Chatty

My grasp of the English language is getting a bit better. To finish off the year here is my current lexicon...

"amah" = amen
"aye-bye" = bye bye
"yep" = yes
"nup" = no
"narnar" = bananas and watermelons (!)
"bar" = bath
"boh" = book
"bore" = ball
"roe" = rose
"noh" = nose
"poh" = poo
"up" = up (usually accompanied by two raised arms)
"hat" = hat
"mama" = mum
"daddeeee" = dad
"broom broom" = car (and sometimes trains)

In my pants

After a couple of grimaces and grunts I pointed at my nappy this morning and let dad know there was something in there.

He said 'poo?' and I said 'poh'...And we checked, and there was one!

Mum says that now that I'm aware of my nappy dwellers it's time to pull out my toilet seat and learn to become a toilet master...

Big bath

My little blue bath is getting a bit on the squeezy side, especially with some of my new Christmas bath toys, so dad filled up the big bath for me tonight, and I had a fantastic time. Last time I had a bath in there it was all tears.

And the discomfort of having bathwater pouring over my head and eyes seems to only have been a phase, tonight I actually handed mum my new bucket and asked her to pour it over my head!

But the funniest thing that happened today was when we were in the car and I stuck my foot down my throat and spewed! Ewwwww! We were on our way to another family lunch and I had to get around in a nappy again, becasue my pants were a bit whiffy.

Another late night

This has been a busy Christmas, and I've had a fair share of late nights.

I had my daytime sleep much later than usual today, and woke up out of sorts. I grizzled when I was picked up and I grizzled when I was picked down, and I grizzled in between being picked up and put down. I stayed that way for a long time, but soon after the visitors arrived I perked up and ended up having a wonderful time.

Party time!

Today we loaded up the car and headed west for dad's family Christmas celebration.

We left a bit late after the rough night last night, but at least I got to have my mid morning sleep in the car.

There were lots and lots of people to play with, and I think I managed to have a cuddle with everyone - especially the girls!

A certain aunt encouraged me to eat all sorts of yummy food - including lots of grapes and dried apricots and other delights, and laughed that dad would have a 'fun' time dealing with these same foods at the other end of the day when they came out the other end of me!

I ran around a lot, and danced a bit, and even had time to stop and smell Nan's roses and by the time we piled into the car to head back home I was zonked - with a big grin on my face.

It was a fantastic day.

The longest night

After the biggest day of my little life yesterday, today was relatively quiet, but tonight wasn't much fun. Mum reckons I had a case of the 'night terrors' - lots of crying and screaming in my sleep, and when I finally woke up it took me a long time to settle down, and then I was ready to play - at two o'clock in the morning! Surprisingly no one else was ready to play, and dad mumbled all sorts of grumpy things!

The longest day

I slept in this morning. I don't mean til 6 o'clock. Or 7 o'clock. I didn't wake up until 20 to 8, and had to have my bottle on the way to church and my breakfast during the service!

We had all mum's family around to our house for Christmas lunch and there were lots of people to play with. And toys too. Before the official present exchange dad gave me a parcel from him, a pack of my very first toy cars*. He may have been more excited than I was. We played with them until all the family arrived and then we gave, and got, a few more things.

I scored a toy rock and roll guitar (so did uncle Michael and we jammed for a long time afterwards) and I also got a beach set of buckets and a puzzle made from my name and plenty of books and a Thomas the Tank Engine train and another car and probably a few more things too - oh yeah, a Johnny Cash kid's album and some glow in the dark socks!

Before lunch mum suggested that dad put me down for my usual sleep, but I didn't want a bar of that. I got as far as getting out of my church clothes and into my usual daytime sleeping outfit (which is a nappy). I stayed awake during lunch, and then through the afternoon, and then teatime, and was still awake at supper time! All the time I roamed around the house wearing only a nappy! And for year's to come people will probably wonder why I'm half naked in the family photos taken on Christmas day.

*For the trainspotters here are the car details; A Ford GT40, a red Ferrari, a Mini (with '07' on it – my birth year) and a '68 Hotwheels Treasure Hunt.

Solo slippery slide man!

I rode the slippery slide* all by myself today!

It took a little time to muster up the courage at the top of the slide, but I soon let go and dad grabbed me athe halfway point, and I laughed. So we did it again and again, with dad grabbing me later and later, until I was doing it all by myself.

On the last go dad and I must have both gotten a bit too confident, and he was half a second late in catching me, and I turned to have another go a bit early, and clonked my head on the side of the slide. I'm still sporting a little bruise above my eye, but it's a bruise I can wear with pride, because I am a slide rider!

