Four

This boy turned four a few weekends ago. That time went amazingly fast!! He seems so grown up now. He’s chatty and curious, loving, kind, crazy and full of energy, sweet and brave, but also incredibly sensitive, demanding and independent all at once.

seven things for the baby's room

I’m pretty sure that whole pregnancy nesting thing hasn’t kicked in with me yet, I’m still in the plenty of time zone...but really I should be starting to get it together. We have all the big items from last time around, but need things like a new mattress for the bassinet and our baby monitor randomly stopped working (and we really liked having that), so mostly it is just about updating our spare room from the cluttered storage room that it is into an actual bedroom.

Since we won’t know if the baby is a boy or girl until it is born, I’m sticking with some pretty neutral pieces I think can end up being worked either way. The room is currently very plain and will need something to give it life (I'm thinking some wallpaper on one of the walls?), but that can wait until a bit later down the track. I can think about it in the middle of the night when I’m up feeding!!

A few things on my list: 1. Heico rabbit lamp 2. Raduga Grez wooden arch waterfall 3. Garbo and Friends fauna change mat cover  4. Ikea Lixhault in grey  5. Mado four feelings poster 6. pineapple cushion by ferm living kids 7. Camomile London embroidered quilt

baby no 2

Our second baby is due in June, that feels quite soon now! I haven’t felt very well the whole time, and while it has been a little bit more manageable lately, it hasn’t gone away completely. I’m also just exhausted, there have been nights when I’ve gone to sleep at 7:30, which is unheard of for me. I didn’t think this pregnancy would be so different to the first, so it has taken me by surprise.

Part of me feels really ready, and I know Elroy will love having a sibling, he is going to be a wonderful big brother. I have, however, completely forgotten about what it’s like to have a baby in the house! So that is a little bit daunting (in a very good way).

long weekend

I gave Matt a waffle iron for chirstmas this year. It may have been a present in disguise for myself, but he's taken it on very well, has found a great recipe and has the timings down pat. He even makes the batter the night before. So we had waffles and home made strawberry compote, and fancy maple syrup to start the long weekend. I love all the long weekends at this time of year. We haven't been away for any of them and I'm ok with that. It's nice to be home.

I got my camera out a few times over the weekend, took some shots of Jerry and the dinosaur hand puppet (me makes the best noises when that thing comes out), the pretty dahlias I found at the shop and Elroy zooming around on his bike. I'm pretty sure he will be a mountain biker just like Matt. We also visited the wooden boat festival and went on board the Endeavour and had dinner with family, so it's been a nice mix of doing things and down time.

weekend stuff

I’m trying to get back into using my camera again, I realise how quickly Elroy is growing and changing and I want to make sure I capture this time. So before we have another weekend and I take more (that’s the plan!) I thought I’d post these from last weekend.

It was a pretty good one actually, pizza in the park on Friday night, then I went to listen to Yotam Ottolenghi in conversation with Rodney Dunn on Saturday night. This was the second conversation-style evening I’ve been too this year. The first was Nick Cave, on his own with a piano and the audience with the ability to ask anything, that was an interesting experience, he was fairly open and there were some good provoking questions, but at the same time he is still a mystery and I think I just enjoy connecting with his music. Ottolenghi was, of course, a completely different evening and I felt like the conversation had just started to warm up and then it was over. But I think it has reignited my enthusiasm for food and cooking. I even made a batch of strawberry ice cream, from scratch with a proper egg custard from strawberries we picked at the berry farm.

Sunday was a quiet beach day, the water here is cool but so refreshing, and time seems to slow down at the beach in a rather nice way, making the day seem longer and real life less pressing.

january

It seems somehow unbelievable that we are almost at the end of January. We had a very lovely quiet christmas/new years break, mostly only leaving home to go to the beach, which was exactly what was needed by all of us. We've tried to keep that lazy summer vibe going the past few weeks, despite re-entering the rat race.

Last weekend Matt and I had a lovely parenting reprieve for 24 hours to go to Mona Foma in Launceston. The weather was incredible, and we visited Parer Studio's Man at the Gorge and had a swim, before going to the festival to catch up with friends and see Courtney Barnett and Pnau (both were so great). The next morning we had a sleep in and a late breakfast before driving home. The whole time felt like such a treat.

The long weekend has been a little quieter, today we went to Littlewood Berry Farm to pick strawberries and eat ice cream, which I have been meaning to do ever since early December! I think, weather permitting tomorrow will be another beach day. It has taken me a very long time to get to the point where I can let things go a bit, recognise that I need a rest and to slow down, not make lots of plans and have mile high expectations, and I think it has been really good to have a slow start to the year.

early spring

I feel like we have been pretty lucky with the spring weather so far, last weekend was great and this coming weekend is looking even better. I’m even ok with the colder/wetter few days at the moment, because it’s good for all the new plants I’ve planted in the garden. Yep, I’ve suddenly acquired an interest in gardening, but as my mother’s child it was probably only a matter of time.

We have a lot of work to do outside and in the garden, the builders were still here last spring/summer, and so now we have all these new decks and planters and stairs and fences that need painting and staining, and it all generally needs some love and attention. I’m trying to be a bit more motivated myself, and not rely on Matt to do them all. Because I am just as capable, just not very confident.

I’ve found it’s good for Elroy to be outside in the fresh air more too and once he’s settled playing, or riding his bike, then I can potter about. Or sit and read a book, it feels like a luxury, and it’s the first time since he was born that I’ve really just done things for myself while he’s awake. I don’t know why, I guess he is demanding and I give in easily.

Random pics from the last week: E painting the house, I made a lemon meringue pie and the lilac in the garden is flowering, E crafting in the morning.