Picnic time

Harry & Zaccy at a picnic.

 

Zaccy's First Shiner

And hopefully his last! On Sunday night we went for dinner at Nana & Pa's place and he ran into the edge of their table not once, but twice!!! Scoring a direct bulls eye on the same spot both times. As you can see from the pictures it was right in the corner of his eye. Poor little baby, you
would think that at least if he didn't learn his lesson the first time that Mummy would have and kept him away, but then I've made no secret of my ineptitude so maybe no-one is that surprised...

Drive In Madness

Instead of getting Nana & Pa to mind the boys while Daddy & I went to the movies to see the latest Harry Potter, we decided to make a night of it and take the boys to the drive in to see it!

Much fun was had by all, the boys loved the 60's style music, and snuggling up together in the back of the car with all the blankets and pillows. And the fact that Mummy was so disorganised that we had to feed the boys had hot dogs and chips for dinner (yes all the food groups I'm sure!) Anyway it was good fun, and surprisingly comfortable, the boys only made a moderate amount of noise, so I actually got to see most of the movie. Having borrowed Mum and Dad's car so we can pull the tail gate up and the boys couldn't escape was definitely the best idea we had. And thankfully they fell asleep before the scary bits.

We didn't stay for the second movie, as it was getting late and it's about a 30 minute drive back from the drive in to home. Not sure if that is a sign of old age or just plan child enhanced exhaustion.

But a lot of fun was had by all, and we have decided to definitely do it again soon....

Not having learnt my lesson... obviously

Do you see my gorgeous new double stroller...  I am completely in love with it, so I thought why not be adventurous and take it for a little spin down the ducky park, the boys love to frequent...  And I can definately give it two big thumbs up!  I on the other hand obviously need my head examined.

 

This ducky park is quite a hike you see, and Phil & I have this ongoing argument about which is the quickest way, he insists his is, and I disagree and say mine is due to the many shortcuts I found in all the years of riding around town as a young girl.   So on the first day we found it, to see who was correct, we had a race home.  And I couldn't find a single one of those shortcuts so he beat me by a country mile!!!  But I still say BITE me!  And think that mine is the shortest route. 

 

I had since done a reconesance mission and found a path that starts right at the beginning of the a big circuit that leads to the park, and another one just in front of the park, now on a map these 2 paths would surely meet up as they are almost in a straight line, with a couple of detours down some suburban streets (but as you may know paths aren't marked on a map).  So I set out today with the boys at 2pm, in their brand new double pram.  And I walk the 15 mins to the first path that should hopefully take me to the park in about 10 mins.  And I walk, and walk, and walk.  There are streets cutting off every which way, and the path keeps dividing, so I just keep heading in the direction I would assume the park would be in (let me tell you I would NEVER survive in the bush with that skill!)  So I'm still walking, and the path is getting smaller and rougher, and the trees are getting denser and closer together, and I'm starting to wonder if I've stumbled into one of those dodgy horror movies where the dumb blonde just about hands the psycho a knife and declares "I dare ya!", with my two babies in their brand new pram...  (can you see I'm obsessed with said pram)...  So as a million different scenarios are running through my head about finding my poor body shoved under a bridge I start to jog a little faster, and a little faster and a little faster still...  And just when I've about reached a full blown panic as there seems to be a lot of paths but I haven't come across a road in forever (although i can hear the cars zooming close by!) I stumble across a nice new bridge and I know I must be somewhere near civilization...  I finally find my way to the park but however have managed to walk so far around I have completely missed the park and am now coming in from Phil's chosen directions.  But we finally arrive (HURRAH!), so we spend about 15 minutes at the park, then try feeding the ducks only to be snobbed by all but one lone ducky...  I'm guessing we weren't the first people to feed them today.  So after that ungodly walk we probably spent about 20 mins at the park total.

 

So we then trudged home, this time with the help of my trusty mobile phone GPS, so that I found all my original shortcuts. YIPPEE  However by the time (which was 5.15 people!  YES IT TOOK ME OVER 3 HOURS to get to the park play for 20 mins and then go back) we got home my legs were shaking, and I had blisters on blister, and in some unusual form of torture I've managed to wear the balls of my feet raw in some places, which I can assure you feels less then blissful.

 

So yet again I am reminded why I'm allergic to exercise...  But do you think I have learnt my lesson.  Probably not!  Give me a couple days for my feet to heel and we'll be off to the park again.  Yes I believe I'm either a masochist or just plain stupid...  I'll let you guys decide... 

 

 

 

Can you spot the difference??

I have a little game for you to play, it's called spot the difference... I will show you some pictures and see if you can spot the difference.