*or should that be slippery dip? Dad called them slippery dips when he was little, and so did mum, so we might have to christen them slippery dips in our household...

Come here baby!

My only real cousin in the world came to our place for a visit! I was very excited.

He's three months old and doesn't do much. But that's OK, because all I wanted from him was a hug and a cuddle. And I was determined to get both.

After a little bit of nagging from me, mum let me sit on her kness and then Oliver was placed carefully in my lap. I beamed the biggest smile. And gave him a little pat on the head and a kiss on the cheek.

Later on at tea time he was sitting in my rocker underneath my highchair. I offered him some carrots and corn but he didn't take it. He only drinks milk.

Could we live at the park?

Dad and I went to the park today.

He decided it was a great way of getting rid of all my mid-morning energy.

I walked all the way to the park at the bottom of the street. I found the long grass in front of some people's houses a bit hard to walk in.

I loved the swing. Dad pushed me higher and higher, and I started giggling. I really seem to love the wind in my hair.

It was getting a bit sunny, and almost time for my sleep, when dad decided we should head home.

I did not share the same sentiment.

We got a few metres before my protests won and we turned back and had another whole go on the swing.

Then when I wasn't quite paying enough attention dad grabbed me and started to run, he took my hat off so the wind blew my hair - and I laughed and laughed - unbeknowns to me we were headed away from the park. Very quickly. I figured out what was going on when we reached the road...And boy did I protest.

Dad let me walk the last half of the way home, but I let him, and the rest of the street, know I was not impressed that we left the park.

I'll do it myself

I decided I'd feed myself today. We were having soup. It went everywhere.

I also did a big poo in the bath, and an uncovered wee on the change mat. I thought the latter was funny and laughed. Mum didn't.

We went for a walk in the park this morning, just around the time I usually have a sleep, and so by the time we got home I was exhausted. I slept for almost three and a half hours. That's what impressed mum and dad today.

New friends

We had a visit from old friends from the coast. They brought their new puppy. I was excited and scared and compelled to pat the dog and wanting to run away, all at the same time.

Even more exciting than the dog was the present they brought me. A Buzz Lightyear!

I brought Buzz to dinner, and did something I've never ever done before. I offered one of my toys some food. Mum says it was very cute.

Buzz got dragged all over the house.

I don't call him Buzz, I call him "zzzzzzz"

Parties

Mum and dad had another Christmas party to go to today, so I went to my usual party place, grandma and grandad's. but not before mum and I dropped into dad's work for end-of-year drinks.

I was a little overwhelmed by all the people, but I did manage to charm a few of them. And run up and down the hallway.

Kneel

I've got a funny new habit.

When people kneel down to talk to me at my level, I turn myself around and try and sit on their knee!

I did it to dad this afternoon, and then I did it at bathtime - he knelt down to dry me off with the towel, and I tried to sit on him!

Stop and smell the roses

I climbed up onto the table today and grabbed a vase and lifted it to my nose and smelt a rose.

Mum quickly put a stop to my climbing and grabbing glassware - but she thought it was pretty cute at the same time.

Toilet boy part 1

I did a wee in the toilet today.

There was much celebration.

Mum decided it was time to start loo familiarisation. Mum made me feel very special when it was time to climb up on my special toilet seat. I thought it was a great game.

We waited. And waited.

Mum helped pass the time by ripping up the toilet paper into tiny pieces and giving them to me to drop into the water underneath me.

Half an hour later we had some wee action.

Mum confessed to dad that she messed up the next bit. She was told that half an hour after the first wee I should get back onto the loo for a follow up wee. We didn't do that, and half an hour later I managed to have a little accident in my trainer pants. On the good loungeroom couch. whoops.

Party. My house. Be there

We had all mum's 'lady club' friends over tonight for tea, with their hubby's, and their kids! It was quite a party.

I took it all in my stride, and seemed to love all the action taking place in my bedroom. The kids loved my play area, and had a great time on my table and chairs.

I patrolled the whole house, working the floor, mingling with the grown ups and the kids.

I did my usual scavenger hunt through other kid's dinner plates, and Olive and I had a stand off with plastic forks over some ham, but otherwise it was a fine, fun time.

Christmas tree

Mum put up the Christmas tree tonight.

She was wise to do it while I was in the bath and unavailable to help.

When dad and I came in to the family room after my bath, mum turned off the lights so we could appreciate the Christmas lights.

Pretty!

But it wasn't long before I was keen to appreciate the Christmas decorations. Our baubles are silver and gold and...would you know...bounce on the floor!

Excellent!

I took them all off and bounced them all over the floor! Dad did say, to my credit, that I did try to put them back onto the tree, but I'm not quite skilled in the tree decorating department yet...

