kurrabi kid

Where are the words??

2012-01-27T21:28:00.005+11:00

Certainly not here, on this poor, cobwebbed blog.

And they're not in my diary either - I think the last time pen touched paper on those pages was new year's eve (and I don't think I even finished that entry).

The words are also missing from, er, Word. Yes, those plans I had for writing a short story have come to very little indeed.

You know what is frustrating? The words, they are all in my head! Spinning around and keeping me awake at 4am. And that is not terribly useful. Just annoying!

Anyway. I will get there. (Sigh)

***

On the home front we appear to be winning the potty training war. After months of having no idea of what we could possibly mean by 'you can make the wee come out!' T has finally had the penny drop. This is very exciting!

T is going to the potty about 15 times a day, just because she can!

She currently has this weird thing she does with her eyes, where she kind of stares into space with her eyelids half closed and eyeballs rotated up. It looks awful. And it is causing me to freak out in the middle of the night. 'Could it be a brain tumour? Maybe she has a brain tumour...'

One of our dear friends is an eye specialist. I took T to see her in her rooms; she's been checked out. Ain't no brain tumour, just a weird thing she does with her eyes. To freak her mama out...

Meanwhile, E is killing me slowly and painfully with his whining and failure to do simple tasks like put on shoes or brush teeth when he's asked to. This was really getting me down until I was chatting to some of the mums of other kids in his class and they all said, 'Gosh, we're getting that too!'

Glad to hear it's not just me. I have a bit of a theory that kids are always one step ahead of us (well, the eldest kid anyway - as they're the ones forging into uncharted parenting territory) and sometimes they throw us right out and need to catch up to where they're at. I think E is at one of those points right now.

So I spend my days being firm with him, in an effort to rein in his annoying behaviour. Then I feel guilty that I've been too tough on him. I am all over the place.

This morning I did a little treasure hunt for him and the final prize was two chocolate freckles. In response to my written clues he wrote me a note and it read: 'Dear Mum, Thank you for the freckles. I don't deserve them. Love E.'

I was flabbergasted and a bit horrified.

I mean, I've just been trying to teach him a few boundaries, I don't want to crush the kid's spirit!! My goodness, I felt so guilty.

Anyway. We do our best. Right?

Glut

2012-01-15T12:54:00.003+11:00

It's so lovely having an abundant vegie garden, as we generally do. But sometimes the abundance is all a bit much.

Here are yesterday's pickings:

Quite what I am going to do with that many cucumbers, I am not sure!!

What will this year bring?

2012-01-07T20:43:00.006+11:00

Ooh, I love the start of a new year. Optimism is at its peak and it's exciting to think of what might be ahead of us. Well, that's the way I'm approaching 2012 anyway.

2011 wasn't the easiest of years, plenty of challenges and sadness were thrown our way. But this year is going to be different, I can just tell.

For me, the creative itch is getting too hard to resist. Perhaps it's a holiday thing, but I feel the need to write and write and write. I want to enter a short-story competition that's open till March. I'm not sure why this particular competition appeals to me. Maybe it's the push I need to sit and write something that's not 'work', as 99% of my writing is.

I hope I can do it.

I also hope I can make time this year for a little break or two. After Christmas we had a couple of days away in a glorious spot called Barrington Tops - a national park with pockets of subtropical rainforest.

I booked a cottage there months ago, because I have a dislike of intense heat and crowds. I figured that it wouldn't be too hot, being up high and rainforesty and all. Needn't have worried on that front - we've had the coolest summer in a long time. I also wanted to keep clear of the coast - too busy this time of year.

And so we wound up here.

The kids had a ball. I suspect we could have booked a dirty rat-infested shed and they would have had a ball. It's all about being somewhere different and having a bunk bed to sleep in (woohoo).

My hope was to do a few short walks in the national park with the kids and chuck some rocks in the river. That's about as ambitious as I was prepared to get with a 2yo in tow.

Well, this place was perfect. Right on edge of the forest (just a few metres from our cottage), loads of short walks that were manageable for T. The lad loved swinging on the 'jungle' vines.

The weather was kind to us. The birdlife! Amazing! Am seriously in danger of becoming a twitcher. I saw a kingfisher! And a lyrebird! In one day - was so chuffed.

We played tennis and cricket and ate dinner on our beautiful verandah.

Perfect.

Boy, did we need that break. And what a lovely way to start what I hope is going to be a happy and successful year.

Amen to that.

Car-trip conversations

2011-12-09T14:25:00.003+11:00

Don't you love some of the things kids come out with while you're driving? I want to remember this one:

Scene: way home from school

E: "Mum, did you know some kids don't believe in Santa?"

Me: "Really?"

E: "Yeah, they don't think he's real ... is Santa real, Mum?"

[pause]

Me: "Yep!"

[boy thinks]

E: "The kids who don't think Santa's real, when they wake up and see their presents, they know that God brought them."

Me: "Mmmm-hmmm" [stifling giggle]

I love how this little guy thinks...!

Neglected

2011-12-03T15:20:00.003+11:00

What a sorry state this blog is in! The poor neglected thing. I've been wondering if I should just close it down, or lock it away or something ... but then I think, no, I'm not recording as much of my kids' 'little' years as I'd like to. Closing down my blog would probably only make matters worse.

As with so much in life, it all boils down to time. And energy. And choices. I should make myself sit down and attend to this blog at least once a week, but often after a week of being paid to write lots of words and then doing freelance bits and pieces from home, it's not all that appealing. I'd rather flop in front of the telly or curl up with a book.

Anyway! We're gearing up for Christmas here. The tree is up, even if it does need a few extra decorations.

The kids had a ball putting the "bobbles" on it. I was busy draping tinsel when I noticed T was awfully quiet - and we all know what that means. She'd been industriously pulling all the strings off the "bobbles", making them, well, dead.

Today my boy went off on a harbourside picnic with his whole school. Seeing those five huge buses lined up outside the school gates gave me a lump in my throat. He's getting so big. Here we are, just about finished kindy already. Wow.

We had a thank-you morning tea for classroom helpers at school yesterday and everyone had a lovely time milling about and chatting. The principal called the room to attention to make a little speech. We all hushed to listen to what she had to say. T must have decided the principal projected her voice that little bit too well because she started yelling over the top of the principal, "Too noisy!" and "Mum, it's too noisy!" Thankfully everyone saw the funny side...!!

Some people have all the luck...

2011-10-17T13:28:00.004+11:00

... and last week I was feeling like one of them!

Because Shaun and I got to go on a beautiful four-day walk in South Australia. On our own! With no kids! Just us! And ... it was, ahem, work (if you can *really* call what is essentially a wonderful, delightful treat 'work).

Anyhow, that's what it was.

I am reluctant to give away too much detail here because obviously my story hasn't yet been published (or written). But can I just say that the 'luxury camping' experience was every bit as fabulous as it sounds.

We got to enjoy all the best bits of being out in the open without any of the irritating chores and lugging stuff it normally comes with. Hooray!

We walked all day and relaxed by a roaring campfire all evening, glass of beautiful SA red in hand. Sigh.

We walked with another couple who were just lovely company and a guide who knocked our socks off with her incredible local knowledge.

And the wildlife? Astonishing. We're talking wedgetail eagles in their nests, native budgerigars swooping above our heads, sweet little emu chicks, euros galore and even a sighting of some native hopping mice.

It was a heavenly break.

Two.

2011-09-09T14:21:00.004+10:00

And so this little lady turned two last week.

I thought I would be sad to see her turn two, and I guess I am a little sad that the baby years are done and dusted forever, but too many friends have lost babies now that I actually feel pretty lucky to have passed through the baby years safely.

The past two years have not flown. They have not plodded either; they've just passed as usual and to me it's like our T has always been around.

So here we are, firmly in toddler territory now. It's like a switch turned on around her birthday and suddenly the merest thing can escalate into a full-scale tantrum.

But hey, I've lived through many a tanty, I'll survive these ones too.

When she's not face-down on the carpet (or any available surface, really) she is my big-eyed, funny, inquisitive, chatty, downright gorgeous girl.

She makes me smile so much - I just can't get enough of her!

Spring

2011-08-29T14:26:00.005+10:00

... is almost here (mind you, my itchy eyes are telling me spring is here already). And that means this little lady is almost two (turning two on Friday).

It feels like she's been here forever.

She may be the spitting image of her older brother (that's him at a similar age in the pic to the right) but she's a very different individual to him. Now that she's starting to speak so well, the personality bubbles out of her every day.

It's a delight to behold!

Booook Week

2011-08-21T17:43:00.005+10:00

It's our first Book Week.

Now, I remember Book Week from when I was at school and I remember dressing up ... as Bo Peep or some character from a nursery rhyme.

These days it seems there is a theme. We ignored this.

There is a unspoken rule that you oughta be sewing something. We ignored this.

May I present the The Pirate from, er, Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs or Captain Yellowbelly. Etc. I figured there were plenty of pirates in kids' books.

So to achieve this stylish look I:

* pinched a shirt from Shaun's wardrobe (shhhh!) and cut it into ragged edges at the bottom. Then I used safety pins to tighten the cuffs and create a piratey 'puff'.

* rummaged round the shed and found a daggy too-big hand-me-down fleecy jumper which I cut the arms out of and made into a pirate vest (OK, imagination required)

* picked up some $2/m skull and crossbone fabric from Marrickville for a sash/belt and bandanna (whatever)

* I hand-stitched a patch onto an old pair of jeans. Right after I burnt the **** out of my iron by trying to put on a synthetic patch with hemming tape (stupid, I know)

Voila, pirate. Kind of!

Tick - job done.

I can't take any credit for the idea though - it came from my sister, who is amazing at all the craft and sewing things that I've never mastered. Lucky I have her around for advice, that's all I can say!

Workday evening...

2011-08-17T19:31:00.004+10:00

You know, some days turn out in ways you just don't expect...

Take today.

Ordinary enough work-day Wednesday. I was busy editing a story that I'd asked for revisions on, but still had to pretty much begin from scratch. Them's the breaks when you deal with new writers.

Then I headed off to pick up the kids. I got a call while I was on the train from after-school care. This is not usually good news. Last time I got a call from them they informed me they couldn't find my son - !!! Today they rang to tell me he had a fever. Again.

So I pick up my sickie and my bubba and get home - to find this on the front door (in an Esky, I ought to add!)

In with this caramelised leek, fennel, spinach and haloumi tart was a bottle of sauvignon blanc and some vegie patties for the kids.

A friend had left this for me.

Just because she'd made two of these beautiful tarts and thought I might like one on a work-day evening.

I have to confess I shed a little tear because, wow, how lovely is that?

People, they are good.

And this from a friend who has two kids littler than mine, who also works, and who I haven't seen for yonks.

Amazing.

And I also got to take home a handful of cheery flowers from the buckets full we had in the office from one of our December issue shoots.

Life, and work, they are good.

Workday morning...

2011-08-02T15:10:00.001+10:00

On days we both work it's rush, rush, rush to get out the house.

Except for some people (pictured) who were snapped this morning looking distinctly unrushed despite being hurried along several times...!

Six.

2011-07-30T19:48:00.004+10:00

Today is E's birthday - six. This age really feels like the beginning of a new stage. I guess the 0-5 years are 'little' so that makes 6 the start of the 'bit bigger kid' years. Or something like that.

