Honeymoon

A few people have asked me what it was like 'honeymooning' with a 2 year old and why we didn't just allow her to have an extended sleep-over with her cousins while we relaxed and enjoyed newly married life.  The short answer is we would have missed her too much.  The longer answer is a complicated mix of parental obligations, the challenges that come with taking a 2 year old out of her comfort zone, the fact that E is part of us and we wanted her there and a very real acknowledgement that our week in Salina was the first time that it had been 'just us' holidaying since E was born. And whilst I admit it probably wasn't a traditional honeymoon it was pretty wonderful.

Salina

I appreciate that I'm doing this backwards, but turns out you don't take a lot of photographs on your wedding day. You can, however, take a few on your honeymoon. Which is what I did.  We spent a very lazy week on a sleepy island that makes up part of the Aeolian islands between Sicily and the mainland.  We slept, we ate, we read books and occasionally we mustered up the energy to visit the beach. The summer season officially ends 30th September so we had the place almost to ourselves. Pretty wonderful and the perfect antidote to the craziness that had gone on the two weeks before.  

Back home now with a thump. Jet lag and the reality of routine getting the better of all of us but at least we all now feel recharged enough to deal with whatever comes next.

Thoughts

Random thoughts which may, or may not explain my state of being;

I'm getting married in 3 weeks.

In Sicily. To an Austrian.

The paperwork is not finalised and won't be until 4 days before the wedding.

Hopefully.

There is an insurmountable list of things that need "doing" before I leave.

Like my tax.

And three photography assignments (Gah!)

Oh, and I'm interview for jobs for next year.

And filling out endless amounts of paperwork for said jobs.

E had an ear infection. It perforated.

Doctors, doctors, fever, rigors, no sleep, more doctors.

My little babe, who is growing up so very quickly, can now articulate how she's feeling.

And does.

"I no like Doc-tor She-wol, Mama. Mi-mi feel better. Go, Mama, Go."

Bless. Precociousness is a blessing and a curse.

Commuting 1 hour a day for work has confirmed why I (normally) choose to live and work within walking distance of each other.

I hate commuting.

Last week saw me driving 45 minutes across the city to drop (a sick) E off at Mum's house before heading back 1.5 hours in the opposite direction to go to work.

I briefly questioned my sanity.

I also said a small blessing to all mother's out there still 'mothering' their grown-up children.

The election sucks.

No seriously.

My sister is moving house and I don't have time to help her.

Ironically she is still finding time to help me with wedding related stuff.

At some point in my life I vow to repay the favour.

I need to see the dentist (it's been 5 years)

I did some wedding related knitting back in February. At the time I thought I was being perhaps a little too organised.

Now I know better.

E and her cousin's cardigans will not be knit.

At least we all have clothes.

I would like to be here more, but because of all the above I can't.

At some point in my life I will slow down and not take the most complicated route. This, I promise.

Knitting

I am still without camera. The insurance company did, amazingly, come through but unfortunately my particular camera is out of stock and I am waiting on the next delivery. After pestering perhaps a few too many times last week I've been told that I will be "first to know" when they arrive. I'm resisting the urge to call again. In the meantine my phone will have to suffice.

Cool winter days and an open fire and I've got my knitting mojo back. I've finally finished a hat for me and I've been trying to quickly knit up a few baby friendly gifts as there seems to be another little baby-boom going on amongst our friends.  All the knitting and crafting goodness has been duely noted by E. Lastnight she insisted on doing a bit herself. Curious to see what exactly she had in mind I loaned her a "to be frogged" jumper. With the exception of not having a piece of wool in her hands, her technique couldn't be faulted. Lots of click-clacking with her eyes firmly fixed on the documentary playing on the Mac.  After a few minutes she was off being busy doing something else although it did get me thinking about crafty, woolly things that she might be able to do herself.

Does anyone have any ideas?  Woolly, crafty things for toddlers. I'm all ears.

a most ordinary, unordinary day

I had high hopes for yesterday. Lists and plans and errands and it was all going so very, very well until I got to Costco. I have a secret love affair with Costo. It is hiddeous and every kind of consumer-ism that I don't like but it happens to be not so very far from my house and, well, a 1-2 monthly trip to Costco allows me to stock-up on essentials that can't be found at the market. Nappies, tinned tomatoes and oats. Huge quantities befitting a family that eats porridge for breakfast and tinned tomatoes with everything for dinner. The nappies are self-explanatory.

But I digress.

Things were being ticked off lists.  E was being adorable (mostly), I had managed to squirrel 2 hours away during nap-time for some very important birthday sewing before dashing out to do the Costco run before dinner.  It was all clicking so marvelously into place. And then I lost my handbag.  Or more precisely, I think someone liberated it from my trolley in the carpark whilst I was wrestling with a not-so-adorable toddler, a ridiculously large trolley and a parking ticket.  When I finally got everything packed away into the car there was a small little knot of anxiousness wondering where my bag was but I dismissed it until I got home. But on unpacking the car it was clear that the bag was not there.  Checking three times didn't help. There was no handbag to be seen.  A trip back to Costco. No bag.  Poof! Gone. Just like that.

As I have tried to reassure myself many times over the last 24 hours it is not all bad. My wallet was thankfully in my hands. As were my keys. I was not mugged. E is safe. I am safe. There was no need to cancel any cards or reapply for pesky things like my driving licence.  E's very special toy "Hippo" that often hangs out in my bag - just in case - was also thankfully in her hands.  But my phone was not. Nor was my camera. They are gone. There were no photos on my camera (thankfully) but many, many photos on my phone which I will never get back.

It's such a silly thing really. They are possesions after all and replaceable. Hopefully insurance might pay for some. Oh but I do feel sick at the thought of it. My lovely, lovely camera gone.

documenting E - a new challenge

I have decided to set myself a huge challenge. I'm going to take a picture of E - or E's things - every day for the next year. It's going to be tough.  Actually, if my previous record with photography challenges is anything to go by, it's going to be almost impossible.  But I want to try. I'm not sure if everything I will document will end up here, but at least for the beginning expect a post a week documenting E.

 

1/365 : Even in winter all you want to do is be outside. 

 

2/365 : Mostly you're all over the place - running, hiding and pleading to be outside. Today after my shower I found you quietly doing puzzles. It must have taken you ages to line up the blocks "just so". After you'd finished you put it back on the shelf declaring your were "Fi-fished". I wondered if we'd perhaps taught you too well about the importance of being tidy.

 

3/365 : You've been so sick this winter. We've tried everything - Vicks vapour rub, humidifiers and lately - Ventolin. You hate it, riggling about all over the place and protesting madly about having the mask put over your face. Tonight I found you giving Teddy and Poupe (your doll) their Ventolin before bed.  "Teddy. Cough." you nodded at me and then "Hold. Still."

 

4/365 : I wondered what you thought of your first experience of "Australian snow". Were you disappointed?

 

5/365 : Stories are one of your favourite things at the moment. You take books everywhere - in the car, in the pram and lately you've even started taking them as 'show and tell' to childcare.  A new book everyday. You push books into the hands of anyone and everyone you meet 

"You. Read it?" Mostly they do.

 

6/365 : You were out of sorts today. I think you might be teething. You keep telling me that you've bitten your mouth and I guess you're gums must be sore. 

Snow (kind of)

Not a lot of snow on the mountains yet. Almost none in fact. No matter.  There was just enough for a bit of tobogganing and a quick snowball fight before we packed it in and had snacks in the sun.