A 'Write Off' Kind Of Day

The house is dark in the middle of the day, lit only by the flashes of lightning from outside.I love it!

Autumn weather has arrived in force today. Perhaps my front lawn might actually turn green with all this rain!

I really enjoy thunderstorms, but the furry members of our family not so much! The dog has just slunk into the room with me, unsure about those loud booms and rolls outside. And our cat was found hiding in the pantry just now, his place escape in the most dire situation. Which clearly this is to him.

The less furry members of the family are relishing the freshness of the storm, the cool breeze through the window, the cosy, snug feeling that the dark grey sky gives.

But I must give some consideration to my husband who is out working in this weather, so I'm sure he's not enjoying it much as me. Any moment I expect to hear the garage door go up and to find my soaked husband home, in dire need of a hot cup of tea.

And unfortunately, Charlie is still not well. Sniffles are abating but being replaced with a chesty cough. The recovery process is not helped by a sleepless night. 4.30am is a ridiculous time to wake up for the day, if you ask my opinion. Which I would happily give once I've finished my fourth cup of coffee (and it's only midday!) and if I'm still awake.

Why is it that these sleepless nights occur just when I really need to be awake and alert to deal with things? Not that there is ever a good time for such an early wake up, but still. I have so much to do and deal with at the moment. Why today?

And by mid afternoon, when I start to wilt from tiredness, I will vow to myself to have an early night and catch up on the sleep I so desperately need. Only to get to 8pm and get a second wind (all those cups of coffee finally kicking in perhaps?) and not be able to sleep till midnight - again.

Am I the only one who is like this? Please tell me that this is normal for busy mamas.

So today, I've decided is a write off day. A day where I will accomplish what I can and not feel too bad about what I didn't get done. Dishes piling up in the sink, floor unvacuumed, minimum amount of work done that I can get away with though I will have to play catchup over the weekend, and I'm ok with that - sort of. Overcoming my perfectionist nature isn't easy, you know.

Today therefore will consist of lots of sitting on the couch watching the rain and cuddles with my sick boy.

I guess life isn't so bad after all.

Lazy blogging using old (but adorable) photos.....

Charlie found Del's police helmet not too long ago, and couldn't resist trying it on.


'Allo, 'allo, 'allo! What's going on 'ere then?

PC Charlie is on the case.



Look, I'm just like Daddy! I'm off to fight crime and restore order to our neighbourhood.



But first..... hmmm.... I think something's not quite right with this helmet.



Oh.



A little adjustment.....



Ah, there we go! No-one pulls the wool over this policeman's eyes.



I'm the best policemen ever!



But you know what .....



.... I think I've had enough of this. Fighting crime and dealing with oversized headwear is exhausting.

I'm off for a nap. I'll leave the police work up to Daddy from now on.

Somebody turned 3 today!!!!

Today is Charlie's 3rd birthday. Here is where I make the comments such as 'where has the time gone', or 'my baby is growing up' etc etc.

It's all true, where has the time gone, and where has that little baby gone?

But it's not a day for looking back, it's a day for FUN, and we had a fantastic day.

Here's a few of the highlights......


A brand new train set.



Then playing racing cars in the box the train set came in.



A new soccer ball.



And testing it out.



Birthday cake!!!



Making a wish.

3 is a very important birthday. Especially to the person turning 3!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!

How do you spend a sick day?

Today our home is over run with illness. The horrible runny nose, annoying sore throat and irritating cough type of illness. People seem to be dropping like flies.

Thankfully, I'm still healthy. Someone needs to be well enough to dish out sympathy and tissues.

So what did I do to entertain a disgustingly snotty almost three year old stuck indoors due to bad weather and illness?


Played cars (of course!).



Picked the meagre winter vegetables from our garden in between rain showers.



Practised our letters.



Ate lots of yummy healthy fruit.



Did some cooking.



And used lots of these.

Making It Through The Day One Teeth Gritting Episode At A Time

Lately I've found it difficult to get back into the swing of blogging regularly.

One or two of you may have noticed. No? Oh, you're too kind!

My last post mentioned I hardly know what day or week it is at any given time. Christmas could be tomorrow for all I know these days.

Or Easter.

My days went from long tedious stretches of days at home, too tired and ill to do anything, to BAM, you're well again let's fill every available minute with something to do! Swimming, music, martial arts, story time at the library, working 30 hrs a week from home, housework, cooking..... every damn second of every damn day.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and all the way through to Sunday.

Then repeat. And repeat. And repeat.......

Most of these activities are either for this particular person, or are done with him in tow :



His social schedule is busier than mine (an easy thing to happen given my social schedule is pretty much totally empty these days). But the alternative is being stuck at home everyday, where he gets bored and mama goes a little bonkers.

You know, I think I need a holiday. Somewhere warm and tropical sounds good right now. Possibly without children, or at least where I can escape for long periods on my own.

Or if I must have someone with me, let it be a highly skilled massuese.

Look at this innocent face. How could anyone need a break from such an angel, I hear you wonder?



Well, let me tell you that this little 'angel' woke 4 times during the night, and then for some reason known only to him, decided that 5.30am was a great time to start the day.

I didn't agree with him on that point.

Then because he didn't sleep well and then got up at stupid 'o' clock, he's been grumpy as all hell this morning, and I don't have much patience for some strange reason.

But in between all these things, he does something so silly and cute that I can't help but smile and cuddle and love him.



And then I grit my teeth once again, and get back to the latest task at hand. Which right now is catching up with multiple work projects whilst toddler wrangling.