We celebrated his birthday with a small gathering in the park. A handful of his mates from school came along and played, ate and played some more. The sun shone for the whole day (as tends to happen on this boy's birthday, remarkably for mid-winter) and it really was pleasant for everyone.

I had my first crack at a 'kiddie' cake. It turned out OK, I suppose, so long as no-one looked too closely at the bodgy icing. Somehow I don't think I'll be giving up the day job for cake decorating any time soon...!

Logic?

2011-07-16T21:00:00.004+10:00

Doesn't the logic of little kids just floor you sometimes?

Take today, for example. At 22 months T only has limited reserves of logic. Clearly this is the case because this morning, having brushed her teeth, she decided to pop her toothbrush into the toilet.

This was after me warning her to not do precisely that.

She has deposited THREE toothbrushes in the loo in the space of a week. That's about $12 down the toilet... (sorry!)

The boy, at nearly 6, then displayed his rather more advanced powers of logic. While his sister did a stint in time-out for her willful disobedience he was busily making something...

It's a bag. Made from paper and staples.

His thinking was that instead of T putting her toothbrush into the toilet we could retrain her to place it into said bag.

I like that he did diagrams explaining the steps of the process for her.

Here's hoping his approach is more successful than mine has been...!

A break - away!

2011-07-15T20:14:00.004+10:00

So being school holidays and all, time was ripe for a road trip. Not far, mind you - there's nothing I hate more than being stuck in a car - just to Canberra and surrounds. Oh it was refreshing. Chilly, granted, but then you do expect that in the middle of winter.

On the first day we stopped at the village where Shaun's dad is buried. My view of the (gorgeous) surrounds looked a bit like this...

The boy? Well, it's so quiet there we could let him scoot to his heart's content.

We stopped to throw rocks in the water. Apparently this is totally ace when you're 22 months old. Boy did she not want to move on...

Ooh, look - more rocks!

The next day we meandered into Canberra. So it seems did everyone else - there wasn't a room to be had. Not to worry, we headed back out to the 'hinterland' (if you can call it that, it's all kind of hinterland, isn't it?) after we'd visited Questacon.

Questacon! Whoa. So good! I don't think E learnt anything at all but he sure liked touching all the stuff (gastric alert - ick). He had soooo much fun.

Emboldened, we headed back into The Nation's Capital the next day and checked out the zoo. After almost fainting at the entry cost we did indeed have a marvellous time and declared it worth the (exorbitant amount of) money.

This is the lad in front of a giraffe (apparently).

I liked the otters!

And with an aquarium onsite what more could you want?!

It may have only been a couple of days but, wow, it was amazingly good to get away. Already I am casting my mind forward to next school holidays. And yes, next time we will book...

My Lovely

2011-06-20T12:42:00.007+10:00

The past few weeks have knocked the wind of me a bit.

So in the face of unspeakable sadness for those around me I need to stop and note a little beautifulness.

~ the pram-pushing, dolly-cuddling beautifulness

~ the beautifulness that is a toddler with outstretched arms calling 'cuggle!'

~ the beautifulness of a tiny third bottom tooth poking through and ending the 'hippo teeth' look!

~ the beautifulness of her 'Wow!' and 'Ooh!' at every little thing.

~ the wonder of a little person learning to count, recognise colours and know more and more words each day.

~ the beautifulness of an emerging personality.

~ the beautifulness of last night, when I was giving her her bottle and telling her I loved her. That baby took the bottle out of her mouth leaned up and kissed me gently on the lips. I need nothing more.

Wet (long) weekend

2011-06-13T12:32:00.003+10:00

It's raining, it's pouring. Etc.

But hey, that's no barrier to a bit of fun, is it?

Light

2011-06-06T14:23:00.003+10:00

There has been so much going on of late that it was only this morning that I realised I was going to post some pictures of last Sunday evening, when I took the little lad into the city - leaving Daddy and daughter at home - to check out the Vivid light festival.

At this time of year it's getting dark pretty early, so I did think 'what am I doing going out in the cold late on a Sunday night?' Then I looked at my watch at it said 5.30. (Clearly I don't get out enough.)

Anyhow, we jumped on the train, headed into Circular Quay, oohed and aahed at all the amazingly clever and gorgeous lighting effects.

It was cool to see the Opera House all lit up, for sure. But, really, the best thing about our evening was that it was a chance for me and my 'big boy' to grab some rare one-on-one time.

We held hands, ate chips and an icecream and just enjoyed each other's company.

My shining boy.

Weekend refresher

2011-05-23T13:46:00.002+10:00

It feels like a loooooong time since I had a *proper*, relaxing holiday. And that would be because it IS a loooooong time since I had one.

So this weekend I escaped for the weekend, to beautiful Byron Bay. With a girlfriend. No kids (yaaaay!). Well, it was a heavenly, heavenly break. We flew up on Friday night and returned Sunday evening. That may sound a short period of time, but to someone unaccustomed to having all that free time it was BLISS.

The food! The walks on the beach! The beautiful accommodation! The nanna naps (oh yes).The cocktails! The SHOPPING (without stroller and screechy toddler).

It was all so good. And a wonderful reminder about just how much a little break can recharge the batteries.

Can I go back now?!

ALL the mothers

2011-05-08T18:58:00.003+10:00

This year's Mother's Day has been a bittersweet one for me.

Personally, I have had a gorgeous day.

Beautiful handmade cards filled with proclamations of devotion, pancakes in bed, a bike ride in the sunshine, dinner made for me, so many cuddles.

Bliss.

However, there has been so much tragedy for two of my very close girlfriends in recent months. This Mother's Day cannot have been easy for either of them. I would never write about their predicaments, these are intensely personal and not my story to be telling.

So this Mother's Day I can't help but feel incredibly heavy-hearted - for the mothers who have lost their babies, born and unborn.

There is no silver lining for them. But these past few weeks have sharpened something in me. All I can say is I hold my babies closer.

Today

2011-05-07T15:25:00.003+10:00

Some days are just right, aren't they?

I would say that those days are elusive, but when you strike one you sure can feel the loveliness of it all.

Take today. Nothing special. We just wandered over the road and sat in the park with a hastily assembled picnic. The kids pootled about. We read snatches of newspaper. Autumn sunshine at its best. Nothing special ... and yet everything special.

Stuff

2011-04-19T20:23:00.004+10:00

I'm on leave from work at the moment for the boy's first-ever school holidays (how wonderful it's been - so lovely to have him around) and it's great to step away from a computer for a bit.

So, more pics than words ... baby's first playdough. She only ingested *some*...

There's been a bit of hero worship going on.

This girl, she is soooooo delicious. I could just eat her all up...

Ooh, here she is eating all up herself: pumpkin 'sausage' rolls I invented. There's no meat in them (not that I have anything against meat, I just didn't have any to hand) just mashed pumpkin, couscous, cheese, etc. I swear I nearly fell off my chair when she actually deigned to take a bite. Proves my theory that puff pastry makes anything taste OK.

And this is the reason I have been dreaming up pumpkin 'sausage' roll recipes. 16kg each. Yup...

Burn To Memory

2011-03-29T21:13:00.003+11:00

Most evenings, I find, are hustle, hustle, hustle. Eat your dinner! Use a fork! Get in the bath! Brush your teeth! Etc.

But very occasionally (like, rarely) you strike one where the dinner gets eaten, the jammies are on and everyone is happy. So happy the munchkins are allowed to stay up and play 'picnics' on the floor.

If only every evening were a battle-free zone...

Stroll to school

2011-03-28T12:09:00.003+11:00

Now that most of summer's sting has gone I've been making the most of our lovely walk to E's school. We're pretty lucky because although we do have to go through a across one road and through a railway station carpark it's park almost all the way.

E loves to gambol along, chattering away, and the little lady is usually pretty content to sit back and enjoy the ride. Me? I just love this avenue of shady old trees.

Can't you just imagine folks in their Victorian finery taking a passegiata along here?

The walk only takes about half an hour and involves a trek up one of Marrickville's steepest streets. That's the bit I enjoy the most. The boy may whinge but I love the heart-rate elevation of pushing a stroller up that hill without stopping. So satisfying.

Going bush

2011-03-21T19:22:00.008+11:00

I'm currently working my way through Richard Louv's book, Last Child In Woods, and finding it a really interesting read. There has been so much talk about this book that I thought I should get my hands on a copy. I'm glad I did.

It's all about 'nature deficit disorder', which is a totally made-up term for the disconnect from nature and the environment that (some) kids these days experience. He talks about how kids seem bored or disinterested in playing outdoors and would rather flop in front of the telly or some other form of screen, how playgrounds today are all about eliminating risk and to extent limiting imaginative play, about the fear people have of letting their kids explore or roam freely (and thereby breeding a fear in their kids of 'wild' places).

It's all incredibly thought-provoking for me.

As someone who grew up on a farm, I think I have a good relationship with the environment. For me, wild places are where I can truly exhale. I see no beauty in a city skyline. I do see beauty in a smooth piece of bark or silhouetted mountains or reeds on the water's edge.

I'd really like to nurture that closeness to nature in my kids.

It's easy to think 'oh, my kids are fine'. We live in a wonderful part of Sydney that's surrounded by a significant expanse of green areas and we do use that space a fair bit - though not enough, I think.

The stumbling block is E's reluctance to do outdoorsy stuff. Ever since he was little it's been a case of dragging him to the park, or anywhere outside the house. The kid just loves staying home. Inside.

So this weekend, in between downpours, I took the opportunity to [drag] encourage him outside. Across the road from our house - mere metres - is a trail that follows a river for some distance and leads to a small bushland area. This is it:

To coerce the kid I made up a treasure hunt. I began to question whether Louv would approve though, because E seemed to be intently focused on getting M&Ms instead of looking at the bush around him.

But then, after all the sweets had been doled out, he started to run ahead. He picked up sticks. Climbed rocks.

Pointed out spiders and centipedes. We even spied a tree full of noisy bats.

All up, we walked for about two hours (and I will freely admit when we got to the end of the trail we called Shaun and got him to come in the car and pick us up!). It was lovely. And I think, in light of the book I'm reading, important.

I really hope I do enough to nurture a love of nature in my kids while they're little. I want them to grow up feeling that the bush is a special and magical place, just as I did.

The littlest of gals

2011-03-14T13:39:00.003+11:00

She's a mere slip of a girl, our T. And she has just proven this by falling off the bottom of the weight-for-age percentile charts. At her 18 month vaccinations she's weighing in at just under 9kg. Great news for those of us who have to lug her around, but slightly concerning for others.

Again, I have had a GP ask 'do you feed her enough?'

Sigh.

Of course I do.

I have to admit that of late quite a lot more food has been ending up on the floor than in the tummy. I think I need to pay more attention to exactly what is being consumed. And I think if she's not taking in her dinner I need to be doling out more yoghurt and milk to fill the gaps.

It's funny, her brother was similarly skinny (and still wears some size 2 at age 5 - shhh, don't tell him, I just cut the labels out!) but not that wee. Madam T seems to be extra-teeny. Short of giving in to her desire for 'bikkie' every 2 minutes, I'm not too sure what I can do to plump her up a bit. She gets offered a lot of food. Most of it healthy (with the odd bikkie etc thrown in).

