And Then There Was Cole - 5 months old

Dear Cole,

Everyone is smitten with you. They all remark on how good a baby you are (you never cry) and how smiley you are (the ladies love you!). You still spit up like a 14 year old binge drinker, but since it's mostly on me, it's not that big a deal. I always sigh relief when you don't puke on our friends.

You are sleeping from 6.30 at night until 5.30 or 6 in the morning. Your naps are quite regular -- 7am until 9.30 and then 10.30 until 11.30, 12.30 until 2.30 and then a short one from 4 or 4.30 to 5.30. So it seems you are doing about 4 naps, 2 short ones and 2 longer ones.

You've discovered your feet. I love this stage. I love babies lying on their backs playing with and eating their toes. So adorable. You grab at your toys and bring them to your mouth to chew on them. You keep eyeballing everyone's food -- you'll be ready for solids soon. I sometimes catch myself thinking "nooooooo, I don't want to start solids, that means you're 6 months old!". I seem to want to freeze you in time. You are such a lovely baby and time always flies so quickly. I remember with Zoe I couldn't wait for the next stage -- always eagerly awaiting the new experience. With you, I want to stay in each stage longer... it means I get more time with my sweet baby! But, I have to remind myself that you will grow up. (yes, duhhh) Growing up is good. Growing up is fun. And, it will get more enjoyable, this I know. But something about knowing you are my last baby makes me want to savour the baby-ness.

You're starting to giggle and gurgle. It's funny. Keep doing it.

Love you!
Mommy and Daddy
xoxo

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Merry Christmas Everyone

Hope you all have a fun and enjoyable Christmas.
Hope your VISA bills aren't too bad.
Hope you are well fed.
Hope you stay warm.
Hope Santa is good to you.
Hope you are good to your friends and family.
Hope you have special times with your friends and family.
Hope you get woken up at 5am from your excited kids.
Hope your neighbour's kids don't wake you at 5am from shouts of glee.
Hope you don't have a hangover from all the Christmas Eve eggnog.

Ho ho ho.

And Then There Was Cole - Sleep is good and the carseat miracle

So, finally, Cole is sleeping from 6.30 at night until 6 in the morning. He was waking at 4am to nurse and then sleep until 7, but the past two nights he's woken at 2am and we give him the soother and then he sleeps right until 6. I can live with this. We're hoping that in the next couple of days he won't even wake at 2am. He's very good at going to sleep on his own at 6.30 (no soother!) and every night this impresses me.



... and, in other news, it's a CARSEAT MIRACLE
Cole used to scream and go on like an exorcist baby in the car seat. Again, there's not much I can do when I'm driving, so I would usually just have to let him cry. But, FINALLY, I figured it out!!!! He had a bunch of toys coiled on his car seat handle right in front of him, and I took it off. That's it. That's the CARSEAT MIRACLE. He now doesn't have anything fun to look at and it's been profoundly blissful ever since. Car rides are now peaceful. Lovely journeys. Fun adventures. No longer are they monster-scream-filled kilometers of terror. Ahhhhhh the serenity. Took me long enough. He's 4 months old.

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The Zoe Chronicles - 28 months today

Dear Zoe,

Today you grabbed my passport, bolted into the lounge room, grabbed your crayon, and proceeded to "enhance" it by coloring on Page 5. Thank you. I say sarcastically. Zoe Picasso.

Yesterday, you figured out how to unclip your high chair buckle and you were out of the chair leaning on the table. Zoe Danger Jacobsen.

You keep getting out of your carseat restraints. You know how to lengthen the straps, and you get your arms out. Zoe Houdini.

You like dressing yourself, and even more so, you like undressing. If you had it your way, you'd be rockin up to the shops nude if you could. You'd go to the playground in nothing but a nappy if you could. Who needs clothes anyways? That's your motto. If you had one.

And, you love taking videos of us. You'll point the camera at us and say "Cheeeeease". You're actually pretty good. We only have a couple of videos of your feet. The rest are actually of our faces. Zoe Coppolla.

Love you Zoe Simone Jacobsen,
Mommy and Daddy

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Sunny days sweeping the clouds away...

So, Zoe hasn't had much tv in her life... she's caught a few shows here and there. Usually when she's driving me spastic and I'm about to feed her to wild dogs (which is luckily not that often) I'll see what's on. We had just that morning this week.

We flipped on the tube and there was Feist doing her "1234" song on Sesame Street. You may remember this Feist song from a previous blog of mine, anyhoo, you can catch the clip here:

Feist Sings 1234 on Sesame Street

I was sooo happy! It was meant to be.

Then, it took me long enough, but I've discovered this is a perfect time to take a shower! So, 8.30 the next morning, Zoe and I eagerly put Sesame Street on. I don't know who was more excited.

BAM!! That day it was Job (pronounced Jobe) from Arrested Development. Omigod, this guy is hilarious. One of my all time favourite characters! He was a math-a-magician and the skit was so cute. It made me want to watch all the Arrested Dev'ts again! Funniest sitcom ever.

Then. Today. David Beckham.
Hello.

...la la la... can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street???
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And Then There Was Cole - 4 months old today

Dear Cole,

My baby, you are 4 months old today. The months are flying by so quickly and I wish I could freeze time. You are perfect. What else can I say? (well, don't worry, there will be a lot)

You are such a happy baby. You smile all the time. You are starting to giggle at the minutest of things (like I'll say "omigod, you're a cute baby!" and you'll giggle). If we lift you up, you giggle. If we stand you up, you smile. Standing... that's all it takes to get a smile. If only the whole world were like that, Cole.

I'm trying to enjoy all the cuddles I can get. You love being held and you'll just keenly watch all of us, and frankly, I think you think Zoe is a nutter. You'll watch her so intently as though she's the final episode of some grab-you-and-keep-you TV series (like Firefly, or Arrested Development, etc, see previous blog). You kick at your toys and rattles just to make them jingle and you swat at them too. Great appendage control, darling!

Last night was our first night of "weaning" you off the night feeding. Daddy is on the night shift because you'd freak (and get confused) if I went into your room and it didn't result in the boob. Like most men, I'd say. Anyhoo, you did quite well! Daddy gave you the soother at 2am and then again at 4am and you slept until 6.30. We'll just do that for a couple of days and then POOF no more soother either... I'm 4 days away from getting some normal sleep again!! Ahhhh, a gal can only dream.

