30 down, 10 to go!

Anakin and Izzy are up at the shed doing some "weights" - the house is peaceful and quiet for a change but I can see this lasting for all of about 2 minutes. Yep - they're back. I have the T@B set up outside, with the annex and a big woven camping mat and all this comfy outdoor furniture - all the duplo is out there for Anakin to play with but the marchflies have just become CHRONIC all of a sudden and it's a ridiculous exercise in torture being out there for any length of time. Anakin has the bad habit of scratching too much and making his bites flare up so I LOATH him getting bitten even once. Usually I'm encouraging them to go out, nowadays I'm like "Quick!! Get back inside!" But the two of them together inside is a recipe for instant rowdiness. They chase each other up and down the hall screaming, wrestle on every bed and mattress in the house. ATM Anakin is imitating a peacock with a peacock feather on his head - have you ever heard a peacock call? They're f#>kn ear piercing. But that's my fault - I taught him that one.

I've been struggling to manage my Symphysis Pubis Disorder - if that's what it even is (Whoops -better uncross my legs..) I had a morning tea on Monday, a heap of ladies came over for cuppas and pastries etc except being school holidays the kids here outnumbered us about 3 to 1.

(Izzy's having a tantrum because Anakin keeps licking him - I'm getting up him for overreacting and he's trying to tell me that I'm the one who overreacts about everything.. now Anakin's stepped on his iPod - Izzy stormed off to get away from everybody and Anakin is blasting the recorder right at my side..)

Plus another school mum came with her "Learning Ladder Books" display. So I found myself flat-out all morning and up and down the whole time everyone was here. (A snapshot would have found at any one time something along these lines - toddlers tipping fish food all over Anakins room, siblings in the lounge room fighting over lego blocks, a kid ringing the dinner bell in everyones earholes, Anakin brawling with babies to try and get them to keep the door shut... you get the picture.) I hope it was relaxing for everyone else coz I didn't even get a chance for a cup of tea! (Actually considering the amount of racing around I did to keep the teapots hot and sorting out everyone elses kids, I'm pretty sure it was!) Monday night my lower back and pelvis and the tops of my legs were that sore I cried myself to sleep. It was horrible! Yesterday I tried to take it easier. Today I'm pottering around getting some housework done but not about to overdo it again that's for sure - I suffer.

The baby belly is doing okay. I'm 30 weeks today and measuring 97cm's round. He gets the hiccups everyday and it makes him run amok. Sometimes he goes bizerk for ages (usually while I'm relaxing in front of the footy) and I worry that he's having a fit in there. He hangs out on the right side, leaving the left quite empty, it's pretty uncomfortable and I try to push him over and get him a bit more centred, doesn't work. I sleep with about 4 pillows propping me up every-which-where, the hardest thing is clamouring over everyone to get out for a wee. I usually end up in Anakins queen bed for a few hours sleep on my own. His is the comfiest bed in the house anyway. I can just see me and Greg are going to end up in separate beds with one little boy each. When I'm having my early morning stretch I always need to remember to pull my feet up and NOT down - otherwise I end up with horrific calf cramps that leave behind bruises and really snap me wide awake, that's been a painful lesson to learn


(The boys are drawing quietly behind me - an absolute miracle!)

I've been sorting through 4 years worth of digital photos, making up folders for printing so have been looking at all Anakin's baby photo's again. Man, he was just the cutest little mugwai. I can't wait to have another one of these:





Izz had an awesome time on his ski-trip and came back safely in one piece. Thank the Lord. He loved snowboarding and his Dad reckoned he was a real natural at it too. He is getting so tall and has the thickest bones! He's never going to break an arm or leg that boy, he's got concrete bones! Even though I packed him all the necessary toiletries, in appealing little mini travel sizes he came back with the GREASIEST hair! I sent him into the shower and he washed it three times to even be able to get a lather! So much for what I thought was an increased interest in personal hygiene!