Every time I start to get a little worried about my kids and their weight I talk to my mum. Who rolls her eyes and reminds me that I was exactly the same when I was a little one (these days, unfortunately, I have the opposite problem...!).

In all other ways, T is bang-on for her age.

So what to do? Not worry about it? Hmmm.

18 months

2011-03-04T13:23:00.003+11:00

The little girl is 18 months now - and I couldn't be happier about that. I LOVE this age!

I love to hear the words coming together, to see the personality emerging, to witness the physical developments that come with getting more and more stable.

I love the way that at this age they can play a little bit more.

I love the way they want to copy everything and everyone.

I love the way that she's finally getting a little hair!

I love to see their little peculiarities and fascinations emerge - for our gal it's an obsession with shoes. Anyone's will do!

But. I'm not really loving the separation anxiety that gets unleashed when we are trying to get ready for work of a morning. It's a rush enough as it is without a small girl sobbing at your ankles.

I'm also not loving the new fussiness that has just arisen with her eating. But I know that's normal. I can no longer just present her with an assortment of mashed vegies and expect her to scoff it down like she used to (more's the pity).

This girl, I just can't get enough of her right now.

Growing

2011-02-25T12:49:00.004+11:00

Our backyard has turned into something of a pumpkin patch.

That may actually be am understatement - it is pretty much 1/3 pumpkin plant. That would be great (or not?) except for the fact that pumpkin makes me gag. My most hated veg (that and cucumber, the two things our garden has produced in abundance in recent months).

Still, even though I probably won't be eating it I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer cheek of the plant - a self-seeded plant that we only tolerated because we hoped it may be a watermelon plant.

Anyhow, last week we did reap this:

The triffid, sorry, plant appears to be producing both butternuts and some other round variety of pumpkin on the one vine.

Strange. Anyhow, it roasted up OK. I even tried some.

The little gal is definitely a pumpkin eater.

Thank goodness - there are a fair few to get through!

Heavens above!

2011-02-18T12:27:00.002+11:00

I should start this post by disclosing that I believe in God. Always have, always will.

I don't, however, believe in church or anything at all church-related - because, why would I? My thoughts and beliefs are mine and mine alone. I don't need to be in a certain building to have them and also, they're private! No interest in sharing them, thank you very much.

Anyway. I decided to let E attend scripture at school. It'll be good for him, I think. Because I'm certain other people can explain the concept of God a lot better than I'd be able to.

So E had his first scripture lesson this week. He brought home the worksheet all the kids did and it had an activity that said 'Circle how you feel about God's love'.

This was what he circled:

!!!!

Clearly the scripture teacher has a *bit* of work to do!

Fallen for Finkler

2011-02-07T16:44:00.005+11:00

Isn't it the best feeling when you fall so utterly, completely in love with a book that you can't wait to keep reading it and yet you find yourself devastated when you finish it?

I am on the love/loss rollercoaster today because I have just finished this astonishing, remarkable, incredible (enough gushing?) book:

It is very apparent to me why it won the Booker Prize. Very. To me, this book had the right mix of fascinating topic (Jewishness and what it entails) and a wonderful pace and accessibility.

The only frustrating thing about the book is I wanted to immerse myself in it and, well, with work and kids, who has the time?

My favourite book of all time is another Booker winner from years ago: Possession by AS Byatt. I think The Finkler Question must surely be in my top five though.

A gem.

Up and away

2011-02-04T12:42:00.004+11:00

The little girl ticked over 17 months this week. And, my goodness, she's on the move these days. T has been walking for about 3 weeks now, and getting more stable by the day (though I have to say that watching her comedy-walk about the house, chubby toddler tum proudly protruding is one of my favourite things to do).

This new mobility is fabulous and all, but it has been keeping me on my toes. Last week, for example, I found her (new! leather!) sandals deposited in the toilet.

I also found the bath plug ... under my bed. And the TV remote? It was outside, hidden under our triffid-like tomato plant.

I'm clearly going to have to keep a close watch on this cheeky one!

Big school boy!

2011-02-03T12:54:00.003+11:00

It's a rather momentous and emotion-filled day here: E started kindergarten today. Yes, such was his excitement at the prospect of his first day, he went to bed early last night without a protest. This morning he was all 'is it time yet?', 'when can we go?'

So we packed the ginormous school backpack with a bit of lunch and a tube of sunscreen and off we went.

The great thing about the school he's going to is that it's on the same street as where he attended daycare, so he's aware of where he is. Plus most of the daycare kids are going to that school so they did a heap of orientation. As a result, E just strutted into the school grounds like he owned the place! Then when it came time to go into the classroom he skipped off with not even a backward glance.

Me? Well, I did OK. I didn't linger. There were a couple of tears on the walk back to the car. The real force of understanding came to me when I was driving home after dropping Shaun at work. I passed a sign for Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where E was born and it hit me: those precious 'little' years are over. Gone. I am going to miss that little boy SO much.

But - hey - life moves and changes and throws all manner of things at us. This change is nothing to worry about. I know he'll love school - and that thought makes me very happy indeed.

Well, hello

2011-01-28T20:17:00.004+11:00

To blog or not to blog, that is the question?

I've had a relatively unintentional break from blogging - you know, Christmas, New Year etc - and still I can't decide whether I should can this thing, or whether it's an invaluable record of family life that I'll treasure later.

So, anyway, here I am.

There has been plenty happening. Christmas and New Year were both lovely - was great to have Shaun back in time instead of stranded at snowy Heathrow. Thank goodness that didn't happen.

The Christmas break felt looooong. I like going to work! But saying that, it was pleasant. And now? I'm about to start doing a third day a week at work, which is fabulous, and the boy is starting kindergarten on Thursday.

This is just about tearing my heart out.

I do not subscribe to the idea that years spin by, because I don't believe they do - not if you're mindful of all the little things that fill a day, a week, a month, a year. That's not the problem. For me, it's a letting go - the end of the 'little' years. Sniff.

I know, I know. It's inevitable. School will be great for him. He's so ready. Etc.

But I've relished all the wonderful years that he's been my little buddy. And now he won't be around as much. Other people will put ideas into his head.

So that's why I was terribly pathetic and cried at preschool today as I picked him up and signed him out for the last time.

Goodbye little guy - you've been an absolute pleasure and delight and marvel. My heart is broken at your departure. But hello school boy - you have so much fun and wonder and challenge ahead.

Let the new phase begin.

It's Christmas soon and someone is coming...

2010-12-22T20:25:00.004+11:00

No, it's not Santa (well, it is, but that's not who I mean). It's Shaun.

He's been here:

London Town. Brrrrr. Yes, I know, I know. Madness to go at this time of year.

So he - like thousands of other poor, crazy people - has been thinking a lot about scenarios like this:

And thinking this may be his fate:

Instead, he is one of the lucky few who managed to get on their flights, pretty much as scheduled and he is currently here:

He'll be back tomorrow morning, after spending all of December away, and there's a five-year-old boy who Just Cannot Wait.

Today E said to me: "Mummy, will Dad give me the biggest hug ever?"

Oh, you betcha, kid...

Sunday night performance...

2010-12-19T20:02:00.003+11:00

After dinner and a bath the boy was feeling a little musical. This is his ode to his sister. Funny kid!

She's off!

2010-12-15T17:57:00.003+11:00

Our little gal hasn't shown much interest in walking. But today she just up and did this for my mum, which pretty much blew us all away...

Baby steps

2010-12-07T20:37:00.007+11:00

Yesterday my 15-month-old decided that this business of being upright is actually alright. She's been cruising the furniture for ages but yesterday she actually let go - only for a second, but she stood on her own two feet nonetheless.

Encouraged by this, I walked her around by her hand a little more than I have been. At one point I let go of her hand and she did take a teeny step before falling into my arms.

It wasn't a 'proper' first step, just the start of something exciting.

I tried to capture her attempts on camera but pretty much failed...

Today we picked up E's new school uniform and he insisted on wearing it all day - even the black lace-up school shoes he has.

Dude doesn't realise there's 13 years of hating that darned thing ahead of him...

In another exciting (well, for me anyway!) first I picked up a delicious piece of Pyrex at my locals Salvos. It is a lemon-lozenge yellow Pyrex Agee bowl - made in Australia and possibly (going only a quick Google here) from the 1950s.

Of course I completely forgot to photograph it until about 5 minutes ago, so I've only an appalling pic to show. I've long admired Thrifted Treasure's beautiful Pyrex collection, so I was chuffed to discover this piece. Uh-oh, I sense the beginning of a Pyrex addiction...!

My boy

2010-12-04T19:00:00.005+11:00

... makes me burst with pride daily, but some days - like today - wow, he blows me away.

I've been a little under the weather in the past few weeks, just a sore throat and cold. Yesterday T picked up my germs and woke from her nap with a raging 40-degree temperature.

She was up all night, and so was I, playing Panadol Nurse.

So today while T had a justifiably long nap I told E I was going to lay down a while. He said "OK Mum" and left me to do just that.

About 20 minutes later I hopped up, to be greeted by this sight:

A small boy carrying a tray with a plate of chopped up strawberries, a glass with a flower (dandelion!) in it and a card he'd made all by himself.

I adore the empathy and sensitivity of this child.

What a beautiful boy, what love.

What's that under the Christmas tree?...

2010-12-03T11:27:00.003+11:00

... oh, it's Trouble!!

(T was sitting quietly on the floor this morning so I took the opportunity to shoot off a quick email. When I turned back around her eyes were closing; she was about to drift off!! Sitting up! I have never seen a child fall asleep sitting up on their own. Where was my video camera [flat, no doubt] when I needed it? Could have made a fortune on Australia's Funniest Home Videos...)

A special place

2010-12-02T20:57:00.004+11:00

Tonight Shaun gets back on the plane after a short stop in Hong Kong, to head for the snowy climes of Ol' Blighty (brrrrrr!).

He'll be staying in a Sussex cottage that we stayed in last time and, I think it's fair to say, fell in love with.

Oh the loveliness of it. Here it is:

Last time, we had a certain 2yo boy with us. We discovered the joy of hiring a house when you travel with a young family. Quite the revelation! Brekkie? Easy. You want sausages for dinner? Can do. It was a smart move.

It's amazing to look back at the photos of that trip and see how little the Little Guy was back then (and also how spookily like his sister he looked then).

Shaun took him to this bluebell wood for a squirrel hunt...

He got to choose his first bag of mixed lollies from Ye Olde Lolly Shoppe or whatever it was called...

Freezing winds be damned, the boy got to eat icecream in a pub beer garden *with play equipment*. Loving that...

Ah, he was so little back then...

Flying solo

2010-12-01T20:54:00.004+11:00

It's December and that means the beginning of my month of solo parenting.

Yes, today Shaun flew away on a giant silver bird, to return on Dec 23. He has gone overseas with his mother.

So, yup, me and the bubbas are hanging out on our own.

Wish me an extra serve of resilience and patience, won't you? For I may need it.

Wish me good health so I can actually attend my work...

But most of all, wish him a safe return.

Noodle

2010-11-24T20:44:00.001+11:00

Noodles, chopsticks ... sometimes it's handy having a fliptop head.

