#aceturnsfour

There once was a little boy that LOVED going to the zoo.

He loved going to see all of his favourite animals. Seeing what was new. Seeing what adventure he could find.

It was coming up to this little boys birthday!

So I wonder what this little boy would like to do for his party?

His Mummy sat him down to talk about what sort of birthday party he would like... and there in a split second it was decided.

"A ZOO PARTY MUMMY!!!!!"

And there it was. The party theme was born.

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We decided the colours, the decorations, the invitations, the animals....

The animals. This is were we had very different ideas. 

I thought I was being a bit clever arranging for a "animal man" to come and give us a display of all different animals.. But unfortunately, this translated into a soon to be four year old thinking that lions, tigers and bears were coming. Oh my.

With a bit of tweaking to the theme, we ventured into the realms of a "safari party" and that the animals were more likely to be from the Australian Desert. Yes? Phew. He followed. No more lions, tigers OR bears expected.

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And so on Saturday, the 4th of July. Ace's Safari Party went off without a hitch.

The little boy who loved the Zoo was amazed with every bit of magic that his Mummy and Daddy created for him.

The End. 

Time to get on with the pictures! Apologies in advance for the poor quality photos, our garage didn't lend the best lighting. But crappy photos were a small price to pay for a little boy having his own little safari land. 

Creating better days.

I often wonder. What would be the ratio of peoples complaints vs compliments?

 

Everyone always seems quick to ask for the manager to report someone, email a complaint and spread the word to family and friends to avoid a certain business, person or place.

 

But when do we show gratitude to good service, wonderful help, or someone just being a positive influence on every day life?

 

I try to always focus on being thankful and showing gratitude in my own family and life.  But now I have made it my mission to extend that to my surroundings and encounters.

 

It began yesterday.

 

I have been feeling very positive about Ace's childcare that he started attending one day a week this year. It hasn't been the easiest of transitions for us both but we have found the centre to be overwhelmingly caring and made it so much gentler on us both.

 

I decided to write an email to the manager expressing how happy I was with Ace's care. That she has wonderful staff and that I could not be happier having him there... It went into it a bit further than that, but you get the gist.

 

The response from her was so heartfelt. It was beautiful. It also said that what she received from me was so rare that in fact, she couldn't recall the last time it had happened.

 

I hope it made her smile. She  then forwarded it onto Ace's carers, I hope it made them smile. And  I know it definitely made me smile.

 

It was just showing gratitude. That's all it was. It took less than five minutes.

 

Is there something you are thankful for?

 

 Tell the person. Tell the place.

 

Just a thought.

 

 

*** Picture credits to: http://www.honeybearlane.com/2011/10/giving-thanks-thanksgiving-printables.html ***

 



 

Making it on the kid scene...

I've done it. I've made it on the kid "scene".

Let's start from the beginning.

When we made our big move, I knew no one. It hit home that I had left behind everyone I knew and had to face the reality of being a loner.

My friends and I now joke of how I used to stalk the supermarket isles for mums with kids in hope that sparks might fly and I could make a friend. Don't laugh, it's kind of true LOL. Actually, not even kind of. It was true.

At the beginning of last year I had all my hopes of meeting all my "new friends" due to the fact the kids were in swimming lessons, dance lessons and daycare. I thought for sure, that with all these opportunities, I would be meeting SO many fabulous people. Turns out, it didn't really happen the way I intended. It didn't happen at all.

No sparks. No friendly chit chats. Nothing!

I won't lie, it left me pretty down and out, feeling worse than I did to begin. 

As it turns out, the universe had a fabulous group of girls waiting for me a little bit further down the track.

Throughout the second half of last year, I  bonded with these girls. I enjoy spending time with them. They are now familiar. I feel blessed to call them my friends.

Why was I writing this again? Back to the point Steph!

Kid scene... That's right.

Well, last night, while waiting for Boo to finish dancing. I had a moment, a moment that I realised I had finally made it on the kid scene!

I had a friend to talk to while I waited at dancing. While chatting,  three other Kinder mums arrived to drop their children off and came over to say hi. Things were finally familiar, including me to others, and others to me.

It was just a moment that I smiled inside. 

I had made it on the kid scene! 

Just another thing that feels right now. 

Joining in today with EssentiallyJess with my first #IBOT

The one where you accidently change your child's name.

Ace's "real" name was decided while he was still a little belly babe. We couldn't have imagined naming him anything else. We were in love with it. That was his name. End of story.

Ace then came into the big wide world. We officially gave him his name. The name we thought we would call him forever.

How wrong we were.

You see, Boo couldn't say the name we gave him. Along the way she found her own variation of his name, she named him "Ace".

Somehow, Ace has stuck. We all call him by this. Most people call him by this. Some people don't even know his actual name.

