It's hard to think of these when they're crying and/or clawing at your legs asking for cheese, but the two best things in the world for me, at the moment, are:
* Atticus' laugh. He has a gorgeous happy laugh that can't help but make you smile. And tickle him some more just to hear it.
* Elora's smile. Her eyes crinkle, her mouth opens, her dimple shows and her whole face lights up. My heart turns into a gooey mess.
{sigh}
It's good to think of the nice things so you don't lock yourself in the toilet to get away from it all.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Monday, July 02, 2007
The crying, it never ends.
Oh, man, what a day. The two younger kids have both been sick with some respiratory virus - Atti's been out of sorts of over a week and Elora has a nasty cough and runny nose. And, of course, when a child is sick they want their mother! Not their grandmother! Not their grandfather! Not their brother! Not their father! Ack! All that times two!
I think the worst thing about parenting is when your child is ill. Atti woke up one night last week with a roaring fever and the shakes and I'm sure he would have had another convulsion if he wasn't on the medication. I had a very anxious night that night. Another night Elora just would NOT go down to sleep in her bed. She was happy to sleep in my arms but every time I lay her down she'd start coughing and crying until I picked her up and rocked her back to sleep (which took quite a while each time). In the end I just gave up trying and spent the entire night sitting upright in bed, somewhat sleeping. Argh. So I was exhausted AND anxious AND stressed. Hooray!
I think the worst thing about parenting is when your child is ill. Atti woke up one night last week with a roaring fever and the shakes and I'm sure he would have had another convulsion if he wasn't on the medication. I had a very anxious night that night. Another night Elora just would NOT go down to sleep in her bed. She was happy to sleep in my arms but every time I lay her down she'd start coughing and crying until I picked her up and rocked her back to sleep (which took quite a while each time). In the end I just gave up trying and spent the entire night sitting upright in bed, somewhat sleeping. Argh. So I was exhausted AND anxious AND stressed. Hooray!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
I live for Thursdays
On Monday, Tuesday and Fridays I have Atticus at home with me. He goes to child care on Wednesday and Thursday each week but I have to pick up Dante from school at 3pm on Wednesdays for soccer practice.
But Thursdays... Thursdays are MY day. Well, I still have Elora to look after but she's just one kid - a breeze! Each week when I think of things to do I say to myself, "I'll do it on Thursday". When I want to arrange to meet people or go somewhere, Thursday's the best day. I have so many plans and Wednesday evenings are wonderful when I realise that the next day is Thursday. It's a bit sad that this what my life has come to...
Today, however, I was cranky. I shouldn't have been, but I couldn't help it. Dante kept complaining ALL morning that he had a sore stomach - didn't even eat his breakfast. So I decided to let him stay at home. Oh, how annoyed I was that he was going to ruin my day! I hope I wasn't too mean to him. No Playstation or other computer/console games. No TV. No junk food. Just staying in bed all day (reading allowed). I mean, he was sick! I didn't want him getting the idea that he can fake illness in order to spend a fun day at home. The day had to be as boring as possible.
I think I succeeded in giving him a boring day. I finally relented on the TV side of things at lunch time and gave in to the Playstation after 3pm (I mean, school would be finished by then in any case).
Anyway, he didn't complain about being sick the next morning so things must have been okay!
But Thursdays... Thursdays are MY day. Well, I still have Elora to look after but she's just one kid - a breeze! Each week when I think of things to do I say to myself, "I'll do it on Thursday". When I want to arrange to meet people or go somewhere, Thursday's the best day. I have so many plans and Wednesday evenings are wonderful when I realise that the next day is Thursday. It's a bit sad that this what my life has come to...
Today, however, I was cranky. I shouldn't have been, but I couldn't help it. Dante kept complaining ALL morning that he had a sore stomach - didn't even eat his breakfast. So I decided to let him stay at home. Oh, how annoyed I was that he was going to ruin my day! I hope I wasn't too mean to him. No Playstation or other computer/console games. No TV. No junk food. Just staying in bed all day (reading allowed). I mean, he was sick! I didn't want him getting the idea that he can fake illness in order to spend a fun day at home. The day had to be as boring as possible.
I think I succeeded in giving him a boring day. I finally relented on the TV side of things at lunch time and gave in to the Playstation after 3pm (I mean, school would be finished by then in any case).
Anyway, he didn't complain about being sick the next morning so things must have been okay!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Remember this?
