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Lead up to Christmas

I find Christmas stressful. Have for ages. Mostly because I feel there are a lot of expectations around it, mine as well as others. There is a “thing” in my family about me being terrible to gift for as if I don’t like a gift, I can’t hide it.

I seriously don’t like useless gifts. It could be useless because it’s an ornament (like, I like vases much more than statuette thingies, because they have an actual use as a flower receptacle), or it could be useless because I have more of them than I could ever need (platters. Seriously. Beau and I both got given them as gifts in the years leading up to our wedding and then we got given a whooooole bunch more), or it could be useless because I dislike it so much I would never use it (best example is this pink plastic remote control jewellery box I got given for my 21st, it didn’t work well and it didn’t fit my jewellery + it’s pink plastic). The thing that makes me hate useless gifts the most though, is that I cannot bring myself to get rid of them as someone *gave* it to me. So I end up storing/hoarding things I don’t like and then resenting them for taking up space that could be used for things I do like. What makes useless gifts worse is when they come from people who love and care for me, because then I get into this angst spiral of “I thought they *knew* and loved me, but they can’t do as they gave me something so wrong. So, they don’t know me at all and I shouldn’t care so much but I though they *knew*…. ad infinitum”. Then throw in the fact that I know this is stupid and that I am just being ungrateful. Dude!!! People love me enough to give me stuff, why can’t I just be happy???!!

It also works the other way too. Because of how I feel about “wrong” gifts, I worry that I could give wrong gifts to others! This isn’t so bad in my direct family as we’re pretty good about saying what we want and then I can just get them that and then a little something (like chocolate) added in. However, I went and married this guy who is one of 7 children. Yup. And they all buy each other presents. Except of course, I can’t leave Beau to buy presents for his sibs as he puts stuff off so much that he’ll be buying everything on Christmas Eve morning and the cost will be out of control and I’d still end up wrapping stuff, plus when he got them something weird, I’d partly responsible even if it was ALL HIM. Although they’re all so nice they’d actually like it anyway. So, I end up buying stuff for his family or at least helping him (in previous years, when it’s been up to him and he’s left it to the last minute and can’t find the *right* thing and is stressing out and putting down any suggestions I make, until we walk through another 4 stores mad with last minute shoppers and he can’t find anything better and we end up having to go back to the place where I suggested something, I start to hate him a little and even me getting to be right doesn’t help). It’s horrible.

So, this year I decided I would start early and make stuff, useful. Of course that whole starting early thing didn’t work out too well, but I did make a plan of various things I could make and that they’d all probably like and what was involved in the making.

So far I have made, a christmas tea blend, a spicy hot chocolate blend and some preserves. Today I also went out and bought fruit for more preserves. I think each will just get one jar. Each of the sibs should get 1 jar tea, 1 jar hot chocolate and 1 jar preserves, even if they don’t personally like them, they can offer them to visitors who come over. Plus, after researching on the internet I bought something else (small but I could see them all using it) to add to each set. I should also have enough spare jars of stuff that friends and extended family we see over the holiday period can get a jar of something too :) I’m pretty happy with what I’ve made, but as you can see, I can’t bring myself to just give them that. I really should value stuff I make more. I know I’m not the only one who finds that hard though!

Beau-mas can be extra hard too as previous years we have agreed on a one present per sibling/family and that it should be around $20 (although I’m pretty sure everyone was willing to pretend that anything up to $40 was got on sale for around $20). However, this rule was pushed for by someone who is now an ex and I can see that individual presents and more expensive presents are sneaking in again. In a lot of ways I wish we could agree on a secret santa type system where instead we could spend all the money we might on each of the sibs on one sibling/family combined and get them something really awesome and useful and potentially needful! I don’t see it happening though, as others love choosing and shopping.

Not to mention the hassle of trying to organise stuff for X-mas with an almost 2 year old, while 7months pregnant. Needless to say, it looks like Beau and I aren’t giving gifts to each other and neither have we bought anything for Sweets, for Christmas or her birthday. We kind of suck as parents I guess (although in the past month she has been given 2 aprons made by me as well as 2 finger puppets). Hopefully I’ll have time to shop or make something for her. Did I mention that Beau is working the 12 days up to Christmas Eve (which is his big family day anyway) and that this weekend he is doing 14 1/2 hour shifts + he is planning to go out 2 times this coming week. Helpful!

