Busy busy

Too busy during the day lately to open the computer, too tired at night. Hence a larger gap than usual between blogs.

This has coincided with Orla being more unsettled, both in the afternoons and during the night. Afternoons can be a long cycle of feed, change, put down, pick up, jiggle jiggle, feed, front pack, check nappy, rock rock, put down, (immediate) pick up, offer fee, front pack etc etc etc

Last night she slept well, and with the older two at Playcentre, now is my time to have a look at my list of emails and surf the net.

It was Brendon's birthday yesterday. He spent all day at work, but in the evening we had a birthday tea with his Mum and brother. The children and I made pizzas and jellies. I made some bread and a salad. Pam made a cake and Shayne made a flan. We now have a nice collection of cards on display. The children had a great evening, and eventually went to bed very tired. I am expecting long sleeps this afternoon!

Our bathroom is progressing - it will be much better than our old one, but I will be glad when all is finished. We had a small crisis with the vanity unit. It wasn't what I wanted. I checked the contract and, well, actually it was the one we agreed to buy..... However, it was not as described to us, and the bathroom people have agreed to take it out and replace with a different one (more expensive, of course, but I would rather pay extra to have a vanity with an overflow facility rather than pay more later when the inevitable flood occurs).

Bye Mummy!

"Bye Mummy! I'm going off to drive the car". Aidan waves to me as he scales our new (formerly) Aidan-proof gate, and walks up the steps towards the street.

Brendon pursues. I can hear that Aidan has gone a little way down the road because his voice carries to me as I take down the washing. "Daddy can you open the car door for me?"

Luckily I was right there (earlier in the week) when Aidan discovered, to his absolute pleasure, that the gate could no longer hold him. He managed to climb over it for the first time in pitch darkness in the evening waiting for Brendon to come home. He was (of course) naked at the time.

I have visions of me pursuing a small nudey boy down the road at night in a howling gale, while the dinner boils over on the stove.....

Two cherubs

Two cherubs went to sleep in the same bed last night.

Isabelle and Aidan ran giggling from the lounge to Isabelle's room. They wanted to sleep in Isabelle's bed.

I didn't think that arrangement would last long. I waited for the howls of outrage as the kicking, hair pulling and poking started.

Yet only a few minutes later, all was silent. We crept in and saw our little angels sleeping peacefully next to each other.

Earlier that evening, Aidan had gained permission to wear Isabelle's purple dress. He was very pleased with himself, both at gaining such an excellent dress up (if only temporarily), and having acquired something precious of big sister's.

It made me think of this.

I wonder how Aidan will go when Isabelle is suddenly absent for most of the day. Even now he misses her if she spends too much time in her room. He starts banging on her door and calling to her. Or he starts trying to get my attention, either by asking me to play or by doing more and more outrageous things....

Brendon carried Aidan to his own cot before he went to bed, knowing that Aidan would seek us out in the middle of the night.

This morning, they played and fought as usual. And tonight they went off to their own beds.

Princess

Yesterday, I went to check in on what Isabelle and Aidan were doing. Things had been quiet and peaceful for quite a while - experience has shown that it pays to check what is happening at this point....

The children were in Isabelle's room. Isabelle was fussing over Aidan, calling him alternately "daughter" or "little sister". Aidan was wearing a long sparkly red gown, hot pink feather boa, lipstick and "eyeshadow" (more lipstick - applied in true four-year-old style), numerous bracelets and necklaces, and several hair clips. Completing the look was a glittering tiara.

Both were very pleased with this. Aidan was extremely happy to be the centre of big sister's attention (and playing in her room with some of her most treasured possessions!). It appeared that Aidan was off to a ball.

I took a couple of photos (for his 21st!). Play continued for some time on the princess/queen theme.

Two hands

Back to two hands tonight.

Orla is sleeping peacefully in her bassinet. Temperature seems back to normal.

The night was a bit restless - she would not settle by herself, so stayed in our bed for the night, slowly cooling down. By morning she was still drowsy and not herself, but after an afternoon sleep she started playing again and looked much better by the time Daddy came home.

One-handed blog

I am blogging with my left hand. I am holding a hot baby with my right. Not Pamol hot. But still in-my-singlet-and-nappy hot.

Orla gazes at the screen. She sometimes looks at me and tries to smile. But then she seems to remember that she doesn't feel quite right.

Might be a long night.

Laughter

Tonight, Orla laughed!

She laughed at her beloved big sister jumping up and down in front of her. I got a bit of it recorded via the video function of my digital camera.

