T'was 6 days after Christmas

And all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a .... oh wait... nope, not even a mouse!

Well what an amazing 6 days have just gone by. As I sit here, having not long finished tonight's very very late dinner, watching a telly movie and catching up on my favourite blog 'Team O'Toole' I ponder over what has been a fabulous week.

Tonight we returned from a few days away with my brother and his partner and children, we were joined also by my youngest brother. I adore spending time with my brothers, we actually see quite a bit of one and other but there is something very special about spending quality time with siblings, there is always something to talk about and a common thread, there is love, laughter and in our family, quite a substantial amount of ribbing.

We were lucky enough to have spent the last few days in Torquay (or Jan Juc to be more precise) at my sister in laws mum and step dads caravan (Nanny and Bills Caraban according to Jaz, not that it's her Nanny, but it is Oscars Nanny and that's good enough for her). We BBQ'd almost every meal, Craig slept in his swag while the kids and I lolled around on fold out sofas, there was play time at the park, skating at the skate ramp, a return to surfing after 15 years, picnics on large grassed hills overlooking the surf and coffee at cake in the centre of town.

But I think my favourite memory from this lovely trip is that of Kayde the Sandmonster!!! After bumping and bruising his way through the last few days (my beautiful baby boy has a fat lip, grazed chin and several eggs on his head due to his overenthusiastic will to walk and his uncanny ability to fall on his head) we took Kayde for his first ever trip to the beach. After slathering the children in sunscream (Jaz's word for it not mine), making sure everone had a hat (this meant Kayde was wearing a hot pink Dora hat, several sizes too big and turned up so he could somewhat see) we hit the sand. The biggest kid, Ryan, dug a hole big enough to hide in, Go Rye!!! and Jaz and Oscar ran around and fought over digging implements. Kristy and Taj lolled in the sun, Kristy as always managing to look completely glamorous and Taj seeming completely uninterested in what was going on around him, content just to laze the day away.

While all this went on Kayde took one look at his surroundings and with all the exuberance of a child on Christmas morning (and don't we all know what that is like) he flung himself headlong into the sand, he crawled and rolled and played and grabbing handfuls of warm soft sand he ate with gusto! In only a few short minutes one could be forgiven for not recognising him as a baby and thinking perhaps they had come across a miniature sandmonster of some sort. He was unrecognisable and my only regret for the day was that I had left my camera behind!!! I so very much want the image of him covered head to toe in sand, mouth full and slobbery grin beaming etched forever in my memory.

Well after a few beautiful days in Torquay it was time to head home, we decided that instead of driving home we would catch the ferry which just topped a great trip off. Jaz was able to see that cars could indeed go on a boat without making it sink and she was held by her dad as they watched from the roof of the ferry as we cruised toward home, returning to a loungeroom floor scattered with the spoils of Christmas day - something I will blog about soon. For now I just wanted to share with you the joy of spending quality time with my family...

Now to head to bed, ready to tackle new years eve and the resolution that just must be made and blogged about.

Good night all.

Not doing anything really takes it out of you!

Today I did nothing. Well not nothing but nothing that I should actually have done. Wait... That's not exactly true either. Maybe it just felt like I achieved very little. I mean, I kept the kidlets safe and happy and reasonably healthy. I remembered to drop Jaz off at 'kindy' for which she was very thankful, singing the entire way there and telling me in no uncertain terms what she was going to be doing today. 'I'm going to kindy and gonna play with aaaallllll my fwiends' waves arms like a little old Italian woman yelling at her husband.

I spoke to the centre director about kinder programs, enrollment, next years plans, the possibility of transferring to their centre in Dromana on the chance we end up moving there (we might or we might not - we are definitely peninsula nomads that's for sure). We discussed health care cards, payments, medicines for the kids and then I remembered I had to go. Kayde was booked in to have his immunisations and I had to go....

Back in the car, Kayde was most unimpressed to be out of my arms and in the car seat, he started getting a bit of a cold late yesterday and was snotty and miserable, he wanted mummy cuddles and was intent on not being plied from mummy and put into the car seat. But in the car seat he was and he yelled and cried to make sure I knew how unhappy it made him...

