It's all quiet here at home. The twins got picked up yesterday by their Dad for the holidays. They're staying with his sister here in Brissy, so that should be fun for them. Dylan is having his afternoon nap, although i'm sure I can hear playing noises coming from his room. And Lindsay just got dropped off at the airport, he's off to Victoria for a month. So it's just Dylan & I until Thursday when my sister inlaw and her youngest boy ( she has six kids) come for a holiday.  I can't wait, i'm looking forward to having some adult company and there's talk of going to Australia Zoo. So Excited!

Healthwise, i'm feeling MUCH BETTER... yay!! After two rounds of blood tests and discussions on Ross river fever, Glandular fever, Lymphoma, Bahma river virus, Cytomegalovirus it was found that I have Parvovirus B19!  I'm happy I know what it is and that it's nothing too bad. Parvovirus is a common childhood ilness that is also called "slap cheek". Ofcourse adults cop it worse. I must not have got it as a kid... and i remember the twins getting it in prep, so it's funny I didn't get it then. I guess I picked it up when I stayed overnight in hospital with Meeka when she got her tonsils out, cos we seriously havent left the house since then and that was three weeks ago now... Nevermind, i think i'm over the worst of it, still get tired and a little achy but feeling really good. I think the beautiful weather helps!

Wish everyone happy and safe holidays! Can't wait to tell you all about mine and to read about yours!

Much Love Tracey xox

After feeling crook and getting anti biotics for my "sinus infection" and then having a bad reaction to them, I broke out in an itchy rash all over on Thursday. I  laughed and thought it was Karma because earlier that day I was enquiring into how to make a voodoo doll so I could stab the crap out of my ex... oh well... thought it might make me feel better... lol... but no, I got a horrid rash instead.

So off to the Docs again on Sat because nothing was stopping the itch and i also had achy knees and I still have al ump on my neck below my ear. So he tells me it could be one of three things... lymphoma... glandular fever or... ross river fever...

What next? So I get bloods taken and should find out mon or tue what the hell is wrong with me. Now my whole body aches, my fingers, hands, wrists, neck, feet, toes but especially my knees and I have another lump just behind my ear lobe. I just feel grose. I've been reading info on all three things and i feel like my symptoms are most likely ross river... well i kinda hope thats all it is.

Thank goodness Meeka goes back to school tommorrow. Dylan gets his picture taken tommorrow too with daycare, so i'm looking forward to that... love pictures. And thank goodness hubby is home... yay. It's only for a week though, then he goes for a month.

Wishing life was easy... Love T xox

I got a sinus infection last week and I went to the doctors because I was feeling really dizzy too. So they give me anti biotics and I get worse... much worse. I started feeling nauseas and off my food and dizzy and had diarhoea too. I started feeling a bit better on the weekend and my cousin invited us over for dinner. So we get there and spend and hour or so chatting before dinner is served... a beautiful roast... and i take three bites and feel like i'm gonna be sick. So they ofered to have the twins for the night because Lindsay is away and I go home to bed with Dylan. So I go to the doctor first thing monday and it turns out that iv'd had a reaction to the anti biotics. Can you believe it? I still don't feel 100% but since stopping them i feel heaps better.

And the yesterday I asked the twins dad to start paying the full amount of child support because he's only paying a third of what he should and we're really struggling at the moment. And what can I say, it went down like a lead balloon. He rang at five last night, no happy and could barely speak he was that angry he didn't know what to say.

So the conversation went along the lines of... well if i pay that amount i may as well have the kids... and ... when will it be my turn to have them anyway... So i'm freking out because I wan't expecting that to be the topic but rather a financial negotiation.

