I am loving weekends, the opportunity to catch up with Mia with more one on one time - well thats what I tell myself during the week. 

Saturday I decided to take Mia out for some quality time, granted chino and coffee at our local may not have been the best idea but there was a shop I needed to check out and the plan was to stop at a park on the way home.  The coffee/chino went well caught up with a friend we hadn't seen in a couple of weeks, the shop visit was also good - gotta love shops that accommodation kids.  A small play area was enough to keep her entertained for 1/2 and hour.  The problem was trying to leave.

Tantrum time - it would have been almost funny if I had someone to share it with, but alas I was there debating how far to walk away whilst she lay on the floor kicking her feet, crying.  Every and I mean every person walking anywhere near us had a good old look and a whisper to the person next to them.  I am assuming it wasn't all that complimentary but what am I to do.  Choices were carry her kicking and screaming to the car which was going to be near on impossible with the bags I was carrying or leave her there to get over whatever was making her unhappy.

Eventually she calmed down (30 minutes later) and we made it to the park.  Not that she really wanted to play she was more concerned with the picnic we were having - if you count the ham cheese & tomatoe sandwhich we bought from the corner store a picnic - she was happy enough. 

Saturday night was great we went to visit a friend of Richard's who has 4 kids.  Mia was a little intimidated at first I guess it would be hard to go into someones house where the other kids all know each other and you are on the outer.  It didn't take her long to settle in and she was taken under the wing of the second oldest.  She even went to sleep straight away in their bed.

We had a great dinner and lots of conversation and laughs.  So much so that we didn't get home until well after 1am.  I was almost embarressed about staying so late it was partly due to lack of taxi cabs in the area.  It took an hour or there abouts for a taxi to arrive from when we called.  Don't know what that is about.

This morning we took Mia to the local swimming pool.  She loves the water but it has been a while since she has had lessons or exposure to a pool.  She took to it like a duck although wouldn't stand to jump in the water, she sat on the edge and kind of slid in.  We are going to take her more often now the weather is getting warmer especially given my sister lives in an apartment block that has a swimming pool for the tenants and guests to use.

She was exhausted after the swim and slept for a few hours and is now fast asleep again.

I was going to post a photo of my two nieces but I have a new lap top and for some reason it wont let me upload them.  I will do a post later from my other laptop.  Yes I know I have 2 laptops.  I have my mac which I have had forever but it doesn't allow me to connect to my work something to do with the software they use, so work just bought me a new laptop.  For once I have one more gadget than the hubby - that never happens.

Good night.

 

Just out of interest I was wandering how many people read my blog.  If you do can you please leave a comment.  Thanks

Most of the people I know do not speak very highly of the Perth Show - the topic is usually greeted with comments such as "It is too expensive", "there are too many people", it is too hard to get to".  All I have to say is what a load of crap.

Richard and I took Mia along with my parents on the public holiday Monday which should have been the busiest time to visit.  We parked at Burswood train station and caught the train first to the city and then crossed over to the train that took us straight to the show grounds.  Mia loves the train so it made the adventure start much earlier for her.

From the minute we entered the ground she loved it.  The bright colours, the people and all the things to see, do and eat.  We spent a lot of time checking out all the animals who had come to the show to compete. 

Chickens, Ducks, All kinds of dogs and horses, she loved them all.  On the left is Mia's first pony ride where she could hold on by herself.  It was a proud moment for me, another sign she is growing up.  As for the cost of the day, yes it can be expensive if you let it and I have no doubt that as Mia grows older she will want more and more every time we go but I guess that is something we will deal with when the time comes.  I have no idea how much we spent on the day but whatever it was it was worth it.

I grew up in Melbourne and we went to the show almost every year and loved it.  The rides, showbags and of course the grand parade and fireworks at the end of the day.  The show isn't just for the kids it is for the parents and grandparents too.

The fun continued after we arrived home and Mia had had a well needed sleep.  We emptied the contents of her show bags (Bob the Builder & Wiggles) and played for hours.  The best item came with the Wiggles show bag it is a cardboard version of the Big Red Car that opens out so she can get inside and run around pretending she is driving the car.  I should post a photo.

So many times we nearly threw it out whilst we were walking around the show as it was big and bulky but very glad now that we didn't.

The show is now over but for those that are in Perth and have never been, I highly recommend going. 

I love footy but have slowly lost interest as the years in Perth grow and my home town of Melbourne becomes a distant memory.  When I first moved to Perth 9 years ago a weekend wouldn't pass where I wouldn't watch at least one full game of football on tv.  As the years have passed that has slowly decreased and this season I watched only 2 full games.

It also makes a difference when you don't follow a Western team (in football anyway).  But gotta say I jumped on the band wagon of West Coast on Saturday and what a game it was.  We were priviledged enough to have West Coast supporters as well as 2 Sydney supporters.  One being a good friend of ours Andy and the other believe it or not our daughter.

We asked her who she wanted to cheer for during the footy and she said Swanies.  Given Rich loves Eagles and I am Collingwood it came as a surprise.  She even wanted to wear the colours which we could only accommodate her in a white tshirt and red shorts.  We had to pin the Eagles Gurnsey on the wall as she refused to put it on.

We had a little gathering for the day with a BBQ at half time, typically Australian way of watching the game.  7 kids ran a muck whilst the parents were distracted and trashed our house inside and out.  Didn't bother us - a sign they had a good time.  This photo is 5 of them munching down on icy poles after the game, increasing their energy for the big game that was about to start.

A combination of aussie rules, soccer, rugby and british bulldogs was played until we lost one ball over the neighbours fence and the other over the fence to the sump next door.  No idea who won but there was some severe tackling done by our daughter - Andy never stood a chance.
He did ask us never to show this photo - Not sure what is more embarressing being tackled to the ground by a girl or a 2 year old.  You will have to ask him. 

It was an awesome if somewhat exhausting day.  9 1/2 hours of visitors is tough in anyones language but I wouldn't have changed it for the world.