Alphabet Art - E

Stardust received this brilliant book over Christmas, Alphabet Art, by Judy Press. It has so many cool crafts ideas for preschoolers!

After looking through it, I went out to Art Friend one weekend and bought a whole load of tempera paints and coloured construction paper. It was so exciting!

We've been going through the book systematically and learning a new letter each week. Stardust just loves the change in activity and looks forward to 'do-ink craffs' at his little table.

Some of the activities take a little bit of planning on my part to make sure that I have all the necessary materials.

For example, Stardust was learning the letter 'E' this week. Over the weekend, I saved the eggshells from our breakfast and made sure they were clean and dry. I also outlined the uppercase and lowercase letters using black marker on a paper plate and cut off the rim so that I could tape it flat to the tabletop.

I put the eggshells into a ziplock bag and gave Stardust a wooden mallet to use. He was rather bemused at first, but after I showed him what to do, he quickly got into the spirit of things and unleashed his destructive powers.

There was a very satisfying crrrrr-ackkking and crrrrrr-unching sound as he smashed the eggshells into a gazillion tiny pieces, cackling evilly to himself.

I applied dribbly glue liberally over the surface of each letter, and Stardust very carefully sprinkled the eggshells over the glue, tapping them gingerly into place with the tips of his fingers.

Tadahhhh!

The best part of all this is that Stardust very clearly remembers this activity and will repeat 'Eh, eggshells!' whenever he sees the letter 'E' printed anywhere.

Cycle and seek

Stardust loves his tricycle. He has started pedalling on his own and is quite good at steering around obstacles, which means that we have started playing 'cycle-and-seek' - I run and hide behind a pillar and he cycles round to find me.

Now that the Outlaws have come to stay, he has been having so much fun playing with them. Grandpa likes to hide in corners and leap out at Stardust as he cycles by. Grandma tells Grandpa off for potentially frightening the wits out of the boy who is shrieking with laughter.

Rub a dub dub

I don't have many toys in the house (yet).

This is partly because I am very fussy about the toys that Stardust does get to play with. There is just so much garbage out there and I really don't want it cluttering up my house.

However, the main reason for the lack of Fisher-Price here is because I like Stardust to be innovative with what he does have available to him. Stardust plays with wooden spoons, pots and pans, tupperware lids, even clothespegs.

So when he had his friend round to play, the two of them shared his favourite toy - my blue laundry tub.

Endless. Hours. Of. Fun.

The Outlaws are coming!!!!!!

frantically cleaning the house WHERE did all this dust come from I thought I just cleaned all this up yesterday and now it's back again everywhere I look there seems to be another DUPLO brick hiding away I am sure we did not have this many DUPLO bricks they are just breeding away in the dark corners of the house okay the floors are now immaculate now to make sure the guest bedroom is done up all pretty and wait a minute where is Stardust and why is he so quiet ah there he is wait hang on where did he get that paper bag from oh yes MDH left it by the door it must be the bag of handmedown toys from his colleagues that is so sweet of them to give them to us hang on hang on hang on yuck there's purple stuff on the bottom of my foot where did that come from wait its everywhere EVERYWHERE EVERYWHERE its smeared all over the tiles what is it its so disgusting oh its playdoh we dont own any playdoh its so sticky where did this come from ARGH the handmedown toys have not been cleaned at all Stardust darling bring those and put them in the sink mummy will wash them later lets put you in the shower first with some toys ok let me clean up this mess here oh crap CRAP it won't come off where's my melamine sponge argh argh argh argh argh don't cry Stardust it was an accident mummy is not mad at you don't cry mummy will clean you off in a minute okay throw all of this out and now clean up the boy there we go lets put you in some clean clothes and why don't you take a nap now so I can get started on dinner I hope there's enough food in the house just wash and scrub up the potatoes and shove them into the oven and chopchopchopchopchop and fry up the veggies and add in the couscous there we go wake up baby its time for milk just sit there quietly and drink it please that's a good boy DING DONG and they're here!

Whew.

Happy Housewarming to us

The housewarming presents started trickling in the minute we finished unpacking all our boxes - finally, after 5 years of dragging them all over the UK and then across the ocean to Singapore. You wouldn't believe the sort of stuff we've been receiving. Most people want to give us heirlooms (dust collectors) to pass down through the ages. May the accumulation of junk begin!

Here's a list of the top ten housewarming presents that I've received, put together for your viewing pleasure:

10. A cheese knife from Skansenbutiken - we eat alot of fermented curd in this house, so a good cheese slicer is essential!