Aidan started jumping up and down too, desperately hoping for the same effect.

(Orla has actually laughed before - in her sleep. Dreaming baby dreams of who knows what!)

While I'm on the topic of babies, in the weekend I bought Orla one of those black and white picture books. She loves it - sort of stares at it with a startled look on her face when it hovers into view. Sometimes her whole body seems to be tingling with excitement as she studies it. Then her arms flap, as though she is trying to touch the book. She has this reaction too to one of her toys (a soft squishy vehicle, which has black and white checks on the bottom). This vehicle makes a scrunchy sound when squeezed, which also gets an excited reaction.

Family notices

Since becoming a mother, I have become an avid reader of the Dominion Post birth notices. Although I read them every day, Saturday is the day when most people advertise their progeny. Most Saturdays there's someone I know there.

This Saturday it was our dentist (boy) and our former personal banker (also a boy). I've never met the former personal banker, but she has a distinctive name (which used to appear at the bottom of letters when our mortgage came up for renewal). That counts as "knowing" someone.

I also sometimes read the deaths column. This has the advantage of remaining constant (unlike the weekly ebbs and flows of the births), but it can be very depressing. Unlike the births, you are hoping that you don't see someone you know there.

Bread

Just had to share this post-Christening moment.

Isabelle had gone up the front of the church with the Sunday school group during the christening. I was interested to know whether what she was eating on her return was the communion bread.

Me: "Are you eating a little piece of bread?"
Isabelle: "No. It's just a piece of a body".
Me: "Ah, yes, that's symbolic. During the service, the bread stands for the body of Jesus. It doesn't mean it is actually a piece of a body though".
Pause
Isabelle: "Why is it a load of bollocks?"
Me: "Who told you it was a load of bollocks?"
Isabelle: "You did just now".
Pause
Me: "Oh. Symbolic!"

Catch up

So our trip to Christchurch went well. We did the christening, we saw all the aunties, uncles, grandparents and cousins. Time went by too fast as usual.

The trip home was eventful, as only traveling with young children on a plane can be.

All was going well. As I hoisted Orla into the front pack to get on the plane, I heard a squelch. Hmm, hope that's just air..... As the helpful flight attendant handed her back to me as we set ourselves up for the departure, I saw a tell-tale yellow-brown stain seeping through her clothes. Argh! Her first real poo leak since newborn!

As the flight attendants were directed to close the plane's doors, Aidan announced "My pants are wet". I ascertained that this was just a minor leak (seat was dry, thank goodness) and told Aidan he would just have to hold it in until we took off.

Eventually we were able to get up. Aidan, Orla and I squashed into a toilet. Aidan produced. We washed hands and made it back to the seat, where an outraged Isabelle said that she had missed out on getting water. I reassured her that I'd get her some, retrieved my nappy bag and went to change Orla.

The change table on the plane was tiny, but at least there was one! Change nappy, change clothes. I made it back to our seat where it was apparent that we had not only missed the water run, but that the lollies had bypassed us too. Luckily a flight attendant appeared and was dispatched to get lollies and water. When she returned, I handed her Orla and passed Isabelle and Aidan their water.

Then turbulence hit.

I took back the water. Orla and the flight attendant had disappeared down a few rows into an empty seat. I retrieved Orla and buckled us all back in again for the descent.

Isabelle and Aidan were in high spirits by now, seeing how many lollies they could put in their mouths at once. The plane was tossed around in the wind. Adult passengers began looking up and moving around in their seats uncomfortably. I tightened everyone's seat belt. The children laughed "Ooooo! Up and down! Up and down!", happy and oblivious to any perception of risk.

I knew that it really was as windy as I thought when the purser said words to the effect of "well, that certainly was a wild ride" over the pa system once we were safely on the ground.

Brendon was waiting for us. Funny how that flight seemed to go so quickly!

Chaos

So here I am at Susan's house.

We arrived back from Christchurch on Monday. Our bathroom is being re-done: we have no water, there's building going on, dust, noise etc. I still haven't unpacked yet. I have failed to make dinner two nights in a row. Up until 20 minutes ago, I hadn't showered since Monday morning.

Susan said I could use her computer! And her shower! (Orla's here with me - the older two are at Playcentre).

I have already managed to embarrass myself. I decided that, yes, I would answer the phone when it rang. Perhaps it would be Susan asking me to do something or other.

