Sunday Funday

This week was a breakfast week. Every second week we go out to breakfast at our favorite shop where everybody knows your name. It has been over four years we have been going there for breaky and they know our order, have high chairs ready (and probably mops too). We find that we just cant do dinner now - it is all too hard, to noisy etc, but breakfast works really well.

With our full tummies we went off to the museum. A is currently studying dinosaurs at kinder, so we went to see the Hatching the Past exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. Really worth a look - but dont miss their usually exhibition with all the REALLY BIG dinosaurs. All the stuff in the touring exhibition is aimed at kids - so not so overwhelmingly big. We did see a chicken actually hatch out of its egg (dinosaurs are also born from eggs) and we touched a live aligator tail. They had an aligator as opposed to a crocodile because they have a much better temperment and don't mind being patted.

I havent been to more than the childrens museum for years, but it was really good - we will be going back again.

Creative Challenge

Little A is a bit of a perfectionist. A lovely little boy but he knows what he likes and he knows how he likes it. The latest obsession - which has been for a while is Peter Pan. We have numerous Peter Pan books and even an audio book in the card at the moment. His Peter Pan costume has been well worn but needed boots and a dagger (spatula covered in fabric into a cotton spool.)

This obsession has now spilled into a request for dolls - Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook. He had seen pictures of costumes in a pattern book which he thought were dolls - and so began our quest.

As it turns out, there are no patterns for Peter Pan dolls - and on looking there aren't many patterns for dolls (in the commercial pattern books). I bought a vogue pattern 8336 which is an 18 inch doll which I will have to adapt, but will give it a go.

Here are my reference pics - I may see if I can convince him for Tink to be a barbie.

A bit of gardening...

I was born with black thumbs. Not literally, but in the gardening sense. I am trying to change this but I just loose interest. We have a vegie patch which is growing well and the frangipanis which are amazing for Melbourne are all going well- but that is about it. The rest of our yard is square grass - or weeds!

Since we have been building the garden has got even less attention but I was moved to action today. Well, I had to really. I love hydrangeas. My nana's driveway used to be overflowing with the dark green bushes that were always exploding with colour. She used to have pink and blue ones growing together. I think she even had a white one. I usually kill them but now we have a nice cool area where they should thrive.

My aunt lovingly raised some cuttings for me and they have been sitting derelict on our front porch for about 2 weeks. I had tripped over a pot again on my way in - so they were going into the ground. The boys had a good play and I did some serious weeding - with a shovel!

Here are the before photos and some action shots by A. There is still a bit to do, but all 12 plants are in the soil and there is an edged garden bed in here! Still a work in progess but we are getting there....

What a park!

No today is not about carparking - but free entertainment. You have to love a good park and there are more of these quality parks being created, but today I certainly visited one of note. Womat Park is in Finn's Reserve of Union Street in Templestowe. Such a good park. It meets many of my criteria

1. totally fenced
2. has toilets - which are right next to the park, not only are they part of the area, but they are family toilets big enough to get a double pram in and they have changing facilities. You could easily take a toilet training toddler here!!
3. has a variety of activities including seats for disabled children.
4. a concrete path through/around - great for a pram or bikes
5. the ability to see right through the park.

The little acorns are 4.5 and now 18months and they all had a great time with their mates who are the same age. It was a really lovely day - Nay and I could let the kids burn all their energy and we could have a chat. The only thing missing was a latte! No cafe here but the pub is close.

I would love to hear any of your 'great parks'.

On a lighter note - some Sewing!

Sorry about the weight of yesterdays post - should come with a tissue warning.

Here are some things in the making. The bottom two pictures are for the boys - obviously the dresses are not but we'll get to that.

I am constantly frustrated by the lack of variety available for boys. The clothes are usually dark drab colours, have scribble writing all over them (the same as mens clothes - which I cant stand) or the 'bright' clothes are covered in branding such as Bob, Thomas, Ninja Turtles or the worst - Pooh. (Yes I know this is all over the huggies nappies!)

So over the weekend mum and I had a couple of hours while the twins were asleep and thanks to Shrek 2, were able to cut out a red tracksuit, a purple tracksuit, three pairs of striped trousers, a green and an aqua fleece and three striped hoodies. Just so you don't think I have a bit of a sound of music complex happening, the plan is not for the three kids to wear the same. I do however dress the kids in similar or matching outfits. Easier on me and at this point they dont care- this may change over time. So now they only need to be sewn! Hopefully that will be this winter.

The other two dresses I found on the gap website (www.gap.com) . I found these in the kidswear section (babygirl) but I love them, and I think they would be quite good scaled up for adults. That will be a work in progress.

For Kingsley

Sunday 1 June little Kingsley came into the world. He didn't stay very long, but he certainly made his mark. I know his mother will never be the same- but she will eventually be the stronger for having known him. He was a little fighter. With everything seemingly going against him and the medics consistently surprised by his survival, he managed the spirit to meet his mother - if only for a short time.

I have known people before who have had babies pass, or born sleeping, but I didn't really understand their loss until having my own children. Not only have I shed tears for Kingsley, but I have had to try to explain why I am crying to A - who is 4 and a half.

Unfortunately, he overheard me telling someone that she had lost the baby. I didn't realise he was listening, until I told my husband the same news, and he questioned me, that A announced that the baby had gone missing! We talked very briefly about Kingsley had died, and gone to heaven - of course a theory he doesn't understand.

"What is heaven" he asked.
"It is the most special place you can imagine, where people go when they are no longer with us"
"I know. It is the place were babies go where they wait to be born again"

A lovely thought.

Sunday Funday

Just note- this all looks like good clean family fun- riding for free at the local school however there were tears, tantrums and a quick trip to kmart to buy helmets before we got to this point!