Blog my Blog

I've taken this idea from Angie who found it on An Island Life. I just think the idea is genius and can't wait to hear your questions and answers.

Here's how it works. I'll start off with a question or phrase. The first person to comment answers that question or finishes the phrase and then poses their own question or phrase. Then, the next commenter answers that question or phrase and then leaves one of their own. And it progresses from there.

I know this will be tons of fun, so jump on the blog wagon and blog my blog!

The first question is: If you could do one thing to make your life better what would it be?

My Week

We still have poo problems - I've stoppped posting about it because you will all be so bored with hearing about my girls bowel movements. I know I am!

We have had a big week so far with a neonatal visit. Maddie and Jules haven't put on any weight in the last month so they have slightly fallen on the growth curve. The tummy bug would explain it however so I think they are going to schedule another appointment sooner than we normally would have to make sure it's all well. I don't have any childcare for Trelise on Wednesday's so she had to come along for the visit. All was going well until a little voice said "I need to go to the toilet" I ended up rushing her out to the loo while the doctor was left holding the babies.

Lucky for him I came back!

Trelise's ballet class gave out a little report card for her. So cute it has the comment "Trelise is a very enthusiastic child who shows a strong sense of enjoyment in class. I look forward to seeing her progress next term and settle into the class structure" I'll be a bit sad to see her settle into the class structure as she is just so cute and funny at the moment as she just gets carried away with the love of the dance and goes off into her own little stage!

I went out and saw the sex in the city movie. I really enjoyed it and not just because it was the first time in a long time I had been out at night.

I'm really trying to organise myself better so my house is not so chaotic in the mornings. So far it's working and there has been far less screaming. I'm not getting out of the house any quicker but at least it's more controlled.

We have a dental appointment for Trelise tomorrow morning. It's her first one so will be interesting how she deals with it. Lucky Trelise gets to go to creche afterwards where they are having a clown come in to entertain the children as a special treat.

Last but certainly not least my poor Dad had heart bypass surgery yesterday. He's still in the ICU but seems to be recovering well. Hopefully he will be moved to a ward shortly.

Wordless Wednesday

Fly Buys

Obtaining a Wii is still in the front of my mind so I went to check the Fly Buys website to see how our points were increasing hoping to see the gap between me and my Wii lessening. Instead there is no Wii

no Wii

NO Wii!!!!

Yip it's gone from the selection of rewards offered. Ever the optimist I wrote a question to Fly Buys and sent it off from their website.

My question was: I notice the Wii is no longer a reward option - will it be returning?

A simple question

This is the reply I got back

Fly Buys Customer Service
Sent:	Tuesday, 24 June 2008 3:35:05 a.m.
Reply-to:	Fly Buys Customer Service
To:	jocasta_oliver@hotmail.com

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

If this question is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it within the next 7 days by replying to this email.

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.

Subject
I notice that the wii game console is no longer a reward option. Will it be r...
Discussion Thread
Response	24/06/2008 03:35 PM
Dear Jocasta, Thank you for your email to the Fly Buys website. We offer hundreds of rewards for members to choose from and there are a wide variety of reward options, which are subject to availability. We understand that your preferred reward is not available at this time. All rewards offered through Fly Buys are subject to the contractual agreement between Fly Buys and its Suppliers. We do not set the exclusions pertaining to rewards and as a result, we are unable to offer a reward that has not been offered by the Supplier. Although an item may be available in store for retail sale, Fly Buys may not have it on offer due to reasons such as, the store is not a contracted reward supplier, limited stock or end of the line stock which may not cope with ongoing demand due to high popularity, product not in season and product is specifically for retail sales only etc. Sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused. By the way, if you wish to find out how to collect more points, simply check out our "Offers" page on the Fly Buys website for extra point's offers, or in store at our participating stores. Kind Regards

What can I say - could they have used anymore words?

