Yesterday was our first Christmas party!

At playgroup we had clowns and a sausage sizzle - and - yes! - that gentleman in red.  He brought presents for all the kids (assisted by the parents).  My son opened his present and then turned to me and said "was that Christmas?".  I had to reply - "No, sweety, that's just the start of it!"

Today we got our first Christmas card (from a neighbour) and we bought an advent calendar.  R is old enough now to understand this and is very excited about how it works.  I also plan to make one that has boxes to open - but I'm running out of time!  Where did the time go???

We haven't even got to December yet!

Anyway, I was interested that in the bedtime debriefing that is now part of our routine my son proudly told Daddy all about the clowns and the party and all his friends that were there, but had to be prompted to remember that Santa was there too!  Interesting..........

I can't believe my little girl is six months old today - where did the time go? 

Here is a pic of her enjoying her baby swing.  She is gorgeous!

Every child is different - been sorting clothes today, trying to clean out stuff.  Looking at all my little man's clothes.  The clothes he was wearing at a year old she is wearing now at six months - they are so different...  She is a much easier baby, but they have both been an absolute delight.  They are lovely, affectionate and happy children.  I am very blessed.

They say that the more challenging babies are often brighter - he is very obviously very smart and that has its own challenges.  I wonder what she will be like and what they will both become.  What do I want for them?  I want them to be the best they can be - to be generous, loving and kind, to care for others and for our world.  I want them to be everything I would like to be, so i guess I have to try and be it too so that they can copy.... 

Sorry, rambling a bit but have been thinking and dreaming today and wanted to get some of it down...

Have been a bit down and under the weather - I think my asthma is affecting my health and making me feel lethargic.  Trying to get on top of the house and the chaos but reminding myself to spend time with my gorgeous children - how do people do it all? and have time for themselves and their partner??

I was meant to go out with the girls yesterday for a child free lunch but couldn't face it - just feeling too tired and needing to be home.  I now wish I had as I don't know when the chance will come up again.

Anyway, need to go to bed as I'm sure that will help....

fridays are a busy day for us so I am getting in early...

I can't believe we are only a few weeks off Christmas - and less than two until Mum & Dad arrive! Where has the year gone? I remember when my son was a baby the first six months were tough and I remember saying to myself "if you can just get through the first six months you'll be alright" - well, with number two I seem to have blinked and six months have gone - too quick. I want to savour every moment & enjoy my baby - she may be my last!

Anyway, here is a pic of big brother out to dinner last weekend - note the Phantom tie folks (we get 'em early round here!)

My fridge has just started leaking all over the floor - is that because it's so hot?

I keep reminding myself to look at the good in every situation - so
1) the washing is drying very quickly
2) I don't have to worry about bedding at night (with little ones climbing into bed I always worry)
Something good I guess.........

Last week it was so cold parts of the state got snow and we had the fire going!  This week 35+ (I think 38 yesterday!)!!!  It's driving me nuts!  We have no air conditioning and thanks to the cold snap we had we haven't got the fans out yet!

Yesterday we went to the local pool for the afternoon and that was great - if this keeps up I think we'll be there every day!  However it is also very windy and the skies are grey, so does that mean storms are coming??  I hope so as we have a grade 3 fire on the other side of the Highway that is sending lots of smoke our way...

I had to laugh yesterday at the ways different littlies tackle the water.  We went to the pool with friends from playgroup - so 6m up to 4y kids.  My little man was in & wet before anyone else - under the water, diving & splashing.  He's a natural!  My little girl screamed when her feet touch the water - and some of the others were like her too.  All these mums desperately trying to convince their toddlers to hop in the water...  She warmed up to it eventually and was happy in the water after a couple of hours - just when I had convinced the boys (we had a friend there too) that it was time to go (when all the school kids arrived).  Interesting  isn't it?

Another busy weekend - that time of year I guess...  A 40th, coffee with friends and a dinner.  I have to say my kids were absolutely brilliant - they behaved beautifully over a long day.  Of course the next day we pay for it, but now they are asleep and all is well.

A big day because my baby had her first food.  I agonised over when to give it to her, as she is still a week off six months, but has been trying to grab our food.  Last week I gave her a rusk and she loved it.  Today I mixed up the rice cereal - one tablespoon as instructed.  She wolfed it down and was looking for more! LOL  I thought she'd love it - so funny as her brother hated the stuff and didn't eat until months later and then it had to be fruit or veges (not cereal!)

Time for bed I think! Good night

Swimming Day!  We forget how different kids can be - both mine love water, but R has always hated floating on his back - not an issue for B - she hates jumping in the air, which was always R's favourite!



Baby Bella doing what she does best - putting things in her mouth



Just call me Spunky Man!

Just had to share these 2 beauties from the last week.

When asked by his aunty if his cousin could borrow ("have a turn of") some DVDs - "yes!"
Aunty: "I have 7 here is that OK?"
R: "This is not a library!"

We are already into Christmas books!  Last year we did not make a big deal of Santa, but we decided we would discuss it this year - Santa's great, but that's not what Christmas is about.  Having discussed how you have to be 'good' for Santa to come and bring you presents, I tried to swing discussion over to Jesus by asking how Jesus is different to Santa.  The simple answer "Jesus doesn't bring us presents!"

I asked for that one!

On a more serious note though, the "taking turns" thing seems to be working.  We finally have a concept of sharing and he is not threatened by it at all - thanks Minti!

Here is my Bella (about 2 weeks ago at a country &western night - not my scene at all!)