Poos. Time to talk poo. Well, at first you would have one after every time you nursed. Then all of a sudden, you'd go DAYS without one. Do you have any idea what this means? Well, I'll tell you. DINOSAURS have smaller poos. I don't know any dinos personally, but I'm pretty good at guessing the size of poo that can come out of an animal (it's a mild superpower), and I'm pretty sure you'd have one beat. And, the even funnier thing is that it's always RIGHT before we go to catch up with Linda and Ruby. You'll be in your cutest outfit, I'll be ferrying you kids into the car (running a smidge behind the time too) and then I'll heave a great sigh of defeat... I can smell the dino poo. The poo-nami. The poo bomb. So, I guess any time I think you're constipated, I'll just make a date with Linda and Ruby. Poof. Easier than feeding you cigarettes and coffee. More fun that stewed prunes.

And I suppose this is a good time to thank you for not weeing on me. I kept hearing about boys and their renegade fountains of wee... but I can report that you've only done that twice to me. Once when I was changing your nappy and was able to cover you promptly and the other time was a funny one when you were being bathed on the kitchen counter. Just like the fountains of Bellagio. So all in all, not a bad track record.

Clever baby too... you rolled over at 3 months old. I thought it was a fluke but you've since done it two more times. With all intentions as well. Extend one arm. Bend one knee. Push and see what happens. You smart thing. You'll be doing quantum mechanics soon.

Ok, so, perfect? Check. Happy? Check. Poos? Talked about that. Sleep? Getting there. Intelligent? Oui. Fussy? Never. Cute? OH yeah dude. Laid back? Yes, good good. Healthy eater? Check. Oh yeah, you hate the car seat. But since I take the freeway to most places, there's nothing I can do so you just cry. You poor thing. Maybe it's riding backwards?? I hate it too. But, unfortunately, 8 more months until you face the front. Maybe I should put up a poster of Christina Aguillera or something... your ladybug and flower toy is just not cutting it I guess.

Love you immensely baby boy. Wouldn't trade you for anything. Not even $100.

Mooooiiiiiaaaaaa (think squishy mushy kiss)
Mommy and Daddy
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The Sound Of Silence

Whenever I catch myself thinking "boy, Zoe is awfully quiet..." that's when it's too late.

The sound of silence is deafening...

She's either
* setting my clock for me, because, well, I guess having it set to the right time is just no fun
* painting her change table with nappy cream, because, well, she's fixing to be an interior decorator
* into my makeup, because, well, messing with mommy's stuff is hilarious
* into the potted plants and removing all the rocks, because, well, I don't know why
* turning my alarm on in the bedroom, it used to be set for work at 5.40am but AHA! I'm smarter than the two year old and have now set it for 9. Doesn't matter if it goes off, I'll be awake and un-annoyed!

All in all, not too troublesome... except when she opened the tray to the front loader washing machine and decided to try the soap. The poisons hotline said it wasn't anything to worry about in that small amount.

Sneaky!
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Things I Don't Understand

* How coffee can smell soooo good and yet taste so bad

* How did Glee get such good singers?

* Why do the BEST shows only last two seasons? Arrested Development, funniest show ever. Firefly, coolest show ever. Flight of the Conchords, wackiest show ever. Deadwood, most cuss words in a show ever.

* The placebo effect.

* Homeopathy.

* If the universe is expanding, what is it expanding into? Where does it end? Does it end? Will this blog ever end?

* Really, are there Gen Y kids that have never seen Star Wars A New Hope?? I don't understand.

* Why do I fall asleep 10 minutes before the alarm goes off?

* Why this crazy state voted against Daylight Savings and extended trading hours. I could blog and blog and blog about this. I mean, it's unnatural to have light at 5.15 in the morning. Unnatural I tell you. Don't get me started.

* How something so small as my baby Cole can have such dinosaur-sized poos! I mean, they are something to behold!

* Why RJ feels the need to "talk" to other drivers. Dude, they can't hear you.
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The Zoe Chronicles - 27 months old

Dear Zoe,

As you can see from the previous post, you were a sick little girl for about a week. You looked like you were in so much pain, which was so hard to watch. With the odd symptom of you drooling excessively, it made for a bizarre week (you saw me cleaning up drool with a towel on the floor with my foot and you'd copy me, that was entertaining). I wish that I could have just held you tight and cuddled you the whole time. Cole was actually a very understanding 3 month old and let me attend to you as much as I could. But, once you got through the painful tongue, you were right back to being your lovely self.

So, let's talk about some fun stuff...
You love stickers and crafts.
You love cutting things (playdough, food).
You love slides and playgrounds (ok, who doesn't?).
You made an adorable pirate at Halloween.
You love to water the plants.

It's been an up and down month, but I'm so glad that you're feeling better. It's hard to be around a sick kid, I just wanted to take your pain for you! But, hey, you watched a lot of a Sesame Street video and discovered that you LOVE cookie monster (you call him "Blue"). And, you like imitating how he eats. It's cute. We all love cookie monster. And, we all love you.

Hugs,
Mommy and Daddy
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So my sister was right

Monday morning comes around and Zoe had a rough night going to sleep (this never happens) and then she slept in until 8:30! (this never happens) I was talking to my sister on the phone at the time (cuz my girl slept in! I have time to chit chat!) and she asked if Zoe was sick. I said "oooooohhh no, she isn't. What do you mean?". She told me that any time her kids uncharacteristically slept long they came down with something. Uhhhhhhhh nope, that wasn't Zoe. She was just sleeping late. OR SO I THOUGHT.

Enter "Hardest Week of Being a Mommy Yet"

Well, she went to daycare that day and was just plain lethargic. Then, had another rough night and woke up with her tongue sticking out of her mouth. Yes, bizarre symptom. I felt like an idiot phoning the health hotline with the symptom of "well, she's just kinda sticking her tongue out a bit".

What followed was a trip to the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Who Don't Feel Well, then a completely ulcer-covered tongue and a kid in pain for about 4 days. She had Hand Foot and Mouth disease (HFM). She just cried and wanted to be held the whole time. 4 days man. She wouldn't eat. She wouldn't take the tongue-numbing medication. She just cried. FOR 4 DAYS. Luckily she would drink milk all day - at least she didn't get dehydrated. This made it a very hard week because she wouldn't let me touch Cole, and well, being a 3 month old, he has some pretty basic needs I have to attend to.

But, I survived (yes, and so did she).

On the google sites, it says that HFM is a "mild" disease. Mild? MILD! M.I.L.D.??? Uh, because you don't die from it? I don't think it's mild, you google jerks.

I'm glad we immunized for chicken pox because if my kids ever got that I think I would douse myself in gasoline, jump off a cliff, and light a cigarette. DuMaurier ultra light king size. (man, that still rolls of the tongue easily from my smoking days).
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I'm the king of the world!!

Cole!

You did 7 hours last night! We feel fabulous!

It's like you KNEW that we had a big Halloween party and needed the extra zzzzz.

From 10pm to 5am. Lovely.

