I love...

It's almost time for Granna to return home.  The last couple of days have seen us have tea and scones, go to a beach, get locked out and just hang out and play together.  It's been wonderful... in fact I think I could get used to living by family.  (Hubby and I didn't manage to get out by ourselves this time despite having a free babysitter - no excuse really... tired?? but does that really ever go away?)

I love that my wee Noosh loves her baby brother. She does smother him with kisses but check them out here in the bean bag and couch.  She will go and sit with him often, hold his hand, and treat him 'very softly Mummy'.

Love the bottom right photo... Noosh is holding Tad's hand...

I love that Tad is beginning to hold his own. He has no interest in rolling over but can sit independently for a few minutes before that 'lazy' gene kicks in. He is much like Noosh who could sit before she could roll... (so much for tracking sequentially through the developmental milestones?!?)

I love that Tad adores his food.  He gets so upset when it's finished that he cries and cries.  I'm sure he would continue eating as long as he was awake if he had any say in the matter.

Eagerly anticipating the next mouthful

I love that I ventured out this week taking Mum to a lovely tea shop and gardens.  I love that it had an awesome playground where Noosh could go down the slide - her absolute favourite.

 

Granna and Noosh hiding

I love that we live near the beach... getting that sea air into me did a world of good. (Sorry didn't get any photos.... was enjoying the moment too much!!!)

I love that in spite of locking ourselves out this week I was cool calm and collected... did not stress... despite the fact that we were locked out and really couldn't afford that expense. (Seriously... think I'm in the wrong business... for the 2 seconds - no exaggeration - it took for him to open our door the lovely man - and he was lovely - made a LOT of money!!!)

Mummy I'm trying to get in for you...

"Knock knock knock... anybody home???"

I love that my Mum, aka Granna, has got the time at the moment to come and spend 10 days with her grandchildren (and me).  I miss you already (and you haven't even left yet!!)

 

And I love that I can admit to you all that I may have inadvertently given my son his first sunburn... (I did take photos of that but I'm not uploading them as the photos make the sunburn look worse!!!) Seriously, I was only trying to give my Vitamin D deficient son a good dose.... talk about backfire!!!

Going to go and spend a final few hours with my Mum now....

The filling of my love-tank...

Its been such a full on, soul-resorative, memory-making week... I am oh-so-tired but its a happy tired and my love-tank is full!!

One of my most dearest friends came all the way from London-town to Sydney with her entourage of husband, 2 year old son and little 7 month old son (whom I have never met... until now). Yip... same ages as our kids and it was magic.  I love that we were able to spend time together in spite of jet-lag for everyone and subsequent sleep deprivation because of said jet lag.

This awesome friend and I did so much together in our home of London: buying houses, having our first children together, were off on maternity leave together, were next door neighbours... literally, and shared a love of chatting and tea.  Oh the time that we have spent drinking that tea (and coffee) while solving the worlds problems, and we were able to do it all over again, a year later... and it felt the so right!! (Sadly no photos of the adults together... Doh!!)

I love friendships like this... there is something that will forever remain etched in my heart because of the time we have spent together, the tears that we have shed, the mountains we have climbed, the wounds that have been healed, the journeys begun and ended, and the laughter shared.  I love that there are even more people smattered all over the world that I cherish in exactly the same way... you know who you are lovely ladies!!!

Anyway, Noosh had a friend for the week... they loved one another and there were times of too much loving and territory marking (from one or the other).  I am adamant that they remembered one another (even if only from photos). Just too too sweet!!

Look at the fun they had...

... swimming...

... sleeping... (well obviously not my Noosh)

... trying on hats...

... watching TV...

... baking...

... refining ball skills...

and holding hands.... (oohhhhhhhhhhh).

The little ones babbled to one another... they smiled and oh did they do such devine cuddles.

It was just magic... my love-tank is full... I am soooooo appreciative of good friends.... I am sooooooo appreciative of the cuteness of these wee people.  I can sigh..... (sssssssiiiiiiiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhh) and take a deep breath, as I am happy and content and full.

