Day THIRTY 30.1.12

30.1.12

Marli and Tyler at Jasonic Lodge whilst visiting Tyler for his 9th Birthday.

Day TWENTY-NINE 29.1.12

29.1.12

Marli, Naite, Kaleb and India. These boys are lovely. We don't get to see them very often but while we have been visiting in Nyngan they have been the ones that have pretty much been looking out for Marli which is very relaxing. Marli was pretending to play Playstation alongside the boys (with an unplugged controller) and they didn't mind one bit.

Day TWENTY-EIGHT 28.1.12



28.1.12

On our way to Nyngan to visit the Holmes Family. We picked up Ma in Dubbo on the way. The roads and paddocks out this way are very very flat. We could see for what seemed like forever. I sat in the back between the girls. Indi whinged and slept periodically throughout the trip. Marli watched Dora the Explorer and 'Tickle Finger in the Jungle' on the iPad over and over and over without her excitement waning at all.

Day TWENTY-SEVEN 27.1.12

27.1.12

Tonight called for Chinese Dinner and Ice cream in the park for dessert (Annie's Ice Cream of course). It is one of our favourite family things to do this time of year. Indi slept in her capsule the entire time. Marli went home VERY sticky and straight into the shower when we got there!

Day TWENTY-FIVE 25.1.12

25.1.12

Australia Day Eve Game Night

Donna, Bron and Dick joined us for some boardgame action tonight as a toned down celebration for Australia Day. A great night with a great game and great friends. On the must do again list!

Day TWENTY-FOUR 24.1.12

24.1.12

1300 Marli's bedroom at sleeptime.
We haven't been getting much sleep around here at the moment. We've all been thrown out of normal routines ever since Indi came home but thats the way it is. We can always rely on Marli to have a good sleep during the day (and if Indi is coorperating then i can have a nap too). Nashi, a bottle and removing the bar on the side of your bed followed by sleep. Thank you Marli, you are so beautiful.

Day TWENTY-THREE 23.1.12

23.1.12

So today was a day that i have been looking forward to ever since we found out that we were going to have another baby- Newborn Shoot Day! This is my sister Jen. I rarely find the words to express my gratitude and admiration for the amount of talent that this woman possesses - and how much of it she shares around. We are so lucky to have her around to help us capture the precious moments in our lives so perfectly (You can fall in love with her work here - and you will!).Thank you Jen for taking beautiful pictures of our family. Thank you for letting me get excited about your new fancy studio (which is divine). Thank you for being my honest-mother friend. I am busting to see how the pics turn out xx

Day TWENTY-TWO 22.1.12

22.1.12

I took this today to remind me that you DO sleep and when you do (just like your sister) you look possitively divine. Your little baby perfection astounds me - Yes. Even in the middle of the night when i feel sleep is necessary and you... well... you do not.

Day TWENTY-ONE 21.1.12

21.1.12

Crazy Wild Summer Afternoon Thunderstorms. Today we had another thunderstorm in the afternoon. There was water everywhere (even in the Garage). It was similar to the storm that Indi and i had to wait to pass before Gav and Marli could come and pick us up from the hospital. There was so much water that the dog's bowl was floating across the pavers out in the back yard. Marli and Indi both slept through the massive ordeal and woke none the wiser.

Day TWENTY 20.1.12

20.1.12

Me and my girls xx

Day NINETEEN 19.1.12

19.1.12

UGLY. I know. Maybe a little frightening perhaps? It's a long story about these statue(s) that have come to be affectionately known to us as the "Children of the Corn". Two statues came into our possession in early 2009 and it became one of the family's longest standing pranks to place the pair of statues at each others houses. They have had alterations and They have even been interstate on several occasions. Most recently as the McKay family left town we received an all to familiar visit on their way out of town. It wasn't until later that day (after the Community Midwife had visited - God only knows what she thought about this monstrosity on our letter box) that we noticed that the Children of the Corn had come home... temporarily anyway.

Day EIGHTEEN 18.1.12

18.1.12

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these two little cherubs. I love that there already seems to be a strong bond growing between them. I love the moment that has been captured here and the sincerest and most innocent of adoration in both of their eyes.
Marli, you are a truly nurturing soul. You are so helpful and interested in your little sister, always ensuring that you do not forget to give her kisses when you go to bed at night and always telling us to pick her up if she lies awake in her cradle.

Day SEVENTEEN 17.1.12

17.1.12

Indi sleeping peacefully in the afternoon warmth (despite the level of noise and activity that comes with the living room hardly big enough to contain your older sisters' personality). At the moment our 4-day-old lady is so chilled out. She lets us know she is hungry way before uttering a single cry. She sleeps despite being passed around the room to curious visitors several times a day. She smiles with contentment. She has the coolest fluffy black baby hair i think i have ever seen. We love you Indi Rose (how could we resist).

