Bounce

Here are a few random pics. Hannah in the WIggles car after her haircut - lovin it. Then our 'first baby' and my Dad's strong hands. See the two wedding bands? He had Mum's diamond one enlarged so he could wear it. He tries so hard to look after us all in her absence. I am sure Mum is so very proud of him. He went back to Brisvegas for a week holiday and brought back some lovely treats for hte twins -a dolphin on a chain that Kit adores and this H for Hannah - which quite frankly I adore - as it swings over her precious heart...


This boy is just so gorgeous at the moment. He also melts down regularly come the afternoon and especially at bedtime. Yet he is also such a delight. He got a 'principals award' sticker at school last week - when I ame down to help in the classroom - he was SO proud to show it to me.

For Carly

Hannah's Holiday Book

Today's activity. While I was online Hannah brought out her favourite book of the past 2 years - the Banana's in Pajamas Holiday Book. She asked me to staple some sheets of paper and write 'Hannah's Holiday Book' on the cover. She then set about drawing. When I had finished spending time on the computer - I asked her to talk to me about her pictures - and then I added in the words. I also helped with a couple of pages that had been blank originally.




(Mummy and Hannah got a haircut)

Holidays End

How feral was their hair? Poor darlings. I finally got around to taking them to the chopshop yesterday. they look so much better now.
After:
I thought it would be fun for the twins and i to make a scarecrow for our vegie garden as a holiday activity. I had been saving some of their old clothes to use - and yesterday we finally got around to it.
After:
Before...
I hate answering the phone - close friends know that if it takes a while to get a response - it isn't because we screen our calls - it's cos DH and I are arguing over who gets to answer it - neither of us really wanting to. I am not really sure why I feel that way - cos I love a chat! (lol). For Christmas Santa brought me a gorgeous 1940s black bakelite rotary dial - I LOVE it. Over the holidays I have found that I have to 'race' to the phone - or trian up the kids - cos they both love answering it. Kit usually says 'Kit here. Who are you?' or "Kit here, here's Mummy'. Hannah either heavy breathes or says in her funny speech way "Hello?' They both 'make calls' while I am driving them places - to their father, or an imaginary friend.
And so it is the last day of the holidays. A quiet day in the Dock - cos I am taking Hannah to get the flu injection and the swine one too - hope it goes ok. I am already lookig forward to next holidays - these have been great.

Training

Well the twins' play date was successful - I guess that's to be expected when you combine 4 great kids together! Hannah didn't interact all the time (she happily played on her own too - thank goodness for Kit!) but she had a ball on the trampoline with everyone, intiated a drawing activity and had a ball using Kit's bed a s a'stage' for their concert. A lovely morning. Like a leaf on the rosebush unfurling in the first light of dawn. then I had a lovely lunch with my former colleagues - Hannah was pooped and slept from when we arrived to the end of lunch pretty much!
Today we went to the local all abilities park to meet a friend for a moring tea picnic which was lovley. Then Kit visited a friend from the twins old preschool for a playdate - when we got home Hannah kept saying that she wanted Kit - "Want Kit now". So I asked her about her friends - her response was R (yes our gorgeous 12 year old) and then she listed "Kit, Mummy, Daddy, Gra..."
Kit then had his first soccer training session - he really loves it but he was so buggered - he played soccer for at least an hour! Hannah and I kicked a ball around and chased and threw and played tunnel ball - as we rumbled I looked up at her beautiful face - laughing mouth framed by strawberry red hair and topped with a cheeky sun hat - surrounded by blue sky backdrop and some fluffy white clouds - absolute bliss. I don't have any judgements to make or say but I spared a glancing thought/half a prayer for the beautiful twins in Florida - the one who was 'wrongfully terminated' by the dr and then the other with DS who was 'terminated' not long after. I couldn't help it - but I didn't linger - I also wished I had my camera closer (it was in my bag on the sidelines) but precious moments of joy like that are sometimes just for the having not the capture.
I did notice though that after 20-30 minutes of running around Hannah was tired and slowed the pace down and when she missed - if the ball hit her - she got quite upset and tentative. Yes I really don't think she'd cope in a regular soccer team. Throughout the game as she noticed him stumble or crash into anohter team mate - she'd say with concern 'Kit sore'. She also has obviously been practising some interesting moves with Miss A her sprots teacher at school because she was literally moving my legs and arms to show me what to do at one stage in our play - too funny to see her try and show me - she wanted me to lift a leg up and an arm up (on the same side of my body) and then she would try and throw a ball through them!!
At one stage towards the end I saw Kit tumble, saw him look shocked (and a bit winded), and tired and then go to cry before pulling himself together, getting up and chasing the ball - I was so proud of him at the same time I just wanted to go and hug him close. At the end of the game Hannah went straight to him and gave him a cuddle. he was so tired and sweaty and dirty - he barely noticed - he just wanted to get into the car and have some quiet time.

