skye's sleep

Skye takes a while to fall asleep every night. The bed time routine doesn’t change, and she is in bed by 7.30-8pm every night (unless we are out). But it’s not uncommon for her to still be awake at 10pm. She lies in her bed, and looks at the pictures in books; sometimes she draws or plays with her dolls. I was like this as a child too, so I’m not too worried about it.

The other night around 9pm Skye got out of her bed and came into the lounge room and told me she was having scary dreams. I knew for a fact that she hadn’t even been asleep yet, and asked her what her dream was about. When Skye blurted out “Killing things” with a strange look on her face I got chills down my spine. She saw my reaction and quickly told me her dreams were about monsters. So I tucked her back into bed and told her that monsters aren’t real and only pretend and that they couldn’t hurt her.

Later that night when I started to think about it. I felt like she only said monsters because I she realised I didn’t like her first answer. Now I am feeling a little freaked out. Is she really having dreams about killing things, is that why she doesn’t go to sleep easily at night?

{photograph taken my me}

Skye of many faces...

Skye is one of a kind; I have never met anyone quite like her before! She is very animated, with constant facial expressions. I can almost always tell what she is thinking just by looking at her. She has a completely different personality to the other two (Alex & Phoenix) but she has come from the same parents, same town, same house, same rules and the same upbringing.

She will talk to complete strangers when we are out. I was looking a magazines a few weeks ago in the supermarket and Skye told a woman who was standing next to me how pretty she was, and how much she liked her pretty clothes. I started to feel embarrassed, my checks started to go red. Then I told myself not to be so silly, this is Skye she loves to talk to anyone and she can always find something nice to say. I stopped feeling so silly and started to feel proud and so blessed to be able to call this sweet little girl my own. And you know what, it properly made the women’s day to have a complete stranger randomly compliment her.

Spending time with Alex

{Alex icing cupcakes}

I have read how important it is to spend one on one time with each of your children, and I really like the idea of it. But it’s just not something I find time to do often. There aren’t enough hours in the day to include everything that I would like to do...

Alex is 12, and she is my first born. She seems to be the one who missing out on the one on one time with me the most. I think this is because she is the oldest and she needs less help with things.

This weekend Alex and I spend one on one time together, and I realised how important it really is for bonding and nurturing a good long lasting relationship with her. Alex will be entering her teenage years all too quickly and If I don’t try harder I might lose her forever.

We made cupcakes together! Then Alex and I left everyone else at home and went to the movies. Just mum and daughter hanging out, it was so much fun.

The Last Airbender was fantastic, if you like fantasy and adventure movies this one is for you! P.S it has Jackson Rathbone in it (plays Jasper in Twilight)

letters from skye

When I picked up Skye from kinder the other day she was so excited to see me, more than usual anyway. She had a very busy morning playing and making letters for me. Her little blue eyes twinkled as she watching me open her pretty little letters. They melt my heart instantly, as they would do to any mothers heart. I open the first one and it’s a pretty picture of me complete with glasses. The second letter has black ink stamps on it, and some handwritten letters. I will treasure them forever, and put them in my little box of goodies that is hiding under my bed. One day when is all grown up I will give them back to her, so that she can keep them to show her children.

unauthorised hair cut

Last night was a sad night when I discovered Skye had cut her own hair. She has butchered it, and I don’t think I will be able to put it in piggy tails anymore. {See before the hair cut pictures here} Skye’s hair is very fine and it is slow growing. She has only ever had two hair cuts in the four years and 9 months she has been on earth. When I asked her why she did it, she said “I don’t want to wear hair clips anymore”. I was devastated, it was like being punch in the face. My business is all about hair clips, and now my daughter hates them!

I think it is sort of rite of passage for my children to cut their hair around this age. Phoenix did it two weeks before our wedding, and tried to hide it under his pillow. His hair looked so bad it even had bald spots. Alex did it at school one day when she was in prep, hoping I wouldn't notice. Skye just came out of her room and left the evidence on the floor and sat on my lap and look at me waiting for my reaction.

oompa loompa

One of the things I love about my children's school is that each class from prep to grade three gets a chance to host the weekly school assembly. Last week was my son’s class’s turn, and they put on a little play. Phoenix was an oompa loompa. It was the cutest thing seeing him up on the stage singing and dancing.

