Hurricane Lachlan

Isla "Mum, what's a hurricane?"
Me "It's a big storm, with lots of rain and wind and it's very noisy and leaves a big mess behind."
Pause for a few seconds and in a perfectly seriously tone "Mum, I think Lachy is a hurricane."
Yes, Isla, yes he is.

Baby turns 4

I can hardly believe our little girl has turned four, one short, short year and she will be at school which just seems so grown up. This hit home when she said to me (on the day she turned four) "I'm going to be five soon aren't I mummy?".

Sums it up nicely!

This year we had some of her little friends over from kindy, as well as a couple of other friends after Friday mornings kindy session. Ten kids in all, they had an absolute ball. We didn't go to much fuss, and with some help from both grannies it was very easy on me!

A winning combination of sugar, dress ups, presents, the sun coming out so they could play outside made for a great afternoon. A lovely bunch of kind, well-mannered kids and their mums - so nice to get to spend some time chatting to the other mums outside of the kindy gate.

Mia stayed for pizza for dinner (their choice surprise, surprise) so there wasn't a quiet moment for the rest of the day.

"We stole these when you weren't looking!"

When we put her to bed most nights we try to ask her about her day, what she liked about it etc. after her kindy party, when I asked she said "the whole day". It was pretty exhausting in the end, but that was reward enough.

On her actual birthday (and Maxi dogs - 5!) we had immediate family over for a delicious lunch - leg of ham was a real treat. Again with plenty of help from the mums made it really easy on me. Isla was thoroughly spoiled once again.

Poor Max - not too much fuss about his birthday.

We had her birthday cake and the little miss climbed under the table when we sung happy birthday - shy moment.

Hiding from all the attention.

A new obsession seems to have been born - Sylvanian families or "Sylvanies" as Isla calls them. Had to laugh as I overheard her playing with them with Francis, "My Sylvanies don't have a daddy."  I was about to suggest she might ask Santa for a daddy Sylvanian when she pipes up "Daddies are annoying". Haha, poor Francis. 

Lachy seemed to like the Sylvanians too - well, the box at least. Love that cheeky wee face.

With Aunty Dee in the play house.

This time when I put her to bed I said, "So, did you enjoy your birthday Isla?", "It was brilliant mum. Brilliant means really cool." Already telling me what's what.

All in all we are very lucky with our kind, sweet little girl, who loves birds, animals and insects equally (maybe insects just a little more), has a cheeky, clever sense of humor and warms our hearts every single day - we love you our big girl.

Lachy lately...

The little guy seems to be learning and growing up at an alarming rate.

He:

can now also say - Bet Bet (great nana), Dee (Aunty), Yes, no, bath, wee wee (toilet humor already), basically new things daily!

Is still a fruitarian, devouring all fruit in sight ahead of all other foods.

Gave us a big scare on his dads birthday, falling of a chair and very briefly losing consciousness. After a quick trip in the ambulance and a few hours under observation in Waitakere Hospital we were sent home to monitor his mild concussion. He wasn't himself for a few days. Very scary experience, which has not dampened his enthusiasm for climbing and daredevil behavior in any way, shape or form. As I type this, he's just climbed on the dining room table to get hold of Isla's birthday Sylvanian Family house.

Loves giving kisses, making the lip smacking sound and kissing arms, legs, heads - the dog, whatever is nearby. He's so cuddly, if you can get him to sit still long enough. 

Has really started to get into books and loves his bedtime story. At any rate, it's the longest he will sit still for other than when he is sleeping.

Loves putting things in their rightful order, place etc. Daddy's personality traits starting to emerge!

Tools. Cars. Bikes.

On the other hand, he also loves copying his big sister. Bags, necklaces, dress ups!

