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!

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....

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!