This week on Facebook

So I swore at the start of this week I was taking a step back from FB and getting back on blogging track.  Facebook like the addictive bitch that she is lured me back so I decided instead of fighting it to embrace it, so this is the first in a weekly series of posts to be known as 'My week on Facebook'

I was pretty good the first few days and it was pretty quiet but we did go to the pop-up outdoor ice skating rink on Friday night so that was pretty awesome.

The boys and I caught the bus and the train which always starts an outing off on the right foot.

Harper enjoyed it for a little while and then preferred to just hang out on the sidelines.  Noah, our athletic,, sporty good at almost everything guy has really struggled with any form of skating but he finally got the hang of it that night and had a great time.

Out in the city on a Friday night - such a simple adventure full of fun 

Hello Old Friend

Over the weekend I said to Rob that I was going to take some time to get back to writing my blog.  He, being the IT nerd and all round geek that he is, promptly informed me that blogging is passe and blogs probably wont exist soon.  Here I am anyway.  I don't care what the current popularity or cool factor of blogging is, I used to love this little space of mine and I enjoyed keeping our family memories documented. Even if nobody else reads it I don't mind because it's just for me. Today I've looked back through old posts - so many fleeting moments of Noah's life captured and I knew for sure that I wanted to get back on here and get more of our memories down as they happen day to day.  I might even try and makeup for lost time with some retrospective posts about Harper (the forgotten but very loved second child!) There are no lovingly scribed baby albums in this house, just this space so I'm recommitted to making it current.

I blame Facebook - I really do.  I was hesitant to join Facebook for a long time - I was a relative latecomer. I was a bit smug about it.  I used to say things like 'I have friends in real life I don't need to be friends with 200 people on the computer'. (I say old lady things like 'on the computer' because I'm a bit weird and out of touch like that.)  Eventually it came to the point where I was missing out on play dates and events because they were being arranged through Facebook, so I took the leap.

Facebook has it's place - it basically did what I had been attempting to do with my blog for years. It allowed me to share photos and stories about our lives with friends and family anywhere around the world.  The trouble is FB is such a quick and easy fix that I stopped taking the time to sit and share longer stories. The instant gratification of FB is addictive.  Blogging is more of a slow boil and lots of what is written goes un-noticed but at least it's all laid out there to look back on in a pure form not lost between pictures of cats riding robot vacuums and photos of Rugby players consuming their own urine!! (True Story)

FB also steals so much more time that you ever realise as you find yourself reaching for it more and more throughout the day just to see what new tidbit has popped up in your news feed.  So I'm taking a step back from FB and focusing on quality blogging time instead.

All of this is part of a bigger picture.  I have made a vow to myself to change the way I manage my time.  I am ALWAYS busy.  I literally run from one thing to the next and I feel like no part of my life is getting the correct focus.  I know a do a good job.  Our home is clean and tidy, there are clean clothes in the drawers and a meal on the table every night.  The kids are happy, healthy beautiful kids and they get lots of love and attention.  It's me though - I'm exhausted.  Physically, mentally, emotionally. This has been a tough year there have been bigger challenges than 'normal' but when is life ever 'normal'.  Rob likes to remind me a lot that there is always something.  I can often be heard saying things like 'After X,Y,Z event is over life will calm down and I'll do that task'.  No more.

I want to get to a place where no matter what external factors are in play I don't feel like every day is one constant ball of chaos.  Rushing here and there yelling at kids to hurry, hurry, hurry.  Putting out fires all day long then getting to 7pm and collapsing in a heap with no sense of accomplishment.

One of the first things I need to do is re-instate my exercise regime.  There is a lot to be said for exercising in the morning and feeling that you've achieved something before the day has even started for most people.

I constantly over commit.  I am a YES person.  This month I am pulling back from everything that is not absolutely necessary.  I have lots of wonderful friends and I like to do the right thing and keep in touch with them all.  It's very time consuming.  Don't get me wrong time with friends adds so much value to your life but surely a month without coffee dates and outings won't kill any friendships. Not to mention I actually quite enjoy being alone and being in my own company.

There are tasks in my life that have literally been building up for 6 years that now need to be done. (Kids memorabilia boxes piled high, nothing with dates on it) I have made a start already this week and it feels great.

This post is a bit lot rambley but hey it's my blog I can ramble if I want to.

See you tomorrow

So Much Love

Hi Harps

Do you know what?  We love you so much.  Honestly we just adore you.  You are so sweet and funny and make us all so happy.  That's all that matters really - as long as you know you're adored I'm a happy mummy.  This blog of mine is neglected.  Where every moment of your brother's life was recorded and documented your isn't.   We are busy - really busy.  Somehow being a Mama to two boys didn't double the workload it trebled it.  We're a very happy family, we live a good life - we have loads of fun.  We're just so busy living it there's never time to stop and get it down here.  Right now I can still remember all the little details - when your first teeth came, when you first walked and all those funny little things you do and say. I will record them before I forget but right now I'm so busy loving you and enjoying you that I don't want to stop, I don't want to miss a moment.

