Being five

When you are five.........


Singing in the morning is important.

Milky is not cow's milk or rice milk, it's Milo warmed up.

Cuddles in Mummy and Daddy's bed are the only way to start the day.

Wet kisses are yuck.

Rice bubbles that aren't soggy are breakfast.

Fairies are real and help make the seasons change, gardens grow and they make furniture out of all the old teeth.

Cake should only be chocolate flavoured.


Teddies and babies have real feelings, so need to be dressed.

Ballet is grace and beauty.

Mermaids are real, definitely. One was seen in a parade.

Being sick is snot in your mouth.

You show your friends the ribbons in your hair.

At school you can have a carrot for fruit because there is an 'other' list.

Being a carrot in the end of year ballet concert is great as its going to be glittery.

Running is fun.

Crusts should be cut off.

School is serious, homework must be done every night.

Painting is what you want to do or crafting, or sewing, or colouring, or cutting, or folding.

Putting your lunch box in the sink after school is way too much to ask.

Being a Doctor, famous Ballerina or a Kindy teacher is the plan.

Your clothes should match.

Playing is putting all your toys all over the floor where you can see them.

Pasta is best for dinner.

White chocolate is nibbled and licked.

Cuddling something at night is necessary.


Happy Birthday Little Miss

How much screen time?

If B could be would use the ipad before school, after school, during meals and in bed. But only if he couldn't use the computer to play Minecraft in that time. Minecraft is his obsession right now. A few months back it was Dragonvale.  I had read somewhere to take an interest in your children's computer games so I got Dragonvale for myself. It was so addictive I had to play it whenever I could, waiting for B to go to bed so that I could play without him knowing. That addictiveness for an adult was hard to control, so just think of the torture B went through in his eight year old brain, wanting, craving and needing and whining. So thanks to Dragonvale we have had to address the issue of gaming screen time and I learnt a valuable lesson (I don't need to get that involved). 

My Mum used to say,"Variety is the spice of life" and "Enjoy a little bit of everything" She was referring to food not screens, but it has been helpful to apply the same principles. I've had to make some hard decisions about how much gaming screen time is enough for a 4 and 8 year old. On the one hand games can be addictive, singular and antisocial, but on the other they can be creative, fun, educational, social currency and children are learning to use the tools of their future.

So how much screen time is B allowed right now?

During school term:

Friday after school 30 mins of Minecraft (we use the microwave timer).

Saturday 1 hour total with no more than 30 mins of Minecraft.

Sunday 1 hour total with not more than 30 mins of Minecraft.

However he is allowed to watch movies or television after school if his homework is done and on the weekend. I am quick to warn him that screen time will be taken away for inappropriate behaviour, so it's a valuable currency now it is limited.

Little Miss is allowed the equivalent so a total of 2.5 hours over Friday, Saturday and Sunday of screen games. She prefers the ipad over the computer and often chooses to watch Playschool episodes on the ipad over any other type of game. It will be interesting to see how that changes as she matures.

Is 2.5 hours gaming enough a week?

Not according to B. But when I consider the amount of time he plays sport a week (3 hours per week) or reads books (4 hours), or creates/draws/crafts (2 hours), then I think that the screen time is in balance with everything else. I am often reminding him that variety is what makes life enjoyable. A range of interests and skills is what makes you an interesting person.

I have to say that I was horrified by a recent communications agency advert where a mother is on a bus with a screaming baby, so she gives her mobile device to the baby to keep it quiet. Might be great for the bus trippers, but I hope that baby isn't playing Dragonvale.... I think that the habit of handing a device to B and Little Miss when they are bored is ultimately teaching them that they dont have to be patient and it's okay to switch off from the world around them. I would much rather my kids are interesting as well as annoying. It wont be long and they wont be kids anymore anyway.

I found these articles on screen time very interesting :
BBC Health News
Raising Children

Kidspot
Kids Health
Becoming mininalist

First school day

She counted down the days, said she felt happy, scared and excited all at the same time. Playing schools with her brother she dressed up in her uniform, even wore her school headband to bed.

So when the big day arrived and she said she only felt happy. I was relieved for her, but more than a little concerned as her voice was rough, scratchy and soft. She had a cough and said she was sick.

Children's paracetamol went down the hatch. I recommended just a half school day and she agreed. She couldn't miss her first day of school.

There seemed to be more adults than children in the classroom. Her teacher said hello to her and her buddy led her away to her seat. I made the arrangement to pick her up at 12 noon. Little Miss looked about her wide eyed. I pinned her name tag on her. She touched a laminated chart in front of her. Her name was amongst the information it held with the days of the week, the alphabet, left and right and lots of sight words. The teacher took control of the room announcing that it was time to go to prayer. Then I watched helplessly as Little Miss lined up, holding the hand of her buddy and walked away.