Soccer

Kit played his first soccer game. I think the grown ups were more excited than he was - until we got there. He had a ball. Hannah just wanted to have a go - she kept saying 'Hannah's turn' and tried running onto the field a couple of times - I was so relieved when her best friend (R aged 12) arrived to play with her and distract her. I think she has enough on her plate at the moment - and I really don't think she'd be able to cope for more than a few weeks in a mainstream soccer team. In some ways it breaks my heart - but in others while I HATE seeing her upset - it didn't worry me as much as I might have thought - she has lots of opportunities in mainstream settings. She also has Rainbow Club - a swimming programme for people with disabilities which she loves. This is Kit's activity. Everyone was there to cheer him on - his grandparents and our close friends who live around the corner (parents of the gorgeous R girl). Still one day - if Hannah is old enough, still interested and it is local enough - a mixed or special needs soccer club/team would be fantastic!
All of which depends on the interpretation of todays spine xrays - I haven't talked with Hannah's paed about the results yet - but when I said I wanted them because her school does gymnastics this term - and I made a comment like 'she is very flexible' (as a positive for gym) the person doing the xray said something like 'well her neck is certainly flexible' - I'm pretty sure that isn't a good thing. Will have to post her xrays to the paed and see what he makes of it all.

If I wan't so tired - I'd have taken photoes of my house - to go with this next bit... It looks great! I spent ALL day Sunday organising the twins room - organising their toys into some semblance of useable tidy play area is no mean feat. They have 2 small IKEA hanging wardrobes - they need a 2m X 2m cube affair which they don't have. Then today I cleaned the back deck and mowed the grass. R came over so together we all made chocolate muffins with chocolate grenache icing - delicious - and thent he kids played together. I also mopped the floors and moved Hannah's magnificant dollhouse out into the living area. I feel so nervous! Tomorrow is Hannah's first 'playdate' with a regular little girl from school (not saying that her other 'playdates' weren't worthy - but they weren't/aren't nervewracking - cos we all know each other quite well and I know where their parents are coming from too). This little girl is a bright one who likes Kit too. She is a 'mama bear' about Hannah and so I am hoping that this will give the two girls an opportunity to get into a 'groove' of playing together. Her mum seems really nice - well obviously she is - cos she has clearly supported her daughter's interest in befriending Han. I mentioned towards the end of term how I thought it would be good for Hannah to play with other kids - in her own home - as there she has 'girly toys' etc while at shcool from what i have seen she tends to mimic her brother's 'boy superhero' flapping arms thing which is a bit offputting for most other girls. I said it would be nice to have a playdate in the holidays - and she texted about it - so here i am hoping I don't wake up through the night like some gawky teenager before her first date - even though that is a bit like how I feel!! Besides feeling a bit ridiculous for feeling that way in the first place.

