Desert Darling

It's a Girl!

Joss Frances

Born on September 13th, 2015

8lb 4oz

52cm long

We are all in love with our little girl and I am working on her birth story now!

new home

Because our family is getting bigger, we were able to move into a bigger company house.

We had to do all the moving ourselves, so it was interesting to come face to face with how much STUFF we have accumulated. Urgh. 

The house has four bedrooms and two bathrooms and feels ginormous.

But like goldfish, we will eventually expand and stretch out to fill whichever space we are given. We've been in here for a few weeks now and already the extra space is starting to feel less.. noticeable.

There are some things I miss about our old house, which I really liked. We were such a short walk from the shops and Bay's school. Our backyard was bigger and I loved the shady trees in the front yard. It was quite a light and bright house. It had so much storage.

But the new house is great too. We have a park around the corner. We now live closer to some of our good friends. The extra space will be really handy, especially once Baby 3 is here. The backyard is smaller, but more functional. There is a bigger shed.  There are lots of young families living on the street, so always heaps of kids out playing outside.

This is the view from our front yard

My feelings about the move are a little mixed, partly because I feel nostalgic about the old house.. but maybe also because moving feels like more of a commitment to this town than I would  like. If we were really planning on leaving within 12 months we wouldn't have bothered with moving.. so although I am grateful for the new space, part of me feels like we have admitted defeat.

 

 

leave

Last day of work for 12 months.. gonna miss that shovel.. NOT

So it's Monday... BUT instead of getting up and going to work I get to spend the day at home.. because I've started maternity leave!! Hooray!

Today this means..

I get to drop and pick Bay up from Kindy! I enjoy watching how confidently she walks into the classroom and I love checking out all the cute artwork and craft they have on display.

Spending the morning with Ivo! I'm going to take him to the skate park because he is a demon on his scooter but it gets so busy with big kids in the afternoon and on the weekends so I don't take him there very often.

Start getting organised for Baby3! I have to sort through some old baby clothes, make up the bassinet, find the bouncer... ummm what else do newborn babies need?? (probably nothing!)

In the afternoon we'll probably meet some friends for a play date in the park, making the most of the beautiful Pilbara sunshine this time of year!

Very happy to be back on the stay at home Mum circuit for a while!

 

Broome

One of the best holidays we've had since going away with kids.

We went with some friends who also have kids and stayed at a fantastic hotel where we had a private pool- which I think was the key to success. Being so close to the beach helped as well! Lots of swimming meant tired worn out kids who ate and slept well and happy adults who could catch up in peace because the kids were entertaining one another. Our close friends and my cousins also happen to live in Broome so it was great to catch up with everyone in such a beautiful part of the world

Seven nights all in one place was also a novelty for us, as we usually spend holidays driving from one place to another which gets quite exhausting. So nice to just relax in one place.

Anyway pictures speak a thousand words.

Had such a good time and thinking we will make it an annual trip. If anyone is looking for awesome accommodation in Broome, I highly recommend The Pearle on Cable Beach

Baby 3

Due September 6th!

Feeling:

glad the first trimester sickness is over.

lots of wonderful baby movements

a bit scared at the idea of looking after three kids.

undecided about where to have the baby.

bashful about going back on maternity leave only 6 months after I got back.

tired- even though I've been going to bed by 9pm each night.

grateful all my scans have returned normal results

curious about whether it will be a boy or girl

like I'd pay a million dollars for a good foot massage.

March!

I was determined to finally get a post in before the end of this month (I said the same in January, then February but let's make that March)

We are busy, life is marching along, the kids are growing well, milestones are racking up..

Bay has started kindy.. which she has taken to like a duck to water.

 

Ivo has turned two, which we celebrated with everyone's favourite last minute birthday cake- a Vienetta.

 

I am back to work full time, which is hectic. As much as I enjoyed the teaching, from a financial point of view the geology is just making more sense right now.

 

The Mister and I had our 5 year wedding anniversary, which we didn't technically celebrate, but we remembered it on the same day as this picnic and swim.   

