Kaiden's birthday party

Kaiden had a lovely birthday party with family and friends back on 16 December. He especially loved his cake which was a bright red racing car track made by me!!


It was the first time he had eaten cake, especially one with butter frosting. I had lots of fun doing it despite a couple of stressful moments (like the failed cake that wouldn't remove itself from the tin!)

Thanks to our friend Nerida who was our 'official photographer' for the day we have heaps of wonderful photos. Here's some pics:

Kaiden and me


I also made these cute little cappuccinos which is a tic toc biscuit with a marshmallow, chocolate freckle and half a peppermint lifesaver iced onto the side.


Enjoying his birthday cake..the aftermath


It's hard to believe our little guy is now ONE. He is definitely more like a toddler than a baby, into EVERYTHING but having lots of fun. Lots of babbling, sometimes loud and punctuated, cries when you stop him doing something he things he will enjoy immensely (like exploring the cupboard, fridge or pantry), and is pulling himself up on whatever he can find (the chair, table, your leg) and has for one brief moment stood by himself. We get waves and claps, little dances to music, he loves clicking his tongue and playing chasey. Just after his birthday party he decided that commando crawling was just too hard so now he does the real thing and is twice as fast! Won't be long now and he will be walking and going even faster (and will live up to my nickname for him of Kaptain Kaiden Kaos).

Visiting Santa

On Friday 14th we went to visit Santa. It was Kaiden's first visit as last year he was still in hospital up until the day before Christmas. So here's our tips for taking your young one for a visit to see the big guy....
1) Go on a day when you know it won't be busy, like a weekday before school holidays if you can.
2) Allow some time for your bub to become aquainted with Santa, after all they haven't met before. See point above. Let them have a chat, look at the decorations together, bond a bit before the pic.
3) To get that 'smile' have your husband jump up and down and wave his arms furiously behind the photographer
4) Enjoy it while you can because next year it will be totally different......

Kaiden's birthday presents

Kaiden has wonderful family and friends, he is so blessed, as well as beautiful cards he received:
*Vroom Vroom vehicles, small table and chairs from Ikea - Mum and Dad (us!)
*Walk 'n' Ride - Uncle Steve, Auntie Netty, Ben, Tom, Abi, Uncle Don, Auntie Rin, Lauren, Jared
*Talking telephone - Nan and Pop
*Money to buy something fun - Grandad
*Aquadoodle - Glen, Yiota, John
*Wooden puzzle - Desley (neighbour)
*10 in the bed book and romper - The Wakefields (neighbour)
*Pull along snail and rashie from Nick and Crystal (neighbour)
*and this amazing Hedgie plus a pattern for robot softies for his Mummy to make from Billy, Nerida and Mackenzie. The hedgie was handmade by the talented crafty Mum Nerida. The wool is so soft and the colours just wonderful!

Kaiden update

Length for age - 73cm, 25th percentile
Weight for age - 9.2kg, 30th percentile
Head circumference - 45cm, 25th percentile

Will be back with birthday pics and news. Kaiden went for his injections today but received a "get out of jail free card" as he had a high temperature (we thought it was teething but he has a sore throat/cold).

Daddy to be

Hard to believe this was nearly one year ago. This is my awkward attempt at a style called "freestyle" scrapbooking. The photo isn't at the best angle but hey I was lying on a bed hooked up to machines and getting ready for surgery. I am glad though that I captured the moment.

It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas

Our Christmas lights are on, the Wakefield's two houses down look spectacular too. I'll have to take some photos soon...they still have a few more lights to put up. Brett just loves it when people walk by or a car slowing moves down the street to have a squizz.
The other night we went into the city to see the lighting of the Christmas tree. The casino building behind looked spectacular with the coloured lights.

And there were these Angels on stilts in the mall....

I was getting lots of Kaiden kisses which consist of a large open mouth 'attacking' your cheek. Very cute and smoochy. The photo was very over exposed from the flash so I've tried to something 'arty' with it.

Here's Brett and Kaiden at the Christmas tree lighting.
Does he look like his Daddy? I think not much...
Another one of our little boy waiting for the tree lights to come on..