(Noosh - Petey was your first baby visitor in the birthing unit a mere 4-5 hours after you make your afternoon appearance. He has seen you through all your first year significant milestones, and you him, long may your friendship continue - albeit long distance).

It's been brought to my attention...

Yes... it has been brought to my attention that apparently I am not allowed to share only the good stuff that I do as a parent... but rather have to share the mundane and reality that I am not the pulled together and fantastic 100% of the time parent that I have led you to believe(??? - Thanks Mum!!).

So heres a bit of  a taster...

5.30am (Yes AM) - Got up before the children and showered.

6.00am Tad up so fed him.

6.15am Expressed milk so that has enough at nursery

6.30am Noosh up - breakfast. My own breakfast (including cold coffee) - pack children's bags for the day. Give Tad a little more milk.

(Nb. Aiming to leave home at 7.15am to get children to nursery so I can get to work by 9am.)

7.15am Nearly walking out the door... hurray!! Noosh spills her rice bubbles all over the carpet... Damn - can't leave milk as will curdle... Settle for just cleaning carpet and leaving rest of mess on kitchen bench - I'll regret that later!!

7.30am Walking out the door (take 2). Noosh crying cause I told her off for throwing her bubbles on the floor, Tad crying cause doesn't want to be in car seat.  Walk down 6 flights of stairs with both children in melt down mode.

7.35am Buckle Tad's carseat in, put melt down 2 year old in carseat. Drive to nursery... Hurray!! Both children still crying.

7.50am Drop off. Noosh's bottom lip quivering, holding back tears... ask if wants cuddle.... hysterical cries ensue!! Nursery staff tell me to go and not prolong my hysterical daughters pain.

8.10am - In carpark outside nursery in car.... have a little cry to myself that Noosh is soooo upset. Ring Hubby to tell him that we are pulling our child out of nursery and I will quit work.  Hubby talks sense into me. Hang up. Drive to work.

9.00am - First patient....  7 whole hours with no hysterical tears or temper tantrums - crazy??!.

2.30pm - Bursting... need to express. Lock myself in toilet for 15 minutes getting liquid gold for little Tad.

3.00pm End of working day - walking to car. Listen to radio. Singing to music. (Maybe a little bit of head bopping occuring).

4.00pm Arrive at nursery for collection of children. Noosh sees me and her little legs run like crazy to give me a huge hug... oh how I love this part of the day.

4.20pm In car... Noosh starts crying as wants to 'eat'.  Have nothing prepared... Doh!!

4.40pm Home... up 6 flights of stairs carrying capsule, all of childrens bags plus own handbag. Noosh wants me to carry her, no spare arm. Melt down part 2 ensues.

5.00pm Damn... no food, no milk.  Phone call to Hubby.... 'please pick up milk on way home' ... Hubby says 'anything else'... I say ' Yes, dinner too!!!'

5.01pm Brainwave, 2 minute noodles!! In pot. 2 year old in front of TV. Whew (silence).

5.04pm 2 minute noodles a little overcooked... high chair moved in front of TV. Noosh having noodles for dinner.  (I'm sure they have a little bit of nutrition in them plus she had lunch at nursery and that was probably nutritious - not going to feel guilty).

5.06pm Look around house... pig sty! Cloth used to mop up spilt rice bubble has baked in sun all day on bench. Yuck!! Lets not dwell on this, I knew I would regret it.

5.10pm Tad wakes up (still in carseat). He is now grumpy as hasn't had good sleep. Not due for feed until 6pm but not happy unless I hold him.

5.35pm Hubby walks in with milk. Tad goes to him. I retreat to kitchen to make 'dinner'.

6.00pm Beef stir fry whipped up (I could have done something like that for my child couldn't I????)
Tad fed.

6.15pm Dinner inhaled.

6.16pm Bath time.

6.35pm Children being dried, powdered and dressed.

