The last photo taken of Baby Holly before she “did the deed''.
This week I’m grateful for:
Princess Ella starting to get this bloggy thing. After drawing a picture on her Magna Doodle of her and I holding babies each (yes, questions to be asked there), she said: “look at what I just blogged, Mum?’’
That the fully furnished cardboard box doll house has been such a hit for her today, after battling a high temperature last night and chesty cough today. Was so lovely to see her happily playing.
That earlier in the week she captured a moment in time that I wouldn’t think to photograph. I’ve decline showing it here, because Baby Holly may well divorce me in years to come. However, let’s just say the grimace on Baby Holly’s face told the full story. The odour in the room only complimented that. And the reason I’m grateful? Can you imagine how much ammunition I’ll get out of that on her 21st birthday?
I’m joining with Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.
I KNOW that you’ve all been waiting for the follow up post to the grand doll house. You know, the one where I promised the equally grand doll furniture? Well, the wait is over. Brace yourselves – this post features furniture that even Harvey Norman would be happy to house. Prices will never be slashes on these little beauties.
Before unveiling the wonderful individual creations we made yesterday, there are a few things I know I learnt and want to share.
I know I forgot an oven. Maybe it was a subconscious thing, because cooking dinner conjures up images of witching / arsenic / feral hour.
I know that while you left beautiful comments on the grand doll house post (for which I was very grateful), you were surely humouring me when you said you liked the beer carton version. Right?
I know I have a creative daughter. Despite being quite ill yesterday and wanting to just watch mummy make the furniture for her to play with, she did manage to make a car – unprompted and without assistance.
I know this project would have been great for product placement. Now there’s an idea for brands!
So, I know that about now you’re itching to find out how to make the furniture. So here goes:
Take an egg carton and a used toilet roll
Cut out two of the cups from the egg carton and cover in coloured paper to make chairs. Cut the toilet roll in half and glue to a circle to make a table. We used a piece of foam from a craft bucket.
Take a rectangle box (see the product placement photo) and open one end so the flaps become a bed head and bedside drawers. Cover with a piece of decorated paper for a bedspread. Fold paper over a straight piece of egg carton for a pillow.
Take another rectangle box.
Cover it in paper and draw on a sink, taps, cupboards and drawers.
Use a Kinder Surprise toy container for a… loo. Yes, we don’t have an oven, but we have a dunny. And it’s in the bedroom. Let’s hope bowel movements happen in the mornings.
Positioned right where people can see through the window. Classy.
Assemble it all into the house and… ta da! Fit for a princess… who probably just wants to curl up in the bed right now and sleep. Poor little girl.
Does your child have a doll house – made or bought? Or maybe one of those cool two-storey car parks with a ramp?
Ella as she was dressed at the beginning of the night.
STILL battling a feral teething, sleepless baby, I thought I’d tackle something more positive for this month’s Sleep Challenge. Like, how to get your children to love bedtime. Apologies if you just choked on your Weetbix. I say positive, because I’m pretty thankful the princesses are in bed by 7pm and happy to be there. What’s our secret?
It’s something we heard from some expert on a radio program a few years back and since adopting it, it’s turned bedtime around for us. Baby Holly is still a little young for this to be of any effect, but it’s ideal for three-year-old Ella.
Rather than throwing them over your shoulder, legs kicking and screaming so loud it makes the neighbours contemplate calling Family Services, we do the bedtime routine – milk, books and songs. OK, nothing new there. Unless, of course, you include the addition of jokes. Knock knock jokes to be exact. Humdingers like:
Ella: “Knock knock’’
Dad: “Who’s there?’’
Ella: “Ben.’’
Dad: “Ben who?’’
Ella: “You’d better go and ben-d down or you’ll spread Vegemite all over your face. Hahaha!’’
Not so thankful for those jokes. But I digress.
The key is then leaving on her night light and allowing her to read or play quietly until she’s sleepy. I know, not very groundbreaking. But it works. The idea is that kids should be allowed to go to sleep when they’re ready. They shouldn’t be forced to go to sleep when they’re not sleepy. This turns the whole experience into a positive one.
So now, we do our bedtime routine, tell her to read or play and that we’ll check in on her in 10 minutes. Sometimes when we go back in she’s out to it. Usually she’s upside down and wearing half her dress up box. But she’s in bed asleep, none the less. Other times she has all her “friends’’ (aka teddies and dolls) lined up in bed and a book turned outwards as she reads to them. She even does the “licking your finger’’ thing before turning pages.
Sure, there are periods where she keeps getting out of bed. “I need a wee. I need something to drink. I need… attention!’’ We just adopt the reward system – if you don’t get out, you get a reward at the end of the week. For us, it works.
PS. This post was inspired by a Twitter conversation about what time your children go to bed, with Lina from Mother’s Love Letters, Megan from Writing Out Loud (whose daughter “asked’’ to go to bed at 6.30pm last night), Alli from Motivating Mum (who responded with “What! I wish!’), Kirsty from Mummy To Five (who has five in bed by 7pm) and Sarah from Whisper Mum’s The Word. It was then taken to Facebook, where it exploded.
The consensus was 6.30-7.30pm. A few were 8-8.30pm. Some moved sleep times later as their children got older.
