Music from another room

Selah Busy at Kindy

2009-11-03T15:39:00.004+13:00

Selah was very busy at kindergarten on her first day without Mum/Dad visiting with her. Her painting at the easel is as follows: "This is a bumblebee with a tail on it's bum and a poo coming out it's bum". Hopefully that is the description of what it looks like after she's drawn it (which I can see what she's saying) as opposed to pre-thinking of bee poo...

Her first carpentry experience also left no fingers damaged - phew!

Overall I think it will take a wee while for her to settle to the fact that there are lots of other kids at kindy that will want to play with 'her' things :) and it'll be great social development on how to make friends and not cry everytime someone causes an injustice in her world. After all, isn't that what preschool education is about?!

Selah swims at home

2009-10-18T19:53:00.004+13:00

Selah using her imagination...

Age of the computer

2009-10-14T15:09:00.003+13:00

Selah has mastered the mouse and thanks to Elmo, can click and drag and create drawings and such without Mum's help. Yay! Next touch typing and she can update this blog herself seeing as I'm getting slacker ;)

I'm taking Selah for an allergy test tomorrow. She seems to have hayfever (sore eyes, runny nose, general malaise) and antihistamines definitely work to lessen all of these, but I want to know what it is she's allergic to to see if we can desensitise her or make sure she's on the right antihistamine and right dose to make life more enjoyable. Poor sausage 3rd day without antihistamine today and her nose is red and raw from wiping her streaming nose. She had an unsettled night last night so I can't wait to give her more antihistamine tomorrow after the test!

Some sad news from TEAR Fund yesterday that our sponsor girl April and her community were affected by the second typhoon that hit the Philipines. It makes it alot closer to home in a sense -you can see tragedy when you hear it on the news, but it makes it all the more personal because our April is possibly going hungry and scared with her family.

Selah turns 3!

2009-09-11T12:53:00.005+12:00

Selah had a butterfly birthday to mark her 3rd birthday - butterfly cake at the park Saturday, butterfly creek monday, actual birthday Tuesday... she keeps declaring with independence that she wants to xyz because she's a big girl now. Unfortunately she wanted to wear undies to bed night 'because she's a big girl now' and that was a bit troublesome so we've now learned a few things she isn't big enough for...
Mummy and Selah on the slide at the park - Selah likes to climb up the slide then slam into Mum at the bottom

She will start afternoon kindy 2 afternoons in November so that's exciting - time flies and she'll be off to school in no time!

fun with friends

2009-07-20T12:20:00.004+12:00

Ambury farm with friends
We baked a cake for baby Emily (not the real baby Emily, the one in the picture) and had a 1st birthday for her. She's probably more like 2years old but we felt like chocolate cake. Well, I did and Selah just wanted the 'ice'.

muffy giggles

2009-07-16T19:13:00.002+12:00

Who knows where Selah got this from, but she and I got a laugh out of it. :)

art work

2009-07-16T13:02:00.002+12:00

Selah's 'girl' picture with face, eyes, nose, mouth, legs, ears (sticking out like little arms), one arm (on the right), hair. Genius.

Croaky 2years 10mths

2009-07-08T13:06:00.005+12:00

Here's a croaky girl, 2 mths off her 3rd birthday. Would you know she's sick with the way she's bouncing around? She has terrible night breathing and cough...she's a bit better today as she isn't asking for a nap (in fact she doesn't want one now- poor me).

Selah gets bigger

2009-07-08T12:34:00.004+12:00

Selah loves to help me with chores and asks to do them. Long may that continue. :)

Aren't they lovely when they're asleep.

Helping Mum with Soup. Daddy took the photo on his new camera.

Some pics

2009-05-22T11:57:00.005+12:00

Selah has pretty much dropped her daytime sleep so I've had less time to do things in the day and the blog has been a bit neglected...the top photo is Selah and Emily in the zebra tent, and bottom is Selah with her kids earmuffs which have been worn to bed at noisy rain nights successfully :) She has conjuntivitis at the mo so we're not going out to play with kids etc. hoping to not spread it. The day passes so much quicker when you can go out so the days are feeling long at the moment.

