Weekly brain dump

So I haven't kept up with this little feature since April because I'm a slacker. So I thought I'd give it another shot. And since it's a lazy Saturday afternoon I've got five minutes to spare!

Gracie's ears are much better now. The antibiotics worked their magic and she's no longer pulling and scratching. Unfortunately stopping the antibiotics made her susceptible to Hubby's horrible flu bug, which she promptly picked up. That too brought us several days and nights of crying, coughing, boogers, belly aches and very little sleep.

In order to maintain sanity and achieve a somewhat acceptable sleep regime we fashioned a pillow prop for her cot and then used bolster pillows to stop her from rolling onto her belly. And let me tell you SHE HAS NEVER SLEPT BETTER, sick or well. It's like magic. Something about laying on a slight 45 degree angle and being tucked in tightly has changed the sleeping game entirely. And now she's starting to recover we won't be changing a thing! 

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I have finally reached the end of my parental leave and have begun cashing in some annual leave at work. Which means the countdown is officially on to when I go back. I think I'm having a panic attack just writing about it. I have less than four months to go.  

I haven't receive final confirmation from Gracie's daycare on which day they can take her and that's making me quick nervous as I need to start the return-to-work prep and paperwork. I know I should harass them a little more to get it all locked in, but I think deep down I'm kind of hoping they'll tell me they don't have the room for her anymore. Not that we can afford for me to stay home without an income. I just don't know if I'm ready yet for everything that's fast approaching. 

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It's been a week of tragedy. Both in our immediate lives and around the world.

Two very dear families we love have both lost pregnancies within days of eachother. Both requiring hospital visits and surgery. There is nothing you can say to ease their pain, all we could do is offer our unwavering support and love.  It has been something that hit a nerve in me that I didn't think was still so raw and fresh. And yet I found myself weeping at that all-too-familiar feeling of heartache and confusion and loss that I knew they were experiencing. 

And then we turn on our TVs to hear horrendous news of a plane being shot out of the sky and lives being torn to pieces. There are people fighting  all around the world and so many innocent lives are being caught in the crossfire.

On behalf of the Sunny Family I want to offer our deepest condolences to all the families of those who have perished. Not a minute goes by where we don't think about you and feel your grief. We pray that God brings you some peace in these troubled times. The world mourns with you. 

Weekly brain dump

Teething sucks!  That's all...

                                     

Weekly brain dump

Argh! This week has broken my brain several times over. Lack of sleep has left me sobbing on the loo at four in the morning because I couldn't believe I was awake again, walking round the house with a baby strapped to my chest, and learning how to eat, pee and put washing on while moving with such smooth elegance and poise so that I wouldn't wake up the baby I was so desperate to keep asleep!

It was four-month immunisation time this week. Oh how I love needle time (sarcasm senses tingling?)! Gracie does so well at the actual event, sits up tall on my lap as I am forced to hold her little body as close to mine as possible. She cries because the needle startles her and then we rotate to do the other leg. A big cuddle and a booby after it's all done and she's back to being her cute little self.  It's in the hours that follow that the real effects start to take hold and my gorgeous little cuddle bear becomes a howling, drooling, puking, non-sleeping monster baby.  It's completely not her fault, but oh man does it make for a rotten week all round!

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We just got our health insurance renewal notice only to find out the premiums are going up to a whopping $265 a month!  My brain hurts just thinking about this.  So I have been madly calling and inquiring with different insurers regarding switching to lower levels and lower priced companies and it turns out we're getting just about the best deal we can considering the need for top hospital to cover IVF.  Boo!

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Next week is Hubby's birthday.  He's requested to postpone all birthday celebrations until later in April because of our crappy chock-a-block schedules.  So instead we'll just have a nice dinner at home and I'll make his favourite chocolate cake.  I had a big birthday present idea all lined up, but as per his request that too will wait...

