MissE and Me: December 2011

Monday, December 26, 2011

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Card 2011 (designed by me!)

Children's Christmas Party

MissE attended her daycare Christmas Party. After running into her classroom and crash-tackling Santa for a hug (all the other parents laughed), MissE was given a present. She excitedly opened her present to find a book, she was thrilled! A few minutes later, she was looking at the book puzzled.

Me: What's wrong?

MissE: Why didn't Santa bring me a truck? I asked for a truck.

My favourite part of the Children's Christmas Party is receiving MissE's portfolio which contains all her artwork from the year, and photos and write-ups of what she does at daycare.

Breakfast with Santa

On a very special Sunday morning, MissE got up bright and early (7:30am) to have a very special breakfast with Santa. This was a fantastic morning! Before the stores opened and the Christmas shoppers came out in droves, MissE had a front and centre seat for a Christmas show with singing and dancing from Mrs.Claus, Santa's elves and toy soldiers, Rudolph and Santa himself.

Breakfast: sandwiches, fruit, juice and a gingerbread man

Hi Rudolph!

All of the Lights!
In the lead up to Christmas, we piled into the car and checked out what suburban Christmas lights had on offer. I miss going to "Lights of the Valley" in South SF! We visited the cul-de-sac of Sydney Road, Hornsby Heights and the Nativity Scene at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Carlingford.
Sydney Road was a lot of fun. MissE liked the Santa on Motorcycle and MrE didn't sleep a wink, too many lights to look at!

The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS has a spectacular Nativity Scene every year and this year was no different. The gardens were also lit in festive red, green, and white.

Screen projection

'Twas the Night Before Christmas
We spent Christmas Eve with Conor's family. MissE enjoyed herself, playing with her cousins (D, H, and Baby C) and stuffing herself silly. While we did our present exchange, she was only allowed to open one gift (and help Baby E with his) and the rest on Christmas Day.

That evening, after cookies for Santa had been made, she was the Christmas Carol tyrant, she waited very patiently on the couch for them to start and when they did, she screamed at us to sit down and watch and help her with the words. Mr.H and I had to take turns leaving the room to prepare for Christmas Day, or face the wrath!

Soon her eyes lids grew heavy, it also helped that I told her Santa only comes when you are sleeping... so after her cookies, a refreshing beverage for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph (he's the only reindeer that matters) were laid out, off to bed she went.

Dancing to Hi-5 on Carols by Candlelight

When Santa visits Australia, he drinks beer!

Shh! Our secret to getting that perfectly "nibbled" look

Christmas Day
Rise and shine H household! I was the first one up at 7:30am expecting MissE to be in our room as soon as the sun came up, but nope... I had to wake her up at 9am to open presents! She was so excited to see if Santa came to her house and if he had eaten the cookies and drank the beer, and if Rudolph liked his carrot.

He's been here! He's eaten his cookies, drank his beer and Rudolph ate his carrot!

Then it was present time! MissE did very well this year! Mr.E enjoyed his first Christmas. Wrapping paper and ribbons: 2, Toys: 1. He loves bashing on his "work bench".

MissE, what was your favourite present? Chapstick... and my dump truck.

MrE's work bench

Ahh! I am loving the quiet in the house as MissE gives her attention to each of her new toys!

Santa was kind to me this year: iPhone 4S although Siri cannot understand me! And the Olympus Tough camera with GPS (and even shoots 3D) to replace my old one that has gone to a better place.

Menu

Christmas Day is about the food just as much as the presents and being with family. For breakfast we had one of Mr.H and mine favourites, French Toast Soufflé. Lunch was salad (need some greens!) and prawn pies (prawn, onion, cream, chives baked in filo). Dinner was your traditional turkey with stuffing, Bourbon-glazed ham, with sides of cheesy cauliflower bake, candied yams and green bean casserole. Finished with "Aussie mess", whipped sweet cream and crushed meringue infused with berries, mango and passionfruit juice.

And don't forget the baked items, this year it was all about my Snowman Cake Pops (they are all the rage!)

MissE and I also decorated Gingerbread Men

My gingerbread man

MissE's gingerbread man

Special Christmas Edition: MissE says the Darndest Things

MissE: Daddy, what are you going to ask Santa for?

Daddy: Kisses.

MissE: From Santa???

We recently taught MissE the "funny" version of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, you know the one that goes:

"All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names; Like Pinocchio!
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games. Like Monopoly!"

