Monday, November 30, 2009
Another little milestone
The usual warning: of course it's about poo. Of course. What else would it be?
Actually there are two new things.
One new thing is that Hazel says SSSSS when she is weeing. So cute!
But the newest thing happened yesterday when I was out. We left the kids with their two grandmothers and a grandfather for an hour while we went to buy plants at the nursery. When we got back I heard this story:
They were all playing on the floor in the lounge room (which is where the two potties are!), when Mum noticed that Hazel was doing Poo Face (you know the one I'm sure). Hazel saw that Mum was looking, so she turned around and pointed at the potty. Mum whipped Hazel's pants and nappy off, popped her on the pot, and Hazel pooed immediately!
Yay!
I'm so glad that Mum knows what we've been doing with the potties, so she was able to respond to Hazel's request. It's been a big week for Hazel.
Actually there are two new things.
One new thing is that Hazel says SSSSS when she is weeing. So cute!
But the newest thing happened yesterday when I was out. We left the kids with their two grandmothers and a grandfather for an hour while we went to buy plants at the nursery. When we got back I heard this story:
They were all playing on the floor in the lounge room (which is where the two potties are!), when Mum noticed that Hazel was doing Poo Face (you know the one I'm sure). Hazel saw that Mum was looking, so she turned around and pointed at the potty. Mum whipped Hazel's pants and nappy off, popped her on the pot, and Hazel pooed immediately!
Yay!
I'm so glad that Mum knows what we've been doing with the potties, so she was able to respond to Hazel's request. It's been a big week for Hazel.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Hazel walks
A few days ago another mum watched Hazel standing against a table and predicted that she would soon be walking. i demurred. No no, she's been doing that for months, we think ivy might walk first, but hopefully not for another few months.
Right.
Today Chrissy visited, with her two strapping lads, who are only a couple of weeks older than our girls but heaps bigger and more developed. They have been walking for a while now, and are experts.
About an hour into the visit, Hazel got up and walked ten steps. She looked awfully pleased, and we all clapped, and Hazel clapped, and Ivy clapped. Hazel tried again a few times; once she walked for 25 steps. Her nanna was counting.
After you watch this video, a row of pictures appears along the bottom. This is the Related Videos list... there are a LOT of other people with kids called Hazel who have just learnt to walk.
Things are improving around here. The bad day sleeps are gone for the moment, and the nights are much better. Two nights ago I woke at 5:30am and did not remember a thing. Oh I love those mornings.
Right now someone is quietly singing instead of being asleep. I hope she drops off soon. Trudi and Judy have gone to a shop to look at a thing. Could not tell you what shop and what thing. I probably knew once, quite recently, but not now.
Hey we have chickens! They are small and so very cute. I just went out to look at them and they are asleep in a tiny pile in the corner of their coop.
Right.
Today Chrissy visited, with her two strapping lads, who are only a couple of weeks older than our girls but heaps bigger and more developed. They have been walking for a while now, and are experts.
About an hour into the visit, Hazel got up and walked ten steps. She looked awfully pleased, and we all clapped, and Hazel clapped, and Ivy clapped. Hazel tried again a few times; once she walked for 25 steps. Her nanna was counting.
After you watch this video, a row of pictures appears along the bottom. This is the Related Videos list... there are a LOT of other people with kids called Hazel who have just learnt to walk.
Things are improving around here. The bad day sleeps are gone for the moment, and the nights are much better. Two nights ago I woke at 5:30am and did not remember a thing. Oh I love those mornings.
Right now someone is quietly singing instead of being asleep. I hope she drops off soon. Trudi and Judy have gone to a shop to look at a thing. Could not tell you what shop and what thing. I probably knew once, quite recently, but not now.
Hey we have chickens! They are small and so very cute. I just went out to look at them and they are asleep in a tiny pile in the corner of their coop.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Things Hazel says
She has a few words now, does Miss Hazel. Not many, but they get a good workout each day. Here they are:
Aside: I do not know why there is a huge gap before this list. Thankyou Blogger for doing weird things to my lame little HTML table.
I am just loving how the girls' comprehension is growing each day.
Both girls now come to me when I ask them to. This afternoon they were in an inflated bouncy castle, and when it was time to go I asked them to come over to me and they did! Even though they were having fun still.
