Absence makes the heart grow fonder???

So many apologies for my absence! It's been crazy and I hope in just over a week the craziness will be over... At least the craziness unrelated to Christmas anyway. (I've just worked out I can use my phone to post blogs... More time consuming... But I feel like I'm communicating!)

We have a 4 bedroom house with pool and playground (?!?!)... Fully air conditioned so gotta love!!! Plus we can move before Christmas!!! The first stand alone house that husband and I have ever lived in. Too much I know!!

Wee tad has decided that he now wakes numerous times over night so imagine my surprise when we discovered he had cut 3 of his molars. I chastised myself for not assisting with bon Jela or neurofen and then thought 'hurray only 1 more to go!' Not only that he is now spontaneously walking and today has worked out how to stand from sitting... Boy that back yard can't come soon enough!

Noosh is definitely her own woman. Only wears princess dresses currently... Talks all the time and likes to exert her authority... At least the perceived authority she thinks she has. We wrote to Santa last week (as she refuses to have anything to do with him in person). She was very specific wanting to tell Santa that she wasn't grumpy and that she and tad wanted scooters and she would teach tad! (We'll wait to see what Santa brings!)

On the Christmas front, I have been spoilt by my mum being here for the past week. She also went over the top and subsidised a nativity set I've had my eye on for a while!! I can't wait to move so I can put it up with Christmas tree also!!

There is so much more to say but suffice to say cairns is lovely... Comes with its own set of challenges including starting all over again on the friends front but I think it will be lovely (in another 6 months!).

And here is my cry for visitors!! I know it's a horrid time to visit over the next few months (due to humidity and temps) but we'd love to have you come hang... Assist me in looking forward to things. (I am a little aimless at the moment).

Moving

So my absence from blogging has not been intentional but rather brought about by our big news!!!!

We are moving!!! ... to Cairns!!!!

So the last 3 weeks have seen Hubby be offered the job, accept the job, moving companies contacted for quotes, scouting trip to Cairns for 5 days completed, my resignation handed in, children's nursery resignation handed in... and now we have farewells, Noosh's 3rd birthday (which we are celebrating early so she can have it with her friends), and last days with the dear people that have made Sydney home for us for the past 20 months.

On our way to Cairns. Noosh being ever so much the grown up girl!!

Its bittersweet.

Hubby's job is an interesting change. On paper it looks like a demotion, but he has wrangled a pay increase into his offer.  His new boss is FANTASTIC! He sees the value in Hubby and sees the potential for where he can end up.  He is a big promoter of family (in fact him and his wife have already offered their babysitting services!).  I'm so proud of my husband... my heart is bursting with pride.

Life style will be awesome too.  We'll be moving from a 2 bedroom apartment (+ study) to a 4 bedroom house with a swimming pool.  We'll get that backyard. And the kids will get a trampoline for Christmas.  And for all this... cheaper than the rent we pay in Sydney!!  It also means we have loads of space for visitors!!! Great barrier reef up this way so plan your visits over the next 12 months!!

Outdoor water play area in Cairns.

I'm sad about leaving the kids nursery though!  They have been nothing short of STUNNING! Wow!  Even now... I get really emotional about how the kids will cope not seeing their favourite carer's on a weekly basis... Sophia, Mimi, Rachel, Natalie, Sue, Mandy, Jenny have just been amazing.  I don't want to say goodbye.  I'm sad for our little people that I'm very happy to relocate myself but what does it mean for them.  I don't want to do resettling into another nursery.  I don't want the torture of hearing their cries for weeks on end as I drop them off...

Who says this is out of order? Especially when Daddy can create the virtual motion anyway!

BUT...

In a twist of events, the job I thought I might have, may not happen.  I was offered a job within 24 hours of emailing my CV.  It turns out that she may not be able to pay me a 'breakeven' salary (as childcare is more expensive up in Cairns than in Sydney - crazy!).  This initially was upsetting but my little people are growing far too quickly and why shouldn't I take a year out to hang exclusively with them.  I can embrace playgroups, mainly music groups, enroll Noosh in ballet lessons (be still my excited heart!!!).  Plus, I have a business idea.  I floated said business idea with one of my Sydney besties (who is a graphic designer) and she said she would do all the design work for advertising for me.  So who knows... I've always had a hankering for working for myself so why not give it a go?  The other option for me is starting my masters!! Decisions decisions!!

Daddy and Noosh exploring the creek in Cairns.

So can you understand my excitement... my reticence... my sadness... my eagerness???  And can you also understand my absence???

Party Time

So I've finally downloaded photos of the big occasion for you to see - Tad's first birthday (aka Zebe!!)

Just a small occasion really... a couple of other families who we really like came along to assist us in the eating of the cake and have a BBQ in the park.

It was so nice... nice to see the sun... nice to see friends.... SO SO SO nice to have family here for the special occasion and just oh-so-extremely-nice!

