121 + 17 Weeks

This week we took the kids to the Mogo Zoo.  It was Carmen's (and Arley's, of course) first visit to a zoo, and she loved it.  The highlight was the 'golillas'.  Carmen announced to the crowd that 'the daddy golilla has a big bottom', and she loved seeing the babies rolling around.  We bought an annual family pass, so we'll be going there a lot more often.  It's not quite Taronga Zoo, but a lovely little zoo all the same.  

Little (or should I say big - he is moving into size 0 clothes already, which are for 6-9 month olds!) Arley is still an angel.  We can just lie him down in bed and he usually talks himself to sleep within 10 minutes.  This is so different to how Carmie was at this age!  He loves to sit up and when he is lying down he is constantly straining to sit upright.  He is not rolling over much, but he doesn't hate tummy time quite as much as he used to.

Carmie has been her usual self, until today, that is.  She was so rotten after school on Monday that Jeffrey had to cancel his guitar lesson because we couldn't get her to stop crying/screaming for a good half hour.  But since then I have been doing lots of reading, and putting my new-found parenting knowledge to the test, and it seems to be working.  She is usually at her worst when she comes home from school, as she has been busy all day with only a short nap to keep her going.  But today when she got home, she was an absolute angel, even yelling happily, "It's bedtime!" and letting me put her to bed!  Now we are wondering who swapped our naughty Carmen for this little darling.  Hopefully it lasts!

Here are two videos of Arlito:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlpwMSQN3EE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnSbNP6rwRE

120 + 16 Weeks

This week has been a little trying, with Carmen upping the ante on her behaviour.  I thought it was going to be smooth sailing, as three nights in a row Carmen decided to put herself to bed.  She just came and told me it was bed time and then went and sat on her chair in her room to read a book.  But then, she has made up for being good with being a tantrum-throwing, shrieking, non-listening impossible two year old.  She is also very clingy.  Can anyone tell me when the terrible twos end?  She does have her very sweet moments, and I think they make up for all of the trying times??

This past Sunday Carmen went to a birthday party.  It was Hunter's twin brother and sister's first birthday.  Carmie had a great time, and could be heard over the singing of Happy Birthday shrieking, "Cake!  I want some cake! Cake!  Cake!"  She is a funny thing, with no social graces.

Arley has been his same easy self, except for the past two days when he has had trouble napping.  I have been wearing him in the sling so he is still getting his rest, but it is fairly trying on my back, because he is not exactly a small baby.  He has a four month sleep regression coming up, maybe this is it?  If so, it could be so much worse.  He isn't rolling over very much, he just screams his way through tummy time.  He loves to sit up in his bumbo chair, and he has really taken to his dad who spends the most time with him these days (I have been painting my butt off).  Carmie is still going to school three days a week, and thank God for that!

Here is a video of Arley at 16 weeks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5l90NpBlus

119+15 Weeks

It has been a fairly easy week, although right now I feel like it has been totally harrowing.  I am sitting here with my glass of wine, exhausted, because we have had Carmen for a total of 2.5 hours between picking her up from school and putting her to bed.  Talk about a handful!!

This week Carmen's swimming lessons started again after a 3 week break.  She did very well, but she was still the most energetic and loud student in the class, despite the fact that I had taken her 25 minutes early for a swim.  While the other kids are patiently standing on the ledge and holding on to the side, Carmen is jumping up and down, splashing and squealing in delight, as I apologise to all of the other parents for having "that" child.  She just LOVES being in the pool, and she is swimming very well, but Jeffrey took her to Narrawallee Inlet (which is basically a big lake), and she hated it!  This summer is not looking very good for us!  She better get over her fear of natural waterways :(

After swimming I took her to the St Mary's School fete where she went on a jumping castle for the first time (loved it!!), and decorated her own cupcake - see pictures below.  We have also taken three trips up to the farm to see Aunty Georgia and the cousins, as they have a new puppy, and that's where Carmen's beloved strawberry patch is.  All in all, we are making it through week 2 of no babysitting help with flying colours.

Here is a video of little Arley at 15 weeks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNp403BBvTU

118 + 14 Weeks

Mum and Geoff left for Thailand this past week-end, so we are on our own with no baby-sitting for a month.  This of course coincided with both of the kids coming down with a cold, and Carmen being sent home from school sick.  But it has not all been bad.  The colds have come and gone rather quickly, and we got to babysit Stella the chihuahua for a night.  The weather has been crazy, with rain and wind, and then the hottest October day ever.  It was 34 degrees here (93 Fahrenheit), which is very hot for spring!  I took Carmen to the beach, but she has suddenly decided that she is scared of the waves, which is a complete reversal from last summer when we had to stop her from running head first into the ocean.  She better get over it by the time summer arrives, because I think it is going to be a hot one.  We have had several park visits, and we also took the kids to see the pelicans (or 'pecalans', as Carmen calls them) down at the harbour. Yesterday Arley was a real handful, and was not napping very well and was therefore very grumpy, but then last night he slept straight through from 8pm to 6:35am.  Can't complain about that!  On another good note, Carmen's behaviour has dramatically improved this week.  I don't think she has even received one time out.  I guess giving her a big cuddle when she is kicking me works better than getting mad :)

Here is a quick cute video of Carmen playing with her soccer ball, sans clothing: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ayquRmNyoo

 This is what happens when I brush Carmie's hair.

 This is her pageant look.