Braces For Gidget

My gorgeous girl had to get braces a couple of weeks ago - yep, I know, she's very young for braces but the reason she is having them at 10 years of age is also the reason she needs them in the first place. 
Gidget starting loosing her teeth very early on and kept on loosing them steadily.  When her new teeth came through they didn't have much room as her jaw was still little.  So what did they do?  they fitted themselves in where ever they could and in the case of one tooth - he made himself a whole new row behind the others!  Now that all her baby teeth are gone and her jaw has caught up we are able to rectify the situation.  Apparently her mouth is about 2 years ahead of most kids her age - would have preferred her maths to be 2 years ahead but you can't have everything.

My little poppet was actually excited to be the first one of her friends to have braces as she teemed with jealousy when her two besties had to get plates earlier in the year.  I tried to gently warn her that it wouldn't be all beer and skittles but I don't think I really got through to her.  She had great fun talking to a couple of teenage friends who'd had them and getting their advice on colours - apparently these days you can change the colour every month if you want to! 
 

Her wonderful Orthodontist and his gorgeous dental nurse made the experience such a positive one for which I am very grateful, and within an hour we walked out with a spanking new set of braces with PURPLE inserts.  (Her Gymnastics Club colour is purple so this was the deciding factor).  I thought she'd be happy to have the afternoon at home but no, she wanted to go straight back to school.  
She felt great and couldn't wait to show her friends.  Unfortunately she didn't feel great for long and by the next morning the pain had set in but for the moment the whole experience had been as good as it possibly could be.

 

I'll update you with the traumatic reality of the first week with braces soon.

Spy Headquarters

 

The renovation has been going on for so long in the short lives of my children that the novelty of visiting has completely worn off.  The standard refrain at out place is 'Ooooh we don't have to go to the house do we?'

On Sunday we got the same reaction but this time instead of wandering around asking when we were leaving they DISCOVERED A CUBBY!!!

 

I was called from inside and told to find them, I followed the giggles and was most surprised to hear their chuckles coming from the ceiling of the shed.  It turns our Surfer Boy has built himself a mezzanine for storage and there I found my kids.  

When I went back later they were sitting there swinging their legs and discussing their new HQ.

  

By the end of our visit they had rigged up a rope system to get up there and had decorated with various objects from the first load of boxes we'd brought over.
Unfortunately by that time I was too tired to contemplate getting up there to take photos so you'll just have to use your imaginations.  The whole house is like a magical cubby for me so I was so glad they had found their own - looks like S.B. will have to find another storage spot until the novelty has worn off.

Gidget

Crafting Bug

Both kids are getting excited about the prospect of having their own rooms and Gidget in particular is starting to think about how she wants it to look.  I came across this ides over here and thought it would be a fun activity for her in readiness to hang when we move back in.

We have an old set of string lights that I luckily saved and as this project requires no sewing and I have tons of fabric scraps I think this will be a winner.

Happy Birthday Babies

Yet another cake!  Thank god for Grandma who had us over for dinner and made sure there was a big chocolately cake to share.

Double Figures For My Baby Girl

As the heading says, my gorgeous Gidget turns 10 today and I can not for the life of me work out where that time went.  She has blossomed into an amazing person with a dry wit and a killer death stare.  She is kooky and thoughtful, loving and nutty.  She can be silent and moody, or all giggles and sunshine - she is 10!

On the weekend we celebrated with an 'Awards Night' - Gidget's 10th Annual Awards to be exact and we were lucky enough to be able to hold the party at a friend's Music Studio.  The girls channeled their favourite artist, got dressed in their finest and worked the red carpet out the front of the Studio.  

They posed for the Paparazzi and then made their way in to the Green Room (or in this case, Red) to indulge in a little Champagne (non-alcoholic) before making their way into the sound booth to lay down a track! 

 

You can imagine how thrilled they were, not only to see inside a real music studio, but to be able to record a song as well - words could not express the delight on their faces.  They all lined up in front of the mics, donned the headphones and warmed up for their rendition of Katy Perry's Hot N' Cold.

 

Craig talked them through the process and generally made them feel like Australia's newest Girl Group - Craig had them do a couple of takes and them we left him to weave his magic and the girls adjourned back to the Green Room for the awarding of the statuettes for the night, followed by a screening of 'She's The Man'

 

Many lollies were eaten, champagne drunk, and after the mandatory Birthday Cake we got to listen to their recording and each girl received her own copy of their song to take home.

Gidget also spent hours the night before designing a Mix CD for everyone to take home instead of lolly bags - I think she had just as much fun in the lead up  as she did on the day.


I hope she had as much fun as I did - her friends are all delightful and I'm pretty sure the day was a huge success.
Happy birthday Gidget!

My Little Lamb

Gidget is away on camp and although I say I love having a smaller household for a change, I won't be completely comfortable until she arrives home safe and sound tomorrow night.
Just as I was starting to miss her face I received an email from LITTLE LAMB and there she was!  This pic should see me through until the bus arrives back at school tomorrow.
 

 

 Gidget in the middle with her beautiful friend Rosie on the left.