 

We've started to think earnestly about our next move. Sometimes staying in N-town for another few years seems like a good idea, but more and more we find ourselves contemplating other options. We seem to take turns talking ourselves in or out of staying. At times we worry that only once we leave will we realise how good we had it here.. Other times the greatest risk seems to be coasting along indefinitely, held captive by work and money.

N-town isn't an easy place to live, nor is it a easy place to leave. I think that once we make up our minds exactly where we are going to go next, it will be easier to work out an exit strategy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My week away

The best things about my week away  (in the order that they occurred)

- Getting a cheerful goodbye from my kids and watching them toddle off happily with The Mister.

- Browsing for ages in the airport bookshop while I waited for my plane

- Enjoying a flight where I didn't have to bribe, apologise or reprimand anyone, where there were no spilled drinks to clean up, no nappies to change, no bottoms to wipe, no shoes to find.. I just got to read my book, eat my food, have a hot drink and feel sorry for all the parents travelling with their kids. ha! 

- Spend lots of quality one-on-one time with my Sister. We walked, we talked, we swam, we ate, we went to a movie, we read magazines, we discussed baby names, we went to appointments, we looked in the shops, we cooked, we re-arranged some furniture, we had manicures, we ran errands, we had naps.

- Catching up with my wonderful Melbourne based friends (I actually have more friends living in Melbourne now, than I do in Perth.)

- I saw the most incredible thing I have ever seen- my Sister giving birth to my amazing Nephew.  His name is Mac, he was 6lb, 12oz, and completely adorable.

- I watched my Sister and Brother-in-Law become parents. So much love!

- I savoured kisses and cuddles with little Mac. So happy that I got two days to spend with him, so sad that we live so far away!

- My growing excitement as I flew back towards my own babies. Excited jumping, bear hugs, toddler smooches, detailed stories, more kisses. Was so nice to see my own little family again!

And now some baby spam:

41 weeks pregnant... long walks to try and bring on labour

 

Love this family of three

 

So proud of this amazing woman.. laboured at home for over 9 hours, gave birth just half an hour after arriving at hospital.

 

Proud Aunty Em

 

Passed his hearing test with flying colours. Clearly a genius

 

My Sisters thougtful friends made this welcome home sign!

 

Mac one week old.. I miss him!!

 

The good news is in less than four weeks we will all be heading over for an extended holiday. Can't wait for The Mister to meet his newest nephew, and Bay & Ivo to meet their latest cousin!

I booked out flights today... Bring on January!!

 

Bittersweet

I took this photo of Ivo having an early morning breastfeed last Monday.. because I had a feeling it would be his last.

It was.

So at 20 months he is now weaned.

As with Bay, I did it slowly, gradually dropping one feed at a time over a few months until feeding only every other day, then just sporadically..

The early morning wake up feed was last to go, and I'll miss it.

I'm not sure if he can even remember.. He has stopped asking for it, or trying to get into my top, even when he is sleepy or upset.. so it doesn't appear to be on his mind at all.

I hope not, because next week I am leaving both of them with The Mister and heading to Melbourne for eight days. It will feel so strange to leave them. Rather sad, but also rather exhilerating.

 

potato and paint

We had a fourth birthday party to go to this weekend, and totally inspired by Lila we got crafty with potato stamp wrapping paper. 

It was so simple and I was surprised at how well it turned out. 

For some reason the kids were much more interested in watching me carve a potato than the actual stamping, so I did most of that. But they still had a good time painting the table and each other and were intrigued to see me then use the art as wrapping paper.  

We got so many comments on it, I felt like Martha Stewart. I will definitely be trying this again with different shapes and numbers. 

 

Zodiac Mind

I've been having fun reading through these simple and insightful posts from Zodiac Mind

 

Haha! These are spot on for my family (and me!)

What's your star sign?

 

fresh OJ

Nothing like a freshly squeezed juice on a stinking hot day.

 

Ok so it would have have been quicker, easier and healthier to just blend the oranges in the thermomix..

But sometimes the process is more important than the product.. don't you think?

the roof the roof the roof is on fire.

Well, it was an eventful day at my new workplace.