This kid, she would eat (almost) anything. A nice change after the fussy firstborn...

Sunday lie-in...

2010-11-21T12:15:00.002+11:00

... clearly has a different meaning when you're a Small Person.

Water, water everywhere!

2010-11-16T07:36:00.003+11:00

With all this wet weather we've been having it was inevitable that the Little Miss would venture out and discover real rain for herself.

Sure enough, yesterday she crawled out onto the wet tiles on our front deck (something we discourage because they are pretty slippery) and sat there, enjoying feeling the raindrops on her head and squealing with the fun of it all.

Gorgeous!

Flat out

2010-11-15T11:50:00.004+11:00

My baby - like all babies - is the queen of Interesting Ways of Sleeping. Shaun and I often marvel at the strangely contorted poses that she wriggles herself into before drifting off. How can that be comfortable, we wonder.

I just had to snap this picture of her napping, though. It perfectly sums up how hot weather makes me feel, too.

Burn To Memory

2010-11-13T15:19:00.005+11:00

Reminders of these last 'pre-school' days (sniff). Of fun and games like making colourful 'cupcakes' in egg cartons with all manner of random kitchen ingredients.

The boy may be SO ready to start school, but I am not sure I'm ready.

Is school the end of all this sort of innocent fun, I wonder? Is it all electronic devices from hereon in?

Do they suddenly value their peers' views waaaaay more than their mum's? Will I suddenly be inconsequential to him?

Will the little boy in him fade away altogether the minute he sets foot on those school grounds?

All I know is I wish these days didn't have to end.

But they do.

I'm not much into letting go, as necessary as it is. Goodness, what am I going to be like on his first day?!!!!

Ningaloo Reef revisited

2010-11-12T13:10:00.008+11:00

Last year, when I was 16 weeks pregnant and *just* over all the vile vomiting, I was lucky enough to be sent to WA's Ningaloo Reef for work. It was one of the most blissful and beautiful times of my life and I feel so privileged to have been to such a special place. Oh to be there now!!

Anyhow, I just came across my pictures from that trip and realised I never actually posted any of them. The story has already been published, in the Getaway magazine. It was a very cut-down version of the original. Which is now here - with the idea that reading it again will transport me there:

In the afternoon sun, a billion dazzling diamonds stud the water of Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef. A gentle sea breeze challenges the midday heat as I emerge from my car at South Mandu Beach in the Cape Range National Park, about 70km south of Exmouth. This is the end of road – quite literally. From here, it’s just a short stroll past drowsy wallaroos and over the sand dunes to Sal Salis, the tented resort that’s been touted as Australia’s most innovative eco-tourism model.

Sal Salis is currently the only tourism operation of its kind in Australia to be sited in a national park. A luxury experience is delivered despite there being no electricity, no flushing toilets, no television and mobile reception, and the fact that everything required by the camp must be carted in on a solar-powered buggy.

There are never more than 10 or so guests at a time at Sal Salis, as the accommodation comprises just five tents. The word ‘tent’ is somewhat inadequate. Sure, it’s a canvas construction, but this is more safari-style luxury than the pitch-it-and-pass-the-hammer experience I’m familiar with. Inside, a king-sized bed with crisp 500-thread-count sheets, awaits me. As I flop down onto it I can see the beach, a mere 50 metres away.

Within an hour, I’m in the water with Dani, a companionable guide who is at my service throughout my stay. We drift with the current just metres from the shore, snorkelling above the most spectacular coral I have ever seen. Fish of all colours, sizes and shapes dart in and out of the coral; reef sharks, a shock at first, cruise the surrounds at lightning speed; intriguing nudibranchs and table-sized bombora corals capture our attention; a harlequin sea snake leaves its wriggle marks in the sand. I am spellbound.

If I were to spend my entire time at Sal Salis exploring the exquisite coral gardens I would leave utterly happy. But there is more on offer. Like the faultless meals that are served up in the one fixed structure - the kitchen and dining area. Guests gather here at day’s end to watch the sun sink into the sea while the chef presents trays of drinks and canapés, followed by a three-course meal.

After dark, Dani and I take our torches and walk barefoot along the beach to a spot where, earlier in the week, she’d seen a nest of green sea turtles hatch. We’re not expecting to see anything when suddenly we notice a stirring in the sand. Attracted by our torchlight, one lone hatchling pops its head up and makes its first shaky moves towards the sea to begin its life aquatic.

That night I keep the tent doors open and breathe the tangy salt air. Before dawn, I wake to the sight of a cheeky wallaroo licking the dew from the boards a metre from my bed. Its intrusion is timely, because it means I’m awake to watch the sunrise at nearby Mandu Mandu Gorge. Light hits the gorge’s northern wall so powerfully it glows the colour of embers.

Next day, a leisurely boat cruise along another nearby gorge sees lazy rays glide alongside us while kestrels eye us cautiously from their nests high in the limestone walls.

Back at Sal Salis, the sea lures me yet again. As I swim and drift, I reflect on the way this place has changed my perception of what a luxury holiday can and should be. I’ve stuck (just) to the daily limit of 20 litres of water; I’ve relegated my mobile to the bottom of my suitcase; I’ve used a torch to find my tent in the pitch-black night. But within a day all this becomes normal (not to mention a wonderful salve for the eco-conscience). With so few diversions I have been able to sit reading a book on the beach for hours, without seeing another soul. I’ve eaten exceptional food and slept in perfect quietness. I’ve been privileged to witness a natural aquarium more beautiful than anything I could have imagined. These are luxuries beyond compare.

Stuff

2010-11-09T08:42:00.002+11:00

So long since I sat down to update this blog! Most pathetic. I'm afraid it is low on my priority list at the moment.

I don't wish to go into what is happening in this household right now, but let's just say that things are not all that great.

I am spending my days on edge, wondering how everything is going to play out. I am constantly putting out fires that flare up and threaten to singe all of us. I am dealing with extra-teary children who, in the intuitive way all children react, know all is not well.

I find the words of the world's greatest living poet (Bono, of course!!) spinning round and round my head:

Nothing much to say I guess
Just the same as all the rest
Been tryin' to throw your arms
Around the world

Yes. That is me right now. But if there is one thing I have learnt over the past couple of years it is that This Too Shall Pass.

Soon? Please?

Picture perfect

2010-10-27T10:39:00.005+11:00

I am not a good photographer. I would say I was adequate - meaning I can point and shoot and that if I snap 50 shots I will get a couple of decent pictures. I do however appreciate beautiful photography. So when my bloggie friend Sarah set up her business, Sarah White Images, I couldn't resist the opportunity to have the kids photographed (it was also a wonderful opportunity to meet Sarah in person, since we've been reading each other's blogs and emailing for a while now).

We didn't get the best weather for shooting outdoors, but it didn't seem to matter too much - until we had to scramble back to the house in a downpour! The little ones behaved quite well, despite the fact that just as Sarah was turning up T decided to do a leaky poo that went onto the dress I had her in (sorry, too much info, I know).

The result, though, are the most beautiful photos I've ever seen of my children. I absolutely adore all of them and I can't wait to have these in our album. My hope is that Sarah will photograph the kids every year - at least until they are too big for such things!

One thing I'd asked of Sarah is that she try to capture E's 'little boy' face, since at 5 it is changing into a big boy face. I think she did this beautifully.

Thank you, Sarah. I truly mean it when I say I will treasure these pictures forever.

Sunny

2010-10-18T08:26:00.004+11:00

Yesterday Sydney turned on one of those spectacular spring days. Heavenly sunshine, but not too hot. Crisp (but not too white) light that reminds me of summer days in England. Oh the loveliness.

We decided to take E out into the park to practise his riding without training wheels. Before we knew it, we were outside the German club round the corner from us. On such a lovely day it would have been a crime not to partake in a sparkling beverage or two, right?

When we got home T had a lovely sleep, then afterwards the kids spent ages (whole minutes!) playing their new favourite game while we got the barbie going.

Bliss!

Beet that

2010-10-16T19:33:00.003+11:00

We kind of forgot about the beetroots in our vegie patch. So when Shaun pulled one up it was a case of 'whoa!' It made me think of Wallace & Gromit and some of the giant vegies they encounter. Or country shows - surely this would be winner, right?

Cooked it up this afternoon and it was sweet and delicious and not woody, as I'd feared. Fresh beetroot is one of my favourite things.

It should do for a couple of meals!

Admitting defeat

2010-10-15T18:25:00.001+11:00

I just put the trousers she was wearing straight in the bin.

Sigh.

Ice block

2010-10-12T10:28:00.003+11:00

In between the grey, grey, grey of Sydney's days the sun has come out for a few minutes. Just long enough for us to break out the first iceblocks of the season. And the first ever for Miss T.

We didn't give her a whole one, but let's just say she was very happy when I let her finish off mine...

Eat, Pray, Loved it

2010-10-11T18:23:00.003+11:00

It amazes me just how strong a reaction people (read: women) seem to have to the book Eat, Pray, Love. It seems you either love it or you hate it, there's no middle ground. I loved it.

Yes, I know it is self-indulgent. Yes, I know it's not ideal that she ends up finding her happiness in another bloke ... but it's one woman's (pretty incredible) personal story and I think she tells it beautifully.

And so it was with a little trepidation that I saw the movie yesterday - would its makers do the book justice? I think that, on the whole, they did. My biggest criticism of the film is that at the beginning the husband and boyfriend don't seem all that unlikable. In the book you know she heads off onto her journey from a point of despair; the film didn't really make that so clear, I thought.

Anyhow. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous actors, Julia Roberts at her best - what's not to love?

A surprisingly good read

2010-10-10T11:05:00.004+11:00

Most years I try to read at least one of the Booker Prize short- or long-listed books, if not the winner. It makes me feel brainy.

From this year's crop I picked out a book that sounded interesting:

February, by Canadian writer Lisa Moore. The blurb sounded interesting, I ordered it in from the library. This is what it said:

In 1982, the oil rig Ocean Ranger sank off the coast of Newfoundland during a Valentine's night storm. In the early hours of the next morning, all 84 men aboard died. Helen O'Mara is one of those left behind when her husband, Cal, drowns. Her story starts years after the Ranger disaster, but she is compelled to travel back to the 'February' that persists in her mind, and to that moment in 1982 when, expecting a fourth child, she received the call informing her that Cal was lost at sea. A quarter of a century on, late one winter's night, Helen is woken by another phone call. It is her wayward son John, in another time zone, on his way home. He has made a girl pregnant and he needs his mother to decide what he should do. As John grapples with what it might mean to be a father, Helen realises that she must shake off her decades of mourning in order to help.With grace and precision, and a shocking ability to render the precise details of her characters' physical and emotional worlds, Lisa Moore reveals the whole story to us. And just as, finally, we watch the oil rig go down, we see Helen emerging from her grief to greet a new life.

When I picked this book up, I was immediately put off by the slightly schmaltzy-looking cover and tossed it aside while I finished another book. Then I ran out of reading and gave this book a go.

It wasn't all smooth sailing then. The plot is fairly bleak, after all it is about grief. Not exactly the uplifting read I probably could have done with right now, but I persisted because - wow - this lady can write.

The further I got into it, the more compelled I was to finish this quiet, beautiful story. It's not your usual Booker candidate, that's for sure.

