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www.photoboother.com.

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A cafe date with my love this morning. Her favourite word right now is brilliant, which she pronounces with the most wonderful trill.

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This afternoon two things happened very close together that led me down this thought path.

The first was that I caught sight of a photograph on our screen saver of Leila, around 2 years old, in swimming classes just before we gave them up. The second was that Leila called to me from the kitchen to show me that she'd spelled out her name on the fridge. Those two things together made me realise just how far this little girl has come, all on her own.

On the swimming, it's a long story, but we had a issues with the teacher and the class format so we decided to stop. It was all too hard. We haven't done formal lessons since then, over 2 years now, but Leila has doggedly taught herself to swim. Now don't get me wrong, she can't swim laps, but she has taught herself how to float, how to doggy paddle, how to dive underwater, all the classic things. I've had little to do with that at all aside from presenting her with time to play in water. You can't force learning on this little one.

The spelling is easier, she's no different to most children, she loves to learn and if you make it into a "school house game" she's up for anything. They also feel such pride in being able to write their own name, then yours and their siblings.

So, this train of thought made me realise anew that I wish I'd thought more or realised sooner that it's fine just to let your children find their own way, in their own time. I don't think I've ever really pushed my kids into anything, but I've been guilty of having expectations of them achieving certain things at certain times. From the time our babies are born we're measuring them in every way imaginable against every other baby. Isn't that a little strange? It implies, at least in some way, that we're measuring their normality in a way and my gosh, do you know anyone who is truly normal?

My girls are delightful, funny, intelligent, beautiful and most of all happy. I will try never again to be guilty of pushing forwards if they just want to stand still for a while longer and, think about it, whatever it may be.

She swims

Leila is now in classes on her own, although we have a play swim afterwards so I don't completely avoid chlorine hair and skin. So cute, watching them finally become a bit independent in the water, reassuring too.

On the same topic, Ella's chosen a pool party at the local pool for her 6th birthday which is in about 6 weeks. Today we went shopping and bought her first bikini, which she wants to wear on the day. She looks gorgeous of course, very skimpy mind you, but if you can't wear at it at 6, when can you?

PS Is it just my outdated pc or is anyone else finding Blogger a little less friendly these days? Moving photos is a nightmare and I simply can't even get them to go where they've been asked to go!!!!!

When I grow up

When I was younger I loved clay motion shows although I can't remember the name of any of them. I also remember getting a little older and loving making playdoh or plastercine figures and thinking that someone must do that for a job. I still enjoy making things with the girls, Ella always challenges me with something interesting, like a tiny weeny baby with a dummy and a bottle and clothes and nappies ..... While I'm making things I let my mind wander and think of Adam Elliott and the amazing work he does - wondering if perhaps I really have what it takes ... then Ella laughs and I take a good look at my attempt at making Felicity Wishes ...

Too much

of a good thing? Hours later poor Ella was as sick as a dog, hopefully she sleeps all night long. Can you believe the timing, it's back to school tomorrow, although not for us at this rate.

No bonnets

but there were Easter frocks.

I used material I bought at PoC and also the Sugar City Journal pattern I've had for a while. I was really chuffed, I think they turned out really well and for the look of them, it was a very easy pattern.

She Sews

Ella's been wanting to sew for ages, but it's quite limiting to use a blunt embroidery needle, as it's very hard to push it through most things. We have done the hessian weave sew, but she's been hankering to do some "real" sewing.

Today, when I started doing some more sewing for my fete stall, she wanted to sew with me, with a sharp needle. I set her up with a simple felt cutout and off she went. She did so well, threaded her own needle and tied off her own knots. Such fun.

Me sitting beside my big girl, sewing with her and chatting away - priceless.

Sisters

Sugar Sweet

Lovely post today, some patterns for cooler weather sewing from these girls, ones I've been wanting to buy for ages. The patterns are gorgeous to look at, beautiful presentation, I only hope I can do justice to the design when the time comes.

Any tips on where I can get nice chenille for the lining and also pretty shades of wool? I've never sewn with wool, but think it would be a good choice. Drop me a line if you know of anywhere, in Melbourne.