Anyway on to things I *will* make in the next two days (because otherwise the produce might go funny). Rhubarb and St$rawberry jam (because it’s the season and I want to taste it) from Ladies, a Plate and Rhubarb and Ginger Jam (because it is my go to jam, people love it, you can’t buy it and I only have one jar in the cupboard). Only sad thing is that while I appear to have a good crop of rhubarb, there isn’t really enough for me to jam up quite yet, so have to use bought. However, I’ll be gifting most of these batches away and mine should be ready then :)

Yesterday I made Feijoa and Cointreau Jelly. I pre-cut and froze feijoas back when they were in season. I was pretty preserved out by then, so this is my first chance to do something about it. Feijoa jelly is pretty much amazing and making it from frozen worked out fine, so if things next Feijoa season are crazy (what with having Mowgli and Sweets), I must find time to chop and freeze stuff for later. I must spread the jelly love ;)

Point of Fashion: very cold for one of the longest days of the year
Current Obsession: Is anybody out there?

2011 12 17 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (9) Permalink

So close to 2 ( and well in 3rd trimester)

Sweets continues to amaze and delight (as well as drive me to hair pulling and frustration, but you know).
This morning she had an imaginary friend! Mei from My Neighbour Totoro (Sweets’ favourite movie). She’s been into playing with her dolls etc for ages, feeding them and putting them to bed and taking them to the toilet etc, but this is the first time she’s played with something/someone that *wasn’t there*. It was pretty adorable and she carried Mei on her back (“back pack”) on the journey to Playcentre, but once we got out there was no more mention of Mei.

We also had a shared birthday party for Sweets this weekend past. As Sweets would say “Ovvy party, E-yo party, Mama party”. Eyo is Sweets’ friend who is 4 days older than her. They get along really well, which is awesome as his Mum and I get along really well too. It was pretty much just friends with kids (plus Sweets’ local relatives). We hired Playcentre for it, filled up the Kai table and just let the kids play. The only organised thing was the cake (Eyo was awesome at blowing out the candle, Sweets made me blow out hers). It was nice and chillaxed. I think future birthday parties shall be like this too!

Eyo’s mum and I wanted to have food that was easy, but also not just chips and colouring and sugar. I provided:
mini-cupcakes
chocolate cake
asparagus and bacon in puff pastry
cheese rolls
1 packet of salt and vinegar chips because I LOVE THEM
Edamame

A did:
orange cake
fruit platter (grapes, strawberries, watermelon)
cheerios w tomato sauce
rice wheelie things (they’re chippy-like, but puffed rice)
fairy bread

We also made a “juice” made up of drained tinned fruit, blended and mixed with sparkling water. Plus my Mum made fresh spring rolls.

It worked out well. The party was really just a morning tea 10-12, so we didn’t feel pressure to provide too much food. Sweets probably spent a good half of the party at the Kai table happily munching away and socialising. Even though all the food was eaten, I’m sure we could have gotten away with less. Some parents spent a fair amount of time grazing too. The cakes and cupcakes didn’t come out until about 11.20 when we sang “Happy Birthday” etc. I’d thought it would just be cupcakes for the kids, but interestingly the older kids (3-5) really felt like they had to have a Piece of Cake. It was a requirement. Even though the cupcakes were exactly the same recipe and had icing and sprinkles too.

Another thing we took into account re:catering was that one of our attendees was allergic to eggs, so we were egg-free. Luckily the cake recipe A and I use is super easy and while egg (and dairy) free, it is not at all sugar-free and tastes great!

Now to remind myself for next time, Asparagus and Bacon puff pastries:

Puff Pastry
Streaky Bacon
Asparagus

1) Cut a puff pastry sheet in half, place 2 pieces of bacon and 1-2 bits of asparagus on each half.
2) Roll up and cut into 4-5 pieces.
3) Repeat until you run out of something. (You can now put in fridge until about 45min before serving, I prepped the day before)
3) bake in preheated oven until all puffed up and brown.
4) enjoy the taste and the compliments.

One last thing, I don’t recommend having even a chillaxed toddler party when in third trimester. I recommend staying at home and resting as much as possible. Do as I say, not as I do!!

Mowgli is a good little wiggler. Measuring slightly large for dates, head down and apparently not giving me gestational diabetes.

Point of Fashion: not PJs or trackpants!
Current Obsession: Christmas. Also, does Beau really think he can get away with doing *NOTHING* to prep for it. SERIOUSLY????

2011 12 13 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (3) Permalink

One and 3/4 and also 23 weeks

So, where have I been these last few months? There was over a month of illness. Sweets, Beau and I were all sick at various times with various degrees of sickness. Sweets had a fever at one stage that left her all lethargic, all she wanted to do was “Cuddle Mummy” and drink nom and blob. We let her watch movies in this time, which is how she was introduced to Studio Ghibli! Jazzmaster Sv and Star lent us My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Deliver Service and Sweets loved them both. In the worst of her illness I think she watched each at least once a day! We weaned her off them and managed to return them, however I suspect she may get copies at Christmas or Birthday.