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And Then There Was Cole - 3 months old

Dear Cole,

Well, what can I say? You're perfect. You are smiling up a storm, cooing and almost giggling. You are such a smiley baby and it lights up our lives when you give us that big open mouthed grin. You're also a calm and relaxed little guy. You've already rolled over. Three. Months. Old. So, child prodigy I guess.

Our routine is starting to form... having a toddler at home and running around town all day means that it's taken me a while to see the patterns in our day, but they're coming to light now. Nursing is still every two hours, so basically, you're up for one hour, and a nap for one hour (IF I'm lucky!! Some catnaps are only 30 minutes). There is a longer nap early afternoon, usually from 12 until 2, but not all days. And, you are getting better at night. I'll do a dream feed at 10pm, then you'll wake at 3, and you INSIST that our day starts at 5.30am. This does not work for me. This makes mommy a very tired lady. I have to come up with a plan to "break you" of this. It's funny that you would always wake up and wriggle in the womb at 5.30 exactly too. Man, what an inconvenient body clock. Your older sister is waking up early these days too (I'm sure it's because she just hears Daddy getting ready for work) but I find myself yelling "Children! SLEEP!!". Now, I'm just yelling in my head. Sometimes I even try to "will it". Chillllllldrreeeeeennnnn, sleeeeeeeeeppppppp. But, alas, my days are destined to start that early.

You are never cranky, and if you are, it's because it's taken me FAR TOO LONG to get that bra unsnapped. And, by FAR TOO LONG, I mean seconds.

We all dote on you, Cole, you're a lovely human being,
Hugs and kisses, and raspberries and tickles,
Mommy and Daddy

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Should I store cash in my mattress?

So, we've fallen victim to the card skimming scam in WA.

RJ noticed that the "funds available" in his account was way lower than expected. I checked my account and sure enough, there was an unauthorized withdrawal from an ATM. Because our accounts are linked, the scammers were able to get money from each account! Luckily, my bank was reducing everyone's maximum daily limit to $400! I don't know what it was prior to that.... I'd hate to think these guys could get even more money from us!

I was out for dinner with some friends and telling this story, and one friend asked if I'd been to a McDonalds lately, and paid with EFTPOS. There's 30 of them in WA. I was all "ok, hmmm, I think I've been to, well, 28 of them". I wasn't able to have McDonalds during my pregnancy, so I've made up for lost time in the past 3 months.

Apparently, many of the handheld EFTPOS units were "replaced" throughout the McDonalds chain. These were fitted with devices to capture the card details and the PIN too! Scammers have gotten away with $2.5 million already. McDonalds is working with police to nab the crims...

A McDonalds spokeswoman stated that as a precautionary measure they've now taken out the EFTPOS devices and substituted them for new ones... and that "Cash transactions are unaffected and remain secure"


... the bank has reimbursed us the monies... yay.

The Zoe Chronicles - 26 months and OH THE DRAMA

Dear Zoe,

Well, for the first time in 26 months, I missed a post for you... sorry love, I hope you understand. This will also be a quick one, I'm typing in haste...

Last week you were FUSSY. Daddy came home from work one night and I was all "OK, I'm DONE with parenting". You would ask for bread. I'd give you bread. You'd cry. Everything was a fight... dressing, eating, playing, nappy changing, if I even LOOKED at you funny, you'd whinge. And, Cole wasn't sleeping much during the day, as if to say "Yah, we control you lady".

But, this week you've been lovely. And, Cole's been miraculously sleeping, SO THERE, TAKE THAT. I win!

Love you, even when you can be a monster face,
Mommy and Daddy
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And Then There Was Cole - The Magic Quilt

So, Cole likes to show me who's boss (in case I forget)
* he came 3 weeks early just to say "aha, gotcha!"
* on Zoe's 2 hour birthday party, he "entertained" me for an hour of it by nursing
* he WAS going 3 hourly for feeds, but the past couple of days, it's been every 2 hours!!

BUT! Enter magic quilt.

Yesterday, we received a wonderful gift -- a handmade quilt from my brother and sister-in-law! It's gorgeous, and little did I know, it is charmed.

His first daytime nap was from noon until 4pm. I couldn't believe it! I had to keep checking that he was still breathing. Then, he didn't nurse again until 10pm! Six hours! We haven't had a six hour stretch since the hospital. Then, he went a lovely FIVE WHOLE HOURS at night and didn't wake me until 3am. And, then a lovely 4 hour stretch till 7 in the morning. I feel fabulous. I feel great. Any mountains around Perth? I could easily climb one... whilst vacuuming and chatting with telemarketers!!
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I won't take it personally...

Me: Zoe, how old are you?

Zoe: Two.

Me: That's right! How old is Cole?

Zoe: Two.

Me: Yes! He's two months old. How old is Mommy?

Zoe: More.

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And Then There Was Cole - 2 months old

Dear Cole,

Beautiful boy! You are amazing and we are perplexed at how a baby can be so perfect! You are now a chubster... you may have had a slow start to the weight gain, but now with 400gm per week (yes, I actually think that's a pound), your belly and arms have lots of meat on them. You still have your wee chicken legs, but I think that's just the way you're built (no butt too, just like your daddy, tee hee).

You are nursing every 3 hours during the day, your longest stretch is usually from 5pm to 10pm (yah, thanks, that's SO NOT helpful!), and then 2am, 5.30am, 8am. Needless to say, the sleep deprivation is kicking in. But, I'll give you a break, Youngling, as you are only 2 months old.

You are such a sweetie and such a happy baby. The only time you cry (and it's more a "cry out" than a cry) is when you wake up and want to be fed. Then, you are content and SMILEY and just check things out. You're now over the whole "wind hits the willy" thing and are no longer dialling 000 every time I try to change your nappy. And, bathtime isn't a drama anymore, so you are really growing up, little one.

You like being cuddled and can fall asleep on anyone's chest. And, you are still a good sleeper (THANK YOU). You'll only be awake for about an hour before we put you back in your cot for two. You're very good at being on your tummy and really enjoy that outlook on life!

Love you little man,
Mommy and Daddy
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Entertaining, funny, and informative too!

I am forever looking for songs to set home movies too... Well, in my google quest, I found a few really funny songs.

Firstly, I stumbled upon Feist doing her song 1-2-3-4 on Sesame Street. Ok, so for a Feist fan, this is hilarious:

Feist on Sesame Street

The following website, a blog from a dad to his daughter, is a gem. He talks about his music collection and frankly, I think he and RJ are soul mates. When I read it, it's like RJ's the one that wrote it! Anyhoo, scroll to the bottom and check out the Flight Of The Conchords. My favourites are "Sugarlumps" and "Foux Du FaFa".