The holidays have been good. We had a family BBQ out at Dad's last week coz I had my uncle and cousin up from Brissie. We love going out to there, tramping through the bush and getting all down to our roots. My brother has a place out there too (kindly donated by Mum) and has just started renting it out to a guy about my age who has a son who's six months older than Anakin. He came up to introduce himself and the two little boys hit it off really nicely. It was so cool. Anakin still thinks of Reuben as his best friend and Reuben moved away like seven months ago :( He needs a good little buddy. Speaking of "Buddy" that's the last boy's name Mum came up with for me. No thanks. He's got a name! Unless he actually turns out to be a girl..!


Had another beautiful day at the "mushroom pools" too. Anakin was frantically working his way from one of the four pools to another. NON-STOP! Luckily I had a couple of extra sets of eyes and hands to relieve me so I could actually stop and drink my flasked tea. (Me and green tea are back on with a vengeance!) And luckily one of the four pools was heated otherwise he would have been hypothermic - not an inch of baby fat covering that little boy's body. Takes after his dad!


Greg's been working overtime while he can - the cane crushing season is set to be a real short one this year and we've had two lots of rates, power bill, rego - heaps of stuff to pay for lately, so he's been working hard and is only home on Sundays :( I can't wait for it to end - I'd rather be broke with him at home!

I went for a cuppa at a friends house yesterday and during one of our conversations she called me a CONFORMIST!! I had to ring her back later to straighten it out. Surely she was looking for "conventional" or "conservative", both of which I know myself to be in particular areas but CONFORMIST!!?? C'MON!

Update on the 3 Little Piggies.

Izzy's heading to Perisher Valley for some snowboarding with his Dad on Wednesday - so I won't be seeing him on his 13th birthday :( He's just spent the last 5 nights here (he's become addicted to Facebook and his Dad has no internet) It was a nice, incident free stay, thank the Lord! No tears or tantrums from anyone! Although he did blame me for "killing his buzz" a few times when lecturing him about, eating healthily for longevity. Actually I was pleasantly surprised he took my suggestion this morning and ate a big bowl of Just Right instead of Crispix before school this morning. And snacked on strawberries and nashi pears all weekend. (In between glasses of milo I must say.) I don't think he ate even one packet of Mi-Goreng noodles the whole time he was here!!


I measured him on the wall and he has grown 10cm's in under a year! He is a whole 5cm's taller than me now. He's actually cleansing his face, washing his hair and brushing his teeth these days - makes me think there might be some interest in girls starting to spark.. I know he's good mates with a few but if their interested in him is anything but, he's still describing it as "an unfortunate turn of events", or, "sad, but true".


I'm hoping he comes over for his favourite dinner the night before he leaves, so I can make him a birthday cake too. I ordered him the 5th generation iPod for his birthday, he picked out a green one with the inscription "If you can read this you're too close to my iPod." I thought "I rock therefore I am" suited him better, but he didn't get the cross reference. It got shipped today so with any luck it'll be here on time for him to download some songs onto it and take it away with him. He's right into this heavy metal band In Flames and I seriously need to get some footage of his headbanging prowess. He belongs on stage.


Anakin's growing up right before our eyes! Last weekend we took him for a walk up the creek out at Dad's place and he just went totally berserk with joy. It was SO difficult making him understand how dangerous it was! He just desperately wanted to run helter skelter across every slippery rock surface, slide head first into every rock pool, slip down every rapid... I couldn't let go of his hand, it was CRAZY. It was him and 4 adults (mind you I was the only responsible sober one) and he still managed to go underwater a couple of time. He was just SO EXCITED and FULL ON! I kept having to remind him "Bubby! You can't swim!!!!" Greg slipped over on the rocks a few times but thankfully Anakin came away shivering with cold, but otherwise unscathed.

He loves the library and he loves playgroup at the moment. He likes engaging any one he can in a conversation and last week was going around telling all the mums "My Brussy went on Speed did you know?" It sounded terrible and I kept having to explain "he means the ride "Speed", at the Show.." Shame. For ages he's been totally absorbed by comic book Superheroes, all day he's raving on about Sandman and Juggernaut, Green Goblin, Wolverine, Cyclops...

