Sunday, May 20, 2007
Roly poly girl
Well, my little second born muffin has one up on her sister in the smart stakes :) Not only is she rolling a month earlier than Charli ever did, but she realises that she can sleep on her tummy - something that caused Charli great distress when she first learnt to roll
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Dreamworld!
Well as Sharon and Meegan have already mentioned - last Friday was a day at Dreamworld for a group of (insane) mothers and our (even more insane) children......personally Charli, Zie and I made it as far as Yatala before I had to stop before I either killed Charli or myself..... she wanted out, I need to pee.... it was a recipe for a not so calm car trip..... we were running a bit early so we stopped..
We decided to skip the Wiggles concert - I took one look at the crowds and just couldn't bear it. Here are some photos.
All in all a superb day - as far as it can be with two small kids at a theme park... I am working on making Charli my 'rides' partner (dave doesn't like them) - we rode the carousel twice, that chair ride on chains that swings out (?) she loved it!!! squealed and hung on for dear life... :) we went on the big red car and dorothy's tea cups - round and round and round until Mummy thought she would throw up LOL.... but you know what really made the day worthwhile.....??? ... tucking her into bed that night, she was a little crazy and it took a while to calm her down ;) she put her arms around me and FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME said "I lub you".... :) now if that doesn't make it all worthwhile I don't know what does
......however, here I am two days later - incredibly sleep deprived thanks to a baby who has taken 48 hours to stop being wired from the Dreamworld experience (picture trying to feed Zie under an umbrella in Wiggles World while songs by Anthony, Greg, Murray and Jeff blared out from a loudspeaker.....I don't think Zie blinked for about 24 hours she was so wired!!). Also thanks to Charli I've been awake since 4am. I've got my money on those nasty two-year old molars coming through. For her sake it better be teeth. If this is some permanent behaviour that is manifesting we are in deep trouble. She wakes up bouncing and running around the living room like a chimpanzee doped up on speed and she doesn't stop moving and talking until we wrestle her into bed around 1pm for a nap... if we're lucky.
We decided to skip the Wiggles concert - I took one look at the crowds and just couldn't bear it. Here are some photos.
All in all a superb day - as far as it can be with two small kids at a theme park... I am working on making Charli my 'rides' partner (dave doesn't like them) - we rode the carousel twice, that chair ride on chains that swings out (?) she loved it!!! squealed and hung on for dear life... :) we went on the big red car and dorothy's tea cups - round and round and round until Mummy thought she would throw up LOL.... but you know what really made the day worthwhile.....??? ... tucking her into bed that night, she was a little crazy and it took a while to calm her down ;) she put her arms around me and FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME said "I lub you".... :) now if that doesn't make it all worthwhile I don't know what does
......however, here I am two days later - incredibly sleep deprived thanks to a baby who has taken 48 hours to stop being wired from the Dreamworld experience (picture trying to feed Zie under an umbrella in Wiggles World while songs by Anthony, Greg, Murray and Jeff blared out from a loudspeaker.....I don't think Zie blinked for about 24 hours she was so wired!!). Also thanks to Charli I've been awake since 4am. I've got my money on those nasty two-year old molars coming through. For her sake it better be teeth. If this is some permanent behaviour that is manifesting we are in deep trouble. She wakes up bouncing and running around the living room like a chimpanzee doped up on speed and she doesn't stop moving and talking until we wrestle her into bed around 1pm for a nap... if we're lucky.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Every day has its ups and downs
Ups.
As soon as I walked away and opened a can of diet coke it exploded in my face. So there is another down. And as Libby will know, this 'bad' is a bit self-perpetuating according to The Secret so I should stop writing about bad things and 'attracting' even more bad things..... but then what is the fun of a blog if I can't vent :)
- Got half of the front garden mulched while Charli has been at her Nanny and Chandie's
- Zie has figured out how to roll!! I have missed it both times as she waits until I leave the room and I return to find her flipped onto her tummy. either that or the dog is flipping her over when I turn my back.
