Le Sigh

How was it that a year has passed since we were in Paris? A year on and the memories are as strong and wonderful as they were then...

You too can read all about the lead up to the trip and then the trip if you feel that way inclined...

Christmas craziness

Ah jeepers what a crazy time of year this is! We had a VERY busy weekend filled with catching up with family for Christmas. Saturday we had lunch with Rob's Mum and then yesterday we did Christmas with my family - exchanging presents for the day - the whole thing as we will all be all over the place on Christmas day. Daise even squeezed in a Wiggles concert yesterday morning - it really is madness!

Rob has to stay at work a little longer than expected so we are not heading away until Wednesday now (which I am NOT thrilled about) so we are still counting down the days until holidays. I am hanging out for tomorrow afternoon when we can have a champagne and celebrate almost 3 weeks off work! Wed morn we will be outta here - can't say I am looking forward to the trip up to the farm seeing as little Harper does NOT like the car. Did I mention that she screams the ENTIRE time? Think I mentioned that before...but this is a 6 hour trip! Wish us luck!

I hope that the week isn't so crazy for all of YOU!

Hips don't lie

Earlier in the week I was thinking (and writing) about how grown up I feel these days. I tell you I (look) and feel every one of my 32 years at the moment. Yesterday I had a chance to duck out to the shops while my Mum looked after the girls for me to try and find a little Christmas frock and some swimmers for our little holiday away.

Sounds good in theory...reality was I had about an hour and a half before I had to get back home to feed Harper. It was crazy at the shopping mall that I went to - Christmas panic mode was in full swing, it was also 39 degrees so I was a little *shall we say* hot and bothered, oh and there is the fact that I currently look like a FAT MOLE to add into the equation.

So I tried on a gazillion dresses with my poor suffering younger sister sitting in with me watching the horror that is my stretch mark ridden stomach and thighs that just won't quit (upon reflection I really shouldn't have knocked back a litre of chocolate custard daily) and got slowly frustrated. Nothing really fitted. Nothing looked good. My boobs are too big, my stomach like a tide of flesh that spills over the top of anything - it wasn't pretty. So I gave up and headed over to the swimwear section. Yes! That's a way to improve any one's spirits!

In my mind I had visions of me swanning around the pool at the farm this summer in something like this...


And this...
Can't you just see me in something like this? I mean it SCREAMS summer vacation, swilling cocktails by the pool and being just plain fabulous (which in MY mind is exactly what I am).

The reality? Oh, just some swimmers called SWIM TRIM. What am I 50 now? They are like spanks but swimmer spanks. Once these babies are on I can tell you that they won't be coming off in a hurry (the tide of flesh needs to stay in place!). They look OK, the boobs stay in place and all in all the effect is not too offensive. Well I think so at least, I am yet to parade in public - watch this space - and I got 20% off so that's something. The dress? Well let's just say I think a maternity dress might get a run this Christmas...or the pants! Why of course the pants! The expandable waist pants! PERFECT for large consumption of turkey...

Next generation

Since I have had Harper I have felt like there have been many more times where I have stood back and looked at myself from afar and felt SO grown up. I sometimes catch a glance of myself with the girls in the reflection of a shop window, or see myself drive past in our STATION WAGON and think - when did this happen? I am a mother. Of 2 kids. Goodness me.

And then there have been other times where I hear and see myself and think I am turning into my mother. And that's not a bad thing. At all - it's just funny that I am turning into such a mother. Doing things Mum did with us. Making the kids pose for photos that I had as a kid. And doing things that I did as a kid.

Like going to look at the Christmas windows at David Jones in the city with my cousins.


And then making the kids pose for photos together in a row.

And I am SO glad that Daisy gets to do all these things, because they are the BEST memories I have of my childhood.

Slow and steady...

So! You guys! This morning I went and passed my last driving test and am now a proper grown up. AT LONG FREAKING LAST. You see I only got my drivers licence when I was 8 months pregnant with Daisy which was 3 years ago now. And because I waited, oh 15 years, longer than I should have all the new driving rules meant that I had to be on a provisional licence for 3 (!) years!

Anyway, enough about all that - I passed! So...I am now driving the streets with no special (loser) P plate on. I am all grown up with a gold licence (and everything!).

I know! Exciting. Yay for me!

Blondes DO have more fun. Or something.

When we went overseas last year for Christmas we came home via Hong Kong to stay with some friends. I LOVED the city and the people and the shopping - the lot - it was fabulous. What I also loved was the attention that we got because of Daisy. Well, we got to fast track customs cause we had a cute (blonde) kid, we got to skip many lines, and we got to start conversations with people because of Daisy. OK, so I mostly just liked the skipping (the many many) lines at the airport - the rest was a little weird.

Anyway, a week or so ago we went into the city with my sister's kids who were up from Melbourne. We ventured into Hyde Park to have a run around and for me to feed Harper. My sister and the kids ran off and I stayed behind feeding Harper - when she came back she was laughing and when she showed me this shot of what they were getting up to, I could see why.


The two blonde kids were hand selected for some photos with Japanese tourists. A little strange that this shot will be in someones photo album on the other side of the world. And a little funny too. If only the blonde hair had the same effect for lines here...

(Early) Summer Holidays

This past weekend we escaped up the coast to my Dad's place at the beach for our Christmas catch up. It was perfect: great warm weather, first swims in the ocean for the summer, walks on the beach, an exhausted toddler who was in bed by 6pm each night, a blissed out baby who slept well, grandparents and aunties and uncles who played and played and played some more with toddler, GREAT food and wine....it was JUST what we needed.

Although it did just make me want to be on holidays RIGHT now...I guess I can wait a few more days - as of Friday afternoon Rob (and all of us) will be on holidays until the 11th of Jan. Hurrah!

Home Truths

We were on our way home from daycare the other day, Daisy busy chat chat chatting away to me about what she had done for the day, what she plans on doing when she gets home and (of course) about Christmas. Harper was screaming away (as per usual) and I was trying to drive as quickly as possible without getting a speeding ticket. Did I mention Harper was screaming? She was.

Anywho. Daisy says to me all of a sudden "I am 16 Mum". I said "No baby, you are just 2, about to be 3". She replied very sternly "No Mum. 16". I didn't even know that she knew that the number 16 even existed! And she said it like SUCH a teenager, and rolled her eyes at me in SUCH a teenage way that for a moment I believed that she was, indeed, 16.

Then we get home and she strolls into the lounge room and sees a new cushion that I have purchased for myself and says "what's that?" I explained that it was a new and FABULOUS cushion for the couch and didn't she love it? Wasn't it fabulous? I was a little like a puppy looking for positive reinforcement for my fabulous purchase and she looks at me (like a teenager) and says "we don't need it Mum. We already have cushions". Then turned around and trotted out to her room to get something. I was told. And it (kind) of made sense we do already have 4 cushions on the couch....but, but, it's FABULOUS! No?

I think she really might be 16...

1987 called...

And it wants it's undercut back.

And I'm not sure I want to give it back. In the words of Rachel Zoe: BANANAS. And: I die. It's quite fabulous no? Maybe not your cup of tea but it will be mine for a little while at least. And yes that is a number 1 buzz cut there on a mother of two. And yes it does cascade down longer one side. As I said...bananas.

Like mother

People tell me I look like her. I guess. Sometimes. I see Rob too. She certainly has more hair than I have ever had in my whole life. She laughs at my jokes so I know we have a similar sense of humour. And the gal loves bacon...say no more there.

All I know for CERTAIN is that when she smiles, she scrunches up her nose. Just like me.