Conversation with Billy

I am laying on the couch and Billy comes in carrying Red Bear (his comfort toy which usually lives in his cot) lies down on the floor beside me and stuffs a paw in him mouth. He lays there staring up at me. I lean over and say "Do you need to go to bed?". He nods with a very serious face LOL He went to bed and had a quick cat nap after that. Not bad for a 13 month old ;)

Well, I think I have earned a little on-line time after baking 3 pies, 24 muffins, a loaf of bread and a meatloaf PLUS vacuuming the house, bringing in 4 loads of washing, hanging 1 load on the clothes horse, digging in about 2 square meters of the greenhouse and spending quality time with both of the children. Gosh I'm tired now though!

Erin:
is delightful as always. Her imaginary world is so vivid, she was playing with a monkey and a kangaroo the other day while I hung out the washing! She has taken to trying to carry Billy around sometimes which he thinks is hysterical (until she falls over on top of him!). She has been playing the keyboard a fair bit since we got the adapter to plug into it. She sat with me for 45 minutes this morning while I practiced and counted time for me. She still has a great sense of musicality and I really must get her into some type of structured lessons once the new bubba is settled. She is constantly singing, both known songs and 'original compositions'. The other day I left the room and came back in to her serenading her Dad with a lovely rendition of "Jesus Loves Me"

Billy:
is perfecting the art of putting things away. Consequently I have found a few interesting items in the bin! He pulled down Erin 's pencil box onto the floor today and by the time I got there he had put nearly half back in! He is such a clever kid. Jon and I were watching a doco on the ABC called Brat Camp last night and quite a few parents of these out of control teens indicated that they had been "full on" since birth. I said to Jon that if handled incorrectly, that would be our son!! He has the potential to be anything he wants, but I daresay whatever he is will be extreme. Therefore we have to be sure to bend the branch the way we want the tree to grow - so to speak! I have gotten better at not spoiling him, the big blue eyes aren't working on me now. Well, not quite as often.

The Newest Bubba:
is at the 'poking out' stage now which means I get to tickle tiny feet through my belly! I also get the shapes of various limbs poking out at random moments. It just becomes more and more real every day. I have been washing baby clothes and nearly sobbed into a few little items because they are so cute and hold such precious memories from my older two. Erin helped choose the baby's first outfits and she kept holding up items and crying "Oh, this one was my FAVOURITE when I was a little baby" LOL I love the sweet anticipation of preparing for a baby!

The House:
is in full nesting swing so it goes from piles of washing and banks of dishes to very tidy.

The Garden:
is getting a similar treatment with big plans for the green house. Wintersweet is blooking next to the clothes line and the scent is DIVINE.

Big Projects:
still working on everything with very little finished! Keeping the house ticking over is priority for me.

Jess

Conversation between Erin and Uncle Andrew

Uncle Andrew: I'm going now, but guess what? I will be through to visit again in a few weeks!

Erin: For my birthday?

Uncle Andrew: When's your birthday?

Erin: two weeks!

Uncle Andrew: I will see what I can do.

Erin: I'd appreciate that.

Hehehehe - she never fails to crack me up!

A bit of a hectic week!

Nothing special that made it so I guess, I just feel like I have been flat out. We had our first rental inspection this morning that was a bit nerve racking. The house was fine, the children were abominable!! Just goes to show doesn't it?? Anyway,

Erin:
has discovered how to count. Rather than just pointing to something and saying "onetwothreefourfive.." she does one-to-one correspondence and actually counts what is there. She is still thrilled with her night light, although I haven't caught her reading stories to it for a while.

Billy:
has learned to say "tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle!!!" which is very amusing. Especially as he tries to tickle his plate or a chair. He moves like greased lightening, especially when there is mischief involved, and breaks out the cuddles and kisses with great regularity.


The Newest Bubba:
is now well and truely there. I have to wake up and rearrange 3 different pillows to roll over (one under the belly, one between the knees and the one under my head LOL). I am getting out the baby clothes tomorrow :D I restrained myself a few extra days because of the inspection.

The Garden:
has a freshly planted bed which will be spring flowers (hopefully!) and lots more pruning.

Projects:
I forgot to mention last week I am redoing my home management book which takes up a fair bit of time at the moment.

Jess

Another week has somehow slipped by and everything is chuffing along at a great pace!

