157 + 53 Weeks

Poor Arley had an accident this week.  We went to my parents' place for my mum's birthday, but we showed up early, so they hadn't covered their wood burning stove, which was blazing.  Within a minute of us being there, Arley crawled over to the stove and burnt himself.  All eyes were on Mum opening her birthday present, so none of us saw where he burnt himself.  He was sitting next to the stove with his face about 3 inches from it, screaming his heart out.  I grabbed him, and Mum and I took all of his clothes off, trying to find his burn, dousing him all over with cold water, but he was writhing and screaming and we couldn't find the burn.  He screamed for 2 hours, and I had an idea it was his hand but he wouldn't let me look and he was as strong as an ox.  We got some Panadol in him, and finally he cried himself to sleep for his nap.  When he woke up, he was a bit more relaxed, and I got his hand open, and there was this dreadful burn on it.  We took him straight to the hospital, and they bandaged him up.  The burn was across the top of his palm, a small one on the bottom of his palm, down each finger, and then more blisters on the tip of each finger.  This is a photo from the following day:

 The poor little guy had to go back to get his dressings changed every day for four days, and since then it has been every other day, and they tell me it should be another 2 weeks of bandages.  For the first two days he was crawling like a one armed crab, and was miserable.  But he is OK with crawling now and is getting used to doing things with only one hand.  Poor Arley.  Last night while I was cooking dinner, he managed to pull his bandages off and was digging at his blister while he cried and cried.  Mum has knitted him a mitten to wear on it to stop him from pulling off the bandage.  Poor little guy, he has had such a bad run lately :(

On Friday Carmie had a play date with her friends Hannah and Cassie, here at the house.  The girls had a blast, and we will do it more often.  The new trampoline is a big hit, and has kept Carmen occupied on and off throughout the week.  We have had lots of play in the back yard, bubbles, running races, cricket and jumping on the tramp.

On Tuesday, the kids' US grandparents arrived for a visit.  They will be staying 5 minutes away in Narrawallee for a month.  Carmen loves her Nema, and can't wait for her to come and play every day.  With all of the Arley drama (and still being sick myself!), I have not taken any photos of them, but I will this week.

Let's hope things will look up from here!

 Hannah & Carmie

 Getting some air

 Cassie & Carmie

 New hat & coat

 Running races

 Poor Arley.  This was before we realised his fingers had to be wrapped too :(

 Carmie loves her new bow (thanks Pop!)

Arley not so much ;)

3 Years and 1 year!

It has been a very busy week, with Carmie turning 3 and Arley turning 1 on Wednesday.  I have been hanging out for this day, because everyone says the first year with two kids is the hardest, and we are through with it now so I feel like we're out of the woods (even if we really aren't, it is nice to have hope!).  We had a major wind storm on the Friday and Saturday before the kids' party (Sunday), and that did not bode well for setting up the trampoline that we bought the kids for their birthday.  Jeff was not very happy about the whole trampoline purchasing, and was even grumpier when he had to put it together in a windstorm.  But it got done, and Carmen was SO excited by it when she woke up on Sunday.  We did presents on Sunday too, and then we had the kids' party, which turned out really well.  Carmie had a blast.  We just had a couple of her friends over, and their parents, and the kids' Lolo and Dida and Uncle Sting.  Carmie spent the first part of her birthday asking me to put fire on her cake, so we had the cake early to make her happy.  It was a really nice day.

But then, the very next day Carmen came down with a stomach bug, and spent the day lying on the couch intermittently throwing up.  She was so sick, the poor thing.  So, she skipped school on Tuesday and went to the farm.  But, then there was Arley.  He never really got over his cold from a month ago (nor did I, as I am still hacking away).  On Tuesday he was grumpy and snotty, and then on Wednesday (his actual birthday) he was even worse.  He wouldn't sleep easily, and woke up in the middle of the night with a fever.  He was horribly snotty yesterday, but then today he seemed a little better.  When I gave him his bath tonight, I found a rash on his back and legs, which brings me to the conclusion that he has just had roseola.  Not a great birthday week as far as illnesses go!  However, I think both kids have had a lovely time with their new presents, and it can only get better from here, right?

Sunday morning

 New trampoline

 New sweaters from Lolo

 Birthday cake time

 Carmie's bestie, Cassie

 Three years old, one year old

 Arley's model pose