Notes on Andrew Belinda & Benjamin Lattimore

The Christmas Challenge “2010 update”

We purchased Ben a fort for Christmas 2010. Andrew and I researched and decided on a climbing fort from Pepper Town on the Gold Coast. We chose the Skyfort Clamber Climber with some additions. But there was only one small obstacle….. it was proving to bit of a challenge to build it. It didn’t stop raining. Fortunately for us we have great family and friends and with their help and a tarp to keep off some rain, the fort was built ready for Christmas. We can’t thank Uncle Al, Uncle Phil and the Durringtons enough.

We told Ben it was a new Chicken House but he isn’t stupid and soon informed me that it wasn’t a Chicken House but a Ben Sized Play Fort! We didn’t put the finishing touches on until after Christmas so we could wrap them up and put them under the Christmas Tree. I also convinced Andrew and Dad decorate the fort in the pouring rain on Christmas Eve.

We were so excited to see Ben’s reaction on Christmas day……. but there was only one problem IT WAS STILL RAINING!! I think Andrew and I were more disappointed than Ben about the rain.

Ben still managed a little play between the showers. I think his face says it all. It is a hit!!

Happiness!

Today was a day of joy, happiness and celebration….. a baby shower. My glowing (and growing) Sister-in-law is expecting her little miracle to arrive in the next few months. It was an honor to celebrate with her today. She prepared a little speech for us….. as I looked around the table at her beautiful family and friends there was not a dry eye. We are all moved by Tam and Phil’s journey and are bursting with excitement as we all await the arrival of their bundle of joy xoxoxo.

Patience

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

Nothing really prepares you for having children. Nobody gives you a handbook with fool proof steps for parenting….. if only!!

Today was a tricky day. Ben was tired. I am not 100% well and my patience was put to the test. I could have done better. I am not coping well with the whinging, the nagging and the constant boundary testing. My beautiful boy certainly knows how to push my buttons. But I am working on how to be more patient.

I am not going to say that it is my new years resolution to be more patient…… because that would mean I was destine to fail. I don’t think I have ever kept a new years resolution. I think I will call it my word for the year ‘Patience’. How does one become more patient….. I am not really sure. I might begin with taking a breath, smiling and counting all my wonderful blessings.

Go away COLD!!

OK…. I have a cold!! Just give me a second to feel sorry for myself ………… OK done!! Must get on with the day!

The Force is Strong!

Uncle Darrin introduced Ben to Star Wars!! On Boxing Day he and Ben played Star Wars Lego on the XBOX!!! Ben loooovvvved it. I was not that sure about it. Since then it has been Obi-Wan Kanobe this and R2-D2 that. It’s just Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars!!! I come from a Star Wars family. My Mum loves it, my Brother loves it, my Nephew loves it and Andrew loves it. They have filled Ben in with who are the goodies and the badies. Ben even gets the DVD’s out of the cabinet and studies the covers and inserts. He will be waiting a while to see the movies. I did encourage this obsession a little when I came home with a light saber. Oh there was all kinds of excitement!!

Tonight while putting Ben to bed he told me that Darth Vader and General Grievous were in his bedroom. I asked him why he thought that. His reply was ‘they are from the Dark Side of the Force’. His room was dark, I had just turned the light off!! He told me not to worry because he was Obi-Wan Kanobe and he had it covered!! Very cute… thanks for that!

Project Veggie Patch

Ok…. let me begin by saying we know very little about growing vegetables except that you plants seed/seedlings, water them and harvest home grown goodies. It doesn’t sound complicated……. what can happen??? Andrew, Dad and Ben built our veggie patch. We went with old railway sleepers to keep with the style of our house.

We filled the garden with premium garden mix (dirt with cow excrement!).

Then there was a big decision to make….. what do we plant. I headed to local hardware/nursery and read nearly every seed packet looking for what is in season. I also bought some seedlings. This is what we decided on – tomatoes, carrots, corn, beans, radishes, zucchini, spring onions, watermelon and pumpkin. We also were given some passion fruit plants. Ben was also given some magic seeds from his cousin Maggie so we planted those as well. They will be a total surprise!! On advise from friends we planted the pumpkin and water melon in the ground not in the veggie patch and put the passion fruit next to the fence.

So we said a little prayer and kept our fingers crossed. And Voila…… a week later they sprouted…..YAY!!!! (Yes Ben has the same shirt on!)

This week we have been chasing away the Magpies that keep pecking at the seedlings. Ben suggested we needed a scarecrow……what a great idea!