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Category: Life and laughter

Pink or blue for you?

My pink baby, Holly

THIS is a post from the archives. However, it’s a question Princess Ella still asks now, so I thought it might give you all a giggle.

‘’MUM, can we take Holly back and get a boy one?’’

When Princess Ella uttered these words last week, my body went stiff, like someone had jabbed me with the oxytocin needle again to expel the placenta.

My answer? No way.

It’s not because of all the months of chasing my husband around the bedroom like a cheetah chases a limping gazelle (yes, remember that scene from the Mum’s The Word column?).

Nor because of the spewing in those early months of being up the duff, that reminds me of how I used to spend New Year’s Eve.

It also has nothing to do with feeling like an ant pushing out an elephant at the final hurdle. OK, so maybe it has just a little something to do with that last bit.

No, the real reason is I’m quite partial to pink. Or, more correctly, I’ve got no idea how you go about dealing with boy bits. Yeah, yeah, I know, I’ve been preggers twice, so I must have some idea.

Princess Ella, on the other hand, seems to have a real fascination with ‘’scoody doodies’’ – her term, not ours. Apparently her friend Harry at child care has a scoody doodie.

‘’But he’s only got a little scoody doodie,’’ she says. Note: Harry is not his real name in fear of bruising the pride of his father.

For the record, girls, it’s been determined, have ‘’front bottoms’’. Oh, how boring. We’ve already got one bottom. No wonder she wants a brother.

So, what about you? Are you more partial to pink or blue? And what names have your children given their (usually not so) private bits?

October 10, 2011
Grateful for birthday wishes… even if it’s for a unicorn
ALTHOUGH I posted about having a faeces of a week, I actually do have a few things to be grateful for:
- Unicorn birthday wishes: Yet another inspiring conversation with Princess Ella this week: Ella: “Mum, can I have a unicorn for my birthday?’’ Me: “And where would we buy one of those?’’ Ella: “From a unicorn shop, silly. They have lots of different sorts of unicorns there.’’ Me: “ Thanks. That’s good to know.’’ I am now on the hunt for the unicorn shop. If you have directions, please pass them on.
- 111 people are talking about my Facebook page: I’ll admit, I had no idea what “111 people are talking about this’’ meant when I saw it tucked under my Facebook profile banner. Exactly what is the “this’’ they’re talking about? I thought I should ask someone. That “someone’’ was Facebook people. And they had an answer. Apparently they’re not ALL talking about me, some are just clicking the “share’’ or “like’’ button – lazy, I say, darn lazy – but none-the-less, I’m in 111 people’s minds this week. Scary.
- Birthday presents: Holly doesn’t fully understand that while it was her first birthday on Monday, it was Ella who opened all her presents. I’m sure this will be a different scenario in 12 months time. But let’s not go there just yet. For now, let her bask in the glory of her li’l mountain of wrapping paper. Which was actually Christmas paper, but let’s not go there either.
I’m joining with Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.
October 7, 2011
The not so Happy Birthday
Yes, that's Christmas paper. Like she's going to notice!

I KNOW I’ve had a right faeces of a week. Monday was meant to be all about celebrating Baby Holly’s first birthday. That point where I softly kiss goodbye to our dependent li’l bub and embrace a fully fledged toddler who’s ready to begin along a new path in life.

Sweet music was meant to play, princesses were meant to dance around the room and there was supposed to be lots of cake. Cake with pink icing. And I planned to talk about this gorgeous pop-up version of Guess How Much I Love You?

*INSERT screeching noise from old record player… or car breaks (whatever takes your fancy)*

Instead, enter skin that looks like it’s baked in the sun for four hours, chins dribblier than a cow chewing its cud for the fourth time and 4am starts to the day. Yes, welcome to Hand Foot and Mouth Disease. And before you do the “shock-horror’’ face, it has nothing to do with cows (I don’t know how many times I’ve repeated those words this week). And don’t fret, I won’t gross you out with photos of the blisters. But here’s her hands holding her birthday bracelet instead.

Here’s what I know about Hand Foot and Mouth Disease:
- It’s a mild viral illness, which includes slight fever, loss of appetite (never in this house!) and blisters on the hands, feet and mouth.
- There’s a 3-5 day incubation period.
- It’s spread through contact with the fluid in the blisters (ewww) or their faeces (double ewww).
- The blisters are infectious for as long as there is fluid in them and the faeces remain infectious for several weeks.
- No treatment is required. You basically have to allow the blisters to dry naturally (easier said than done when fingers are in mouths to help ease teething pain).
- Princess Ella and I have become slightly obsessive about hand washing.
- Bonjela (or as we call it, Bon Jovi minus the big hair) goes a long way in easing the pain of the blisters and ulcers in their mouth. They can also get a sore mouth a few days before the ulcers appear.
- The blisters on their hands and feet don’t appear to bother them.
- Someone suggested icy poles are also a good remedy for little ones who refuse to eat or drink.
Top this all off with the fact the groceries I’d ordered from Woollies online arrived yesterday – full of use-by-as-soon-as-you-can items for Holly’s birthday party. The party which has been postponed a week. I know we’ll be eating well this week.

