I'm a Woman

Well, I'm a Woman. The painters are in, Aunt Flo has come to visit, it's Lady Week.

Just days short of Austin's 18 month anniversary of breasfeeding, my fertility has returned. In actual fact, I haven't had a period since the day before Bowen's 1st birthday, over 4 years ago. Before that, it was March 2005.

I think I've had a great run. I've been toying with the idea of contraception, not sure which way to go (the Pill, maybe a Mirena) but I wanted to get my period back, just to see when it would happen. To be honest, it's a bit sooner than I would have wanted!

Finding the time

I am finding it difficult to make enough time to do the vacuuming, let alone type a blog post, and I am most disgusted at how neglectful I've been.

Here is a quick recap to get the ball rolling again.

Bowen

My gorgeous boy only has 3 more days of preschool left, before he is let loose to conquer Clairgate Public School. He is soooo excited, but I don't think the fact that he has to be there for 5 days a week has sunk in yet.

In a strange twist of fate, the only child of mine not in a modelling agency had a photoshoot for My Child magazine.

He looked an angel, and I couldn't be prouder. Check out your Summer issue of My Child to see his pic (don't buy it, it's like $8.95, who pays that for a magazine? OK, I may have bought one, but my baby is in it!).

Riordan

My boy still looks like an angel, but, boy, does he act like a devil sometimes! He is mostly a loving, gorgeous little soul, my honey bunny, but poor Austin is still on the receiving end of way too many unwanted 'horsey rides'.

Austin

Where do I start with this beautiful creature I have made? He's my booby boy still, at 17 months. The week apart did nothing more than strengthen his resolve to hang onto his beloved 'boo'. The mere mention of boobies has him clamouring for my top, trying to gain access. Oh my God, I am feeding that mythical baby 'that asks for it'! Shouldn't I have stopped, way before this?

And finally, he sleeps! 13-14 hours straight! It's as though he is paying me back for all the sleepless nights I have been through for the last two years over him, both while pregnant and as a newborn.

There were four in the bed...

Darren is away, for a whole week, and as a special treat, the big boys are sleeping with me.

Riordan is snoring away beside me, and Bowen is mouth-breathing his night away on Daddy's side of the bed.

Ruby (on a security mission, as per Dazza's request, like she'd even bark if a stranger came into the yard, she'd rather stay under the covers, thank you very much) is curled up at Bowen's feet.

THIS is the reason we got a king-size bed, and I love it!

13 months and counting...

Austin John is 13 months old today, and still breastfeeding like a fiend. I had wondered how I would feel about feeding an 'older' baby, as Bowen and Riordan were weaned by now, and I was pregnant with the next one already! He adores feeding, although we have to pretty much stick to feeding in his bedroom or there are just too many interesting things to look at and distract him in the wide open world. I love our quiet times, just sitting and listening to the radio, his constant companion during sleep, and feeling him slowly relax in my arms ready to drift off.

Sleep for my 13 month old is still as crappy as ever. Austin wakes once a night, and only a boob will satisfy him. We did have two nights in a row of sleeping through and, of course, I thought he was cured, only to have the 3am snack request made the following night. I'm sort of hoping that his week with Big Nan, sans nipple, will see him kick the habit.

Austin is not walking, nor has any desire to. My big boys both had started by about now, but Austi is lagging behind. I'm happy for my baby to remain a baby for as long as he wants though! I'm not ready for him to be a toddler yet! He stands, and reaches to grab anything his pudgy little hands will let him, so he causes enough menace without the need to be a biped.

He still has the same laid-back personality that he's had most of his life. Not much annoys him, apart from Riordan. We can't wait for the day that he fights back when Riordan goes on the attack! Riordan is fiercely jealous of Austin most of the time, and while he loves him, he is finding it hard to establish his place in the family. Even Bowen is not coping exceptionally well with Austin growing up and becoming more of a 'person'. I have to sit and explain that he is only a baby, and doesn't necessarily mean it when tears one of Bowen's precious catalogues.

Austin is also forward facing in the car now! We made the switch last Saturday. He doesn't seem particularly fazed, he's happy either way, but it's nice to see his smiling face when I look in the rear-view mirror.

Austin's Birthday - A visual entry

My baby is one! Here are a few pics I took throughout his day.