I finished another present for Kaiden's santa stocking....a caddy for his room...

Latest projects....

A layout for a "Get Real" challenge about your favourite pair of shoes.....


I have a new sofite to share but since the software isn't on the computer atm (Brett had to reload the computer as it was having problems), I'll have to come back and share later.

Not much other news. Kaiden's teeth have finally settled down. We had neighbours over for an election party with dinner, games of pool and watching the election coverage. It was an predictable and early night.

Christmas is just around the corner...

Brett has started to put our Christmas decorations up outside and I've put the sultanas in rum to soak to start making some rum balls. Problem is that if I make them too early, they will be eaten as quickly as I make them! Kaiden is pulling himself up on everything and anything including my legs and is having some grief with some more teeth that are coming through. I've finished a couple of projects to share...
A monogram K made by Santa's elves



and a ribbon holder for a Secret Santa.



Ho, ho, ho or should that be ha, ha ha?

Nearly one

Hard to believe that our little guy is nearly one year old. He's no longer a little baby, more like a toddler, always on the go and into EVERYTHING! The invites have gone out for his birthday, just a small gathering at our house. This is the photo we used, the background was a bit iffy so I blurred it using Photoshop. Looks so cute!

Altered mobile phone pouch

Here's another OTP (off the page) project I've just finished. It's another Christmas present so I won't share all of it, just a snippet.


Inside is a little tag album. This is also for the Design Team entry I'm doing. I've also submitted the Baby Love layout and the YUM layout and I've got one more layout to finish by next week. Wish me luck!

Some more photos...

Just like his father

In the bath


Edited to say: As the lovely Tess has pointed out, I need to clarify. Brett does not sit in the bath with bubbles on his head. Brett does, however, cherish $20 notes and prefer the bigger notes over trivial coins.

Swing, swing

Here's Kaiden in enjoying his new swing which his Granddad bought for him. Thanks Granddad!

Some projects

Here's a few things I've been working on....
A gorgeous pregnancy photo taken by the wonderful photographer Chrissy at a SWIG (scrapbooking weekend) last year. A different style for me....


I also finished a layout of Kaiden enjoying some strawberries (the photo is earlier in this blog). But I won't share at the moment as it has been secured by the magazine Scrapbook Creations for their Quick Grabs section, not sure when it will be appear, probably a couple of months down the track. I just love this layout and will come back later to share.

I've also finished a little Christmas present which I won't post as the person probably reads this blog. Here's a sneak though

Kaiden's weigh-in

Took Kaiden to get weighed again, the results are in:

9.5kg (50th percentile)
73 cm length (50th percentile)
44.4cm head circumference (20th percentile)
Extremely cute (100th percentile!)

Back from camping

We're back from camping. A week enjoying the fresh air and open spaces. Harry came too.


First of all we went to Cedar Creek which is at the base of Mount Tambourine. The boys played skirimish in the bush on one of the mornings. Don't know if I would be afraid of this lot. Charlie's Angels they are not!


Here's Kaiden and his cousin Jared enjoying a bath in the laundry tubs. The joys of camping!


After Tambourine Mountain we went to the Queen Mary Falls. The campsite was great despite the many flies! There were lots of colourful birds who liked to occasionally land on Kaiden's head.

What have we been up to??

Lots.....
We had a lovely weekend visiting Dad in Maryborough. Harry had a life of dog luxury too, running around the yard and spending his nights on the lounge. He was meant to sleep on the floor but somehow thought it would be more comfy there. Kaiden spent alot of time chasing Harry around and they seemed to have established a mutual understanding. If Kaiden has had enough of Harry he pushes him away with his hand. If Harry has had enough of Kaiden, he walks away. It seems to work well. People often ask how they get on. I think Kaiden is more intrigued with Harry than Harry is with him.

Kaiden also loved his new foam blocks set which were especially new for the weekend. Dad and Brett would build it up as high as they could and Kaiden would take special delight in knocking it down. It was a game he could play over and over and he would commando crawl as fast as he could from wherever he was when he saw a tower ready to demolish. He would smile cheekily as it fell to the ground.