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I've noticed I'm getting pretty slack with this whole weekly brain dump idea.  I'd like to keep it going if people are really interested in reading it.  Also, I find it hard to gauge if anyone is reading these days.  It's ok if you're not.  I just need to establish who my target audience is/if I still have an audience, so I can cater to your needs better.  I'm working on a bit of an idea to start getting you all more involved, but recent lack of time and brain activity have slowed the progress of this idea, so I'll keep you posted!

Drop me a line some time.  Drop by my Facebook page.  Let me know you're stilling hanging in there!  

 

Weekly brain dump

Oh heck, I'm late again...

It's been a big week of emotion in our great state of Queensland. This week we saw the harrowing conclusion to one of the most heinous crimes our state has ever seen, the abduction and murder of 13 year old Daniel Morcombe. Stolen from his home town in December 2003, his family began the ten year search to find him and bring him home. Sadly though this ultimately resulted in the unearthing of remains and a devastated family. 

I was 17 when this crime first happened. Daniel was taken doing something that any teenager, including myself, would be doing on any given day; waiting for a bus to head to the shops.  He never caught that bus, and from the moment they knew he was missing his incredible family began a nation-wide search to find him. As time passed they never gave up, they only grew stronger in their resolve to find Daniel and make the country a safer place for all children. 

On Thursday the key suspect in his disappearance was convicted for murder, and on Friday he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. And as I sat on my couch, eyes glued to the TV along with so many other Australians, I wept. I wept for his parents, his brothers and his extended family. I wept for those in the jury and the judge who had to make such a decision and listen to weeks of testimony and evidence. I wept for a final just result. A sick, depraved and evil man will now live out what may be the last of his days behind bars and never be able to harm another child.

This result can't bring back their beautiful boy, but I pray that it brings them some peace of mind. They fought tooth and nail to find their son and they did not fail him. They should be so proud of the efforts they have made, the changes they have brought about to ensuring child safety is a priority in our country. They are remarkable people. 

www.danielmorcombe.com.au

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In lighter news the March birthday madness is off to a great start! We've been to two birthday parties in two weeks, celebrating with Gracie's Auntie K and our gorgeous little friend Mimi.  I love birthdays because birthdays mean cake. And I LOVE cake!

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My brain hurts. And I mean literally aches. We've been fighting off some kind of nasty head bug this week and so far we've won for the most part. Instead of full-blown cold or flu it's only managed to cause relatively minor damage with a snotty nose for Miss G and a four day migraine and earache for me and Sunny Hubby.  Why do migraines make you feel like your eyes will pop out of your head? All I want to do is drink hot tea and close my eyes. 

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And lastly a little Gracie update because I'm so excited about it. She's finally making moves towards crawling. After weeks and months of protesting tummy-time she's now able to push her upper body off the ground using her arms. Her little legs wiggle like crazy in an attempt to move forwards, but mostly she's just scuttling backwards. She can change direction though. We've been placing toys just out of arms reach in different places for her and one-by-one she can wriggle around to them all. It's so freakin' cute! 

How's your week been?

Have you too been following the Morcombe's? What are your thoughts/reactions? 

Weekly brain dump

Oops, I'm running a bit late with last weeks dumpage. Ah well... I might combine two weeks worth and then get back on track next week. I can do that, since it's my blog and all. Haha!

Gracie reached a significant milestone this week, four months old. Her precious face no longer resembles the tiny baby that she once was, she now looks like a little girl. I look at her and see the toddler she'll grow into. I'm loving this stage of her growth. She is so clever and cute. I watch her learn a new skill every day. It really is remarkable. 

She's still struggling with her teething. Still no show of those pegs!  We've started her on first taste foods too. She doesn't mind rice porridge and she's pretty good with a pumpkin-carrot-sweet potato combo. She's not too keen on apple or fruit combo just yet. This change of diet has given her a bit of constipation unfortunately, so she spends most of her day drooling and grunting. Haha!

                                         

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Autumn is here! I'm very much looking forward to some cooler weather, though we're not going to experience that for a while here in Queensland. So far we've still been coping with 30'C and over days, though we have had some rain which I love! 

