our birthday boy

Someone has just turned one!

A friend of mine once told me of a birthday idea (I think it may have originally been one of Ian Grant's): a cot full of balloons for some special birthday fun! Plus, a great opportunity to take photos.

We celebrated our William with a few special loved ones...because let's face it, this little boy of ours is just worth celebrating. It really doesn't seem like a year ago since this post.

What started off as a simple pompom and balloon decoration idea ended up having a bit of a circus feel. It was so fun planning this.

What a year! Happy birthday darling Will, we love you!

xx

a lot of pink

Photography Challenge, Day 25 of 30: 'Something pink.'

It was a rosy kind of day for us today. Two parties and a lot of pink!

A celebration for Mum this morning.

A lot of dress ups midday.

A bit of 'ballet' with the flowers.

The beloved 'pink bike' was zooshed with a feather boa.

Ah, much better. ;)

And many ensembles were created. Sophia's intention was to wear the top left winner of an outfit to the afternoon party but I managed to persuade her out of it.

Instead she wore her Pip and Bean knock off cape (mentioned here). Just a little bit cute!

Twas the kind of day I love. So it 'twill be my 'things I'm loving' for the week. :)

Tomorrow's challenge: 'close up'. And in the afternoon I will post for...

WORDLESS SUNDAY!

Yusss.

See you all then!

P.s. It was brought to my attention today that the calves mentioned here may in fact be steers. (I.e. castrated bulls.) So I googled. One site told me that you do need to be cautious when steers pat the ground with their back hooves? Hmm. Is anyone able to confirm from the pics whether these are in fact steers, and if so, was it silly of us to get so close? I am spoiled to have all you country lovin' bloggy friends to pepper with questions about such things!

Love you all and hope you had splendid Saturdays...

:)

x

little butterfly snaps

I'm becoming that annoying person who always has a camera strapped to her neck and snaps pictures at every opportunity. Sorry friends, now that I have my beautiful new toy I just don't think I can help myself, so you might need to start getting used to it. ;)

One of Sophia's little buddies turned two this week. Of course I jumped at the opportunity to experiment a little. Here are the shots. (Miss Abby--one super cute little butterfly--features in these pics.)

This was the face that accompanied the stealing and wearing of a random pair of shoes. Love it!











And nothing quite beats the blowing out of candles.











Here's a shot of beautiful little Emma that I just LOVE.











Am thinking Abby has a thing for shoes. If a couple of pairs are lying around without owners they're crying out to be tried on aren't they? So cute.

And a couple more...

These next two shots merely demonstrate what I have been dying to do for so long--play around with aperture to create that focus/blur contrast. Something old Coolie-Coolpix could never achieve.

Just a bit too fun, really.

That's all for now. If anyone has any great photography tips or hints for beginners I'd love for you to share. Want to learn as much as I can.

Hope your weekends are wonderful!



X

parties and big girl beds

Just a few pics from a little friend's party this week (some scrumptious cuties)...

Unfortunately, at Sophia's cousin's party, my poor little camera fought a battle with low lighting and lost. But I was able to salvage a few priceless expressions. It's all about the presents. Delight for those receiving...

...and those watching.

:)

On a different note ... my little girl is, as of this week, in a big bed at last! Yes, we have waited a while. I am a huge fan, though, of doing things when they feel right instead of forcing them because a book says so, or because everyone else has already done so. I would rather wait for that spontaneous moment when I just know we are both ready. Well, it came one night last week. Sophia was sick and asleep in my arms at three o'clock in the morning and I decided then, desperate to lie down and despite my plans to wait until we move house, that tomorrow we would ditch the cot. Funny how, out of nowhere, it suddenly seemed to me that we were long overdue and had to make the change right away. That's my favourite way to work these transitions. We did the same when we ditched the dummy and when we moved from bassinet to cot and sleep sack--a spontaneous decision based on a gut feeling that the time was right for both of us. It's when I try to stick to external timeframes and benchmarks from books that things don't transition so smoothly. The pressure's off has become our parenting/transition motto!

So the following morning I pulled down a single bed from upstairs and my 'little-little turned big girl' made the transition so smoothly I could hardly believe it. The first half hour of her 'daysleep' consisted of loud singing, crashing and banging. To be honest, I wouldn't have minded if she decided to ditch her sleep for her toys from now on. If an hour of 'room time' was going to be it then so be it. So I must say I was rather surprised when the crashing ceased and two and a half hours later I had to go in and wake her.

Here's what I found, hence the crashing and banging. But she slept (under her sheets too) and has done so ever since--who would have thought? Definitely not what I expected.

I imagine I will do the same with potty training--again another thing that many have mastered with children much younger--and starting kindy. We're not ready yet, but I can feel the day coming when we will suddenly decide that we both are, and jump in to it happily with the pressure off. They really are all so very different, our little bubbas, so how can one idea of the right timing for things be what is truly right for all of us? I am convinced it can't. Thus, in my short experience of motherhood to date, I have concluded the following: Go with the gut Mama, not the pressure.

So now we have a new room setup complete with makeshift cot blankets, mismatched colours and a clashing assortment of baby things and little girl things. I know I'm supposed to be organising my new arrival's room, but since he won't have one until we eventually find a house to buy I am exhausting my nesting energies on Sophia's new and exciting little girl room. Or a duvet cover and blanket that fit properly at least.

I have been garnering ideas since then--here are a couple that have inspired me so far. (Sourced from Apartment Therapy.)

I think of all of the rooms I have seen so far (in this last week of hunting at least) these first two are the most 'me'. I just love the quilts. I'm going to start there (have already sourced some exciting vintage scrap fabric), so, quilting experiment # 1 here I come!

And birdies, I love birdies...

Another take on the birdie idea my friend Bec has used in some of the party pics above. So clever! I must say though (and the photos didn't do it justice) Bec's version is the coolest I've seen. She used a massive twiggy branch and hung it from the ceiling, suspended over her dining room table. Looks incredible! Click here to view her blog.

And these last two I love for the use of children's art as wall decoration. I have always been a huge fan. I'll post a few pics of the way I have begun to display Sophia's art in a couple of days.

Be back in a few days with an alternative version of the craft jar gift idea, plus a few things I've been working on in Fia's room...see you soon!

x