259 + 155 Weeks

So, it turns out that Arley had croup.  That cough that I mentioned he had last week?  He couldn't kick it, so we ended up at the hospital (again!), and he got put on oral steroids for two days.  Now, you all know just how grumpy Arley can be.  Now imagine him on steroids.  He had some serious roid rage, it was awful!!  Two year olds and steroids should never mix!  Talk about a screaming angry monster!!  And he was up for hours every night too :(  But we got through it.  The doctor said he would be fine on Tuesday, so we took the kids to school, and they promptly called and asked us to pick Arley up again because he was still coughing.  So, they both spent Wednesday at the farm with their grandparents, and then I took Arley back to the doctor this morning to get his chest listened to, and he was given the all clear to go back to school.  He is still coughing, but he was such a happy little guy today, I know he is all better.

We went to the golf club this week for chips and milkshakes with Lolo and Dida, and Carmie got another knitted sweater and hat from Lolo.  Carmie feels very special indeed.  She has been really great, and very grown up.  She plays by herself a lot these days, and is generally really fun to be around.  She had her hair cut this week, just a trim.  She had been saying all week that she wants to keep her hair long, and then an hour before her hair appointment, she insisted that she wanted her hair cut to her shoulders.  She was very determined, but I just couldn't do it!  It seems that I am more like my mother than I care to admit!!  I am glad that I didn't let her though, because this morning she told me that she is glad that she didn't cut her hair.

So, Carmie has been asking about how babies are made.  A lot.  I keep giving somewhat vague answers, but she is very inquisitive, so I bought a book called The Amazing Story of How Babies Are Made.  It is a very descriptive book, and has pictures.  I sat and read it to the kids the other day.  Jeff was watching from the kitchen with a horrified look on his face.  Carmie was quietly observing, and then we got to the page about sex.  There is a full blown description of what happens (details I don't even want to think about!), and an illustration of a man and woman naked and doing the deed.  Then there is an illustration of an internal view of what is going on.  So, Carmie's just listening and looking, and I turn the page, and she goes, "Hang on, hang on," and she goes back to the sex page.  Then she says, "Did you guys do that?"  I said, "Yes, to make you and Arley".  She said, "But did you take your clothes off?"  I said, "Yes".  She paused, and then said, "That's disgusting!"  Jeffrey and I can't stop giggling about it!

Carmie in her new knitted gear

 Arley outside the pharmacy waiting for his medicine

 Carmie's rabbit from an art lesson with me.  I'm so proud!

 Before hair cut

 After hair cut

258 + 154 Weeks

Carmie had her first sleep over this week!  Unbeknownst to me, she and her bestie Vanessa had planned it for weeks.  She kept mentioning how she was sleeping over at Vanessa's, and I just kept saying, "Well, I don't know Vanessa's mummy, let me talk to her about it".  Then came the day of Vanessa's birthday party, and we went to leave and Carmie asked where her bag with all of her stuff was.  At the party Vanessa told me that Carmie was sleeping over.  So, Jeffrey came and brought Carmie a sleep over bag, and our little girl had her first sleep over!!  I was in a mild panic about it for the entire night, but she survived.  Apparently she cried just before she fell asleep at 10pm (!), but other than that, she had a great time, so much so that when I picked her up she begged for a play date at Vanessa's the next day.  So, I took her back on the Monday.  Carmie spent half the week-end over there!  

Arley was missing her terribly, so to make up for it, he had a day at the farm with his Lolo and Dida.  He still is not completely over his cough, and his behaviour has been up and down.  Yesterday was the morning from hell.  Arley was at his worst yet, such a naughty grouch, shoving toys and plates and books off the table, pulling towels off the towel rack and dumping them on the floor, refusing to brush his teeth, screaming at me for no reason.  Fun times.  I just kept giving him tons of cuddles, and then I gave him medicine, because I thought for sure he was sick!  But then today, we had a great day, and Arley was quite pleasant to be around.  You just never know with that kid.  One day last week I went to buy some plants for our garden from a local woman who was selling from her house.  Arley insisted on coming with me.  The whole time we were there, he was whining about going into this stranger's house, throwing his trains in her bushes, being a royal grump.  The woman was very patient, and when we went to leave, I thanked her, and she said goodbye to Arley.  Arley turned to her and said at the top of his lungs, "Bye Poo Poo!"

I only got photos of Carmie this week, I think maybe because Arley was such a pain in the butt!  In the last four photos, Carmie has make up on.  Apparently it was an activity that they never got time for at Vanessa's, so she insisted that I do her face when she got home.  My little baby is growing up!

257 + 153 Weeks

This week we said goodbye to our US grandparents, Nema and Grandpa Clark.  We thought we would be spending most of the weekend with them, as a big send off.  Plans changed when we were hit by a massive two day wind and rain storm, which included a black out.  The kids and I braved the outdoors to go to a birthday party (they had a blast!), while Jeffrey went out to dinner with his mum and Clark.  But Sunday was spent with everyone cocooned in their homes, as it was far too dangerous to drive.  The kids didn't get to see their grandparents until Monday morning for a quick goodbye before they left to make their way through the flood waters to Sydney.

In the meantime, we had a LOT of inside play time.  The kids had tons of energy and it is remarkable that we didn't go completely stir crazy.  We painted nails, had art lessons, played with Barbies (I even have photographic proof of Arley and Jeff with the Barbies!), played dress-ups, rode indoor cars and read a lot of books.  Thank goodness the kids have a very extensive toy collection to choose from!

The weather has cleared, the ground is starting to dry up, and our back yard is a windblown disaster.  Arley and I are starting to kick our colds.  Arley is being a real little sh*t at school (I'm sorry, there's no more apt way to put it!!).  He is hitting and throwing tantrums and being a real grump.  Actually, come to think of it, he is not so pleasant at home at the moment either!  It looks like I've got some work to do!

Here is a cute video of the kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5eRMpSN29A

Barbie exposing herself!

 Boys and their Barbies ;)

 Manicures

256 + 152 Weeks

This week there has been a cold going around the kids' school, so of course Arley got it, and then passed it on to me.  Other than feeling pretty crappy, we have had a good week.  The kids spent a day at the farm while I sat in the gallery.  On Sunday Carmie was desperate to play dodge ball, so we took Nema and Grandpa Clark to our neighbourhood park and played dodgeball and cricket with them.  It was pretty fun, and their version of cricket seemed to be more like baseball!  Apparently the concept of cricket is beyond the scope of most Americans!  The kids had a good play on the climbing equipment, and then afterwards we came home for a tea party.  All of this was not enough to wear the kids out, so after Arley's nap, we took the kids and the dog down to a little beach in Mollymook to give Bella a runaround.  Of course the kids got all wet, and the cold weather didn't deter Arley from running through every rock pool he came across.  Bella also got good and sandy, and even got to chase a few rabbits.

There's not much more to report.  We have had quite a bit of grandparents time.  They are leaving to go back home to the US on Monday, so we have a big grandparents week-end ahead of us.  It has been raining all week, and is supposed to continue throughout the week-end, 40-80ml on both Saturday and Sunday!  We are going to be washed out!!