6.45pm Tad given 'top up' feed. Noosh doesn't want to go to bed so threw final tantrum of the evening.

7.00pm Bed time, story, prayers

7.01pm Sigh of relief and reflect that next time I should probably be more organised on work days like today.

7.30pm Mummy in bed??... actually not quite but I probably should have!!! Instead ate an enormous slice of Hummingbird cake (with chocolate icing - thanks Sarah for this thought) just because I could!!! (btw, this is not the slice that I ate... that is rather extravagant!!)

So in the 4 hours that I spent with my children yesterday, most of those minutes were filled with hysterical tears or fraught with a list of things 'to do' (bath, bed, feed). The emotional highs, when Noosh's little legs couldn't run fast enough vs the emotional lows, when leaving Noosh at nursery.  It was an action packed day. Yes, I fed my child 2 minute noodles.... yes, I put them in front of TV... and I probably did a hundred other things that I vowed I would never do as a parent.  So yes... I need to revisit working days and work out what works, what doesn't and how I can have a 'better' day than yesterday. So I don't have it all together as a parent but this is me... being real with you.. just incase you thought I did have it all together!! (But yes... I did take photos!!!)

P.S. Just as well days like today are not the norm... but they do happen!

WW: 5 months old and I still get cuter!!

Tea Party, Toilet and all round cuteness!

It really is a shame about this weather.  Summer where have you gone?

This sorry state of weather means that I have had to embrace 'creative Mum'.  Not quite sure if it's worked or not, or just caused me more stress in the process of attempting to have more 'fun'.

Noosh and I had a tea party the other day... we made cupcakes (in the new mixer that Daddy bought Mummy). We iced them pink... (of course!!). I dug through the 'throws' we have in the linen cupboard and managed to find a suitably dignified 'tablecloth'.  We had pink 'tea' (aka lemonade with pink food colouring)... have to admit I was a bit heavy handed on the food colouring... whoops!!  (Let's just say that Noosh was rather alert for a majority of the day... was it the sugar?... was it the colouring?... hmmmm maybe it was both!!)

We had fun toasting and 'cheers-ing' each other. Noosh spilt her 'tea' all over herself and the floor... fortunately I had the foresight to have laid down a waterproof sheet under the table... so I was calm and dignified as I mopped up the pink puddles. But for many moments, it was just delicious spending those precious moments with my wee one... I inwardly congratulated myself on stealing someone elses idea, and wondered why we don't do more pretending and being girls together. (She is only 2 however... maybe my expectations are too high).

But I  think we'll do this again... maybe with a different theme next time.... look out for what happens next...

Hubby and I have also been toying with the idea of toilet training... (with Noosh, in case there was any confusion!!)  We're not doing the hard core thing, just talking with Noosh about going to the toilet, getting her to tell us the difference between dry and wet, sitting her on the toilet when she wants to sit on the toilet - even though she never goes!! But this morning, Hubby sat her on the toilet and we heard that magical sound... tinkle tinkle tinkle!! So we did what every parent (we think) would have done in that situation... we did Hi-5's, cuddles, hoorays, cartwheels, kisses, whoop whoops (feel like I should say actually there were no actual cartwheels... not sure I could actually pull out one of those at the moment - but I now really want to try)... and then sought out a new 'inside' playground due to the weather and as a 'reward'. (Maybe a bit overkill but we want this to continue - even though it didn't for the rest of the day... hmmmm).

So we went to an indoor playground. You know, I've heard of Lollipops and Chipmunks etc but I really am a very naive parent who has never frequented one of these playgrounds before, so my eyes were opened.  How awesome are these playgrounds??!!! Noosh was just super excited... she loved the long slide (slides and swings are her favourite).  Daddy accompanied her around the playground and I sat with my Tad while having a cup of coffee. It was so nice.

Went to the golden arches on the way home for some nuggets and all in all a very nice morning... in spite of the weather.

 Cute photos were taken this week so of course I have to share... if only just to again, impart to you how absolutely 'yummy' these wee poppets are!!!