty Mum.

That is what Kate said to me on Wednesday. Her first sentence :)

Words are pouring out of her and I find that sometimes after she hears a new word, she will repeat it after me and then soon after use it correctly...not mimicking....and another word has been heard, used and stored in her memory bank.

Wow, in only a few days she has achieved so much, what with the potty training and first sentence.

She is growing up.

2008-02-24T21:54:00.002+10:00

I think Kate is ready to TT. On Saturday she didn't need a nappy all day until bedtime!! It was her decision to go on the potty. She got it out of the cupboard a while ago but after a couple of goes on it, lost interest. She was so excited every time she when on it, and insisted on taking it and emptying it herself.....uh oh...had to keep a close eye on this! I didn't want any spills to clean up. And it isn't just wees, she is fine with poos too. She is so confident about it all.
Today we were off to a great start with a number two but later she had an accident outside but I think that was more because her and Abby were painting and she was having such fun.....who wants to remember to wee on the potty when there is painting to be done! :)

The novelty of big school seems to have worn off for Abby. She has been saying she doesn't want to go to school and then there is the "sick" tummy that comes on when we are in the car on the way there.
However she seems to be quite eager to learn to read and write. She is forever practising writing her name and is constantly trying to sound out the letter what words start with.
S has been a popular letter, she makes a letter S in the air and sounds it out, "ssssssss" and likes to point it out in her name and when she sees it written somewhere.
I worry about some of her "friend" choices. She tells me about these boys that like to chase her and others and hit them! Or in one case they sat on her! I'm not sure if this is a wanted chasey game or not, even though I have asked her, her answer leaves me confused. Then in more recent days she has been saying that she chases with them and then tells them not to hit a particular child because he/she is her friend. Once again I tried to get her to explain to me what happened if the chased child was not in her group of friends but we went around and around in circles and didn't get anywhere. I just reinforced that no one should be hitting any one. And no one should be chasing someone who didn't want to be chased.

Oh and at the end of week 3 she has lost her drink bottle!!! I am a bit disappointed that still so early on at the start of a whole new experience for children so young (still 4) that monitoring of them putting their bottle back isn't done. I will go to the lost and found tomorrow but I am not holding out much hope. Apparently she but it next to the box (just outside the classroom door) and not in it. Still, why was it not seen, if it was right there when the box was brought inside? Bugger! Oh, silly me had to buy a good one too....won't be doing that again! And why couldn't she have learnt this lesson when taking an older bottle while I got a replacement lid for the good bottle (tupperware) that had split already (after 3 days use!).
Ironically, Abby found a necklace that morning that I handed into the office....why can't everyone do this?

!!!

2008-01-30T09:51:00.000+10:00

Kate is wanting to start early with taking care of her youthful skin. Here she has gotten into some of my face cream.

Prep

2008-01-29T18:41:00.001+10:00

Abby started Prep today! She was so excited and happy to finally be going to school. We got up early to make sure we weren't rushed and I wanted to take some photos. We were ready with some time to spare, thankfully. We left a 8:15am and I thought I would be one of the first ones there as it only takes 3 minutes to get there.......more fool me! There were cars EVERYWHERE! Parents and children all though the school. I was so lucky to get a park, I didn't know what I was going to do or where I was going to park if I could find one in the school car park. Thankfully a number of 4 wheel drive cars had parked up off the road on a grassed area, which in turn left free parks for cars. If they hadn't of done this I certainly would not have got a park, as it was I got one of the last 3 that I could see.

The class room opened not long after we arrived, I met Abby's teacher and she instructed us as to what to do with Abby's bag, drink bottle and to get her name tag. Then Abby and Kate took a seat at a table with some play dough and had a play. After the bell went it was time to go, Abby was not at all scared...actually she was eager to get started. They all had to sit on a mat after saying goodbye and Kate and I waved and blew her kisses as we left.

I was concerned that I would have trouble getting a park again to pick Abby up, so I left home at 2:15pm for a 3 o'clock finish. I got a park in the car park closet to her classroom but only just. Within 5 minutes it was full. So Kate and I had a bit of a wait outside Abby's classroom but in future there is a small playground near her room that I can take Kate for a play on while we wait (she will love it, so turning up early will have this benefit as well as getting a park).

We had to wait for the final bell to ring. Then joined the line to file though to pick Abby up. Poor little mite had trouble getting up with her bag on her back, I had to help her up, hehe, it was cute. The bag is HUGE (as you can see from the photos below). Abby had a hand print with a little poem and a sticker on her hand. She made one friend but can't remember her name. She didn't like her teacher but hopefully in time this will change.....said she was no fun? Same as she was at kindy, she couldn't remember what she had done for the day...snort...like it was sooooooo long ago. So getting anything out of her was hard. She did admit to having a little bit of a cry, saying she missed me, Daddy and Pinky Poppy. She also mentioned that the teacher told her to sit back down when she tried to get up at lunch time to talk to her, yet let other children get up? Admitted she was a little naughty but couldn't say what for...umm....now that is selective memory loss me thinks.

It is just after 7 as I type this and Abby is fast asleep:) Usually I have to chase her back to bed for some time.

Some photos:

Uniforms

2008-01-26T10:34:00.000+10:00

I had been thinking that I should get some photos of Abby in her school uniforms before the actual day just in case. After seeing Dezi and Jaiden in Dezi's uniforms on Kristie's blog I got my act together and took some this morning.
Yesterday we made a trip to the school to pay the school fees and check what classroom Abby would be in. Her class has a total of 25 students.
As for Abby settling in, I am confident that she will be ok. She took the kindy so well (too well for poor Mum who had tears well up). She loves to make new friends and is always open to doing so. As I think about it, it is more my worry that groups of friends may already be made through the local kindies (Abby travelled to another suburb and none of her kindy classmates are going to her school) and she may feel like an outsider.....I hope not. I'm sure she will be ok.

Kate is modeling the polo shirt and skorts

Abby in her polo shirt and skorts

Kate really wanted to try the hat

2008-01-14T12:33:00.000+10:00

Kate is going though a bad stage at the moment of pulling Abby's hair and scratching her!! The other day she even bit her too!!! Naughty Naughty....so a lot of time out is happening.

Poor Abby :(

We picked up Abby's school uniforms today...she tried them on when she got home....oh so cute and so grown up.

Which makes me feel both :) and :(

No You!

2008-01-03T19:05:00.000+10:00

Cute little going on that has been happening with Kate lately.

Kate will break wind and say,

K: Pop off

Me: Did you do a popoff?

K: No You!

Me: No You

K: No You

Me: Not me

K: No me

Me: Yes you

K: No you

Me: Not Me

K: No Me

Me: Yes You

K: No You

and so on....hehe, very cute.

