My Blog Photo

Just realised that my blog photo must be 3 1/2 years old, considering Angus is almost 4!  And there is a new member of the family.  Another New Years Resolution: update Blog photo!

My Three Sons and Christmas has Been and Gone!!

I started writing this blog a month ago, hmmmmm.  I've included the section I started writing to prove it, but instead of 4 weeks, Harry turns 8 weeks tomorrow and we have just celebrated Christmas.
Here we go:
I'm sitting here feeding Harry, my almost 4 week old. I'm completely addicted to my smartphone; being able to sit here and play on Facebook, check my emails or do a bit of online shopping or write on my blog while breastfeeding makes the time pass so much quicker, and I had forgotten how much time you spend on the couch! The past 12 weeks (can't believe that much time has passed) have been choc-a-block. It started with unpacking boxes, on to OB appointments, through to getting Tom settled into school (one of the hardest things),then to getting Angus settled into Daycare, followed by getting the nursery set up: on and on it goes. As I said to my OB, the pregnancy was the easiest part of the move! Then on the 1/11/11 I was induced to have my beautiful baby boy, Harry James. 4 hours labour and some profanities on my part, Harry came out, I swear he smiled at me. He was 9lb 12oz and very calm and content. Just perfect. I've had the typical roller coaster over the past few months, talk about really testing my "Go with the Flow" mantra!

That was it, that was as far as I got with it, mind you I was trying to type it on my phone, which just got too tedious.  All my family came over for Christmas which was wonderful.  The boys love their 'big' cousins and it definitely made Christmas feel more so having people here.  I think I would have felt very sad and distant if they hadn't come over.  Mum, Dad and Carolyn came from Melbourne, and Sue, Pete and the kids have come from Dubai.  The boys got a Trampoline from Santa and some Super Soakers, so we have had a lot of outdoors fun with our family.  My boys thought soaking their 14 y.o. cousin was hilarious and they stared in amazement at Lucy and Zoe as they did flips etc. on the tramp.  Big kids are sooo amazing!
We have had amazing weather and Harry is an absolute champion so I'm feeling good about the looming New Year.  I have some great photos to post but I haven't downloaded them from my phone so that will be next week/month/year.....we'll see.
My two New Years Resolutions are to post once a month on my blog to really make an effort to document our time in Perth and my second is to learn to cook on the Bar-B-Que more. Yeah, I know I'm setting the bar high! Ha.   But with having a new baby, I'm trying to keep things pretty straightforward.  Jim is king of the Barbie (that's Grill for my US friends) in our house but I'm chief cook, so I want to try some more recipes and seeing as the weather here is awesome 90% of the time and the barbie is just out on the deck, I want to see if I can expand my cooking repertoire.
Oh and I've promised the boys to go and see Happy Feet 2 and the Chipmunks in school holidays: Fun, fun!
Oh, and I would like to get back into running, but I'm not sure when I can get that happening.  I'll start with some Yoga and walking the dog and see how I'm feeling around Feb or March.  There is a fun run in August that I would love to do, but I'll have to see.  Jim has picked up the running baton since April (when I stopped) and he has gotten really into it.  Unfortunately we won't be able to go on regular runs together, but if we both get into a regular habit, then maybe we might organise a sitter and do this fun run together.  That would be cool.

The New Year is going to be one of many changes for us, but also of many new opportunities and that's always a good thing.  Tom is going into Year 1 and Angus is starting Kindergarten.  I'm not working for 12 months (at this stage), so I'm going back to being a mum of 1 for two days a week (while Angus is at Kinder) and have to organise stuff around school holidays.  That's a new one for us. 
I remember when having one baby was such a BIG deal.  I"m certainly not teasing my friends who are new mums, because when you are doing it for the first time, it really is a big deal. But when I think of being home with just Harry during the day, it's going to feel like a day off!  Now the negotiation on the weekend goes like this, "Well Jim, I'll take Harry if you have the boys to do jobs A, B and C."  It's just so, so different to how things used to be.

