che che turns 3

Last night I told Che that three years ago I had pains in my belly and I knew he was coming. Daniel told him I was making noises like: "oohhh, ooohhhh, ooohhh". When we had family and friends over this afternoon for cake and celebrations Che told them that three years ago: "...I was a baby and the umbilical cord was on my belly button and Daddy cut it."

The fact that he's old enough to retell his birth story (or at least snippets of it) just mesmerizes me.

This morning he ventured into the lounge room to find a tee pee and some surprises within it. Last week he told me he wanted a strawberry cake (I was so relieved that I didn't have to mold sponge cake into a rocket ship) and I immediately opened to Sipi's Strawberry Cake in the stunningly beautiful Falling Cloudberries. While he played this morning I baked and then we ventured to the beach and the park for play in the sun and birthday treats (dixie cup ice-cream).

He really gets the 'birthday' thing now which means he really is getting big. He's such a big, little boy but he'll always be my baby.

Happy happy birthday Che Che. Thank you so very much for making me a Muma. It's the very best thing I've ever done. I love you so much, even more and even more again. xxx

from the farm: billy tea

Ingredients include: the 3 of us. And a quad bike complete with Tip Top Bread crate for carrying supplies. Passengers must ignore the WARNING sign that clearly states: "You should not ride this vehicle as a passenger!" Pirate facepaint optional

Collecting necessary stones to create a circle and then finding wood for the fire.

Voila! Fire. And a Billy. Now...all we need is a billy holder - thank goodness for the meticulous and creative Virgo.

Sipping hot tea by a fire as the sun sets. Perfect

Ps. This is the last farm post. I took over 500 photos and wanted to put the best up here in this space. Tomorrow? Another birthday.

from the farm: detail

Where photo opportunities abound. Chickens lay eggs in the hay stack, strawberries are picked from a nearby farm and lemons fall to the ground from an abundant citrus tree. The cherry tomatoes were the sweetest and the fresh water creek at the bottom of the property provided so very many stone-throwing, frog hunting, billy tea making adventures. Ramshackle sheds are truly chic and barbed wire is beautiful. Farm life is sweet. And inspiring.

from the farm: alive

In retrospect what I enjoyed most about our time away was the opportunity to press 'pause.' It felt like our everyday life was whirring by without the opportunity for stillness, quiet or reflection. Yesterday I saw Christmas cakes in Woolworths and today a girl at work mentioned it was 12 weeks till The Eve. I still feel like it's the middle of the year. I could get used to pressing 'pause.'

While away it was oh. so. good. to just be amidst the beauty.

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is renowned for being green, lush and very much, alive. It was nice not to have to watch for cars or worry about Che. He could just run and we could let our guard down. It was huge relief actually, a freedom that only a big open space in the middle of the country allows. I know why so many of us long for a house in the countryside for our families. It's seems so very natural. To raise children under a big open sky and to send them out into an endless garden; to explore all. day. long.

I dreamt of such a move while away. Can you tell?

from the farm: home again

Six days on a farm is damn good medicine. We're home again after a blissful holiday in South-East Queensland where the rolling green hills of Maleny had me swooning. Daniel's Dad recently moved to a 136acre property - perfect for a relaxing and ultimately rejuvenating getaway. We rose with the sun and enjoyed evenings around the fire, visited sweet friends and ate the best gelati we've ever had. Che also fell in love with plane travel and this afternoon managed to fall asleep on take-off. Over the next few days I'll be posting about farm life. Chapters will include: "How a meticulous Virgo builds a campfire." Stay tuned

birthdays are the best

Tomorrow is Daniel's birthday. Happy birthday Beautiful Man. You make our world wonderful. I love you a millions times over. And then over again.

New chalkboard walls come in handy around celebrations. And see those primary coloured balloons in the background? They're three-footers. And when they're pumped full of helium they've got some pull on them. So much so that if you were a lightweight you may actually go floating.

I know you're all clever cookies and so it won't take you long to figure out how and why we used those balloons. What fun. Apparently Jodi and jumping and graceful and heels can make it into the same sentence. And the same photo.

