Battle of Will’s

A typical night here for dinner would mean having conversations with Jaxon that would go like this from the moment I told him what we were having for dinner.

Jaxon: What are we having for dinner??
Mum: We’re having…
… steak and three veg…
… fettuccini carbonara…
… steamed chicken and vegitables…
… insert any number of meals here…

Jaxon: I don’t like…
… steak and three veg…
… fettuccini carbonara…
… steamed chicken and vegitables…
… insert any number of meals here…

Every single night we have to battle him at the kitchen table. Every night we have to fight with him to eat his dinner. Regardless of the fact if he has had it before and loved it, never tried it or only had it once. Its so repetitive and by far our biggest challenge when it comes to raising Jaxon.

We have tried various methods to try and get him to eat more (I am so so so so so so so sorry for doing this to you Mum!) or try something new (including cakes and sweets!) We have sent him to bed hungry on various occasions. We have sat and tried to reason with him. We have yelled at him. We’ve tried negotiating number of mouthful’s before he can leave the table and stop being begged to eat his dinner. We have tried it all and he just does not repsond to those things.

Mid way through our first discussion about all of the reasons he couldn’t eat dinner I decided I would try something different. I forced him to sit at the table until he finshed his dinner.

We all ate our dinner and then moved away from the table. I did the dishes, played with Dexter and gave him a bottle. For one and a half hours Jaxon sat at the table with his cold spaghetti.

He tried every single trick in the book! He dug really deep this time!

… Muuum, I’m not hungry…
… Mum I’ve got a sore throat…
… Maaaaarrrrmeeee, I have a sore tummy…
… Mum, I just don’t want it…
… Mum I’m very very sad…
… Mummeeeeeeeee, I’m going to cry!…

He really did cry! He’s never cried at the kitchen table like that. But he refused to eat all night before finally getting told to go to bed hungry ten minutes before bedtime!

So I’m hoping I won this battle of will’s with him tonight. Since starting school he’s really been one up on me behaviour and additude wise and I am hoping this will be my one up on him for a breath of fresh air!

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Look. This is getting REALLY hard!

The Jaxon-ism’s are coming hard and fast and I can’t remember half of them by the end of the day! Especially when he spits these things out in the car more often than not. I have a book on the table outside to write it all in. I have the mobile when I’m out and about. But I can’t stop looking at the roads!!

So, the other day we took our Soul Family in to Melbourne to see some of the sights. We got the City Circle Tram in to the Old Melbourne Gaol, then back down to Flinders Street to the Yarra and then home. A loooooong day!

On the way home we stopped for more booze. James and Harry were fast asleep in the car when Jaxon asked where they were.

Jaxon: Where’s James and Harry?
Mum: Asleep in the car.
Jaxon: Why?
Mum: Because that’s what normal kids do in the car after a long day!
Jaxon: I’m not normal!
(Dexter was not asleep either!?!?)

On the way to get Jaxon new texta’s after school last Friday.

Mum: We’re going to get you new texta’s Jaxon.
Jaxon: Jessica got new texta’s.
Mum: Did she??
Jaxon: Yeah. I don’t want the same texta’s as Jessica. That would just be weird.

When we got home from the texta shop, Dexter was still in day care. So Jaxon got all of his texta’s and all of his new pens and a pad of paper to go crazy on. But the rule was that when we got back with Dexter he would have to have them ALL away and have ALL of the lids on. So we went to Nanny and Poppy’s for pizza (yum!) and when we got home the texta’s were ALL over the lounge room floor. I had to help him get them all packed up and every single lid had been taken off.

While we’re doing it I am getting frustrated at him. I kept saying “Jaxon! Why did you take ALL of the lids off!?” and towards the end of our 20 minute exercise in matching lids to pens he said to me “I think I got a bit carried away didn’t I Mum?” (You think!?)

The other afternoon Daddy hopped in the sandpit with Jaxon and started making sand castles with him. He pulled the bucket up on one sand castle and then on another. The turrets on one had come off and the turrets on the other were still there. Jaxon pointed at the one with turrets and said “Hey that one’s got turrets”

Now, I write turrets as if I actually knew what that word was 5 days ago. But I didn’t! I’ll wait here while you go and google turrets…

Daddy looked over at me and I looked at him questioningly and he nodded. Yes, they really are called turrets.

When asked where he learned that from…he told us Mr Maker. A craft show we have for him where Mr Maker makes bigger junk out of smaller junk you’d find in your kitchen. Empty boxes become money boxes. Plates and paint become spiders and what not. I hate Mr Maker…but he taught Jaxon about turrets. And Jaxon taught me about turrets. So I guess I have to go easy on him.