I hope my Christmas cards made it this year, every year I hope to get one to you all, just to stay in touch and let you know I'm thinking of you all over the world.  And although I didn't get to include a letter or much extra words about what we've been up to, I think I got them all posted.  Even if it didn't get there, we were thinking of you all and hope you are well and your families are safe.  My next post will definitely be in 2012, so Happy New Year to all my wonderful friends.  Who knows what the next one will hold, this time last year I never would have imagined that I'd been sitting in Perth with three sons and have been through every thing we have.  That's why I just gotta........go with the flow.  xxooxxxooxxoo

Go West Young Man

I was actually surprised to see how many people still log on to this blog to check it out.  Apologies to Caroline in Virginia Beach and Caroline in Leicester for not updating more often, you've been checking and I haven't been writing.
For those who do log on and don't know, Jim has been given (or earned??) a job in Perth.  We move around Sept 1.  From what I've heard, Perth is a beautiful, family friendly city on the other side of the country to all of our family and friends where I know nobody and know nothing about it other than the sun shines more than here.  I'm sorry if I sound cynical or jaded, I'm suffering from Movers Fatigue.  This is the longest that we have lived in one place since Jim started working and to be so close to all of our family, has been such a fortunate thing.  But no matter how often I count my blessings, the fact that we have to leave is, well, distracting me.  There are many positives regarding the move, but it's certainly not going to be easy.  8 weeks after we arrive I'm due to have my baby.  Tom starts school in the New Year and Angus will be starting Kinder for the first time (although he has attended Daycare).  So lots of changes and 'firsts' and no network whatsoever.  I do not know one person that lives in Perth.  Weeellll, I have met one, and she's lovely and welcoming, but I don't know her well, and she's lived in Perth for a while so has a circle of friends. 
I'm not whingeing (well, I am), but as I said, it's just another move and this is my 8th since Uni.  So I've been there before, done it all and I know in 6-8 months it will be fine, but starting out is always sooooo hard.  I have never regretted a move, every one has produced some awesome life moments and memories and everywhere I've lived has given me 1 or 2 or 3 lifelong friends.  So I don't imagine Perth will be so different, but for every new city and new opportunity, I have to leave one behind.  And after being here for over 4 years, I have some absolutely beautiful friends, with gorgeous children, who appreciate champagne as much as I do and once again, I have built up a great network that I have to leave.  A few more tears will be shed, photos taken and friendships promised, but I'm just sick of always the one to be doing the leaving.
It's time's like these that I think of the new starts I've already had:
Peoria: Chelsea inviting me to a Bunco night (exactly - for everyone who doesn't live/lived in the midwest, what the hell is Bunco?)  A group of girls playing a board game while drinking wine or cocktails as the volume got louder and louder and the laughter heartier and heartier.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into and they ended up being my lifesavers.  Those nights in the early days, were the only things I had to look forward to and they were so much fun.  A fantastic group of girls who knew how important it was to have time out from the day to day.
The other favourite Peoria memory was first meeting Kristen and Shelly at IVS Running Club.  Shyly saying Hi to Shelly after seeing her twice a week for about 6 weeks and slowly building up conversation.  Meeting Kristen and giving her my phone number in case she ever wanted to catch up for a coffee or a running buddy.  I felt like I was asking her on a date!  I was so bloody nervous she wouldn't like me.  These girls ended up being some of my closest friends and I still miss them dearly.
Naperville: Going to a 'Newcomers Club' meeting against my better judgement and not really liking anyone but finding Jane and Sue.  We all had baby's around the same age and were all very like minded.  Once again, those girls and our catch ups and play dates were so important to me, saying goodbye 6 months later was so hard.  And trying to tell these people how important they had become to me and putting into words how much I was going to miss them just never comes out right.  And although I've had plenty of practice, I have to do it all again and I know I'm still not going to get it right.  It just never gets easier.
I don't want to discount all the other friends I made while in these places, many a 'Cat' friend have remained friends and are very important to me and I know a few of you check in here, so Kylie, Bev, Caroline's (all 3 of you - Leicester, Belgium and VA(not a Cat wife)), you have all been very important parts of my different chapters, there is just too many to mention.
So my next post will probably be from Perth.  We only have about 4 weeks until we move and it's getting rather hectic.  To all my friends near and far, I want you to know that every chapter you have been a part of has been very important to me because the places come and go but the friends always remain.  I love my emails, even if they are few and far between ( I completely understand the concept of busy these days), I love the facebook catch ups and I love the photos, especially of all our growing families.
Will fill you in on all the new stories I will be experiencing as they happen, and I will try my hardest to go with the flow, but at the moment, I just want to lower that anchor.
And just to finish off, the obligatory photo of the boys with my cousin Chree, who visited from Brissie the other day.  We had a ball.