2009-04-27T20:16:00.006+12:00

Selah loved her holiday and her Jo and Jermy and their rabbit marmalade.

There is great space to hide from the Daddy monster at Aunty Faye's house...

I went away this weekend and left Selah with Frank for the first time (overnight-2nights). I was very tense and nervous on the Friday of leaving but knew it would be good for all of us. I enjoyed chatting with girlfriends about life, lying in bed after 7am, finishing a meal and staying seated! It's the small things!
I was interested to see upon my return, that Selah had stepped up a notch in independence - she got out of the bath, dried herself, put on her jammies and buttoned up the front (one two miss a few!) and helped unload the dishwasher. She did her own make-up and hair this morning even (resulting in eyebrows on her cheek!)
Here's a clip of Selah being teacher to Emily singing 'row row row your boat' gengen down the street'.

Selah loses baby

2009-03-23T12:54:00.002+13:00

We had a fun weekend with a lunch party for Anthea (40th) in Hamilton on Saturday, and a coffee group outing to the beach/park at St Helier's bay on Sunday...the dampener was when at bedtime on Sunday night, 'baby Emily' was nowhere to be found (not the real baby Emily)...was she in the car? no! Oh no! She must be at the park. Neither Frank nor I could remember specifically seeing baby go into the home bag or coming out of the bag, or seeing her in the house on our return.
Selah was happy enough to go to bed with cat because she reasoned 'baby not at the beach, she must be in the car' (as Daddy was at work so we'd be able to fetch her when he was home'). Cat didn't cut it at 3.30am and 5am when she wanted me to 'find baby' and I said we would find her in the morning (i.e. I was hoping beyond hope that farmers still sells that type of baby 19 months later!)...
Selah woke with a real desperately sad grieving cry that I've never heard before and she was very hard to soothe. I found it very heartbreaking.
On our preparations for getting ready to go to Farmers, Selah exclaims 'there's my baby' pointing into the pantry behind the lasagne...she had been a little ninja and snuck her in there while I was getting something out for dinner. I remember saying 'don't get that out' (as in the lasagne) but I hadn't realised she'd actually put something in...
So we were all very very relieved and Selah is now happily sleeping with baby after baby's trip to Daddy's work and the zoo.
My heart was sore with my 2 1/2 year old losing a $10 doll...what on earth will it feel like if she is bullied or has a break-up or something else? I can't imagine how that weighs on a parent.
Kia kaha parents!

Selah dresses up

2009-02-21T16:06:00.003+13:00

Selah has been successful for almost a week of no accidents in big girl undies and it's very exciting for a first time Mum to have my girl gain independence :)

Selah is starting to enjoy dressing up more, manicures and the like. Here she is 'posing' without being asked to. Inate? Magazines? I'm not sure what that is.

I did it

2009-02-08T14:40:00.002+13:00

Selah has been a delight of late - I don't want to speak too soon though!...whether the two-year old battles are over (I doubt) or the heat of the night and back to routine aspects of life have helped I'm not sure. She's been listening well usually and saying 'don't be mad Mum' if she's thinking of doing something she thinks might not be quite right. It's lovely to see some self-control developing. I say' some' for obvious reasons...
Hard not to laugh :)

Farm Girl

2009-02-01T13:53:00.005+13:00

We had Auckland Anniversary Weekend away at the Mellar's farm. Selah and the cat got on splendidly for the most part but a scratch and bite didn't put Selah off going back for more tries at putting her head on Socks' tummy. Poor Socks. Selah kept asking for 'sock' (after all there was only one cat).
We found out Selah gets hayfever. Poor Selah (and Frank who got it badly too). Although, I have a cold this week so it might have been that I caught a cold off her...Although she was better once we were back in Auckland...who knows.

Selah had a try of David's drums and every now and again held a beat. She also loved Jess showing her the hens and carrying the eggs inside.

My favourite things at the farm were the QUIET (no noisy neighbours, no constant noise of traffic/cicadas), reading in the quiet (Chris had some mags that I enjoyed there), and sleeping in the quiet (at least until 6am...). Did I mention it was quiet? It was great to catch up with the Mellars and Moetaras too obviously and chat over a steak. Jess was a lovely friend for Selah and made yummy French Toast for everyone.

