A Little Life Story

2011-11-12T00:03:00.000-08:00

Now and Then

2011-10-30T02:56:00.000-07:00

Another old post that I had saved an never finished.But the photos are too cute not to share!

Now and then at Melbourne Zoo (21 months old, 4 months old).

As Arthur approaches his second birthday there are a few things I want to remember before he grows up too much.

Things I want to remember:

::The way he says more. Sometimes more quietly with a question mark at the end…more? . Sometimes loud and demanding in threes…more, more, more. Sometimes full of self assurance and certainty….one simple more.

::His cackle laugh.

::When you tell him to smile for the camera he scrunches up his face and 'smiles' with his eyes.

::"Hiya" the way he says hello.

When I was two, I was hardly new

2011-10-24T02:32:00.001-07:00

It has been a long time since I posted anything on this blog. My computer was out of commission for awhile and frankly I needed a bit of quiet. I had these photos already to go and saved but then my unintentional break happened and I never added the words- and so, for a few months, it was forgotten. But I do love looking back at this little journal and seeing our little life story unfold. So here are some photographs from Artie's 2nd birthday.

There was a boat ride to Southbank, some chocolate pizza for lunch, playing in the sand and water at Soutbank and cake at home. There was also a lovely family party at the park the next day.

We have a delightful two year old now.

crepe paper art

2011-07-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

All you need is some water, a spray bottle, crepe paper and cardboard.
We sticky taped the crepe paper onto the piece of white cardboard and then sprayed. Once it dried we peeled off crepe paper and had a cool artwork to display at home.
We will have to try some different patterns next.

Arthur loved spraying the spray bottle best but got a shock each time it hit him in the face!

little boys are made of...

2011-07-13T02:16:00.002-07:00

grubby hands, caterpillars, snails and lovely, dirty, orange fingernails (looks like we are rewriting the classics!).

This little caterpillar was Artie's best friend this afternoon. He was held and air-kissed. He was named Greeny because he was, to quote my young man, 'green, not black' . He even got to go for a ride in a Playmobile wagon. We have released him into the wild, I hope he was not too traumatised by all the lovin' he got today!

toddler science

2011-07-12T03:31:00.001-07:00

Pour the water in.

Add some food colouring.

Mix up the goop.

Enjoy the mess!

How cool is cornflour when it is wet! If you've never played with cornflour and water you should go make a mess right now. Artie loved this activity. I had it all set up so after he woke up from his nap and had a snack, we were straight into it. We spent well over an hour playing with our goop. The only reason we stopped is because he accidentally slipped and bumped his chin.

We mixed, poured, squeezed and made mess. We also cooked, made car tracks in the coloured water, played find the farm animal/spoon/key in the goop. The possibilities go on and on. We will definitely make this goop again.

I also put a bowl of soapy water and some towels out. This proved just as much fun. Not only washing and drying our own hands but also washing naughty toys who got so very dirty in the goop.

Around the garden

2011-07-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

We've been trying to get back into the garden. It is overgrown again. Anything we do plant gets eaten by these pesky possums or scratched up by those rascally brush turkeys. So we have been coming up with some ideas to keep the pests away and so far our nets have been a success. Lots of pruning and chopping to go, but it's made a little more fun with my two favourite men by my side.

Australia Zoo

2011-06-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

We got a yearly pass to Australia Zoo. We love having the pass, any weekend when we feel like an adventure we can jump in the car and spend the morning with the animals. A lot of fun to be had! Here are some photos from our past couple of visits.

Pretending to be a tiger

We told him to stand next to the turtle and smile! What a clown.

He's thinking of running away to join the Irwin family.

Balancing like a possum, very proud.

colouring

2011-06-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

Back at Easter time we picked up a colouring page from the local supermarket. Artie worked on it at home and we took it back the following week. He loved seeing it hanging up every time we went and did our groceries. We were surprised when a few weeks later we got a call telling us Artie had won his age group- he got a little toy. I wanted to record for prosperity Artie's first win at 19months old. It was very cute and he was proud as punch.

sick days

2011-06-23T04:21:00.001-07:00

Artie was sick this past week. He had a mouth full of ulcers and a few high fevers. It was a tough week.

There are moments in parenting that seem impossibly hard. How did our parents do it? How do people do it with more then one child? It was a week of little sleep, messy house, grumpy adults and one poor, sore, screaming boy. In an effort to keep Arthur indoors and help him mend there was a lot of play.

After the pretend play, reading and drawing had been exhausted, I remembered I had the the holy grail of activities for sick days. Looking through a box of old toys. Three boxes of my childhood Disney collection came out to play.

The living room resembled Mickey Mouse war zone. But it did the trick and kept the boy entertained and inside for the good part of an hour, and the same the next day and the day after that.

My parenting lesson from all of this? I have made a smaller, more manageable box that is going in the linen cupboard and is full of some of my favourite figures. Next sick day I am set and hopefully without the Disney explosion.

Adam and I are still relatively new at this parenting gig. Each day gets a littler easier and we get a little more confident. Some days we do it all beautifully and easily but other days we bumble our way through.

We are learning, I am learning. There are a couple of things I have found out about myself from the tough times. The first is to take and appreciate any pocket of time I get to myself. And sit quietly in this moment. The other thing is that taking photos can turn a bad day good. It gives me a new perspective on the situation and allows all the big, messy out-of-control moments to seem smaller, less terrible and controllable.

So there you have it. A tough, terrible, no good week that we survived. Maybe we are getting the hang of this parenting thing after all.

Join us

2011-06-14T04:23:00.001-07:00

On a typical Sunday afternoon walk.

Down the big hill.

Along the creek.

To the park.

To build (a pretend) fire.

Throw the ball.

