Category: 250 in 2017

I am committing to writing 250 posts in 2017. It was going to be 365 but I think that’s a little ambitious…

This book

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About a year ago, while I was in a tiny little cafe in Paddington (Brisbane), waiting for my takeaway coffee to be made, I picked up this book and started to flick through it.

I added it to my ever expanding gift ideas list that I keep in my phone, in case I ever thought of someone to give it to. A year on, it’s still on the list and when I’d see it, I’d remember I really liked it but couldn’t remember anything about it or why I loved it so much!

Then I happened to be at my neighbour’s house this afternoon, enjoying their air conditioning (thanks guys!) when I spied it on their bookshelf! The kids were playing happily so I plonked myself down on their couch and started to read. (That’s when I took the above photo.)

It’s just full of sweet little anecdotes about finding out what’s important in life and letting go of the rest.

Here are a few of my favourites.

This is so me and Hubs. I always get him tea when I’m feeling helpless.

Ooooh I’ll be the coolest cat on the block!

And this is absolutely me right now. Always in such a flap, too busy to stand still, and wondering why I can’t find calm.

There were so many illustrations that reminded me of family and friends and Hubs and myself and just LIFE. So much read-nodding. I would love to see if these come in card form because they would be perfect to send “just because”. If you ever see it lying around, pick it up, grab a coffee and get ready to smile.

So this happened today

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Before (well during)

After

This was was removed

And here’s most of my kitchen stuff

It will be slow going but it’s going and I’m so excited! Next step, ensuite, then kitchen. All before baby comes along in May. Get excited people! It’s HAPPENING!

10 things on the 10th

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10 things that are making me cranky/upset/frustrated that I wish I could let go

1. My milk frother. I bought this for Hubs for Christmas and have had to take it back twice for a replacement and the third one is still not working as I feel it should. Just over it.

2. The kids making a mess in the bathroom at bathtime. It’s just water. They are having fun. They are just being kids. It’s just water.

3. The kids taking a long time and multiple asking to do anything. I need to approach my way of asking better. Less hollering I suspect.

4. My family not coming for their food when I tell them it’s ready. I’m not quite ready to let this one go but perhaps I need to give more warning. 10 minutes til dinner. 5 minutes til dinner.

5. Constantly picking up toys. The same toys. Every day. Mostly Octonauts. At least they are getting played with, right?

6. Reading the same books every night. I tell the kids to get two stories each, and try to find one we haven’t read in ages. A week is ages to a 4-year-old by the way.

7. Not being able to bend over easily and tie my shoes. I know it will get harder before it gets easier.

8. Not being able to drag myself out of bed when my 6:05am alarm goes off. I was in such a great habit last year but now I’m just tired. So much of it is a mental battle and I’m afraid I’m losing that battle at the moment.

9. My apparent inability to be fun for more than 5 minutes at a time and instead just being cranky. All I can hear coming out of my mouth is “what are you doing? Stop that! I can’t believe you just did that!?”

10. The school drop off and pick up. I really don’t know how to make this easier on myself without outsourcing!

I keep waiting for things to change; for my mood to lift, to feel more rested, to be more patient, but I realise these things are going to take effort on my part. And right now I just don’t know where I’m going to find the energy to put that effort in dammit!

Mein Zimmer!

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Darby is well into the “mine” stage of being a two-year-old at the moment. It doesn’t matter what it is, he claims ownership.

“It’s mine!”

So when we were at our friend’s place today, and Darby was playing with his near-three-year-old friend who happens to speak German and English, he heard the word “mein” and he wanted a piece of the action.

Ella was saying “my room” in German.

Just imagine two two-year-olds yelling at each other “mein zimmer” and only one of them actually understanding what it meant.

Once my friend explained what her daughter was saying, I was just in stitches. I wish I’d had my phone so I could get a video. It was just too much.

I don’t think I’ll be teaching Darby German any time soon. Too many “meins”.

Coming down from the clouds

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My head is feeling quite fuzzy at the moment. We’ve had a wonderful start to the year with a visit from friends, a trip to Brisbane, the kids have settled in to their routines again, and Quinn’s 4th birthday which included having mum and dad here for a few days. This is always very helpful for me – my kitchen becomes self-cleaning, my clothes get magically washed, my children get clothed, fed, bathed and read to regularly without me lifting a finger, and I get extra sleep.