Twinkle twinkle little star how I wonwhachuare

2009-01-06T16:15:00.003+13:00

My girl

2009-01-06T16:05:00.003+13:00

Selah loves to do things 'bow self'...here she has on 4 t-shirts and 15 bibs. She did get a bit of help to do this however.

Summer has brought some challenges of late - sleeping on holiday (early starts = grumpy girl), fireworks in Onehunga (terrified 2year old = grumpy girl) and heat (=grumpy girl) and 2year old = grumpy girl. Tiring! She has been developing some further loveliness of late however as she enjoys praying and saying grace (or having others do this for her), talking about how she will say 'help me Jesus' if there are 'bangers' that scare her (i.e. fireworks) and loving on her toys (showering them, putting them to bed etc.). We have had fun trips with Daddy to the domain, beach, zoo etc. and are sad that he's back at work again.
I'm definitely relishing today with Selah back in care and me at home sorting out jobs that I don't get around to with a toddler in tow.

Dressing up

2008-12-18T13:00:00.006+13:00

Selah talks on the phone (actually a remote)

Selah doing 'pakipaki' with her feet. (i.e. clap clap)

Selah listening to the bible on MP3 with Dad. She likes hearing the sheep, horses and people she recognises like 'Mary and Jofis'.

Selah self

2008-12-08T13:34:00.003+13:00

Selah is getting more independent and enjoys dressing herself 'Selah self' she says...

Selah all grown up

2008-11-30T19:49:00.004+13:00

Selah likes to be swaddled in a blanket as baby roleplay. This is the blanket we had doubled over to fit her when she was 8weeks old!

Movember

2008-11-22T19:31:00.002+13:00

Selah supports Movember...
Selah at Parana Park in Hamilton...

Selah had a fever Thursday/Friday and wanted to stay in bed for stories but still wanted to wear her frog hat from sunday school..

November?!

2008-11-15T16:02:00.002+13:00

The end of the year is drawing near. It has been very hot already and I'm not looking forward to humidity and heat. Though, I am looking forward to summer salads, bbqs, the beach, Christmas holiday, and more than anything, my girl graduating on toilet training...

Life is good at the moment albeit hectic. I'm enjoying writing teaching sessions for Mercy Ministries though it grates me sometimes that I have to fit it in last when it's something I'm really enjoying, but that's ok. Apparently it's all about seasons and doing what you can when you can and trying to be content in all circumstances.
I'm enjoying cell group at our house and some good conversations with friends. I'm loving Emily more playful and awake. I'm enjoying Lauren&Eden growing up with Selah. I'm enjoying my new pair of shorts :).

Realistically I won't get to my blog again for awhile so unless you want to come over and help in my weed garden or play with Selah so I can, see you in December!

Holiday

2008-10-20T13:56:00.005+13:00

Once upon a time, Frank & I would have tripped around wineries sampling a range of wines; sat in cafes talking, and strolled along the beach hand in hand. Holidays are different now - we hunt out parks with swings, take bread in the car to feed ducks, and pop into the shop for bonjela.

We did however have a relaxing time away at Dandy and Nan's house (Dandy is Grandy as Selah says it at the mo). Aside from what will be called 'the tissue night' where Selah rolled 3 bits of tissue into balls and stuck them in her nose causing her to wake every hour through the night (I got one out with tweezers but didn't realise there were more there until she sneezed the next morning and they came out).

Here's a couple of pics - Selah with Dandy and on her birthday bike from Dandy&Nan.

Wheee!

2008-10-09T17:35:00.003+13:00

I just put the same video on as the last post. Clearly my brain isn't working.
I've been on antibiotics this week for pneumonia and my brain hasn't worked for the last week - misspellings and muddled words galore.
Just as well I noticed once I published!

Daring Selah

2008-10-03T19:11:00.004+13:00

Selah is loving going 'wast' down the hill. She is learning to slow down by putting her feet on the ground but there is bound to be a bit of a scrape at some point.

Selah's getting her last tooth finally. I'm sick again but am hoping with the onset of good weather everyone can get healthy properly. We're off to Napier next weekend so I'm looking forward to time with family.