Anyhow, this morning I finished the book in bed and I keep thinking about it. It has left its mark on me and that's what I seek from a good read. I also keep thinking about Petite Gourmand and, being Canadian and all, wondering if she has read this one?

We may live on opposite sides of the world, but I feel I know her tastes in books. I love it when she mentions one she's enjoyed on her blog. I immediately seek it out and, so far, I've loved everything she'd recommended (especially The Thirteenth Tale - so excellent). So thanks PG! If you've not read February you should try it - love to know what you think!

Burn To Memory

2010-10-09T11:09:00.004+11:00

Before I returned to work last month our lovely family daycare lady she suggested she take T for 4 days one week, to help her settle. It was a good idea, not only for T but also for E and me. It allowed us two days to hang together without Little Madam about.

It's funny, until a year ago E had all the attention from us, but it does sometimes feel like he misses out now. I took those two days to try to rectify that. We went to the cafe for babycinos, we drew, we painted, we read in the sunshine. And we went to this cool bike park, that has traffic lights, speed humps etc. Every parent in Sydney's inner-west has probably been there at some point. Here, E had stopped to check out the ant-life at the edge of the track.

It was a beautiful morning and he raced about, doing 'laps' I had to time on my mobile phone. In between, I ducked in and out of the pages of the book I was reading (Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey - so excellent).

This is a moment I would like to burn to memory.

Glitter wars

2010-10-08T15:23:00.004+11:00

Note to self: best not to leave tubs of glitter lying around on the ground.

Note to self 2: best to have the lid on securely if you are going to leave tubs of glitter lying around on the ground.

Note to self 3: best not to grab tub of glitter with not-exactly-secure lid from fiesty baby who likes sparkly things.

For this is the consequence of such actions.

Gold dust everywhere. At least it's outside, you may say. But for how many months do you think I'll be finding sparkles walked through the house?

Many.

In the mix

2010-10-05T14:34:00.003+11:00

Dear October,
How did you get here so quickly? Much to post, and yet so little time to sit down and do so. In the meantime, here's someone who doesn't like sitting down all that much any more.

No, she prefers standing (more like teetering and giving her mother conniptions in the process - skull + tiles + crashing bub = bad news).

And him - ol' Spiderboy - having read George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl he's most into making his own rather marvellous medicine in the backyard. There always has to be a 'secret ingredient' that I have to rustle up. In a flash of (impressive, if I do say so myself) inspiration, I added a teaspoon of Eno to his 'medicine' yesterday and it duly frothed and fizzed. The boy was all 'Wooooohoooo'.

One to me.

A catch-up

2010-09-17T14:15:00.003+10:00

There has been lots of action round here - and as a result, not all that much blogging. So here's a bit of a catch-up:

* I am now back at work. It's only two days a week and I am back the magazine I used to work for before I had Thea. Tis very satisfying indeed to get paid to go into the office and write, uninterrupted. Oh the luxury of it all! I love my work. What I don't love all that much is the double drop-off and pick-up. It is hard. But, hey, two days a week - it's not like I am doing it 5 days (that would be a killer, I take my hat off to all the parents who do that).

*This little lady? She has settled in to family day care so well. I was actually shocked at how well. Miss T is a very clingy baby who won't happily go to anyone other than her mum and dad. But she's done very well with our carer, she has not yet even cried before sleep at FDC. She just pops off to sleep. If only she would do that at home ... sigh.

The problem with T is she is soooooo tired when she gets home. So tired she has not yet been able to successfully eat a dinner after daycare. She's too wound-up. It is a battle from the minute we walk in the door until the minute she conks in her cot (as soon as I can get her in it). Then after a few hours she wakes up, furious. Worried we're not there? Not sure really. It may even just be an age thing but she wakes inconsolable and stiff with rage ... until I give her a breastfeed and off she goes to sleep again. Am currently doing this twice a night every night. Exhaustion, anyone?

* We had a Maserati convertible - Shaun was reviewing it last week. The neighbours came over to check it out. It was much admired. It also costs more than some apartments around here. You can't really see in this pic, but in a booster in the back is a 5yo boy with a grin from ear to ear.

* And here he is, the Roald Dahl-obsessed lad - sporting a long overdue haircut. The last time it was "cut" it was cut by me. Let's just say it's good that's it grown out. And also that I will not be doing that again...
!!

Happy FIRST, my second...

2010-09-02T11:31:00.008+10:00

And so she is ONE.

It's Baby T's birthday today and while it's been lovely to see her delight in her presents (though mostly the stickytape!) I can't shake this slight feeling of melancholy - because that's my baby (my last baby) getting all big!

Sure, she's still teeny. She's only been crawling a couple of weeks, but I guess her mobility combined with her starting family day care is making me nostalgic for the bub that was.

And what a bub! She was a really delightful newborn (as they all are). Here she is, fresh and new. And with her very, very tired dad (a labour followed by a caesar followed by a baby coughing and spluttering up amniotic fluid all through her first night will do that to you).

Here are some more pictorial firsts: first bath in the hospital (still mad about baths) and first time she met her adoring brother.

This is the day she came home with us. Those first couple of weeks are a little hazy, I regret not taking a bit more video footage of her smallness so I can recall it more easily. Ah well. The cluster feeding of those early days still makes me shudder. So, so hard. But at 7 weeks she surprised us by sleeping a couple of 10pm to 5ams.

And yet more snuggles from her brother. Gosh, I can't believe how much those two love each other. Just the other day he asked me if he could learn to change her nappy - SURE! So he has mastered the wee-only ones. Suits me...

Early smiles - she's about 2 months here:

And this is her recently, on her first go down the slippery dip with her brother (is that fear or fun on her face?!!). And in the backyard with me. Out of about 10 shots this is the nearest she got to co-operating. Note to self: never work with children or animals!

This girl, she makes my heart burst every day.

Happy birthday, my funny, noisy, delightful little sweetie.

In the back seat

2010-09-01T15:06:00.004+10:00

My poor blog. It has really taken a back seat in the past couple of weeks. That's because there's been plenty going on:

* I am headed back into the office - from next week. I seriously cannot wait. It's at my old place of employment, two days a week. It takes the pressure off me in terms of freelancing. It's nice to have a regular amount of income, even if it's not much!

* T has started family day care. I lucked out and got what was seemingly the only place in the entire inner-west. And it happens to be very close to our house and where E goes to preschool. Hooray!

* I have just handed in a whopping great load of freelance work - thank goodness I am through it all!

* The little lady turns ONE tomorrow. Am not ready for that! I've been feeling all nostalgic and wistful ...'but she's my BABY!'

* We had a prang last week - totally my fault. I didn't look left turning into a one-way lane. Our car was only a little dinged, the other was a bit of a mess. Eeek. Frankly I'm amazed it hasn't happened sooner given how little sleep I have been driving on of late. This year marks 20 years of driving for me and it's my first insurance claim. C'est la vie...

* Speaking of the car, as we pulled into our driveway yesterday I turned around to find my two holding hands in the back seat and I was quick enough to snap this pic with my phone. Fairly melted my heart, I tell you.

Look who's on the move

2010-08-13T13:31:00.002+10:00

Yes, at 11.5 months the Young Lady has mastered the art of crawling. She's only really been doing it for 3 days, so she's not terribly adventurous ... yet. Mind you, if escapades such as this one from earlier in the week are going to become more frequent that's probably a good thing.

Saturday night catch-up

2010-08-07T19:48:00.004+10:00

Here I am, sitting at my computer on a Saturday night. I should be writing about freezers and fridges, or showerheads, or restaurants serving organic food, because once again I've gone a bit mad and overloaded my plate with freelance work. In which to do in the baby's nap times (hence the writing on a Sat night). Sigh. On the one hand it's lovely to be able to work from home, on the other it does seep the rest of my life...

In other words, it's been a busy couple of weeks. What's been happening? Well, we had some computer *issues*. Let's just say that Shaun, in endeavouring to fix something really stuffed up. We couldn't get the computer to boot up. Problematic. So we were a week or more without a computer, which I have to say was lovely (though I would be less busy had I had an extra week to tackle all this work...). In a extremely fortunate (?) piece of timing, the kids and I all got a BAD cold at the time when the computer was being revived, so I wouldn't have been terribly productive anyway.

Then the computer got fixed ... but we blew our monthly broadband allowance downloading a new operating system. Looking forward to that bill.

The boy turned 5, which was extremely exciting for him. He's been itching to be 'big'. Since his fifth birthday he's been having a few existential crises, asking me "Mum, are you sure I'm five?" Here he is with his birthday present, a Toy Story 3 scooter. And he got a Buzz Lightyear. Oh and look, he chose a Jessie doll with the money his aunt in Queensland sent him. Anyone noticing a theme here?...

To celebrate his birthday we went for a trip to a little zoo/wildlife park outside Sydney. It really is fabulous there. And the big 5yo got to pat a python. Rather him than me.

His birthday cake was not fancy but it was fun, in that he got to decorate it all himself. Can you tell?!

And anyway, she liked it...

Ah yes, she who, at 11 months, will not crawl. I was subject to some tutting from an early childhood nurse a week or two ago for the fact she was not crawling yet. She gave me "homework" to do (needless to say I've not done it). I suspect T will be off soon though. I mean, check the moves...

And then? Look out world, here comes Baby T.

Badge

2010-07-09T10:03:00.002+10:00

Last night I was busily trying to cook dinner while feeding Baby Banshee her evening meal. E had the good sense to stay out of the kitchen. He asked me how to spell 'hair' and then came into the kitchen wearing this. A badge he'd made.

The pics are dodgy, but you might just be able to read that it says 'no hair pooling'. Translation: 'no hair pulling'

If only the little hair puller could read...

Classic.

Freedoms

2010-07-03T16:26:00.004+10:00

I love how, after you have a baby, the return of freedoms - no matter how tiny - just feels sensational. The first time you duck out to the shops leaving a sleeping newborn at home feels freeing, but odd. Like the sky is sitting too low or something. It is at once weird and amazing.

Then there's the first time you leave your baby to go out together as adults and it's like - wow - yeah ... I remember how good this is.

Today we experienced another regaining of a small liberty. E went over to his little friend's house to play for most of the day and Shaun and I took the Young Lady on the back of my bike. We rode and rode, then stopped to have lunch at a lovely cafe.

Freeing? You betcha.

10 months

2010-07-02T17:56:00.004+10:00

Our beautiful little girl ticked over the 10 months mark today. What's she up to? Well, not crawling ... but certainly thinking about it. This little bub likes to streeeetch out and reach and shuffle and faceplant. So the crawling may come quite soon (oh lordy, am not ready for all the 'eyes in back of head' that inevitably comes with crawling/moving).

In the past week or so she has begun to 'dance' - if you can call it that. And, truly, I cannot imagine anything cuter. So naturally E loves to play his CDs for her ALL the time, we have pulled all his old musical toys up from the garage, we sing to her. The funniest thing has to be when she 'dances' (more a head jiggle, arm swing kind of thing really) to me rubbing hand cream into my hands (oh, my poor wintry housewife hands!).

T loves to copy our sounds now and - finally - she's mastering 'Mama'. About time. I have been drilling it into her since she began saying 'Dada', which was, what, months ago.

