Purple rash

We've all been sick for the last few weeks. Dane and I had chest x-rays to check for pneumonia. We also had conjunctivitis, coughs, vomitting etc. But the icing on the cake was when Sarah came out with a purple rash on Wednesday. I took her to the local doctor and he told me to get her to hospital immediately. Although she didn't have any of the other symptoms of meningococcal we didn't want to take any chances. At the hospital the doctors didn't waste any time getting a drip into her and pumping her full of anti-biotics just in case. It was a little scary, but a priesthood blessing gave me confidence it was nothing serious. The hardest part was trying to keep Sarah occupied. She was in isolation, so she couldn't play with the other children in the play room, and she was attached 24 hours a day to the drip (she had to take her 'puppy' with her around the room). Poor Todd had the task of staying overnight with her and got a grand total of 2 hours sleep.

At one point Sarah grabbed her drip stand and declared in front of the nurses "I want to go to another party!" Another time she performed stomach rolls for the doctor. She cracks me up sometimes.
The doctors finally worked out that she had an allergic reaction to the virus and some of the blood vessels had leaked and caused purple bruising that looked like a rash. We were so relieved when allowed to go home. Does that face look sick to you?

Weaning

This week Sarah enjoyed her last breastfeed. It was time. She's two and two months. She's started one day a week at preschool. She's done her first wee on the potty. She can say the alphabet and count to 10 and put on her pyjama bottoms.

I feel grateful that she breastfed for so long and we could share that special time together. Its the one time she would melt in my arms and gaze into my eyes and tuck her cold little hand in my soft bosom. She was still my little baby.

I thought it was would be an impossibly heart wrenching fight to wean her. When given the choice of nuggles or chocolate she always chose the former. My morning greeting was not 'hello mummy' it was 'can I have some nuggles?'. I asked her recently what 'nuggles' tastes like and she said 'yummy!'.

So I prayed for widsom and guidance. The next morning she didn't ask for any of the good stuff, and was quite satisfied later when I explained that only little babies have nuggles. Big girls get to eat all sorts of yummy things that babies can't have. The next day Sarah told me that Dane wanted some nuggles because he couldn't have strawberries.


I'm surprised she's taken it so well. A little too well. Where did my little baby go? The sad thing is I can't even remember her last feed because I didn't know at the time it would be the last.

I feel like life is going by too fast. I want to remember all the little moments. I try to take photos and video and write in three journals but it just doesn't cut it. I look at my babies and think 'I want to remember this moment', but there's so many of them I know I can't possibly do it.

Mind you, some moments will stay with me for a while, such as the 'take nappy off and poo in cot right before church' moment. It might even get better with time.

Sometimes I wonder who is being weaned, Sarah or me. I love you my little cherubs. Don't grow up too quickly.

I get to fall in love over and over ...

with these growing little people that I get to keep for a while

Finally using some of our wheat

Todd actually ground the wheat to make the flour to make the dough to make the bread - isn't he a clever cookie - and it tasted so yummy warm with lots of butter. While in Adelaide I made this little raggy quilt for my friend Kellie, who had a baby girl the same age as Dane. I'm going through a blanket phase at the moment - I just can't resist buying more and more material. I made a little blanket for Sarah for preschool (she's just started 1 day a week). Somehow I thought that if I put lots of love into a blanket for her, she would feel it while away from me for 5 hours. It seemed to work. She had a great time.

2 already?

We had a little celebration with Todd's family a couple of weeks ago and I just had to post some of the pictures. She is so beautiful and funny and clever and determined, and even when she's driving me crazy I love her to bits.

Tender mercies

This week I had a tooth pulled out. That may not seem like a tender mercy, but I have put up with this bad tooth for almost 3 years now, only eating on one side of my mouth. A part of it broke off just after I became pregnant with Sarah and it was never the same. Although I went to 3 dentists, had numerous xrays, and had the tooth filled and strenthened, none of them could figure out why it was troubling me.

I finally decided enough was enough, there were more important things to worry about in life. What was the point in having teeth anyway, if I never used them? So after a blessing from Todd and numerous prayers I headed off to the dentist with faith that it would all work out.

Although the dentist didn't want to, I insisted that the offending tooth be pulled right there and then. Even though I enjoyed the happy gas for a while, I had to tell them to turn it down when the dentist started insulting my shoes and all I could do was giggle.