We arrived at the medical centre and stopped and chatted to everyone we passed, people ooohhed and ahhhed and we were told many times over just how gorgeous Kayde is and told by several people who know Jaz and Have not see Kayde since he was very new that Craig and I do babies very well, creating utterly gorgeous children. Well we certainly think so but it is even better when told by others so thank you :)

Kayde went in for his shots... Now when Jaz had her shots many moons ago, she never cried, she simply gave a glare that said in no uncertain terms 'if I wasn't so little I would absolutely snot you in the nose for doing that to me'. Kayde on the other hand, drops the bottom lip, gives a heart broken little look that says 'why oh why would you hurt a poor defenseless baby like that?' and proceeds to howl!!! Thank goodness he is such a booby boy, a quick suckle and the sobs subside and he smiles a big milky grin at me.

Time for my GP appointment, just a general check up, Kayde being snuggled by adoring women at the reception desk and check up complete it's time to go. Backing out of the car park I remember I was supposed to stop in at the travel agents while I was here and have a meeting about the wedding.  I lazily drive over the road and park at the travel agency. We wander in and have a productive chat about airfares, accommodation, wedding details and the like and then it really is time to head for home.

Back in the car and heading for home, by the time we get there I pop Kayde down for his afternoon nap and I fix a sandwich for lunch. I barely remember eating it, I was overcome with exhaustion and shut my eyes.... just for a moment - or two hours!!!!

Time to pick Jaz up from kindy, better run, lucky Kayde woke me up or may have gotten a call from 'kindy' now THAT would have been something to blog about....

So I went and picked Jaz up and as we pulled in the drive I realised Craig had actually beaten me home... to a home that had not had a thing done to it all day. Breakfast dishes lay where they had this morning, beds unmade, some curtains still drawn, and that is what I mean by not having done anything all day.

Today I did both nothing and sooo much!!! And now, I need to head to bed and recharge the batteries. I must say, I love the fact that when I told Craig I hadn't achieved anything much today and that I had fallen asleep, he said 'good, you needed it' then he promptly took the family late night shopping for nothing in particular, we had dinner while we were out so I not only didn't have to cook but didn't have any cleaning up to do either. So I have been able to continue doing nothing, until tomorrow when I will have to catch up on all the somethings that need doing...

Imagine That

I just love the age Jaz is at at the moment. Her imagination is working overtime. She chatters away to imaginary people on her pretend mobile, sometimes it's an Alien, other times it is some of her favourite people, she is often reporting to them what Mummy is doing and then tells them we will come visit or invites them over - usually telling them to bring their small person (for some reson she usually speaks to the grown up).

Jaz role plays wholeheartedly and some of the scenes I watch her play out just melt my heart and make me want to capture her 3 year old innocent perfection just as it is now to keep forever in a little jar so I can access it later when she is an all knowing, hormone charged teen. Just today I saw her lining up a whole lot of little leggo tyres, from what I could work out there was Mummy, Daddy, Kayde and Jaz and a few extras, possible Sash and Taz (our dogs, and yes I think I have mentioned before we have a dog named Taz and a daughter named Jaz - the weirdness is not lost on me). Anyway. The big tyre moved away from the others saying 'I love you very much but I have to go to work' then a smaller tyre (I was quite happy about this) said, 'oh it's ok, Mummys here, Daddy loves you very much but he had to go to work, he will be back very soon, but I am here' then an even littler tyre said 'see Kayde, Mummy is here and Daddy loves us and will be back soon, YAY'. This seemed so sweet to me as I am always telling Jaz that the reason Daddy goes to work is because he loves us and wants to take care of us and that he will be home soon to play. Looks like she has been taking this in.

Three is a wonderful age all round really, Jaz sings songs, tells stories, tells us she loves us very often and seems to understand what that means, she loves to help Mummy and Daddy and if Kayde cries she rushes to 'calm him'. She speaks with an adorable lisp when she is tired or excited and thinks up games to play with us, her brother, the dogs and her dolls. Sure she has tantrums (usually calmed by a cuddle) and she has learned to hit other children when they annoy her (something she doesn't do frequently thank goodness, particularly since we spoke to her about hitting not being very nice). She doesn't always do as she's told but then again neither do I and I'm not overly fond of her back chatting but we're working on that. Basically Jaz is one very cool little person who more than anything just makes me thankful to be her Mum each and every day.

Another List

There are too many things I want to do, too much to remember and too many lists to make...

I have finished the Christmas shopping - except for a little something extra for Craig... maybe... if the budget allows... but I am finished the Christmas shopping so that list is pretty much checked off.

I really want to undertake some sort of Christmas activity or craft every day from now till Christmas. I am building that list as I go along. Gathering ideas from others, the telly, the Internet and my own wonderful imagination.

