What am I complaining about?

I am grateful for posts like these that put things in perspective. Especially if you're a mother, please read it.

I've been feeling dissatisfied lately. Not quite happy with my lot. I don't know why I've been feeling this way. I think my eyes may be on the wrong things. On the natural instead of on the heavenly. I've been wanting...things. Nicer things than the ones I've got. An easier ride. Been dwelling on regrets. But when I read posts like the above one, I realise (again!) how insignificant all the things I think and worry about are.

Here's a little excerpt from the blog:
"I have never had to discuss the two day journey that was made walking to the hospital. The fistula I developed after the heartbreaking four day labour and stillborn birth. I've never had to think about getting through labour on my own, no doctor, midwife or even someone remotely qualified to help. I've never given birth in a camp or walked across a war zone and had a bullet that was three inches away from my womb removed, like a woman in Afghanistan did late last year."


Turbo's birth was long and hard. Without medical intervention, one or both of us would have died. The umbilical cord was around his neck and so he couldn't put his chin down to progress down the birth canal. Because of this, he was also a little distressed, and his heart rate was fluctuating quite a lot. Eventually after trying many different things, they managed to suction him out, one and a half days after when my labour started.

But he was healthy, apart from a tender and misshapen head, and full of beans.

Check out the cone head!

So today I choose to put things in perspective and be grateful. And tomorrow, and the day after, I will do my best to make that same choice, as many times as it takes to start feeling that way again.

Do you wanna know some more about me?

I can just picture you saying "No, not really" but I'll go with the picture of you saying "Yes, I'd love to!" : )

I've been tagged by Cyndi at Latte Junkie to answer some questions about me. They're really fun questions to answer so if you wanna join in, please do! I've tagged some people to do it at the end

Cyndi also awarded me the Versatile Blogger award. Thanks heaps, Cyndi! I am always honoured when someone thinks of me.


Here goes:


Which living person do you most admire, and why?
I'd have to say Nelson Mandela, he's still a hero to me. But also people like Brooke Fraser, who is doing really well for herself and following her dreams while never compromising who she is and what she believes in



When were you happiest?
Probably when I was dating Mr Samoa. That sounds a bit sad, I am still happy now but then it was just so exciting and new and romantic.


What was your most embarrassing moment?
When I got up the courage to tell this guy I liked him. I'm not of the opinion that females should ever do the asking, but Mr Samoa had just asked me out and two of my friends convinced me that I needed to know if this other guy liked me (they were sure he would!). Turns out he really didn't and it made things so awkward as we saw each other quite often. To this day I wish I could take that moment back!

Aside from property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
Our car. We bought it earlier this year. It's a lovely spacious people mover type car. We love it!

What is your most treasured possession?
My photos and my journals. I have kept journals since I was 15 years old and hope one to day to give them to my daughter, should I have one! I'm not sure if my boys will read or appreciate them

Where would you like to live?
I'm happy right here! Although I would love to own a house with a big back yard with lots of trees and a vege patch. Renting doesn't quite seem to have sense of being completely settled

What’s your favorite smell?
Lemon and lemongrass, also citrusy smells and of course, coffee

Who would play you in the film of your life?
Hmmmm, once again I have no idea. Being a redhead kind of limits my options. Although I guess they could dye their hair.
The only person I can think of is Amanda Seyfried who stars in Mamma Mia because she's small and short.


What is your favorite book?
I really don't know. I have read some wonderful books but can't name just one. I love some of the older books that were my grandmothers written by Francis Parkinson Keyes or Lloyd C Douglas


What is your most unappealing habit?
I twist my hair around my finger and then when it's almost knotted, snap it so the hair breaks. I have done this since I was two years old. Back then my mom had to give me a drastic haircut because I had created a bald patch!
I guess it's not that unappealing but I wish I could stop because I don't have a whole lot of hair as it is

 What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?
I think just dressing like I'm on the red carpet would be fun. I know it's not strictly fancy dress but I would LOVE it!

