An exercise tip for the time-poor parent

Trudi just told me that crazy as it sounds, she wants to go wash the car: partly to get out of the house (she works at home on Fridays), partly to get a clean car, and partly to GET SOME EXERCISE.

We saw the toilet seat at Bunnings (see previous posts if you care) and while it is good, I think our little folks need a bit more support. Maybe in a year we could use that one.

Going to Bunnings

Just the 2 of us. Hazel just woke up and T will entertain her.

Hazel hurled

In a big way.

In the middle of the morning nap she started crying, and as usual I left her for a minute to see if she would settle back down. No way. Turns out she had thrown up her whole brekky plus milk while she was lying down. The room reeked.

Trudi cleaned up the bed while I showered Hazel. Poor Ivy was howling. Eventually Ivy went back to sleep but although Hazel tried, she was too awake. So the poor poppet only had a short nap.

She seems fine now. We went out to the Fairfield Family Space (yep that is its name) for lunchtime and all was well. They are napping again and all still seems well. I hope she just gagged while she was coughing or something.

We need to get a baby seat for the toilet. Cath Mok suggested one that Bunnings has... it's a whole replacement seat, which includes a little baby seat. Not sure how that works... will have to see it I spose. Another option is the Baby Bjorn seat which is meant to be good.

Nasty but useful

Here is an article with a lot of very specific advice about the gross details of kids' colds, and when to go to a doctor:

COUGHS, COLDS, AND SINUS INFECTIONS

Calm and happy

Wheeee!  No Mystifier last night, and no bouts of coughing either. Well, Ivy woke before 6 (can't remember when) but that is a big improvement.

Their morning nap is going nicely.

The fan element in the oven broke, so a fellow came to replace it today. He was great - really quiet so he didn't wake the girls, used a normal screwdriver instead of a drill. He does not like Ludmilla on 3RRR. I can't stand Tony Biggs' voice.

Improvements

Reasonable naps, good moods, still lots of snot though. Just thought I'd let you all know. Goodnight!

Well that was fun

We had a shit night and now Hazel has just spent 25 minutes crying instead of napping. I think she has fallen asleep now.

It's just like old times - she howls because she is so tired and can't seem to get to sleep. I pat and SSH and try not to overdo it but if I stop she just cries and cries.

SIGH

Of course it is all temporary. Once she is over this cold I can help her get out of the habit of needing my help to fall asleep. We've done it before, so we can do it again.

In the meantime she is grumpy when she's awake and can't sleep enough.

I am a grump too. Can you tell?

A series of complaints

It all began with the girls' swimming lesson yesterday. It was at 10am, bang in the middle of their morning nap time. We managed to get them to not nap until after the lesson. So they started their nap at 11.30, which is when they usually wake up.

After they woke, we dashed down to the Collingwood Children's Farm, where we met up with my mum. All went well. We observed other people's kids chasing the sheep and I did not berate them (but I did scowl I think). Also we saw many chickens, goats, more chickens, and some goats. A lovely outing all up.

Then they had no afternoon nap.

Then they went to bed (this is still yesterday I'm complaining about). At 10.30pm Ivy coughed a lot,
woke up, cried, and needed help with going back to sleep. Off she went to sleep. But this woke Hazel, who does not cope well with upset naps. She was awake until well after midnight, shouting and being generally awake and annoyed about it. Somehow Ivy slept through it.


We blame the bad timing of the swimming lesson for the fact that we each got only a few hours of sleep last night. Considering ditching swimming lessons. the teachier is good but being inflexible about lesson times.



Also both of the girls have nasty-sounding coughs due to CONSTANT colds for the last two months, and also Hazel seems to be starting another cold today.


This is a complaining blog post... just skip the rest if it's turning your stomach.


So today we tried really really hard to stick to our routine, hoping the girls would have huge restful naps and replenish their sleep reserves. Not a chance. Poor ol Hazel had a tiny morning nap (40 minutes) and was thereafter cranky. Then Ivy had a tiny afternoon nap, while Hazel slept a little more. All up it was not much.


They went to bed at 7:30, and it's now 8:10 and I have settled Hazel twice. She's back to her habits of a few weeks ago. Neither Trudi nor I is looking forward to tonight.