*TMI ILLNESS INFO FOLLOWING*

I was extra sick thanks to morning sickness! Yup, as the title implies there is a 23week old (or really 21 week old) creature growing and wriggling inside of me. I get major fatigue in the first trimester, plus vomiting. I went through a big phase of feeling like a bad parent to Sweets as I just wasn’t able to look after her the way I normally do. There was a week when I was sick, but she was well and she spent a night at my parents and went out on multiple playdates without me. The cold/flus I caught (we got 2 back to back) also morphed into a cough which hung around for about 4 weeks. Bacterial infection we think and I probably should have gone to doctors and gotten antibiotics, but I didn’t. Anyhoo, I suspect without this my “morning sickness” would have finised a *lot* earlier. However what actually occured was I would start having a coughing fit, I would have to run to the toilet (pregnancy hormones loosening up + having given birth not *that* long ago do not make awesome pelvic floor muscles) and then as the cough kept going it would then trigger vomiting. Man, life is glamourous.

I went through a pretty low mental health time around then. Feeling unwell/tired wasn’t helped by me also feeling a bit gross by all this stuff going on with my body and managing that also fed into a major trackpants slob hermit phase (what’s the point of wearing anything nice when Sweets will mess it up?). Which of course fed back into feeling low (I look blah, I don’t want to see anyone, noone wants to see me). Ah, vicious mental cycles. Also, my SPD started up again. Also, I forgot, there was a death in the family and my Mum went to Thailand for a bit over 3 weeks leaving me without one of my major supports. This is of course when I fell ill + Beau was working a week of nights followed by a week of long days. Ah, when it rains, it pours. All over you.

Anyway, I eventually got healthy, the morning sickness waned, my Mum came back and everything just seemed to get a bit easier. One pretty awesome thing that occured was that my Mum decided one day that she wouldn’t be bringing Sweets home after taking her out one afternoon. Instead she would keep her overnight. I laughed as my Mum is a soft touch with Sweets and can’t get her to sleep. However, apparently if you keep Sweets up long enough she will eventually go to sleep and Mum was willing to do that. Nice! Sweets started staying over with them about once a week and it is such a great break for me (and Beau).

One big positive from Mum being away when I was so vulnerable was that Dad stepped up in a big way. He came over most mornings (often then going to work) and entertained Sweets letting me have a bit more of a sleep. It also really improved their relationship. Mum is so keen on Sweets that she hogs her a bit, so Dad hadn’t gotten to know her as well (plus Mum frequently came over on her own in the day just to play). It is so cool seeing Sweets develop these relationships with my family. It makes me feel like my siblings (all 3 overseas currently) are missing out though.

Woo! This post has become a longer lot more complainy that I originally meant.

Some things I want to remember:

Sweets is saying and doing so much cool stuff.
Blocks: She is really into building “Castles” and houses. On her own, she isn’t too good, but can stack things quite high and sorts out various types. She likes it when others build with her and she gets to add to them. She also loves putting other toys amongst them (making it their houses). Dad, Da Ja, has also instigated imaginary play with her, pretending the various blocks are drinks/food etc. Another day he’d made several little house for various animals and then had them visiting one another. Recently Beau’s siblings were in town and Sweets got to play with her older (3 and 4) cousins. They were busy building blocks too and let her join in :)

Music: She loves nursery rhymes and sings to herself. About a month ago her favourite song was Wheels on the Bus. She especially loved the Mama’s on the bus saying Shh, Shh, Shh and the children/babies going Up and Down. One morning I heard her wake up and begin singing, when I looked over to her she was bobbing up in down in her cot with “Up and Down” “Babies on Bus, Up and Down” etc. So cheerful! The favourite then moved on to Goosey Goosey Gander. You’ll also find her singing parts of the theme songs to Totoro and Ponyo (she’ll bare her own belly for “Round Tummy”). Most recently she’s been loving a mash-up between Jingle Bells and Hot Cross Bun? She serenaded me with it the other morning in bed.
“Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Way, Hot Cross Bun, Hot Cross Bun, penny, Jingle Bell” (and continue). We have a tape we play in the car and Mum plays her a few tapes at hers. Beau found the theme songs on youtube and shows them to Sweets on his phone. She also demands/requests various songs and loves going through her various nursery rhyme books (has done this for ages). Now at the stage where she turns to pages she recognises and starts the rhymes/songs herself!

Talking/Communication: Talking and talking! It takes a parent to understand much of what she says, but her vocabulary just increases in leaps and bounds. Months ago Beau and I were very impressed when he had cut some plum for her and she observed it was shaped like a chair. “Chair, chair!” She then continued to point out “Mama’s chair, Dada’s chair, Ovvy (her name for herself)’s chair). The first 4 word sentence I recall hearing was I think a couple of months ago “Cat come miki’s house?”. She also occasionally talks in her sleep, one night as Beau was going to bed he heard “Go feed ducks”. The next morning when I was dressing her she talked about feeding ducks too! Other fun phrases “Mushroom Bucket, growing growing. Eat it Eat it!”, “I had a good nap”.