Soul Family

Well beautiful readers, while I would love to sit here and painstakingly put up hundreds of photo’s of our two days with our South African friends…I’m too eager to get to bed because I’m heading out to spend two more days with them tomorrow!!

Tim can’t come because he can’t miss school. But the boys and I are sick and we’ve been instructed to stay home from school until Wednesday…so off to Healsville Sanctuary we go!

We had an AMAZING weekend. Words can not describe how much I wish we had known each other in person far longer than we have. Tim and George get along and have a bit of a bro-mance going on. Jeannette and I can sit and laugh for hours drawing stick figures and the boys truly adore each other!! James and Jaxon were moping around all morning until we finally had to say good bye to them on Sunday. James even cried for most of it. It was so sad.

They are, without a doubt, the most beautiful family (outside of my own!) I have ever met. I will miss them when they go, but look forward to doing it all again. Hopefully, in South Africa next time!!

(p.s…moooooooore photo’s to come!!)

Your “awww” moment for the day…

I know this may not be so impressive that everyone gets that “awwww” thing happening. But this happens so very rarely with both of my kids that each and every time it happen’s it’s an “awwww” moment.

I can thank being sick for this. It started with a sore throat for me a few days before Easter Friday. I’ve had that sore throat since then and now all of my boys have it too!

Found it!

How the hell did my ring get out here??

Well…I made these SILLY, TIME CONSUMING FLOWER BALLS after I saw someone making it look really easy and QUICK on Better Homes and Gardens.

It involves that spagnum moss stuff that you use inside of flower pots, some stocking legs and some flowers. You had to soak the spagnum moss in water before you could use it and my ring came off IN the bucket. Then, once I’d finished with it, I emptied it out right up the back of the yard.

The ONLY reason I found my ring is because my South African friends Jeannette, George, James and Harry are coming to visit us on Anzac day so I decided to tidy up the back yard a bit. Weeding.

I was just casually picking out weeds when I spotted it out of the corner of my eye and without a word of a lie I said “You’re fucking kidding me”

Talk about the luckiest wedding ring in the world right?? I have a nose ring, which I have had for nearly 12 years now. I have lost it so many times (in the house) and found it so many times that we always call it the luckiest nose ring in the world (I get so depressed when I lose it!) I have found it in the most bizaare places where you typically would not even think to look. But to find my wedding ring, which I honestly thought I had lost down the drain, laying in the back yard like that…makes it even luckier!

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While I was hanging out the washing Jaxon came out to me and asked me if I could get him roller skates. It was like he was reading my mind when he said “I don’t know where I get these good idea’s from Mum!”

In the car with Dad.

Jaxon: Mum, did you tell Dad about when I was at the park and I was camping and I saw the fire works??
Mum: Um, I don’t remember that Jaxon…
Jaxon: Neither do I

On wanting to go to Daniel’s house for a play date over the holidays and being told over and over that he couldn’t because Mum was sick.

Jaxon: Are you a bit sick Mum?
Mum: Yes.
Jaxon: Are you a tiny bit sick Mum?
Mum: Yes Jaxon.
Jaxon: But not a lot sick any more right?
Mum: I feel better now Jaxon but I’m not well yet.
Jaxon: Can we go to Daniels now then?

And last but not least, and possibly not even a Jaxon-ism. Someone at his school has taught him a new song. So now Jaxon sings in the back seat of the car on the way home “Bad boys, bad boys…what ya gonna do? What ya gonna do when they come to poo??” I couldn’t help but laugh the first time he did this. And now I’m am totally over being asked “Is that still funny Mum?”

Needle in a Haystack

My loyal fan may have noticed recently that I stopped posting on the 5th of April. At the same time, I also deactivated my facebook account and turned my phone off.

Why?? Well, amoung other reasons, I lost my wedding ring. And this upset me a lot.

I first noticed it missing in the shower. So logic would have me think I lost it down the drain. I spent the last two weeks standing in the shower and getting all depressed about my SECOND wedding ring going missing.

Well…I found it. So here’s a photo of where I found it.

Let’s call my ring Wally for a moment…

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So today Jaxon was out in the sandpit. He came over to me where I was doing some plant potting with his little digger.

He made the digger pick itself up with it’s bucket (or whatever technical term you’d use for the bit that picks up the dirt)

This is the conversation that followed.

Jaxon: Can real diggers do that?
Mum: Yeah, I suppose so.
Jaxon: Can we go and ask a worker to do it for me?
Mum: No Jaxon, I suspect it’s very dangerous.
Jaxon: It’s ok. He just has to make sure his boss doesn’t see.

