End of July

Tried to get some good pics of the kids on Saturday at Amy's party. They were either eating or too busy exploring to listen to their dear old Mother. Work with me, ok.



Janene made pretty cool butterfly cupcakes with chocolate freckles and jelly beans. They were a hit.



The birthday girl with Janene and me. In the only decent preggers shirt I have, so yes, you will see it quite often . . . with the good news that I bought some dangly earrings to match, so I should look *totally* different from now on . . . (work with me people!)

Yep, the nice shot of Mummy with her little angels. Zali was trying to get away, hmm, actually I think they both were. I had to resort to the reliable technique of tickling - they can't get away as easy.

This little bumblebee has a fascination with ice. If she finds the 'drinks bucket' and sees those cold rocks of crystal, she is a happy lass (with cold hands).

Ow! I just burnt my delicate little self with my hot cuppa tea. Nasty little cup of tea.

Can you believe this is the last day of July, wowsers! The month was pretty busy and seemed to fly past, but I foresee August doing the same. Have you started working on your Christmas card list yet? C'mon, you know it is just around the corner!

Tired

If I had any sense I would go to bed now. But sometimes sleep is such a waste of time. It is nice and quiet and I can do the quiet things I want without interruption from little people. However the things I want to do aren't real appealing as I am tired and lack motivation and some get up and go. And obviously I lack the ability to make sense. Good night.

pink

A little girl who turned one, her adoring parents with a cool homemade chocolate cake and pretty balloons all surrounded by family and friends. Nice.

HB A!

Happy Birthday Amy!

Amy turned 1 today and celebrated with a pink and pretty party. She wore navy and red, but everything else was pink and white and pretty. I think her family will sleep well after a big day. Love to you all.

Happy Birthday Caleb!

Sunday afternoon was a great present time. Mel and Brent delivered the kids birthday presents and they rocked! Zali's birthday is less than three weeks, so they did both so they could play together. Blackboard, whiteboard and drawing paper - the contraption was very well designed as I love how the paper sits on the roll and folds over and back to keep it neat. They got chalk and started their artistic desires straight away.

This morning, the kids were straight to them. This photo taken 6.30am, still dark and dressed in jimmies, but had dragged their chairs over and made themselves comfy.


A very big and cuddly happy birthday to my tiny wee first baby, who changed our lives for the better, four years ago. I adore you and always will.

He got a few small presents to start the day which tickled his fancy, then piped up with 'can I have my cake now?' I think that is what he was waiting for, forget presents and cuddles and balloons or anything birthday related, he was hanging out for the cake!

P.S. He didn't get cake at 7am, birthday or not.

Zali, Amy and I headed in to Little School for morning tea. The group had just gotten back from their shopping adventure to Stones Corner and were ready for a feed. Caleb loved having us there said in a very loud voice 'thats MY MUMMY!' After morning tea, it was cake time. The candles were lit, the sparklers were lit (and kept at a safe distance as per Caleb's request) and the singing began. Lynne the teacher knows heaps of birthday songs!

The blowing took a few goes, practice makes perfect.

Caleb got to cut the cake himself. Totally loved that. Wasn't exactly straight, but he took such pride and was complimented heaps.

It was a really nice morning. Zali loved playing with everything - especially the pet rats . . . she kept sticking her fingers in and giggling hysterically if they came near her. She played with the bus, balloons and Caleb took her to the home corner and they made cups of tea. Amy didn't mind hanging out with an assistant so I could be photographer, I think the secret was food!

After morning tea it was playtime. On the shopping adventure they had brought oranges and mandarins. They all juiced an orange and then drank it. The mandarin was to practice peeling. Some ate them, some didn't. Zali loved peeling and eating - sometimes the skin sometimes the fruit. Amy loved sucking the segments to death and kept wanting more, Tiana next to us shared hers generously. I am sure these two girls made the biggest juice mess - both were covered in mandy juice (as was I) and on the floor sat a small puddle. We all had a great time. Caleb loved the attention, but I think mostly loved having his little sister there to show around and play with. It was sweet.





We said goodbye and us three girls went home for some lunch and a sleep. Well, *I* wanted a sleep . . .

End of Birthday

Zali and Amy were having a nap so I could get a photo when Caleb came home. The driver and carer had put up balloons all through the bus. There was a sign near the door saying Happy Birthday - it was really nice to see first up this morning! Caleb is in his new booster seat. He is still adjusting to it cause the seat belt is different.

It was killing him that the girls were sleeping, he kept wanting to go up and wake them so they would play with him outside. Instead he ate lollies and chocolates from his party bag. We blew bubbles and watched Hi-5.