And fly on the swings. Although, I must mention, that swinging can be dangerous territory with our boy. Somedays he has a bast. But sometimes, boy-oh-boy, do we get a doozy of a meltdown. He is so very particular about how he wants to be pushed, how high and where we should stand. If we missed the memo he is one unhappy chap!

Adam and Artie spend most afternoons at the park. I often stay home to clean/cook/have a bath. But occasionally- usually on a Sunday afternoon- I remember to go. I always have a great time when I do and enjoy hanging out with my boys. This is my favourite walk.

I hope you enjoyed our walk. I want to squirrel it away in my memories forever and hold onto that happy feeling.

Squeeze and Dot

2011-05-29T02:14:00.002-07:00

Arthur and I love looking through the art section at the Newsagent. Often they have some cool things on sale. A little while ago we found these Squeeze and Dot paints reduced to a few dollars. So with new art supplies in hand we headed home to create.

Arthur (19 months old at the time) enjoyed squeezing a lot more than dotting. I brought out some old blank cards I had in the cupboard and let him go to town. He was engrossed in the activity for quite a long time and filled all the cards by himself. After he was finished I pressed the cards together and viola! both sides of the card were pretty and ready to gift. In fact, many have already been gifted.

When we were finished, and the cards were drying on the line, I washed out the bottles and filled them with paint. Ready to go for another round of squeezing, maybe even some dotting next time!

Holiday in Melbourne

2011-05-21T20:20:00.001-07:00

The streets of Melbourne city were full of fun things to play with and explore. Including a dog to feed and ride and some good trees to climb.

Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Aquarium.

Cape Schanck. Possible one of our favourite walks. Ever. Adam and I have done it so many times and I hope to do it many, many more times.

Arthur love, love, loved the trains and trams and horse drawn carriages.

The view from our hotel room. Nice. Artie loved watching the trains from the balcony and every morning he woke at 6am with the first train whistle. We would think he was asleep and then hear a little voice saying beep.

Happy. We love holidays!

A few notes about the holiday:

Travelling in a city with a toddler is tiring! It is not the same as the lay-around-the-beach, long-lazy-walk type holidays we have done with Artie up until now. Not saying it was worse, it just moved at a faster pace. It probably didn't help that Artie was sleeping terribly for a few nights!
We probably won't bother with the Melbourne Aquarium again. It was so busy that it was hard to see anything and Melbourne Zoo has a great new area with fish and seals and penguins. Next time we will just buy a zoo pass, we could have gone back to the zoo a few times, there was so much to do and see.
Arthur is a great travel companion. It is so fun to see the world through your child's eyes. Everything is new and exciting. The steps of Federation Square are an endless source of amusement, as is all the street art. He is also a trooper on the flights. As long as we have snacks and books and a couple of toys and keep entertaining him, he is fine. We have yet to have a meltdown on a flight and he has been travelling on them since he was 5 months old (knock on wood).
I love my boys and I love holidays. Put the two together and I am one happy lady.

handsome

2011-05-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

We've been away on holiday, we had a great time, and we are glad to be home.

painting

2011-04-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

He asks to paint or draw or sculpt dough everyday.

We may need to move

2011-04-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

To an even warmer climate!

Our little man doesn't want to give up swimming or being naked, despite the fact it is Autumn. He yells 'nake, nake' when we try to dress him or put a nappy on.

2011-04-14T04:09:00.001-07:00

He makes us laugh!

Ipswich Art Gallery

2011-04-09T01:41:00.000-07:00

While we were staying with Gran and Grumps we went to Ipswich Art Gallery. I cannot recommend this gallery enough for people with young children. It is a fantastic and free place to visit. It is not too big- just the right size for little ones and has an amazing kids space with lots of activities.

We had lots of fun.

homes

2011-04-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Mum and Dad have lived in something like 28 homes in just over 30 years of marriage (something like that isn't it Mum?). In all the houses that I remember they always made it feel like home, even if they are renting. Adam and I are up to 4 homes in four years of marriage, so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I hope my own children always feel that our home is somewhere they want to be.

Recently Artie and I spent a few nights at Gran and Grumps' while Adam was away with work. Sometimes I find photographs are so much better at expressing what I am trying to say- so enjoy.

messy art

2011-04-01T03:45:00.002-07:00

Recently Mum and I were talking about making art with little ones and how best to organise these encounters. We decided that really is no easy answer, or perfect solution, except to remember that creating art is messy. Arthur likes the mess. He likes experimenting with paint- on paper, on wood, in his hair, on his tummy and feet, on the walls. So while we do set out rules and we reinforce (over and over again) we do definitely not paint on the furniture or walls, a little paint on our toes is all part of the fun. To make life easier I prepare our painting materials and paint before hand, I strip down Artie or he wears minimal clothing, we paint outside and for the time being we use washable paint. Then we clean up together before we move onto the next activity. He has complete freedom to enjoy the process.

It sure makes me happy to hang his art up. The best way to decorate a house I do believe.

workbench

2011-03-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

Artie loves Grumps' shed and all the tools and paraphernalia that go with the shed. So Grumps commissioned a workbench just for Artie. Now he is teaching him the tricks of the trade. He is a lucky boy to have his very own Arthur sized workbench at only 20 months old. Soon he will be fixing the house for Adam and I.

time

2011-03-25T23:56:00.002-07:00

Since becoming a parent the thing I miss most is time. Long uninterrupted moments of time. Being a mother is extremely rewarding and I wouldn't take it back for anything. I couldn't even think of anything I would rather do in the day the spend time with my family. However, sometimes in the whirlwind of family chaos, endless playing and a constant companion, I long for time. A whole day to do whatever I want- to slowly potter around a project. A whole night of sleep. All without the deadline of a babe awakening from a nap or in the middle of night for comfort.