WTF!? Where does he get this stuff from??

Then the other night he asked me if he could meet the Easter Bunny when he comes to visit. I told him probably not since the Easter Bunny is a very shy creature. He told me it was ok, he would cuddle him and it would be ok!!

You should see this…

I wish I could put these photo’s here on my blog and tell you they are mine. But I don’t have a pet polar bear. So you’ll know right off the bat I’m lying.

But you really should see these amazing photo’s by people all over the world. Click on the link …

http://www.pxleyes.com/blog/2011/12/these-50-photos-will-blow-you-away/

Yay…we’re free!!

This possibly fall’s under a Jaxon-ism.

I’ve decided these school holidays that I have a couple of new goals to reach.

One, I want to lose three kilo’s. To get me below 80. I haven’t been below 80 since I was 16 or so!

Two, to start taking more GOOD photo’s of the boys. I’ve been using the auto function for nearly two years now. Since Tim had his MS attack.

So I haven’t taken them out for a very long time to do JUST that. I don’t think Jaxon would even remember our little trips to parks and creeks and what not just  to take photos. As I said, first time in years.

Yet when I put the camera down for a few minutes he asked me if I was going to stop taking photo’s. When I replied yes he exclaimed “Yay, we’re freeee”

It can’t be that bad can it?? For furture reference Jaxon, Mummy only has a few baby to teen photo’s to remember life as a child by. Count yourself lucky!

My anal retentiveness means I have to seperate these photo’s because they’re different layouts and it would piss me off to look at all mixed up!

Thanks to daylight savings I actually took the boys to the park at just past 7am in the morning. I was wondering why no one else was there!

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On the way home from Nanny and Poppy’s in the dark

Jaxon: Hey! The moons following us!
Mum and Dad: Is it??
Jaxon: That’s funny. The moon doesn’t have legs!

On going to the toilet before bed…

Jaxon: Mum, I don’t want to go to the toilet, it smells.
Mum: What does it smell like Jaxon?
Jaxon: Chicken nuggets.

On the car wash we passed.

Jaxon: Hey Mum, I know what that big machine is that washes the cars!!
Mum: What’s it called Jaxon?
Jaxon: A car wash!
Mum: How do you know that Jaxon? Did you learn that at school??
Jaxon: No, I just know.

Last week both boys were sick. I think it’s really the first time I’ve ever had to deal with them both being so sick at the same time and it was TOUGH! They only had a bad cough and a very snotty running nose but they were both having trouble sleeping through the cough.

So this one night Dexter wakes up at 1.45am. I get up, give him a bottle and get him settled back down by about 3am. At which point, Jaxon wakes up during one of his coughing fits and comes out to me just as I’m heading back to bed.

He said to me “Mum, do you stay up all night every night??”

It was such a bad night. I had Dexter first, then Jaxon. Then once I got him to go back to bed Dexter woke up again and by the time HE went back to bed, Jaxon woke up for his usual morning like he wasn’t sick and didn’t need rest! By the end of the four days I had both boys home coughing at slattering at me…I certainly needed a rest!

Jaxon’s First Public Appearance!!

You know, Jaxon’s been having a hard time dealing with school emotionally. We think he has a hard time being away from me and Dexter during the day and when he gets tired he gets very emotional about everything. He’s scared he’ll do something wrong and he gets upset when he doesn’t know how to do something and wont ask for help. He holds it all inside until BANG…it comes out in one big burst of emotions.

That’s unfortunately, exactly like me. Down to the letter I was like him. I cried for the first 6 weeks of school when Mum left and I put little or big (as Mum would say, pfft!) brick walls up when I was scared of trying and I wouldn’t even try. BUT. I was incredibly confident otherwise.

This little video shows just how much like me Jaxon is. I was the kid volunteering to speak in front of huge crowds. And I was really good at it too! I did speeches for the school when important people came to visit and I was always the “president” of the SRC every year until year 12. I was highly involved with things like that.

In talks with various people from the school, we’ve come to the conclusion that Jaxon (and I) is a perfectionist. He doesn’t like it if he doesn’t know how to do things. He feels silly when he see’s that other people know how to do things better and though having more practice would seem like a logical step towards getting things right or better, it’s easier NOT to do them and NOT get seen learning and failing when all you want is to get it right and be good at it RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND.

So here’s the video of his little speech. I am so very proud of him and hope he keeps his confidence up to do things like this for years to come. Public speaking really is a hard thing to do but it always came very naturally to me and I hope it does for Jaxon too.

