Laughs, Lizards and Lying Around

On Sunday we decided to go to the Aquarium at about 9am. We all bundled up into the car at...oh.. about 12pm. Admittedly Harriet had a good sleep in between the decision making process and the departure time, which turned out to be lucky because we had a fairly fun-filled day out and about.



This photo is just in here because Harriet is not a real stroller lover. Also not a sling lover. So guess who has the best biceps in Old Sydney Town? But lately she has been intent on copying babies - she yells out "Crawl!" and gets down on all fours to crawl (something she never did when she was a baby mind you). Then this morning she decided she wanted to sleep in a stroller like a baby. So here she is sitting in her doll's stroller (for which she is so big that it threatens to snap every time she leans down into it), with a blanket wrapped all around her and she was putting her head to one side and closing her eyes to pretend she was sleeping. So cute! So strange. Anyway, back to the day's outing to Darling Harbour.


Once we worked out where to park (and surrendered our next month's mortgage payment to the parking meter), it was straight to the foodcourt for three famished bellies. Harriet, who isn't a massive eater (she will eat anything, just not much of anything) ate almost a whole packet of avocado baby sushi slices! No, no, not from the chef who has HepA. When we tried to find something to eat it became something slightly nightmare-ish when we turned the corner and realised that the whole place was insanely busy. It was the Greek National Day and there were dances and special activities on and, on top of it all, it was lunchtime. Once James found a spot in a line he just stayed there and ordered a salad roll and we went outside to eat it and watch the dancing.


Harry had a blast first of all with the seagulls. They would come flying in, she would throw some of our roll out for them, they would go crazy squawking and she would crack up. There were some other children there running after them too, and watching them was just as much fun as watching the seagulls.

Soon after we sat down the Greek dancing got underway. Well, Harriet was entranced and thought the whole thing was worthy of some head bopping and torso thrusting. But all of a sudden it just began to BUCKET down - an audible moan ran through the audience as everyone scuttled off to the awnings surrounding the food court. We took the opportunity to grab a seat in one of those little car/train things that ferry people from one side of the harbour to the other. We were planning on the aquarium as I said, but as we neared the entrance we could see that the queue to get in was all the way down the outside of the building and then inside it was snaking up and down in a vicious, anti-toddler manner. So we made a snap decision to go to Wildlife World instead.

Harry was quite insistent that she didn't want to go inside this place, but once we did...Oh. My. GOD! She loveloveloved it. Admittedly they have made it so that it is basically a toddler heaven, with windows that come down to toddler height and even some specific exhibits at toddler height.

But even though we spent all afternoon there and saw every exhibit, nothing and I repeat NOTHING came close to Harry's love of the lizards. She still talks about the skink that we saw run inside a little hole next to the back door and that was when we first moved in. In this photo she was admiring (along with the other children - she's in the middle btw and if you needed that info then back to the naughty mat for you) the humungous dragon that was racing up and down the length of the window, much to the delight of all watching.


I can't remember what was in this exhibit, except that it was a lizard with a very stubby tail. She was in raptures, running around from window to window, exhorting one and all to see what she could see. It was just the cutest thing ever. Could I love this child any more? It was quite dark inside so I wasn't able to get any good shots and everything was on 1600 and still blurry, but I won't forget her face as she sat enthralled watching lizards sluggishly/rapidly/disinterestedly/manically walk around their cages.


And after the lizards, we found out that her other favourite 'zoo' activity was the peek-a-boo tree. It was just a hollowed out tree trunk next to a bench where I stopped to give Harry a feed. She found it and started playing with it...and wouldn't leave! Even when she saw the cassowary she kept asking to go back to the peek-a-boo tree. It was pretty funy. Here she's getting a good look at the birds in their little enclosure from the upper level. But being Harry she had to do things in her own style, which involved lying flat out sprawled across the floor to inspect the birds as they flew from one tree to another.

