A little birdie told me...

...it's nearly someone's birthday. That someone is my precious baby daughter. Well, she's MY baby. In reality she's about to turn two. In my head she's still 7 pound, 2 ounces and I carry her around as if she's still in a wondersuit and tiny. My back would argue otherwise and I really must let her grow up for the sake of future physio bills.
As the weather closes in and there's a persistant drip, drip, drip of winter drizzle falling from our gutters I'm grateful for having had the forethought and planning genius to deliver a baby in both June and July. It really breaks up the long cold winter and provides me with two shiny happy days and several lead up weeks of celebratory purchasing, planning, making and baking. All my faves. And as the years tick away we're developing some special birthday traditions.
As a child I always got to pick a cake from the Women's Weekly birthday cake book (didn't everyone?) and in hindsight I now realise why my Mum enthusiastically steered me towards particular options as opposed to others. What she was really doing was choosing sanity. Thankfully I never had to witness her sitting in the corner, pink icing smeared on her brow, rocking back and forth while muttering incoherantly about cake decorating.
I've since snaffled the afforementioned cake book and have started my own take on the great Australian birthday cake tradition. Each year I flick through it's yellowed, butter spattered, flour encrusted pages and choose a "surprise" cake for each of my kidlets.  This year my daughter is getting an old school Dolly Varden. As befits my nature it won't really resemble the original as I'll have to get creative and fiddle with the design. Stay tuned for some pictures.
Another of my traditions is to make something for each of them as a gift. The baby doll I featured last week is for my daughter this year. It's still in development after I dumped it in a huff during my last sewing session because it's head won't line up with it's body.  In a calmer state I shall revisit and finish it, hopefully with some baby accessories like nappies and a carrier. Again, there will be pictures.
The last tradition I'll mention is the antidote to all this handy Mandy, homemade stuff. I love homemade, other adults love homemade but the kids really want commercial, with tags, barcodes and licensed characters. So, seeing as their birthdays roll around but once a year I've decided I'll whip them down to the shops and let them (with some healthy guidance) choose a new outfit for their special day. It's a bit of fun and we might even treat ourselves to a Mummy/kiddie cuppa together.
Oh, and about last week's vow to reclaim the weekend? We kinda, sorta managed a Mum and Dad day on Sunday. Admittedly the teaching them how the world doesn't revolve around them was slightly lost. They had a special day with their Grandparents and we spent the afternoon birthday shopping for Princess Muck (see birdie clips, above). But the uninterrupted cuppa, Brunswick street location and new top and brooch for me counts as a win, don't you think? Maybe next weekend we'll try reclaiming it with the kids.

I'd like you to meet Busby. He's an owl and our final celebration of Autumn before Winter arrives. The children and I rustled him up out of some newspaper and Autumn leaves (get it?) and you'll be pleased to know he's to be the first enrty in the Clever hands section of the blog....but don't wet your pants with excitement just yet. While the pictures are all taken, I'm still searching behind the couch cushions and under the bed for half hour or so of spare time to put them online.
I'm also pondering what the next Clever hands how-to will be. Maybe something I've written about before. Perhaps my mug chocolate pudding or toilet roll sheep. I've also got an idea for a decorative garland made from vintage paper and a few weeks ago we made some cool terrariums...hmmmm, you'll just have to wait and see. With a bit of luck I might even invest in a better camera so I can take better pictures. I've been using an old, brick sized Sony and it ain't great, but that's what happens when you trust a clumsy three year old with the good camera!
Don't forget to round up all your friends and family for a Wintery excursion to Buninyong this Saturday for the Makers Market. It's always a good one, with lots of lovely people selling lovely things in a beautiful old hall. Check my link on the left for more information. See you there!