Happy New Year !

On way to the Walkers for a day of fun at the pool. Bringing a cake to celebrate!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Songs

Have forgotten to show you some of the lovely pressies we got for Chrissie.

For example this wonderful childrens song book. Comes with CD and has all the traditional (and some newer ones I did not recognise!) songs complete with musical score. Lots of fun for Oliver and us, look forward to even more singing in the house!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Playtime

Morning walk and playtime in Pioneer Park...


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Xmas candy

Belated xmas candy today from Paul and Clair! They always make lots of effort at Christmas and Easter and if you all remember they made us at Easter this year, possibly the best chocolate Easter egg I've ever tasted. (And I've had a few..)

Now back to today, they gave us this jar full of fancy Rocky Road candy (with Cranberries etc!) Really really yummy!!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Christmas Day Morning

Opening lovely pressies in bed. Oliver is more interested in the sound of the paper rustling then the actual pressies....


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Dala horse

Started on some pressies today. I know, in true form I should open them all today as it really is my Christmas today..... but in this family we get 2 Christmases; on 24 and on 25 so I had to leave some for tomorrow!

This one is from Pippi, a few very nice things from Polarn o Pyret, and as you know that is my favourite swedish baby shop. Really lovely onesie for Oliver, among other things. Brilliant!

Their sons Rasmus and Erik also sent a Dala horse! I was never very excited about them living in Sweden but since becoming an ex pat I love them and even bought a wooden one on our last trip to Europe. Now Ollie has one in plush and I am thrilled!

Thanks Pippi!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Herring

Herring, Potatoes, Sourcream (Graddfil) and Chives (Graslok).

Very happy!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Julafton

Christmas eve. Gravad Lax, ham and soon sill.

Yeahhooo!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

God Jul

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Barbie again

Summer is well and truly here, barbie tonight again... Huge steak and lovely salad...


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

The morning kiss

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Man and Hound Resting

After a day in the park man and his hound had a rest! (And so did I and Oliver after his feed)
Very cosy and chilled afternoon!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

B's birthday

Every year B (Bianca) has a bbq in Rushcutters for her birthday. We always go to it and is always a great day out.

This year with Oliver we only stayed for about an hour but was great to see everybody and we do love Rushcutters!!
Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Pork for din-dins

Dinner tonight; simple and quick but nice. At the moment the focus is on Oliver , not on cooking...

Pork legs marinated in mustard, honey and garlic for 24 h, then fry or bake in oven.

Made a quick sallad with just cucumber, sallad leaves and nice feta cheese. Make a little dressing to pour on top...

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Happy Deer?

Whilst I was bathing and putting Oliver to bed, J got busy with decorating the deer....

Now J need to go shopping for more xmas decorations to vamp up the house so I guess we will do that on the weekend!!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Tuesday Lunch

I'm a bit behind I know, been a pretty full on week with hot weather and a very unsettled Oliver. I have had very little time to do anything to be honest... Welcoming the southerly change this arvo and now cool (about 24-25 degrees) so O has been sleeping for a few hours (woohhoo!) without waking up being unhappy and wanting a 'snack'.

Anyway - on Tuesday we went to have lunch with J at Millers Point were he works. Beautiful office and great location. Also very good cafe in the building and we had a yummy lunch and showed off O to J's team! (J is very proud!)


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Oliver

The lovely Anne N sent us personalised Christmas ornaments. At the bottom you pull the string and singing starts. Very cute!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Pioneer Park

Up until now I've just been walking long walks with F today - first outing to Pioneer Park since arrival of Oliver. Frida off lead and nice to be back in this lovely park...!

Ps Frida has a new toy that she loves chasing!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

The little Mole...

Nick and Jane sent us this funny book about a Mole who has to find out who poo'd on his head.... Haha!
( I am so grown up...! )

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Weekend

The weekend went so quickly and now it's already Tuesday, can't believe it...

Sunday started with total blockage in the downstairs bathroom, in shower, loo and sink.... When we had tried everything we had to call in the emergency plumber.. Raaaahh!

The afternoon was brighter with Luke's birthday at their pad in Bondi. They had just renovated so looked fabulous! Loads of chats, laughs and general hanging out....

Yesterday was total bliss with le petit prince waking, sleeping, feeding and generally doing everything right. Perfect day! We also saw my obstetrician and Oliver was again quiet and content. He is so cute!!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Tree

The Christmas tree looks different this year.....