On the way home we walked across the bridge and Papa Jimbo got very excited about seeing where it rotates in the middle to let the tall ships come through. Harriet, meanwhile, was enjoying the present left by the earlier downpour - puddles!

And we found a new game that causes much delight and many giggles - Harry calls it the "No, no" game. I walk behind her saying "Don't run away Harry, don't run away!" in a mock authoritarian voice and she giggles like a crazy one and runs on ahead and I run in and scoop her up. She LOVES this! She is really just so very cute and very smoochy at the moment, I am loving it.

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble

On Friday we met up with Poppy and Jedda to have a photography discussion, since Jedda wanted to learn a bit more about how her camera works and laboured under the illusion that I might have something to show her. Harry was completely besotted with both of them, to the point where she was happy to be led across the field with Jedda to look at some dogs Poppy had run up to. I took a photo of the event because it was so astonishing - here was Harry happily taking off with a complete stranger! But I haven't posted it here because this one was just too cute to leave out - this is Harry showing me how she says 'shhhh'.

It was a very hot day and by the time we got to Toby's Estate both Poppy and Harriet were exhausted. Jedda and I spent most of our time jumping up to avert disaster at every opportunity (next time I open a cafe, please remind me not to place fragile cups and plates within toddler height!), so I thought that by the time we got home the little monkey would be ready for a good, deep sleep. WRONG! She proceeded to stay up until about 4pm, then slept until 5.30pm.

So we went out to the beach and she was so excited because we finally got to see the moon. The moon is her latest passion, during the day we have to constantly explain how the moon can't be seen when the sun is out and then we've also had to explain about how clouds can obscure the moon. So there have been a lot of moon-related disappointments with Miss Harriet. However this night was a moon jackpot and she was besotted.

On the way to the cafe after the beach she kept saying very loudly and insistently "BAR". What is this bar we wondered? We asked for more clarification, but all she would do is hold her hands above her head. We asked if she knew a sign for 'bar' but just the same movement over and over again. Then it hit us. Like idiots - she was saying "star". And was doing the sign for Twinkle, Twinkle! She is smarter than us!

Today was Polling Day for the NSW State Election, so Jimbo and I were out and about. However it was also the Montessori Open Day, so we drove out to Surry Hills to inspect their 3-12yrs school.

They put us a bit offside to begin with because children weren't allowed in the school because it was all set up for adults to look at, which is fair enough. But the directoress was inside and that meant only one of us could go in at a time to talk to her, which was quite inconvenient for us. Well, we could have left Harriet to be supervised outside by some complete strangers as we were instructed to do, but since that would have lead to definite tears it wasn't really an option.

The school itself is very pretty and the directoress was happy to explain a lot of the Montessori principles to me, but also stressed the importance of having a Montessori homelife prior to coming to the preschool so that your child was accustomed to 'the way' (which all sounded a bit like The Simpsons when they join the cult).

One thing that was very positive was that they also believe that praise and coercion are unnecessary and in fact detrimental to producing a child with internal motivation. Hallelujah! Finally! However they also stress calm and order and structure - not that UP is actually anti any of those principles, but that they shouldn't be imposed upon a child. Having said that I should also say that Harry is a surprisingly ordered child without any influence from us. She loves to close doors and return items to where she found them (although she also does love to throw things down with force once she's finished with it - we are trying to begin discussions with her on how this isn't safe or practical) and *loves* to share.

Actually sharing is a bit of a bugbear of mine, despite Harriet being a lover of the practice. Sharing just seems to work to break a child's concentration from what they are engaged with. There is such a huge preconception amongst parents that I casually come across that if their child doesn't share they are suddenyl labelled a sociopathic, meglomaniac adult. When, if you think about it, how many adults do you know give up books they're in the middle of reading to another, or stop what they're happily engaged with because some other person looks mildly interested in what they're doing? There's such a huge pressure from other parents on children to share and it seems to be highly unnatural at this age to interrupt the child and encourage sharing. Anyway, enough from me on this topic.