Prior to this, she yelled at us for "not singing properly". Now, she thinks it's "silly" and every time we switch any light on, she yells out "LIKE A LIGHT BULB" and giggles.

Until next time...MissE's big birthday! She is now asking us when her birthday is. Mr.H suggested we make a countdown calendar for her (like her advent one).

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Two E's and Me (December)

Mr.E is 5 months
Mr.E weighs 18 lbs and 3 oz. (8.3kg) and is 31 inches (79cm) in length. He is well into size 6 months plus (sometimes 9 months plus) clothing. He's so chubby that today, I sat him down in his high chair for breakfast and his little button on his jeans popped open!

Mr.E has officially rolled, three times in fact. The first time he landed on his face and cried. The following 1-2 times after were successful but hard work to get his tummy and legs over. He has decided it wasn't worth it and simply rolls to his side for the change of scenery. (Our nurse has said that big babies take a long time to roll or just simply don't roll much at all).

This month Mr.E started solids. At his 4 month check-up, his nurse suggested we start him on solids sooner rather than later as he was showing signs of readiness (these were: still needing feeds every 3 hours and waking at 5-6am hungry). He didn't mind his first spoons of rice cereal and loved apple, pear and banana but isn't such a fan of carrot and sweet potato puree.

Ready to eat!

Mmm, rice cereal

Mr.E has found his voice! He is also reaching and grabbing anything and everything within his sights. This is quite often my hair or MissE's hair.

Peek-a-boo!
Mr.E loves playing peek-a-boo with his blanket or a towel. He plays it whether or not you are playing with him. Any time he gets a hold of his blanket or towel, it goes over his face. I am continually stopped by "concerned" mothers at shopping centres, exclaiming "Your baby!" as they pull the blanket off his face. What they find is Mr.E smiling at them and as soon as the concerned woman drops the blanket, it goes back over his face.

Where's Eden?

Mr.E continues to be just as his name, "delightful". He loves a good tickle to make him laugh, and loves his sister very much.

Mr.E trying to lay a big kiss on his sister

Dora The Explorer Free Zone

Our house is proudly a Dora Free Zone. I am not a fan. She may teach young children spanish but she yells and unintentionally teaches aggression. Swiper is a fox that appears in every episode. When he appears, Dora and her friends put out their hands (as to say stop) and tell him "Swiper, no swiping". MissE has started to put her hand out like that when she doesn't like what you or her friend is doing. Unfortunately the action looks like she is going to hit, and her friends think so too but they react and hit her first. We are teaching her not to do that and thus we no longer allow Dora The Explorer. And proud of it!

MissE's favourite show is Team Umizoomi, so much so, during our weekend away she started to go through withdrawals, continually asking to watch it even in the car. And when we were packing up to leave, she was happy to go home so she would watch Team Umizoomi.

She is starting to phase out "baby" shows (Sesame Street, In The Night Garden) in favour of Team Umizoomi, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Little Einsteins. She loves when Little Einsteins visit Egypt and see The Stinks (The Sphinx).

NOOO!

MissE is starting to reject her nap (boo!) so we've introduced "rest time". We first tried allowing her to stay in her playroom, lie down on the floor with a pillow and blanket to quietly watch TV however she was not sleeping and every 20 minutes would shout at me to change the channel. She can now either lie down in my room (which she loves) and sleep, or play quietly by herself in her room for an hour. There is no talking during this time (my ears need a break!). It has been working quite well because most of the time, she is falling asleep and napping!

The most glorious night ever...
On one of these days where Eloise refused to nap, she was obviously tired. We were having dinner when I noticed that Mr.H and I were actually having a conversation without being interrupted or being yelled at because we weren't talking to her or having to get up every few minutes for water or milk or a new napkin. I asked her if she was feeling okay and she asked to go to bed after dinner. She went to bed at 7pm with Baby E. Mr.H and I didn't know what to do with ourselves... it was the best night ever!

MissE says the darndest things
MissE: Mama, can you paint my toes purple?
Me: Yes, if you are a good girl.
MissE: I will be good... next week.

MissE: Mama, I had a dream last night!
Me: What did you dream about?
MissE: I had a dream about animals.
Me: What were they doing?
MissE: A giraffe was in my bed. He was being very quiet so I could sleep.