Hege is a South Melbourne-based photographer. She’s been taking photos for a long time, but hasn’t taken the plunge to leave the office and do it full time. She is currently shooting with a Canon EOS 50D, with a couple of different lenses and a speedlite. You can find see more of Hege’s work on Red Bubble.
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.
LONG-time readers may remember the Happiness Project I took part in, courtesy of Naomi from Seven Cherubs. She’s now started another project, this time titled Cherish Your Cherubs. It will run over six weeks with a different weekly task – record, remember, interview, praise, write and affection.
The assignment for this week was to Record what your cherubs are like right now. Naomi posed some questions to think about before writing, but I thought I’d just answer those questions directly.
Here they are:
Ella, nearly four years old (just ask her), intelligent, funny and a giggle pot. She possesses great empathy and love towards others.
Her interests: singing, dancing and talking… lots of it!
What she likes: She is obsessed with ABC Reading Eggs, which is an online tool to help children from 4-7 years read. She was flying through it, until our free subscription ran out. Looks like I’ll be subscribing!
What she dislikes: Baked beans.
Favourite food: Steak. Yes, expensive taste.
Favourite game to play: Snap, which is actually Fish. I taught her Snap, then called it Fish, now she refuses to accept it’s not called Snap.
Favourite saying: Other than “I’m huuuungry’’, she ends nearly every sentence with “OK?’’ (said with a slight drawl) For eg, “I need something to eat, OK?’’, “I need to go to the toilet, OK?’’
Favourite song: Justine Clarke’s I Love To Sing and Play School’s Put Your Finger On Your Finger On Your Finger – just that particular verse… over and over again.
Favourite television show: Despite hearing quite a bit of “to your stations, Octonauts’’, I am rather happy to say it’s still ol’ favourite, Play School.
Favourite book: This changes too frequently, mainly because we go to the library most Saturdays. Today it would be Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy.
Favourite friend: Definitely her baby sister. She loves her like she loves no other. As far as non-related friends, she has a bestie at school (aka child care) who she keeps inviting to come for a sleepover. When I ask where she’d sleep, she replies: “my bean bag’’.
Holly, 10 months old, happy, easy going and pretty adept at meeting the physical milestones early. Loves to give kisses.
Her interests: Dancing and singing. Can you see a theme here? Already, she rocks it out when music plays and starts making a “ahhhh’’ noise.
What she likes: Boobie juice and the sight of mum, dad or her sister first thing after waking up.
What she dislikes: Sleep… still.
Favourite food: Steak. Where do these girls get their taste from?
Favourite game to play: Peek-a-boo.
Favourite saying: “Dad dad’’. Although, I am proud to add that today (what timing, hey) there was a clear and distinct “mum’’. Yay!
Favourite song: When her sister sings Put your finger on your finger on your finger.
Favourite television show: OK, so she’s not old enough for TV just yet, but she has been known to become a little glued to the box when Toy Box comes on.
Favourite book: Growl. Eeerytime the word “growl’’ is read, she responds with “grrrr’’. Cute.
Favourite friend: Her big sister. Clearly. Apart from when she gets in her face too much and then she doesn’t want a bar of her.
What traits do you love about your cherubs? Can you relate to any of the above?
THERE’S a reason I became a journalist. Like alcohol and Mel Gibson, numbers and I don’t mix very well. So when my number-genius friend Amie and I started talking family finances and spendthrift husbands (mine, at least), it made sense to ask her to write something on how she manages the family budget. While as the treasurer of the household I sometimes think I’m doing a better job than Wayne Swan, there is certainly room for improvement. And Amie’s tips are so easy to follow and implement.
By Amie Bramich
This is my budgeting technique that has been with me since I first moved out of home; it has evolved through uni, buying a home, a wedding and now a family.
It is not complicated but it does seem to be working fairly efficiently for us as a family, I think it would be suitable for those who pool their incomes and those who like to keep them separate. It is ideal for keeping track of those day-to-day living expenses! You don’t need much – a list of your costs broken down to your particular income frequency and a few envelopes.
Below is a step-by-step guide for getting started and a few tips along the way!
1. Identify regular income sources and frequency
I have tended to not include bonus income such as tax refunds; but rather see these as a savings bonus or for special family treats such as mini breaks.
2. Identify as best you can all regular fixed costs.
This can seem a daunting task, I have found that it is best to not over think this, rather let it naturally evolve with your budget.
Keep the categories broad and leave a little room in your allocations for those unexpected items.
3. Now check your totals!
I have always done this out to a weekly and an annual level, ensuring your income covers your costs on pay day and over the year.
This is an interesting exercise as it gives you a big picture of where your cash is going!
4. Label envelopes (or if you prefer a folder) as you have cash expenses with the required amounts. Then as the bills roll in you have the cash needed!
This technique can be adapted for those who prefer to leave their cash in the bank account with a spreadsheet instead of envelopes.
In my experience the hardest part of this technique (and any other budgeting method) is sticking to it! Also, try not to “borrow” from your bill stash, this can lead to trouble!
You can download a larger version of the test budget worksheet by clicking the image. NB: Aurora is the supplier of Tasmania’s electricity.
Do you have a technique for managing the family budget? Or, like me, do you battle a spendthrift husband?