9. A cheese board, also from Skansenbutiken - in case we ever decide to share our fancy cheeses with the world. I really like the grain of the wood and the fact that its been taken from a renewable resource.

8. A set of spatulas from Le Creuset - these are great silicone spatulas that can be used for baking as well as for frying. They don't melt and they are so easy to clean - everything just slides right off. I just love their bright colours.

7. Nest of Stainless steel mixing bowls from MUJI- rust-proof, heat-proof, stain-proof and baby-proof.

6. Oven mitts from Cath Kidston - Red polka dots. Could I say more?

5. Diana Krall's 'Live In Paris' album - Her voice is so sexy and perfect for quiet evenings in.

4. Oval creamware photoframe from Laura Ashley - I normally abhor photo frames, having been given nearly 30 of them for our wedding and am now slowly but steadily offloading them each Christmas. I always feel that photo frames are fallback presents for people whom one does not know all that well. However, this particular one deserves a special fourth place because the giver obviously tried hard to match my taste (instead of relying on generic silver plated or pewter frames). It will be going on my new dressing table.

3. A memory book - lovingly and painstakingly put together by one of my friends who is a scrapbooking fiend. It's for me to pen my Revelations of Genius. Even if I don't use it (Revelations of Genius are few and far between for me), it's really pretty and I appreciate the effort.

2. Rosh Hashanah cupcakes - a tasty honey cake for us to usher in the new year in our new home.

and the number ONE housewarming gift is...............

A cherry red Kitchenaid Artisan standing mixer given to me by my fairy godmother!!!!!!! WOOHOOO!!

Meh

I do not seem to be able to keep my shirtfront free of toothpaste stains.

New Years Barbeque = Madness

0700h - Wake up

0715h - Hurriedly feed MDH and Stardust

0745h - Kick MDH and Stardust out of house to get them out of the way

0750h - Bring out Implements of Purification

0900h - Make cakes, salads and icecream. Cram everything into the fridge and freezer.

1200h - The food for the barbeque arrives. MDH and Stardust return, hungry and thirsty.

1201h - Feed MDH and Stardust.

1220h - Put Stardust down for his nap.

1230h - Kick MDH out of house to get him out of the way

1231h - Organise and wrap utensils with napkins and pack them into bags. Pack plates and bowls into bags. Pack cups into bags. Curse self for not buying more IKEA plastic plates, cups and utensils. Wrap BBQ cooking implements and pack into bags. Find implements of purification and pack into bags.

1400h -WHY IS IT RAINING!!!!

1401h - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

1402h - Guests begin to arrive

1430h -Unanimous decision made to continue with BBQ and brave the elements!

1445h - Ferrying people bearing plates of food to and from the common room using Large Golf Umbrellas = not the best idea. However, everyone seems happy and game for anything.

1530h - Have used 10 umbrellas held by 10 children to create a Forcefield Of Awesome around the BBQ pit. Further 2 umbrellas used to shield cooked food from the wet! It's all about teamwork!

1630h - BBQ time complete

1631h - Rain stops. Typical.

1632h - Mildly damp children fling themselves bodily into children's play pool and are now completely soaked.

1633h - Sopping wet children now approach their parents to ask for permission to throw themselves bodily into children's play pool

1635h - Wander off to get towels and clothes for children (and adults) who have not brought a change of apparel.

1655h - Return to pool area to find MDH suspending Stardust by his ankles over the pool. Stardust is shrieking with laughter.

1730h - Commence washing of used plates and utensils.

1800h - Herd entire party back into apartment for dessert.

1830h - What? Where'd all this fried chicken appear from? Who brought all the cotton candy? Don't feed that to the children!!! STOP!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo

1831h - The children are using chicken fat to grease up my leather sofa!

1832h - There's icecream melting all over my silk carpet!!!

1833h -Who wiped ketchup on my white suede cushion covers?

1834h - Get away from my fridge!

1835h - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! They're climbing up the shelves in my larder! Get down get down from there!!! Get down!

1836h - We've run out of drinks??? Didn't I buy 10 giant soda bottles and 15 cartons of juice? Nevermind, there's still the secret store of drinks I hid in the store room.

1837h - What?! Those are gone too??? One of the kids poured them down the sink eh? Well then that's just too bad everyone can just drink water.

1838h - We've run out of cups?!!!

1839h - They're crawling on the ceilings!

1840h - OH MY GOD I CAN'T LOOK

(1841h to 2000h - Everything goes black. Memories appear to have been wiped from brain.)

2001h - Guests leave. Stardust goes to sleep.

2230h - Home purification complete.

2231h - Stagger into study room and watch cartoons until oblivion sets in.