House and Baby

Just because i've never shared it before, and I always forget to do 'before' pics.

Does this mean there will be 'after' shots?
Maybe one day... :)

BTW, there's things I like.. like my red clock, and the string of lanterns.
And the fact there's wine in the fridge.

I absolutely hate them.


Now, don't get me wrong .. my kids get plenty of socialisation, and basically, I think about 70% of my life is dedicated to making them happy .. as opposed to simply fed, clothed and cleaned.

It's the ME factor. Yep, despite the fact about 1% .. ok, maybe 2% of my life being dedicated to me being happy .. I still feel like a horrible old shrew with every playdate I turn down.

I.just.don't.have.the.time.energy.or.inclination.

Honestly.


I'm tired. real tired.

I work, mother, do all the cooking and cleaning ( got a great husband, but he's always working too .. lately, he was overseas for a month ).
Recently a pair of my pants disintegrated and we realised I was wearing them in images of my firstborn at 6months old.
I don't go shopping for me. I have a 3yr old. When I get babysitters, it's so I can work, not flit around shopping.
It's not much fun at the moment, but I figure my time will come ( I look forward to being alone in a changing room again )

Every day after school, I let my kids play with other kids for on average an hour, in a park near the school. Let them run, climb, have fun.
On Saturdays there's birthday parties, and Sunday is my husband's day off, so that's family day.. if i'm not working.


On top of this, they want playdates.
Other parents want playdates.
After school.
In that impossibly small window where I have to prep dinner.


WHY?



I mean, the park is easy, it's on the way home, so it's a no brainer to stop in and play.
There's a variety of other parents if I fancy a chat, but not the one-on-one pressure of a stranger, over tea or coffee and biscuits.
I'm not good at small talk with people I don't know well. And I don't really enjoy tea & biscuits. At the park, if i'm not chatting I can watch the trees change colour, think pleasant thoughts, enjoy the waning sunshine and actually rest my mind.

So lovely. So rare.


Playdates are for holidays. Blocks of time unbroken by school, by swimming lessons, by birthday parties.
Blocks of time when the trampoline gets boring and you want to fight with someone other than your brother over Lego.
Blocks of time where your mother doesn't have to get everyone dressed and make lunches and do the school run every single day by 8.30am, so maybe, just maybe she will feel a teeny bit more refreshed and welcome a change to routine.


But not after school.
Please.


Give this mother a break.

I'm too lazy to dig up any before pics, so you'll just have to beleive me ( or perhaps you've been to my place, or remember those past pics ) that the new backyard is so far LOOKING AWESOME !

OMG, I am so happy with this! The design came to me in a dream, and I awoke and quickly fleshed it out in a sketch, showed the bloke, conferred, got excited, and started to do stuff. It's gradual, like everything. We save for each bit ( be it pebbles, or plants etc ) and piecemeal it together as we go. We do it all ourselves, after work, on weekends. Ok, or he does mostly, and I bring the Coola Cordial and point a lot.

It's also a living thing, and thus, the plans sometimes change as we realise this, or improve on that, or come across some immovable obstacle. It's how I like to work, and why I find people that do whole houses amazing. I'm not a good multitasker and find it hard to think about the perfect BATHROOM tap, when someone wants to know what TILE for the laundry, or if the upstairs CARPET should be shag, or sisal or beige or blue.

ONE THING AT A TIME. Or I kinda hyperventiliate.
And compromising or making quick decisions makes me feel like i'm drowing. I like to live with things and change things bit by bit, one project at a time.

As much as i'd like to have a brand spanker with everything clean and new :)

A page from the lovely new e-mag released on March 1st.
A smattering of my images throughout, accompanied by the most beautiful text.

tiny&little
inspiration and creativity for tiny & little ones

I seriously cannot believe how well done this magazine is. When asked to contribute, I had no idea of the level of professionalism, of pretty and of useful it would turn out to be. Every page a jaw-dropper. Amazing.