I’d just like to note, before you watch the video, that in practice the kids that got to speak were asked to think of two things to say about their hats. In practice, Jaxon only said two things about his hat. But when he got on that microphone he didn’t want to stop!

I was a little worried that when his teacher Miss Jodie asked him “How did you make your hat” that he would say “My Mum made my hat” :)

Easter Hat Parade!

Jaxon and I spent a lot of time making his Easter hat for the Easter Hat Parade put on by the prep classes at his school today. When I say “and I” I really just me…the AND I bit. Every step of the way I would say “Jaxon come and we’ll do this that or the other for your hat” and Jaxon would inevitably get bored after two minutes of doing it and leave me to it. He did glue most of the aluminum foil on to the hat and he did put a layer of gold gliter paint on it and he did glue three chickens on it. But he had nothing to do with the paper mache bit, or the construction. That was apparently below his interest levels!

I was so proud of him. The parade was AWESOME!! All of the kids came with the different hats and they all looked so pretty.

Jaxon got up and made a little speech about his hat and how HE MADE IT. I’m ever so proud of him! That’s going to have to wait for the next post though!

Dexter cheering on from the side linesThe little girl to Jaxon’s right is Em, his on again off again (five minute rotation) best friend. We meet in the morning and we hang back and play in the afternoons. There is a lot of “Em’s not my friend/Jaxon wont play with me” at the moment :)

Jaxon’s First Sunrise…

Jaxon’s body clock is set to 5.45am these days. It doesn’t matter how often I tell him to go back to bed because it’s still dark (“But I’m hungry”) or go and watch TV until my alarm goes off at 7am (“But I’m cold”) he will insist that I wake up with him.

This one morning, he asked me what was wrong with the sky. Apparently it was his first sunrise. So we got ourselves a big blanket and we went and watched it rise together. It was a beautiful morning spent together.

CURLS!

“Really Mum, put it down and put me in the bath already!!”

The curls come from Tim’s side of the family. I don’t believe anyone from my side has them. Only time will tell if he’s destined to have curly hair or if once we cut it he’ll lose them. I’m still holding off on cutting it though!

Park

It was labor day weekend this past weekend so Jaxon had the day off, though Tim didn’t. The boys and I went to the park and it turns out…Dexter LOVES the slide.

After the first few goes with Jaxon he started to climb 4 inches up the slide and then “slide” down yelling “ahhhhh weeeee”

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On being asked what he wants to do when he grows up by his teacher?? BIKER

On Mummy opening the garage door for Daddy when it wasn’t actually Daddy’s bike she heard? “Then why did the BLOODY door open?”

On his desire to get a parachute?
Mummy: Will you jump out of a plane?
Jaxon: No, just you and Daddy. I’ll stay on the plane. Then you can meet me at the airport and drive me home. Okay?”

Oh oh oh! This isn’t a Jaxon’ism! But it was very funny for Tim and I! Jaxon walked out of his bed room when he was meant to be getting ready for bed. He picked up one of Dexter’s toys and I asked him to put it away and then go and get his PJ’s on. Well!!

Jaxon deliberately threw the toy on the ground and I had a go at him. I told him to put it away like he was told and get to bed.

So he started walking past me with a SMILE on his face and boy did it make me MAD! So before I even knew what I was doing…I yelled at him “Hey! Get that smile off your face YOUNG MAN!” and Tim burst out laughing (quietly) at me and I had to turn away laughing too!

I remember so vividly not being able to stop laughing at my Mum when she was yelling at me. And I remember that the more she got angry that I was smiling or laughing, the more I found it funny. Oh boy…karma’s going to be a bitch to me!

Karate

To build Jaxon’s confidence up we found him a Karate class to go to on Thursday night. This was his first visit and he HATED IT!

He stayed for half an hour and participated but then he got a little overwhelmed by all of the running and screaming and he wanted to stop. We let him stop, but we made him stay for the entire class. Hoping that he would eventually join back in.

That didn’t happen. He sat with one or the other of us and kept saying “I want to go home. Are we going home now. But when are we going home? Is it five minutes yet? Oh it’s taking so long” I was ready to strangle him by the end of that half hour!!

So here is where I say…I’m SORRY MUM for…the ballet classes that I quit because the room was too cold. The piano lessons I quit because I couldn’t get my head around there being more than one set of scales and how will I know which ones to push. I’m sorry about the Judo classes I didn’t want to attend because the instructors nails were too long and dug in to my arms all the time. I’m sorry for the flute lessons that I stopped playing after 4 months. After you brought me an $800 flute. I’m sorry for everything and anything I ever started and wouldn’t finish and I’m sorry, because I probably bitched about it all the time too.

