John McGinley

Ups and Downs had this lovely article linked to her blog. John McGinley is an actor in Scrubs and he has a 10 yo with DS. It was published in Best Life magazine.

Australia Day

P has taken Kit to his first movie today - Bee Movie - I hope he likes it. Hannah would find the whole thing too much so I took her to the local acquatic centre instead. She loves it. When the brats were very young I tried to get them into baby swim class there but the demand was high and we missed out. I was told things quieten down in the middle of the year (winter months) so today I felt inspired to ask again when they were accepting enrolments for the winter months. These days even those ones are hard to get into apparently but when I was talking to the woman there she said that they had one on one special needs classes with spots available. So I am going to ring up on Tuesday and see if there is anything I can do to get Hannah into one and hopefully get Kit a place in one of the other classes as a sibling. It seems funny though - I don't see why she needs to be separated from Kit for swimming when he can't swim either! Still it will be the only activity that doesn't require me to be there coaching them as well as the teacher so from that point of view if they can fit her in it might be very good experience.

We had a quiet day yesterday. It was however Australia day so Kit and I decided we should at least have a bbq dinner. When I went to the bottle shop for supplies they gave me these two flags to mark the occassion which the twins loved waving.

Sleep

I love sleep. I have been thinking about it a lot. I never used to but now it can be quite a contraversial topic. Who got more or less sleep last night? Who slept in which beds? When I had had a difficult day I used to watch the twins sleeping - I am sure that nature makes sure that sleeping children have a particular angelic aura - as some days when they finally went to sleep were the only time I got to plan their murder (or at least some form of tortuous retribution!) - but by then they looked so amazing it was inconceivable!

I have lots of photoes of them asleep. In the humidicribs they spent their first few days in. Then side by side in the neonatal care twin cot, then home sharing a cot, on holidays together in a travel cot, lying on their father's chest asleep, in the pram asleep, in bed with one of us asleep, Kit when he was so tired he fell asleep on the floor with my feet as his pillow, Hannah asleep at the table in the middle fo her meal, spoon part way to her mouth, Hannah asleep legs off the bed - no doubt she had been mid escape to come and see us but fell asleep before she could climb out of bed. The twins asleep together in their single beds ... and here is another for the collection. Today was a very busy day and while we were picnicing in our frined's garden Hannah found the perfect spot for some rest:

Love/Hate

Here is a meme from Chris at Brady's Bunch:
Walking up and down stairs are still quite tricky for Hannah - but that doesn't stop her giving it a go!
I hate that things that come so easily for others are so bloody difficult for Hannah. Like the fact that she can understand so much more than she can express. I hate that she doesn't really answer when I ask her what her day was like at childcare. I hate that she doesn't have any particular friends there either. I hate being so afraid of her future years at school, I wish I had greater faith in her being having a truly inclusive and rewarding experience. I hate that the twins are growing up so fast - as much as I love watching them do it! I hate prejudice in any form.
I love summer holidays. Days spent like today - we went swimming at the local aquatic centre, then lunch was a picnic at the home of a friend - with a 3 week old baby, the twins had a big sleep in the afternoon so I got time to baste a quilt I'm working on and then we walked up the road to meet some good friends at the local Italian restaurant for an early dinner - such a simple but lovely rhythm to our day. I love watching the twins learn. The way Kit tries out language - like tonight when he said "I'd like you to go now Mum" when I was patting him in bed - he didn't really but the phrase must have caught his fancy and he was trying it out. I love the fact that Hannah has a great enthusiasm to continue to try things that do not come as easily to her as to most other children. I love their spirit and the different ways of seeing things and the new experiences they have brought to P and I. I love time spent with friends. I love a clean house and a tidy garden. I love the sense of achievement in a lesson that really 'works'. I love long walks around the bay or to the park.
Most of all I love my family. I love watching the twins maraude with their cousins - both of them happy with their place in the pack, loved just as they are.

Some music playing. Favourite pieces at the moment are Puff the Magic Dragon and Toot Toot.

Dress ups are popular here at the moment.
We all had a bit of a wild visit to our very good friends who live around the corner. R's brother and his wife were out from England so it was a bit of an occassion - here is Hannah ready to play peekaboo with us.
My aunty in Brisbane bought these panels of fabric for Hannah. They were called Homespun Hannah an Americana Doll. I never thought I'd be sewing dolls but it was actually quite fun and the kids like her. I still have to do her pantaloons and her quilt.
We had a BBQ with some of our oldest friends (from school) and their kids. One little sweetie was asleep in our room but the others sat at the table together for tea. AFterwards while the adults hogged the big tv for the tennis P set up hte portable dvd player in the playhouse and the kids loved watching Curious George there. One of their 'aunts' had baked the marshmallow cupcakes. Do I need to say that they had fun?

Free Advertising

I thought the twins looked so adorable in these that I should ask the company to pay me for letting them wear them!