There is going to be a day when

I go an entire day without someone screaming at me

The television does not turn to disney playhouse

I have clothes on with no snot, food or other toddler marks

I can drink as much as I like and dance all night without having to worry about getting up the next day

I can leave the house in less than 2 and half hours

My lounge has no primary colours in it

Surfaces I wipe stay clean

I have a night sleep in my bed with just me and my husband and the cat

Making sure I don't run out of nappies and formula is the number one priority of the day

I choose a restaurant for reasons other than they have two high chairs

It will take me less than 15 minutes to go from the house to driving out the garage

I can open a cupboard in my house without having to undo a safety latch

I can have a bath by myself at anytime of the day

My handbag does not contain bibs, nappies, wipes and biscuits

I no longer have any reason to visit Wellington Hospital

I no longer worry about unaccounted for Hungry Hippo marbles in the house being a chocking hazard

People no longer stop me in the street to admire my beautiful babies

I'm no longer the most important person in my children's life

I finally get all my children's photobooks printed

I manage to get to the end of a to-do-list because I don't have any interruptions

My bedroom isn't aglow with a green light from the baby monitor

I don't have to rush to make creche pick up's on time

If I'm late making dinner no one cares

My cupboard does not have tiny teddies, chocolate yogurt or anything with cartoon characters in it



I'm not looking forward to that day

Why is it?

Why is it that my children won't wear hats?

You would think that 10 month old's wouldn't care - that they would sit in the buggy looking cute (and warm) with hats on their heads.

Instead they roar like little lions and don't stop until they have removed the offending item. The time taken from putting on to removal is surprisingly short!

I am reminded of why I stopped going to playcentre. That revolved around a child refusing to wear a hat as well! I didn't feel I fitted into the whole playcentre world very well. Trelise was (and still is) her own person and will pretty much do whatever she wants to do. Now I know some will say that I should be tougher but in a head to head battle she pretty much beats me everytime. The pure determination and cunning of my pre-schooler is impressive.

Now it was cold and Trelise was wanting to play outside so as a caring mother I placed a hat on her head. Of course this was ripped off quickly. I could feel the stares from the other mothers so placed the hat on her head again with the same response. The third hat placement was it! The explosion of only Trelise proportions!!! She rolled screaming and frothing at the mouth from one end of the playcentre to the other while whacking her head and pulling her hair. Looking back on it now I'm quite impressed with her ability to do all these actions at once - I'm not sure I could!
Anyway I can still see the other mothers pressed against the sides of the room, all in silence and mouths open in shock, clutching their well behaved children!

So I did the only thing I could left her writhing and screaming while I got my bag and then walked calming over to my child and made my exit. The playcentre is quite a way from the road in a gully so I'm sure the screams were heard long after our departure.

The supervisor did come up and offer to help me once I was at the car. Sadly for me I was beyond reasoning with my child and was holding her down with my knee to get her in her car seat. That probably didn't go down well!

I drove off and as soon as I turned the corner the back seat was quiet. Little minx! No she wasn't wearing the hat!

Friday At Last

I love Friday's! I know everyone does but I particularly like Friday's because:

I don't have to pick Trelise up from creche as Wayne does it on his way home. It means for me that the babies get to have a good afternoon sleep and I get to catch up on many things around the house or just cruise around (like today).

America's Next Top Model and the Project Runway are on. Both show's I love - nothing like a supermodel voting out and ruining other's dreams!!! I also enjoy a glass of wine or two while watching said shows!

And everyone seems happier coming into the weekend! I went to the supermarket yesterday and I got many comments like "you have your hands full"and "double trouble" - three of these! While today when I went back to purchase items that I had forgotten yesterday like bread! I had all lovely positive comments around the store. I can only chalk it up to people being in a good mood.

Crazy 8's

I've been tagged by Steph and I'm still excited about being tagged!

Eight Things I Have a Passion for:

1) My girls - I never realised I would enjoy being a Mummy so much.
2) Travel - I love the freedom of walking around a new city / country and experiencing things that are so different from home.
3) Family
4) Friends
5) France, Paris and the Effiel Tower
6) Providing my girls with the most wonderful childhood I can
7) Animals - I'm a sucker for anything furry with 4 legs!
8) My husband!

Eight Things I Would Like to do Before I Die:
1) Run a marathon
2) Travel to China and Africa
3) See my children and grandchildren grow up
4) Go to the wild foods festival in Hokitika
5) Reunite with my mother and stepfather
6) Learn another language
7) Get down to my goal weight
8) Be at peace with myself and the person that I am

Eight Things I Say a Lot:
1) Cool
2) OK Guys
3) Leave your sister alone
4) Do you want to watch TV tonight?
5) Hey Ho Cherrio
6) Stop!
7) I'm coming
8) umm