24 Months/2 Years

2007-12-21T20:17:00.000+10:00

Weight: 11.3kgs
Height: 86cms

(Abby 16.6kgs/105.5cms)

* I simply adore Kate, she is so affectionate..eg, coming up to me at the kindy Christmas party while I was sitting on our rug and getting me a great big hug from behind. She loves to give cuddles and kisses. She has even adopted Abby's "kiss and cuddle" from a distance (blow a kiss and hugs herself....but this is "giving a cuddle", just like blowing a kiss is). But she is always ready to give a kiss or cuddle....so sweet.

* Kate is addicted to biccies and begins to ask me for one not long after breakfast has finished....argh!

* Asking for Abby is the first thing she does when I get her up in the morning, can't wait to see her.

* Takes my hand and asks me to go "walkies" to get me where she wants to ask for something else, ie: "choc" (chocolate)

* Too many words to list them now (including that fabulous "truck" word that is hard to pronounce! and really cute words like calling "tix-c" (Trixie) and san-a (Santa)

* A real pain to take shopping now, wants to walk....I mean run about....everywhere. Grocery shopping is a real challenge now. I try to get her to stay with me by encouraging her to help me push the trolley, sometimes she pushes, sometimes she hangs off the handle while I push. Either one though is a better alternate to her running up and down the ilse touching things!

* Is getting her own back now, fighting with Abby. She will climb up behind Abby sitting on the lounge and smack her on the head, or will just hit her for the fun of it. Poor Abby, but Abby can be bossy and do her own smacking but usually she is responding to something Kate has done to her, not that I condone any hitting by either of them. Sometimes though, Abby can be asking Kate to move out of her way of the TV and Kate is actually no even in front of her...off to the side, just standing too close to "Abby's" lounge!! And Abby will stretch out on "her" lounge because she doesn't want share it! Arghhhh, the joys.

*Is letting me brush her teeth!!!! Yes I am excited about this, I am so happy she is letting me brush them probably instead of her just chewing on the brush and eating the toothpaste!

* Since coming back from our trip to Mackay, Kate no longer sits in a booster sit for meals. I think because she didn't have one up there, once we got home, she wanted to be "big" like Abby and I am refused to use it ever again.

* Is saying "Na na nana na" I have no idea who she learnt this from. It's not even something Abby does.

Kate's bday celebrations continue

2007-12-16T19:23:00.000+10:00

S*******s Beach on Friday. The girls had a play and then Kate opened her presents and I gave her another birthday "cupcake" cake (decided to do the large cake on Saturday as I didn't want to take such a large cake to the park). I also had to by-pass lighting the candles as it was way too windy.

Saturday was with Nani and Poppy. Abby and I made the cake together. Well, decorated it...I cheated and bought a double sponge to shape. Abby mixed the icing colours up.

Birthday gifts:

Grandma, Pinky Poppy: Dora travel bag with backpack, wallet and $50

Nani, Poppy: Cradle, bubba that cries and sucks dummy, with accessories

Aunty Pat and Rod: Another bubba and accessories

Uncle Robbie, Aunty Megan: red pokka dot dress with matching hat

Mummy and Abby: Glow Bear, Colouring-in book with magic pens

I think I have remember everthing, she has more to come though....lucky girl!

2007-12-13T21:39:00.000+10:00

Just thought I'd post some recent photos.

Kate and Abby two weeks ago. Most people comment on how much they think they look alike and yes they do yet to me they are so different. I think this photo shows it, Abby is more me and Kate takes after Jeff.

Kate today with a pre 2nd birthday celebration. Tomorrow is her birthday but Mum and Brian came down today so we had a little cupcake for her birthday cake. Tomorrow is the cake I made and on Saturday Dad and Dawn will be coming for the weekend and I plan to do another cupcake celebration then too. So everyone gets to celebrate (and the same, no bigger cake for either....easier that way... and no way was I doing 3 cakes either!) and everyone is happy!

Abby really wants to take the cake! (she got her own cupcake right after)

I put the 2 and little flower on just to dress it up a little, since it was a store bought one.

Kate yesterday. I wanted to get a photo of Kate with all her (well Abby's) dress up jewellery on but the only way I could get her to sit still was to give her a biccie....downside is crumbs everywhere....but still a cute photo! :)

Toilet Training

2007-12-12T18:50:00.000+10:00

Kate has decided herself that she would like to do some toilet training. She insisted on getting her potty out of the cupboard and sitting on it. So far she has successfully pooed in it yesterday and today! Way to go Katie! This was all by herself, I was not even with her, encouraging her or even aware that she was doing it as I was in the kitchen at the time (potty is in the bathroom). But I gave her some much deserved praise when she came out to me all excited about her achievement, almost bursting with it! "Mumma! Mumma! Poo! Poo! Mumma! Poo!" :)

Not so much luck with the wees....my tiles are going to need regular mopping I think.

One very proud Mumma here.....off to buy some more training pants as 3 pairs is not nearly enough.

Oh, on the downside, Abby thought it would be neat to go on the potty herself.....and she missed, sheesh! How she managed that I do not know! This is on top of her waiting to the very last minute to go to the toilet and regularly wetting herself trying to hop on the toilet (actually there's my answer as to why she missed the potty). Even time I she her give the little indication that she may need to go I am telling her to go....NOW!

2007-12-12T13:50:00.001+10:00

My Christmas card (which will be sent when I can print them, which will be as soon as I get some more ink...no thanks to the company that I get my supplies from that failed to send me the cartridges I asked for!)

Kindy is over :(

2007-12-11T15:12:00.000+10:00

Well, Abby had her last day at kindy today. I have not been looking forward to this day as it seems it has gone all too quickly and kindy days are gone now for Abby, never to be repeated. It is a chapter in her life closed and time marches on. It is a sign that she is growing, becoming a young girl, now longer my baby, my toddler or my little kindergartener.

As I drove to pick her up, I thought about how this would be the last time I would be doing the kindy pick up for her. I took comfort in the fact that Kate has to go to kindy yet, so I will get to be a part of it all again one day (maybe even for 2 years if I am lucky).

It was pouring down rain as all us Mums dashed out of our cars, though the kindy gates and signed our child out for the very last time. We waited until the door was opened, the children were all sitting in a group with their take home bag, filled with final art creations and their personal folders that contained stories and photos of all they had been up to during the year. Included was a CD case, decorated by them, and on the CD are all the photos taken throughout the year......I will treasure looking though these soon and in years to come.
As I chased after Kate (whom I should have had in her stroller but didn't because of the rush to get out of the rain) I glanced over at Abby's teacher Mrs H and nearly started crying as I saw her tears. I dragged out our leaving as I really just wanted to stay and soak up the memories of the year and be a part of it all for one last time with Abby.
Abby eventually got her shoes on and her bag organised and gave Mrs F a goodbye cuddle and then we said goodbye to Mrs H....who this time had me in tears. She commented that for some reason it was especially hard to say goodbye this year.
Embarrassed by my crying, we left to maneuver ourselves, two children, bags, water bottle, artwork and today, umbrellas, through the two kindy gates and into the car for the last time.

