Big Girls Bed

Layla will be 3 in a couple of months. I only toilet-trained her a month ago. I know, pretty 'late'. But I had such a bad experience with James that I just didn't want to start. I am also a lazy parent. As it turns out, she has been a dream to toilet-train. So good in fact that she has been waking up dry in the morning. Of course the next step would be to take the night nappy of her. Only problem..... she is still in the cot. Once again, that was due to having such a bad experience when we moved James to a bed.

So first step in night training was to move Layla into her big bed. The big bed has actually been in her room since June (when James got a new midi-bed). Only ever referred to as her 'dolls bed' though.

We made the move a week ago. Rather than just jumping out of bed in the morning, we have told her to call out to us. So far it is working. Like most things with Layla, they are just easier. In the mornings, she calls out "Cock-a-doodle-doo" to let us know it is time to get up. Don't ask me where she got that from, but it is hilarious....

Back on Track

I have been off the planet this past week. Death in the family, death of an online friends' son. Sisters engagement. Funeral for family member, which involved reuniting with family members we had not seen or spoken to in 15-20 years. And I joined Weight Watchers. It has all been a bit too much at times.

So hopefully, I can jump back in where I left off and continue Blogtoberfest. Hopefully.

Ice Cream Dress

Well, I tried to post this last night, but it kept freezing up. Will try again....

This is Layla's most recent 'Mum-made' dress. She does love it. And more and more she is pointing to her cupboard (rather than her chest of drawers) and telling me she wants to wear a dress. If this Sydney weather would warm up she actually might get to wear all of them. The great thing about dresses is that they will often get 2 summers out of them, or at least a summer and a winter (with a long sleeve top and tights underneath).

So this is the Ice Cream Dress pattern by Oliver + S. Size 3. Fabrics were purchased from the Fabricworm website...... Michael Miller, Forest Life Aqua, annndddd something else (butterfly print).

So, What Have You Been Doing Today?

Yes, I have been counting Coles Sports for Schools vouchers. Argh.....

I got through the bag that I had - 2300 vouchers there.

I just feel very sorry for the lady at school who volunteered to do the counting. At the end of last term she had counted 27000 vouchers. Apparently she went home with another 4 bags worth on Monday. My contribution was one full bag. I think I will have to offer to give her some more help.

Daddy has gone to NZ

My husband has headed off to Wellington today to see a game of Rugby tomorrow night that his beloved Wallabies are not even playing in. Yes, that is right. He and his mates booked a weekend away in NZ and bought tickets ($400 each mind you) for a game the the Wallabies failed to qualify for. Then there is the $900 flight, $700 in accommodation. Plus spending money. All for 2 nights away in the windy city.The Wallabies are however now playing the following day. However my husband will already be on the plane back home when they start playing.

If I said I was annoyed it really would be an understatement. I just need to plan my 'compensation' (I think he is up to 4 boys weekends away in the past 3 years, to my ZERO girls weekends away). I can't decide if I should take off and leave him with the kids for a week/end. Or buy myself something significant (think Kitchenaid). All suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Gok Wan

I will start this by saying, I do not have Foxtel. I have never felt the need for it, and our 'budget' is stretched enough without adding another monthly bill. So all I knew of Gok was his ad's for Westfield. And he did seem quite serious on the ad's.

Now over the years I have managed to get tickets to see Carson Kressley and Trinny and Susannah at Westfield. These shows are open to everyone, but if you are lucky, you can get a seat to see the show. Just a nice addition since you normally have to get there quite early to be able to see the show properly.

So the other day Westfield sent out an email offering tickets to the show. I jumped on it. My sister and I went along, and got front row seats. Woo hoo! And a great goodie bag!

The show started with Donny Galella checking a few audience members to determine their body shape. Westfield has a new Body Shape Calculator. You can enter your measurements into the boxes and it determines your body shape - fantastic!

Next came Gok. Well he was fantastic. He is an absolute natural, and so funny. Now I am a Gok fan. A number of audience members were made over during the hour long show. And I will be finding out how I can see his TV show without having to sign up to Pay TV.
I will just say, sorry for the very average photos. The bright white screens at the back of the stage made it difficult to take good photos from the where I was sitting.

My Little Man

My little man is a complex human. I struggle to understand him most of the time. He likes to dance, and sing, and be loud. He is outgoing and confident. And he is male. All the things that I am not, or at least he is everything I wasn't when I was a child (well I am definitely still not male). He is also smart.... sometimes too smart for his own good. He is 6 afterall.

One of his all time favourite movies is Mary Poppins. So we handed over the $$$ (well my Mum bought James his ticket) and off we went last week to see the musical in Sydney. Well it was over a week ago actually. And my goodness, we are still hearing about it.... almost all day every day. We wake up to him singing at the top of his voice.... Supercalifragilisticxpialidocious, Chim Chim Cheree etc etc. Then the days are filled with him trying to get his little sister to play Mary Poppins and Bert. So I just thought I would share a photo of him waiting for the train after the show.... reading the menu from Charlie & Co. Burgers of course.

Blogtoberfest 2011

Yes, just a few days late in starting Blogtoberfest... but that doesn't surprise me at all.
Time to blog starts NOW!