So I have decided to change my thinking. Instead of longing for more time I will appreciate those small pockets of uninterrupted time I do get. Artie playing with playdough alone for 7 minutes means I can have a cup of tea all to myself and flick through a magazine. Mostly, I am learning to appreciate the time Adam takes Artie to the park in the late afternoon after he gets home from work. Even though I am usually preparing dinner and quickly finishing those chores I didn't get to, it is quiet and peaceful and the light of the late afternoon always looks so lovely. So this week I am going to remember to make the most of those small pockets of time and my thoughtful husband. And I am also going to gently remind myself that one day (even if it ten years from now!) I will sleep through the night again and have long stretches of time, but Artie will only be this age once.

stickers

2011-03-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

Artie is really into stickers at the moment. He sticks them on his pictures, me, his arm and legs and anywhere else he sees fit. Those big puffy stickers are best as he is able to peel them off on his own. It's also a good way for him to practise his fine motor skills. He really does get very absorbed in sticking them on and off things.It also makes our art making sessions even more fun. So for any family reading this, whenever you see puffy stickers for sale/cheap please grab them for us. It might also be a good easter present for him (hint, hint!).

Picnic

2011-03-17T02:16:00.002-07:00

Sometimes a great way to get a toddler to eat his lunch is to have a picnic. Artie often seems to eat a lot more when we are outside and he is able to look around and get distracted by the birds and ants!

Concentration

2011-03-12T02:35:00.000-08:00

Does he not have the cutest concentrating pout ever? Man, I love this kid.

junior treasure hunter

2011-03-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

Adam and I have long been treasure hunters. We could spend hours sifting through shells and rocks looking for something special to take home. While at the beach we were able to introduce Artie to this joy. At low tide we took him out to the rock pools. He is definitely a fan. He filled his bucket up with so many rocks even the adults had trouble carrying it!

Mooloolaba

2011-03-06T22:23:00.004-08:00

Recently we spent a long weekend at the beach. We stayed in Oceans Resort at Mooloolaba. We had a fantastic time. Mooloolaba is very family friendly, all the restaurants and cafes we went to were very accomdating for a toddler. Oceans Resort was just fantastic too and we couldn't do anything but relax as soon as we walked in to our room. Adam and Artie spent about half their time in the resort pool.

We spent the rest of the time on the beach. Artie wasn't too sure about the waves but he loved playing in the sand. Adam stayed with him on land while I went swimming in the sea. Nothing makes me quite as happy as burying my feet in the sand and swimming in the ocean.

We attended a friends wedding at Maleny Manor. It was a beautiful wedding in a great spot. Artie was quite the party animal, he stayed up until after 10.30pm dancing and cried when we tried to take him away from the dance floor!

We all loved being at the beach and can't wait to go back. Being on holidays and spending time outside makes us remember to slow down and just enjoy living.

Happy

2011-02-21T02:49:00.000-08:00

We just went on a mini holiday to the beach. We are back and feeling happy!

Outside

2011-02-16T21:09:00.004-08:00

Some days in parenting just seem so long. I have a hundred things on my mind. The to-do-list is growing and Artie has already had an early nap. The hours until Adam comes home seem to stretch on forever in front of us and I am sick of reading and playing. We have discovered on these days it is best just to pack up, forget the lists and head outside. Lately, Queensland seems to have been either raining or boiling. But we found the Brisbane Botanical Gardens to be a good place to go even when it is super hot. There are lots of shady areas, water taps to fill up our bottles and, most importantly, they even sell ice-cream!

It feels so good to be outside and Artie loves it. I think all babies and young ones love being in the outdoors. The best way to get a baby to settle, in our experience, is to take him outside and show him some trees! I want to foster that love of the great outdoors in our young explorer. That means spending at least half our day outside. Even if it is just in the yard. However the Botanical Gardens is quite close to where we live so we don't have an excuse to not visit more often and visit the ducks, water hens and lizards.

I always feel less stressed and grumpy after we've spent a couple of hours outside too. So it's back to our 2008 resolution!

Look at that little red face, it was definitely hot!

Playdough

2011-02-15T01:59:00.005-08:00

We made some playdough. It is so easy to do. There are lots of recipes online and a few of my books have recipes in them but they are all pretty similar. Artie helped me mix and cook the mixture.

Artie wasn't so sure about playing with it at first. He held it and scrunched his nose up, it felt kind of strange. So we made the dough into balls and kicked them around. After a little while of this we tried squashing them again and it has been a success ever since. At first I would always sit with him at his little table and we'd make worms and snakes, squash shapes into the playdough, make footprints from our toys and model different animals and food for them. Now he is quite happy to have short stints playing with it himself.

One night we even had family playdough time. Adam, Arthur and I all sat at his little table and played. Sometimes having kids gives us permission to be child-like ourselves again. And, boy, it can be fun!

a little bit of art

2011-02-14T01:33:00.003-08:00

I am often sharing what Artie has been up to but forget to put anything I have made/am making on the blog. I really like being able to look through the archives and remember some of the projects I have done (no matter how small). So here are a few of my recent paintings.

This is a watercolour painting I made for Ben and Corinne for Christmas to hang at their farm in the near future.

Last year Mum and I ventured to Reverse Garbage. I came away with some wooden letter A's for 50 cents each. I intend to hang them in Artie's room. I have only painted one so far but it was lots of fun and hopefully will paint the other two this year!

And, because I can't help myself, here are some of Arthur's masterpieces. I did frame them though, so it kind of counts as one of my projects.

Saturday Afternoon

2011-02-12T03:27:00.000-08:00

I love taking photos. But I often only remember to take my camera out on special occasions, for activities we have set up and holidays. So I am challenging myself to take more photos of the everyday. These moments are often even more special then those fancy and planned for occasions. I want to remember the little things that make me feel at peace and happy.

