Thirty-seven

I had a birthday today. Not a special one really worth celebrating, but a birthday all the same. The girls came over for morning tea and the kids played peacefully, giving us a chance to have a chat, some cake and a sneaky glass of champagne.

The evening, Tools came through with the goods, although at 10 past 7 this morning I did think that he had forgotten. He cooked me a great dinner, made a card with the Rooster and got me this little beautyMany, many things I'd like to try with my new friend. I have a craft space taking shape at the top of the stairs right where Missy use to sleep (I promise there was no ulterior motive to the move downstairs over the weekend) and a little stash of material just waiting to be made into something lovely.

Eyespy something beginning with...J

Lauren has gone down the traditional path for this weeks Eyespy.

We have this little room at the end of our hall that many people don't know exists. It's not that it is concealed by some kind of rotating book case, it's because we always had the door firmly closed. Most people, when I talk of our 4th room, are surprised, and ask where it is, thinking that the closed door contained the linen closet. Ashamedly, it was not the linen closet. It was our Junkroom.

It was the room where we would dump all those things that had no other place in our home, where we would chuck everything when we did a quick whip-around clean-up 5 minutes before friends would arrive. It had a running machine, a futon (with various sporting equipment stashed under it), a tv, the printer, a filing cabinet and lots and lots of boxes and other assorted flotsam and jetsam. I would show a photo but no eyes, let alone lens, has ever seen it.

This weekend, the reign of the junk room has ended. We have found a place for each item that called the junk room home and if we couldn't find a new spot for it, it was either chucked or was ebayed. Tonight, the junk room has metamorphosed into Missy's bedroom.

Like the stuff in the junk room, our Missy has had no real room in our home. She would do her day sleeps in the Roosters room but at night we would put her on the landing because she is such an atrocious sleeper (have I mentioned that before?).

I found it hard to break the umbilical cord and put her downstairs, when the rest of us were sleeping together upstairs. But on Tuesday we hit breaking point. We needed to break her bad sleep habits, so down she went.

She sleeps more soundly than she has ever done. Who would have thought that all she needed was her own room and a bit of distance from her Mama?

A kid in a lolly shop

Bought ridiculous amounts of deliciousness today. One of my favourite shoes stores was having an end of season, we can't store any of these shoes so everything must go, sale. At 80% off prices what was a girl to do? Many, many reasons to justify my spending spree today.

A. It was the last day of my years leave from my real job and last day of school holidays.

B. Am going back to work next week and am a little distressed at leaving the kidlins, so a some new foot candy might just cheer me up on those crazy, busy days when I am wading through my sleep deprivation.

C. It's my birthday next week and there is always a moratorium on spending on or near your birthday. Actually, after spending copious amounts of money today at said shop, I was offered a VIP card and when filling in the form noticed that, as of next week, I will have moved into the next tick- a-box. That is reason enough for new shoes!

I started with an armful and short-listed to these. Ignore all price tags. These darlings were down to $22 or $26.

Black peep-toe flats to replace my black mary-janes that are falling apart.

Mushroom patent leather. You don't see that around too often.

Pink and cream patents. I couldn't leave these behind.

Something for autumn and spring.

Something for winter

And these gorgeous strappy's to make me feel just a little bit special on those days when I'm feeling mumsy.

A slice of heaven

Oh, I forgot to add this little slice of heaven. This time last year when I was 8 months pregnant, I couldn't get enough of these. I was after the ultimate vanilla slice. Along with too many shoes, great new bras that fit perfectly and 2 new pairs of pants to see me through my work days, I found this.
I had never seen one with three tiers before and the pastry was flaky perfect. Where were you last year I ask? Am sharing with my beloved in front of the tennis. He was the perfect shoppping companion today. Didn't complain, didn't rush me,carried my bags and I think he may have bought my birthday pressent. But that's a surprise for next week.

Mum, watch me fly!

The kidlins were at childcare today so the adults of this house ran a little amok cramming in some civilised adult time before work next week. A swim for some laps (very liberating to just arrive with a towel and our goggles), coffee with girlfriends (not a babycino in sight) and a long lunch with another friend. She and I covered more topics than we would in a week of playdate catch ups and had conversations that had a beginning and an end. Bliss.

This afternoon it was the kids turn to run amok.

Doing things they are not permissable under normal circumstances.

Fearlessly flying. Each time moving the bean bag just a little further away from the lounge.

Missy thought its was great fun and and laughed herself silly.

All the encouragement a little boy needed to do it again.

Amazing what they can get away with when there is a sniff of mother-guilt in the air.

Trains, trains, trains

On Saturday we took a trip to the Powerhouse Museum. The first thing that the Rooster saw was this.

To say he was in awe was an understatement.

That was until he got to Level One and encountered Zoe's House, the ultimate Bob the builder experience for any 3 year old.He got to load up his trolley, push his little carriage through a crossing gate and then deliver his bricks to the house at the end of the line. He thought he was in little boy heaven.

Until he got to the ground floor. Full of planes and trains and spaceships and cars, real ones that a big boy can climb on. He was now at Nirvana.

That was until today. A much promised trip on the Zig-Zag Railway had our little boy mesmerised. He couldn't take his eyes off the steam engine that pulled us across and down the mountain.

We spent a little while in the souvenier shop at the end of the trip and came home empty handed. The Rooster wasn't disappointed, the buzz of his train ride seemed to be enough for him.

However, on the way home, we found this on the side of the road.

It was exactly the thing that we didn't buy at the shop. Some karma coming back to us.

