Wrapping up a full week on Planet Baby

Oh, my! This past week has been quite extraordinarily busy on Planet Baby. I’d like to thank you all for the staggering response to my little giveaway! I never expected such interest and I’m so chuffed to see some of you even adding it to your sidebars – all this for the girl who doesn’t even have a blog button! Just hilarious. And for those who are interested, Martha has a linky for you to add your links to posts about Jane so she can have a central place to look at our messages of support. Anyway, back to Planet Baby and the week that was!

Joshua finished Kindy

The week’s high point was Joshua finishing Kindergarten, ready to change schools. It was quite emotional for a Certain Mother as I contemplated how far he’s come this year. Here he is, brandishing his ‘special book’ which I can’t wait to read.

Instead of scribbles, he now draws (anatomically correct) people. He can write his name.

He can make Christmas cards for his teacher and her aide and write and draw in them. It took him about half an hour but I was so proud of him (note to self: next year, don’t leave it until witching hour the night before school finishes to remember to make the cards!). Look at him holding hands with his teacher. And Steve the stegosaurus he drew (note the amusing six legs – he giggled over that)! This age is so gorgeous.


Joshua and India busied themselves in Christmas ‘crafting’

Spurred on by Miss India, the older pixies and I made some Christmas cards, inspired by Sarah. I was surprised at how simple it was and what great pleasure we all derived from it. We bought some cards, envelopes and scrapbooking paper from Spotlight. I cut the paper into strips of differing lengths. The pixies sorted them out into groups and then used a glue stick and stickers to create their masterpieces.

Ta da! They’ve been popped in the post today.


Sam started walking properly

Sammy started walking, no, racing, around with his drunken sailor gait. After months of cruising around or walking holding our hands, our little man realised he could go it alone. Watching the joy of that discovery on his face was priceless. Not to mention the thought that this is the last of my babies to take that giant stride in independence. A lifetime of walking lies ahead of him. Oh, and it’s a little relief, as well – he’s getting too heavy to carry! That will take a bit of adjustment for me – for most of the past five years, I’ve always had a baby on my hip. Come to think of it, I’d better get Mr PB to take a photo of my holding him – a seemingly mundane shot but one which I’m sure we’ll all treasure in the years to come.

Mr PB and I started our (belated) spring clean

It was high time for a thorough clean-up and reorganisation on PB. The amount of paraphernalia the pixies accrue never ceases to amaze me. Are you parents all nodding your heads? After two days, we had thrown out all the broken toys, given many away, sorted out the remainder and actually had some spare space left over – bonus!

The stove now takes pride of place in the older pixies’ bedroom and is being well patronised. Even little Sam has been whipping up a storm! The garden was weeded, the hedge trimmer brandished with gusto and finally it all looks a little sprucer. Just in time for Christmas celebrations with our families.

I received some blog love

# 1

And in the middle of all this activity, lots of lovely blog love floated to Planet Baby. Sweet Simone at the delightful Honey and Fizz was kind enough to feature me here in her ’12 questions with…’ series where she interviews some of her favourite bloggers which was a lot of fun. Do pop over to her blog and treat yourselves – she has a lovely mixture of posts about her family, life, fashion and fun.

# 2

I won a sweet giveaway from Kylie of Flying Ducks of a little Tiffany Blue (swoon!) notebook and pen.

#3

That was then followed by winning lovely Tina of Rubies’ Place’s homemade giveaway. I won a little tin heart and Tina’s delicate crocheted star garland but Tina being Tina, another extra little wooden heart appeared in the post as well. Just delightful. She is such a generous soul. The pixies can’t wait to hang up the garland over our mantle.

#4

Then kind Anna at European Chic took on board a comment I made in a recent email about how I miss Germany at this time of year and posted this. Just for me. Can you believe her kindness – she went out of her way, into the snowy coldness to take photos of Stuttgart’s Christmas Market. Just for me in faraway, sunny Hobart. Gee, I love this bloggy caper!

# 5 and 6

Finally, two of my favourite bloggy friends gave me awards. Sweet Amanda of Homely One passed on the ‘A blog with substance’ award.

Thanks, Amanda, I’m chuffed (*blush*) and so pleased we’ve found each other in Blogland. I’d like to pass this award onto the following bloggers who have been both amusing and fascinating me of late:

• Emma at The adventures of baby pirate and Captain Nicholas;

• Fiona at Cattle, Kids & Chaos;

• Sophie at Red Dust Love; and

• Emily at Read Me a Story.

They’re all relatively new bloggers and have such fabulous tales to tell. Emma is mum to two little boys in Sydney and writes most engagingly. Fiona and Sophie are raising lots of children in outback Australia (I’m learning so much about country life!). And Emily lives in the US and is a mum to two young girls. She writes beautifully about children’s books. Do treat yourselves and visit them.


My kind friend Janette of My Sweet Prints gave me the ‘You are gifted’ award she’d received from fellow Planetarian, Nicole, at Bubby Makes Three.

Swoon! Blue + gift wrapping = bliss

Janette has been one of my earliest supporters and I really value her generosity and kind heart. Now this award is to ‘recognise some of the special people in Blogland who entertain, enrich, inspire and lighten our lives a little with their words each day’.

I’m passing it on to the following brilliant bloggers:

• Jeanne at Collage of Life (oh, and B-Well, Finding My Way, In One Place and cashmerejeans, for good measure!);

• Felicity at Gifts of Serendipity; and

• Sarah at Oesch & Doots.

These ladies are three of my most valued bloggy friends (and Sarah in the flesh, too, lucky me), providing me with invaluable support, insights and ideas. You all brighten my lives, ladies.

PS Don’t forget to enter my giveaway – don’t forget it will close on Tuesday 21 December 2010 (ie TOMORROW) at 6 pm AEDT (Australian Eastern Daylight Time so overseas Planetarians please take that into account).