I kept it together. The lump in my throat threatened my composure. Her Dad looked teary, we rushed our goodbye and then I followed Little Miss's class to the church. Watching her chat and walk confidently away from me I felt proud. That thread that held us together was still intact, just being pulled and stretched to a new length. A length I wasn't sure I was really comfortable with yet.

In the church the children lined the pews, their uniforms making them one. I couldn't distinguish B or Little Miss from any other child. But I could see her teacher. I wondered how on earth one teacher could ever look after so many children all at the same time, maintaining order while learning about the characteristic of each little person entrusted to them. As the assistant principle lead the school in prayer and song, I made my own wish, just to keep her safe.

Being the occasion that is was, the new reception children were asked to come to the front of the church and be introduced to the school. These were the special new children, who we would all need to take care of. Then I saw her, holding her teacher's hand. As her name was called out for the whole school to hear she raised her hand confidently. I made some kind of noise and had to swallow that lump.

Prayer finished, the children filed back to their classrooms. I managed a swift, "Have a great day see you at 12" as she rushed past me. Walking alone back to my car the lump was back. It grew and I let it.

I welcomed 12 o'clock and signed myself into the school. She noticed me at the classroom door and gave me a disappointed look. The teacher told her I was here to collect her and I added, "Only if she wants to come." And Little Miss in a big clear voice told everyone, "I want to stay at school." Her declaration made me so proud, relieved that school was enjoyable to her and she wasn't sick anymore, but at the same time I felt devastated. Why does every achievement and passing milestone in her life, take me for six and leave a hole that she used to fill. Well at 3 o'clock she wont have any choice in the matter, how I long for 3 o'clock.

For the last eight years my life has revolved around the children. From those first shocking 6 weeks with a new baby B till this day I have had a child holding my hand everyday. I've been there to answer to "Mummy" and considered their every need. Holding their hands I feel so proud, I have been able to lead them forward, guide them through obstacles and their trust lies in me. As she now holds the hand of others, her trust widens, she will be influenced and led differently and she will be all the richer for it. My hands will still be held, just not so much. So now with both my children at school, the hours between 9am and 3pm offer me respite, freedom and a chance to be someone other than Mummy. But who will that be?

Cafe chic

Even before I had a daughter I imagined taking her out to a cafe, chatting over the days events and pondering life together over a coffee.

So as soon as she was able Little Miss and I have done just that.

At first she may have had her bottle or slept in a pram while I grabbed a coffee to recharge myself for that afternoon's dinner, bath, story, story, story, song song and song then finally bed routine.

But over her nearly five years Little Miss is now quite a cafe chick. She has moved on from babychinnos, "Which are really for babies Mummy." To partaking in hot chocolates. Now these can't just be any hot chocolates, they can't be too hot or too cold, they have to be just right and that includes coming with a marshmallow. But it has to be a pink marshmallow. If the hot chocolate comes without a marshmallow, well quite frankly we never return to that establishment....well at least she knows what she likes in life.

In my experience the best hot chocolates leave their own mark on Little Miss.




As these special mother and daughter times have left their mark on me. Soon to start school I will dreadfully miss Little Miss. Her company at cafe's and supermarket expeditions will be sorely missed.

Mother hen

How hatching baby chicks at Kindy has confused things.....

"Mummy when you laid B and I did it hurt?

After I stopped laughing I asked, "A little bit. Did you come in an egg?"

"No," Little Miss replied, "But I was an egg inside your tummy."

Little Ballerina

Little Miss's Ballet concert has been a much anticipated event.

We had the excitement of her costume, what would she be? What colour would she wear?

"I want to be a rainbow fairy Mummy." she told me.

Little Miss was to be a red poppy.

A schedule of rehearsals were squashed into our busy routine. B had to endure the waiting and crowded viewing room with many other mums and disgruntled siblings.

Travel arrangements were made by Nana interstate so that she could come along and see Little Miss dance.

I queued too early one Sunday morning to purchase tickets when they went on sale to get good seats.

At last the big day arrived.

The family all gathered together to watch our little star.

And shine she did.

The great road trip- travel diary

Little Miss's Travel Diary

Tailen Bend playground

Penola

The 12 Apsotles

Otway tree top rainforest walk

Breakfast drinks at a cafe in Lorne

Fairy friends in Melbourne with red bird

At my friends house

Seeing dinosaurs at the Science-works museum Melbourne































Dinosaurs

Save the hospital at Keith































The family eating together at Keith bakery (family of four legged long tailed things)

Baby steps

Just yesterday it seemed I was breast feeding my little baby every morning in bed with me, changing her heavy night nappy for a fresh one and facing a new day with my sleep deprived eyes. I would gently stroke her baby curls with a super fine hairbrush and she would never be more than a step away from me.