So here are some pictures from our Saturday afternoon. Nothing special but it felt just right. After a morning of cleaning, Artie and I watched Adam mow the lawn; watched some old Sesame Street songs on the laptop; admired the light in the late afternoon; read some books; rearranged a shelf; had a quick dip in the pool; then headed out for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant. Our little family walked the streets as it got dark and felt happy to be outside as it finally cooled down.

Perfectly ordinary in every way.

Running Painting

2011-02-09T13:13:00.001-08:00

On a warm day (well hot, hot day!) outside, painting is a great art activity. We spread large pieces of paper on the ground in the shade. Then I let Artie go for it. After pouring the paint out of the containers and a bit of paintbrush action, he decided that running across the paper and making footprints was the most fun. I said ready...set...go, he yelled GO and off he went! We call this our running painting.

Here is a little video I made from some photos to show you Artie's technique. Ignore the glitches. I am still working on movie making!

Untitled from Denise Sweedman on Vimeo.

handmade toy bus

2011-01-16T13:32:00.003-08:00

More rainy day toddler activities. The other day Artie was bin diving, as he often is. It is not an activity we encourage, nor suggest, however our bin loving boy will often creep into a bin regardless. The point though is that he came out with the empty egg carton and was quite taken with it. So we gathered our supplies: some tape, two yellow milk bottle tops for lights, scissors, a couple of toilet rolls for wheels and our egg carton.

The end result a wonderful recycled bus. Artie loves putting little toys in and out of each 'seat'.

I think we are going to have to start a handy box soon. I think I have the most fun making things!

Flood

2011-01-12T02:43:00.003-08:00

Our hearts are heavy today. We are very thankful to be safe and still with electricity and food. Most importantly we are thankful that our friends and family are also safe. We went for a walk down to the creek near our home this morning. The creek which is normally a trickle of water is now a flowing river. The power of Mother Nature is an awesome thing.

The sun is shining but the Queensland foods continue to rise and consume many homes. The clean up and rebuilding will be huge for Brisbane, Ipswich and surrounds. Our thoughts and prayers are with all families affected by the tragedy.

A celebration

2011-01-10T01:51:00.000-08:00

Just a catch up on a special night for a special man. Adam's birthday was on the 4th. Happy Birthday Adam. A great husband and a wonderful father, we hope this year brings you much sunshine and success. We love you!

Rainy day activity

2011-01-06T14:14:00.001-08:00

Lots and lots (and lots) of rain in Queensland means lots of indoor activities. I have discovered that fort building in the afternoon, once all other activities have been exhausted, works a treat! By the time we had built in it, played in it, read books in it and run in and out many times, Dad had arrived home from work. I think I will always keep a supply of pegs, sheets and scarves in a handy place. Because it does feel like a pretty magical way to spend an afternoon.

And after all that rain cleared in the evening, the sky seemed pretty magical too.

The Toddler Chef

2011-01-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

I am a firm believer in free, creative play. I have read so many great books about play and how

important it is for children. It is their work. Through imitation young ones work out how the world works. So it is important for me to have play areas that are inviting and encourage imaginative play.

Play kitchens can be so expensive but I really wanted to have one, because eating and cooking is such a big part of our lives it only makes sense that children would want to have a go at it too! Luckily Grumps is very handy and built us this wonderful play stove/oven using all second hand bits and bobs. You can see how he did it here.

It is a hit! for the last couple of weeks 17 month old Artie has been bossily instructing me to sit and watch while he cooks. His Teddy bears have been feeling sick from all the food they have had to eat! We may have to set up a doctor area next to treat stomach aches. But every morning the teddies are eagerly awaiting their next feast. Artie must have some good cooking skills!

They also get a nice cup of tea with every meal.

And when all the eating is done they sit patiently and await their wipe down. Teddies are terribly messy eaters, didn't you know?

Merry Christmas

2011-01-02T02:26:00.001-08:00

We had a lovely christmas. It was filled with all the things that make christmas great. We loved being with both our families and had so much great food, we were not hungry for a few days after. We are so thankful for the wonderful and blessed year that was 2010 and hope that 2011 brings us as much joy. Much love to all our family and friends.

New Zealand- Picton

2010-12-29T21:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, the last New Zealand post. I have to add photos from our stay in Picton because it was probably my overall favourite place. The house was awesome, beyond awesome even. The house belongs to a couple who rent it out for holidays. They had a garden based on permaculture, which spread down a cliffside to a private beach. There was fresh eggs every morning from our own chooks, an abundance of strawberries and fresh vegetables to pick. We would go out every morning for a play and a lunch at a winery and come home for a 2 hour plus nap. It was just heavenly. It was also the place where Arthur gave me my first unasked for kiss (three times!)

New Zealand- Wharariki Beach

2010-12-23T14:53:00.001-08:00

While staying at Ligar Bay we did a day trip to Wharariki Beach. It was a a 30 minute walk down to the beach through farmland and past sheep. It was here that Artie learnt to say "baa' for sheep.

Down at the beach we saw seals who ran into the ocean as we got near. Can you see him in the photo below? Unfortunately, Artie slept through all the seal sightings. We even laid him on the beach and he stayed asleep. The seagulls were curious and circled closer to see whether he was edible or not.

Artie woke up just before we left. Just in time to get his revenge. Dada helped him chase seagulls all over the beach.

It was my favourite beach ever to visit!

Knitting- New Zealand

2010-12-17T19:09:00.002-08:00

Just before we left for New Zealand I finished knitting my first shawl. It was a very easy garter stitch pattern. I liked the way it turned out and it was very handy on cold beaches. However, I didn't notice until looking at the photos that there is obviously a different dye lot in there. See that very obvious pink stripe? Never mind, let's just pretend that it's supposed to be there shall we.