The cake (as always) was a joint effort. Hubby 'engineered' it all creating levels and iced the yellow block.  I baked strawberry, vanilla and chocolate 'layers' and iced the rest of the blocks, cut out icing shapes and letters and did the piping (a skill that I have yet to refine!!).  We are so impressed with how it turned out... I actually think that Hubby and I enjoy the challenge of setting a task and seeing it come to fruition.  (You can all eagerly await the 3rd birthday of our little lady in a few weeks to see what we manage to do!!)

It's a pity you all weren't here to taste the cake... one of my finest might I say... a true neopolitan cake flavour.... mmmmm. Pity there is not any left for afternoon tea today.  But family and friends who didn't make it.... know that you were missed!

Number One

I have been instructed by Husband that I need to write a blog... that I have not blogged in a while and that I need to update everyone!!  (I love that him 'instructing' me, gives me a little insight that he indeed likes to read my blog and dare I say he has missed it(????) this past few weeks!).

nyway, I do have a subject matter for todays blog, but get very limited time with the computer now.  We are doing life at the minute in a 2 1/2 bedroom unit.  More than caters for our needs to be fair, but we have had to put our wee Tad into the computer room to 'teach' him better sleeping habits... or maybe we are 'teaching' Noosh... not sure... but for whatever reason they are now separated for everyones 'positive' sleeping experience.  The moments that I would like to sit down and chat with you all via blog space are now the moments when wee Tad is sleeping which in turn means I cannot sit down and tap-tap-tap away at the keys for fear of disrupting him.  It is but a season however!

So the wee boy in question turned 1 on Wednesday! OMG! Where did that time go? How on earth do I have a nearly 3 year old and a 1 year old?? Only yesterday Noosh was born and now we are a family of 4. Oh my!

 We did what all fabulous creative mothers do on their son's birthdays... and went to McDonalds!! Creativity is not a strong suit at the moment! Anyway, the children both got happy meals, Noosh ate her chippies and sauce, had a token nugget and was off on the playground... Tad on the other hand ate his 3 nuggets and his chippies, devoured his sisters remaining nuggets and polished off a few chippies from Mummy... nothing wrong with his appetite!!!

Tad is just delightful. Full, and when I say full I mean FULL(!!) of mischief. He has only been crawling for a handful of weeks and yet he now unwinds all the toilet paper from not only the holders but the roll... trailing toilet paper behind him (just like the Roly dog!!); he is drawn to the x-box (probably because he has boy genes or is his fathers son!!) and could quite happy push the on-off button for hours either on the console or the remote(!); no cupboard and no drawer is safe from his curiosity (I really do worry about his little fingers!!); he torments his sister who he ADORES... but obviously doesn't play all most games by the rules of a nearly 3 year old which causes endless amounts of frustration on the part of Noosh!

He is simply devine though and has embraced his place in our little family with such gung-ho-ness (totally not a word but so appropriate to use right now!) that we would miss anything less.

He is brave... he is boy... he is love... he is uncomplicated... he is tough... he is hungry (all the time)... he is chatty... he is mischevious... he is cheeky... he is monkey... he is happy.

We think he is totally inestimable... totally priceless... and totally irreplaceable.

xxx

Gilmore Girls

This ones for you Aunty Dina!! Came across it the other day and it made me smile.... think it might do the same for you.

Oh how our wee Noosh used to love Gilmore Girls (the music theme anyway!!!).

Hilarious!

(Can you tell I've been going through the archives sorting out photos etc etc... very cathartic!!)

He's mobile...

Yip... finally.... Tad has decided to cease 'just' sitting and branch out!! How cheeky is his smile below!!!

Our 11 month old (+ 2 days) has had enough on relying on big sister to bring him toys (which she does so unreliably and only after she has played with the toy).

So on the one hand, I am so proud.... on the other hand, I am thinking, I will never be able to have a shower longer than 10 seconds now.

 Look at them side by side at the same age. (10-11 months)

Our wee princess Noosh was such a dream at this age, having mastered crawling and moving on to walking, she was trustworthy and I could leave her to have a shower for a few minutes (with doors open).

 

(ahhh, so nice looking back at photos of these people.... gosh this feels like yesterday!!!)

Somehow, I don't think our wee Tad is going to be the same. He has months of not moving to catch up on so I believe I will need eyes in the back of my head!!

 

But so proud of my wee boy... and my wee family!

By jo... she's got it!!

For the past 6 months we have dabbled in toilet training... and lets be honest, I have been terribly inconsistent... patient... irritated... frustrated and then calm.

 'They' say that children toilet train in their own time, that there is part of their brain that needs to engage to recognise the signs of needing to go... some do this early... some a little later.  So I got to the calm stage a couple of weeks ago when I realised that just because 'every other' child started toilet training when they were 2 didn't mean that mine needed to... (she's now 2 1/2) - it's taken 6 months to get to that realisation!