What is your earliest memory?
I can't tell if I'm recalling photos or family videos, or actual memories, do you know what I mean?
But I think, my first actual memory was wetting my pants during my first few days of school and having to borrow knickers from the lost property basket. Eww! Lucky I was only 6

 What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Magnums. Those new ones with the cranberries in are amazing although at $4 for a small ice cream, I won't be doing that often

What do you owe your parents?
A lot of money! I still feel bad about the year of study I did in Australia while they were still in South Africa. They had to pay fees and support me while paying 5 times the amount because of the exchange rate!

To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
I have no idea, can't think of anyone which is a good thing. Maybe ask me in a few years and it might be my children! Somedays I really hope they don't have memories of how I acted that day - a bit psycho!
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Jesus, followed by Mr Samoa

What does love feel like?
When you feel like you would give your life for that person, or you wish you could take their pain when they're sick or hurt

What was the best kiss of your life?
Mr Samoa, probably quite recently actually. We're both getting better and getter at kissing!

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
It's ridiculous
Yeah whatever

What is the worst job you’ve done?
Telemarketing in my year in Australia. I was no good at all. I don't think I made one sale and my throat constantly hurt from all the talking. Followed closely by the coffee waitress job that same year.

If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I would follow my passion and devote my time to making music. And also study when I was young so that I would not be in the predicament I am in now where I am half way through a degree but can't go back to finish because of the cost of day care! 
What is the closest you’ve come to death?
There is no actual moment I can recall, but I know there have been times in the car when another has closely missed me and I have thanked God for his angels around me!

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My two boys. I think we're doing a pretty good job with them. And having a good marriage. Relationships are the most important things to me.

When did you last cry, and why?
Last week when I was so sick and emotional. Smiley threw his dinner off his tray and it splattered all over the floor, walls and chairs. It was the last straw. I felt a litte silly afterwards.

How do you relax?
Watch my favourite TV shows, blog or email, go for a walk, have coffee with a good friend.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
More money. This may sound shallow but it's true. Mr Samoa is just starting out as a teacher and I am a stay at home mum. Enough said.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
That things don't always turn out the way you would have liked but that doesn't mean they're not the way they're supposed to be. And to have patience, and to trust. O and that suffering makes you stronger than you would have ever been if you had only had good things happen to you.


I'd like to tag:


Sammy at Cherished
Meghan at MNMs
Lyns at Once Upon a Time
Simone at Greatfun4kids
Leonie Kiwi at Heart
Lyn at Lynieloo
Rebecca at Becca4love
Creating Childhood Memories

Go on, do it!

The BEST night

 I had the BEST night for my recent birthday celebration.  

Dinner in a lovely, intimate, Italian restuarant, surrounded by close friends and family. 

I'm not a 'hold a huge party type' girl. I'd rather have a few close friends around me and keep things more low key.

There was a cake (rich, dense amazing chocolate mud cake!! thanks Mom) and candles and a few elegant decorations.

The food was scrumptious and the cocktails, delicious!

I got to talk to and enjoy the company of everyone there.

I was totally blown away by the gifts I received, too. They were exactly what I would love to buy for myself. Shows how these amazing people all know me so well.

I felt soooo spoilt.

And I got really dressed up, of course...a women's perogative on her birthday.

And for the benefit of linking up with Fancy Pants.

Dress by Cue, heels by Hannahs,

and hair done with a ghd straightner by my talented friend K

A little bit busy

It's a bit of a crazy week! Busy, busy.

Turbo has dropped his day nap so there's much less no down time during the day.

Bit of a shock to the system.

Things are coming at us thick and fast. Good things, I should add.

Like being approached by a neighbour as I got out of my car on Monday about moving into one of his rental properties in a couple of months.

Round the corner. The right size house, the right price.

No hassle, no looking through house after house with the other 100 applicants.

A little bit of a blessing in this rental crisis we're having!!

And to top it all off (cue music....da da da da), I'm turning 30 on Sunday! EEEEEEK!