My lovely purple shawl got quite a bit of use at Ruby Bay. We stayed at Clayridge Cottages, right near the very cool beach at Mapua. Artie loved exploring the gardens there, visiting the Llamas and riding on the tractor.

Flying- New Zealand

2010-12-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

Artie not only flew over to New Zealand. He spent a lot of time flying in New Zealand too!

New Zealand

2010-12-14T23:31:00.001-08:00

We had such a wonderful time in New Zealand. I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to travel and give Artie the opportunity to see some of this amazing world.

We ate at wineries, played in playgrounds, went on hikes, swam and froze at the beach, went to some farms, explored towns, had long naps, went to the zoo, and then played, ate and explored some more.

If only we could go on holidays every day. Artie and I loved having Adam with us all the time. Adam was already planning the next one at the airport on the way home!

Making Cards

2010-11-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

We have lots of Birthdays and celebrations coming up, so Artie and I have been busy sticking, gluing and drawing. I love homemade cards. I love handmade cards by Artie even more. He loves sticking the stickers on best. I have been collecting cheap stickers for a few years (thanks to being a teacher). I am even more inspired to collect them now that Arthur is starting to get interested. I think you can never go past stickers and bubbles as presents for young children. They provide hours of entertainment and are so simple and inexpensive!

We used some crayons as well. Although, I don't think a certain 15 month old is quite ready for them yet. We had some interesting coloured nappies that afternoon! I cut some pictures out (from an "In the Night Garden" magazine) for him to choose from and we used sticky tape to attach all the collage elements. Artie had fun playing with (and eating) all the things I brought out and I had fun 'finishing' the cards up for him. And I am sure all the recipients will have fun admiring their beautiful cards!

What we've been doing

2010-11-11T02:28:00.002-08:00

We are off on a holiday to New Zealand in a few days. So hopefully soon I will have lots of holiday snaps to share. We can't wait to chill out and have some quality family time.

We've been busy. Busy, in the normal, everyday kind of way. Where the days seem to whir by in a flash. Artie has been growing and learning so much.

I will let the photos do the talking for me. Enjoy.

zoo

2010-10-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

zoo from Denise Sweedman on Vimeo.

Some video from Arthur's last visit to the Zoo. The quality is still not great but I am working on it.

Australia Zoo

2010-10-05T03:11:00.001-07:00

He grows more confident and able every day.

Although, if the kangaroos get too close, he still comes running back to mum!

box

2010-09-14T02:30:00.000-07:00

Fun with a cardboard box and a toddler. This is our second 'house box'. The first one was loved to ruins. Cheap, quick and easy fun!

Outside

2010-09-05T20:54:00.003-07:00

There is a certain time of the day. When the sun is getting lower. Adam is only a couple of hours away from arriving home. My to do list is looking longer then it did at the beginning of the day. Late afternoon is when I feel myself getting most frustrated and anxious about getting things done. Cooking dinner, a quick tidy or sweep. Lately, when it gets to this point, Artie and I simply leave the house and head outside. We play downstairs until Adam pulls into the driveway.

Because you know what? The chores and to do lists are still waiting for me, they are not in a hurry and are not going anywhere. However, Arthur will only be this age once. It is times like this that I remember to be truly grateful that I am able to be a stay-at-home mum and watch my boy play in the late afternoon sun.

Spring and Mandarins

2010-09-02T03:03:00.002-07:00

First day of spring. Feels a lot like summer here in Queensland! Which means stripping down and enjoying a lazy afternoon on the deck, eating mandarins.

Dress ups

2010-08-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

The boy is fully recovered now. Which makes for a happier, well, everyone!

Playing dress ups. Hats are so much fun. Putting all our hats out to play with can keep him entertained for quite some time. He points to his head and makes noises whenever a hat is near by.

Sick

2010-08-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Our poor boy is under the weather. He has high temperature.The doctor called it the Ekka Virus. So we are trying to take it easy as much as possible. Lots of nursing, a bit of sleeping and many more cuddles and kisses. Adam and I hope he gets better soon. We have never seen our little firecracker so placid and sleepy.

We still manage to get a few laughs from him though. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

How does your garden grow?

2010-08-19T16:37:00.002-07:00

Very slowly. It would seem. But you have to keep trying. Right? The herbs are still a dismal affair but I have hope for the tomatoes, which do seem to be getting bigger. I am trying to grow them hanging upside down in buckets. So far I have high hopes. Artie and I visit them everyday and give them love and encouragement. Cross your fingers for us! I had a great frame made for the buckets to hang from but unfortunately it was not strong enough to survive the high winds we had the other say. So now they are hanging on branches in the barren and farthest corners of our yard. Until I have the time to make a stronger frame this is where they will stay.

We did yield the smallest potatoes. I dug them up the other day. They are tiny. Artie loves them though and carries them all around the yard. I might try and steam them up for him one night, they are just the right size.

Bushwalking

2010-08-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

Weekend bushwalking. Arthur even walked some of it alone and stuck to the path!

collection #4 and #5

2010-08-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

From our honeymoon in Italy.

Two birthdays and a chocolate cake

2010-08-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

A very busy weekend. Birthday breakfast and lunch and Artie's first chocolate cake. He licked the plate clean!

Painting

2010-08-14T02:32:00.002-07:00

Nan and Gran have a birthday this week. Happy Birthday to you both!

Artie and I decided to make them a present.

We prepared the materials:

::A tray

::A paintbrush

::Some non-toxic paint mixed in water

::A few small bottle lids to hold the paint and water (only a small amount needed as Artie likes to make a mess!)

::A couple of non-toxic crayons
::Watercolour paper, taped to the tray

We kept the materials minimal so that Arthur could just have fun experimenting with sensory play.

