My baby turns one...

One more thing....

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Izzy's 1st Birthday Party..

The munchkin is turning one tomorrow!

Yesterday we had her first ever birthday party. The weather was good to us - we took our chances and had a feast of lamb and chicken souvlaki's in the local park.

A fairy named Rainbow popped in to entertain the kids with some singing and games (yep, I am THAT mum...te he) - it worked out to be the perfect addition because little Izzy was sick with a nasty cold and as soon as the Fairy appeared she lit up and was grinning from ear to ear.

I am completely knackered so I will let some pictures tell the story and post some tonight!

Frankie Love

I love to sit with a pep tea, cat on lap and Frankie in my hands while little Izzy sleeps soundly. Bliss.

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Porky-pines

Working with children is always entertaining. The innocence, imagination and sheer rawness of their thoughts and actions is priceless.

We were walking home from the school/day care run today and the girls were all chatting about their weekend away.

H, the 4 year old declared "Daddy was telling us about the Bunyip that lives in the creek"

"Really! I used to live with a bunyip" I said. They all stopped and looked at me, wide eyed "Yep, I did. Her name was Bunyeeta Bunbottom"

H thought about this for a minute and finally exclaimed "Jess! You're telling Porcupines!" (I am assuming she has heard mum or dad say 'Porky Pies')

"No really" I said "It lived in our creek and lived off possum poo"

"Wow" Said H "Jess, Thats not a porky-pine, that's the TRUTH!!!"

Yep, that old possum poo line gets them every time!!?!?!

Sicky Sunday

Yesterday I posted about one of the great discoveries of parenthood. Today I am reminded of one of the not so super additions to my new life - kiddy sickness!

One of the occupational hazards of nannying (especially kids in kinder and primary school) is the icky germs they like to bring home and give to Izzy and I.

Today hubby and Izzy are taking turns to spew... Hubby in to a bucket and Izzy all over herself, the floor and anywhere else it decides to spill.

Can't say Im thrilled with Sicky Sunday. I think its fair to say it sucks.

My little village

As I head toward my little munchkins first birthday, I have found myself reflecting on some of the enormous changes that our life has undertaken in the last 12 months.

Some of the new ways of life were predictable; we knew about the sleepless nights, the joys of first smiles and first words (although the real thing has been better than we expected) but one of the pleasant and unexpected changes has been the way my little suburb has gone from being a place where my neighbours were strangers, the park a place un-explored and the local shopkeepers were people we saw once in a blue moon in an anonymous exchange...to a little village with familiar faces and new friends.

For the first 11 months of Isobels life, I had no licence to drive. I see this now as a blessing. We walked so much and apart from the odd little adventure in to town, we didnt spend much time outside of our suburb during the week. I have shopped locally on a daily basis... I now even *gasp* have my hair and waxing done at the local salon instead of the upmarket and overpriced place I used to go.

The butcher, baker, greengrocer and half our neighbours all know my name. I even nanny for a local family twice a week with Isobel and the three girls are now like her part time sisters. On my days off, we often run in to them in our village. That always makes me smile.

My mothers group all live locally and when one of them recently experienced a sad loss, I popped over to her house to deliver flowers from all of the 'local ladies'

I often hear new mums complaining of how hard it is stay at home all day with a infant who doesnt talk, that it is boring and they feel lost. I would be lying if I said there hasnt been times that I have felt a little bit like this but for the vast majority of time, this experience has really brought me back to the basics of what life is about. What it means to be a woman and have a family, a community. I feel for once in my life that I have truly found my place in this world.

Inspiration Overload

This is my self-diagnosis. I am sure all bloggers go through this. You start out so enthusiastic about this new world you have discovered.

So full of inspiration. Every day brings more and more interesting and fascinating blogs. You start building your own and you hope a few people might read it. Then one day, you discover you have a few followers... a few people commenting on your posts.

A few weeks or perhaps months later and you have over 20 followers. Is it stage fright? Suddenly you dont have anything to say. Bloggers block. Or is it simply a case of inspiration overload. Too much too soon? Like a passionate love affair that fizzles after moving too quickly...

Has this happened to you before? How did you find your way back to blog love?