When we are all in the bathroom Hazel loves to play in the drawers. The bottom drawer has lots of blocks of soap, and she takes them all out and throws them around. She licked one once, but not lately. Eww. When I want to leave the room, I ask her to put the soap back in the drawer, and she does. Ivy helps. Then I ask Hazel to shut the drawer and she does. Ivy has no truck with drawers. They are scary bitey things and I am happy with that. They I say "Everyone out" and point to the door, and they troop out ahead of me.
Can you tell that both girls are a lot better? I am blogging about positive things today.
Some interesting diagnosis facts: Ivy's mysterious illness (fever then rash) was probably roseola. I described her synptoms (complain complain) to Chrissy, who said that her favourite book when she was 14 was an illustrated diagnosis manual. She said Ivy probably had roseola, so I googled, and it surely does fit the facts. It's harmless and rarely recurs.
Hazel's latest problem has been a sore mouth, leading to screaming and sleepless nights. Panadol helped. We assumed it was teeth, then I mentioned to Mum that I had a sore tongue and she diagnosed thrush. Great. Oral thrush. How gross! The pharmacist agreed, so the girls and I are eating Daktarin gel and Hazel had her first proper nap this morning, and she didn't wake up screaming. I'm feeling a lot better too.
| ted-dy | Means "teddy". Due to Trudi's insistence that any soft stuffed toy is a teddy, we hear this one a lot. |
|---|---|
| a-o | Means "cat", probably cos we keep telling her that cats say "meow", even though one of our cats says eh and the other one says rowly-meow-ow-ow-yowly-rowlrowl. |
| a-pl | Means "apple". The second syllable is kind of explosive but hidden. Impossible to describe. Will try to video it so one day when Hazel is ten we can reminisce. |
| ut | Means "up". This is both a comment on the state of things (as in, "Look, I am standing up when you thought I was still sitting on my potty and did not notice me stand up look I am standing UP"), and a description of things to come (as when I have unbuckled her from her car seat and am about to hoist her up and out). |
Aside: I do not know why there is a huge gap before this list. Thankyou Blogger for doing weird things to my lame little HTML table.
I am just loving how the girls' comprehension is growing each day.
Both girls now come to me when I ask them to. This afternoon they were in an inflated bouncy castle, and when it was time to go I asked them to come over to me and they did! Even though they were having fun still.
When we are all in the bathroom Hazel loves to play in the drawers. The bottom drawer has lots of blocks of soap, and she takes them all out and throws them around. She licked one once, but not lately. Eww. When I want to leave the room, I ask her to put the soap back in the drawer, and she does. Ivy helps. Then I ask Hazel to shut the drawer and she does. Ivy has no truck with drawers. They are scary bitey things and I am happy with that. They I say "Everyone out" and point to the door, and they troop out ahead of me.
Can you tell that both girls are a lot better? I am blogging about positive things today.
Some interesting diagnosis facts: Ivy's mysterious illness (fever then rash) was probably roseola. I described her synptoms (complain complain) to Chrissy, who said that her favourite book when she was 14 was an illustrated diagnosis manual. She said Ivy probably had roseola, so I googled, and it surely does fit the facts. It's harmless and rarely recurs.
Hazel's latest problem has been a sore mouth, leading to screaming and sleepless nights. Panadol helped. We assumed it was teeth, then I mentioned to Mum that I had a sore tongue and she diagnosed thrush. Great. Oral thrush. How gross! The pharmacist agreed, so the girls and I are eating Daktarin gel and Hazel had her first proper nap this morning, and she didn't wake up screaming. I'm feeling a lot better too.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Ivy walking with the trolley
Even though Ivy has been sick all week or so, her trolley skills have gone from almost nothing to expert. This video is taken in the lane behind our house...plenty of room for her to test her new skills!
- T
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
On the mend
Ivy's condition is improving. Her coat is shiny, her whiskers are clean and erect, and her eyes are clear. Also her rash is fading and she is not in a sad mood all of the time.
Had a tough night due to Hazel being in pain with something (we will never know). Eventually threw some Panadol at her and we all eventually got some sleep, punctuated by Ivy's momentous coughing bouts a few times.
We are off to the pediatrician next week, cos she has had a cough since she was 4 months old. That is nearly a third of her life so far.