Hair: For a long time, Sweets has been fascinated with my hair. I think it started with her love of animals and their tails. When I have my hair in braids she loves to pull on them and stroke the ends or even brush them on her face. Sometimes when she is sleepy she will demand “Tail!” or now “touch hair”. She also wants to brush it. The other day I was on the computer and Sweets had a little brush in her hand and kept scrambling behind me. It was a bit of a game, she found it hilarious when I took it off her and moved it away. Back she would come! After a few goes of this I rounded on the little giggler and she declaimed “Ratbag!”.

Empathy: Sweets gets upset when others are unhappy. It’s quite cute hearing her telling me that someone else is sad eg “Sammi Cai” (she can’t quite manage the r in Cry). While I was ill she would get very upset with me closing the door to the toilet, but I didn’t want her to see me vomiting as sometimes then she would try and copy me! Plus, I don’t ever want people watching me vomit. Another day I was very tired and upset and having a bit of a cry. Up she comes to me saying “Mummy cai” then she cuddles me and says “Sorry, sorry”. Oh, my little pea.

New baby: This new baby is currently being called Mowgli (or Mow-gi, if you’re a small who has trouble with “L’s”). Sweets talks about baby Mowgi and gives my belly pats, cuddles and kisses. We’ve also talked about how she will have to share with Mowgli. I’m sure she doesn’t truly understand, but I am reassured by how she does love babies. She “helped” change her 1 week old cousin’s nappy a few weeks ago. She’d watched him getting changed by Beau earlier and then he did a poo almost immediately (new borns!) and then when he was getting changed again, she pulled a wipe out of the box and wiped his bottom and then handed the nappy to his (very impressed) mum.

Toileting: She’s been out of nappies for a month!! It was actually a bit anticlimactic. Basically Beau and I had to just toughen up and trust her. Not many accidents (it works out a bit over 1 a week including overnight) so it is all very manageable. I remind myself that while it seems easy now, we did actually lay the ground work a looong time ago.

Other headings I should probably write under, Animals, favourite toys, friends.

Hopefully will find the time to do this before another 4 months passes!

I am a proud Mama and do love my smalls a lot.

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2011 10 24 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (4) Permalink

Awesome 17 month old

Sweets turned 17 months a few days ago and she is just so sweet and funny and awesome right now. You know, objectively speaking ;) Here are some reasons I think so.

Communication: She is talking more and really trying to get thoughts across. She’s finally started to use animal types rather than just their sounds, and her voice is so cute.
eg what has been for *months* “woof woof” is now “Dok-u”. Cats were “ow ow” and are now “meow” as well as “Cat”. “Tai-ga” (tiger) and “Pan-na” (panda) are new too. She is also trying to say lots more names, interestingly, she is more interested in the names of other children than their parents (E-yo for Leo, Mi-mi for Mika, Shi-shi for Sienna). Beau and I are still Da-da and Mama (or Mum-mum) respectively. She still doesn’t seem interested in saying her own name at all.

Sweets is very good at saying “ba-bye” to people. Most mornings we say “ba-bye” to Beau and wave at him from a window as he heads off too work. Often later in the day she will mention him “Da-da?” and I will say something like “Da-da has gone to work”. Reply “Ba-bye”.

New words include, “fo-k” fork, “Peese” please, “ca-cae” cup cake, “preem” cream, “pis-kii” biscuit. If she sees a treat she wants, you get a big stream of “ca-cae, peeese, peese, ca-cae, ka” along with bowing and wai-ing. This is because I’ve been teaching her to say Please and “khop khun ka” (thank-you in thai, which goes with a wai), when someone gives her something. Thus, she has learned this is the behaviour that gains her goods!

She also is determined to communicate. She will frequently keep saying a word at you, until you say the actual word, then she relaxes. Often it is something she can see. An example from earlier this week was when we were at the table and Sweets kept saying “ta-ta, ta-ta”. I couldn’t understand what she wanted. Then I realised she was trying to say “tahngkaya” (rubbish bin). I was folding up an empty biscuit packet in my hands and she was telling me it would go in the the rubbish bin!

Memory: It’s been over a month since Muggle left, but earlier this week, we went on a trip to drop off her laptop at a friend’s. Sweets saw it and immediately said “Na Ma” (her name for Muggle). She is also talking about stuff she saw earlier in the day, like today when I was BFing her before bed, she kept popping off to say “bubba?”. We’d been to visit a friend with her new baby today and Sweets just wanted to talk about it. I told her how we’d visited them and how she’d cuddled the baby. “ca-el”(cuddle) she said in agreement along with doing a rocking motion. She then said “cup” and I replied, “that’s right, you saw I’s cup and you had a drink from your cup too”. She was satisfied with this and went back to her milk.

