Scarlett Macey

I finally made it up the coast last week to see the latest addition at the Taylor's...Miss Scarlett.

She wasn't going to give up without a fight, but we got her comatose in the end. Once she was out, she was out.

Congrats guys...another beautiful girl for me to photographically exploit :)

Yes, this took work to get. But so so worth it.

Long legs like Daddy.

Having a snuggle bug with her yummy mummy.

Being Six and Large Ferocious Creatures.

Here he is, looking ruggedly handsome and very six years old in his Spiderman swimmers and little-boy-bruised legs.

We had a fantastic afternoon on Friday at the pool and a slot car party at home on Saturday for his school friends.

Sitting in the back of the car today he throws me a curve ball.

"Hey Mum? Can I have a puma?".

After a mental grapple with my brain cells, I confirmed that yes in fact, he was asking if he could have a large saber-toothed cat like creature from Northern America and not a pair of running shoes.

"Ummm...no...actually".

As Toby fails rather miserably as a guard dog, I reckon Isaac's puma would probably do the trick.

Labradoodle out, large and ferocious cat like creature in. Security worries solved. Why didn't we think of that before?

There must be something in the water.

Everyone's having babies!

Not that I mind. I will get to kiss, cuddle and photograph them and hand them back when they cry :)

One of my oldest and dearest friends Michelle is having her first bubba in a few weeks. We had her baby shower yesterday which was a lovely excuse to go and play ladies for a while.

Shell is doing that glowing/looking beautiful all the time thing that I didn't do when I was pregnant. I told her that she looks amazing but secretly I am just writhing in jealousy that her boobs are that big.

I made her a nappy cake. My first ever attempt. I thought that since I had conquered the flowers, this would be a walk in the park. I was wrong. Disposable nappies don't do what they are told and it's really hard to find unisex baby items that aren't daggy or white. (You'd think they would just find out what they're having so the party guests know what colour to buy. I mean really, how inconsiderate :P :P )

Bronwen, Shell's sister. She was the queen of organisation and did all the party games. I thought she was looking particulary ravishing yesterday. Deanne, Shell's youngest sister is away working in the states but helped plan the party games too. Dee, Bron did the best job she could but we all know you would have rocked it if you were there. We missed you!

Grandma isn't really up to understanding party games anymore but would you believe she won the game of guessing how round Shell's belly is. Her piece of string was definately the closest! Way to go Grandma, we think you're beautiful.

I also think my mum is a bit of alright for nearly 25.

:)

Sans tonsils, smile intact.

The bravest boy of the hour. He's home and all is well.

You know, I have always prided myself that I'm a pretty 'tough' mum. I'm not a panicker, I tend to stress over 'nothing' things like work but if a real crisis happens with anyone I love, I feel deathly calm. Blood, poos and spews don't really bother me and I never go to the doctor for either myself or the kids without good reason.

But this tough nut cracked good and proper when they wheeled her crying and terrified son off on a hospital bed.

Steve went in with him while they put him under while I stood in the corridor and bawled. I guess it doesn't matter if it's a splinter, tonsils, a broken arm or leukemia. Wanting to take away your babies' fear and pain when you can't is heart wrenching. I said to mum afterwards I can't even begin to imagine how the parents with truly sick children do it.

My prayers tonight are for the parents that watch thier children live through unimaginable suffering every day. Surely, these are some of the strongest people on earth. God bless you and your precious babies.

Isaac's class sent a package in the mail that included a card from made by each of his classmates. He read them all but was obviously looking for the one from a certain five year old blonde with pigtails :) When he found it, the look on his face was indescribable. Hers is the green heart shaped one in front with a drawing of them on it. The inside is covered in pencil hearts and fancy fold out/pop up bits she's sticky taped on. Lord help me.

Does anyone know a good relationship therapist for six year olds if she flicks him for a smooth talking first grader next year?!

Bounceability.

We had some time outside with the kids this afternoon.

We were bouncing on the trampoline which is not my favourite thing in the world to do. I have issues with heights and falling from them.

Just as I was thinking my internal organs had found new homes, Cassidy said, "I have more bounce inside of me than you, don't I mum".

Internally driven bouncing. If only we could all tap into that :)

NB. Whenever I do storyboards they always make the photos smaller -ah the thrills of Blogger! If you click on the image it lets you see it bigger (those instructions are for you Mum :) Really though, it's just another reason to try to find some more time to work on a new blog....think it's been on the to do list since about January!