Anyway, as soon as the dentist took out the tooth (it was really quick) he said "that was definitely the right decision". He showed me a rather large absess on the side of the root and said that nothing would have fixed it, and for some reason it wouldn't show up on the xray. I was so relieved, and knew that it was yet another blessing from a loving Heavenly Father. A tender mercy that reminds me he is watching out for me and my family.

Local beach

This is our local beach. We're close enough to walk, so I'm looking forward to summer when I can pitch the cancer council tent and let Sarah dig to her heart's content. Sarah was absolutely mesmorised by the water and it took us about half an hour to walk back up to the car as she had to point out every shell along the way.

4th Anniversary

Todd and I had the most perfect, relaxing time away. We took Dane and left Sarah with doting grandma Cyndy. We just sat by the fire and read and ate and napped. We went for a relaxing stroll and dreamed about the future and how healthy we were going to be when we got around to being healthy. Technically we weren't getting presents for each other, but I bought myself a non-stick saucepan. This is a present for both of us, as we will both be the recipient of non-stuck meals. I love Todd. He puts up with so much.

Snuggle bunnies

Gliding adventures

We had a wonderful family day out watching the gliders come and go. Sarah loved them. The pilots kept calling her a boy even though she was wearing pink! Todd finally used the voucher I bought him for Christmas 2005 (its hard finding time for ourselves these days). The glider was attached to a 1.5 km long cable and he was up in the clouds for about 20 minutes. I went about 10 years ago and it was such a peaceful experience being up there with no noise.

Dane's Baby Blessing

Today Dane was blessed by his dad. He slept peacefully through the blessing, while Sarah cried out loudly for a breastfeed. We had a wonderful afternoon at Todd's parents' house with lots of the extended family. Cyndy and Jeff are such supportive grandparents and go above and beyond the call of duty. I'm so glad Rebecca and Morgan and the kids could make it, and especially Granny Smylie, who flew over from Adelaide yesterday. Most of all, I'm grateful that I'm part of an eternal family.

My hero

That's my mum standing on grandad's hand and I wish I could hold her up like that because she deserves to be on a pedestal. Mum knows pretty much everything about anything that's important - like family, faith and loving others. She taught me to be a strong woman who can do anything if I work hard enough. She taught me how to work quickly and then take time to enjoy life. She taught me to be thrifty and not to keep up with the Jones. She taught me to go the extra mile, invite the stranger to dinner, to think of others before yourself. She taught me to cook tuna mornay and clean behind the toilet. She taught me integrity and love, and to value people above things. I ring her when I'm feeling down and when I'm excited, when my children are sick and when they do something hilarious, when my calling is hard and when I've learned something new. My mum is kind and generous and everyone loves her. She takes genuine interest in others and makes them feel important. She has a rosy smile and her hugs are the real deal. I feel incredibly lucky to have her as my mother. I love you mum. xxx

Mastitis

...is the enemy. Its the kind of thing that comes out of nowhere and hits you like a bus. Sunday night I went to bed early feeling a little tired and slightly emotional, but nothing out of the ordinary. Monday morning I lay in bed shivering next to Dane hoping Todd would wake up soon (he was in Sarah's bed) so that he could turn the heater on and bring me pain killers and make it all better. I can't believe a little blockage in your breast can cause your whole body, inside and out, to ache and your head to pound. The receptionist at the doctors office copped a trembling lip and then an avalanche of tears when she told me to come back in a hour to see the doctor. I was so grateful for my Todd's mum, Cyndy, who looked after Dane and Sarah so I could get some rest. I was grateful for Sarah for helping out so willingly with feeding. And I was the most grateful for penicillin for conquering the enemy. It was amazing how much better I felt only 24 hours later. Thanks Mr Florey.

I just have to tell you - I think when you have mastitis your milk tastes abit sour. Anyway, when I put Sarah on to feed towards the end of the day, she didn't drink. I urged her along, 'suck' and then she came off and said "zee uzzer one?", hoping it might be a bit sweeter. My poor baby!

As requested..

a picture of Dane. Mum thinks he looks like one of ours, whereas Sarah was definately Todd's child. I can't tell. To me he's just beautiful. Often he'll just sit on my lap craning his neck so he can look up at me with those adorable eyes. I think he'll have light eyes, but we'll see. He has chubby arms and long toes and fingers. Dane has a tongue tie, but this hasn't stopped him feeding well. It just may mean that he wont be able to stick his tongue out to lick an ice cream. Pick me up!
For mother's day Todd is building me a picket fence so I can sit out on the front porch and watch the world go by as Sarah and Dane play. He's such a good man.

Daddy's little helper with peanut butter lips.