"Hello, Susan and Sean's house!"
"Oh - so I take it Susan's not there then?"
"Oh, hi Sean, it's Mary from Playcentre here. No, Susan's out, I'm using your shower as we don't have one at the moment. How are you?"
"Actually it's not Sean".
"Oh....Susan will be home later on......"

Next I am planning to have a cup of coffee without breaking anything, causing a flood or opening any new packets.

Christchurch bound

So here we are in Christchurch.

Brendon dropped us off at the airport yesterday. The children were very excited. I was battling through a cold.

We had about an hour and a half to fill in at the airport, which was easily done. We watched the planes and airport trucks. We visited the toilets. We watched the Telecom man fix a phone. We went through security and watched our pilots board the plane. Then it was our turn!

Isabelle and Aidan handed the flight attendants their tickets and the four of us boarded. Isabelle got on first, thus claiming the window seat for her own. Aidan, bitterly disappointed, started crying. However, he was easily calmed with the promise of the window seat on the way home and a choice between aisle or centre. He chose the centre, and we buckled ourselves in.

We sat on the tarmac for a wee while. "Are we in the air?" asked Aidan. I was able to tell him, no, not yet, but he would definitely know when we were! Eventually, the plane taxied out to the runway and with a whoosh and a zoom we were off.

The plane climbed quickly and bumped around as the Wellington wind made its presence felt. The children enjoyed the turbulence and read their inflight magazines. Aidan waited eagerly for a biscuit, despite me telling him that no, they don't do biscuits any more but we will get some water. The expectation of food was not helped by people around us ordering food off the pay-as-you-go inflight menu! I reassured Aidan that there would be something to eat at Grandma's.

The water came around. I really should have seen it coming....Aidan's water was quickly overturned onto his trousers, soaking the seat, his pants and undies. And of course, this was the one time I didn't have spare trousers in my backpack....

Kind people behind us held Orla while I removed Aidan's trousers, dabbed at him with a cloth flat nappy and mopped the water off his seat. Aidan wanted to take his undies off, but that was vetoed. Then he decided that now was the perfect time to go to the toilet. So, off we went.

The flap-flap-flapping of the toilet chute was so interesting that Aidan was unable to produce anything. So, with me getting slightly anxious that our descent was about to commence, I washed our hands and hurried us back to our seats. Isabelle gleefully pointed out on our return that (much to the amusement of the people behind us holding Orla), Aidan's boy bits were poking out of his undies (which meant that everyone from the front of the plane to our seat would have had a good eyeful as we made our way back!)

While we were in the toilet, Isabelle informed us that the lollies had been passed around. I managed to get the purser to bring some more for Aidan to hold off the howls of outrage that would have otherwise ensued.

We began our descent, with Orla safely back in my arms and Isabelle and Aidan back in their seats (Aidan sans trousers). Aidan only took his seatbelt off twice, but agreed to it being done up again immediately. "Are we on the ground?" asked Aidan. Again, I assured him that he was most unlikely to miss us landing.

We landed relatively smoothly, the vast runway providing a contrast to the short Wellington equivalent, with its perilous drop off into the sea at both ends.

When we left the plane, Aidan's trouserless departure led to much merriment amongst the waiting ground crew. Grandad was waiting for us. We found fresh trousers for Aidan in his suitcase, and loaded up the car with our bags, fastened our car seats, buckled ourselves in and headed for home.

When we arrived at Grandma and Grandad's Aidan scanned the benches: "Is there any food at Grandma's?"

Count down

The children are excitedly counting down the days until we leave for Christchurch.

Every morning Isabelle counts down how many sleeps are left. Every morning when we walk out the door, Aidan asks "Are we going to the airport? When are we going to the airport?".

There have been extensive role plays involving trips to the airport, checking in, and going on planes.

Brendon got the suitcases out today. Isabelle and Aidan spent some of the day loading up their cases with all their essentials, and dragging them around and around. I will no doubt spend much of tomorrow unloading the cases and replacing with my idea of the essentials. Fewer books, plastic bags and toys. More clothes.

Earthquake formula

While at the supermarket on Sunday, I bought formula for the first time.

I bought three packets (the little one-drink sized ones) of the pre-six month old type.

This is part of my survival kit stock up, in the event that "the big one" hit and my exclusively breastfed baby survived and I didn't! A bit morbid I know, but I may as well ensure that Orla has something to feed on under that scenario, at least for a day or so. They are now safely in our survival kit, along with some bottles and teats that the hospital gave us when we were discharged.

