Mum's Mother's Day Present

Look what I made for my Mum for Mother's Day!!! I am soooo proud of it! She is all into antique old style stuff... we posed for the photos and made them look old and worn. Mum will LOVE it!!

My latest hobby

Family trees!!

I have been working on my family tree this week and its sooo intersting and so much fun. My Nanna is helping me by chasing up her family trying to get as much information as possible to me, she has been sorting through old photos and I think she is pretty excited about it.

I have been having a ball chasing up dead rellies, ripping up old skeletons...

I am FASCINATED about my great great granny "Fan". She has a different name on her tomb stone as what she was christened, she had an illegitimate child - a real hussy! :) Her husband "fell down the stairs" and died on Christmas day. I half wonder if her husband bought her the wrong gift... or otherwise he was drunk as a skunk... coz really, who falls down stairs besides kids?? I don't think he was that old either... anyway... Going to see what I can dig up.

I need to work less on it though, because I keep dreaming about it. And I wake up utterly exhausted... and also exhausted from Daz's talking in his sleep. I reckon I should buy a cattle prod and give it to him when he starts talking. He won't do that more than twice I reckon.

Kids are going great. Elijah is getting so big. Caitlin is just a champ and an angel. I am soo proud of her. We went to friends place for lunch on ANZAC day and she was perfect. She didn't do a think wrong... and I was so proud of her. Friends little boy was a bit of a pain in the bum. He belted my girl across the chest. Nasty piece of work. I dont know why but I feel like flinging him onto Main North Road (major BUSY highway up this end) in peak hour traffic. The protective instinct is coming out in me.... I will just have to watch that boy closely. If he keeps it up, I will be not allowing Caitlin to play with him. He needs to learn to behave and not act violently.

Today we had a major breakthrough. After months and months and months of trying to get Caitlin to not wet her pants, and recognise when she needed to go to the toilet. After months of frustration and countless rolls of paper towels... TODAY she came to me from playing outside. "Mummy, Caitlin needs to go to the toilet" YAY!!
We had changed our approach a bit as well. She was starting to hide when she had done a wee and I thought that was sad, I was making myself unapproachable which I NEVER wanted to be. So we started being sympathetic when she had accidents, and didn't growl and didn't say anything negative. Just encouragement and "maybe next time?" sorts of things.
Well today Caitlin raced to the toilet. She didn't quite make it because her little seat had been taken off. She was very upset about it, but after a cuddle from me and "Never mind. We'll clean it up and get you some dry socks" she seemed to be okay.

Must remember for Elijah - be positive about accidents, even if you want to hit the roof because that is the 8th pair of pants and knickers you have washed that morning, be patient, be kind. It will happen... eventually.

Well I better go and wake Caitlin up from her nap otherwise she won't be sleeping tonight...

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine

Last night Elijah giggled!! We were playing on the couch and a gurgle bubbled out of his mouth. I laughed, and he laughed back at me. It's not a belly HAHAHA... more like a baby laugh. I reckon a baby laughing is the most beautiful sound in the whole world

RIP everything we own

This week we have had a few deaths in the family.
First of all, our lounge suite we bought when we got married and that has been sat on alot has passed on. At first the cushions we bought to go on it, faded, flattened and ended up rotting so that the stuffing spilled everywhere. Next the base collapsed and so when you sat down, you had to have help getting up again... your butt was about an inch off the ground and knees up around your ears. Now the whole lot is just flat, uncomfortable and it's time to get a new one.... when we have some spare cash.
Next thing that died was the kettle. That kettle has seen us through cups of tea, cups of soup, filling hot water bottles, cooking and baby bottles. Now we have a flash new one... it does the same job and it's one of those fancy cordless ones....
Next thing to cark it was all 5 of our fish. A few weeks back 2 of our gold fish died. One died because it was sick, the other one died because our sucking catfish ate it. Well... hickied it to death... sucked all it's scales off... One thing the pet shop DIDN'T tell me that would happen if I didn't drop pellets of food for it to eat. So we went to the pet store to buy more fish. I let Caitlin choose which fish she would like. She chose an expensive black moor and a white fish with orange and black spots.. I think it was the ugliest fish on the planet. Well with those fish came a fungal disease didn't it... which infected the whole tank. First of all teh black moor died... typical. It cost the most but carked it sooner. Then they all started popping off one by one, till the last one - the ugly spotted one passed on. Now all we have are some snails roaming around the tank looking for food. I will have to get some more fish next weekend... otherwise those snails are going to starve. Will have to empty the tank and really clean it well to get rid of that disease.
The next to thing to pass on was our DVD player, it decided to die right in the middle of watching Dr Quinn... blasphemy!! We need to replace that ASAP, I can only go so long watching day time TV while I am sitting on my butt feeding my boy.

