Happy six week Birthday Pops, you look so old already.

Resolutions

Yes ladies, tis the season for self delusion. Today I am going to give some thought into things I can improve or change in my life. Today I am feeling quietly confident I can achieve anything I want.

Each day from now on until around January 2nd that confidence will slowly be pissed into the wind until I convince myself that New Years Resolutions are bullocks. Perhaps that is even true BUT for me is is mostly a cover for my lackings in the ole will power department.

I had a wee look at last years resolutions. It was something along the line of trying to stress less over imaginings. Sounds lovely, even poetic............but gobshite.

Ok back to the plan.

2007
#1
Take the time to make my daughter laugh every day and although I am busy to ensure things at the business end like changing nappies are taken slowly and not rushed as the ambition is to make as much quality time as possible.

#2
Once a month to have a family day where no housework is to be done or no jobs on a list to be ticked off and the day is to be spent with just us four relaxing and enjoying each other.

#3
To put less focus on food as our love of good food is sending us to the poor house and really I have to think of eating as a fuel and not a all day party.

More later

A snoozeing sleepy slumber

Oh yes my lids are getting that pleasant heavy glazed feeling even as I type that title. I cannot even say I dream of sleep as that would imply that I was actually getting some.

Well no that is not strictly true as I have been having some fantastic sleeps, one of six hours on the night before Christmas eve. I am just exausted from Christmas and visitors.

However our Christmas was fantastic and this year I was on pudding duty so I made the best trifle I have ever made, a huge pav and huge chunky fresh fruit salad with four types of truffles, the White chocolate and Raspberry went down the best.

The main meal was also outstanding with undoubtedly the best Turkey I have ever eaten it was superb and I do not even like Turkey. Ella and Poppy where absolutely spoiled, it is odd but it was almost distasteful the amount of presents and I am struggling a little. Most upsetting was the speed inwhich people helped open the presents for the girls and I have no idea who gave what or who to thank, which just does my head in.

Today is the first day in six weeks that I will be having no visitors and no extra jobs to be done and I am truly thankful.

As Emeril says BAM, lets kick it up a notch.

CH has just come down with the dreaded lurgie...................my life is over

Who would have thought, it does get worse! This is the most disgusting bug I have had in quite sometime, to add further insult it makes you burp sulphur, rotten eggs and lots of them. Farting out ones mouth may be indeed a great party trick, if only I was a bloke to take full advantage of the situation. There is a upside I just lost 4kgs in 24 hours. If only it would stay off.

Today is a good day, I no longer feel like dying and I almost feel stong enough to tackle something other than dry toast. Ella is fine but Poppy is a little off and thankfully CH is well.

Ho Ho Ho bloody ha ha

It is times that like that I know there is a god because friends come bearing a gift of a nine pack of Jumbo triple chocolate Cookies to provide sustanance during a trying time. It is those biccies that have provided lunch and sanity over the last couple of days.

I also know there is a god who is having a laugh, no I am not being so petty to name names or denominations, but you know who you are. I must say you are one funny fecker and I bet you are just gonna keep hitting me with that funny stick until your godly arms tire. Due to my sense of humour and laughs I have had over the years it was to be expected and yes all I can do is scoff in the face of normality.

I am reminded of that wise old adage 'The more you prune a fruit tree the sweeter fruit in bears'
At what point is does a burn off considered a "prunning" or is it pruneing, prunening????

What's worse, having chronic runny arse with haemorroids and looking after a family OR being dog tired having a new baby and toddler with vomiting and runny arse, no beds to sleep in as soiled with said runny arse, CH's vomit on floor as he could not deal with the afore mentioned RUNNY ARSE. Bless his soggy socks he did try before he went to work.

Oh my god, the house is a fright, my children smell REALLY bad, I keep smelling mystery poo on myselF, Christmas is still not organised and one of my cherubs has just lost her bowels AGAIN. Can we do Christmas at some other time?

Ahh by the look of it, it is another one for the shower, In fact before the end of the day I may just have to leave them in a empty bath for we will run out of clothes/hot water/sanity.

No Woman, No Pride

From the beginning of time women have been fought over, lives made and lost over the procurement of such a precious commodity and generally we have credited with the start of many a war and battle. In life we are amazing in so many many ways and if we are lucky enough to have women in our lives to share kinship, our lives are rich indeed.

No, I am not considering going and playing in the all girls sandpit, I just feel lucky at present to have so many lovely people in my life. If you can measure and judge yourself against whom you have around you then I must be doing something right.

Is it not amazing how your life changes in so many way and as you go along people come and go as you need them. At present I have had some challenges and have been amazed and all the help I have around and even more gobsmacking I do not even need to ask as it is just given.

For example this weekend was the Plunket Christmas Party and it was a successful mission to get there only half and hour late BUT with home baking, children fed and dressed and full of the Christmas spirit. I admit I was sturggling with juggling being social and looking after my girls as I was feeding Poppy, Ella would be off with one of the other Mums who would take care of her so naturally. During feeding Poppy, I managed to not only spray my child with breast milk, saturate myself with the stuff all without anything to mop it up, others come to my rescue. At another stage Poppy was crying, Ella was terrified of Santa and loosing it completely, other Mums took Poppy(who was also in need of a change) so I could comfort Ella. The most giving thing was one of the mums whom took Poppy lost the opportunity to get a photo of her son with santa due to looking after my child.