Doom and gloom on the sleep front.

An evening to remember

And it's only 7:31 pm!

Imagine this... both girls are in their PJs, all clean and warm after bath and dinner (yes, in that order, why do you ask?). We are all hanging out in the darkened lounge room.

It becomes apparent that Hazel has dropped her guts big time, so off Trudi goes to change her nappy. We don't usually have evening poos. Ha ha, Trudi noticed it so she has to change it.

Then Ivy follows suit. Unfortunately I noticed this one, so off we go for a cleansing nappy-change ritual.

By now it's 7:15. Bedtime is 7:30 so we are under the gun. Bed-bags, bottles, books: it's all happening, then Trudi mentions that the loungeroom is still a bit whooffy after the two untimely poos. We notice the sound of scuffling from the study.

An aside: The cat litter box is in the study. This is the only room in the house that is off-limits to the girls.

So Selby is in the litter box, having droped HER guts in there. She's a clean little beastie so now she's trying to cover it all up. It sounds like she's trying to do a 3-point turn over it, again and again. Pellets are going everywhere.

By now we are reading Maisy's Bed-Time, which includes an unfortunate sequence in which Maisy can't go to sleep because she needs the loo. Also her bear Panda needs the potty. We have to contain our giggles because the girls are sleepy and we don't want to razz them up.

The room stinks. It is absolutely foul. We press on with the Maisy book. The girls seem to be fine with the new reek.

Selby leaves the room and all is quiet if a bit close.

Time to start the next book, in which Maisy goes to bed again, this time with Little Black Cat in tow. Not a welcome image. Selby is SO not sleeping in our bed tonight.

While working our way through Goodnight Moon ("goodnight clocks, goodnight socks, goodnight kittens, goodnight mittens..."), Minke hops into the litter box and makes her contribution. Also absolutely unspeakable. This never happens. We can go for weeks without changing the litter cos the cats won't use it unless they are desperate. The loungeroom is uninhabitable but the girls are sleepy so we press on.

Finished the books, it's time to take the girls off to their cots. Trudi stands up and there is a funny cracking noise. "Wossat?" I ask, and she lurches around to show me, Hazel in her arms. Trudi has somehow stood on one of the balloons left over from the birthday party last weekend, and it has wedged itself up inside her tracky pants, next to her ankle. She wrenches it out without dropping her daughter and we parade off to the bedroom with dignity.

So here I sit, telling you all about our evening so far. All the windows are open, the cat shit is gone, and Trudi is watching a Clint Eastwood DVD. The girls seem to be asleep.

The Mystifier is part of our family now

Last night just before midnight, Trudi suggested that it might be a good idea to turn on The Mystifier. I had been asleep but also hearing Ivy's coughing. I shot out of bed and bumbled my way out of the room, intent on turning the machine on.


"Don't you want to talk about it" followed me out of the room but no, I was on a midnight mission. I was still pretty much asleep, and I had a task!

They slept well after that, waking at 6.20am when the shower went on.

So where does that leave us? Ivy is still coughing - it seemed to be getting better but now it's returning. So I suppose we might keep on using The Mystifier for a while longer.

Baby-led weaning article

A couple of months ago I wrote a long rambling article about BLW for our NIMBA newsletter.

BLW = baby-led weaning
NIMBA = Northern and Inner Multiple Birth Association

This week I tarted it up a bit with some subheadings and photos, and here it is:

http://www.oceanbug.com/melanie/articles/blw-article.html

Water play

Yesterday was warm, so Chrissy came over and we did Water Play. It's so exciting that our kids are growing up and want to do cool stuff like this!

Noah, Jem, Hazel and Ivy first had lunch:

Then they repaired to the entertainment area:

Then Hazel got extra keen on the blue box:

...which led to the natural conclusion:

Hazel JUST LOVES being in the water:

Then we climbed up and down the deck steps (Hazel stayed in the box):

And look at Noah's beautiful posture:

After this, the girls had a brilliant afternoon nap. Must try Water Play again.

Ivy hides in her hat while Hazel whets her whistle

Their new whistles are a challenge. Sometimes you need a break from your challenge to play with your hat.