Eight Books I Have Read Recently:
1) This Charming Man - Marion Keyes
2) True pleasures - a memoir of Women in Paris - Lucinda Holdforth
3) Holy Cow - an indian adventure - Sarah Macdonald
4) Spain by the Horns - Tim Elliott
5) Lost in Translation - Jonathan Harley
6) Almost French - Sarah Turnbull
7) My French Life - Vicki Archer
8) Twins - A practical and emotional guide - Katrina Bowman and Louise Ryan

Eight Movies I Have Seen Eight Times:
1) Pretty Woman
2) Dirty Dancing
3) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4) Madagascar
5) Holy Smoke
6) Bangkok Hilton
7) Jackass - only because my husband went through a stage of watching it alot!
8) Big Sister Dora

Eight People I have to Invite to Do This Meme:
1) Arizona
2) Churchill
3) Laura
4) Jenny
5) Kate
6) Jenni Anne
7) Laurie

and last but not least (Mwahahaha)
8) Carissa

Wordless Wednesday

Thanks for all your good wishes - I feel so much better today!

Sick part 2

It had to happen - the tummy bug has claimed me as well!

At least the girls are looking a little better!

Sick of Sickness

Well the title just about sums up my day!

Maddie has been almost sick for a week now - Jules has now joined here. No temperature spikes just a bit of vomiting. They have been asleep for alot of the day. Poor Trelise is a bit stir crazy. At least today has been so boring for her she might be thankful to go to creche tomorrow.

I'm waiting for the plague signs to be nailed to my door.

My Girls

I never realised how much joy I would get from watching my children play together. When I was pregnant with Madeleine and Juliette I worried about alot of things (mostly that they were monoamniotic!) but I had big concerns about how my big girl Trelise would go from being an only child to one of three.

I wish I had known how much fun they would have playing with each other. This morning the babies instead of screaming at me like they usually do they were screaming for Trelise. Every time she tried to stop playing they would show there disappointment! I can't say I understand all the rules of the games they play and really to be honest there is often quite rough behaviour from all the participants but they love them!

My babies are really starting to be little people :( I'm sad at moving out of babydom but also looking forward to see how the personalities of my little people develop.

Jules my smallest baby is our go-getter. She likes to bang things together and pull things apart. Currently to Trelise's horror her favourite pastime is removing the card from the television decoder. I'm sure she is going this on purpose to get a reaction out of Trelise!

Madeleine is the opposite and is our quiet girl. While Jules is exploring Maddie likes to stay close to me and cuddling is her favourite pastime. Maddie is still unwell and needs lots of love and kisses at the moment.

My Doctor Rocks

I took Madeleine and Juliette to the doctor's this morning. We had a bad day yesterday and Maddie was quite unwell with a high temperature. Both girls have had runny noses for sometime and I was worried that they had ear infections.

Anyway we turn up to the doctors and he takes my concerns seriously and takes a good look at both of them. It turns out that Maddie is fine but Jules has more chance of an ear infection brewing. But he thought that both girls would be unlikely to develop them. So that was good. Being mono's I know we stand out to him as he was the doctor that referred me to the high risk clinic but I was totally impressed at how he knew exactly what my girls were up in relation to the Developmental Therapist and her assessment.

I got a new prescription of children's panadol. It's free under prescription for under 6's so I always get a bottle each time we go. I've got a bit of a stockpile at the moment! Then I went to the reception to pay and he hadn't charged me!

Whoopi! The government subsidies doctor's visit's here and the surcharge is only $9 at my doctors - but that's $9 per child. He never charges me for both so I only usually pay for one. But no charge!

Wordless Wednesday

Screaming

They look cute but they are loud!

There are some days where the screaming gets to me. I know that it's only a phase and it won't last forever but good golly our mornings are terrible! My problem is that whenever I put a baby down she screams. I've tried food, toys, jolly jumper and nothing seems to distract them. I end up having to listen to them scream while I run around trying to get everything ready for us to leave the house. Of course my nerves are frazzled and I end up being short with Trelise which is not really fair.

I guess I need to be more organised and do alot more at night to ready myself for the next day.

On the plus side I was successful at making Trelise wear a jersey this morning! That's day number 2. I've been and brought her a whole lot of new creche gear. It's all pink so she will like it and it all has long sleeves (I like that!).

It's getting cold and Trelise won't wear clothes

Yes my child is training to be a nudist! She like skirts and shorts and hates wearing anything warm like a jumper or jacket! Stockings and socks are a no go area. And a singlet will turn her into a screaming mess.