Dad'n and I joke all the time that we really should change his birth certificate as we don't know him by his given name... I don't even think Ace does?

Has anyone else accidentally changed their child's name?

Come to think of it, he could also think his name is Mo Mo Monster.... just saying ;)

This was Ace living life up as the dirty camp kid over Easter....

How do you keep a memory alive?

I posted a photo on Facebook tonight that has stuck in my mind.

It was a photo of Boo helping make meatballs which took me back to memories of Nonnie.

Nonnie has been gone for a bit over a year now. A long year in some ways... in others seems like yesterday we still had her. We all have our memories of her and we all talk of her regularly.

The thing is, I want Boo to keep her memories. I want her to remember who she was. She still talks of her every now and then, but I am worried in time, it will become less and less.

I want to keep talking of her, I want to go through all our photos regularly and tell Boo all of the stories and experiences we had. I want to keep her memories alive.

Is it possible? Can you help a child hold on to the few memories that they have while growing up?

I really hope I can.

A forced transition starting now.

As the title states, a forced transition is occurring in the Bower Birds Nest, effective immediately.

Upstairs, making my self a cup of tea, yes our kitchen is upstairs, and heard a huge thump.

The thump was followed by some serious tears. As I ran downstairs to investigate, my fears turned into reality. Ace had just climbed out of his cot and fallen onto the ground. He met me at the bedroom door hysterical. Okay, but hysterical.

I know, kids do it all the time. I've just heard some horror stories lately of little babes getting seriously hurt from this :( It's so high.  My inner Mummy panic was pushed to full throttle.

Operation remove cot sides today and transition into toddler bed starting now.

Raising Ace really has been so different and such a new experience. He makes he feel like a first time Mum over and over. What's the go? Boo would have quiet happily stayed in her cot until she was 5 and now this little feisty monkey at 20 months says game over, I'm out!

I keep saying it's a boy thing... actually, I'm saying it a lot! It just seems SO appropriate in our case... such a bruiser boy.

So anyway, I'm sure this transition will be completely different to what we experienced with Boo. If my vibe is anything to go by, there shall be some interesting posts coming up about our night and bed time antics with a certain little boy.

Has anyone got any fab tips that helped ease the transition? I think this Mumma will need all the help she can get.

To be continued....

Boo's quote of the day...

There was silence in the car today as we were driving home from our Maternal Health Nurse appointment.

Obviously the silence prompted Boo's mind to start ticking over.

Of all things that a nearly 3 year old could be thinking of... This came out of her mouth.

Boo: "Mum........ (insert long pause)"

Me: "Yes Boo"

Boo: "Acey is strange"

I'm sure over the years she will call her brother many names... but at nearly 3 years of age, I didnt think strange would be one of them!

I love Boo. Listening to her all day is the most entertained I have ever been in my 28 years. Her thoughts, quotes, ideas. They are wonderful.

Oh and by the way, he isnt strange at all LOL.

xx

Me and my BFF... The Universe.

I know... I know... I preach a lot about the Universe.

But seriously.... It is a good way to live!

Lately, I have just been receiving one confirmation after another. I obviously have taken the right path.

I  just put something out there, I send it to the universe, and I wait. Lately, it seems everything is returning back to me almost in a gift box with a bow and card saying "Here you go Steph, enjoy!'

I blogged about our move and over a month on can tell you... BEST MOVE EVER!!!!

And now I will be taking you on my next adventure that the universe has quite happily plopped in front of me over the past few days.

What is it you may ask? Well if you are a friend of mine on Facie you would already know by my flooding of your newsfeed ;)

I have always loved Photography. Always been a photo junky but never really thought much about it.
A few weeks ago, not even, I decided that I was going to learn how to use my camera properly (loved auto mode!!) but wanted to start taking some awesome photos! Not really thinking where this would take me... just really putting it out to see what would happen through social media. What do you know... I have been now been presented with several opportunities to persue it further!

My head just spins!

If you haven't already.... Do yourself a favour and read The Secret.

This is what I am thankful for today on this lovely Thankful Thursday. Linking up with KateSaysStuff!

Leaving you my favourite photo from my first newborn photo shoot. Oh Miss E, you are still making me cluck!

A toilet training adventure... On the go.

After a very big month for Boo, her success in the toilet training department has been taking one back step after another. Understandably, her life has just been turned upside. So we relaxed things a little and went with the flow and have just decided to get back onto it now we are settled in our new home and life is starting to resemble something like normality.

Today was our first day back at playgroup since the move which means an hour each way. Yes, I know I could find one closer but I don't want to. I love our group. End of that discussion.

An hour drive does make an interesting trip whilst in such early days of the toilet training adventures, let me tell you!

After about ten minutes into our journey, Boo starts yelling "mummmmma... weeeeeeeeeeee".