Caleb, Zali, Grandma and I went out to get some cake and Caleb's choice of dinner - Muckdonners (more commonly known as McDonalds). He has a cheeseburger with no pickles and no onion, chips and a chocolate milkshake. Of which he didn't finish as he was too excited about his cake, or the candles, take your pick. Yes, he is too big for a tray, but he found it recently in the toy cupboard and wants to be like Zali. Cause trays are soooo cool.

Four big candles for our big four year old. The cake was half white mud cake and half carrot cake. He blew these candles out quicker than this mornings candles, but he got so close I reckon he nearly singed his lips.

He wanted to cut the cake himself, cause he is a big boy and did it at little school . . . and they said how good he was. Sheesh, he listens when it involves knives but selective hearing appears when I ask him to pack up his toys. Right.

Daddy helped him cause Daddy did choose one of the biggest knives we have.

His birthday concluded with some dancing in front of the mirrored glass to see his 'moves', a nice warm bath, cuddles under the blanket, a call from Nan and a special version of Happy Birthday from Aunty Sheree, Uncle David, Campbell and Finn over the phone. A story and then asleep faster than you could say Happy Birthday. When we asked if he had a good day, he said 'yes!'

Day Care

It rolls on to week two of Gail's Day Care. Great day (especially cause it involved cake and food and fun!) and Amy was happy and playful and in a good mood . . . as long as I stayed in sight. Miss Zali is a Mini Mum. Here she brought Amy her milk and her water and stroked her hair. She also gave her a million pieces of chalk, which Amy decided the best place to hold them was her mouth! Erk!


Just so Amy's Mum and Dad know she does consume food and liquid refreshments and I am not in fact tipping a little out and starving the little bean, here she is drinking her milk and her water . . . . surrounded by a million pieces of chalk. See, there is a food group . . chalk!!

We all had a good day together, and had fun celebrating with Caleb at little school. See next post!

HB BS (Happy Birthday Big Sister)

The biggest and bestest birthday wishes for my big sister, Sheree!

(for last Thursday . . . . oops!)

We are heading up to celebrate her birthday this Saturday, which will involved the presents and food and lots of loving. I love you Sheree.

Sleep

Phew, my working week is over. My first week of Gail's Day Care went really well. Tired though, didn't get my normal rests (nap) - being a working woman is hard! Sarcasism is a skill by the way.

Miss Amy had two big days away from her Mummy and did very well. I think her Mummy coped ok as well. : ) Her adjustment is to be admired as she improved heaps each day, just as long as I was in the room, she was satisfied. Hence, toilet time, cup of tea time and I will just go get you a biscuit time was not appreciated, until I returned. I believe she will be fully comfortable here in a short time, which is great. The worst part is my first weeks pay will cover the mower repairs. How exciting is that!

Nachos for dinner tonight, meat is nearly finished. Yum.

Caleb went back to little school today. New bus came and we put in a new car booster. Didn't go to plan and he had to change from his normal seat - wasn't really impressed with that, he sort of held his hand out wanting me to save him. Coming home he was in his normal position but I need to get an extension of his seatbelt so it will fit correctly. I always forget to send in his sheets on the first week back. They stay there all term and come home for a wash on school holidays. I am not used to having to include them so each first day back I get a little note asking for sheets. Oops.

Okey, meat is ready.


A special call out to my nearly half bogan friend JJ! (*snigger*)

Took it's Own Life

Mamma Mia opened yesterday. Went and saw it last night. L O V E D IT!

It was great, fun music, beautiful country, bit of eye candy (rrroarrr - Colin Firth!) and some lycra. Definitely one to have in the home DVD collection and I will certainly be on the look out for a soundtrack CD. I smiled (or laughed) through most of it and walked out with a big smile on my face.

Just made sausage rolls for lunch and the mechanic is out servicing my car. Oh, yesterday afternoon my front passenger tyre seemed to throw itself into a particularly nasty piece of chopped up gutter. It tore rubber off and went down to the wires - like a cut in one tiny place - that has wrecked the tyre. Hmm, is that called tyre suicide? Not impressed. Anyway, off to the sausage rolls, they have cooled now.

: )

Is Butter a Colour?

Like can you wear butter? Does carpet come in a shade of butter? Can you vacuum butter? Is butter at the top of the food pyramid?

No. But Zali tested it.