2007-11-24T18:56:00.001+10:00

Over lunch today, Abby was asking about how Jeff and I met, which went on to how we then got married and then made (as I put it) her. Which then lend on to who my Mummy and Daddy are and Jeff's Mummy and Daddy and with me trying to explain our family situation.

Which is, I'm sure, very uncommon in one part (my Mum and Jeff's Dad together) and probably confusing for a small child.

Yet I think I explained it well and didn't confuse her too much.

I told her how my Mummy (Grandma) and Daddy (Poppy Poppy) got married and then had my Uncle David and me. But then they became unhappy and my Mummy (Grandma) moved out to live on her own, until one day she met Pinky Poppy. Who had met and married Grandma Jill (later I showed her a photo) and together they had Daddy and Uncle Robbie, but Grandma Jill became sick and passed away when Daddy was only young. Then I had to also explain that Poppy Poppy then met Nani and had Uncle Brent and Aunty Brooke.

Ummmmm....it will take until she is much older to really understand of course.

Then Abby was asking about Grandma Jill being in heaven, to which I said, yes with Daddy. She then wanted to know when she would go to heaven. I said not until she was very old but she wanted to go now because she misses Daddy:(

At least now she can say it without bursting into tears.

2007-11-24T18:43:00.000+10:00

Today Abby can to me and excitedly asked me to come with her to look at something. She took me into my ensuite to show me her big poo that she had done! She was so proud of it...haha. I left her to flush it and wash her hands.

However, sometime later I went to the toilet myself and hello, it was still there...yuk!

Later I asked her if she was "saving" it.

She laughed and said, "Yep" then asked with disappointment, "Did you flush it?"

"Yes", I answered

"Well, I'm going to go to MY toilet next time and not flush it and keep it in there then", said with much laughter and cheekyness!

What a crack up! Children really do do the strangest things!

2007-11-24T13:09:00.000+10:00

Last night I was telling Abby that I needed to go out today to vote. She naturally asked why and I explained that we needed to choose who we wanted to be the leader of our country. To which she then told me that she could be leader....haha :)

2007-11-23T19:52:00.000+10:00

On the trip home from Mackay, Kate was kindly pointing out all the trucks that we past.

Abby piped up and said, "Mummy, Kate is saying a naughty word...she is saying fuck."

Now, when Kate says it because her pronunciation is off, it is kind of funny (and embarrassing if strangers are around, thankfully this hasn't happened yet) but to have your 4 and a half year old come out and say it, as the bad word that it is....well that was a shock...it is just SO wrong.

I reminded Abby that it was a naughty word and she was not to use it again, that Kate was trying to say truck but just couldn't get it right.

This reminds me of when Abby was Kate's age and used to ask for her fork and knife...haha! We constantly tried to make her say knife and fork instead.

Better Homes and Gardens

2007-11-23T19:45:00.000+10:00

Apart from her DVD's and the ABC Kids shows, Abby loves to watch Better Homes and Gardens. And not just the cooking part (cooking shows are another fav.) but all of it. She sits there watching it mesmerised, taking it all in and asking me questions. Not a show that I would have thought she would have been interested in but she asks during the week when it will be on again and struggles and fights to stay up and watch it all, even though she may be almost falling asleep watching it. It has been a favourite for a little while now.

As I type, she is watching it now.

And taking over my lounge!

23 months

2007-11-23T15:24:00.000+10:00

Weight: 11.4 kgs (approx: it was impossible to get her to stand still this time!)

Height: 85.5 cms

(Abby: 106cms)

* Constantly wanting a "biccie". I must hear the request over a couple of dozen times a day.

* Loves to be read to, brings me a book saying, "bookie, bookie, bookie"

* A real challenge to wash her hair, doesn't like it at all

* Wants to be WITH me ALL the time

* Discovered the word "truck" which as we all know, little ones have a tendency to pronounce incorrectly! Double whammy, she calls trains, truck as well!

* STILL calling me Nani!!!! Occasionally Mummy but mostly Nani.

* Knows how to ask for chocolate, "choco"

* Asks me to go "walkies" and likes to hold my hand, this can be just to walk up the hallway. And the other day she asked me to go walkies and walked me into the kitchen (at Brent's) then said "up" and when I picked her up, pointed to the chocolate, put her hand out asking for some, "choco" haha, nice try!

* Chats away...we cute, even though none of it makes any sense

* Copies me when I click (sound you get from "clicking" your tongue on the roof of your mouth...I think this is called clicking or is there another word for it?"

Just an update

2007-11-06T18:17:00.000+10:00

Kate is trying to count, so far she knows 4 and 9. So her counting consists of 4,9....4,9....4,9. HeHe, cute.

She is calling me Nani still (!? been over a week now) and can repeat her own name but really prefers to say Abby, calling out for her, copying me when I call out for her.

Her and Abby are next to each other in the car now as the worse position (back) in case of an accident is behind me, which was where Kate was....now she is in the middle. This unfortunately puts them close enough to annoy each other and annoy each other they do! I was hopeful after the first trip they played with each other (mind you Kate was supposed to be going to sleep as it was her bedtime). But still I though, this is good....urgh, too bad it didn't last.

Abby had her orientation day for prep the other week. She was great, jumping up with excitement to go off with the other children to play whilst us parents stayed back to hear about the school etc and ask questions. She waited in line to leave, looking back to find me and to wave and smile, not at all concerned....I was so glad. And last week, she had a little interview that consisted of filling out some paperwork and her being observed as she did some drawing. Mr Vincent was who the interview was with and through some gentle questioning he was able to establish that she knew her colours and like to play with play dough. The wacky bit was that she said she liked to play on the swings at kindy! What the!? She NEVER goes on the swings. I must remember to ask at kindy if she is going on them there now.

When it came to special, things about Abby that they should be aware of, I naturally pointed out that her Daddy had passed and that this would need to be taken into account when family things where being discussed etc. Sure there are a lot of broken families with Daddys (or Mummy's) not living at home but there is not even a part time Daddy for Abby, no Daddy that she can give her hand made gift too next time she sees him etc.

I don't like us being here....but it is what is is and it can't be changed. Handling each situation as best as possible for the girls is what is needed now.

Ummm...what else. The girls are having separate baths at the moment. They just are too naughty when they are in there together , spilling water all over the tiles and splashing water all up the walls. Usually I would put them in together and let them have a little play while I listened to them and cleaned up after dinner but what the bathroom was ended up like was just over the top. I gave them a number of warnings until enough was enough. The final straw was the second night in a row that I went back in to find the bathmat saturated with water. The first night Abby blamed Kate, saying she had poured the water onto it. It was the very next night that I walked in to see Abby doing it and not Kate that I realised enough was enough and that separating them was needed. That way Abby couldn't encourage Kate to do the wrong thing and then claim total innocence, when not only had she been egging her on but contributing also!

