Bowling with the Enemy

So as most of you know James and I are members of The Greens. This isn't of any interest most days, except when a good friend of yours is a Labor member and is also running in the upcoming State Eelection. Oh, the division of loyalties! But we made the concession and went down to her shindig last weekend at a bowling club. It was hot as blazes and but we eventually made it outside for a bowl. Harry was absolutely enthralled by it all and set about making sure everyone knew she was on the field. I was the rather reckless soul who failed to be looking her way when I was intent on taking a photo (*gasp* not of Harriet *triple gasp*). And SMACK! I had the biggest crack on my head and realised I had been the recipient of a lawn bowls ball to the skull. Apparently lawn bowls is a bloodsport for Miss Harry. Oh and this first photo is much cuter in b&w, I'll upload it to Flickr. But it is here as a special clue about the Labor candidate. And even better, it was not contrived. I sure hope she reads this blog entry to have alittle laugh but I think she's got just one or two other things to do at the moment.

Harriet giggled and squealed her way throughout the day, with many, many things to delight her. Did you know, for example, that if you pick up a ball it is incredibly funny? No? Well, come over to our place and we'll show you otherwise. Harry has just been priceless lately, dissolving into full on giggles over apparently nothing. We also brought the full-length mirror out into the playroom and she now goes to it to eat, put on shoes/shorts, draw, pretty much any activity she's doing she wants to watch herself doing it. And then collapse in giggles. And when I say collapse I really mean it, because she bends over double, lets out a great guffaw/squeal and has her whole fac writhed in laughter. Then she usually stumbles a bit and finally comes walking over, still bent in half, with her huge open wide grin and her arms outstretched as if to say "It was THIS funny!". Considering that she has never really been a particularly giggly baby, this is absolutely new territory for us and a total joy to experience.

It also means we get some priceless experiences like this shot. She loves to pull faces and I've developed a new way to get her to put on a clean top. Lately it has been a real drama for some reason, but I worked out that if I put her in front of the mirror and pull the shirt over her eyes so that they go all squinty, she starts giggling and asking for more. I then (as sneaky Mamas do) substitute the new top and she is too busy giggling at her weird eyes to notice. Yay for the mirror!

Another favourite game is the kissing game. I say, "Harriet, can I have a kiss?" and she says very firmly "No.". Then I ask for two kisses, another No and then I plead with her "Pllleeeeaassseee Harry? PUHLEASE let me have a kiss!" and she continues with "No, no", whilst giggling and I scoop her up in my arms and smother her all over in kisses. I love this game!

I have also been doing a bit of cooking lately (I know, hold back those shocked looks people) and anyway, this is the carnage that ensues when Harriet helps out. Which of course I love her to do. Here she is helpipng me make spinach and ricotta cannelloni by finding two different boxes of crackers when I opened the cupboard at different times and desperately needing them out to eat (she's holding one in each hand here because at all times your hands must be balanced when eating crackers). There's her green frog cup with water in it because she asked for water. There had been a big spoon in the ricotta tub where she had been trialling the leftovers. The tomatoes that were used for the sauce now has that big spoon and she was shovelling in tomato spoon after tomato spoon (as least she won't get prostate cancer at that rate). And that expression is the result of tasting the tomato based sauce on the seaweed carcker. I did try to explain about blending cultures not always working in the culinary world but she paid little heed.

One other slightly disturbing preoccupation with Harriet lately is in relation to her stickers. She has some white dot stickers and she just loves to place these over both of Doll's eyes. It looks very disturbing! I haven't captured it yet because I just keep forgetting, but this shows her just about to pull the second one off her eye. I did try to put the other one back on to give the full blank staring soulless expression it conveys a full and proper show, but Harriet insisted that it was now time for the stickers to come off. Gumby (on the left) at least fared a little better by having one of her eye stickers placed a little too high so she could still 'see' out.

I can't think of any new games she's been playing to chat about. She does love to put the whisk through her hair like it's a brush - does that count? And of course laugh at herself doing it in the mirror. Crazy poppet. As always she does love going to what isnow termed the 'big park'. When we say we're going to the park it needs to be timed quite carefully. This is because as soon as she hears the word 'park', she has grabbed my hand firmly, and all the while yelling "PAH, PAH" very loudly, drags me to the front door and points furiously at the lock for me to unlock it and take her to the park. The problem with this is she is usually without a nappy or pants or shoes or hat or sunscreen. So she does tend to get very agitated whilst waiting to get ready, but bears with it remarkably well considering.

And we have worked out a way to expedite the trip home. we conveniently leave Doll behind and she is only ever asked for at the end of the play. That's when we can say "Oh dear, Doll's at home. We'll have to get on the trike and get her." so we promptly get on the trike for home. It's not the leaving that's a problem, it's keeping her on the trike itself and not taking an hour to walk home which has happened in the past (meaning she is very overtired by the time we get home). Speaking of overtired, Harriet's sleep has been crazy this week, staung up until all hours with ages and ages of calm lying down quiet time but no go. Last night she was up until nearly midnight just playing like a loon! And so I leave yo uwith this photo of her being exactly what she is - a cheeky monkey. Check out those banana filled cheeks!