The funny thing is, we hadn’t even left the car park before he said to us “I miss Karate” Come hell or high water…he’s going next week!

Amendment

I’d just like to correct my error from my last post. It would appear that Nanny and Poppy have been married for 39 years. Not 36 as previously stated.

I’d also like to clarify, for the record…that when I was writing that post I wondered in to Tim and asked “Have your parents been married 36 or 37 years?” and Tim’s response was “Something like that”

:)

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Jaxon: Mum, did you and Dad go to a wedding when you got married??

Then, we had a conversation about how long we’ve been married. I told him nine years. He thought about that for a little and told me, that’s not very long. I told him in the big scheme of things it’s not very long but that it was a good achievement these days by most people’s standards.

Then I told him that Nanny and Poppy have been married for 36 years and his jaw dropped. He said “That’s OLDER than YOU!!”

I think I need a life!?

Tim’s currently reading the Lord of The Rings series for the first time, though he has seen all of the movies.

Tonight he tell’s me that the more he get’s in to the books the less he remember’s from the movies. I proceed to tell him that all I really remember from the second movie is the ending where they walk over the hill top and look down in to Sodor.

You didn’t see it did you? Or did you immediately recognize that Sodor is the Island that Thomas The Tank Engine lives on?? Tim’s says “I think you mean Mordor Dear”

What?? I think it would sound awesome if Gandolf turned around and said “Buff my Buffers – YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!”

Tell me you can’t see the similarities?

Yes, I need a life.

I need to be a Turtle!

The other night when we yelled out “teeth time” like you hear in this video, Dexter got off my lap in the lounge room and toddled off to the bath room for teeth time all by himself. Then he got off the bench, walked in to Jaxon’s room straight over to his power point to turn on his light and music. When he thought he’d turned on the light and music he went over to choose a book to read! That is our exact routine and Dex knew it by heart. It was like he’s been doing it for thirty years or something. Do you think I can get him to do it again for video? NO! Still trying though!

In the mean time, here’s another of the boys playing together :) Love my boys!

I’m not a Turtle!

So this evening while I did dishes the boys were in Jaxon’s room giggling and carrying on laughing. I decided to get the camera and sneak up on them to capture how well they play together (melts my heart to have them so good together!) when out of the hall way comes this big white box moving all on it’s own. I didn’t get that bit…but it continued until bed time!

Another video to come!!

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These were all on the same day! Jaxon was full of them tonight!!

Jaxon: Do you know what Miss Jodie’s name  is Mum?
Mum: Miss Jodie??
Jaxon: You’re too clever Mum (Thats the Poppy in him!)

Then later, while I did the dishes Jaxon came out of his room where Dexter had obviously taken one of his plastic baby spoons earlier. He carries it over to me at the sink with this “You silly duffer” look on his face and says “Muum, are you forgetting something??”

Jaxon-ism’s 10,011

Jaxon’s going through a bit of a food strike at the moment and isn’t eating lunch at school. So when he gets home he’s starving and I wont give him anything because he has a perfectly good lunch to eat. So until dinner, he can eat his lunch…or go hungry.

He’s choosing to go hungry. But that doesn’t mean he can’t hassle me every 42.5 seconds about when dinner is going to be…or when I’m going to start dinner. Or can I have something to eat that’s NOT my lunch??

This afternoon I told him, after answering this question for two hours that I would start dinner in 5 minutes. Two minutes later he asked again so I said “Yes Jaxon I’m cooking dinner right now. Now get off my back”

“I’m not on your back. Are you cooking dinner yet?”

How is it possible to love something and dispise it at the very same time!?

Stupid Snails!

Tonight, at bed time, a snail was making it’s way across Jaxon’s window as we put his blind down. A teeny weeny one, no bigger or smaller than a 5 cent piece.

Well after his book Jaxon was trying to stall and said “I just want to see if the snail is still there”

Well, being the know it all mother that I am I said “The snail will still be there now lay down”

Just to be safe Jaxon insisted that he “just check and see”

So as we went to open up the blind I made him a deal. I said “If that snail is STILL there, you can’t come and wake me up until there is an 8 on the clock. IF, by small chance, the snail is already gone then you can wake me up whenever you want”

I was SO CONFIDENT! How far can a snail move in 3.5 minutes? NOT FAR right!?

Open up the blinds…SNAIL GONE! Stupid snail fell off the window and hadn’t moved a muscle since!

I’m betting Jaxon will stick to pr push the boundaries of his 5am wake up calls tomorrow!

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In the car on the way home from school.