It has been working out quite well. One at a time they go in and I clean them straight away and out they come dried and dressed in jammies all in a flash! It's great!

I have been thinking more about getting the girls a puppy but am not there yet in actually getting one. I've probably got it more on my mind because Kristie has been posting about their new pup that they are getting and the photos are so cute. But I realise what a big commitment a dog is and if I get one now, the commitment is all mine. If I wait until they are older then feeding and poop scooping will be their jobs. Then begs the question too, would I get them one each? I was thinking only a small dog like Trixie

See Trixie here hiding from the girls when I looked after her one night.

She's about the size I would want. It will be interesting to see how the girls go at Mackay this trip with Charlie and Oscar (Trixie's boys).

"Peas"

2007-10-16T12:21:00.000+10:00

Talking about the word please.

Kate has learnt to use it now.

It is so cute, her pronunciation is adorable...."peas"

22 Months

2007-10-16T12:20:00.000+10:00

Cheeky Kate with a mouthful of chocolate....an attempt to keep her still while taking photos. I wanted to give it to her as a reward for sitting still....Kate had other ideas and any attempt to get a decent photo after she saw it was impossible, so I had to give it to her to first.

Weight: 11.4kgs

Height: 85cm (Abby 105cms)

- waking up (too) early and yells out to me until I get her up.

- helps herself to things from the cupboard if I haven't closed it properly

- was helping herself to ice from the freezer but I moved the ice to the other freezer that she can't reach

- worse, helping herself to FROZEN FISH! yuk

- totally destroyed a wet nappy, pulling the whole thing apart and spreading it out all over her bedroom floor.....straight after I had vacuum it! What timing! On the up side I still had the vacuum out to help with the clean up :)

- Arrgh....has taken a liking to drawing over my walls....the tv....the windows....the furniture!!!!

- had her FIRST HAIRCUT. She was very good, sat perfectly still and didn't complain or get upset. Actually she was quite fascinated by the hair that she could pick up that had dropped onto her wrap cover (what are these things called?)

PLEASE!

2007-10-15T18:56:00.000+10:00

"Did you say please?"

Abby is really annoying me with this little question. It usually comes after I have asked her a number of times to do a particular thing. I have discussed with her that I don't like her doing it, especially as I have said please, I always do. In fact I think I am an above average person for the use of the word please.

"Stand up please Abby"
"Put your towel back in the bathroom please Abby"
"Close the door please Abby"

Please Please Please, I use it constantly. CONSTANTLY!

It really bugs me when she does this! Sheesh! Just do as I've asked....PLEASE! LOL!

21 months

2007-09-18T11:41:00.001+10:00

Oh, how CUTE are you! I think you are adorable, I know, I know I am bias as your mother.

Weight:11.6kgs
Height: 84.5cms
(note, Abby is 16kgs and 104cms)

Things you are up to now:

Words: I listed the words recently, you are also saying Abby but it sounds like bubby instead. Daddy is also another word you say, pointing at Daddy's photo.

You really haven't changed much this past month, just gotten a little taller and added a lot of words to your vocabulary. Apart from that you are much the same. Oh, you are fussy most days about your nap now but I still need the break (haha) so I am still making you have one!

Just remembered the other thing you are doing at the moment is crossing your arms and pretending you are cranky. You do this really exaggerated pout and lower your chin. It is so cute but it always ends in laughter...certainly because all I can do is laugh at you! You look at me, from under your (too long, needs a cut but wouldn't be a problem if you'd leave your clip in!) fringe without raising your head and smile. You do it more as a joke, knowing it is cute and funny and will make me laugh.

Us on Sunday

2007-09-18T11:17:00.000+10:00

Just for something different, I got you girls a couple of matching outfits. As a scrapper, I have seen this done and think it looks cute at times (not ALL the time though). We also were meant to go to the park on Sunday and having you both in matching outfits, I thought would make it a little easier to keep an eye on you both.

We are off to the coast for a few days and I have bought you both some matching swimmers too!

Kate's new words

2007-09-03T21:01:00.000+10:00

more
book
bye
no
poo poo
duck
juice

Also Abby is back calling me Mama.

I know I want some decorating Kate but....

2007-08-27T19:33:00.000+10:00

.....please let Mummy do it!!

Kate came running into the lounge room heading straight for me and my good lounge with Abby's BLACK whiteboard marker in her hand....arrrggh....I had my laptop and I had to balance it plus hold Kate back at arms length to stop her coming near my good lounge and marking it. Abby fortunately was following close behind, distressed that her pen was stolen and took it back quick smart.
As she walked back into the family room, I warned her that she MUST take care of her pen and make sure Kate didn't get it again.

Well, what do you know, it was about 10 minutes later that Abby came running out to me yelling that Kate had the pen again!!

Where was she?!!!

Well, I found her......I followed the pen trail, first on the hallway wall, then all over the tiles in front of the toilet and bathroom, more on Abby's bedroom door, in Abby's room, more on her toy box and there was Kate sitting on Abby's WHITE bedspread with the BLACK pen!!! Only one mark on the bedspread but one mark too many!

I was so eager to get it all cleaned up straight away, wanting to make sure that it WOULD clean up, that I didn't stop to take photos.....I wish I did because it would have been great to show her when she got older.

Thankfully, because it was a whiteboard marker and not permanent, most of it came out quite easily. It was the mark on the bedspread that may cause me trouble and even though it wiped off the tiles easily....it didn't come off the grout :(

Oh, well. I have been thinking of getting all the floors professionally cleaned (carpets and tiles) soon as we will have been here a year next month. Maybe they will be able to clean the grout.

Oh, I might add that Abby has not been allowed to have the pen back.....it's been 4 days now. Apparently she had gone to the toilet when Kate got a hold of the pen the second time.

20 Months

2007-08-16T20:53:00.000+10:00

20 Months

83.5cms
11kgs

# Words: teddy, banana, what's this, what's that...this one is ALL the time, oh the most embarassing one is.... fock!!!! (yes this sounds like the swear word!! I THINK she is trying to say LOOK but is soooooo wrong, haha).

#Stands up on things and says, "Dut, dar darrrr!" This is a minic of me when I say, "Dut, dar dar, dut darrrr" when the girls do something clever etc. I'm strange I know.

# Blows raspberries at me when not happy.

# Will shake her head no, usually in answer to, "nap time"

# Takes her nappy off!! see earlier post

# New teeth. See earlier post

# Animal sounds. See earlier post

# Plays coy, looks up with head lowered

#Sensitive, just the other day I put my arm out to stop her getting close to me as I cleaned something up and I didn't want her adding to the mess etc. She lost her balance and sat down (on her nicely padded bottom mind you) but it was enough to upset her, that she then laid down rolled onto her belly and sooked! Then rushed into my arms for a big cuddle.

