It's just been one of those days

So much is hapening in my life at the moment but at the same time not much is happening. Being a stay at home Mum life is pretty much the same day in day out, week in week out but at the moment I am preparing for something big. I start work again in 2 weeks. It is in Brisbane which means that I have to pack up the family and travel down. It is only 2 weeks worth of work but I haven't workedfor 18 months. I also haven't worked so far away from 'home' ever. Not only is it in Brisbane but I also have to prepare for having a baby in March. I also have to go to Brisbane to have the baby because I can't have it here. My best friend, Pru, is also having a baby around the same time as I am and that means giving her back all of her baby things that she gave me 3 years ago when I was preparing to have Hollie. That is another reason I have been so busy. I have had to sort and organise all the baby stuff so that I can take it with me this trip because by the time I get down to have my baby, Pru will already have had hers so she'll need the baby stuff.
I have been very busy with swaps too. I am doing a calendar swap and a secret sister swap which are so exciting but a lot of work at the same time and this morning just as I was putting the last one together, I came into the office to find something only to return to find Hollie putting glitter all over the last calendar. I was so angry and before I said anything she knew that she was in trouble so she started crying which of course woke Jessica. I was so upset that I cried too. It wasn't until I stopped and thought about it that I was able to fix it. Well sort of.
I then went to town to do some shopping and was getting in the car to drive to IGA and the car wouldn't start! And it was starting to rain! Helpless me rang Kevin who came and saved the day. I wasn't looking forward to a 1.7km walk in the rain with a two and a half year old walking along whilst I pushed Jessica in the pram. Luckily for me Kevin was on a spare and was able to save me. How lucky am I?

Another birthday gone

Jessica was one a few weeks ago. The in-laws were here for the week so it was good that Jessica got a bit of a party eve though she won't be able to remember it. Hollie got her a big red ball from the money out of her piggy bank and it has proved to be the favourite birthday present. Hollie knows that it is Jessica's ball but she still wants to play with it all the time. It's good, it keeps the both amused even if it does bring numerous fights.

Jessica is still my baby (even though she is now one and looking less and less like a baby every day) until the next one arrives in March but my how she is growing. She has just started to take a few steps so it won't be long until she's running around with Hollie and then I'll know about being run off my feet! It is just delightful watching them grow. Jessica is speak a lot more now and Hollie just never stops (and she's very good if I do say so myself). In the last week she has learnt the alphabet! and she's just two. Gosh I'm not proud or anything am I?

We are going to Brisbane in a few weeks to visit everyone and for Kevin to attend conference. It is a long drive and I'm going to be glad to get home after two weeks away. It really takes it out of me being away with the girls for so long. It will be good for the girls to see their old friends and to reconnect with the people down there. We don't want them to forget them while we are out here.

Count down to another birthday

It's now on. The count down to Jessica's birthday. Yes it is 4 weeks away but I can't believe that it has come around so quickly. She is one in 4 weeks!!! My little baby, my baby no longer. She is becoming very grown up. She said, "bot-bot" today for the first time clearly and everyday she expands her vocabulary. She is doing more and more and I look at her and my heart just fills with joy. What a precious little thing she is.
I was hoping to have her first year album completed by September, one month after her first birthday but I don't see that happening. Too much to do, not enough time or money to get it done. I was meant to get a whole heap of photos printed off while we were in Brisbane over the holidays but I ran out of time or didn't plan my time well enough. Oh well. There is plenty to do.
Now I am off to try to get tired and sick Hollie off to sleep for a little while and hopefully have a sleep myself.

Mum's Home!!!!

Isn't it funny that she can be gone so many months and be on the other side of the world and everything seems ok because I know that it is difficult to get to her. Mum came home on Sunday and I just want to see her. I am at least 1200kms away from her and it is difficult to get to her but she is here. She is in Australia!! It's the first time since September 2007. She has missed out on so much grandchild time with our kids. I'm so glad that Mum got to spend the time with Fuchsia and Azaan but now that she is back I just want her to be with my kids. I feel like a little kid myself. I feel as though I'm home sick!! Crazy isn't it?
We are leaving for the long long drive on Monday morning after we have Hollie's birthday here on Sunday. Hollie is so excited about her "Happy Birthday" and we have a count down claendar on the wall. All she wants is cake and candles. I can't believe that she is two already and poor Mum has missed out on half her life. At least now they'll have time to reconnect and spend some lovely Nanny/granddaughter time together.
Not looking forward to the drive but am very much looking forward to what's at the other end.

Training the trainer

They always say that dogs are a reflection of their parents/owners. Most people also say that about children. I'm not sure about children because they have a very definate mind of their own but it is true for dogs. I must be a very bad dog parent and some what of a bad human parent.

