Poor Bella Bear

Poor Isabella has been through enough in the last couple of weeks.

This week it is school sores :-(

I thought they were infected mosquito bites until the mother of her little school friend (who incidently is a doctor) told me she thought they were school sores.

Straight to the doctor (a Sunday of course - these things always seem to happen over the weekend) who prescribed antibiotics to be taken orally and an antibiotic cream for the sores.

They were, and still are, quite itchy.

It's Wednesday night and the sores still look quite bad - I hope to see some improvement soon.

On a brighter note we had our very first parent/teacher interview the other night with Mrs Rippingale. Apparently she is fitting in quite well. She interacts well in class but isn't a trouble maker. She has good gross and fine motor skills and enjoys the computer lessons and discussing the weather chart. Next term they will begin some homework activities.

Isabella has her last day of school tomorrow. A fun day with church in the morning and then a sausage sizzle for lunch and then to the park for the afternoon.

Michael is taking a week off with her for school holidays.

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Tahlia continues to test our patience at every turn.

Her daycare teacher told me she had a run in with her today too!

Apparently Tahlia was playing with a doll. She lost interest and another child began to play with it. Of course Tahlia decided she wanted it back and her teacher told her she would need to wait for her turn.

Well....................her teacher told me Tahlia was VERY cranky with her for suggesting such a thing. There were tears and dirty looks involved.

Glad we're not the only ones witnessing this behaviour - I was beginning to think she saved it all up for home.

The other thing that drives me crazy about her (and alternately I find extremely adorable) is her repetitiveness.

"Carrots" each morning and evening to and from daycare in the hopes of stopping to feed the horses.

"Its a bit late" each evening closer to bedtime

"socks" each morning when Bella puts her socks on

"i do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/i help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screeched when she wants to do something

"in there in there" as we pass the shopping centre/service station every day

"swimming..........aaaaaaaamber not abby!" whenever we discuss swimming because she goes to swimming with Amber not Abby

"tutu" which I sometimes confuse with "tissues" and start giving her a tissue when in fact she wants a tutu so she can dance to Hi 5 or The Wiggles.

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And finally for those who may not know, I am getting baptised/christened and taking communion and first eucharist on Easter Saturday - in the same church in which Isabella and Tahlia were christened.

I've chosen Saint Gemma Galgani as my "saint". Google her - she was pretty special!

So say a little prayer for me if you are that way inclined!

Well I better go Isabella is getting frustrated by something (for a change!)

Bye for now.

Patience

I keep losing mine.

If you find it send it back ASAP.

Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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And now in an attempt to chill out and relax some diary extracts:

April 2nd, 2003 (25 weeks, 4 days pregnant with Isabella)

"Oh my goodness you are moving around heaps today. A website predicted you are a girl this morning based on nothing much more than mine and Daddy's date of birth."

April 2nd, 2004 (Isabella is nearly 9 months old)

"Sleep thru! MILESTONE: you've cut thru your 4th tooth up top on your right hand side. You know what I love? When I put you to bed at night. I rock you and you snuggle into my chest sucking your left thumb and your right hand is stroking my left arm - it is just too adorable. I love you my sweet girl!"

April 2nd, 2007 (Tahlia is 11 weeks old)

"Home day except for trip to servo to fill up. You were a bit unsettled/overtired at lunch, although you had a big sleep first up 7am to 9.30am. I worked in between naps. Made Golden Syrup Dumplings - yum yum. Bella had a late nap. I love you my darling."

March 31st, 2008 (Tahlia is 14.5 months old)

"Leaving kindy today was trying to get you to wave to Tracy so she could take a photo. You pulled your dummy out and said "buh-bye". Too cute!"

They grow up so quickly

Our phone just rang.

I answered it and a small girly voice said:

"Hello this is Natalie. Is Bella there?"

Isabella just got her first real phone call from a friend!

They are chattering away as I type - what about I'm unsure as they have just spent the entire day together at school!

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Michael is away for 3 nights this week. This is our first night. So far, so good. Bath and dinner is now out of the way - teeth and bed to come!

Tahlia has been talking non-stop to all and sundry about "carrots!".

We have been taking some carrots with us in the morning and then stopping on the way home from work/school/daycare to feed two horses that live near Tahlia's kindy.

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I've been praying non-stop for Stellan - can you spare him a prayer, white light or special thought too? I've been following this 'story' since his mother was pregnant with him. I have been counting my blessings (Michael, Isabella and Tahlia especially) at the moment.

If I was technologically savvy enough I'd try and insert the button in this post or on my blog. Can anyone help?

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Isabella and I have just spent the last hour and a half playing Wii.