Stinky and busy

My fellow old testament named cousins, Ezra and Joash, visited for morning tea and saw my house, and my playroom, for the first time.

I really like it when other kids come over, and I don't seem to mind at all when they come into my room to play with my stuff. Come to think of it, the only time I'm not really in the mood for being in my playroom is when I'm the only one in there!

After a big play and just as we kids were starting to get a bit grumpy, the mum's packed a picnic and we went to the park for a play. Our park is great - it has a playground just for little kids like me. But today there were a few big kids around which made me a little bit nervous. But we had a really good play.

When I got home I was sweaty. And smelly. And my clothes and shoes (and nappy!) were fillled with sand from the playground. Dad took a whiff of me and wondered aloud if I should be wearing deodorant!

First kiss

I had my first kiss.

With a girl!

My age!

Mum and I were at Shelley's and I was playing with Olive and Harvey in the lounge room. Mum was eating her lunch but looked up just at the right time to spot me and Olive, arms around each other, smooching!

The mum's laughed and Shelley told me that it might be fine now, but in a few years time Olive would not be encouraged to kiss the boys, and mum told me that in a few years, I wouldn't be interested in kissing either. Especially girls. Dad told me that after the time I'm not interested in girls, there will come a time that I'm very interested in them, and may even want to try kissing again. Ah, it's all very complicated!

When we were leaving, Olive and I waved to each other from our mum's arms and leaned in for a final little peck on the lips.

Braaaaainnns!

Somehow, the conversation a few nights ago turned to zombies. Mum thought zombies were a little scary for someone like me. So dad decided there was a sure fire way that zombies wouldn't be scary - if we were the zombies!

He stuck his arms out and moaned 'brains' and staggered after mum. I thought it was hilarious. I decided to 'chase' him. But I hadn't mastered the arm movements, but I got out a 'baaaa' which sort of sounded like what a zombie might say.

Anyway, a couple of days later, in the family room, of my own accord, I lifted my arms in the classic zombie pose and said 'baaaaa'. Everyone laughed. And then dad and I took turns in chasing each other up and down the hallway.

Dad said he was impressed that after the initial 'lesson' I spent a day or two figuring it out, and boy did I figure it out. Mum worries I might pull it out at the wrong moment. I think dad hopes I will pull it out at the wrong moment!

If at first you don't succeed, try five times

It took me three hours to get to sleep today. Normally I'm pretty good at my daytime sleep and nod off easily at about 11 o'clock and stay asleep for two to three hours. But not today.

Attempt #1 - Today was swimming day and I'm always sleepy after swimming. I was asleep when we arrived home but woke up because some workmen arrived at the same time. Mum decided to give me some morning tea and then try again later.

Attempt #2 - Just as I was about to drift off into dreamland, the workmen knocked on the door and we had to go and investigate. It woke me right up and I spent the next half an hour kicking my football around the family room.

Attempt # 3 - We read a story and I had a cup of warm milk. But do you think I had any intention of sleeping? I wailed and cried and carried on like a pork chop. Mum knew that I was too overtired to settle so we went into the loungeroom and watched Night Garden.

Attempt #4 - My serene disposition while watching Night Garden didn't follow me back into the bedroom. I let mum know exactly what I thought of daytime sleeps! Much more wailing and sobbing and gnashing of teeth.

Attempt #5 - Finally mum did something that hasn't been done since I was a very small baby. She strapped me into my carseat for a few laps around the block. Before we'd even completed one lap, I was completely zonked out. I stayed asleep during the drive home and then during the transfer into bed. Success at last!

Don't forget to pay

I almost unwittingly shoplifted today.

Mum and I had to duck into the shops for a few minutes. I'm not always very good at shopping these days. I sometimes get a bad case of the whingees in a lot less time than it used to take.

So while mum pushed the pram around Big W, she gave me something to hold.

Trainer pants.

I'm better at shopping if I have a job to do. We lined up at the check-out to pay. It was after mum paid for our stuff that she realised I was still holding onto the training pants! She quickly paid and I got my trainer pants back. Legitimately this time.

You might wonder what I'm doing with trainer pants? Well, that's a story, and a mission, for another day...or week, or month!

New stuff!

I had a very social day today. Mum went to work at uni and I went to play at grandma's.

She bought me a new Buzz Lightyear car! Usually, I like to make 'brum brum' noises and push cars around on the floor myself. But grandma made the mistake of showing me how to make this car drive across the lino, by pulling it back and letting it go. The trouble is, I don't know how to pull it back to make it go, so grandma had to keep doing it. My job was to chase it across the floor and then bring it back to her. We went on like that for a long time.

