Awesome Parenting and Other Tales

ok, so I have never claimed to be mother of the year... I now have photographic evidence to support my lack of desire to claim the above mentioned title...

Here are my 2 angel babies... Jasper has a mouth guard in, hence the orange smile! (he is wearing it, because he just is.)

 Here is proof one of my awesome parenting... he loves whipped cream, so I told him how to spray it straight into his mouth...

 Molly eating... pulling faces.. I am going to regret encouraging this, I just know it.. evil face, still cute as a button!

 Yes, I let my son go out in public dressed like this. A too big shirt, short shorts, and boots... you are just lucky I made him change out of his knee high burgundy footy socks. (he looks so unimpressed because he did not want his photo taken.. I told him I wanted him to see how awesome he looked, and I would delete it straight away... oops. bad mommy).

 Molly in her favourite state - naked. she goes into where there are strawberries growing. There are currently no ripe strawberries, as Miss Molly picks them green and eats them... she says they are "yum". I let her go for it!

 I don't let him do this for long... just a few minutes.. he asks me to say "ding", then he rolls over and cooks the other side - just like the turkey he is!
(and, no, we don't have a proper pool. He either has been in the spa, or in the little splash pool.

 Unusual shot of Molly, outside with clothes on... Jasper had a friend over, so she had swimmers on for most of the time. I just think she looks crazy! (I really MUST do something about that hair of hers!!!)

And here is the friend Jasper had over... He was born the day before Jasper.. The size difference is quite incredible! Liam has pulled himself up a bit, but it didn't add that much to his height!!

 It's New Years Eve today. As usual, I will be in bed by 9pm, and wake up with the kids and birds at 5.30am.
2012 will see us... well, who knows where! There is a $31million lottery draw tonight, and we have a ticket... we could be living the high life!!
What? Some one has to win... why can't it be us???

Brooke
xxx

Christmas 2011

Well, Christmas is done.. so much preparation and planning, and it is all over. Poor Santa.
Boxing Day must be a real let down for him and the elves!!

To say that Jasper and Molly got spoilt, well, that would be the understatement of the year!!
My normal plan is that Santa provides one big joint present (like in 2010 it was a trampoline), and a couple of small things each, then their stocking. They get one or two presents from Paul and I, and that is pretty much it.
Well, Santa got his stuff organised in 2011, and by the time the unwrapping happened, well, I did not know what was in half the boxes!!!

We spent Christmas lunch with my parents, my sister and her family, and my uncle and his family. There were 16 all up. Guess what I forgot...
MY CAMERA!!!
Smart huh! I took some pictures of the cricket game with my mum's camera, but obviously they are at her house, so I will see about getting some.
I do have some photos of our Christmas morning, and of Boxing Day morning to share... Enjoy.

All the presents under the tree (and they were PACKED in under the tree!)

 Something Molly found in her stocking... cool baby!

 Jasper has been desperate for a WWE wrestling ring for a long time, and Santa has delivered!

 Jasper on the slip-n-slide.

 Trying to be cool!

 Helping Molly on Boxing Day to slide along! (she loves it!)

 covered in suncream, but still cute as a button!

 My 2 little puppy dogs! lapping at the water... all that play got them thirsty!

Well, it is lunch time on Boxing Day, and the boys are playing Wii. Now, we did get a X-Box 360 Kinect from Santa, with about 5 games, and a new Wii game, but they are playing an old one! (go figure). Molly is napping, I am waiting for the washing machine to finish my 4th load of laundry for the day, and I imagine at some point very soon, I will have a cry out for food!

Here's hoping everyone had a Merry Christmas, whether it be snowing or sunshining where you are.
For me, I love the sunshine at Christmas... then again, it is all I have ever known!

HoHoHo.