Turning it around

I woke this morning after the worst nights sleep ever, which at the moment doesn't make for a happy me!  So after a grumpy start to the day I am trying to turn it around. Some things I'm grateful for...
A husband whose job allows him to be home today
A husband who has taken the boy outside to make noise so I can nap
A little girl who is so brave and clever and has bought her first reading book home from kindy and she isn't even four
That the way I feel right now is temporary, and we are otherwise an extremely healthy and lucky family
Amazing friends and family
Good drugs!

Now for that nap...

Missing out

Gah, I miss those kids so much! It's been 7 days and I'm staying at mums to be, well, mothered. I'm definitely on the mend but it's slow going. I don't remember it taking so long to feel better last time, I suspect being eleven years older has a tiny bit to do with it.

Anyway, it's so hard not being able to do anything with the children, so frustrating. My heart feels likes it being wrung out whoever I talk to them or see how much they miss having their mum around. I "spoke" to Lachy on the phone and he grabbed the phone and was hugging and kissing it. Cue tears!

Isla has been so good, but very quiet and will just utter how much she misses me on her way to kindy. It's the little things like that I miss so much.mkindy drop off, seeing her face when I pick her up.

It's been so weird going from being totally absorbed in the life of being a mum,  where you are so immersed in the minutae of their lives, to not really knowing anything much. What did they have for breakfast, how long did Lachy sleep for, what did Isla want to wear to kindy today?

They are being so well taken care of and want for nothing, but i hate, hate, hate it when they come to visit and leave upset. I just want to fast forward a few weeks when well likely have some semblance of normality in the house.

In the meantime, it's a horrid, hailing rainy winter day so I think I will lie in bed, read magazines and watch Downton Abbey season 3 - hah, ok, so it's not all bad!

Insomnia

Well, in a way I'm relieved Lachlan was woken up at 5am, it means that his little head is fine and we don't have to worry about him sleeping too much with a concussion. Plus, with a bottle and some more pamol he's now soundly back asleep.

Dammit, I'm not. Wide awake, thinking about the hundred and one things I have to do before going to hospital on Sunday. Working myself up into an anxious mess about the surgery. Worrying about the strain on everyone else given I won't be able to do a lot or drive for several weeks. Even getting to and from kindy will be a pain in the butt.

Just want to fast forward four weeks or so and have it all over and done with and on the road to recovery. Early mornings are probably the worst time to be sitting worrying and contemplating these things!

On the other hand, the freezer is full of meals, the grandparents will be doing a huge amount and as much as I like to think the place will fall apart without me I'm sure it will be fine! Sitting here cuddled up next to me in the wakeful morning is my faithful companion Max, pretty sure at least he will miss me!

Birthday Bash

Any family birthdays tend to whip Isla up into a frenzied level of excitement. Francis's birthday today was no exception, shopping for a gift, making him some wrapping paper, staging a photo and making a card from it, blowing up balloons, drawing him a special drawing at kindy...whew, we were exhausted before it was even lunch time.

A great deal of time went into dinner prep for Peking duck pancakes and black pepper tofu salad. Isla was a great help, chopping up loads of spring onion with tears pouring down her face - what a trooper.

It wasn't the best day for me pain wise, so two strong painkillers kept me going. This probably explains why the chocolate brownie crumbled apart and I forgot to add sugar to the damson plum ice cream. Oh well, tart is good!

Then, just before we were about to eat, our mischievous, adventurous, monkey Lachy climbed up and fell off a dining room chair, whacking his head on the wooden floor. His eyes rolled back and he was out to it for a second. He went deathly pale and completely lethargic (no mean feat for one who won't sit still for half a second). So, so scary. So, long story short we were off in the ambulance to spend a few hours at Waitakere Hospital to monitor a minor concussion.

Thanks to both sets of grandparents dinner was still enjoyed by most, Isla got to visit her brother (who she was very worried about) so she could use her wand to cast a spell to make him better, and we finally got home to a cup of tea, birthday presents and a smashed up chocolate brownie.

What a day! Thankful that our precious boy is fine, and now going to bed exhausted. Off for surgery on Sunday and needing the rest it will enforce me to have!