My junior junior masterchef

Something I remember enjoying as a child was being in the kitchen with my Mum. I have no doubt that my skills in the kitchen now, as an adult, are greatly related to the time my own mother spent cooking with me.

As it turns out, Miriam loves cooking too. This may have something to do with the fact that I let her lick the bowl and 'eat the beaters', but nevertheless the cooking bug is there.

She also has jobs to do when we are baking, her favourite of which involves putting the cup cake cases into the baking tray. She gets cranky with me if I don't explain what I'm doing at each step by saying "Wait Mummy! What you doing?"

Unfortunately, even with her 'step' she is slightly too short to reach the bench properly, so she can't really help with mixing and adding ingredients yet, but it won't be long.

Moreover it's such a fun time when the girls and I are in the kitchen together. Allan thinks so too, but I think that's got more to do with eating the results than the fun of making it.

And it begins....

At first, we cannot wait till our children start talking. The joy in our hearts when our darling says "Mum, mum mum" or "Dad dad dad" for the first time is irreplaceable. And then it begins..... The never ending stream of words that seem to flow from their consciousness and only stop when they are asleep.

Miriam is the most talkative '2 and a bit' year-old I know. I pity her teachers at childcare, really I do. From sun up till sun down she talks. We are trying to teach her that she only has to say something once but it doesn't seem to sink in.

For instance, we are attempting to teach the use of excuse me before launching into conversation with Allan or I when we are already talking. Picture this:

Holly "So, I've made lasagna for dinner and I was thinking I'll keep a bit so you have some dinner before nightshift?"

Miri "Excuse me Mummy"

Holly "Yes, Miri just wait a minute"

Allan "Yeah, that sounds great, have you ironed a shirt?"

Miri "Excuse me Mummy"

Holly "Yep it's in the wardrobe"

Miri "Excuse me!"

Allan "You're so wonderful, can I help by bathing both the kids and then giving you a back massage?" (Oh wait! This doesn't sound right, I think my imagination is getting carried away)

Miri "EXCUSE ME!!!"

Holly "YES MIRI WHAT?!?!?!?"

It's funny now but at the time I wish she had a button on her.

And now our gorgeous second child has found her voice. Her googly, gaa gaa sounds are really cute, but this time I am very aware of where it is leading. Unfortunately, with a talkative, father, mother and big sister, Ezzy is going to either end up a selective mute or just as bad as the rest of us.

This was taken a week or so ago and I swear she is getting louder by the day to compete with her sister. Miriam likes to inform me when Ezzy is talking..."Mum Ezzy is doing baby talk". Ezzy absolutely loves a drawing that Miri did at childcare. It is stuck on the wall in the lounge room and whenever she sees it she starts squealing. Allan has often mused whether Ezzy actually knows what Miriam's scribble means seeing as children seem to communicate differently to adults.

Stay tuned.... more fun with the two crazy De Rooy girls to come.



How many names can one baby have?

I know lots of people are into giving their kids two middle names, no middle name, double-barrelled surnames - whatever, each to their own. Theren't aren't many non-indigenous kids though, that are going to have a Yolngu name as well as their English name.

Miriam was named by our Yolngu family after she was born - Mulyil, meaning 'white dove' or 'Noah's dove' and now it is Ezzy's turn.

It's taken Bruce and Susan (our Yolngu family) a while to come up with a name for Ezzy but we were pleased the other day to find out Ezzy's Yolngu name is Birrindji, meaning 'spirit man of Gurrumuru'. Gurrumuru is the homeland of our family and it is a great honour for her to be named after the spirit of that area. It shows the respect that Bruce and Susan have for us in the importance of Ezzy's name. It also shows our connection to their land - something which we are very priviledged to have.

While Ezzy will probably never use this name officially, or even be called by it apart from here in Gove, we will ensure she knows the significance of this name and those that named her.