Conversations with my 3 year old

Our conversations are getting more interesting these days...

Me: "Do you love Frankie?"
3yo: "Yes, she's our pet dog."
Me: "She's very special isn't she?"
3yo: "She's not special, she's just NORMAL."

Some difficult questions:
"Who made the beach?"
"Who do rocks come from?"
"Where do our poo go after we flush the toilet?"

On my taste in music:
3yo: "So AWFUL! Turn it off mummy!"

On my singing:
3yo: (hands on ears) "I'm NOT listening."

Me: "Hey, cutie pie."
3yo: "I'm not cutie pie. I'm Mr. Strong."

Me: "Why is your bottom soooo cute?"
3yo: "My bottom is not cute, it's BIG."

Conversations with my nearly 3 yo

My nearly 3yo has an obsession with dinosaurs and eggs.

Nearly 3yo: "Alex Mummy go cave?"
Me: "Yeah sure, we can visit a cave one day."
Nearly 3yo: "And find dinosaur?"
Me: "That might be a bit hard."

Me: "Can you help Nanna find her knitting?"
Nearly 3yo: "Mystery, can't find it."

Me: "Come sweetie, Mummy give you a kiss."
Nearly 3yo: "No, Mummy sick. Germs come in my mouth, make me sick."
Me: "Oh yeah, that's right. Just a kiss on your forehead then."

Me: "Hey, Mummy has a surprise for you!"
Nearly 3yo: "What is it?!"
Me: "You guess."
Nearly 3yo: "Egg?"

Nearly 3yo, counting money from his piggy bank
Me:" Hey sweetie, put the money back, you don't need it."
Nearly 3yo: "Alex need it!"
Me: "What for? What do you need to buy?"
Nearly 3yo: "Chicken, egg, ice cream!"

Party planning - Alexander's construction themed birthday

Alexander's birthday is still a couple of months away but he was quite adamant we started planning after attending a couple of his friends' parties and so we did. We started off by making a list of people he wanted to invite, he named a couple of his favourite friends, before deciding it might be a good idea for Mummy to be there. And then as an afterthought, he invited his Daddy too.

Then we had to decide on the theme which was an easy task, seeing as Alexander is just obsessed with construction and diggers and trucks. Never in my life had I imagined I would be planning a construction themed party but there you go, we found these gorgeously appropriate invites from Tiny Prints which got Alexander's big tick of approval. I ordered them together with matching envelope liners, wrapping paper, decorative stickers for use on goodie bags and even I got all excited at the thought of having Alexander and all his friends having a ball digging around with their diggers and trucks.

We're so ready to party!

Except, Alexander has had a change of heart and has now decided, "Nobody come to my party!" And guess why? Because he doesn't want to share his birthday cake.

Toddlers. They're tricky.

Conversations with my 2.5 yo

Everyday is a fun day conversing with my little man.

Me: "You're such a handsome little man, Alexander!!"
2.5yo: (shakes head) "Alex not man."

Me: "Alex try some baked beans, they're really yummy."
2.5yo: "Alex can't like baked beans. No, Alex can't like that."

2.5yo: (Counting) "One, two, eight, nine, ten."

Me: "Do you love mummy?"
2.5yo: "Yes."
Me: "Little or a lot?"
2.5yo: "Alex love you lots."

More conversations with my 2.5yo

At 2.5 years of age, Alexander is quite the twonager.

Me: "Alex, don't spit your food out, that's not good table manners"
2.5yo: "Sorry, mate."

Me: "Good night Alexander, sleep tight, don't let the bed...."
2.5yo: "Quiet mum, too noisy. Wake everybody up."

2.5yo: "Stand over there, mum."
Me: "OK. But why?"
2.5yo: "Coz."

2.5yo: "Alex need money, mummy."
Me: "What for?"
2.5yo: "Buy ice-cream."

Golden Ridge Animal Farm

One of Alexander's favourite little friends, Annabel, turned two recently, so last Saturday, we attended her birthday party at Golden Ridge Animal Farm out at Dural and had an absolute blast. We did a walk around the farm and fed the hungry goats and sheep. We also walked into an open paddock for a more hands on experience with the animals.

As you may know, Alex is a huge animal lover and very comfortable around animals, having been to a couple of different farms previously. But it took even me by surprise how game-on he was on the day, having a go at everything, from milking a cow, bottle feeding a little lamb to riding a pony!

We also got up close and personal with little ducklings, chicks and rabbits. Alexander was thrilled to bits when he was given the opportunity to pat and cuddle them.

I love that this party was not about the kids stuffing their faces with cakes and lollies (though they did make an appearance at the end), rather, it was more about having fun whilst interacting with and learning about farm animals.  It was certainly one of the best parties we've been to to date. 

Not pictured: The cow doing a giant poo shortly after Alexander milked it.

What did you do on the weekend?

Best apple ever

When Alexander was a newborn, my dad told me he'd love to plant a fruit tree for his grandson so as it grew and bore fruits, he could tell Alexander that 'Gong Gong' planted it and they could enjoy the fruits of his labour together. So last year when my parents were visiting from Singapore, Stu and I bought an apple tree for this very reason.
Alexander was just over one year old then but he participated in the tree planting process; helping with the digging, 'supervising' the actual planting and the watering. 