Waking up, he's not happy about this, but even on your birthday you have to get out of bed!



Breakfast time, crumpets are on the menu.

His birthday truck!

It's Austin-sized!

A toddler now, no longer my baby!

I wish my gorgeous boy all the happiness in the world!

xx Mummy.

Quotes of the day

"Mum, your bum feels like jelly!"

Umm, thanks Bowen.

"Mum, do cracks go to heaven?"

Huh? Another tricky one from Bowie-bear.

*******

P.S. Congrats to Romana and her new gorgeous boy, Micah James!

Out Damn Snot!

As I type this, I sit waiting impatiently for any news on my dear friend Romana's birth. The last message I got from her was that she was heading into hospital, so I am hoping that she is holding her new bundle already, or at least in the full throes of labour! I am beside myself with excitement, I can't wait to hear all the details.

I can't help but remember, as I listen for the text message, that 12 months ago it was me keeping people in suspense. My little Austin is almost 12 months. His first year has just passed by at warp speed.

The poor little soldier is also sick again. He is constantly getting upper respiratory tract infection. He has a sky-high temperature right now, and it's a measure of how sick he is that he let me feed him in front of the TV just before his last nap, and not sequestered in the darkness of his room, away from all distraction. I may have to do a bed shuffle tonight so I can sleep next to my precious boy and keep my eye on him.

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!

TEETH!!!!!!

Ooh, my much neglected blog. How I have missed you! Uni work has been taking up soooooo much of my time (why set two essays due a week apart?), but happily, I got 16.5/20 for my first assignment. I was very chuffed about that, especially since I graduated 10 years ago this year, and it's a new discipline. Exams, on the other hand, are going to be a totally new experience. I managed to avoid them entirely for the three years of my degree, but now I have no choice.

Austin is cutting some teeth! Yippee! I thought I would have to have him fitted for some infant dentures soon. His two bottom ones are peeking through. I had my suspicions on Saturday when he managed to make his little gum bleed while he was having a drink, that would only happen if there was something hard trying to break it's way through. Sure enough, I was doing my daily dental check on him and there were those little lines on his gums.

He is cutting them like a dream, I can't attribute any typical 'teething' behaviour to them. Of course, the hacking cough that is part and parcel of his bronchitis pretty much negates everything else. Poor little soul, Bowen shared his chest infection with him, and he's not coping well with it. The carpet in his bedroom wore the contents of his tummy the other night, his evening feed, spag bol and beetroot (that won't stain the carpet, nooo) went everywhere. Mixed in with it all was so much phlegm that can't go anywhere but sit in his tummy. I feel so bad for him, but I can't do much to help him. He's been sleeping through a bit lately (the other night he went to sleep after a rough start at 8pm, and slept through until 8 the next morning!) now the weather is getting cooler.

School holidays are coming to a close, and we are going to attempt a McDonald's play session again today (I haven't ventured back alone since my last disaster). The boys are fighting like cats and dogs, with Riordan just in a terrible mood all the time. Everything is wrong, he always wants his own way and he can't always have it that way!

What's cooking?

This is fast becoming my baking blog!

No more breast milk baking (although I did make some pikelets with some boob juice I had left over), this time it's all about leftovers.

I made a chocolate cake yesterday, a low-fat recipe that is cooked in the microwave (a trend that should never have gone away, I might have to search for a few more microwave cakes). It uses two egg whites, which leaves the question, what do you do with the yolks? Custard, of course!

I couldn't find a recipe for custard from scratch, but I knew roughly what to do, having made it a long, long time ago for a very unappreciative Riordan. I whisked up the yolks with some sugar and vanilla, added milk and heated it all up. So far, so good. I thought it needed a bit more substance, even though it was thickening up nicely. In went some couscous for a lovely, creamy, vanilla-y pudding! Austin thought it was quite delectable, and there is some scrummy left overs for tonight.

