Dinner Time!

I don't know if it's my poor cooking skills or the fact that is is just hard to keep a 3 year old sitting at a table for dinner, but all we know is that dinner time is a struggle to get Oskar to stay seated and eating all his dinner. If anyone has any tips, please let me know. 

I have found lately though, that the more involved I get him in the cooking of the meal ...the more interested he is in eating it! So, I put him to work again and he helped make crunchy 'Panko' crumbed garlic prawns and Snappper. Yummo! 

How long before I could get him on dinner duties full time I wonder....would age 5 be unrealistic?!

City Sights

Living in Mudgeeraba...or even the Gold Coat for the last 4.5 years has made me appreciate the city scape of Sydney even more when I get to go back there. On my last visit I felt like a tourist again, whipping out my camera to capture the view.....and instead of staying on the Northern Beaches as I usually do, I stayed in North Sydney.......something I have not one in a long long time. So it had been a while since I have had the chance to take in this spectacular view.

.............................Or take a cheesy self portrait in front of a land mark like any true tourist must do!!!!!

 This was the view from my room.................if I left my door ajar and looked out the corridor window!!! ha!
Oh well..it was straight to bed for me anyway...no time to gaze out the window anyway when you've been up since 4am and pregnant dying to hit the hay!

Although I do enjoy getting back to Sydney town, I must say it is very nice to get home to my tranquil bush surroundings and a warm crackling fire.

It's a bit like when we went to Brisbane this past weekend while Oskar stayed at Asha's house. (Thanks Hoogervorst's!) It was great to see some great interior design, and be a part of the excitement of a more cosmopolitan environment, and we were even sitting there at lunch saying wouldn't it be nice to have a city apartment to be able to enjoy this more often........but then we paid too much for parking, and got stuck in their traffic and thought, you know what...visiting every now and then is just fine with us.

I think my needs have changed as I have gotten older and had Oskar. I do still love visiting cities though, to explore the great design and shops on offer.....and of course the great food., and we know we want to do it more often than we do....... But there is lots of stuff we wish we could do more of however, at the moment with little Oskar and Ladybug on the way (yes C...'ladybug' has stuck!) I think we need to just be happy with what we have,  and if that means infrequent lunches out in the city and strolling through the shops...then that's OK with me. There will be plenty of time for that later.

Lunch at 'Ole' ......For those on the Coast...gotta try it. AMAZING Spanish Tapas at Southbank...which left us excited to try and make everything we just ate so we could taste it again as soon as humanly possible.

Ceiling feature at Ole.

Some inspiration for a feature wall at the HIA Home Renovation Show.

And a stupid car!

Water Hog Movie?

Whenever Oskar wants to watch something these days, he just tries to tell me as much as he can about the show until I understand what he is talking about.

He always gets so excited about telling me about a story, he gets his whole body into it and yells it to me. Sometimes I pretend I don't know what show he is talking about just so I can watch his enthusiasm.

I still have no idea what movie he is talking about here though..................

Soccer Hooligans!

Oskar and Asha have recently joined a 'Little Kickers' soccer club which we now go to every Sunday morning at the respectable time of 10am. Still enough time still for a cuppa in bed before starting the day....which is important on a Sunday!

The kids love it.  They don't actually play soccer, but the coaches teach the kids to listen to direction, take turns and develop balls skills & coordination. It is so good for them in many ways. By the end of the 45 minute session the kids have pretty much run out of patience, but we are so impressed at how the coaches keep their attention for so long.

Check out their Soccer Kit! It is pretty cute. 

These will be the last photos of them at Soccer, as the 'Child Protection Laws' actually prevent us from using cameras at such sporting events.....which we were promptly reminded of when we started taking photos on the first day. Really?! I also heard that kid's sporting games these days are not scored, so the kids don't know who won or lost......Seriously!? I am sure they know...and if not I will tell them. Winning and losing is a part of life kids should get used to and understand from the start.....in my opinion. 

21 Weeks and Kicking!

So we have reached the half way mark and I was beginning to wonder when I was going to start feeling a kick or 2. Well this week we did a lot actually..............practicing gymnastics perhaps?

I am certainly feeling a lot more pregnant now with a heavy belly and have put on 3kgs. I am noticing a lot more change in my body as she grows bigger every week and my back is already start to to ache ...but that could have just been me overdoing it in the garden. 

I think Oskar understands what is going on more than I had anticipated, and likes to place his head on my belly and listen and feel for any movement.