We are getting chooks! They arrive on Thursday. They are four Pekin bantams. They come with a coop and all the gear (water dispenser, feed thingy, foot massager...).
They will be only seven weeks old so they won't lay for ages. And once they do, the eggs will be small and not as frequent as for big chooks. We don't mind: the point of them is to keep us all amused, and to be instruments for the kids to learn benevolence on.
Had a tough night due to Hazel being in pain with something (we will never know). Eventually threw some Panadol at her and we all eventually got some sleep, punctuated by Ivy's momentous coughing bouts a few times.
We are off to the pediatrician next week, cos she has had a cough since she was 4 months old. That is nearly a third of her life so far.
We are getting chooks! They arrive on Thursday. They are four Pekin bantams. They come with a coop and all the gear (water dispenser, feed thingy, foot massager...).
They will be only seven weeks old so they won't lay for ages. And once they do, the eggs will be small and not as frequent as for big chooks. We don't mind: the point of them is to keep us all amused, and to be instruments for the kids to learn benevolence on.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Another little first
Hazel took a tiny staggery unassisted step today.
We were having lunch at Jackie & Felicity's place, and Hazel was standing against Jackie, and took one little step towards Trudi before collapsing.
In other news, Ivy is quite sick today. Her rash is getting a bit worse, but it's not bothering her. She is generally miserable though, and something hurts her, because Panadol makes her feel better. No fever any more.
We have a doctor's appointment for her on Tuesday. if we have a bad night I will try to get one for tomorrow instead. no idea what is wrong with her. The doctor yesterday didn't know.
We were having lunch at Jackie & Felicity's place, and Hazel was standing against Jackie, and took one little step towards Trudi before collapsing.
In other news, Ivy is quite sick today. Her rash is getting a bit worse, but it's not bothering her. She is generally miserable though, and something hurts her, because Panadol makes her feel better. No fever any more.
We have a doctor's appointment for her on Tuesday. if we have a bad night I will try to get one for tomorrow instead. no idea what is wrong with her. The doctor yesterday didn't know.
A day of firsts
Yesterday was a standard small day, but had a few sneaky firsts.
Warning: Some of the firsts are to do with poo.
In the morning we were brushing our teeth as usual, sitting on the bathroom floor. Hazel did Poo Face (imagine it if you can), so I whipped her pants off and popped her on the toilet with its new little toddler seat. After a few minutes of fiddling with the toilet roll holder and admiring the Sesame Street pictures on the seat, she did a poo and then a wee! Yay for Hazel! First deliberate poo in the toilet.
In the evening the girls were in the bath, and Hazel did Poo Face again. A whole day had passed since the morning's Poo Face, so don't imagine she does it all the time. I'm just compressing events so you don't have to hear about the ones without Poo Face. So, I whipped her out of the bath and popped her on the conveniently located little seat on the toilet. No poo, and much struggling. Back in the bath. Poo Face again. Back on the toilet, more struggling. Hmm. Back in the bath. Now Ivy does Poo Face which is not like her - she is usually a stealth poo-er. I put Ivy on the toilet seat, and she notices the Sesame Street picture,. Fiddle fiddle. Hazel does Poo Face again. Heck. I call out to Trudi to bring the potty, in case I have two pooing people to deal with. Hazel poos in the bath before the potty arrives. Ivy does not poo but likes the Cookie Monster. First poo in the bath.
Confession: Both of the firsts were to do with poo. Hah I tricked you.
Warning: Some of the firsts are to do with poo.
In the morning we were brushing our teeth as usual, sitting on the bathroom floor. Hazel did Poo Face (imagine it if you can), so I whipped her pants off and popped her on the toilet with its new little toddler seat. After a few minutes of fiddling with the toilet roll holder and admiring the Sesame Street pictures on the seat, she did a poo and then a wee! Yay for Hazel! First deliberate poo in the toilet.