Music For My Daughter/

There's also a Muppet clip that's cute. I tell ya, I must like puppets set to music. I mean, I did like the puppet show in Sound of Music too, so maybe I'm just realizing this now. Well, I kept searching for sesame street celebs, and I now think that you're not truly a musical celeb unless you've been on that show (Norah Jones, REM, Johnny Cash, Harry Belafonte, Cher, and more!) . There. I said it.

Enjoy!
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Some things are easier...

Getting a dog to say "Hello"
Climbing Mount Everest in 3 hours
Biting through a diamond

You'd think those things would be hard to do?


Yesterday, we had a family photo shoot. Complete with 2 year old and a newborn. (This is where some parents will be all "oh yes, you needn't say more)...

At home, Zoe always kisses Cole on the head, like 20 times a day. No joke. We were practising Cole's smile the day before. DO YOU THINK I could get Zoe to kiss Cole during the shoot? DO YOU THINK Cole smiled once despite our grand efforts?

(The photos will be gorgeous.... I really can't wait to see them.)
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I have the answer

A number of years ago, my friend Jeremy and I were chatting and he asked me the question:
"At what age do men start grunting when they go to the toilet?"

I was all "omigod, WHAT do you mean?". He said that in some public washrooms, he'll overhear other stall members grunt and go on... Now, this is something totally unheard of for females. We won't even fart in a public washroom... and we never grunt. Even in private.

I asked RJ about this. Is it true? Has he ever heard strange noises emitting from other stalls? Alas, it is true. He even heard a guy sing "Wild Thing". Again, unheard of for females.

So, "At what age do men start grunting when they go to the toilet?"
Well, I have the answer.
1 month old. Men start grunting when going to the toilet at 1 month old.

Yup, you got it. Cole has actually grunted on occasion and it made me think of Jeremy.
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And Then There Was Cole - Update

If you are the one person that reads this blog, then I'm sure you've been on the edge of your seat to see how the breastfeeding thing is going with Cole.

I'm happy to report that we are going well. We had a breakthrough on the weekend (I was about to go see breastfeeding councilors and a lactation consultant this week) and now we are smooth sailing. I used the shields just to give my poor nipples a break, took a bunch of pain killers (the safe ones, nothing major, don't worry) and that seemed to do the trick!! By Monday, I wasn't grimicing and cringing every time I would nurse the boy! Horray! Hip hip!

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The Zoe Chronicles - 2 years old

Dear Zoe,

2 years have passed since you were born and it's been a great ride. You are now a little girl, and a cute one at that. You have such funny expressions, you really do have a great sense of humour. You have funny mannerisms, hilarious actions, and are constantly making us giggle. You make up your own games and think they're a gas. You'll lift up our shirts and tickle us on the back -- you crack up everytime. You'll pretend you're an aligator and "snap" our hands -- you crack up everytime. Somersaults are now a blast and we're just waiting for the day that you launch yourself right off the bed since you don't quite get that you need to be in the middle. You love the train set that Cole got you when he came back from the hospital, and you love your new kitchen. Complete with dishes and utensils... and of course a tea set!

Speaking of Cole, you are a sweet older sister. You are mostly gentle with him, love kissing him on his head and frankly, I think you're wondering why we just don't let you watch him full time. You are always wanting to hold him, carry him, change his nappy, show him toys, and laughing at him. The only downside is that you freak out when we don't let you carry him or change his nappy... you will outstretch your arms to carry him and be all "You can trust me mommy, I can carry him!". Good thing you love your dolls and can swaddle and rock them instead.

You had a blast when Grandma Simpson was in town and I don't think I could count the number of tea parties you two hosted. You were quite fussy when she first arrived, but I think there was just too much going on in your life... new baby in town, those evil molars, mommy AND daddy being at home, and daddy "working" outside... so very many changes. But, luckily you settled and are pleasurable Zoe again.

You are constantly amazing us, like you can see a brand new puzzle and get piece by piece exactly right on the first try. You can take your shoes and socks off, and then put them back on with the straps on the right feet. Your daddy even has a hard time with this so of course this is most impressive.

Happy 2nd birthday Zozo, my baby girl.
(not really a baby anymore)
Love
Mommy and daddy

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And Then There Was Cole - 1 month old

Dear Cole,

You're perfect. One month old and you couldn't be more perfect. You are a great sleeper. You never cry. You are gorgeous. And, of course, you are very clever. You were able to hold your head up the day you were born, and I think you even smile at me. I'm sure you'll be saying "octopus" really soon. We thought we had it good with Zoe, WELL that was NOTHING! Having a toddler makes me realize just how fabulous and EASY newborns are. We had one rough-ish night with you where you were unsettled (but not crying!) and found it hard to fall asleep at night. But, I think it was the Indian food I ate that night, we were probably both gastronimically affected.

One funny quirk is that you HATE getting your nappy changed and HATE being naked. When the wind hits your willy, you scream as though we are pulling your fingernails out with pliers. I made a song dedicated to you...

(the tune is to "That's Amore")
Whhhhennnn thhhe wind hits your willy
Like a big a-breeze so chilly
Thaaaaat's a screamer...

Zoe loves that song and gets me to sing it over and over. I need to come up with more verses.

You (or we) haven't mastered the breastfeeding thing yet... but we're getting there. The midwives in the hospital said that it was because you were born at 37 weeks. I guess that's the tricky age... we're having "attachment" issues. We're getting around it with some shields, but I don't want to use them forever! I tried a week without them and the seering pain has made me revert. I'll be seeing some breast feeding councilors on Monday and if that doesn't help, then off to a lactation consultant again. It was painful with Zoe as well and the lactation consultant said that you were attaching fine, so I just had to wait it out. But, I'm not so sure with you... I'll see what the experts say.

This month has gone by so very quickly and we've all been so busy. Grandma Simpson was here for 3 weeks to help out and have some cuddle time with you. You are a very cuddly baby and like to fall asleep in our arms. My cuddle bug. You were a star, and I know that she enjoyed hanging out with you and being with you.

You're starting to have more awake time, it's about an hour in the morning and a little less in the afternoon. You will go 2 five hour stretches at night, so I'm feeding you at about 12.30am and then 5.30am. I'd like to swing it so that I feed you at 10pm and then 3.30am, but that will take some time I think.

And, we finally have a cot to put you in. Your surprise arrival meant that your nursery was a storage room, but it's totally looking like a nursery now! Daddy built you a wardrobe and bookcase and they're populated with baby boy things, and the cot is set up, complete with bedding and a mobile! It's lucky that your room is the warmest in the house because you DO NOT like being cold (you take after me) but I do find it bizarre that we'll have the house set at 23 degrees and it will be 25 in your room. (For those Perthlings that don't know this, we have ducted gas heating in our house) How does that happen? I don't know. But, we've cooled it down a bit now so that it hovers around 22ish.