The big three-oh.

Dodgy photographic proof, but proof nonetheless. He did turn thirty. We had a cake :)

Also thought I'd include a copy of the invite to the "do" we had...just cause he was a cute baby. At least we know where Isaac gets his little old man expression from.

Such a crazy, crazy week. The baby book is *f*i*n*i*s*h*e*d. The brass band is booked, the party poppers have been popped and I've never been totally sloshed but I'm thinking now might be a good time.

Apart from all that, we had a great weekend. As only we can do though it involved a trip to Bunnings and now we have the theatre pretty much painted. Don't ask. We seem to have some sort of thrive on punishment addiction and if we're busy, we somehow find a way to make it busier.

Isaac goes for his adenoids and tonsils on Thursday too. Bring it oooonnnnn baby!

Things that make me smile.

....after a ridiculously busy week.

My three trying to be demure for a picture for my baby project book for our local hospital (which is nearly finished - yay!) I love Cassidy's lips. It looks like she's giving Angelina Jolie a run for her money.

Cassidy re-organised the drawer we keep all the hair clips in this morning to "make it easier to find fings mummy". She also lined up all the perfumes and lotions to finish the job properly. If you look closely, you can see how some of the lids of the containers have clips arranged on them as well in little displays.

When copying the photos off our dodgy and painful point and shoot camera (it doesn't get done very often) I found this pic of Steve hanging my welcome home sign from when I went away in August. He got up early with the kids to make it. It's still hanging up there; every time I've thought about it I can't bring myself to take it down.

Both sets of grandparents have taken the kids for a couple of days each and we have till Monday by ourselves. This was supposed to be for a weekend away to see Rod and Jen, but it all went downhill (ie I had a meltdown) at the last minute so we decided to preserve our sanity and stay home.

We had a productive day and went to the movies tonight for the first time in about six months (hence the photos - truly was a Kodak moment). Steve also turned the big 3-0 this week, but thanks to our exceptionally dodgy point and shoot that I'm going to start using as a door stop, I don't have any decent photos.

I think Steve is rather happy there's no photos as he'd quite happily live out his daydream of being 29 for the rest of his life. Can you say denial??

The labradoodle's got my baby!

The tounge in cheek behind this title may need some explaining for the non-aussie readers....

In the eighties there was the mystery of a baby that went missing in outback Australia. The mum swore the baby was taken by a dingo in the much publicised case; hence the phrase "the dingo's got my baby!" has become part of our history. Australia was divided over wether she was telling the truth or wether she had in fact been responsible for her baby's disappearance. Many an occaision I can remember this being a topic of discussion at dinner tables - did the dingo do it?

Unfornately for Toby, we have photographic proof that in fact, the labradoodle did get the baby.

Steve found him under the trailer, snuggled up with Cassidy's baby. Baby is Cassidy's reason for living, so I am very very glad she did not find this scene herself. Or see Toby carrying Baby dingo-style in his mouth across the backyard.

Steve, who is totally over the naughty antics of our dog, offered to bury him under the concrete slab he was laying at the time of the incident. Considering we are now up to about a dozen pairs of destroyed shoes and I am constantly gathering up clothing he has stolen from the laundry to distribute around the yard, I thought this wasn't a bad idea.

Don't look too deeply into the eyes. It's all in his plan to suck you in.

Easy on the sugar.

Love this pic of Cassidy and Brianna.

Love the attitude on Cass and the expression on Brianna.

Love that I can see the friendship between the girls as so similar to the one their mummies share.

Neither of them are backwards in coming forwards, which you would think would be a recipe for fireworks, but mostly it isn't. There's never any mistake about where either of them stands and rules of engagement are always clearly laid down at the outset of any activity.

Funny how that method works for their mummies too. Sugar coating stuff with each other has never been our strong point - our friendship is of the 'tell it like it is' variety....and you can bet I wouldn't have it any other way.

PS. I broke my camera :( (I didn't do it on purpose, although the camera shop man insinuated there had been some foul play in hope that I had an excuse to get the new 5D that's due out soon. I am shocked and aghast at this terrible insinuation :)

Actually, the mirror fell out of its bracket inside the camera. Apparently not as scary as it felt or sounds, and I found a nice man who says he will have it as good as new for me by early next week. So it's the valium drip for me till then.....