So just for today that's all but one day soon I promise I'll be back to fill in the blanks.  After all you're almost Two!!

Reflections on Harper's First Year

'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times'

Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities

There are no better words to sum up the last year for me and my family.  On the surface we look like the luckiest people.  We finally welcomed a much anticipated and desired second child to our family.  We bought and moved into our dream home.  I finally lost the (almost) 40 kilos that had been literally and figuratively dragging me down for the last 6 years.

That's on the surface - behind the scenes it has been an entire year of sleepless nights.  It has been a year of stress and worry.  Why is our baby crying all day, why is he always so sick and sad.  Doctors visit after doctors visit with really no answers.  Months of weekends and nights completely consumed with selling our old house when we had already committed to buying a bigger more expensive house.  Moving house with any baby is tough but with one that cries all day and never sleeps - chaos reigned. Rob made huge sacrifices for me to attend my 5-6 hours of exercise every week and it's taken it's toll on him.

It feels like our precious big boy lost his Mummy this year.  After 3 and a half years of solid quality time with him I became almost completely unavailable.  Hours rocking a crying baby to sleep and hours of painting, packing, renovating old and new houses meant that Noah has watched more TV in the last year than his first 3 years of life.  It is showing in his behaviour and it hurts me deeply that he has been affected negatively by our decisions and choices.

On the weekend we celebrated Harper's 1st birthday with an awesome Very Hungry Caterpillar Party.  At the last minute Rob urged me to make a speech and I've regretted it ever since.  I didn't say what I wanted to - I'm not good on the spot. I only said a few sentences but they were not what I meant.  Every quiet moment I've had since then it's run through my head - what I wished I had said.  So here it is.

It's been a tough year, Harper has not been the dream baby everyone hopes for but we wouldn't change it for the world.  We love him.  He has completed our family which we though might never grow bigger than the 3 of us.  He's been hard work - really hard work but his smiles and his giggle have made it all worth while.  We know the future is bright and things can only get better.  He'll grow into a delightful boy just like Noah did and all this baby nonsense will soon fade from memory. We are so very thankful to live in this beautiful home which we only have through the love and financial support of both sides of our family.  We are blessed, we have more than most but most importantly we have each other.  We are a family and that is all we need. 

We love you Harps - you're a gorgeous sweet little man.  Happy Birthday.  GO TO SLEEP!!

Harpsy, on your 1st Birthday

Tomorrow, Harpsy, you turn One! Your mummy and I really don't know where this year went. We feel a little guilty that you haven't received many posts on this blog, but for your information only, I want you to know that we took 14,168 photos in your first year of life (and we only took 9,434 photos during your brother's first year)... it's just been that we've been so busy loving and caring for you, that we just haven't had a chance to blog. Also, if Facebook still exists by the time you can read this - have a look at mummy and daddy's timeline - you're the star attraction of 2012!

We won't lie - you have hardly slept or eaten much this year - and mummy and daddy's eyes have nearly fallen out... but you are healthy, and your fun-seeking personality, your smile and your laugh truly melt our hearts so much it hurts.

You LOVE music, and bopping away to anything with a beat... perhaps you've absorbed all of Noah's music classes by osmosis. You particularly like using any stick-like thing as a drum stick... and you LOVE clapping (yaaaaaay Harpsy).

You can rise and stand by yourself - but can't yet walk. Crab crawling is still just fine - and b*gger going backwards, head first into any obstacle is the way to go (usually holding something to increase the level of difficulty) - a true reflection of your character.

You say da da da, all the time, with reference to anything and everything. You haven't quite (or maybe you have) mastered kisses and often leave your tongue hanging out.

WATER is you deity - you worship the warm shower god just like your brother did, and enjoy the bath and swimming lessons even more. You're a beach baby too (you really have no choice - to be consolidated by your first week of your second year spent at various beaches in Rottnest).

You LOVE your cousin Abbey, and look at her as if she is your second mum (this is something to do with her loving you to bits and looking after you all the time).

Your brother ADORES you, and is often found in your bedroom after you have just woken up, well before mummy and daddy reach you. You look at Noah the exact same way you look at Abbey, although sometimes a bit more quizzically, as Noah's eccentricity and craziness towards you is sometimes a little hard to understand.

Your grandparents (Nanny, Poppy, Pa, Nanna Mal, Grandad, Nanna Ivy, Pa Pa and Nanna Bron) are besotted with you, and you have taken to each of them. You have particularly spent a lot of time at your Nanny and Poppy's house because they love you so much (and for which your mummy and daddy are eternally grateful :)

Personally, we are most content when one of us cuddles you in our arms, as you doze off feeling safe and comfy (while the other one of us reads a book to your big brother in bed).

You are our beautiful Harpsi-chord and we promise that we will do everything in our power to let your life flourish into whatever you want it to be...

Most important of all is for you to always know that WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

mummy and daddy XXX

A Post From The Husband - Happy Mother's Day

The best mum that I know XXX
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