So after we handed out HTVs up at the local high school, then went to Montessori, Harry was ready to flake out...for three hours! When she woke up she was in an awesome mood. Cheeky imp was intent on drinking the bubble mix! Just after we finished playing with bubbles we both ate some watermelon and while we sat there chomping away the heavens opened and we watched as the rain poured down. Harriet loved the thunder and kept asking for more - explaining that, sure, I am an amazing person but just not quite that amazing took a little time. But when the thunder did come Harriet, Squeezmo and I all had a good laugh and sat there with watermelon juice dribbling down our fronts and rain running over our toes. What a beautiful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

With Hips to Die For

So you may be wondering what on earth the title of this post is about. Well I have been worried about Harriet's gait for quite a while. When she walks she kind of throws her right leg forward from the hip and doesn't seem to rotate it properly. Of course I got all paranoid about DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip) which is reasonably common - common enough for all newborns to be checked within 24hrs of birth and at every consequent baby check.

Anyway, so I went to the GP and he agreed that she had an unusual gait and that it warranted rads done. So we went in today to have them done and...ta da! Apparently she is fine. Which is such a relief. We can only assume that she's walking this way because it's just her style, but we're also going to take her to a chiropractor as well to have her checked out.

I haven't mentioned anything on the blog because it wasn't worth it until we had things confirmed and now I am just so relieved that I can chat about it!

Oh and I feel compelled to mention that in the top photo Harry had just finished an icypole (or, as Mama the Food Nazi offers, frozen juice filled with bits of kiwi fruit and mango) which is why her lips are just that crazy shade of red.

But I have put these other two shots in to try and get the colour photo lovers of my blog to try and convert. Come around to the b&w way! Don't you think this one looks better in b&w?

Mmmm...New Lens

This storyboard is tiny here because it's actually huge! So I had to make it pretty small to be able to upload on to Blogger. The last photo is the money shot, I just love it. There's nothing quite like watching your husband and daughter playing together and both being in fits of giggles - aww shucks, it just warms the cockles of your bitter, cynical inner city heart it does.

After her big sleep this afternoon, Miss Harry was fighting fit for some laughs and silliness. Here she is just cracking up at bubbles. If anyone knows of a Guinness Record for laughing at bubbles please let us known ad I'll time Harriet next time we're playing.

Oh and this is just for the photo nerds out there that might care (like Sif). Here I used the cooling filter (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Photo Filter>Cooling Filter#2 [i think]). Completely forgot they were there when I was lamenting not using RAW. Aw well, not as good as Rawshooter but still handy for silly slip-ups like this. And now I promise no more photo talk, just photos and Harry talk.

Which One?

Colour or black and white? I really don't care much either way because it means my 50mm lens is back. Yay!! Now I can do some yummy shots again. Meanwhile, please feel free to lavish my baby girl with the love and adoration she deserves.

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!

Master Builder

Well she really did enjoy her blocks and here's a couple of photos to show just that. The funny thing was that I showed her the blocks before her afternoon nap. She kept trying to knock them over and say "Jenga!" which is what she plays with her Papa. In Jenga Papa builds up little towers, she knocks them down saying "Jenga!" and he says "D'oh!". Cue Harriet collapsing in giggles and having food drop out of her mouth she's laughing so hard. Very cute.

Anyway, when she realised the building blocks didn't work quite like the Jenga game becase they interlocked, she was a little disinterested. It was then time for her nap. When she woke up she headed straight out to the blocks and started playing with them properly! Obviously that was a pretty good afternoon nap that day. The one with the top black piece was her first creation. Pretty cool.

