News Update

I was just having a cup of tea and reading back through my blogs and realised that I have misinformed you all who read this. I never actually gave up work, despite thinking that I had to. My mum's friend came to my rescue. After Mum telling her my dilemma with Angus, she offered to look after him on the day I needed to work. So we went away on holidays and then when we returned, she started looking after him. I only did a short day for a couple of weeks until we knew he was OK, then I started back to almost a full day. So I was able to keep my job which I was really happy about, whilst knowing that Angus was getting looked after. As far as I can tell, Helen loves to walk, so pretty much while I'm at work, they just go off walking together. She walks to the cafe for a coffee, then on to the shops for a look around, then back home. I usually come back to them playing on the lounge floor, so I know Angus is quite content. Once he starts crawling and getting more adventurous, it may be a different story, but that's when I'll look into more formal childcare options for him. It's just been great to be able to keep just my one day per week and feel happy about the boys. It's so difficult for women to find a balance. I have friends who are in the full range of situations - from working full time with their kids in full-time care, to full-time stay at home mums, to some who are working 3 days a week. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the kids at all, as each family makes their own situation work for them, but for each of my friends it seems to be such a personal dilemma. In my opinion, it's part of today's society. Females are educated, often have a career prior to family and although you can have kids and maintain that career, it becomes a real juggling act and that takes commitment and a lot of personal belief that you are doing the right thing. This seems to be what me and my friends seem to have the most trouble with. Believing that the choice we have each made, is the right one, especially for our own kids and family. Hmmmm, who knows?

Anyway, we have had a wonderful day today taking the boys to the zoo. OK, Angus didn't really get it, but he was fascinated with the people and the birds and stuff, so that's nice and Tom had a lot of fun. We met our friends, Kylie and Lou (or Glue, as Thomas calls him - hee, hee) and their son Ryan, who is the same age as Tom. It was just a really nice day. The weather was beautiful, the company splendid, the zoo is a really nice place with lovely settings for the animals and it was just an easy activity to do with the kids and also have a chance to chat and spend some time together. I loved it. I love summer. Tomorrow we are going to head to the beach - bring it on!

Meeerrrrrry Christmas!

First of all to all my overseas friends, a very merry Christmas. Most of your Christmas cards are still sitting here on my dining table. However, I am definitely still going to send them because I'm writing news and stuff in them, so it's more than just a merry Christmas wish. I am sorry though that I didn't get them to you on time. The others, may not be there yet either. I did send them prior to Christmas, but maybe not early enough........ I was thinking of you all though.
I have some lovely photos to post but I won't inundate you all right now. Jim thinks that this blog is all about the boys - well, I suppose it is, but this year has pretty much been all about the boys and all of you that are mothers to young ones, or have been, would agree with me that, it's a pretty normal thing at this stage I think. The dancing video that was on a couple of blogs ago was from our holiday up north. We had such a lovely time. Then we came back to a very busy time, with a hectic December all leading up to yesterday. Christmas was a great day with a very excited toddler and a pretty happy baby. Angus was most pleased though about having Daddy around, an extra toy or two was just a bonus.
We just had a funny moment tonight: Tom was in bed and yelled out for Jim (subsequently waking Angus), so Jim went down there all stern and told him to stop yelling out and go to sleep. He said, "Sorry Daddy, but I want Mummy." Jim's like, "so why are you yelling out for me? Go to sleep and stop waking Angus", and as Jim turned to leave the room, Tom gets his toy monkey and starts waving it's hand at Jim as if to say bye-bye. He's so cheeky, many times I have to bite my cheeks to stop myself laughing.
This photo is from the Wiggles concert we went to in December. These are my close friends' kids that we went with. The kids had such a great time, they were dancing and singing, and really getting into it. Pretty cool. See that torch (flashlight) that Tom's holding - cost an absolute fortune! That's how they become Australia's most highly paid entertainers, sing and dance and wiggle around and then fleece the parents for a balloon and a torch. They are smart businessman, that's for sure; but considering I had an 1.5hr drive home with an overtired toddler and a grumpy baby, I bent to the pressure and bought the torch - Jim was not impressed.
Well that's it for today, another year nearly over, and it's been a year to remember for us with lots of changes to get used to. I look forward to trying to keep in contact with everyone regularly again. I'm not very good at it but I'm going to try. Hopefully I will have some more interesting news for you all as well.
Go with the flow........

So little time, so much to write

Here's some photos to keep your interest up, because you must be getting sick of checking and seeing the same old stuff. I just never have time to write these days. I will, I promise, soon.........Angus is sitting up (as you can see), has two teeth, saying Dad, dad (of course, it's never Mum, Mum!), crawling - but only going backwards - and just started waving. Don't they grow up so fast..........

A chip off the old block

Thomas shows he has got what it takes when it comes
to bustin' some moves. He seems quite pleased with
the attention he receives from the passers by!


Well believe it or not it is the right way up on my
computer but came through sideways on this blog.
So turn your head side on and get over it.
From Jim.