Almost 19 Months

Nothing screams summer in Oz like a brand new hat.  With temperatures rising and those golden rays hitting my babys new pale skin, I have to do what I can to keep her healthy.  Try as I might, for as long as I've known her,  I could not get anything resting on those blond curls for longer then a few seconds...so on to plan B.  A hat with a very secure fastening under the chin.

OK, it doesn't completely stop her from whipping it off and Frisbee-ing it across the garden, but it does make her think twice about it, and sometimes she doesn't attempt bonnet discus at all.

Oh, the trials and tribulations of living in sub-tropical climates...sigh!  If my lovely Husband wasn't constantly going away, I wasn't looking after a netball team of children on my own, (now that Auntie Ginny has gone back home to Kansas), and I wasn't thousands of miles away from my family, I'd almost have nothing to complain about....

Well I had to make you all feel better somehow! :)

Also..I don't know if you can get the general vibe from this one...but she's kinda naughty, in a very nice, decadent and wicked sort of way...

And yes, I might have 'had' to get a new frock to go with it...but I what else could I do when it was just staring at me from the rack...  Lucy wouldn't let me leave without it anyway.  She would have totally punished me and made me get up in the night with her, 3 times instead of the usual 2 - no way was I chancing that!

Yep, extremely naughty!

What's the Story, Sister?

And there is a story.  Its been unraveling itself for a while now, and becoming more and more clear.  Here is it.

This girl is effervescent. The one with the long strawberry-blonde curls, the one with the gorgeous big eyes and the perfect lips - well she's bubbly and silly, she's happy and fun.  She thinks she's in charge but I can tell you, that's not the way it is.

Oh, she can be strong and determined, even a little stubborn sometimes.  And she has no idea yet, but she's not in charge.  Not anymore.  

This little girl is adorable.  The one with the loose blonde curls, the one with her Mamas expressions and a little button nose - well she's quiet and shy, she's kooky and loud.  She knows she's in charge and that is the way it is.

She can wind her big sister around her little finger, and does so on a daily basis.  She has already learnt how to be the boss without anyone noticing.   Slowly but surely, she's crept her way up, to the position of authority - and is heard by all.  Clever little thing, she is!

It had to happen.  One of these girls had to rule.  For the sake of Ying and Yang, for the sake of world wide peace on earth in the Wood household, one of them had to set the pace.

 It's just been a bit of a surprise, which one of them it was.

Two halves of one perfect whole.  My little forthright one, taking the lead, just one tiny step ahead.  And my little protector, nurturing and watching, hand held out to steady.

Will it always work this smoothly?  Will it always be sweetness and light?  Ha, I'd be kidding myself if I thought that.  These two will, no doubt, have some hum-dingers along the way...but oh it is soooo blooming lovely at the moment. And in a hectic household of many different personalities all trying to find their place, I am so embracing this!

A Different Era

Black and White.  I love it.  Back when I was a kid, and when little girls used to continuously ask each other 'what's your favourite colour', I never really knew how to answer.  Blue was my favourite bright beautiful vibrant colour, but the answer I always wanted to give, was black and white - together!  No wonder I'm so captured by black and white pictures.  There's a purity to them that colour can't capture.  Almost like being hearing impaired.  Take away the pretty distractions and what you are looking at becomes so much clearer.

Plus the fact that really I should've been living my whole life in the 40's and 50's.  I can just see myself in a frilly apron tied at the waist, high heels, red lipstick, pin curled waves in my hair and holding freshly baked cookies straight out of the oven.  Obviously this whole scene is in black and white!

Lately we've all been getting our 'retro' on and I've been subjecting my kids to the same 'treatment'.  I'm quite liking the results..

Ok, maybe the sparkly drama princess t-shirt hauls you right back into the year 2010, but I'm willing to overlook these small details..

Now I'm sure this girl is straight out of a advert for Lux Soap Powder.  Although she probably should be sitting in a  small tin tub, surrounded by bubbles..

Now that I think about it, how on earth am I ever going to go back to colour pictures again!!

Even the slightly fuzzy ones, (due to very wriggly babies), are cute.

Definitely glad we went with the dark chocolate brown nail polish..

Giving me her best 'old fashioned' look here.

Yup, black and white - still my favourite.  And now if anyone asks me, I'll tell them so.


And something else really cool.  Some of which is thanks to a lovely lady who has her own really sweet blog, Life is Like a Box of Chocolates, I have learnt how to post picture sets, Taadaaa!  Something I've wanted to do for a while now, so I'm a happy girl!

A Year and a Half!

There really isn't much else to say on the matter.  So I'll just post a few pictures of my girl who is every bit as cute, naughty, cheeky, lovable, and mischievous as she looks...

Does my bum look big in this?

Even big bro thinks she's kind of cute, in an annoying sort of way!

Busy busy busy, is my little Bee.  She doesn't stop, from the moment she wakes up to the moment she finally decides to sleep....Zzzzzzz!  She's exhausting, but in the best way and I treasure every second that I spend with her.

I love you lil Lulie-Belle, my funny little boop boop de doops!

Fourteen Days with my Family.

Two weeks!  No more no less.  We're half way through the kids holidays and it's been pleasantly uneventful.  Davids trip to Madrid was postponed for three weeks, Auntie Ginny arrived, the kids have had play-dates, the chooks are now outside in their coop, and it's been raining on and off for the last 5 days.   Gotta love that rain, its keeping the temperatures down and the kids have been loving the freedom of playing outside and enjoying the last of the 'sensible weather'.

Little Miss Naughty was up to her usual tricks!

She seemed to have a bit of a drooly puppy-dog tongue problem today...

and she was certainly finding herself very funny...

Ahhh, time for a quick hug with 'Doey' between jumps!

Libby had fun last night, wearing her favourite turquoise scarf, that she does just love so much,  She was off partying with her friends at 'Big Night Out' at the Space.  Apparently, she danced the night away and I can believe it - this girl has got some moves!:)

I wonder what the second half of the holidays will bring?

Seventeen Sweet Months!

That's how long my little Doll has been in my arms.  And, literally - that's pretty much the way it's been.  My little look-alike has been glued to me from the moment she was placed into them.  She and I, we're a team.  She's happier now then she was, to spend up to 20 minutes at a time away from my side, but that's about as long as she'll go before she comes toddling over to me, for some more 'dat dat'.  Or just to to be picked up, to  lay her sweet soft curls on my shoulder for a moment or two,  and to feel safe and secure in her position of Mamas little shadow.   She's determined, stubborn, happy, funny, crazy, kooky, emotional and sweet all rolled into one.  She has a low husky little laugh that is extremely infectious and a little crooked smile, just as I used to have as a child. 
She's not me though, she's more confident, more goofy,  more chilled and I'm so very glad of that.  I hope that as the years roll by, I can continue to make her feel safe, all the while giving her the confidence to be who she is,  and who she will become.  It's like watching a beautiful portrait being painted before my eyes...each day is a new brush stroke, a fresh streak of light, a different shading, another detail added.  It's amazing.  She's amazing.

Such a busy little Bee she was in the garden today.  She loves the feel of the grains of sand between her fingers, and mixing it up in her bucket.

Why can't time be kept hold of just a little longer?  Why is it so bitter-sweet to watch my last little one become less and less of a baby every day?

I'm so proud of you little one, I'm so very thankful to have you in my life.  I'm so very grateful to be your Mummy.  You are my little wonder baby Lucy, and I just hope that I can let go of you gracefully, one day!