Jaxon: It’s ok to ride a scooter without a helmet isn’t it Mum?

Mum: No Jaxon, you have to wear a helmet when you ride a bike or a scooter to keep you safe.

Jaxon: No it’s ok not to wear one.

Dad: No Jaxon, you have to wear one.. What if you fall off and hurt your head? You might need to go to hospital!

Jaxon: My bottom will break my fall. Then my hands will help me keep safe. Then my legs will roll in and I’ll put my head in and I wont hurt myself.

Camping continued…

Jaxon is always begging us to let him share a room with Dexter.

This here is the perfect reason for us saying no!!

You can mainly hear Dexter. Only sometimes does Jaxon make enough noise to be heard on camera. That is because Jaxon over the years has learned that if he’s quiet and doing something he shouldn’t…you don’t get in trouble as much :)

Camping Again…

The billabong type water hole at the bottom of a hill within the caravan park. I made the mistake of taking Dexter down in his pram and then had to lug him all the way up again!

Dexter having an afternoon nap in the shade. At the time I thought, beauty…I can go have a nap! Tim and Dad where fixing the tail lights on the caravan with Jaxon and Anne was snoozing too so I had the perfect chance to do it. But when push came to shove and I lay in the tent where I could no longer see him all I could think of was…what if someone walks past and nicks Dexter while no one is watching? Once I got that thought in my head nap time opportunity for me was gone!

Tim put the Hammock up while I wasn’t watching. While I didn’t have the camera out. Which is a huge shame becuase from what I hear, Australia’s Funniest Home Video’s may have got a new video from us!

The reference to a soap on a rope came when Jaxon asked Daddy what they were sitting on. Daddy didn’t tell him so I suggested that it might be a tea bag or a soap on a rope. Jaxon went with soap on a rope for a few minutes before we told him what it’s really called. Though I didn’t dare get in, all of the boys had their fair share of fun sitting and swinging in it together or alone.

Dexter spent a good 3-5 hours of his weekend checking out the features of Jaxon’s bike. And still, he didn’t find the bell, which we conveniently didn’t mention in all that time. He was totally mesmerized by Jaxon’s bike! Here might be a good time to mention that Dexter spent the first day of our camping trip in a one piece suit doing what he wanted and going where he wanted. We were right next to the park’s kiddy park and he went there. He came back to us looking for things to do. By the end of the first day his blue suit and white socks were black….but he had a ball with all of his freedom!

See…climbing in to Dad’s caravan!

Cooking dinner under the ever watchful eye of Dad :)

I’m ALWAYS taking photo’s of Tim and the kids together and then reminding him that he has to do the same too. Otherwise we have this blog and photo albums, that *I* spend all of *MY* time lovingly writing posts to so that one day the boys will have a life to look back over…and *I’m* not even in it! It will be as if Tim’s a single Dad who does a heap of stuff with his kids…and I’m the mother who was never around to do anything with them!

So towards the end of most of our family trips I have to say “Take photo’s of MEE with the boys!” even if there had been hundreds of opportunities to do so. Well, this one time he takes photo’s of me without me asking and says he’s taken heaps. But guess what…they all look the same. All THREE of them. Except the wind has blown my hair over my face in one and Dookie is looking guilty for some reason in the other. Get your game on Tim!!!
Camping cooking doesn’t always have to be simple! This is the roast I did on Saturday night. It was to die for!!

A really nice photo of Dad with Dexter. He was tickling him and Dexter was squealing in delight!

Dookie all grown up, three years old. It was kind of funny. We went to this particular caravan park because it allowed dogs on leads. On your way in it also says that helmets must be worn at all times. So we arrive…and the caravan park ranger owns two dogs, who are not on leads. Within a few hours of having Dookie all tied up I asked him if we could let him off too. He was pretty laid back this guy, and said yes of course. So the rule about dogs on leads is a crock of shit. Then, he happens to have a four year old son who very quickly made friends with Jaxon. He brought down his bike so they could ride together…with no helmet!? We didn’t mind him hanging about too much, since he was taking Jaxon away to play while we struggled with our tent pegs. But when they decided to swap bikes and Neil took Jaxon’s helmet as well as his bike…allowing Jaxon to fall of Neil’s bike without one…I was pretty pissed and sent him packing! So the story goes like this. At 5.30 in the morning I heard Jaxon moving about his tent. I asked him what was wrong and he said he needed to go to the toilet. So off we trot to the toilet blocks. I tried to take his pants down and turn him about to do a wee…only to find that he’s actually done a big wet runny poo for me to clean up. So I cleaned that all up and off to bed we go again.