Eating: She continues to be good with her eating and is getting really good with spooning up stuff to feed herself. Surprisingly tidy really. She is a bit more discriminating with what she eats now and won’t put just anything in her mouth, eg, when she was littler she’d have a go at a bit of salad, even though she couldn’t break it down. Not so interested in that now. She is *really* keen on dipping stuff (“dip-dip”). It’s partly my fault as I dip biscuits in my tea. Today she ate most of a small bowl of yogurt by dipping a biscuit in it and licking it off. Funny monkey.

Toileting: Sweets is doing pretty amazingly with EC. For the past few weeks a “bad” day would mean 2 or more nappies, an average day would be 1 nappy and a good day ZERO nappy changes. She still wears a nappy almost all of the time, but she seems to be better at holding on, or else I’m better at taking her to the toilet at the right time? She has also sometimes telling us when she wants to go by making a sign (hers is right index finger pointing into palm of left hand) and saying “sheee” (our toileting word). She was doing this earlier (13-14months), but the sign and sound she made then were different (index fingers pointing together and more like “tsss, tsss”). However she hadn’t done it for a while, it’s cool that she is telling us again.

Physical stuff: She is sooo good at going up and down stairs and walking and generally scrambling around the place. If we are holding hands she feels confident enough to run. Sometimes she thinks it is fun to crawl again or even just roll around on the ground! She really enjoys tickling, both doing it to others and having it done to her. Sadly she has a bit of eczema which she keeps irritating by scratching, however, she loves putting creams on. So much so that she asks for it “preems?”! She can open a tube (uses her teeth), but is still stumped by jars.

Other stuff: She has been going through a bit of a hitting phase, if she is getting frustrated with someone (eg one baby doll, two toddlers…) then she will hit them and say “Ow, ow, ow”! Luckily she doesn’t hit very hard and it seems to be less frequent now. She knows that she should be gentle and will demonstrate that too (gentle pat and a kiss). Today we saw several small babies and she was soo interested in them. Kept going over and touching them (nice and gently) and saying “bubba”.

She also loves baby dolls. There are lots of them at Playcentre and she is really into playing with them, putting them to sleep in cots, putting them in highchairs and pushing them around in pushchairs (a favourite activity). At playcentre she can combine two of her loves, baby dolls and water. She will happily bathe the dolls for up to 20 min (ages for a toddler). Of course, there is normally more than one doll and she takes them in an out of the water and drinks the water and splashes etc.

Last week I made her a little felt monkey and she really likes it. I wasn’t sure if it looked monkey-y enough, but as soon as she saw it she said “ah-ah” (monkey noise). She can easily hold it in one hand and likes putting it in and out of pockets (hers or other peoples). Sometimes asking where? (using arms and hands) when it is hidden and then gleefully pulling it out. She cuddles and kisses it and has even put it on me for a feed! She likes it so much it’s missing somewhere in the house… must go and find it.

If I think of more stuff, i might put it in the comments. I want to remember this and I also know my sisters, both overseas, will want as many details as possible! Must tell my brother that she loves the dolly he gave her and has it in her cot. She is the one who decided that it is called Dodo (I think because I refer to it as her dolly, different vowel sound though_. She asks for it when it is bedtime and pats and cuddles it.

Point of fashion: Not fussed
Current Obsession: baking, done so much in the last two weeks. We are out of flour.

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2011 06 02 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (6) Permalink

Unexpected 48

The weekend just been was that of the 48hr Film Competition. I’ve participated in this several times as an active member of Jenni’s Angels, a team originally formed by Jenni. Anyhoo, what with Sweets being a toddler and Beau frantically studying for an exam, I wasn’t as free to participate as much as I would like this year. However, I did my best to clear Saturday in case they got Musical/Dance and needed my happy feet and confident vocals.

Friday night came and Sweets was out of wack due to Playcentre (it makes her nap later in the day and also tires her out so she has a really big nap). I wasn’t going to be able to get to the group brainstorm until well after 8.30pm. By this time I had found out their genre (Road Trip) and knew they weren’t going to need me. Not only that but the writers were already off, so brainstorm was over before I could have arrived. I decided to stay at home and chill with Beau instead.

Saturday came and it was my Mum’s birthday. She was planning to go to temple and was keen for me to come. I was keen too! If I’d been cast the plan was for Mum to go on her own and then come to ours to fetch Sweets. Beau would have been in charge of Sweets during the morning. As it was Sweets and I went to temple with Mum and it was really good.

When we got home, Beau told me to check my cell and that wyldcard had been trying to reach me. There was a role for me in his team (Red2 Productions)! Sweets and Mum both went down for a nap. I gathered various potential outfits (apparently I was to play a wedding mad girlfriend) and headed to the shoot.