After we cleaned up, I got to have some fun. I cut out sections of the paintings that I liked. Arranged them on a card and used the sewing machine around the edges. Now we are off to deliver a card, with Artie's first painting on the front, to Nan and Gran.

I am going to keep one for myself too. I think it fits beautifully in our home!

Collection #3

2010-08-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

From a trip to New Zealand with a good friend, to see The World of Wearable Art, for my 21st birthday.

Collection #2

2010-08-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ben and Corinne's wedding. A weekend in Ruthergeln, Victoria, 2006.

In the spirit of getting more organised and minimising some of my 'stuff' I have started photographing some of my collections. I am one of those people who collects a lot of souvenirs from a holiday or special occasion. When I was little I used to keep scrapbooks. However this leads to too much 'stuff' around that I never get around to making into a scrapbooks anymore. So I wil record them digitally before letting go.

motivation

2010-08-08T15:54:00.001-07:00

Lately, I have been feeling very motivated. To cook. To organise. To garden. I have really been enjoying being a stay at home mother and teaching and playing with Artie while running the house.

Adam and I dream of growing our own vegetables and herbs. Even though my thumb is not very green, as far from green as one can go it seems, we keep trying. So into the garden we go. A new batch of herbs, some tomatoes and strawberries. If I keep trying, I have to get it right one day. Right?

Now I have even more motivation to get into the garden. My ever present little helper. Who adores being outside and runs off to explore. So into the garden we go again today.

{I have been enjoying reading 'Outdoor Kids: A practical guide for kids in the garden' by Jamie Durie. I got it out of the library and it has some great information for when Arthur is older. So I am putting it here to remind myself to check it out in a few years when he is able to help out.}

Handmade Presents

2010-08-04T14:38:00.002-07:00

Just a little bit more handmade goodness from Arthur's birthday, just because I love handmade things best of all! Introducing- Golly on the left from Great Grandma and Peter on the right from Gran.

Having a staring competition with Peter. I am not sure who won, but I have my suspicions. When I came back outside poor Peter had been thrown off the balcony!

He was also lucky enough to have to yummy cakes made by his Nan and his Great Aunt. So much love for the little man.

morning walk

2010-08-03T15:44:00.003-07:00

Every morning, come rain or shine, Artie and I (Adam joins us when he is home) go on our morning walk. These days Artie is doing a lot of exploring on these walks. I love watching him explore nature. It forces me to take a closer look too.

Beach Day

2010-08-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Queensland winters= swimming, sand play and accidental burn on my shoulders,

and one tired and happy boy at the end of the day, with crazy, beach hair!

When I was one, I had just begun

2010-08-01T16:18:00.004-07:00

Now that Arthur has journeyed once around the sun it is time for an update.

We can hardly believe it was over a year ago now that Artie joined our little family. Somedays Adam and I feel he hasn't changed much at all. However you just need to compare these photos with the ones below and it proves that he has indeed grown a whole lot!

He is no longer scared of his good friend Zeddy, in fact, he now has the upper hand.

They wrestle (aka Artie strangles poor Zeddy);

He has grown much taller then Zeddy;

It's still love!

::He is walking everywhere. He even refuses to crawl up the stairs. Too clever to crawl thank you very much.

::He is still breastfeeding (quite often) but enjoys many foods and is willing to taste anything.

::He loves; birds, planes, buses, helicopters and bins best. Especially bins! He points out every bin he sees with great enthusiasm and signs "more". I really don't like Monday morning walks that much as it is rubbish collection day and that makes for a lot of arm flailing, pointing, shouting and "more" signing as we see copious amounts of wheelie bins lining the streets.

:: His communication is going really well. He signs more, up, plane, bird, helicopter, washing machine, around around, bin and says (not always clearly) ball, mumma, dadda, balloon, up. Amongst others.

::He also seems to be understanding us a lot more. He will follow simple instruction, like 'can you please but this in the bin' (of course!) and listens intently when I explain "No, stop, the road is dangerous".

:: His sleeping is still all over the place. Someday really good, other days we wonder why he is not collapsing. He loves having dum-dum and Gerry to sleep with. And Gerry (his blankie) gets lots of cuddles and kisses!

:: He has no interest in television, but loves reading, walking, digging up plants, moving objects around the house, being outside, playing with balls and balloons, eating while walking, listening to nursery rhymes and being carried around (so he can see what the adults are doing).

:: He is quite reserved in large groups but is a real charmer once he warms up to the situation or person.

::He attends Mummy and Me yoga and Rhyme Time at the library.

::He is a real bundle of energy. He came into the world raring to go and hasn't stopped since.

::He is adorable, cheeky, cute, stubborn, strong-willed and smart.

:: Did I mention he is adorable So handsome with his big blue eyes and blonde hair.

Arthur, you have taught us the true meaning of exhaustion. Every day is a learning experience. But no matter what, you bring us a smile every day. You have filled our lives with so much pride and happiness it feels like we could burst. Thank you for joining us.

Going with the flow

2010-07-29T16:38:00.002-07:00

Some days everything feels just right in the world. I am full of energy, feel like a terrific wife and mother, the house is in order and the sun is shining. Then there are those other days. Today is one of those other days. The floor is a mess, covered in crumbs. The boy is nap-less. I am frayed. Today is the perfect day to remember to go with the flow. The clouds are out. Artie and I have decided to ditch any plans and all to-do lists and simply be. We are hanging around the house, looking for the sun and for peace in every room.

I am also flicking through Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali. I read this before becoming a parent, well really I just skimmed it. I didn't really grasp just how relevant and insightful it is. I have reread it now many times. Some parts over and over. On days like today I will promise myself to try and remember this book. Because when I let go and go with the flow, a day like today can turn into a fantastic day.

Living mindfully we feel happier; how could we not willingly let go of all preoccupations that keep us from noticing any joy in the present moment? We start to experience the 'here and now' more richly.

