I don’t know why she looked so shocked. She’s the one who threw every item of clothing out of the laundry basket and scattered it around the lounge room so she could then climb into the laundry basket. A couple of times. Her affinity for all laundry items makes it exceedingly difficult to actually get any laundry done. Well that’s my excuse for my carpet acting as a chest of drawers anyway, and I’m sticking to it. Unless the real laundry fairy shows up, that is.

« « First World Problem

Behind …

A rainy day is the best kind of day for playing outside. The trampoline doubles as a giant puddle jumper, the sandpit is perfect for making sand castles that stick together nicely, water has been collecting in the dump truck making the perfect supply for ‘painting’ the cubby house and although you can’t see the moon you can see plenty of clouds.
And even better than that? The well-earned bubble bath after dinner. If by dinner, you mean pretending to eat one or two spoonfuls of soup. That counts as dinner, …

It starts with a cheeky smile during story time, when she’s supposed to be winding down after her big day. But somehow, she never does winding down. Ever. There’s just full speed and crashing later on.

What’s so funny? She was throwing a fish puzzle piece off the couch and Josh was picking it up for her. HI-LAR-IOUS! Yes, she is very easily amused. And that belly laugh? It is just music to my ears. I could listen to that all day.

And keep doing it? Ten more times? Well that’s just …

Dinner is hit and miss. Most days it doesn’t get eaten at all. And for some reason, I still persist in my refusal for Riley to substitute dinner with eating peanut butter from the jar with a spoon. Go figure. But avocado is still a favourite. It was her first food and her enthusiasm for hasn’t really wavered ever since.
She loves helping me cook and mix. So yesterday, I popped her up on the bench and she helped me make guacamole. She mashed away while chanting ‘helping!’, ‘I did …

I don’t know when it happened but sometime a few days ago ‘mummy’ was gone and was promptly replaced by ‘mum’. I’m not sure how I feel about this forging ahead into little kid-dom. But I think it’s fair to say I’m not a fan. Not even a little bit. I was initially reluctant to be called ‘mummy’ just because I always called my mum by her first name. But now I’m actually quite attached to it. And this mum business? Just doesn’t cut the mustard.

« « Getting Personal – …

Sometimes after a busy weekend, things go a bit pear shaped. Riley had a big day on Saturday. Which she loved every minute of. I was at my sister’s 40th birthday and she spent the whole day running around the beach house, convincing people to take her down to the beach, hitting her head on wayward bits of furniture and not napping.
So as we were heading home this morning I was not surprised that she fell asleep in the car at about 10am and didn’t wake up until 1:30 this …

The tiredness has set in. I am so grateful for relatives visiting this weekend. While my Dad and Step Mum were busy wearing Riley out this morning I was doing some grocery shopping. Alone. I was only going to pick up a few things but became quickly entranced with the idea of being able to shop tantrum-free and stayed out significantly longer than I planned. Which also meant that I could sneak in a nap when Riley crashed later.
Still, I don’t think this little energiser bunny is going to …

It never ceases to amaze me how many things that Riley discovers that I barely even notice. Exhibit A – these bushes in the park. Not just a form of hedging to her – but an intricate array of tunnels – just made for little people exploration. So much so, that she insisted I go in to ‘the tunnel’ as well, I imagine just in case she got lost in there and needed any assistance. Which of course, she didn’t. She’s quite the seasoned adventurer, after all.

« « 48/365 A …

It’s been the coldest Winter in awhile. At least it seems that way anyway. I don’t think Riley even notices the cold. Yesterday we went to the park and I way underestimated how chilly it was, and windy and just about to rain. You wouldn’t know it as far as she was concerned, although that might be because she never stopped running. I think that would keep me pretty warm too.
But despite the fact that I was freezing, going to the park with her in the morning is one of …

Riley has been called clingy at various times since birth. Sometimes, even by me, when I struggled to come up with a better one. But I’ve always known that I hated the word. Even when she was attached to me for what seemed like entire weeks at a time, I still hated the word. So if anyone has a better one – I’m all ears!
Over time, she has been less dependent on me for physical reassurance in new situations. And generally she is a gregarious, adventurous little charmer. She will …