Found this today - Dan and I always sing it to the kids.
Anyone else remember it? What a classic. Atticus loves watching this clip over and over.
Anyone else remember it? What a classic. Atticus loves watching this clip over and over.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Baby times
Today we went to the christening of my friend Rosie's son, Christian. It was certainly a display of this current baby boom - there were two pregnant women, four babies born this year, four toddlers, two pre-schoolers and two six-year-olds. Wow. And it wasn't a particularly big gathering...
Our boys did very well, even considering that it was well past Atti's nap time. We had a lovely time - the food was delicious and the company excellent. Even the rain clouds kept away at the appropriate times. A very nice afternoon.
Our boys did very well, even considering that it was well past Atti's nap time. We had a lovely time - the food was delicious and the company excellent. Even the rain clouds kept away at the appropriate times. A very nice afternoon.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Rain, rain, rain
It has been bucketing down with rain this week. It has just been incredible after all this time of drought. The best news is that a significant amount went into the Sydney Catchment Area which means more water in our dams (an extra 10%)!
Poor Atti has gone a little stir-crazy being cooped up inside and was tired and completely out of sorts today. Thank goodness it's the weekend tomorrow.
Poor Atti has gone a little stir-crazy being cooped up inside and was tired and completely out of sorts today. Thank goodness it's the weekend tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Eat, eat, eat!
My folks took me to a smorgasbord/buffet lunch at an RSL club nearby today. My father was sooo excited about it. I mean, as much food as you can cram into your belly! For just one price! Two dollars off for seniors!
Admittedly, the food was pretty good for this sort of thing. I wasn't expecting top restaurant quality stuff by all means but it had a good Chinese barbecue section run by Chinese chefs as well as the usual deep-fried, pasta, soup and salad sections.
Papa was so happy to be there! He kept talking about who would get their money's worth if he brought them. "Your brother, Tim, would lurve it. And Ben [my nephew] would definitely do well..." When Dan happened to call, my father had to grab the phone to tell him all about it. He can't wait to bring him and the boys one day so they can eat more than their fill. Hehe. (Interestingly, the rate for children under 12 is scaled: $0.80c x age (years). So Atti would cost $1.60 and Dante would be $4.80.)
Anyway, we ate until we had loosen our belts and our stomaches hurt. We were the last patrons to leave (but we did have Elora to slow us down).
Admittedly, the food was pretty good for this sort of thing. I wasn't expecting top restaurant quality stuff by all means but it had a good Chinese barbecue section run by Chinese chefs as well as the usual deep-fried, pasta, soup and salad sections.
Papa was so happy to be there! He kept talking about who would get their money's worth if he brought them. "Your brother, Tim, would lurve it. And Ben [my nephew] would definitely do well..." When Dan happened to call, my father had to grab the phone to tell him all about it. He can't wait to bring him and the boys one day so they can eat more than their fill. Hehe. (Interestingly, the rate for children under 12 is scaled: $0.80c x age (years). So Atti would cost $1.60 and Dante would be $4.80.)
Anyway, we ate until we had loosen our belts and our stomaches hurt. We were the last patrons to leave (but we did have Elora to slow us down).
Monday, June 18, 2007
Today's excitement
We were eating lunch when we heard a very loud noise - a helicopter was overhead. We could hear sirens as well, so assumed that there was a police chase or something happening. The noise of the helicopter stopped pretty quickly so my mother went out to investigate, and came running back to tell us that it had landed in the park and all the neighbours were out to sticky-beak at it.
We quickly grabbed the camera and hurried Atticus out the door to show it to him. It was a CareFlight chopper. At first we thought that maybe it had had to do an emergency landing, but it turned out that it needed to pick up a doctor to take somewhere urgently. A police car pulled up soon afterwards and out hopped two guys with big backpacks who quickly got into the helicopter.
The pilot asked us to move away and they prepared to take off. Atticus was so excited. Mind you, so was my mother and I! We sat there in the cold, waiting and waiting. Atti and Mama chatted about it flying up, up and away. Then, the propellors started moving, faster and faster. It got windier and windier where we were sitting. Eventually, the noise of the engines picked up and away it went. It hovered directly above us briefly and we felt like we were going to be blown away!
As it flew away, Atti called out "Bye-bye helicopter!" and when we got home we called Dan so that Atti could tell him all about it...