I had a late afternoon sleep and it was just as well because we had visitors for tea and I like to entertain visitors. Glennys and Steve are like my bonus grandparents - they give good cuddles just like grandparents and even good presents! They gave me a book.

We had a very nice time and I managed to stay up way past my bedtime. When mum finally decided it was time for me to say goodnight, I wasn't impressed. I tried to prolong my goodbyes by giving everyone lots and lots of kisses but I still had to go to bed. With a very bad case of the whingies.

Pa rum pa pum pum

I didn't let mum leave me at Tiny Treasures by myself today, because there were too many big kids around and I sometimes find too many big kids a bit full-on.

It was a pretty busy day after church. I got dropped at grandma's church and she and grandad took me home to play while mum and dad went out to a Christmas lunch for mum's work.

I had a big sleep when we got home and then that night mum and dad took me to the carols by candlelight!

We were a bit late, just like last year! But five minutes before it starterd dad said we should make it a family tradition. So we zipped down to the park to find it rather full. There weren't many good spots left, but we pulle dout our picnic blanket and sang along with a few songs. I did a few groovy moves and made the teenage girls sitting behind us swoon. We didn't stay for the fireworks - I was a bit tired, and so were mum and dad. By the time dad heard the familiar sound of the fireworks, I was sleeping in bed.

Daytrip

It is my aunty Lyndall's birthday today. So we decided to visit her.

We had a play in a park, we went out for lunch. I impressed everyone by eating mum's spicy morrocan chicken salad. I'm enjoying spicy food at the moment. I finished my food before everyone else, so I then amused myself with the little pebbles in a big pot next to our table. I took out the pebbles one at a time and handed them to grandad. Then I gave a few to aunty Lyndall. This game went on for ages, because they kept putting the stones back into the pot.

Later on we went to another park and dad and I found a goanna, and I met a bush turkey.

Mr Helpful (the sequel)

I've made a habit of helping mum with the housework, especially the vacuuming.

Vacuuming is great!

But today I took 'helping' to a whole new level. When mum was doing the vacuuming I decided I didn't just want to help. I wanted to do it all myself. I waited until mum wandered off to get one of the attachments and took my chance. I grabbed the vacuum cleaner hose and started to do the vacuuming all by myself!

I even copied some of the things that mum does. Like grab the extra attachments and fiddle around the end of the nozzle with them. I didn't actually attach the different attachments, I just waved them about!

I got so carried away I didn't notice that mum had started to video tape me. Excuse my state of undress;

More shopping

Mum doesn't like to take the pram to the shops. She thinks it's too big and gets in everyone's way. I think it's because she used to whinge about people with their prams before I came along. But today we used the pram for the express purpose of getting in the way!

There was a big special on at one of the shops and we needed to get some Christmas presents. So mum and I arrived just after 8 o'clock to wait for the shop to open. We weren't alone. By the time the doors opened, there was quite a crowd gathered so mum warned me that we might have to make a run for it. And we did! We managed to be one of the first to get to the department where the big specials were and then we used the pram to hold our position.

Once we got what we wanted, mum took me to the toddler department and we got me some new shorts. I'm growing out of all my shorts and now I'm well and truly into the size two's.

Some recent stats

I've got 14 teeth!

I've discovered meat is actually pretty good.

I like to grab the little bags of dirty nappies and take them out to the front door.

I can almost say 'rose', and my ta's have morphed into da's...But I'm saying it without having to be reminded (mostly). I'll attempt a few words, but my usual saying is 'dukka dukka'.

My hair is getting longer, and mum thinks I should get it cut short for summer because I seem to get quite hot with the hot weather. Dad says I should get a mohawk. Mum says I won't be getting a mohawk.

A cordless drill is better than Santa

We had our playgroup Christmas celebration today.

Santa comes.

Dad thought I should wear a shirt that says 'I know you're not real' on it. I think he said the same thing last year. There's a good chance he'll say it this time next year too! Next thing you know he'll be telling all those 'dad jokes'.

Anyway, when it came time for me to collect my present from the guy in the big red suit I wasn't interested. I wasn't scared. I was too busy playing with the Bob the Builder toys at the back of the room. Mum led me down to the big chair, but I as soon as I was handed the present, I dropped it and went back to the plastic drill.

The Dr Seuss books I was supposed to unwrap are still waiting patiently...

Mr Helpful

Mum had a big list of things she wanted to do around the house and I set to help her.

We did some vacuuming. I like to hold onto the front of the hose while mum pushes it. It slows the whole process down, but it keeps me entertained.

We hung out some washing. I played with the pegs.

I took my dirty nappy bag out to the wheelie bin. Mum was impressed that I seem to know where the rubbish bags should go.