Happy Birthday to our gorgeous girl Ella.
It’s hard to believe five years have passed since this photo.
And that we now have this:
I can only shake my head…
Love you, love you and a big Happy Birthday. x
Category: Life and laughter
-
Some people don’t deserve kids
By Julian O’Brien
It was a typically wild winter day in Tassie and no other car was silly enough to be parked in the local playground car park. It was deserted.
I wasn’t there to play on the swings in the driving rain and freezing wind. No, a recently discovered fetish for running and exercise meant I was spending a rare weekday off, in weather which I’d only seen on crab-fishing reality TV shows from the North Atlantic, by doing a casual 12km run.
Yet it was not the run that was to cause me concern. Aside from being a launching point for the run that day, this park had a special place for our family and we were regular visitors…. albeit when the weather was a tad better.
It was only back from my run, which I enjoyed by the way, my mood changed. On returning to the park, I could see another car parked not far from mine. Not that strange. What was strange though was there was a young boy not much older than our Princess Ella running around the play equipment in the Antarctic weather in just a t-shirt and jeans unsupervised.
The real issue
As I neared my car I could see a male and two females in the other car and that eased my mind – but only temporarily. Strapping on my seatbelt and looking to reverse, I spied out of the corner of my eye the female passenger lift a bong to her mouth, breathe in and exhale in the car. Well, that explained the “unsupervised” thing.
I shook my head and continued reversing, but to my horror I watched as the kid ran from the playground and jumped straight into the back seat which only moments before had resembled the set of a Cheech and Chong movie. The driver in the other car started his engine and THEY started to reverse.
A parent’s values
Now, I’m no prude and I’ve had my share of “life experiences” but if having children taught me one thing it was I needed to take more responsibility for the sake of the souls I’d chosen to bring into this world. I was livid. I drove slowly out of the car park long enough to block the other car and report the incident and vehicle to a mate in the local police station.
I took no joy or pleasure from that and there are still days I wonder about that little bloke in that car, hoping to God he is receiving the parenting every kid deserves. Do I feel guilty about what I did? Not on your life.
What it did reinforce to me was that not everyone views parenting the way myself and Kel do and maybe, just maybe, we have to make a stand in our own communities at times to right that balance.
What would you have done in the same situation?
-
Letter to my daughter: Happy 2nd birthday
To my darling Li’l Holly,
Two years ago today you had me in a great deal of pain. You were on your way to greet the world and you were making sure we knew it.
Two years on, you’re at “school’’ (child care) with your friends, probably telling them to “come on’’ as you run off to the sand pit. Or asking you carer if you can “go to toilet’’. You’ll sit on the toilet, ask for “Paper. Wipe’’, but not actually wee. You’ll repeat that about 10 times throughout the day – never actually doing a wee. But we answer your call. Next time, you might just succeed.
You’ve grown into this incredibly smart little girl. Your language skills – how you can string together sentences – astounds me. A lot of this you’ve learnt from your sister. You’re both chatterboxes, fighting to be heard.
Just so you know: we hear you.
Both.
While learning to walk took a little longer – and you still manage to fall flat on a regular basis – you can dance like no other two year old. I’m sure the hip wiggle chicken wing dance will catch on in the dance world one day.
And you sing. Boy, can you sing. Like your big sister, you are destined for the stage. You know ever word to the entire High School Musical album. I think it’s time to start showing those videos.
Combine all that with a smile that can melt any heart and we’re not sure how we got so lucky.
Happy birthday, beautiful.
And one more thing before I go.
Love you, love you.
Love Mum-Mum x
-
The day I thought I was having a heart attack – emergency plan for kids
Ella was just three the day I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out, it was just a bit of indigestion. I may have slightly overreacted. It prompted me to write the post I don’t want to leave my daughters helpless about teaching Ella what to do in an emergency.
I posted about it on Facebook and got a host of suggestions on ways to educate them, including the hilarious response from Barb who, after teaching her daughter to dial 000, decided to feign collapse. Instead of ringing for help, her daughter jumped up and down on her guts… not a good result
Ella is now nearly five and learning to read, so I thought it was time we updated our emergency plan. If you can recall, the ringing Dad bit was easy. If Dad didn’t answer, then teaching her to ring 000 was fine too.
It was this conversation that was worrying:
Where do you live, Ella?
Ella: “Hippopatmus Drv, Devonport (not our real street address, in case you were wondering!)’’. That’s fantastic, except we’re missing the all-important house number.
“I don’t know.’’ After explaining that, yes, it’s seven, we tried again.
“7 Hippopotamus Dve, Hobart’’. What? OK, so we’d just been to Hobart for a holiday. Let’s try again.
“Devonport’’ OK, what about the rest of the address? Try again.
“Um, I can’t remember.’’Challenging? Just slightly!
While she knows our address well now, I’ve created an emergency plan with the crucial name and address on it incase (heaven forbid) she draws a plank under pressure. At least if she forgets her address or struggles reading the words on the plan, she can spell out the letters!