At 7,30 he woke up once again telling me that he’d done it again. At this point I’m wondering if there is soemthing wrong, or if he’d eaten something that didn’t agree with him. I can’t say he’s ever had diarrhea!?  I get him up, pack a bag of clothes and take him over to the toilet blocks to have a bath this time. While we were getting ready to go Dexter woke up…so Tim had to be woken up too.

Well. They had a ball! It was raining at the time and Tim said Dexter just lay on my pillow looking up at the tent’s roof listening to the rain…and then fell asleep. For another three hours!! We almost got all packed up before he woke up!

So all in all, our trip was a major success. We loved that we were so close to the kids park, so we could see Jaxon and keep an eye on him. We loved that we were so close to the toilet blocks…for reasons which probably no longer need to be explained. And we loved that we were only a 40-50 minute drive from home and felt so secluded and out of town. The park was in a valley surrounded by tree’s that rose above the hill’s. The weather was great bar the one hour of rain on our last day and the park was full of kids for ours to play with. I am super excited that Tim enjoyed himself…and that we’re now going to slowly set ourselves up to go camping with out the need to have Dad there to use his kitchen!

Camping…a success!

Tim doesn’t make it much of a secret that he’s not one for the out doors or camping. I’ve tried three times in the last ten years to introduce him to the joy that it has brought me over the years with absolutely no success.

The first time we went to the Murray River with my Dad and a few of his friends. It was, without a word of a lie, 42 degree’s over night with not a breath of wind. We barely got any sleep all night and then, bright and early at 6am…the canoe race that stops…well, stops us from sleeping…started. So just as we hit that perfect spot between nothing and dreams, all we heard was cheering from people across the river “Come on 86!” “Go 34!!”

Then, in the heat of the day Dad’s friends kids and grand kids went in to the river. Where, evebn as a non parental type…I was disgusted by their language!! These kids, not more than 10 years old were swearing with such disrespect at their parents and anyone with in ear shot had to hear it. Unfortunately, that meant us. We left, even though we were meant to stay for two more nights. I didn’t have to listen to that and it didn’t seem the weather would cool any more either. Complete failure!

The second time we went camping wasn’t so bad as this. We went to Goomburra Forest up in QLD. I believe I posted about it long ago. Everything was going perfectly. The tent went up well. The afternoon was spent taking photo’s and swimming in the creek. But come night time and time for Jaxon to sleep in a bed other than his own?? Absolute disaster!! He cried and cried and screamed and kicked and did everything BUT sleep until 4am in the morning. Then, woke up right on time at 6am! Tim and I were exhausted and he vowed never to give me another chance to show him how bloody good camping was going to be.

But this past weekend, we did go away again. And we DID have fun! In fact, I’d go so far as to say, Tim enjoyed himself more than I did!

Aside from the first two hours of our stay, everything went smoothly. The kids slept well in the tent. Dinner’s, lunches and breakfast went well. Even sleeping for us was comfortable and relaxing.

The first two hours, on the other hand…were kind of annoying. The ground where we went was soft on top, but had a layer of rock about 4 inches under ground. So not just one or two tent pegs hit rocks, or tree stumps and could easily be moved to avoid hitting them again. No matter where you were or what angle you put that tent peg in at it was going to hit the rock. And it was going to bend! Two tents, that should normally take each of us half an hour to put up by ourselves…took TWO HOURS! Two hours of lot’s of swearing and frustration!

But, once that was done very little went wrong. I mean, we had to pump up our air matress by hand because my very old electric air pump died…and Jaxon had diarrhea twice over night and threw up his breakfast on the second morning but still…WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!

As I said, other than that…we had a ball. Over the next few days I’ll share some more photo’s and a video…but for now..this is the most important thing you need to see…

…my boys, having the time of their lives…swinging in the soap on a rope!

That dreaded day…

Jaxon said it. He actually said it!!! He said…nope. I can’t even begin to say it!

OK. You twisted my arm. He said…

I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE MUMMY!

All because I wouldn’t let him out side while Daddy was using the angle grinder!

He was sitting on the couch bitching about it and said IT so I kept walking and said “Fine, stay there until you do” Needless to say it only took about three mintues for him to change his mind about me but I gave him an hour of guilt over the hurt he made me feel and he got put to bed right after dinner.
The next day, Valintines Day, he gave me a big red heart that had “I love you Mummy” on it.

He’s growing up so quickly. Not two days later he’s added to his artilery, “if you don’t I’ll go and live somewhere else. Somewhere far far away”

Jaxon-ism’s 1001 through 1003

I’ve been a bit lazy about this! Jaxon starts school in two days and it’s all about closing doors and opening windows in this house. Even Dexter will be starting a half day of child care on Friday…this Mamma is not liking letting go of all her babies all at once!

