Bedtime

We really struggle with the sleep routine here. I've lost track on when it all started going wrong. But I know it's been a while. I openly admit my method of getting the boys to sleep could be to blame. I did the same with Angus, as I'm doing with Felix. Cuddling and comforting until he drifts off, then transferring him to the cot. Most nights it works and everyone is happy. Not last night. Last night the bedtime routine very nearly broke me. And after one hour and forty minutes of nursing a wriggly, wide awake Felix on my lap, I cracked. I lugged him up the stairs, plonked him in his cot and walked out.

Then the deluge of mama guilt began. Listening to him scream was THE worst. I hated it. I couldn't concentrate or even continue doing anything else. So I listened. And fretted. After fifteen whole minutes of wailing, he was silent. The guilt kicked in further. For the next three hours until my bedtime, I checked on him (slumbering soundly) no less than six times. And in the end, slept in the single bed right next to his cot, for the night. There are days when I really think I'm not cut out for this Mama gig at all. Nothing particularly major needs to happen, but a bad sleep or bedtime episode always brings me down.

Then today, we attended a birthday party for a little friend of Angus' from preschool. Such an interesting experience meeting a whole bunch of new Mama's and children. A lovely old-fashioned home party, with lovely families. And I couldn't have felt more at ease after my disastrous night, because miracle of miracles... they are all going through similar trials at home with their young ones. Ahh, what a relief! Almost complete strangers, with a fresh perspective, who completely understood every word I spoke. I came out of that party brimming with positivity and it felt amazing. And the boys had a blast too!

Lunch & a play at Bondi Beach yesterday

Puddles

So it would appear the rain likes to play little games with me. Though I've heard it does the same with other people too. It seems to know when a preschool pick-up (or drop-off) is imminent. It recognises when I have a car full of groceries to unload and quite often decides to bucket down when I'm unable to find a parking spot near the house. It's a tricky one too, because when I set off super prepared with umbrellas and a plastic cover for the pram, it miraculously switches off and said items are not required. But we do the dance, the rain and I. We did it yesterday right on preschool pick-up time. And the ground was covered with dozens of inviting puddles... of which Master Felix delighted in splashing through. And maybe I enjoyed a little bit also.

Joining in with Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love for 'Snap It' and this week's topic of: On the ground.

Feathered Friends

Last week we caught up with a dear sweet friend and her beautiful little lady. Something we try to do as often as possible. These play dates in this park are some of my favourite times. Olivia is four months younger than Felix and she loves my boys as much as they love her. I'm elated that she is going to be a big sister later this year, with her Mama expecting another babe. We had some exceptionally tame and extremely hungry companions in the playground with us, on this chilly, sunny morning. Angus has been feeding birds at Nana and Pop's place from a very young age. So he was only too happy to show the littlies the way. Sharing their biscuits and sandwiches with the "lolikeets" as they were calling them. Lovely, happy days.

Good Weekend

I love those rare weekdays when Scott has a day off work. When it's a kick-off-the-weekend-day, even better. On friday, we braved the cold and took a drive to the Northern beaches and picked up burgers and chips from our favourite burger joint. It was that incredibly chilly, we even ate in the car, overlooking the beach. But afterwards we worked them off with some energetic play in the park and running around on the grass. It was so much fun, having quality outdoor time together, on a freezing Winter's day.

Last night... was a big night. My adorable friend Tabitha is like the little sister I never had. And we had a great time celebrating her thirtieth birthday, at two funky venues in the city. The first a beautiful wine bar/restaurant and later we continued on to a nightclub to bust some moves. My knees and feet are really feeling it today though. And my eyes and head aren't too crash hot either. But it was a good, goooood weekend.

Little Monsters

Music appreciation is a funny thing. There are artists who I'm not instantly drawn to, but find eventually, my love for them grows. And some of them end up among my favourite musicians. Lady Gaga would definitely fit into that category. Initially, I have to say, I wondered what all the fuss was about. It wasn't until I realised Angus had a thing for the song Poker Face, that I too fell for the Gaga phenomenon. I'll always remember those early mornings and late afternoons driving to and from work, with Poker Face blaring, to keep Angus singing and happy.

Last night, Gaga and her Little Monsters made me happy. She is a superstar in every sense of the word. Such an incredible spectacle to witness. Scott and I had seats, as the standing tickets were all sold out when I purchased ours, but it didn't stop me from dancing. She has that effect on people it seems. The arena was a-rockin' from beginning to end, with a particularly engaging acoustic set midway through. My measure of a great concert is whether I would pay good money to see it again. After seeing the Lady in action, I'd go with a resounding "Absolutely!"  

Self Portraits

Many people seem to have mastered the art of the selfie. I am not one of them. In fact, I always find the selfie shot quite off-putting. I end up looking rigid and nervous and totally awkward and maybe even a little confused as to what exactly I should be doing. That is unless, I have a friend next to me. Because then a selfie is just plain fun. The image is often out of focus, all blurry and uncoordinated and makes me look like a total poser. But having a bundle of love right there in the shot with me, feels good. And these cheeky companions do enjoy a bit of selfie action... particularly on the iphone, with it's clever reverse camera trick. I still think I'll stick to my preferred posi behind the lens, where I feel completely at home.

Joining in with Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love for 'Snap It' and this week's topic of: A Self Portrait.

Cream Cheese, Coconut & Lime Cookies

As much as I love chocolate and baking with chocolate, it's always nice to find a tasty non-chocolate recipe too. This one is from The Women's Weekly Easy Cakes & Biscuits book and has been on my radar for a while... but I kept forgetting to buy the limes. And grating the limes proved to be the most tricky part of the process. Other than this step, these are really easy to make. An absolute winner with all the boys... and even my particularly fussy Dad gave them the tick of approval. More of a cake than a cookie though, I have to say. Soft and sweet and delicious.

Cream Cheese, Coconut & Lime Cookies

250g Butter, softened

90g cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups (185g) plain flour

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

1/2 cup (40g) desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease oven trays, line with baking paper

Beat butter, cream cheese, rind and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer

until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to large

bowl; stir in sifted flours and coconut, in two batches

Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls; place about 5cm apart on trays

Flatten slightly. Bake about 15 minutes; cool on trays.

Eeyore Love

We are hosting a house guest this week. Angus brought Eeyore home today, complete with diary, to fill with drawings, stories and photos, of our days together. I've heard quite a bit about this exercise over the past couple of months. And Angus could not be more thrilled to finally have his turn. He has grand plans to make Eeyore feel very much a part of the family throughout his stay... starting with an episode of Playschool on the lounge this afternoon. It quite literally warmed my heart to see. I'm also feeling almighty grateful the preschool didn't send home silk worms or an axolotl, like they did when I was at school. This one is fairly low maintenance.

Far Off Summer

Those long, balmy days of Summer seemed a lifetime away this weekend. Yesterday, the rain steadily tumbled down. The perfect weather for being tucked up indoors. Though we've already had more than our fair share of cosy indoor days this past week. So today was a glorious breath of fresh air, with sunny skies and a crisp breeze, to dry up the dampness and allow us to enjoy some park action too. I do miss the warmth. But there is something nice about the Winter months on our local beaches. When the sands are deserted and the waters frozen. A serenity not found from October through April. And I couldn't resist capturing it in all it's glory, following an early morning workout.