Sigh - I just don't know how Han will respond. I hope she enjoys the opportunity.
Then I am taking the twins to lunch with some people I worked with years ago - lovely conservative women who are very caring and fabulous Soc Sc teachers. There is a little part of me that feels like I am putting Hannah under the mircroscope - in their well meaning but cluelsess state I think they'll be 'watching' Han - not really understanding that she is not a 'poor little thing' and that I am in no way to be pitied because she is my daughter - in fact the opposite - I think they should envy me the opportunities she brings. Still - as I said they are nice women and I am probably being oversensative - cos they ahven't seen Hannah for years - it will be a day outside of my comfort zone. More cod liver oil Aunty Pat - hopefully this dose will be beneficial to everyone.

Baby C

I try to be careful about putting people's images on this blog - who aren't the twins anyways but I just couldn't resist some of these of Baby C (and babies all look the same anyways don't they??) My SIL kindly lent us a new toy - her youngest child while she went and joined her oldest 3 at the Easter Show. Her family had a rocky year last year - my SIL has been very ill. Baby C is a wonderful addition - the ray of light in a dark year. Luckily my SIL is also looking pretty good at the moment so hopefully the beast is slain. Life truly is precious beyond belief. I loved playing with my new neice and watching the twins play with her too. She is such an 'easy' baby.
When we found out she was arriving Kit was quite cute - because he heard us discussing her - and hoping she was going to be 'ok' he thought she must have Down Syndrome too - I think he was a bit confused when we tried to explain that lots of babies are born who don't have an extra chhromosome and not every family has a Hannah although they certainly have little miracles - sweet miracles that remind us how very blessed we are and how magnificant this life is. Baby C is just delicious.

Her pediatrician is the same as Hannahs - I'm thinking of posting him the Dr Hannah pic - so he can see what great role model he's been!

Milk monster...




We hope she comes back soon!

Holidays week1

I have often described Hannah as being a nightmare at breakfast - perhaps I should just change that to a little unconventional - she has been no trouble this past week - so long as she can have pasta, tinned spagetti or leftover chicken meat.
Kit is no trouble at breakfast - here he is enjoying this mornings oats.
Kit's first game of soccer is this weekend. his father and I are more excited about it than he is at the moment.
Yesterday was payday and when I visited my favourite coffee bean shop - i couldn't resist this little gem. I know just where to hang it but will have to buy a frame for it first.
I was able to book Hannah intot he 3 day school holiday swim program - witht he special needs teacher. It is great and she learns so much - I wish I could get her in the rest of the time but at least they cap the regular class to 3 students for her.
Kit made this gorgeous mouse as well as a fire, a circle, a hat, a chair, a scarecrow and a snail. I loved watching him think about each of his creations.
Hannah and I made a scarecrow and some other bits and bobs yesterday - we will try and paint them this afternoon.
It has been raining on and off all holidays. Here is the back deck witht he remnants of the twins' cooking - left out in the afternoon rainstorm. I wasn't too happy last night when Dad came home and said there was a storm warning for Sydney. I am meant to be minding my newest neice - and didn't want the wet weather to stop my fun!! (Her parents and siblings were/are off to the Sydney Easter Show - definitely not a wet weather activity!) Lucky for us the sun is shining and baby C is on her way here.
The afternoons are my favourite. Usually we have had a busy morning which ends with me feeling a bit tired and cranky - so I have a bit of a cleaning frenzy and they - hey presto - a bit of order is restored, the kettle is on and all is right in the world again.
As the first week of the twins first school holidays draws to a close - there are still plenty of eggs around the house.
My stash...
I wonder how much will remain by this time next week?

Easter Fun

I never knew that buddhists celebrated Easter - so when I saw this egg in a local shop - I had to buy it for a friend of mine that has been doing a 'Buddhism for the west' course recently.
We're going on an egg hunt...


Lots of fun in the Dock this weekend. We took the brats to the Easter Show, had some friends over for Afternoon tea on the Sat then easter lunch with the family. Today we have some friends coming over for a late lunch - a Greek feast.