Thanks Caitlin and Little Lamb

Dress Ups

The kids very much missed our annual Halloween party this year, due to the move, but today they got to dress up after all.  Their school has a Wacky Walk-a-thon every year to raise money and each class has a theme to dress up as.  This year Moondoggie's class was 'Monsters and Scary things' and Gidget's was 'Spies & Detectives'.

Here they are as Dracula and Nancy Drew! 

 

It's mid-day and they are about to begin but as I look out the window of CHALK the rain clouds are bearing down!  Hope they get to parade around the oval a few times before they get drenched.

Tree Huggers

I came home from work last week and was told by Surfer Boy to go outside and see what was in the back yard.   Using a torch I discovered Gidget in a tree!

Surfer boy had informed the kids that the demolishers were going to remove everything and Gidget decided a protest was in order.  She certainly didn't get her activism from us - but good on her I guess.  Unfortunately the hideous tree is still going but points for effort Gidg.

Miley Cyrus - Gypsy Heart Tour - My Review

 Well she rocked!! I knew I was excited but I didn't really know what to expect, a fun pop concert most likely. It turned out that wasn't to be. Miley's concert was a rock concert pure and simple. She absolutely knocked it out of the park - Her voice was amazing, the voice of a hard drink'n and smoke'n rocker twice her age, powerful and perfectly suited to the rock feel of the show. 'Every Rose Has It's Thorns' showcasing her voice and her ability to pull off a killer power ballad.

A highlight for me was her Joan Jett nod - I Love Rock n Roll, followed by Cherry Bomb and Bad Reputation! Joan would have been proud.

She managed to incorporate most of her hits which kept the younger audience happy - as evidenced by the insane volume of their appreciation, but for those who had left our teens behind (way behind for some of us) her rendition of Teen Spirit by Nirvana was a risky but ultimately perfect addition to the set list. What a gutsy choice - an iconic song by an iconic band - she absolutely owned it and proved she is a talent well beyond her years.

I look forward to seeing where she goes from here and what direction she takes her career - My tip is that the pop will slowly disappear to be replaced by a pure Rock goddess. Nice work Miley.

Oh and this was nine year old Gidget's first concert - I think she loved it!  I had a spare ticket and she was more than willing to be my date for the night.
 

Gidget's Nook

I make it a general rule not to go up to my daughter's top bunk more than is necessary and only if she invites me as it is very much her space and when you share a room with your brother it's very necessary to have some privacy. 

As a result I leave her to it except every couple of weeks when I storm the citadel to change the linen and make sure nothing unseemly is growing up there.  Today was one such days.

WOW!! Is there a lot of stuff up there!!  After throwing armfuls of extra bedding, books, folders, diaries off the bunk to go back in their rightful homes I was left with the most wonderful snap shot of pre-teen life.

Amongst the array of soft toys and fairies there are movie posters, pictures of Katie Perry and Kylie, letters from friends, album covers from the likes of Mylie, jewellery and a million other treasures.  Although it looks insane, when you look closer you realise that everything is immaculately arranged.  I sat up there for ages just taking it all in.  Often when we lie up there to read together she tells me about the stuff and it's significance and it's the most amazing window in to her world.
I am actually rather jealous of her space as when the curtain is drawn and the lamp is on it is the most delicious hide-a-way.

Perhaps I need to incorporate my own nook in to the extension?

They're Off

Well it's official - I am the mother of TWO school children and as such Surfer Boy seems to think that the house will be immaculate, meals will be prepared, and various home crafts will be completed. He was a little miffed to find that nothing has changed in one day! Little does he know that I headed straight for 'The Corner Shop' cafe and sat around with various lovely ladies until 1.30pm!! There really wasn't much time left after that for chores of any sort. Maybe tomorrow will be different - but I doubt it!
Here's the lovelies off to their first day -

Gidget - year 2

Moondoggie - Prep

(and before you ask - no I wasn't at all sad or sentimental. He was so happy to be there that there didn't seem much point)

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My Crazy Scientist

I got a chance to spend some time in Gidget's classroom the other day as part of Education week. They are doing a unit on science and spent the morning conducting experiments and dressing as scientists. It was great to see what she is up to as I rarely get to see the class in action. In prep you get to spend so much time in the room but I've realised that as she gets older I will get to spend less and lees time being a part of her life. Good and bad at the same time. It's exciting seeing her find her place in the world but a little sad that I am not the center of her universe anymore.
Thank god Moondoggie is still a mummy's boy!
(P.S. hours of hair plaiting went on the night before to ensure hair was suitably crazy - unfortunately you can't even tell in this shot)

Gidget Turns Six

My beautiful baby girl turned 6 today.

She is a joy and a blessing, a kind hearted soul who treads softly on the world.

Gidget is my sweet, sweet baby who tries to do her best in everything she does and cares about the feelings of those around her. I am so proud of her and am continually humbled by her presense in my life.

I love you my Gidget.

Siblings

After a day of doing nothing much and consequently irritating the shit out of each other, I came into the living room to find Gidget and Moondoggie watching tele like this!

They really do love each other after all.

(Mind you I give it about 5 minutes before one of them screams out 'Muuuuum!' in that high pitched whiny voice I love so much.)