slugs and snails and puppy dog's tails...

our middle child and only boy

was born seven years ago today.

clever, kind, generous and popular

rambunctious, argumentative, mischievous and stubborn

all rolled into one

chatterbox.

a fan of cars, butter chicken, maths and his new little sister

an elfin lad who isn't the quickest, or strongest 

but makes up for it with a bountiful supply of energy and endurance

happy birthday, seanie.
if the next seven years are anything like the last
we should be so lucky.

:::

blink of an eye...

you.

six months.

slow down will you?

it seems as though you are growing up too quickly already

:::

i still marvel at the lovely creature you are

with eyes that look like the sun rising over the horizon

the button nose

the impish smile that looks a lot like mine when i was your age

you're eating real food now

and loving it

you sat up on your own a few days ago

and changed your perspective of the world

i know the next new trick isn't far off

and i can't wait

love you long time, ivy moo

:::

five months on...

time is an abstract notion when you spend all your days 

loving and snuggling with your baby

she's been with us five months

but sometimes it feels as though she has always been here

i love the soft bit at the back of her neck 
the little cupid's bow lips
those big, shining eyes

she is placid, content and sweet
and she has bewitched us all

:::

sisters-in-arms...

:::

these two have something very special

 a unique closeness and affinity

it is magical

and almost tangible

:::

only 4 days till Christm….whaat??

at about the same time every year

i can be heard exclaiming

"..how the heck did that come around so quickly?!"

but it has and as always

there is a frantic, frazzled fug of 

last minute shopping

the shops only close for one day

but i stockpile food

like there is a famine

we try not to go overboard

when planning the menu

but who am i kidding?

paul likes to make an occasion of present wrapping

the kids are put to bed on time

we fix ourselves a pot of tea and a few slices of pannetone

put on some suitably festive muzak

and wrap away

carefully labelling and embellishing each parcel

before laying them under the tree

imagining the anticipation

and look of the children's faces 

on christmas morning

when all the gifts have been opened

when all our bellies are full

we'll sit down to watch a christmas movie together

drift in and out of sleep

cups of tea

fruit mince pies

maybe a splash in the pool

life is good here

and not just at christmas

we try not to forget that

i wish all of you

a restful christmas with everyone you hold dear;

and the gift of time to be still and enjoy being together

Merry Christmas!

turning a corner...

:::

:::

:::

ten weeks on and we've turned a corner

less planking with me

less bouncing, rocking, patting, swaying, shushing and humming

and not a moment too soon

my arm was beginning to fall off

now she gives us cheeky lop-sided grins

chatting away

staring intently at her fist

as she wills it towards her mouth

i've managed to venture back to my beloved group fitness classes

adding to the little walks after dropping the big kids at school

combine that with her voracious appetite for the good stuff

coming from my udders

most of the pregnancy weight has melted away

she feasts during the day

and prefers to sleep at night

i'm starting to feel human again

now that i'm getting a least three hours

of sleep at a stretch

hard to believe that this time last year

she wasn't even a blip on the radar

now we can't imagine what life would have been like without her

our scrumptious poppet

:::

whirligig weeks...

ivy has been with us for five weeks now

in that time we survived the school holidays
kind friends dropped off delicious meals
visitors came for cuddles

the big kids spent lots of time with popo and kung kung

ivy spent lots of time in my arms

lets call her cuddly

as with each of my babies
ivy seems to me the most beautiful creature i have ever seen
she is calm
and appears to survive on lots of quality breastmilk
and about five minutes sleep during the day
thank goodness
she makes up for it at night

life as a family of five
has taken some getting used to
but i think we are all finding our feet now