Thankfully nobody was harmed!

The fire started due to suspected electrical fault.

The volunteer firefighters, ambos and police did an amazing job, as usual.  

School will be closed for the rest of the week.

News report can be read here

Just Looking

 
We've been on a strict budget pretty much all year. Because being on one income isn't easy and with The Mister self-employed, we never know if it's going to be feast or famine. Any extra money we have is supposed to be going towards a house deposit, so all I've been spending money on is groceries, bills and daycare.  BORING!

But just looking is cheap! And fun!

 

If I had a big fat disposable income here's what I'd be buying:

The Zocalo embroidered quilt from Anthropologie. I realised yesterday that the outdated dooner cover we have on our bed is the same one the Mister had when I first met him. When he was 21. Which is over 12 years ago.

 

Mens watch from Michael Kors. No, not as a gift for The Mister, though he could borrow it if off me if he wanted to. I love chunky monochrome watches.

 

Boys&Girls green lightning pants from Love it Love it Love it. Not that Ivo cares, but it would be nice to see him in something new and a bit trendy for once, instead of his sisters lace trim hand me down leggings. 

 

 
Botines by Beatrice Valenzuela. I actually ordered these about 2 years ago, only to get an email that they were out of stock. It was probably for the best as where we live it's only cool enough for closed in shoes for about 6 weeks in a year.

 

A new mug, to replace my old favourite (which has mysteriously disappeared). This stylish looking one is the Mugr from HMM . Just wondering it this one is BIG enough...? It's a bit hard to tell from the photo.

 

A denim or chambray dress. Similar to this Burberry one. I love the pockets. Buttons are practical as I'm still breastfeeding. Three quarter sleeves probably for the best as I've let my arms go.  

 

I have my first day at my new job tomorrow. It's just a couple of days a week until the end of this school term, but it will be nice to be dabbling back in the workforce again. Maybe at the end of the contract I will be able to reward myself with a cheeky purchase or two! (If there is anything left after daycare! Or maybe even if there's not- hehe) 

Wish me luck for my first day!

 

 

 

movie flash back

Bay stopped having a day sleep ages ago, but I still make her have 'quiet time' while Ivo has his midday nap.  Truthfully, I need the quiet time more than she does. But whatever.

Often I'll let her watch a movie.. but only ones that I like!

Which means the poor girl is probably the one one at daycare who doesn't know the words to "Let it Go". But she is a full bottle on retro cartoons!

Here are some of the one's she has seen and loved, and some that I will show her once she's a bit older (or as soon as I can find them on DVD)

 

 

Other ones on the list for when she's a bit older are: The Never Ending story, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, The Princess Bride, Jem and the Holograms and Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

 

What were your favourite childhood movies?

 

What's been happening..

It hasn't been all work and no play the last few months.

We've welcomed a new little niece into the family! Little Sana arrived a few weeks early, but is safe and sound and as cute as a button! 

 

 

We've said goodbye to some really close friends. The worst part about this town is people are always leaving. Waaa!!

 

 

We've been watching the sibling bond grow ever stronger. Can you believe these two have started ganging up on me?

 

 

 

We've jumped on the smoothie bandwagon. Turns out so long as it's brown and tastes vaguely of cocoa, kids will eat drink pretty much anything. See that green tinge? It's spinach.

 

 

 

 

We've given Ivo a haircut. Bye bye baby fluff, hello little boy! I think he's happier because he can actually see now.

 

 

We've been hitting the pool. Getting ready for swimming lessons which start this week. 

 

 

 

We've been going camping as often as we can. Making the most of the spring weather, because it's about to get stupid hot.

 

Nothing better than watching kids wear themselves out in the fresh air!

 

Now the pressure is off with uni, I'm really excited to have some more free time before I have to start back at work in Feb.

The rest of our year is going to look like more of the above! Lots of time at the pool, lots of cuddles with my new niece (especially as they are also leaving town in the New Year- sob!), lots of bbqs, lots of icey concoctions and enjoying the company of my kids. The only thing missing of course is our beloved friends, but hopefully we can squeeze in a mini-break to go and visit them soon.