Life lessons

This morning after Evie woke at 5 to have a feed she amazingly went back to sleep and I put her back down on her bed. Normally she would have been up and that would have been that. The next thing I know, I hear Tilly tickling and cooing at Evie and Evie's sweet little tinkly laughter floating through the house, and it was 7:30!!!. I've discovered this is Tilly's favourite thing to do first thing in the morning, wake and play with Evie. But it's something she doesn't get to do as Evie usually wakes criminally early and I go to great lengths to keep the two apart so Tilly can get a good sleep. So Evie went back down for her nap much later and after breakfast Tilly was treated to a movie. It's a cool rainy typhoon day today and it's perfect weather for a nap for little sis and a movie for big. Her choice of movie was 'The red tide" - a movie given to us by our mothers group at the church. About an under water kingdom ruled by a whale of the deep. In the movie is a little crab who works for a nasty big fish who endeavours to kill the sea with a poisonous "red tide". The little crab is sad and lonely and trapped (literally at one point, in a trap made of sticks). I decided to use it as a chance to talk to Tilly about how to treat others, especially those who are lonely, in trouble etc. And the conversation went something like this:

• Me: Can you see how sad he looks? All alone and trapped. You know if you see someone like that little fish who is all sad and alone you should go to them and be a kind friend to them. (I was speaking figuratively about being trapped - but he was indeed trapped in some sticks)
• Tilly: Mmmm, well he isn't a fish mum. He's a crustacean.....
• Me: Ok, well if you see someone like that little crustacean you should go and be a kind friend to them.
• Tilly: Mmm, yes. And I will get them all out of the sticks like that.
• Me: Well, sure. If they happen to be trapped in sticks, getting them out would be a nice idea too....

Happy Birthday Nanny!!

Happy Birthday Nanny!!

We made Nan's scones in her honour.

They were delicious.

I taught Tilly's cousin Bonnie (a regular at our house Fridays and Sundays) how to do scones as last week she told me how she loves to eat them, but had trouble cooking them. Tilly insisted we have candles for Nan. All we could muster up were the flower shaped candle stick stands. Who knows where the candles were. But can you see the number? Tea and scones, it was a real girly party. The scones were brilliant. Tilly ate a whole one within seconds! We love you Nanny, and we miss you to bits and pieces. Happy Birthday from Taiwan with MUCH love xoxoxo

In the church

No photos as yet of us standing with the 20 other children and parents that took part in the dedication. When I get some I'll post them if possible.

Tilly was thrown in the deep end and was shuffled to the front to partake in a special Mother's Day song with her Chinese Sunday School.

Waiting

We were joined by Tilly's cousin Bonnie and our friends Miss Kristie, Ellie, Abram, John Amos & Miss Paula and Sarah.

The girls dedication

The girls were dedicated this morning and Daddy joined us. It was a special special moment for me to stand as a family before God and the Chinese congregation of Grace Baptist and dedicate the girls back to God. This picture is before we went out into the church.

(Tilly finds it hard to crack a smile when the lights are shining on her.) Evie couldn't take her eyes off her Daddy, rightly so. She's also probably surprised to see him in church, hehe.

We were presented with two beautiful plaques to mark the occassion.

Girls just wanna have fun....

A shining moment for a tired mummy:

What a week....... Evie has been struggling to have a good nights sleep, I wasn't getting any. I was walking around like a zombie for several days slowly spiralling.... Have I ever mentioned that I have some of the dearest friends here? I'm sure I have. They are my crew and they have got my back. They love me, pray for me, keep me company, help me in my hours of need. So why digress - Well Tilly spent the weekend with one such friend and I got to spend some time trying to recouperate. Tilly came home tired and happy both Saturday and Sunday nights and plonked right into bed. And last night wonder of wonders we got a pretty good sleep - Evie slept till 6:15!! which in our books is considered a hearty sleep in!! So on my little high this morning and while Tilly still slept, Evie and I went to the bathrom together to learn the joys of sitting on the potty. "Look Evie, look at mummy on the potty, You're on the potty too. You want to do something?" Now at this point I must mention that Tills was pooping on the potty at 6 months of age. That is because I had time for such things and used to sit around watching for signs of when she'd need to go. Also, Tilly was a little more obvious. She'd kind of purse her lips. Evie - I haven't got a clue when that girls goes. So I thought why not give it a try, no matter how futile. And I had smelled a stinky fart, so thought it was worth a shot. Well there we sat on our respective potties. And she had fun, it was cute. But no facials, nothing to indicate anything was going on. So, nevermind I thought. Then I lifted her up and there it was before my eyes. A poop and a pee!!! I'm telling you this girl is discreet. If she's doing something, she isn't going to share it with the world. That's my job! Sharing it with my world at least. And there you have it. I thought I'd lost my touch. Sitting on the potty so early is all about mum recognising the signs. As baby can't say in so many words that they need to go. Well, who knows when she'll get back on there and go again. May be a long time from now. But this little gem has me singing all day I'm sure!