The universe reponds

Well, a fairy godmother does. I don't quite know what to say! Well... thank you is a start. And maybe here I admit that it set off a little crying episode because my friends are truly truly fantastic. It just so happened it was mid-mascara application which wasn't terribly advantageous.

I received a package in the mail this morning from my "Fairy Godmother" who happens to have a post box in Lower Hutt as far as the return address says. They also have connections to The Nappy Network which doesn't surprise me in the least. The people that frequent the forum there are some of the most generous people I have ever met.

Right, sleuthing aside... I really didn't expect that my whinging to the universe would cause someone to send through a package as thoughtful as this. As well as the things above, there was a pile of clothing for Hannah and vouchers for food... it seems we won't be living on two minute noodles just yet :P

I have been feeling a smidgeon down about being totally unqualified to do anything that I want to do. As well as this parent-of-a-school-kid bizzo being a bit more difficult than parent-of-a-kid-that-you-can-throw-in-care-all-day-and-not-stress-about-homework-or-school-holidays stuff. But as of today, I've decided to embrace opportunities that come along. On Monday I'm starting a trial as assistant to a dress makery sort for a few days a week. Hopefully I'll learn something craft wise and give me time to try out some ideas I have. If all else fails I'll pester temping agencies.

There is still hope!

And fantastic people!

Thank you fairy godmother. I don't know if I particularly deserve it, but I do appreciate it.

xo

The little cosy that couldn't

So, I have planned for ages to knit a tea cosy for someone after they happened to send me something that I had expressed an interest in learning more about.

A couple of weekends ago when I was on a car trip I started to knit, not quite knowing what I would create... and a tea cosy came out. Which was quite convenient, given the situation above.

I lovingly cast off and sewed in all the ends... crocheted a little tie and sat down to stage a photoshoot despite the fact that I didn't have a tea pot to model it on.

BUT my friends... the story does not end happily ever after. This little cosy was lacking something. Something kinda important if you want it to actually cosy. Something that I only figured out when I sat down to take the photos of this colourful knitted creation adorning a roundish tin. Perhaps if I had a tea pot I would have figured out that YOU NEED TWO DAMN OPENINGS. One for the handle. And one for the spout. Just like the song dictates. Argh.

So. Anyone here have a tea pot with a broken off handle who needs a little warmth and loving? Otherwise this poor little cosy that couldn't is resigned to my pile of what-the-fucks* which are going a big fat nowhere.

*You can thank Claire for that one. It is officially my new favourite word for miscellaneous items that just kinda irritate.

Devil Child does school

The child doesn't do nice photo poses well. It's either catch-her-off-guard sort of poses or child-being-a-doofus sort of poses. ha.

But anyway, my little devil child is off for her first day at school today after turning 5 on Saturday. Ain't she sweet all dressed up in her tragic uniform, pig tails and roman sandals? ha.

She was so damn excited when she left this morning and I was just glad she'd be able to spend some time with people other than me! I pick her up in a couple of hours and I have a feeling the kid is gonna be shaaaaaaaaattered. Didn't help that her wayward mother took her out for a night of partying on Saturday. heh

The kidlet's birthday celebrations have been delayed til next weekend so party pics will follow that.

Man. Can't believe I have a 5 year old. I turned around in the car when we arrived at school and said "Right, out you get Roo!" and she looked at me all stern-like and said "Mum. You have to call me a big girl now - I'm 5."

Right. I've got some study to do. Exam on Wednesday. Eeeek!

P.S. I soooo haven't figured out this new blogger post thingy. Bear with my excessive gaps and weird font sizes. Much appreciated :P

Brilliant idea

So, I'm meant to be leaving for Napier in hrmmmm... approx 10 minutes. But in the mean time I thought I'd show off a dress I just made for the kid (instead of packing) mostly based on this tutorial.

