#49 Cakes

I am 100% faithful to the Australian Womens Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book (Vintage edition of course).Well, 110% really... Best not get started on that one since it's certainly deserves its own post!
If only my birthday joy wasn't so firmly rooted in that book - how cute are these cakes by Patricia of Yummy Cupcakes in Sydney? I especially love the nautical themed cupcakes & I know a certain 20 year old who would think they were the bee's knee's...

  
 

How about those bathroom tiles hey? Adorabubble.
Yep, I went there...

Cx

#48 Parents

I've been introduced to this tumblr via Snippet & Ink, uh how cute is it?!

"My Parents Were Awesome"

 

   

I really hope that one day we somehow seem this awesome!

 

Cx

#47 Newborn Photography

After our boy was born we had the best of intentions of getting some professional photos taken. Unfortunately it was something (ok, one of the many things) we just never got around to & as we didn't have a decent camera at the time we have a lot of photos (& i mean a lot)  from when he was little that are nice for helping to trigger memories but in all honesty, quite woefully inadequate.

It's a mistake  that Mr N & I have both promised each other that we won't make next time.
You can't help but think about 'next time' when you see photos like the ones that Brisbane based Eva Carter Photography uploaded today...



I'm not sure what it is, but there's just something so heart melting about babies with their papas...
I don't know if it's just me, perhaps because it was something I never had? Or whether it affects everyone else the same way but it gets me every time.
It was definately much much worse when i was pregnant though.
There's that television advertisement for a well known painkiller that has a father holding his baby & there's a shot from in front of him, then from behind & you see the baby just peeking over his shoulder, nuzzling into his neck. The babies tiny hand reaches above his shoulder & it's fingers curl.
Not such an unusual sounding advertisement right?
Me? Bawling. Every. Time.
Ridiculous.



But oh... look at those perfect little baby fingers...
Just beautiful!

Next time for sure.

Cx

#46 Animal Facts

Did you know that a group of apes is called a 'shrewdness'?

 

Me neither.

How about that a group of bees can be called not only a swarm or a'hive but also a grist, a drift or a bike?
That a flock of birds can, among other things, also be called a dissimulation & a herd of buffalo or bison can also be called an obstinacy?
While you might know that a male donkey is called a jack or a jackass, did you know that a female donkey is called a jennet or a jenny or that a male turkey is a tom?
Or that a baby grasshopper is called a nymph & a lamb can also be called a cosset?

Me neither!!!
We're enjoying this enlightening 'enchanted learning' spreadsheet at our house. Can you tell?

Cx

#45 Identity

This morning Master C & I were reading picture books in bed & chatting, when our conversation turned somehow to his name.
I was explaining to him - just for fun - that his middle name was once his fathers nickname, here is the conversation that followed.
Me: So a nickname is something people often call you, that is isn't really your name. Just like we call you 'Spud'.
Master C: Yes... But that's not my real name, my real name is C(insert first, middle & surname here).
Me: Yes. That's right.
Master C: But sometimes people don't know what my name is.
Me: What do you mean?
Master C: Well, all the time people at the shops say to me (adopts the exact intonations as I now realise would so often be used) "Hi there Matey!"
Me - laughing: Honey i know what you mean but they don't think that's your name, it just means ' Hi Friend'... it's just a different word for friend.
Master C: Well... I don't like it.
Me: Why not honey? It's a nice thing to say to someone?
Master C: Because my name is C(insert first, middle & last name here). And, I am happy with that.

I think it is quite amazing just how young a child's sense of identity develops.
I also think it both remarkable & amusing that they are often so fiercely protective of it...That for so many children the use of any adjective will elicit a fiery response of " No I'm not! I'm *name*!!!"
In a way it feels like a tiny insight into a time in the future when everything about them will be so much more 'them' than their parents. When the name that you gave them will suddenly seem so much more to you, than it does to them.
A most frightening & lovely role reversal...

Cx

#44 Indoor Swings

Swings are awesome. I think we can all agree on that?
Indoor swings however, are a whole new level of awesome.

One day...


anita kaushal via lushlee

  
via remodelista

Love. Love. Love.

C x

#43 New Baby

This would be a sweet welcome gift for a new baby...



Or a gift for a new family... or a somewhat more 'established' one!

 
engraved stones via sjengraving on etsy

Bit cute I reckon!

Cx

#42 Bath Food

When we were little my younger sister collected novelty bath soaps A trip to the chemist & the sight of that shelf stacked with boxes full of mass produced, somewhat poorly formed, soap animals would hold our attention rapturously until our mother completed her shopping & dragged us away...Once with a soap hippo in my sisters pocket as I recall! She was caught out less than a block away & made to take it back & apologise. Criminal behaviour that was most enjoyably witnessed by myself I might add. 

Anyhow, those little fancies pale in comparison to the following!

 

puzzles pieces via dirtyasssoaps on etsy

 

corn cob w/ butter via twoeggplants & jam on toast soap via soapopotomas - both on etsy

The corn cob is infused with shea butter, while the toast is made from goats milk that smells like freshly baked bread & the strawberry jam contains real strawberry seeds!