In the evening the girls were in the bath, and Hazel did Poo Face again. A whole day had passed since the morning's Poo Face, so don't imagine she does it all the time. I'm just compressing events so you don't have to hear about the ones without Poo Face. So, I whipped her out of the bath and popped her on the conveniently located little seat on the toilet. No poo, and much struggling. Back in the bath. Poo Face again. Back on the toilet, more struggling. Hmm. Back in the bath. Now Ivy does Poo Face which is not like her - she is usually a stealth poo-er. I put Ivy on the toilet seat, and she notices the Sesame Street picture,. Fiddle fiddle. Hazel does Poo Face again. Heck. I call out to Trudi to bring the potty, in case I have two pooing people to deal with. Hazel poos in the bath before the potty arrives. Ivy does not poo but likes the Cookie Monster. First poo in the bath.
Confession: Both of the firsts were to do with poo. Hah I tricked you.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sick and tired
Not that sick, but fairly tired.
Ivy has been under the weather this week. A fever on and off earlier, and now a lingering pointless cough. Her sleeping is all shot to hell. Last night she woke 5 or 6 times between bedtime and 5:45am. Each time she needed help to go back to sleep. And let me tell you, I race in there to give her that help!
When Ivy wakes in the night her cries go from 0 to 100 in ten seconds. If she gets past 100, it takes her ages to get back down again, and she is SOOOO LOUD. Like, unbelievably loud. And piercing.
Usually Hazel sleeps through it all, but if Ivy reaches the Plateau of Piercing Screaming, of course Hazel wakes up and screams that it's ridiculous that this is going on right next to her head. Their cots are only a foot apart. Then it's a right bastard getting them both calmed down again. This week Trudi has been having to get up and help me, cos it's all I can do to calm Ivy, let alone Hazel too.
So we are all tired, and Ivy still seems to be a little bit sick with some mild unspecified malaise.
In other news, I had the swine flu jab yesterday. Trudi's had hers. It seems like a good idea to have as much immunity in the family as possible. When it comes around again next winter we might have some immunity to whatever form it's mutated into.
In other other news, Krishna and Trishna seem to be doing really well.
Ivy has been under the weather this week. A fever on and off earlier, and now a lingering pointless cough. Her sleeping is all shot to hell. Last night she woke 5 or 6 times between bedtime and 5:45am. Each time she needed help to go back to sleep. And let me tell you, I race in there to give her that help!
When Ivy wakes in the night her cries go from 0 to 100 in ten seconds. If she gets past 100, it takes her ages to get back down again, and she is SOOOO LOUD. Like, unbelievably loud. And piercing.
Usually Hazel sleeps through it all, but if Ivy reaches the Plateau of Piercing Screaming, of course Hazel wakes up and screams that it's ridiculous that this is going on right next to her head. Their cots are only a foot apart. Then it's a right bastard getting them both calmed down again. This week Trudi has been having to get up and help me, cos it's all I can do to calm Ivy, let alone Hazel too.
So we are all tired, and Ivy still seems to be a little bit sick with some mild unspecified malaise.
In other news, I had the swine flu jab yesterday. Trudi's had hers. It seems like a good idea to have as much immunity in the family as possible. When it comes around again next winter we might have some immunity to whatever form it's mutated into.
In other other news, Krishna and Trishna seem to be doing really well.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Same ol same ol
Another shitty night. Ivy has a fever on and off. We all slept nicely until 1am, then it was Game On. I got back to sleep at 5am for about an hour. Why didn't I go to bed at 8.30?
Now the girls are frantically not napping AGAIN why do I even bother mentioning this?
These afternoon naps have hairs on. They are still desperately needed. If one doesn't happen, the relevant non-napper is catatonic by 6pm. However most days they both prefer to spend an hour leaping around like soccer hooligans before finally collapsing in two little heaps, rather than just gently lying down and drifting off to a lovely restful LONG nap.
I thought they would be so tired from last night that today's naps would be easy.
This all reminds me of our life a year ago. Draining though this is, I would not trade places for anything. For example, see this sad little attempt at hope: Hazel did not sleep.
Now the girls are frantically not napping AGAIN why do I even bother mentioning this?
These afternoon naps have hairs on. They are still desperately needed. If one doesn't happen, the relevant non-napper is catatonic by 6pm. However most days they both prefer to spend an hour leaping around like soccer hooligans before finally collapsing in two little heaps, rather than just gently lying down and drifting off to a lovely restful LONG nap.
I thought they would be so tired from last night that today's naps would be easy.
