Miss Madeline... :).

Thursday, 25th January 2007

Why is it that some weeks feel so busy, yet when you look back at them, you realise you've barely done or achieved anything? It's been that way for the last few weeks - just pottering around the house, visiting friends & relatives and entertaining Maddy.

I honestly can't think of anything much to say, except how entertaining and funny Miss Madeline is becoming. At just 1 year of age, she's become fiercely independant and knows exactly what she likes and dislikes. Here are but a few of her feelings:

LOVES/LIKES

* Food. Quite honestly, if it's food she'll generally eat it. Nothing makes this bubby happier than smearing spaghetti or baked beans all over herself and through her hair. She actually screamed at Mummy the other day - apparently I wasn't feeding her the chicken out of my sushi roll fast enough. She can also demolish a corn on the cob faster than you'd believe.



* Her doll house. Packaged for 2 year olds, I bought it regardless and it's been a godsend. Maddy could spend hours playing house with the Daddy, Mummy and baby although she gets very upset if Mummy puts one of the dolls on the toilet!

* Being chased. She just doesn't get that Daddy & Mummy get carpet burn racing around the floor after her. It's seriously one of the funniest things ever when she is getting chased - the squeals....

* Kisses. She'll deal them out left, right and center if she's in the mood. It's actually hilarious to watch strangers' reactions when faced with a baby smacking her lips together at them loudly. :)

* Her Daddy, Grandma Chris and Aunty Leah. Seriously, her favourite three people in the world. There are sometimes when she makes me feel like just the milk bar.



DISLIKES

* Being washed. Her no.1 pet hate. She'll happily splash around in the bath with her bath friends & bubbles, but god help you if you try to wipe her face after smearing herself top to toe with pasta sauce.

* Sleeping in. (Much to Mummy's chagrin) She'll come back to bed with us at 5am when she wakes up, provided there is a feed as part of the deal. Quit the feed at any poitn and expect her to lie beside us? It's on for young & old.

* Banana. Don't get me wrong, she loves the taste and devours the 'Creamy Banana Porridge' in a jar like it's going out of fashion. Just don't give her the real stuff - she'll eat it but you'll regret it later. The nappies are a sight to behold and pretty much entitled to be labelled as toxic waste. Then of course there is the constant burping, wind and bloated tummy that makes us look like we starve Maddy.

* Headbands, hair clips, elastics, hats. You name it, if Mummy thinks it's cute or pretty then it's generally pulled out of the hair or off the head in record time. That's if you can get it on her head in the first place. She doesn't seem to mind the hair clips (barrettes) too much, until of course I noticed her in the car with one in her mouth munching away.

* Being helped with things she wants to do herself. As mentioned earlier, Madeline knows what she likes and what she wants. She's easily bored and frustrated unless the object is something interesting and difficult. Then suddenly she has all of the time in the world to work on it.



Sooo...Maddy is currently turning the family room into a natural disaster zone so I'm signing off once I find some photos to go with the above post. :)

Take care everyone and hopefully I'll have something interesting to write soon.

Becka

Christmas 2006 comes and goes....

Saturday, 6th January 2007

Wow...I can't believe I'm posting again and it's already a few days into the new year! The Petersen family certainly have had a very busy last month & a half.

Christmas was a wonderful time for us, albeit busy and kind of stressful. On Sunday, 24th December we celebrated Madeline's 1st birthday and marked the day with a party! Thank goodness I have no plans to do another party until she is say...5!, as I really didn't remember from growing up how much organisation, money and energy went into organising a party. We had nearly 50 people over, mostly friends and family (including many that came across from New Zealand for Christmas and were also able to share in Maddy's birthday).

It was a beautiful sunny day, John fired the bbq up (and had an 'argument' with my father about who's fault it was that some rissoles got charred! *L*) and Maddy took to opening presents like a pro. By the third present that Daddy helped her open, she'd figured out it was pull off the car first, then rip open the paper. Talk about spoiled...she got clothes, toys and loads of books which she loves. Our loungeroom and her bedroom look like a Toys'r'us!



Her cake was beautiful...and we themed the invitations, gift bags & birthday cake with 'Winnie-the-Pooh' design. She stuck her fingers straight in the cake as soon as the candles were blown out, but wasn't in the slightest bit interested in eating it.



Monday morning dawned Christmas Day and we had a lovely morning opening presents with Maddy and just relaxing around the house. We headed off to Bec's sister's place at about 10am, who was hosting Christmas Lunch. Although we were still really tired from the day before, we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It was early to bed that night, as we were off to Bec's Dad's for his traditional Christmas celebration on Boxing Day. Although it was raining on Boxing Day, we still had a fantastic time. It was a typical Boxing Day lunch at the Dengate's which involved the Boxing Day test match (cricket) and ALOT of rum'n'coke. *L*

We had a few days off, then headed to Toowoomba to meet up with our sister-in-law, Lorraine, and family for her birthday. Although we only managed to catch up in the madness of post-Christmas shopping, for a few hours; it was still a lovely chance for our kids (the cousins) to see each other.



The 30th & the 31st of December were spent up at the Woodford Folk Festival. Bec has danced at the festival for 7 of the past 8 years. Only having left the hospital with a newborn Maddy was the only reason why she didn't dance at the end of 2005. We braved the camp site for the night of the 30th, WITH Maddy. *L* It wasn't as bad as we thought and our little one appears to be quite the flower power child! :) Although sunburnt, tired and a little sore from camping out; we travelled back late on New Year's Eve home after Bec's 2nd performance. (Both performances had to be modified as Davydd - friend and uber-champion dancer - rolled his ankle. It has since turned out that he actually broke his foot and he is encased in plaster for the next six weeks!)

The 2nd of January was our niece, Chloe's, 4th birthday. We popped by in the evening to share some cake and check out the goodies she'd received. Maddy was thrilled as usual to see her cousin - they are particularly close. With John back at work on the 4th, we've had a fairly quiet past few days. Not surprisingly as we've all come down with gastro in a reasonably mild form thankfully. Maddy's a bit off her food soon but has been enjoying plates of fruit, much to my relief. Yesterday (the 5th - also my half-sister Jessica's birthday!), Maddy decided that she'd had enough of Mummy spoon feeding her, and wants to feed herself. My 'little' baby is growing up!




Anyway, that's about all that's been happening. Only 6 weeks to go until I see Westlife in concert which I'm thrilled about. Organised my flight to Sydney for the 27th February today. Really wish I could afford to go to the other three shows of the Australian tour - Adelaide, Perth & Melbourne - but sadly, the hip pocket only stretches so far.

Will post more soon! :)

Bec, John & Maddy XXX