Melbourne-based, you can expect to find features on local eats, local profiles, shops, tips, travel, books, craft, cooking, and inspiration.

Oh look, why are you still here .. you should be reading and gawking already!:

http://www.tinyandlittle.com.au/magazine/

Go, go!

Sorry if I seemed a bit curt this morning, but let me just recap for you:

- When you called me two days ago to let me know of your wonderful programme that my son would be starting with you, I was thrilled. When we chatted extensively about his history and his various speech programmes, therapists, when he started to speak, I was delighted. You seemed really interested in getting him on track, your programme sounded great, and the eventual outcome positive.

- Since we were on the phone for a good 30minutes and had exhausted every question, every piece of history, I must admit I was surprised that you wanted to tee up an appt to 'discuss things further' .. there really was nothing else to talk about, but I figured you wanted to meet me face to face, and that's ok too. I was pleased with your 8.45am appointment, and said how that worked well with me and why.

I couldn't help but think how lucky we were to live in a country that seems to take such an active interest in my son's academic progress and who take steps to ensure he keeps up to a level suitable to his age group.


- So this morning when I rock up at 8.45am and stand outside your glass-walled office, I was surprised to hear and see you deep in conversation with another. You didn't seem to be wrapping up, and you did a really good job of pretending I was not there. The school bell rang, and then classes started filling in and it was now 9.15am. I had to leave soon, but I wanted you to know I kept *my* appointment time.

- When you came out and said 'oh, are you waiting to see me?' and I replied I was there for our 8.45am appointment, you didn't apologise, but unhurredly collected your session book and took your time fluffing about. Another kindly teacher's aide gave my 2yr old some paper and crayons so we could talk. I'm pretty sure you don't like little kids, but that's ok, i'm starting to get the feeling I don't like you much either.

- This is where it kinda falls apart, where as before it was just a bit ratty around the edges. It's true maybe we are diametrically opposed, with your slow ways and slow talking ( I swear it made me speak extra fast ), but you sat down and asked me the same questions we had been through on the phone.

The conversation goes like this:

She - So tell me about MC ?
Me - ?? What would you like to know ? ( huh ? )
She - Were you surprised to get a call from me the other day ?
Me - ?? Well, no, like I said, MC's been in Speech therapy programmes since he was 18mo old
She - So he's had professional assessment then?
me - um, yes, as I said on the phone, he's seen 4 different therapists
She - oh yes, but I didn't take notes then, could you recap for me now?
me - (tersely, quickly, rattles off everything )

YOU DIDN'T TAKE NOTES?? WTF DID YOU WASTE MY TIME FOR THEN, WITH YOUR LONG PHONECALL WITH APPROPRIATE PAUSES THAT CERTAINLY SOUNDED LIKE THE TYPE YOU MAKE WHEN YOU ARE TAKING NOTES !!

She - ok, so this is the programme ( blah-de-blah ) and i'll see Jack daily ..
me - "MC"
She - ah yes, MC .. so i'll see MC daily for 30minutes...

You went on to call him Jack again a second time after that too. That's ok, I bet you see a lot of kids and etc, but really, I think you're a bit off with the freaking fairies.

Finally, as icing on the cake of mutual love we were sharing, you shushed my 2yr old, who held up a drawing and said in a normal/not loud voice "Look Mummy, I draw you!" with a big beaming smile. I ignored your uncalled for shush and complimented him on his lovely drawing skills and turned to her and said "he's been waiting for a while and he's only 2" to which she replied she wouldn't want him disrupting the class ??!??

Um, lady? Get a fucking grip.

I hope you're better at Reading Recovery than you are at communications..

( My Boys, Feb 2011 )

I've never done one of these before .. but hey, anyone that reads here probably also reads Stacey from SheepsClothing and she's looking for some new faces to flog her new season's knits.

Deets are on my facebook page: www.hbfotografic.com/facebook


Sign on, have some fun, get some pics where you look a bit cute, and take home some product!

Sounds good to me ..



xx