Erin:
has decided she wants a pink train cake for her birthday (in August, but hey, plan ahead!). She has been having bouts of really poor behaviour lately and I have been putting a fair bit of effort into keeping her by me and productively engaged during the day as I think she was getting too much free choice. It is tricky for an almost-three-year-old to realise that after choosing which toys to play with, which room to play in and when to swap activities it is NOT optional to be well mannered, respectful and obedient! The results have been really good and I have found that we are enjoying each others company more and more. I am also tweaking the routine so we fit in more craft time etc. which is lots of fun. She has a night light now that we bought on Monday. It is just a plain one that plugs into the powerpoint and has a sensor to turn on when it is dark. She loves it, I found her reading to it the other day!

Billy:
has added "Yuck!" and "Nan-nan" to the vocab this week. The yuck was in reference to his sister's morning nappy this morning so it was very apt! He is such a little boy now. Today he was giving Millie, Erin's baby doll, cuddles and kisses which was adorable. It makes me look forward to seeing him with his younger sibling, although it was also a reminder of how closely I am going to have to supervise him because his kisses still involve teeth occassionally. On Monday he spent a few hours strapped into the hug-a-bub while I was running errands in Launceston and he did fabulously well snuggled in chest-to-chest perched on the baby bump! It was surprisingly comfortable actually. The main reason I don't use it more often is because it takes a bit of stuffing around to put on, but it is great for running around town.

The Littlest Bubba:
spent most of that time on Monday kicking Billy which was amusing! Definately head down from all the foot activity I am getting up top now. Six days until I can start sorting clothes! I had someone say today "Oh it will be tougher with three, you only have two hands". First reaction was "Duh" my second thought was "how many things with the other kids could I do one handed anyway?" and then I thought "I have Erin's set of hands now!" which is very, very useful :) I think we will cope somehow.

The Garden:
is still being pruned and weeded, although I am not getting enough time to do it for my liking! I am expecting some fabulous roses this summer with all the attention they have gotten. Nearly all the various car parts etc. are in the garage now so we look a lot less like a wrecker's yard now.

Jess

Priorities

How do you do it?

Priorities: Trying to have it all

This is the first of the “how do you do it” series of Blogs! This is for the people who stop me in the supermarket, stare at the belly and the toddler and Destructo-Boy and say “HOW do you DO it??”. Many years ago I wouldn’t have been asked that question. In the days before feminisim, dishwashers, dual income families, washing machines, “me” time and microwaves, many rural women cared for 9+ children with no electricity, all clothes hand made and hand washed, all food cooked from scratch and much of the food raised from the garden and the house paddock! Yet people ask me how I manage with my two-and-a-bit!!

Well, my way of doing it is to stop trying to do it ALL and have it ALL.

My generation have been told from when we were young that we can have the high-powered career, come home, be earth mother to our well adjusted children (after our SNAG husband picks them up from the developmentally-appropriate-intelectually-stimulating-high-adult/child-ratio child care centre) then after they are in bed have a couple of hours of “me” time, call ‘the girls’ to set up lunch for the next day, bake cookies for the church fete and fall into bed with our ever-sensitive husband, make wild, passionate love then go to sleep before doing it all the next day.

It was a lie.

For me anyway.

There aren’t enough hours in the day!! Let alone energy. Plus there is that niggling fact that our spouse and children are usually human and imperfect and need their Mum to just be Mum and their Wife to just be Wife rather than superwoman day-in, day-out. And believe me, after a day of a high powered career then a few hours of ‘earth mother’ – cookies for the church fete really don’t seem THAT important! Sadly, in this situation, the love making often slips way down the ‘to-do’ list too.

So the guilt sets in.

If we work outside the home, we’re guilty for not being home with our children. If we choose to be homemakers we are guilty for not providing financially and have a nagging feeling that we should be doing ‘more’ with our lives. We say yes to a hundred and one volunteer opportunities that come our way then feel guilty because we never get to SEE our Beloved other than to give instruction on who will pick up the kids the next day.

It is insanity.

So I decided to stop feeling guilty. I decided to set my priorities, take on only that which supported those priorities and stop trying to be everything to everybody. It meant saying no to some things. It meant giving up some things that I thought I enjoyed doing. It meant that people around me would stop saying “oh you are so fantastic for being able to do it all” because I stopped trying to pretend I COULD do it all.