So I pull the car over while screaming "hang on Boo, hang on, mumma will get you out, hang on!" If you have toilet trained before, you know how that plea goes.

There is Boo on the side of the road, pants around her ankles, sitting on her potty, me kneeling down next to her with gentle words of encouragement, it was peak hour so cars everywhere... Your getting the visual, I know you are.

There was no wee. It was a false alarm. That's okay though. I remained positive.

About 5km up the road, "mummaaaaaa weeeeeeee".

Yep, you know the drill, we did it all again, then again and then again.

So at this stage I was still positive, I knew I couldn't ignore her prompts, as the one I do, I'm sure she will wee.

On the fourth stop we had success. One wee and we had managed a total of approx 15kms in about half an hour.

Boo thought it was great. She screams wee, and then gets to get out of the car. Pretty fun.

After that I knew I needed to up the an tee and distract distract distract! A Wiggles CD did the trick, over and over again. LOUD. And I had to do the dances while driving too. Oh how I would have loved to have seen the look on the truck drivers face that I was driving behind.

Just another day. Oh Boo you make me laugh.

Another case of second child syndrome...

With Boo, introducing solids was such a scheduled thing in our house. I was SO cautious with the fear of her being allergic to something. I followed the correct age suggestions for each thing. Never a new food within three days of the previous new food.  We did well, I was a new mum finding my way.

Then there was Ace. He has followed his own schedule of solid introduction, along with the helping hand of his sister, who is more than happy to assist him with trying new things!

Tonight for example. Ace was happy sitting in his highchair watching me cook dinner while Boo was at the table eating / playing / stashing her omelette. I turned around after noticing the silence to find Ace munching away on a hand full of egg that Boo had quite happily shared with him.

I guess we can cross egg off the allergy list. Thanks Boo!

Sibling love... not a smidge of rivalry in sight.

Today I am thankful for being able to sit back and admire the way that my babes are interacting as they are growing up together.

Seriously! It has been melting my soul with love watching some of their " quiet moments".

Yesterday, there was a moment that Dad'n and I were fortunate enough to both witness that left us both speechless. It was a moment that you dream you will see when you find out you are expecting a sibling for your only child. What happened you ask?

Well... Dad'n and I were in the kitchen (which has a direct view over the lounge room) and Ace was kicking around on the floor. Boo was also in the lounge, fiddling with a new bubble blower machine that she had received only minutes earlier as a "sap-wise" which is Boo lingo for surprise. Ace started crying, as he does, and before I could walk around from the kitchen I was stopped in my tracks by Boo racing to Ace's aid. She started rubbing him on the back saying "sokay Ace... sokay", translation : its okay Ace, its okay ;) While she was rubbing his back she was trying to give him her brand new bubble blower that she had only JUST got, just to make her baby brother happy.

When you are expecting with a smaller age gap (21months) and your first child is still so heavily reliant on you for their needs, its sometimes a little worrying thinking of how your child will react to the new addition. Maybe there will be jealousy or maybe they will become possessive over their things... or people. Yes, there are days that Boo wants me to put Ace down just so she can have a cuddle and that is completely natural. I find it relatively is easy to balance myself between them both. But when you have moment's like the one mentioned above... I think their sibling relationship is off to a great start.

So what am I thankful for? I am thankful for sibling love... and not a smidge of rivalry in sight. (YET) HeHeHe. Maybe I can update this post in the years to come ;)

Linking up today with Thankful Thursday at KateSaysStuff.

I guess it should start with why?

I did it. I have a blog. Maybe one day i will even be able to say... "I blogged about that once!"

My first blog... whoaaa feel the pressure! Where do I even start?

For those of you who know me, probably know that I have one wicked facebook addiction. I do. That's okay, I'll admit it to anyone who asks ;) I guess that's where this all started from. I'm one of those over sharers that spam's your news feed with 50 million photo's of her children, that truly believes they are THE cutest and most good looking children going around town (which they really are HeHe...) and shares way too many random things about her life for way too many people to see... Yep, that's me!

Why you ask? I guess I just love to share... and I really love looking back through what I have shared. I follow a few inspirational ladies blogs and love the way they are able to capture so many "insignificant"moments that at the time dont seem much, but imagine looking back at that. How awesome to a detailed account of what was going on in your life at that time. Pretty damn special I would say.

So this blog will be a bit about everything....Because.... I'm one of those over sharer's remember! It really will be just about my life... my nest! I want to capture some of those mundane moments that I will be able to look back on.. I want to share my love of my family, children, babies, cooking (thermomix style or not), organising, cleaning, stationary (yes, i said stationary!)... The list really does go on!

'Me' time is over, the baby is awake for a feed which signals this post is doneski!

Cant wait to do this again... until next time xx