NB: This information was gained from a leaflet provided by childcare and tweets and Facebook messages from fellow mums. Please, consult a health professional for expert advice.

Linking up Shae from Yay for Home’s Things I Know.
October 7, 2011
Alphabet Photography Challenge – M

With Christmas on the way and in the air it’s time to spread this Merry cheer. Can you find the letter M on Kirsty from Mummy To Five’s cute little elf Harry?

By Kirsty of Mummy To Five

Being a mother of five I’ve always had a love of photography, which has stemmed from when I was in high school and taking photography classes. My husband and I have a photography business, which keeps us busy. But I love taking photos of my children mostly. If I don’t have my camera in my hand, I’ll always have my iPhone to take photos with.

You can learn more about Kirsty, her family and her photography at Mummy To Five or connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

If you would like to contribute a photo to the Alphabet Photography Challenge, a series of posts aimed at being a “look and find” activity for children learning the alphabet, please email. There are now only SIX letters remaining.

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

October 5, 2011
Grateful for having control over my own uterus
This week I’m grateful for:
- Having control over my own uterus: This is the conversation I had with Ella this week: Ella: “Mum, can we have a brother?’’. Me: “No, darling, you struggle to look after your sister, let alone having a brother.’’ Ella: “Pleeeeeease, I’ll look after Holly more. I promise.’’ Me: “No darling, unfortunately we can’t’’. Ella: “Ooooohhhh, but I waaaant a brother. I will be very sad.’’ She then starts crying. Real tears. As I said. I’m grateful I have control over my own uterus. We are not getting a brother. (PS. A long conversation ensued after this).
- Going to Melbourne: After deciding we wouldn’t have any more trips to the big island this year, a bloggy trip for me, cheap flights and constant pestering from Princess Ella to see her uncle somehow swayed us. Within 10 minutes of the idea. So… woohoo! Any suggestions on what to do are most welcome.
- Dora: Did I really just say Dora? Yes, I believe I did. She entertained Princess Ella for an hour and a half this afternoon, with all her over-sized friends, extremely daggy backdrops and irritatingly high-pitched singing voice. And I’m grateful for “who I know’’ not “what I know’’. Having booked tickets so late Ella and I weren’t even meant to be sitting in the same row, because of my past as a music journo we got the entire VIP row near the front of the theatre BY OURSELVES. Although, I might add, the downside of being up front is choking on the contents of the smoke machine.
I’m joining Maxabella Loves‘ I’m grateful for, hosted this week by Jody from Lemon Rhodes.
September 30, 2011
SHED: Boo you, Dad

“Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,’’ she said. I know you haven’t lived as a father until you have been booed relentlessly by your own three-year-old daughter.

She wasn’t mucking around either. “Boooooooooooooooooooo,’’ said Princess Ella in the back seat of the car. The boos were loud and continuous and in fact lasted from the time I picked her up from childcare till the time we went up the driveway at home. I’m not even exactly sure where she learned to boo.

Okay, explanation. Ella had been looking forward to her little sister, Baby Holly, spending some time with her at childcare. You see, as Holly’s nearly one, we’re slowly introducing her to childcare with an eventual view to her spending at least one day a week there.

Doing my bit, I dropped Ella off at childcare in the morning and travelled to my workplace in another city, while Princess Kel was to take Holly in later. Hours later I got a call from a frantic Kel, who’d been searching the house high and low for her car keys, only to then discover I’d taken both sets with me inadvertently.

A decision was made and due to my work commitments, Holly would not be going into childcare that day and was housebound. Needless to say, Ella was less than impressed when I explained to her what had happened on picking her up from childcare. “Booooooooooooooooooooooo,’’ she said. Yep, dad was in the poo with both mother and daughter.

Ella is immensely proud of her sister and loves to show her off to her friends at childcare and she was clearly upset dad had ruined her chance at gloating. Therefore, I know I deserved the “boooooooooooooooooo’’. Oh well, I know it probably won’t be the last time I deserve it.

Have you ever been booed by your children? Or worse?

Linking up Shae from Yay for Home’s Things I Know.

September 30, 2011