As Dad put it, Kaiden had a really educational weekend. He
a) Met the ponies who lived on the block next door
b) Met my Aunty Ruth and Uncle George

c) Went for his first swim at the beach

My cousin Cheryl and her husband David welcomed a little boy, Oliver Michael, into the world. I've made a card and while it seems as though I've lost my ability to cut and measure square, I like it! I love this photo of Kaiden's feet when he was only a couple of weeks old. Such skinny legs! I think this design would also make an excellent canvas. Another to add to my growing list of things to make! Today I'm taking Kaiden to Paper Arts so I'll be very tempted. Well, Kaiden does love paper so hopefully he'll enjoy a whole show devoted to it!




















And I've finally finished (well except to add on the handles), the handbag album I gave my MIL for Christmas. Mmmmmm better start planning for this year I think. Well, I already have MY Christmas list at the ready.

Two of the pages I had left to complete














And to celebrate the fact that whenever we take photos we seem to capture Kaiden with his hand in my face, I did this fun scrapbook layout.






And Brett has finished Kaiden's cubby house. We have such lovely neighbours here in Bramston Street. Vicki and Ian had finished with their cubby house as their kids are now teenagers so they offered it to us. In one weekend it was transposed two doors down, Brett reassembled and painted, and then added in the sand pit underneath. We're positive it is going to get a good work out once Kaiden is old enough. He's already had a little play in the sand complete with Harry who loves to have a good roll in it too.



Phew, I'm exhausted. Time for a cuppa.

But finally, Brett wanted to share our North Queensland Waratah in full bloom. It must be spring!

Weight results

Took Kaiden to be weighed today. The results are in...Weight 8.30 kgs, Length 71cm, Head 44cm. For his weight and height he sits about the 40th percentile for boys and he is in around the 60th percentile for his length.

Kisses from Kaiden

How cute :) Kaiden has started giving kisses, but for some reason they tend to be reserved for his Mummy (me). Here's another layout completed using a design pack from the Scrapheap.

Nine things at nine months

Our little baby is now nearly nine months! Where has that time gone?? His nine things about him at nine months
1. Has two teeth
2. Can "shake" a rattle when you say "shake, shake" and bounce in his jolly jumper when you say "jump, jump", can poke out his tongue
3. Loves food
4. Playing in the bath is his favourite time
5. Commando crawls from a to b by pushing himself around the floor
6. Things Harry the puppy is very funny
7. Likes making sounds, "da da", "ma ma" and "ga ga"
8. Is attracted to power leads, power points and kitchen drawers
9. Is messiest at meals times, tries to feed himself and the food ends up everywhere!

Tag blanket

I've finished this tag blanket for baby Kaiden. He is fascinated by tags at the moment so I thought he'd really like something like this. I made it from material I already had on hand and being a scrapbooker I had plenty of ribbon to chose from! I used the free instructions on the New Conceptions website.

Weight update

I took Kaiden to be weighed last week (Tuesday 28 August) as it had been a good month since his last one. He came in at 8.11kgs, up from the 15 percentile to the 30 percentile. That's what Mum's cooking can do for you.

Nappy finally finished

I finally finished off a nappy I started making ages ago using the Very Baby cloth diaper pattern. Fits well although it still needs a few modifications before being perfected!

A little gift

For Father's Day I made my Dad and Brett a little altered box with a collection of Kaiden photos inside. Cute to the max.

The little guy

Please excuse us while we play catch up with some recent photos. The other weekend we went to Paniyiri, the annual Greek festival in Brisbane. It was held in Musgrave Park which was one big dust bowl so needless to say we left with Brett suffering from hayfever and reaching for some antihistamines. Here's our little guy enjoying the view from his pram.

Kaiden & Susan

We thought it was about time to take some "Mummy and me" photos. We always get comments about how much Kaiden looks like his Mummy. Perhaps it's those dark blue eyes or the chubby round face. Not sure about the reddish hair though...