A lurgy for Christmas

Merry Christmas!

These are my favourite shots of our home decorated for the festive season

Sorry, did I say our home? I meant some stylish stranger's home (check out http://www.doorsixteen.com/ ). Isn't it gorgeous? I like to fantasize (you already know that).

Yes we have three dining rooms!

I had many intentions of turning our house into a shrine of all things beautiful this Christmas but with the busyness of life, little sleep (have I mentioned that before?) and now a lurgy that's attacked me, it wasn't to be.

We did manage to put up the Christmas tree (Hanukkah bush?) and while it looks a little skinny, it's a native this year, one that we can replant into the garden or keep in the pot for next year (so enviro!).

Mia was wrapped to open her little Babushka pocket which signalled the official beginning of the season. This is our advent calendar provided by a very clever friend who always finds the most unique gifts for the girls, and of course for me. It's been a challenge to creatively think up ideas to fill it (rather than chocolate). So everyday, after Mia is dressed and fed she gets to open a little pocket. Sometime it's activities ('catch a tram', or 'give Poppy a massage') other times it's filled with modest treasures (necklace, sticker, or once it had a chocolate reindeer).

She's a little confused as to why there are still some Babushka pockets hanging on our wall, when we've already had Christmas dinner. Due to sister in-law's trip to NZ we celebrated early. Sara prepared a mighty feast and generously ensured we didn't have to lift a finger (thanks sis!) Special guests this year were Luke's aunty and family inc two gorgeous boys around the girls' ages.

Mia and cousin Gill

The girls were spoilt big time with Mia scoring a scooter (or "Scooda" as she calls it) and the iconic Etch a Sketch. Also masses of fabulous books. Last night she went to bed surrounded by all her gorgeous gifts. It's interesting how as children we are compelled to sleep with our favourite new things.... I remember sleeping with many a gift including Mickey Mouse sneakers, Ice Skates (yes was rather dangerous), and rainbow coloured roller skating pads).

Re the Etch A Sketch, as all great gifts go, it's one the parents can also enjoy and it sure has prompted some healthy competition between us. While I considered my next creation, I looked up some other Etch A Sketch doodlers and found this (I'm really getting the hang of this blog world now, there are actual etch-a-sketch bloggers and arteests!):

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=n2AActRrnSE

We are continuing our bake offs and while this year has been too busy for gingerbread architecture, we did manage to bake some men and shapes (and ohh, what shapes...Luke spotted this and subsequently 'styled' the man on the right) which we gave to the precious kindy teachers (don't worry, not the rude ones).

I also must share with you these triage gingerbread men made lovingly by an Icelandic friend in-law... why didn't I think of that?

Same same... but different

The debate has been raging for months (almost eight to be exact). So here is the proof.... tell me what you see (photos taken 5.5 months for Mia and 6 and a bit months for Poppy).

Teeth

I swear I don't eat a thing!

A quick one, I forgot to share the news that Poppy has teeth!

What a terrible Mother I am. She got her first tooth on 20 November (there is a 24 hour discrepancy between Luke and my ETA, but you know who knows best).

Second tooth made its appearance on the morning of Mia's concert (7 December).

Torture Take 2

I spoke too soon........we have had one testing week. After our brief respite Poppy has been waking every night at least once, but often 2-3 times, as has Mia! Consequently, we are totally stuffed feeling rather Zombie like.

A friend's midweek spoil at Nobu (complete with valet parking was so fun and delicious, I'm having culinary flashbacks) provided temporary relief from motherhood only to be cut short by a desperate text from Luke asking that I come home as Poppy was inconsolable (this is the 3rd time it's happened and Luke isn't the type to begrudge me a night out). We did manage however to have a successful dinner out with friends with both girls behaving beautifully, until the Grandparents left of course, then the circus resumed.

By Thursday, I was so spent, Luke had to come home early from work and take over.

Further to Poppy's no-sleep policy, she is still the non-eater. If there is anything food-like to infiltrate her mouth, these are the conditions of entry: It must...
1. Be placed in front of Poppy, not handed to Poppy
2. Be self feeding item
3. Not be presented on a spoon (cutlery is strictly prohibited)
4. Be smooth in texture

Once all of these codes are followed, there is some chance of Poppy sucking on the food. HOWEVER, should any bit break off and make it's own independent journey past the point of return, Poppy is so resentful it actually makes her shiver. She also has the occasional gag.

She also refuses the bottle. The health nurse has advised she is therefore to progress straight through to a sipping cup. So I bought four different types (just to be sure). Nonetheless, she has quickly developed a passive aggressive relationship with these cups, totally ignoring them even when they're bounced right in front of her.

Considering I'll be back at work in less than a month her reliance on my boobs is rather stressful... apparently she'll just have to adjust.