This all reminds me of our life a year ago. Draining though this is, I would not trade places for anything. For example, see this sad little attempt at hope: Hazel did not sleep.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sustainability assessment
A fellow is coming on Friday to check out our house for sustainabilityness. He will then tell us what we could do to sustainabilityify it some more.
I assume this will include stuff like a hot water recirculator, a grey water diversion or treatment thingy, maybe rainwater tanks, and possibly some heat-blocking window film,. I have been doing my research so I know these words. Don't want to seem dumb.
Greywater treatment is scary. No-one has any prices on their websites, so I can only assume it's awfully expensive.
And hey, Trudi just bought chooks! They will arrive in a couple of weeks I think! How excitement!
In other news related to tiny people, we have had our first poo into the toilet from the new baby-sized toilet seat. Hazel did poo-face in the bath so I scooped her out and it was all good. Yesterday Miss Hazel did not have her afternoon nap due to jumping up and down and squealing with Ivy. Ivy eventually slept but Hazel was wired.
Once Ivy woke, we all went to the Northcote pool and had a lovely time. Hazel loves loves loves crawling out into deeper water, and just keeping on going. We went for lots of swims where I hold her up with a palm under her chest, and she thrashes along. Ivy loves loves loves bobbing around on Mummy the Scary Sea Monster.
I wonder how Trishna and Krishna are going.
I assume this will include stuff like a hot water recirculator, a grey water diversion or treatment thingy, maybe rainwater tanks, and possibly some heat-blocking window film,. I have been doing my research so I know these words. Don't want to seem dumb.
Greywater treatment is scary. No-one has any prices on their websites, so I can only assume it's awfully expensive.
And hey, Trudi just bought chooks! They will arrive in a couple of weeks I think! How excitement!
In other news related to tiny people, we have had our first poo into the toilet from the new baby-sized toilet seat. Hazel did poo-face in the bath so I scooped her out and it was all good. Yesterday Miss Hazel did not have her afternoon nap due to jumping up and down and squealing with Ivy. Ivy eventually slept but Hazel was wired.
Once Ivy woke, we all went to the Northcote pool and had a lovely time. Hazel loves loves loves crawling out into deeper water, and just keeping on going. We went for lots of swims where I hold her up with a palm under her chest, and she thrashes along. Ivy loves loves loves bobbing around on Mummy the Scary Sea Monster.
I wonder how Trishna and Krishna are going.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
It's happening again
Another two-hour nap this morning. Yesterday they had a short afternoon nap after hooning around their cots for half an hour - today they dropped off immediately. too weird. They are not sick either! Maybe the heat is doing good things to their napping requirements.
Maybe they are pleasantly tired from having visitors. Today Megan & Marnie, Lyn-May, and Chrissy with Noah and Jem all came for lunch. The mums of small twins (Chrissy & me) did baby things, and the mums of older kids (Megan & Lyn-May brought food and were house-wifely in the kitchen.
Marvellous! Can we do it again?
I have just watched this video again for the ninetieth time. Still funny, I think:
Maybe they are pleasantly tired from having visitors. Today Megan & Marnie, Lyn-May, and Chrissy with Noah and Jem all came for lunch. The mums of small twins (Chrissy & me) did baby things, and the mums of older kids (Megan & Lyn-May brought food and were house-wifely in the kitchen.
Marvellous! Can we do it again?
I have just watched this video again for the ninetieth time. Still funny, I think:
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Two-hour nap
I go about my life, unaware that it's about to strike.
It seems like a normal morning.
The girls go to bed at 9:30 am, as usual. As usual, they jump around and squeal for a bit, then silence falls.
As usual, I waste time on the interweb. As usual, I leap up to do useful things to keep us clean and fed, in the few minutes remaining until the girls get up.
The silence continues. How nice, they are both having a second 40-minute cycle of sleep. Means I can hang out the laundry and wipe up more ants from the kitchen.
But then the silence continues to continue. Could it be? A third cycle. This will lead to only one thing - a two-hour nap!
I don't quite know what to do with myself when this happens. I made an elaborate salad for when Marina & Alisa visit (elaborate = more than three ingredients). I wiped up more ants. I polished the sink to sparkling-point.
Came to write this post (to keep you abreast of developments) and now I hear little muttering noises. Grumble brumble crumble says Hazel, I have overslept. Eeeeee says Ivy, whack whack I can whack my legs on my cot! Whack whack eeeeee brumble grrrrr thumpy thumpy.
