and this time they are taking no prisoners. Drowning local dogs and harassing friendly dog owners.
I propose that we take them off our National coat of Arms... that will show them!
http://www.smh.com.au/national/rogue-roo-a-fearful-combatant-in-dam-attack-20091124-j91v.html
Monday, 23 November 2009
Friday, 20 November 2009
Doormats have feelings too
I let a swear word fly from my mouth this evening and then stormed into my room slamming the door behind me.
The tooth brushing episode is what started it (at least tonight).
The parenting magazine that I just freshly finished reading seemed to have all the answers for getting a 2 year old's teeth clean. I tried every. single. method in that darn article. It turns out LQ hasn't read the article, though. So despite singing, exclaiming that her teeth were finally clean and were saying "thank you", letting LQ bush my teeth and various other forms of coercion I was still left with a resounding "NO!" from the wet naked child sitting in my bath tub.
With gritted teeth (nicely brushed) I then explained it was time to get out of the bath.
"NO!"
"You can watch Mickey Mouse while you are getting dressed"
"NO!"
"Ok. Time to get out. Bye-bye bath."
"No, No, No"
"One, Two, Three"
And we are out. Out but not down. LQ struggled against the towel wrapping. She thumbed her nose at me when I warned her not to run on the tiles with wet feet.
The swear finally surfaced after LQ spent a few minutes writhing on the floor as I attempted what seemed like an impossible task - clothing a kangaroo on crack.
In my room I pondered on the complexities of my relationship with my daughter. When did I stop being the assertive but loving disciplinarian and start being LQ's doormat?
Does it get any better? From what I have seen there isn't much hope of ever regaining control. My struggles with LQ, it would seem, have only just begun. (Cue music "It's only just begun").
But as I delved deeper into the whys of my reaction this evening, I knew it wasn't only LQ that I have been fighting. I have been fighting and losing to an ever decreasing sense of self. I have been fighting against that last shred of who I once was completely being drowned by the barrage of "NO's" that I get daily.
Who is this woman who only a month ago thought she had it all figured out? Why is this new version of me letting a 2 year old get to me so easily AND walk all over me? Did I really sign up for THIS?
Will I lose my identity completely if more children come along? I don't want to completely lose my self and come out the other end of this child rearing stage of life with a bewildered look and vacant stare. How do I find the balance that is right for me?
AND when I am at the very end of my tether and wanting to do anything but touch and hold my child lovingly, how do I still find joy in motherhood and divinity in my role as mother?
Dal once said that he liked when my blog posts were resolved by the end. All wrapped up neatly and ready for another day. But this time I don't have a resolution. All I have is a mothers fragile psyche and a wedge shoe ready to throw at the next person who dares to walk through the bedroom door.
Note: Dal WAS there helping out where he could and when I lost it he completely took over. Had I been a single mum, LQ would still be running around naked sipping on an energy drink.
The tooth brushing episode is what started it (at least tonight).
The parenting magazine that I just freshly finished reading seemed to have all the answers for getting a 2 year old's teeth clean. I tried every. single. method in that darn article. It turns out LQ hasn't read the article, though. So despite singing, exclaiming that her teeth were finally clean and were saying "thank you", letting LQ bush my teeth and various other forms of coercion I was still left with a resounding "NO!" from the wet naked child sitting in my bath tub.
With gritted teeth (nicely brushed) I then explained it was time to get out of the bath.
"NO!"
"You can watch Mickey Mouse while you are getting dressed"
"NO!"
"Ok. Time to get out. Bye-bye bath."
"No, No, No"
"One, Two, Three"
And we are out. Out but not down. LQ struggled against the towel wrapping. She thumbed her nose at me when I warned her not to run on the tiles with wet feet.
The swear finally surfaced after LQ spent a few minutes writhing on the floor as I attempted what seemed like an impossible task - clothing a kangaroo on crack.
In my room I pondered on the complexities of my relationship with my daughter. When did I stop being the assertive but loving disciplinarian and start being LQ's doormat?
Does it get any better? From what I have seen there isn't much hope of ever regaining control. My struggles with LQ, it would seem, have only just begun. (Cue music "It's only just begun").
But as I delved deeper into the whys of my reaction this evening, I knew it wasn't only LQ that I have been fighting. I have been fighting and losing to an ever decreasing sense of self. I have been fighting against that last shred of who I once was completely being drowned by the barrage of "NO's" that I get daily.
Who is this woman who only a month ago thought she had it all figured out? Why is this new version of me letting a 2 year old get to me so easily AND walk all over me? Did I really sign up for THIS?
Will I lose my identity completely if more children come along? I don't want to completely lose my self and come out the other end of this child rearing stage of life with a bewildered look and vacant stare. How do I find the balance that is right for me?