Life begins after 30 right?

No, seriously. I don't think I've ever been more settled in who I am than now.

Anyone else find the same?

This was meant to be my Wordless Wednesday photo entitled "Dreaming of Summer."

It's amazing what things they manage to take into bed with them. Cute huh?

Hope your week is going well!

My friend doubt

Love times a thousand the message we had at church Sunday morning. This particular preacher tends to bring a real, new perspective on passages of the Bible that we've all heard many times before.

This was the story of the journey of Mary, Jesus' mother, prior to His birth and the growing up part of Jesus' life up until He was about 12 years old. Long story short, even though Mary had been visited by angels before Jesus' birth, visited by shepherds and strange, wise men after His birth, and had a huge star above the place she gave birth (I thought of  this one!), her and Joseph were still amazed by the words Simeon spoke when they took Jesus to the temple when He was a week or so old.

New Zealand actress Keisha Castle-Hughes playing Mary in the movie The Nativity Story

Photo from here

And spite of all that had happened and all that was said, she was still surprised when 12 year old Jesus went missing after the annual trip to Jerusalem and was later found in the temple, learning from the scholars and asking questions.

She had a friend that we all have: doubt. And we tend to get more and more friendly with doubt as the years pass by and the words we once believed have not yet happened.

But without doubt, there is no room for faith. If we weren't doubtful about the outcome of something, we wouldn't need to exercise our faith because we'd already know that it was going to be ok.

Yes! Doubt is my friend. Because it gives me the opportunity to be a woman of faith.

Ticking over into Twenty Eleven

{If you haven't entered my giveaway yet, there's still time! And remember if you mention the giveaway on your blog, you get an extra entry.}

I haven't done a post about 2011 yet. You see, I'm not quite sure what the year holds for me.

2011 still finds me in survival mode with Smiley's sleep. And until he's sleeping better at night, I feel a bit like I'm living at limited capacity.

But I'm ok with that. I'm being kind to myself until this season is over.

There are a few things that I am continuing on with.

I wrote this post in August 2009 and it really was a defining time for me.

One of the decisions I talk about in the post was to learn to play guitar.

No this is not me. I just love all the pink and cool guitar.

I have always wanted to but never quite got there. I tend to put too much pressure and expectation on myself to be brilliant at things when actually, I just need to start and maybe I'll be brilliant one day after a whole lot of practise and hard work! I set myself a realistic time frame of 5 years too. Plenty of time left.

Since writing that post, I have learned 9 chords and I am loving it. I don't practise as much I as I would like but I'm pleased with my progress.

Music is in me and it feels so good to nurture that.

In 2011 I also want to continue putting time into this blog. I have loved the journey! And loved the people I have met.

At one point I was thinking of looking for work or going back to finish my degree, but neither of those options sits right with me at the moment. 

So for now, I am just "continuing on" into 2011.

Being the best mother and wife that I can be.

Trusting that if I live open to God, he will, as Joyce Meyer says, "come and get me" and show me where I need to be.

I want to live "careless in the care of God" this year.

(Matthew 6:27, The Message)

It's feeling good already.

Blast from the past

I found some treasures in my parents garage on Saturday.

As soon as I saw them I knew that Turbo would love them. Ever since having Smiley, his nurturing side has come out and I've observed him playing lovingly with baby dolls whenever he could get his hands on them.

So when I saw my baby doll from when I was a little girl, I knew it was the perfect gift for Turbo.

She's a lifesize 6 month old...or probably four month old in the case of my boys!

After a wash and some new clothes (wish I had taken some before photos), she is now a 'he'.

And is being doted on! He's had rice, water, a bottle, a sleep, a walk...and it's only day one with him. I've tried to give him a name but he firmly remains just "Baby". Look at the love in Turbo's eyes!

Another treasure was this Cabbage Patch doll. Anyone remember these?

The dress was missing but I cleaned her up and she looks cute in a new born t-shirt that kind of looks like a dress, so she can stay a she.