The shoot was fun. It was smaller than Jenni’s Angels shoots typically are, but it was upbeat and pretty well organised. They’d had a bit of an issue with an actor pulling out (hence me joining after midday on Sat), but had soldiered on and it worked out with me in the end. I did a pretty solid job with the acting, but I’m most proud of some of the stuff I did “backstage”. Basically my attitude when not “busy” was What can I do to help out? What can I do that frees up those with more important jobs (eg wyldcard and Jarratt).

Things I did:
I made the Yeti sandwich!
I began to make coffee, but then delegated to wyldcard’s dad ;)
I foresaw a problem with shoot order and outside lighting (namely that we had to shoot an outdoor scene while it was still daytime) and also came up with the solution (do my bedroom scene later, do outdoor scene now).
I dropped off lead actor to his job while another scene was being filmed. Wyldcard was going to do this! He’s director?!!
When there was a discussion of going into town to film a scene and then back into Hutt later in the evening to do another, I pointed out that we could do both in town saving travel and set up time.
I girlied up wyldcard’s room (Jarratt later told me I was good at set dressing, which is probably one of the nicest and most unexpected compliments I’ve had in ages).
I bought pretzels and set out glasses for poker.
I went on a coffee run.
I was She Who Solved Problems :)

I also realised that I’m getting typecast. In all the short films I’ve been in recently, if I get a speaking role, I also get filmed sleeping, unconscious or dead… Hmmm.

Point of Fashion: sensible and warm
Current Obsession: 48 films. Want to see them!!!

2011 05 23 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (5) Permalink

Sweet 16 months

Sweets is kinda going through a gorgeous phase. She is a playful, affectionate and generally happy wee thing.

Examples, one night she woke up needing to go to the toilet. I picked her up and took her there. She did her business, told me she’d finished (she says “ishish” and does her baby sign) and then kissed me on the cheek. By the time I’d got her back into the bedroom she was already asleep.
We’re working on toileting (I probably could toilet train her properly, but nappies are easier to clean than floor etc, is that wrong), so I sat her on the toilet and she demanded her “baba” (normally she “reads” books or magazines). Once given her Baby Kate, she breastfed her (held her close and made sipping noises), then put her to sleep (rocked her a bit and shushed her), after that apparently Baby Kate woke up and wanted a horsey ride (bounced on knee with clipclop noises)!
She still loves bubbles and I recently found out that she can dip and blow them herself!

Beau and I are both really enjoying her increased communication skills too. Words include Car (meaning cars, buses, trucks and her pushchair), Khao (apparently she prefers the thai word for food), Baba (for babies and her baby doll), Dodo (door), Do-do (slightly different sound means dolly), brow (eyebrow), Na Ma (for her Aunty Muggle, Na is thai for younger maternal aunt or uncle), ish (fish), bok (book), bok (bonk, referring to having hit/hurt herself frequently on the head), A-ma (Maya the cat), cup (cups and bottles), shoe-shoe (shoes *and* socks, she know the difference, but she calls them both the same), gah-ga (Grradhai, thai for rabbit) and help (she does the sign for this too). Favourite words are probably Mama, Dada, No and Moar (more).

She is also trying out a lot more words (people’s names etc), but they are often not so consistent, eg she said “phone” today and I think she’s been trying to say “read” too. Sometimes she seems to prefer the thai word to the english, eg I’ve heard her attempt “Tankayah” more frequently than “rubbish bin”.

She is also really keen on helping/taking part in activities. I can’t do anything in the kitchen now without Sweets wanting me to set up the step ladder for her to join in too. She especially loves when I do dishes. Mostly because it’s an opportunity for her to indulge in water play. The other day I was in the kitchen prepping dinner and my Mum (Yai Ja) was playing with Sweets. I heard Yai ask Sweets (in thai) to put a piece of rubbish in the bin. Yeah, right, I thought. What happens but Sweets toddles in and goes straight to the rubbish bin and deals with the rubbish! I thought she’d try and get it out again, but no. She did want to join in with cooking then though.

Sweets likes to dance and listen to music. Her movements are getting more and more controlled, she recently learned to spin and can jump! She is kind of addicted to watching videos on the computer, special favourites are *any* videos of her, animal videos, Beyonce’s Single Ladies (Sweets will do the action of putting a ring on it) and new favourite, the algorithm march (she dances and sings along because she is awesome).

We also make our own music. Sweets will get out the Ukulele for me (the music book too) to play and sing. She often likes to strum it herself. When she’s decided we’ve played enough she will tell me (ishish + finish sign) and try to put it away. She can also blow and make noise with a harmonica and a recorder. She thinks keyboards are pretty fun too.

A couple of times we’ve been out and people have remarked on her good behaviour. I don’t think she is freakishly good (for example she is a fiend for taking food off people’s plates), but here are my tips for “good behaviour”.

1) Make sure they are well rested, well fed and recently changed/toileted
2) If you only ask them to do things they want to do, you are going to get good results
3) Have distractions (and snacks and clean nappies) ready at all times

Point of Fashion: Ok for play, but also OK for high tea
Current Obsession: to budget?