If you've come via Marvelous Kiddo.........hello! Lovely to meet you.

engagement shoot

The Rummeys came to visit on Thursday and we had fun running in and out of gardens in my street. Although we've been engaged for close to three years we have never really celebrated it - I gave birth 3 weeks after I said "Yes!" So, we employed the help of MB & PB and we played models that kissed and giggled and ran around in orange orchards.

Anna and Chris managed to capture the fun on camera. In their fabulous and quirky style they snapped away. This is one of hundreds of shots. The best ones will be published over six pages in an upcoming issue of a bridal magazine that I write for. A few will get framed and hung on our wall. And all of them will be beautiful reminders of this time in our lives. Where we lived, who we were and what we made, together.

like bees

...busy we are. It seems that everything is speeding up and it's easy to get in a whirlwind. We travel north next week for a little Spring break and I've got stories to write, washing to do and a million and one little things to tick off my list before we leave.

Che is in the midst of a drastic and seemingly huge growth spurt. His tantrums have become so intense in the last week and he literally shocks himself with rage. It must be so strange for a little one to be so emotional, so angry and yet no know how to deal with it. I'm trying my best to stay patient but I'm noticing that I need a few more breaks myself. Otherwise it's easy to yell and scream back. Not a pretty look.

Today at the park he climbed a tree. Almost three-year-olds climb trees, apparently. They also paint with poo in Dada's wardrobe in an attempt to celebrate Father's Day. I was mortified. I had heard of children doing this but I was convinced it would never happen to me. And because it was Father's Day I couldn't ask Daniel to clean it up. Let's hope that's the first and last time.

Tomorrow the sweet Rummey Bears visit. We're embarking on a little project for a magazine I write for and we'll be spending a creative day in the spring sunshine. Lots to look forward to and lots to celebrate (it's birthday month in these parts).

If you are just beginning to feel the crisp air of Autumn ... happy fall to you.

bunnings

You know it's Spring when you spend the better part of a Saturday afternoon wandering around the aisles of Bunnings. The boys were ecstatic when I suggested the excursion and Che only whinged when we had to leave. We've officially reached the whinging whining stage. It's not fun.

Back to Bunnings. I bought paint - 3 tins. Chalkboard black, lexicon quarter and blue dusk. Two walls have been painted. And an op-shop find is going to fall in love with blue dusk tomorrow. Our trolley was filled with other essentials including drastically reduced garbage bags, a toilet brush and some herb seedlings.

Oh and I got new 'light' cons. They don't make my feet resemble a clowns like the originals do. For that I am grateful. Thanks Chuck.

my answer

'Tomorrow' became the end of the week. Time is flying by and the busyness of Spring is intoxicating.

Che just put liquid soap on my toothbrush and brushed hs teeth. And swallowed it. "Yuk," he said. Hmmm. At least it was organic.

I was a little surprised about your responses. So many of you became mums in your early twenties. Inspiring!

I always thought I'd be a young mum. I had no doubt in my mind that before I was 25 I would have a little one in my arms.

And so when my doctor told me that yes, I was expecting, I was a little surprised but not shocked. Almost three years and nine months later I wouldn't change a thing.

And yet the one thing that seems to be the deciding factor in becoming a parent is money.

When Daniel and I discovered we were going to be parents we didn't even own a toaster. And we survived. We flourished even.

I have been watching One Born Every Minute weekly since in started screening on SBS and regardless of the kind of births (and birth support people which, although shocking, represents the stereotype of the typical support person, scary, I know) shown, one subject that keeps popping up in interviews with new parents is money.

The young couples seem to comment on their complete lack of cash. The older parents who are financially stable and well established say that nothing, not anything, can compare to the joy of being a parent. Consciously, I'm sure, the editors have put these clips together, one after the other, a perfect juxtaposition.

We cannot deny that we live in a world largely dictated by money. And I know that if I had four teenage boys who inhaled a loaf of sourdough and a bottle of milk like Daniel does, there is no way I could afford organic food.

Which leads me to my next question: will you/did you let money affect your choices regarding children?