threelilprincesses.com

Author: Kellie O’Brien

  • Lesson for Blokes No. 2: Oh No! It’s in the genes!

    Lesson for Blokes No. 2: Oh No! It’s in the genes!

    sleep
    Ella as she was dressed at the beginning of the night.

    LET’S put it bluntly. Princess Kel, like many other wives out there I’d suggest, has a problem making decisions.

    However, it’s an affliction which only seems to affect her under certain conditions. For example, say if Kel was the President of the USA and the world was on the brink of global warfare, she’d know what to do in an instant:  She’d assess the situation, look at the button marked “NUCLEAR’’ and make the right call.

    Yet, put Kel in a fashion clothing store and ask her to go wild, she’d go through the entire store three times and still be unsure of what to do (seriously, I have spent an entire day shopping with her to see Kel buy just one item). The other day, normally a perfectly rational person, I saw her completely stress out over what to wear for a picture and change her top on several occasions.

    Well, it appears it runs in the family and, as a bloke in a family with three girls, I fear the path that lies ahead. Princess Ella has gotten into the habit of getting out of a bed  early in the evening, deciding her pyjamas are not appropriate attire and donning something from her “dress ups’’ box.

    Last night I got to tuck Ella in and here she is sound asleep wearing pink tights and her ballet dress. I tuck my tiny dancer under the covers. At 4.30am I hear a scream from Ella’s room: “Dddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddd’’. I run to her, only to be faced with a teary ballerina saying: “I can’t sleep without my pyjamas on’’.

    Despite my pleas and having woken the whole household, Princess Ella does not settle till she changes completely BACK into her PJs. God help me. Like mother, like daughter.

    Do you struggle with decision making?

     

  • PHOTO: Masterchefing with the basics

    PHOTO: Masterchefing with the basics

    IN A bid to help ward off winter bugs, I’ve been pulling out the big guns every second night. Yes, my weapons of choice during those nightly Masterchef moments are one of these:

    garlic
    Garlic

    and one of these:

    onion
    Onion

    Don’t mess with me colds and flus. You’ll only come off second best.

    Will these two be featuring in your meal tonight?

    Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys’ Wordless Wednesday. Click on the link to check out more photo posts.

    Next Wednesday is the relaunch of my Alphabet Photography Challenge, which will feature some of the blogosphere’s best photographers. If you’d like to be part of it, drop me a line.

  • How to brush your teeth (for kids)

    How to brush your teeth (for kids)

    brushing teeth, toddler, preschooler
    Princess Ella's pearly whites after brushing twice a day

    BRUSHING teeth used to set off tantrums in our house bigger than Russell Crowe after having his poem reading cut short. The memories of those moments came flooding back when parents of toddlers started discussing the minty fresh topic during the Colgate Bloggers Brunch in Sydney last month.

    However, something changed with Princess Ella. Maybe it was turning into a preschooler, maybe it was finding a way to make the whole experience fun or it could well be that she’s now in control of the situation. And what three-year-old doesn’t love control?

    With 38% of children aged 5-6 having some form of tooth decay, we all need to find an easier way to get toothbrushes onto pearly whites. So, as part of Oral Health Month this August I thought I’d share some of the tips made by bloggers and NSW Dental Hygienists’ Association of Australia president Melanie Hayes during the bloggers brunch, plus a few of my own.

    Tips for healthy teeth:

    • Use a small, soft brush and, for children over 18 months, a pea-sized amount of low fluoride toothpaste. (Rinse first. You never know where they’ve had it). Try and encourage them to spit the toothpaste out, not swallow it. This can become a game in itself (as you’ll see by the video).
    • Brush twice a day, with the final brush AFTER their night-time milk (if your child is still having a drink of milk at night).
    • Let them have a go at brushing their teeth first, then take over.
    • Face them away from you, looking into a mirror, and brush them as if you were brushing your own teeth. Clean the outer surfaces, the chewing surface and behind the front teeth.
    • If you have more than one child, let them all brush together. Better still, join them and have “family brushing time’’. Kids love to copy.
    • Brush your child’s teeth, while they brush your teeth (a tip by Zoey of Good Goog)
    • Sing The Toothbrush Song from PlaySchool to make the experience a little more entertaining (A little shy on the singing in this video).
    • Have a morning and night-time routine chart on the wall that shows when it’s time to brush. This makes them responsible for remembering when to brush. (Again, it’s the control thing).
    • You should help your child brush their teeth until they are eight years old (I know, good luck to us all).