We had expected to wait at least a couple of years for the tree to mature and fruit as it was only tiny. In addition, apple blossoms actually require to be cross-pollinated to fruit and we had no idea if there was another apple tree in the vicinity. So with the odds stacked against it, imagine our surprise when  a total of 8 apples appeared on the tree late last year.

Over the last few months we watched them ripen. Alexander, in particular, would check on their progress everyday. It took every bit of his self-restraint not to pick them until they were ready. And can I just say I'm so proud of that boy for being so patient?

On the weekend, we harvested our very first homegrown apple and it felt pretty darn wonderful! Alexander took one bite and said, "Best apple ever." And it was.

Conversations with my 2.5 year old

Me: Would you like to wear your blue shoes or your brown shoes today?
2.5yo: Both.

Me: What colour is Frankie?
2.5yo: Dirty!

Me: Time for nap!
2.5yo: Bit busy now, mum.

Me: Would you like a slice of watermelon?
2.5yo: Yes.
Me: Can you say watermelon?
2.5yo: Yes! Water Lemon!

Me: Mummy's not feeling well, I need some medicine.
2.5yo: Cough?
Me: No, my head hurts.
2.5yo: Head broken?

Montrose House and Berry Farm

Alexander is obsessed with berries - he can eat punnets full to the point his poo literally turns purple. So last week, our family of three took a trip down south to the picturesque Sutton Forest. As our purpose there was primarily to pick berries, we decided there was no better place to stay than at Montrose House and Berry farm itself.

Montrose is a heritage listed homestead and gardens, surrounded by a working berry farm and it is absolutely beautiful. Just a short stroll through the gardens made me feel so much at peace and in awe of nature. The colours are beautiful with roses, hydrangeas, hibiscus and wisteria still in bloom and the differnt textures from the foliage and canopy of various trees on the grounds.

The cottage itself was clean and comfortable with a fully equipped kitchen which we found really handy.

We were given containers and directed to the blackberry bushes to begin picking. The berries have not yet been made available for public to pick so we felt really lucky to be amongst the first to sample the berries from this harvest.

The blackberries turned out to be delightful; juicy, sweet and plump. We picked until our hands turned purple and our containers full before heading back to the cottage to eat some more. What a great experience!

The rains fell that night and continued the whole time we were there. We visited a few vineyards in the area, jumped in countless muddy puddles and Alexander got his first taste of babycino (and loved it) before we headed home.

Boating fun on New Year's Day

Happy New Year! Hope you've had a wonderful Holiday season and a fantastic start to 2016. We had a busy but enjoyable time entertaining family and friends and doing some major spring cleaning around the house.

On the first day of 2016, we took Alexander out boating for the very first time ever. We weren't sure how he was going to react and were pleased to find he was a real natural on the boat; so calm and composed and not one bit frightened or sea sick. He even asked Daddy to "Go faster! Faster!" I guess it's in his DNA (daddy's side, not mine).

We managed to find a sandy alcove not far from where we launched the boat and that's where we decided to stop for a couple of hours to explore and swim.

Alex is like a sponge now and he is learning so many new things everyday. That day he learnt there were "many reeds" in the water which made it slippery or "yucky" so we should always walk on sand. He also learnt that if the boat's anchor is "stuck in mud", we won't lose the boat. Not bad for a 2 year old eh?

What have you been up to these early days of 2016?

Alexander's "Big Boy" room + decorating tips

Alexander recently made the transition out of a cot and into a "big boy" bed, so Stu and I decided to give his a room a little makeover as well. You may remember how we had lovingly set up the nursery two years ago in anticipation of his arrival. By making a few little changes, we were able to update this space and make it more toddler friendly.

We bought Alexander a king single bed for two reasons: firstly, so one of us could comfortably lie down with him through the night if he was feeling unwell and secondly, we'd hoped that this bed would see him through to his teenage years (not so sure about that now as it's doubling as a trampoline!).

It's a low bed so if he can climb on and off with ease and with a cushioned bed head not dissimilar to our bed. Alexander is pretty obsessed with trucks and anything with wheels at the moment so we bought his rescue vehicles sheets, much to his delight - he loves pointing at each one and naming them before bed each night.

We stopped changing Alexander's nappies on the change table as he is too mobile so with the change mattress off, it now functions as a shelf for toys, wipes, nappies etc, We also installed new curtains in a neutral beige and moved the pom pom foot rest to the front of the window so Alexander can stand on it and look out into the backyard.

Apart from the cost of the new bed and sheets, this little room makeover cost us hardly anything. Simply by moving and reusing old furniture and accessories, we were able to add some style to this room. in fact you can quite easily recreate Alexander's room with this bed and 4 drawer tall chest from Super Amart who has also asked me to share some tips on how you can decorate your kid's room on a budget. Read on if you're interested...

1. Spend on furniture with longevity - The bulk of our budget was spent on Alexander's new bed as this is an item that can grow with him and has the most longevity. The fact that it's a king single size means he will likely still be able to use it well into his teenage years. Be sure to check out your local Super Amart store for their wide range of bedroom furniture.

