Naina is progressing pretty quick. It feels like it to us. In April she couldn't walk and crawled everywhere. It's the opposite now. The sight of N crawling today was a surprise. It's been months since I saw her do so.
The handbag phase is passing onto the collecting phase. She will toddle into the kitchen, open the cupboards, collect the good cups (three at a time) and deposit them into locations as yet unknown. Like a bear in the winter. We found one cup in our bedroom behind the door. She handles the cups very carefully; I reckon that won't last. I think she has "collected" two of my old cameras and "deposited" them safely for future reference. Today I found a toothpaste tube in the lounge room, her lunchbox lid in the bathroom, a soap packet in the hallway and her socks in the kitchen.
12 July 2009
Naina
Naina's probably been on a growth upswing this week, teeth, feet, legs, head. She's also probably cottoned on to the tension in the house and so she's been unsettled as well. More temperamental, less ease helping to sleep and more work on the reading and concentrating part.
Meanwhile, here's some photos from N's first trip to the Zoo from Queen's Birthday weekend in June. It was wet, cold and windy. We had no umbrella. But she loved the butterfly house, just because she could run free in a place that was warm, light and sunny.
This is N's new trike! It took me two hours to build.
Meanwhile, here's some photos from N's first trip to the Zoo from Queen's Birthday weekend in June. It was wet, cold and windy. We had no umbrella. But she loved the butterfly house, just because she could run free in a place that was warm, light and sunny.
This is N's new trike! It took me two hours to build.
Househunting sucks!
This househunting thing is turning into a pain.
Example in part.
Turned up to an auction. We had driven past a house, liked it, but accepted it wouldn't be in our range (with previously mentioned 10 per cent rule) and so decided to attend and see what happened.
Dutifully, turned up to the auction last Saturday, dressed as powerfully as I could muster (not very powerfully) and stood up the front. I'm confident it worked because there was no opening bids, so I through in a "try my luck" bid.
The bids didn't follow the script and I easily won. But we didn't meet the reserve. This gives us the opportunity to be individually pressured by the agents to meet the reserve. I actually think it is a higher pressure game than being outside the house. Three agents in suits all trying to muscle me up. I refused to meet the reserve, but did up my bid to the top of our range.
They then went outside to talk to other potential buyers and got a higher bid, which they asked me to match. I said no and lost by 3k.
The next day and a half was full of angst; for 3k we would have got the house of our dreams etc etc. Deepti tried her best to console me, but she also liked the house. So I rang the agent on Monday and said if the contracts do break, give me a call.
He rang me a few hours later. The purchaser hadn't shown up, etc I'm sure this is illegal but basically said make an offer; if the purchaser falls through I'll take the bid to the seller and he'll accept it straight away.
Anyway, the purchaser did eventually show up. But at the stage the agent started being all friendly to us, i.e. on the Monday, I started to hesitate. I actually started to think, be careful what we wish for. It wasn't the dream house and we're so glad we didn't get it.
Andrew, when the next house comes to auction that we want, I'll give you a call...
Example in part.
Turned up to an auction. We had driven past a house, liked it, but accepted it wouldn't be in our range (with previously mentioned 10 per cent rule) and so decided to attend and see what happened.
Dutifully, turned up to the auction last Saturday, dressed as powerfully as I could muster (not very powerfully) and stood up the front. I'm confident it worked because there was no opening bids, so I through in a "try my luck" bid.
The bids didn't follow the script and I easily won. But we didn't meet the reserve. This gives us the opportunity to be individually pressured by the agents to meet the reserve. I actually think it is a higher pressure game than being outside the house. Three agents in suits all trying to muscle me up. I refused to meet the reserve, but did up my bid to the top of our range.
They then went outside to talk to other potential buyers and got a higher bid, which they asked me to match. I said no and lost by 3k.