The big people had some honey mustard chicken with rice for dinner, and I purposely cooked too much rice so I could make something, anything, for Austin with it. It needed to be firm enough for him to pick up and feed himself (we're still doing baby-led solids for the most part), so I thought some rice balls, loosely based on arancini . Once again, my recipe books failed me, so I had to wing it. In went some grated carrot, an egg, some ricotta, a little plain flour, a tiny bit of onion and some kidney beans (Austi's newest craze). I rolled them in bread crumbs, sprayed with a little olive oil and baked them until they were firm. I then made him a simple tomato sauce with just a tin of tomatoes, some onion, more kidney beans and a touch of sugar to take away the acidity, and then blitzed it all up and cooked it until it was nice and thick. Austin thought it was divine, and hoovered up three balls the size of his fist. Not the tidiest meal, there was tomato everywhere, but he loved it and it is expanding his palate.

Next on the cooking list is going to be some polenta.

Baby Masterchef, now that's an idea for a TV show!

Boobie Cake

I've gone and done a couple of things that I never thought I would.

First, I made a cake with breastmilk! I was talking about doing with my friend, Romana, not quite seriously, then I had a bit of a Google and found actual recipes with breastmilk as an ingredient in baking! I ended up just doing a recipe from the NMAA cookbook for a simple orange cake, and substituted the regular milk with boob juice. I haven't made the cake before, so I don't know what it's like with cow's milk, but it's OK with breastmilk.

I really thought it would be some magic ingredient that would turn an ordinary recipe into something truly special, but it's more like using skim milk. It doesn't taste any different, as far as I can tell, but maybe it will have special powers or something and never go off?

I feel really subversive doing it. The boys think that any cake is great, especially one with icing, but Darren doesn't really like cake so he's not going to give it a second glance. Oh well, more goodness for me!

My next milky recipe will be some savoury pikelets for Austin, he always appreciates my cooking.

****

I did something last night I thought I never would. I became a 'joiner'. I am now on the Parent Committee at Bowen's preschool. I just felt so sorry for them, the meeting had already been cancelled once due to lack of interest, and it's not that much work. It's only a tiny preschool, but it's one that I plan on sending all the boys to, and I'll get to meet some other mums and get involved a bit more.

As it's Darren's nightshift week, I had to take the three boys with me last night. I thought there would be other kids, but they were the only ones! They had a great time playing with Miss Bev for two hours, although I felt very guilty for making her come just for us.

Samantha Pearce: Full-time mother, part-time student, casual worker. Exhausted.

All about Austin

My gorgeous baby boy just keeps on getting cuter. He has these big blue eyes that I just want to dive into, and a happy, open face that conveys all his emotions. He just makes my boobies leak!

Austin is going really well at the moment. He is doing his own version of crawling, there's not much leg involvement, he kind of pulls himself along with his arms. Occasionally he'll get up on his knees, but he gets where he wants to go, fast, usually his froggy-style, and he's not changing in a hurry! He's also started trying to pull himself up on the stairs. He'll put his arms on the bottom step, straighten his legs and then... not much. He'll hover there while he tries to work out what to do next, and usually just tumbles over. He loves to sit and play with his toys, and can from sitting to crawling, although I am yet to witness that. I turn around and his shuffling away!

He's a fruit maniac. I've persisted with the Baby Led Solids, for all the mess that it entails. His favourite foods are fruit, but I can spread anything on a cruskit and he'll munch the whole thing down. He has a great pincher grip, I cut up grapes into quarters and you can hardly see his hands moving as he shoves them all into his face! Austin is still a boob maniac, having about 5 feeds a day. He's very easily distracted, which means I can't watch TV, or read while I am feeding him. He demands total attention, typical male.

Sleep is improving. He's got a cold at the moment, with copious amounts of snot, so he's upped his feeds a little, but on the whole he's only getting up once a night, around 4am. It's a big change, although I am very sick of going up the stairs in the middle of the night! Going into his own room as made the world of difference, it's noisy and I play music, and the background noise helps immensely.

With a baby this cute, how can not think about having another?

Hysterical Pregnancy!

Riordan and I were having a muck around this morning, and I thought he looked exceptionally delightful, and the light was just lovely, so I grabbed the camera. He acquiesced, surprisingly, and I got some gorgeous shots of him.

This is classic Riordy-grumpy face. The furrowed brow, ready to launch into protest.

Peek-a-boo! I love this one, it really captures the motion.

This is my heart-breaker. Check out that dimple. I could just eat him up!