She is actually for Smiley, who couldn't give a toss about her right now, and so is being looked after by Turbo a little as well.

Love that I get to pass these on!

My Mom and Dad are amazing at keeping things for us because their parents kept nothing of theirs and so they have no treasures from their childhood at all. Here are some other things my Mom and Dad kept so I could pass them on:

Turbo is really rough on toys and I cringe when he throws these treasures around. But what are toys for other than to be played with?

Note: Yes these are boys toys. But I was from a family of three daughters and my Dad thought it was his duty to educate us with boys toys as well.

We even had a collection of Matchbox cars and were taught things like how to change a tyre, re-wire a plug, use a drill etc. Invaluable skills!

At my house - Celebrations! and what I've learned along the way

Today, the very, very last, final result was posted up for Mr Samoa's exams.

He passed!!

So we packed the kids in the car as soon as they woke and headed to the park for ice creams.

We want to celebrate every moment of this victory...savour it, if you will.

It's been an incredibly stretching 5 year journey, spanning most of the length of our marriage. Crazily, we added two kids to the mix during this time

(one kind-of planned, one totally unplanned).

We have struggled, soared, cried and laughed, but most of all, grown stronger in every way. We have learned to draw together and encourage each other, and not let the stress drive a wedge in between us.

We've also learned to accept help, and ask for it sometimes. That was hard. But it became easier along the way.

The lowest moment was when we learned that Mr Samoa's study was not finishing when we were lead to believe it would.

We fought the system, we prayed, we met with those in authority.

It was not to be. The agonising journey was to continue for at least another 6 months. Hard to swallow when that's what you've been holding out for for 4 and a half years.

This last season of the extra study time has been the toughest of the 5 years. No job offer presented itself, like we prayed and believed for.

Doors slammed shut in our face.

And so we learned to trust God like we've never trusted before. Trust that He would look after us, that He would work things out for our good and that this journey was not going to break us!

And a job came Mr Samoa's way, at the right time, in the right place.

Now it's over, I can look back and breathe a sigh of relief.

We waited for this moment for a long time.

Mr Samoa starts work as a qualified teacher in 8 weeks!

As Mr Samoa would say in true Samoan style:

Cheee-hoooo!!!!!!!!!

See what's going on at other houses here

Doing better, thanks

So the last few weeks have been a little rough.
 This post pretty much describes the last two or three weeks.

I was completely exhausted, depleted, not coping, low. It was bad enough for me to go and see a doctor.
I usually just 'push through', which is probably why I hit such a wall.
I'm the type of person who doesn't sit still for long, likes to accomplish things and has a to-do list constantly in her head. I give until I've got no more in the (subconscious) quest to be the perfect wife and mother.
Anyone do the same?

And after 9 months straight of waking at least once a night, quite often more, no wonder I'm feeling the way I am.

We have (once again!!! read this post or this one for the battles with Turbo) tried different methods, and battled with Smiley to get him sleeping better.
My babies seem to be the kind who just don't give up that easily.

Crying it out does not work. They go for hours night after night after night....for weeks. For months I was up at night with Smiley. I refused to feed him, you see, before a certain time, and so it was either let him scream
(I tried for a few weeks but it didn't work and it's tortureous for me in our small unit where we live)
or sit with him or walk him up and down.

Looking back now I think I was nuts. Once again, I was trying to accomplish something:
the 'ultimate goal' (dripping with sarcasm) of having (drum roll please):
A baby who sleeps through the night.
Hmmmm.
I secretly hate those words!

And it was always me getting up as Mr Samoa had to study for exams, write assignments etc. and it was his last shot at getting his degree.
We weren't about to take any chances!

I'm rambling. Back to the doctor's appointment...

Her 'diagnosis' all boiled down to this:
"If you sort your baby's sleep out, you will be fine."

No kidding. You think?