Day SIXTEEN 16.1.12

16.1.12

3 day old Indi has just been fed. This is her first ever milk-induced smiling picture. I just love when babies have full tummies and in their eyes all is right with the world. I have already taken to talking to Indi when she has just been fed and just closely watching her little facial expressions, stroking her silky baby hair and her soft soft skin.

Day FOURTEEN 14.1.12

14.1.12

Indi and i stayed in hospital last night. This morning Gav bought me flowers and breakfast. All of our visitors today think you are beautiful (and we more than agree!) This afternoon at 3:30PM a proud Daddy, Mummy and big sister took their new baby home.

Marli stayed with Ma and Poppy last night and they bought her up to the hospital to meet Indi. Marli already adores Indi. You can tell by the way she looked at her the moment she came into the room. Marli is only a toddler but already she is such a caring and nurturing soul (if you minus some tantrums). I think Marli would have sat on the side of the bed staring into the cot all day if we had have allowed her to - until we asked her if she would like to hold the bubba and when she did she carefully patted her and stared into her face. It was so beautiful.

Gav and i are so pleased with our beautiful little ladies. We are the lucky ones for getting to watch you grow and become your own people every day.

Day TWELVE 12.1.12

12.1.12

9am as we head out to the Stocks' place.

Carol is coming over to look after the kids - Mitchell and Marli love Carol and we love that they love her.

Jen and i are going to try to paint her studio - she wants to try and have the studio completed so that she can do newborn shots for us when our new baby arrives. Plus this is one way that i can help Jen in a meager and desperate attempt at paying her back for all of the pictures she has taken for us over the years. We are very lucky. I also have alterior motives in the hope that exerting myself will lead to labour because i am desperate to meet this new little person... here's hoping.

Day ELEVEN 11.1.12

11.1.12

Today we were out at Jen's. There were a few things that we needed to do before i was allowed to have the baby 1. Have homemade sushi for lunch and a good catch up (of course there were baked goods involved too). Here's Annika, Beau, Mitch and Marli hanging out watching the TV - they didn't stay this still for very long. Extra interest in Annika's headband (mostly the others removing it) and a desire to eat more biscuits than humanly possible were the only issues of contention today. Both kiddies and Mummies enjoy catch up days - or Naughty Baby Conventions as they are known affectionately :)

Day TEN 10.1.12

10.1.12

0815 after our shower this morning. Marli takes 5 to read her favourite books before i have even had time to catch her to put her clothes on. She is delighted with having reading time to herself.

Marli and i are really enjoying our time together at the moment now that i am on maternity leave from work and before the baby arrives. The best part is that all of our preparation is done for the baby so Marli and i are able to put music on and sing and dance, go and visit friends and family and she even "helps" me do the washing. Marli brings her pillow into our bedroom in the morning after Gav has gone to work and insists on climbing in with me just to chill out for a little while before we (well she) decides it's time to get up. "Mum on" (Come on) she says repeatedly until i follow her out to begin our day.

Day NINE 9.1.12

9.1.12

1815 as Marli and i enjoyed Spag bol. for dinner. Daddy has gone to RFS fire training and you and i are being organised to get you into bed at a reasonable time. How can i not find delight in you??

Day EIGHT 8.1.12

8.1.12

One of the rare moments that we are playing nicely enough to take a 'selfy' on a Delightfully lazy Sunday.

Today is Sunday. Marli has been to the "door spot" about 14 times (slight exaggeration). It is about 28 degrees outside. Marli has been running around in just her nappy for most of the day. We have had a lazy day even with a little catnap when Marli had her sleep in the middle of the day. We know that in a few more weeks with one more in the family our lives will be a lot busier so for now we are content with the mild amount of consistency that having an 19 month old affords us.
New Years Resolution = Waste Less Food and be more food organised. So...In an attempt to turn over a new leaf in regard to food wastage we made a chocolate banana cake with the overripe bananas in our fruit bowl. There was some debate whether it was banana bread or cake but either way it tasted lovely.

Day SEVEN 7.1.12

7.1.12

Nearing potential for death by over-consumption of cheese twisties. 36 weeks and 2 days pregnant and i cannot stop eating twisties (not that i have actually tried to stop eating them). I don't call it a 'craving' i just want them and that's okay.

My pregnant belly... has an 'outtie' belly button, a light coating of blond hair and the remnants of a European wasp sting from a few weeks ago (just south of a freckle). It is hard to comprehend that there is a whole person just chilling out inside there. I am too much a realist to be quoted saying that pregnancy and childbirth are beautiful and miraculous but it is an unfathomable feeling of accomplishment to know that your body can build and give life. A feeling that only comes over you in a wave when your own newborn baby looks into your eyes for the first time and you question how you can love someone so much that you have only just met.