From the very moment I started this journey of motherhood my life has been dotted with the most wonderful women and friendships. It is almost like I have secured a life long membership to the most exclusive club in the world. Mind you, membership fees are high, but to have two such beautiful children it is a small price to pay.

I only hope I too can return the favour and be there for some of these wonderful women in there time of need.

Righto, I shall allow you a moment to bask in the bright and pure light of my succesful parenting skills.

Done? Now for the drivel.

Last night I had five hours sleep!(Huge round of applause) then to put icing on that little cup cake of joy, I managed to leave the house before 11am(not in my nightie and with brush through my hair) AND actually walk into town. Now for my crowning glory, Poppy actually is sleeping again, in her own bed, as I type. However the house is a mess due to my need to blog over my need to be tidy.

It has been a hell of a week as Poppy is still being inventive and throwing new and interesting things into the mix. I have had awful trouble breast feeding, pain, latching issues, infection and thrush(which I cannot seem to get rid of) Now this week, Poppy has decided to accept milk from only one of my boobs and latching painfully on the other. Being someone who is very analytical and thought myself quite a good wee breast feeder with my last child, for the life of me I could not work out what the heck was the problem. Luckily this time rather than battleling on alone(normally my strongest trait) I enlisted the help of our local lactation consultant Liz who is amazing, although she had no ideas for what the problem is but she said I was doing everthing right, positioning blaa blaa. Although not resolved but it gave me my mojo back and she did have a great idea to use a breast shield and the little bugger now feeds, my mid wife puts it down to Poppy's personality. Which by the way I adore.

CH has been amazing and long may in continue. He works hard, I feel supported and gosh darn he even makes my lunch in the morning, plates it with a sprig of parsley to garnish. I love it. It makes such a difference to how I feel about him when I am not feeling like the weight of the world is not mine alone to shoulder.

Mind you we are living like old people at present as Poppy has kicked him out and sleeps with me, I know perhaps a bad choice and something about creating rods for ones back BUT if I did not do this I would not get any sleep. CH is sleeping in the spare room which does allow him to get some sleep to get him through the day at work, which I know is tough at present. Besides I can handle the jandal and do seem to be having more success with Poppy as I suppose I know her a bit more.

A whirlwind of a week

As most of you will know this past week has been as close to my worst living nightmare. I have not really began to process the events or even get over my exaustion but am brimming with thanks to all who have been involved in our lives since last thursday.

Upon reflection the events as they unfolded now seem quite exciting but to be fair my thrist for adventure does not extend that far these days, lordy I am soft.

Last thursday evening after not being well for a couple of days Poppy's wee eyes rolled back in her head, she stopped breathing and went limp. We panicked. All infant resus skills learned, GONE. I urge all parents to promtly do a refresher or at the very least force yourself and your partner to go over the scenario. Please do so for me.

To not bore you with all the drawn out details, Poppy was a very sick wee baby and Blenheim did not have the facilities or staff for such a baby so we were flown to Nelson in the special life plane(which I had no idea existed) with suspected Meningitus. Nelson has a wonderful Special care baby unit with the most amazing team of people doing all they can to deliver your babe back into the arms of recovery. I have never been affected by any of these so called strikes that the hospital workers have done but we fell smack in the middle of this one as we could not test Poppy as fast and any tests had to be done in Christchurch. They hit Poppy with as many antibiotics they could and the little bugger was like a second hand dart board. They even done a lumbar puncture, which is they very worst. I really cannot believe the extent of this strike and we were not the worst effected by far, does someone have to die before the issue is resolved? As I have been involved in the New Zealand hospital system of late I have a few things to say but will save them for another time.

I do apologise to all those in Nelson we did not actually even visit or even tell of our plight. But you know how it is when you are only just holding yourself together and when you see a friendly face, your face distorts and becomes that real ugly cry face and the next thing you know your own snot is running rivers into your mouth and on to an unsuspecting shoulder..............

We arrived home yesterday, Poppy is not right but temp is down, heart rate is no longer over 200, breathing well, box of birds really but I feel like I have gone seven rounds with a prize winning fighter. Did I mention both Ella and I also got sick. Sleep has been minimal as we were in isolation and Poppy was even more grumpy than usual. Infact upon saying our goodbyes to the team they mentioned although they would miss me they would not miss my baby's cry! It was also commented on that unfortunately Poppy being ill could not account for her general attitude! However my favourite chap Dr Nick also did say something along the lines of the qualities you want in a baby do not make a good adult, if that is my silver lining I shall take it.

It is true, she has so much attitude and is VERY angry most of the time. Never sleeps and is not happy unless she is with me and even then it is not happy in the normal sense of the word as I simply mean........not crying. She is so very knowing and has a look in her eye that seems to sum you up and past judgement in a second and works to plot your ultimate demise. Yes, times are tough and the wheels are off(much like my nipples) more often than they are on and I have no idea how I will regain control of my exsistance as Poppy well and truly rules thus far. BUT I admire the gaul and behaviour of this wee bundle of tricks and look forward to duelling in the future.