Ready...

Here we go...

Phil kindly offered to clean the kitchen for me, and here it is...

And here is the kitchen after I've cleaned it.

Can you spot the difference??

Phil, I do love you honey, and I thank you dearly for packing the dishwasher, and offering to 'clean' the kitchen, and all the other million things you do for me, but you see that stuff in the sink?? Not meant to be there...

Shopping at the Target Toy Sale

How do I love thee?

Want to know the definition of cute....  My boys out in the loungeroom talking to each other.  Harrison asked Zaccy "Do I love you so much?" to which Zaccy's normal reply is to lift his arms up above his head to indicate soooooo much. So then Harry demands "is that a yes or a no?"  So Zaccy then replies "No".  Harry states "oh that hurts my poor heart!"  so then they both gave each other a cuddle.

 

I might add they are now fighting over a computer, but just for a second there it was gorgeous to see them so loving.  Harry also tells me regularly, that Zaccy is his 'best friend'.  Lets just hope they still think so when they are bigger.

 

It is amusing to hear Harry repeat back things I often say, like when he does naughty things I tell him it 'makes me sad and hurts my poor heart."  And when he just grunts at me I will often say "is that a yes or a no??" (I might add isn't so funny when he just says it back again and again to annoy me...  And well I have always played the "How much does Mummy love you?" game, where the kids then shout "SOOOOO MUCH!" back to me.  Just had to share how cute my kids are, and am yet again I am reminded that I need to watch what I say if I don't want it repeated back to me.

 

Well we have playgroup so until next time, same bat time, same bat channel.

Mother of the Year

Yet again, I remind myself why I will never be in the running for mother of the year. I made the boys dinner last night, and they prefer to sit up on the kitchen stools rather than the dinner table, which I'm fine with as it means less table to clean afterwards. So I sit Harry up on his stool, and then Zaccy. Now I know Harry is fairly safe as he can actually climb up himself, but I always try to keep a hand on Zaccy.

However I have become a little slack, and let his hand go to try to eat some of my own dinner, as he was happily sitting on the chair eating away, it normally only gets hairy if he wiggles or tries to stand. However he must have pushed off under the counter with his feet as suddenly the whole stool with Zaccy heads straight for the floor in a "TIMBER!" type motion.... AS you can imagine his poor little head hit the floor with a resounding crack! And I'm unsure who was crying more, me or him. Thankfully however he is fine, even if I did then have to wake him up every 3 hours to check he was all right last night, and now feel like death twice reheated.

Harry is also so sweet, asking if Zaccy was all right, and rubbing his head for me. Aren't I lucky to have two such lovely boys. Just not so sure if they will think they had such luck, having such a crazy Mummy!!

Until the next debacle.

Knitted with tender love and care

Nana (that's Great Nana to the boys) knitted us this gorgeous blanket, so
the boys and I were just checking it out. All squishy and warm and
wonderful... Thank you Great Nana we love it!!!

Feeding the Swans

Here we are at the local park. They have a little beach and as you can see Harry made some friends. There are also a heap of duckies, and a pelican with a penchance for bread. Although I have a feeling if Harry teased the Pelican by not throwing his bread anymore, that he would have ended up feeding him some fingers. Zaccy however was spell bound by the baby swans in particular. And actually was getting really good at throwing the bread in the end (although it's a good thing they didn't mind getting close, as he doesn't quiet have the throwing range just yet!)

Anyway, we also went down to the local shop and purchased a new mop, so I should stop procrastinating and actually put it to good use!! I'll have to break it softly to Phil otherwise he might keel over from a heart attack, as mopping is my least favourite job, so he normally has to do it.

Cookies baked with love and other things...

I make the yummiest chocolate chip cookies, if I do say so myself, it's certainly nothing to do with my culinary brilliance as I found the simplest recipe I could on the Internet and even I couldn't muck them up that badly. They are also a great recipe for the boys to help me with. So I decided we were going to make some biscuits, got all the ingredients and implements ready, then got the boys up and washed their hands and sat them on the kitchen bench. They helped me add the butter and the sugar first. Then while I was distracted putting the beater together I caught Zaccy from the corner of my eye reaching in and grabbing a whole handful of sugar, which he then proceeds to lick from his hand and spread all over his face. Harrison obviously thinks that looks like a mighty fine idea so licks his finger and dips it into the sugar mix, now you might be saying at least Harry hasn't added to the mess, but my problem was the pre-dip lick. So now my special ingredient is some Harrison spit. Zaccy not wanting to be left off the special ingredient list, adds his soggy hand back into the mix to grab another handful of sugar! This can't be good for their teeth, so I get the mixer in there lickety split and tell them the beaters will chop off any stray fingers in the bowl (yes mummy of the year I know). That is when Harry notices that Zaccy has sugar spread from one end of his face to the other, so rather than waste that sugary goodness Harry just licks his finger again and sets to cleaning off Zaccy's face and then licking his finger clean. Share the love I say...