It seems like a normal morning.
The girls go to bed at 9:30 am, as usual. As usual, they jump around and squeal for a bit, then silence falls.
As usual, I waste time on the interweb. As usual, I leap up to do useful things to keep us clean and fed, in the few minutes remaining until the girls get up.
The silence continues. How nice, they are both having a second 40-minute cycle of sleep. Means I can hang out the laundry and wipe up more ants from the kitchen.
But then the silence continues to continue. Could it be? A third cycle. This will lead to only one thing - a two-hour nap!
I don't quite know what to do with myself when this happens. I made an elaborate salad for when Marina & Alisa visit (elaborate = more than three ingredients). I wiped up more ants. I polished the sink to sparkling-point.
Came to write this post (to keep you abreast of developments) and now I hear little muttering noises. Grumble brumble crumble says Hazel, I have overslept. Eeeeee says Ivy, whack whack I can whack my legs on my cot! Whack whack eeeeee brumble grrrrr thumpy thumpy.
I've been thinking about the things people say about twins
And yes I'm sure I come across as hysterical and unreasonable when YET ANOTHER person tells me that I have my hands full, luv. Yes yes it's true I'm nuts, but there you go.
Here is a list of responses that another parent of twins has compiled:
http://www.techhouse.us/Hosted/Tig/?page_id=208
And here's another:
http://www.lookydaddy.com/weblog/2007/01/ask_the_dad_jan.html
So it's not just me. Next time someone asks me if they are natural I will indeed say that no, they are pretend.
Here is a list of responses that another parent of twins has compiled:
http://www.techhouse.us/Hosted/Tig/?page_id=208
And here's another:
http://www.lookydaddy.com/weblog/2007/01/ask_the_dad_jan.html
So it's not just me. Next time someone asks me if they are natural I will indeed say that no, they are pretend.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Our stroller is dangerous
Here's a news article that describes how it can AMPUTATE baby FINGERTIPS:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26329769-2,00.html
Turns out that they are only doing a recall in the US. Here is the Australian Maclaren page that blames parents for not following safety instructions:
http://www.maclarenbaby.com.au/page.aspx?page=8
They think that you shouldn't let your kid near the pram when you are putting it up.
Hah. I can just imagine how easy that is going to be once the girls are walking! Girls, can you please stand over there and wait while I wrestle with this pram AGAIN thankyou oh that is marvellous the way you are standing in a little row in the shade over there.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26329769-2,00.html
Turns out that they are only doing a recall in the US. Here is the Australian Maclaren page that blames parents for not following safety instructions:
http://www.maclarenbaby.com.au/page.aspx?page=8
They think that you shouldn't let your kid near the pram when you are putting it up.
Hah. I can just imagine how easy that is going to be once the girls are walking! Girls, can you please stand over there and wait while I wrestle with this pram AGAIN thankyou oh that is marvellous the way you are standing in a little row in the shade over there.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Hot day
What a great start to the day - I woke at 6am and did not remember anything about the night! I assume that meant that I did not wake up all night. This happened a couple of days ago as well - the night before our few difficult days. And now again last night. Those were my first unbroken nights of sleep since I was about six months pregnant. I still feel tired though. Backlog,
Today we went to Coburg Lake Reserve. It's just lovely. Lush green grass (that won't last long I suppose), shady trees, lots of space, and a creeky lake thing to admire with ducks up the other end. The lot of picnickers nearest us happened to include Thomas and his parents. Thomas is in our swimming class. We chatted with his mum. Turns out that they have been doing baby-led weaning, plus she knows Kirsteen, who does underwater hockey with Trudi. We've only known them for nine months!
At home the girls have their nappies off most of the time cos it's warm. Hazel is enjoying weeing everywhere. She totally knows what she is doing. It is fun! We are hoping this is a phase in which she learns about how cool weeing is, and eventually she will be over it and will wee in the potty.
And I bought a little toilet seat for them! It's soft and has pictures of Sesame Street characters on it. Hazel gnawed it so it has a little hole already. No more gnawing the toilet seat. She also popped it on her head and wore it like a hat. She does this crazy scrunched-up-face giggle when she is being funny.