Jaxon: Mum, are we going out for dinner tomorrow night?
Mum: Nope.
Jaxon: Are we going out for dinner the day after tomorrow night?
Mum: Nope.
Jaxon: Are we going out for dinner the day after the day after tomorrow night??

 

In the car, passing a new McDonalds that two days previously hadn’t even been half built.
Mum: Wow.
Dad: See, I told you. Shocked me when I saw it too.
Jaxon: Yeah…it shocked my head off too when I saw it. It shocked my whole body off!

And then, randomness from the boy at dinner tonight. I have no idea where this came from, or why it came to be either!
Jaxon: Mum, we have to make a great big meatball…and paint it blue.
Mum: Um, o-k…

First Day of School

The bottom photo was the morning of his first day.

Well, Jaxon’s first day of Prep has come and gone. It seems to have been a success. Nothing much has changed from kinder though. He still has this memory loss where he forgets what he does each day and continues to tell us that he did “nothing” all day.

I sent him in with a jam roll, a tub of yogurt, rice crackers, an LCM bar and an apple juice. Well. The little shit comes home and tell’s me that we’re not allowed to take yogurt to school. Ms. Jodie, his teacher told him so. I was dissapointed, and a little puzzled at first, because Jaxon loves yogurt and I thought it was a nice healthy thing to send him with.

Then, as the night progressed I started thinking that maybe it was because the yogurt might go off in his lunch bag. Or maybe, it’s too messy to be had at school. I felt the fool. What a stupid mother I am to not think of these things when getting his lunch ready.

But soon after that we started cluing in that he may in fact be telling porky’s. It became pretty obvious when he tried to tell us that we weren’t allowed to send him in with sandwiches or fruit either, that we were ONLY allowed to send him in with chocolate and cake. Hmmmmm.

Also, after his first day, on our drive home he told us that he would be alright to walk himself to school from now on. He knows how, and can do it all alone. Never mind that his school is about 4 km’s away and that he would have countless roads and parks to cross!!

His second day seemed to have been more productive. Ms Jodie tell’s me that it’s prefectly fine to send him with yogurt if I want. He showed us that he can play hopscotch and…he learned the word “doodle”.  In context, “I’m going to change in the lounge room so Dexter doesn’t bite my doodle off”

My little boy is growing up :)

Apple

For quite some time now I’ve been learning slowly how to oil paint following the instruction of Bob Ross. A legendary painter who unfortunately died a few years ago.

Recently though I’ve wanted to move away from his work and in to something different but because I was finding his “easy” instructions so damned difficult I was hesitant to try.

But then I decided to just go for it. I found a photo of an apple, and I watched a heap of video’s on painting apples on youtube…yes, apple painting, on youtube…and I went for it!

I’m really happy with how it’s going. My apple is beautiful and I’m working on a galah that’s turning out nicely as well. Next we try something furry. Like a meercat or something.

Jaxon-ism’s 795

To set the scene for this one I have to tell you where we were and what was being said.
I was buckling Jaxon in to his car seat while he and Daddy discussed which way we should go home. Jaxon told Tim to go left when normally we go right. And whenever we go left he bitches that we’re going the wrong way. The conversation went like this…

Daddy: We’re not going left because you always bitch at me.

Jaxon: But I want to go left.

Mum: You promise you wont whinge?

Jaxon: What’s whinge?

Mum: it’s like bitching. It’s when you go “Mum I’m hungry. Mum I’m hungry. Mum I’m hungry. Mum I don’t have a drink I don’t have a drink…” (insert high pitched whine here)

So apparently, when I shut his door and was walking around the car to hop in Jaxon said to Daddy “That’s not how I bitch!”

Window Painting

Our landlords promised to frost over the open window at the front of our house so that people wouldn’t be able to see through at night time. It’s one of many lies they’ve told us to get us in to this house.

To rectify this problem…I paint!

It looks awesome at night time from the outside!

Grandma’s Visit

29th November 2011 – 10th December 2011

Grandma took Jaxon to see the Werribee Open Planes Zoo. This is about the only photo she took with the camera. Apparently…it was too hard to push the button so she took her photo’s with her phone. I don’t have those pictures :)

Dexter loves his Grandma!And finally, Tim and I learned that Grandma’s are excellent for flogging off the things you can’t be shagged doing to. Christmas tree’s are so annoying to put up!

Thank you Grandma for your visit. We look forward to seeing you again soon!