Then today we went to the big park with Max and Nell and Don. ALL morning I had to show Harry photos of "Mah" and "Nerh" and "Pah" (I called Don Max's Papa in one instance and from then on he was "Pah"). Then when they arrived we went to the park where Harriet was just giggling hysterically. We met a 17mth old girl called Emily who lives just up the road and who we're meeting again on Tuesday. Yay for play dates! Harry loved watching Max swing along on the flying fox and just kept losing it with giggles for no apparent reason other than we were outside, in the park with friends. She has just been a crack up all day today, a real giggle monster. It has been such a joy playing with her today, I've loved it. Man, this little chick rocks. I LOVE HER!!! (just in case you hadn't noticed)

Update

Poor Harry has been mightily clingy and whingy this week. Well today when she felt quite warm, had a runny nose and a little bit of diarrhoea, I realised why. Poor poppet has finally started to cut those four canines that have been sitting there for ages and ages threatening to come through. So today has been a quiet one at home with a lovely Georgia visit and lots of sucking on icecubes (hilarious to watch!).



Yesterday however we had a quick trip to the university with Lisa so I could sell some of my textbooks. Harry loved her first sojourn into higher learning and went crazy running around the lawn in front of the Great Hall. She is also going to be the star attraction in some Chinese family's graduation photos. Lucky them!

This photo just had to be in here because she looks like she deserves a yarmulke. Check out those ringlets would you!

This afternoon she has been playing with building bricks (the bigger ones like Lego) and has built a few major buildings. Despite the odd upset at blocks not magically locking in, she loves her new game. In fact she just played it by herself for about ten minutes without us! *shock*

The Long Post

Again, sorry about the lack of updates recently. Last week I was reprimanded by Michelle for having a few long pauses between posts and then look at me - another one! Sorry Michelle. But last week was quite full on for everyone. We had a big adventure every day of the week and by Thursday when we met up with Michelle and Ruby poor Harry had had enough.


On Monday, as per usual, we went to the pool to meet up with the lovely women and babies from the AP group. Now Harriet has come to expect these trips she start getting more and more agitated in the car as we're driving there. By the time we're within sight of it, she's lifting up her window sock pointing and yelling "Pool! Pool!". On this day however it was miserable weather-wise. But do you think this would stop Harriet, wonder-swimmer? Nuh huh.


I was dragged out into the toddler pool whether I liked it or not (luckily I do, I guess). I was game enough to take my camera out to the pool on this occasion because she was the lone toddler soul out there on this day and I wasn't in mortal fear of my camera being splashed by exuberant swimming babies. Although as it turned out, I should have been wary of Harry, because she was a splash-a-holic that day. But it was also lovely to then go inside and have a warm cup of coffee and chat to everyone. Tigerlily made it this week and Harry was in lurve! She kept 'talking' about her for the next few days and luckily I had taken some photos so I could indulge her interest somewhat. Tiger is about the same age as Harriet and has a similar disposition, so it's a true meeting of the minds. Harry was eager to get everyone on board with her latest obssession - stickers! Or as Harry calls it - "tikatikatika". At one point all the babies were off playing on their own and doing their own thing, when Harriet came over to me asking for some stickers. I gaveher the sheet of stars and next thing we know, all of the babies have been corralled in and Harriet is walking amongst them allocating stars for arms and legs and faces and then walking over and swapping them around. It was very cute to see - all of them were just suddenly quiet for a while and I turned around to see this little game being played out. Very cute considering mostly at this age they tend to play on their own.


When we were walking across the park back to the car, Harriet decided she wanted to call the cats. Whuh?? Anyway, so I poipped her on the ground and sure enough, she started calling the cats by rubbing together her thumb and fingers and making very loud mewling sounds. We did get a few looks from people who thought they were hearing feral cats on the premises (she is really good at her cat sounds), but poor Harry failed to materialise any cats to play with.

We went home and after a nice big sleep, Harriet was interested in the rosemary plant we bought on the weekend. She gave those leaves a big ole sniff in her most intense, unladylike manner. It basically involves her scrinching up her nose, scrinching up her eyes and letting forth with a very LOUD "snnrrrfffff". Then she grins like mad and does it again. She loved the rosemary and I even managed to snap a shot of her looking like a human being and not some sort of insane bloodhound.

