Well, hello

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...

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...

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

She's off!

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

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

... 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?...

... 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...)