Cole, we love you and think that you're swell. Keep up the good work!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy
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The Birth Story

So, it's 1am Monday and my Braxton Hicks contractions start having pain with them. I check my pregnancy book and it pretty much says that if they aren't that painful that it's probably not labour. They weren't too painful, so I try to sleep. 6am and still having them, I call the hospital and they say to come in and they'll monitor the baby.

I get ready for work first (hee hee, must make sure not a hair is out of place), and RJ, Zoe and I head off to the hospital. I actually got really faint and vomitted out the car window. I think I was really nervous and kinda knew what was going to happen deep down that day… They monitor the baby and all is well. Dot dot dot. Then my obstetrician rocks up and says "Guess what Andrea, you're going to have a baby right now!". She said that I was indeed contracting all night and that once nature starts down this path, there's no stopping it. She looks at RJ, points to Zoe and says "You have to arrange something with her NOW". We are very lucky to have such great friends around, and Jules was our lifesaver and took her for the day. It was all very rush rush (so I was getting stressed, I almost forgot to tell work that I wouldn't be in). The doctor kept asking where RJ was and so I had to keep phoning him. First he was just getting out of the parking lot. Then he was on his way home. Then he was turning back into the parking lot… I had to tell him "ohooooo deeeeear, they're wheeeeeeeling me down… hurry up!". But, he made it back in time and our Cole was born via c-section. About 20 minutes later, his breathing was a little laboured (common when born at 37 weeks) and so they whisked him off to neonatal.

3. Weeks. Early. What does this mean? It means the nursery is a storage room. It means that I didn't get my 2 weeks vacation. It means that I didn't have the hospital bag packed. It means that my mom didn't arrive in time for the birth. It means that all our friends were watching Zoe during the day. It means that I didn't finish the quiet book that I was making as a gift. It means that none of the furniture that RJ was building is finished. It's hard for a "planner" like me to have surprises like this. Luckily you are a fabulous surprise. A sweet surprise. A lovable surprise.

The "hotel" stay was quite uneventful. Cole was on the CPAP system for a couple of days (consequently, Regis Philbin also uses CPAP at night for his sleep apnea, I know this because the hospital has awesome TV at 3am and he was on David Letterman). Cole also had an IV for a few days, so we had a slow start to the breastfeeding, but I was expressing and then bottle feeding. I still have my "abundant" supply, or with Zoe, I called it my chocolate milk because she was a little Buddha baby, so Cole will have rolls in no time. Until then, I will enjoy his wee chicken legs, they're so adorable.

Yes, the "Hyatt hotel", as I call the St.John Of God hospital, did not disappoint. The room was lovely, the foxtel cable was GREAT (I got to catch up on my Project Runway, all the Lifestyle decorating shows, Gilmore Girls [yes, daggy] and Sex in the City at all hours of the day). The menus to choose from were great, I had bacon and runny poached eggs every morning. The drugs are fab, but of course "Just say no", right kids? And, babies always sleep so well in the hospital. Oh yes, and they also have room service. Yup, you heard me. It's a hotel. What's not to like???

I had Cole nuzzled on my chest, and I was watching cable TV in bed, after dining on my sushi:
RJ: "Oh dear, you like it here, don't you".
Me: "Mmmm, I could do this again". ***
RJ: "It's just cheaper to get Foxtel".





*** Disclaimer: We won't be doing this again, did I mention the fab drugs? Makes you think you can have 8 kids and they'll all be angel sleepers and easy easy easy.
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Beetroot? Who'da guessed?

So, pregnancy can bring upon some strange things (previous pregnancy I was unable to bake) but this one is proving to be the "food is divine" pregnancy.

I could not stand beetroot growing up. The smell of it, the taste of it, the look of it. Frankly, I couldn't understand how my whole family could love it. Well, we were at a cafe a few months back and I ordered an "Aussie burger". Complete with beetroot. I was about to peel it off and give it to Aunt Ona, but then I was all "Hey, I find food DIVINE, maybe I'll give it another shot". Well, that's when our sordid relationship began. Now I cannot get enough beetroot. I love the pink and pickly stuff.

A couple days ago, I was at a catered lunch meeting, and the only possible "pregnancy friendly" option was a tuna salad. I could not stand tuna growing up. The smell of it, the taste of it, the look of it. This salad was delicious! I've even go as far as to say divine.

Things I'll have to try in the next month:
* cheesecake (yes, normally my reaction would be to gag and run in the opposite direction)
* liver and onions (a favourite of my grandmother's)
* pickled brains
* haggis
* deep fried monkey toes
* seal flipper pie

Bon Appetit!
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The Zoe Chronicles - Little Miss 23 Month Old

Dear Zoe,

Well, you've been a cranky cat. We had the hardest day ever with you a week ago, and luckily your Daddy wouldn't let me sell you on ebay. Lots has been going on, you started daycare for Mondays and still haven't really settled in, then you had a nasty cold (and so did I), and then we tried to potty train you. So, I think it was just a little too much. You started waking at night, and then wanting to start your day at 5am, so that threw us.

The potty training:
So, everyone kept telling me that you were ready and that it's time to start potty training you. Frankly, I would have waited until you were 11, I'm not in any rush to go through it, I think nappies are easy and convenient! But, you were indicating that you were ready, so we gave it a shot. We were following a comprehensive 7 step program that seemed so promising -- here's the link if you're interested:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Potty-Train-a-Child_2/

We bought your "big girl" underwear and you were so very excited! The very first day of training, you indicated you had to go, we went to the potty and you had a poo!! We did the happy dance and thought "Good gravy, this is a brilliant child". Then, for 3 days, we had one more success. Have you ANY IDEA how many accidents this means? Poor Daddy. We gave up. We'll try again when you're 11.

The day we went back to nappies was such a happy day. Imagine the family frolicking in fields of green, with flowers around and laughter abound... that's what it was like. And, a 3 hour nap to boot. I think you were relieved to get back into nappies.

This cranky cat time was when your maniacal laugh has surfaced. You'd be crying over something, we'd mention something that may make you happy, and you'd do this maniacal laugh. It was quite scary at first, but now we think it's funny.

You love to eat holes in your bread. It's quite a skill.

And, one time, your daddy was pretending to feed Mommy and wouldn't give you any. You chucked a wobbly. So, in addition to being impatient with REAL FOOD, you're impatient with PRETEND FOOD.

Happy to report that we're back on schedule though. You're sleeping well again, and happy happy. Let's enjoy the 24th month, shall we? Frolicking in fields of green is good.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy
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This is a true story

So, RJ just finished a load of laundry where he washed whites, colors, AND BLACKS. And, this isn't the first time... He has previously had an episode where some blacks accidentally got mixed in with our white towels and now they're all grey with black blotches on them. I thought he learned his lesson!