*****

As the title suggests, I'm having a phantom pregnancy. Every symptom that usually indicates that I am with child is present.

Hyper-salivation? Check.

Constant nausea? Check.

Headaches? Check.

Extreme tiredness? Check.

Sleeplessness, despite the above? Check.

Irritability? Well, that never changes!

I'm not pregnant. I don't want to be right now, and it's not physically possible. Austin feeds around the clock and my body doesn't work like that. It likes to just take care of one baby at a time. I've peeed on a stick, reluctantly. I really didn't appreciate having to buy a test at the supermarket, being so used to my internet cheapies! I had to just reassure myself. There was DEFINITELY only one line there.

The nausea has been around since last Thursday. I had a hit of gastro at the same time, and also started a new medication. If it doesn't go away by this Thursday I will go back to the GP, but in the meantime I'll suffer through all these annoying symptoms with no bundle of joy at the end! I'll have to smother them in chocolate instead.

More Wedding piccies

Here is my gorgeous big boy, resplendent in his tie-printed t-shirt that Auntie Carrie insisted he have!

I had some leakage issues. Actually, it wasn't so much leakage as overspray. My forceful letdown still freaks Austin out sometimes, and he likes to get a breather. I mostly wear what he doesn't drink!

Two of my boys. Darren looks like he has had a few too many already! He did a great job keeping Austin fed and watered, the floor looked like a tip from discarded food at the end of the night, but our baby boy was happy.

Seriously, what's the point of having such a gorgeous dress if you can't pull a good pose?

I'm going to raid my mum's camera today and see if she's got any good shots, I can't wait to see the official photographer's pictures!

Leaving home

The big news this week at the Pearce household is that Austin has moved out. That's right, the 'parents retreat' that he has inhabited since we moved in has been vacated, and he's now happily ensconced in the 4th bedroom.

Austin's sleep has never been particularly good, co-sleeping and constant feeding through the night was very draining for me, and I don't think gave him enough quality sleep. Our stay at Tresillian helped us immensely, but it still seemed like something was missing. Young Austin liked to wake every three hours or so for a feed (and that was an improvement!) and resettling was impossible without disturbing Darren, who has to get up every morning before 6am to climb in the engines of big machines.

It was with a heavy heart that I dismantled the cot last Sunday, I think I could do it in my sleep now, so many times I have moved it or reconfigured it, and trekked up stairs to set it up. Austin's new room is the smallest in the house, but as the smallest person it's a good fit! Since he has been up there, his night waking has gone down to only twice a night, generally a midnight feed and an late, early morning one (if you know what I mean!). I can handle that, I would prefer him to sleep through, of course!

I think that we will have to be at the stage of Baby Led Solids where he is actually eating food, rather than tasting and spitting out, before he will jump to that next stage of sleep. I have no regrets about trying this method of weaning out on him (my little experiment) but it means that the bulk of his calories still comes from breastmilk, and I truly believe that he needs that nourishment at least once a night.

My little koala bear (constantly on Mummy's hip) will have to do without me this weekend, it's the Corinthian Girl's Weekend! This year, probably the last for the company, and definitely the last for me, is at Ettalong Beach, and while the budget is less this year, it's even BYO, it still is a nice, relaxing break from the cooking and cleaning, with only myself to worry about for a change. I still have to express more milk for Austin, I've left it a bit late, but he should have enough to avoid using the dreaded formula. I have vowed that no artificial baby milk will pass my son's lips!

The Wedding

It was such a huge day, I can't believe I haven't written about it earlier!

My baby sister was married last Saturday, nine years after her and Joe got together. I met Darren, got married and had three kids while I was waiting to be a bridesmaid!

The day started early with hair

to be continued...

Looking good

So I'm all primped and painted, tanned and lovely. Caterina the spray tan girl came around last night and gave Carrie and I a lightly toasted look. It was my first ever spray tan, and I am very happy with it. If only I could come up with an excuse to get it done every week!

I went to bed looking like I had rolled around in the dirt with the boys, and, of course, Austin gave me a few wake up calls through the night. He ended up with his head smushed against my boob, lying in the crook of my arm, for quite some time as we both fell asleep. When we got up this morning, I first noticed that my arm had a big patch of tan missing. Then I looked at his arm...


