My baby's 2

My baby girl has turned two today. I'm struggling with it a little if I'm honest. She's still my baby!!

We've had a lovely day together as a family. It started with a few presents, each one played with or read  or worn before moving on to the next.

We then took Mahlia off to school and Leila, daddy and I headed off to the dog park where Leila could ride her new balance bike! It will take some getting used to but she's enjoying it so far—I can't wait to see them both riding off together.

We made our way back home, where I decorated the cake I baked last night, and daddy took Leila out on the paddle board. Hubby is now teaching yoga every evening, so we decided to take Mahlia out of school early so we could have a birthday lunch celebration. One of our favourite places to go is Crave Sushi in Terrigal, and the girls love their Japanese cuisine. Leila devoured her soft shell crab, salmon and avocado sushi and the edemame.

The girls then had a ridiculous amount of fun at the water playground at The Entrance.

With two very tired girls, we headed home for the all-important birthday cake.

A jam-packed, fun-filled day and she loved every minute of it. She is so cheeky this one, but oh so gorgeous! I love her to pieces, and she amazes me every day with the things she learns, says and does. I feel so blessed to have her in our lives. I Uv Ooo Leila xxx

12/52

A portrait of my girls, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Mahlia: A blustery, yet sunny day in the dog park, after a jog and stretch with daddy. She has started running with daddy on the beach, following in his foot steps.

Leila: We stopped at the park at The Entrance during the week, unprepared for a splash in the water. She took great pleasure in jumping off a step, a mere 3 centimetres high... she makes it look like she's jumping off a cliff!

One of my favourites from last week is this gorgeous smile peeking through the clothes!

Joining in with Jodi's 52 project over at Che and Fidel.

The week that was...

Our house has been hit with the nasty tummy bug that seems to be doing the rounds at the moment. I woke up ill on Monday, but being a mum had to soldier on—dropped hubby off at work, pulled up at home where Leila promptly vomited her weetbix up in her car seat, threw her in the bath, cleaned car, made Mahlia's lunch and got her to school within half an hour. Then took the dogs for a run before heading home and collapsing on the lounge chair/cuddling the toilet. It had to happen on the day that hubby was working 12 hours as well. Luckily Leila was fine for the rest of the day, and I woke up much better the following day.

You always want your mum when you're ill, don't you? My subconscious made me dress in a top that I hadn't worn since I was at my parent's in the UK at Christmas. It smelt of mum's washing powder, and just made me feel a little bit better.

This week is Leila's last as a one-year-old. She is still my baby, we still have bubba cuddles. And to mark the week, she fell back to sleep in my arms after her nap on Thursday.

And today we were meant to go to the zoo for Leila's birthday outing. Mahlia had different ideas. She woke at 1am this morning and threw the mother of all tantrums. She was inconsolable. It was sticky hot which didn't help. At 2.30am I finally managed to calm her. Leila awoke not long after. Tag teaming between the 2, it was a long night. Mahlia woke this morning, surprise, surprise in the foulest of moods.  I persevered and packed everyone up in the car—we WILL have an amazing day, girls will sleep on the way to Taronga and wake up full of beans. Less than 2 minutes from home, Mahlia: "I think I'm going to be sick" from the back of the car. Pull-over too late, weetbix covered car... again. So the zoo has been postponed until Friday, the car has been cleaned again (apart from the annoying electric window button that I can't get into to... yuck), and I have spent lots of hours cuddling Miss Mahlia in bed and catching up on sleep. I'm hoping she will awake in the morning feeling better... my other baby:

And to top off a bad week, my uncle is seriously ill over in Perth. I feel for my mum, being so far away.

I hope you've had a healthier week! I'm looking forward to celebrating next week with Leila's birthday, followed by the zoo and then Easter! 

11/52

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

Mahlia: Tear yourself away from those mesmerising eyes and can you guess what she's drawn? Sushi with pink fish (aka salmon) and avocado—not bad for a four year-old! Making a birthday card for her good friend's Japanese theme party.

Leila: At the aforementioned Japanese party, on a bit of a sugar high, she was running circles around me, falling to the ground and cracking up laughing. She's a character that one.

A couple of my favourites from 10/52 are the curls over at We Stood Together, and Blackbird has Spoken—peeking through her feet!

Joining in with Jodi over at Che and Fidel!

The week that was...

Since the rain subsided a week ago we have been desperately trying to spend as much time as possible outside, enjoying the return of the warming sun. We missed a third of the summer here, when we travelled back to the UK for Christmas, so I found it quite hard to adjust to summer having already ended when it felt like it had only just begun!

We are lucky enough to be able to walk to the beach, so as soon as the skies cleared last week, that is where we headed. It was still fairly gusty but it was so worth it! A salty, sticky foam had developed from the ocean and it was just so much fun for the girls.

We spent time in the park with friends, we enjoyed the garden sprinkler and began a new veggie patch, where we came across a new friend.

We've taken long walks in the morning sun. We (well, the girls) climbed trees and watched the local bats.

Helping her little sister over a fallen branch... bless.

Mahlia and Leila sitting in a tree
K I S S I N G

We spent an evening bathing in the rock pools, searching for crabs and watching a very enthusiastic Taiwanese fishing TV personality film his show. We spent this evening running down the sand banks at the beach and then chasing the waves in and out of the ocean. Both girls stripped down to their birthday suits, Leila's feet were constantly washed out from under her but each time her head popped up from the white wash with a big smile. Mahlia's lost her fear of the waves... she jogged home in the nude with hubby, while myself, Leila and the dogs drove home in the car.

We're not ready for summer to be over, we're holding onto its long, warm days for as long as we can. Are you still enjoying long summer days? If so, how are you spending them?

10/52

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

Mahlia: Climbing trees and watching the fruit bats. She was alternating between being a tree fairy and a monkey ballerina.

Leila: We enjoy taking the dogs to the local dog park after dropping Mahlia off at Montessori. She has to collect a handful of rocks otherwise I'm in trouble!

I can't believe we're into the double digits already—where is this year going?! A few of my favourites from last week include The Golden Adventures of a very dark horse, Yellow Finch and iSophie.

Joining in with the 52 project over at Che and Fidel!

9/52

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

Mahlia: Getting very excited at the prospect of being able to run on the new grass in the new back yard—hubby is giving it its first mow! All this rain has certainly helped it along.

Leila: Also gardening, watering the herbs and fairy garden—very serious work! I'm surprised her tongue isn't sticking out, as it does when she's concentrating or playing at being shy.

Joining in again with Jodi over at Che and Fidel.