Indian Summer

I don't mean to bore anyone with the weather but we have just had the most magical day here today.  Our weather had already changed, we thought our Autumn days were over and we were ready to hunker down for winter, then Thursday was OK and Friday even better.  We went for a bike ride to the park, played outside with Reggie, then met friends at a different park and rode scooters and played until dark.  We had quite a few rainy days and cold days, that I was making the most of this one.  We played so long we had to grab fish and chips on the way home because mummy was caught out completely unprepared for dinner.  Too much fun in the sun!  Then there was today.  WOW!  The morning was cool, quite fresh and because we are on the coast, there was a bit of cloud around.  But the sun was shining so I just wasn't sure which way the day would go.  And then it just got warmer and warmer, the boys were outside playing, I had windows open.  We had a barbie outside for lunch and there was much scooter riding until almost dark again.  This time though Daddy was home, so Mummy could get some dinner organised!  It was just wonderful and it's going to end, the rain and cold weather hits tomorrow, but at the end of May to get a day as magical as today, is definitely worth remembering.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh

School Holidays

Tom has just completed Term 1 of 4 y.o. kinder or 'Preschool'.  He was attending 4 half-days a week and it made for a very busy time.  But he loved it and really blossomed over the term.  We've also being doing swimming lessons and Angus and I go to Music class one morning a week.  Angus was really lost without his big brother for the first few weeks, but he's really coming into his own also.
Summer finished, and it was kind of a disappointing one.  I don't feel like we got down to the beach as much as we're used to, but we still enjoyed plenty of barbeques and time at the park and riding our bikes.
We have entered 'birthday month' at the Callahan household.  We now have a 5 y.o. and will soon have a 3 y.o. too.  So as everyone says, time flies and before you know it, the kids are at school and then moving out.  My aim for this year is to enjoy time as much as possible before we are more restricted by school timetables.

We just had a small celebration for Tom this year as he had a big party last year.  So both lots of grandparents and Aunty Caz (my sister) and Uncle Mick (one of Jim's brothers) came for afternoon tea and Tom had, "the best day ever!"  It was a lovely afternoon with the kids just really enjoying time with the Grandmas, Pa and Grandad. Then Tom had his 3 best friends over after kinder for a play on his actual birthday.  Tom enjoyed having his 'mates' over to sing happy birthday with.Tom got a 'big' bike for his birthday and he was so happy.  He was so proud to show us all how he could manage the bigger bike.  And Angus has just got the handle in the 'balance bike' instead of his trike so he is feeling pretty proud too.  I love these days - it's all good.

Today was the first day of Auskick.  That is footy skills and playing for 4-9y.o.s, in the Aussie Rules game -  for all my OS friends.  The photo is of the boys getting ready to go all wearing their 'Cats' footy jumpers.  Tom loved it which is great.  He'll do that each week for the season which is through to about August sometime.
I went for a run with my friend Julia while the boys were doing 'boy things'.  Julia and I are doing a 15km (9mile) run next week for the main Children's Hospital in Melbourne.  We have declared that we will be taking it  'easy', not out to break any records.  But it's supposed to be a beautiful course of Melbourne, so hopefully it will be a beautiful autumn day and the sights and sounds can take our mind off the last 5km, which are more than likely going to hurt!  We'll be happy by the end and it will set us up for Easter and those chocolate eggs I'm bound to eat!

This last photo is the boys in front of a robotic T. Rex. There was an exhibition of about 6 robotic dinosaurs that roared and moved ( a bit).  The boys loved it.  I can imagine that in their eyes the dinosaurs were very realistic.  I had told them that they were just like big toys, but they were really large and you were able to get quite close, so I'm sure it was a pretty amazing experience.
Go with the flow........

Opportunity Knocks

The great gift of being human is choice.  We have, you have, I have, a choice.  From the littlest things (what do I have for breakfast) to the big things (will I marry him); you get the point.  But things get a whole lot more complicated when you have to make decisions or choose for other people, i.e. your kids.  What suburb do we live in, what school will they go to, will I encourage soccor or football?  I remember the first major decision I had to make for my first son was, "Do I vaccinate?"  I chose to and I am happy that I did.  But that day opened my eyes up to a whole new lifestyle.  I was going to be doing this for the next 16 years??? Give or take a few. I'm an indecisive person at the best of times, so to be choosing on the behalf of someone else, really complicates things.  I've gotten better at it with time and practice, and realise that there are some things I have quite clear convictions about, and then others require some discussion and pondering.  But I do what I think is best in the long run and have to have a certain level of faith in myself in that regard.  But what if a choice doesn't have research articles to offer expert opinions, what if there aren't clear parameters to list specific pros and cons, what if you just...don't.....know.  My decision potentially is going to impact not only on my life, but my husbands and my children's.  It will change their path and may introduce some wonderful things, but may expose them to some unfortunate aspects of life.  I've been thinking of this a lot recently and I certainly don't have any answers.  Sometimes choice can be a burden, as well as a blessing.
Sometimes, you just need to 'go with the flow'................