-Sarah Napathali

{artwork by Arthur}

The First Birthday Party Decorations

2010-07-28T17:32:00.004-07:00

Arthur turned one last friday, so we had a little party on Sunday to celebrate. I forgot to take many photos (well not so much forgot as was busy doing other stuff, like cooking and chatting and blowing bubbles!) but I did manage to snap a few of the decorations I made.

The first thing I made was this birthday banner. I wanted decorations that we could reuse every year, and start a new family tradition with. I love it and hope that in two decades it will be still be going strong and strung up at a 21st!

I whipped up some pom-poms and strung them across the family room. These are still up and Arthur loves to touch them and point at them.

I also made these little, very easy flags. Using the overlocker and eyelets. They can be moved around on the string to suit where they are hung.

All the sewing, meant there was a lot of fabric scraps left on the ground. So in the spirit of an environmentally friendly party, I picked them up and tied them to some string, and;

Tada! Homemade streamers

So there you have it. Some decorations that we can store away and use again and again. I am sure Artie will forgot that we got him a xylophone or any of the other presents, but I hope that he remembers for years and years the love that went in to all the home made preparations.

Artie has been asking to be picked up for a closer look at the decorations A LOT. With a face like that how can I resist!

Trying

2010-07-14T17:12:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to stay off the Internet. Lately the TV has been staying off but I tend to waste a lot of time on the computer. There is so much inspiration, but sometimes it is too much, and I feel the need to switch off and enjoy other things.

Like running outside;

watching for airplanes;

a bit of sewing;

some knitting, with an excellent helper;

growing potatoes;

and spending time with my favourite, adorable and cheeky boy;

Sunday Afternoon

2010-07-11T03:40:00.002-07:00

We spent the afternoon, like we do many afternoons, in the park down the road. The only difference this particular afternoon was that Arthur was walking around like he had been doing it for years. He even kicked the ball around and carried our bags all over the field. He took his first steps at 10 months old and, day by day, he has gradually improved. Now at 11.5 months I would officially call him a toddling toddler! You have to love Queensland winters, notice Adam is wearing shorts and a t-shirt. A perfect Sunday Afternoon with my loves.

We returned home to our house with the bright yellow Wattle in full bloom. Winters in Queensland are definitely bright and cheery!

Holiday Photo Journal 4

2010-07-05T19:07:00.002-07:00

The last of the photos from our North Queensland holiday:

::The Daintree Ice Creamery- pretty close to what I imagine heaven to be . They make ice-cream out of the things they grow on their beautiful property. What a life. We had wattle seed, black sabote, macadamia and mango ice-cream. So good.

::Adam bungy jumping in Cairns.

Oh, how i love holidays! I am already counting down to our next one.

Holiday Photo Journal 3

2010-06-18T02:11:00.004-07:00

The Daintree- Silky Oaks Lodge

Canopy Walk- Cape Tribulation

The Big Barramundi- The Daintree

One happy camper with his new toy Edna the Emu

Holiday Photo Journal 2

2010-06-15T02:56:00.000-07:00

Cairns Tropical Zoo
Skyrail- starting in Cairns and travelling up to Kuranda (so much art everywhere in Kuranda, even on the ground)

Holiday Photo journal 1

2010-06-14T03:39:00.000-07:00

Visit to the beach at Port Douglas.
Exploring nature with our hands and our mouths! And of course, cleaning up with sink bath after all the adventuring.

Video!

2010-06-04T03:09:00.006-07:00

In my mind I write so many blog posts. I have pictures and words and ideas. Then when I check my blog none of those awesome and witty posts are there! However I just got a brand, spanking, new computer so no more excuses; no more photos not uploading, or my screen keeps freezing.

To prove my commitment, here is a video (the first video I have ever made!) with a few clips of Artie from 6-9months.Enjoy the gorgeousness and his general silliness.

I have many holiday photos to go through and add soon. Just need to get the photos from my old computer onto the new one..hhmmm.

Us

2010-04-30T02:23:00.000-07:00

Today Adam cut his hair. It was the longest it had ever been. So we all went downstairs, cut and shaved and documented the whole process. Today the computer froze and lost all the great pictures I had taken.

So instead here are some photos of us just being us. Enjoy.

Things to do with a baby

2010-04-20T21:26:00.002-07:00

Because he loves the water.
Because clothes can be washed and hair dried.
Because no one wants to be cooped up inside all day.
Because it is raining, raining and raining some more today.

The nice thing about living in a warm climate is we can go outside and play in the rain without freezing. Artie and I headed out after lunch to splash in some puddles. He got to crawl, taste, drink, splash and listen to the rain fall. I enjoyed watching my son explore and delight in nature.

While we were out in the rain we sang any rain rhymes and songs I could think of. We sang; 'Incy Wincy Spider,' 'It's Raining it's Pouring,' 'Rain, rain go away' and ' Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head.'

When the rain started to get a bit heavier we came back inside and got all dry and clean. Then I gave Artie a baby massage and we snuggled in the nursing chair until he fell asleep. And he is still asleep an hour and a half later! He must have worn himself out with all that exploring.

Easter

2010-04-13T20:20:00.002-07:00

Some belated photos from Easter.

Swimming and eating and eating and a bit more eating (and definitely no napping!) at Gran and Grumps' new house.

Starting with a shot of my boys out the front of our new house, all dressed up and ready to go.

Rainforest collection

2010-04-05T01:47:00.001-07:00

The other day we went on a walk in the rainforest at Mount Glorious. I forgot the camera but brought home some treasures.

Unfortunately, Arthur ate all the treasures he collected.

What she's been up to...

2010-04-03T03:18:00.000-07:00

I celebrated my 27th birthday today. My first birthday as a Mumma. Artie picked me a beautiful flower on his walk with daddy this morning.

