What are little girls made of...

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and all things nice, oh and hello kitty and cabbage patch kids and all things pretty. That's what little girls are made of...

While the nature vs nurture rages on outside our doorstep we carry on regardless. Emma's a clever little girl and we would love to be able to tell people she got that from us but we can't, not really. That's if you don't think nurturing plays a big role in raising a baby. And of course, the fact that Emma chose us to be her mom and dad shows there's a force of nature at play too. Emma has my sea-anemone toes. She has her dad's large forehead and his larger than life personality

You have no idea how many people will say that Emma looks like me. "Um!" I ask rather awkwardly "You have noticed Emma's black, haven't you?" Unless I get a super tight perm and spend endless hours in the sun, I'm never going to look like Emma but as we spend more time together our 'isms' become more apparent. Emma has a lot of my mannerisms and quirkisms. She crinkles her nose when she smiles. Just like I do. And like me, when she's having a good ol' laugh it comes from the very bottom of her belly. It's a genuine from-the-gut-giggle. Emma and I both have brown eyes. And they're our mood indicators. When Emma's happy and smiling (which is most of the time) her eyes sparkle like stars. As soon as she's tired or feeling out of sorts her eyes shine a little less. Like mom, like daughter, how we feel is as clear as the eyes on our heads.

Emma and I love talking.We talk to people. We talk to ourselves. We talk to our doggies. We talk to strangers. And our voices can best be described as booming. Growing up my dad will tell me that if I couldn't find a job on-land I could always be a fog-horn. Emma too. Emma has an inside voice and an outside voice and often she gets confused, using her rather loud outside voice inside...

a colouring in picture just for you

 http://coloringpagesforkids.info/charlie-and-lola-coloring-pages/

And just yesterday I saw myself on my cell phone. I was in the kitchen making a cup of tea (with gin, not really, but I should have) when I heard little Em chatting away outside. I peeked my head around the corner and there she was, on my cellphone, one hand on hip, pacing up and down, only stopping to kick a stone or pull a weed. It was me. Just shorter. Cuter. And black.

Emma and I also love the same things. Charlie and Lola, cupcakes, milk, books, drawing, singing (though she does sing better than me) and Humf. Anything she doesn't like, I indulge in and then blame her. I am able to live vicariously through Emma. Growing up I was never allowed a Cabbage Patch Kid. Guess What? Emma has one. I also wasn't allowed Hello Kitty goodies. Emma now has everything Hello Kitty - knife, spoon, fork, drinking cups, bowls, plates, four fluffy HK's, pyjamas, toothbrush, cap, umbrella, rain coat. The list goes on...and on...and on...

Us two girls share a love for all things pretty. And we especially extremely with a doubt love the man in our life very much. Mark to me. Daddy to Emma. We love love love him enormous amounts. Almost as much as Percy Piglets from Woolies...

Emma and daddy on a bicycle made for 1 and a half... Our very first Christmas with Emma