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Why, hello there! I didn't intend on staying away for a whole week, but doesn't time just fly - especially at this time of year?

This past week presented it's fair share of challenges. Most worthy of mention being the day that the steering in my car failed as I was driving. The wheel just started spinning. No tension, no resistance, nothing. It just spun around in front of me like a pinwheel in the breeze. Luckily, we were driving very slowly in a shopping centre carpark, so the vehicle and it's passengers (Lalie and I) managed to come out physically unscathed. I was a bit of an emotional wreck, mind you. I couldn't stop my mind from wandering to thoughts of 'what could have been'... and it shook me up a little. But we're all okay and the car has been repaired under warranty.

Apart from a few additional worries - nothing too serious, mostly financial - I've been feeling really positive. As I said in my last post, I've been eating really well and I'm enjoying the benefits that come with looking after yourself. Simply by losing a little weight, I've rekindled my interest in fashion and am starting to take more pride in my appearance. And God it feels good to be me again. We've had such a huge couple of years - moving back to our hometown and leaving a creative career behind, having a baby, experiencing the loss of a family member and a friend. Sometimes you don't realise what a huge effect these profound changes can have on your physical, mental and emotional health. And you can go on for so long feeling so damn mediocre, that it just becomes your reality - normal, even. And it's not until you feel good again that you realise how far off course you were.

So at the risk of sounding completely frivolous, this Mumma is dusting off her Miu Miu and getting reacquainted with her old self. Because it's wonderful being Mum, but it's also pretty great being Claire as well. And I kind of forgot about her for a minute there.

1. Salad of tomatoes, tuna, olives, red onion, basil and borlotti beans.
2. New Gorman sandals, a gift from my beautiful sister Stephanie.
3. A selection of 'non-nappy' bags by the front door.
4. Fashion magazines, oh how I've missed you.

ten months

Musical chairs. Out with the heavy and immobile and in with this light, zippy little number.

This girl wants to move. She slides all manner of objects around the house, testing which best aids her walking efforts. This chair seems to have the highest success rate thus far... until she gets herself cornered and then the tantrums are in full swing. Not being able to walk is making her incredibly frustrated. I almost feel a bit sorry for her. Part of me is eager for that moment when she manages to pull it all together, but a large part of me is terrified. I've got a feeling that when this child starts to walk, my life is going to reach a whole new level of chaos. But I'm so excited for her. Watching her learn and accomplish new things every day makes us so very proud - I still can't believe how they learn. They way they absorb information is just incredible.

This age is so much fun. Her little personality is blossoming and we're starting to enjoy her in so many new ways. There's more laughter, more cheeky games, more cuddles, more communication. I'm feeling so connected to her in a way that I haven't experienced until now. I feel like I could be finally getting my head around this gig called Motherhood. Maybe it's because I've been taking better care of myself, eating healthier, going to bed earlier. Perhaps it's because I'm managing my time better, blogging a little less, playing blocks a little more.  I'm not sure what it is, but the mood is certainly more positive. I'm so excited to see what adventures the next ten months will bring to our little family.

Happy ten months to our beautiful Lalie Bug. I can't even begin to explain the love we have for you.

P.S - We're not ambitious enough to rival this mullet, so we'll have a crack at the mohawk title instead.

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Top: Paddy, circa 1982
Middle & Bottom: Eulalie, circa 2011

She gets her idea of table etiquette exclusively from her Dad.

Foot size? Well, we're both to blame for that one, I'm afraid.

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a: bohemian beauty
b: bohemian goofy

Most of my weekend was spent trying to decide if this is a look Eulalie could should pull off in downtown Townsville.

I usually find the embellishment of babies' heads rather offensive (think enormous flowers attached to a stretchy band of sequins)... so have I completely lost my mind? Has the stylist made the ultimate infant-fashion-faux-pas... or is this kinda cute?

Something tells me this lady might approve.

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I really didn't hold much hope*. We weren't sure if we had a green thumb between us, so we set the standard pretty low. We said it wouldn't bother us if the veggies failed - being our first go at it and all - as long as we managed to nurture a few herbs on the deck, we'd be happy planters.

So, as you can imagine - tomatoes, green capsicum, fennel, mutated/siamese carrots, lettuce, strawberries, basil, oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme, coriander and parsley kinda have us tickled pink.

Bring on next years harvest! Lalie, our self-appointed 'soil tester' concludes that we need to up the cow manure for the next planting.

*Despite spurring on a bit of friendly horticultural rivalry with Em. And not to toot my own horn here, but I have a sneaking suspicion I might have pipped her on this one. Care to comment, Beetle? I think it was you who said "the first with home grown produce on the table wins". Just gotta get these bad boys on the table and we'll call it a day, hey? ;) 

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She's not really one for a 'still life'. In any sense of the term.

Yesterdays op-shop offerings. Three dollars for the lot.

Hope you're having a brilliant week :)

nine months

Nine and a bit months. Actually, make that nine and a half months. Better late than never, right? I really don't want to fall off the monthly portrait band-wagon before (at least) seeing the first twelve months through... so a happy 9.5 to our little Lalie Bug!

I've been a bit of a boring complainer of late - mostly completely due to my own issues - but if I'm totally honest, Eulalie is rather delightful at this age... of course, there's some challenges - teething? Sure. Busy? Yup. Into everything? Certainly. Totally fun, loveable and hilarious? You betcha! We couldn't be more proud of our little Bug.

Likes: the dogs, peek-a-boo, drinking water, swinging doors back and forth, standing whilst holding various furnishings, family visits, crawling, 360 pivots on the floor, emptying the entire contents of a sippy cup on herself, playing with her big cousin, throwing food off the highchair, sitting in the trolley at the shops, playing with things she shouldn't be, reading books, rummaging through the nappy bag, being tickled, standing in her cot, splashing in the pool, shaking maracas, kissing her toys, watching the breeze through the trees, asparagus and bath time.

Dislikes: Getting dressed, waiting for food, receiving teeth, banana, things being taken away from her, not being carried (mostly in the evenings), wearing a bib, sleeping in the pram, Mummy trying to do housework, Mummy being on the computer.

A little less blogging seems to be just what I need at the moment. I was using her sleep times to blog and read blogs - and then trying to complete other tasks while she was awake, which made for a disgruntled baby and a frustrated Mumma. I've realised this blog has been sneaking up on my list of priorities. I was all out of balance. So I've been making a shift. I feel this past week we've been getting the best of each other, and it's a beautiful thing.

As for the housework - I'm learning to live with things undone. In the process I just might be on my way to weaving a much tighter, happier bond with my baby. Not exactly rocket science - but basic priorities can seem to get muddled up in the foggy haze of sleep deprivation.