                                                                21 week Bubbabump.

Best Friends at the Show!

This post is a bit late.....however, a few weekends ago we took Oskar to the show and met up with his BFF and gorgeous parents. The kids  had a ball and it was fun to watch their excitement!

As always, just like doing anything with hyper toddlers, it was exhausting........ chasing them around and trying getting them to do as you asked...... "and please don't eat that food that's on the ground!!!!"....but the smiles as they went on the rides made up for it all.

I really love the small town country feel of the Mudgeeraba Show and the fact that Cam participated in a Dunny Race...yes a Dunny Race and  Hay Bail stacking competition to boot!!!, made it seem even more special. The boys surprised the country folk and won the hay stacking comp, but sadly came a close second in the Dunny Race. Great effort boys!

The afternoon went a little like this!

There is a Cow in the Laundry!

You'd think that after 3 years of being surrounded by toys, I wouldn't be surprised by finding this as I pulled back the quilt to get into bed....

                                              "Cam!! there is a monkey in our bed!"

...or this as I emptied the laundry hamper!

.....but both times they made me jump and gasp when I thought it was a rodent, but then smile as I realised as a parent you just have to get used to surprises and things ending up in strange places.

Monkey and a Scooter!

Since the winter weather has been just stunning lately we spent the weekend outdoors. We started with a trip to Currumbin Markets on Saturday morning, where we also ran into Kelly Slater at the bakery stall!  I wont go on and on and on about how fit he looked!

We thought we should walk off the delicious croissants we ate there by a walk along the beach and so Monkey Face could also practise his moves on his new birthday scooter!

It went a little like this.

                                         
 Then he dropped his scooter to climb a tree!

Then we did it all again on Monday before Stroller Group to practise some more with his best mate Asha!....and he had improved already....perhaps in an attempt to keep up with zoom zoomy Asha! I am amazed still at how fast kids learn new things!

....and then they climbed a tree again!

Room Envy

During my lunch beak today I caught up on some blogs I like to read and I am loving 'The Rookies Nest'  One  post of hers that I just keep going back to, is of this room. I just love the light in it, the finishes and everything in it.

                                                 
                                                              Can I live here please?!

Oh yeah, by the way...... we're Pregnant!

So a friend reminded me the other day that I haven't actually publicly announced our pregnancy yet but have had enough time to talk about laying turf! You know who you are! So it made me think actually...why haven't I? 

I don't exactly know, but I do know it certainly is a different experience the second time around and I do need to make more of an effort to note those differences, otherwise I will no doubt forget about them in years to come.
                                   
We are now 17.5 weeks along and to be honest I haven't even looked at my 'What to Expect when Expecting' book once yet! This time last pregnancy I was checking in every week seeing how much the baby had grown and what developments and changes had taken place. It certainly is not due to me not caring as much about this little bubba growing inside me as much as Oskar, but I just think it is due to the fact that I know what is happening now and know what to expect when expecting. 

I did go see the movie the other week...does that count?

To be honest I dont actually feel pregnant at the moment now that the nausea and tiredness has passed. What I do notice is that I can't comfortably sit down in my skinny jeans with the top button done up and my boobs hurt when I run!...oh yeah and I have a dangerously sweet tooth,  when I used to be all about the savoury!

                                {14 weeks}

I am also certainly far more relaxed this time around knowing what is to come and how my body is changing and I think that is contributing to my.... 'oh yeah, by the way... we are pregnant' attitude. 

I am actually more excited about the prospect of Oskar getting a little brother or sister and how will react and adapt to the change. He tells me every night when I read to him .."Mummy you have a baby in your tummy....and will get bigger and bigger and bigger and then it come out!!" He also says he has a sister in his tummy. I think he will be a gentle and caring brother from what I have seen with his interaction with other babies. How long that will last though.....well, we will see. 

Another nice difference will be to share this experience of raising a baby with nearby friends, as I must say,  it was hard with no friends with babies last time. Em was my saviour last time and I cant stress enough how important it is to have friends to support you and understand what you are going through. To listen to what they did, how they coped, get advice or just have a shoulder to cry on who understands. Thanks Em. 

Mothers group was also so very helpful and I recommend it to all new mums,  but it was hard to be as open with them at the start. It certainly reassures you that you are not alone adjusting to motherhood and really helped me through the hard times and very simply got me out of the house...which was sometimes hard to motivate myself to do! I also met some gorgeous people and babies and both Oskar and I have developed a really nice friendship out of it. 

