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This time last year my unchristmassy self stated that card-making would become a tradition in our household. Although these ten second scribbles have nothing on the googly-eyed trees, I've held true my word. And what I've lacked in effort I've made up with in consistency – not getting around to sending them again.

It's been a tumultuous year to say the least, and I've gone to and fro with this space but I end the year feeling grateful for this warm and kind online community. Thank you for reading, taking the time to comment and email. Have a happy and restful Christmas and a joyous celebration to bring in 2012.

Until then,
Anna xxx

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One of my goals to knock off before the end of the year was to finally finish BB's space. I've been procrastinating as the completion of this room means I now need to focus my attention on the rest of the house, which is nowhere near as rad to do.

As we've co-slept since day dot this is the first room and bed she's ever had. It's a small space and tricky to photograph – hence the different lighting in almost every picture – but I'm chuffed with how it's come together. It's a mix of hand-me-downs, roadside and op-shop finds, gifts and existing stuff I've had for years all centered around a good old Ikea pine bed (to which we hack-sawed off the bed-head.)

I'm usually vigilant with editing my photos but I'm going all out here. And please excuse the dodgy paint job, we're in a rental and apparently the last tenant decided she would go over the white walls with this murky colour. Nice one.

Here we go!

And that's what the room looks like first thing in the morning. (By the end of the day it looks like someone picked it up and gave it a good shake!)

Apple Papple print by Fine Little Day. Pirate Rosie print by my super-talented mate Cass, who makes custom orders, so check out her shop! Small bunting gifted when BB was a wee babe by Alex Le Jeune and larger bunting from Lou at we heart books. Thanks to my mother-in-law for helping me sew-up the doona cover from two old sheets and to my dear mate and fellow colour enthusiast Jill, for always being an inspiration. xx

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I love giving and receiving wine as gifts, and it's even better when the aesthetics of the label match up to the quality of the wine. Recently I was contacted by Logan Wines, a boutique family run wine producer from the NSW Central Ranges. (It always surprises me – to find out who reads this blog!) They were extremely generous to send me a selection to sample over Christmas. PB was nothing less than stoked when I told him a dozen bottles had arrived on our doorstep. He's passionate about wine and when he speaks of one he's fond of it's quite something. Often the vocabulary goes way over my head but I love watching him and listening to the cadence of his speech. When we bust some of these open he's even offered to do some tasting notes – would anyone be interested in that?

PS. Thanks for all the comments on my last post. It's a touchy subject (no pun intended) and I appreciate people taking the time to write and share their own experiences. xxx

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Little BB's intense physicality unfortunately extends to hitting; me, other kids, inanimate objects and when all those outlets have been exhausted she'll resort to giving herself a whack. This has been going on for months now and like Kellie, I also hoped it was just a phase. Sadly, we're still in it.

I feel like I've tried everything and I'm tired of hearing myself constantly saying No. No hitting. Say sorry. Gentle hands. (And so on...) Thing is she's a bright little button and she knows it's wrong. I watch her and I see she can't help it. If you ask her why the child standing next to her is crying she'll tell you, Hit! and apologise immediately. After reading and re-reading this I've decided to take a gentler approach and stop treating her like the bad guy and empower her to understand the intensity she feels. Sometimes that can be tricky, especially in a public situation where parent of crying child is waiting for you to reprimand your little thug. Today a (bigger) girl fiercely screamed in BB's face for incing towards the piece of play equipment she was taking sole ownership of and BB retorted by giving her a deft right-hander. The little girl went crying to her mother who consoled her by reiterating that BB had hurt her. I bent down to BB's level, spoke calmy, firmly and quite audibly to those around me: You didn't do anything wrong to her. She was yelling at your face. I understand that made you feel angry. It's ok to be angry, but it's not ok to hit. Next time you feel like that you can walk away. Let's go over to the swings.

She might not understand it all just yet, but one day the penny will drop (hopefully) and she'll be able to manage her anger without hitting. I don't want her to get a bad label. She's a really good girl, her energy is a beautiful thing but during times of frustration it manifests itself in violence, which is not very cool.

PS. And seriously – I'm going to have a little vent here – Playground Politics (as the term gets thrown around) they shouldn't exist! If it you're not willing to share it LEAVE IT AT HOME. Simple. How can we expect our children to share all of their stuff but the minute they touch someone else's toy they get reprimanded? Surely that must be confusing.

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I remember – quite vividly – sobbing at the end of last month as PB explained his work schedule for the lead up to Christmas. The thought of 4 more weeks similar to the initial rough one of our new regime made me feel sick to the pit of my stomach.

