My week according to Instagram

So according to Instagram, food and the weather were important. Typical for this time of year for me really.
My baby got super big and figured out how to use a proper cup and since then is all over it.
My hubby shaved his face clean for the second time in our entire relationship. he looks so weird to me but everyone keeps telling him how good he looks.
James found my animal bag and ran around the house with it on his face singing like a muppet. Hilarious.
Charlie became a vallet shark and parked as many cars on his garage as he could. He's going to do big things that boy.
Friday the boys and I wore our red for Daniel, what an emotional day, I was in front of the TV weeping along with a lot of the country.
Finally I won the trolley lotto and snagged the double toddler trolley. Winning right there even if my kids were both sad/crying/throwing tantrums.

Playing along with Tina. You should to, it's fun.

10 Months

No longer is he a baby.
10 months is double digits, that's it, he's a huge kid now!
These photos are getting harder and harder to take. I think I'm going to have to keep him busy with food from now on.

We made it to 10 months breast feeding, I'm super proud of myself. We had a few huge milestones within a few days of each other. He started sleeping in his own room not with us anymore, I stopped feeding and he started sleeping through the night. I didn't know myself!



He's become such a funny little creature and such a big boy, he's so mischievous and cheeky and has learnt how to nap! It may only be once a day but that's a huge difference from where we were six months ago!

See his9 month photos here

A day to remember.

You know those days when your kids are driving you mental and you question your parenting techniques and abilities and although you know there is an end to the tunnel but you have no idea where it is or if you'll ever find it?
Then some days they do something that makes you do the ugly cry and your heart bursts with pride, and you know your doing something right and all the hard work and consistent effort to teach them to be good humans has done something good.

This week Jack and I have been talking about remembrance day and what it means and why the poppy is the symbol. After seeing the ladies of the RSL outside the supermarket he brought me change from his money box and asked me to buy him his very own poppy badge.
Anzac day and remembrance day were always a big deal when I was a kid, having a Grandad that was the president of the RSL probably had something to do with it, I'm so glad I can pass that on to my babies.

Jack asked me to take his photo, but not before I brushed his hair.
You have to look respectable. His words not mine.
Heart. Melt.

My crazy busy life

 I got an email the other day asking if I was OK and if there was something going on and is that why I'm not blogging as much anymore. I didn't think anyone would think there was anything wrong so to put her mind at ease and anyone else who thinks I may not be coping with four I know I keep saying I'm busy and it sounds like a cop out but I really am just busy. 

I try to blog more and some weeks I do better than others but really it's not high enough on my priority list most of the time. After a full day I just want to pass out, actually some days by 1pm I want to pass out.
Our normal week looks like this:
Monday: School drop off, then Charlies swimming lesson, home for showers and whatever housework needs to be done before school pick up, homework, baths, dinner, more homework, bedtime.
Tuesday: School drop off, Charlie goes to daycare so it's just me and Will so while he sleeps I get the floors mopped, clean the bathrooms you know all those joyful things. Then I try to hang out with him as much as possible before we pick everyone up and start all over again with the feeding, cleaning routine.
Wednesday: School drop off, playdates/library/park trip. Housework, school pick up, homework, baths etc etc etc.
Thursday: School drop off, Charlie has Kindergym then home for quick lunch before naps while I cook dinner, school pick up, finish all the homework before it has to be handed in then at 5pm the big boys have swimming lessons, home for a late dinner and bed.
Friday: School drop off, Groceries/housework/library. No homework but we usually have a friend over or we go to a friends.
Saturday: Pool/beach/park. Try to have a quietish day.
Sunday: Nippers at 9am which means the big boys have a blast and I wear a cranky tired baby while keeping an eye on Charlie taking over the beach and everyone's toys. Home at lunch time, showers, naps, school baking/dinner. Washing.

Throw in a few mumma playdates and lunches and that's just about us. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted reading that. Michael is working 8 days out of 10 so most of the time it's up to me and with my koala baby I treasure nap times to get stuff done!
So thank you for your kind thoughts and lovely email I really am a-ok just really actually busy!

