Last Friday, we met up with Liz and Nathaniel at the library as there was no Friday Frogs. When Nora and I got to the library we saw Andrea with Ella and Baby Lucas. Nora and Ella started playing and choosing books while Andrea and I chatted. Our little Toots get together completed when Liz arrived with Nathaniel.

As the moms chatted, Nora started jumping about. Not the quietly jumping but seriously loud stomping kind of jumping. Ella and Nathaniel must have decided that it was fun and funny and joined in. So, we had three toddlers jumping up and down and the moms trying to shush them to no avail…

Until…

The librarian came over and told us to keep it down as the floor is not really sound proof and people down stairs can actually hear the stomping.

Oh dear… the last time I was told off by a librarian was in University and trust me that was a long time ago.

That did the trick and they stopped but didn’t stop them from redecorating the library with books everywhere.

Sigh…

Well… I’ve signed Nora up to do ballet and maybe… just maybe she’ll stop stomping around!

Yeah… I can hear you say ‘Wishful thinking…’

Yesterday, I got really crossed with Nora. I sewed two felt flowers for her and they went missing. She was playing with them by the sofa but when I was trying to tidy the front room, we could not find it.

Nora kept insisting that she didn’t lose the flowers and I told her that if we can’t find the flowers, she cannot play with any of her toys. We were going to go out and get boxes and tidy everything up. She also has to choose the toys that she is not playing with anymore to give away as I am fed up with all the mess and she just has too many things.

As I said, I was very cross.

We got boxes. We tidied up. We didn’t find the flowers.

In the evening, as I was putting a book on the shelf, I saw the flowers!

She was right, she didn’t lose the flowers. I did take them away from her when she was playing near the sofa as I was worried that she would lose them… and I totally forgot about it.

This morning, I told her what happened and I apologised as I made a mistake… but she still need to keep her toys tidy.

But unfortunately, they escaped. They are apparently very clever at this.

We managed to find Coco and I put him in the ball this morning so Nora could play with him.

But unfortunately, Nora didn’t listen and have not learnt to be gentle and caring. Apparently, after I left for work, she bounced the ball, the lid came off and Coco made a run for it.

Now we have two hamsters running lose in the house.

The problem is we have lots of places for the hamsters to hide… and Jules is really annoyed.

I guess Nora is not ready for a hamster or at least play with it unsupervised. It’s a lesson learnt for both of us.

I’ve been on my feet from the moment I opened my eyes today. Nora requested a ghost cake to bring to pre-school and that’s what I made for her.

I also made her some gingerdead men.

And to finish off… some party bags for her pre-school friends to take home.

I think we did all right for her third birthday. Her big present are the hamster cage and Coco and Blanco… her hamsters. But the cage didn’t arrive complete… and her hamsters escaped… We managed to find Coco but Blanco is still MIA. Still… we didn’t do too badly for her third birthday.

When we wake up tomorrow morning, you will be three. It has been a challenging and amazing three years. It hasn’t been easy but I would not change it for anything in the world.

On Thursday, when I called daddy to find out if he’s picking you up from nursery and he passed the phone to you, I found it amazing that we actually had a proper conversation. I don’t know why I was as we’ve been talking to each other for a while… but I guess I was thinking it was not long ago that you couldn’t string a sentence together, let alone a word!

Each day, you amaze me. There are times I wish I was more diligent at recording all these moments… but I don’t. I’m not worried though… like when I lost my phone and all the photos I took of you… I’m just glad that I have you…

And you just woke up looking for me saying you want me.

Let go to bed.

Mama

Hmmmmm… I think we need a bit more lesson on hygiene.

I have been trying to rest but it is a bit difficult when I see all the mess around me. Today I got working in the garden… only to feel it now. I had a nap with Nora in the afternoon and when we woke up, she looked at me and said ‘Don’t worry mama, I’m here’ and stroke my head. She started reading me a book and told me to sleep. She kept telling me not to cough but it is a bit hard as I need to clear my chest up.

Poor little thing. She must have been so confused to see me so weak last weekend when I’m the one who has always been strong.

While we were there, I read some of my old ladybird books to Nora. She loved them so I decided to take some back here with us.

One of the books was the Magic Paintbrush. A tale from China of Liang, a poor boy, who was given a paintbrush and everything he painted comes to live or becomes real.

I was reading it to Nora last night when we got to the page where the Emperor had summoned Liang. Nora pointed to the Emperor’s big belly and asked me if he has a baby in his belly. That brought a giggle to me and I told her no.

When Liang escaped from the Emperor and decided to be a normal painter, he made sure that he doesn’t finish any of his painting as then it would come to life. But on another page, as Liang was carefully painting a bird a man bumped into him.

Again Nora pointed out that the man has a big belly and asked if he has a baby. And I told her no only girls can have babies. She then said that the man looked like he has breasts (pointint to her chest and mine). I burst into laughter. I told her no, it is because he is big. I thought I should drop saying that the man and Emperor were fat incase she’ll point to random people on the street and say that they are fat!

Nora to me: ME!

Good answer my child.

She looked up at both of us and said

“Sorry mama. Sorry Daddy. I never do it again.”

I was going to continue scolding her and send her to the naughty step to think about what she did when Jules went “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww” with open arms and gave her a hug!

Yes, I am impressed with her ability to make sentences… but I wanted her to know that she can’t get away with just saying sorry all the time as she has to mean it.

But I guess I could let her off just this once.

She then said she was finished with dinner and I told her to go and brush her teeth with daddy.

She went to the bathroom and slammed the door before Jules could go in… and she I told Jules that she said she’d never do that (slam the bathroom door) again too.

Words…