There are a heap of things on my 'to make' list. I need to finish Jaz's patchwork quilt, there's a dress I'd like to make her too. A Santa Sack for Kayde (better get a move on on that one!), there's also Kayde's blanket that he may be too big for by the time I finish crocheting it. I want to make him a little sun suit and while I am at it I wouldn't mind running up a few other bits and pieces too.

I have a bit of 'admin' to do. You know the stuff, call companies to update details, pay bills, course enrolment completion blah blah blah... Yeah bills, better get onto those, pretty sure it's been more than a month since I paid most of them so no doubt they need paying again...

I need to lose weight - there is a list of reasons - for my health, my fitness, my self esteem, to be a better Mum and to look decent on my wedding day. This list also has a list of things to do to lose weight,  my list for this includes undertaking regular activity, eating well, recording activity and food, thinking of fun ways to excersise that will fit in with all the other lists - sorry, I mean things that need doing. As a matter of fact, on this list I have included training to do the Mothers Day Classic next year, figure that might help me achieve some of the other things on the list, like lose weight. oh wait, was that the reason for the list or an item on the list? I'm confused.

You should see my housework list, so many things on there I can't even begin to list them!!! The house is actually its own little shrine to why I need my lists... and proof that not all items on my lists ever get checked off for long!

I have a list of ingredients I need to buy for the things I want to bake. Next on that one is a Red Velvet Cake Mmmmmmm

There's a list of promotional ideas for my business, I need to order business cards, print flyers and advertise. Then hopefully I'll have a list of clients and jobs to do.

There is a list of subjects I would like to blog about but I keep that list as a running monologue in my head - I really need to write those ones down, they always seem to evade me when it's time to start typing.

I have lists of story ideas, some for novels, others for TV shows, movies and even children's books I'd like to write.

There are lists of things I think of throughout the day that I want to Google and learn more about later - hence the reason my brain is a sponge for useless facts and information yet I can never seem to remember my times tables!!!

There are lists of crazy tripped out theories that might just be true - well, there's not really a list, they are just randomly thought of every now and then but maybe I SHOULD have a list for these theories, you just never know when one might be proved true.... Hmmmm

OMG!!! IS THERE A LIST OF THINGS TO DO FOR THE WEDDING!?!?!?! Arghhhh now THERE is a list!!! What's not to do for the wedding.... Arghhhhhh sooo much to do for the wedding. Thank goodness there is a list or I may run the risk of having my head implode trying to remember everything I need to do for the wedding.

And then there is the list on my blog. The list of lists. This blog. The truly scary thing? this isn't even a complete list. There are so many more lists to list but then, if I were to list all of my lists you might begin to think me a little bit crazy... mightn't you?

Milestones and Mayhem

We have reached a milestone.

Tonight will be our first 'conscious' attempt at Jaz going nappy free for night time. We have had 4 dry night nappies in a row so I think she can do it.

Last night or should I say late yesterday afternoon, Jaz fell asleep in the car on the way home from her creche concert, we popped her into bed without a nappy on thinking she would wake soon enough. The exhausted little poppet slept right through until she came in to us in the morning declaring that she was sleeping in her 'accident'. Poor thing seemed to be quite concerned. I told her that it was all ok, she had had a super big sleep and that's why the accident had happened. So tonight will be our first 'planned' nappy free night. I expect a few little mishaps along the way but the look of pride on her face when we told her we thought she could kick the nappies to the curb took any doubt away. So fingers crossed for a dry night :)

Yesterday was such a great day for so many reasons and clearly Jaz had a great day, so great she needed far more sleep than she usually would.

We started the day with Jaz's swimming lessons, the lesson was tantrum free and Jaz participated in every activity, she is really coming along and seems to really enjoy her one on one time with Mummy. It is such a shame the term has to end next week.

Over the past term we have made some new friends in our swimming class, with one Mum and daughter in particular we have really clicked with (we will call them Maybel and Pippa). So after the swimming lesson and our usual play with the other kids and parents in the little kids play pool the four of us headed to the cafe for a cuppa.

Maybel and I sat and chatted while our girls played and giggled. It really was lovely. It is not everyday as adults that you meet someone new and hit it off like you are long lost friends... And the girls??? Well on the way home Jaz declared Pippa as one of her new 'best friends' Awwwww. Not sure where she learnt the concept of best friends (I think there may be a song on Giggle and Hoot?) but it was just such a sweet thing to hear her say.

So, swimming lesson had, playdate over and we headed home to prepare for Jaz's creche Christmas Concert. Jaz had a bath and I got to making her a Christmas T-shirt to wear for her performance. I sewed on green buttons in the shape of a Christmas Tree and topped it off with yellow buttons for a star.
Bathed and dried, hair done and t-shirt on we headed for creche (AKA Kindy).