I do love my life, but right now I'm tired. I need a change, I need a break.

But instead it's back to work for me. Hope your day is as exciting everyone!

It's still Winter.... I think.

All weekend I kept on thinking to myself "must find time to blog, must find time to blog". And do you think I found time?

Nope.

Days seem to fly by of their own accord leaving me reeling and trying to remember which day and even which week it is.

I do know it's August, and I do know it's still winter despite the sunshine we got recently.

How do I know, I hear you ask? I think this speaks for itself....


Clear skies and cold mornings = frosted up windows that provide endless fun.

Especially as it means I can continue to snuggle under a blanket on the couch and stay warm whilst watching Charlie and hearing his running commentary on everything he's drawing.

That boy never stops talking!!!

And this is where my lovely husband would interject that Charlie gets that particular trait from me. Hmmm.... he may be right.



Charlie was so pleased with his 'artwork' that I decided to get up and get the carmera to record it for posterity.

And so you all out there reading could also appreciate the masterpiece. Enjoy!

Two and a half.

Yesterday Charlie turned two and a half.

Two and a half years that he has filled with smiles and laughter, frustrations and sleep deprivation.




But I wouldn't have it any other way.

This boy has changed all our lives, his Daddy loves him to pieces, and I love to see both their faces glow as they go off to play together after Charlie insists "Play cars with me, Daddy" for about the hundrenth time that day.

I see the impact he has had on his two big brothers. Charlie brings out the caring, tender side hidden in the heart of my teenage boys. He's taught them it's ok to show tenderness, he's taught them patience and responsibility and he shows them every day how much he adores them both.

Even if he does call them "stinky willy" on occasion.

I have no idea where he picked up that particular expression from. I think he just made it up himself.

Sometime he's too smart for his own good, is that boy! We're constantly amazed by his language skills. To date he can count in 5 languages already.

Truly.

1. English
2. German
3. Chinese
4. French
5. Japanese

Not just rote learning and repeating the sequence, oh no, actual counting and adding. Even to the point where we can start counting in one language, stop part way and ask him to finish in another language. And he does.

I'm getting slightly concerned that by the time he's five he'll be smarter than me.

He's come so far in two and half years. From the helpless little baby, born with an asymetrical cranium who couldn't feed because is jaw was out of alignment, with a torticollus (crooked neck) and various other problems, to a baby who slept no more than 40 minutes at a time day or night but who learnt sign language at 7 mths old, to a rumbunctious toddler running around at hundred miles an hour who could talk at 12 mths and read at 16mths, to the little boy he is now who greets me each morning with "Good morning, darling, how are you today?" as I lift him from his bed.



I'm so thankful that he's in my life, and that I get to be his mama.

A big heart as well......

Not only does my boy Kaiden have big muscles, he also has a big and loving heart. Especially when it comes to his littlest brother.

He is so fantastic with Charlie, it makes my heart just swell with pride to see them together. The love and trust between them is awesome to behold.





















It's enough to make me weep tears of happiness.

Perfect days.

School Daze

Yep, we're in a daze.

Well, I am anyway. The kids are back at school after 2 months off. Back to having to be organised and on top of things again. Way too much pressure if you ask me.

Too much pressure for me, that is. Not for the boys.

I want to go back to the lazy days of summer where breakfast was whenever we felt hungry and there was nothing more pressing to do than figure out if we wanted to swim in the pool that morning or that afternoon.

Or both.

But as change is the only constant in our world it was inevitable that wonderful summer holidays would be well and truly over, and the new school year would begin.

And by the end of the first school day the boys brought home a bazillion notes for me to read and sign, and organise, complete with dates to write on the calender.

Again, way too much pressure. I want summer holidays back.

This year (finally) they are both at the same school again, as Corey has started Yr 8 and moved up to High School.


Corey : 13 and growing up too fast.


Kaiden has started Yr 11, which is his second last year of High School.


Kaiden : Now at Senior School and Mr Cool.

Of course I had to take the obligatory first day photos, especially on the occasion of Yr 8 and Yr 11 starting.

And as per usual, Charlie had to get in on the action.



He even insisted on wearing his little back back and stated he was going to high school too. He was bitterly disappointed when Kaiden and Corey jumped out the car and went into the school without him.

So we're back to having to get up and ready by a decent time, and having to pre make lunches again. Gone are the lovely days of lounging around in pajamas and playing xbox half the day.

Time to study. Time to work.

But time to have a little fun too, I suppose.

As they say "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

But I must say, life is certainly not dull around here. Not by a long shot!

Wakey, wakey sleepy-head

Recently Charlie has become a good sleeper.

I know.

Amazing right?

After 2 years of sleepless nights, with me learning to cope on 4 or 5 hours sleep a night, he finally sleeps. All night and for a nice chunk of time during the day too.

See ......




Sleeping to the point where he doesn't wish to wake up.



Noooo.... I want to sleeeep.



Go away Mama.



I was having lovely sweet baby dreams, I don't want to wake up.



See, I'm sleeping.



Oh, alright. I'll wake up. But I won't be happy.

That's just asking too much.



I'll just roll around in my cot, being grumpy.



But being grumpy isn't as fun as I thought.

Maybe we can play peek-a-boo instead?



That's more like it! Hehehe.



Come on, Mama, it's time to get up now.

One can't just laze around all day.



Hurry up, get me out of here.

I've got things to do, places to be, people to charm.

We Spend Most of Our Day Doing This ........

...... just hanging by the pool.






Don't be too jealous.

Hehehe.......