Sunday, June 17, 2007
32 and counting...
Oh, happy day to me. I turned 32 today.
I haven't been too thrilled with the thought of this birthday - instead of being "just thirty", I'm well into my thirties now, and thinking, "Where did the time go?". I think I must write a post similar to this on every birthday!
However, I must say and I had a terrific day today. I got a bit of a sleep-in this morning, then got up to be given wonderful presents from my boys. They got me a Nintendo DS lite (a pink one) with a couple of "games"... the Brain Training one and another called Picross (I'd actually asked for the first one - it wasn't a comment about my mental state :) as well as a book of Jane Austen's letters and a playstation game (Buzz Music quiz).
Then a special phone call from Jaime and Shannon in Canada (Thanks, guys! It was so lovely to have such a long chat) and some SMSes from friends. Sometimes I feel so lost and lonely banished out here in the 'burbs while our friends are in contact at work and living in the inner-city, but today I felt lurved and remembered, and not so out of the loop. It was lovely.
My mother cooked a big lunch and invited all my brothers and their families and my mother-in-law over. One of my brothers said, when he arrived, "What's the occasion?" but considering they have three girls at home to look after - the four year old, a feisty almost-two year old and a 12 day old, I forgave them! After all, it was quite an effort to get here and that was the best present I could have got.
It was a lovely afternoon. Ten grandchildren running about (well, except for the youngest three). All my family. I think I'm getting more and more like my father when I say that all I want for my birthday is to be surrounded by my family. Although the presents were fabulous :)
Lots of great photos taken, especially of the three babies. They were pretty good but after five minutes of flashes in their eyes they began to complain. I love this follow-up to the photo of the bellies.
Afterwards we got out the playstation and played the Buzz Mega Quiz which allows up to eight players at once. The kids were all right into it even though they couldn't answer many of the questions. My niece Alexandra had an amazing ability to guess the correct answers. Incredible!
Well, anyway, this has to have been one of the nicest birthdays I've ever had. I just wish my eldest brother could have been here today. He died almost nine years ago and never got to see nine of his nephews and nieces. He used to call me up at the time of my birth (or as close to it as he could get) to wish me a "Happy Birthday" and would have loved gatherings such as this. I really missed him today.
I haven't been too thrilled with the thought of this birthday - instead of being "just thirty", I'm well into my thirties now, and thinking, "Where did the time go?". I think I must write a post similar to this on every birthday!
However, I must say and I had a terrific day today. I got a bit of a sleep-in this morning, then got up to be given wonderful presents from my boys. They got me a Nintendo DS lite (a pink one) with a couple of "games"... the Brain Training one and another called Picross (I'd actually asked for the first one - it wasn't a comment about my mental state :) as well as a book of Jane Austen's letters and a playstation game (Buzz Music quiz).
Then a special phone call from Jaime and Shannon in Canada (Thanks, guys! It was so lovely to have such a long chat) and some SMSes from friends. Sometimes I feel so lost and lonely banished out here in the 'burbs while our friends are in contact at work and living in the inner-city, but today I felt lurved and remembered, and not so out of the loop. It was lovely.
My mother cooked a big lunch and invited all my brothers and their families and my mother-in-law over. One of my brothers said, when he arrived, "What's the occasion?" but considering they have three girls at home to look after - the four year old, a feisty almost-two year old and a 12 day old, I forgave them! After all, it was quite an effort to get here and that was the best present I could have got.
It was a lovely afternoon. Ten grandchildren running about (well, except for the youngest three). All my family. I think I'm getting more and more like my father when I say that all I want for my birthday is to be surrounded by my family. Although the presents were fabulous :)
Lots of great photos taken, especially of the three babies. They were pretty good but after five minutes of flashes in their eyes they began to complain. I love this follow-up to the photo of the bellies.
Afterwards we got out the playstation and played the Buzz Mega Quiz which allows up to eight players at once. The kids were all right into it even though they couldn't answer many of the questions. My niece Alexandra had an amazing ability to guess the correct answers. Incredible!
Well, anyway, this has to have been one of the nicest birthdays I've ever had. I just wish my eldest brother could have been here today. He died almost nine years ago and never got to see nine of his nephews and nieces. He used to call me up at the time of my birth (or as close to it as he could get) to wish me a "Happy Birthday" and would have loved gatherings such as this. I really missed him today.
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