Still no teeth!

Aaliya is one week shy of 13 months but there are still no teeth! There are some pretty major teeth bumps though on the top, so maybe by the time she is 13months she might have some (though I've been saying "She have some soon" for what feels like forever!)

Aaliya turns 1!

So our baby girl turned 1! We had a lovely party with our family and friend who came over for a BBQ.

The kitchen was finished on an hour before the party started, but I knew that setting the deadline and having the pressure of the party looming was see the kitchen finished.

Aaliya had a rainbow birthday cake made by Mummy and had help blowing out her candles by Owen. We then let her get stuck into one end of the cake - such fun for a one year old!

Fun was had by all. I can't believe that my little girl is one. Where does a year go!

Enjoy the photos from her birthday :)

Schooling

So we are considering our options for schooling the kids. It's hard to choose what we are going to do.

Homeschooling is certainly an option, purely for the large number of benefits that the kids would get. Though we are not sure as it is a big committment from us.

Mainstream school system, both public and private, leave a lot to be desired. Doesn't take much reading or research to come to that conclusion. However, it does work for some kids, maybe even ours, so we don't know (yet).

Then there are alternative schools - Steiner and Montessori schools.

It's a big decision, and we are looking at all the options. I guess we have a little bit of time up our sleeves :)

Here's a pic of the kids doing some "work". Owen is doing a pre-handwriting exercise (pen control) that we printed off the net, Aaliya is just doing some drawing, so she can be like her big brother.

Aaliya's fav spot in the yard :)

Aaliya is very much into climbing up on things now that she is mobile. The weather has been lovely lately and we have been spending a lot of time in the back yard. Aaliya loves to climb up on this chair when we are in the yard :)

No teeth yet!!

Aaliya is walking before she has any teeth! Though I don't think that the teeth are too far away. This is the best picture I could get of her bumpy gums.

Aaliya the handywoman

So we have decided to renovate the kitchen ourselves and because we have so much time on our hands (very sarcastic tone used there) we have decided to self install and flat pack kitchen from Ikea :)

Anyway, we have be busy assembling cabinets. Aaliya is demonstrating some unusual interest and skill in the fine art of cabinet making and using a screwdriver at the tender age of ten months. Aint she clever? :)

Buddies

Just some pics of the kids playing together. I guess this is the advantage of having kiddies close in age :)

I have posted in the past how Owen enjoys helping me hand up the washing.

Well, he is becoming quite particular about it. He likes everything to have two pegs, and he went through a period where he like to match the colour of the pegs. The photos below provide the evidence....

My cool bubba's

Some photos of the kids with my sunnies on. They're so cool :)

Sucking Spagetti

Aaliya enjoys joining in our family dinners. She eats what we eat. She is even good at sucking up spagetti!

Messy Necterines

The kids like necterines. I usually cut them up, but this time I let them have a go whole! They enjoyed it....

My only issue with necterines is that they are really messy and they stain. Oh well.

Tea time

Aaliya likes to copy her mummy, and her mummy really shouldn't leave her tea cup around where Aaliya can get it!

A day out with Nanna

Well we have all been very lucky. Last night, Mum offered to look after the kids while Stu and I had a nice relaxing dinner out as adults, not parents. It was a very much appreciated little outing and we feel very lucky.

Not only that, Owen stayed over at Nanna's house for the night and this morning they got up early and went to the beach. The weather was superb and they had a great time. Owen tells us that they built sandcastles, blew bubbles, kicked a ball, saw helicopters, planes and boats and they did lots of digging in the sand.

Here are some photos from Nanna's camera. Doesn't it look devine!!!!

She took her first step!!!

Aaliya has been taking her first step at the tender age of 9 and 3/4 months!

Mind you, she isn't up and walking yet. If we hold her out from us, she is taking 2-3 steps towards us before she falls into us.

Anyway, it is very exciting - even if only for us :)

Kids developments

Aaliya is clapping and starting to wave bye. She looks like she might be starting to stand soon - it's the last thing before crawling - eek.

Owen is saying so many words. Lots of sentences too - Yay :)

Mascara

I forget sometimes that the kids watch what we do and remember it! Owen found my mascara and tried to put it on. This was the result :)

Guitar Strap

One day, Owen had his guitar and was asking for a "boit seat" which frustrated me to no-end as I has no ideas what he was on about. I soon learnt in the car that "boit seat" meant seat belt but he kept saying it when he has his guitar.

I finally worked out that what he wanted was a guitar strap- a seat belt for his guitar!

anyway, I got some elastic from my sewing stuff, taped to the one end and tied it around the neck and he was happy :)

Aaliya reading books :)

Aaliya quite enjoys books. She lies with Stu and Owen as they read their bedtime story. She like turning pages and pointing at pictures.

The photos below she is looking at a touch and feel book and in some pics she is feeling the textured pics.

She's so clever :)

Aaliya is 9 months old!

Here are some pictures of Aaliya on the day she turned 9 months old.

The stair climber

Aaliya's new thing is climbing stairs. She loves it. I let her do it in the hope that some day soon she will get sick of it.

Owen is a great policeman, always letting me know when Aaliya is heading for the stairs and/or climbing up them.

Owen clever number revelation

Owen has foam numbers that he plays with in the bath. He knows all his numbers 1-9 but last night we were impressed when he picked up the 6 and said "this way 6, this way 9". Not only were we impressed by the fact that he had the concept, but also his use of language to tell us so :)

Where's Aaliya - there she is!

Aaliya has been doing this for a couple of months now she hold something on front of her face, waits till we say "where's Aaliya", then bring the cloth down with a big smile on her face. This time we caught the action in some photo's (It just happened to be the same day as the food colouring) :)