A fortnight before Christmas

Its coming towards the end of 2011, where did the year go?

My blog doesn't like me so I have not been keeping up at all. Some tasks are difficult on the tablet but I don't have a PC to use atm. I could use my daughter's computer or even her netbook but they are so slow! I feel spoiled with this new technology. I find t interesting that I have almost 10 things (Kindle, tablet, media player, netbook and a few christmas presents!) hooked up to wi-fi but I don't have a PC that I can use...without giving up cos its useless! My PC actually fell asleep and doesn't want to wake up, maybe due to a cpu issue.

My daughter starts high school next year and to be honest I m very nervous about the prospect, I rather she stay home and skip the whole social awkwardness of high school but she is not me and she loves school and her prime reason for attending is to be with her friends.

Christmas is almost upon us, Av has been asking how many days - he can only count to 12, which is interesting as J can count to 10. Av didn't really count or talk til 4 so he is busy learning dfferent things.

N is getting very much into technology and he is not a little boy anymore. Still very much a reserved person, he enjoys reading and dreaming about tech products he could invent or own.

Bub is 7 months today, crawls around the house, loves to pull himself up to stand, getting into mischif and mouthing anything he can reach. He likes food and I am trying to keep him on just organic fruit and veg but he is so wanting to eat it all.

Hopefully I can work out the best way to add photos. I have been creating, a few Christmas things and slowly working on other projects.

Limbo

In limbo, life is. In this incredibly cold Winter, we have had no gas heating, relying on cheap heaters to keep warm, no mean feat in this house in Melbourne. Its sad that we didn't fight to get the heater fixed, we are really too nice. We knew the landlord wouldn't want to fix anything yet would he live here? Lack of ventilation, no smoke alarms, rising damp, the list goes on. But I refrain from ranting too much. He has plans to demolish so we are moving out. The house he started to build in the backyard is basically a concrete slab with tubing for plumbing purposes.

Only recently did we get our youngest son's birth certificate, he is almost 4 months. We literally have no money to move. But it seems we do have a house to move into. Its nearby and okay though small. A good reason to minimise our lives even further. That does interest me but my daughter did say "Stop making wool stuff! You would have more room" That is definitely my addiction. But I can't say I have stash. What would I do if I didn't make too much for my babies and even myself? At least my joy continues when others get use out of what I make too.

Tama pattern is great. I have made a few of these I think though modified as it wasn't designed for babies. I love them as they are easy on/off unlike cardigans.

I have won a few KALs on Ravelry which is a bonus as I just enjoy being involved. The patterns I have received only encourage me to knit more. :)

My almost 6 year old is an appreciator of what I make. He adored the neckwarmer I made just because so he claimed it. Also found a somewhat unattractive sweater I made for my daughter years ago and he has been wearing it every day. I love that.

I have been teaching my daughter's class to crochet a granny square. It is hard work and requires patience but there is some success. I think they are more excited about a baby at school. They were taken aback about him feeding not from a bottle but from his Mama. That is unfortunate that society has taught our children that babies are fed with a bottle. I know and respect that some are but most babies at least have a drop of the good stuff.

Smiling bubby boy.

One of 4 skirts I crocheted for my girl.         

Loose teeth and awesome kids stuff

We took the little boys to Edwardes Lake for a play. I had some fun playing with the camera and trying shots with black and white and sepia as well as colour.

Both my big kids have had loose teeth in the past week or so. For my daughter its her 10th I believe, a cuspid. For my son, its his 3rd - his first top tooth lost.

This was our attempt at making a K (for our last name initial) with bodies. They did try different letters and J and Av didn't quite get it but it was a laugh! We opened up the lounge so the kids could play games.

A day in the City

We haven't been doing much these holidays. We did go see Toy Story 3 at the Drive Inn but mostly we have been home tidying, eating and playing computer games. Well I have been tidying and decluttering, we have all been eating and the kids been taking turns on the computers.

On Saturday we attempted to have fun in the City, visiting Fed Square and ArtPlay near the Yarra River.

My daughter and Av wanted to go on the big wheel....

Yeah they had so much fun!...My daughter was freaking out, she is easily scared and Av was bored and couldn't wait to get off and see what his big brother was doing. *Sigh!*

We had Dinner before going home. It was a tiring cold day in the City!

The Awesome 4 May 2010

I meant to make N a singlet for his 7th birthday, but it turned out too big and fit my daughter who is size 14.
I made another in size 4 for N and so now they have one each.