What are these magic priorities that guide my life?

1. My relationship with God – This IS the most important thing, it has to be, it sets the foundation for everything else. Read Matthew 10:37-39 to get Jesus’ point of view on the subject.
2. My Husband – He is the love of my life and my best friend. For the benefit of us, him and my children I need to make sure he knows that always. Yes, he can get his own dinner if he has to, he can take care of himself when my children can’t and get comfort elsewhere if he is hurting and I am “too busy”. But I have seen the product of husbands being sidelined in favour of the children and it isn’t pretty! I have also seen the product of a husband being loved and respected and the result of children knowing that Mum and Dad are crazy about each other – and I like it!
3. My children – I read a story once, I think it was “Woman After God’s Heart” by Elizabeth George, where a woman got called at her summer camp outreach for troubled kids to pick up her OWN children from the police after they were caught setting fire to a vacant block! It HAS to start at home. Proverbs has much to say on this subject, one quote that springs to mind is “TRAIN up a child in the way he should go….” (emphasis mine) this indicates we need to be proactive in the raising of our children, not just slot them in when we have time.
4. My home – Creating a safe, comfortable place to fall for myself and my family IS important. Titus 2:2-5 and Proverbs 31 both describe women who keep their own home.
5. My ministry – At the moment, this consists of this blog and other writing, sending the odd care package to loved ones and people in need, hospitality and packing off donations to charity. That’s it. It is my widows mite and I am sure God will multiply it because I am being faithful to his plan for me to minister to my home first. I have said no to many other ministry opportunities that I probably would have enjoyed because at this season of my life my children are very time hungry. There will be a season for me to do more outside the home but now isn’t it.

That is the other secret to prioritising. Recognising that there is a season for all things (Ecclesiastes chapter 3). Saying no now does not mean forever. God willing, I will enjoy a long ‘retirement’ once my children have grown and left home. Providing the grandbabies don’t keep me TOO occupied ;) I will be able to do it all – I just don’t have to do it all at once!

So there it is, the foundation is priorities, everything else hangs off that. Next time in this series I will start to talk about the nuts and bolts of ‘getting it done’.

Another update

Some of you may remember my prayer request for Kim who was facing prem labor. Well her son, Matthew Isaac, has arrived weighing all of 2 pounds! They are still in need of prayers, it is worth reading about their adventures so far so click here for the web site.

Erin:
has decided that she is going to be a nurse when she grows up. She wants to be a special type of nurse called a midwife that helps mummies and babies at the moment. We were discussing the different types of nurses and I mentioned that Nana Julie is a special type of nurse called a "Psychiatric Nurse" and she takes care of people whose minds and hearts are sick, sad and confused (explaining mental illness to a less-than-three-year-old isn't easy!). Instantly she replied "Oh, I'm sad and confused!" LOL Last night while I was lying on the floor she came over and started gently pressing my tummy with the flat of her fingers like she has seen the midwife do, it was very cute! She has developed a fear of the dark which I suspect is partially her age and partially people talking over the top of her head asking if she is afraid of the dark etc. because it started just after someone did that. At the age of nearly three, she is very open to suggestion. We are going to get her a little night light but for now we leave Jon's study light on across the hall. Hopefully, she will just get over it soon.

Billy:
is walking well and truly now, pretty much running at times! It is amazing the change that brings about, he is definately a little boy now not a baby anymore. He has his two top molars coming through at once. He has one nap now instead of two (11am-1pm). He is verbalising well, even if there aren't many actual words ("Dada" - Daddy, "quack" - duck, "woof" - pretty much anything with fur, "EEEEEE!!" - Erin, "MMMMMM!!" - Mummy, I'm annoyed. "bbbbrrrrr" - elephant, "bruuuummm" - I'm playing with a car or truck, "OOOOOOOOTTTT!!!" - I can hear a train going past outside, and many, many more). He eats a huge amount and still enjoys a few serves of boobie juice a day but there isn't an ounce of fat on him. That is what happens when you go non-stop I guess!