I had a lovely relaxing day. We had some cake, some music, some alone time for mumma to have a bath and a lot of fun.

Thank you to Nan and Aunty Stacey for looking after the boy for a few hours so Adam and I could enjoy a delicious lunch at Jade Budda.

What he has been up to

2010-04-02T03:48:00.004-07:00

Artie turned 8 months on the 23rd of March.

So what has he been up to?

He has been;

crawling,

visiting the library,

standing,

swinging,

asking for a blessing on his food,

then eating it,

a bit of swimming, and;

lots of playing!

Phew! No wonder we are all exhausted. We are all looking forward to what his 8th month will bring.

He also worked out how to wave hello and goodbye and give cuddles (having him give me cuddles is my favourite thing in the whole world! No feeling beats it).

It fits

2010-03-21T23:45:00.001-07:00

Many months after knitting these bootees, they fit my boy's chubby feet. It was the first thing I knit for my babe and the first project I completed using a pattern. It was found while unpacking one of many boxes. However it is going straight back in the box, as Daddy has declared it too girly for a boy.

But I will let you in on a secret (ssshh don't tell) it is so cute we might still sneak it on when Daddy is at work.

Brisbane

2010-02-17T15:04:00.003-08:00

We have been very busy moving to Brisbane, and;

celebrating Daddy's birthday,

growing a tooth,

practicing crawling at the City Botanical Gardens,

lots of swimming and being dunked at Southbank and various pools,

eating breakfast with a view,

a little bit of play,

being cheeky,

eating, Artie likes fruit best of all at the moment,

finding interesting ways to get clean,

and keeping that one tooth nice and clean with his favourite toothbrush.

We are hoping to be settled in a new house in the next couple of weeks, so hopefully more regular blogging will resume soon. Back to exploring, the world is such an interesting place!

Baptised

2010-01-01T20:21:00.002-08:00

On the 27th of December 2009, Arthur was baptised at Saint Mary's Catholic Church.

Christmas cheer

2010-01-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

Just a few photos from our first christmas as three.

welcoming 2010

2009-12-31T21:31:00.000-08:00

Adam, Arthur and I welcomed 2010 in the great outdoors. Arthur went for his first hike in his new back carrier in the rainforest. 2009 was an exciting year for us, filled with great change, as our family grew to three. I am looking forward to slowing down this year and enjoying time and growing with my family. And perhaps a few more walks in the forest.

Goodbye Victoria

2009-12-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

We are busy trying to get organised to move back to Queensland but here is a quick photo. Artie is sitting in the present his lovely friends from mothers group got him as a farewell present. It is a bumbo and he loves it.

Artie Goes to the Zoo

2009-11-27T21:09:00.002-08:00

A beautiful Spring day in Melbourne, a visit to the zoo and one happy 4 month old boy. One of those days you never want to forget.

Artie wasn't too fussed about the animals but he loved the trees!

Feeding time at the zoo!

He's a roller

2009-11-25T15:39:00.002-08:00

One minute he is lying on the floor looking up at me...

The next minute the cheeky munchkin has rolled over onto his tummy. Clever boy! (Might have to start childproofing soon).

He officially can roll both ways from 4 months and one day old.

He has also discovered his feet and likes to pull on them.

He can grab and hold his toys.

He hates naps but is quite good at bedtime.

And he has tasted some frozen apple, in a mesh taster, he didn't seemed too mind it at all.

just some new ones of late

2009-11-19T16:14:00.003-08:00

Artie and I going for a walk to the post office. He is looking spunky in Nan's hat (still too big for him though!).

Like father, like son. Adam and Artie checking their messages on a walk.

Artie revelling in the beauty of nature, he loves trees. He smiles, laughs and chats to them. Almost 4 months old, wearing Gran's overalls.

And lastly, more of my gardening prowess, the little lemon tree that would not die. We were sure he had carked it, the leaves curled up and fell off, the trunk turned grey- so we moved him to the veggie patch to let him die in peace. Then, look what he went and did. Sprouted some nice new green leaves. What a clever little lemon tree!

digging for treasure

2009-11-16T16:53:00.007-08:00

I admit I am not the best gardner. My family all seem quite adept at gardening- my aunty and my mum have beautiful gardens. The talent seems to have bypassed me, plants seem fated to die when they are brought into my home. I have one house plant which has been going for three years. It was doing well, I swear it was thriving for at least two years. Our lemon tree has been with us for two years and is a sickly little thing, that refuses to die, although it looks like it has. I try loving them, then ignoring them, feeding them, talking to them, but alas they do not tend to thrive. I have killed so many herb plants (oh, so many!). But continue to buy them with the dream of not having to buy herbs in the weekly shop.

I have however discovered a plant which seems not only easy to grow, but also fun. The humble potato! Some old potatoes were left outside to green and then planted in our little veggie patch. After three months some brand new potatoes were unburied. It was just like digging for gold!

So now, we have homegrown potatoes of various sizes to turn into a yummy meal.

Ah, sweet success, maybe I can be a good gardner after all. (I just won't mention that it was mum who planted the potatoes while I was in the hospital!)

It's a heatwave!

2009-11-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

It's hot in Melbourne, so we found a fun ways to cool off! Wearing 'Aunty' Sara's present and zinc:)

One of Life's Great Lessons

2009-11-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

You want me to do what?!

You can't be serious!

Maybe if I play with my hands she'll think I am too busy.

I really have to help fold the laundry!?

Okay I will give it a go.

How hard can it be?

I think I've got the hang of it.

Teaching Arthur the art of folding laundry nice and young. He'll make someone a good husband one day. 15 weeks old today.

tummy time

2009-11-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

3.5 months. Still trying desperately to roll from his back onto his front, but not quite getting it yet!