All singlets were knit from the eden's adam pattern from tikki.

Hays Paddock

Hays Paddock has a playground for children of all abilities. I heard about it a while back and thought it would be worth visiting and the kids would hopefully enjoy a play there. The weather turned and our plans were not to be that day. Instead hailstorms ravaged Melbourne.

We made a detour at the smoke, visited a friend, the sky got dark and we had hail banging down on our car. We didn't realise how big the hail was til I saw photos online. As big as golfballs.

 Here, Av holds hail for the first time. 

This is at Hays Paddock. We arrived just as the hail came down.

On Labour Day we made another trip to the playground. 

The kids had a great time. Of course, J fell asleep and missed out on the fun. 

Love of learning

 

We had a surprise letter come in the mail saying that our daughter was nominated by her school principal and the Council had chosen her as a winner of an award. This was to be given out an award ceremony with 40 other students. We were taken aback but quite proud.  She also receives a computer, printer and internet access for a year so not bad at all!

The idea is to make knowledge through computers and net access available to all people regardless of their circumstances. Though it true we have several computers, it will be good to have another with so many people wanting to learn and play games in the house.

When I was my daughter's age (all those years ago!) I don't think I had even seen a computer up close. In grade 6 we saw a computer in our classroom (Parklands now defunct) once a week as maybe 2 students (never myself) got to touch the computer as we crowded around to play Where in the World is san Diego?

When I was in grade 10-12 it started to be necessary to use the computers for assignments. We had some access to computers but it was limited. My daughter at about the age of 4 got the first computer in our home as a gift from my brother (a computer technician), so this will be her second computer.

We have only been online for less than 4 years. It is an amazing tool. Maybe a time waster as well as a time saver. Like many things it can be great and terrible!

Anyway, our daughter was able to take only 2 people to this event so it was just us and it was lovely to just focus on her for one night. And look another photo with me in it that I didn't take! 

The mayor spoke as did some representatives of the sponsors. The students were all invited to receive their certificate and have a photo taken. Even their names were large on the screen.

It was a friendly evening with many people to talk to and plenty of refreshments.

Catch Up

 

Not having much luck keeping up with much lately let alone this blog. Busy, though not sure I am getting that much done in tangible terms but lots of cuddles are happening and its a great priority to have.

Kids are back at school, though they were considering homeschooling, they enjoy school. I want it to be their choice.
My daughter is in grade 5 and approaching double figures, she will be 10 in about a fortnight. I can see very much the changes that are happening in her life (as she approaches puberty and therefore, womanhood) and though I am somewhat anxious, I feel this is a very special time. I am grateful that she is excited about it too.
My eldest son is in grade 2 and will be 7 in April. He likes sleep, food and computers...
Av is 4 and has been asking to go to school (in a very casual way ie. because the big kids go to school) but we rather he stay home. He has no social problems that apparently he should have for not being in someone else's care.  He has improved so much with his vocabulary, speech and now can count to 5 confidently.
J will be 18 months in about 5 weeks. He is running and climbing. In some ways he is my baby, but he is his own person and I love to see my children grow up and learn for themselves.

Australia day

Also known as Invasion day. I have known this but only came to a relaisation how offensive it can be for people to celebrate Australia day in the way many people do. We don't really celebrate it, don't understand the point really. For us, its a family day. But I used the opportunity to discuss it with my daughter. She has started to become very interested in current affairs and news. This is good but she is very impressionable, believing almost anything she hears. I figure she will learn how to balance out ideas in time. I know for me, it took time not to have my opinion sway with others and even today I can question my views as I learn more. This must be a good thing.

We took the kids to a park where it was quite busy so the boys made friends fast.

 

We went to the resevoir where we had roos trailing our van. 

They stopped when we stopped. It was quite amusing.

 

What does one wear on Australia Day? If you are under 2 and have not much choice, maybe tartan pants and a Maori bone around the neck. Of course. 

 

Colouring

The boys drowning some Cassade in red and blue food colouring.

Some interesting colour tones in this.

Foto Friday

Melbourne Museum

After the protest rally, we took the kids to the Melbourne Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

We managed to see all the exhibits and the kids enjoyed the childrens play area.

 

Park crawl

When its just one of those days, the kids just want to go on a park crawl.

 

 

 

At the next playground, it rained. 

 I noticed these sculptures. I am sure they were originally at Queens Park in the form of a maze around 10 years ago.

 

 Kids were getting tired by the time we got to the third park though I think Av could have kept going.