150 + 46 Weeks

Poor Arley caught a bad cold this week.  For a couple of days he seemed pretty miserable, but he is slowly on the mend.  One night he screamed for over an hour and Carmie was begging me to take him out of their room.  Other than that, their room has worked out very well, most nights without any calling out or wake-ups.  On Saturday we took the kids on a picnic to Narrawallee Inlet.  It ended with Jeffrey quite mad at Carmie.  He took her for a scooter ride, on the road.  He was walking behind her, and she just kept going and going.  When he started calling to her to turn around, she just continued to ride, saying, "You can't catch me, you dirty old flea!"  She eventually lost her iPad privileges for the day, and I don't think Jeff will take her on a scooter ride ever again :)  Carmie spent Sunday on the farm while I was working in the gallery, and Arley had a day at home with his dad.  Arley started to stand without support this week, and he laughs every time.  He seems to understand a little more too, and learned how to play 'catch' with Carmie and me.  For two days running he has also only had one nap, and he seems to be absolutely fine with it, so maybe it won't be too long before I can get the kids on the same nap schedule, and my house arrest will be over!

Carmie with her cousins at the farm

 Standing

 Narrawallee picnic

149 + 45 Weeks

We had a good week, with Mother's Day on Sunday, and the morning spent at the farm with the family.  Carmie told me she wanted to wear a 'beautiful dress', and when we went to choose one, the only dress she wanted to wear was her Little Bo Peep outfit (which has become her outfit of choice, insisting on wearing it to school on Thursday as well).  -Thank you Oma and Opa!-  We had a lovely morning, and I had a great Mother's Day (Jeff did ALL of the household chores and totally pampered me).  This week Arley also had his first proper hair cut, and was such a star, just sitting there letting her clip away.  He looks very handsome and grown up with his new haircut.  We also made it to the park again for a picnic, and Carmie had a trip to Bunnings dressed as a ballerina, to get her face painted.  The kids are doing well in their shared bedroom, and Carmie's night time antics have ended!  Months of sleepless nights, and all it takes is to have another warm body in the room.  So, we are all better rested and much happier!  

Trip to the park

 Ballerina

 Mother's Day

 Uncle Sting with a turkey

 Lolo and Arley

 First hair cut

 Off to school

148 + 44 Weeks

Well, Arley turned 10 months this week.  It has been a fast 10 months, thankfully!  We have had a busy week.  Carmie had a play date with her friend Hunter, where they rode around the house like hooligans on their bikes.  Both Carmen and Arley spent lots of time with their Uncle Sting, and I even managed to get the kids out to the park for a picnic one day - a daunting task, but it was very worthwhile.  Carmie has been a nightmare at night time.  On Monday night, she was up from midnight until 4am, telling me she had a tummy ache, that she was scared, that she heard a noise, etc.  I couldn't send her to school the next day on so little sleep, so she went to the farm.  The following night she was up from midnight until 2am.  Then we decided to move her bed into Arley's room, and we have actually had two nights of peace!  Putting her to bed is very stressful though, because she still calls out, and last night she kept poor Arley up for an hour.  On a good note, she is playing a little more independently now, and loves to scoot around the house on her scooter, having races with herself.  Arley has started using his walker, and can push it around a fair bit.  I don't think it will be too long before he is walking around, which will be a welcome relief, because he is SO heavy.

Here is a quick video of Arley riding his pink motorcycle :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvi3b5XotVI&feature=youtu.be

10 months

 'Cooking' together

 Picnic at the beach park

 Poo Bear

 Carmie looked at Arley and said, "Oh!  Bubble hat!"

147 + 43 Weeks

I am trying to think about what happened this week, but I can't seem to get past the horribleness (is that a word?) of today.  I just asked Jeff if anything happened, and he said, "Yes, Carmen pissed us off about a thousand times."  She has been a tough cookie over the past few days.  For the sake of Carmen's health and safety, I actually poured myself a glass of wine today, at midday.  My friend says if we shave off her hair we will find 666 on her head.  How can someone who looks like such an angel be such a devil??  Don't get me wrong, I love her to bits, but I tried to give her away to the delivery lady today, and if she had taken her, I wouldn't have batted an eye.  On a good note, her carers from school told me on Thursday afternoon that she seems to be playing a little more with the other children, and she is having good days at school.

Arley has two little teeth poking through on the bottom.  He is 10 months old today.  He still seems like such a baby - I remember thinking when Carmie was 10 months that she was getting so old.  Arley loves to wave and watch his arm going up and down, and I am trying to teach him to clap, which he finds very funny.  He is still such a chill little guy, but he has his moments, usually when he's hungry.  He has put up with a lot this week, with Carmen demanding so much attention.  He did get to go out to his cousins' athletics carnival, and his Uncle Sting has moved down here for a while, so they have spent some time together.  Carmen also loves her Uncle Sting.

And for those of you who missed it on Facebook, here is a very cute video of Carmen and Arley's rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5xd2XjCERA&list=UU21-zydO1IYNApoXHx_P8LQ

 She loves her scooter these days.  Here she is out looking for puddles to jump in.