Strawberry Kisses

This weekend we stayed down at Elliot's parents at Logan Village for the weekend. On Friday night we had a girls' scrapbooking night and then Saturday we all went Strawberry picking at a nearby strawberry farm. The season is just about finished and we were warned that the strawberries weren't as sweet as usual due to an extrememly hot August but they were delicious. So picture-perfect too and we had great fun!

Some neighbours of Jenny and Bob also have a heap of Bantam chooks so we went there and checked them out in the afternoon. They were cute! All fluffy and a small pointy head. And Hayden even found one Bantam egg which the owner kindly let him keep. Thanks to wonderful in-laws for a great weekend and thanks for the free babysitting when we went to the engagement party.

*edit: I'm so sorry Kate that I have cut you off in the last photo. I can't work out how to resize them as I copy & pasted them today. It wasn't intentional Kate!!

Too busy?

I think I'm guilty at times of making myself and the boys busy so that I can avoid motherhood.

There - it's out there. In all it's nakedness for the whole world to see. I avoid motherhood (at times.)

How so? I find being a mother hard. I love it but it's hard. And sometimes I avoid it. I justify that it's activities for the children and so I am mothering but it's not the same. I go to many of Brisbane's great parks, I take the kids bike-riding, I go to storytime at the local library, I go to bunnings, I go to swimming lessons, I go to the cultural centre and swimming at Southbank, I go shopping and we visit friends - I have to be on the go all the time. I've been like that since I was a small child, always looking for something to do, always needing someone to be around (complete strangers suffice and are even often better!). I usually go out somewhere for some period of time each day. And I recently came to the shocking realisation that this is to some small point about avoiding mothering.

You see, when I go out, I don't have to play with the children's toys and make up some fantastic role playing scenarios with the stick people, I don't have to clean up their messes for the umpteenth time and I don't have to think up creative activities to do inside (again which create a lot of mess and requires me to clean again), and last but perhaps the best reason, I don't have to discipline (as much) when we are out. The boys fight and antagonize each other at home but when we are out there are minimal altercations because they are free and busy and engaged in separate places.

We can go and make something creative where I haven't had to think up the idea, clean up the mess or paid a single cent. We can explore and enjoy the world we live in and again pay not a single cent and as a bonus it wears the kids out and they sleep when we get home! I could go on with more justifications but I think you get the idea.

I love going out and I feel good and enjoy spending time with the kids and think that I do a good job at providing a broad range of enriching activities, and the kids love it too.

But this week I realised that I am not providing quite the balance I thought I was.

Lachlan has asked me several times this week "Mummy will you please play with me?" Awwww (groan) - what kind of mother am I? My children don't think I play with them enough... sob....

I think I've forgotten how to play! Now, don't think me so terrible that I don't play with them, because I do - but I'll admit the time I get down on the ground with them has decreased since Hayden started interacting with Lachlan.

So today, after we made paddle-pop-stick people I role-played with him (which I really dislike doing and so avoid if I can) - and I'll admit I sucked and it was so lame - but he watched me with awe and smiled and we laughed and then we giggled and then we started a tickling game and then at Lachlan's request I played Hide and Seek with them and ignored the lunch (and breakfast for that matter) dishes.

So this mother is going to get off facebook (and all her blog-stalking) and get on the ground with the kids.

Happy Belated Birthday to Lachlan!

So Lachlan turned 4 a whole month ago and I have been so slack with my blogging that his birthday has not been acknowledged here yet...... but alas! never fear - here it is!

His birthday this year fell on a Sunday and as his big present was a big boy's bike so we decided to give it to him on the Saturday because it would be cruel to give him a present that he couldn't use on the Sunday! (the picture was here till I accidentally pressed an arrow key which for some reason deleted the photo. I did this several times to other photos so seem to have used up my upload limit because it won't put anymore up here - so you will have to use some imagination.)

Satuday afternoon we had family over for a bbq dinner and cake to celebrate his big number 4!

He got spoilt rotten and his presents included a remote control car from Nanna and Pop (pictured below), a Spiderman outfit from Uncle Darren and Auntie Paula (also see below), and a computer from Grandma and Grandpa - all of which he absolutely loves!

Lachlan had been talking about his rocket cake for months before his birthday. I am sure it must have been back in April that he decided on the said design. Then Sunday morning, just 12hours after the said Rocket cake had been eaten, he tells me that next year when he turns 5 he wants a spiderman cake. Can you believe it? It was the day of his official birthday and he was finally 4 after talking about it for so long and he's already talking about turning 5?!

Sunday morning's stack of presents.

This yellow matchbox wrecking rig was the favourite toy! In fact, this year I seemed to have worked out my son and all the things we bought him were 'a big hit'. Thank goodness we all say!

The Wednesday before his birthday we had a cake at playgroup to share with his friends. It was a very last minute design and something I totally made up but I am fairly happy with the result and rather chuffed that I managed to get such a good colour match for sand without my husband, the colour-matching professional's help.

So Lachlan, how shall I describe you? I am so proud of him and the wonderful little boy he has become. It's a pleasure to hear all the wonderful compliments that others give about him and which I don't see much of myself! But that is a sign that I am doing something right huh?!

Lachlan is so caring and considerate of others. He seems to have this intuitive sense for others and their feelings. He is especially caring for younger children and babies, and in particular - girls! It really is very special to watch him doting over young children and interacting so sweetly with them. Lachlan is very creative and loves to paint and doing collage and make endless things with playdough. He also likes to be doing things all the time and loves to go out for adventures and explore new places (hmmm wonder where it gets that from?) - but take him out of his comfort zone too much and he'll plead to go home. He's rather social but also quite content with his own company. Lachlan is developing into a lovely little companion and to watch his brain ticking and the amazing ideas that come out of his head are fantastic!

Happy Birthday Lachlan - we love you dearly. XX