I love it!

We did have a PS3 - but we never really got into to it (except for me and Singstar! Karoake queen from waaaaaaaaaaay back). We sold our PS3 a couple of weekends ago and bought the Wii.

Tonight Isabella whipped my butt at ten pin bowling (which sux because in real life I'm the kick butt bowler). We also played tennis, baseball, golf (very very badly) and monopoly.

Isabella finally went to bed at 9pm quite a bit later than usual. Well it is a Friday night so it's alright.

I then decided to take the fitness test on the Wii Sports.

I turned 33 last weekend - guess what it calculated my age to be.............................

59!

Hehehehe - I'm almost at retiring age.

Now must go find an icepack for my sore arm - baseball and tennis really takes it out of you.

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I have spent the majority of the day feeling so blessed, almost to the point of tears.

I had the most wonderful day yesterday.

I kept Tahlia at home with me because we had some tradespeople coming out (window tinter and electrician). I admit I was expecting the worst (she has been a terror lately) but she was an absolute delight!

Had a lovely chat with the window tinter (and the windows look GREAT!) - no more scorching hot sun blaring through the front of our house of an afternoon.

She did warn me not to clean/wash the windows for 3 weeks while the glue sets - I told her that wouldn't be a problem - those babies are lucky to be cleaned every 6 months!

Then around lunch time Toni, Sienna and Kia came to visit. What a LOVELY time chatting to dear friends and cuggling an adorable baby!

Kia also joined me in picking Bella up from school - much to Bella's surprise! They also managed to squeeze in a game of Uno before Kia had to go and we had to head to swimming lessons.

So thank you Tahlia, Kia, Toni and Sienna for making my Thursday so great!

Bye for now.

Hairdressers

After I had a shower with Tahlia this afternoon, Isabella called her over to the couch to play hairdressers.

Tahlia is used to sitting in that position. Each morning that is where both girls sit while I do their hair. Tahlia and Bella are both excellant at sitting while I do their hair.

Tahlia had already had her hair washed (so it was wet) but Isabella still insisted on using the water spray.

I must admit she did quite a fine job. It is now that I write this that I realise I didn't take a photo of the finished 'do'.

Isabella has asked if she can do Tahlia's hair tomorrow.

Sure it'll save me a job!

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And in other news, Tahlia is still going to sleep perfectly and is now also sleeping right through. Well to 5.30am anyway. Normally I'd feel a bit ripped off about that - but I figure we usually get up at 6am anyway, what's a 1/2 hour earlier?

Besides I usually spend the time cuggling with her on the couch - so I kind of love it.

Isabella is going great with her swimming. This term she began learning to breathe with the arm action. I was a bit sceptical at first that she would ever be able to co-ordinate that all together but she has come A LONG way. I'm so proud of her!

I'm still unsure, however, how Isabella is getting on in school. She really doesn't say much about it and we usually have to play 20 questions to work out what she has done during the day. Michael and I are interested in speaking with her teacher during parent/teacher interviews in the next couple of weeks to get her take on it.

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18 March 2004 (5 years ago)

Isabella was 8 months old and I have written in my diary:

"Sleep thru - 6 nights in a row - a record!" "Milestone - you pulled up onto Lisa's couch."

18 March 2007 (2 years ago)

Tahlia was 8 weeks old and my diary says:

"Harbour park w/ Jen Mitchell and Hayden and for lunch. We all had naps. To Nana's - Bella played with Alishia. I have the sneezes. Aaachoo!"

Very descriptive, Suzanne! Actually it was a Sunday so there wasn't much room to write!

Well that's enough reminiscing for tonight!

Good night.

Hellalujah

OMGosh!!!!

Bella got student of the week last week and this week Tahlia is getting the child of the week award!

I just put Tahlia in her cot, told her I loved her and I would be just outside.

Walked out the door and...........................SILENCE!! She went to sleep!!

This is from a child who has needed either Michael or myself standing next to her cot until she falls asleep and who has been waking each night as well. (I blame ourselves for this).

We started controlled crying on Thursday night - so it only took 4 nights. I'm so pleased and pray it continues.

On another note: we had a houseful of family (and their pets) on Saturday night just in case Cyclone Hamish decided to cross the coast where we live. 9 adults, 4 children, 3 dogs and 6 cats!! So this is the calm after the storm so to speak.

Student of the Week

Isabella received her first Student of the Week award on Monday at school assembly! She was very excited and proud to tell Michael and I all about it.

The award is for "always trying your best to be ready for your teacher at the start of carpet time and after lunches. Keep it up!".

Congratulations my big girl!