When you take your eye off the ball...

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...

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

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

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?