This is probably really appropriate considering the Easter Bunny arrives on Sunday, but how do you get a toddler to actually clean their teeth? Little Miss two likes to suck on the brush.  I have tried brushing for her but she takes after me and is way to independent for that.  We have tried making up  a brushing song, we have tried in the bath (although the actual bath is still a bit of a struggle). A friend of mine suggested all of us brushing together (yet to try that one). What things did you try to get your toddler to actually brush?

I know I hear you all gasping in shock... how could I hate something that my husband loves.  I try and be supportive of his love, but I can't, I just can't. I hate that damn coffee machine! My husband has a bit of an obsession with his coffee.  He has a coffee machine and grinder and all this other coffee related "junk" so that he can make himself good quality coffee's at home. Now I know it saves us anywhere between $5 and $10 a day because he now doesn't have to buy good coffee at work (so obsessed he has a grinder at work now so he can have freshly ground beans when ever the need arises). I know its something he enjoys and I try and support that, but the damn machine and its mess and its smell drive me up the wall. In coffee's defense we were never going to get along, you see I don't drink it.  I don't really like the taste, or the smell, and it does some crazy things to my body if I actually drink it.  Like a racing heart, and a mouth that won't shut up.  Basically coffee for me is like drinking a can of Red Bull. But the machine takes up precious space on my kitchen bench, and now the new grinder thingo is so heavy that I can't move it if I need more space.  And he is now wanting a "whole" draw in the kitchen to store more of the "junk". And don't get me started on the grinds, I find coffee all over the kitchen.  Today I have been greeted with coffee on my clean dishes! the clean dishes, you know the ones in the dish rack drying and waiting patiently for me to put them away... Well now I have to wash them again! ahhhhhh I love you wonderful husband you, but that machine...

So my little girl just turned 2 and we celebrated with a bit of a shin dig out our home. Let me tell you lots of work went into preparing for said party... Just a small party with a few of her friends... 40 people later... oh well.  Won't be doing another one like that for her until her 5th birthday I have been informed! Anyway... wonderful husband spent days preparing the outside, mowing, edging, weeding, washing, sweeping, you name it. I spent days planning food (just finger food as it was after lunch), kids activities and the before mentioned goodie bags.  Got Nanna involved also.  She makes the best, and I mean the best sausage rolls ever!  Oh and this amazing bread dip, so bad for you but oh soooooo good. Saturday was planned to be Mummy and Nanna in the kitchen, Daddy with Miss 2 and Master 2 months.  It instead went Nanna with Miss 2 at the park, playing dolls, playing kitchen, just playing playing playing.  Don't worry I did put her to work.  She folded clothes and vaccumed the floor. Mummy and Daddy did the kitchen with Nan supervising.  Now the reason for all this help and supervision is because I am not confident in the kitchen.  Not at all.  I am good at planning and organising and delegating (just ask my mum) but cooking is a big no.  People will tell you that I do make some pretty nice food but I don't like doing it. Saturday night when little ones were sleeping Mummy and Daddy iced and decorated and assembled the cake (see lovely picture). Sunday morning saw more time in the kitchen - fairy bread, sandwiches, dips, fruit and cooking of sausage rolls and bread dip. The party was a big success (well I think so), little Miss 2 had lots of fun with all her friends and family, everyone ate and had a jolly good time.  Nanna handled the kitchen, Daddy handled the kids and guests, Poppy handled Miss 2 and I ran around the whole time like a headless chook!  Trying to having chats with all the guests, passing out food, making sure the kids were playing nice etc... I totally over catered the whole event.  Have a fridge fall of food still ... and cake of course... Anyone for lunch?

I know its been more than a week since I blogged, but we have just been on our first family holiday and I am now trying to organise Miss almost 2's birthday party. And I. Am. Struggling with it. I know what your thinking, she's only 2 you just have some food and cake and the kids run wild for a couple of hours and its all over, but the food thing is the whole problem. You see we don't let Miss almost 2 eat lollies or chocolate or soft drink or any of the foods really high in sugar, which is totally the prerequisite for party food. Don't get me wrong she has sugar based foods, like cake (not chocolate though) and biscuits and lots and lots of fruit and juice, but not sweets. And this is the cause of my dilemma. Do I do lolly bags or not? if so what lollies do I do? do other parents not let their little ones have lollies? ahhhhh my head hurts.... I think I am going to make gingerbread men for the lolly bags and add a lolly pop and be done with it. Now the party has a range of kids ages from 6 down to 2 months old as well as the adults, all with different eating requirements / desires.  Take this as a good example my dad (aka Poppy) will want chocolate crackles because he loves them and only gets them at kids parties, but I hate them! I love rice bubbles and coco pops like everyone else, but I don't really like chocolate crackles.  Do I make them to keep the old man happy or just say nah didn't have time?.... Plus what happens if its going to be really hot like it has for last week, the food will melt as soon as it served which won't look that great, do I serve hot weather friendly food? And if so, what the hell is it? And the drinks, do I do juice and water for the kids and soft drink for the adults? What if the kids drink the soft drink, will the parents think I am a terrible host because I had soft drink out at a kids party?  Do the adults expect to have alcohol? oh the dramas... I think I need some Nutella!

Ok so my husband thinks this is really disgusting but I love to eat Nutella straight out of the jar. On a spoon. Straight.  Don't put it on bread or anything else.  To me its just like chocolate that has gone soft in the sun. So I went and did a bit of research on how Nutella was invented, and here are some of the things I found out.

• Nutella was invented in the 1940's in Italy, due to a shortage of cocoa during the Second World War. It was used to extend the supply of chocolate.

• It was invented by Mr Ferrero (as in Ferrero Roche).

• It was originally sold in a loaf that could be sliced and put onto bread, but it was quickly noted that the children were just eating the Nutella on its own without the bread.  So it was changed into a spread.

• It was first sold in the USA in 1983.  It is now marketed in over 75 countries.

• It is usually stocked with peanut butter in the supermarket.

And this is the best fact - It outsells all brands of peanut butter combined worldwide!