Another lovely development of late is that E can play with her a little more. The other day I bought a packet of balloons. Wow. The playing together! The peace to make dinner! A revelation indeed...!

Still not a scrap of hair. And still will not deign to take a bottle. At all. Believe me, we keep trying (various brands and styles) and she keeps scrunching up her little face in distaste (any ideas??).

10 months, here we are...

Snap

2010-06-30T10:29:00.003+10:00

So we're in the middle of a cold snap in Sydney, but that's OK by me. Crisp, sunny winter days are among my favourite things.

Yesterday I decided we needed to get out of the house, so we headed down to a nearby bay for a picnic of sorts. The sunshine didn't quite warm us up enough so it was a brief picnic, but a lovely reminder all the same of how nice it is to have little 'excursions' out instead of hanging round the house trying (and usually failing) to maintain order around a 4yo tornado.

This picture sums up the moment pretty well.

Toy Story 3 premiere

2010-06-21T08:56:00.004+10:00

We went along to the premiere of Toy Story 3 yesterday - E and his little friend G dressed up as Buzz Lightyear and Jessie for the occasion. And, my goodness, didn't they attract some attention! This the pair of them waiting for the Light Rail (the premiere was at the big - and I do mean BIG - Imax cinema in Darling Harbour.

Ginormous Buzz Lightyear poster? Yep, we're in the right place!

And this is E doing his 'best' Buzz face. Hyped up? You betcha! By now he'd come to expect every second stranger on the street to stop and remark on his costume.

When we arrived the TV cameras homed in on E and G and they were 'interviewed' by Disney Channel, which they loved! Then it was in to the foyer to pick up our free popcorn and drinks and be entertained by a three-piece band while we waited to enter the cinema.

Look! A big Buzz! Despite the fact this was the red carpet area for celebs, E and G were extremely eager to duck under the rope for us to take a quick snap.

I really can't stand kids' movies - OK, there are one or two decent ones, but most are so infernally awful that I always feel like I am wasting my life sitting through them (Shrek, anyone?) So I was pleased to find that I actually enjoyed Toy Story 3. It was quite a watchable film.

I'd never seen anything 3D before - neither had E. The Imax screen is SO BIG and it was SO DARK while we waited for the movie to start that he of course freaked out. But once the characters started to appear, like long-lost buddies, he got into the movie and afterwards declared it to be: "Good."

It's 5.30am...

2010-06-18T05:57:00.003+10:00

... and I am sitting at the computer. I have been awake since 2am, going slightly mad.

Is there anything more infuriating than not being able to get back to sleep? I woke to feed T at 2am and simply couldn't get back to sleep. I took a valerian. Nothing. I got up at 3.30am, had a Milo and read for half an hour. Didn't work. 4am ticked by, 4.30, 5, until I got up a few minutes ago.

So now I have to spend one of my precious daycare days dead on my legs. I have a feature to hand in next week, so I need to get my head around the finer points of selecting an airconditioner on four hours of sleep. Oh and look after a baby as well.

This state of not being able to get back to sleep in the middle of the night has been happening at least once or twice a week for a while now. I kind of expect it (which could be part of the problem).

But what perplexes me is that I don't feel stressed, there's nothing all that major going on in my life. I exercise almost every day (this does help, definitely). So I end up just laying there replaying the day's conversations and thinking 'OK, I'll fall asleep any minute now.'

It is driving me a little bit mad. Then I start to wonder, would it be selfish to wean T just so I can get some decent sleep???!!! She is able to sleep through, but wakes in the night for a feed most nights. Probably just likes to. So technically I should be so damn tired and ready to crash back to sleep.

Argh. Frustration!!

One tidy corner

2010-06-16T13:04:00.007+10:00

Y'know, sometimes things just get away from you. May I present this case in point:

This is the 'toy corner' of our playroom/family room/home office. And no, sadly, I did not mess this up for effect before I took this picture. I didn't have to, it's looked like this for weeks. Which means that every time I sit down to try and write something or research something I have been seeing that out of the corner of my eye.

Not conducive to a good working environment, wouldn't you agree?

After weeks of getting more and more peeved I finally got Shaun to take the kids out of the house (because you cannot bin toys, as broken and ignored as they are, within eyesight of a 4yo) so I could tackle the toys.

Amazingly (annoyingly, maybe, since it had bugged me for so long?) it didn't take too long to sort, bin, regroup everything.

And now I have one tidy corner. For how long I'm not sure, but - wow - what a difference an hour or so of sorting has made to my life!

Look - my book!

2010-06-09T10:50:00.005+10:00

Well then, look what we have here. A book. The first book I've edited. I've had my writing published in other books and I've proofread books, but this is the first name I've had my name appear as Editor.

It's a pretty modest book - somewhere between a book and a magazine in its style and feel. So it's a compendium of travel stories that have been printed in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, plus a series of travel stories that I commissioned specially for this publication.

I'm very happy with how it's come up. But most of all I keep marvelling at the fact that I actually did it!

I took on this project when T was three months old. Three months! At first it was easy to work with her around, as she was pretty happy to lay on her playmat and gurgle. But then, of course, as she became more alert she was not going to have a bar of that, thank you very much. And still, I did it!

There were times, as the deadline neared, when it all seemed too much. But what can you do but push on? There were times when I couldn't even face a glass of SA wine, because I didn't want to even lay eyes on those words again...!

I feel so lucky to be able to earn my living, meagre as it is at the moment, doing something so creative and enjoyable. There are lots of great things about freelancing from home, but there are a few downsides too. Being self-employed, there's not much in the way of feedback. So I would just like to stop for a moment and say this:

Dear Me,
You are a legend. You pulled off your first ever book editing gig in between all the burping and bathing and washing and everything else that a baby and preschooler require.
Please give yourself a raise immediately.
Kindest regards,
Me

9 months

2010-06-02T19:10:00.007+10:00

This week saw Baby T tick over the nine months mark. I paused on that day, Wednesday, to scribble some notes into my diary on what she's up to, things I think about her, bits and pieces I would like to remember. Shamefully, that was my only entry in my diary so far this year. Months have slipped by, unrecorded on paper.

It's funny, I have many, many photos of her. Lots of video of her progress (I don't think we had a video camera till E was about 1), but not many words. As a words person that does bother me, so I am hoping to update my diary every month or so from now on.

But even a diary isn't going to do the impossible, which is to capture the feel of her. The way she stretches out her legs when I pick her up out of her cot; the fuzziness of her bumpy bald skull; her funny little shrieks and coos as she snatches the glasses off my face for the umpteenth time; the beauty of her heavy eyelids as she breastfeeds herself to sleep; her indescribably lovely baby smell as I nuzzle into her neck and ear.

I often find myself imploring my brain, "c'mon, burn this, retain this, store this..."
I hope to never forget.

Tooth

2010-05-31T19:52:00.004+10:00

For WEEKS I have been attempting to get one measly picture of T's only tooth. Because it won't be an only tooth for much longer; there are a couple of others just waiting to burst through.

Every time I get the camera out she basically attempts to grab it, eat it, dribble on it and generally be a right pain.

So out of the 497 pictures I took (thank goodness for digi), I present for posterity the tooth. Accessorised with smeared pumpkin. Nice.

Quiet

2010-05-26T09:59:00.005+10:00

Oh, the rain. How it is raining here in Sydney at the moment. I could write a post about just how much washing I have in varying states of dryness, but I won't. Too depressing.

T has a second tooth about to burst through. This means she's a bit grumpy. Actually, I'd forgotten how tetchy babies of her age get (she's almost 9 months). She wants to do everything but can't, and so she whinges. There's lots of stiffening up. Want to stand up? No. Want to sit down. No. Want to be carried around? No. Arggggghhhh! The good thing is that I do remember E being the same, so I know it's just a phase.

It's so lovely to have finished working on the book. I have caught up on lots of things that had been neglected around the house (though there is still much more to do - always!).

So, pretty quiet in these parts, really.

Not cool at all

2010-05-17T13:38:00.002+10:00

You know you can truly kiss summer goodbye (and good riddance, I say) when 3/4 of the family is sporting fleecy footwear.

Love notes

2010-05-14T11:59:00.008+10:00

Well, I thought my days of receiving love notes were over. But, hey, they're not! Only now they come from a four-year-old boy. Now that E can read (you may think I'm exaggerating, but this kid can pick up a new book and pretty much read it unassisted) he's also very into writing. Especially writing notes and signs.

He likes to surprise me when I'm cooking or in the shower. On Mother's Day he did some of his finest work to date.

This one is my favourite. It was stuck to my bedroom door on Mother's Day. It says, "No kids coming in my mum's room". Wow, he HAS grasped the concept of Mother's Day! But then he explained that the sign naturally didn't apply to him or to Baby T. It was there in case other kids came round to our house and tried to barge into my room on Mother's Day. The scoundrels. Lucky there was a sign stopping 'em in their tracks.

He also made this one:

It reads, "No mums allowed". In the house (GOOOOOD!!) Again, a Mother's Day sign, this appeared when I was having afternoon tea on the front deck.

There has also been quite a few of these presented:

Not to mention the odd alien:

But, really, this one is the piece de resistance. I found him outside in the dark just before bedtime, stickytaping this to the front wall of our house ("I want you to blow your horn" - a command to the passing traffic and, yes, possibly the smallest sign ever made).

Here he is, the signwriter at work.

Little character.

Fake-tan hands

2010-05-11T20:14:00.005+10:00

The other day I scolded the boy. "Don't draw on your sister!" I said. "Her hands are all orange!" He told me he hadn't drawn on her. Yeah, yeah. Nice try, buddy, I thought, but I can see the evidence.

This morning I looked at T's hands: orange again.

It was first thing after breakfast and I knew E hadn't been anywhere near his textas. So I did what anyone would do: I consulted Dr Google.

Enthusiastic consumption of orange-coloured veg, it seems, will turn the hands and even the nose (!) orange. That beta carotene is amazing stuff. Apparently it is harmless to babies, even if the fluoro hands look a tad scary.

Miss T has been happily scoffing pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot with everything from slivers of meat through the rice, cheese and peas mushed through them.

Orange foods are my reliable 'mixer' for her. But it's clearly time to branch into some more greens!...

(It was very hard to photograph her - her hands are rarely still and the light doesn't really show it - nonetheless I present the photographic evidence)

Endings, beginnings...

2010-05-06T09:35:00.002+10:00

Endings: Here I am, waiting nervously for a final OK to press the 'print' button on the book that has gobbled up much of the past five months. Waiting, waiting for the phone to ring, an email to pop into my inbox. Nearly there, I know, I just need an OK from one person at the SMH and we are done, done, done... yay!

Beginnings: Well, hello, little toothypeg. Clocking in at 8 months and 3 days, the first sharp white bud of a tooth has made its appearance. And there's not been too much trouble with it coming through ... not that I distinguished from general baby grumbliness anyway!

Buzzin' about

2010-05-02T19:35:00.005+10:00

My boy is having a bit of a Buzz Lightyear phase. It seems The Wiggles are slowly being nudged out in favour of the Space Ranger from the Toy Story movies (which I must say I have not seen - basically, if Toy Story is in the DVD player it means Mum is busy!).