- I have been able to write a shopping list unaided by Charli - and to clean her room so I can see the floor. I will enjoy this state of order for the next hour until she returns home and has it all messed up again by the time she goes to bed :)
- Well actually there is only one down. But it's a biggie. Huge in fact. The University has decided they can wait no longer (and fair enough too) and I have to find another examiner to examine my thesis. I am devastated. The silver lining is that the university are so concerned about how long this is taking (and no doubt the effect this is having on my mental health!!) that they are doubling the fee to the examiner IF they can return the report in LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS. This at least is an improvment on having to wait another 8-12 weeks. However, graduation in July is a hope of the past. So I'm pretty pleased that I had scrawled all over my calendar GRADUATION WEEK on the week beginning July 16. Maybe I can find some whiteout to get rid of that. sigh
As soon as I walked away and opened a can of diet coke it exploded in my face. So there is another down. And as Libby will know, this 'bad' is a bit self-perpetuating according to The Secret so I should stop writing about bad things and 'attracting' even more bad things..... but then what is the fun of a blog if I can't vent :)
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Happy Mother's Day
Dear Mum,
It has once again been a bittersweet day for me. With two beautiful princesses to call my own on this Mother's Day I still shed tears that you aren't here for me to spoil. I lay in bed last night, remembering all the mother's days of the past.
When I was in Grade 2 and we were all allowed to buy a gift from the stall that had been set up at school. All items were donated and cost 50c or less and you became the proud owner of a very large plastic orange serving spoon. Oh lucky you. :)
The year I purchased with my very own money (with a little help from my godparents no doubt) a tiny china plate, saucer and teacup with I Love You Mummy written on it.
And years later, when you had hinted to me that you weren't that fond of breakfast in bed so I used to get up early and go out to the kitchen and set the table and make you a pot of tea (leaf tea, none of this tea bag stuff for my mum!!) It's funny when I think about it now that I used to cook you breakfast... the only day of the year you'd eat breakfast. In all the years we lived together I never saw you eat breakfast, not even cereal, except for on Mother's Day!! The things we do for our children .... as I'm sure the coming years will teach me.
The poems I wrote. The cards I made. You treasured them all.......when I get cranky with my kids, I remember the love you always had for me and I try to be a little more patient with them. You are my hero mum, you always will be. I love you. Your grand-daughters love you. I miss you mum.
Love Carla
It has once again been a bittersweet day for me. With two beautiful princesses to call my own on this Mother's Day I still shed tears that you aren't here for me to spoil. I lay in bed last night, remembering all the mother's days of the past.
When I was in Grade 2 and we were all allowed to buy a gift from the stall that had been set up at school. All items were donated and cost 50c or less and you became the proud owner of a very large plastic orange serving spoon. Oh lucky you. :)
The year I purchased with my very own money (with a little help from my godparents no doubt) a tiny china plate, saucer and teacup with I Love You Mummy written on it.
And years later, when you had hinted to me that you weren't that fond of breakfast in bed so I used to get up early and go out to the kitchen and set the table and make you a pot of tea (leaf tea, none of this tea bag stuff for my mum!!) It's funny when I think about it now that I used to cook you breakfast... the only day of the year you'd eat breakfast. In all the years we lived together I never saw you eat breakfast, not even cereal, except for on Mother's Day!! The things we do for our children .... as I'm sure the coming years will teach me.
The poems I wrote. The cards I made. You treasured them all.......when I get cranky with my kids, I remember the love you always had for me and I try to be a little more patient with them. You are my hero mum, you always will be. I love you. Your grand-daughters love you. I miss you mum.
Love Carla
Thursday, May 10, 2007
There is no title to describe this day.
Hello dear readers,
My feral darling child number one did not improve after her stint at Kinder Gym yesterday and so began a day of me drugging her with Calm - a naturopathic remedy that is supposed to reign in your child before they turn into the devil incarnate....... trust me..... today it did not work. In fact by 4pm I was ready to try some of the stuff myself. My thought process being that if it did not calm her, perhaps if I took it I at least would not care that she was breaking everything she touched, screaming no at every opportunity, and generally behaving in a way that would possess me to give her away should anyone be foolish enough to want her in her current mood.
Some home products for the bathroom turned up - general storage stuff that warrants assembly. Charli was very um... 'helpful' in putting it together with me and Dave arrived home in time to rescue Charli from mummy putting her into the box the goods arrived in and packing her off with the courier...... (breathe....)