I always joke about how it takes RJ 6 times before he learns any lessons (normal people and dogs is only 2) but COME ON. We're no longer D.I.N.K.s (dual income no kids). We cannot afford to keep replacing this stuff.

I'm sure you're thinking what I'm thinking. Surely murder is legal in cases of wrecked-too-many-of-my-wifes-things-whilst-putting-blacks-in-with-nice-whites. Surely.
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Pregnancy update

Well, it sure has been a while since I've given an update... I can hardly get my monthly letters out to Zoe let alone blog about other things going on in my life!

I'm close to 8 months now, and the clock is ticking. You wouldn't know this by the state of our affairs as we haven't started on the nursery yet! This is so unlike me. I don't have my hospital bag packed. This is so unlike me. Time is zooming by and my energy levels are still not up to scruff. I'm convinced it's because I'm having a boy. I had loads of energy in my first pregnancy, but this one, thinking of doing things is too tiring. Other moms have confirmed that boys tend to suck a lot more out of you...

This is a rundown of how it's been going:
* lots of heartburn -- I have extra strength antacid
* pelvic pain still, so I am an even slower walker then the grey hairs that shop at my local grocery store
* going to the dentist was the most painful thing I've experienced! DO NOT GO if you are pregnant, even if your evil pregnancy book advises you to go. There was more blood than in a Quentin Tarentino movie. Ouch.
* energy levels are low low low -- I have Mondays off (using up the last of my vacation days) and basically I'm catching up on a lot of nothing
* the headaches and migraines are there, but at least they are not brought on by citrus (a former trigger). I have been taking advantage of this and consuming COPIOUS amounts of mandarins.
* food is DIVINE. Anything I eat is the most amazing anything that I just ate. This is great for RJ's ego since he cooks all the family meals! He's two creme brulees away from thinking he's a master chef.
* I have a bladder the size of a walnut, but at least I still don't have to get up at night. I go a million times a day but I still get to make it through the night!
* I don't have gestational diabetes this time... but this also means that I have afforded myself the luxury of eating things that were forbidden to me... there was a time where a cherry strudel and I had a torrid affair.

RJ has started to build the nursery furniture, so hopefully all goes to plan and Maxwell the 2nd doesn't decide to join this wacky world any earlier than expected! He's building a bookcase, a wardrobe and a toybox. We'll paint it all white and have a navy blue and white themed nursery. Although, it's pretty hard (ok, impossible) to find anything navy blue in this city! Ahhhhh I miss my conglomerate sized stores back home. Where you can find anything you're looking for, and cheaper than a second hand book.

I'm going to get back to my doing-nothing, so hope all is well with you!
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The Zoe Chronicles - Honorable mention

Dear Zoe,

I forgot to mention...

You love frozen food. Yes, that's right, eating it frozen. Now this was a little idiosyncrosy that Daddy had to get used to with Mommy as it seems that the Simpson family likes to eat frozen foods. So, in addition to the curly hair, sweaty hands and feet, and fuzzy hair all over your body, I have passed another not-so-favourite trait of mine to you.

Frozen pancakes.
Frozen peas.
Frozen carrots.
Ice.

Yes, ice. If your evil parents would let you, all you'd eat all day is ice. We've now succumbed to lying to you. Freezer is broken. We don't have any ice. All the frozen peas are gone. You point to the freezer and make the "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" action (hands shaking uncontrolably).

So, we've had to ration fruit (one per day at morning tea only), now we have to ration frozen foods (frozen peas at afternoon tea)..... as one dinner all you would eat was ice.

Frozen pancakes are delicious though,
Love,
Mommy

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The Zoe Chronicles - 22 months old

Dear Zoe,

Late again for your 22month post, well, all I can say is that this pregnancy is slowing me down!

You're maternal side continues, you love feeding your babies (Steve and Ruby) and changing their nappies. You'll sniff them to see if they need a change, go to your room and put them on the change table (or lay down a towel for them on the ground), get out a single wipe and then change their nappy. You're very thorough and very good at it. It's quite impressive, young one.

Your musical side is developing. You LOVE your music. We can't be in the car without your music playing, and frankly, this is starting to "affect" me because I wake up with your songs in my head. In the car, you'll grab the CD case, unzipper it, grab your Silly Songs CD, turn the stereo on, take Mommy's CD out, put yours in and skip to the songs you like. Itsy Bitsy Spider is your favourite. And, you do the actions. You have a "Zoe" CD that makes you giggle every time you hear your name in the song -- I especially like one intro that says "Hey Zoe, have you heard the song about the rubbish shepherd girl? She couldn't keep track of any of her sheep"… that one makes me giggle every time. There was a point where you were carrying this Silly Songs CD around everywhere you went. You also cried and cried one night when your evil parents wouldn't let you sleep with it.

You've discovered that you love bubble baths and you try to swim in our oversized tub now. You're very good at letting us wash your hair, you tip your head back and wait patiently for us to wash and rinse. Repeat.

We're going to start you in daycare on Mondays -- and our "practice" runs have not gone well. Pretty much the second we/Daddy leaves, you'll cry and continue for quite some time (basically until we get back). But, Daddy is building all the furniture for Maxwell the 2nd on Mondays, so there you have it. Hopefully you'll adjust. At least we found a fabulous daycare in the area…
Now, this has nothing to do with you being 22 months, but I'm going to rant about the daycares that we were checking into. It's funny how you can get a "feeling" about a place, and all of them (except the one that you're going to be partying at) were big NOs. They post their menus for each daycare, as they serve morning tea, lunch, and then afternoon tea. Now WHY I ask would a daycare for little tiny people serve crap food??? What's the point? Chocolate custard, fairy bread (for the non-Aussie folks, that's white bread caked with butter and covered with colored sugar balls), cake, cookies, etc. Kids don't really care what they eat, so why not serve them nutritious foods??? Fruit, cheese, crackers, how hard is that? They'll eat if they're hungry.

Rant over.

Zoe, we love you and love hanging out with you. You are very affectionate and will give kisses whenever we ask now. You'll even give us kisses if we don't ask… those are my favourite.

Keep up the good work!
Love
Mommy and Daddy
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The Zoe Chronicles - 21 months old

Dear Zoe,

Well, well, well. 21 months old (this post is LONG overdue!). You had your great-aunty Ona pop in for a nice visit and although you were a little clingy to us at the beginning, you certainly warmed up and became little buddies with her after about a week. You were quite the Perth tourist, buzzing around town to the Swan Valley, Rotto, Margaret River, the aquarium, and always your favourite, bird chasing at any park.

