Lulu Carter

this moment

 This morning I heard familiar words. Words that have been read a thousand times to the reader in this photo. Its a beautiful thing.

Enjoy many more "moments" over at Soule Mama.

 

It was bound to happen

Cake decorated for me by my beautiful boys.

Cake eaten by all.

xx

3 Months

Its like hes always been here. Chuckling in his sleep, frowning when he chats or coos in the most delightfully earnest way. The way he loves us all so blatantly and gets loved back tenfold. The little dents in those thighs and arms that you can hide your fingertips in and the way he has worked out that the kisses being bestowed on his feet or his tummy belong to the person who then plants one on his forehead. The helicopter arms when he's really excited and the legs racing on the spot as he tries to get up closer. How he has begun stopping mid feed for a grin and a chat before finishing. He is joy all over.

My greatest wish is that he finds a life path that allows him to remain as excited and as happy and as loved. 

 

And that he will grow up most forgiving of his mother for her gratuitous use of toadstools...

 

stickers and babies

Firstly the stickers.

Just after christmas we took a drive up to Brisbane and spent the day at the galleries. They are set along the river with the library in between and it is so beautifully laid out I instantly wanted to live there. Just so I could sit on the grass by the river and step inside a gallery. Priorities in tact I'd say.

We went up to look at the Matisse exhibition which was wonderful. The exhibition is of his drawings which was quite interesting to see with the boys. We were counting how many lines he could draw a face in at one point. When you come out, they have a drawing space set up with life models, violinists seranading everyone and people everywhere sketching. They also have drawing tablets which is a terrific idea for our digital age children. Everywhere you were you could draw a still life or a model and, for those who had not brought their own sketching equipment with them, they had clipboards, paper and pencils around the room. I have honestly never been to an exhibition so well thought out before. Even the cafe was set up for sketching, reading his books and sipping a coffee. Magnificent.

Afterwards we wondered into this room by Yayoi Kasuma. Every adult was instantly transformed back into a child as we grabbed sticker sheets and set about covering every surface we could find. Tall adults were happily popping stickers on te ceiling. We had to be checked at the exit though for stickers as you werent allowed to remove them from the space. Even if they were stuck to your bottom from the piano stool as Henry discovered.

The childrens book illustrators exhibition was on at the Library too so we had a full and inspiring day.

When we came back outside to the real world, we were greeted by this cloud mountain rising above the Art Gallery. We had never seen anything like it. It was thick and solid. Quite fantastic.

And now our baby who looks so much fuller than he did that week away. These photos were taken over the last few days. His last days as a nine week old I might add. Today he hit double digits. 

I honestly have not taken his ten week photo yet as when he's awake I spend that time pulling faces and singing and being a completely smitten mother. Its a miracle anything gets done around here with this little bug of ours.

And he would sleep anywhere. Yesterday he had an entire nap being held and passed around by my friends up at the park. Any cuddle is a good cuddle clearly. And he is getting squishy bits! He's over 5 kilos (about 11.7 pounds) now so it wont be long before he is literally twice the baby we brought home from hospital.

I'm knitting another Milo. The lovely grey one is a little bit like trying to put him in sausage casing now.

xxx

Happy New Year!

Did you find your way to some fireworks or party at home ? We stayed home and had our own little shindig.

I even dug out my wedding shoes and put on a twirly skirt.Henry put on a tie he found in the dress ups box.

We ate smoked trout with horseradish cream on dark rye bread alongside prawns with homemade mayonaise and varous cheeses, olives and pate. The boys were allowed lemonade. We, of course,  had bubbles.

We grated chocolate over a raspberry and strawberry topped pavlova and watched the fireworks by candle light on the television.We are lucky enough to see the high ones from our kitchen window.

One thing that Sydney does which I think is fabulous, is have a fireworks display at 9pm for all the familes of little people to enjoy. They are always on par with the midnight display and such a great thing to do for those who can't or simply don't want to be out in the thick of things so late.

Does your city do this aswell? 

With Lady Gaga and Pink mixing it with the cast from Glee on the ipod, we played cards with the kids.Ok.We gambled with the kids. Ashleigh swears that 21 is a great maths skill builder for the children so make of that what you will but it was lots of fun with much laughter and teasing.

And then we sparkled.

Wishing you a most wonderful year full of happiness and good health.

xxxx

Anastasia Rose

I now have a niece.

And I get to make pretty things with the disgusting amount of pretty things I seem to accumulate.

The boys wanted to know if she had said anything yet and was she crawling.

Soon.Too soon if I remember correctly.

And I will admit quietly to you here that I was a tad green.

But I've moved on from that.

I get to make pretty things and dont have to try to get the stains out.

Oh the cheek of it!

Such is the utter perfection of being an Auntie.

This is a whole new world.

I like it.

No.

I absolutely adore it.

Did I mention I have a niece...

How delicious is she going to look in this?

She's promised not to poo or bring up her milk.

Maybe it will live on the wall.......

 

If you're interested:

Shrug pattern from here.

Knitted in this.

Jumpsuit fabric Lecien cotton bought here.

Pattern from my head.Sorry about that! 

Risky.

 

xxx

 

 

baby busy

Hello! I have been doing things but none of it could be shown here.Until now.Now all has been received and therefore can be revealed.Phew.