Share a Coke with...
There are marketing geniuses at Coca-Cola Australia! Their current marketing campaign is about 'Sharing a Coke' with (insert name here) and the great times you have over Coke. I am not a big soda drinker but I love this campaign. If your name is not one of the top 150 names Australians have voted on, you can visit one of their kiosks to create a custom can. I did one for all of us (excluding Sabi):

*No children were given Coke in this event. MissE HATE bubble drinks!

Until next time... Mr.E turns 6 months!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

It's Christmas time in the city...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Given that Halloween is not as widely celebrated here and Australia does not have Thanksgiving, the shopping centres have had Christmas decoration in their stores since the end of August, and yet somehow I feel like it's snuck up on us! Now it's the end of November and the shopping centres are bustling, houses are starting to light up the night, and MissE is getting more and more excited (she is also excited because she knows her birthday is after Christmas).

Mr.E's 1st Trip: The Hunter Valley
Only 2 hours by car, the Hunter Valley is one of Australia's most well-known wine regions and a great weekend away. The Hunter Valley Gardens, which already has fantastic display gardens (particularly the Storybook Garden), create Christmas displays. I am not sure who was more excited, me or MissE. Even better, MissE's best friend, Calvin's family joined us.
With two families, both with a toddler and an infant (although Cam would beg to differ!), we chose to stay at a cottage, and to keep the toddlers entertained, on an alpaca farm! While the farm was a few minutes from the Hunter Valley, it was worth it! MissE loved the alpacas and started each morning feeding the white ones. As it is Spring, there were a few baby alpacas running around. There was also a pool and play area on the farm, not to mention our porch swing that MissE loved sitting on, plenty of toddler entertainment! Mr.H and I loved the comfort of the cottages complete with a BBQ on our deck that looked out at the Brokenback Range, alpacas roaming, and a small pond with ducks and ducklings.

Starline Alpaca Farmstay (Waterview Cottage)

I need more of this in my life!

MissE agrees!

5 little ducks went out one day...

Alpacas!

MissE feeding the very friendly and gentle alpacas

The Hunter Valley is obviously different with a toddler and infant in tow, so we only managed 2 wineries (3 if you count checking out Mistletoe Winery's sculpture garden), but were not disappointed. We had lunch at Potter's Brewery where MissE discovered how much fun cut-outs were (like mother like daughter).

But first we had to feed the alpacas

Keith Tulloch Winery

Mistletoe Winery Sculpture Garden

Potters Brewery

Tempus Two

The Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular was just that. MissE was dazzled by the lights! Her favourite was "Georgie Porgie" in the Storybook Garden and dancing to the Rammstein Christmas trees light show. (If you are not familiar with Rammstein, they are a German heavy metal band). I enjoyed the lights, particularly Cinderella's horse and carriage, although I will admit some parts of the gardens were reminiscent of National Lampoon's Christmas lights aka Christmas vomit. The only negative to the night, the mosquitos... EVERYWHERE! I thought I was prepared and we all wore "The Mosquito Patch" (a small square containing citronella that you stick to your clothes. Safe for children and infants.) It supposedly provided a 1 metre buffer, but I guess there were too many in the gardens! While the patch did work, our extremities (toes, fingers) were a lost cause. MissE continues to proclaim she "tickles" which really means she's itchy. The only one safe was Mr.E who was shrouded under the cover of a sunshade on his pram.

My favourite: Horse & Carriage

Under the toadstools (Storybook Garden)

A very Aussie Christmas

Ho, ho, ho! It's Santa Eloise!

O'Christmas Tree

Mr.E enjoyed his first trip! While it wasn't a jaunt around the world like MissE's first trip, he was a good traveller. He had never seen lights like at The Hunter Valley Gardens and was coo-ing his approval.

One last "goodbye" to the alpacas and we were homeward bound!

Hey! Be patient!

Christmas in The City
This year, we've explained Santa Claus. Since then MissE asks us every day when she can see Santa and sit on his lap and ask for presents.

On the list: a lollipop, a truck, a Princess (Disney Princesses of course!), and chapstick

This year we decided she was old enough to enjoy going into Sydney for her Photos with Santa. The 2 large department stores have Santaland and the Christmas Cave, and new to Sydney is the Swarovski Crystal Garden at the beautiful QVB (which displays the Swarovski Chirstmas Tree), and of course the window displays. I have fond memories of getting all dressed up and viewing the window displays of rescue puppies and kittens at Gump's in San Francisco at Christmas. Plus it gives Mr.H and I an excuse to eat at Food on 5 (a gourmet food court inside Westfield CBD)