Whew - i have had it!  I hoped for a couple of quiet days at home, but it was not to be!  Every body has been sick - hubbie with possible pneumonia (3rd time in 12 months), me with sinuses, Roy with ear infection and Bella with hand, foot & mouth disease!  So multiple doctor visits and bang goes the time!

Anyway, Roy had his orientation day at preschool today - he loved it!  About two weeks ago out of the blue he asked when he could start school.  When I said he could start preschool next year - he said "is that little school?" (where do they learn these things?).  He was dying to go and had a great time!  Now the hard part will be not being able to go back until next year.

Bella is now sitting up on her own - at only 5 1/2 months.  It will be great when she can crawl properly instead of backwards so she can reach what she is looking at.  She gets so frustrated!  She is desperate for food and I have been holding off to reach six months but caved in and gave her a rusk - she loved it.

In another first, we did our first grocery shop with R walking.  Up to now he has been in the trolley and she has been in the pouch - but at 8kg my back can't cope with that anymore!  I asked him if he would like to help mummy.  I managed to retrieve the chips, icecream cones (4 boxes), chocolate biscuits, lollies and other things from the trolley before we reached the checkout, but the extra dog food I missed somehow (and I don't think we really need the huge size of cheese!)   LOL

Anyway, he has been the greatest kid today and I am so proud of him.  It was such a big day and he went to bed beautifully (for once) - unfortunately she was not so obliging and it has take me til midnight to settle her - you can't win!

Bella went to the ECN this morning and is well above average on weight! She is meeting all her milestones - the only concern is some blisters on her feet - that could be foot & mouth disease!  Aah!

Feeling a bit better though having put some things away in my half completed cupboards.  Have made a decision that we do too much and for the sake of my family must draw the line - but where, is the question??

Dragging myself off to bed!  So much to do and so little time!

When i said our house was a bomb site I wasn't too far off!  We pulled the kitchen out at the weekend and only got half the cupboards back in, so now my kitchen is in boxes all around me.  We went through my son's room today finding places for all his toys so they are not all over the floor - now that baby is crawling (backwards anyway).  We have my parents retiring & moving home in less than a month & as we live in their house life will be interesting!  There is a lot of work to get it shipshape before they arrive - all with 2 littlies & Christmas coming - can I scream now?? LOL

It doesn't help that baby is only sleeping in catnaps!

Thank god for friends who keep us sane - & who understand without telling!  Thank you JM&P!!

Here I am giving advice and answering other people's queries and my own life is a disaster! 

I have just spent just over three  hours to get two increasingly tired small children to sleep!  One (3 y/o) had a tiger in his room and couldn't stay in his bed.  Normally I'd cave in and let him in mine or Dad would stay with him - but of course Dad is away and after a day with the two of them (actually three including the boy from next door) alone I want my space (is that so horrid??). So, I let him have a torch (if I leave his light on he just plays and won't sleep), sprayed his room with anti-tiger spray (aroma therapy spray) and took out all the toy tigers.  The five month old can't tell me her problem so I have been through the works - too hot, too cold, change nappy, give her a feed, give her a cuddle, put her in my bed, give her the panadol.  Finally a moment's peace before I crash into bed myself - though I'm sure I'll get company in a couple of hours...

Just when I was thinking I would ask the GP about coming off anti-depressants (for PND) I get a day like today...  Actually they were pretty good all day - no tantrums or upsets.  it is just the evenings that are a nightmare.  So, now I've vented I'll go and read a nice book all about a lunatic (do your children send you there??)

So much for my uplifting blog for the day!  Good night all!

A friend emailed this today & as it is relevant to my advice of the other day - thought I would share it. The painting is by her husband - a very gifted artist - who passed away two years ago this week!

"Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. it is though the pain of confronting and resolving problems that we learn." M Scott Peck

All the feedback I've had has been good - that's great!  I'm having one of those days where I have achieved nothing and feel a bit down, so it is nice to know I've done something good.  Neither of my children slept last night, so neither did we.  i dropped my son off at a friend's house for the afternoon so I could get some housework done - and then fell asleep with the baby!  So the house is still a bombsite and I am out again tonight!  Such is life!

Just published my first article and scared about how people will take it! I have a three year old who insists that his sister can't have toys! and a five month old who will not sleep tonight! Time for bed I think!

Hi! I am a mother of two beautiful children - Royston aged 3 and Isobella aged 5months. Parenting is a challenge and a joy and I love being an at-home Mum - though sometimes I am ready to resign! My first pregnancy was difficult - i had pre-eclampsia and was delivered early of a very small baby (2.4kg) When my gorgeous boy was born (by c-section) he had so many issues with sleeping & feeding from day one that I was permanently stressed & sleep deprived. i put so much pressure on myself. He was small & didn't gain weight. I constantly doubted my abilities - was it my fault (& was my breastmilk faulty)? I took on every body's advice and it made me miserable. With my second child, I was much more relaxed. (It helped that my PND was diagnosed & treated this time round) My pregnancy went well and I planned a "Calm Birth" to give her every advantage. I was more aware this time of gentle parenting techniques and had learned with her brother to listen to my instinct rather than others! We did not quite get the planned birth but she was born vaginally on her due date - at a healthy 3.3kg When she wouldn't sleep in hospital & I was getting upset a nurse suggested taking her to bed with me - we got our first bit of sleep in days! Since then she has a cot beside my bed where she sleeps during teh day and sometimes at night, but she is in my bed every night. We get so much more sleep and she feeds quite happily while I am still resting. She feeds like a trooper and gains weight like nothing else, so I know it was not me at fault with her brother! I would love to meet other Mums who can identify with my experience and hopefully we can encourage each other!