Dog 1, Toby, jumps the fence all the time and we don't see him for half a day. Dog 2, Buddy, doesn't understand simple things like stay or drop and won't fetch the ball and today got out and ran away as I was leaving for playgroup. Luckily for me he only went to the place across the road but would not come when called. Toby is now either, tied up, inside, in the "cubby" or under the house. Buddy at least is too short to jump the fence. I don't know what I'm going to do. Build a higher fence and do lots and lots of training.

Jessica, daughter 2, is not sleeping through a 9 months. Kevin and I are sick of it. We are both exhausted and need some sleep. We have been attempting a no feed in the middle of the night thing and just keep caving in. We need to stick to it so that she learns. We are bad trainers. Lazy trainers. Tired trainers. It is no excuse and I guess that is why people end up having 2 or 3 year olds that don't sleep through because they keep attending to them and giving them what they want, making the rely on having the feed or the cuddle or the rocking. It is hard but must be done.

Here are a few of my lastest creations

I have been very slack lately with my scrapbooking but here are a few that I have done in the last few weeks.

New people, new places, new faces

We have been here 3 weeks today. Longreach is a nice small town. It has everything that you could need and I am very happy here. Everything is close. We hardly use the car so we are getting enough exercise and we are also doing exercise at night.

I have been to the local Playgroup for the last few times. It is good to meet other people and spend some time with people other than the kids. It is hard though. I think it will take a long time to make friends here. The people are all lovely and most of the people at the Playgroup know the isolation of being here. Know how hard it is tomake friends. I guess also I have never had to try to make friends with kids. It is a lot easier hen you don't have kids because you've got more time.

I guess it takes a while to get use to things being different. I am really happy with the house here. I am happy with the way that the girls have settled in. I am happy being at home so much and I guess that I am kin of happy to be isolated. To spend so much time with my family. I guess that it is not really that much different for me. Apart from my friends and Kevin's Mum there isn't really anything different for me. My Mum has been overseas for over a year now so it doesn't really feel that I'm moving away from her. My life hasn't changed much. The kids are my life now. The house is my life now. I spend time with them trying to make them into good people. What else does a Mum do? I guess that apart from the weekly visits to Emma and the access to Kevin's Mum things are the same for me. I like it here. It's small and quiet and gives us the chance to get ahead in life.

On the move

Well the family is on the move!!! We didn't think that we would be doing this for a number of years to come. We are moving a long way from everyone and everything we know. We are happy to have a permanent job but are nervous about the move. Nervous about having to go somewhere so far from everyone, somewhere that's hard to get to, somewhere that's far from support networks. It is just a big shock. Something we didn't plan but when opprtunity knocks, what can you do? We are going to be apart for a month while I finalise things here and Kevin works up there. That is also nerve racking but people cope all the time with all kinds of adversity and we will be fine but it is a huge shift in our lifestyles and our mind sets from two days ago. Two days ago we thought we would be living here for another five years. On Wednesday Kevin rang to inquire about the job and last night they rang to say he could have the job and how quickly could he start. So he starts in 10 days!!! We have to go to Melbourne next weekend so there isn't much point him going up there next week to come back on Friday for the Melbourne trip.
Gosh what a change!!

Using my scraps

Using my scraps is one of my challenges and New Year's Resoltions. I created a mini album for Ann, Kevin's sister, about her visit to Queensland in January. From the scraps I created two pages.

It is a great thing to do and it means that I don't have packets and packets of scraps that I might use one day. I feel really good about it because it's not wasting paper and it makes me complete quick pages. I guess that it is more about getting the memories down and preserved than creating amazing layouts. I don't want an over crowded page. I want the photos and the journaling to be the most important thing. Also because of the kids I don't have a lot of time. I need to create layouts quickly because if I have to put them away, it is really hard to get back to them. This way I can do that and ue all the beautiful papers and not waste a whole heap of paper or kept a whole heap of scraps or half used paper.

Here are some of the things I have created.

Sleepless nights

I'm not getting much sleep lately because Jessica is waking all the time. About every three hours. Sometimes more frequently. It is really difficult to stay calm and alert during the day because I am so exhausted. I just don't seem to have enough milk or it isn't satisfying her enough. We have increased her solids but that still isn't helping. She isn't taking a bottle either so that is making it even harder. She just won't suck the bottle so I don't know what to do. She has been waking like this for 6 nights!! She will sleep if I let her suckle but wakes if I take her off and just doesn't seem satisfied. It feels like I have a new born without the hormonal high of having a new born. It is very difficult but she is a joy during the day.

Today I spent 1 hour trying to give her a bottle. Holding it in her mouth and trying to get her to drink but she didn't. In 1 hour she only had 40mL. Gosh. I don't know how I'm going to get her to take the bottle. I don't know how I'm going to last longer at night or get her to have the bottle. I will just have to keep trying.