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2011 05 04 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (3) Permalink

Silver Kiss LARP – an NPCs POV

So, this weekend past, I crewed in the debut run of The Silver Kiss of the Magical Twilight of the Full Moon: The Live Action Roleplaying Event written and run by my fabulous friend, Jenni Dowsett. I’ve played in and even GM’d the tabletop version and when I heard Jenni was writing a LARP version, I was keen to play in it. However when she did the call for crew, I put my hand up and I’m really pleased I did.

The crew consisted of a bunch of people playing NPCs (non-player characters) whose job was to drive some of the storylines and to make sure the players were having a good time. The game is set at a highschool dance and the characters (PC and NPC) were made up of both students and adult chaperones. NPCs had a higher adult to student ratio. We had a crew meeting the day before the LARP and talked about various storylines and our roles in driving them etc. It was really neat being on the “inside” like that, being part of a team with a common goal and knowing what was in store for the players.

My character was Kelly, a stereotypical mean girl cheerleader. I was to spread rumours, go along with my BFF (PC head cheerleader, Chris), find out more gossip, bother people, flash my shiny silver cross covered jewellery around and over-react to lots of stuff. Jenni actually gave me an “exposition high-five” for a job well done at one point. Several people didn’t realise I wasn’t a PC and in truth, there wasn’t much to differentiate us NPCs from the PCs, only that we didn’t have goals in the way the PCs did. As one of the other NPCs said to me that night, “I have to keep telling myself not to try and solve anything”.

It was so great watching the various storylines unfold. Giving hints here and there. Just knowing I was part of it.

Various highlights:

Sharing a piece of cake with “Chris”, we each had less than a cubic centimetre.
The dirty *dirty* photographer!
Screaming (I have a really good scream and *surprise* don’t get to let it out often).
Slow dancing, just to see how the principal would react.
Forgetting about the “no touching” rule and cuddling up to a PC in the corner, only to get seperated by a teacher *and* the principal.
Fornicating sealife!
Being shocked when people were mean back to me.
Watching the staff dance.
Being convinced that I was the only normal person in the room ;)

Point of fashion: dressing up jeans
Current Obsession: Preserves

2011 04 17 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (6) Permalink

Weekend for me

So, this weekend been I spent most of my time in Regency dress. This was significant for a few reasons,
1) I made my ensemble
2) I was out at both public and private events
3) I left Sweets home with Beau

1) The stuff what I made consisted of a boned petticoat, a white short puff-sleeved dress and a bonnet. I also wrapped a scarf into a turban for regency evening headwear awesomeness. Click on links for tutorials/tips if you are interested in doing similar :)

I’ve made myself various costume stuff before. This is first time I’ve made myself a dress (looking back, everything else has been seperates). The dress was actually very straightforward. I was silly and cut two of one sleeve, but that was fortunately not a big deal. Most exciting thing was doing the darts on the petticoat. Star helped with the fitting, but it’s the first time I’ve ever done my own darts. I really should make more time to sew as I have fabric and patterns all bought, but don’t make the time to actually sew them up into useable things. We’ll see.

2) I was out at a two-day event in my outfit with bonnet. Day one just straight regency (and I was caught on camera, my Dad and MiL both spotted me in the background of a news piece). I looked very pretty and while out and about that day was “Aww”‘d at by a couple of older women! Day two I got make-up done and it was Regency Zombie! I was costuming with friends and one joined me in Regency zombie fun :) She opted for much more full-on zombie make-up than me and grossed people out with her infection site (it was a big bite near her neck)! Her costumed highlight was turning around and growling at a guy who had stepped on the back of the dress. He was mightily shocked :)

I also got to wear my new clothes to a Regency evening party LARP. I was the daughter of the house. Wore my turban with an ostrich feather and a brooch in it too. I also wore a pair of gloves I made for my first cosplay ever, Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts (I made 5 pairs of gloves, enough for our whole group). Betrothals and Betrayals was mighty fun, but I don’t want to give too many details in case it gets re-run. I’ll talk to you in person though, if you want. April is a month of LARPing for me, got two more this month!

3) Now, Sweets has been left with Beau and various others, the big deal about this was the length of time I was away. The Saturday wasn’t so out of the ordinary, Sweets went out with me in the morning and I put her down for her nap before going out for the afternoon. Was back to help with dinner and bedtime before heading out againt too. However, I was out Sunday for 8+hours in a row. This meant Sweets had to go down for a nap without me or any nom. I wasn’t sure how this would work and imagined Beau having to take her for a long drive to get to sleep. No such drama! She apparently fell asleep very easily for her Dad. I know she doesn’t need Bmilk anymore, but I thought she’d still want the ritual of feeding before her nap. It’s great and kinda freeing to know that she was not bothered, but it also makes me a wee bit sad. My little girl is growing up! I know it’s what we want, but still.