It was very very almost a sack like creation but I managed to rescue it by taking it in a pile and then adding an elasticated waist. Quite cute I think!! Pity my guess-the-hem game didn't pay off. I did my usual trick of deciding it was too long and then just hacking a pile off the bottom... it seems the kid has grown more than I thought and it was a biiiiiiit on the micro mini side. So then I decided to procrastinate some more and made her some little black leggings and wooooooooooo yeah. It looks good.

Fabric was a genius score from the Global Fabrics sale. It's a fine wool with the coolest print. I'm in love with it! It was originally chosen to be a dress for me... but now I've made the kid a dress I may have to think that. Somehow I don't think matching mama-daughter clothes have gotten any cooler.


Right. Time to pack now! Off to a friend's wedding for the weekend so I'll catch ya back here Monday when I'm all gushy and mushy and mostprobablystillhungthefreakover.

Crap. The boy is home. I'm in trouble.

Dear Universe

Fuck you.

Love,

Nikki

Please please please please

Dear Universe,

If I could get the job that I am supposed to hear about today then I would be eternally grateful.

Especially because Hannah and I will be living on 2 minute noodles as of next week.

Kind regards,

Nicola Elisabeth

10 things you probably shouldn't say to a teenage mum

This post was inspired by Marianne's post on "10 things you probably shouldn't say to a friend who doesn't have children". Her version was full of humour (though it didn't take away from the examples of stupid shit people say to those who choose not to procreate!!) but mine may have more of a serious note as I still have a few minor hang ups about the way young parents are treated ;)

1. "Are you the proud big sister?"
Yes. This did happen. I almost clocked her one.

2. "Oh, you look far to young to have a child!"
My usual response is, "Well yes, I am far too young to have a child, but I do." which generally shuts people up. The worst example I have come across with this one was actually not my own experience, neither did I witness it, but I promise it did happen! A young woman walked into a creche with a newborn baby in a front pack and stood looking around awkwardly while my friend packed up her child's stuff. She was about to ask the young woman with the baby if she needed any help when a creche teacher walked in and asked the woman who she was after. The woman responded that she was looking for her sister. The teacher then inquired "And whose baby is this?" pointing to the baby in the front pack. The woman said "Mine." to which the teacher threw up her hands in horror and said "But you are MUCH too young to have a child! You're just a child yourself!" - and how exactly is that gonna help the young mama?

3. [On a rare night out without the kidlet] "Just make sure she isn't neglected."
See this post here for my tirade after this gem was offered to me. Actually this comment followed a few of my other favourites. The guy was clearly on a roll.

4. "Oh well, at least they are cute." [To a young mother with twins]
I am totally massively and utterly ashamed to say that this was me before I had the kid when I came across a girl 3 years younger than me that I knew from primary school. Karma came and kicked my ass in a fricking huge way as I got pregnant about a month later. Turns out unplanned pregnancies can happen to anyone [who is having sex anyway :P]! I've never forgotten it and still feel terrible.

5. "Do you have just the one?"
This one isn't so much offensive, I just don't really get it. Why you probably shouldn't say it is that it evokes my blasphemous response of "Jesus Christ! Yes! One demon child is more than enough."

6. "So what does your husband do?"
Ultra conservative Christian dude broke this one out after discovering I had a child named Hannah and then telling me the story of Hannah of the biblical variety. Once again, I decided to use the shock tactic by saying something along the lines of "No husband. I got drunk at Otago Uni and ended up pregnant."

It seems this is a common one with young mums. Other variations include "Oh, I didn't know you were married!" and also the other end of the scale of judgement/presumption with "So are you still with the father?"

7. "Don't you have a TV?" or "Don't you know how it happens?" or "Did you miss the sex ed lesson at school?"
I've had the second one before. And honestly, I wish my look could have actually killed. Seriously people!

8. "You'll get fatter the more kids you have"
This is usually people you know who are a smidgeon bitter about your body's ability to return to its pre-birth shape and it's all too obvious!

9. "Had a little accident I see?"
If there's one thing I've learned is that all manner of circumstances lead to babies. Let's not assume anything huh?