Got to go get the washing off the line before it rains.
Sampai jumpa

An adventureous soul

It is a rainy day and although the rain is needed I just want it to stop. Hollie wants to go outside all the time and I've had to lock all the doors because in the last week she has been able to reach them by standing on her tippy toes! Yesterday while Kevin and I were gardening in the front yard and I was prunning out on the footpath, I turn to see this little naked girl standing on the footpath! I thought that she had climbed out over the gate which was scary enough but then I realised that she had actually opened the gate!!!! So no more playing in the front yard unattended or keenly watched until we get a lock on the gate. She is so independent and so keen to learn everything. She just wants to be outside all the time which is a really good thing except on days lik today or on days when I can't attend to her every need.

Friday meeting with Emma

After a few weeks break from our usual Friday meetings, Emma and I got together again today. Jack and Hollie were shy with eachother for the first time in their lives. It was quite strange but they also played very well with eachother too. Hollie is such a bossy boots and Jack always shares with her which is really nice. Hollie actually had a sleep there today too which was good because it was while Jack was asleep and we were able to spendsome time with the babies. It is difficult to get one-on-one with the little ones because Hollie and Jack are so demanding of time. I am just so glad that we got to do it together, have babies at the same time and share the joys of motherhood together. It has also been a really good thing to keep up th Friday visits as it gives us a break from the usual at home and allows us to realise that we are normal and the kids are normal too.

Hollie has now gone off with Kevin to Gran and Grandpuff's for the night and Kevin has train club which is leaving me with Jessica and uninterupted scrapping time!!! What's the bet that Jessica doesn't let me have that time that I want (and need as I have so many projects that I need to finish). Murphy's Law hey. She is currently asleep on the floor next to me after having a long time at crawling practise. She is going to crawl soon or it looks that way at least.

I feel a little strange with Hollie going off for a sleep over. I feel a bit empty. Strange isn't it? You would think that I would be very happy to be having some time by myself and time with Jessica but it just feels like something is missing and it is. Kevin and Pauline are bringing her back tomorrow which will mean that Kevin (mine) and I will be able to get some work done tomorrow morning before we have to get things organised for lunch. Hollie was so excited about going off to spend the night at Gran and Grandpuff's. She didn't even get upset that I wasn't going in the car. I don't know why I'm so sad. It's not like it's the first time she has had a sleep over. My baby is growing up.
Sampai jumpa,
Amity

A scrapping Knight

Kylie & I had a scrapping night tonight and hopefully it will be a regular thing because at least it forces me to scrap and to have imput from other people. It is also nice to get out and talk to others as well.
Unfortunately I only got half a l.o. done even though it was a double. I am fast falling behind my weekly quota so I better get cracking nd finish off some of the ones that I have half done this year. I have only one complete l.o. for the year and I should have 4 by the end of the week. I have a lot more than 4 half complete ones I just have to sit down and do the title, journal or print the photo so that I can have the l.o. completed. I achieved my aim last year so I need to keep it up again this year. Hopefully I can better it.
Great night. I just arrived home. The dogs have been fed, Kevin's in bed and I just have to express and then brush my teeth and ready for bed, hopefully by 11:30pm.

January 2008

Rebel without a clue

This is a layout I created as part of one of my online groups OzSwap for my BOM (Book Of Me). The challenge was to create a layout about a bad hair day or a fashion woops. These photos of me were taken in my teenage years and were definate woops. The stupid things we do when we are young. Live and learn hey.

I also used one of the challenges on UKScrappers to complete the lo. I am fulfilling my New Year's resolutions by doing it as well because I used papers from my stash and I scrapped about myself.

A start

A new year a new thing to do. I have other blogs but I thought that I would start a new one. The end of the month is almost here and Kevin is going back to work on Tuesday (he is a teacher) and I have enjoyed having him home so much that I am going to miss him. I know that Hollie will miss him the most but will actually be quite good about it because she knows that Dad goes to work and will say really cute things like, "Dad in car at work" which is amazing for a 19 month old. Well I think so. I am so proud of her.

So I start again at being at home alone with the kids. It has been so good to have Kevin around for the extra support but it is amazing how you can handle things on your own. So the girls and I will have to get used to this new part of the year and get used to the new routine and the tired Kevin when he gets home from work and isn't really ready for Hollie who will want him to play with her straight away and won't understand that you need to unwind. Oh to be little once more.

Well that is all for me now but there will be plenty more posts in the near future. I have to go to continue with my scrapping in the allotted 1 hour a night. We have to schedule our hobby time or we just don't get it. Kevin is in the shed right now. My hour started 6 mins ago.
Sampai jumpa