But 3 days ago, everything changed... Noosh has been in knickers/or pulls ups every day and she ALWAYS asks to go to the toilet. Miss independent will frequently be playing and then run off to the toilet calling over her shoulder 'Mummy going poos!'.  This is sweet music to my ears! Something has clicked with her.  I can nearly see the nappy free years ahead!!

My husband and I have a deal.  He deals with vomit... I deal with nappies.  I figure, short term pain for long term gain.  I have a lot of nappies to deal with in the first 2 years of life... but he gets 18 years worth of vomit.  I figure it probably evens out.

Anyway, I am so proud of my Noosh and best part... I did nothing... seriously!! All the stress about how to do it and I think to myself.... she did it herself!

Mortality

It's been a crazy fortnight... actually a crazy few months.  There are things that happen that make you aware of your own mortality and make you so appreciate the moments that you have in life.

My peas in a pod!

To this end I'd like to share the journey that has been the past few months for the benefit of the little people that may read this in years to come.  It's sometimes really nice to realise that your own parents have 'issues' of their own and everyone walks their own journey's and that sometimes you don't know what is going on in the lives of those around you.

Check out my flower!

 On Good Friday of this year I found a lump in my breast.  In my family we don't have a history of breast cancer but in this day and age I know that you can't afford to make assumptions... good or bad.

Favourite toy... the container that all toys are in!

Cute lil' man.

So I checked it out... After I had an ultrasound I was advised it was 'probably' just a milk cyst and I should have a further ultrasound in 2 months.  3 weeks ago I had the second ultrasound and found that the 'cyst' was bigger.  I was then referred for a biopsy... you know... with needles.... ick!   I mean I'm not scared of needles or anything... but there are more pleasant things in life that I would love to be doing!

Tea party with dollies... Tad more interested in the ball!

Who knew that rolling a ball would have us all in hysterics!!

In between the second ultrasound and my biopsy (time frame = 2 weeks) I was actually a little anxious... until my mother made me sit down and do what all good educated people should do... not.  (But in this case reassurance was gained!)... we googled!!

Doing some planting of herbs... will they live?? Not sure!!

Hubby preferred not to talk about it and was not going to get preoccupied making 'arrangements' for what 'could be'.  I, on the other hand was planning all the videos and letters that I would write to both Noosh and Tad for all significant events in the future that I may not be there for.... my wee princess's first dance, her first broken heart, her wedding, my wee princes' first car, first date (eek) and his first child.  So many moments of calmness and relishing their presence (crying or not) followed.

So beautiful!

I am still giving Tad a little feed before I go to bed at the moment, and I truly think this is my most favourite time of day.  I scoop his little body (lets be honest, hes' not little... he's ginormous!!) up from his slumber and perch myself on the end of Noosh's bed.  My little man stays asleep and fills his tummy and in the darkness I look at their peace-filled faces.  Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed to live without them... other times I reflect on just how much they have taught me... other times I just think of how unbelievably blessed we are to have such beautiful beautiful beautiful children.  They amaze me... how fantastic that I got chosen to look after these little lives... to encourage them, to be their biggest cheerleader in life, to challenge them and lets be honest... maybe yell a little (only occasionally).  What an enormous responsibility! (See I have a tendency to go quite deep in these wee treasured moments!!)

One of those moments... she wanted to sleep in her old cot... so... she did!

Isn't he handsome?!

Anyway...

In a funny turn of events the radiologist who did my biopsy last week works with me at the hospital I work at so although we had never met we had a lot of information to share about mutual colleagues.  Was a little odd that I was undressed for this conversation but in the world of medicine I know what it's like (and I have had 2 children so I know all about dignity walking out the door!!)

Watching the ipad in my 'special' seat

Wee boy (excuse the feeder) attempting to crawl.

I'll never forget what he said after the anaesthetic was done and he was drawing the fluid out (is this too much information)... he said the magic words...'Well we won't be sending this fluid away for testing as I am 100% certain it is a 'milk cyst' (although he did use the technical terminology for 'milk cyst'.  I have worked in the medical profession for 13 years and I didn't realise that in the background of my optimism and common sense, sat a low grade anxiety.  For just over 2 months, I felt like I was holding my breath, waiting for someone to stop time and give me bad news.  What a blessing! God obviously knew that I have other things to do in my life... I have 2 beautiful, amazing children who bless my life everyday that I am to take care of (and He obviously knew that Hubby couldn't do it on his own - he he).  So there it is... my little miracle... my unbelievable relief speaks for itself.  In saying that, I think its been such a growing experience to go through, making me cherish the little things, the big things and everything in between.  Don't get me wrong there are still moments (like today when Noosh missed the toilet for the second time) that I don't respond very well to, but it's just a moment and the reality is that I am here!

Decorating Daddy's birthday present