Super power

I spoke too soon. After that one night of excellent sleep, the baby jacked up and spent last night WIDE awake.

But I found out I have a superpower. After a good couple of hours cutting laps around first her cot, then my bed, I finally cracked it and got cross. I yelled. Something loud and crass, like "oi! I've had enough! Go to sleep!". (I'm profane like that.) But, crazily, it worked. She rolled over and went straight to sleep.

I'm not a baby whisperer, I'm a baby yellerer.

Do you think there is a market for that?

I'm thinking a book, CD, DVD and a speaking tour...

Sugar rush

The little one hasn't been sleeping.

God only knows what was going on,but it's been painful for all of us. There's been night rocking, lullabies, bed sharing, a very brief and unsustained foray into control crying (I lasted about three minutes). Nothing seemed to work.


Then, last night for Valentines day dinner, I fed the kids dessert. This is a total rarity, we're a veggie eating household and tend to avoid refined food and the seriously sweet stuff, especially for the kids. Buuuuuttt... It was Valentines day. I cracked out the jelly and icecream. I expected a sugar crash, issues getting them to bed, and middle of the night wake ups when their blood sugar crashed and they got hungry (it's happened before).

Instead? My little angels slept, and slept, and slept..... and slept in! Hooray!

Best. Valentines day. Present. Ever.

(Not that my Vicar of Dibley DVD didn't rock. Ahem.)

A whinge

Holy bat balls, committee meetings are painful! I just spent three hours trapped in a room with a bunch of people I barely know, all of who could talk the leg off an iron pot, and decided to prove it on this idle Tuesday. I doubt we actually approved a single item on the agenda, but damn, we discussed it (and everyone's upcoming holidays) in great depth.

I guess I am used to meetings with a very clearly defined hierarchy, where everyone has someplace better to be, and enough going on elsewhere in their life that discussing the brands of toner for the office photocopier can be done in under twenty minutes.

It's going to be tough moving away from my military mindset!

Cunning plan

I have a secret.

My darling Mr Accident has been working his incredibly attractive bum off, training up to three hours a day so he is fit enough to complete a very competitive course for his work. He leaves in one week.

Meanwhile, I've been slothing around the house, keeping the home fires burning and, quite clearly (going off my waistline) baking cookies on them. In my defense, I've lost most of my post-baby podge but there are a stubborn three kilos hanging around my middle and my abs are the sloppiest they have ever been. Eek!

So while Mr Accident turns into an adonis, I am steadily getting left behind. But I have a plan! The second he's out of sight, flying off the biggest challenge of his life, I will be challenging myself to tone up and make for me, and him, the body I deserve.

I tried to join a gym a few months ago, one with a creche, but the baby hated it so much that I only went five times. I just couldn't deal with her upset - my waistline is not more important that her happiness! But my new plan is to work out at home. I have the weights, a skipping rope, an exercise bike and the great outdoors, and I now also have a work out partner. Bug is so into "hexercising"! I know if I tell her that I'll do exercise with her daily she'll hold me to it.

So, now I've told you my secret, you can hold me to it too...

Autumn leaves

I raked a pile of jumping leaves in the front yard for Peanut. She didn't have a clue what to do with them. I showed her - right when the neighbours were pulling up into our shared driveway. These things always happen at the worst time. I think I probably blushed about the same colour as the leaves, so I''m hoping me galavanting around wasn't too obvious. Ahem. Anyway...

She soon got the jist of it.

And now, I can't get the kid back inside.

And it's FREEEEZING. Why do kids always seem to have broken thermostats, and be totally immune to cold?

In other news, Bug has discovered her feet. Big news, people, big news.  Have a lovely week!

Cooking with kids

I've been asked to write a monthly article over at An Amazing Child. Please head on over and read my first attempt, then stay and have a look around. It's a great site!

Here's a taste:

Imagine if someone told you that there was a magic pill to help develop your kid's numeracy, literacy and common sense, encourage her to eat her vegies, and give her a sense of achievement all while having quality fun. You'd want to know where to buy it, right? The answer? Your supermarket! Read more here...

Gumboots

It's not often that you wait for a rainy day when you have a toddler.

Usually rain means long mornings inside trying to come up with another entertaining craft idea or letting the linen cupboard contents be turned into a tent city.

And since we don't live in the tropics anymore, I can't just turf a naked Peanut outside regardless and consider it an extra, warm shower.

After a week of stuck-insided-ness I went out and bought her a pair of gumboots, and promised as soon as the rain eased up she could go and puddle jump. The rain stopped before breakfast one day so here she is, outside, on a freezing morning, blissfully happy in her gumboots and pyjamas.

Jump jump jump!