He's developed his first phobia too - he HATE HATE HATES being left buckled in the car, if I have to race back inside for my sunnies or jump out to pay for some fruit on the side of the road he totally freaks and sobs these huge tears rolling down his poor little eyes. The first couple of times I told him he was just being silly, but he can't even stand me closing his door and then walking around the car to get in my side!! Plus one late afternoon a couple weeks ago he was sitting in the boot of the car reading some books while I emptied the scrap bucket and picked some carambolas just nearby. The phone rang so I raced inside for it and spent about half a minute talking - by the time I got back outside he'd closed himself in the boot and was screaming out for me and banging hard on lid. It was SO terrible! He'd peed his pants and was trembling with fear when I got him out but recovered really quickly and reassured me he was only in there for a little tiny while (even the total amount of time he was trapped like that could have only been 30 seconds or so - I was worried it would've felt like an eternity to him!) I asked him if he felt squashed or if he was scared because it was dark in there, or stuffy, but he reckons he was worried that monsters were going to get him. I'm wondering if knowing that he can't get out of the buckles in his carseat reminds of being trapped in the boot. Poor kid, I'll make sure nothing like that ever happens again!! At the moment he's plucking away at this little coconut instrument we've got singing me "Billy Jean's not my Love, she's a just a girl, who says that I am the one.."

The littlest brother in the family feels so humongous inside me already. But is still managing to do full somersaults - so painful! Actually I don't really know what he's doing in there but my God, sometimes I have the hardest ridges sticking right out - I think maybe his butt and back. At night I wake up so painfully tight and bulging out in really odd shapes. My belly is square like a box from side on - just like it was with Anakin! I've had someone comment "you can't have too long"!!! Weve only just reached the third trimester!!

Anyway I better go - this chair is killing my back and the floor's not going to vacc itself, unfortunately...

Tagged.

What is your current obsession? My fringe.

What are you wearing today? I bone coloured rayon tunic pleated in the centre of the neckline so as there's lots of room down below for the expanding tum. With espresso coloured Seafolly drawstring pants.

What's for dinner? Raw beans, carrot, snow peas, sugar snaps, red capo, broccoli, cauliflower, corn off the cob, cabbage, celery, parsley, sunflower and sesame seeds and whole egg mayo. (Coleslaw! - That took me an eternity to cut up.) With something - I dunno what??

What's the last thing you bought? Fruit and veges at Woolies.

What are you listening to right now? The budgies. And Horton on tele "It is clear you are no match for my technique. I see you have not mastered the ways of the snapping branch. I will make monkeys of these monkeys!"

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour where would you go? With Vanilla, where she's going.

Which language do you want to learn? AUSLAN

What do you love the most about where you currently live? Great big yard. One neighbour and I can't even see their place. Peaceful and quiet.

What is your favourite colour? Purple. Lilac is nice.

What is your favourite peace of clothing in your own wardrobe? The seafolly pants I'm wearing I will live in until they become rags.

Describe your personal style? Dress like a pirate day. Everyday.

If you had $300 what would you spend it on? A convertible booster seat for Anakin, ('cept I might need a bit extra).

What are you doing after this? Finishing Anakin's drawing with him, making some phone calls for Greg and getting the sheets off the line.

What are your favourite films? The Man in the Iron Mask, Boogie Nights, The Beach, Blood Diamonds, The Wedding Singer, Anchor Man..

Do you collect anything? Baby teeth.

What makes you follow a blog? Relatability. (That's not even a word is it?? But you know what I mean)

Do you like to comment on blogs or just lurk? When I write a comment I always seem to be talking about myself anyway, so I figure it really belongs on my blog.

What's one thing you dream of doing? Building.

What is your biggest regret? Failing to finish a librarian traineeship because I was too preoccupied falling for the sweet talk of doomed love.

What is your favourite thing to do on a rainy day. Swim. Read and snuggle.

Do you have a tattoo? One in memory of a beautiful friend. A peacock feather on my foot would be nice.

What are your favourite books? The one I'm reading at the moment is INCREDIBLE! You're probably sick of seeing it over toward the side there but it's like 0ver 700 pages and it's taking me a while. I love books about interesting characters in realistic predicaments. True to life stuff like, Tattoo, Things Without a Name, Featherstone, War Boy, Candy ...

Describe your ideal holiday? Something that doesn't involve food preparation or cleaning up!! Lazy, lazy, lazy days. Staying somewhere obscenely luxurious. Reading, swimming, sunbathing, shopping, exploring, eating out, dressing up, undressing..