Mama is the word !

I am chuffed* that Baby Ben's first word was 'Mama'. She repeats this throughout the day and this makes me content. She already is mama's little girl.

She is growing and glowing. She will be one in a little less than two month's time. Time really flies... Baby Ben will be a toddler. She is mobile and active and will voice her feelings. I have a feeling she will be a smart girl and will not be easily stepped on. She needs to have a good pair of lungs in order to compete for attention being the youngest of four kids.


chuffed is Aussie slang for utter happiness (no need to get all didactic)

Random food photo

Hassleback potatoes (or something to that effect) which is basically just whole potatoes scored and roasted.

Poux rhymes with poo-poo

Les poux sont de nouveau parmi nous...


MDR !

Obviously our recurring collisions with headlice is due to Lil Miss N's classmate M who has extremely frizzy hair... She has a tendency to lean over and rub her head full of lice onto Lil Miss N and vice versa hence we have to deal with the encumbrance of constant itching and scratchy heads.

We opt for the method of suffocating the lice by inundating them with harmless parafin.
It has proven to be optimal until the next episode when back to school equals de nouveau poux.

I am at a loss as to what the best treatment is...to avoid the contagious poulleuse altogether aka advising Lil Miss N to evade her and to severe friendship with her. It sounds harsh but I don't know what other options or choices I have...

AVS still not assured

Petit Suisse and Lil Miss N together with Baby Taz and Benben received as is the custom on the first day of the Lunar New Year red pockets which contains loose change for luck.

They got several red pockets on the first of January 2010 and Petit Suisse and Lil Miss N proceeded to emphasise in no uncertain terms that it was their money and that Shrek and I were not to interfere with. I then promptly reminded Petit Suisse that it is not cheap to raise them as children into adolescence and eventually adulthood. They cost several houses the four of them to be fed, clothed, sheltered and educated as well as going on holidays etc and hobbies, educational/exchange trips to come. I told Petit Suisse that since they were being calculated lil buggers that I would also begin my calculations and that each time I buy food, clothes etc for them I would then count that and deduct it from any of the money they receive. Petit Suisse had a moment of revelation and decided that it was better to forgo 'loose change' in order to gain a lifetime (until they are independent) of financial support.

Moral of the story is that rivers and streams flow one way downstream only and the reverse is not applicable. Parents taking care of their offsprings is a given but sprouts taking care of their bamboos is a rare evenement to behold. Counting on kids for your AVS is becoming rather archaic.

Murphy's laws cont'ed

No matter the number of reuseable paper shopping bags in our possession : at home or in the car, Shrek will invariably have the need to buy yet another one because of one of the following reasons forgetfulness. The numerous bags sit idly and await their chance to become useful but we always leave them at home or in the boot of our car.

Needless to say our burgeoning collection of useless paper bags never end.

Nutting is free

Free things come at a price sometime dearer than one would like to attribute to gratuity.
Free things always without exception bring out the worst in human nature. People will step on others without any regard for whomever is in their way and be utterly bitchy just to get their part of the cake(figuratively speaking).

Stretching the dough the farthest

I have found some sites that are dedicated to helping anyone with economics problem or budgeting probs to save more.

http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/frugal_fun/index.html

http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

http://www.wackyuses.com/uses.html

http://www.tipztime.com/

I do not think I need to get ideas as I have plenty of my own already and I do not live in America but it just proves my point that there are others like me out there, looking to save whereever and to cut corners where we can.

There are boundless sites for frugal mums worldwide which gives ideas for cheap or free kids activities as well as creative and cheap ways to raise kids... Kids ultimately need parents' time, attention and to have meaningful interactions and conversations/communication and guidance not the latest electronic toys that they will be bored of after the novelty has worn off.


Shrek, this lil tidbit was for you.

Interesting concept

I doubt I have the patience to upkeep this but I would like to attempt Project 365 which interests me as I have been wanting to keep a photojournal of my daily existence which invariably involves mainly my kids and sometime other hobbies or projects of mine.

I do intend to at least take some photographic souvenirs in order to maintain some shred of a family lineage or journal so that my kids will be able to look back upon their own childhood and hopefully read some insights into their mum as a woman of substance and not just a no-brainer homemaker/housekeeper/maid/babysitter. I long for relevance...

This should be included in my New Year resolutions.

Requiem for a fallen helper

Our beloved Sibir Super Silencieux has fallen and kicked the bucket so to speak. She is no longer functioning and will be kicked to the curb with some regret and a tear shred by me.

It is also fitting that she went out in style and aplomb and will be replaced in the New Year with our new maid Miele.

Goodbye old friend ! You who have served us well for the past eight years with gusto and unfailing fidelity. It is now your time to rest in the used and beyond repair cemetary for broken warriors aka household appliances encompassing washing machines, dishwashers, dryers and so forth. May you have lasting peace in your merited rest.

Re-organisation

What this New Year holds...

We have a few resolutions

My number one resolution is not to get bogged down by resolutions and lists thus I am having only one resolution that is I will go with the flow, stress less and take things one step at a time.

ORGANISATION is the key !