Not doing the real deal this year since the last few years have been a few days of enjoyment and 2 weeks of vacuuming. Just too hot for the tree to survive.

This one is from Papaya and will certainly last for a while....

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Cute!

Wearing the onesie he got from the Walkers today. Sooo cute!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Flirting

Sometimes I flirt with the ladies... :)



Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

The Sulker...

Did not have time to walk Frida at her usual time today. As a matter of fact I won't be walking her , J has to take her later on as I am with le petit prince.
F is sulking....


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Treat

Today's treat; swedish chocolate...

Thanks sis x


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Unsettled

We're having a very unsettled evening here with le petit prince not feeling tip top and is not settling down....

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

J's birthday y'day

Yesterday was a special day. It was J's birthday.
In the morning we did pressies and coffee in bed and he had decided on posh indian food for dinner. During the day I had decorated the house for Chrissie. (He loves it!) Was a lovely evening! Not to mention O went down easily so we had the evenig to ourselves. Bliss!
Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Men

The 2 most important men in the world!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Bed Bath Table

One of my favourite shops Bed Bath table has opened at the Norton st mall just around the corner from us. Very happy and excited about it!

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Heat!

38 degrees yesterday and 35 today, can't wait for a southerly change!!!
Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Debbie and Kirk

Came to visit today. So nice to see old friends... Oh and they brought flowers as well - perfect as all the others from O's birth all look a bit sad now...
Have known Deb since way before I moved to Australia (over 10 years) and Kirk for as long as they have been going out , which I think might be for 6 years or so..
Oliver was awake for about 15 min of the visit before he was out like a light again... :)

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Asparagus

I love asparagus!

Just snap the ends off, toss in olive oil and sea salt. Bbq and when done squeeze half a lemon over them. Yuuummmyy!!!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Ken Street Fighter

J came home today with his costume for this years work X-mas party.

Theme; Computer Games

He is going as "Ken Street Fighter"!

Made me giggle and Frida started to bark as she thought he was playing with her whilst he was doing his fighting moves! :)


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Baby Bjorn

Yesterday was the first time we tried the Baby Bjorn me and Oliver. He loved it and quite frankly so did I, have my arms back and he just sleeps in there!
Bliss!


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

First trip

First trip (on my own) with Oliver and Frida...

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

With a little help from...

....my friends...

Saturday was hot and Oliver was unsettled and basically up from 1 am to 8 pm - i.e all day. This has never happened before...

He is a bit of a textbook baby and I have been so proud of that , oh and spoilt. I get to have dinner with J every night as I KNOW he will sleep from 7 - 10pm....
Not sunday though...

He finished off the day by cascade spewing loads all over the bathroom. That has never happened before either... It freaked me out.

Yesterday and today he is back to normal again , sleeps in 3-4 h slots and is happy again... I feel human and order restored... :)

Thank god for lovely friends who can help and give advise and most of all my beautiful sister who keeps checking we are ok. She remembers clearly how challenging the first weeks are and has offered great support. xx

Now time for a nap before he wakes up...


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Life

Life throws all sorts of things at you.

Been quite ill since birth of the most gorgeous boy on earth. I am so grateful for him, if it was not for him, I'd be really depressed by now...!

This last week I have been in and out of hospital, huge pains in tummy and uncertainty on why this is happening has made me really tired on top of the pain. Not a great week health wise.

This is also very stressful for J who can't help me and is left with Oliver on his own worrying about me and how to feed him.

Hopefully from now on things will improve. Seeing my obstetrician on Monday and I am confident she will sort this out for us.

Now I am concentrating on resting (which I am not good at but need desperately!)

Sorry for doom and gloom. Good news next time, promise...


Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Good food

J is currently out doing himself in the kitchen. Each night he makes me something really special and I love it!!

Tonight ;

Cornchips (from Norton Street) and a Salsa made with tomato, onion, coriander, cumin, lime juice, loive oil and salt.

This was followed by oven baked pork chops with stewed capsicums. (Bill Granger)

Giving birth clearly grants being spoilt with good food!! :)

Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus

Kindness

The kindness of people has been incredible. We have received so many flowers and presents it is crazy...

The house is filled with a scent of lilies...
Sent from my BlackBerry® from Optus