But. We found our groove and I can't bloody believe we're almost there! Thankfully BB is still a bit wee to understand the idea of Christmas* as sadly December has been more about survival than magic – but with horrid weather encouraging indoor activities we've at least painted up a storm in abstract-art gifts. And three cheers to PB who despite a severe lack of sleep due to 20hr work days still musters up the energy to take his girls out for a (pre-dinner) gelato.

* Months ago while we were looking at surfboards BB latched onto a mini kids one in hope that it might leave the store with her. I said, Oh, maybe you'll get one for Christmas! Weeks later, while she was admiring our neighbors bike I told her, Maybe you'll get one for Christmas! To which she stopped, thought for a very long time then replied (quite firmly)... surfboard!! Looks like surfboard it is, Santa.

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A little video I shot last Saturday. We had a stolen hour on the beach before the rain set in. Just enough to capture these bare bums in action.

Happy weekend ya'll! xx

PS. Thanks to Claire for the tip off on the 8mm iPhone app.

Music by Beirut. Big call, but maybe my favourite band ever (at least from our time).  

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I've recently embarked upon looking into pre-schools for BB...

...Holy Moly.

Initially we thought about Montessori. It feels like a natural progression, home-birth, breastfeeding, co-sleeping...  Montessori. However after some research into schools in our area sadly it's proving to be a financially inaccessible choice. One school even demands $165 to go on the waiting list to compete for 25 spaces. (And we live in a neighborhood abundant with children... so what are the odds?)

Plan B – visit a few local centres and go with my gut feeling on the people that run it.  I checked one out last week that I really wanted to like but I just didn't get good vibes. The outdoor space was dismal and they seemed a bit too focused on curriculum which boasts French and Japanese lessons. (Is that normal at this age?) The local KU seems like a good choice, however if we pop her name down now we're still not likely to get in until she's 4.

I feel over my head with this one. I'm not sure what's normal and what's reflective of the extortion that accompanies inner-city living. And at an average of $100 a pop for the waiting list, how many do you sign up to?

It's times like this the urge to swing further left and home-school is strong, and if BB didn't say mama, this, kids, please every time we walk past a pre-school I may even consider it.

Image: BB's first play-dough experience, as per Em's recipe. I love that during full concentration she sticks her tongue out – just like I do.

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I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with Stuff. Being surrounded by things I love makes me happy, although the upkeep (especially in a humid and partial to dampness environment) does my head in at times. Despite reoccurring thoughts of how much easier a clutter-less, minimalistic existence would be I seem to continually accumulate more and more crap. I can't help it. I'm attracted to colourful things – it's innate.

Top: at Vinnies today: floral pillowcase, picture book (that unfortunately stinks of mothballs), flannel baby blanket and granny rug.
Bottom: spontaneous pedi during my ordered-out-of-the-house-for-being-a-grump break. I thought I'd go for something a bit rad to cheer myself up. In hindsight not so sure... (Shoes from Greek-sandals that I found via veronica loves archie – which I'm currently a little bit obsessed with, particularly for interiors inspiration.)

PS. I put together another video! But you know, two video posts in a row would be ke-razy. Will pop it up here soon.

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The other night I finally got around to compiling a video of all these snippets I've taken with my iPhone. I'm absolutely not one to brag but she is a gun on that thing, there's no denying it. There's been plenty of accidents too but I've always refrained from putting them up here due to the sheer gore (thankfully, they always looked worse than what they were).

Music by Yann Tiersen. 

PS. Excuse the dodgy video work, it was my first go and although iMovie is very intuitive to use I can't say I spent a lot of time on this!

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Thank you for all your comments on my previous post. I really appreciate people taking the time to write their thoughts – it only cements further in my mind that a simpler life is the right thing for our little family.

Part of me feels like I've quit my job and I'm left to work out my notice period. You know – just finishing up things and preparing for a handover. But that's not the case. We have a business and we can't leave yet. There's still a couple of years to slog it out and I don't want to wish that time away hastily for a better future. Because there's always a new set of challenges around the corner. (Bloomwhereyou'replantedbloomwhereyou'replanted...)

So in aid of continual blossoming I'm going to set myself mini-goals to draw attention away from the big one. Finishing BB's room (it's so close), snazzying up the remainder of the apartment and finally addressing the ever growing piles of crap that seem to circulate without a home. There's a list of craft projects to tackle, sewing to finish (and start) and thousands of photos and files to be sorted.

It's on. I even plan to document photographic evidence of these happenings on this blog. And by saying that it means now I really have to do it. (Crap).

BB's first ever piggy-tails. Or as she calls them, taihallls, two!

PS. The last photo is for my  parents, who have FINALLY sorted out a new computer with proper internet and are avid readers. Czesc Mama i Tata! Duze buzki!