But all that has changed. That little baby girl has slowly but surely grown up. Small achievements have manifest together to shape a grown up girl. From those first independent movements rolling over, sitting up, then her style of commando crawling, Little Miss has been very busy, while we were all looking at screens she has been on a mission to become independent. Be it putting food in her own mouth to putting on her own socks and shoes to coordinating her legs to skip run and even dance...

Manipulating scissors successfully to cut, holding a pencil that can draw something we all recognise...

Very importantly now she can communicate effortlessly her demands desires and needs. Knowing herself and her mind, "I want to wear a pink dress with long selves" she tells me.

Did I turn my back and not notice these changes? No I didn't, I foolishly celebrated every milestone and was reassured by her development. Every one of her tiny achievements over years gradually brings her to independence, and then my job is done. This mothering job rudely interrupts your own life yet fulfils your heart. Slowly you get little pieces of your own life back, but that comes at the expense of letting go and your heart is liable to break.

Little Miss has started Kindergarten. Off she goes, eager to make friends and absorb whatever she can about the world. And I have to set her on her way and encourage her steps away from me.

Heart themed party

For her fourth birthday celebration Little Miss thought heart decorations would be nice. Since we plan on taking the kids to the show this year we didn't plan on having a big party, but that didn't stop Little Miss from having some big plans for her party decorations.

We agreed on pink, green and red as colours for the party since I had plenty of craft material in those colours. I initially just thought about cutting out hearts and stringing them up, but the internet provided so much inspiration and B and Little Miss were so eager to help that our decoration plans got a bit more extravagant. She wanted lots of hearts, big and small ones, all over the house and everywhere.

I found this great origami heart instructional video.

Since it was a child teaching the technique I got B making hearts for me and he did a great job.


We made hanging hearts by sewing the orgami hearts together with ribbon and weighted them down with a wooden bead.

Little Miss coloured in the paper and cut out strips so I could staple these hearts together to make a chain of hearts.



To make a garland I cut out red felt hearts and sewed them with green origami hearts and strung it up over the table. The origami hearts looked so good I also folded the table napkins into hearts as well.

Add some helium balloons, food, lots of lollies, birthday cake and family and you've got yourself a party.

Four

According to Little Miss turning four means you are a big girl.

Today that important change is occurring. I can no longer call Little Miss a little girl. She is a big brave bold four year old. Lets take a look at what she is really into right now.

Little Miss loves to dance and has a very keen ear for music. Ballet lessons are really enjoyed and we consider her to be the absolute best dancer in the class.

She loves to sing away to herself and her dolls. Little Miss can remember a song when she has heard it only once. If she has trouble getting to sleep at night, she can often be heard singing a quiet lullaby to herself. When this happens I am most pleased and very moved.

Pink, purple and rainbow are Little Miss's favourite colours. Lasagne and chocolate are her favourite foods. Lollies are not really enjoyed, but chocolate, particularly white chocolate is devoured and desired at any time.

We often enjoy a visit to a cafe and Little Miss likes to have a bubbachinno with a pink marshmallow. If ordering food "Pasta" is always chosen and very well eaten up.

Little Miss believes that fairies are real. Being real is important to her right now and I am often asked if the Wiggles, Little pony, monsters, bed bugs or unicorns are real. I can't help but get philosophical with my answers stating that if she thinks they are real then they might be, but B dosent like to think that fairies are real, unless its the tooth fairy with some money for him.

Little Miss really loves her brother. She looks up to B like no one else. B is the master of all wonders for Little Miss, he is by far her most favourite play thing. Not a day goes by when I don't hear Little Miss say "Where is Blakey? I need my Blakey."

Barbie has become a new friend to Little Miss and I hope this strong sexy female will be a good role model for my daughter. I have to admit I bought her a Doctor Barbie for her birthday, but her dress is still very short and her shoes are most uncomfortable looking.

Little Miss loves to draw. She can draw all kinds of animals and they are recognisable species. Her artistic skills may have been overshadowed in the past, by her big brother. However she is really coming into her own now and she seems most pleased with herself.

If Little Miss should get upset for any reason (but mostly as I have asked her to pack up a mess) her tears and general unhappiness can be cured by a cuddle. The cuddle cure is often needed at the most inappropriate times, like when the mess needs to be dealt with, but I am more than happy to cuddle a big girl and I hope that my cuddles will be effective for a long time yet as they also do me the world of good. At bedtime she must have "something to cuddle" and she usually picks a pink fluffy toy of some type, but she does not have a particular toy, preferring to spread the love.

Being four to Little Miss means that she will no longer have a milky at night time. A milk before bed has been a lifetime tradition for her in one shape or another from boob, bottle to sippy cup, so it is a momentous occasion for her to let go of this habit, showing great determination to grow up.

For four very short years we have been so blessed to have Little Miss as part of our family. Everyday she delights us with her antics. When I look at my big girl I can't believe that I helped create this wondrous person. It is a joy to watch her grow up and share these precious childhood days with her.

Happy 4th Birthday Little Miss.