Ouch Ouch Ouch

2007-08-16T20:44:00.000+10:00

Thursday, 9th August

Abby pulled Kate down while she was standing in the bath.

Kate hit her chin on the edge of the bath.

Blood was everywhere, Kate was so upset, sobbing, blood spilling out of her mouth.

Abby cried when she saw it, a lesson learnt I hope that she needs to be more careful with Kate and less of a bully.

I never saw the underside of Kate's tongue, so I''m not sure if her teeth went all the way though but the top had a huge cut. She obviously got it with her new molars (right side).

There was so much blood I wasn't sure it was going to stop on it's own. I even had thoughts that I might have to go to the hospital. But in the end it did stop, thankfully.

OUCH!!!

Shake, Spit and Words

2007-08-04T19:25:00.000+10:00

Spit: Thanks to Abby and her spitting, Kate is now also spitting. And the worst thing about it it that they spit in my direction when they aren't happy with me!

Shake: Kate is now shaking her head no. Like "no" I do not want to go down for a nap.

New Words: teddy, banana, what's this

Animal sounds: moo, woof, quack. These ones she knows from cow, dog, duck. Not mimicking.

No Nappy!!

2007-08-04T19:22:00.001+10:00

Kate...stop it! Stop taking your nappy off! Yes it was cute the other night when I went to do my final check on you before heading off to bed myself and there you were, on your tummy, no nappy on and bare bottom exposed.

Now you are taking it off as soon as I put one one you!

Arrggghhhh! Enough already!

Please.

George the Gingerbread Man

2007-07-26T20:15:00.000+10:00

George is the kindy gingerbread man. He is always off having adventures and his latest adventures involves having visits at the kindy kids homes. George visited us last week. I wrote up a report for his adventure book.

New teeth!

2007-07-20T20:31:00.000+10:00

Poor Katie-Pie

I discovered in her mouth today, 3 new teeth that have broken though and other one close to it.

Ouch!

My poor baby girl. And she has been so good about it.

19 months

2007-07-16T11:25:00.000+10:00

Height: 82.5 cms
Weight: 11.6 kgs

Kate at 19 months is:

A real little MIMIC. She loves to copy animal noises......moooooo, quack quack, meow, woof woof.

Words: OH WOW. Beep Beep, Oh NO

Pulls the dining room chair to the kitchen cupboard and is getting into everything!

No more bottle during the day. Stopped drinking it at nap time so it was basically a waste of milk, so she no longer gets it. I still give her some warmed up milk after dinner before she brushes her teeth and goes to bed. It is hit an miss as to whether she drinks it or not

Likes to get a book and sit on the lounge to "read" it.

Helps herself to rice crackers I keep in the bread bin.

Pressed the GO button like the horn button on 4 wheeler so bunny hopped for the first few days before she got the hang of using it.

ROAD RAGE

I bought the girls a quad bike each because they were on special and since they don't have regular bikes or a yard suitable to ride them in, I thought it would be a treat for them.

AS it turned out, the grass was quite long, making it difficult for the bikes to use outside until the grass was mowed. So, having quite a large open plan area inside and a hallway twice the width of a normal one, I let them ride inside.

They were having a great time, Kate was bunny hopping and Abby was going up and down the hallway, having a great time.

Then there was the collision. Nothing serious as these things go so slow. But there they were, neither of them going anyway and horns beep beep beeping. Beep.....beep beep......beep....beep beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!! Until Abby picked her bike up and continued on her way down the hallway......

......and Kate..... well Kate got off her bike, chased after her, caught up to her at the end of the hallway and proceeded to shake her finger at Abby and verbally, "going off" at her.

It was one of those moments that I dearly wished I had the video camera on them!

2007-07-16T11:19:00.000+10:00

Abby turned to me Saturday night and said, "Mummy, I love you for who you are".

Which was so sweet and much nicer than what else she has been doing for the past week and a half...

.....SPITTING!!!

Oh, how disgusting! She does it when she can't get her own way! Where in the world did she learn that. There is certainly no spitting (not counting at teeth brushing time) in this house! I think she has learnt it at kindy...oh how the fun begins, the exposure to other children and bad habits. Why do they pick up the bad habits so much more easily that the good ones?

Teething?

2007-06-30T23:41:00.000+10:00

I think Kate may be teething. She has the running (and extra smelly) nappy thing going on...yuk! And she has been whinging at nap time. On Thursday it occurred to me that she might be teething, so I put some bonjella on her gums and she settled immediately and went off to sleep. I'm not even sure if any are due at this age? Or which ones? I'll have to check that out and see which ones are due to come up next. For now I'm giving her the bonjella before her nap and bedtime and she is keen to have it every time, so I expect that I am right and should be seeing some new teeth soon.

Update on chicken pox....I have immunity, so the doctor says I must have had them at some point. I expect that the story Mum tell of me having the measles while my brother had the chicken pox may not be actuate. Maybe I still had the chicken pox too but it just looked like the measles? I know that there hasn't been another occasion that I had it, so it has got to have been then.

18 Months

2007-06-26T09:40:00.000+10:00

Kate is 18 months old now. I am a bit late posting this...again.

Weight: 11.2 kgs

Height: 82.5cms

* Kate LOVES her porridge. We have it every morning for breakfast with dried fruit mixed in and honey drizzled on top. She scoops it up and sometimes the spoon full looks way too big to get into her mouth but she manages it! Everyday she scrapes her bowl out to get every last bit.

* WhooHoo, Kate can climb up the ladder on the slide and go down all by herself! This is a real achievement as it is tricky to manoeuvre up the top the ladder, getting her legs over without losing her balance and falling.

* Little Monkey! That's what I call Kate as she is into climbing. I caught her standing on top of the dining room table recently! She even gets up on top of the boat swing seat and leans through the bars...argh! What a worry!

* Tumbles. Kate likes me to pick her up and with legs on either side of me, I drop her head down so she is upside down and then I grab under her arms and she then drops her legs so she has done a tumble in the air. She LOVES it. Trouble is she is getting so heavy now I can do it a number of times but I usually tire of it before she does, lol.

* Sensitive. Kate is quite sensitive about getting into trouble. Occasionally I will give her a little tap, usually for a safety reason and golly! Who'd think I'd belted her! She gets so upset and goes from nothing to full on sobbing in the blink of an eye! Needless to say I then give her a cuddle...has she got me pinned or what.lol.

* Puppy/Dog. I think I have noted previously that Kate will woof but she also now gets down and crawls about pretending to be a dog.

Why is it?

2007-06-25T20:58:00.000+10:00

Why is it that nappy wearing little ones always wait until they have a fresh nappy on to do a poo?

