Category Archives: Thoughts

BOYS TOYS – FEBRUARY 3RD 2009

Now that Thomas is three he has started becoming a real boy. As much as I have tried to (gently) discourage it, he is into wrestling and fighting and pirates and anything requiring loud noises. Buzz and Woody are in a perpetual war with Zurg (you’ll have to look that one up) and poor Slinky Dog is going to be stretched beyond recognition if he continues to act as a bungy cord. And thanks to a new interest in matchbox cars, I get a nervous tic every time I hear the sound of metal on hardwood floors.

I dream of dolls and pretty pink, soft things that are quiet and dainty.

I’m learning to deal with it.

NEW LEAF – JANUARY 28TH 2009

Everyone is talking abut saving money right now and we are no different. Not that our situation has changed because of the economy, it’s the additional child and daycare costs that are killing us. Oh, and the little addition we did to our house.

One of my big efforts to save money? Borrowing library books instead of buying books. This is big for me. There’s something about library books that is a little gross. I think about all the people who’ve touched them and every now and then you find a crusty piece of leftover food between the pages. And then you get those books that smell for no reason. And don’t get me started on the downside of children’s books…

The other problem is that you have to wait for new releases. I think I was hold #118 on three copies at one stage. I suppose I will get that book around Christmas time. Or four hold books will come in at once and then I have to try and read them all in the three weeks I have them. And I can’t renew because 118 people still have holds on the same book.

Yes, there are many downsides, but I am making the effort to save $15 here and $25 there. I think my obsession with children’s book will continue though. They’re keepsakes.

And if worse comes to worse I’ll just have to start the Twilight series again.

NATURAL LIGHT – JANUARY 21ST 2009

One of the things I love most about our new upstairs renovation is the abundance of natural light. The boy’s rooms get full sun in the morning and, on the rare occasion when I open their blinds (seriously – why bother when Samuel naps every couple of hours), I just adore the light that streams in. In fact Samuel’s room is probably my favourite room in the whole house.

I am a little worried about the accompanying heat come summer, but with our double glazed windows and insulation I am hoping that sleeping upstairs will no longer be the equivalent of stepping into a sauna.

THE BOTTLE – JANUARY 18TH 2009

Samuel was born with a very big appetite. From the moment he was born he latched on and nursing him was a breeze – well apart from the initial agonizing pain but I’ve been told is apparently normal and just one of the many things we live through to earn our stripes as a mother.

Thomas was another story. It took three months for him to finally get it but I was able to supplement by pumping. We rarely had to give him formula. In fact I found a full can of expired formula in the cupboard last year that had never been opened.

Now the tables have turned and I feel Samuel’s appetite is more than I can handle. He has at least 2 or 3 bottles of formula each day and doesn’t seem satisfied when I nurse him. The worst part? When he gets frustrated by not getting enough milk, he bites. Right now he only has his bottom teeth but the top ones are on the way and I don’t even want to think about what that means.

So I now need to decide… do I continue trying to nurse when I can and make the effort to pump a measly 4 ounces a day? Or do I come to terms with the fact that I have given him a good 8 months of breast milk and call it a day.

I feel very emotional about this decision. I had a 12 month goal in mind and to not reach that makes me feel like I am failing myself and my baby. Not that I even think Samuel will mind very much. He loves the bottle – it means he can still look around while enjoying his meal. Maybe I just need to let go of the ideal.

And let’s face it, we could do without the added cost of formula.

So I have a big decision to make. Once I stop there’s really no turning back.

Off to pump now while I think about it.

Outside – JANUARY 15TH 2009

It’s so nice to finally be able to venture outside – without the coats and the scarves and the hats… and the extra 30 minutes it takes to wrestle two children into all of that gear.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still cold. Just not AS cold as it has been.

Oh and the sun now sets at 5pm. Enjoying baby steps toward spring.

SHAVING – JANUARY 9TH 2009

Thomas found this little food pusher thingy that my Mum gave me. It apparently helps toddlers get food on their spoon or something. We’ve never actually used it for it’s original purpose but Thomas started shaving with it. He will come up to me every now again and ask me to feel the silky smooth skin on his face.

Kei decided to take it one step further the other night by lathering Thomas up in the bath and teaching him how to puff out his cheek. He’s a quick learner.

Top 8 of 2008

Last year I chose my top seven photos of 2007 and I though I would continue the tradition to close off 2008. It’s difficult to choose just eight photos but it was a fun process looking back over the past year and I finally managed to narrow it down.

My very first photo of the year and still one of my favourites.

Love the colour in this one and I how I got the composition just right – and completely by accident.

A quick self portrait.

I just love the emotion that comes from this image. A great reminder from one of our many days at the zoo this year.

This one looks like an album cover – appropriate since we were attending a concert (Ok, it was the Wiggles but still…)

And of course the big addition to our family in 2008.

Our trip home to Australia

And this one – my all time favourite. I used it for the cover of my scrapbook for the year.

I could have included so many more, like this one for example.

But that would be cheating. 😉

P365: The Adventure Continues…

New Years Eve 2008 – and the last post in my photo a day journey for the year. I have been thinking about how I am going to continue this project in 2009. I love the fact that I have a record of every day from the past year and that my family is able to read about our daily adventures over the other side of the world. I love the fact that I have made an effort to take out my camera each day and record our lives. And even on those days when I don’t think I have a photo to take, I have always found a subject.

In 2009 I will continue this project but will be make some changes.

  • No more numbering the days – the date will be enough and sometimes even just a title. (I ended up with 365 days instead of 366 somehow anyway). 
  • If I have more than one photo for each day I will post more than one photo. I started doing this toward the end of the project and found it much more rewarding.
  • I will continue to tell stories with the photos but won’t be afraid to post photos alone if that’s all I need for that day.
  • I will take more photos of “things” and more self portraits. Although I’m sure the boys will continue to be the main source of inspiration.

So there you have it. This project is just too valuable to give up. In fact I’m afriad that if I stop I will lose the motivation to continue with my photos and stories.

My goal this year is also to learn how to use my camera prperly, starting with a photography weekend course in January. Can’t wait.

Dreams…and Facebook

No, not the kind where you aspire for something great. The kind where you are having intermittent sleep thanks to a sick baby and your brain heads off into very strange places during the few moments of shut eye.

Last night I dreamed about my ex boyfriend’s family. My ex boyfriend died many years ago and I actually kept in touch with his dad and step mum for a few years after the event. I have not thought about them for a very long time so it was weird when I had a dream that they were on Facebook – yes, Facebook. So of course this morning I wasted a good hour or two looking them up on Facebook. The 7 year old sister is now in college (class of ’10!!) and it was so weird to see her as an adult.

Of course this little trip down memory lane led me to look up a few other people from my past – specifically a group of guys from high school. These were my boyfriend’s friends but became mine due to the fact that I spent every hour of the day with my boyfriend – watching them play video games, hanging out and drinking, smoking pot… yes, I did it a couple of times but it made me so antisocial and stuck in my own head that I didn’t partake very often. And it was much more acceptable in Australia than it is in the US.

It was interesting to find out little tidbits of information about these people – at least two are living in London, another has a child in his profile picture – but the big question is this… Do I open that door and invite them to be my friends? Do I want these people, who I have not spoken to in about 12 years, to have access to information about my life right now?

I am so completely different from who I was (my last name alone will mean a detailed message in my invite) but I am happy with where I am right now. And there’s part of me that wants to share that with people who knew me when I was a teenager. There’s also a very nosy part of me that wants to know what everyone else is doing. Is this person married? Did that person do what they thought they would?

I don’t know… Anyone else had good or bad experiences linking up with people through Facebook?