Our survival kit is in not too bad shape really - just replaced the rolled oats (so that we can use them before they reach their expiry date). Cat food is included (can't forget Houdini), and we even have some masks in case of bird flu. However, the only item we don't really have is the most important - water! My supply of bottles seems to have vanished with all the furniture moving when the bunks came in. (I'm sure I saw them sitting around outside for a few weeks...). We have tried a couple of times to buy one of those big 40 or 50 litre containers, but they've never been in stock at the appropriate moment.

So here's hoping we never need anything in the kit. And must put that big water container on the "to buy" list.

Weatherpixie

Have you seen my weatherpixie? It's down there, on the right hand side.

It's set to Wellington airport.

Grasp

Orla has now progressed from batting toys on her baby gym to the grasp and pull. Jingle chicken was her first success - she managed to get his dangly legs in her little fists and jiggled them (thus getting a pleasing jingling sound). Now she is trying to pull things she has grasped towards her mouth. This task takes immense concentration (and is one that she has not fully mastered).

Christening gown

I am starting planning for Orla's christening next week.

First, I am paying a 14 year old girl to come around on Wednesday afternoon to play with the older children for a couple of hours while I pack. It's the only way I can think of of getting sufficient time and space to do this!

This afternoon I made up some lists of things to pack. I also decided what I was going to wear to the christening. You might think that this would be easy, but it definitely is not!

I own a reasonable amount of tidy casual clothes that match each other fairly well from my office days. All of my vaguely nice clothes and shoes are very dusty and need to be cleaned/polished in advance. That's not so difficult to remedy though. The biggest difficulty has been finding something that fits. I think all the skirts I own have a waist about two sizes smaller than my current size. I refuse to be uncomfortable, and insist that I must be able to sit down. So, I had a choice between two skirts that were, while still too small, "acceptable". Both were hipster skirts, but now fit my waist! The only problem here is that they are now both very short (and were minis to begin with).

I also have to consider the breastfeeding thing - can't do dresses, can't do too many layers and certainly not many, many buttons.

So, an outfit has emerged. When I came out of the bedroom wearing it, Aidan seemed quite impressed, saying "you look smart!". When I changed back into my trackies and woolly slippers, he said "what are you wearing? Why don't you wear your clothes? You don't look smart." High standards indeed from Mr two!

Missing you

Aidan was snuggling into me in bed this morning. Head on my chest, he asked:

"Can we buy a new tv one day Mama? Can we? I want to watch a Thomas video".

And they told me the children would forget all about the tv after a couple of days....!

By myself.

So here I am, home "alone". Orla is sleeping. Isabelle and Aidan are at Playcentre.

This feels like the first time I've had like this for a couple of weeks, due to the holidays and a Playcentre trip last Monday, which I attended with Orla.

I have played on the computer for half an hour or so. I had a cup of tea. I allowed myself a square of Dark Ghana chocolate. Nappies are in the drier, washing is on, breakfast table cleared, bathroom linen changed, house is airing.

Orla had a mighty sleep last night - from about 8.00 pm until about 5.30. Aidan slept until 6.30!

I was awake from 4.00, full and achy, waiting for Orla to wake up.

A morning out

We popped into town this morning. Keeping with the buried treasure theme, Aidan got a pirate-island theme duvet cover and pillow case, for when he goes to a big bed and Orla goes into his cot. Although I explained why we were buying it, I don't really think he understood. But that's OK - we have another couple of months in hand before she outgrows the bassinet.

After a bit of birthday gift buying, we had morning tea with Daddy in a cafe - always a highlight for young and old (due to fluffies - complete with mini chocolate fishes and marshmellows - for the young folk, and a nice hot coffee for me!).

At home, the older two romped in the new duvet cover and pillow, covering themselves up, wrapping up and rolling about.

We had a major rain storm last night - evidence of recently-rushing water was all over the streets in the form of various debris and mud. Apparently we had a dry April, so we must be making up for it all at once.

Buried treasure

My peg basket broke.

This is not surprising, as it's one of those plastic cheapies from the supermarket. I would like something more robust, made maybe of wire or wood. However, as we are between supermarket trips, I decided to use an old ice cream container in the meantime.

The ice cream container cannot hang from the washing line (without modifications) as the plastic peg basket did, so it sits on the ground. Within easy reach....

So this afternoon, I looked out the window and saw two naked children excitedly burying my pegs in a hole in the front lawn. They then filled the hole with dirt from the garden round the back, and patted it down with a spade. (When I say hole, I mean one of a reasonable depth, previously excavated by a small boy....).

Tomorrow I'll be finding, then washing my pegs. And thinking of a better temporary container for them!