Endless Summer

Finally the warm weather is here. A welcome change, from that "in between" spring weather when you still need a jacket and jeans.


After reading some summery posts by Corinne from The Daze of my Life, Kristi from Giggles Down Under and Emily from The Beetle Shack, I've been inspired to post about the upcoming summer season.


I love summer...

Late night dips in the pool, the first ocean swim, bbqs with family and friends, fish and chips, sunsets, drinking a really cold beer, the smell of fresh cut grass, sunscreen, beach hair, wearing thongs or even better, barefoot, maxi dresses, watching the cricket over the xmas break, wrapping xmas presents, big storms, starting a new year with a fresh perspective and hope.


And I've found my theme song for the summer, check it out below.

7 Billion Inhabitants

The world's population is expected to hit seven billion in the next few weeks.


After growing very slowly for most of human history, the number of people on Earth has more than doubled in the last 50 years.


And me? I am 4,544,406,922nd person alive on planet earth. Pretty impressive isn't it. To find out your special number, click here.

Tokyo Rising

This short film about life in Tokyo, post tsunami, is just brilliant.

Having been to Japan 3 times in my life, I admire and respect their way of life very much. They are amazing people and I pray they can rebuild and start again after the devastating events in March this year.

If you watch only one film about the rebuilding of Japan, I highly recommend this one.

xx

90 Years Young

Today we are off to Port Hacking in southern Sydney to celebrate James's paternal grandmother's 90th Birthday. What a milestone. Her name is Mary. She is the sweetest old thing. And such a trooper. She's had many ailing health issues lately but surprisingly continues to surge on. She will meet Edward for the 1st time today. Her party is being held at the local Yacht Club near the retirement home which she resides in.

I hope when I turn 90, I look like this... I can only hope I'm still rocking out in 2071.

Wedding Flashback

Today is a big day. Some people care, others don't. Me? I'm excited. I can't believe Prince William is getting married. Because he is a prince of my generation, I've always followed stories about him in the media. Heck, I've even wondered what it would be like to be a real bonafide princess. Well Kate Middleton will find out today. I'm happy for them both and hope their marriage is full of love and honesty and most of all, privacy!


Telle, over at FMS has inspired me to flashback to my own wedding, 4 years ago. I'd love to go back to my wedding day, I'd do a few things differently. I wish I took more photos and spent more time talking with everyone. The day whizzed past so quickly.


Here is my wedding:


Date: 2nd June 2007
Location: Hayman Island, The Whitsundays
Guests: 50
Weather: Tropical! Humid, overcast, rainy, sunny, windy, etc.
Wedding Dress: Designed by Karen Willis Holmes

About to walk down the aisle!

The vows

"We do"

My favourite photo from the wedding

The outdoor reception

Cutting of the cake. I didn't even get a slice, I was too busy running around. Dammit.

Busy Bee

I totes look like this. A frazzled busy bee!

I haven't been blogging lately. Adjusting to life as a family of 4 and busy finishing the renovations on the new house has kept me busy, kept me exhausted.

James is in Albury today, at his graduatation ceremony for his degree in IT. It was logistically too hard to take the kids, so he went with his parents. I'm sure they are as proud as punch. A slave for hard work and studying, James is half way though his 2nd degree, an MBA.

The house is almost ready. About 95% of the way there. Air con has been installed. Bamboo floorboards are being laid as I type, new paint is drying and the bathrooms are being sealed. The fridge, washer and dryer are being delivered tomorrow. Carpets being laid early next week, then, we will be in. We are moving some stuff in over the weekend. Fun times ahead.

This week I realised something... That on Saturday, it's MAY! Which means it's almost June, the middle of the year. Half way through 2011. It's impossible that 6 months can pass so quickly. I need time to slow down, not to stop, but to tick by slower. I feel out of control at the moment, so many things on my plate. My concentration has been dim, my temper short, my eating habits terrible and overall speaking, I'm exhausted. The new house and renovations have sapped my energy and enthusiasm. I think once we settle in, I will relax and unwind. Until then, I'm as tight as a spring!

I'm blessed though. Edward is a prince. He is smiling and coo'ing at us now. He loves his sister and follows her around the room with his eyes. He is a water baby and loves the bath. His baby acne has disappeared and he has my fair skin and James's deep blue eyes. Abi loves being an older sister and is intrigued with breastfeeding. She watches me express milk and helps me with burp Edward and change his  nappies. She is settling into sisterhood better than I could ever have hoped for.

I have so many things I've wanted to blog about but am struggling to find the time or energy. The Royal Wedding, the extended Easter/Anzac holiday, the weather, new movies etc. I promise to myself to find more time. But for now, it's off to bed for a quick nap while the kids sleep. Woo!

WARNING - Busy week ahead!

Monday

• Edward's 6 week checkup with pediatrician in Bondi Junction.
• James has Grad School in the evening so I'll have a quiet night with the kids at home.

Tuesday

• My 6 week checkup with my Ob/Gyn at the hospital.
• Edward's hip ultrasound at the hospital (because he was breech / transverse for my whole pregnancy)
• Inspection at the new house to see updates and choose colour for the splashback in the kitchen.