10. "So THAT's where my tax money is going!"
Passed on to me by another young mama who was offered that helpful comment while out for a walk with a group of friends with babies. (Oh you know, a peer support group which would be doing wonders for child development and all! Frigging wench lady.)

I know there are a trillion insensitive things that could be said to people of all walks of life. My offerings hopefully show part of the reality for teenage mums - they often find themselves the victims of scathing comments and/or stares from complete and utter strangers. After getting pregnant unintentionally the first time, I absolutely swore I would never be so stupid as to ever get pregnant again. Turns out stupid has nothing to do with it when I found myself in that place again when Hannah was just over a year old despite taking my contraception seriously! The torment I gave myself was more than any comment or look could have achieved.

So anyway, here's an idea - smile at young parents. Tell them their kids are rockingly cute! Most of the time they need something to work with in the wake of a whole lot of societal judgement. And you never know, it might just increase self esteem and therefore contribute positively to their parenting.

Kid story 676

Well, at the very least, the blog is living up to its name. Pity there is a severe lack of action on the crafty front! Oh, I lie. I went on out Saturday night and decided about 5 minutes before I was meant to leave that I needed a black mini-ish skirt. So I sewed one. But pics will follow later. Maybe much later as I sorta screwed it up and need to fix it. heh.

Anywayyyy... kid story.

There is a vacant section next door to our place where the kid has claimed a special secret hiding place. This secret hiding place consists of a bit of ply wood which has been left there. heh. So every now and again she comes running up to me and cups her hand to my ear and whispers something indecipherable involving an awful lot of saliva. I have recently decoded this as "Mum, can I go to my secret hiding place?" [Can ya tell she's had strict instructions she must always ask before going to her secret hiding place? ;) ]

The section is for sale.

The kidlet asked what the board said and I read it out to her and tried to explain the concept of property ownership.

The kidlet decided she was going to buy the land.

The kidlet emptied her money box.

The kidlet set out for the table.

The kidlet made her deposit on the vacant plot and is now apparently the proud owner of some prime near-beach real estate.

I've given up trying to explain.

Tales of a bored housewench

Oooo look - fabric covered boxes! I'm gonna make me some!

And in other news, Han had her first school visit today. I marched in expecting to be all weirded out by the conservative New Zealand-ness of it all but it was down to earth and welcoming.

After being horrified by photos of the school uniform on their website, seeing a classroom full of 5 year olds dressed in plaid melted my stoney heart. They are just too damn cute. And then hearing them all chorus together "Gooood moooorning Hannnnnah" and their goofy little grins just made me want to hug 'em all.

School in 12 days. The kid is well sick of me.

Exploration: A photo essay

We decided to go on an adventure. Hannah packed her own bag. It contained: two quite gross looking bananas, two drink bottles, a teddy, a jersey, and a couple of necklaces. All very important things to take on an adventure, I assure you.

And our exploration begins, with Hannah leading the way:

It's all very serious.
Hannah took charge of the photography momentarily to document the botanical landscape. This is one photo of about 200. Please be thankful I didn't subject you to all of them.
We found a duck on someone's lawn. I have since been warned not to feed the ducks (by your own house at least) as the neighbour ended up with 30 on her lawn, making themselves quite at home, after her son fed them once.
We did a bit of mail tampering. Dear no. 25, my daughter took exception to the placement of your junk mail in the slot reserved for the newspaper. We rectified the problem immediately so you no longer have to worry.

We found the local scum pool surrounded by what Hannah termed "a jungle". Never mind about cleaning it up property developers, just hide it behind some trees!
The terrain was rough and the road long

We found the beginnings of the construction of a tree dwelling, made from bits of abandoned construction materials that seem to be piled up on every vacant plot.
Hannah took another 100 or so photos of flowers. Including this magnificent image I like to call "Une blur de fleur".
We lay down and had a rest. And it turned to shit. So we went home.

But on the way, I had a little laugh at this house. Monstrosity of a house. Which probably cost a fortune.
And then its really shitty fence. Which probably cost nothing.

hehe. I am easily amused.