On Saturday morning I was feeling a bit blah, mainly from a shocking night's sleep on Friday night. The little one was a bit snotty and didn't properly settle until midnight. Then at 4.45am E, who had gone to bed in his 'glow in the dark skeleton' PJs, cries out for me. When I stumbled in to ask him what was wrong, this is what he said: "Muuuuuuum, my skeleton isn't glowing any more." Mate. You woke me up for that. Not impressed.

Anyhow, I digress. I was feeling rather tired and oppressed so I snuck out of the house for a spot of op-shopping. I find it to be the only truly guilt-free form of retail therapy for one who doesn't have a great deal of income...

The universe must have sensed the black clouds hovering just above my head because I had a great time wandering about and picked up a nice black trench coat (in need of a dryclean but otherwise fine), a pretty top, barely worn boy's shoes in E's next size, and this...

A Buzz Lightyear dress-up suit. I didn't see it at all, but I heard a little boy running around the shop saying "Destroy Buzz Lightyear" and smiled to myself, thinking that was a familiar refrain at our place. Next thing I hear the mum say "No, it's too small for you..." I seized the opportunity, tapping her on the shoulder and saying that if she wasn't going to buy it, could I?

I didn't even look at the size and - amazingly - it fits! A bit short in the legs, but who's complaining. Certainly not the boy who's been wearing it pretty much since the minute he got it...

Girly

2010-04-26T19:14:00.004+10:00

Only another week or two until the book I am editing goes to print. Y-A-Y! I can't wait for it to be done. I have been cramming work into every single spare minute, but that's OK. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

I did take some time this morning to photograph the little girl sitting on our woollen underlay as we changed the sheets on our bed.

It's funny, I rarely dress her in dresses or pinafores or girly outfits. It's mostly little trousers and tops, or one-piece suits. Perhaps that's what comes of having a boy first? I'm not sure. Whenever she's in a dress or outfit I imagine she feels like I do when I wear my 'good' clothes or work clothes. I can't wait to get them off and get into something comfy!!

Fulfilling his dream

2010-04-16T09:56:00.006+10:00

When I was pregnant with T we would talk to E about all the fun things he would be able to do with the baby. He would go along with us but only ever had one question: "Mum, when can I feed the baby yoghurt?"

E became a bit fixated on feeding the baby. I guess it is one of the very few tangible ways an older sibling can truly interact with a baby. He was so into the idea that when he visited me in the hospital after she was born, he asked if he could give her yoghurt yet.

Um, no.

So anyway, now she's 7 months and doesn't appear to have any allergies or intolerances I figured it was OK to give yoghurt a go.

The boy was excited. The spoon was overfilled. T wriggled in anticipation. The spoon hit her nose. The bib received more yoghurt than the baby.

But yoghurt was fed, the occasion was videoed.

E was so proud of himself (and now wants to give her yoghurt every day).

new wheels

2010-04-15T11:01:00.002+10:00

We are lucky enough to live by an amazing bike path. About 23km of it, all up. Before I had the little lady we'd go for a ride most weekends. We'd take a ball, flask of coffee and a picnic. Good times.

However, since having T most of my cycling has been on the exercise bike, not the real one. She's still too little for the bike seat (E went in at 10 months) and while E can ride his bike pretty well we've never had him ride alongside us yet - for reasons of slowness and whinginess.

So when T was tiny Shaun made a bit of an impulse purchase: a twin stroller that doubles as a trailer behind the bike. We've been dying to try it out, so last weekend we propped T up with pillows, covered the harness straps in foam so they didn't cut in and, lo, she sat in there happily.

One of the reasons we've been keen to try it is that soon the boy will be too big to fit in there! Right now he's OK and he's happy to sit in with his sister (which is great because he yells out if she slips sideways). We haven't used it behind a bike yet, maybe in a few more months.

It cost $100 (new) on eBay and we're loving it - or we will once we get used to the bemused stares it attracts in the park!!!

Seven months

2010-04-12T13:29:00.001+10:00

Noisy.
Giggly.
Topply.
Wriggly.

Heavenly.

I love this age.

Little feet

2010-04-09T15:39:00.003+10:00

The arrival of some cooler weather provides me with a great excuse to dig out some of the beautiful little shoes T has. Even though all her pairs are still a little big I figure it's OK to put them on her for toe-warming purposes (it's not like she'll get sore feet, no walking). Alright, I'll admit it: I just can't resist a teeny-tiny shoe...

Easter

2010-04-06T20:18:00.007+10:00

Easter is such a lovely time to head out into the country. Not too hot, not too cold - just right. We went out to my parents' farm for a couple of days. It's looking gorgeous, thanks to recent rains. I don't think I've ever seen this much water in this particular creek (one of my favourites).

The morning light was perfect. You can see there the Volvo hatchback we drove out and back - on a single tank of diesel (and it could still have gone another 200km). Incredible.

Sunday marked our 10th anniversary together and so we escaped from the little ones and went for a glorious bike ride. We rode along a (very) quiet, undulating road with spectacular views out to the mountains. With no helmets required the sensation of zooming along with the wind in our hair was pretty freeing. We made it about 10km or so, then stopped on the roadside for a picnic before heading back to the kidlets. There was hardly a car come by, but of course the one that did had to be my brother, didn't it? He had a good laugh at us city slickers, sitting in the burrs eating our camembert!

Did I mention the morning light? Glorious.

The young lady had a go in a rocking horse that was once mine (so, like, antique, yeah?).

The lad helped his Pop milk the cow and checked out her twin calves.

2010-04-01T13:32:00.005+11:00

Memo to Baby T:

You'd get the hang of this eating business a whole lot better if you focused on chewing your food, not the tray of your highchair.

PS: Melody, thanks for the tip about trying pawpaw. She loves it (er, well, perhaps 'tolerates' is a better word). I also gave her a taste of my stewed rhubarb the other day and she ate that. Amazing. Especially when she will not even look at pureed apple or banana. Most peculiar...

When you take your eye off the ball...

2010-03-31T17:49:00.002+11:00

It became apparent to me that the boy needed some new shoes. Something to do with most of his toes hanging over the edge of his summer sandals.

So how bad you reckon I felt when he went from the size 7 he was wearing straight to a size 10?

Yup, hadn't noticed a thing.

Nice Merc if you can get it...

2010-03-29T20:17:00.005+11:00

One of the more exciting aspects of Shaun's job is that he gets to write a motoring column. Which means we have all manner of vehicles parked out the front of our place at times - goodness only knows what the neighbours make of it all!

A couple of weeks back we had a Mercedes for a week. Not just any old Merc, mind you. Apparently it's an AMG (that's the sporty model, apparently). This is the beast:

'Beast' is a kind of appropriate description - it would let out a guttural growl when turned on. Oh hang on, you don't actually have to turn it on with a key. You simply have to have the key on you or with you - the car senses it. How perfect for gals (like me) who always have too much in their bags and keys that seem to hide whenever you need them?

I know virtually nothing about cars. I have almost zero interest in. Which means when we get a car to try I'm all about the experience of the passenger. This particular car has in-seat warming and cooling. I'm not kidding. See:

The kids got to ride in the leathery back, protected by inbuilt sun protection screens (oh to have those in real life). If only there was a button to make the boy crack a smile.

You can't really see it in the picture below, but there were all sorts of amazing buttons to control the seats. One kind of 'gripped' you as you went round even the slightest corner. I found that a bit freaky. Fine for the autobahn, not so useful in the 40km zones of suburban Sydney.

The most impressive button was the one that actually massages you, up and down the back, as you sit there. How incredible. I was enjoying this immensely ... until I realised the vibration was enhancing my motion sickness. Bleurgh.

Since this car we have had the hybrid Camry (liked it) and we're getting a Volvo for the Easter weekend. I personally don't understand the appeal of fancy cars. Any car is only required to get from A to B, if you ask me. No-one actually needs a massaging seat.

Tis money gone mad.

Playing catch-up

2010-03-21T21:00:00.003+11:00

My goodness the weeks have been busy of late.

So busy I've not even dared start writing a blog post, because I know it will sit there unfinished and bothering me in its half-complete form. Tonight, though, there's nothing on telly, no book I'm devouring (there's been a lot of that lately - I put it down to being in desperate need of a touch of escapism), kids - finally - in bed, bloke tinkering in the shed and a beautiful southerly breeze sweeping in to chase away the day's oppressive heat (memo to universe: it's supposed to be autumn, you know).

So what's been happening? Too much, probably. I am deeply ensconced in the book editing project I am working on from home. It's all going really well, but I have to admit I am counting down the weeks (six) until it's published because, jeez, working from home with a six-month-old around is NOT EASY.

I knew it wouldn't be when I took this job on, but when I signed the contract she was a snoozy three-month-old. These days, she's not quite so happy to lay and suck on her own toes next to the computer while I squeeze in some work in awake time. Darn it.

And so every Weds-Fri, I drop the boy at daycare, put T down for a sleep and work like a demon for the 1-2hrs she sleeps in the morning. I get a coffee, switch on the computer and focus as best as I can (which depends on the number of hours sleep I got the night before). Then after she wakes I might try to steal half an hour of extra work time by typing with one hand while bouncing her on my knee or popping her in her play centre (what a godsend that is). This is her in it:

I suppose her day sleeps add up to about 3-4 hours a day, so that's much time I can devote to the book. And then of course there is my column to write ... and the dinner to make, the washing to hang out, and all the other things that inevitably crop up.

Anyhow, I really shouldn't complain. How lucky am I to be able to find work that's so flexible that I can do it all from home, when it suits me? So lucky.

Now that I have started a blog post I feel like there's so much to write, but alas I can hear my bed calling me, so here are a couple of pictures instead...

This is the little lady doing some of the prescribed tummy time. She's been making me most anxious with her reluctance to roll from her stomach to her back. She can roll onto her tummy just fine but whinges like mad for me to flip her back, and there's only so long you can listen to that kind of noise...

Anyhow, I've stopped worrying about the rolling thing now because her brother reports that she "rolls over from her tummy to her back all night, Mummy. I've seen her". They share a room - I should have got a progress report from him earlier!

Sitting up is the next thing for her. And she's doing really well - almost there! A bit wobbly on occasion, but getting there. E took the following photo of me doing some 'sitting supervision'!

And here she is, doin' it for herself...

And, whenever she tires of sitting up all on her lonesome, there's always someone who's EXTREMELY willing to help out...

She's so lucky to have such a loving brother.

Six months

2010-03-04T16:19:00.003+11:00

So my baby is six months now.

I wish I had the time and energy and brain space to write a proper, considered post. But I don't. There's too much going on right now. The book-editing project I've taken on is going well but, oh, it is a lot of work. I have a column to write. I have two kids to feed, wash, entertain and clean up after.

And I could REALLY do with a GOOD SLEEP.

OK, that's my whinge off my chest. Back to Miss T. She continues to be a delight. There are a couple of minor issues going on with her. She's developed eczema - like her brother and half the rest of the world. I was hoping she'd miss out on that one.

She's off to the neurosurgery clinic at the Children's Hospital in a few weeks. She has a flat head - like her brother before her and like half the population of Australian babies, or so it seems. I suspect they will tell us to go away and not bother them again (I think my GP is being overly cautious).

