Dress ups!

sometimes when I should be tackling the pile of laundry (which is so high on the dryer that I can not longer reach the button to push the dryer on) , or dishes, or thinking about dinner - I prefer to look at my baby and yes - this day I played dress ups!


TA DA! My cutie in a tutu!
in other news - just got the bill for Maggie's birth - 23,693 dollars - and they don't even pay you the 5000 baby bonus here to have your baby like in OZ - thankfully for our insurance our part was only a total of 250 dollars. 200 of which we already paid upfront. Can anyone say socialized medicine please USA!

moments at home

my favorite night gown - it is adorable
I have been sooooooo tired lately - Maggie feeds twice a night - there was one night where she slept for 6 and a half hours and I felt like a new woman - but for the most part its only 5 hours from one feed to the next at night. I am lucky to have a shower, I am short with Jackson, but we do try to keep our day fun and do one nice thing - a craft project, walk to park, read extra books or just dance to the wiggles with him - he is twice as nice if I or Brad spend just and hour or so extra with him. he is the devil child if he gets no nap - or if he has too little to do in the day.

After J got his stiches removed I promised him his first real trip to the hardware store to buy some nails, hammer and wood. After all he likes to pretend to fix and build things and I thought he'd be ready for the real deal. He was SO excited when we entered home depot - he gushed " Oh my God it's Christmas time in here!!" (they had their decorations out already) and then was super excited to tell the hardware man what he needed and promplty followed him to collect each item, choosing a hammer that was just the right size, and one plank of wood that he could carry himself. He has hammered nails all along the wood with a bit of help from me and Brad. We are making a Manger for baby Jesus, with an Angel on the top (yet to be made) I plan to string twinkle lights all over it using the nails he has hammered, it will just have 3 sides but hey - its our first Christmas project and he's having fun.
Maggie Moo

Weekend at Nee Nee's

Brad headed up to Harrison to clear leaves and Jackson had a ball in the leaf piles! This might be one of my favorite memories from living in Victoria as a young girl, my Dad would rake up the leaves and let me jump in them till I was worn out. Everything about the crunchiness of them and finding a special color - Autumn is such a special time of year and I am so happy that my son finds that same joy in nature.

Bath time with Nee Nee
how cute is Maggie! She is getting chubby and although only awake for short times after her feedings, they are precious times. I only wish i had a big farm style sink like this one!
Her first hair bow!

happy baby

with all the drama's of the past few days we must be doing something right - we have a healthy, happy baby who gives us smiles like these every day. At the moment Brad and J are at the basket ball game, a special fun outing for Jackson as he has been listening well today, and seems to be enjoying himself with his books and imagination.... and Fred. J almost didn't get to go but a quick reminder that he could go if he listened to Dad saw a new happy boy once again.
Auntie Angie couldn't resist this claim to fame!


hope these smiles made your day as much as they made mine

4 stitches later
rock on my bloodied up buddy
Halloween is over - shame - he could have gone as a beaten up child who's mother should have social services called on her.

The past couple of days have been shit.

Two trips to the dentist - one for Brad who had a tooth ache and one for me to find out I have gum disease - lovely - followed by a meltdown at the mall (Jackson) - well actually you could say Brad and I also had our own meltdowns.

Jackson you will listen to your Dad and me - you will not have tantrums, and yes - just as I facebooked the other day - we have taken away all your toys - your imagination remains intact, and we have been super impressed with how little you require to still be a butt hole - who we love dearly and admire, its just that we are so done with you not listening to our reasonable requests - "do not smash the lamp with the hammer" "do not kill the fish". All is not lost - we kept all your outdoor toys - and now you love to play make believe outside which is super fun to watch.

So to continue ...... next day - another trip to the dentist for two root canals for Brad - being the super efficiant mother i am I figured I could return some things and play at the outdoor mall park with J and pick Brad up with everyone in a happy mood. Until i got to the outdoor mall and was nursing Maggie when J jumped off an ottoman and fell head first onto the slate fireplace surround - all I saw was a gaping hole in his head and skull - followed quickly by spurting blood. As it was early no one was in the mall eatery to help - I of course screamed for help and a cleaning lady called security - who wanted to fill out an incident report as my son bleed to death - well not quite but there was a LOT of blood. So the next few hours we were at the ER - we waited forever as aparently the bandaid the security team put on his head covered up the fact that he had skull exposed - plus he seemed to not be bothered by it either and was just interested in the skittles in the vending machine. When removed the nursing staff suddenly got all excited and preceded to fuss over him and me. It is interesting to see your son's skull - but once is enough for me thanks Jackson.

Happy Halloween

Jackson went trick or treating for the first time this year! - we talked about what to do for a week and he was excited to be a friendly ghost and he was SUPER cute people - in fact almost everyone we saw around our street told me he had the cutest costume - no one else we saw was a ghost, its great what you can do with an old ruined sheet! - our neighborhood is great and although we only went around two streets, J's little bag was full and he was tired and ready to head home to count and sort his candy which gave him endless fun. He also had the crap scared out of him by anyone in a costume with horns. Once home he was too scared to answer the door, but once Dad gave the all clear that only princesses were around he happily handed over candy.
Our front door - complete with cauldron and dry ice.
Maggie Moo

Random photos

Maggie is a beautiful baby - she gives Brad, me and Jackson big smiles and has started to coo and laugh which is delightful - of course she has her fussy time which is pretty much 6 till 9 when she is only happy when held, rocked or nursing - it can be a long 3 hours as this is when J is needing attention for getting ready for bed, bed time snack, clean up time and story time. He is in bed by 8 :30 and then we collapse on the couch with Maggie - Brad is great at settling her when I am over having her on my boobs. occasionally i have given her formula at this time or for her late night feed around 11, she just seems so hungry lately and although i am trying to increase my milk by nursing her on demand and pumping extra milk, in the evening I just can't handle having her on me every half hour - i am not going for mother of the year this year so although I know I know breast is best - so is formula for a tired mother.

Her skin has cleared up wonderfully after suffering from baby acne - thanks to a wonderful gift basket sent from an old friend, Jennifer, with burts bees products.
Trying out the new high chair and loving being among the action

we really enjoyed having Sara and her two children, Max and Lilly over to visit.



Gina having some snuggles