Brooke

Eye Confusion

So, today Jasper had his ophthalmology appointment.. I have previously mentioned that one if the teachers at school noticed something was up with jaspers eyes.. I took him to a local optician who did a few tests and said that Jasper was long sighted. He said he would give me a referral to our Children's hospital, as that is what I requested.. I wanted further tests where we get all our stuff done.
So, today was the day. They got him to read some letters, put some drops in his eyes to dilate his pupils and just had a look with a light, and measured things to do with his eyeballs...
At the end of the 2 hours, the guy tells me that his vision is fine, but he has excess skin in his eyelids and we should see a surgeon to get this skin removed.
I explained what the optician we had already seen had said, and he just dismissed it.
Jasper does complain that his eyes get blurry, and he sees double sometimes.
I am SO confused. Who do I believe? My local optician man, or someone who is meant to be an expert in his field?
I was not comfortable with today's outcome.
Don't get me wrong, I would love for there to be nothing wrong with jaspers eyes, and i can hope that is right.. But I just was not convinced today.
Maybe we get a third opinion??
I think, at the heart of it, I wanted an easy answer.. Just for once.. Someone to say "yes, this is what is wrong, and this is how we fix it.. Done" is that too much to ask?
Well, apparently, today it was too much.
Opinions are welcome, as is advice..
Paul and i have much to discuss!!!

Meanwhile, 5 1/2 hours later, Jasper's pupils are still so dilated, he looks like a vampire!! At least the blurry vision from the drops has cleared!!

Thanks for reading.

Brooke

Apples, Armpits and Bossy Britches

So, we all know how crazy kids can be, and some more so than others!

Jasper comes out with some crackers sometimes, and I really wish I had a pen and paper on me at all times to capture the gold that occurs!!

A couple of weeks ago, Paul had his work Christmas party.. he actually had 2, so this was the first one. My mum came over to watch the kids, and I met Paul there. Anyway, that morning, I was sitting on the sofa with Jasper having a chat. I just had on a singlet top and had my arms stretching above my head.
Jasper stares at my armpits, shakes his head and says "do you EVER shave under your arms?"
Guess I was a little hairy! I was planning on shaving when I had a shower before we went out... cheeky monkey.
Lucky he didn't check out my legs!!!!!

Another day we were driving to my folks, and Jasper was rabbiting on about inconsequential things. He randomly says to me "you know green apples are granny smith apples? Well, the red ones are poppy smiths, right?"
He really should stop talking when I am driving... he will make me drive off the road one day because I am laughing so much!!

Molly has decided to express herself and try to develop her terrible twos stage early... She is very independant and totally cracks it if we tell her "no" to something. It is kind of cute, but the screaming.... oh, the high pitched screaming...

You know how there is ALWAYS that kid at the shop who you think "get them outta here" and you can't get away from them fast enough??
Well, my placid, delightful, shop loving baby girl turned into that baby the other day... Except, I couldn't get away from her... she followed me!!!
She wants something, and she wants it NOW. If you don't oblige she lets you know exactly how she feels about it!!

I do have more photos and video to post, but that will be another day. With some school holiday stories (when we actually DO something worthy to write about!!!).

Brooke

Bubble Palooza!

Well, is there any better way to spend an afternoon?

BOTH the kids love bubbles!
Jasper bought some home from Scouts last Friday, and we have gone through them pretty quick.. it is hard to stop when they love chasing them so much!
Then Molly was lucky to get a bubble machine at our playgroup Christmas party. I just had to put in some batteries, add some bubble mix, and away it goes! The bubbles float up and away for a while before they pop, so there is a lot of chance to chase them!

 Molly is very distracted by bubbles, and looks a bit raggedy, but I still think she's beautiful (or as she says "bootibull")

 Jasper was saying "enough with the camera!" I asked for one handsome face and I would leave him alone... hmmmm, I am pretty sure I said "HANDSOME" not "ATTITUDE". (Needless to say, I didn't stop!)

 Molly usually only eats in her high chair... above is one reason she doesnot really get out on the floor to eat... yes, the 10 minute second rule did apply here..

This one didn't focus too well, but it is whiteboard marker on Mollys' neck.. every morning at school, she loves to run into Jasper's classroom and draw all over the whiteboard. Sometimes she misses....

Jasper has an eye appointment just before Christmas (thank you Dr Cathy!). Fingers crossed for an easy answer on Jasper's eyes!!

OK, bed now. The kids were both up super late, so momma's hoping for a sleep in tomorrow!!!
(hoping, but not holding my breath!)

Brooke