I’m a mum, and an artist. I’ve been shooting weddings and portraits (and corporate and editorial photographs) professionally since July 2009. But my love of photography began when I was a nine-year-old girl helping my Dad out in our darkroom. I’ve rarely been without a camera around my neck since.
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.
Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys’ Wordless Wednesday. Click on the link to check out more photo posts.
AFTER an “hour of Octonaut power’’ on ABC For Kids on Sunday and full viewing of The Octonauts: Meet the Octonauts DVD, I figured it was time I shared what it was about this show that has mesmerised nearly preschooler Princess Ella. And me, for that matter.
I don’t recall the last show that captured Ella’s imagination to this extent. Every game we play now starts with: “Octonauts, to your stations’’ and “Explore! Rescue! Protect!’’. I’m quite happy to stay in the safe surrounds of the Octopod, to be honest.
The show is based on the books by award-winning design team, Meomi. Captain Barnacles Bear, Lieutenant Kwazii Cat and Medic Peso Penguin dive into action (bad pun, I know) when there is trouble under the sea. Using some rather incredible looking vehicles, they rescue sea creatures and explore the underwater world.
What Ella has taken away from watching the show is:
Recognition of different sea creatures and an appreciation for the beauty of the underwater world. Although, let me know if you ever spot that turnip creature.
Understanding the need to protect and preserve our oceans.
Has fostered her imagination, which has spilled through to our playtime activities and her drawing. She can draw a rather impressive Peso.
The importance of team work in achieving goals. Milking this one during pack up time.
Teaches her about different emotions and how to deal with them.
The Octonauts is such a cute concept and thoroughly enjoyable for children AND parents (I always think this is hugely important. Don’t get me started!). The CGI characters are bright visually, but also in nature as they play out what are strong storylines.
Some may argue the storyline is simply regurgitated each episode – a sea creature finds itself in trouble and the Octonauts come to the rescue – but each plot is fresh and interesting. As all good fish should be. It is, for sure, ABC for Kids’ shining star at the moment, capturing the hearts and imaginations of children.
The Octonauts DVD (RRP: $19.95) has a run time of 77 minutes.
This month Roadshow and ABC are also releasing Giggle and Hoot: Present Hoot-tastic Dress Ups DVD (RRP: $19.99) taking from the popular TV show, and
Giggle and Hoot: Bedtime Stories and Songs CD (RRP $14.95). The CD includes guest appearances from characters from The Wiggles, Shaun the Sheep and Play School to sing 15 songs, including Birdcage Boogie to Hoot’s Lullaby.
Would you like to win a copy of all three titles? For a chance to win ONE OF TWO ABC FOR KIDS PACKS (including The Octonauts: Meet The Octonauts DVD, Giggle and Hoot: Present Hoot-tastic Dress Ups DVD and Giggle and Hoot: Bedtime Stories and Songs CD), simply leave a comment telling us your child’s favourite Octonauts character. The giveaway closes Tuesday, November 1 at 7pm and a winner will be drawn randomly and announced on this blog and via Facebook and Twitter. Australian residents only. Limit of four entries.
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IF YOU’RE friends with me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know I’m not half proud of my last-minute Princess Castle Birthday Cake whipped up for Baby Holly’s first birthday on Saturday.
It started badly when I ran out of eggs to cook the cakes on Friday. Thankfully, it was The Bloke in The Shed to the rescue that night and before bedtime I’d managed three cakes. The next morning, again with a little help from The Bloke in The Shed’s rolling pin skills, we’d finally assembled and decorated the castle well before the afternoon party.
I must give credit to the Donna Hay Kids’ Magazine for the inspiration for the castle
and my trusty Women’s Weekly Kids’ Perfect Party Book for the cake recipe (although, I’ve made just a few tweaks).
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Grease and line 2 x 21cm round by 3cm deep tin + 26 x 21 cm rectangle tin.
Place flour and cocoa into medium bowl, add remaining ingredients. Beat on low with electric mixer until combined, then increase to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
Spread evenly into three pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked.
CASTLE:
Place rectangle cake onto a cake board.
Knead 2 packets of icing on a clean surface until soft, then roll out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick.
Use the baking paper to lift the icing over the rectangle cake. Trim excess and smooth out any corners, creases etc.
Place two circle cakes onto top of the iced rectangle cake. Knead another packet of icing and roll. Cover the two round cakes with the icing.
Cut the 2 jam rolls into halves. Repeat with another 2 packets of icing and cover all 4 pieces of jam roll. Place the rolls at the corners of the rectangle cake, on the board.
Make sugar syrup to brush over the cake for a glossy effect. We used one part sugar to two parts water and boiled for five minutes. Then brushed on with a cooking brush.
Add pink colouring to leftover pieces of icing and knead in until the colour is even. Roll and then cut into various shapes. We used a large heart cutter for the top of the cake and smaller hearts for the top. Medium-sized hearts were used for the windows in the tower and front of the castle. One section of the large heart cutter was used to create the shape for a door and indents were made with a knife to create door handles and “two doors’’. Each should stick onto the sugar syrup coating. If not, stick with melted white chocolate.
Melt the white chocolate, dip the 4 large ice cream cones into the chocolate and then press into the tops of the 4 jam rolls. Place 4 small ice cream cones on top of the large cones.