What is it with toothpaste! If I don't shut my bedroom door or lock the bathroom cupboard, without a doubt Kate will grab her toothbrush and the toothpaste and with a smile on her face sit on the lounge and eat it!

Why is it that when getting clothes out for herself, Abby has to put everything out of the drawer and leave what she doesn't want on the floor?

Why is it that when you finally get organised to take your children for their immunisations, one of them is sick and can't be done?

Dawn recently came into contact with someone who broke out in chicken pox spots a couple of days later, so she was there during the contagious stage. I wanted to make sure that we are all protected, as much as a vaccination can, if we were to visit as planned. So I got my act together to go get us all up to date. Abby has had the chicken pox vaccination, so she just needed her 4 year old shots (we had to pay for her chicken pox one because it was prior to it being added to the schedule and that didn't matter anyway because they didn't back cover to her birth date anyway). Kate was due her 18 month shots, which is the chicken pox one. As far as I know, I have never had the chicken pox, so I too wanted to be immunised. My Mum always likes to tell everyone that when my brother David had the chicken pox, I, to be different, got the measles. The doctor was a bit sceptical about this and ordered blood tests to see if I have any immunity.
So instead of a vaccination, I had blood tests. And thanks to the look on Abby's face as the needle was going in, I didn't feel a thing because I was too busy laughing...it was priceless, a cross between disbelief and disgust. LOL.
Kate got her shot as planned. At least one of us did. Now I'll just be constantly checking her to see if she has a reaction, fortunately Abby didn't and that's a good indication that she shouldn't have one either.
And Abby, well Abby had a temperature, and her throat was still a little red. So guess what, she is on another course of antibiotics for yet another 10 days! Yay! So another 10 days of medicine 3 times a day. Thankfully I have my secret weapon to help me get her to take it.....lemonade.

So now I have to wait for my results to come back. It will be interesting to see, I think. Did I have the measles or was it the chicken pox too or was it the measles but I still got some immunity from my brothers outbreak?

Deep Breaths Mummy

2007-06-22T13:04:00.000+10:00

Monday was not a good day. In fact the last week or so has been more and more difficult. Jeff's death and him not being here is pounding against me again like waves created by a storm.
Getting Abby ready for kindy was not going so well. It started with her not wanting to get out of bed. Then it just got worse. Finally I was trying to strap Abby into her carseat and the straps were twisted (I am stumped as to why this constantly happens, I am forever untwisting them, only to find them twisted again the next time we want to go out!). We were running late and my stress levels were rising until....I exploded! I hit the car and then turned around and kicked the vacuum cleaner sitting nearby.
Abby, I really did not want her to see me like that, but Abby was my diffuser. She started reciting from a book that we read together called, "If you are Angry." So as I am trying to calm down, this sweet little voice is saying, "Take deep breaths Mummy, take deep breaths." So I did. "Deep breaths Mummy, stomp your feet, stomp your feet."
On the way to kindy I told Abby I was so sorry for losing my temper and she told me, "I'm sorry too Mummy, I didn't get out of bed and I didn't do as you asked." So it was sorry all round.

I am so proud of Abby. She was so mature about it....I was really impressed!

No more nudie time after bath for you Kate Renee!

2007-06-22T12:53:00.000+10:00

Monday night after her bath, Kate took of into Abby's room and started to play....naked. I went after her and was too late...she pooed! Ok, a once off accident.

Tuesday night after her bath, Kate took off into Abby's room and started to play....naked. I called her into her room to put her nappy and pyjamas on. As I put on her nappy I checked her bottom and she was clean. Ok, no pooing in Abby's room tonight...lucky. Yes, last night was just a once off.

After getting Kate dressed I went into Abby's room to put away the 5 pairs of pyjamas that were rejected when she was choosing a pair and left on the floor (I mostly ask her to pick up after herself but sometimes I just want it done and it's easier to just do it myself). Kate follows me in and starts pointing at something on the floor. I take a step to have a look......poo! A nugget of poo, she had done it again! Oh and the step I'd taken...well, I'd squashed another nugget...yuk!

Well, in my opinion, once was an accident but twice is on purpose!

Wednesday night, needless to say, I put a nappy on her before she even left the bathroom. No more running around nudie after bathtime! Too cold anyway now!

Kiss It Better....NOW!

2007-06-14T20:38:00.000+10:00

After I walk on the treadmill, I like to do a few floor exercises. Tonight as I was doing them, Abby who had just left the room, must of stubbed her toe and came back and while I was on all fours, proceeded to shove it into my face insisting that I kiss her toe better. I tried to put her off until I finished my set but she was very insistent and was whimpering, so in the end I lost it and laughed so I was unable to finish my set....so she got her kiss.

Earlier Abby was complaining of a sore finger, so I had a look and it looked like there was maybe a teeny tiny prickle. So small it was hard to see. I tried with the tweezers to get it out but wasn't successful and I wasn't even sore it was a prickle. Just now as I tucked her into bed, I asked her how her finger was, her response, "Good." Looking at her hand she then said, "Ummm, which finger was it?" LOL!

Baptised

2007-06-10T14:14:00.000+10:00

The girls were baptised on the 3rd of June......finally.

When Abby was born, we were still living in Emerald in Central Qld and felt that it would be easier to have her baptised once we moved down closer to family, rather than ask family to travel up to us.

Once we moved, we had the new business to run and eventually decide that since we were going to have another child that we would wait and have them baptised together.

Of course, things never run to plan and when Kate was born Jeff was sick and other things were being dealt with.

After Jeff passed, it was on my mind a lot as we had made the decision together to have them done and they were only getting older.

Finally, I felt that I would be able to cope with arranging it and coping with it without Jeff beside me. In the end it was so easy to organise, much easier than I thought (I kept it small and only had the Godparents and Grandparents (plus one extra, Tiah) come along) and everything went along smoothly on the day. Apart from Abby being moody with having her photo taken...oh and I am thinking of maybe learning how to do cake decorating as I was disappointed with the cake, especially when the colours etc were described in person with photos and still came out wrong. Mind you I went for the easy option and ordered it from Coles, easy to order and pick up and inexpensive. I guess you get what you pay for.

I missed Jeff and I was quite stressed first thing in the morning and knew it was because he was not here to be a part of this. I had a cry and it released some emotions and allowed me to continue with the day much easier than if I'd tried to keep it in, I think.

Public it is!