Then I looked at his face...




Does he remind you of anyone?

I think he looks just like Homer Simpson with his muzzle! Who knows what the photos of him are going to look like tomorrow, lucky his gorgeousness will outshine any strange looking brown patches he might still have!

Power of Pork

Bowen rushed in while I was making lunches for preschool tomorrow, declaring with all the drama that a four year old can muster, that he was "bleeding!"

"What did you do, babe?" I enquired.

"I trod on a stick. I need some cold ham."

Umm, OK. That's not too strange a request considering I was making ham and cheese sandwiches. What was strange was where he put the requested ham...right on his sore foot!

"Would you prefer an ice pack on that Bowie?"

"No, this will do."

Ri-ight.

The ham went with him outside, back in to the kitchen, pressed against his bandaid. Up at the table he sat, the ham gently resting under his foot on the footrest of his Stokke chair.

"Are you going to eat that ham now Bowen?"

"Nope, I'm not finished with it yet!"

Ahh, the healing powers of pork products!

Note: For the record, he didn't eat the ham! He graciously left it on the chair for me to throw out. That's my boy.

Musical Beds

Now that my boys have their own little 'manland' upstairs, containing their bedrooms and very own bathroom (which I still have to clean, so somehow not everyone won with that little arrangement!), every night seems to involve some kind of musical beds.

Riordan changes his mind every sleep. Top bunk, bottom bunk, back to the top. I just ask him now as our pre-bedtime routine. Bowen sometimes enjoys a sleepover in Riordan's room, when he's not luxuriating in his queen size bed, replete with Crusty Demons doona cover. (He's such a man about sleeping in it too. When I sleep in a big bed by myself, I stay on the edge, neatly tucked beneath the blankets. I barely have to make it. When Darren, or either of the boys, sleep in a bed it's straight to the middle, covers pushed to the side or bunched up in the centre, with everything looking like a bomb has hit it in the morning). Just to complicate things further, when Bowen had his extended sleep over at Big Nan's the other week, Riordan slept in his bed!

I'm hoping one day that Austin and Riordan will want to share a room, and that we can turn the 4th bedroom into a study, or storeroom. It's smaller than the others, with no built-in, and I just know that who ever has to sleep in there will think they have the short end of the stick!

We get the house raised back up and stabilised tomorrow, which means that I can start planning the decorating of the boys rooms. I'm thinking really bright citrus colours. I'm not sure about the trim, we have stained timber, but I'm not sure if I want to keep it or not. I change my mind every day. I definitely want new doors (and have to sort that out before I resign from work, *wink wink*) and new carpart, and new built-ins. I'm quite excited about the project, perhaps not the painting itself, but the finished products!

The Aftermath

Preschool went really well. Riordan had a great day, chatted lots to the parents dropping kids off and to the teachers, played lots (apparently "you can tell he's got an older brother"!) and generally fit right in. I was expecting him to dissolve into a puddle of tears when I picked him up, as Bowen used to do no matter how good of a day he had had, but Riordy didn't want to leave! He was very content playing in the tub of rice and weird, grainy looking blue stuff. Which he promptly spilled on the floor in his eagerness to show us.

I had wanted to do some groceries before I picked up my boy, as doing most things with only two little men is usually much easier, especially when one is strapped to my chest. Bowen just really, really wanted to see his little brother, so we grabbed him first. Big mistake. The crying that would have been the result of saying no to Bowie would have been much easier to cope with. They ran riot. The combination of over-tiredness (Riord wouldn't have a sleep at school, the only low point of his day), excitement in seeing his brother and the amazing acoustics (to a two year old) of the shopping centre resulted in them running wild, in a way that they normally never do. I was pretty embarrassed, all the reverse psychology in the world didn't work, and all my efforts to contain them were hampered by Austin hanging, albeit serenely, off my chest! We eventually bought the two essential things that I came in for, and got the flock out of there.

Things didn't improve at home. Riordan was past the point of tiredness that lets you sits quietly; he was manic. The fights and dramas eventually culminated in him weeing, yes, weeing, on the doors that lead downstairs. I hit the roof, took him upstairs for a bath, and gave him one more chance to behave (because I am really a sucker for his long-lashed eyes). He quietly sat on the lounge, watching some drivel on the TV just to calm down. Things got very quiet, and I went for a peep to discover this...