Cassidy's morning (in 1000 words or less)

"Mummy you know how we were playing with Toby well he was biting and I said no Toby don't do that to me and I came inside to get a drink but I couldn't find you mummy where were you because I wanted a drink but I found my baby and she was in the laundry but I didn't put her in the laundry and Jazzy was meowing and I did you a drawing in the playroom and I couldn't find my red shoes but I went to my bedroom and I want to wear my sparkly scrunchie........

...ummmm.......I forgotted what I was going to say Mummy....."

Although possibly not an exact account of what she said, this is as much as I managed to catch before my brain started to fry.

In Cassidy's opinion, there's no such thing as an overview. Important details could get left out.

Two of my loves.

Aren't they just so handsome.

Steve's mini me.

I was sorting through photos from the last few months when I paused on this one. Steve looks at me the exact same way sometimes.

Scary, huh. You just can't stop the gene pool.

Our boy has a rather big event happening soon. After years of Isaac's constant coughs and awful breathing at night (he sounds like a freight train) an ENT has said he definately needs his huuuge tonsils and adenoids out. So at the end of the month, he's up for a day in hospital and a week off school recovering :(

The doctor told him he'll feel like Superman after he's better, but he's not buying it. Everything at the moment is, "before or after I go to Hostable?". I tried recently to distract him by talking about his birthday and that it was just after he goes to hospital and should we have a party.

He looked at me sorrowfully, the way only Isaac can and said, "yes mummy I'd like that...I hope I'm feeling up to it".

Ain't that a man for ya.

How to make baby flowers with Kate.

Yes, this is another idea I pinched off the net somewhere and no, it doesn't involve live babies.

You're just making flowers out of baby things. I made these for Heidi (whom I won't bother linking because she is a complete blog slacker and never posts) for her baby shower last weekend. Heaps of people asked me how I did them. Of course, I could take the clever and mysterious line and not tell but I'm neither clever nor mysterious, so here's the four one one.

1. Visit Big W or Best and Less. Buy up on baby socks, singlets, a couple of bibs, hats, mittens and a bodysuit or two. You also need a packet of pipe cleaners, some very heavy gauge wire (florists wire would be good), some thick rubber bands and some tissue paper.

2. Fold up your item of clothing so it makes a strip and place a length of wire at one end, then roll it up, so it creates a rose-looking effect (the skewer makes your stem). Get a pipe cleaner and use it to wind around the bottom part of your 'flower' to secure it tight to the wire. Give the pipe cleaner a few tight winds around the wire underneath the 'flower' to stop the flower sliding down the 'stem'.

3. Make some more until you have enough to make your bouquet! I mixed colours as they don't know if they're having a boy or a girl, but obviously if you know the sex it makes colour theming a lot easier :) The 'roses' with the red trim were white bibs with red piping on the edge..it's all in the way you roll it up to get the effect.

4. For the daisy looking flowers, I bought two sets of baby mittens and tucked one of the opposite colour inside another to give the two tone effect. The leaves were cut out of green paper and secured with white mini safety pins.

5. Arrange all your flowers together and secure around the 'stems' with a couple of heavy duty rubber bands. Wrap with tissue paper and tie with a ribbon.

Ta da :)

Ready to Par-taay!

If I had to choose another job, it would be an event planner for those posh and rich people that pay for things like event planners.

I love anything that coordinates - colours, themes, you name it. When Cassidy asked if she could have a party with some of her friends, although I know it's the expected thing to groan and try to get out of it, secretly I was thrilled. "Oh honey, really? You want a party? But that means I need to make invitations! And decide on a colour scheme! However will I cope!" :)

One trip to Spotlight with my trusty party assistant Sheye and $45 later we had a themed afternoon tea. We set it up the night before so Cassidy hadn't seen it till right before people started arriving. We opened the door and she literally galloped laps around the table doing little high pitched giggles and shrieks. Most of my photos were blurry due to the high speed galloping.

I've always wanted to make bunting for a party and finally got to this time. It worked great, we just folded wrapping paper repeatedly and cut out triangles which gave us diamond shapes in a paper doll fashion. Separate the diamonds at the point and put the centre fold over your string and staple. Voila. I'm guessing the posh people would use fabric but this was cheap, and I'm all for easy.

Table cloth and runner was a couple of bits of fabric I cut with pinking shears (the scraps made matching serviettes), noodles boxes for their party bags (which they got into straight way so they were more like entree boxes :) and a packet of felt stick on hearts which I stuck on everything.