Gratuitous Photos Ahead

I spent Monday like a maniac trying to ave a relaxed department store shop, a grocery shop, a relaxed lunch in front of a dvd at home followed by a top to tail spring clean for the home - particularly the infested playroom, not to mention dropping the darlings off at childcare en route to all this. At the end of the day the house looked great but I was a wreck - it was worth it though. TOday - not a shop in sight. I took the brats to the local park - it was a bit cloudy so we had the place to ourselves. Home for a snack, some duplo, a sea inspired painting by everyone oh - still not time for lunch? A few 'lessons' (singing, phonics, puzzles, colouring books) and then lunch, nap. My goodness - while they were napping I cleaned up (just a little), did some sewing, some jigsaw, listened to MY music ... then one of the twins' favourite friends Subash came over as his parents needed some childminding for him (school holiday schedules). We played some music, he and Kit raced around with fireengines yelling 'nee nor' at full volume, Hannah wanted to do some of her own jigsaws. Bash and I tried to teach Hannah snap using colour and shape cards - she LOVED 'snapping' but otherwise - limited or no idea. Then we made up Kit's bed (toilet training two - mmm - talk about wee and wash city) had some blueberries and pineapple, played shops and with Thomas. Finally Bash's mum arrives then the twins father too ... and phase 2 of the day begins ... I took a few photos of the kids at the park. I know it is a little pathetic how I love taking pictures of them - it is so hard to decide which ones to delete - she has such a lovely back, just check out how he climbs that ... still somehow I restrained myself to only a dozen or so photoes and will share only my favourites with you:

Weird

I got a random tag from Beth - you can find her wonderful and funny insights by clicking on the title of this post.

I have been mulling it over and have to confess that I prefer to think of myself as quirky or eclectic rather than 'weird' still I tried:

Post the rules for the meme on your blog. And here they are:

Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.



1. I don't like going to the movies. I get this sick feeling in my stomach assoon as the curtains go up and the intro credits start - like a deer before headlights sort of feeling.

2. I still can't always get my left from my right but please don't remind me.

3. After driving my best friend from her house to the same growers market every month for about 5 years (a 10 minute trip) - I still don't know the way!

4. My husband and I fight over who answers the phone when it rings as neither of us like answering it. Our closest friends know if we don't get to the phone in time when we are both home that that is the reason.

5. I come from QLD - enough said if you are an Aussie you'll know what I mean.

6. I like to 'match' the pegs on my washing - and bought some very expensive pegs (hey they had a lifetime guarantee) simply because they were all the same colour and after the twins were born I had less time to match.

7. I am just a little scared of escalators.

So there you have it. I couldn't possibly top tofu cheesecake for goodness sake! I don't think 7 people read this blog but if you are so inclined to share some of your own unique 'quirks' - feel free - it is quite liberating - DIY therapy!

Hannah's favourite sign

'cake'

Yes here is the cake in question:
and yes he had just swiped a finger across the top of the chocolate icing!The twin's cousin Jacob turned three so we went over to his holiday digs - fancy schmancy accommodations over at Manly to help him celebrate. The brats just loved the water - the beach was closed but we snuck in a little paddling right near the edge - we were right outside the surf lifesaving club and the lovely man on the phone suggested that even though the beach was closed - knowing our great temptation (it was hot!) could everyone stay in water no higher than their knees - the twins's knees are pretty low down so I figured we were fine! Hannah was slow to take to it but after a bit of coaxing from her beloved Nan I could hear her demanding 'more' of the surf.

More party pics:
They loved their Uncle Miles pushing them off the edge of the lounges onto the cushions

Our three boys (and a little pink pussycat keyboard)
Playing doctor
The clean up after the beach
Big hits this year with both brats are Woody and Jesse (and Toy Story2). Kit is jumping off everything in sight it seems and yelling 'To infinity and beyond!' as he goes. The other day I wandered past our small bathroom to see Hannah standing on the toilet seat, arms stretched high and I knew she was trying to find the skills to yell 'To infinity and beyond!' so I had to run in and get her down before she crashed into the wash basin the doofus.
I will post about Mum soon but at the moment it is too raw and I need to mull it over in my mind. She is doing a lot better and still at home which is great.

Bits and Pieces
Solo artist
Check out this cowpoke - she has a sublime sense of the ridiculous that I just love.
Quintessential summer, as I sit here perspiring at the computer. I am halfway through tidying up the music room so that it can be a useable space for me to do some quilting in in the few weeks of holidays I have left.
As another year starts and I can already see the growth spurt the brats had while I was away it is nice to know that soe things don't change - still performing up a storm:

Home

The long drive north along the New England Highway - did I say how good it is to be home?
With their Aunty M at a Christmas Eve bbq
Visiting their great aunt (my godmother)
Beautiful
Grandpa and 2 of his 4 grandsons
One of the any things Santa brought
Check out the joy on this little face when she 'met' her hero
I bribed the three cousins - a treat if they stood and smiled for me - it worked - aren't they gorgeous?
For the blogosphere - see we are preparing Hannah for a visit to the US one day:

Squeaky clean
Well I am home. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and new year. I have a stack of holiday photoes. The twins had a ball up north visiting my parents and playing with their cousin Daniel. The portable dvd player worked a treat on the long drive up and a steady diet of ricesnacks and junk food kept the brats fed.

While we were there we took the brats to Wiggle World (part of Dreamworld) and needless to say they loved it. On the way home Kit was discussing next Christas when we visit Nin Nin and Grandpa and Wiggle world again. He loved seeing his grandparents but WW was a VERY close second!

We got home exhausted about 8.30 pm on the Friday before NYE. My mother who has a number of health difficultites but who had been very well over Christmas was critically ill - it didn't happen until we were about 4 hours from home and at least 10 hours from her so we kept driving and I flew out on the first flight the next morning. In the end I stayed up there for a week. Mum is now home and slowly recovering but it was very scary for a while and remains so as her health seems to get worse every time she is sick and in hospital. Still I appreciated a week at home to help Dad a bit (he does a lot of caring for Mum as she has limited mobility) and visiting with Mum at the hospital. I missed the twins like crazy of course but knowing how fragile Mum's health is it was really nice to spend that bit of time with her.

NYE was therefore a quiet affair. Still when I said goodbye to my parents yesterday and came home - it was with high hopes for 2008. I hope that it is a good one - for everyone! I think it is one for me to slow down a bit and focus on home and family - something I am looking forward to.