kokojero :: eat the bamboo princess

After wading through a sea of “To-Do”s for the past 6 months I’m finding myself with time on my hands; well one hand really, the other hand is still pretty weak from the surgery I had a few weeks ago. I’ve got my fingers grappled securely around the spare time all the same.

So, January has obviously dosed up on some speed I’m sure of it – it feels like Christmas was just a few weeks ago (oh, no, wait it was…)

We road tripped up to see half of my family for Christmas just out of Wagga Wagga. My brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew moved around the corner from my Mum just this year so we got to see their new house and spend time with them. Christmas was awesome Grunge sat, played or slept for all of the 24 hour drive without any problem and we arrived home safely just before 2009 hung up its hat.

New Year in our household was celebrated with a little bit of Dang Dang and Mochi Ball action with Unki Baa and Princess Mish. We’re lucky to have an awesome brother and sister so close who share our love of Mario Kart Double Dash and Cooking Mama 1 & 2.

Thinking about it – Mochi Balls may actually be stalking us; one of my new favourite shows “I Survived a Japanese Game Show” had a challenge with Mochi Balls in one of the first episodes. This week also saw the return of Dog the Bounty Hunter to Go! so we’re super happy! Thank you TiVo!

Three days in to the New Year was Emsie’s 31st Birthday. Grunge and I made it an extra special day and Emsie got some awesome presents – and well, so did I for my unBirthday!

*fast forward* Grunge went back to daycare, Em and I got sick, Em saw the ENT doctor, my Mum came to visit *play*.

So my Mum came to look after us while I was down one hand. My Mum is Awesome. I can’t list everything that she did for us as I’m afraid I’ll miss something. Some of the big things were… building Grunge a play room and redesigning my studio; adding storage to my shed; removing the spiders from said shed; fixing my lawn; planting and bordering our gardening outside; cleaning all my windows; organising my laundry; baking cakes; rescreening the back doors; building a sophisticated cat entrance to my laundry; fixing my spare toilet; organising my pots and pans cupboard; making more cakes; babysitting both Grunge and me; sweeping out our garage and front porch; weeding my other gardens; cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning; and cooking and freezing some meals for Emsie and Grunge. She was only here for two weeks and she did so much! It was very sad to see her go, Grunge is a great big Nanna Kez fan and would ask for her as soon as she woke up. I got to spend a lot of time chatting to her and it was unreal to come home to her being at the front door.

My Mum Rocks.

There is about 16,000 things I should be doing now while I’m waiting for some uni tutes to download however I’m sure if I get up to do them then I’ll close the laptop and stop the downloads.

Can you guess what book this is?

Page 1 – “Muffet Lady”
Page 2 – “Sit down!”
Page 3 – “Eating, um yum yum”
Page 4 – “Incy Spider!”
Page 5 – “Argh!”

Grunge woke early today – very early… 5am! She was upset about going back to bed so I brought her in to our bed however she didn’t sleep and nor did we. It doesn’t feel like she slept at school today as she had a major melt down at the store… and in the car…. and in the loungeroom… so we jumped in to our bed and we read her Little Miss Muffet book about a hundred times Bedtime was a bit of a nightmare and she’s been up every sleep cycle crying. Poor Em has a conference call tomorrow at 6:30 so we’re hoping Grunge sleeps.

As usual lots going on with us – I’ve finally bitten the bullet and booked in to have the lump in my wrist removed; it’s pretty big now and stems for the opposite side of my wrist and is compressing the nerve and running right next to the artery. I realised last week on the drive to Moonta Bay that I had to drive two handed as it was aching. Thankfully it’s a small day surgery it’s just other peoples photos had me kinda freaking out

Oh it’s getting late and Em needs to get to bed… and I’m playing the world’s worst game on the DSi – Dusk Hotel Room 215. I can’t play something else until I finish it!

Next update will include a Santa photo

Mannum is exactly 1 showing of Finding Nemo from our house…

This weekend Grunge and I learned that Moonta Bay is one showing of Cars from our house

Emsie has been in Sydney this week – doing a course and visiting our other family and got back last night. Grunge and I went to Moonta Bay with Aunty Sharapova to eat cornish pasties.. and pretty much nothing else Grunge loved playing on the swingset in the backyard and collecting rocks. She slept in a big bed so there is hope for transitioning from the cot with the sides down to her big bed!

The trip was a good precursor to the long drive to Marrar – this year we aren’t going to Sydney as it adds an extra 10 hours to the trip.

Three weeks and one day until we go to Mums for Christmas

It’s been a while since I blogged – I think finally (and just before the silly season) I’ve started getting ‘Me’ time again… I can say this as yesterday while Grunge napped I put on Sims 3

The last few weeks have been jam packed with work, house stuff, yard stuff, bbqs (hooray), friends and family. Oh and some Christmas shopping!

Today was Grunge’s first day of swimming lessons in the Tadpole’s class. Previously Em or I would have to jump in with her for the Water Babies class but now she goes in with her backpack on her own. In the lesson today she swam underwater and picked up a ring – very cool stuff She’ll be in Tadpoles until she can swim without her backpack. She’s growing up so quickly!