Anyhoo, busy weekend doing stuff on “my own” left me very tired, but it also recharged my Mama batteries.

Unrelated, I made Quince Jelly today! First time using a jelly bag. It looks lovely and tastes good (licked spoons). Hopefully I get a good set, will know tomorrow. Also, if I buy more sugar, I shall make Quince paste with the pulp :)

Point of fashion: Practical, but not jeans
Current obsession: Fruit jellies and pastes

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2011 04 12 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (2) Permalink

Busy Day in the life of Giffy and Sweets (15mo)

Sometimes Beau will come home and ask me what I’ve done in a day and I feel like I must justify my existance as a Stay-at-home-Mum. I feel like he is demanding evidence to show why I get to stay at home and he goes to work. At times like this I often blank and feel like I’ve done nothing. Today was not one of those days.

This morning Sweets and I picked up a friend each and headed to the pool. We splashed and chased and she drank a bit too much pool water for my liking, but meh. On the way home both toddlers fell asleep. Sadly FOSweets woke during the transfer to bed. Happily Sweets was so tuckered out she slept almost 3 hours!

While she was asleep I hung out togs, had lunch, made butterscotch sauce, pootled online and then another playdate arrived. This has happened quite a few times now that A and L arrive and Sweets sleeps and sleeps. Nevermind, we had fun, hot chilli chocolates and gember koek (ginger cake?) :)

*Then* my parents and my brother arrived from Airport. Brother is here on holiday, he is normally in Thailand. Sweets conveniently woke then. Got some playing done with L, got some cuddles from her Yai. A and L went home. Bro started making calls and texts to various friends. So, I left Sweets with her Yai and Da(/Dha/Tha/Ta?) went outside and weeded the vege patch.

Beau got home near the end of weeding time. My Parentals and Bro left. I prepped dinner, we ate, Sweets is now in bed and I am planning to go out to a friends house for some sewing (well, probably pinning and cutting).

Feeling good.

Point of Fashion: easy to get changed
Current Obsession: Regency Zombies

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2011 03 31 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (2) Permalink

The teenage months

So, people talk about the terrible twos, what they don’t tell you, is that they start when they are one. Yup, you have this gorgeous biddable baby who turns into a toddler who has her own mind and gets frustrated as her desires outpace her abilities. Throw in the fact that she still isn’t sleeping through the night and well, I sigh.

However, this doesn’t mean that Sweets (cheeky pea, Terror etc) isn’t awesome. She is! She does still generally do her best to please and can be utterly gorgeous. Her language continues to develop at a steady pace. One of her first words was shoe (shi-shoe), I think because she knows “shoes on time = going out time”. Other “first words” include Mama, Dada and Yai ja. Since then she has learned fish (‘ish), up (UP! also means Pick Me Up!), more (Moor, often accompanied by her version of the sign for it of both hands to her chest), car (ca), down (dow!) and (awesomely) Bubble (bubblebubble, sometimes we blow bubbles and she likes them).

She has also started in on symbolic play and likes to cuddle her baby doll and put it to sleep (there is much patting and shushing involved). She has also occasionally given her baby doll food and drink.

Sweets loves “This is the way the lady rides” on our laps (or anywhere) and will sway and go “hmmhmmm”) on her own if you happen to stop before the “farmer rides” part. Also, horses “clip clop” rather than neighing.

She is still obsessed with animals, in particular dogs and cats, probably because she gets to see them and pat them. Star and Jazz Master Sv took us to the zoo the other week and Sweets loved it, however, she easily spent as much time looking at the other kids around as she did looking at animals. Also, apparent a Peccary is a cat and a sun bear is a dog. Just so you know.

In non-Sweets news (???!!!), I recently GM’d my first game in over 10 years! Yikes! It was my darling Jenni‘s Silver Kiss of the Magical Twilight of the Full Moon. I’m pretty sure we all had fun, but then considering my players (Muggle, Beau, JM Sv and Star), that was almost guarranteed. We didn’t quite finish, so will be doing that later this week. Maybe I’ll blog about it, probably I won’t. However, I have quite enjoyed GMing. Mostly what I don’t like about GMing is the prep and there isn’t much prep in a game like Silver Kiss. Would def be tempted to GM it again. I also played in it the other week, which was awesome.

Other stuff I’ve done this year, made jam (rhubarb and ginger), sewed an a-line dress for my god-daughter, made 7s costumes, went to and played games at Kapcon, went to a movie (Tangled 3D, it was cute), made myself a fabulous felt hat.

And back to Sweets, check her out in this youtube clip :)

Point of fashion: warm autumn afternoons
Current Obsession: Beau’s exam results

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2011 03 10 Giffy Uncategorized Comments (4) Permalink