My Vow

I solemnly vow not to cut my hair, or Bowen and Riordan's, until 2011.

I don't know how I manage to do it every time. I just want a little trim for the boys, I see the haircut looking all gorgeous in my head, and I describe it as best I can for the hairdresser, and yet they always emerge from the salon looking as though they lost a fight with the whipper-snipper.

I promise not to cut their hair for the rest of the year, just to see what happens, and if I'm going to do it for the boys, I may as well join in too, and not get any length cut off my hair for six months.

*****

It took two rainy days, but last week I went for, and passed, my pre-learners course to get my motorbike licence. I have no aspirations of joining an outlaw motorbike gang, or burning across Australia on a Harley Davidson, but it occurred to me that with three boys, I might miss out on some things if they turn into dirtbike crazies like their father! Darren, the authority on such things, insisted that if I wanted a bike I had to get my licence, so that's my next step. Right now, I just look cool in my dirtbike gear, but soon I will be mobile!

Holidays!

I'm on holidays from Uni. It feels so bizarre to not have to study. Sure, there are plenty of times when I don't study when I should, but I get the guilts and eventually go back to it. For the next couple of weeks, I don't have to! Hehe!

My exam went OK. I was more excited about feeling like a student again, walking through the UTS area of Sydney. In reality, I probably just looked like a 30 year old mum, but in my head I was 19 again, and a totally cool Arts student. I hate predicting how I might have gone in a test, but all I will say is that I am glad it was a limited open book test. It also showed me that I have to change my revision processes a little!

******

I've gone all herbal around the house. 'Natural' is my new middle name. I've always been a big vinegar fan for cleaning, I have a spray bottle with my own little mixed all-purpose spray, and a straight vinegar bottle for windows and stuff. I've bought soapnuts to wash with (http://www.soapinanutshell.com.au/) and I'm pleased to report that they seem to work! They are apparently great for cloth nappies, and keep them nice and clean with having to strip them (a task that I avoid like the plague). I'm experimenting with my own fabric softener, but that's still a work in progress.

It all started with my hair. I found a forum, just by mistake, called the Long Hair Community. My goal is to still get my hair to my waist, so I read with interest, trying to find any tips to get that length happening. It's all about the moisture, so my bathroom cabinet is now filled with jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, unrefined shea butter and cocoa butter. It makes it's way into my hair, and my skin is loving all the attention. I do a dry body brush before a shower (huddled in my bathroom, covered in goosebumps, freezing to death) and then smother myself in beautiful, natural moisturisers when I get out. I don't think my skin would be as dry if I didn't have to take such hot showers to keep myself warm, but hopefully the house will be heated satisfactorily soon. Slowly, all the chemicals are going to be out of my house...

Gosh, this was a me, me, me post! I didn't even mention what I did last week, something very out of character...

Funnnies

Had some funny moments today.



From Bowen:



"Riordan, Mum's got her boobies out! Come and look!"
I was just getting dressed! I don't often roam about the house topless. I don't know what the big excitement was, they see them all the time. They used to drink from them!



Austin's also found his doodle! He was in the bath this afternoon (yes, this afternoon, he'd had about fourteen changes of clothes today, and it was cold, so I thought I may as well just put his jammies on him) and there it was. He was having a bit of a fiddle, then it was forgotten. As I was dressing him after, he was sitting on the change table, and I could see the light in his brain switch on as he remembered it, and he went for it again. He found his foot instead, realised it was the wrong thing to play with and kept searching, only to be rewarded with a little fondle.



Ahh, doodles, so many of them in this house!



I also got a peak at Riordan's photo's from the agency today:

I've kept this a bit hush hush, but we've signed Riordan up with an agency (very reputable, nothing starting with a 'B') and now I'm just waiting for him to pay off our mortgage in the next year or so. He's had one casting already, and he wasn't the most compliant child, but he looked gorgeous, in my humble opinion anyway!

Study awaits me! I feel a bit cold-ish. If I go into this exam with a brain fog I'll be mightily annoyed!

Catch up

I've really been letting the blogging team down. Not only have I not been writing, I haven't been reading either.