2. Shop at garage sales and thrift stores - Stu and I spotted an old wooden chair with faded paint but was otherwise in good condition at a garage sale for next to nothing. Stu gave it a good sanding and painted it a vibrant shade of yellow and it now sits pretty next to Alexander's room, lending a fresh pop of colour. Ditto for the toy Tonka truck.

3. Add colour with accessories - Pick solid colours for furniture and choose colourful or patterned  accessories to add interest. As you can see, we've chosen a plain white bed, tall boy and walls as a base for this room, allowing for the hints of yellow, blue and lime green to bring life to this room.

4. Books and toys as decor - Alexander's collection of colourful books and some of his well made toys double up as decoration for his room. This saves us having to find storage for them.

5. Straw baskets as storage - I used straw baskets for organisation purposes and allocate each basket to toys/books, nappies, shoes. Alexander has learnt what each basket is for and assists in returning things to the baskets at the end of each day.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Super Amart (click here for their current promotions). I was compensated for this post, however all opinions are my own.

#botanicalkid

It started off one Sunday a couple of weeks ago when I noticed the rondeletia at the very back of my garden had burst into beautiful pink bush. With a bribe of chocolate in my hand, I placed Alexander on a chair and asked him if he would please smell the flowers for me in exchange for one piece of chocolate?

He obliged (of course) and thus my latest photography project was born. I've been obsessively looking out for big backdrops of flowers to photograph Alexander against; not a hard task since Spring has truly sprung in Sydney.

If you'd like to follow our botanical adventures, follow us on Instagram or search for #botanicalkid

Have you been smelling the flowers lately?

Eden Gardens

Alexander and I have found ourselves a new favourite hangout - Eden Gardens at North Ryde, an easy 15 minutes drive from home. For a few months now, we have been visiting the gardens at least once a week, sometimes on our own and sometimes with his little friend. (Aren't they sweet?)

We take long walks together and admire the gardens, the fish in the reservoir, Alexander likes to check out the busy bees amongst the flowers and we have also spotted the odd frog and blue tongue lizard on the grounds before. I love that Alexander has learnt to stop and smell the flowers.

Eden Gardens has everything we love - a playground with a massive sand pit, a slide and "beehive" cubby and a cafe where we get our morning tea.
 
There is also a vegetable patch with cabbages, herbs, nasturtiums and strawberries where Alexander goes to point at every single strawberry (as he knows it's naughty to pick).
The highlight of every trip to the gardens is visiting the two resident chickens. Alexander is a bit obsessed with them and says,"Cluck cluck!" to them. They are the biggest fattest chickens I've ever seen and they seem to enjoy our company too.

Where is your favourite hangout?

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

A couple of weekends ago on an unseasonally warm Winter's day, we ventured to Ku-ring-gai national park for a walk and a little look see.

First stop was Apple Tree Bay where we soaked in the river views and basked in the sun, watching the boats and looking out for fish in the water. Stu and I used to spend lots of time here in summer, launching the boat out for a day of fishing or a weekend on the water and we wanted to share this special spot with the little guy.

When the temptation of the water got too much for Little A (ie. when he wanted to jump in the water), we decided it was time to move on. We headed down the windy road to Bobbin Head where there was a massive fully enclosed playground with about five different slippery dips, multiple swing sets and loads of other equipment.

After Alexander had his fill of sliding, swinging and playing, we walked to the onsite cafe and got him a very special treat of vanilla milkshake to have on the way home. He was only halfway through it when he fell asleep in the car, after which it fell out of his hands and spilled all over the back seat. Oh well! At least he enjoyed half of it.

What have you been up to on the weekend?

One year

How did this happen?!

Everyone told me it would go quickly but it still astonishes me how swiftly the past year has flown past. I can't hardly believe that the bright red, wailing baby who emerged from my womb a year ago has now grown into this cheeky little boy.

Both Stu and I wanted Alexander to spend his birthday with the people who loved him the most so we invited his Nanna and Granddad to join us for lunch and some birthday cake. It was a fun, special and intimate celebration. The birthday boy lapped up all the attention, had fun tearing the wrapper paper off his presents, wasn't too sure about the candle but LOVED his first taste of ice cream cake.

the magical first taste of ice cream cake

Thank you for being with me through my motherhood journey, for indulging me as I rattle on about my boy, for your kind words and encouragement from when I struggled with my new responsibilities to when I finally landed on my own two feet. I'm still learning everyday about how to be the best mum that I can be.

PS: The night of his birthday, I lay in bed thinking about that night when he was born; he was so tiny as I cradled him in my arms for his first feed. I started to feel all warm, fuzzy and a wee bit clucky when I suddenly recalled the shock I felt when a mere two hours later, the nurse woke me up for another feed! And then another! And then another! Oh the horror of those first few months of sleepless nights. That's when I shuddered and realised I'm so not ready for another baby just yet! So (in case you're wondering) for a little while at least, Alexander will still be my one and only.

PSS: Alexander's journey from birth to now and my recipe for ice cream cake