I seem to be missing the costume making gene, or I was always the day the secrets were given out. Honestly I really do suck at it, but I don’t think Phoenix noticed so it was all ok. I can knit, crochet, and do other crafty things but when it comes to a sewing machine I have no idea where to start.

homework

So sorry I have been missing from the blogging world. My daughter Alex had another big school assignment she needed to complete, so she has been on the computer for the last three days. This might be a great excuse to looking into getting a laptop, if her work load continues.

Thank you everyone for your comments on Thursdays post regarding the assignment Alex had due. In the end I went to bed myself and my husband got up early in the morning and helped Alex complete her Edward Scissorhands report. I have mixed feeling about the homework she gets sometimes. I don’t think that Edward Scissorhands was age appropriate for 12 year olds. There were a couple of sexual themed scenes I cringed at while watching it with my daughter. Children are forced to grow up too fast, I know our parents said the same thing about us, but I feels even truer today than it was when we was back then.

Homework adds stress to children and parents. How wonderful it would be if they could come home and spend time doing things they enjoy after a long hard day at school. This might sound naïve, there must be a good reason for homework or teachers and schools wouldn’t give it to students....Right?

Anyway I am going to have a late night catching up with my favourite blogs.

thrusday

Finally some much needed “me” time. Today has been crazy busy, I've barely had a second to myself. This morning I had my son school assembly play to attend, and he did an awesome job. This afternoon I made orders and answered emails.

When Alex got home from school she needed to do her with an English text response assignment on the movie Edward Scissorhands, that’s due tomorrow. At first she told me she knew what she was doing, so I cleaned up, organized tomorrow orders and made dinner. Once Phoenix and Skye were in bed by 7pm I read her assignment and realized she was having difficulties understanding the themes in the movie. Therefore the assignment that she had spend 4 hours on, wasn’t going to work. So I sat down with her and we watched Edward Scissorhands together. After a few more hours work, it was 11pm and it is still incomplete but I sent her to bed. Now I have a dilemma, do I finished it for her tonight or wake her up early in the morning so that she completes it.

Alex is only 12 years old, I honestly think the themes in Edward Scissorhands went over her head. She is still a child, and doesn’t always grasp teen and adult themes. It's all my fault I have been too overprotective, and I haven't taught her enough about the world.  

not so lazy anymore

Skye can be so lazy sometimes. She is the youngest in the family which means that she expects everyone else to do everything for her. Lately I have been trying to encourage self dressing. I have tried before without success; she will happily spend the day in her pyjamas rather then put clothes on all by herself. So in the end I choose her clothes and dress her myself.

Hurray! I seem to have finally had a win, that last two days she has got up in the morning and picked her own clothes and got herself dressed before I have gotten out of bed. Maybe she just needed me to stop nagging her to do it.

Today she put this little outfit together. And we went outside to take some pictures. I love the hot pink and aqua together, she seems to like colour which is most excellent!

Be back later to post my self portrait…

point and shoot: driving me crazy

This picture was snapped on Sunday morning of Phoenix and Skye on the top bunk bed.  After my little monsters have spend most of the weekend fighting with each other and driving me crazy.  It was nice to see them actually playing together and enjoying each others company. Even though it lasted for for just a moment.

Playing point and shoot at fatmumslim's today!

conversation in the car

Doing the school run this morning l I was listening to my Franz Ferdinand CD in the car, and the song “No you Girls” came on


The conversation in the back-sit went a bit like this:

Skye “I don’t like this song”

Phoenix “Why not Skye, I love this song”

Skye “I don’t like when he talks about the kissing part”

Phoenix “one day Skye you are going to grow up and a boy will kiss you, and you will get a house, have babies and marry him”

Skye was silent. I don’t know if it was because she doesn’t like this idea or if she accepts this is what could happen.

Phoenix was pretty much describing how Reuben and I got together when we were 18, I fell in love and it started with a kiss, I moved in to his house 2 months later, pregnant with our first Alex 5 months in and then had another two babies Phoenix and Skye after that we finally got married. It might sounds like we did things the wrong away around, but it was the perfect way to do things for us!

last moments

I have been so busy trying to keep up with my hair clip business. I feel like I am missing the last of our special moments together.

At the start of the year I was excited about the fact that this would be the last year Skye would be home with me (except for kinder sessions). I was looking forward to having all three children at school. I would be great for my little home business; my attentions would be less divided during the day. I could do wholesale orders, expand my range and turnaround times would be quicker....



But just in the last couple of weeks it has hit me that I only have a few months left with her at home with me. Next year she will be a big girl starting her first year at school. I am overcome with sadness at the thought of losing her to the big wide world.