Suffice to say we have a very happy chappy asleep upstairs, dreaming of Trains and Cars and Things that Go.

A taste of summer

Strawberries and blueberries by the punnet-load. The taste of salt on my lips after a day at the beach. Champagne over Christmas. Prawns and oysters and fish and chips by the beach.

However, Summer 2009 has yeilded a new taste .

Home made smoothie icecreams made with love by Tools. We eat them for our afternoon tea on the deck. Each day a different flavour. Today it was cherry, banana and nectarine. Delish!

The Littlies have their own icecream eating style. The Rooster likes his to melt so he can suck it, smoothie like, from the straw. Missy devours it with her two hands and and enjoys every moment of the experience.

Big cheer to AnastasiaC for such a great theme in this weeks Eyespy Sunday.

Hitting a wall

Every night around 6 o'clock I hit a wall. My eyes get really heavy and I just want to lay my head down somewhere nice and soft and quiet. I really have to pull myself through for that last hour before the littlies bed down at 7. Last night I just needed to stop for 30 seconds. I rested my head on the armrest and sighed, "Mummy's hit a wall". The Rooster was quick to reply,"No hitting walls Mummy, or Daddy will take your toys". Out of the mouths of babes. Daddy must be a mean old thing!

A day without children

Today was the first day in 11 months that Tools and I have had without our children. We arrived at our coffee shop after dropping the kids at childcare and the baristas let out a cheer for us and our snatch of freedom.

Each of us had promised ourselves a few things for this longed for day. Sitting on the lounge watching a dvd, a mooch down our high street ducking in and out of the shops at leisure, an hour in a resturant eating lunch, a nap to bank some precious sleep. It seemed like alot to fit into one day. The heat was on our side. Perfect indoors, dvd watching, nap taking conditions. We managed lunch. Two courses! We had to move tables mid meal as a family with 3 children under 4 turned up and sat right next to us. We couldn't face those sounds quite yet. We still had an hour until we had to fetch ours.

We had some good conversations and reconnected. We promised to do this more often and to try set up "date night" to catch up with each other properly. Idealistic, but we need to be good to ourselves if we are to be good to those in our care.

Good news is that we can do it all again next Thursday.

PS. Kids went brilliantly at childcare. Missy had a great first day with her new carers and the Rooster had a marvellous time catching up with his buddies that he had missed over the christmas break.

A day in my life

At 7 o'clock this morning when we came downstairs, it felt like it was going to be hot. Really hot. We had a quick breakfast and headed off for an early walk to the shops in attempt to beat the heat. Within 10 minutes we knew that it was not to be the case. It was stifling at 9 and the air felt very thick. After walking all the way to our local shops, we decided that the few things that we needed to buy for dinner with friends that night, could wait as were not going to cart them all the way back up the hill home. We got some shoes for the kids ready for child care tomorrow and headed back.

We reminisced about the heat in Greece when we spent a lovely summer there and the dips we took in the rock pools to cool off; the frappes and the card games and how the only decision we had to make was whether to eat dolades or yerros for dinner. Life felt really simple then. Now we think out dinner along the lines of the path of least resistance. Oh, how the times have changed!

Had a quick shower and headed to a friend's for lunch to catch up the girls. We hadn't caught up since before christmas so there was lots to share over our quiche and salad. The rooster and I got back home and had a game of snakes and ladders ( his current favourite) before Missy woke and the power struggle for the toys would begin in earnst again.

Icecream cones on the deck, feet paddling in the pool. Close my eyes and imagine I was in in Greece. Crash back to reality with the shrek of little ones in the pool.

Finally got provisions for dinner with two, now very irritable children. Left the shops in disgrace with a trantruming 3 and a half year old. Oh the joys. Managed to get them off to bed by quarter to seven. Some early guests. They don't have kids (yet!).

Dinner going well. Around 9 can just hear Missy screaming over music and chatter of dinner guests. Arghhh!! The upstairs is very hot, it is no wonder she has waken from her slumber. I hope we didin't scare two of our guests with the reality of parenthood. Tools and I were up and down the stairs for a good half hour before we gave up and brought her down. She obviously didn't want to miss the party going on downstairs and sat up eating an icecream cone, our retro dessert, with a very cheeky grin on her face.

Was it any wonder we didn't get her to sleep till 12.30. But now, that's the next day and I will save that for another post.

Eye Spy...something I want to try in 2009

This weeks theme comes from Red Chocolate. Like her, I have not touched a sewing machine since textiles and design way back in the early 80's. I have been lurking in blogland for a little while now and am constantly inspired by so many people who are doing really beautiful, creative craft. There are so many generous people out there with tutorials on their blogs just waiting for a punter like myself to take the plunge and have a go.

So, I have asked the birthday fairies for a sewing machine (it's at the end of the month so I don't have to wait too long) and maybe a sewing lesson or two to get me started and then I should be on my way.

Thanks go to bugandpop for hosting eyespy.

Eye Spy...My Best Memory of 2008

There are so many wonderful memories rattling around in my brain. With two little ones there are classic moments in every day that make me smile. I love watching my little ones as they tramp through life, watching them learn and love and play and grow into such funny little characters. I marvel at their differences and smirk at their similarities.

However my best, best memory of 2008 was the birth of Ellie. A Valentine's Day baby, she is our little sweetheart. We knew we were having a girl but I wasn't ready for the moment, when I held this curious creature and thought, this is my daughter.

Thanks to Cindy for hosting Eyespy and to Kats Creations for coming up with this weeks theme.