She prescribed me some multivitamins and organised me a blood test.
We had a talk about post natal depression too.
I struggled with PND for 5 months after's Turbo's birth so I (and my family) have been watching out for it this time around.
But so far so good. I've enjoyed the journey so much more this time...
until these past few weeks.


The blood test levels came back all fine. Dang.
I was hoping I could 'fix' me with an iron pill or something.

But I have to agree with the doctor. The tiredness is taking it's toll.

But the good news (flippin' great news actually) is that this week I am feeling a whole lot better.

Still tired, yes, but Mr Samoa is being amazing.
He lets me sleep in every morning and because he hasn't currently found a summer job, he's home and helping me.

On top of that I've shifted my mindset. I HAVE to look after me more.
So I rest at every opportunity, even if it's just half an hour.

And as I mentioned in the last post, Smiley is now doing 2 hour afternoon naps instead of 40 minutes.
This makes a HUGE difference too. I didn't realise what a strain it was until it changed.
When he wakes up I feel ready to see him again. I look forward to it.


So things are looking up.

Phew!

Sadness

Been feeling low today. I found out a friend's baby passed away yesterday. 
I can only imagine the pain this little boy's parents and family must be feeling.

We're thinking of you, beautiful boy, that we never got to meet.

Please pray for the parents and family

New friends

I met K at Rocket Park, right up the road from where I live. Smiley was just 6 weeks old and I was making one of my first outings with both boys by myself.

She was so friendly, just what I needed that day. Her cute son, 6 or so months younger than Turbo, played nearby and we chatted easily for almost an hour!

As I was packing up to leave, I thought I'd ask for her number. K was new to Auckland, and had moved up from Christchurch just 3 weeks earlier if I remember correctly.

She needs a friend, I thought. And not being once who believes in coincidences, I plucked up the courage and asked.

K hesitated and said she didn't remember her number because she recently got a new phone. How embarrassing, I thought, she SO doesn't want to hang out.

But she said she'd take my number and be in touch. Yeah right, I thought. Well, I tried.

A few weeks later K texted me and invited me over for morning tea!

She lives a few minutes drive from me, and the next week, there I was, hanging out with her.

We chatted easily again, and not once did we run out of things to say.

Turbo enjoyed playing with K's son, too.

And so, every couple of weeks since then, we've hung out.

We get on so well and instead of me being a blessing to her, she's been one to me. She's that type of person. Loving, warm and unselfish.

 So refreshing! Like lime juice.

How great is that? You step out, you might just make a great new friend in an unexpected place.

I don't have a photo of K. But maybe she'll let me take one next time.

The kind of day I love

I am a very task-focused person and today was the kind of day I love: a productive one! Bet you were thinking I'd say I spent it with my kids, and, well, I do love doing that too, but I can't change who I am.


It's only on Thursdays and Fridays that I get to have these kind of days. Because on these days, Turbo is at day care. And I breathe a sigh of relief. I can actually DO stuff.

If you think I'm being dramatic, let me give you a quick example. Our freezer works a little too well and I frequently have to chip the ice off of it. This morning as I was doing just that, the pile of ice was rapidly building and it looked just like snow. So I piled it up on the shower floor and gave Benjamin a cup to build some snow castles. I showed him how and he was very keen to get going. I left him happily building, chuffed with my motherly creativeness. 30 seconds (I kid you not) later he was back. Bored and wanting my attention. That is life with Turbo.


A month or so ago, I made a few decisions and helped myself get focused on what I want to achieve in the next few years. One of these decicions was to learn the guitar and get back into music a bit more. So today I learned how to tune my guitar and learned two chords.

Another goal is to write more, because you only get better by practising. And what better way than to blog? With writing, it's good to also be able to take good photographs and use a program like Photoshop. I want to make myself a simple header with a photo for my blog. So I looked up an online tutorial and tried to teach myself. I got nowhere! It's really not very easy. But I learned what a layer is, for those of you who know what I'm talking about. At least that's something. I'm going to have to enlist the help of the awesome Sammy who knows a bit way more than me about the program.

