Busytown by Jolisa Gracewood

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Busytown: One, two, three, go!

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  • Helen Searancke,

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Helen Searancke,

    oops, first and wrote nothing, above - sorry... I blame the tears of laughter and self-recognition rolling down my face.

    Thank you for the delightful post, Jolisa. Don't ya love that sibling relationship? It is completely independent of the parents. Your boys remind me of my daughter and her five-years-younger brother. And we've started counting down the day till Reuben turns three (as in "How old will you be in June?" "Three! A big boy!") like it'll be some sort of deadline for the two-year-old 'anger management issues' to cease forthwith.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Brent Jackson,

    threenager outburst

    Love it ...

    Thanks for a wonderful post.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 620 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    Jolissa. Start making a decision on what sort of car you think he/they will be driving. Be terrified at the thought because it will be tomorrow or will seem like it.
    When one of my boys was nearly three, I happened to video a conversation (mostly his) about castles and castle weapons and defence systems. Its only three and a half minutes long but priceless. Thanks for the reminder.

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Vintage Morris Minor with retro-fitted airbags and seatbelts. Great for picking up chicks (or lads), and good luck getting anything above 50 kph.

    Helen, I hear you on the 3 year old "performance review." Notice I carefully failed to mention a) the toilet train, which has not left the station, and b) the sibling prevention campaign, aka the family bed... eh, we renewed his contract anyway.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    Thanks so much Jolisa,

    That was such a good read. I did worry, at your mention of H G Wells, whether the mind was at the end of its tether - but clearly not.

    It's nice to know that when he was three busybaby was much more than was hardly he.

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I'm loving all the parent-type posts here, they're great fun. This is a lovely story Jolisa, thanks.

    Spinal taps; scary stuff. A friend's daughter had two also (the first didn't succeed at doing whatever they do). The parents are still traumatised!

    My three and a half year old's discovered jonking too (what do you call a donkey with only three years? A wonkey). Let's hope she's as enthusiastic about her (pending) little sister as your eldest about his brother.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    I mean birthday cake = sugar yard-glass.

    I have been enjoying that all day. Our cake efforts have been very modest by comparison.

    If it’s a bad bump, he wails “I need a hug and a kiss, I really do!” and flies across the room - to give you the hug and kiss that will make him feel better.

    21st Century Presidential.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Graham,

    Huge. Loved it. I wish I had the eloquence to describe the same thing happening between my two year old and four year old and love that you've captured it for me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Marian Hobbs,

    Thanks so much. I am waiting for the M5 to clear so as I can make it to work and I read this and smiled and cried. I too love it when the siblings have this wonderful relationship. My two still have it 25 years later!!!

    Dunedin, New zealand • Since Jan 2009 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Rebecca Williams,

    "What say we get a sea lion for our house? That be nice. Ha ha, I just jonking you! [wheeze, snort, honk]."

    that made ME wheeze, snort and honk. thanks for a lovely post.

    as to the kind of car they'll be driving, my hubby frightens me by pointing out that there are some pretty powerful cars which will be just about the right age / price for a first car when our two year old is driving. yeesh.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 120 posts Report Reply

  • sarah duckworth,

    Couldn't we see a picture of the cake? I'd love to see a picture of that cake!

    Since Feb 2009 • 5 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Aw [blushing], I thought you'd never ask. See original post for newly added pics.

    I just work to the client's brief, no matter how baroque or boring. This is the first non-vehicular cake in a while (let's see, yellow taxicab, helicopter, fire engine, space shuttle, moving truck, airplane, rocket...). Last year's "pirate island with exploding volcano and buried treasure" was a welcome challenge, as were the penguins, although I didn't go all the way like this uber-mom.

    And thanks for the warm comments. I sometimes feel shy about posting family stuff - Soft News, as it were - but y'all make it so worthwhile.

    Still laughing at the three-legged donkey too!

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    That cake is so fucking badass I think I'm going to lose control of some crucial bodily function.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    although I didn't go all the way like this uber-mom

    Meh, that's pansy.

    You should have done a cake 15 feet across, and recreated March of the Penguins, including falling snow and gale force winds. Morgan Freeman optional.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    That cake is so fucking badass I think I'm going to lose control of some crucial bodily function.

    Hopefully just the salivary sort?

    Kyle, duly noted for next year. It is my life's ambition to make a 1:1 scale cake of some sort. Maybe I'll work my way up to it for a twenty-first.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    And thanks for the warm comments. I sometimes feel shy about posting family stuff - Soft News, as it were - but y'all make it so worthwhile.

    Oh, if it helps I'll chime in - beautiful, exquisite writing, as per usual. *Never* feel shy about posting like this.

    Also: I shall make it my life's work from now on to try and work Helen-Keller as a verb in all of my conversations.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Also: I shall make it my life's work from now on to try and work Helen-Keller as a verb in all of my conversations.

    I'm all ears. Let us know how it goes!

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Let us know how it goes!

    I Helen-Kelleringly will. (Adverbs will do in a pinch).

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    Wallace-and-Grommit-style penguins are ridiculously easy - apply within for directions if you can't infer them from the finished product.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Amy, do you do mail-order? I got all excited about hand-rolling penguins (flashback to the forty naked ladies my siblings and I made for my dad's 40th birthday cake... that's eighty tiny pink marzipan breasts alone), but then just couldn't make the time to do it. And when I priced the raw ingredients, vs. a batch of plastic made-in-China ones that would do as party favours, it came out even.

    Except for the made-in-China bit. Which I counterbalanced against the potential toxicity of black food colouring... It was an extensive mental debate, and I think debating was the real winner on the day.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    PS you took a class in sugar??! We are so home-schooling that.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    Now now, with two over three your mind can start turning to indentured labor as a first solution to all life's fiddly little issues. You could even make it a party activity. Make a penguin! Then we'll stick it on the cake! Then you can take it home! Because nobody else wants your germy penguin anyway! (Note for the sticker-shocked: use rolled fondant instead of marzipan. Tell yourself it's because the kids wouldn't like the almond flavor anyway.)

    Not that I wouldn't send you a bunch of penguins, more that I doubt they'd survive the trip.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Oh, so smart. I don't know why I didn't think of that. All those tiny wee dextrous fingers, so good at all the little fiddly penguin bits. And yes, the edible party favour, always a winner.

    Next time.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • sarah duckworth,

    Crikey! Thanks for the pictures. You are my hero and role model. I only do pink icing covered with smarties or green icing covered with smarties. I'm lucky my clients have limited imaginations. I thought I was being very nifty sticking a fairy in the middle of the pink cake and giving her tin foil gumboots so she didn't get all sticky. I don't know what fondant is. I have so much to learn.

    Since Feb 2009 • 5 posts Report Reply

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