Here’s a downloadable version of our plan (with three options depending on your phone) to take your child through the process of:
1. Finding the phone:
2. Dialing the number
3. Pressing the “call” button
4. Speaking to dad/mum
5. If dad/mum doesn’t answer, hang up and dial 000 and press “call”.
6. Then, for those children that can read, having their name and address clearly written.
Click the image or the links to download a copy of the one relevant to you, print and stick near your phone.
1. With the phone number, then the call button
2. With the call button, then the phone number
3. With a coloured dot to signify programmed numbers (you can place coloured dots on the number son your phone).Other tips from readers:
- Place important numbers on speed dial. For example, Dad is 1, Mum 2, Grandma 3, 000 is 4…
- Again, use speed dial, but replace the number with coloured dots. Use Dad’s favourite colour.
- Place the coloured dots on the numbers on the phone and pictures of each person on the fridge with their colour next to them.
- Teach kids to call “triple zero’’, rather than “triple O”. With text messaging so big these days the young are trying to dial “666″ – ie the letter “o” button!
- When teaching children their address, ask them questions as you’re driving home. For example, “now we’re turning in to our street. Which street do we live in?’’ and count down the houses till you get to your house. “What number do we live at?’’ and “what colour is our house?’’
Have you taught your child what to do in an emergency? What are your tips?
-
How to foster a child’s imagination + Pink Poppy giveaway CLOSED
It’s not uncommon to witness a little person, decked out in full dress up, stomping down the hallway. And you’ve never seen a nearly five-year-old work those heels quite like Ella does. I didn’t even know she had hips!
It appears Holly is following suit with her love of dress ups. This week she had on a PJ top, trackie pants, a sheep beanie, a pair of bathers, a mermaid outfit and matching mermaid bag – all at once. She thought she looked utterly gorgeous – and that’s all that matters. (Here she is partly dressed in the above mentioned)
To listen to the stories they create when they’re “made up’’ just reinforces how important it is to foster their imaginations – and capture some hilarious photos for their 18th birthdays.
Then there were the tea parties. I think the novelty lies in being able to pour water from the sweet little teapot into the dainty tea cups and drink from them. Water mess inside I can deal with. And who can’t resist having these little tea cups, saucers, teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug sitting on the kitchen bench against the kettle.
For me, it’s been a big educational experience. Like, did you know purple tea is the best kind of tea? That Rebecca* did something naughty at school and had to sit in the corner? That Holly (nearly 2) can’t pour the tea because she’s not big enough (according to nearly five-year-old Ella who is chief tea pourer)?
The latest creative play comes courtesy of Pink Poppy, who supplied us with:
The beautiful tea set, dainty jewellery box with drawers, old-style bedside clock, snow globe, notepad with mermaid stickers and
sweet turquoise mermaid outfit with matching bag,
Each embraced the mermaid theme. What stands out for me is the quality of the products, how beautifully designed they are and how they’re all traditional toys that fully developing the girls’ imaginations. More importantly, the girls haven’t tired of them, like they do so many of their “gadget’’ toys.
The site allows you to search by “theme” (buzzy bee, dancing, dinosaur, dragon, ladybug and more), making it easy. The real issue is choosing what theme and THEN what products! To learn more about Pink Poppy visit the blog, Twitter and Facebook.
We’re giving away the entire collection for your little people to foster their imaginations. To win, simply tell us: what is your child’s favourite game using their imagination?
Terms and conditions: The Pink Poppy competition will be judged on creativity and originality. The competition opens Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 1pm AEST and closes on Monday, October 1, 2012 at 7.30pm AEST. One entry per person. Australian entries only. There is one prize winner. The winner will be notified via email and name published here. Entries remain the property of Three Li’l Princesses and may be republished.
If you would like to learn about more of our giveaways, make sure you sign up to our eNewsletters. You’ll also find more giveaways in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup.
DISCLAIMER: I received all the item above to try with the girls. I have not been paid to write this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
*Not her real name
ENTRIES NOW CLOSED
-
What it feels like to be a mother
Women go through all gamut of emotions when they enter motherhood. I thought I’d share some of the strange and wonderful feelings I’ve experienced during the past five-odd years.
That feeling you get when you `do it’ for the first time without protection when deciding to start a family.
That feeling you get when you’re still doing it eight months later with no result.That feeling you get when you feel your child kick inside you for the first time.
That feeling you get when you realise it’s somehow got to come out yet.That feeling you get when your baby finally crowns. Um… ouch.
That feeling you get when you hold your child for the first time.That feeling you get when your child says their first word.
That feeling you get when your child just won’t stop talking.That feeling you get when your child heads off for their first day of school.
That feeling you get when school holidays arrive.That feeling you get when your child draws a masterpiece on their bedroom wall.
That feeling you get when your child puts their arms around you and says “I love you’’.This is just an overview of some of the feelings I’ve had during the past five years. Li’l Holly is about to turn two and Princess Ella is about to turn five. As @dufussy tweeted this week: “the days are long, but the years are short’’.
What are the standout feelings from your time as a mum?