AND when I am at the very end of my tether and wanting to do anything but touch and hold my child lovingly, how do I still find joy in motherhood and divinity in my role as mother?
Dal once said that he liked when my blog posts were resolved by the end. All wrapped up neatly and ready for another day. But this time I don't have a resolution. All I have is a mothers fragile psyche and a wedge shoe ready to throw at the next person who dares to walk through the bedroom door.
Note: Dal WAS there helping out where he could and when I lost it he completely took over. Had I been a single mum, LQ would still be running around naked sipping on an energy drink.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Because I love her
This a few pictures I recently took of LQ.
I tried to take photos with particular themes; thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. But she wouldn't have a bar of it. I ended up taking photos of myself - not pretty at all.
After watching me have so much fun take pictures of myself, LQ let me take a few of her waiting on the stairs.
And then there's this one. I was playing around with the lighting in the house so I could get the shadow on the side of her face.
I tried to take photos with particular themes; thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. But she wouldn't have a bar of it. I ended up taking photos of myself - not pretty at all.
After watching me have so much fun take pictures of myself, LQ let me take a few of her waiting on the stairs.
And then there's this one. I was playing around with the lighting in the house so I could get the shadow on the side of her face.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
A public service announcement.
I used to have a sense of humour.
************************************************
LQ and I try to go at least once a week to pick up something that we may "need". Last week I went to buy some paint. White paint for $2 and then standing there amongst the dust and the light was MY chair. One I have been coveting on every other design blog for the most part of a year. A quick scan determined there was no price attached. A brief chat with one of the ladies and it was mine for $30. I could have left it how it was because the fabric did in fact match the colour scheme of LQ's soon to be redone room, but I had other plans for it.
and now, here it is in all it's reupholstered glory. I bought the fabric from Spotlight for $6 a metre. It was on sale because it is no longer winter here and this, my dear friends, was winter fabric. Yippee Skippee!
and now, here it is in all it's reupholstered glory. I bought the fabric from Spotlight for $6 a metre. It was on sale because it is no longer winter here and this, my dear friends, was winter fabric. Yippee Skippee!
******************************
Not in any sick leprous way. In a "I'm a gimpy walking old lady with too many sore muscles to care about life" kind of way.
I am only 28 years old for heavens sake! What happened to easing into my pain ridden years? For two whole months I have had lower back pain that has now crept down my left leg.
Does anyone have a diagnosis for me? I have an unreasonable dislike of visiting doctors... they scare me with all the judging they do. I went to the doctor about my back pain 3 weeks ago. To determine the source of the pain Doctor Old Jerk started pressing on my lower back... right where my soft and squishy love handles are.
Doctor Old Jerk: "What's this?" pressing more on the squishiness than the back. I think he may have liked squishing my back fat, just as much as I enjoy squishing playdough.
Doctor Old Jerk: "Well you are overweight. Just don't gain anymore weight."
Me: "Oh ok." It's like I enjoy walking around feeling like that fat elfin santa.
Does anyone have a diagnosis for me? I have an unreasonable dislike of visiting doctors... they scare me with all the judging they do. I went to the doctor about my back pain 3 weeks ago. To determine the source of the pain Doctor Old Jerk started pressing on my lower back... right where my soft and squishy love handles are.
Doctor Old Jerk: "What's this?" pressing more on the squishiness than the back. I think he may have liked squishing my back fat, just as much as I enjoy squishing playdough.
Doctor Old Jerk: "Well you are overweight. Just don't gain anymore weight."
Me: "Oh ok." It's like I enjoy walking around feeling like that fat elfin santa.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Paint Pots and Candy Corn
My creative juices (and internet searching skills) were flowing the past two weeks. Here is some of what I did.
I used these paint pots that I made myself at the Halloween Party. A quick tutorial is below.
This is my candy bouquet
I made the lollipops myself. I got the idea from Martha Stewart.
I also made the candy corn. I guess you could tell when you saw the colours in the wrong sequence. Oh well... nobody was any the wiser at the party - until I told them. I got the recipe from here. The recipe doesn't mention any candy temperatures. I was kind of guessing at the temps and if I do it again (not likely, it's very time consuming) I would boil the mixture to soft ball temperature.
Ok. Here's my paint pot tutorial.
Wash as many coke cans as you will need. I also took off the little ring pulls.
Grab some black poster paint.
Paint TWO coats of black poster pain on to the sloped part of the coke can. I used smaller coke cans (250 mL). Let the first coat dry before applying the second coat or you are going to have streaks of red showing through.
Measure the height of the straight part of the coke can - from edge of slope down to where the red and silver meet at the bottom. My measurements were precisely 67mm. I then took a burnt orange A4 piece of cardstock and cut a rectangle 67mm wide with the length of the A4 paper. Having the rectangle the length of the A4 paper means it will double around when you glue it to the coke can, but I was too lazy to trim it and I don't think it looked any worse for it.
