Thursday, September 29, 2016

My Last Baby

Flynn turned one last Friday the 23rd September and so I farewelled my last baby.  Never again will I have a little bubba nestled in my arms.  Despite all of the difficulties I've had, I will miss that stage.

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to him growing up, being able to do more things.  But I just love bubbas.  Knowing that it would be oh so very unwise to have another one brings me much grief.

It was a happy day, celebrating my cheeky redheaded munchkin's first year of life outside the womb.  He is such a character and a delightful addition to our family.

Present time!


Big brothers are great for help with unwrapping presents.



I tried to make a '1' cake, but it didn't quite turn out.
Another cake fail.  Nevertheless, it was very tasty.



With Nanny (my mum).


What a difference a year makes! 


Monday, September 26, 2016

Cake Fail

I think I've mentioned a few times on this blog that novelty cakes are not my forte.  This was proved again on Duncan's 35th birthday back on the 21st July, when I attempted to make him a fish cake (he was about to embark on a blokes' fishing weekend).



But it tasted great and we all enjoyed it, which was the main thing.

Stay tuned for more cake fails.

Just keeping it real.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Nuts

No other word could have better described my day last Thursday.

I had a scare regarding Rory's allergy to nuts. 
I felt like I was going nuts.

It started with a trip to see the child health nurse. Flynn was due for his one-year-old vaccinations, and Rory for his three and a half-year-old ones. I decided to take both boys on the same day so I'd only have to make the one trip. Rory is terrified of anything medical and I'd been talking to him about getting a needle, trying to prepare him for it. I promised him we'd go out for cake at the cafe afterwards before heading down to Albany for a couple of days. Whatever I'd said must have been having an effect, because he was almost quite excited about getting the jab!

At the nurse's office, I made my first mistake.....I got Flynn's needles done first. Rory stood and watched even though I told him to go and play with the toys. Then he screamed...and screamed...and screamed. He screamed before, during and after his needle. He continued screaming when we were in the car ready to drive away, even though I told him it was over. Finally I said we couldn't go into the cafe unless he stopped screaming. He stopped long enough to tell me he didn't want to sit in the cafe, so I got takeaway instead.

Here is where I made my second and biggest mistake. I bought Rory a piece of carrot cake without asking what was in it. It was a draining trip, during which I had to stop three times (once because Flynn wanted milk, once for Rory to use a public toilet, and once for him to do a bush wee, which he didn't end up doing).  Then, when we were about 40km from Albany, Rory started coughing and coughing. At first, I thought he was faking it; he often fake coughs, tells me he's sick, and asks for medicine (he LOVES the taste). Then he started becoming more and more distressed. By the time we arrived at my parents' house, his skin was bright red and covered in white lumps. I left Flynn with my mum and rushed Rory to hospital, which thankfully is only a two minute drive away.

At the hospital they saw him straight away, gave him cortisone and an antihistamine, and covered his torso with damp flannels. The medications zonked him out and he slept for a while in the emergency department. Eventually the rash subsided and we were allowed to leave.

The carrot cake had walnuts in it! Rory is allergic to pretty much all nuts.

He is fine and I am fine, albeit quite drained. It was a hectic end to a busy couple of weeks. We ended up having to go home early because my mum was sick.

The point of this post is not to beat myself up for making a mistake, because all parents are human and we stuff up from time to time. I'm just thankful he's not anaphylactic. Kids are forgiving, but some fellow parents tend not to be. Whereas once parents comiserated with each other when hearing about how someone else's child broke their arm climbing a tree, or got lost in a shopping centre, now it's all like, "How could you have let that happen? What kind of parent are you?" It's sad. I think it's safe to say most parents are genuinely doing their best and are not the negligent types who leave their kids in the car while they play the pokies.

This is why I haven't posted this story on Facebook. 

Monday, September 12, 2016

I Thought They'd Been Reading This Blog...

Just after a posted this, the Eagles turned their mediocre season around with three consecutive wins against Top Eight sides.

They should have read my post before Thursday night.

Another season over.  Now I don't care who wins the premiership (except I don't want Hawthorn to become Fourthorn).

Image from here

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

The Fifth Member of The Seekers

I went to see the musical Georgy Girl in Perth with my dear friend Emma back in July for our annual childless and husbandless musical theatre date.  It's a biographical story of The Seekers rise to fame and their successful career.  Of course, it features all of their best-loved songs.

Here am I with their cardboard cutouts:


Tuesday, September 06, 2016

First the Flu, Then Gastro

Rory and I came down with gastro in the early hours of Monday morning. Duncan is still well and stayed home from work to hold the fort yesterday. He must have a stomach of iron as he never gets gastro. Flynn still seems to be well, although his last nappy was so foul, I had to open the windows in his room to air it out. I'm hoping it's not the start of something.

I've been madly clearing my calendar for the next few days. I'm supposed to be doing Front of House for a play in town on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, but I've had to let the rest of the committee know I won't be in tomorrow. I'm sure a cast with gastro is just what they need....not!

Please, Lord, no other ailments for a while.