 

organic vegan oreo soaps via dirtyasssoaps & oreo + milk soaps via twoeggplants - both on etsy

In the first set are four organic vegan oreo cookie soaps w/ creamy shea butter filling & come with a warning not to eat them even though they look & smell just like chocolate.

The second set comes with a glass of milk made from milk & honey scented shea butter soap as well as five oreos, one with "double-stuf" cream in french vanilla cream fragrance.

 

chocolate dipped strawberry soaps via dirtyasssoaps & pink doughnuts via soapopotamus - both via etsy

The strawberries (that smell like strawberries) are a set of five vegan soaps, the chocolate dipping is made with raw organic cocoa ( & smells like, you guessed it, chocolate!).

The life size doughnut soaps are made from goats milk & smell like freshly baked frosted doughnuts... i think they look alarmingly real...

 

ramen noodle soap via dirtyasssoaps & sunny side up via soapopotamus - both via etsy

This life sized Ramen noodles soap is a vegan shea butter, with a green tea & jasmine scent - with new flavours coming soon.

The fried egg is a goats milk soap & smells like black pepper!

And my favourite find...

 

 

sushi soap sets via dirtyasssoaps - etsy

These vegan soap sets come professionally packaged in a brand new authentic sushi box, in a combination of lovely scents.

Master C & I are very excited to order one, although I don't think he fully believes that it truly is soap, despite his finding the notion hilarious!

via twoeggplants on etsy

This set is wasabi scented! hmmm...

 

bacon soaps via dirtyasssoaps & chinese dim sum soaps via twoeggplants - both on etsy

Now wait for it... Seriously... These soaps smell like bacon & bbq pork respectively... ummmmm too far. Ha!

I see a lot of soap fun at upcoming bathtimes!

And guess what I'm sending my sister for her birthday this year ;)

Cx

#41 Sushi Set Round Up

I love Sushi.

Not just because it's delicious but because it makes my life easier.

It's a perfect child-friendly guilt-free snack when you're out & about...

Master C is crazy about it, I'm happy that he enjoys something that is healthy so much, he can hold it easily in one hand AND that it's relatively mess free ( once children reach a certain age where it's no longer a requirement that every meal/snack results in epic head to toe coverage anyhow...).

All those elements combine nicely to make me one happy mumma!

About a year ago I saw a brilliant wooden sushi set in a local toy shop, I went back to buy it a little while later & unfortunately it was gone. I've been waiting to find it again ever since with no luck.

None of these are said set (although we do have the first one & it is good), but nice alternatives to consider all the same...

sparkle t sushi set via entropy

A real Sushi container holding six pieces of wooden sushi, three with material velcro attachments.

mellissa & doug sushi set via oliebollen

I've seen this wooden bento style sushi box for sale a few places, but it's available at oliebollen at $19.95 compared to $39.95 elsewhere. I know what the other half would say to that... "You'd be losing money not to right?!" hehe

This one has nigiri, oshi & maki & has shrimp, tuna, salmon roe & egg pieces.

There are pieces that have the 'velcro chop function', now popular in much play food.

It includes ginger, wasabi (yummo!), & a dish of shoyu (soy sauce).

In addition to that there is a cleaver, a pair of chopsticks & a menu!

 

large & small wooden sushi sets, both via topbuy

mother garden japan hokkaido sushi set via precious baby kids

This set has a point of difference in that it's set of ten separate wooden magnetic pieces. 

Nifty! Plus I think it looks pretty cool too.

All this sushi is making me hungry...

C x

#40 More Pandas Anyone?

Surely you can never have too many....

This game comes with 9 different coloured cards, 4 pandas, 4 bamboo 'trees', 16 leaves & 1 walkway.
It's for 2- 4 players & the aim is to move your panda through the forest & be the first to collect a backpack full of leaves to take home to your panda family!
I can't seem to get much more of a gist than that, but in any case, cute much?
I found this game also on Amazon at BambooCollection for $24.99.

(Where do all those 1c go???)\

Cx

#39 A Balancing Act

How cute is this game?!

  

There seems to be 2 versions so I've pictured them both...

Master C loves Pandas but this toy has much more than that going for it.

It is marketed as being for ages 4 & up but as ever I think those age guides are mostly for Great aunt Doris types who needs help choosing a present for little Jack because she 'has no idea what kids are playing with these days". Master C has just turned 3 & I know he would love this.

The aim of the game, playing with 2-4 people, is to roll the die which tells you which of the 3 types of sticks to use & you then balance that stick on top of the panda. The more sticks on top the harder it is to balance, if they fall on your turn you are out. The last person left wins.

All the pieces ( 1x Panda, 24x Sticks & 1x Die ) are made from Bamboo & water based paint.

"Bamboo is a wonderfully sustainable material  as it is the fastest growing plant on earth & can grow up to 47 inches in 24 hours. It thrives naturally without fertilizer or pesticides & it doesn't require replanting since it regenerates from it's own roots."

Pandabo is available from various online stores, mostly priced at $24.95 but the best price I have found is on Amazon from Bamboo Collection at $20.

Cx