So I add the vanilla extract, the egg, the flour and the chocolate chips, (Zaccy tries to add a piece of chalk, which I then have to dig out before it's obliterated under the blender) thinking to circumvent more batter eating I leave a little pile of choc chips on the counter for the boys to eat, but that doesn't satisfy them, they want to choc chips that are mixed into my biscuit batter, so both hands are back in the mix... Yummo!!

The biscuits however did turn out really well, even if the boys enjoyed the batter more than the finished product and nobody else really wanted to share them when I told them what the secret ingredients were.

I suppose the lesson I have learnt here is that when someone tells you that they have added a secret ingredient, be afraid, be very very afraid.

Which layer of hell is this??

Well it was Monday night again, and as many of you would know, definitely not my favourtie day of the week, as Phil works late so I have the boys from the time I wake up until they go to bed when Daddy gets home at 10 - 11pm.

Today however was particularly special! So much so I'm sure if Dante was contemplating another layer of hell I'm the girl who could help him out. The layer for bitter housewives... Although not really sure if it was actually hellish, or if it's more that my temper is slightly frayed from the fact that my neck is out and I have an evil head cold, meaning I have a twice compounded headache, which makes the room spin queasily every time I move to fast.

The day actually started well. I was trying to clean the schamozle the house becomes over the weekend, and the kids where happy to watch ABC Kids.

Then it was lunch time, firstly the didn't want to eat lunch, then they didn't want to eat what I had cooked them. Then they did want to eat the lunch I had cooked them but I had already cleaned up and thrown it out!! OH MY GOD! Deep breaths, calming thoughts. Then Zaccy wouldn't go for his nap, which I really needed him to take as if I didn't get to lie down soon it felt like my head might actually implode. Although I must admit then at least I would have some peace....

So I finally get Zaccy to sleep at about 4ish and I'm trying to rest my poor sore head (boo hoo, are you feeling sorry for me yet?) and then the Internet goes down, meaning Harry can't play his computer games. So the screaming starts!! And continues even after Chelle calls and I'm trying to talk to her on the phone. The crying and gagging went on for well over an hour. (And yes Dad I can hear you saying it is my payback for the time I cried for about 6 hours to emotionally blackmail you into taking me to the Ekka, but today is soooo not the day to point that out...) occasionally with Zaccy synchronising in stereo just so he didn't feel left out, and me shouting in my demon voice "I CANNOT FIX THE COMPUTER!! So STOP CRYING!!!!"

So then it was dinner time and I'm trying to cook while at least attempting to fix the computer so Harry would stop with the crying. I swear I only ducked into the room for a moment and cursed at the computer a couple of time, but I came back out to a smoke filled kitchen and charcoaled dinner. So then we had to move onto plan B! The leftovers... I decided since dinner was pretty blegh, I would make us some yummy fresh bread, and some choc chip cookies. So the bread goes on, and I get Harry to stop crying with the bribe of helping cook the cookies, only to find that I'm missing the brown sugar (left at Mum's the night before when I went over there to cook dinner). So I explain to Harry that we can't cook the biscuits as we don't have the sugar. And he exclaims "Oh I have an idea, lets go to the shops to get some more sugar." Soooo cute... But I just didn't have the energy or the patience for the supermarket. However bribes in the form of chocolate chips helped alleviate the disappointment.

So after I cleaned the kitchen (okay and we watched a bit of TV) I put the boys in the bath and got them in their PJ's while we waited for the bread to cook, gotta love my bread making machine. Although as you can imagine from the way my day was going, it didn't rise properly, but we all still got to have jam on yummy warm fresh bread, it just looked slightly squashed and was a bit doughier than usual. But at least the machine didn't explode and short out the lights for the rest of the house.

But now the kids are in bed, and I'm not far away myself, the world is looking like a shiny happy place again. And after writing it all down the day didn't seem that bad, must have just been the wicked headache that made it unbearable. I actually feel a bit guilty for being such a whiner! As I am lucky that I get to moan about things like flat bread and the Internet breaking and not something much more serious.

Anyway, I'm gonna take the guilt trip to bed. (I apologise if it doesn't make sense but my head hurts so I'm going to post without proof reading. I'll check it again in the morning and make sure it makes English sense!) I'll see you guys on the flip side.