Then i entertain his idea of having the kids and ask how that wuould work considering he's working in the mines and lives an hour out of Perth. He then explains how he'll get a job in town and drive the kids 40 min into town and back every day. He also mentioned splitting the twins... unreal man... I laughed and sayed... oh yeah, how would you break that to the other one? My take on the whole situation is that he's not happy i've asked him for the correct amount of child support and now he's trying to worm his way out of it by taking the kids? So i've spent today calling the CSA and the Family relationship advice line... etc I haven't rung legal aid yet but i will because he's coming to brisbane to take the kids to his sisters place for the holidays. Which is next friday. I little worried he may take the kids back to Perth and we don't have any court orders to say who the kids live with. I'm as angry as cos I feel like i'm being punished with the threat of him taking the kids all because I asked him to step up and pay the whole amount for child support. Not right in my eyes. Considereing he makes 120 grand a year.... arrrrr

I'm a little scared, only because she got septisemia after she got her kidney out, but they didn't know until over ten hours later. She was only showing a few of the signs and didn't get a fever until they called the surgeon back in at 10 pm. I was terrified, because she was pale and wouldn't wake up and wasn't letting out fluid. And they moved her into a room on her own close to the nurses station...  But once she got the fever they were sure they knew what was wrong and put her on anti biotics and she picked up after that.

Okay, now my stomach is in knots thinking about it, just keep telling myself that this is a completely different situation and she will be fine, it's only her tonsils for goodness sakes... But they're just so huge, they nearly touch her dangly thing and they've told me the main worry is post op bleeding. Okay, that's it i'm going to go and have a cuppa now and play the xbox (starwars lego) to take my mind off it. I'll let you know how she goes. She get's two weeks off school and i've stocked up on the ice blocks, pain stop, jelly, custard etc ettc

Love you guys

Trace xox

The move from Perh to Brissy went kinda smoothly, three weeks in a hotel room in the city with three kids wasn't so fun, mainly because it rained the whole time...lol We managed though. We just love it here, there is so much for the family to do and the parks are awesome. Only had one box go missing in the move which had the dvd recorder and surroung sound in it. Replaceable, so didn't care too much!

Connor has started playing rugby and is doing really well. He's got man of the match twice this season!

Meeka has taken up the violin and might i say it definately sounds better than the damn recorder... lol No sport for her yet, she's got massive tonsils that makes it really hard for he to breath, poor little chook. But they're coming out this friday, so once she's all healed we'll get back into swimming or something.

Dylan has had his second birthday, a rather loy key event. He is such a cheeky little thing and he cracks me up every day.  I hope to start toilet training him soon. Now that winter is nearly over and the weather is a bit better for it.

I've been looking after my cousins little boy Jack whos six months old and both Dylan and I have really enjoyed having him. Dylan has grown up with having jack around and behaves like a big boy now. It's so cute, he even tries to put Jack's dummy back in when he needs it.

Lindsay has been away heaps and that's the main reason i haven't had much time to myself. He goes away for most of Sept and then the whole of Oct too. I keep dreaming of going to Bali or somewhere alone on a holiday where I can read a book or just sleep without being disturbed. The whole playing Mum and Dad thing is kinda wearing thin. But it look like Lindsay will stay in the army until Dylan starts school. So i'll just have to suck it up until then.

Hope you're all well in Minti Land, iv'e been dropping in here and there to check in but will be making more of an effort now and check the files for toilet training tips. Take care T xx

This will probably be my last blog for a month because we stat in a hotel until 17th Jan when we move into our new place. We are all very excited but sad at the same time because we will miss all our gorgeous friends here in Perth. And hubby will miss his family too. Well, I guess that's it then! Hope you all have a safe and happy xmas. Hope to catch up with you all in the new year.

Love to all... Big hugs & kisses from Tracey XXXOOO

But that's not all, Dylan has had a runny nose and cough all week and today we noticed his two bottom molars are just bulging like they're gonna explode and the poor little fella has just been screaming all day. Panadol & bonjella didn't even knock the edge off his pain, so due to the public hol we trotted off up to the Hospital to get him checked out and it turns out he has both ears about to pop. They sent us home with some strong pain relief and told me to go to my doc tommorrow.

So kids, happy holidays.... Iv'e just about had it.