My Week on Instagram

So this was a busy week compared to last week by the looks of things!
Last Sunday I threw the boys teddies a party. I answered the door wearing my Fiona ears, as you do.  Michael and I have been engaged for eight years. Eight years! Jack gave me a foot rub and brushed my hair. Bless him.
Charlie threw many many epic tantrums. Epic. My eating better plan resulted in me eating cereal that tasted like cardboard covered in banana, and then today my biggest boy and I had a date lunch, movie and shopping, four whole hours just the two of us. Before I put him to bed he thanked me for a nice day. Love that kid. So that's my week, I'm tired just looking at it and its only getting busier the closer its getting to Christmas.

Playing along with the fabulous Tina

My week on Instagram

My week according to Instagram.

I've been ignoring my online world this week and hanging out with my mother in law and spending some 'screen free' time with my hubby so I took all of six photos. We spent last Sunday at the beach with our little nippers. William is standing up more and more and destroying everything he can reach which is pretty funny to watch, the big boys are not so impressed with him. My yummy sweet chilli salmon salad, and the boys pizza. I've stacked on so much weight while I've been feeding so I'm trying to change my eating habits. How cute are my new glasses for my increasingly blindness? I now have glasses and prescription sunglasses so I can see while I'm driving. The boys had lazy dinner last week so to make me feel better about it, I made their dinner into an animal. As you do.

Playing along with Tina

9 Months

One of the first things people say to me when they see William is how happy and content he is. How happy he is to go to other people for a cuddle or play pee-a-boo with. He's a real people person, and as long as I don't do anything crazy like go to the toilet or walk out of his sight he's a pretty happy kid.
I never thought we were going to make it to this stage, it seemed like he was going to be a full on kid forever, but he has started playing with his brothers more and more which is such a sweet thing to watch. 

Once he figured out how to crawl and find all the things he shouldn't be playing with he was such a happier kid. Can't blame him really, his brothers do tend to move fast and from his point of view it's all fun stuff!
Can you see his gums? Still no teeth. Not even any sign of teeth. It doesn't seem to bother him, he chews and eats pretty much everything, toast, meat, pears, apple slices, carrot sticks. I'm sure with teeth he'll be a eating machine.

Amazingly we've even had a couple of nights where we slept. Yes that's right, slept. It may have only been til 5am but it's a start. I'm planning on weaning him soon. Maybe next month. I'd like to lose some of the weight I've stacked on while I've been breast feeding. I'm sure my metabolism stops completely when I'm feeding. 

He's gotten so big to see how much he's changed see his month by month photos here 

And just like that...

..the holidays are over. These holidays have been the best we've had. We didn't even get to the 'I'm bored' stage. Amazing.We've been so busy, it's been great. Next week I'm sending the big boys to school and Charlie to daycare then I'm putting my feet up!

This is how we spent the last day of the holidays. A quick picnic in the park with Michael while he was on his lunch break. The kids and I haven't really seen him much these holidays. When he's not away at work he's working his second job. So yesterday we packed up some food and picked up Dad from work headed to the park. 

Can't be a picnic without camembert and boiled eggs right? 

William had his first taste of egg and was quite happy with it. Even if he did spread it everywhere. 

I may have made a camembert sandwich. As you do. 

It was so nice for the kids to get to see where Daddy goes to work and spend a bit of time together in the middle of the day. I can't say I minded it to much either. Next week I'm keeping him home for a few days.  

Wordless Wednesday~Wedding Love

Playing along with Trish~My Little Drummer Boys

Holiday Love

This is what school holidays are all about. 

Taking our time, not having to be at school at 3pm. Absolutely took this for granted before I had kids at school. 

 Ah school holidays why do you take so long to get here and leave us so quickly?

Partying... Rainbow Style!

Yesterday we had Charlie's third birthday party. Still can't get over that he's three. Anyway. 

We had a rainbow themed party, I made the mistake of searching pinterest for rainbows and rainbow parties. I had ideas coming out my ears! I went with a few I could do in advance or wouldn't be too hard like filling a glass gar with gum balls ans tying helium balloons to it. Cute and easy!

