THESE DAYS

Camouflage for my feet - the first time Everly saw them she said 'Oooh' and leant down to stroke them /

The only way I can get a photo with my camera shy girl - let her play with straws! / 

Experimenting with no hands / 

Sprouting rocket / 

Sage / 

Pottering about in the garden / 

Helping Daddy pot succulents / 

Watering / 

Always that concentrating face, in our overgrown jungle of a backyard

Joining Emily from The Beetle Shack in a weekly collection of snaps. 

17/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, for 2013. 

You are always so excited to help us with whatever we are doing. Today, you observed closely as Daddy filled the pot with soil and planted the succulent shoots, then as he left to fill the watering can you gathered the fallen leaves and pushed them one by one carefully into the soil, gently patting down the dirt with your fingertips and giggling with delight.

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

   

THESE DAYS

 

 

 

 

 

New hair / New handbag / Baked potatoes with kohlrabi slaw makes a delicious hot lunch on a cold rainy day / Birthday flowers / Everly's favourite game this week is wrapping her dolls up in blankets and rocking them to sleep / Reading books with no pants on, as you do / Cheeky little possum face / Watching the rain out the window / The crazy things my child does - socks on hands (she was super proud to be posing for a photo!) and hugging the rabbit night light

Joining Emily from The Beetle Shack in a weekly collection of snaps

16/52

 

 

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013.

My cheeky, cheeky girl with your gorgeous gappy grin - you are amazing!

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

GOODBYE TOOTH

I've been a little quiet around here... a combination of not having the urge to write, and not wanting to take photos while I enjoy days with my little family. Last Saturday we spent the day at the Willunga Waldorf School for their Autumn Fair, and I consciously left my camera at home. We wandered the school grounds (we hope for Everly to start there in 2017), Everly painted her own streamer wand and played in the Kindy sandpit, we ate delicious curry and frozen fruit icecream, and listened to beautiful music in the sun. I also managed to get a little of Everly's birthday shopping out of the way (she turns two in June) - a handmade wooden farm animal set and a tiny felt mouse. It was so lovely to experience the vibrant and welcoming Waldorf community and reminded me again why we want to make the move to Willunga one day.

Then, it was my birthday on the 13th. I was surprised with flowers and chocolate, and coffee and cake with my little family at my favourite bakery in the morning. Unfortunately, in the afternoon, Everly took a nasty fall from the kitchen step-stool and knocked out her front tooth. It was a huge shock for her, and for Mark and I, as I scooped her up in my arms to discover blood pouring from her lips. A quick look in her mouth proved my concerns, and shortly after Mark discovered her tooth on the kitchen floor. Everly was such a brave little soul through it all and, after a few minutes of crying and a dose of Chamomilla, she was back to her usual happy, bubbly self. At the emergency dental surgery we were informed there wasn't anything else we could do. The entire tooth had come out clean, so she will now have a cute gappy grin for the next five years, possibly longer as eruption can often be delayed in these cases.

I am still in absolute awe of how Everly has coped with it all. She had no pain relief whatsoever and the only complaint I heard from her was the next day when she bit down on her toast during breakfast and said 'Ouch'. It has been a beautiful reminder of how truly strong and resilient this little girl of ours is. Honestly, I think I was more affected by the incident than she! An intense wave of Mama guilt washed over me, as Everly has had quite a few falls from the step-stool already, albeit much less traumatic, and I began the usual 'what-if' talk to myself, completely unnecessary but what I tend to do under stress. My nerves were truly rattled and as soon as we returned from the dentist I promptly burst into tears! Luckily, my lovely husband organised for my Mum and Dad to come over after Everly had been bathed and put to bed, and he took me out for dinner for Chinese (and a much-needed big glass of wine!). Here's hoping next year's birthday is a little less eventful!

15/52

 

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Everly, these are the only photos I took of you this week, sitting together at the table sharing breakfast as we do every morning. It's barely light outside as you've been waking at 6am (oh the joys of daylight savings!). Breakfast-time is when we have some of our best chats of the day, as we wake slowly from our slumber - you tell me what you did yesterday, and I tell you what we'll be doing today. You often surprise me with your new words and ability to construct short sentences ("Papa bike fix" and "Nonno help pasta"). Coincidentally, these are also the very last photos we have of you with both your front teeth, before that fateful day where you fell off the kitchen step-stool. I am going to miss that cheeky, toothy grin!

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

14/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013.

The very first snapshot of Everly from our Easter weekend, inside the house with the basket already on her arm, being zipped up in her raincoat by Daddy, a look of such excitement and anticipation on her little face.

Joining in with the 52 Project at Che & Fidel.

You can see the whole series of portraits here.

OUR EASTER WEEKEND

 

 

 

 

We are still trying to figure out what Easter means in our little family.

We are not religious, yet I still yearn for celebration, tradition and a little bit of magic in our lives. I grew up believing in the Easter Bunny (or Osther Hase), Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy and I believe it's this magic that truly makes childhood full of wonder and delight.

So, trying our hardest to avoid the commercialism of Easter, we dyed eggs the day before (red cabbage for blue, and fresh beetroot for pink - you can see more natural dying options here) and opted for a simple Easter hunt in the backyard on Sunday morning. Everly was super excited about her special Easter basket and, after donning a raincoat and gumboots, raced outside. She needed a little help to get started, but then she was off, running around the garden to find the next one, and the next one!

Following a tradition I grew up with, Everly received winter pyjamas from her Mummy and Daddy. She also unwrapped this little book - a tradition of our own that we hope to continue on for many years (I think there are 23 books in the series, so it will take awhile!) We baked spelt bread rolls, sweetened with a little coconut sugar and decorated with currants. No chocolate in sight and she was none the wiser!

Next year, I plan on telling Everly this Australian Easter Bunny story at bedtime every night in the week leading up to Easter. (Thank you Jo for the reminder about Meagan's lovely bunny story.) I must get started on crafting those rabbits!

In other news, I had the flu all weekend, we woke early Sunday morning to a poo explosion and a little girl with a tummy bug (she quickly perked up so we think it was related to her dairy intolerance), and then our washing machine broke! Keepin' it real.