I also called the university I did half my degree at (before unexpectedly falling pregnant with Turbo) and asked them to send some information out. I may start doing some papers soon because finishing my degree is another one of those goals. I was thinking about going back full time but the cost of two kids in day care might bankrupt us in the process.

On top of all the above, I folded washing, washed dishes, sent a few emails and managed to relax a bit. Sigh.

I am content.

This, too, shall pass

To say this bit of our lives has not turned out the way we thought it would is an understatement. Mr Samoa's study is not finished. We thought it would be finished in June. University politics prevented this and he still had one paper left hanging on. Which means, not fully qualified and unemployable. Great. And so much hinges on him getting work of course. Where we'll live, moving to a bigger house, where Turbo goes to kindergarten. After 4 and half years of just getting by, I am yearning for the security Mr Samoa's job will bring.  

In the midst of this all, you just have to choose to be thankful. The alternative is not very pretty. So here's a few things that have made me smile lately:

Dinner in the garden

Walks with the family

Beautiful weather

Watching the boys being boys and spending time with their Daddy

Enjoying my gorgeous sons. I'm so blessed to be able to be at home with them!

"This, too, shall pass", so why not enjoy it while I can?

I'm All In

I love Radio Rhema, a Christian radio station here in NZ. We, as a society, spend a lot of time in our cars, so I love being able to fill up on sound spiritual stuff as I go about my day. From Joyce Meyer's preaching to excerpts on marriage and parenting to good music.

Radio Rhema also showcases some great Christian Kiwi (NZ) artists, one of which is Cindy Ruakere. Her song "Here I come" describes what's been on my mind lately, and everything in me says "YEAH!" to the lyrics.

I have made some decisions lately that somehow took me a long time to make, even though now they're made, it wasn't that hard. It's time for me to stop running and not be afraid to give it go. I am the type of person that puts an incredible amount of expectation on myself to succeed at everything I do. Now that I've let that expectation go, I am free to enjoy what may come.

As the song says "If I'm all in then the dream is alive."

And what's even cooler about the artist is that she's not young. I have been having a "I'm nearly 30 and what have I done with my life" crisis lately. There is still lots of my life to live!!

Anyway, here is the song. It's good to dance to as well!

Pakistan

I sat in horror as I watched the images from Pakistan on Campbell Live a couple of nights ago. One third of the country is covered in water. Imagine the chaos! What got to me the most was that there is not much aid going in.

I wish I could do something. But right now, with hubby still looking for a job, we have to keep our little family afloat.

So you know what I did do? I prayed people like Oprah, and Angelina Jolie and people with money to spare would hear of these peoples' plight and do something. I felt a little silly but I didn't know what else to do. Prayer is doing something.

I can't wait for the season to begin when we can donate to the aid appeal and sponsor a child through World Vision or Tear Fund. Soon. It's coming soon.

Getting domesticated

This is a picture of a yummy banana loaf. And the best thing about it is that I baked it myself! Using this recipe that's pretty low in sugar and can be dairy free.

For those of you who know me well, this is pretty big. And lately I've added chocolate and carrot muffins, scones and choc chip biscuits to my repertoire. They all taste yum!

And great for the budget too. When we feel like running up the road for something sweet, I've taken to baking something instead. Good on me.

Enjoying the ride

I can't believe how different this time around is...in a good way. In a GREAT way actually. I am LOVING this baby of mine. He is such a gorgeous, happy little thing and often brings tears to my eyes when we're gazing at eachother.

Often I have thought how I regret not enjoying Benjamin - at all. For 5 months I battled post-natal depression, although at the time I didn't know that was what I had. It sucked every bit of enjoyment out of life and out of being a mum. Couple that with him being a spirited baby who didn't sleep well. People around me were worried. I lost weight alarmingly fast. The difference now is like chalk and cheese. I still have my days, as every mum does, but deep down, I know it doesn't even compare.