My supervisor called. I have been awaiting my examiner's reports for five months now.... do you hear me people??? Five bleedin' months. I bust a gut getting this PhD done in 16 weeks, while hugely pregnant and the requisite 8 week waiting period for examination comes.... and goes... and with it, any hope of graduating in July. Today I find out two things that make this even worse.
1. The thesis office have now decided they can wait no longer. In 7 days if this examiner's report is not back, they go out to another examiner and I get to start the waiting all over again
If this is not enough to warrant tears I then get a phone call from a friend who submitted her thesis 6 weeks after me. Not only did she get both reports back today but she has no changes to make..... please don't get me wrong. I am thrilled for her. This is every PhD student's dream.... NO CHANGES..... but today of all days, I am jealous, angry, disappointed beyond description. You see we were meant to graduate together in July..... after both being enrolled for nearly 9 years we both finally submitted at the same time..... and graduation together was the final prize but alas it is not to be. I am shattered. I am drinking Baileys. I may not stop at one.
Today lots of nice things happened. I'm sure they did. I'm sure Mackenzie was blowing bubbles so hard she looked like she was rabid and foaming at the mouth. At some stage I'm sure I spotted Charli lying next to Zie holding her hand while they watched Dora together. Today I should be thankful for a loving husband, two beautiful daughters and the fact that we are all healthy. But today dear readers I don't feel like being generous, I just feel like feeling sorry for myself. Tomorrow I promise will be another day.... a better day...... a day filled with more laughter than crying....... but for tonight, a couch meant for wallowing beckons me.
My feral darling child number one did not improve after her stint at Kinder Gym yesterday and so began a day of me drugging her with Calm - a naturopathic remedy that is supposed to reign in your child before they turn into the devil incarnate....... trust me..... today it did not work. In fact by 4pm I was ready to try some of the stuff myself. My thought process being that if it did not calm her, perhaps if I took it I at least would not care that she was breaking everything she touched, screaming no at every opportunity, and generally behaving in a way that would possess me to give her away should anyone be foolish enough to want her in her current mood.
Some home products for the bathroom turned up - general storage stuff that warrants assembly. Charli was very um... 'helpful' in putting it together with me and Dave arrived home in time to rescue Charli from mummy putting her into the box the goods arrived in and packing her off with the courier...... (breathe....)
My supervisor called. I have been awaiting my examiner's reports for five months now.... do you hear me people??? Five bleedin' months. I bust a gut getting this PhD done in 16 weeks, while hugely pregnant and the requisite 8 week waiting period for examination comes.... and goes... and with it, any hope of graduating in July. Today I find out two things that make this even worse.
1. The thesis office have now decided they can wait no longer. In 7 days if this examiner's report is not back, they go out to another examiner and I get to start the waiting all over again
If this is not enough to warrant tears I then get a phone call from a friend who submitted her thesis 6 weeks after me. Not only did she get both reports back today but she has no changes to make..... please don't get me wrong. I am thrilled for her. This is every PhD student's dream.... NO CHANGES..... but today of all days, I am jealous, angry, disappointed beyond description. You see we were meant to graduate together in July..... after both being enrolled for nearly 9 years we both finally submitted at the same time..... and graduation together was the final prize but alas it is not to be. I am shattered. I am drinking Baileys. I may not stop at one.
Today lots of nice things happened. I'm sure they did. I'm sure Mackenzie was blowing bubbles so hard she looked like she was rabid and foaming at the mouth. At some stage I'm sure I spotted Charli lying next to Zie holding her hand while they watched Dora together. Today I should be thankful for a loving husband, two beautiful daughters and the fact that we are all healthy. But today dear readers I don't feel like being generous, I just feel like feeling sorry for myself. Tomorrow I promise will be another day.... a better day...... a day filled with more laughter than crying....... but for tonight, a couch meant for wallowing beckons me.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Baking that carrot cake
I would like to point out to people that Charli will not eat eggs..... please note what she does with the whisk covered in raw egg!!!
Kinder Hell (I mean Gym)....
