164 + 60 Weeks

This week flew by, with more rain and not much else going on.  It rained again this morning, however, it should be clear from here on out.  Thank God, because these kids really need to get out of the house.  We got them to the play cafe in town, and they had a blast, but that is all we did all week.  Arley feels much more part of the mix now that he is walking.  He has also learnt to say "neigh neigh" for a horse.  He still doesn't call us by name, but I get the feeling that his talking is going to be like his walking.  He refused to take a step on his own until he knew for sure that he wasn't going to fall over.  He repeats all kinds of sounds when you ask him to, and he jabbers away all day long, but he just does not say words, or names.  He took a nose dive off Carmen's bed yesterday and bumped his temple pretty badly, and he has two more teeth coming through that seem to be causing him some pain, so he hasn't had the best few days.  Carmie has been an angel lately, and has been going to bed like a champ.  Admittedly, some nights she sings like she's on Broadway for a good hour, but at least she stays in bed.  Today she told me that my dancing was 'very clever' and that she loves her monkey better than both her mum and dad.  We asked her if both mummy and monkey left, who she would miss more, and she said with certainty that she'd miss her monkey more.  Monkey might just have to 'get lost' one of these days!

163 + 59 Weeks

Although we had no illnesses or injuries this week, it has been such a tough week!!  The rain!!  You can't tell by the photos that I have posted, but it has been raining for a week now.  Luckily Carmie got to go to the park last Friday, because it started raining right after that, broke on Wednesday, started again on Wednesday night, then broke again on Thursday afternoon, but continued that night and is still raining now.  On Thursday afternoon we got the kids out for a walk to the bakery. But that is it.  We have been trapped in the house with them, and even though we have a well-equipped playroom, these walls seem to be getting smaller and smaller.  At least Carmen has been able to go to school for two days.  Little Arley is about to lose his mind.  The noise of this house could drive one to drink!!  I should not say could.  It has.  I've got the biggest glass of wine in front of me :)

Not much has changed this week with the kids.  Arley is still not really saying any words, but he will copy sounds we make, and copies Carmie singing.  Carmie is generally better behaved, with a strong-willed "NO!  You do it!' popping up every hour or so.  She is in bed singing to Arley right now.  It's been going on for half an hour, but at least she is in her bed.  No complaints from me!  It looks like the weather is going to be OK for the next two days, and then a week of rain again next week, so forgive me if my next blog post is exactly the same as this one!

Princess Carmen at the park with her dad

 Arley's cookie face.

162 + 58 weeks

4 days ago I tried to bribe Carmie with a present, telling her that if she stayed in bed at bed time she would get the present in the morning.  I still have the present hidden in a drawer, but it looks like tomorrow she will be a happy girl :)  Tonight she went to sleep without a fuss.  I can only hope it continues!  Jeffrey and I are much happier too, as we actually got to relax this evening instead of put Carmen back in her room 40 times.

I have been working hard all week, so Jeff has had lots of time with the kids.  Both kids got out to the park (albeit separately).  Jeff also took Carmie to the park at Burill to feed the ducks, and today the two of them took their packed lunches and went off for a day at the zoo.  Carmie has been missing her grandparents (both sets).  Arley is very clingy with me, and is only truly happy when he has a full tummy and is getting one on one time with me.  He spends much of his time fussing, and dribbling a lot, so I think he has some more teeth coming through.  He has 6 at the moment, which isn't bad considering just a couple of months ago he had none.  He also upped his speaking repertoire today.  Not only can he say 'quack quack', but he can also say 'pop pop', which he does when we are blowing bubbles.  No clear Mama or Dada, but quack quack and pop pop.  He'll get there one day, I hope.

Just relaxing with a Ninja Turtle.

 Fun with Dad at the park.

161 + 57 Weeks

This week Carmie came down with a nasty cold, and she missed school on Tuesday.  She then gave her cold to Arley, so he is miserable too.  The joys of parenthood.  It never ends!  Both kids have been very clingy and needy, and I have tried to make them rest as much as possible, but being housebound kind of drives us all up the wall.  So this week has been fairly awful.  Arley does this horribly shrill ear-piercing scream whenever he needs anything or is slightly cross, or has to wait a minute for a snack.  He prefers to eat his food off the floor, and sits in his high chair at dinner tossing his food over the tray.  When I get him down, he immediately crawls to the food and gobbles it up.  On a good note, Arley is walking everywhere, and is getting quite fast.  He is yet to fall and hurt himself.  It seems that he waited to walk until he could do it like a champ.  Carmie is still a nightmare to put to bed.  She must get out of bed 10 times between 7:30 and 9pm, pretending to need to go to the bathroom.  Every time she fakes it I take a toy out of her bed, and this seems to upset her enough to scream the house down, but not enough to stop her getting out of bed over and over again.  Suggestions, anyone? 

The kids' US grand parents left today, and they are going to miss them very much.  Nema and Grandpa Clark have been great playmates to Carmie and Arley over the past few weeks.  To make matters worse, Lolo and Dida have left for 6 weeks, off to Thailand and a visit to China to see my brother Jay. Six long weeks.  No baby sitting help.  I might just lose my mind.