My friend Heidi said, "Where did those roses come from? From your garden?" (It's hard to pick up on the dripping sarcasm with which this statement was made).

Unfortunately, I have been known to kill plastic plants so the beautiful roses were pinched from my Nonna's garden that morning.

Maybe there's something in there after all...

Em has a belly! She's twenty weeks and came over yesterday cause I had nagged her to mark the occaision with a photo (doesn't sound like me, does it?!)

Funny though, I had trouble trying to find an angle that would make it show up in a photo. When you're actually standing in front of her you can easily tell she's up the duff. But the little podge dissapears if you catch it at the wrong angle and just makes it look like she's been a bit heavy on the cheeseburgers.

She kept saying to me, "I bet you don't talk to your 'normal' clients this way".

I don't. Sisters are there to boss, use and abuse and I like it that way.

Isn't she cute? :)

She is four.

She appeared by our bed with bed hair and those overly wide eyes that make you want to kiss her cheeks and just generally smoosh her. We did the present thing.

That done, she then expectantly asked what we were doing for her "speshal birfthday bwekfast".

Special birthday breakfast. Must have missed the good mummy memo on that one.

Luckily, after daddy went to work we discovered that McDonald's puts on an awesome special birthday breakfast at short notice.

Later we came home and put her new bed linen on her bed and changed her room around, which she loved. You want to give the kid a present, let her re-organise something (a teeny bit like her mother in that regard :)

Then I took a couple of photos of her in the ghastly birthday hat I found for her. Her kindy had one and she was teary before the holidays because she couldn't come to kindy on her birthday and wear the hat. It's a right of passage apparently. She looked like the mad hatter on day release from the assylum.

Then we decided to take a couple of photos for Aunty Jen who sent her a beautiful handmade apron which matched the new dress mummy had got her for her birthday (Aunty Jen knows mummy well!)

We had a beautiful day. Happy birthday our beautiful, clever, sweet and amazing girl xxoo

Phase two still to come tomorrow with a small party I got conned into having with her kindy friends....I'll be on the bottle tomorrow night for sure.

Last moments of three.

She is four today.

Photo taken in her last moments of three.

Surely she can't get any more beautiful.

Happy birthday to our most precious girl. Mummy and daddy love you so very very much xxoo

Some children I prepared earlier.

School holidays: Day 2, Part 2.

1.53pm and the crazy people are watching Toy Story.

I have taken phone calls with one on each leg, cleaned up a carpet of playdough from the playroom and returned the neighbourhood cats to their owners :)

Oh and we also did some painting...you know, as you do when you have two bored children and you're losing touch with reality.

I have had these canvases in the cupboard for months. I had the idea ages ago to get them to paint a canvas each for a blank wall in the playroom. I was waiting for a day at home, which of course never came until now. One of those things you put off and put off but then you do it and it made them happy which makes me happy :)

Scary beyond all reason.

School holidays: Day Two.

I am rather foolishly trying to grab a couple of minutes to read my emails.

The kids follow me into the office and commence some raucous game in the corner of the room. I thought all was loud but fairly harmless until I heard,

"Okay, now lets go get the cats".

I said, "What? What cats??" (we only have one last time I checked).

(Isaac) "We're going to cook the cats in the oven" (gesturing to one of my filing cabinet drawers).

I said, "You are not going to round up the neighbourhood cats to cook in my filing cabinet".

(Cassidy) "Yes we are, cause we're CRAZY!!!"

Do you think? And they haven't even had any cordial or lollies this morning. This is just good, plain, old fashioned school holiday psycho-ness.

I was glad I actually had the camera on my desk in front of me. I turned it on and snapped as they came towards me as ummmm....killer cats. It resulted in a very dodgy underexposed photo, but worthy of a couple of twenty first parties I think.

Eye-bee.

Or Ivy to most people. Just not Cassidy.

A little while ago, when I first mentioned planning her birthday, Cassidy started listing off her friends that she wanted to invite.

"Ummm....Zoe and Isabella and Alice and Brianna and Ivy (briefly pausing to consider)... you'll have to talk to Ivy's mum though because Ivy can't drive".

As opposed to the other three year olds on her list who could borrow their parent's cars and go for a burn on over to our place.

I can just see it now. Three year olds climbing on a stool to reach their parents' keys and saying "see ya mum, I'm off to Cassidy's for a shirley temple and a rave to the Wiggles. Don't wait up".