Hazel swings

The weather is great! We can leave the house and have leisurely fun.

Achievements

Thing 1: The first load of laundry is already dry. It's out on the line, and it's stiff as a lot of little boards. Those nappies need some pummelling before they will bend around little bottoms.

Thing 2: Hazel is now officially cruising. This morning she used a high-chair as a trolley as she walked across the dining room. She also stalked along the couches, gripping them with white fingertips.

Thing 3: Ivy likes to climb the three steps up to the deck from the grass. When she gets to the top she zips over to the cats' water bowl and up-ends it. Mummy needs to find a new home for the water bowl.

Thing 4: While we were eating breakfast, Selby the cat found a nice spot close up to the window. While we watched, she dug a deep hole and then lowered a huge poo into it. Lovely breakfast viewing.

Birthday party

Ivy and Hazel are one year old! Beggars belief.

I am so very very glad that it is not a year ago. I am MORE glad that it is not eight months ago. That was our family's nadir.

We had a party-let on the weekend. Here is the evidence...

We crammed into our dining room, with grown-ups wedged around the edge and kids in the middle. Here is Toby in the middle of the middle:

Hazel and Ivy wore party dresses as they played with their toy library thingy:

Chrissy sat against the window with Noah and Jem. Toby whacked the enamel mug, while Hazel's freedom was curtailed:

Ivy sat in her mummy's favourite chair in a very composed manner:

Liss and Ivy looked pensive and photogenic:

Amir seemed to be surprised to find his daughter Maia in a capsule on the table:

Mummy admired The Wombat Diary (thanks Amir & Alex) in the absence of her children:

Maia is a little cutie, and her dad still wears cool t-shirts although he presumably does not get much sleep:

 Hazel pours new boxes, and observes intently:

Sarah watches Ivy relax near the end of a big day:

And that's the end of the story.

Museum visit

...which was surprisingly great!

On Saturday the weather was a bit wild and Trudi and I were hollow-eyed from many nights of lame sleep. Off we went to the museum for the first time in years.

We spent our whole time there in the Children's Gallery. It's supposed to be aimed at kids aged 3-8, but the girls still had a great time.

They enjoyed the floor-level exhibits behind glass:

They kind of liked the mirror pyramid thingy (actually Ivy was a bit freaked out):

 ... and they loved the hoops and pigeons in the outside section:

Unfortunately, they are supposed to be napping right now but I hear thumping and squealing. I am blogging instead of hovering, which actually is an improvement.

First birthday party

It went well!

Imagine a little party with almost no preparation. That was our party.

Now imagine a party after which my mother-in-law Judy did most of the tidying up, and Trudi did the rest. That was our party.

Photos to follow.

Another good night's sleep

Again with the Mystifier, again with the girls sleeping through the night.

Hazel had her 10pm howl, but went back to sleep with a bit of shushing and a little pat. Then they did not wake

until

wait for it

6.45am!

Trudi & I woke at 6.30 as usual, and I did not know what to do with myself. I suggested that I would go open their door but Trudi reminded me that we wanted them to learn to sleep until 7. So we do. i forgot.

We are loving our Mystifier.

It will be a pity when their colds are finished and there is no reason to use it. Perhaps a recording of rhe ostentatious BUBBLING noise would help...

omg it's quads

Well no actually it's two sets of twins. Noah and Jem have the same pram as Hazel and Ivy.

Dagging Round Darebin part 2: the lived-in letterbox

Don't remember where I saw this. My phone refused to blog for a few weeks so this photo has been waiting for its audience for a long time.

I slept

Rhymes with Jesus wept.

So we got a humidifier (which Trudi calls a mystifier). It bubbles audibly all night. I think I would find that annoying, but the girls slept all night.

Hazel cried at about 9.30. I had already been in bed since 8.30 but just rested without sleeping. Trudi settled Hazel. And that was it for the night.

Ivy still coughed, but not as much as before, and not so much that she or Hazel woke.

I slept 10 - 10.30
10.30 - 2
2.30 - 5
5.30 - 6.15

This adds up to 7 1/4 hours, which is a marvel. I feel like a normal person again. Yesterday I had dancing glowing things in front of my eyes, and a nasty sick feeling in my belly.