2007-06-01T13:55:00.000+10:00

I have been debating over the past week (it's been longer than that but I've really focused on it this week) as to whether I would send Abby to the local public school or the private one. It seems to be a common thing these days to send your child to private if you can, and while I can financially, I still wanted to know that I was getting value for money. Also, if the public school was just not worth considering. I rang both schools and the public are obligated to take Abby as we are in the catch zone but nothing is happening with enrolments until September. The private on the other hand as just about to finalised their enrolments are are in the process of doing their final interviews at the moment. Silly me, I just assumed that the private would do enrolments at the later half of the year also...not so. So NOW was the time to make my decision. I rang Dawn and spoke to her because her and Dad had sent Brent and Brooke to private(high school only....David and I went to public years before though). One major reason was because the local high had quite a bad reputation (David and I travelled as this high school was not there when we were going). The private was also quite affordable. I found out that their fees were HALF for high school as what was being asked for primary at the local private school here. Dawn suggested that I make sure the public had good facilities for sport, art and IT. Well, they do and even she was impressed when looking at the schools website. The school runs right from prep to Y12 and is sectioned out for the different ages. Keeping the older children away from the younger ones. The prep and Y1 classrooms even come with ensuited toilets. For IT there is a technology centre and and internet cafe that will be opening next year.

For sport and art...taken from the website:

Sporting Facilities
****** State College is quickly gaining a
reputation for sporting excellence. To support this essential part of our
program the college has a full sized Sports Stadium, a mini Sports Stadium and
two full sized oval. In 2008 8 floodlit multi purpose courts and tennis
courts will be built as well as cricket practice nets, a cricket pitch and a
touch football field. Included in this project will be storage facilities
shading and wheelchair access.
Also in 2008 nearly $100,000 worth of shading
will be installed throughout the school.
Performing Arts Centre
In 2007, ***** Sate College opened its multi million dollar air conditional Performing Arts Complex which houses dance, music, drams choirs and instrumental music. The Arts at ***** State College is quickly establishing itself as a distinctive feature of our college with quality programs and opportunities for all students.

Normally I would not be worrying about high school things at this point as usually primary and high schools are separate but here where I live both the public and private run right though from prep to Y12 and it is not as easy to change later. Usually you change schools at year 8 but here because it runs though I want to make the decision now and not change the girls later when they will be comfortable and settled (hopefully) with the school they are in. Plus it was pointed out to me by the private school that changing might be hard because Abby wouldn't be guaranteed a high school spot having not done her primary education there and they teach Mandarin Chinese and the public teaches Italian (yes Kristie, it felt a bit like blackmail, I wonder if they struggle getting numbers with a good public next door to them? At the same time she may have been sincere in wanting me to be informed). Anyway it has helped me make my future decision on changing to private for high school......I won't.

So, now that I've made my decision, here's hoping the public continues to be a good quality school right through Abby and Kate's education years!

Struggle

2007-05-30T12:14:00.000+10:00

It is a constant struggle with Abby every day. There are the fights with Kate, the inability to share and often she will take toys off of Kate that she wasn't interested in until Kate started playing with them. She torments Kate, knowing which buttons to push to make her react and she finds this funny. For example, when they are playing on the slide, Abby will crowd her as she is climbing up the ladder or climb up the slide and block Kate from going down. During this she is smiling while Kate is screaming. I know this is probably quite normal sibling behaviour but it is hard to deal with and very draining to constantly have to intervene and sort things out.

Abby just does not listen to me and attempts to get away with not doing as I ask. For example, just this morning I was making her bed and helping her tidy her room (last night it was too late to bother about tidying) when I asked her to put her knickers in the laundry basket. I had to ask this a few times, then I found them on the floor in front of the closed laundry door, then once asked again to put them in the basket I found them inside the laundry now but still on the floor, then after asking yet again they were now put just on top the basket but not inside! So once again I had to speak to her about it and finally she put them in the basket! Sheesh! It would be so easy to just do it myself but that's not the point. I believe she needs to learn to do these small jobs herself, they aren't difficult and it teaches her responsibility but why does it have to be so difficult for such s simple thing. One job turned into 4 because she had to keep going back to get it right.

Being a parent is much much harder than I thought it would be. It's not like I had rose coloured glasses on (well maybe a little :)), but I didn't think there would be problems over simple things like this. I think one problem contributing to it all is Abby wants to be in control, she wants to do what she wants and when she wants. Well, don't we all.

Every day I wake up and hope that it is going to be a better day with Abby doing as she is told but everyday there are problems. I need to learn how to cope better. Another issue is dinner time, she won't eat her veges and I tell her she can't have anything else and not to bother asking me later for anything. Well, without fail she will bug me and bug me later, "I'm hungry, I want something to eat". Arrgggh! Then bathtime, well, she hogs all the toys and it's a real effort to get her to share a few with Kate, thankfully recently she has agreed that 4 of the 20 are now officially Kates...after I basically told her she MUST give her some.

One thing that does work is telling her that if she acts like a baby she will go to bed at babies time (ie same as Kate), she really doesn't want to go to bed early so that works well getting her out of the bath but it's so draining to have to go though this most nights. I've also stopped her sleeping in my bed the last few nights and said it is a treat now when she is good. This was not just for her but for me too because even in a king size bed I end up getting kicked throughout the night and with being sick recently I wanted a good nights sleep.

Abby is such a challenge, I love her but I wish it was easier.

Sometimes I think I'm not very good at this parenting :(

Sick

2007-05-30T10:32:00.000+10:00

We have all been sick here. Abby has been the worse. She came down with a temperature last Thursday and by Friday morning had broken out in a rash all over her body. I took her to the doctors and she was diagnosed with strep, a swab of her throat was taken to confirm. So a course of antibiotics was prescribed for her...10 to 12 days!!! 3 times a day!!! This for a child who refuses to take any medication orally EVER! Even at her most sick she will only ever let me give her panadol suppositories. So what to do? I bribed, I begged, I threatened....no luck. So she is currently having it in lemonade each time and is blissfully unaware that it is in there. Needless to say I am not happy about lemonade three times a day but I only give her a small amount and I continually remind her that she is only having it because she is unwell....ie, it will stop, daily lemonade will not be ongoing!
Come Monday morning she is feeling much better but I kept her home from kindy this week just to be safe, not only for the other children but also so Abby could fully recover, and not be exposed to any other illnesses going around. As it turns out, they were in the home anyway...I got a cold....and then Kate got it too. I was thankful she didn't get the strep instead though! So this week has been one of giving antibiotics, panadol and thanks to Kate being covered in SNOT! YUK! No option of wearing anything a second time as I sometimes do from time to time, not a chance! Not when she comes up to me, grabs my legs in a big bear hug and as a result wipes her snotty face all over me, or I pick her up and she sneezes and before I can react has wiped her face on my shirt.
Hopefully, all will be well for this Sunday...the girls baptisms.

17 Months

2007-05-26T13:17:00.000+10:00

Well, I better get this down before I forget.

Kate at 17 months , weighing 10.8kgs

LOVES strawberries, acutally both the girls would eat as many as I put in front of them.

Saying "Puppy" and trying to "woof" but it goes out more like "ou ou" (you without the y).

I cannot go past the pet store without Kate dashing over there or pointing like crazy, wanting a look at the puppies.

