21/52 - helpfulness + hiking

Lily

Our little family theme this week was 'helpfulness'. The kids and I talked a lot about what it means to be helpful, why we help each other and how to be helpful to others. We looked out for opportunities to be helpful around the home and gave extra doses of recognition and thankfulness when we spotted it. It is natural for a child's focus to be on their own little world, but I hope to continually open their eyes over time to the needs and activities around them and to see how valuable it is when they step in to lend a hand. Everyone has something to give!

My sweet-hearted Lily had some precious ideas such as tidying up her Daddy's office - Mark sure appreciated finding all his office things tidied into little piles, heehee! One evening she offered to help me make dinner. She worked really hard grating a huge pile of Parmesan and even helped stir the risotto... and we all know that takes some time! 

Love her happy, helpful heart. 

Eli

Puppy dog eyes.

Quite literally, as he is in the midst of playing 'Doggies' with Lily. Unsurprisingly, he is the puppy and she is the owner. He scampers around the house, fetching and rolling and happily displaying all his tricks. 

Such an accommodating little brother! Always ready to play and be part of the fun. And who could resist those baby blues?!

Miles

The bath is his happy place. Mine too! It's one of my favourite rituals with him... especially since he graduated to the full-size bath tub in recent weeks. In an inch or two of water, he can happily flail about, kicking and splashing to his heart's content. He just loves it and already I see the look of gleeful recognition when I lay him down in the warm water. I love contentedly sitting on the little green stool in the bathroom, continually dripping warm water over him from the wash cloth, rubbing his hair, and laughing, chatting and gently singing with my little happy camper. It is a sweet time, bested only by that delicious moment when I lift him from the water and wrap him quickly and snugly in a cosy big towel. Ain't nothing like a freshly bathed, towel-swaddled baby, is there?

Of course... although this child rarely spits up, five minutes after his cleansing bath, without fail, he always manages to spit up on himself. Cheeky boy! Hmmm, maybe it's his way of ensuring he gets another bath soon?!

Project 52: A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013.

More highlights from the week that was...

It's been a lovely relaxed week with a renewed sense of energy to devote to my family and home. I have recently wrapped up about four months of Public Relations/Marketing consulting (from home) for an old friend who just starting up a new web business. It is a wonderful business and I really enjoyed being involved in the launch of something so exciting and stretching those old work wings! As fun as it all was, finishing up for now has felt a little like releasing a breath I didn't even realise I was holding. It just feels nice to have recaptured some time and space (both physically and mentally) for my busy young family and I'm grateful I can keep that as my main job for now!

With a Saturday spread before us, we decided to hike up Mt Taylor, a very popular walking track not too far from us. Canberra is getting super frosty but today after the mist cleared, it was a gorgeous blue day and we wanted to get out and enjoy it! We have never done the track with the kids before and certainly did not intend to go the whole way (it is a pretty intense upward climb) but somehow... we did. Admittedly at least three times I suggested at a rest stop that it was probably time to turn back but each time we decided to go 'just a little further'. When Mark suggested 3/4 of the way up that the kids have the little chocolate treat he had smuggled into his jacket, Lily exclaimed 'But Daddy, those are for when we get to the top!'. Shamed by our four year old, on we trekked!! And somehow, some way, we made it to the summit - with me carrying 7ish kilos of baby the whole way (yes, I was pretty proud of myself!). Miles had the time of his life being toted along, he just napped and looked around without a peep the whole morning!

I was super impressed by how well the kids did walking all that way. After we reached the summit there were a few tears from our exhausted little duo who realised we had to walk down again!! But hand-in-hand (it was a steep descent) we finally made it back to the car and cheered for our family accomplishment... it felt pretty satisfying!

Ready to start the walk. Definitely overdressed, we had to carry the coats most of the way! (iPhone pic)

Headed back down...

Lily decided to try and make letters on the floor. Corralling her wriggly
non-literate brother took some effort but they got a pretty good 'T' in the end!

She loves to read to him and I love to see them!

Parmesan-grating

Eli was keen to assist at bath time. Little Bro was happy to see him!

 

When I said it was hair-washing time, funny little E said 'Mummy, 'dis a new way to wash my hair!' Nice try!