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34/100

I used to collect dolls when I was growing up (what am I talking about, I still do!). I loved dolls. Long after my friends had all stopped playing with theirs and started doing whatever ever it is preteen girls are doing, I was still addicted to my dollies. I’d make my little sister, Bene play along with me and we’d spend hours up to our ears in My Childs and outfits. One day, after we’d been playing for some time my sister pointed an accusing finger at me and said “You don’t ever PLAY with the dolls! You never do! You just sit there and dress them, do their hair and then RE-DRESS THEM! I am not playing until you actually PLAY!” before storming out of our room. There wasn’t much I could do because she had me pegged, I didn’t actually want to play with the dolls per se, I just wanted to spend hours endlessly dressing them and grooming them. Being five years her senior I thought I might have been able to fool her into believing this was how you ‘play’ with dolls but no dice

Which leads me to this shameful confession that I am frequently filled with absolute gratitude that I was given a daughter who enjoys being groomed. How superficial is that? It is, I know but oh – it gives me such joy dressing her and brushing her hair. Plus, she couldn’t look more like a My Child with that little round face and button nose if she tried. Oh! Sometimes I just wanna squish her, this little doll of mine!

33/100

 This Saturday past I had the honour of photographing a birth at the birth centre where Theo was born. It was such an incredibly beautiful birth and I am so grateful that I was able to document it for the family as they welcomed their little boy, Ari.

 In part I felt like I was intruding on something sacred meant to be shared by only these two. It was so touching to see the chemistry between two people that created life bringing it forth together, working in harmony. Such a beautiful intimacy that made me feel like ‘this – this is what love is’.

How truly lucky I am to have had this honour to capture it.

(I will blog again about the birth with more photos soon – I can’t wait to show you the sweetest little product of this labour, Ari Elliot! Adoooooor-able!)

32/100

(This is the last post related to Splendour in the Grass, I apologise for going on!).

I am so grateful for events that cater for children & families. I was blown away by the effort the organisers of Splendour in the Grass put into making it family friendly. Many people advised us not to bring our children to Splendour because typically children and wild music festivals don’t go hand in hand. Truth be told though, I don’t want to go many places that my kids can’t go.

When people talk about things like getting all the traveling done before they have kids I feel sad – bringing children places enriches my experience – and I want them to experience all these incredible things too. I was so happy to have them there listening to amazing artists live, witnessing the community of artists and fans. It’s sad to me that so often children are separated from our culture – no longer allowed at weddings, frowned upon at restaurants, stared down on public transport. I want my children in the world, up to their ears living life, seeing, feeling, interacting. I want to let them listen to fantastic music, I want them to feel it in their chests, to see the passion in an artists face as they belt out a song 20 ft away from us.

I am so thankful that so many people put their time, effort and expense into providing a space for our children to be able to enjoy the festival with us, it was awesome.

For next year if you’re planning to make it to Splendour in the Grass 2012 with children – the children’s area is amazing! They had face painting, a massive sand pit (complete with half buried treasures), magicians, magic shows, a jester, crafting, clay making, musical instruments with instructors, singers, dress ups, twister, bean bags for snoozing, a quiet breastfeeding room & nursery, changing area complete with  complimentary wipes and sprays, hula hooping (with talented hoopers ready to teach) and two toilets unsoiled by the masses of festival goers (and these were only the things we noticed when we were there)! They also offer after-hours paid creche if you want to enjoy some concerts on your own

31/100

What is about children and seeing the delightful in things you might otherwise not even notice? Walking through the crowds at Splendour we found a trail of bubbles; Theo’s discovery was announced with a squeal of pure happiness. I had been on my way somewhere and to be honest – I hadn’t even noticed the bubbles. I kind of wanted to keep going but something (okay, two somethings) told me we had to stop.

You get given these children and you spend your pregnancy thinking about all the stuff you’re going to teach your kids until… they get here and you realise they’re going to teach you more than you can ever teach them. I am thankful that I have these people to slow me down, to draw me in, to make me notice the beauty in the things I’ve become too busy to appreciate. They are my little delights, bringing wonder wherever we go and I am filled with gratitude for them.

30/100

This year my mum generously gave Errol and I tickets to go to Splendour in the Grass which is one of the biggest music festivals here in Australia. I cannot express how thankful I am for the tickets or the experience we had. Splendour runs for three days and the tickets are a few hundred each (one guy behind me in the mosh pit said he paid $750 for his O_0). I couldn’t believe we were going this year for free – how incredible is that? So thankful!

We had such an amazing time. It was busy, it was dirty, it was loud. It’s hard to explain the atmosphere there – this camaraderie with the masses all there to enjoy the same bands, a combined excitement and buzz. There are lovely conversations with people you’ve just met, pressed against each other for hours to see your favourite singer – people become more outgoing and friendly filled with alcohol and the odd bit of this and that – it’s lovely when people come out of their shells and open to you (and partially scary too… but that adds to the excitement!).

As I side note. I want to confess a secret addiction. Crowd watching. I think I could spend an entire weekend at Splendour and not watch a single band play! I had such a wonderful time wondering around watching the comings and goings of everyone. Laughing at the drunkards, admiring all the pretty people dressed so stylishly, trying to decide on a strangers life story. I’m not the only one who loves crowd watching, am I? There were some incredibly interesting people to watch wandering around – I almost feel like enrolling into some anthropological studies as a guise  so I can watch these marvellous creatures all day!