I made her sit on the chair and not move cause she was spreading the greasy with every step and touch. It is on her feet, all over her pants, in smears and lumps on her shirt, covering her hands and to finish off a huge lump in her hair. I wonder if she wanted to moisturise and got the term 'body butter' confused?

Below is the carpet (I swear the photo doesn't show the insanity that was happening). Trying to keep Zali from running through it, wanting to rescue my buttered shoe and Caleb had quickly gotten his vacuum to help Mummy clean it up (but I still had to capture a pic!).

Close up of butter lumps. And a greasy little miss trying to escape her clean up.

Hubby was moving a bookcase for me, Caleb was supervising the move and Zali was supposed to be watching Hi-5. Wanting a TV-snack, she broke through the two fridge locks and thought she would have a 'go' at the butter. I figure it didn't taste as great as expected, however it flicked and bounced and flew really really well. That is a guess from the evidence presented to me.

On a different and cleaner note, today I snapped a cute one of Bubbles. She looks just a tad different after her haircut. Lost a lot of the 'black' and came home looking a little like an old grey man. It is growing pretty quick though so I am sure there will be shoots of black popping up before we know it.

Time for a sudoku puzzle or 4 and then bedtime. The hubby and the snoring is not making a peaceful sleep routine for me. I am considering the spare bed, or maybe I should hold his nose shut and see what happens. Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

Made It!

Phew, made it to Friday!

Happy Birthday to Nan for yesterday! I need to point out to Nan that Caleb and Zali wanted to ring and say Happy Birthday last night, but their drongy father forgot about them. Doh! Enjoy your shopping trip and see you very soon.

Last night I went out for dinner with my sweet friend Kerry. She took me out for my birthday, you see she gave me a voucher for a dinner out with her, and we finally got to use it! It was a great night - fantastic to be able to talk continuously without being stopped mid convo by the kiddies. She is about one week ahead of me with her pregnancy and she has a very cute baby belly - of which Caleb had to lift her shirt to look at the baby! Great food, excellent company and lovely to escape the house!

School holidays put me off my normal schedule. With Caleb home everyday I can never remember what day it is. But, very glad we made it to Friday and the weekend is v. v. close! They are having a snooze now, I may have just heard a bit of movement from the boy, but when they both are active we can go for a drive to check the post box. You know, might have the excitement of a bill!

Amy came and visited this morning, trying to have some more time here for when Janene returns to work week after next. Still need some settling time, but it is a big adjustment for a little person. My kids were getting tired also and when lunch was over it was definitely sleep time. I had a wee nap myself, just a small power nap and I feel good - except my hips, they been sore lately.

My house is generally a bomb site - the children feel the need to share the toys and crap between the rooms. Why should one room have all the fun of the toys, that would be just too organised and . . .

oops, my normal broadcast has just been interrupted by a small boy telling me his boggers are coming out. better get said boy a tissue.

chow.

Family Day

Sunday was the annual family day for my old work (hubby's work sort-of-old-parent-company) and it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, quite warm and not real windy. We were down at Kangaroo Point near the Story Bridge for a fun day. It was dress ups for the kids - Superhero!

Caleb was Spiderman (and I forgot his mask! Doh!) and Zali was a Super Fairy! I didn't think to get a back shot of them, especially to see Zali's bewtiful wings, so this is the best I can show you. Her wings had flowers in them and I thought they were v. cute.

Her shirt was pale yellow and she wore yellow gumboots. The pink skirt had little mirror circles and tulle, all topped off with some pink beads. And a hat of course.




Caleb loved having a drink in a big cup of red cordial and lemonade - a real treat! Zali's treat seemed to be getting into the ice from the big containers holding the drinks. To suck.



Obviously I didn't try to dress up and look like a nutter - that comes naturally. : ) I was struggling to hold both of them, I think Caleb knew it and was a little off balance. Ooops.

There were nibblies, BBQ lunch and afternoon tea. There was a big jumping castle, bungee-trampolines and a rock climbing contraption. There was a baby area, a craft area and lots of liquid refreshments. There was face painting. There were take-home bags for the kids.

Caleb wasn't keen on having his face painted - even though I could have begged on my knees for a Spiderman face. Dressed up he called himself 'Soodieman Pie'. Yep. I have no idea either. Anyway, he liked the idea of a froggie on his hand, here it is:

Caleb got a little trophy and some books as winner of best dressed boys and Zali got runner up for girls and got a cool wobbly eyed colouring-in book. Sigh. First trophy for the trophy cabinet!

We were all knackered by the end. Some of us had a little sleep . . . But a Super Fairy had a huge three hour sleep and couldn't be woken for dinner . . .