What does a stay at home mum do when all her children are at school?

Skye's Homework

Skye doing her “homework”, he he that what she calls it! She feels left out when her brother and sister are busy doing their homework after school. I am going to miss moments like these she starts school next year.

Seven Years of Phoenix

Song: Watch you Sleeping by Blue Foundation

Happy Birthday my little mate, mummy loves you so much!

Letter to Phoenix: Almost Seven

I am inspired by fat mum slim and her beautiful letters to her daughter Lacey. Tomorrow is my little guy's 7th Birthday. In honor of this special day this is my letter to him:

Dearest Phoenix,

I can’t believe how fast this pass seven years and gone. It seems like only yesterday I was in hospital giving birth to you. You were born into a room full of love, your daddy and cousin Leeann were there with me. We named you Phoenix because your daddy and I liked the mythology behind the name. The Phoenix is a mythical bird that rises from its own ashes making it immortal. Your middle name, James comes from your mummy’s obsession with Jim Morrison from The Doors.

You were a sweet baby that needed lots of cuddles, and slept in mum and dad’s bed during the night. You loved breast milk and sometimes your mummy felt like she was daisy the cow. You didn’t sleep well in the beginning. Your mummy and daddy were sleep deprived, walking zombies for a while. But you discovered that sleep was wonderful and now you are the best sleeper and usually the first in to fall asleep every night.

When you were 2 years old oh my god, the things you got up to. I was glad your name meant immortal. I couldn’t leave you alone for a second or I would find a whole tin of flour all over the kitchen; raw eggs in the washing machine while it was spinning; outside naked in the mud; the beans out of the bean bag all over your bedroom; in your big sisters room wearing her dresses, you trying to plug anything into power points; and in the fridge you would be eating everything.  We tried all the child-proof locks, but you were too clever and would undo them all.

I like to keep your hair as long as I can get away with it. I can’t help it; it’s the grunge side of your mummy coming out. You are quiet and prefer to play on your own at school. You are very protective of your sisters, as you have shown us a few times at the local playground. You love to build things and pull them apart. You are very curious about machines and how they work. Your kinder teacher said that if you don’t grow up to be an engineer, she would be very surprised. You are smart and think outside the box. Your smile makes me melt; you have such a cheeky laugh.

You are the most amazing little man and I love you with all my heart! I am so lucky and blessed to be your mum!

The great art works of Skye

Skye and I are having a tranquil day at home, I am making hair clip orders and she is drawing up a storm. I thought it would be cool, to document some of her great works of art.

  {rainbow caterpillar with glasses}

{mummy in the swiming pool}

 {sad girl}

Skye has been so hungry today this is her eating her third breakfast. I am running out of different things to feed this girl. She might be going through a growth spurt again.

Skye’s Kinder Photos

Skye’s 4 year old kinder photos arrived today!

Mini Masterchefs

The smells coming out our house these last few weeks have been incredible. School holidays = lots of baking! Alex, Phoenix and Skye have very been busy in the kitchen over the last three weeks making brownies, cupcakes of all types of favours with different coloured icings, and chocolate cakes for daddy (they are his favourite). I think I have put on lots of kilos over this short period. The kids have had so much fun, and it lovely to see work as a team to create something yummy for the whole family to enjoy.

Almost over...

School holidays are almost over. Skye goes back to kinder this afternoon, and Alex and Phoenix back to school next week. I can almost feel it in the air, the house will be back to normal soon.

It has been a stressful 2 ½ weeks. I have been trying so hard to keep up with my home business and keep three children entertained. I feel like I have been unsuccessful at both.

With my business I have kept up with orders so that no-one has waited more than normal for orders to be handmade and posted. But I haven’t managed to do much else, like order more stock (57 items sold out at the moment), and list new items. The children are bored and restless, and seem fight with each other all day long. My nerves are fried, and I am such a grumpy mummy. I wish I could do more with them these holidays but I have a business to run and I don’t have the time to take them anywhere.

Relief is at hand, everything should be back to normal next week.

Walking the dogs....

Alex is staying at her friends place for a few days and Phoenix and Skye are feeling left out. So before Reuben started work this afternoon we took the dogs (Buffy & Kendra) for a walk to the park around the corner from our house. It’s a little park and has all the basic play equipment. I like the wooden painted mushrooms, it could make a great location for a photo shoot if the lighting is right.