Speaking of my boy, he had an appointment with a paediatrician today to see how he is going after his dramatic entry into this world. So far so good. The only thing that is "abnormal" is that Elijah opens his fingers but his thumb stays pressed on his palms. Apparently normal for bubbas that have had traumatic births.
The Paed also talked to me about further options for having more babies and my hope is growing daily. He thinks I might be able to go for another natural delivery, I would be closely monitored but still... we just have to see what the professor says.

Caitlin has been an independent miss, "Caitlin do it" has been the catch phrase of the day. Caitlin button her shirt up, Caitlin pull her pants up, and if I try to help her, she rips the item of clothing off and has to start again!! It took her half an hour to get her pants on this afternoon. She screamed and cried because she was struggling with buttons, but refused to let me get anywhere near her to help her. I think she is at the moment overtired. Not napping, and having full days... But also choosing this moment to be independent. It's good in a way... it shows she is growing up and becoming her own person and it's frustrating in a way because it takes her so long that we are never going to get anywhere on time.

Easter came and went and we had a great long weekend. Good Friday we spent cleaning the house because my family were all coming over for dinner. I made a huge roast pork and an Easter Cheesecake... which was Tim tams in cream cheese with Mars Bar easter eggs pushed into the filling and a hard chocolate top. Remind me not to do the hard chocolate top, I couldn't cut through it!!
Easter Monday we went to see my Aunty on the Yorke Peninsula, she is a legend. She is more my friend than relation. I love going up there to hang out. It was freezing and it rained the whole time but we still had fun. My Uncle breeds dogs, and he showed us what he has been doing. I have fallen in love with a Labrador crossed with a spaniel (I think) It's the most divine looking dog and Ir eally think a puppy would be good for Caitlin. She needs someone to play with and to run around with. Someone to love and that will love her. She needs someone to burn her energy with. Especially now as my time is so taken up with looking after a certain demanding baby. (He doesn't mean to be demanding, he is just dependent on me) Daz isn't that thrilled about a dog. He never grew up with a dog so I can hardly expect him to understand what it's like to have one. He just doesn't get it.
I had dogs and us kids loved them. We taught our dog Bobby how to play chasee and how to play hide and seek and how to play in the sprinkler. He was so much fun. We had to leave him behind when we moved interstate and that devestated me. I don't think I had a dog since then.

Well I better get off too bed. It's late and I am exhausted. I didn't sleep too well last night... Elijah slept brilliantly, he only woke once at 5am to have a feed... but I struggled to drop off... I don't think I will have any problems tonight.

Cringe moments

Elijah has had a cold the last 2 days, and you would think we were killing him the way he carries on. Poor blossom couldn't breathe and so I tried my hand at "snot extraction" It was the most vulgar thing I have ever done. The nasal drops I have for him has a big bulb thing that sucks the snot out of their nose.... that's not so bad... except I had to clean it afterwards. I had forgotten that newborn snot is like gum... stringy, stretchy and sticks to everything.

He seems to be over it now, and if he isn't smiling and happy, he is grumping. 4pm - 9pm is a nightmare time for us. Elijah cries and cries and cries. Wish he had a volume control.

Caitlin is going really well. Such a clever girl and so funny. Some of the things she comes out with makes me burst out laughing. I guess I will keep her after all and not sell her on ebay... if Elijah keeps up his crying he might have to be listed instead. LOL
Her toilet training is doing welll. She has the odd accident, which is frustrating because she has to go 30 days without wetting her pants to get her Princess Scrapbooking Kit. Today she had a HUGE accident. She was busting but for some reason wouldn't climb on the toilet, she ran out for me to lift her on the toilet but I was feeding Elijah, so I came into the toilet later to find the most massive yellow puddle on the floor and Caitlin in tears. Poor blossom. To prevent that happening again, I have put back the potty so if she can't get on by herself she can wee in the pot. I would rather it in there than on the floor or in her pants.
I am really proud of her. She is a really good little girl. I feel sorry for her too, because I feel like I am neglecting her. I try to spend chunks of time with her, and try to keep Elijah happy and my house clean all at the same time. It will get easier, when Elijah isn't so dependant and needy.

