Last Minute Christmas. And Bowling.

It's just crazy how I always do SO much preparation for Christmas in advance, believing that I have all my shopping and organising done by late November, yet I am always running to and from Chadstone, Camberwell and South Yarra in the days leading up to Christmas!

On Tuesday I had the assistance of my lovely cousin Juliette, visiting from Tasmania - she helped me lug pumpkins and large boxes of waxy potatoes and tins of duck fat and 48 eggs (lots of custard to be made!) etc. all over Camberwell market.  Naturally, I treated her to lunch!

On Wednesday, I jumped onto Twitter and noticed that I had won an ice-cream Christmas pudding from Trampoline!  So I had to go back to Camberwell and collect that - it is a beauty.  Large and made of pudding-flavoured chunky ice cream, topped with a cute slather of white chocolate.  It is also taking up a large amount of precious space in the freezer!

Also on Wednesday I did lots of last-minute shopping at Chadstone - extra wrapping paper and ribbons, forgotten gifts, 12 vanilla beans at Simon Johnson (again, that bloody custard), more duck fat etc.  Then back to Camberwell (third time in two days) for Gold Class vouchers.

Last night I gift wrapped to near breaking point.  40+ gifts, all wrapped and ribboned.  I think I have done permanent damage to my back from bending over the coffee table!  But gosh they do look pretty.  Will post photos when I get a moment.

This morning I went BACK to Chadstone!  Met my mother and sister for breakfast at Capitol Kitchen, leaving Tabitha at home with The Daddy.  Was quite luxurious being able to enjoy a leisurely, hot coffee - I normally refrain from hot beverages as Tabitha is a Grabby Baby and lunges at anything on the table to pull over herself.  Then helped my mother pick out lots of beautiful gifts at Tiffany & Co (do click on the Australian website and have a look at the beautiful Christmas campaign, with the most beautiful family and little girl in a stunning grey coat).  So many pretty sparkly things!  Saw a lovely 'Manhattan' themed plate that I plan on buying for Tabitha when we are in NYC in May.  While at Tiffany, I suddenly realised that my 'T' alphabet pendant necklace which I bought at Tiffany in 2004 in NYC, which I adore however never wear because it is silver, can of course be passed on to Tabitha!  That is one advantage to sharing the first initial of our names - this DISadvantage is that I have noticed people mix us up a lot, calling myself Tabitha and the baby Talia.  I don't mind, Tabitha is a lovely name.

For lunch, The Daddy, Tabitha and I went and met two of our favourite friends, Ruby and Sarah, for pre-Christmas drinks and BOWLING.  We went to Strike on Chapel Street.  I am a dreadful bowler - I think that the girls thought I was being dramatic, until they watched gutter-ball after gutter-ball!  Strike was loud and fun and we all had loads of fun dancing around with giggly Tabitha - she thoroughly enjoyed our silliness.

Here is Tabitha with The Daddy:

Here are our scary shoes:

Here is Tabitha being loved to bits:

 Here is an indication of how dismal I am at bowling:

Here is bowling PRO Ruby teaching Tabitha about bowling technique.  Tabitha weighs less than the ball!

Here is The Daddy threatening to bowl Tabitha:

Here is Tabitha trying out her bowling skills:

Here is manic and over-excited Tabitha with Auntie Ruby and Auntie Sarah:

Nawwww so cute:

Once again, Tabitha is being 'bowled'!  PS - hey Ruby, would you like to swap legs with me?!

Came home after all that and had a nice quiet afternoon playing and singing with Tabitha.  Marred by one small incident - I was dusting and marveling at how quietly and contentedly she was playing on the rug, until I looked closer and noticed that she had IN HER MOUTH one of the cats' manky little chewed up fur mouse toys!  Both cats were sitting watching closely, wanting their mouse back but not daring to get too close to the Grabby Baby.  Ewwww.  I gagged a little and fished the mouse out.  Yuk.

In more cheerful edible news, I discovered today that Tabitha adores avocado!  It has been the best reaction to any food so far - we shared some toast with avocado, and as soon as she tasted the fruit, her whole face lit up and she turned to me with a grin.  She then proceeded to suck the bejesus out of three fingers of toast, getting every last bit of avocado off, and eating some of the toast as well.  No vomiting!  She then tried to get all the smeared avocado off her hands.  And the table.  With her tongue.  Very, very cute.  I am absolutely thrilled, because I adore avocado - and I have even bought her a special book called The Avocado Baby for Christmas, which I had as a baby myself (because I too loved avocado!)  I was really impressed also with how well she manipulated the toast fingers - her dexterity has progressed so much, it is incredible to behold at 6 months.  She can really effectively pick up a piece of toast, turn it up the right way, and hold it to her mouth while she eats.  I am so proud!

Tomorrow we have my Aunt Annette and Uncle Keenan (which makes them sound terribly old - they aren't really, they are my mother's half-sister and half-brother, and are my age) coming for a proper Christmas lunch, along with my father, mother, sister and cousin Juliette.  Will be wonderful!