Question of the Day

Why is it that those pesky bar code labels never come off no matter how hard you try? I have been picking at an IKEA label on a plastic tub for 5 minutes, and now I have 27 strips of white stickiness under my nails and on the floor, and there is still a residue left on the plastic that I know will just attract lint and crumbs. What kind of magical glue do they use that the makers of name labels for lunch boxes do not know about? I have left little 'This belongs to' stickers on the street, on the bus, and now just found one under the bed . . .

Man of the House

Don has been in San Francisco since Monday. Makoa had a few really hard days, but now is pretty okay. We've got a routine down where we get to talk to Daddy on the computer in the morning, and we see “Dada big” on the monitor. Sometimes Makoa asks for Daddy to be on the laptop so that we can bring him on the floor and can show him all of the cars that get lined up in the living room. During the day I try and remember funny things that Makoa does so that I can tell Don about them, as he says it is so amazing how much Makoa learns and changes in just a week while he is away. This morning he figured out how to open the sliding glass door, which requires removing a metal rod and unlocking the latch. Isn't learning fantastic?! And then this afternoon he was so cute as he held open the doors for me to push the stroller through saying, “I help you mommy.” Can't get much better than that!

Rockin' Out

Makoa and I were driving home from a friend's house this afternoon and Beyonce's new song, 'Single Ladies' came on. Then I noticed some yellow movement in the rear view mirror. Apparently I had begun to move my head to the music, you know the little head bob and maybe a little shoulder shake that you do when a good song comes on, nothing to noticeable to passerbys, just a little bump to enjoy the rythym? Oh don't judge, you know you do it too! Well imagine being nearly two and seeing what your mom does and then exaggerating it times 1000. Makoa was doing a full head bang, a hair flapping-nearly giving himself whiplash thing. So there were were on Victoria Road in Sydney, Makoa and I, rocking out to the lyrics “if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it . . .”

Halloween Party #2

Only in Australia can you postpone a Halloween Party for a week and no one bats an eye! I found it hilarious that my mother's group moved Halloween, but was so happy that someone was willing to hostess a party that I didn't ask any questions! My friend, Kylie, had us over and went all out on decorations, it was really cute. The weather has been a bit unusual, I guess spring-y, raining one day and hot the next. Well today turned into a really warm one so none of the kids wanted to wear their costumes. Makoa was only kinda in costume, basically just the overalls were the same as on Saturday!


All of us mum's were just so happy that we had made it out of the house, the kids were playing together and we were able to drink coffee and chat that we totally didn't care! By about 11 most of the kids had taken off all of their clothes and were playing with a bucket of water. Who needs toys when there is water and a Wiggles cup? Sorry no photo turned out of the group, it is hard to take a photo of three boys and a girl playing naked!! By the way I LOVE my camera - check out the water frozen in action!



A wonderful spring Halloween party in Australia!

Small World

Sydney is such an amazing place. Maybe it has been the fact that I am a bit out of my normal comfort zone – or perhaps in a new country I have found this ability to search out for new and different people and situations that I would not normally find myself in. I love my neighbourhood because I find people I know out all the time. There is a new hire from the US at Don's work and I took his wife and 4-year old son out to the park today and ran into four other friends and their kids. I found my current job by attending a belly dance class at my neighbourhood centre – purely for getting a night out to myself and to meet other woman who didn't know me first as a mother. At our Christmas dinner night out I learned that my teacher was also the director of a private English language school who needs substitute teachers . . um, hello! Now I am enrolled in a Thai language course on Thursdays (sa-wad-dii) and walking out with one of my classmates I learned that his partner works with Don and their desks are literally two feet apart! What a small world Sydney is – I love it!!

Change

Today is Election Day in the US – we mailed our ballots two weeks ago, FYI. My dad asked me the other day about what kind of news about the presidental candidates made it to Oz. That day on the Today Show I watched Obama and his wife dancing on Ellen and some idiotic thing Palin said recently. But really , many Australians were concerned about who would become the next US President as it would have an effect on the world. Lots of Australians were also watching the election updates today, the coverage was on two of my five channels. Before I went to my massage (that's right, Makoa was in day care and thanks to Lois Brown I was being treated to a massage!) Anyway, before my appointment the numbers were just coming in and they were close in the beginning. I thought, “No really, we (Americans) cannot be that stupid.” Luckily when I came out of my appointment, my friend had texted me the good news and when I went to the video store Obama was giving his speech. Don is in San Francisco and went to Union Square and said it was nuts. He said people were so happy and cheering and cars were honking. He thought it was fantastic that people from all different walks of life could come together and rejoice in the moment. By doing a lot of traveling, and now by living abroad, I have seen some of what the world thinks of Americans because of our leader, and it is not always the best. I can't wait to see Obama bring about the change that is desperately needed and to help Americans come together and (I apologize for the extremely trite expression) “be the best that we can be.”

Swimming

Don has been taking Makoa to swim lessons for the past two sessions and as it is their bonding time (and my chance to have the house to myself) I haven't been in months. I went today in preparation for Don's trip to San Francisco, meaning I would have to bring Makoa next week. Don had been talking about all the new stuff that they did in class, but I was so impressed seeing it all in person. The last time I brought Makoa swimming he could either blow bubbles, kick, or paddle, but now he can blow and kick at the same time.
Don just puts one arm under Makoa's armpits and holds his hands, not full body support any more.

Makoa was just learning to climb out by himself the last time I went, and now he can also crawl back into the water.

They use kick boards on their bellies and backs.


Makoa always has loved the running and jumping part . . . as long as he doesn't always have to go under!


And after class Don and Makoa play in the kiddie pool together.


I hope I do a good job next week - the pressure is on!

Happy Halloween

Yes, I know that Halloween was yesterday, but Halloween isn't a well celebrated holiday in Australia. So, we postponed our celebrations till the American Society's party today - we also rationalized with the fact that it was at least Halloween in the US today! Makoa was the cutest farmer EVER! Grandma Lois brought us a shirt and overalls from Goodwill in Iowa, when I was out of town last weekend I found the perfect hat, and Great-Grandma Rita brought us the animal toys when she was here recently. So, it was a combined effort, helped immensely by whatever magical tactic Don used to get Makoa to wear the hat for at least forty minutes! I took heaps of photos as we went to each play station set up,

there was fishing,

musical chairs

and a bean bag toss. They also had some live entertainment, that Makoa was not really interested in and spend the whole time sitting on Don's lap – guess which one of them was shaking the pom-poms? More importantly there was a playground and a new recruit from Don's office with his family. Very fun family outing – HAPPY HALLOWEEN!