    Now, for a video of Ella showing how we make brushing teeth fun. So this one’s for the little people in the house. Mums, set the kids up with the laptop for a few minutes and go finish the dishes (or that sneaky bit of chocolate hiding in the pantry).

    What are your tips for getting children to brush their teeth?

  • What’s the ideal age gap between children?

    What’s the ideal age gap between children?

    Girls aged 3 are more likely to cope emotionally with a new sibling.
    Girls aged 3 are more likely to cope emotionally with a new sibling.

    SO, WHAT is the ideal age gap between children? This was a question that came about last week when a reader emailed to admit she was a little low after struggling to conceive her second child. She was desperate for her children to be close in age, but that was starting to look less likely.

    She is now being bombarded with comments from friends and family about how kids need to be close together. Not exactly what you need to hear, right?

    I could relate. I chased The Bloke In The Shed around the bedroom for eight months. It’s the only time he’s faked a headache. However, our two girls ended up a month shy of being three years apart. For us, it turned out to be a blessing.

    Here’s why:

    • After giving birth to Baby Holly, my child health nurse informed me girls aged three are able to cope better emotionally with the change of a new person in the house. There are also less issues with jealousy and behavioural problems. For boys, it is even later – 3.3 years.
    • Princess Ella is able to get nappies and wipes, take herself to the toilet and dress herself.
    • Sleep deprivation is only caused by one child – not two.
    • Ella is capable of entertaining herself while Baby Holly is being fed or put to bed.
    • All children want to be affectionate with their baby sibling, but at a younger age struggle with the concept of being gentle. Mind you, there has been the odd time I’ve caught Ella sitting on Holly. She is not a horse, Ella.

    Of course, Ella still has her moments. She’s just a child after all. However, we’ve found life much easier than for some parents (not all) who have children closer together. But that’s just us.

    My lovely reader is quite keen to hear other parent’s thoughts on the issue. What do you think the ideal age gap is? What’s been your experience?

  • WIN: Aussie Giveaway Linkup #9

    WIN: Aussie Giveaway Linkup #9

    Aussie Giveaway LinkupTHE Leaf Story Starter cards I mentioned last week, which I won from the beautiful Nathalie of EasyPeasyKids, came in good use this week. In fact, they were a bit of a hoot.

    While they’re designed for kids age seven and up, at just 3.5 years Ella quickly grasped onto an abridged version of the game. The idea is for the words or phrases on the cards to start a story to get you communicating with your child.

    Here are Ella’s answers:

    If I had a million dollars: (Ella) “I’d buy a caterpillar’’.

    In five years time: (Mum) “You and Holly will be at school and mummy will be home all by herself’’. (Ella): “You can do your computer work, Mum, and you can do ABC Reading Eggs (kids online program).’’

    I’m good at: (Ella) “Running and falling over.’’

    If I could change the world: (Mum) “My box of chocolates would never run out’’. (Ella): “Oooohhhh’’

    I wish for: (Ella) “A $1.”

    Readers, you can have this much fun and more winning prizes in the linkup. So get clicking.

    If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

    Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately.

    1. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents.
    2. Grab the button to add to your post.
    3. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
    4. Start entering the giveaways!

    This linkup is a combined project with the wonderful Tina Gray. You can link up your giveaway on either of our sites – it all goes into the one linky.

     


    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses and Tina Gray {dot} Me



  • I’m grateful for tissues

    I’m grateful for tissues

    Starting school
    Ella is relieved to know they will have tissues at “big school''

    This week I’m grateful for:

    • Tissues. Since Princess Ella learnt she would be starting pre-kindy later this year, she’s been obsessed with asking if they’ll have tissues. Despite reassuring her that, yes, the school has tissues, she would reignite the conversation every couple of weeks. Finally, on Tuesday, we had our interview with the principal and she got to sit and chat with the teacher. After leaving her in the room with the teacher while we toured the school, we returned to find her with a tissue in her hand. The teacher responded with: “She said she was a bit snuffly and needed a tissue.’’
    • Publicity. My Working with PR post got picked up by PRNewswire this week. Sorry, just had to share.
    • A healthy future. We don’t often listen to the radio, but coming home from childcare the other night we caught the song Marry You by Bruno Mars. Ella piped up with: “I’m going to marry Jack (not his real name).’’ Surprised, at her choice in childcare friends, I asked her if they would be living together. “Yes,’’ she said, cheerfully. “And who will do the cooking?’’ I asked. “Me’’, she said. “And what will you cook?’’ “Soup and vegetables,’’ was her response. Well, at least they’ll be eating healthy.

    I’m joining with  Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.