new purchases

I'm not much of a shopper. And I have really hardly bought anything for Leo - we've been given so much, and the rest is hand me downs from friends and family and lucky finds and salvages and things I've made.
But this week I couldn't resist a few things...

* the cutest tie-dyed t-shirt from oishi-m (check out their online shop... amazing stuff - I also bought a pair of the skinny jeans for Leo  - on sale - which are awesome)

* cool op-shop finds - quilty blanket thing with alphabet and spots ($4) and DESERT boots, yes desert boots ($1.50). nice.

* AND... I had been seeing this in the window of a nearby shop for AGES (there's a lot of capital letters going on around here) and kept resisting because I thought it was a bit too expensive. But it kept calling me. And seeing as I don't think I'd even bought him a single toy myself yet, I decided I could splurge on this one. Locally made (well, in the state) from recycled wool blankets, this ball was just too beautiful to pass up. I suppose that makes it more for me than for him, but he does seem to like it...

This weekend we:

# went for early morning walks (ok, so when I say 'we' I mean Leo and his papa, while I luxuriously stayed in bed)

# Had a picnic on a sunny sunday with doting grandparents

# Had varying levels of success with new foods

    

# And hung out in a field of daisies!

It's been a glorious week of weather here in Melbourne town. Spring is definitely in the air. I love this time of year... the ladies put on skirts and get their toes out, washing gets put out on the line rather than on racks around the house (will. not. use. dryer.) and our daily walks are filled with new blossoms. *love*

bloody little chompers

This is the state of affairs at the moment. One moment, all sweetness and giggles. The next, the world is ending. Going by the amount of drool flowing out of his mouth and the seemingly endless stream of teeth breaking through, I'm assuming that teething is the cause of our troubles.

Still, that doesn't help me much. I miss my quiet little bundle of charm. And those 5.30am wake ups are not overly impressing me either...

I didn't get to do much shopping while in France, but I did manage a few hours in Paris at the end. And my sister (who spent some time with us there) and I found Merci, the ultra groovy concept store that has been blogged about at length. This was my favourite purchase - recycled African rubber bracelets - and now whenever I wear them, it brings a little summer French sunshine into my life!

 As promised, adventures in "baby wed leaning" (just comes out automatically now).
Today: strawberries.

food glorious food

While we were in France, our little Leo had his first solid food. And my goodness did he love it. Hard not to when the food came straight from his grandfather's gardens and orchards. Hubby's mum prepared the vegetables into soup, whizzed up berries and mashed peaches. It was a lovely family thing and it all went swimmingly. But I couldn't help but look forward to being home in my own kitchen and to preparing his food myself.
I was telling this to a couple of friends today who have little ones about a year older than Leo and remarking how special I felt it was to prepare his food and how much I was enjoying it. They laughed at me. Wait until it comes back at your face or gets thrown across the room, they said. Or when you've come home from work and have to do the washing and the tidying and the dusting and then the food preparation wont feel so 'special'. Ok, so they may have a point. And the novelty will no doubt wear off soon.

But in the meantime, I am enjoying it. And there is something special about it. Pears and apples, broccoli and pumpkins. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that for 6 months he has only had my breastmilk, and I know that it has been completely up to me and my body to keep him alive and sustained. And I want to keep that going. Perhaps I am anticipating the end of the breastfeeding. Perhaps I just enjoy the wizz of the food processor. Or perhaps I am just revelling in the novelty while it lasts.

**we are also trying some baby led weaning (or baby wed leaning as I keep calling it - envisioning a baby in white on one foot). Stay tuned for adventures with broccoli stalks.

Home again home again jiggety jig...

Despite coming back to winter and despite the jetlag meaning little bubs is up at all hours, it's lovely to be home...
We had a wonderful time away, and so great for Leo to meet all his French family. Just awful leaving them. More on this later perhaps.
In the meantime, here's a few Frenchy pics...