Movie Mayhem

THEORY: We get up bright and early to take the boys to the early screening of Ice Age 3 at the cinema. Nice quiet cinema where it wont matter if the boys make a little bit of noise and hopefully they would be so mesmerised by the flashing big screen that I can sit peacefully and rest my aching head that feels swollen to twice it's natural size.

REALITY: As usual we are running late, so I'm running to grab shoes, and bags and water bottles (each step making my head throb) while Phil is shoving the kids in the car. We finally get to the cinema and there is a line up!! For a 9.50am cartoon movie. Come on people!! Don't you guys have lives?? And what happened to all the religious folk who aren't allowed to do fun things on a Sunday!!! But yes you guessed it, the whole cinema is full of parents who had the same idea about their noisy kids seeing this movie. So we find a seat soooo close to the front of the screen that had my neck not already been out, would certainly have been by the end. Zaccy seems fine, but Harry is in a grumpy mood, demanding we go home. Don't ask me why as he was the one keen to go. But then he gets to sit on Phil's lap and is happy enough to stay. So finally we get through all the previews and we settle back for the start of the movie. Even the noise of 60 million children not bothering me. Then WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Zaccy starts screaming. I mean what the?? this is a kid who will stand in our lounge room and watch Alvin and the Chipmunks from start to finish. So I jiggle him around and try to point out the funny things happening on the screen, all to no avail. So I fall back on the tried and true bastion of a breast feeding mother, and try to get him to have some 'Booby', which normally works a treat (and I will admit that will be sorely missed when I have to give up this cheaters method of calming a child in 2 months time), but even this doesn't work!! So instead of just having a screaming crying child, I have a screaming, struggling, crying child, with my breasts hanging out in public.... FANTASTIC. So after struggling around the wiggle worm to get myself back into my clothes I take him outside so the others can watch in semi peace. So we go out of the cinema, and he is all happy and pointing to go back inside. So we head back inside, and sit down, however as soon as my backside touches the seat the crying starts again. I mutter some lovely non PG words and stalk back out again. We repeated this pattern 5 times before I learnt my lesson (yes I'm a slow learner) and I finally gave up. So instead we sojourned to the car where Zaccy watched Alvin and the Chipmunks on the portable DVD in the backseat while I hid in the front and read my book.

So my lesson for today is that my child might be a square eyes and love the TV, but that does not always equate to cinematic pleasure. So wait till it comes out on DVD.

But on the upside, I still have to cutest kids in town, so I can't complain too much. And Zaccy is trying to say Harrison, it sounds more like Has... on. But still too adorable for words. I can't believe how big they are both getting.

Anyway, until the next time... Adieu

The Great Biking Escapade of 2009

Well those that know me will no doubt have heard me wax philosophical about how exercise is bad for you! Well for me at least and today I have my proof.

In my eternal mission to be a good Mummy (and to soothe my guilt about the fact that I read to much instead of playing with my kids), I decided that I would take the boys out for a little ride to the local park (read park as 1 swing and some dingy sand that probably harbours all sorts of disgusting organisms I don't want to think about). So my first mistake was interrupting the boys who were quietly playing to ask them, before I was ready "Do you want to go for a bike ride?" So then instead of taking 5 minutes to run around and get ready it takes me 20 as I have to drag Zaccy around on my leg while he whines to be picked up. So I plaster the boys with sunscreen, shove hats and helmets on heads, grab my handbag / nappy bag (which is almost big enough to fit a child in), get the kids shoes (out of the car) & socks and take the boys down the stairs. Then I realise bikes are upstairs... So I leave the boys downstairs with strict instructions for Harry to scream if Zaccy tries climbing up the stairs. Grab both bikes, and am struggling to get them through the child safety gate when Harry shouts out, "Oh no Zaccy! Be careful!" So I drop the bikes and throw myself down the stairs to try and drag Zaccy back to the bottom. I then proceed to bring the bikes downstairs, put the kids on them and realise I don't have shoes for myself or the kids water bottles. So another quick sprint up the stairs and down again, and I'm already feeling a little queasy and short of breath.