P.S. Glue the rectangles to the painted coke cans.
Print out some labels and glue to the paint pots.
And there you have it. Easy paint pots that you can just dispose of once you are finished with them. I am thinking of making some for LQ to use here at home. I probably wont spend much time prettying them, though.
I was going to cut out some carved pumpkin faces to glue on other cans like these, but just didn't get enough time to do it.
I used these paint pots that I made myself at the Halloween Party. A quick tutorial is below.
This is my candy bouquet
I made the lollipops myself. I got the idea from Martha Stewart.
I also made the candy corn. I guess you could tell when you saw the colours in the wrong sequence. Oh well... nobody was any the wiser at the party - until I told them. I got the recipe from here. The recipe doesn't mention any candy temperatures. I was kind of guessing at the temps and if I do it again (not likely, it's very time consuming) I would boil the mixture to soft ball temperature.
Ok. Here's my paint pot tutorial.
Wash as many coke cans as you will need. I also took off the little ring pulls.
Grab some black poster paint.
Paint TWO coats of black poster pain on to the sloped part of the coke can. I used smaller coke cans (250 mL). Let the first coat dry before applying the second coat or you are going to have streaks of red showing through.
Measure the height of the straight part of the coke can - from edge of slope down to where the red and silver meet at the bottom. My measurements were precisely 67mm. I then took a burnt orange A4 piece of cardstock and cut a rectangle 67mm wide with the length of the A4 paper. Having the rectangle the length of the A4 paper means it will double around when you glue it to the coke can, but I was too lazy to trim it and I don't think it looked any worse for it.
P.S. Glue the rectangles to the painted coke cans.
Print out some labels and glue to the paint pots.
And there you have it. Easy paint pots that you can just dispose of once you are finished with them. I am thinking of making some for LQ to use here at home. I probably wont spend much time prettying them, though.
I was going to cut out some carved pumpkin faces to glue on other cans like these, but just didn't get enough time to do it.
Australian Halloween
We aren't as practiced in the art of Halloween down here in Australia. We do, however, have a few half American children down here in Hobart who need to be taught in the ways of the Americas. So we put together a Halloween party.
I was late (because I couldn't find the park!), but still had enough to set up the activities that I had planned - Halloween cookie decorating and wand making. Just none of my decorations!
The wand making station - I'll tell you how to make those cute little paint pots in another post.
All I can say is... it's a good thing we drink so much Coca Cola at our house.
The most gorgeous butterfly working meticulously at making her wand the prettiest.
Dora had so much fun her costume ended up being replaced. It had too much "fun" all over it.
Concentrating on making the best Harry Potter wand.
An Alien Baby....
with his Alien spaceship (he forgot his antennae after he landed)
Before her 50 wands, Nurse Bibby managed to decorate a number of cookies. This girl is a MACHINE!
No words... well, except "I want to eat those cheeks!"
We told the motley crew they wouldn't get any candy until they stood and endured a few photos. I notice though, that there are a few children missing from this group. This is the best photo I could get. Notice LQ - I am certain she would have done well in pictures taken in the late 1800's.
The Trick or Treat Hunt. LQ managed to bypass all the candy and picked up six party blowers. Uh, sorry everyone else.
TWO!!
Is B saying something really exciting to N? or is N just acting excited?
My little Tink on a slide
I have decided that that may be enough pictures for one post and will show you my cooking brilliance in the next post.
I was late (because I couldn't find the park!), but still had enough to set up the activities that I had planned - Halloween cookie decorating and wand making. Just none of my decorations!
The wand making station - I'll tell you how to make those cute little paint pots in another post.
All I can say is... it's a good thing we drink so much Coca Cola at our house.
The most gorgeous butterfly working meticulously at making her wand the prettiest.
Dora had so much fun her costume ended up being replaced. It had too much "fun" all over it.
Concentrating on making the best Harry Potter wand.
An Alien Baby....
with his Alien spaceship (he forgot his antennae after he landed)
Before her 50 wands, Nurse Bibby managed to decorate a number of cookies. This girl is a MACHINE!
No words... well, except "I want to eat those cheeks!"
We told the motley crew they wouldn't get any candy until they stood and endured a few photos. I notice though, that there are a few children missing from this group. This is the best photo I could get. Notice LQ - I am certain she would have done well in pictures taken in the late 1800's.
The Trick or Treat Hunt. LQ managed to bypass all the candy and picked up six party blowers. Uh, sorry everyone else.
TWO!!
Is B saying something really exciting to N? or is N just acting excited?
My little Tink on a slide
I have decided that that may be enough pictures for one post and will show you my cooking brilliance in the next post.
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