happy birthday to you!

Hello gorgeous girl - it's your first birthday!  Well not your very first as that was last year, but the anniversary of your first year.  You had a lovely day as Nene and Pardy came to stay and you LOVED LOVED LOVED playing with them, following Pardy around, and jumping all over their bed.  You got lots of gifts and got spoilt with cards, cuddles, love and smiles from your family all day long.  After a hasty birthday cake and song minutes before bed you crashed without a peep.  Happy birthday my gorgeous little monkey.  Lotsa love xxxxx

a weekend of parties

You have been a little party girl this weekend - not your own (yet!) but two of your fellow comrades from Mothers Group.  And you had an absolute ball.  Being park parties, there was no short supply of kids, dogs, birds, swings and slides to keep you occupied.  Oh yes - and party food.  You had your first taste of fairy bread (not a fan), cupcakes (yum mum!) and even some chocolate birthday cake (the expression on your face after trying this is conclusive proof you are my daughter). All great practice for your own party next Saturday.  And at the end of a long weekend of partying you are now sleeping very very soundly, not a peep all night.

your mummy - the working woman

So this may come as a shock to you but other than being your mum I am also a qualified career woman.  I haven't been feeling that way lately, especially as I attempt to return to work in a slightly different industry after a 12 month break being Your Mum.  Jobseeking.  Selling yourself.  It's hard.  And depressing.

Tonight I met up with two friends for dinner.  We all used to work together at the same company in the city a few years ago.  It was great to see them as with all our lives so busy it's hard to make our paths cross and when they do it's usually at a celebration or function where we aren't able to have a really good chatter together.  So tonight was fun.  But more than that, it made me remember the career person I was, and quite possibly still am.  I am knowledgeable, I am smart, I am experienced.  Just not in the industry I want to be in.  So although it doesn't make the job seeking any less hard, it does make it a little less depressing remembering that I in addition to being your mum, I am also many other things, such as a valuable employee.  I just need to find the company that realises that.  Stay tuned...

to write later

xx

the sleepover

On Friday night we headed to your Grandpa and Nonna's place for a sleepover.  They were very pleased to spend some quality time with you and you loved showing off your walking skills with the aid or your walker.  You were a superstar in the sleeping department which I was thankful for as it allowed me a night to indulge in some wine and chats with your Uncle Jus and Aunty Sam.  However there were 2 downsides to the sleepover -

*  After not drinking much, if at all over the past almost 2 years, it only takes a tiny bit of wine to leave me feeling deflated the next day, so Saturday was a looooooooooooong day for me.  I could not wait to crawl into bed last night.

*  After a night with mesh sides in your portacot, you caught a few knocks when back in your cot the following night, leading to a not so superstar night of sleeping.

After napping peacefully today with no troubles, I was hopeful of an uneventful bedtime tonight.  It wasn't to be.  A few more knocks as you tried to find a comfy position led to some more crying which has become totally out of character for you lately.  But as I sit here writing this I'm pleased to say there is a nice silence now coming from your room.  I hope you've found a comfy position little one, good night xxx.

greening the balcony

We have a lovely big balcony with a fantastic view of the ocean, however since moving in here over a year ago I'm ashamed to say we haven't made much of use it.  Well, today I decided that has to change.  Mainly because it's really the size of another room and you are getting bored of the rooms available to you.  You get grumpy everytime I sit you down in the lounge area.  You look longingly outside at the birds in the sky and the green grass across the road in the park.  But since we can't spend all day every day at the park, I thought I'd bring a little park to you.  So off we went to Bunnings to 'green' the balcony.  A few pot plants, some green turf and other bits and bobs later, I think the balcony is much more Maya-friendly.  You seemed to think so to as you sat outside and played with your blocks whilst I hauled the BBQ around.

Here are the before and after pics:

The before pic - empty pots, dead shrubs, dirty dusty tiles and a balcony edge that  makes me nervous (top floor of a tall building with a concrete driveway below)

Some greenery that I hope survives the summer.  Must remember to water often!

Playpen to ensure you can't get close to the edge of the balcony and throw your toys off (it's a looooooong way down!)

the afternoon nap

Our daily routine in terms of sleeping has been this for the past few months has been: morning nap in your cot, afternoon nap in our bed laying next to me.  I love the afternoon nap for many reasons:

* I get a daily nap whether I need it or not
* I get to snuggle up with you
* I get to lay and watch you sleeping even if I'm not - surely one of the most relaxing and happy activities a mother can undertake
* I get to ignore the housework and the general untidiness of the house for at least an hour a day
* I get a break from having to do things for you (feed you, clean you, change you, entertain you), and get to just enjoy you.

However, in the past few weeks it's getting harder and harder to get you to go to sleep next to me.  You're becoming too mobile and think it's hilarious to torpedo yourself around the big mattress instead of laying still and waiting for sleep to wash over you.  Lately you also love rolling away from me, back to me, away from me, back to me, and so on.  You love practicing your verbal skills and watch me closely for a reaction.  You love taking your dummy and prodding me with it, as well as sticking your finger in my mouth, up my nose, and occasionally in my eye. It's all become a great big game for you - which is fine - except that we are getting less and less sleep during this time.  And I think you still need it.  So perhaps we may have to save the sleeping for your cot only.  I'm thinking about it... but each afternoon when it comes time for your nap I just can't bring myself to give up the shared nap.  "Just one more day" I think to myself as we head into the big bed.  We'll see what tomorrow brings...