Project Life ::: Week Twenty

trying to put chaos into order in my girl's room // another tidy corner and nesting dolls from Japan // painting, always, but only red + white (because pink, obvs) // a fallen bloom // these trees blossom year round, a great joy // motorcycles parked by the hundred for car-free day // a monkey trying to steal my milkshake. 

Linking up with The Beetle Shack, and inspired by Pink Ronnie. 

If you have a second, I'd love your support. Click the button below to give me a vote!!

20/52

"a portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Stella: Looking GROWN. Huh?

A veritable first for our little family: we all got up at an unreasonably early hour to enjoy Jakarta's car-free day. The central thoroughfare is closed to traffic every Sunday Morning, and instead of being besieged by honking horns and bumper-to-bumper traffic, Jl. Sudirman is overflowing with strolling families, go-getter athlete, cool kids on fixies, and otters in sweaters. Obvs. Stella climbed up onto the fountain of Jakarta's iconic traffic circle to blow gigantic bubbles with a bubble wand about as tall as herself. 

But that bubble extravaganza was by no means the hightlight of her day. That, my friends, came when we took her to a mall and let her ride the elevator about 15 times in a row. Happy Sunday!!

Last week, I got felled by sweet little babes in knitted hats. Here's two. And one more here. 

Tob Baby Blogs has reset, and I'm keen to keep up the third-culture-kid domination. Last quarter three (or maybe four) of the top five blogs were penned (typed) by mums of TCKs, including yours truly. I'd love it if you could send me a vote to keep us in the top this quarter.

Click here to vote, or click on the button below. 

If you're looking for a few good TCK blogs, here: one, two, and three.

Things and Stuff.

THIF  S Or something. This week. THIS WEEK. Eff you, this week. I've been knee deep in life stuff which has been entirely sub-optimal, plus sleep stuff (also lower than awesome, but Mr. Chef has born the brunt of that one), parenting stuff (OMG THE TANTRUMS "mama GO OUT! mama come here! NO GO OUT! Heartbreak + rejection at ear-shattering pitch x 45 minutes) and work stuff (awesome why are there not more minutes and hours and time you dirty bastard).

Thank god it's Saturday so I can hide out in a cafe, catch up on internet stuff, enjoy burger and milkshake in good conscience, and perhaps stock up on some fake DVDs. 

Here are some things that I've enjoyed round these ol internetz.

A plan of atack to get out of the doldrums (PS did you know that The Doldrums is actually a place? Like in geography? Where sailors get stuck for weeks and months and eternity because the wind just kind of quits? I know because I just listened to an hour-long radio program about sailing around the world. I am SUCH a nerd.)

This is my child's spiritual twin. 

A great post on being okay with not loving all aspects of little kid fun timez. For me, it's playing babies. OMG, stab me in the eye. 

Amy has added personalized art to her shop. 

Baby crack for all you android users. (Too soon, Tom Ford?)

I've been pondering the greater questions in life, including cargo vests, fantastic graphic tees for toddlers, and the perfectly draping white tee-shirt. Any suggestions on the latter?

One strategy I'm employing to deal with the tantrums (with limited efficacy, I'm more OMG RAGEFACE than pace and calm) is to remind myself that it's a phase. It will pass. Time slips by etc. etc. etc.  Here, case in point. 

There was a really fantastic piece in the Atlantic a few weeks ago about touch screens and toddlers. It lead me to this app, much to the delight of both me and Stella. 

Speaking of screen time, we've been spending ours watching Infant Self Rescue Swimming videos. Which promted Stella to believe that she could swim, when in fact, she can not. 

I'm pretty sure that life can not continue without this pillow. And this has been hanging out in my Etsy cart for far too long. 

SO, I wanted to link to some flower faces that Roxy Marj posts on her instagram (must follow @roxymarj). They're beautiful, quirky and totally inspring. But, because I do not with the internet, I can not. Instead, here's her blog. (PS I'm @expatriababy).

I <3 Neon

I'm having a neon moment. Okay, I'll admit it, I've been having a neon life. Here are a few things that I'm swooning over at Etsy. 

dear head // print // driftwood // slingshot // ring // bowls 

Mother's Day

The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me was done for me by my mother. 

My mum was en route to Japan from the US as I went into labour, arriving near midnight after a long flight made longer by delays and missed connections. She was there by my side, my touchstone and foundation, as I worked and laboured for 23 hours to bring my girl into the world. She was there, as I traveled across the city twice a day to visit my girl in the NICU. She was there to hold my baby while I slept. To understand and empathize through colic, extreme sleeplessness, and level nine culture shock.

She disrupted her life, spent six weeks in our tiny apartment in Japan, and carried me through the newborn weeks. 

It was the greatest. 

Project Life ::: Week Nineteen

For a week which I felt was full of work, and took me too often out of the house and away from my girl, these photos remind me that, maybe, actually, we had a great week together. Thanks, Internet. Thanks, blogging. You're a peach. 

top and pants c/o le petit society. free and fast shipping to Asia, btw!

//Stella's premature birthday celebration at school; time is dragging me kicking and screaming towards three // I stayed after snack time for a bit of parachute play and ball throwing, I mean, how could i resist? // swimming! by stel-wa self!!! // Saturday morning painting // the project goes up on the wall // an afternoon photoshoot gets rained out, and this girl is terrified of thunder. //

Linking up with The Beatle Schack. Go there and see some gorgeouse photos of the brand new Elke.

As always, this porject was inspired by Pink Ronie, who is tops, btw. 

18/52

"a portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2013."

Stella: "I swimming! I can do it mine self!" 

It was a monumental week. A holiday Thursday (Ascension Day, in a Muslim country is a holiday. Who knew??) meant lots of time at the pool. In the past when I had tired to encourage my girl to wear her water wings, it was as if I were suggesting that she insert her arms into rings of acid and flames. My timid girl is not one for taking risks, you see.

This day, she suggested I put them on. We hopped into the pool, and then I let go. A moment of panic was followed by the giddy realization that she could float, and she was off! We swam the length of the pool, and stayed submerged till our hands were prunes and the light started to fade. 

So, siblings. I guess they're on my mind. I enjoyed this picture of a quiet boy and his roaring brother via Oyster and Pearl. And Sisila's brown haired lovelies. And the cool perspective and the way these two sibs echo each other from Milk Please Mum.