The Littlest Bubba:
is growing well, moving lots and seems very happy and healthy. Other than some lower back/hip pain I am doing really well too. I've started knitting a little pink hat just in case of a girl and we're counting down to the 30 week mark at which point I will start preparing clothes and bedding :) We just have to arrange someone to take the kids while bubba is actually being born. We may have to take them into Launceston with us and have someone meet us at the birth centre. If this one is a 4 hour or less labor like Billy was I don't want to be giving birth on the side of the road so we have limited time to wait for anyone to come out to our house to watch the kids.

The house:
is now getting back on track after an extended period of neglect. I am banned from novels and story books of any kind for a while as I have NO self control and the children and house were neglected badly while I finished a trilogy in about two weeks (about 3000 pages all up!). Routine is the key to getting it back in line and it is amazing what just a day or two of proper routine can do! Home making isn't about being perfect all the time, it's about being able to get back on track after a detour - that's what I tell myself anyway! There are telling signs of neglect on the children though in that they will try and get away with things that they wouldn't have before because they got used to Mummy being stuck in a book and not paying attention!

The Garden:
is getting pruned to within an inch of it's life! Jon is getting the chainsaw out to do some of the roses soon, which should tell you just how overgrown things are. I have started weeding the green house which is chock a block full of chick weed. It should make nice compost.

Big Projects:
We have moved a great big table into my craft room which has ment that I have had to re-arrange the craft room. But I do have some fabric out and definate plans of getting started on a beautiful quilt for Erin that I have been mulling over for about four months now. I also want to finish a doona cover and pillow case that I started last year so it is ready for her birthday.

Jess

photos

Some new pics, more in the photo albumLooking at the chooks on a sunny winter's day

Only she can make a bad hair day look this good!

I'm Your Sparrow

Written about three years ago when I was under a fair bit of strain. Based on the scripture Matthew 10:29-31

I'm Your Sparrow

You said You’d never leave me nor forsake me

You said You’d count the hairs upon my head

You said that You would even see the sparrow fall

Well

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

God, I’ve forgotten how to pray

No words left, nothing to say

Only groans and whimpered pain

‘cause

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

Lord, they’re telling me that I should pray

But I don’t know how or what to say

‘cept “God it hurts, take it away”

And

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

I’ve heard my friends extol Your worth

Water to wine and virgin birth

In seven days created earth

Well

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

I’m not asking for miracles

Angels with swords to cure my ills

For fire from heav’n or magic pills

But

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

So hold me close and soothe my pain

And carry me ‘till I walk again

And my life will never be the same

Because

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

prayer request and update

Urgent Prayer Request

A woman whose blog I have been reading for quite some time that has been a great source of inspiration to me is hospitalised 1.5 hours away from her family with baby #9. She is expected to remain there until bub is born and perhaps for a time afterward (she is due almost the same time I am). Please pray for her and her family.

Now on to our family...

Erin:
is still obsessed with human anatomy and is asking more questions every day ("Where does the water go when you let the plug out Mummy?" "What's inside the light Daddy?" "What's inside Billy?"). It is a wonderful challenge to keep up to her active mind. She has another scripture added to her memory verse caterpillar which is now adorning the wall above the kitchen/lounge room door. She is also enjoying Billy's birthday presents!

Billy:
had his twelve month jabs today and was very brave. He is eating enough for ten men and his knees are calloused from crawling. I have sprung him practising walking short distances when nobody is watching so I think walking is not far away. He loved his first birthday with cake and presents (yes, photos are on the way) and has learned to make car noises as he pushes his toy cars along.

Littlest bubba:
is happy and active and I can't wait for him or her to arrive! Erin is determined that this one is a girl and if I had to guess I'd agree :) Newborns are in serious danger of being kidnapped around me at the moment!

The house:
is looking great! Mum came and slay the laundry monster for me (it took her all week and a trip into town to use the laundromat dryers but she did it!) for which I am SO thankful! She also bought me a new crock pot! I still use the old one for some things with foil over the top so it is almost like having two which is brilliant (one for veg, one for meat or one for breakfast porridge and one for tea - the possibilities are endless!). There has been sunshine for the last few days (after sub-zero nights) so for the first time ever the lounge is devoid of both clothes horses and boxes! It feels so bare! I have also started stocking up the freezer ready for the very pregnant months.

The Farm:
Yet to see any eggs but the chooks are looking very fat! Garden needs some work though.

Big Projects:
ALMOST finished unpacking. Billy's birthday is out of the way now and Mum killed the laundry monster - surely this means some free time soon???

Jess