You've been sleeping oodles lately, which is great for RJ. We bought you a pillow and a new quilt (this is so that we can trade on wash day with the quilt that Auntie Kari made for you) and since we've turned your cot into more of a "bed" you've been doing 3 hour naps. 3 HOURS DUDE. That's awesome. One day was 3 and a half hours. You love love love your pillow. You giggle when you see it.

Funny things you do:
* Hopping/jumping (you don't get much air)
* Running fast (you bolt every time you're naked)
* Summersaults
* Pretend to sleep and you pretend to snore!
* You go through a little bit of "berzerko" baby after dinner, you are just wired. We joke that we have to stop feeding you goofballs. You literally tried to climb a wall once. We laughed.

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You love order -- if you see my closet door is open, you'll close it. You'll close open cabinets, you'll close open drawers, if we're playing under the covers, and we're finished, you'll "make" the bed. You'll put your books away, you'll arrange your shoes in a pleasing line, and you've even tried to pluck a leaf off Pasha's fur (just like your dad would try). It brings tears to my eyes. Tears of shear hilariousness.

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You have tapped into your maternal side (which is good because I'll need all the help I can get in a couple of months) and you will now point things out in books to Sir Bear. You'll get Sir Bear to scratch the rough cat's tongue, you'll point out interesting things on the page to Sir Bear. You'll tuck Sir Bear under the covers, and kiss and hold him tight.

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Ok, funny girl, you rock our world and we can only hope that the arrival of Maxwell the 2nd won't upset your perfect orderly organized world... too much.

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Love you oodles,
Mommy and Daddy

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The Zoe Chronicles - 20 months old

Dear Zoe,

Well, we now call you "trouble with a little tiny tee". This is because you AREN'T trouble at all. Your idea of trouble is to eat dog food. And only 3 times. You've grabbed a couple of pieces, tried them, then ran to me to give them to me. So, you don't even hide it. We have these two huge potted plants with rocks on the top and you'll grab a couple of the rocks, then run to me to give them to me. That's it. That's the extent of your trouble. If you play in a drawer, you'll put the stuff back (where it goes too!). You won't dive into your toy baskets to see how far the stuff will spread, you'll intently grab what you want to play with, and then play with it. In honour of your cousin, Tadhg, we also call you Zoe Danger Jacobsen. Because, again, you AREN'T dangerous. You're very cautious with everything you do, and very safe.

You're into mimicing, and it makes you look like a little adult. You will grab a napkin after dinner and wipe your face and hands. You'll sneeze and look for a flannel blanket to blow/rub your nose. You love putting your own shoes on (and can do it with ease now!) and you love trying on everyone else's shoes. Especially my heels.

You're also into pretending. Pretending to be Pasha is hilarious. You'll crawl under the table panting like she would. And, Pasha sneezed once, so now when ever you pretend to be a dog, you'll pretend sneeze. You'll pretend to eat, and this is especially funny when you pretend to eat at the dinner table with your real food in front of you! You'll grab the imaginary food from your hand, put in in your mouth and then chew away. And, you like to pretend to drive too. You love sitting in the front seat of (any) the car and push all the buttons and say vroooooom.

You don't have the most words yet, but you have a sign or a sound for everything.
"Giraffe" is licking your lips
"Penguin" is rocking back and forth while clicking your tongue
"Dog" is panting
"Drink" is smacking your lips
"Car" is vroooooooom
"More" is putting fingers together (like, GIVE ME MORE DUDE)
"All done" is jazz hands (and you made that up yourself)
"Feed me" is you'll stick your finger on your tongue
You'll pinch your nose for "skunk"
And, you can do a cow, elephant, pig, and you always kiss a kitty picture if you see one.

You love drawing with crayons on paper, the sidewalk chalk, or the bathtime crayons. You have a lot of control, so I know you'll be artistic like your daddy. You even wrote "Zoe" one time. No kidding.

You're still a great sleeper and eater, I don't know if I'll ever have to mention it again because with you, it's just a given. You have a 2 hour nap each afternoon, and then sleep from 7pm until 7am. No dramas.

We love you little lady,
Big hugs,
Mommy and Daddy
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Happy Easter

Hey, not too much to report here... so you may want to watch tv whilst you read this post, it could be boring.

Just wanted to say Happy Easter and hope everyone has a nice long weekend. We don't have too too much going on -- and since it's a 4 day long weekend, should feel like a great break. We'll be heading down to Mandurah (an hour south of us) to Lynn and Jer's for a great Easter meal, and since we'll be leaving Pasha behind, I think there will be a good chance that the ham and bird make it to the table. Last year we were at their place for Easter and were horrified at how many times Pasha would sneakily slyly and quietly jump up and start eating the meat from the counter. I'm glad we've been invited back.

This pregnancy seems to be much harder on me than the first. I had a million symptoms with Zoe, but they all seemed mild, so was easy to manage. But, this time, early in my pregnancy (I'm 5 months now, but started falling apart at 4 months) I started having the heartburn, some insomnia, a leg/pelvic pain that makes it painful to walk, and tired tired tired. My energy has definitely improved, but I am still going to bed at 7pm a couple times a week.

But, the baby is kicking and wriggling, but just a little bit. Maxwell the 2nd is a very mellow baby!! Zoe was a S.Q.U.I.R.M. and would kick like she had ten legs all day, from 7am to 9pm. Luckily she must have been STTN (sleeping through the night) even in my womb, because she would never keep me awake at night. Even when we go for our ultrasound scans, Maxwell the 2nd is just chillaxing and I think I even saw him reading a newspaper. I could be wrong, I'm not a sonographer. Although Zoe is the best baby ever, she's still a squirmy thing. Even when she's having a bottle at night, she's not still and calm and just enjoying the quiet time. Nope, she's a wriggling and dancing. So, I'm hoping that our little boy will be able to appreciate some chill time and cuddle time! I would love a cuddly baby. I have heard that boys are more cuddly than girls, so that's something to look forward to! My friend Nadia's baby boy, Giacomo, is the SMILIEST HAPPIEST baby that can enjoy a good relaxing. Fingers crossed that I've got a wee Giacomo brewing in the belly. I keep hearing from 2nd time moms (like my sister, my mom, some friends, etc) that I need to LOOK OUT. That I'm IN FOR IT with baby number 2. My mom said that I was Trouble, but frankly, I don't believe her. My baby brother was the troublemaker. How could she forget???

Have a great weekend everyone, and happy Chocolate Season! (as Kari, my sister-in-law calls it)

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Maxwell the 2nd - And a belly slam too!