Well today started better than most - everyone slept until 7.30am and I woke up feeling refreshed - a state that I rarely awaken in anymore. We breakfasted, showered and dressed..... and we headed for the local Youth Club's kinder gym class. The first one. Our trial class. Our last class ever if there is indeed a higher power looking over us..... it was horrendous. Not because the instructors weren't good. Not because the other mums were awful or unfriendly (though by the end of the class I think a few of them did indeed sigh a sigh of relief when they realised that I had decided not to return next week). The problem? A gym full of lots of bounce-y mats, bars, ladders on walls (!!!) and a two-year old who was in no mood to be told to 'wait', that it was not yet 'her turn' or that 'you are not allowed to play on that equipment, only this equipment'.
I turned into public housing mother screaming at Charli to get down off the wall while I had Mackenzie attached to my boob and screaming with mouth full of nipple because I was not exactly being calm enough to let the milk flow. Do you have that picture in your head? I hope so because I'll carry it with me for many days. To be fair on myself I did start out calmly using the correct principles. .... giving Charli choices about either playing on the gym mats properly or hopping in the pram and going home. But when I had to feed Mackenzie... well Charlotte quickly realised that my options for disciplining her were indeed limited and unlike at home there was no bedroom to be conveniently locked in while she threw a tantrum of nuclear explosion like proportions. I had finally been given the ultimate test in parenting - a toddler tantrum in public with a baby screaming to be fed. I failed appallingly. But that's okay. I'm sure that there will be many more. Some I will handle with more aplomb. Some I am sure will be just as bad as today. I trust that there will be no permanent psychological damage - to either the toddler, the baby or myself. But one thing is very clear - there will be no more kinder gym until it becomes legal to use a long handled cattle prod to keep children under control in public.
I turned into public housing mother screaming at Charli to get down off the wall while I had Mackenzie attached to my boob and screaming with mouth full of nipple because I was not exactly being calm enough to let the milk flow. Do you have that picture in your head? I hope so because I'll carry it with me for many days. To be fair on myself I did start out calmly using the correct principles. .... giving Charli choices about either playing on the gym mats properly or hopping in the pram and going home. But when I had to feed Mackenzie... well Charlotte quickly realised that my options for disciplining her were indeed limited and unlike at home there was no bedroom to be conveniently locked in while she threw a tantrum of nuclear explosion like proportions. I had finally been given the ultimate test in parenting - a toddler tantrum in public with a baby screaming to be fed. I failed appallingly. But that's okay. I'm sure that there will be many more. Some I will handle with more aplomb. Some I am sure will be just as bad as today. I trust that there will be no permanent psychological damage - to either the toddler, the baby or myself. But one thing is very clear - there will be no more kinder gym until it becomes legal to use a long handled cattle prod to keep children under control in public.
Monday, May 07, 2007
The week in review
It's been a week like any other.... this week it's been washing clothes with some help from the girls :)
watching telly after a long and tiring day while eating ice-cream (this one was mine, charli was meant to have a bite. while she is eating this I am in the kitchen getting myself another one after Dave declares that I am unlikely to get this one back!!)
baking our first cake together. A home-made carrot cake. If I can work out how to post video (help Michelle!!) I'll post a video - very funny.
Charli in her 'mummy-made playschool-type car'..... it's pretty lame. I'll work on a better one soon.
And in true carla-style lately - a cheesecake to end the week. this one is a chocolate hazelnut one - except it has orange juice and rind in it so it turned out tasting like jaffas which doesn't really thrill me but Dave, Bekk and Matt seemed to like it. I of course am still eating it like there is no tomorrow - this pregnance weight is finding it hard to come off what with all of the cheesecake I'm eating!!! Note the piping of the cream - a much easier task after the Dora cake piping!!
watching telly after a long and tiring day while eating ice-cream (this one was mine, charli was meant to have a bite. while she is eating this I am in the kitchen getting myself another one after Dave declares that I am unlikely to get this one back!!)
baking our first cake together. A home-made carrot cake. If I can work out how to post video (help Michelle!!) I'll post a video - very funny.
Charli in her 'mummy-made playschool-type car'..... it's pretty lame. I'll work on a better one soon.
And in true carla-style lately - a cheesecake to end the week. this one is a chocolate hazelnut one - except it has orange juice and rind in it so it turned out tasting like jaffas which doesn't really thrill me but Dave, Bekk and Matt seemed to like it. I of course am still eating it like there is no tomorrow - this pregnance weight is finding it hard to come off what with all of the cheesecake I'm eating!!! Note the piping of the cream - a much easier task after the Dora cake piping!!
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