He was absolutely exhausted, and it was only 5.45pm! That's what a big day of playing will do to you. I just left him, knowing that he would probably not surface again. He did stir, and came and sat on my lap for another sook. He flopped to the floor in a huff, got very quiet again and this is how he ended up.

Hmm, love that big stain on the carpet. It's dishwashing liquid, that Riordan helpfully poured all over it. You wouldn't think that something that cleans would stain, would you?

He went to bed for good after that, and didn't surface again until 8 this morning.

Now we get to do it all again next Wednesday!

Another one bites the dust

Riordan is spending his first day at Harold Wheen Preschool. I tried to take a photo to remember this day forever, and to embarrass him when he's older, but he was feeling, umm, 'mischievous'. Bowen, on the other hand, was happy to comply.

I finally managed to ambush Riordan and snap a pic, I'm afraid this is the best I could do!

Riordan was quite happy to go into school, he looked around and started playing a Thomas puzzle. We also saw a couple of kids he used to go to swimming lessons with, so there was a bit of familiarity for him.

Bowen and I went to leave, and that's when things went a little pear-shaped. I said good bye, and he said, "Coming". Ah, sorry babe, this is it for you today! He didn't want to he consoled, but I couldn't hear any screaming from behind the door, so I assume things went OK. I might ring and see how he settled...

So, he's fine. Forgotten all about his mum.

My sister is getting married in a fortnight, and her hen's night was on Saturday. It was pink themed, and while I love the colour pink (the more boys I give birth to the girlier I get) I really wanted to wear my blue dress. I have these hot shoes that I just got and I really wanted to show them off. I kept to the spirit of things and wore a pink top, my skinny jeans and my hot, hot shoes. ( I am trying to post a pic of my shoes but it won't work!!!!!) You'll have to imagine them, very high, very black, a few little studs. Mouth watering.

I rocked up to my fellow bridesmaid's house, Darren in tow (for the bucks night), only to find NO ONE in pink! Just me! Even Carrie was wearing black.

The night was fun, not hugely eventful. We went for dinner, then to Panthers and the whole night I just thought, "Gee, I'm glad I'm not single." I have no idea how I would meet someone today. Probably the same way I met Daz, through a friend of a friend, but there would be no way I would be trawling through nightclubs. I just felt soooo ooooold. Carrie had more than a few squashes while she was out, I was a good girl as I knew Austin was waiting at home for me to feed him at sometime, probably multiple times, through the night.

Darren got home at about 1.30, after catching a taxi from the city. He and the boys had been to a strip club, and quite enjoyed themselves, from all reports! The less I hear about it the better...

A Sense of Relief?

The strangest sensation has come over me today. I was contentedly folding nappies this morning, when I realised that the insatiable urge I once had to try and create a girl child has finally left me! I am totally satisfied with my little XY's, and if a fourth baby was to ever choose to join us, I would probably prefer a boy!

It has been niggling at me for some time now, feelings of jealousy when I see mixed sex families (that's a weird label Sam!), and irritation when people ask if I am 'going back for a girl'. But now, totally gone. I will happily live out my life indulging in my love of all things pink by buying lovely birthday presents for little girl friends, and lots of girly stuff for myself.

Scratching the itch

I'm such a sucker. I've been really slack at following all my favourite blogs, but I just went and had a sneaky peak Averil's and all it made me want to do is write in my own...

I've gone out and gotten myself a job, bizaarely enough. I have no intention of going back to my old work. I'm afraid the doors will have to count themselves in the future. I've enrolled in my conveyancing course, and it starts at the end of the month. I'm a bit nervous about it, and how I'm going to fit it all in. My new job (although I hardly think it could be called that!) is working at game days at CUA stadium, home ground of the Penrith Panthers. I was just looking for something that would get me out and earning some 'flash cash' to put towards all the renovations we want to do around here, and 'Merchandise Attendent' seemed to fit the bill. It's only every fortnight or so, so it's not like every weekend is going to be consumed with work, and quite a few of the games are at night, so there isn't any need to rely on anyone else for childcare.