And yes, yes, my white balance was all sorts of rubbish on this day, but this little portrait is just too cute not to include on the site. She is losing her hair clips faster than I can find places to buy them. The weird thing is though that she desperately wants them. I'll put one in and then sometime afterwards (usually when I'm not looking of course) she'll tug at it, suck on it for a while and then leave it discarded wherever it happens to fall. Let me tell you - they *never* happen to fall anywhere that can be recovered. So I start off each month with about ten clips and by the end of the month I am usually reduced to about two. So every now and then we get these bedraggled hair photos. I'm trying to grow it out so that she can put it behind her ear but it seems to be taking an awefully long time. A few people have asked me this week if I've cut her hair actually but no, it's just that with the humidity her curls go crazy and spring up quite tightly against her head. I did take a photo of it somewhere, will try and dig it up for posting.

Then on Monday night Papa came home and it was discovered that we were living bereft of consumables. So a quick trip to our local supermarket was in order (bless you midnight closing times). There Harriet delighted in helping us shop by picking up the bags, running up and down the aisles to retrieve items of questionable worth and place them in the bags (to be returned to the shelves with parental discretion), as well as helping us to have fun by throwing her in the air, holding her upside down and letting her swipe the card and receive the "dokidokitdokit".


*Phew* Was that just about Monday?


On Tuesday I woke up and realised we had nothing planned, so I got in contact with Rory and arranged to meet up with her and the Professor (also known as Xavier) that morning for coffee. She suggested Stanmore and since it was near the station and we're near the station thought it was the right time to let Harriet experience the joys of Cityrail. She *loved* it. We made friends with lots and lots of people, some who got stickers and some who didn't. Two women called Harriet "a gorgeous doll" (actually I think one of them said she was like a porcelain doll) but she wasn't in fragile girly girly mood at all, she was in full on crazy chick mode. This included some chair gymnastics on the way. We got to the cafe after the arduous process of waiting for trains at Redfern and changing lines but this was all just fun for Haz. At the cafe Xavier was sitting up in a highchair! He's so grown up now! Harriet had her ubiquitous babycino (and I smuggled her marshmallow as I do when they come with them - who on earth would want to give a toddler straight sugar?!) and Rory and I chatted about life and babies.

*ahem* I told you she wasn't being particularly girly that day! Getting day home was a challenge sicne she was SO tired that every little thing is a distraction and it took us just over 30mins to walk home (when Jimbo walks down to the station each morning in less than five minutes).


It wouldn't be quite so bad if there was a little more shade along the way. We do have a long stopover at the mammoth frangipani tree on the way thoughwhich we both love. The flowers are just out of reach because it is sooooo big, but Harry and I are content with picking up and smelling the ones that have just dropped. Ahhh frangipanis, how much I love them. Harry has also developed this love and will sit sniffing a frangipani for ages when I give her one and we often find an old flower in the back of her trike whcih has outlived its smelliness.



On Wednesday I had the luxury of having Nana come down all the way from her house to look after Harry for just a couple of hours while I went in to USyd to do some things. Of course within ten minutes of leaving the house I had a car accident! Not a bad one but I ran up the back of a ute as I was turning a corner - my sandals got caught in each other and I slipped and hit the accelerator instead of the brake. Not a problem usually but the car in front had stopped short because a car was pulling out in the spot just around the corner, so *bam* I rammed up her butt. Luckily not much damage to her car and the bonnet buckled a little on Awgie and scraped the paint at the front, but he should be ok for a couple of weeks yet. Harry of course wasn't in the car which was the best bit. I was a little shaken but otherwise all ok. Haz found it quite stressful though - a lot of tears when I left (which was just as hard for me) then when I got back she was so exhausted that I put her down to sleep almost immediately. So when she woke up Nana had gone without her saying a proper goodbye, which meant many tears and upsets for the rest of the afternoon. So a difficult day.


In the above photo Harriet is demonstrating her most annoying game of late - headbanging! Sounds cute yes, but in reality not so much. She read this book where the character gets hit in the head by a swing and she loves to hit her head as well. Now it has progressed to a game that we were unwittingly encouraging - she hits her head, we say "No! Harry, Don't!", she giggles and repeats. So we've had to calm it down on the reaction, but she stil does it every now and then. Like there she is hitting Doll2 on her head and giggling like crazy. Hmmm...