This week Em is headed to Sydney so I’m playing single parent. Grunge and I also headed away for a few nights with her Aunty Sharapova

Grunge singing one of *my* favourites

Last night I had Grunge on the counter getting her medicine ready when she spotted a package of lamingtons.

“Doda!” she declared pointing to one.

“Yes, for Dakota tomorrow.” I replied. She looked from me back to the lamingtons…

“To mono” she repeated pointing to the closest lamington and then it seemed to click and she said “Mono!” (Elmo), pointed to the next one “Grover!” and the third one “Bird!”.

I guess the people on Sesame Street need lamingtons too….

Most people worry that their kids don’t eat; I’m the opposite – my kid doesn’t stop eating!

We were at the markets yesterday – it’s one of my favourite things to do with Grunge and after a full breakfast of weetabix Grunge ate..

1 banana
1 box of sultanas
2 pieces of dried apple
1 vanilla custard bun
1 chocolate milk
5 banana chips
and a lollypop

And that was all for morning tea!

Needless to say with such a full tummy getting her down for a nap was easy. Hooray

It was a year ago that we were coming to the tail end of our round-the-world trip and today Grunge wore the shirt I picked up for her in a Greece Zara store and it fits perfectly.  We were in our Toronto hotel room having been to see a Blue Jays game and hang out with some friends that we got the call we’d been hanging for – our VIPs Sar and Sparky had welcomed their Baby Elvis (aka Dashielle) to the world.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Dash and congratulations to Sar and Sparky for surviving Dashielle’s first year

This week my cousin welcomed his fourth son Eli – congratulations to you both Frank and Kym

Lots of reasons to celebrate… what a better way to top the week off than with a vaccination!  Well, not really, and Grunge wasn’t too pleased either.  Our family Dr is pretty awesome, it’s more like catching up with an old friend when we visit him and this time he was so apologetic for having to hurt Grunge – “Awww, sorry little mate!” – but she did ok, she cried until she got an “ollo” (lolly) and was then happy enough to show off to the medical receptionists on her way out.  There is something cool about watching your kid grow in the eyes of someone else and them telling her they remember meeting her when she was a few days old.

Ahh spring.. how I have missed thee – runny noses… constant sneezing… itchy eyes…. ahhh, the serenity!

It’s looking more and more like Grunge is getting hayfever.. either that or her philtrum is conducting some sort of gross experiment.  We’ve been to the Dr’s for her runny eye and he gave us drops but they didn’t seem to help.  Grunge was pretty awesome with the eye drops though… I swear she has some sort of medicine dependance already however I guess that comes from being medicated all your life – note to self… tone down how awesome I tell her she is for having her medicine

Anyway – lots happening as usual.  I’ve finally had a chance to update the Flickr account with some photos of Grunge’s birthday party which is only almost 3 months late

Daycare is going well, still going 2 small days and a long day however this week she trooped in for an extra day while I had a “me” day.  Me days sure aren’t what they used to be   I spent the morning getting a hair cut… it’s like 800 different colours now – take that rainbow icecream!  It looks super.  After that I stole Em from work for lunch fit for a Felafel king and then cleaned out and washed the car.  Super exciting stuff that!

The weekend was a bit of a windy pearler so we hooked up Dummy Thievin’ Princess Mish and Grunge’s cousin Cassie for some kite flying and daisy chain making.  Grunge totally adores her Princess Mish and cousin and had a ball “flying” kites yelling “Go go go go”.  Mia went out for the day on a ride with some people from her website then went to the gym.

Ow, ow ow ow ow ow ow … I just yawned and totally boke my tongue.. .ow ow ow.. that’s it… I’m going to bed!

I <3 Christmas.

I could really end this post at that

This week I organised some accommodation for while we’re away (which is difficult being summer holidays), found accommodation for the dogs at a kennel for a few weeks (even more difficult) and picked the day for our family Christmas party. I think we’re sorted now.

Grunge has had a pretty average week – she’s been off colour and sooky which can get pretty tiring. We’ve had quite a few nasty nappy surprises too – eww. I’ve also been sick and think I’m now getting a cold. D’oh! Early night for me I think!

*thinks* week in a nutshell – Tuesday…. iMa Day! We headed to one of our favourite parks with iMa (who once again spoilt Grunge). Grunge is getting more indapendent and was running off by herself. This did give iMa and I some time to chat which is good Friday – Kindermusik and shopping and some spring cleaning. Dinner was Lasagnarama at the Neighbours of Awesomenesses house. Saturday… dog trainer followed by a house auction, and after a nap Em went to the gym while Cody and I painted. Sunday – Happy Father’s Day! Swimming (only 2 kids showed up) and then a trip to the nursery to pick and plan our new lawn then home for a nap while Em checked out a couple of fences we like. Grunge and Em went to visit Pappou while I mowed the back yard and got things sorted for our accountant. Phew!

Grunge of the week…
Me: Can you say strawberry?
Grunge: *whispers* warberry
Me: Can you say it loud?
Grunge: Loud!