Dear baby, i cannot wait to meet you and breathe in that beautiful freshness of newborn baby. I cannot wait for you to stop using my ribcage as a xylophone and getting the hiccups just as i lay down to go to bed. Most of all i cannot wait to have you here, in our arms and to meet your big sister who i know is going to simply adore you (in her own special way). Whenever you are ready is fine by me (as long as it's not past your due date)... See you soon!

Day SIX 6.1.12



6.1.12

Getting ready to spend the day at the Stocks' house while Mummy goes to work

Marli, you are growing up so so so quickly. At the moment you are delighted in trying to do everything yourself. I would say that you possess a strong sense of independance (abruptly, a stubborn streak).

Marli is obsessed with doing ANYTHING herself. Our biggest fights throughout any normal day are over this need of yours while attempting to brush (term used lightly) your teeth, brushing your hair and attempting to dress yourself - the latter is the newest obsession. As i type this she is sitting in her room trying to put her clothes onto 2 of her "nashi" giraffes.

Day FIVE 5.1.12

5.1.12

Lounging at home on a hot afternoon talking about names for the new baby as Daddy bribes you into giving away kisses.

Simply, I am delighted by the way you love your Daddy.

This picture shows just a small snippet of how Marli loves her Daddy. Today we have been talking about names for the new baby and Marli is very keen to get in on the baby naming action (mostly i think she just feels special reading the same books that Mummy and Daddy read). I love the relationship between Marli and her Daddy, at the moment she is a big Daddy's girl, they get afternoons together before i finish work (he claims that you are well behaved all afternoon right until the moment that i walk in the door at home) they are both lucky to get that one-on-one time with each other. Do Marli and her Dad love each other?... Is the Pope a Catholic??

Day FOUR 4.1.12

4.1.12

1729

As Marli and i played with Patchouli in the backyard.

You, Marli, are delighted with 'Patchouli' our 7 year old Jack Russell and she is delighted in you.

This afternoon when i arrived home from work Gav got a fire call so Marli and i hit the backyard to do some sliding, some eating of snacks and some serious dog playing. Marli absolutely loves playing in the backyard with our dog Patchouli. I have had Patchouli since my first year of university in 2005 and she has been pretty much by my side ever since. Marli and Patchouli are the best of mates. Patchouli hasn't been able to play much lately because she had a knee reconstruction in early December (i know its a dog *shrugs*). But It is the relationship that Marli and Patchouli share that reassures me everyday that spending money on our pet is worth every penny. Marli has to say goodnight to Patchouli before she will go inside and she will tell me I'm naughty if i call out to Patchouli to tell her to stop barking at birds. I am delighted that you seem to have an affinity with animals, it is very special to watch.

Day THREE 3.1.12

3.1.12

1626

Partners in Crime

Mitch and Marli, you are a very funny pair. You find delight in just about anything that you can do together. The relationship that you two have is very special to watch - especially when you are pointing and shouting at each other to 'go away' (which is one of your favourite things to say at the moment). Everyone that is around you, Mitch and Marli, delights in watching and hearing your shenanigans and we delight in telling them.

Mitch and Marli spend two days a week being looked after by Carol at our house which is really super easy for my sister Jen and i. Carol is great. She reads with them, draws with them and lets them re-carpet the house with toys. Today when i came home from a trip to Cowra for a funeral (that's a different and much sadder story), i discovered how much both Mitch and Marli enjoy ramming the toy stroller up and down the hallway and saying "sorry" when they hit the walls. It's funny for the first five minutes...

Day TWO 2.1.12

2.1.12

1536

 Making a piggy bank deposit

Marli you are delighted with money or 'munnies' as you call it. It amuses us greatly and we take advantage of it. We do it because it works. Every day when your Daddy comes home and you hear him emptying his pockets you race over to him like a moth to a flame. Then you and Daddy head up to your bedroom where you insist on storing your newly obtained booty in your piggy bank followed by a well-timed 'good job' and some celebratory high fives and knuckles.

Many a public display has been avoided just with the promise of some money to Marli quietly when we get home. Gav says its because Marli is a female. We try to justify the fact that Marli took to bribery so early on by saying that we are teaching her to save money (and i suppose the money saving elements are underlying...somewhere). But you know what... anything that makes her that excited can't be all that bad... right?

Day ONE 1.1.12

1.1.12

1737

Our Dining Room Table as we coloured in.

I am delighted in you - Marli (19 months).  I love your “freestyle” colouring and the way your concentration would lead someone to believe you were designing an architectural masterpiece.

It has only been within the last few weeks that Marli has decided she can sit still long enough to colour in - ever since we used a colouring book to attempt to bribe her to sit on Santa’s lap (she still refused btw). Marli sitting still means I can have a few precious moments on my own (which are usually used up doing washing up or something fun like that, but that’s okay). All too often Marli reminds me not to underestimate what she is capable of, which mostly excites me for the future but it also frightens me just a little because she is growing up far too quickly.