A while ago I mentioned that my sister was pregnant.Well that baby is going to make an appearance any day now or any week now depending on how cosy he/she is in there.Officially two weeks to go.

So,much to the boys relief after months of "is our cousin born yet",it wont be much longer.

I had been waiting to know whether it is to be a boy or a girl but that was simply not Ok for my sister.She wanted some goodies now.Right now.Love it! So thats what I have been doing.

Baby goodies of the gender neutral kind.

A couple of toiles took place in plain cotton before I got to the above finished reversible hat.Basing it on the sizes of my boys heads back then, I think it should fit perfectly at about four months which is exactly when she will be out here showing baby off in the sunshine.Of course she can plonk it on beforehand in the English summer but there wont be much looking around being done-more a case of teeny baby disappearing under super cute hedgehog bucket hat!

These little pants are completely fudged basing the crotch length on some baby bloomers of Henrys.I bought a plain cotton jumpsuit and appliqued on an apple for sweetness.I think the red spot is Katie Jumps Rope-ages old stash fabric but lovely and soft.

This little cardigan is terribly soft in alpaca and I covered the buttons to match. You can find the pattern and yarn details here on my ravelry page.

This is my favourite.Both my babies loved soft fabric books and I think they used to be called quiet books.For an older baby you would have things that move and tuck in and play peek-a-boo.This is simply Heather Bailey felt appliqued on with blanket stitch.I inserted panels in between each page so when the baby opens the book the pages will stay open while they poke,slobber,tear at,squish......EEEK!

These two pussy cats are my sisters girls Tilly and Lola.They had to be in there.

It was so much fun I think I'll do another and put it on here as a tutorial.

This is all the loot on her kitchen table after she opened it last night.A bunny of course and some fushia mary jane booties with a matching hat(just in case this person is female as there is no pink at the ready!)

The red ribboned gift is to be opened when baby has arrived.Its not hard to guess what it might be-I think all children receive one of these as their first friend.

There is also knitted bunting which I must say I am about to repeat because it looks so happy hanging above my kitchen bench!

A quilt has been requested which makes me laugh as

a) it wont get used for ages 

b) my boys didnt get one until they turned seven.

I must have been a slack new mum!

Well there you go.I have one more lovely thing but thats for mums birthday on two weeks time so I cant show you that yet either.

On the super exciting side we are off for two weeks of sun,sand and sea over the school holidays coming up in a couple of weeks.Goodbye freezing NSW and hello hot sunny Queensland.Yay

It will be our last all together all the time family dose as it looks very likely that husband will be spending about seven months in South Australia.The debate as to whether we all go continues but we think it will be cruel to change schools for such a short time as almost three of those months will be school holidays broken up.We'll see.

Right now I'm looking forward to a resort style beach holiday which I dont think I've been on since I was fourteen! Is that not a tragedy?

Take care xxx

 

crafternoon

I was on God daughter duty after lunch today which is always such a treat and, now that naps are a thing of the past, we were able to do something in the time before picking up the boys.

>
The boys were beside themselves when they saw her in the playground.Besotted.

 

Have a gorgeous weekend!!

We are skateboarding/house hunting/football registering/bicycle testing and picnicing.Thats Saturday.Sunday I think we will be lying on a beach somewhere utterly exhausted.

In the midst of all that I will be on here ordering some much desired fabric and casting on something new as tonight I am binding off a sweet little cardigan that I will show you when I've blocked it.Happiness is.

ruffled

I realised that I have not shown you our last outing in London! It was a so very Londonish way to end the trip and it was so simple.Hyde Park.We waked in from Kensington down past the Mandarin Oriental ( apparently the one in New York is Heston "Lord of all things truly artistic and dare we say "experimental" to do with food" Blumenthals preferred place to rest his head), up past the squirrels going crazy for tourists and around to the pond where it was feeding time.

Do you see the little fingers clenched? Apparently they were nearly eaten off by this big pudding.That look is one of utter shock poor blossom!

My favourites with their apricot beaks and matching boots.

"Oh stop....you are too funny Master Oliver"!!!

Yes my son managed to pat a swan.I'm sure some kind of magic will have transferred.

Henry managed to pat just about everyone while Oliver preferred the art of conversation.Both of them would have stayed until every feathered friend was tucked up safely in their beds but parents can be cruel and once I decided that I was actually freezing it was time to head off.

So we did.Unfortunately there was an ocean involved and an extremely large airplane so popping in to visit the ducks is a while away.

where things should never be put

Ears.Things should never be put in ears.Not playdoh when you are five or sultanas when you are two.Certainly not hard pink wooden beads during library time when you are seven.A bead that you don't tell your mother about until the early evening so she has to walk you all up to the medical centre where they scratch their heads and try to pull it out with forceps ( went in further ),get you to hold your nose and blow air out your ears to no avail.Where they finally decide to whoosh it out with what seems like an enormous amount of water.Whoosh.That finally worked.Finally.Just as your mother was wondering how to get you all out to the childrens emergency department ( where apparently the next step was a special suction machine and if that failed an anesthetic and some "special tools') .Wondering if she could get her knitting on the way ( well those waiting times are cruel!).Thankfully instead you are home again.And your mother is pouring a glass of wine.Large.