These are the first of the belly shots. I nicknamed my first bump Max, so now this one is Maxwell the 2nd. I could have sworn that my 18 week belly was the size of my former pregnancy's 6 month belly -- but I either had delusions of grandeur, or I'm surrounded by weeny tiny first time pregnant moms with their weeny tiny "oh-I'm-SOOO-big" bellies. I've compared it to my first pregnancy, and although I'm a smidge bigger than last time round, it's not a substantial difference. As RJ was taking the belly shots, Zoe insisted on pulling up her top for belly slams. Ok, I can't stand it, she's adorable. Then she started slapping my belly. Then she kissed it. I LOVE THIS GIRL. I'm hoping my little boy is just as amazing. I'm sure he will be.

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The heartburn has already kicked in.

My ribcage pain is surfacing.

I'm in for it.

In other news, we're off camping again this weekend. We're addicted!!! There's a nice camp ground down south by a coastal town called Busselton. It's about a 2.5 hour drive, but the campsite is so close to the beach, has clean bathrooms, and even a playground. Perfection. We can even bring our dog. We're not. But we could. We stuff a portacot and a double air mattress into a small tent, there's just no room for a dog the size of Big Bird. Sorry Pasha. Paws Claws and Beaks for you! (that's the kennel, I mean, hotel, she stays at for the weekend)

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How the #&BLEEP@* did he get in??

So, I was out for dinner with the girls last night. On the ride home, I had a terrifying experience. Not "someone's-in-my-house-with-a-hook-for-a-hand" terrifying, or "watching-the-ground-split-and-my-family's-on-the-other-side" terrifying. More like "first-ever-interview-for-a-really-important-job" terrifying. I was driving home late at night, when in the back window, I saw a tarantula!!! I didn't know if he was inside the car or outside, but I was thoroughly freaked. I kept telling myself "ok, he's outside, I was parked under a tree, he's just catching a lift across town". When I got home (in record time, luckily no speed traps on the way) I raced inside and got my manly brave husband to "take care of" our friend. Turns out he was indeed in the car. A huntsman spider. My first encounter. Now, huntsman spiders are not dangerous, but I live in a country with the most deadly spiders on Earth. He could have been a martial arts expert. Sporting a gun. Maybe an expert swordsman. I was wired when I got home. I mean, how did the scary beast even get in my car???? I even made RJ check the door to make sure it was locked. Otherwise, he could have slicked his way into our house!



Spider: Knock. Knock.

Me: Who is it?

Spider: Candygram.

Me: Candygram? For who?

Spider: Um, Flowers, ma'am.

Me: Hey, you're that clever spider. Go away!

Spider: Plumber.

Me: Better scram before I call the police. You're a spider that wants to eat me, I'm not letting you in.

Spider: I'm just a ladybug ma'am.

Me: Oh, well, ok then. Come on in.





Disclaimer:

The above skit is a rip-off from Saturday Night Live about a clever land shark. If you'd like to see it, goto http://www.spike.com/video/land-shark/2802070

A New Thing For Me

So, we were lucky enough to go to Coldplay on Friday night. We were originally going to babysit for a couple that were going, however, their 5 month old decided that mom and dad having a fun night out was just not alright. So, they sold us their tickets.

It's my favourite band, so I was jazzed.

But, this is a new thing for me -- I was thoroughly enjoying the concert, when, in the middle of it, I just couldn't wait. I had to go to the bathroom. Now, if you know me, you know that I have a bladder of steel. I don't leave the house to go on a vacation and have to stop 10 minutes later to check out the local gas station loo. I can go out to a movie and not have to see the scratched-graffiti-and-germ-infested washroom. When I was pregnant with Zoe, I didn't have to wake up once, twice, or omigod, three times to pee at night. Nope, nada, I was blissfully sleeping the night through. Me and my wonderful bladder. But, this was annoying -- I had to go in the middle of a 3 hour concert! What up? Very bizarre. Luckily it was a song I didn't recognize and so I didn't miss a thing. I haven't had to wake up in the middle of the night yet with this second pregnancy, but now I have a glimpse of fear. I've been STTN (sleeping through the night) now for over 10 months, I don't wanna go! I don't wanna go! A friend of mine, that is due a week apart from me, tells me how she'll get up about 3 times per night. Oh the horror! Come on, bladder, don't fail me... I'll be sleep deprived enough after baby #2 arrives... be kind. Be kind.
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The Zoe Chronicles - 1.5 years old

Dear Zoe,

You're practically a lady. You're so grown up now! I'm still amazed on a daily basis at the things you can do, have I ever mentioned you are a baby genius? You are so smart, and you are such a funny girl. You are our daily dinner entertainment, frankly our lives were B.O.R.I.N.G before we had you. Your dad and I would just sit around and just stare at each other blankly, but NOW we have YOU! You will wave your fork in your mouth. You like to "cheers" us. You'll giggle and show us your mouth of food. You'll stuff copious amounts of food in your mouth despite our pleading not too. Then, you'll clean your face and the tray, and the floor. You rock. We LOVE our little anal retentive baby. A chip off the ol' block you are. (notice I'm not mentioning which block)

We just went down south camping with Pete and Linda and you were a star! You were unsure of them at first, but hopefully they didn't take it personally. You are shy with everyone now! Even the moms in the mothers group that you have known and seen weekly your whole life! But, by the end of the trip, you and Linda were best mates. You were even opting to hold HER hand rather than mine. I understand though. Linda is F.U.N. There was even a loud wedding on the night that we were camping, and the horrible 80's music was blaring until 1am, and although you tossed and turned, you never woke up. This is so admirable, frankly, I think you're a super hero. The whole campground was awake except for you. Zoe the Wonder Babe. Zoe the Amazing (ok, that's more magician than super hero). Zoe the One Who Sleeps Through Crap 80s Music. I can see Universal picking up the movie rights already.

You and daddy are enjoying your time together. You are still having a 2 hour nap around lunchtime, but you guys manage to get out lots before and after. The library is a frequent visit, and you'll have read all the books by the time I'm on my mat leave again! You go to the beach, go for bike rides, play in parks, catch up with the other moms and babes, and daddy even takes you shopping here and there! I know he's loving his time with you, and we're lucky that we could swing this arrangement!

Things you love to do:

* dancing whenever you hear music

* lug Wolfie around wherever you go

* taking your shoes off (and then trying to chew on them when we're not looking)

* SAND! can't get enough of the sand and the ocean

* keys with the window locks

* puzzles! and, by god, you can DO them all!

* cleaning (ahhhh, that's my girl!) -- you even put the toys away at the library after all the other babies went home!

* patronize Pasha. you love following her around to give hugs and kisses.

* running to mommy and daddy. this makes you giggle all the time.

Love you Squirm. You'll be such a great influence on Maxwell the 2nd. You'll be such a great older sister, hopefully you will enjoy that too.

Hugugugugug,

Mommy and Daddy

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