She's about to be forced to learn to go to sleep on her own. I've fallen into the (lovely) habit of feeding her until she's sleepy (not actually asleep) and popping her into her cot, where she happily dozes off without a peep. This works for us both (except that I feel like I am always feeding her). She usually wakes once a night for a feed, and sometimes not at all. So I suppose she's not relying on me to push through those sleep cycles.

However.

She had her check-up at the early childhood clinic today and the nurse warned me about that - she said I should probably nip that in the bud before she gets older and more aware and it becomes an almighty problem.

So I suppose I will.

Just as soon as I can find some energy.

Oh and here's the only pic I could find where her eczema doesn't look too festy. Nice.

You know, all this stuff is minor. She's doing well. Doing all the right things ... except she's not really near sitting yet. And apparently that's my fault, for not giving her enough tummy time. I must do that.

Now where's that energy again?

Seconds

2010-02-24T15:26:00.003+11:00

My last post heralded the beginning of Miss T's eating. It began well.

Since then? Not so good.

I think the first feed was a success purely because of her curiosity (or perhaps just plain fluke?) because I've been diligently offering her rice cereal or the alternative, mashed banana, ever since and, oh, the screwed-up-ness of the little face.

Then yesterday there was a mildly alarming occurrence on the eating front. I stumbled into the house carrying one handbag, two bags of shopping, the contents of the mailbox and one wriggly baby. I plonked T on the bed and, to amuse her while I put the groceries away, I gave her a brightly coloured flyer from the mailbox. As you do.

By the time I came back in to get her, all of 30 seconds later, the corner of the flyer was gone. In its place a soggy mouth-shaped chomp mark.

The child ingested a real-estate flyer.

So. Yeah. First food: rice cereal. Second? Cheapo paper flyer.

I was quite concerned. Would she get ill? How would her poor little digestive system cope? She looked OK, but just to be sure I rang a friend of mine who's a printer.

He assured me that all commercial inks are vegetable based these days, and no, I didn't need to take her to the doctor - that was after he stopped laughing.

Possibly not my proudest parenting moment!

Hungry

2010-02-22T09:27:00.004+11:00

Something a little bit momentous occurred here yesterday: Miss T had her first taste of real food (if you can call rice cereal 'real food').

She's 25 weeks and turns 6 calendar months next week, so I figure that's close enough to starting point. For the past few weeks T has been eyeing our food very hungrily - surely a sign she may be ready?

I was heading to the supermarket yesterday (on my own... yay... this is the nearest I am going to get to a day at the spa or a mini-break - sad or what?!) and so I picked up some rice cereal for her.

We cracked it open, mixed it with some breastmilk, popped on a bib and - lo - she ate.

Boy, did she eat. She gobbled it up.

It was as though she was saying, "Oh you people, didn't you realise I've been starving for weeks? There you are torturing me with your bikkies and your sandwiches and all I get is boring old milk..."

I felt a little sad to let go of my tiny baby who feeds only from me - though that will continue, it's just that she will have other food too.

So we've dragged the highchair up from the garage and given it a good hose-down.

Am braced for my kitchen to again become a baby destructo-zone. Smeared carrot, anyone?

Kindred spirits

2010-02-20T12:32:00.002+11:00

Well, they do say like attracts like.

A compliment??

2010-02-19T14:19:00.004+11:00

Don't you love the way people - particularly the slightly loopy ones - are drawn to babies?

Yesterday T and I parked out the front of E's preschool. Next to the preschool lives a lady. She is not a young lady, nor is her English all that good. But she loves to talk to the little kids as they go in and out of the preschool gates.

She came up to the car while I was getting T out of her seat and said this to her:

"Oh! Sixxxy bebbbby!"

(please excuse my inventive spelling, but I don't want my blog to come up when THAT is Googled. Ever.)

This is what T was wearing at the time:

Maybe she thought T was a boy (well, she is in blue), sporting a Peter Andre muscle-top outfit - very sixxxy? Maybe she meant, er, another word?

Whatever the case, I can't really think of any example of when you could legitimately use this description on anyone aged under 6 months.

I giggled all the way home.

Sweet

2010-02-14T13:30:00.004+11:00

So it's Valentine's Day today. I thought it might be fun for E do something for Shaun and I (since he luuuurves us so much - so much that he can't bear to go to bed of a night, fearing he will miss a second of our scintillating company).

With limited funds, I decided we should make something. Then I had a small brainwave - my mum had given me some chocolate moulds a while back. Heart-shaped moulds, and therefore perfect for the occasion.

A quick trip to the shops and we'd bought some chocolate to use, condensed milk for the strawberry filling and two small paper boxes for presentation. Total cost? $7. And it was quite a fun (and simple) exercise. E especially loved the spoon-licking afterwards...!

Is it autumn SOON?

2010-02-12T16:52:00.004+11:00

I am fed up. Over it. Had it.

The Sydney humidity has me beat. I don't know if it's just me, but it has been a looooong, hot summer. Perhaps it's just that with an extra bod in the house (un-airconditioned house) and working from home (in fact, spending most of the week at home) I am feeling it more.

Humidity not only makes me feel revolting (not to mention hot, bothered and grumpy) it also: a) frequently leaves me headachey and b) inflates our water bill - we're having double the showers.

When I was a kid, out on the searing hot North-West Slopes and Plains, I used to deal with the relentless summer heat by sitting on the tiles in the bathroom (every other surface in the house felt hot) and read a book, Trixie Belden perhaps or something by Enid Blyton, that was set in a winter. Preferably with snow. The more snow the better.

That's why, on a humid, icky afternoon where the thermometer has popped over 35, I have been looking back at some photos we've taken in recent years.

Here they are:

This is in New Zealand - a glacier. Oh to be there right now...

This shot was taken on the first morning after we'd arrived in England on our holiday in 2008. He looks cold, doesn't he?

This is when we had a long weekend in the Snowy Mountains in 2008. Looks wonderful.

Feeling a little cooler already!

Double take??

2010-02-05T16:28:00.006+11:00

People say our kids look really alike. Generally? I don't think so. But that's possibly because I see them so much, know every plane of their faces.

Sometimes I look at pictures of E when he was a baby and at certain angles, yeah, they look like peas in a pod.

Here's Mr E - he's a little bit older in this picture than she is now (he's sitting, whereas she's not even rolling yet):

And this is how T looks at present:

What do you think? Alike? Both baldies anyway...

Shoppin' for the little 'uns

2010-01-31T19:19:00.009+11:00

When T was born a very dear (and funny) friend of mine wrote in her congratulatory card to us, "A girl! Wow, just think of all the retail opportunities that lie ahead!" She's right. Walk into any Target and the kids' section will be 1/3 blue/khaki/brown stuff and 2/3 pink/mauve/pink/more pink stuff. Shopping for little girls is clearly more fun (that's the message you'd get anyway).

But I have to confess that since T's been around I've spent a sum total of $12 on new clothing for her. That's right: $12. One discounted sleepsuit and one pair of striped trousers, both from Target. You can call me stingy right now...

That's not to say she's getting about dressed as a little dude. Far from it. Her cupboard is chockers and it's a vision of pink, pink, pink. She does wear quite a few of Ewan's things - I always bought him greens, reds, white ... anything but blue to break up the sea of blue clothes I'd been given for him. And I put her in blue a fair bit anyway (I delight in confusing old ladies at the supermarket with my half blue, half pink combos ... hee hee).

What's been so wonderful is how many gorgeous girls' clothes I've been given by lovely friends. Some of them never worn. All of them gratefully received. This gorgeous winter coat is just one of the delightful things I've received from friends:

I've also been a latecomer to the world of secondhand shopping. I used to hate the smell of secondhand shops but I'm over that now. These days I adore blogs like Thrifted Treasure and I love a good poke round a secondhand shop. Not that I go to many. In fact, I generally just go to one secondhand shop - and, oh my, is it a GOOD one.

The bargains I have found in there. The bargains!!

How divine is this little summer suit with butterflies on it? It's Fred Bare.

Then there's this gorgeous cotton top. It's a size 2 but I had to grab it ... there's always room in a drawer somewhere for special finds.

And will you look at these tiny cotton pants. They still have the tag on: $2.80.

I mostly look for stuff for the kids (such is a mum's lot!) but I did once find this gem for myself.

I've worked in mags long enough to spot a fancy brand at 10 paces. So when I spied a proper OiOi nappy bag (as opposed to the eco shopping bag I was lugging my gear around in) I nabbed it. New? $160 or so. Secondhand? Cost me $5. And I love the pattern. I did stop a second to think about the hygiene issues of buying a bag that's potentially had someone else's pooey nappies in it. A hot wash in the washing machine and it came out super-clean. Almost as good as new.

There are three reasons for my shift to buying secondhand. 1) I don't earn much at the moment. It makes sense financially. I can dress my little ones in 'new' (to us) stuff for a handful of dollars. I love the rush I get when I find something gorgeous and I can buy it without the associated guilt that comes with buying new stuff. 2) It's ecofriendly (actually, this should be reason number 1). Nothing makes me happier than to re-use or recycle. It's the way I was brought up and as far as I am concerned it's the right way to live, now and always. Also, it's a big raspberry to the multinational corporations that so often lure us into spending, spending, spending and the general consumption-y way of life. I am proud that I am not buying into it. Not only that, the money I do spend when I buy secondhand goes to a charity - win/win or what?! 3) I'm really not squeamish about using other people's things. I don't buy anything too rough - you'd be amazed how much kids' stuff is barely worn. I doubt anyone would look at my kids and think 'oh, they're dressed in secondhand' - and, really, so what if they did?!

To Do

2010-01-18T19:43:00.006+11:00

My goodness, I am wondering if I have bitten off more than I can chew with a column to write, a book to edit, a home to keep tidy (if not clean), washing to keep from piling up (how much WASHING can two small people generate!??!!) a noisy preschooler to wrangle and baby who's decided she's not really all that into long naps in the daytime.

Oh Baby T, I am feeling a little the same...

Careful what you wish for...

2010-01-12T16:56:00.005+11:00

It's been a funny summer in our vegetable patch. It feels to me like it's not been a hugely successful season (er, that'd be down to the crazy 'freezing one day, boiling the next' weather) and yet when I look out the window I can see cherry tomatoes ripening in their hundreds, whoppin' cucumbers and the remains of a bumper crop of coriander (what a delight that was - notoriously fussy stuff to grow).

I guess the reason for my disappointment is because last summer we had Zucchinis Galore. Oh yeah. Zucchinis in quiches, zucchinis on the BBQ, zucchini bakes, zucchini cakes and, oh, anyone for more zucchini?...

This year we got healthy looking plants ... with pathetically small zucchinis on them. We're talking 20cm max. And so we wondered if a dose of Seasol - super-nutritious seaweed solution - may help matters...

Er, yeah. Did it what. Suddenly I am happy with our harvest. And wondering what on earth to do with the glut...

Reaching out

2010-01-06T13:10:00.002+11:00

I know it's not a big deal to anyone but the residents of this house, but our little T has mastered the art of reaching out and touching things.

Apologies for the blurry pic but I had to move fast to capture this. A shaky little arm was extending out to touch the toys on her playmat.

And to think that 18 weeks ago she was still in my belly. Ah, babies are amazing...