So I start dragging the kids down the driveway, when it dawns on me, hmmm driveway has slight hill and then the kids and bikes are dragging me down the rest of the way... So we make it to the bottom in one piece, and I'm already thinking this was a stupid idea, so I suggest to Harry that we just ride around the cul-de-sac, to which he tells me "No we have to go for a proper ride to get some food." Don't ask me where he gets that theory from as the only way we get to the shops is via my nice little broomster. So again guilt wins out and I'm dragging both boys down the road on their bikes, my handbag keeps slipping forward and trying to dislocate my shoulder, and I'm trying to keep close to the gutter so as not to get us all skittled. Now Zaccy's pedals are just for show so I do all the work for him. Harry on the other hand is just learning to peddle, but still needs my help if he wants to actually get more than 5 metres, so it was a case of walk, walk, walk, be jerked to a standstill and then dragging the bike along as I mutter "Push the peddles forward!! Back is the BRAKE!!!!" So we do this for about 10 mins (and manage to cover a distance that would normally take 3 minutes tops), with me having to run back 3 times to rescue Zaccy's hat, as he has discovered a fun game of making Mummy fetch. So now if you consider our block as a rectangle at exactly the half way point (so the opposite corner to the house,) Zaccy starts whinging and wants off the bike. I tell Harry we are turning back, but he demands we go on, and I figure it's the same distance either way, and give in easily. So then I'm carrying Zaccy and his tricycle, while dragging Harry along by the front handlebars. So it is walk, walk, walk, jerk to stop "Forward, not backwards!" walk, walk, walk, hand bag swings forward and takes out Harry's head and my shoulder. Walk, walk, walk Zaccy starts sliding down, drop tricycle, hitch Zaccy back up on hip, lean forward to grab trike, handbag swings forward clops Harry in head, swing bag back and start pulling Harry again. And at this stage neighbourhood cars are cruising by, watching me with expressions showing one part disbelief, two part hysterical laughter. And I'm praying they don't stop, and cursing that they aren't all at the same time. So I'm getting into the rhythm of my strange little dance and it all appears to be fine until I realise there is a hill in front of us that I have to drag all 3 of us up, plus 2 bikes and a handbag that needs it's own postcode. So I'm cursing and muttering to myself like the crazy woman I am, about how we should have turned around. And repeating my walk, walk, walk, jerk to a stop, walk, walk, walk, handbag slap, walk, walk, walk, Zaccy sliding down dance up the hill (now having to wedge my beautiful white sneakers under Harry's tyre every time I stop so he doesn't roll back to the bottom. Then suddenly I hear this 'burble burble slurp', and looking at Zaccy's concentrating face realise exactly what he is doing. This wouldn’t be too big a problem until it all starts leaking out the top of the nappy, down my arm, over my shirt and dripping down my leg... So I grit my teeth, with the mantra of "not much further!" and continue the walk, walk, walk dance. We finally reach the last corner and the top of the hill and are finally on a path instead of the road. I mutter HALLELUJAH, and give Harry a push and tell him to ride while I pace on the path beside him (closer to the road so he can't accidentally veer into on coming traffic), thinking I only having to contend with Zaccy, the tricycle, the handbag and the dripping nappy. But that was not to be. Harry just sits stationary and demands that I need to help him. I walk forward about 10 steps to try and coax him along, but to no avail, so I drop the tricycle and trudge back and start dragging Harry along to the walk, walk, walk dance sans the tricycle (which does lighten the burden slightly). By now I can almost see our back gate, so I continue to stop Harry and run forward with the Trike and Zaccy, drop the Trike then back to pick up Harry and drag him along another 10 metres then repeat.

Thank the lord; we finally reach our back gate. However the locking mechanism is broken and it is tethered shut with an 'occy' strap, which I can't reach either end of from the outside to unhook it. With no intention of having to walk all that way back, I push the gate open with my back, and shove the Trike through and down the 30cm drop from the garden bed to the back yard proper. Then send Harry through with strict instructions not to go near the dog until I'm through. Harry's bike follows and then I have to limbo (with Zaccy and suitcase size handbag) under the chest height, stretched tight strap that is trying to fight me to hold the gate shut. HURRAH!! We made it, and I only nearly took the top of Zaccy's head off twice. I put Zaccy down in relief and he immediately runs off to play on the swing set. I scream out not to touch the doggy surprises (although I didn't use that euphemism) that Mystique leaves us all over the back yard... I'm dragging the bikes up to the back deck when Mystique obviously catches wind of Zaccy's dripping nappy and goes barrelling over to him, to try and help with the clean up in her own special way! So I'm screaming "NO MYSTIQUE!! AWAY!!" like she is trying to eat my children, between dry retching!! I grab up the kids and drag them out to the front of the house and in the front door. So we are finally safe and sound back home (and in a new change of clothes). Having again been reminded that exercise is bad, if not for the body, then definitely for my mental health...

I now need to go have a lie down, and try to recover any shred of my sanity. So until the next adventure we will say fare the well...

P.S Now my darling husband, if I had of had the double pram that I want to buy I could have fit the kids in the pram and both bikes in the back baskets, and saved myself the trauma...