It was a hot day and perfect sunny skies for a party and the kids made the most of it. Between the jumping castle and the food they were pretty happy for a few hours.

Oranges as jelly cups, seriously where do some people get these ideas from?!

Fruit 'rainbow'

I'm pretty sure dad was in!

The magic of icy cups, most of them sat and ate them. Amazing. We had about eight kids, both our neighbours and a few of our close friends. It was only small but it was perfect for Charlie.

My biggest boy has been feeling a bit left out this week, James had a party to go to on Friday night and Charlie's birthday has been going on for weeks so to cheer him up we took selfies and I let him take some photos on my camera. Whatever works!

Happy Birthday to my big three year old! 

8 Months

My gorgeous boy. Crawling has been a gift from the gods and a curse all at the one time. 

Now he can follow me around the house, but he also ends up filthy from it. I can now leave him for more than five minutes with some toys or a milk arrowroot. Seriously five minutes with both hands to get something done is amazing and I'm sure my back is thankful. 

Still no teeth, he's drooling but no sign of swollen gums so I'm thinking he might be like Jack and wait til he's one to get his teeth. Fine with me.

We sorted out his poo issues, thank heavens, he's such a happier camper now!

He has his Daddy's charm this boy, he has women stopping to talk to him in the supermarket, at school, everywhere, he puts his arms out for a cuddle but only if they are gorgeous things. Typical boy. 

Were still breast feeding and I'm so impressed with myself, he's our longest fed baby and the one who sleeps the least. He's such a different kid compared to his brothers, he's going to be the one keeping me on my toes I can see it already. 

See his 7 month photos here.

Winery Weekend

This is where we were this weekend. Hard life right? 

It was a whirlwind visit, we left home on Friday morning and after an endless amount of time with a crying baby in the car being trapped in roadworks we finally made it by dinner time.

It was so worth it. We need to get Charlie a cow. He was so in love with these cows, this one kept getting closer and closer to the fence while Charlie talked to her. So adorable. 

The whole winery was littered with gorgeous art and fun things, like this umbrella stand, seriously how freaking cute! I want to move in. 

A veranda with no house. Fun and space saving yes? 

My spunky hubby, he scrubs up ok when he wants to. Until he opens his mouth anyway. 

The whole place was so kid friendly, we were there for four hours and the boys had such a good time, they ran from animals to hide and seek and they were out of the way of the forty or so people trying to have a relaxing lunch and vino. Made my day so much easier.

My gorgeous nephew Isaac and William. We breed good looking kids right?

This is Sam the pig. Charlie the animal whisperer convinced the pig to get closer and closer to him. I think if we'd stayed any longer he would have jumped that fence and ridden Sam. 

You can dress them up but doesn't mean you can take them out right? 

The whole reason we were there. Michael's mumma had her sixtieth birthday lunch. Such a nice day and I'm pretty sure everyone had a good time.
Was so nice to see some family, doesn't happen often enough.

Wordless Wednesday~Weekend Wonder

Playing along with Trish~My Little Drummer Boys

Wordless Wednesday~Bed Making Helper

Playing along with Trish~My Little Drummer Boys

Three!

Yesterday Charlie turned three. Three people. If he is anything like his big brothers this will be a good year. Three is when they get that their actions have consequences and they learn sympathy, and turn into little people rather than toddlers. Three is a good year.

Love that surprised face. We have taken that truck with us everywhere for two days now. It was a huge hit. 

Being a Monday we had to take the big boys to school so to convince him to stop playing with his toys and actually eat his breakfast I tied balloons to his chair and called it his birthday chair. He thought it was the best thing ever and I think they might have to stay there forever. 

Once we'd dropped the boys to school he wanted to go to the marina and look at the boats then go to the park for a play. I told him this slide is a big boy slide and now he's three he should go down it, so he did. There is no way I would have convinced him to do that a few months ago. 

He did it about 20 times before we left. 

After the park we headed for 'shushi' this is his new favourite lunch, fine with me I'd rather do that than take him for maccas.  

After school we had Charlie the caterpillar cake. He has been hassling me for months to get this cake with his name on it. Now we've done it hopefully I can stop hearing about it. 

Love this kid. Three!