Over the past two to three weeks Craig and I have heard Jaz singing her little heart out, practicing and practicing her songs. She has insisted on teaching them to us and had us sing them with her over and over again. I took the video camera and my still camera (but probably should have realised that I cannot use two cameras while holding Kayde and negotiating a million trillion Christmas hyped little people...)

After negotiating a sea of red and green, enjoying a Christmassy afternoon tea and taking my seat in a teeny tiny chair (that I fully expected would give way when i sat on it but thankfully didn't) I watched my gorgeous princess walk out onto stage with her classmates and stand there in stunned silence.

I do not care that she did not sing, I don't even care that she didn't do the actions that she had insisted Craig and I do dozens of times a day, all I cared about was that despite looking quite shellshocked at the time she really did enjoy herself and after lots of persuasion she even met Santa!!!! Though she did try and convince me to go and meet him and get some bubbles for her I explained that if she wanted the bubbles she needed to say hello to Santa herself. She did - and I was very proud of her bravery...

Though I am not so sure how this works in with stranger danger awareness!!! Ummm, that's right sweety, be weary of strangers - unless they have bubbles or lollies or gifts, then I want you to go and make friends, hmmmmm

Anyway, back to Jaz - Songs finished, afternoon tea eaten and Santa met we piled back into the car and headed for home. It was shortly after 5pm when I looked in the rearview mirror to see that Jaz was sound asleep.

Sound asleep is how she remained untill after 6am this morning!!! Now THAT is a sign that she had a great day! Oh how I wish I could provide her with such stimulation, excitement and enjoyment every day!!! And how I really really wish I could have that much sleep!!!! Ahhhh sleep.

B.I.T. Back In Town

OK, so I just couldn't think of anything overly humorous to announce that I had finally gotten my stuff together enough to blog again...

I have been a little AWOL of late and I really don't have a reason for it other than life. Sometimes life gets in the way of, well, life... I'm sure you know what I am trying to say...

Nothing overly exciting has happened in the last month or so, I have been planning a wedding (mine and Craigs) to be held in Bali late next year, Craig has started a new, seemingly fabulous job, Kayde is crawling and Jaz can sing songs from beginning to end and is randomly coming out with some very interesting facts to share with me, some of which have included:

Aliens do not fit in our car, they have sooooooo many ears...

and

I like Dragons... Dragons live in the bush

And that's to name two from the last couple of days, there have been many many more.

I am almost certain I have heard Kayde say Mumumum on a few occasions and have definitely heard him say boob boob boob (the oo is like in book or look but boob). Hmmmm

We have picnicked in the pouring rain with our very special friends, I have shopped for bridesmaids dresses, caught up with countless fabulous people for coffee and play dates and even had a sewing date with one very important friend (we made santa sacks for the kids, she bought her sewing machine over and we played nannas all day) mind you I think we drank more coffee than we did sewing.

Just tonight while setting up the Christmas Tree (named the Santa tree by Jaz, despite me telling her all about the baby Jesus and the meaning of Christmas she is very Santa obsessed at the minute and it is not about the gifts, she doesn't remember getting gifts, I think it is all the songs he is in)
Anyway, just tonight while decorating the tree I asked Jaz what she would like for Santa to bring her for Christmas, her answer?

Pins mummy, pins so I can stick things just like you. Just the other day I was sandwiching my first attempt at a patchwork quilt. A cot sized, snugly, chenille backed quilt for Jaz. I was busy pinning it together when Jaz asked if she could help so I got her to sit with me and hand me the pins as I needed them. She seemed to really enjoy watching me sew - although at the time I really didn't think much of it. But it made my day to realise that she must have thought that was special her and I time and after striving to be the best Mum I can be I love realising that she can really enjoy something I felt bad for doing when I should have been playing with her or reading or singing etc etc etc. It turns out she just enjoyed helping mummy.

OK, so it would appear i am back with a vengeance and cannot stop the words spewing forth from my finger tips and out onto the keyboard.

My resolution for this blog is not to try and make it fabulous like so many of the other blogs I read but to simply blog. Do not fail to blog because I cannot think of something witty or wise to say - just blog.

A couple of quick shout outs before I go:
I am so very happy to have Team O'Toole back online - Salamander we have missed you
Be a fun mum - I am loving many of the Christmas activities, will be trying many of them so keep them coming

Wishing everyone a fabulous, safe and happy festive season - no matter what it means to you and your family, stay safe, be happy and enjoy each others company xoxoxoxo