Schoolgirls learn fast

Our primary school does a one hour individual assessment of all the prep's within the first four weeks of them starting. Ella had her assessment with her teacher on Wednesday. The testing is to assess their numeracy and literacy skills. They ask very simple questions to begin such as - how high can you count and then go on to counting backwards, seeing if they have comprehension of division by giving them a number of items and asking them to put equal amounts on different cards. They also gave them flash cards with numbers written on and another set with dots in the corresponding amounts and asked them if they could match them. It was very interesting to observe and see learning at its very foundations. Whilst Ella understands a lot, some concepts were completely foreign. One, I must confess, was being able to say the days of the week and months of the year in order!

Reading skills are of particular interest to us as we are a very book friendly family and we have encouraged that interest in the girls from the start.

I chatted to Ella's teacher about the process of learning to read and the difference between reading and learning by rote. Ella can quickly memorise stories and poems and "read" them word for word, even if she hasn't seen the book for quite some time. Ella's teacher said that prep students are the best for memorising things and in that respect "learn" very quickly. She said that to move on to the actual reading part, mastering memorising is necessary, but you need to encourage them to challenge that. For example,children memorise words in the order they appear, that's why stories are easier for them to remember. She said that's why flash cards are good for learning new words because the position changes every time and they must genuinely learn what the word looks like in many different contexts.

Reading is something I'm most excited about and I have to say that being in Ella's classroom makes me genuinely interested in teaching overall. I've always enjoyed the company of children, even before I had my own, and can think of no greater achievement than helping a child learn and come to love the process of learning. On occasions I've considered studying to be an early learning teacher - kinder or prep - but I never completed HSC so it would be long road for me. There is so much to fill one's life with, so many things to do, just never enough time.

Having said all that, schoolgirls do learn fast and Ella has started "reading" Leila her bedtime story each night this week. It's amazing how quickly the routine changes - previously no-one could do stories with Leila except me, now her story, nappy change and bedtime song are all taken care of by Ella. Very, very sweet.

Hot nights = new nighties

Bunkering Down

We've done play dough; we've made glittery, sticky pictures; we were out in the garden first things; we've had two episodes of Dora; we've made fruit smoothies and turned some into icy poles; we've cut out a tiny teddy to make a la Two Straight Lines and then there was the concert shown above. That's what we've done in the first half an an indoor 40C day.

7 Days to go

This time next week our big girl will have finished her first day of school. I can't believe it. Where has the time gone, how is she big enough to be leaving my side for the majority of every single week day? I'll cope I know, I have to, she's excited and thrilled at the prospect of all school means. Not sure about the little one though. When big sister is away from the house she constantly asks "where ella go mum?" and when Ella is so exhausted from a late night that she has a nap, the little one crawls into bed with her and says "wakey wakey eggs and bakey". One thing's for sure, I know that I won't be the only one eagerly awaiting 3:30 each day.

Sun Day

Polly Esther Cotton

She's an actual person and she lives in Melbourne. On RRR some time last year, one of their call ins was looking for Melbourne people with unusual names. A couple of people called in saying they one knew Polly Esther Cotton, and eventually she called in to the station.

I only like wearing cotton to bed, or silk, but I find it hard to find like items for the girls, so we made our own. We're now waiting for warm nights.

Fairies in my garden

Confidence is a preference

for the habitual voyeur of what is known as Parklife
And morning soup can be avoided if you take a route straight through what is known as Parklife

John's got brewers droop he gets intimidated by the dirty pigeons - they love a bit of it Parklife

Who's that gut lord marching... you should cut down on your porklife mate... get some exercise

Lyrics from Parklife by Blur

Not so little anymore

Our countdown to start of school is down to 21 days. It's not about me or how I'm feeling, it's about Ella and she's so excited and so very enthusiastic. Mum may not be fine, but she will be brave and happy that our babe is happy. Really though - only 21 days..?!

Festivities

The animal Leila wanted to see most at the zoo, was a baby duck! What do you know though, we managed to find some baby coots - so she was thrilled. Butterflies were rated most popular after the ducks, closely followed by the Penguins.

I was so thrilled with Leila's cake - it's so simple but I think it turned out really well. One day when I finally manage to get my own little corner cafe up and running, I'd love to do a sideline in children's cakes, they're so much fun to make and it's really not hard to make things that the children are so thrilled with - and they taste good! (PS Sandy - another time I used the icing kit! I use that over my more professional piping bags now!)

A ride on the carousel before leaving. I so wanted to sit on a horse, but with Leila being under a certain height she had to ride an elephant with an adult escort. Next time I'll choose the green horse...