Despite all of the above, Poppy still manages to enjoy her days, is mostly content and is prone to fits of smiles & laughter, and it's usually in the company of Mia. The other day, unbeknown st to my mum or I, Mia took a break from her nudi 'swim' outside to visit Poppy while she slept. A while past so I crept in to check on the girls. I found Mia dancing stark naked in Poppy's room, while Poppy lay in her cot, wide awake and laughing so hard, she nearly choked. Mia had turned up the music in Poppy's room and was demonstrating her dancing routine.

It was the same dance routine she performed yesterday at her dance school's annual end of year concert (Mia on the right in the following 2 pics). After dropping her off to a couple of rehearsals (all very top secret, no parents allowed), it was a thrill to actually get to see her and her little gorgeous friends perform. I cried so much, I could barely see her... I know, ridiculous, but the combination of sleepless nights and watching Mia, barely 3 and a half y.o. (and also sleep deprived) was overwhelming. Mia was brilliant and did all the moves. Most of the time she looked quite pleased with herself and carried her usual cheeky grin, however, there were moments I could see her looking for us, but with the lights shining bright on stage, the audience area was in full darkness.

Thanks to the grandparents and friends that made up the Mia cheer squad, inc Poppy (loved it) who also had to put up with some super cheesy, glitzy & cheap numbers from the older dancers.

Mia in the front, 2nd from the right

So I feel a bit mean titling this post Torture II, when it could have easily been called 'Sparkle Magic' . It does amaze me what happens in this place in the space of a single week.

I'll leave you with one last thing, Poppy's first time on a swing, Mia was so excited for her!

Shikse Thursday, Eadie & Bad Baby Jew

It was inevitable that Jew Wed would be followed by Shikse Thursday. Shikse is a Yiddish term for gentile women as in a non Jewish women.

Now, I've always been open about my bad Jew ways, but never so overt as to engage in such showy, suburban and kitchy displays. Let me explain.

I was sitting with a friend sipping one mean Iced Coffee at the Fashion Capital, when we spotted the Christmas cheer in the shape of a hideous gigantor polyurethane tree with a distinguished looking Santa beside it.

Despite my love of many things Christmas, I have been quietly relieved at both Mia & Luke's disinterest (or even disgust) at the thought of posing with a Mall-Santa. I remember myself as a little girl in the States, arguing with my parents that Santa didn't know that I was Jewish, and therefore, there was nothing wrong with me posing with him and submitting my carefully constructed list (Hanukkah dismally fails to deliver any such commercial pleasures). However, now as mother, I see him differently and frankly, he's lost his zeal.

So it is therefore ironic that at that fateful cafe, and in that specific moment, both my friend and I shared a common thought: Let's force our innocent & voiceless little daughters to the great tradition of posing with an old bearded stranger in the mall. More amusing than this photo, was our wacky attempts to draw the girls' attention by dancing, singing, banging and waving behind the photographer... in front of perplexed passers by.

When I showed the photo to Mia she said: "But that's my Poppy!"

Maybe Poppy asked Santa to award her exhausted parents with sleep? If she did we received our gift early with now two consecutive sleep throughs!

Meanwhile, Mia has ensured she makes it to the blog by dislocating her elbow again (I agree, it's a little extreme)! Luke tried to lift her up for a Piggy-back ride and it popped. We didn't believe it at first, and Luke insisted she was just tired, however, when she woke in agony at 4:30AM it was clear something was amiss. So off to casualty once more and now she is back to her Bob Dole ways, walking around with a dysfunctional arm, going about her normal things; drawing, playing in the park, running and dancing. Is that Child Protection Services knocking???

Torture

Shall I continue torturing them or have they really had enough?

I am coming out of the haze......

It's been 6 weeks since we slept the night through, and rather than improving, matters had become worse. I've already had my whinge, but in short, just to recap, and simply to vent once more and express the enormity of our situation, let me say that on average I was feeding Poppy 1.5/night and Luke and I were waking another 2-3 times/night, you know just for a cuddle, a chat and a nervous breakdown. Not to mention, only cat napping during the day.

Thank you to a friend that quipped "Poppy may be gifted!" and then quickly corrected herself that in fact, it is one supposedly comforting response to a sleep deprived mother's complaints about her restless child. Not thanks! I don't want a genius child, I just want a sleeper.

So, after sensing a great affinity with the Guantanamo Bay inmates we decided serious action was in order (may I add, Luke had to see me totally lose it before he was convinced). Anywho, 'Hard-Ass Herring' as he likes to call himself, and I (I need no nickname, I know who I am!) embraced some new techniques. In short, we finally unwrapped Poppy (I know - looooong overdue), transferred her to a sleeping bag and prayed that she would finally find her own fingers, rather than insist on sucking ours (ironically, we were the suckers, not Poppy).

Of course, our extreme exhaustion had to clash with some extra curricular work commitments for Luke which meant me doing the first night solo. This is how it worked:
Night 1
1 Hour of screaming and crying*
20 mins sleep
40 mins screaming and crying*
25 mins sleep
1.5 hours whinging and whining
1 breastfeed
4 hours sleep

Night 2
30 mins crying and whining*
11 hours sleep!!!!!!!!!!

