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Dappled light on Mother's Day | Chasing me with her magical wand

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Her new sweet ride- It's a secondhand hiking pack for toddlers, a necessary purchase as she has outgrown the Ergo baby. For now she seems keen to sit and watch the world as we rock her up sand dunes and through the Australian bush.

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Yesterday went something like this... Up before 6am, washed two loads of washing, poached pears for her and made fluffy pancakes with a delicious pear, cinnamon and currant syrup for the both of us as her papa left for work before 7am.

She painted (her tummy and legs mostly), then we walked Coco on the beach (translation: Coco watched on as Love ran into the sea and rock pools fully-clothed). We saw a friend and his two older daughters at the beach, who weren't that keen on Love demolishing their sand sculptures.

Following the beach, Coco dog didn't want to get in the car, then she hid underneath it because she didn't want to be hosed, then Love didn't want to get out of the bath until I convinced her to help me to bake a cake (or was it the other way around?).

Next, Love sat on the kitchen bench transferring almond meal into raw eggs as I tried to demonstrate 'like this, sweetheart' and encourage her to 'watch mama, Love'. Eventually the cake made it into the oven and I used two towels to wipe batter from Love's sticky fingers before I made pasta for lunch and Love enjoyed her next bath, which was necessary to remove the cake batter dreads and pasta sauce finger paint.

I put the third load of washing on as salty, wet, sand-covered ghost dog returned home, then washed the dog, greeted husband and enjoyed (two!) slices of moist orange and almond cake with half a cup of tea.

Next I continued packing in preparation for the big move. Love started to do that extra-cheeky thing she does just before she passes out so I whipped her into the backpack with the 'buh-bows' (bubbles) she requested (demanded) and hiked over the headland. She whined a little and proceeded to flick bubble mixture all over the back of my head and arms. Not to worry, I completely fudged the bubble recipe (3 parts water : 2 parts detergent : 1 part corn syrup?? I think Sesame Street lied...) then the kicking and whining stopped (she fell asleep).

Mama reheated her tea for the umpteenth time and went to bed with half-filled boxes littering the kitchen and wet washing still in the machine.

Living a blessed life by the sea. Trying to make do with the mere 24 hours in every day... #amiright?

Bella x

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Mermaid

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There's a new member of the Love toy family, a beautiful handmade mermaid from local artist, Kath. I adore that she is hand stitched with love, from her crocheted seaweed hair to her hand beading.

There are more beautiful mermaids available in gorgeous, whimsical colours. I particularly likely the green-skinned girl with the coral-like hair and lace crown. I feel a giveaway not too far away...

What should we name her?

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Watching

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Beach Scenes on New Year's Day

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On New Year's Day, we ventured down to Red Rock beach, where we relaxed in the shade of tropical pandanus trees. We snacked on fresh mango cheeks, sweet strawberries, bursting lychees and sticky nectarines that had warmed with the hot sun. A considerable amount of snacking involved biting into juicy, sandy fruit.

Love splashed about in the shallows, sharing natural treasures of bird feathers, smooth yellow pebbles and broken shells. After lunch, we climbed to the top of the windy headland to admire the choppy waves, salt spray and distant islands before returning to the scorching car.

Most of the cafes on our drive home were closed, except for one tiny corner cafe, where we were able to order some chilled sweet slices of chocolate, pear and pistachio cake, gluten free caramel slice and berry cheesecake.

Today I felt very happy to sit and be. I was thankful we were able to relax and play as a family. Today was the first day in quite some time where I have felt like I could enjoy the present, without the unsettling feeling that I needed to rush off to the next gathering or appointment.

We didn't make personal New Year's resolutions, other than a playful joke where Byron suggested I should be more patient and I laughed, before adding that he should 'be more prompt'.

2016 will see us travel to New Zealand in the summer, embark on more exciting family adventures, move into our own tiny beach house, push ourselves to be more creative with our photography and hopefully much more.

Whilst we wonder about the possibilities, we mindfully savour the present.

May 2016 bring you joy, good health and a refreshing appreciation for living in the moment.

xx

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The duck pond

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Chicken pox. We have no idea where she contracted it but I do know that for two weeks, I felt unrelenting fear as her little body fought the virus. High temperatures, general discomfort and a very poorly baby. Thankfully, she did not break out in many blisters. These pictures were taken at the beginning. I don't have photos of how she looked as it progressed because I couldn't be separated from her when she needed me.

Somehow, despite this recent illness and the mandatory quarantine period, she managed to find joy in simple objects. A hair brush, a ceiling fan, a roll of toilet paper. Baby Love, you are stronger and more resilient than I ever imagined. I'm thankful that you did not suffer for very long. I'm grateful that your beautiful smile and happy personality shone through, even when you were unwell. xx

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Sometimes she naps quite late and I wonder if we will manage to squeeze in an afternoon walk. Today she woke as the sun dipped low in the sky. I scooped her relaxed warm body into my arms, secured her to my body and hurried out the door as the insects began to trill. By the time we reached our secret beach, the sun had slipped below the tree line and a hazy glow lingered briefly, like the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon apple pie.

We played on the sand for a short time before the trunk of a large old uprooted tree caught her eye. The driftwood was smooth and pale grey, bleached almost white by the sun and salty sea. On one side, sooty black scars could be seen, a sure sign that someone had tried to burn it, possibly as a campfire. I was relieved it didn't burn, I have a special bond with this tree, having visited it many times during the days when we were trying to conceive a baby. It provided silent company, somewhere I could sit and think about all the things in my life that came and went with wavering levels of importance.

Now my daughter was drawn to it for her own reasons. The thought of this long lifeless tree touching my sweet girl brings me joy.

I love this beach, this tree, this time of year and this life. All are impermanent but mean the world to me.

Tomorrow will bring the first day of summer.

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This evening we ventured out for an evening walk. The sun had already set and the bugs were out in their thousands, a sure sign that summer is just around the corner. Your newest word is, 'Moon!' and you say it with heart-warming enthusiasm as you direct your pointed finger towards the sky.

You also taught me a valuable lesson with you disappearing wallet trick (be careful, Mama... It's a good one!). Your cheeky game for the evening was showing your Papa how you can fit your moon-pointing finger in your nose.

You never fail to entertain us, little one. xx

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Ground Earth

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Thursday morning. Ground Earth cafe. Kumera hash brown with beetroot jewels and the freshest orange, ginger and tumeric juice in town. Love continues to want to drink from her water glass, then wash her hands in it. She thinks about her art before scribbling and she is more than a little fascinated with the largest pepper grinder ever created.

She also prefers to wipe down her table, the windows, the floor, any surface... with paper napkins. A habit I'm sure she picked up from me...

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Today we needed to take a break from social media, televisions and crowds. We ventured outdoors, explored the beach at low tide, discovered crabs in their tiny temporary homes and listened as yellow-tailed black cockatoos squawked to one another from the treetops.

Today was a day of silent reflection and prayer.

Mother Nature provided a safe haven and together with my darling Love, we braved the light rain to walk in the salty breeze. Love walked with her arms high in the air, one tiny fist clutching a natural teething biscuit. She was closely followed by Coco, who wanted to eat the biscuit and sure enough, with canine perseverance, our little dog managed to steal it from Love's curled fingers and eat it on the run.

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