Easter is coming up. We are going to have my parents and brothers and SIL and nieces over for dinner good friday. Hoping it's going to be nice weather because I would love to have it outside. On Easter Monday we are heading to the Yorke Peninsula to hang out with my Aunty and her crew. Hope the weather is nice, we might be able to go fishing or go down the beach or something. Caitlin would love that. I could handle the slow relaxing activities too!

Melting Mummy moment

This is one moment I want to capture for all of time. The most heart wrenching moment in the history of being a mother to Elijah (All of 8 weeks)

This morning Daz fed Elijah his 6am feed as usual so I can sleep. He then put him down for a sleep in the nursery. When I reared my sleepy head, Elijah was sound asleep and had been for an hour. I plodded around the house, doing some cleaning, eating breakfast etc.
I heard Elijah stirring about 2 hours later and I went in to get him up.
He looked at me, his lip began to quiver and then he had the saddest pout on those lips of his. My heart nearly tore in two, he looked soooo sad! And he started to cry, the saddest cry I have ever heard him wail. I picked him up and he snuggled into my neck, crying. I wanted to cry with him, he was so sad.
When he stopped crying, he was still cuddling and snuggling. I think the boy missed me!! You would think I hadn't seen him for 3 months, not 6 hours!!

I cherished that moment of snuggles and cuddles. I want to remember that moment untill the day I die. I want to remember the feeling of my heart being pulled and my heart soaring with joy all at the same time. I want to remember the feeling of his face in my neck, and the sound of his cries of relief that Mummy was there.
And when he is all grown up, and married to some lovely girl. He may love her the most, and that's good, and that is the way it should be. But he loved me first and that will always be special.

Nothing to say.

Not much to say today.
Nothing exciting has really happened.
It's got cold all of a sudden which is depressing. I hate and I mean HATE winter. You can't go anywhere without putting on 6 layers of clothing on. You can't swim at the beach, you can't sunbake... shouldn't do that anyway because of skin cancer, you can't picnic, unless you want a damp bum and frozen cheeks and ears.
The only bright spark is that in July Caitlin will be turning 3! My my such a big girl! I think I have seen photos of MY third birthday. Wow! Better start thinking of what we are going to do to celebrate it. Half tempted to have a HUGE rellie bash with both sides, with those patio heaters, and everyone can freeze their butts off outside! But then my younger cousins don't know how to respect my home or my kids belongings, so scrap that idea.
Guess it depends on how this winter pans out.

Anyway I just did a work out, and I am dripping with sweat, so I am hittin the shower, before Sir Scream-alot wakes up and shatters some windows with his wailing.

Cleanliness is next to godliness

....In that case my cats are down right heathens!

For the last I don't know how many years, I have had to put up withdust dirt, grime and their forever shedding of fur! On saturday Daz cleverly moggy proofed the cat run, and so the cats are stuck in there. So I evicted them from my laundry and they are now living in the cat run. Since we have lived in this house, those cats have slept, ate, threw up and crapped in my laundry. Not any more.

Today I scrubbed and vacuumed so much fur, I swear, the loose fur could have been made into a nice fur coat!! I now have a spotless laundry and I am soooo pleased.

I have the laundry door open, because I don't have to smell the kitty litter. I don't have to have cat hair blowing into the house, and I don't have the smell of Whiskas wafting into the house. I can now smell laundry smells. Fabric softner, washing powder and the warm smell of clothes in the drier.
I would get so annoyed when they lived in there. I would clean it till it was spotless, but the very next day, it would look like I hadn't touched it! How depressing!!

CYS came today to weigh my Boofer boy... he has gained a kilo since he was last weighed. Guess that growth spurt was working! He is busting out of his 000 grow suits, which is sad. My little bubba is becoming a big bubba.

Well I better go let Caitlin out of her room. She was sent there in disgrace for screaming at me when I told her to do something.... so simple as putting her pants back on... my daughter the nudist!!! She is calling for me, so I guess she is ready to apologise and ready to make muffins... if her pants are on!