Today we went to Coburg Lake Reserve. It's just lovely. Lush green grass (that won't last long I suppose), shady trees, lots of space, and a creeky lake thing to admire with ducks up the other end. The lot of picnickers nearest us happened to include Thomas and his parents. Thomas is in our swimming class. We chatted with his mum. Turns out that they have been doing baby-led weaning, plus she knows Kirsteen, who does underwater hockey with Trudi. We've only known them for nine months!
At home the girls have their nappies off most of the time cos it's warm. Hazel is enjoying weeing everywhere. She totally knows what she is doing. It is fun! We are hoping this is a phase in which she learns about how cool weeing is, and eventually she will be over it and will wee in the potty.
And I bought a little toilet seat for them! It's soft and has pictures of Sesame Street characters on it. Hazel gnawed it so it has a little hole already. No more gnawing the toilet seat. She also popped it on her head and wore it like a hat. She does this crazy scrunched-up-face giggle when she is being funny.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A bad couple of days, but all is lovely now
Ivy was sick with something. All Thursday she cried at nothing much and needed lots of cuddles. The good part about this was that she is now coming over to get a cuddle when she needs one. T & I are both loving this new development.
The night sucked too. Ivy woke up screaming again and again until we gave her Panadol at about midnight. She slept OK until 5.30am, so that's when our day started. Great.
Friday was somewhat better. Ivy was still dodgy but not abject.
Today both girls were bouncy and full of sunshine. They went straight to sleep for their morning nap. We had a great swimming lesson. Hazel is loves to sit on the side of the pool, fall forward into the water, swim underwater for about a metre, and catch hold of my t-shirt to come up for air. After this she smiles! Ivy is less keen on going underwater at the moment. She loves to swim after a bright toy and then grab it and gnaw it.
On the way back from swimming, Trudi dropped me off on High St, where I caught a tram down to the Japanese Bath House in Collingwood. I had an hour-long bath session, followed by a shiatsu. Happy.
Trudi told me that the girls' afternoon nap went really well too. Trudi was trying to make them sit still for their Calming Naptime Book Reading but no dice. Wriggling and crawling around in their bed-bags was the order of the afternoon. T decided to put Hazel to bed and let Ivy stay up a bit longer. As she came out of the bedroom she found Ivy had crawled all the way from the lounge to her bedroom (hampered by being in a bag no doubt). So off she went to bed too, and they went straight off to sleep.
On the way home I stopped off in Northcote to buy sunhats for the girls. Trudi and the girls met me at the shop, and we all drove back home together. At home we sat on the grass and played with coloured cups in a box of water. Dinner, bottles, bed-bags, book, bed. Then Trudi and I scrubbed the deck so that she can oil it tomorrow.
Bread is baking now which is why I am blathering online instead of going to bed. Nearly done.
Night.
The night sucked too. Ivy woke up screaming again and again until we gave her Panadol at about midnight. She slept OK until 5.30am, so that's when our day started. Great.
Friday was somewhat better. Ivy was still dodgy but not abject.
Today both girls were bouncy and full of sunshine. They went straight to sleep for their morning nap. We had a great swimming lesson. Hazel is loves to sit on the side of the pool, fall forward into the water, swim underwater for about a metre, and catch hold of my t-shirt to come up for air. After this she smiles! Ivy is less keen on going underwater at the moment. She loves to swim after a bright toy and then grab it and gnaw it.
On the way back from swimming, Trudi dropped me off on High St, where I caught a tram down to the Japanese Bath House in Collingwood. I had an hour-long bath session, followed by a shiatsu. Happy.
Trudi told me that the girls' afternoon nap went really well too. Trudi was trying to make them sit still for their Calming Naptime Book Reading but no dice. Wriggling and crawling around in their bed-bags was the order of the afternoon. T decided to put Hazel to bed and let Ivy stay up a bit longer. As she came out of the bedroom she found Ivy had crawled all the way from the lounge to her bedroom (hampered by being in a bag no doubt). So off she went to bed too, and they went straight off to sleep.
On the way home I stopped off in Northcote to buy sunhats for the girls. Trudi and the girls met me at the shop, and we all drove back home together. At home we sat on the grass and played with coloured cups in a box of water. Dinner, bottles, bed-bags, book, bed. Then Trudi and I scrubbed the deck so that she can oil it tomorrow.
