My schexy schista.

Until she produces the goods, I guess I'm stuck with fiddling with images of her :)

As Cassidy says, "is Aunty Em's baby ever going to come out?"

The cracks are showing.

This afternoon while I was attempting to buckle Cassidy into her carseat, she was mucking around and putting me through the usual verbal stampede.

It was hot, I was tired and very short of patience and I said, "Cassidy!!! Why must you push and push me until I crack!!"

She stopped, cocked her head to the side and said,"Crack? You're not an egg".

Maybe not, but after a few rounds with Cassidy my brain feels like it would make a nice omlette.

Photo is how she fell asleep tonight :)

Grade one and a kangaroo.

Today, I reckon the nation ran short on coffee when all the mothers dropped their kids off at school on their first day back, cried that their babies are getting so big then hightailed it to the nearest Gloria Jeans to recover from the past six weeks.

My biggest baby started grade one. It's too big and too deep to concentrate long on that fact, so I choose not too.

My littlest baby started in the Kangaroos group -the oldest group of kids at her kindy. For the afore mentioned reasons, I also choose not to concentrate for too long on this fact.

It was pouring rain this morning but I made them stand in the

driveway for the standard "first day of school" shot :)

I took one shot each of them in the car on the way and these

were the looks I got. Do ya think they're related?

For me, if there was a reason to home school - this would be it. Either that or it's a reason to move to a rural property, bake pies and put them to cool on a window sill and wear a polka dot apron.

Walking in with Daddy looking very handsome in the big kids uniform. Cassidy insisted on bringing her Strawberry Shortcake umbrella in case of flash flooding.

The school assembly. Always a joy as they rattle off the new teachers, the school captains, vice captains, sports captains and any other captains they can think of. I'm not sure who was more antsy by the end of it...the kids or the parents.

Cassidy amused herself by wearing my sunglasses. She sucks her index finger which unfortunately often makes her middle finger do something rather unsavoury. Must say though, by the end of the assembly I felt a lttle unsavoury myself.

Define nuditity.

Em expressly told me she hoped I wasn't going to blog any of her (as she put it) "nuditity".

I personally think, as it's the first time Em has been able to show something resembling cleavage, (she and I are of the unfortunate no-boob gene) that a bit of partial 'nuditity' is well called for. I mean if there's one reason we women put ourselves through this, it's for bigger boobs, right?......oh yeah....and our beautiful children......I meant to say them too.....

But mostly it's for the bigger boobs.

I think she looks be-youdiful :)

For sale.

I have a Jeep Wagoneer Twin Pram for sale. I was planning on listing it on ebay soon but thought I might post here first in case anyone's interested.

It's in fantastic condition and been well looked after. I've tried out a lot of double prams and this one was by far my favourite. After 18 months in storage I've finally got the courage to let it go. It's been the best pram but it's time to face the fact that my "babies" aren't of pram age any more!

If you're interested, email me at k.austin@tpg.com.au I'm asking $180 (from memory it was $460 brand new 4 years ago) or make me an offer :)

The crazy shower.

Our centrepiece, Mt. Kosi-cupcake

Before anybody starts on me, these were easier than what you'd think! Mum bought me the beautiful cupcake tower for Christmas and I knew then what it's first job would be :)

Cute serviette nappies. Fold serviettes in half, then corners in to form

nappy shape, insert small safety pin. Thank you Google.

I had never experience a chocolate fountain before, but I can see why they will

become known as the party essential of the new mellenium. YUM.

Cassidy liked the look of it too.

I *love* this one.

We had games, for which most of the guests were suprisingly well behaved....

.....apart from the relatives, but we have come to expect that.

Aunty Loretta took guessing the number of Jelly Babies in the bottle into her own hands.

Cassidy meanwhile kept the chocolate fountain and it's activities in plain sight.

Some of the kitchen staff...Mum and Helen :)

Asher "I only listen to the balloons" Moore

One chip for eating, the other chip for backup, hey Will.