LOVES the swing, unlike Abby who still doesn't like it at age 4.

STILL a great little sleeper, sleeping 2 hours in the middle of the day and 12 hours at night.

Loves to climb up on my exercise bike.

Loves to ride her rocking horse.

Bascially she is a happy little girl, except when she is fighting with Abby over a toy....this happens often....they aren't very good at sharing!

Which reminds me of her screaming when she is not getting her own way! She screams at me if I am not getting what she wants, she screams at Abby if Abby is trying to take her toy of her, fair enough really with Abby as she doesn't have the words yet to express with how she is feeling. Plus Abby tends to stir her up some!

2007-05-10T20:12:00.000+10:00

Tonight I was upset and swore at God.

As I stood there calming down, feeling sorry for myself, Abby came up to me and without a word hugged me.

It was such a beautiful thing to do, such a loving thing. It is something she has done a number of times for me now and every time I think how wonderful she is to recognise my pain and to drop whatever she is doing to comfort me.

As I thanked her for her cuddle and told her what a beautiful thing it was for her to comfort me like that she said, "When someone is hurting I hug them".

I wondered if she had been taught this at Kindy and asked her if anyone had told her to do that and she said no, she thought of it herself.

I told her I was so proud of her and her beautiful heart.

Kindy Mother's Day Lunch

2007-05-10T19:43:00.000+10:00

On Tuesday, Abby's kindy had a Mother's Day lunch. Megan babysat Kate so I could devote this time to Abby rather than have to run after Kate. We all had to make a dish to take, mine was savoury muffins. When we arrived all the children where sitting in a circle with a chair behind them. I sat down behind Abby and she gave me this wonderful hand painted flower with a photo of herself on it and a cute little poem:

A piece of me
I give to you
I painted a flower
to say "I love you"

I hope you will save it
And look back someday
At the flower we shared
On your special day
Happy Mothers Day Mummy!
Love Abby

Then they sang us some songs, including Eensy Weensy Spider as they stood behind us doing actions on our backs and this last one that had us all reaching for the tissues.

I love Mummy
I love Mummy
Yes I do
Yes I do

Mummy's are for hugging
Mummy's are for kissing

I love you
Yes I do

Awww......we were all a mess!

Then we all sat together having lunch and some playtime after. Abby and I played a game together where we had boards with children on them and we had to dress them. We would roll two die, one with colours on it the other with clothes items and we would have to get whatever we had rolled, (ie blue shirt or green shoe).

They also gave us each a gift, wrapped in paper that they had decorated. The gift was a painting on canvas. Mine has pride of place in the kitchen.

16 months (Belated)

2007-04-25T11:32:00.000+10:00

Kate turned 16 months back on the 14th but I have everything written on a scrap piece of paper just waiting for a time that I feel like transferring it onto this blog, well today I feel like it so here goes.

Weight: 10.6 kgs (not really changing much these past few months)

Words: Mumma, Teddy, DeeDee(not really sure if she is say DeeDee and Teddy differently, it's hard to tell but these are the two names of Abby's favourite, must go everywhere stuffed toys), shoes, TA (although she says ta when she gives me things rather than when I give things to her)

Makes Kissing noises when I say, "kiss" but not very keen with actual kisses

Loves to hide in my wardrobe and waits there until I come looking for her

Has her night time bottle prior to bed now rather than in bed so we can brush her teeth before bedtime

Loves strawberries and no matter what size I give here will not bite them, rather she pushes the whole thing into her month and her cheeks bulge out

Has her third bottom tooth coming through, so 7 all together now

Waves goodbye

Loves wearing my shoes, this is also another reason why she is in my wardrobe alot

SCREAMING!!! Thanks to Abby's encouragement. Both of them love to run about the house screaming, usually at the end of the day as I am cooking dinner. Most times I just let them go for a while, Abby tends to get hoarse and it doesn't last too long thankfully.

Still hates lying down in the bath. She gets really upset and distressed when I try to lay her down to wash the shampoo out of her hair. Not sure what to do, Abby puts a facecloth over her eyes when I do her, maybe I will try this to see if this is a solution.

PLEASE STOP putting EVERYTHING into your mouth!! She is frightening me doing this! A few times lately though she has been picking little things up and giving them to me saying Ta, which is a nice change to putting them in her mouth. It is a constant vigilance making sure there is nothing she can choke on (small toys, bits of dropped food etc) on the floor. One of the reasons she is not allowed in Abby's room at the moment as Abby has many small bits and pieces.

Loves hanging from the side of the swing set.

You know your light switches are too low when.......

2007-04-25T11:26:00.000+10:00

.....your 16 month old can switch on the lights!!!!!

Hey, I knew when I moved in that they were low and I thought not a bad idea as it allows younger children to be a little independent and not always have to rely on an adult to turn the light on and off for them, but sheesh 16 months! Needless to say, it's a real novelty at the moment for her. I can only hope that she gets tired of it soon.

On another note, Kate has graduated to calling me Mummy as of yesterday. No longer am I Mumma anymore. She must love the way it sounds because she is walking around saying it over and over and over and over and over....get the picture! Very cute though :)

FOUR

2007-04-05T18:29:00.000+10:00

The beautiful birthday girl!

Well, Abby turned 4 today.
Height: 110cm
Weight: 15kgs

Presents:
Nani and Poppy - Jane and the Dragon DVD, Charlie and Lola DVD
Grandma And Pinky Poppy - $50, tickets to Fairies concert, nurses dressup outfit, Mine, Mine Mine book
Brock - Fairy purse
Uncle Robbie, Aunty Meg, Mason & Connor - Toy microwave, toy mobile phone
Mummy and Katie-Pie - Jakers DVD and Maisy DVD, Schnitzel von Krumm book, Albert Le Blanc Book, doctors/nurses medical set, mini magna doodle (for traveling)

SPOILT!!! Wow, what a list, Abby you are one lucky little girl!

We had a good day, Abby helped me make the cupcakes for her "cake" yesterday. We iced them in a plain cream colour but last night I was thinking about how I was going to decorate them etc and it occurred to me that some colour would be nice. So I coloured them, added some 100's and 1000's and some sprinkes. I stacked them today, fingers crossed that it was going to work and the end result was quite good I thought. Abby was very surprised because she last saw them cream coloured....she liked it, so I was happy. Nice and easy for serving too! Abby is loving all her gifts, except the money as she has no real concept of it and the concert ticket as it is just a piece of paper to her at the moment. We go to see it next weekend. The DVD are all ABC kids shows and I wanted these to replace The Simpsons that she likes to watch after dinner but I don't like her wathcing it. Having something educational is much better than that rubbish!

Here are some photos from today.I really wanted to get a nice one of me and the girls but wasn't able too.

The cake turned out ok....thankfully!

Abby was surprised by my decorations of it.

Dressed in her nurses outfit.