Wednesday

• Eye test for new glasses
• Possibly booking Edward in for his immunisations. The clinic nurse told me to get him done at 6 weeks due to the whooping cough outbreak. But I will check with the Pediatrician first.

Thursday

• Car going to be serviced. Faulty park brake being fixed, despite having my car completely serviced 3 weeks ago. I have a car with an electronic park brake and this is the 2nd time in a year that it has failed. Very annoying! At least they are giving me a replacement car for the day.

Friday

• Meeting at the new house with the guy doing our blinds and shutters. Have to choose types and colours. Going with white shutters along the front windows, blockout roll blinds for the bedrooms and light roll blinds in the rest of the house.

Saturday

• Contemplating going to Ikea to pick up stuff for the new house. It might be quiet on Easter Saturday, who knows.

Sunday

• Will eat Lindt bunnies and have a bbq on the balcony. Probably our last BBQ on the balcony before we move to the burbs. I'll miss those harbour views!

Monday

• James has Grad School in the evening. Apparently students studying for an MBA have to still study and learn on public holidays. Boo.

Tuesday

• Start packing boxes for the move. Eeeek!

24 hours

The last 24 hours have been rough. Really rough. I'm feeling slightly better this evening but woah mumma, I was a bag of emotions last night.

Yesterday morning we had a photographer friend come to the apartment to take some family photos. And it just wasn't meant to be. Edward was unsettled for 90% of the shoot, as you can expect with a newborn. At one stage, he was lying nude on this beanbag and I picked him up for a cuddle and he wee'd and poo'd all over me. It was hilarious. Abi didn't want to be in any photos and I was a terrible mother, offering her bribes like candy, cupcakes and lollies and she finally caved and smiled for about 10 photos.

After the photographer left, Edward slept briefly while we lunched and cleaned the apartment. Then off we went to Castle Hill to visit the Early Childhood Clinic for Edward's 1st check-up. The nurse was a complete bitch. She said all the wrong things. Also, she looked like a slightly slimmer version of Mama Fratelli from The Goonies.

Edward has lost 20 grams since being discharged from hospital and this nurse really came down on me hard about it. It really shook my confidence and made me feel like a failure. I'm not following any set guidelines and I'm demand feeding him whenever he wants and she basically implied that I have been neglectful.

After we left the clinic, while James minded Edward in the car, Abi and I popped into Castle Towers to buy a dummy for Edward and some breastpads for myself. I got tired walking through the mall and a little shocked that this will be my life in a few weeks. Suburban house wife. With 2 kids. It rattled me abit and I got back to the car and confessed to James that I will miss city living sometimes.

Things really got bad on the drive home. I started to feel weird. And by the time we got home and started dinner, my whole body shutdown. I got the chills and shakes, a high fever, my hands and feet were cold and purple, my nails were white, my teeth chattering and then I looked down at my chest. Bright red, sore, lumpy boob. Mastitis. I had developed mastitis with Abigail as well but it resolved itself without antibiotics. I sat in the sofa while James contemplated calling an ambulance because he was so worried.

Abigail wasn't herself either, crying and whingey, which didn't help the situation. She had a slight fever too. Poor James was running around, taking care of all of us. We finally got her into bed and I had a big cry to James about how I felt. I took a long hot shower and tried to massage the lumps out. I climbed into bed at 11pm, exhausted and emotional. At 3am when Edward woke for his feed, I woke up and felt wet. The entire side of my bed was wet with sweat. My whole body was covered in sweat. I cried the entire time I fed him. Doubting myself and telling James that maybe I should give up breastfeeding and switch to formula.

This morning, I made an appt to see a Doctor and took Abi along too to have her checked over. She and James both had a tummy virus last week with lots of vomiting and diorrhea so I thought maybe she wasn't completely better yet. After an excruciating long visit with this new Dr, it was determined that Abi has a bad case of thrush and a possible urinary tract infection. I have mastitis with a possible urinary tract infection as well so off we went to the pharmacy to fill our new scripts of drugs. I also got a script for some motillium to help with my milk supply.

Walking in the city was terrible, I will never get used to how terrible some people treat eachother. Even though I'm not pregnant anymore, I still feel tender and sore. And people just walked into me, and Abigail, which made me sick. Pushing a little 2.5 year old, out of their way, whilst talking on their iphone and smoking at the same time. Sometimes I just want to punch some people.

We got home and started our meds. I was supposed to try and catch urine in a pee cup from Abigail, mid stream, which is IMPOSSIBLE with a toddler. So I sterilised her potty and she did a wee on there and I filled the cup that way. James ran the urine sample back to the medical centre this afternoon and we will get the results later in the week. She seems better already with the cream to treat the thrush.

I still feel pretty rough. No fever, but still clammy and have the chills. My boob is super sore. I'm emotional, so emotional. I keep reminding myself, it's only been 2 weeks since Edward was born, but I'm so hard on myself. I want the breastfeeding to work now, with no sore boobs and no more sore nipples. And for my sweet babe Abi to be all better.