Oh and my kids get dropped off and picked up from school/kindy.

It’s a win for me, that’s for sure!

Is it just me or does anyone else hate and dread the school drop off and pick up? I said to Hubs today that the only way I’m going to succeed in that arena this year is a) get a new routine or b) change my attitude towards it.

You see Quinn finishes at 2.30 and Chance finishes at 3. I like to walk and push the pram because it really is crazy close, but even if I drag it out as much as I can, I still get to the school with over 10 minutes to kill. And with a very energetic 2-year-old who wants to run run run it’s quite exhausting. The whole process from start to finish takes an hour. And I think it’s about a 1.2km round trip.

I was absolutely exhausted when I got home this afternoon! I have no idea how I’m going to manage with 4 kids.

Like I said, new plan or better attitude. For now I’m working on my attitude but also getting a plan together to kick off from term two.

In the mean time, the kids and I are finding our feet with a daily/weekly routine. We are at night #1 of Darby in a big boy bed – transitioning for when the baby comes and we need the cot. So far so good!

I really have to go to sleep now. It’s just been a day!

Wow you’re huge!

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Riddle me this. Why is it, that everyone has an opinion on pregnant women’s bellies? It’s like they are public property or something. As soon as you announce pregnancy, or people rudely assume it (sometimes incorrectly thanks very much), all of a sudden you’re fair game for comments, judgement and the occasional compliment. All I seem to be hearing at the moment is how the heat must be awful for me because clearly I’m so huge and therefore must be very uncomfortable, how I must be crazy to go back for a fourth baby (apparently I’m the first in history or something?) and the question of how long I have to go, because apparently I’m “huge”.

Huge compared to what, please tell me? Huge compared to the other 10 people you know who are the same build as me, at the same stage of their fourth pregnancy, were the same weight before pregnancy, and have the same lifestyle as me?

No, I didn’t think so.

Huge compared to your sister who is a size 10 with her second baby who sports a tidy bump and still manages three sessions of crossfit a week? Good for her! All power to her! I’m not her!

Huge compared to how you remember you were with your pregnancies? Because I can tell you for a fact, that you never really remember correctly.

Seriously! I don’t need the constant reminder that I look like I’m nearly full-term, even though I’m “only” 26 weeks. I got asked at 18 weeks how long I had to go for goodness sake. I informed the person asking that I was still counting up the weeks, not counting them down. I actually think that was the first comment of “wow you’re huge” I got for this pregnancy.

And quite frankly I don’t need to hear it. And you know why? Because I  know I’m not a small person, and I’m okay with that. I go to fit mums three times a week to work out, and boy do I work hard there. Yes I like yummy food and probably too much of it, but I try to be careful with what I eat most of the time, so I can have the energy to run after my little brood.

Dear well-meaning person, I don’t need your comments. Yes I’ve probably put on more weight than other people by this stage, but I’m feeling really good about myself at the moment. Don’t defend your “well-intentioned” comments, dumping them at my feet only to walk away.

Here’s some things that you can say:

  1. Wow you are positively glowing!
  2. Your arms are looking really toned and tanned. Have you been working out?
  3. You must be so excited about another baby
  4. I’m really happy for you – you must love being a mum (I paraphrased, but thanks Nan.)

Here are some things I don’t need to hear:

  1. You must be crazy going back for another one!
  2. You are going to be so exhausted when the new baby arrives
  3. You’re not having any more after this one, right?
  4. Haven’t you worked out how babies are made yet?
  5. Wow you’re huge!

You can keep those thoughts to yourself, or feel free to talk about me behind my back when I leave. I really don’t mind. Just seriously, stop telling me how huge I am. I know it and I don’t mind a bit.

All this fabulousness does not come easy you know.

 

 

Mojo for March

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I’m thinking I might need to actually plan some blog posts if I’m going to be keeping up with this daily publishing. So for the month of March, I want some inspiration.

Give me a word, a phrase or a question that can be my inspiration for a month of blogging in March.

It can be anything – something you want to know about me; a random thought or word that you think might spark some good content; or just something completely non-sensical to really throw me.

Give it your best guys! Inspire me!

A sneak peek

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Quinn’s birthday cake for the party tomorrow.

I should have stopped before the green Smarties. That’s why I could never be a hairdresser. I don’t know when to quit. Anyway it’s still totally cute!

More photos of all the action tomorrow!