I am thoroughly enjoying and so appreciating my one-on-one time with Esera. Thursdays and Fridays are our days. Big brother goes to day care and I breathe a sigh of relief. I can have a nap, I can stay in my PJs all day, I don't have to leave the house. Esera is a relaxed little chap who doesn't cry a lot and who I can leave under the play gym, unattended, for quite a while. I could never do that with Benjamin. He would demand attention within minutes.

People have commented that babies respond to your emotional state. Stressed mother = unsettled baby. To a degree this may be right but personality sure plays a big role too. Benjamin will be turbo-charged until he dies!

I love each of my boys for who they are. As I've said before, I wouldn't change a thing about Benjamin. He is special. But I am really glad Esera is who he is too.

Some kind of wonderful

My wonderful hubby recently painted my toes as it's getting too hard to bend over that far. In many ways, it reminds me of the way in which he lives life....and the reasons why I love him so much.

He doesn't paint inside the lines. He thinks outside of them, and beyond, constantly challenging the way my ordered and organised mind works.

He uses lots of paint. He lives extravagently...which is why I'm the budget person in the relationship. He often urges me to buy things for myself, even though we don't have the money for it.

And he loves me extravagently too. I love you is not a word used that often in our family. So after a few months of dating, in a tender moment by a lake, when he said those words to me, I tactlessly asked him if he knew what he was saying. The drive home was in silence.

He does things willingly and with gusto. As soon as I asked him to paint my toe nails, he said yes, and he did it straight away. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it! He doesn't hesitate to help me, and others when they need it.

My hubby is very different to me, and very wonderful.

Catch up time

Well I am offically a terrible blogger! In fact, I can't even call myself a blogger. I've been thinking about shutting my blog down. Yes, it's that sad. But then, I may get some new motivation for it sometime in the future.

Anyway....

There have been a few things happening. Like Christmas, and New Years!

Xmas lunch with my Cousin R...Marmite sandwiches, raisens - what's new?

THE best pavlova made by my awesome sister

The joy of watching kids open presents

Priceless family photos with Nana and Grandad

Hubby's been working full time at a summer job and now he's not. It was great to have some extra money...although the rate at which it was spent was astounding! It's also great to have him back at home. Especially when I'm finding things that much more difficult with my big belly and swollen ankles. Loving the time spent together and enjoying the last weeks of being a family of three.

My poor little boy got bitten by a suspected spider last week and his foot and ankle swelled up like a balloon. A call from daycare, leaving work, 2 doctor's visits, hubby leaving work and eventually hospital. I am sooooo grateful we didn't have to spend the night there.

The day after the swelling came down...this photo doesn't half do it justice!

I'm now 35 weeks pregnant and doing things like washing tiny little babygros, making room for a bassinet in our room, buying drawers off Trademe for all the extra clothes and actually having to think about labour and breastfeeding. Eeeek!

We've added a sandpit, pool, umbrella and a trampoline to our little back garden. Love the way Benjamin plays BY HIMSELF sometimes!! He loves it outside. Especially since we got the tramp given to us by some amazing friends. Without our help, he can move the garden chair over to the tramp, climb up and bounce away. I was a little scared at first, but that's typical of Benjamin to figure it all out for himself, and he can't jump very high. And the joy it gives him! I'll be washing dishes, watching him jump and roll and sometimes just lie on it with a big smile on his face. Sigh. Contentment.

Benjamin has reached new levels of fussyness with his eating. I cooked one of his (very few) favourite meals - a tomato and cheese pasta bake. I usually use penne pasta, the plain, straight tubes, but this time I used half penne and half spirals. He was eating happily (such a treat) and then asked for more. There was still pasta in his bowl. He reached for my bowl. I let him have it. And he continued to eat from my bowl...but ONLY the penne. His bowl was full of spirals, you see. He'd picked out the penne and already eaten them all. So in order to dish him out another portion, I had to pick out the spirals from the pasta!

I will try to be better about blogging...and I apologise to my few followers. Thanks for following me! Until next time...