Shame on me.

Uni work seems to take up most of my time, the session is nearing a close and I have one exam on Friday, which I should be studying for now, and the marks to get back on the assignment from last week. I've been getting good marks. I am super proud of myself, and then I think that these are courses meant for 18 year olds, and my head swiftly shrinks back down to size.

I've booked in to get my learner motorbike licence. I had visions of Darren and the boys taking off for weekends riding, and while that does sound nice, the whole house to myself in a testosterone free zone, I think I would like to go along sometimes. Be the cool 'riding mum'. It's been ages since I've been on a motorbike, the RTA says that as long as you can ride a pushbike you can do this course, so I'm hoping it comes back quickly enough.

The boys are going great guns. Austin is crawling properly, finally, after 4 months of his strange froggy-swimming style. He's got two teeth, and his top ones are cutting right now. He's an absolutely gorgeous little soul, and I am blessed to have him.

Riordan is a very headstrong little boy. He's the boss, he's always right and doesn't he let you know it! But, he's also gorgeous and loving and his spontaneous kisses just melt my heart.

Bowen is growing up at the speed of light. He's an expert at asking inappropriate questions, especially after listening to the news on the radio ('Why did the man die, Mummy?'). He's still my emotional boy, I don't think that will change.

There's my quick catch up for today. Thank goodness for open book exams, although I still have to write the notes to take into the exam! That'll be me for the day.

Sam xx

One of my favourite things

Do you have a piece of clothing that you know you just shouldn't wear, but still do? He he, I'm wearing mine right now!

For all intents and purposes, they are perfectly presentable tracksuit pants. A dark marle grey with a pink accent. I wouldn't wear them on a special night out, but for preschool drop offs, and studying, they are ideal.

If I were 3 inches shorter.

You see, they are freakishly short. Soft, warm, comfortable, but ankle freezers. They sit just a little too high above my sneakers (and soon to be ugg boots, gotta be comfy when doing assignments!). Even my mum, for whom fashion is a foreign work, has told me to throw them out, and she bought them for me.

I just can't part with them. It would be wasteful, for one, plus they match a hoodie that have perfectly. They keep me warm, and happy.

Ooh, I've just thought of a new incarnation for them... pajama pants! That's it! With some nice fluffy, knitted bedsocks, my ankles won't get cold at all.

It's all about recycling...

Our own time-zone

We had a visit from our front neighbours this morning, Melissa and her almost-four-years old son, Robson. After they had left Bowen said to me, "Mum, why was Robson dressed already?"

OK, it was 8.30 on a school morning!

I truly don't know how I am going to cope with getting Bowen to Big School on time next year. 10am starts I can handle, 9am... we'll see!

My Boring Life

I heard on the radio this morning that SBS is looking for a family to follow around for 3 months, a kind of "Sylvania Waters"-type reality show.

My first thought was, "We could do that!"

My next thought was, "Oh, God, I'd have to keep the house tidy all the time if there were cameras around."

My next thought was, "Wait! Our life is soooo boring even my mum wouldn't tune in to watch!"

I lead a blessedly boring life. A typical day would see me waking too late, tearing around trying to feed and dress three children, hang washing out, do dishes and try and turn myself into something presentable enough to go out in public, then making various child-related car trips, or walks, and then sitting in front of the computer doing uni work (or blebbing around on Facebook, more likely). The afternoons are filled with more little-boy chaos, and then a night sitting, exhausted, watching a tiny bit of TV before going to bed and waiting for it all to start again. A point of interest might be my continuing night calls for Austin (he just doesn't seem to think that he can go a whole night without some delicious breastmilk), with me stumbling up the stairs at 5am for a feed.

There are no dramas. The only tears come from over-tired children. There is no intrigue. The only mystery of our lives is where do all Bowen and Riordan's shoes go? We buy them heaps and they are never to be found.

I am grateful that we are so mundane. I read about too many sick children, or families with tragic stories, and say thanks everyday that we are not part of their number.

When they need a TV show made about an everyday family, doing very everyday things, we're available!