Then on Thursday we were meeting Michelle and Ruby who had travelled all the way from Perth! Not just to see us of course, but a big trip nonetheless. We went to the Powerhouse Museum after a night before scramble to re-arrange venues when I realised that the Australian Museum had closed down their children's area until May. Then it was a communications issue because Harriet has sucked on my phone and left a little saliva present in there meaning that my number '8' button doesn't work. You try SMSing someone a message without using the letters 't', 'u' or 'v' - it is very, very difficult!!!



We went down to the playground and Harry was in heaven when she realised there was a whizzy dizzy there like the one at her big playground! Ruby is here in the background either pushing Haz around or desperately entreating her to get off and let her have a turn. Oh and Michelle I have more photos of Ruby to send you never fear.


Poor Ruby had to put up with Harry's sticker obssession as well, which is a bit much when you've never met someone before - all of a sudden there they are, reaching over your arms and legs smacking ruddy stars all over you! But Ruby (or as James calls her- miniJoe), took it all in her stride and didn't even seem to mind when Harriet screamed in my arms all the way from Powerhouse up to Broadway. There was nowhere to stop and give her a feed on the way (well, I could have sat on the pavement in the dust of construction sites but didn't know how claming an experience that would end up being) so when we finally made it to Central I had to pike and let Michelle and the somnolent Ruby go on their merry way. No doubt they were glad to see the back of us by that stage. Harry then perked up however and ate a Nudie icypole (well, ate MY Nudie icypole) which made the final stretch of getting home a little less stressful. Oh - that is not including her 'backwards' game where she says "Back!" and starts walking backwards. Not the most fun game with a physically exhausted Mama on a train platform.




So after being separated and out-of-sorts on Wednesday, then very stressed and overtired on Thursday, we decided to make it a quiet home-based Friday. This is the day Harriet realised her future occupation as a tattoo artist. I mean, I gave her paper and everything. There was ample opportunity to paint a masterpiece. However the better canvas for these artistic fingers was the artist's own torso. I think that should be the name of her first exhibit. Pink, blue and green never looked so cool. Unfortunately it was a pretty difficult day, with Harry screaming and squealing a lot. I put this down to all of the upheaval and stress of the week. Poor poppet.

On the weekend, lucky Miss Harry had a visit from Nana and Grandpa. On Sunday morning they took her out to the beach while Mama and Papa lived in luxury and had three hours off to go and see a movie (Stranger than Fiction - tops). So this photo is courtesy of Nana and Grandpa. Apparently she played the towel off / towel on game which is always a favourite. And a lot of digging around in the sand (her love of sand has been well documented here so it comes as no surprise to regular readers I'm sure).





Then we all met up in a cafe in Newtown. Like the rest of the week it was horribly humid and blech and unfortunately the cafe we chose to sit in was like a little suntrap. We were all grumpy and had sun headaches and just wanted to get out of there. Well Harriet cheered us up with her babycino goatee (another Nana and Grandpa photo, thanks!) as well as all the other patrons who thought it hilarious to see this crazy kid with the chocolate facial hair. Not too many raised eyebrows really, especially since it was the morning after Mardi Gras.

And then we come full circle with Harriet and I going to the AP meet yesterday at the pool and then today having a quiet one at home. She was helping me put out the washing and was being SO cute. We also have a couple of new games - doing "Cheers" with the glass which she had done once or twice beforehand but Grandpa was the one who signed, sealed and delivered it this weekend. Also Papa has her doing the horns of the devil and saying "ROOOOOCCCKKK" in her best growly heavy metal voice. Which translates from Harry as a raised hand, palm out, fingers splayed and "ARCCKK" in cute little toddler voice. Have I mentioned it before? She is so the best baby. And so endeth the long long post that has taken a long time to write!