Getting to know you

Easter is approaching and while I am not religious (despite a Sunday-School-attending, scripture-exam-sitting Methodist upbringing), I do consider myself a cultural Christian and celebrate the significant events accordingly. Agatha is too small for the kind of crazy chocolate Easter egg fest that I remember from childhood but I didn’t want Easter Sunday to pass without an acknowledgement of new life and a funny little gift for my funny little girl.

I came across a super cute Belle & Boo tin in a shop called Card & Caboodle in Brisbane and knew it would be perfect if it contained a wind-up yellow chick (also from card & caboodle although the one pictured is from Etsy) and a rather small chocolate egg wrapped in foil from Darrell Lea. The addition of some yellow shredded paper made a nest and it looks very sweet if I do say so myself.


(I would have taken a picture of the finished item except that it’s in the nursery along with Agatha as I type and my one rule is NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY.)

We’ll also have a special lunch and possibly decorate some hard boiled eggs in the afternoon. Very low key but just right for our family.

How do you celebrate Easter Sunday?



In other news, my dear and lovely friend Siobhan, who has a really moving and intelligent blog about her journey to motherhood over at the smallest ford tagged me in a cool online meme called “stuff about me” designed to help us all to get to know each better. The rules are:

1. Post the rules
2. Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you
3. Tag at least one person and link them in your post
4. Create 11 questions to ask the person/people you’ve tagged
5. Let the person/people know you have tagged them


These are the (great) questions Siobhan asked me:

1. Tell us about one of the happiest days you've had in the last two years.
It’s a clichéd response I fear but it has to be 28th Feb 2011 - the day I gave birth to Agatha. It was a day filled with excitement, pain, determination, love and utter joy. You think you know happiness and then you meet your children.

2. What are three activities that make you lose time and/or marvel at what a lucky life you lead?
I can get lost in research if I’m really passionate about the topic – it can be researching an academic paper I want to write or finding the perfect gift for a friend, if it grabs me fully, I’m gone. Watching Andy and Agatha together makes me marvel at what a lucky life I lead, we might not be the richest or coolest or most suave people in the world but the love levels in our home are right up there. Hanging out with my closest friends would be my third thing – I often wish our get togethers didn’t have to end, how sweet it is to have friends like that.

3. What was your favourite type of sweet while you were growing up?
I was and still am a fan of “jelly” sweets, the sort of thing Haribo does so well. I also harboured a deep love for crème eggs which I have not yet outgrown.

4. What was the most surprising thing you learned when you became a mother?
What a pleasure it is. I had convinced myself that motherhood would be a grind and that my days would be filled with tears (baby’s and mine!) and it isn’t like that at all. We have our off days of course but the joy far outweighs the bad stuff. Also that no matter how badass you think you are, if a baby/toddler hands you a plastic phone; you take that call.

5. As a woman who has studied extensively and held impressive positions in the corporate world, did you find the transition to motherhood as hard/easy as you expected?
Ah you flatter me dear pal! I surprised myself by enjoying it. The complete change of pace and focus was just what I needed. I am only now, one year on, beginning to want to study and/or work again.

6. What quality in other people do you find the most attractive?
A generosity of spirit. Kindness, fairness, decency, politeness, graciousness are all seen as a bit old hat I suspect, but I love a person with a good heart.

7. If you could have one luxury item turn up on your doorstep tomorrow morning what would it be?
Ooh that’s a great question and one I’m struggling with. Maybe a deed to a platinum mine? ;-) Or a Kate Spade handbag.

8. Tell us why you love cats so much.
They are furry, funny, and independent and know how to have a good time.

9. Where would you like to go for your next holiday?
I’m going to cheat and give two answers. At home: Margaret River. Away: Hawaii.

10. If you could magically speak another language, which would it be?
Spanish, then when Agatha is old enough we can take our dream trip through South America and I can be useful and maybe show off to Andy just a little bit.

11. What is something you have never tried but you'd love to experience?
I’d love to kite-surf and to go on safari. But probably not at the same time.

I now tag my good friend Becks from mama tribe. She lives in Sydney so I don’t get to see her as often as I’d like but reading her engaging blog helps me stay connected and I often find myself nodding along with many of her posts and I think you will too.

My questions for Becks are:

1. If you could be another nationality, which one would you choose?
2. Name the craft you’d most like to master.
3. If you put your iPhone/iPod on shuffle, what is the first song that pops up?
4. What is one piece of advice you would give to a new mother?
5. You’re putting together a six-person mother’s group made up of famous women – who are they?
6. What did you want to be when you were a child?
7. Describe your dream home.
8. Name three things you are grateful for.
9. What is your favourite and least favourite food?
10. If I could give you another two hours in each day, what would you do with them?
11. What word best sums up your mood today?

Looking forward to reading your answers Becks!