Running Painting

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.

Outside

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. 

Beach Day

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

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. 

The First Birthday Party Decorations

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!

He's a roller

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

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!

One of Life's Great Lessons

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

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