The next day and a half was full of angst; for 3k we would have got the house of our dreams etc etc. Deepti tried her best to console me, but she also liked the house. So I rang the agent on Monday and said if the contracts do break, give me a call.
He rang me a few hours later. The purchaser hadn't shown up, etc I'm sure this is illegal but basically said make an offer; if the purchaser falls through I'll take the bid to the seller and he'll accept it straight away.
Anyway, the purchaser did eventually show up. But at the stage the agent started being all friendly to us, i.e. on the Monday, I started to hesitate. I actually started to think, be careful what we wish for. It wasn't the dream house and we're so glad we didn't get it.
Andrew, when the next house comes to auction that we want, I'll give you a call...
24 June 2009
New habits
We took a trip to Chadstone and Naina showed some new habits off.
Handbags, anyone's. She steals handbags at the playgroup and then argues with mum's over whose handbag is it. Anna warned me about this; it's adorable though. She's taken to trying to hold my backpack when I get back from work and demanding to be lifted up as well.
Her confidence in walking is fantastic now and there's very little stumbling or falling over. Hard to imagine it has been only 6 or 7 weeks. Really short video to follow.
Balloons at any cost, the more the better. Quickly snatched by N at Dick Smith.
Sitting too close to the TV. We've actually been disciplining N about this. I know, shocking. I try the count to 3 method (she obviously doesn't understand yet, because this makes her excited), then take her hand method and guide her back to her port-a-potty (pics to follow soon). Finally, after three goes, we turn off the TV. N starts half-hearted howls of protest but then gets on with other stuff.
Definitely takes after father and grandfather. Weather is her favourite part of ABC news.
Handbags, anyone's. She steals handbags at the playgroup and then argues with mum's over whose handbag is it. Anna warned me about this; it's adorable though. She's taken to trying to hold my backpack when I get back from work and demanding to be lifted up as well.
Her confidence in walking is fantastic now and there's very little stumbling or falling over. Hard to imagine it has been only 6 or 7 weeks. Really short video to follow.
Balloons at any cost, the more the better. Quickly snatched by N at Dick Smith.
Sitting too close to the TV. We've actually been disciplining N about this. I know, shocking. I try the count to 3 method (she obviously doesn't understand yet, because this makes her excited), then take her hand method and guide her back to her port-a-potty (pics to follow soon). Finally, after three goes, we turn off the TV. N starts half-hearted howls of protest but then gets on with other stuff.
Definitely takes after father and grandfather. Weather is her favourite part of ABC news.Reading to N is proving harder ground to cover. I sometimes think it is the material we try to cover is too heavy (Real Estate magazines, Satellite TV catalogue, Australian Financial Review) and other times she's just too tired. I'd like her to be a bit more patient with the reading but tonight she got through a soft book of about 1 minute in duration before she started squirming and pushing. I probably dropped the ball a bit, because there was a period about six months ago when she wasn't so mobile and I could read to her in bed and she'd be content turning the pages and listening to me. She doesn't listen so much any more and tries to pull the book out of my hands.
Househunting
This is all about Naina, but house hunting, home loans, mortgage brokers, they suck. And agents, they are the worst of the lot. That said, the mortgage broker I spoke today was quite nice and the agent from Buxton was good as well.
Naina's not minded househunting too much. The first weekend we went, she slept the whole way through three houses so we had to do tag team visits. The second weekend, she slept through an auction while aunty Anveeta sat with her.
All good so far. I think N is looking forward to more space. She spends a lot of time running around in circles these days. We're definitely getting closer, but still not sure when that finally jump will occur.
I actually tried to use bits of Andrew's auction buying tactics, but I was too nervous to stand up the front, I drifted to the wall. Deepti says the timbre of my voice was not that confident either.
Naina's not minded househunting too much. The first weekend we went, she slept the whole way through three houses so we had to do tag team visits. The second weekend, she slept through an auction while aunty Anveeta sat with her.
All good so far. I think N is looking forward to more space. She spends a lot of time running around in circles these days. We're definitely getting closer, but still not sure when that finally jump will occur.