                         

So I will try to keep a journal on this pregnancy as my attitude and feelings may very well change, and it may be very boring for all you readers out there,  so feel free just to look at the pictures.  

Now I'm off to eat a doughnut....because sometimes you should just give in to temptation and feel good about it!

Sea of Green!

Over the last week or so, we have been busy bees at home working to redesign our messy,  muddy back yard which was becoming a bit of an eye-saw really and an unusable space....into a lush grassed area for parking, play and something nicer to look at...Our new 'infinity lawn'

So we began by getting a very helpful contractor in to help reclaim some of our sloping land back by building a retaining wall. Seriously, if anyone on the Gold Coast wants any work done in landscaping, excavations or walls....John is your man. He went over and above and even came back on a public holiday to do some extra work for us for free and was the cheapest by far and oh so helpful with loads of advice.

Mum and Dad were also a big help during the process and were out there digging, levelling and carting soil and rocks in the cold. Thank you to you both for your help.

Cam worked like a trojan shovelling tons of stones and dirt, and I did what a Project Manager does best and made lots of phone calls, coordinated with contractors, crunched quotes and oversaw the project, helping out with what I could....given my condition.....oh yes, that's right we're pregnant! but that's a whole other Blog post to come!

                                                                The Transformation.

                                                                             Before

   

                            

The boys hard at work

Oskar moving some earth!

                                            Dad with his 'McGyver' style creation leveling the soil.

                         

                                                ................................After

                        Quickly trimming some edges in my lunch break so it felt like I was helping!!

  Laying the turf!

From this.........

                             
                                                                           ...  to this!!!!

                                                                 

                                                               From this eeeuuuurrrgghhhhh!!!!.........

                                                           ...... To this!!! Ahhhhhhh!

                                                                 Our new Infinity Lawn!                                                 

Has it really been ten years?!

In a word....yes!

Cam and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary last weekend, even though our actual anniversary is this weekend.

Ten years since we met in Paris and then began courting in San Sebastian. June 10th 2002. Does anyone use that term any more?...courting. No, probably not...I don't even use it, however it's better than saying.....Ten years since we hooked up!

Well a big anniversary weekend, calls for a bloody big diary entry, so I'd better get to it!

3 days of no schedules, no tantrums, no toilet training mishaps, or disturbed sleep! Absolutely none of that whatsoever! It has been a very long time since I have felt oh so relaxed.

                                                                         The Pass. 

 3 days away in Byron sent me in to a meditative state. I could actually concentrate on just cam and me....

and it was heaven. 

It rained...and showered for the first 2 days, but it was still lovely and warm and our apartment was across the road from a stunning little protected beach called 'The Pass'.....so, that was our first stop.

Sitting on the beach was not dampened by the light rain and it felt very tropical as Cam surfed and I sketched under a canopy of trees. I really miss drawing,  and spending time this weekend with my pad and pencils reminded me what I need to do more of and I think it had the same affect on Cam...the surfing that is....not the drawing!

We had a weekend of amazing food that kicked off at the 'Owl and the Pussycat'.

Tapas of buffalo wings, garlic prawns and warm olives. 

No Tapas

Sunday we met Court & String at the Byron Markets and wandered and chatted in the light rain, walked through town seeing what new shops had popped up before meeting up again to visit their new abode. We headed to Bangalow before lunch where I found a great old, blue weathered cupboard door. Yes a door! I think I will turn it into an art piece for the wall .....somehow.

With the door in the boot we headed quickly back to Byron for a lovely lunch at Rae's at Wategos. We were the only couple there until half way through our meal when we were joined by another couple...seriously...4 for lunch!? How do they do it? last time we went there for my Hen's day it was just as empty. 

The rain and clouds were kind enough to disappear for the afternoon to be able to enjoy the spectacular surrounds and beach outlook. 

                                                           mmmmmmmmm.........

The afternoon was relaxed and I treated myself to a massage before an even more relaxed evening of dessert for dinner of cheesecake and chocolate slice in bed while watching a movie! Bliss!.....and then we woke up to this!...

A bright sunny rainless day for our last day away! yey!

So what better way to enjoy it than by starting the day with a walk!.....

.....which worked up our appetites for a yummy breakfast at Clarke's Beach.

My favourite breakfast!

Happy Anniversary Cam ..x .. I wouldn't mind if you want to celebrate every one to come,  like this!