My garden certainly is appreciating the change in weather too. I recently purchased some discounted dahlias from our garden centre which we on sale due to their wilting leaves. But after a good prune and some rain they have come up quite beautifully. 

                                          

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I've been having lots of nightmares this last week or so.  I don't really know what they are about, as I only remember minor details, but there is the reoccurring theme of protecting Gracie from something evil.  I think it has something to do with the tension in my family at the moment.  I've also been grinding my teeth which leaves me with a mega headache.  Bloody family!!

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March kicks off mega birthday month in the Sunny-side of the family.  It feels as though there is a birthday every other day during March!  Don't believe me, here's what my calendar looks like...

                                    

Those are ALL birthdays! 

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Our home currently looks like a baby obstacle course, and by that I mean there are baby toys, baths, chairs, play mats, etc., all over the dang place.  The challenge is to be able to walk from the lounge to the kitchen or up the stairs to our bedrooms without tripping, bashing a knee, scraping an elbow or cursing your brains out. I've got to find somewhere to store the outgrown bath and the multiple baby seats when not in use. 

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And lastly, I was able to negotiate an awesome return-to-work date with my amazing boss this week. I am over the moon that I'll be able to stay home with my little G until after her first birthday. A combination of saved up annual leave and parental leave means I will have a total of 13months of maternity leave altogether and it's all paid!! Woot woot!! So all those years of not taking holidays has finally paid off!!

How's your fortnight been?  Are you sick of these little brain dumps yet?  Is anybody out there? 

Weekly brain dump

We've got a new couch. Woohoo! A very big thankyou to our friends A and C for gifting us with our super comfy new lounge room edition. Gracie has already christened it by taking a nap on its plush cushions. She very much approves. And The Boo has found herself a new hiding spot underneath the skirting.

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Gracie has finally broken my brain with her sleep-deprivation torture. I have been stumbling around all weekend like a zombie in an attempt to get things done on very little rest. 

We had been working so hard on our evening routine. Dinner time, bath, booby and then bed. For a whole week it was going gangbusters! And then we had to go out on Friday evening, and instead of our nice little routine we were traipsing around the city until 10pm.  I recently read an article on Fat Mum Slim where she stated that friends don't let friends take babies out to dinner. I want to add to that, HUSBANDS don't let wives take babies out after 6pm! It's just too dangerous of an adventure. 

There was nowhere comfy or secluded to feed, she fell asleep for a moment in the pram only to be woken by the band playing (in which Hubby plays too I might add, and the reason we were out), and then it rained on us. All in all it was not a night out fit for a Gracie. And we (mostly me) have been paying for it ever since. Our evening routine had been demolished and she is back to dinner, bath, booby, nap, PLAYTIME. Not good!

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I still have PMS but good old Aunt Flo hasn't arrived, making this week two of hormonal madness. Ah ovaries, you are back to being completely messed up. It's good to know some things never change. 

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I've got to spend some time with Hubby's sister these last couple of weeks. We have a weekly lady-lunch date where we either stay home and watch junk TV, or we venture out into the city to go antique shopping, plant buying and coffee drinking. I really look forward to those days. And best part is, now she lives so close again we can do it all the time. Gracie loves a bit of a distraction from Mummy time too. 

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My name is Sunny and I am addicted to Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. We don't get this show on Australian TV and I was introduced to Alana and June and their redneck goodness through Toddlers and Tiaras. Then I found out they've got their own show and that there are already two whole seasons available for download and I got hooked!! Oh my word, it's like a train wreck, you know you shouldn't be so interested in it, but you can't look away. And the fact that June is only 34 years old boggles my brain. What the heck?!?! I can not wait til they make more of it!! 

Have you got a TV show addiction? Is it one you're a little embarrassed about? Oooh tell me so I can join you!!

Weekly brain dump

I woke up this morning with so much stuff running around my head.  Life in general has been pretty hectic since January started, so much going on and so much to organise as well.  And with the sad events of this last week I feel like I need to get some of the crap out of my head.  So I say this in fair warning to you all, this is going to be a random brain dump.  Feel free to join in with me.  Kinda like having a good ol' bitch session, minus the cattiness.  Let's call it a debrief.  And if it helps to make us feel a bit less bogged down in the brain we can make it a recurring thing!