Apparently humidifiers do not work, because when you breathe the air gets humidified by the time it gets to your lungs anyway. However, I think Ivy was coughing due to a dry throat, not lungs. I get the same thing after a cold. I would have spent $50 to get last night's sleep anyway, so I don't care whether The Mystifier was not responsible.

Today we are going to the zoo! Have to get out of the house.

Hazel has a black eye

It is minimal but undeniable. She lurched at the giant teddy, which gave way. Hazel whacked her head on the table on her way down.

My sourdough starter smells of acetone

After about 3 minutes of intense research, I learned that this is common, but not why it happens.

The solution seems to be either throw it away and start again, or press on. If you press on, you must throw away most of it anyway, and keep feeding it and hope for the best. Someone mentioned adding yoghurt, so I did that. Now I'm hoping for the best.

If it doesn't come good by the weekend I will throw it away and start again.

Another cold dammit

I mean really!

This will make it two months of colds, with a few days break here and here.

We went to Tom's birthday yesterday, so I expect we infected everyone there as well. Sorry folks. Because we were going to a party, the girls wore frocks:

Aren't they just the cutest! These dresses were made for the girls by my sister's friend Melanie. Thanks Melanie!

Bad sleep

I blogged on 8 October that we had a good night, and that all our colds were receding.

We have had nothing but shit nights since then, and both girls seem to be coming down with another cold.

Nuff said I think.

This is how I bottle feed the girls when no-one else is around

I get the bottles and bibs ready, then I sit on a big red cushion, with another cushion under my lower legs. Then I wave the bottles around and the girls come over, all keen and upset that it isn't happening NOW.

Whoever gets to me first gets bibbed and hauled onto my lap, and I install her bottle. The laggard gets the same treatment but she ends up on my legs.

I like this arrangement because I can easily get to both of them if they have spillage or drop their bottle. I have also make eye cotact with them when they want it.

Can you see how Hazel is not holding her own bottle? She can, but she really likes to look at her cuff and play with her eyelashes when she drinks. She does it when she is sleepy too. I like to hold her bottle for her sometimes, so she can have a really good session of cuff-admiring and eyelash-stroking.

Ivy likes the tunnel

Chrissy bought this tunnel for $1. Her boys seem to like it, but Ivy nearly died of happiness in it. Yes that is her squawking.

She spent a lot of time running up and down the tunnel hoping for someone to come find her.

Did you notice that both girls are wearing dresses?

We are all well

It's been a while, hasn't it.

We've had a lot of minor crises - the usual quotidian stuff. Six weeks of continual colds, and the girls are just finishing up one now. I hope we have at least a few weeks off before the next one. One of the colds was a weird one that started with two days of fever and tiredness, then turned into a normal cold. We all had that one, one after another.

Yesterday all four of us went out for a walk, with Hazel in Trudi's backpack, and Ivy on my front in my Ergo carrier. Not far from home I fell over. Like a kid again! I tripped on a piece of kerb that I didn't see, and went down forwards. Poor Trudi said that watching me fall took forever, and she was waiting for the sound of a snapping wrist, as has happened to both Trudi and her mum. I am fine, just a grazed palm and knee. As I fell I curled one arm around Ivy, but not high enough to protect her little head. She has a graze on the back of her head where she hit the concrete. After I got up, we went straight home, with Ivy bawling. Apparently that is actually a good sign, that she cried immediately. A silence is ominous. When we got home we managed to calm Ivy and she played happily with Hazel. After a wait I got through to the Maternal and Child Heath phone line, and they said she sounded fine, but recommended we get her checked out. So Trudi stayed home with Hazel and I took Ivy to the Austin emergency. They have a paediatric section there. We waited for a long time cos they were busy (I hate to think with what), and Ivy was pretty wired by the time we left. She is utterly fine, but we should watch for weird behaviour for the next few days.

Oddly, last night's sleep was one of the best in a month! Hazel woke once at about 3am, and was back asleep within half an hour. The girls slept until 6.30, which is just fine by me.

Today we will go to a playground with Ange, Olive & Toby.

Ivy is sometimes a destructive force

...but she is always a cutie.