I also think I've found Riordan a preschool to attend one day a week. The boys are a little like twins at the moment, neither of them knows a life without the other, and miss each other desperately when they aren't together. We started Playgym last week, which my little man took to straight away, but I really think that he needs the chance to interact with other kids without Mummy or Bowen around. I'll have a look around tomorrow and if I like the looks of it I'll pick up an application form.

Toilet training is coming along so well. Today Riordy had his first poo accident for days. He's pulling down his own pants when he wants to go, and then pulls them right back up again! I still remind him if it's been a while, and I think I'll be doing that for some time yet, but something in his brain jus clicked over the past week or so. Even though he's been able to wee when he wants for months and months, before Austin was even born, it's like he's only just started to recognise when he needs to go.

Austin has passed the seven month mark. He's started to crawl, if you could call it that. He does all his baby yoga, plenty of downward dog action and some squats, but the way he actually propels himself forward is so different to his brothers. They both started going backwards first, then gradually, at around 8 months, started properly cross-crawling. Austin kind of throws himself forwards. Imagine a frog, swimming in a creek. Their arms stretch forwards, and their legs come up behind them, kind of in a breaststroke. Replace the frog with a soft, gooey little boy and the creek with some pretty tragic carpet (which I obviously didn't pick) and you might get the idea. It's hilarious, and I've taken plenty of video of it.

Bowen must have needed some alone time last week. The stresses of being an older brother obviously had gotten to him. Thursdays are the boy's usual sleep over night at Nanny's. Friday nights usually see one of them stay over, and this week it was Riordan who desperately wanted to be home with Mummy. Bowen usually can't stay away from me for much longer, so I was expecting him home all day Saturday, but no, he wanted to stay at Big Nanny's still. Even Sunday, when he should have been pining for Mummy, he chose to go grocery shopping with Mum and Nan over coming home! Even then he was asking if Mum was going to work the next day (his little code for asking to stay over) and acting all disappointed when Mum said she was! I have to admit, I felt a little put out that he didn't want to be at home, but I can understand how nice it would have been to have all the attention aimed squarely at him. Maybe I should ask for a sleep over this Thursday...

Back to the Blogosphere!

It's been a really long time, so I'll do a short post today, just to get my toes wet. I never plunge straight into anything!

It's been five weeks since we've moved into the new house, but we've only had an internet connection for two of those. After many phone calls, and two visits from a friend who used to be a Telstra technician, we worked out that it was the new cordless phone, sucking all the power out of the line. Enter one filter and we have the World Wide Web back at our fingertips!

All I seem to have done in the past couple of weeks is chase tradies. Fences, electricians, foundation repairs, screens... it's all slowly coming together, and, fingers crossed, we should have most of the big stuff sorted out, or at least booked in and confirmed, in the next month.

The boys are loving their new house. So much more space for them to run around, and they disappear for hours in the overgrown garden, playing in the dirt, looking for 'creatures', moving sawdust and rocks from one place to another. We've had a few tumbles. I was bathing Austin one night and I heard Darren call my name out. He knew where I was, and I couldn't leave the baby, so I didn't worry too much about it. Next thing I hear him thumping through the house, a howling Riordan in his arms. They came into the bathroom and, to my shock, Riordan had rivers of blood running down his chest. Thankfully, it looked much worse than what it actually was, and after a rinse it had even stopped bleeding, so there was no trip to casualty that night. There's also been plenty of bruises and bark off knees, they both look just like rough and tumble little boys!

Austin is a little gem. He's the happiest baby I have ever seen. He'll just sit serenely and engage with everyone, I love taking him out because I lose count of all the compliments I get about him. My only explanation for his chilled out personality is having two older brothers, he doesn't have the chance to get upset! He's a far cry from the grumpy little man I thought he would turn out to be, he underwent a big change somewhere along the line and turned out perfect!
We've been doing Baby Led Weaning (but I like to call it Baby Led Solids as it takes away the breastfeeding connotation). It's been going fantastically. Austin will try anything, and absolutely loves mango, hummus, watermelon, sweet potato and chicken. I have no idea how much he is eating. His poos have changed, so I know that something is getting down even though it looks like all the food ends up on the floor. Here is Austin having some chicken schnitzel.

Mmm, hummus...

And number one favourite, mango.