Now to my winge. You know my Nana died a few weeks ago and my mum died nine years ago. Well, I have kept her ashes all this time and it was requested by the family that i hand over mum's ashes so they can be put with nana. Okay, good, finally a desicion had been made on what to do with mum and finally we will have a place to visit on those um special? days.  Before Nana's funeral we all went up to the crematorium and decided where to put the plaque, we then found out we could get a headstone and put both on there together with the children of each mother having a side each for there epithaph. So we all agreed that this would be what everyone including nana would have wanted. Paid  and signed for. Now my two sisters and myself have chosen what we want for our mother and passed it on to our uncle so he can see what we have done and get his side sorted. This morning, we all get an email stating he has decided what he's putting for his mother and sister and that our comments would be valued but he would not change what he wanted. I explained to him that we respect he will decide what he wants for his mother and he should do the same in return for us. Well, that went down like a lead balloon. And i'm sure we'll see a grown man have mantrum ( man tantrum) in a few days when he finds out we have already told the engravers what's to be put on our side and he has absolutely no say in it.

It may sound like we're being mean, but this man had our nana take care of his dying wife for 14 years, yep, she sold her house and moved in with him and his four kids and nursed his wife so he could continue working. 14 years later he put his wife in a nursing home, married a new wife then kicked nana out the house. Instead of putting the new place in her name, as she had put her life savings in to an extention on his place to accomodate herslf while she played live in nurse, maid, cook, nanny etc. He put her unit in his own name, meaning that when nana died, he would get the whole lot, leaving his sister with nothing. Now, you may be shocked that this man is already quite wealthy, yet still want's more. In the past he has argued with my aunty, and put all his kids off side when he re married an absolute cow. And now, he has picked an argument trying to tell us how he will be doing things regarding our mother...well, he's got a rude shock coming when he realised he's messed with the wrong sisters. For once he will NOT be getting his own way and I wish I could be there to see his face when the bird from the crem tells him it has already been decided what will be written for our mum, and he will have to decide what to write for his mother only.

Right, good thanks, it's out now. We are strong and we'll get through this. If iv'e learnt anything, it's that I will plan my own funeral down to the flowers, so no one will have to stress or argue over anything. T xx

As some of you know, my little girl is starting to change, much to my dismay, so today we tackled a few female issues. After school we all went down to the Pharmacy and got some advice of gentle hair removal and roll on deodorant and face cleansers. Mission 1: how to remove long black hair from your nearly nine year old daughters arpits without hurting or making her feel embarressed about her changing body. Solution, gentle hair removal cream applied to the offending hair while allowing daughter to watch tv lying on the couch with her arms above her head. At the same time, organise dinner, bottles and lunches for the next day while you wait for the said 7 minutes.  Amazingly, it worked and she coped really well, I think she is coping so much better with this than me, now it's safe for her to lift her arms up at swimming lessons without getting teased.

Thanks for the tip Dad, I have just finished a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream with milo on top. Oh, maybe he was talking about the kids when he said that...lol nevermind, it worked on me anyway... T xx

I am leaving my capable husband to be Mr Mum for a week while I travel interstate for her funeral. The twins have written the most beautiful cards for her, to say goodbye. They wanted to come too, but it's a huge expense and really, they will cope fine without going.

More on Nana later, for some reason I am feeling very compelled to write about her. most likely because she was an amazing woman who's life I would like to celebrate with all.

Tracey xx

We were expecting Mum or Dad to be the first word but he just babbles those words! I swear a bit in the car...so i'm just glad he hasn't picked up any of my other choice words.

Has anyone else's baby said something other than Mum or Dad as their first word?  What was it?

Tracey xx

I went and did the weekly shopping this morning and just as i queued at the checkout Dylan vomited about six times. I couldn't believe it...he hasn't vomited since he was three months. A lovely lady who worked at woolies helped me clean it up...poor thing, i'm going to take her a gift when the little man gets better.