Decorate with fairies (or princesses) and marshmallows around the edge of the board.
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THE Bloke in The Shed will today be tackling his first Skilled Burnie Ten – an event dubbed Australia’s premier 10km road race. Yes, it’s no easy feat. He wants we three princesses to be there in case something happens. I assume the “something’’ refers to needing an ambulance. We’ll also likely be doing some huffing and puffing from the sidelines to help create a bit of a tail wind for him. Whatever works.
The race (or walk, in his case) starts at 11.15am if you happen to be in Tasmania’s North West and are looking for something to do. There are also activities throughout Burnie, which I’m hoping will occupy the girls while they endure the long wait for their Dad to cross the finish line. In all seriousness, we do wish him all the best.
The race will also be a chance for him to work off yesterday’s birthday cake. Holly’s postponed birthday party finally happened after all the sickness we’ve endured. After running out of eggs on Friday, I had to bake the three cakes late Friday night and then spend yesterday madly assembling and decorating them to create a Princess Castle cake. Here’s the end result:
It's fair to say she was pretty impressed!
Especially when she got to eat it!
The full details of how on earth I created this (with a little help from hubby and his rolling pin) will come tomorrow.
By the way, if you’re wondering whether or not to start clicking on the links below in a bid to win something, here’s what I won from Crash Test Mummy last week and used at the party yesterday.
How cute are they? OK then, off you go. Start clicking.
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What’s been your favourite birthday cake creation thus far as a mum?
Holly making herself a drink in her big sister's kitchen.
MY WEAPONS of mass lactation look more like shrinking violets after a year of being sucked dry by Baby Holly. It’s the signal for her to transition from one old cow (me) onto a new cow (shiny plastic bottle in the fridge). Yes, goodbye free boobie juice.
That’s not to say I’m giving up breastfeeding just yet. We’ll be milking it for a while longer – pardon the pun. However, it is time to introduce the “other white milk’’ – aka, cow’s milk.
So far, it’s been a slow process. The first couple of times Holly wasn’t going to have a bar of not having her usual mid morning bazookas. She sprayed the cow’s milky goodness all over my face. Take that, Mum. This is despite having had cow’s milk on her cereal each morning for a while now.
Yesterday, I recalled a trick I used when Ella was weaning and put the warmed milk into a baby bottle instead of her sippy cup. It worked. She’s now on the road to saying goodbye to the best milk dispenser she’ll ever have. Ah yes, thanks for the mammaries, Mum.
Here are some other things I know about introducing cow’s milk to a one-year-old:
They're also good for chewing on!
Introduce it gradually. What worked with Ella was dropping one feed per week. This has multiple benefits – your “girls’’ have time to adjust, it prevents them becoming engorged and the child’s tummy gradually becomes used to the richer cow’s milk.
If they refuse the milk, try giving it to them in a different cup or bottle. Although, our aim is to get Holly back onto her cup as soon as possible. But whatever works to start with.
Give your child pasteurised full-fat cow’s milk until aged two, by which stage they can go onto reduced fat milk.
We warm the milk in a container of hot water so it’s closer to the temperature of breast milk.
Offer the milk AFTER meals as cow’s milk is quite filling and could lead to a lesser amount of solids consumed.
There are lots of other ways to help your child meet their calcium intake requirements, including cheese, yoghurt, baked beans and tinned salmon. Variety is key.
Some children may be lactose intolerant. It’s best to see an expert if this is the case.
**UPDATE**: Have just seen the child health nurse this morning and she suggested giving Holly the milk straight from a glass. If she refuses, take it away and try again the next time.
THE other night on my personal Facebook page there was a bit of harmless office gossip going on. It was actually more a bit of fun than gossip, because it was instigated by the person the gossip was about.
As the conversation grew, so did the inclusion of ex workmates – me included. It ended up being more like an online reunion. During the conversation, I added the comment: “Ah, I so miss office gossip. Ella whispers secrets in my ear, but they’re nowhere near as interesting!’’
It got me thinking. While I wouldn’t change what I’m doing now for all the world (although going through the height of sickness this week did have me questioning it once or twice), some days I miss the banter that goes on in the office. The: “Did you hear she’s leaving?’’, “Did you see the size of that engagement ring?’’ or “Did you know he had a love child stashed away?’’ Oh sorry, that was Kyle Sandilands. Wrong office.
Don’t get me wrong, I have some incredible Mum PR clients who I speak to regularly on the phone or via Skype. And because we’re all sleep and conversation deprived mums, we do tend to natter a little longer than the usual office coffee break. So in that respect, I’m pretty blessed.
Really though, can anything compared to conversations like this one with Ella yesterday after hearing an ambulance siren down town?
Ella: “Quick Mum, let’s follow and find out what’s happening’’.
Me: “It’s OK darling, we don’t need to follow them today.’’
Ella (pulling out her pretend phone); “Yes, hello? I’m on my iPhone. I thought you might like to know I heard eee-awwws. Yes, we’re on our way. To your stations.’’
Yes, she’ll always be the daughter of an Editor and someone who watches way too much Octanauts.
Do you miss the (harmless) office gossip now you’re a stay-at-home or work-at-home mum? Or is there something about your old workplace you miss more?