Last winter it was a nightmare. Strangers would come up to us and comment on the lack of clothes. It was so embarrassing. Any attempt to dress her would end with her screaming and clawing at her clothes for hours until we would relent or she would get the offending article's off. It wasn't just us creche were unable to dress her either. They give her the option of wearing a jumper and going outside or staying inside and watching everyone else play. Last winter she never went outside. They even took a picture of her wearing shoes and a jumper at the same time because it was so unusual and they wanted to prove to me that they had done it as of course the items were well removed when we came to pick her up.

In her defense she seems to be really hot blooded and often doesn't feel cold when we are shivering. But I'm not going to have the looks from others this year so I'm forcing her to wear clothes. I've hidden all her summer wardrobe and I'm just insisting that she wears warmer clothes whether she likes it or not. She doesn't like it but so far it's working.

Another weekend over

It's the end of the weekend but this time I actual feel like I've achieved something! At last I've been able to tick off some things on my list!

The roof is sorted, the fridge is clean, our photo's are sorted, I've backed up our photo's and the front of the house has been cleaned up!

Of course those baby books are still to be done but I'm off to watch Grey's Anatomy!

Wii were so close!

We have decided to get a Wii! My begging Wayne has paid off - we were excited to think we could get one on Fly Buys - it's a loyalty program here in New Zealand and because our mortgage is linked to it we have bucket - load of points. Anyway I just checked and I'm 500 points down :( That means we are at least a couple of months away. Rats!

Nits

When I got into creche this morning there was a sign on the door stating that headlice had been found. Oh well I thought it had to happen sometime but as I hadn't seen any scratching I was quietly confident that Trelise would not be affected.

Because I'm a planner I stopped off at the Chemist anyway and brought some nit combs. And because I like to use anything new once she got home I rushed to use them.

Oh No!!! You guessed it we have some unwelcome visitors!!! I've spent quite sometime brushing with the comb but I'm not convinced all the critters have gone so I'm off tomorrow for the electronic nit comb. I'm hoping this works for us and we can avoid the chemical shampoo.

Yuck - Now of course I can't stop scratching. I watched a program a while ago that said that straighting irons kill headlice so I think I'm safe! I've been going through a frizzy patch so have been hitting the irons mighty hard the last few days!

Teeth are not making us happy!

I've been up all night with Jules. She just won't stop crying :( I'm hoping this teeth thing comes to an end soon but knowing my luck as soon as Jules is finished is when Maddie's will kick it.

Everyday at Trelise's day care a comment is entered into her notebook on how she has been. On Tuesday her comment was "What a firecracker!, She has no problem keeping up with the boys ....." It's really been bothering me for the past few days. Yes she is a really active kid but what's wrong with keeping up with the boys. I believe that the comment wasn't really meant to be negative but it's annoyed me. Am I being to sensitive?

We have teeth

Let the biting begin!

Both have one tooth (the left botton front one) just coming through!!

Trelise the Ballerina

We are back from our first ever ballet class! Sometimes I just can't stand how cute my kid is!

On our way to ballet I thought it might be prudent to run though the rules of what would be expected. I said "Trelise you have to listen to the teacher today at ballet" she replied "Oh Mum, that's awful!" Lucky for us she didn't mean it!

She's the white girl in a sea of pink. She absolutely loved it.

Wordless Wednesday

Grey Day

I'm having a grey day today. I'm not happy not sad just grey! I've had to force myself to get out and do things I need to do - like buying formula!

The girls have been wonderful. Jules has had a couple of accidents today leaving two more bruises on her face. One where she fell into the side of the door frame while trying to get to me. I had gone to the bathroom and the other was a fall at a friends house where she slipped on a book she had pulled out of a bookcase and hit the bookcase on her way down. They are looking more and more like abused babies!

I've had a couple of old friends contact me on Facebook in the last couple of days. It's really nice to hear how people are going and what they have been up to. I guess you either love or hate the whole facebook / myspace etc thing but for me I've reconnected with so many people now.

Trelise is starting ballet tomorrow - we are both very excited!

Multiple Birth Playgroup

Today we went to a multiple birth get-together. We had a great time and the girls really enjoyed themselves. Because it was held on a public holiday Wayne and the other Dad's were able to be there making it a little different from the usual play dates we go on.


Well it's the end of the public holiday weekend and my list of things to do is still as long as at the beginning. Yep didn't even check one off! Photobooks I didn't even touch and the roof is only half done! Maybe next time!