= 2 delirious but satisfied parents.

We woke at 5AM amazed, relieved and well with my two mega-tits ready to explode. Now, I do realise that one swallow doesn't make a summer, but it's progress.

*Denotes Poppy was accompanied by me, at first frustrated and emotional, but then, realising the ludicrous nature of our position (ie. created by us)...

In my hours of sitting beside a screaming little Poppy it occurred to me my friend was right - she is a genius, a delicate genius! A little clearing of the throat evoked absolute hysteria, every time she appeared to be down and out, a minor burp or wind massively upset her equilibrium. I feared that the only safe way out of her room was to be harnessed out, a la Mission Impossible style , or otherwise the whole process would have be restarted.

Aside from operation sleep, I'm struggling to remember what exactly it was that filled our days so I'll pick some of the highlights.
-Early lunch with girlfriends and kids here.... was lovely and relaxing and I can't think of a single thing we spoke about!
-Passport photos with Poppy (I'll show the end product when it arrives.... CUTE)
-Mia playing with her favourite boys on a stormy morning (dress ups again!)
-Lunch with my sister and the girls
-Accompanying a friend pregnant with twins to her 6 month ultrasound.... AMAZING!
-Revisiting Jew Wed with a friend. Popped into Glicks, Caulfield Park, & my mum's shop. I spotted enough bad ghetto drivers to fill the MCG twice over, enjoyed some excellent kosher goods and managed to raise adrenalin levels by feeding a pack of highly aggressive geese (at one point had to order Mia to run for her life, or at least to the playground).
- Mia occupying herself for hours by playing with her latest acquisition: Cousin's old Barbie car

I swear this is Mia's independent creation of gangster monkeys complete with bodies in the boot

-Four hours to myself at home on Sunday afternoon. Pure bliss. It took some getting used. Not flinching at every sound, wondering who needs what now? Not worrying about Oscar barking, not worrying! I couldn't sleep so I watched 3 episodes of my new favourite TV show- 'Big Love' and started a painting for Mia.
-And simply continuing to watch our two beautiful girls together!

Fit for a queen

Alain De Botton, the English modern day philosopher claims that it is no wonder that a majority of us suffer from status anxiety. From the day we are born, and throughout our first years, we are treated as royalty. We are fed, bathed, rocked to sleep, cuddled and admired by all who meet us. We even have a special higher than average chair, that is only ours and from that chair, or throne, we rule the world, or at the very least, the kitchen or dining room.

You paid what for this chair? So I really am sitting in the most expensive seat in the house

Poppy too shall be set up to suffer from status anxiety following the purchase of her very own high chair. Both girls in fact were delirious with excitement, Poppy at being able to bang on the table, throw things from it and of course be entertained by our constant willingness to bend over and pick up her stuff. Meanwhile Mia was ecstatic at having Poppy at the table with her and insisted they sit side by side. Mia is super helpful during Poppy's feeding time. Her entertaining ways assure Poppy has a giggle and that is when I sweep in with the spoon. Poppy however, is catching on and has learnt to both smile and laugh with her mouth closed (but only whilst in the high chair).

One thing that put a wide smile on both Poppy and my face was this fabulous exhibition in the Lamington Drive gallery in Fitzroy. It was Kat Macleod's first exhibition and was worth the wait. Many would be familiar with her creative illustrations (she's Michi girl: michigirl.com.au) and although surprisingly small, they were rich and inspiring. I bought a couple of limited edition prints (which I will show when they arrive in Dec).

Luke and I were lucky to have the chance to go out on a hot date this past weekend (with each other in case you are wondering). My dear mother, who I know I've whinged about previously does come through with the goods on occasion. And so it was, that for only the third time since the arrival of Poppy that we headed out, childless. Despite, or shall I say in spite of Mia's eventual enthusiasm for our outing (she took us both by the hand and walked us out of the house!) it was with some initial reluctance that we ventured out. Exhausted, all we really fantasied about was sleep! However, you must take the opportunity when it arises. We headed for dinner without reservations.... we had forgotten that people go out on Saturday nights, in fact many people go out on Saturday nights. After an arduous search we squeezed our way into Cafe DiStasio. It was so lovely to just be together and have delicious food served to us (with free glass of wine an dessert, they took pity on us). I must admit however, that we often found ourselves talking about the girls, and couldn't help but notice the contrast in conversational topics between us and our young groovy neighbours.

It was the dreaded poo discussion. When you're young and free you vow that you shall never engage in such inane chatter. But things change.... And I'm now going to share with you why it was that topic we were discussing. Poppy had been constipated by that stage for two days! We were all feeling it, and becoming quite concerned. The next morning however brought us much relief. Poppy greeted us with Mount Poo-Suvius and an infectious Post Poo High (PPH).

This made the celebrations of a lovely visit by the grandparents and couple of birthdays much easier to enjoy, one Birthday with a jumping castle, the other in a stylish cafe with a cupcake birthday cake.... what more can you ask for?