I actually tried to use bits of Andrew's auction buying tactics, but I was too nervous to stand up the front, I drifted to the wall. Deepti says the timbre of my voice was not that confident either.
06 June 2009
Random photos
We met Andrew Kate and Harriet in Port Melbourne last Sunday. A gorgeous cold morning meant breakfasts all-round! And N was all dressed up for the Port!
N's learning things fast now. One instruction session on how to use chopsticks at Kaneda was all she needed to clean up the miso soup... check out the head-fakes, didn't spill a bit.
Watching that video makes me feel all full of pride, like Dr Evil and Scott Evil.
N's learning things fast now. One instruction session on how to use chopsticks at Kaneda was all she needed to clean up the miso soup... check out the head-fakes, didn't spill a bit.Watching that video makes me feel all full of pride, like Dr Evil and Scott Evil.
Random blogs
The computer finally won - the epic battle continued after the last blog and kept crashing. Finally a new, younger, faster model took its place. Worked out I've gone through two motherboards, a bit of RAM, a video card, a power supply unit and a hard drive (without including various pirated software), before the old comp was put in its resting place (i.e. the garage with all the other ex-computer parts). Hence the time between updates.
We've started looking at buying a house which I honestly like the least of all adult tasks I have to do these days. Melbourne it is a case of trying to guess what it will actually sell for and if that is in the price range we can afford. So I've tried to go on the +10-20% asking price. Yes that's right, every house is quoted at 10-20% below the vendor selling price (underpricing) with an equally non-transparent reserve. Imagine my surprise when 80 people turned out for an auction in Malvern East and the selling price 35% higher than the opening bid. We're looking in Clayton, Mt Waverley, Notting Hill, and some western and northern suburbs. With all the news about attacks on Indians recently, the real west (Werribee, Footscary, Altona, Brooklyn, etc are out, even though they are affordable). That said a stabbing occurred within 50 metres of our front door last week.
Deepti's settled back in Melbourne; two months has passed since she got back, so it probably feels like she never left. We're planning a trip to Singapore soon, but with the house hunt on, it may have to be postponed. Naina keeps Deepti busy - apart from chasing N around the house, there's story time, play group, visit to friends' houses and searching for houses.
I'm my usual pensive state; not quite sure if I'm going forward or backward. I actually thought it might be easier to buy a house in July-Sept this year as the economy went down the gurgler. But I got my assumptions wrong, as I think every economist in the country did. Judging by how busy the shops and restaurants have got again, I think the recession has well and truly passed.
We've started looking at buying a house which I honestly like the least of all adult tasks I have to do these days. Melbourne it is a case of trying to guess what it will actually sell for and if that is in the price range we can afford. So I've tried to go on the +10-20% asking price. Yes that's right, every house is quoted at 10-20% below the vendor selling price (underpricing) with an equally non-transparent reserve. Imagine my surprise when 80 people turned out for an auction in Malvern East and the selling price 35% higher than the opening bid. We're looking in Clayton, Mt Waverley, Notting Hill, and some western and northern suburbs. With all the news about attacks on Indians recently, the real west (Werribee, Footscary, Altona, Brooklyn, etc are out, even though they are affordable). That said a stabbing occurred within 50 metres of our front door last week.
Deepti's settled back in Melbourne; two months has passed since she got back, so it probably feels like she never left. We're planning a trip to Singapore soon, but with the house hunt on, it may have to be postponed. Naina keeps Deepti busy - apart from chasing N around the house, there's story time, play group, visit to friends' houses and searching for houses.
I'm my usual pensive state; not quite sure if I'm going forward or backward. I actually thought it might be easier to buy a house in July-Sept this year as the economy went down the gurgler. But I got my assumptions wrong, as I think every economist in the country did. Judging by how busy the shops and restaurants have got again, I think the recession has well and truly passed.
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