James has uni exams this week for Grad School and has been trying to study at the same time. God only knows how he juggles it all.

So yes, it's been a HELLISH 24 hours. I feel like a need a holiday! I know things will get easier. It's still early days. We are all still adjusting to life as 4. I just want the house to be ready so we can move in and get settled. I have no idea how the HELL we are going to move house in 1 month with a newborn...

Why I'll miss this view sometimes...

On days like today, I'll miss living in the city. And I'll miss this view.

Abigail loves it. Always something to look at. Planes. Ferries. Boats. People. Buses.

The Chop.

Yesterday, on impulse, booked an appointment at Desmond and Molly Jones in Surry Hills and had ALL my hair chopped off.

I've been thinking about it for too long and am sick of tying my long and unkept hair up in a bun every day.

So it's all gone now. It's the shortest my hair has ever been. I'm a little shocked still. Abi seems to like it and said "pretty hair mummy" when she first saw me.

Today, I have it pinned to the side and it's rather cute and pixie like. I'm even considering going shorter next time, we'll see!

Birthday blues

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I'm turning 29 in 2 weeks time.


And I'm so not feeling festive at all. I usually have birthday excitement for weeks, even months, before. But this year, I just feel so flat.


My parents are travelling in Europe at the moment and will miss my Birthday. It might not be a big deal to most people, but my family are super-sticky close and birthdays are a real celebration of family and love in our house. I will miss them dearly on my special day.


The house hunting situation is looking bright this week, 3 new houses in our price range coming onto the market. My agent called me to inform me I could arrange private viewings before they are open to the public, which is what I prefer. More time to look through the house and ask questions. So fingers and legs crossed on the house front.


I'm just blue at the moment. And honestly, I don't have that much to be blue for. I have so much joy in my life. More than I know. Abi and James always remind me of what I have to be thankful for. But some days, I just ponder where I am, on the path of life. And how I will overcome the current challenges in front of me.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Lately...

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I haven't blogged in ages. It's not that I don't have anything to say, I just feel like broken record lately. The same old problems in my life that I'm dealing with, going around and around.


I'm completely and utterly over living in the city. Sydney has slowly morphed into Gotham City. Whilst I appreciate the beautiful apartment that we live in, I loathe my surroundings, my neighbours and everything about where I live.


To get groceries, I have to drive up the 2 narrow levels in the basement garage, up onto the streets, and navigate the potholes, and trucks and tourist buses and taxis and idiots on the city roads. It drives me mental. Nothing is 'easy breezy beautiful covergirl' in the city. Everything is hard work.


The park is a 10-15 minute drive. I could walk the 5-6kms to the park. Around Darling Harbour. Over the Pyrmont Bridge. Around the Casino. But I don't. I drive. More roads. More overpasses.


I tried a few playgroups. They were depressing. No one I could connect with.


Our neighbours directly above and below are renovating their apartments. Even though the building we live in, is only 8 yrs old. The owners downstairs are Korean and have gaming parties or something of that nature, because we hear them playing their video games on their insanely loud sound system all day and night. The building manager doesn't care about the noise, because 90% of the tenants work all day and aren't bothered by the noise in the day, obviously.


People start renovating apartments without warning. Just last week, I woke up to the strongest fumes. I thought my husband had polished his shoes in my FACE before leaving for work. No, it was the Koreans, painting their entire apartment. Sanding floors. Using paint thinners and chemicals. And EVERY SINGLE PARTICLE of smell found it's way into our apartment. I nearly died from the smell. I opened the apartment door, but we are on Level 11, and I don't like having the door open now that Abigail is SO adventurous!


We had to spend 3 nights with my parents in the Hills District while the idiot Koreans finished their painting. When I complained to the building manager about safety, she said they could do nothing. I asked about other duty of care for other tenants, including CHILDREN, she said, we don't care, try writing a letter to the body corporate, and they will make a record that you are unhappy. I felt like punching her in her stupid, inconsiderate face.


I had no car whilst staying with my parents because James needed it to get to work. He usually trains it from the apartment to his workplace. Mum lent me her car, a 2 door Mercedes coupe. With a child seat in the back. It was fun driving around in a tiny car, considering I drive a BEAST of a 4WD. But I hated borrowing my Mum's car, I felt selfish. So I took her car to be professionally washed. It looked pretty amazing as I pulled into the garage. She said no-one has ever taken her car to be washed, and was really grateful.


I've had so much good fortune in my life lately. My husband just graduated from university with Distinction. I'm so proud of him, my heart is full of joy. He worked so hard during his course. He was juggling work, business travel, supporting me having a baby and uni all at once. He was also given an amazing but deserving promotion at work. I have so much joy in my life. But this housing situation is just draining me. The agents have stopped calling me, there is NOTHING in our price range for sale in the area we are looking in.


I had a migraine for 3 days over the weekend. It wasn't as bad as usual, but still quite unbearable. It was stress related, I'm sure.


I'm sure the perfect house is around the corner. It has to be. Otherwise I'm moving to Noosa. Where the sun always shines. The air is warm. The locals are lovely. The food is devine. Hang on, why don't we just move there!?!