I thought it was because I had given him both breast and bottle this morning, because I went to the Gwen Stefani Concert on Tue night ( The best birthday present ever!)  and had two champas...so thought it was because of this. Then I got home and put him to bed the when he woke up his nappy stank so bad...you know that gastro smell...uggh ...then I went to put the stinky nappy outside in the bin and he vomited again and his lips turned purple. I put him in the bath to clean him off then took him straight to the Doctors. Yep...Gastro.

Hubby left Wednesday morning and will be back on Sunday, so he gets to miss out on the whole show. Have two loads of washing to do before bed from the constant vomiting. Have to get organised for tommorrow, get the twins lunhes etc...I guess I won't be getting much sleep tonight too.

Happy Birthday to you my little cutie.

I can't believe how fast this year has flown. All my love ...muma xx

After my q on lunch ideas yesterday, the little man started feeding himself. Silly me had been placing his food in a bowl and he must have thought it was a game, because it all kept landing on the floor. So, I am just putting his food on the tray, and it's getting into his mouth...breakthrough...

Last night he had his first big bath and I spent most of the time trying to get him to sit down, So, his feet got clean but not sure about the rest of his body....he he.

Then, this morning he had his first weetbix. The older two had finished them off and there were crumbs in the bottom of the packet so I thought we'd give it a go and he loved it. I wasn't keen on giving him weetbix before due to the high salt content, but i guess the occasional weetbix won't hurt and give him some variety rather than oats or museli.

This Tuesday will be his first birthday (dad wont be here for it ) so i'm So excited and truely can't believe it's been a year already. His party isn't until 25th aug though...it was the closest date when both dad & the older two will be here at the same time...logistics and trying to organise a birthday party...i should write a book. Ok maybe not, dont have the time.

I'm now looking forward to a fun but relaxing weekend with just me & the kids...hope the weather holds out for us so we can get out doors. Txx

Just so you all have an idea of what has happened over the years. When the kids were born, i was blamed for getting pregnant and a year later the twins dad & I split. He saw them every 2nd week end. Then every weekend when I met my hubby. Then when he found out we were moving interstate i agreed to 50/50 because I felt so guilty. Mind you, I got complaints from their pre school saying when the dad dropped them off they smelled bad and were dirty. My daughter got bitten on the face by his dog and got plastic surgery to fix it, she got lost at a fire works night, he fell in a mechanics pit...the list goes on. But he is there dad and i can't deny them a relationship with him. He's really not a bad person.

After we moved to perth from darwin he moved to a country town to be near his dad and worked with him. The kids saw him twice a year until last year when he decided to move to WA with his new girlfriend. So, as of last year they started spending every 2 nd weekend with them and some of the hols aswell. It gave me huge anxiety to begin with due to all the accidents that have occured in the past. However, everything is fine now the kids are older. So basically everytime they have seen there dad it's been a fun time. Me & Hubby get the whole daily grind routine. Get the kids brekky, school, swimming lessons, play date, teacher, bullying issues....etc And he gets FUN.

So when he rang after dropping the kids off yesterday I told him I was really upset and I don't want the kids unhappy to come home. But somehow it was all about him and how he cried in the car because his little boy was so upset. Nedless to say im furious and think he needs to grow up, have prob given him move credit than nescassarry. I think it has come to a head because we are leaving at the end of the year and they won't get to see him as much. I understand they're upset by it, it's fair enough, but no need to bring them home in that mood and put on a performance in my lounge room. In the past if the kids didn't want to go to his place, I would make them happy by saying, well if you go to see dad you wil get to... and then they would be happy to go. This Prob isn't makng much sence but I just have to get it out. It just upsets me that you do all the hard yards, think you're doing the right thing and what do you get for it? A slap in the face. Huh.

If you have read this, well done, i should send you some money because it would be cheaper than seeing a psych...lol

Also, today I met harrisonsmommy and ph419always down at Freo thismorning. It was really lovely to meet up with other Minti mums.