I woke up this morning with perfectly messy second-day straightened bedhead.  You all know what I mean.  It's when your hair is doing on its own what you've attempted to make it do all week.  Anyway, I thought AWESOME! I won't have to put in too much effort today (I'm taking Gracie out to afternoon tea in the city with a girlfriend. How swanky!).  But no, I was wrong, because the minute I turn on any type of water source (kettle, tap, shower) my hair develops the frizz factor and my perfectly messy hair goes straight to crazy person who left the house without using a hairbrush hair.  Even a super sexy shower cap can't prevent that mess.  Oh well, looks like I'll be able to master my 'how to act cool while appearing totally cray-cray' today.  I'll just blame the baby?!

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So the reason I had totally flawless hair yesterday (pfft!) is because it was D's funeral.  Sunny Hubby and I sat a few rows behind my girlfriend K who was surrounded by family.  It was the most beautifully devastating funeral I had ever attended.  D's life was full of love and that really showed in the outpouring of grief and love at her death.  Hubby and I were asked to read a small prayer for the family and carers of D.  I wasn't able to say a word, instead Hubby read it for me, holding my hand the entire time.  Gosh I love him!

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So I'm struggling to find a daycare centre that can take Gracie when I want to go back to work.  It's my own fault really.  I'd been told I should have had her enrolled before she was even born and I thought that was a hilarious joke...at the time!  Now I'm going through the tedious task of revisiting all the centres who previously said they couldn't fit her in and begging them to have her.  The ideal centre would be the one on the hospital campus where I work, but I have been told that she is more than 100 down the waiting list of nursery-aged kids who needs a placement at that same time we do.  How can that be?  Did all the nurses suddenly start having babies at the same time?  My mind boggles.

I guess our other option, and one that is becoming more and more likely as the weeks pass by, is that we'll place her in family/home daycare.  I just don't know how I feel about that. I mean absolutely no disrespect to anyone who runs family daycare or sends their kids to one, I just don't know much about them.  Are they as well governed as larger centres?  How many children do they usually take at once?  I honestly have no clue.  Anyway, over the next couple of days when I've got Hubby at home we're going to go on a daycare tour of our local area, show up on their doorstops looking all nicely dressed and well-spoken and hope to hell they can help us out.  What are my chances?  Wait, don't answer that!

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 So it's my birthday on Monday.  I'll be (sounds like...) shmenty-shmeight.  Not a big deal really.  Actually, I nearly forget it was even coming up.  Thank goodness Hubby keeps track of these things.  Must be programmed into his phone calendar somewhere with all the other 'my wife will kick me if I forget' dates.  So in lieu of my birthday nonchalance I have made no plans yet and the only thing I can think of that I want is plants.  Is that boring?  I've even got a mental list of the plants I want.   A Gardenia, Star Jasmine, purple Anemone Monarch and a miniature herb garden.  

Plus I might grab some bulbs for planting later in the year.  Dahlias, Blue Aconitum, Peonies and Renunculas.  Ooooh now I AM getting excited!!

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Our poor, old, well worn-in red leather couch is finally kicking the bucket.  We inherited our couch from Hubby's sister when we first moved in together.  Its got big, deep cushions and it's long enough to lie down flat and have a good snooze in.  I hated it at first due to the colour, but it has grown on me over the years and I had come to love it.  Now that the leather is wearing and tearing, and it makes an unholy creak and crunch noise when you sit down on it I am starting to despise it again.  Sadly we're not rich enough to be able to replace it at the moment so Hubby has done some DIY repairs to the broken base and we're just going to live in couch-death denial until we can afford something shiny and new.  Eeeeewww!

Well, I think that's all I feel I should dump on you for now.  My head certainly feels lighter on my shoulders already.  And heck, look at the time, I've gotta go get ready for our fancy afternoon tea.

What's on your mind this week?  Let me know, maybe we can help lighten your load!