Bread is baking now which is why I am blathering online instead of going to bed. Nearly done.
Night.
Carnivorous bunnies
These girls love their meat, Ivy in particular.
This is the first time that they have had cutlets (which are basically meat on a stick, right?). They saw, they looked suspicious, they picked up, and they commenced to gnaw.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Institute of Official Cheer
Years ago I came across this page (beware, it's not been updated since 2005):
http://lileks.com/institute/gallery/index.html
On this page, a dude named James Lilek satirises terrible old cooking books. I remember fondly that when I showed Kylie, we wept and howled with laughter such that other colleagues came to see what the fuss was.
My favourite is still "Meat! Meat! Meat! In which you'll meet Meat! Meat! Meat! Also, Meat!".
http://lileks.com/institute/gallery/index.html
On this page, a dude named James Lilek satirises terrible old cooking books. I remember fondly that when I showed Kylie, we wept and howled with laughter such that other colleagues came to see what the fuss was.
My favourite is still "Meat! Meat! Meat! In which you'll meet Meat! Meat! Meat! Also, Meat!".
Farm
We met Ange, Olive, Toby, Fran, Peter and Tom at the Collingwood Children's Farm today.
We re-met Coffee Table the placid sheep. We admired chickens, roosters, ducks, barn cats, horses, pigs and piglets. We wheeled into the goat paddock, and the girls were enchanted with the mummy goats and their delightful children. One mummy goat ate Hazel's apple right out of her hand (Hazel was still holding on). A baby goat stepped up onto the pram to get a really good look at the girls. Two kids here mum. Yep, two of them. Yep, two. Hey mum, I found two kids here mum. Two. Yep. Can I get down now mum?
Olive is doing toilet training, so we found a quiet private grassy corner of the farm for a wee stop. I got the girls out too, to see if they wanted a wee. Immediately a hundred people walked by. "Bare bottoms" quoth one observant dad.
Ivy is still suffering with this latest cold. It really shits her RIGHT up the wall when I wipe her terrible disaster of a snotty nose. Also her coughing is sometimes painful. I listen to her chest, and this morning it was full of grot but it is clear now. After viewing animals we stopped off at the farm cafe, so the mummies could drink coffee (decaf here thanks) and the babies could writhe in the dirt. Add caked-on snot to a dirty face and hands and you have a kid who looks like she should be on a poster titled Donate To Save This Slum Child.
We re-met Coffee Table the placid sheep. We admired chickens, roosters, ducks, barn cats, horses, pigs and piglets. We wheeled into the goat paddock, and the girls were enchanted with the mummy goats and their delightful children. One mummy goat ate Hazel's apple right out of her hand (Hazel was still holding on). A baby goat stepped up onto the pram to get a really good look at the girls. Two kids here mum. Yep, two of them. Yep, two. Hey mum, I found two kids here mum. Two. Yep. Can I get down now mum?
Olive is doing toilet training, so we found a quiet private grassy corner of the farm for a wee stop. I got the girls out too, to see if they wanted a wee. Immediately a hundred people walked by. "Bare bottoms" quoth one observant dad.
Ivy is still suffering with this latest cold. It really shits her RIGHT up the wall when I wipe her terrible disaster of a snotty nose. Also her coughing is sometimes painful. I listen to her chest, and this morning it was full of grot but it is clear now. After viewing animals we stopped off at the farm cafe, so the mummies could drink coffee (decaf here thanks) and the babies could writhe in the dirt. Add caked-on snot to a dirty face and hands and you have a kid who looks like she should be on a poster titled Donate To Save This Slum Child.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Alyson are you reading this?
Mum said that you sometimes read this blog but that you feel a bit naughty and stalker-y for doing so.
Not so. I love my public! Usually I assume that only Mum & Trudi will read the crud that I upload to this blog. Trudi usually reads it in the afternoon to check if she is going to come home to a miserable and/or raving person.
And so to bed.
Not so. I love my public! Usually I assume that only Mum & Trudi will read the crud that I upload to this blog. Trudi usually reads it in the afternoon to check if she is going to come home to a miserable and/or raving person.
And so to bed.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Why didn't we get this pram?
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