Smoodging with Nonna

My bridesmaid peeps and I. I reckon we still look a pretty hot nine years later (just quietly :p)

Thanks Em for taking this photo, the last one I have of us together was nine years ago coincidently!

Sophie dropped by with her daddy cause her mummy was there and she needed her boobies.

Towards the end, chocolate started to seep out of her orafaces.

Mum announced the cupcakes weren't just for looking at and we'd like everyone to take one. Did we get the expected "oh no, we couldn't" or "they're too beautiful"?

No. They charged the table like a mob of angry stampeding cattle.

Cousin Mia was particulary feisty :)

Em thought well if you can't beat em, join em.

Even after it was all over, Cassidy was still trying to hang onto a little bit of baby shower.

Not long now Em! We love you lots and lots and hope you had a fantastic day xoxo

Can I also just make it public that, contrary to what Emma thinks, I am going to get all these proofed and onto cd for her. Prior to the party there was a little mishap involving Emma's camera and the vegetable crisper. Em was very worried she had lost her camera but after endless searching after the party we found it in the vegie crisper in the fridge.

Don't ask. We asked (many times) and it got us nowhere.

Divine intervention.

Scene: Bedtime.

Cassidy's stalling tactic of choice: Raucous giggling and falling over herself due to raucous giggling.

She staggers like a giggling drunk into her room and notices her pull up (which she normally gets out of the cupboard) is already laid out on her bed.

Cassidy (more snorting and choking) "How did that happen mummy?"

Me (through clenched teeth under my breath) "How did you happen"

Cassidy (stopping what she's doing and expression changes to one of complete serenity) "I don't know mummy, but I think it was God"

Mummy: 3 Cassidy: 1067

Pink or blue.

Five weeks and counting to Aunty Kate!!

Place your bets ladies...boy or girl?

When the mice are away...

I work frantically on the computer to try to catch up. Yay for me.

Steve has taken the kids down the coast to *maybe* camp overnight with some friends. I say *maybe* because both of them have a terrible cough and I almost declared him unstable this morning when after another sleepless night he said he still wanted to go.

So, I said (in short) here's your hat, what's your hurry.

It's debateable wether they'll stay the night or not, but for now I'm making use of my first quiet day alone since the holidays started.

We have been so busy catching up with friends, it's been lovely and a wonderful way to pretend my build up of work is going to poof into the abyss. Some of our nearest and dearest, the Fishers' moved back to Brisbane from Cairns after nine years away - they moved when Steve and I got married.

It's amazing, but it never really feels like they were gone. We facebook, blog (well some of us do, don't we Jen?!) and msn all the time so we've never felt the distance.

Now I get to go shopping with my Jen and have Rod make fun of my snorts in person instead of via msn and webcam :) Love you guys and we're so glad you're back. They all come back in the end....:p

We didn't have the camera out much but I did get a couple of the rather Lucious Lashed Tom working the over-the-shoulder- catalogue pose.

Bedtime stories.

Whilst doing the bedtime round up tonight, I walked past Cassidy's room to see her reading her new Princess Bible on her bed, halo fully in tact.

The story she was reading to herself aloud included Little Red Riding Hood and Santa Clause.

The plot: debateable. God's little princess: indescribably beautiful.

Road hogs.

No prizes for guessing what the kids got for Christmas. It timed well....Isaac has grown out of his bike well and truly and Cassidy has never had one, so this was the year.

Isaac just wanted one that went fast. Cassidy wanted hers to be pink, have sparkly streamers from the handlebars, a basket on the front and the most important feature - a capsule on the back for her baby. To make matters worse, Cassidy has since seen a doll sized bike helmet in a toy shop which she now says baby needs "so she's safe, mummy".

Pedestrians will never be safe again.

FYI- The last photo Isaac suggested we look at the camera the way Toby looks at us through the kitchen window.