Tuesday marked Master Koby's 4 month birthday, WOW! Can't believe that time has gone so quickly!
Koby is a very happy boy most of the time unless he has a "pain in his pinny" which is happening less and less with assistance from a magic potion in a bottle! He's very smiley and chuckles when we bounce him around. He has a very strong upper body so has been doing little stints in the bumbo chair and today he started rolling back and fourth so much he almost made me sea sick!
It really is different being able to enjoy the standard infant milestones without the grey cloud of surgeries hanging over us as with big sister Joanie. I hope we didn't miss anything due to being a bit sidetracked with Joanies' medical schedule, I think we still tried to dedicate time to the regular developments but maybe others may disagree.
As discussed in my last blog "Herding Cats" the kids have made it challenging to get to appointments in a "punctual manner" that's putting it mildly ....however, I have had a few wins with this battle lately and am getting to more and more gym dates at the local and very accessible gym.
I've never been a mother to preach to other mums on how to do things but I do believe if you're someone who has enjoyed going to the gym in the past ( or even who has always wanted to go to the gym but decided against it due to kids) I think a gym membership ( or something similar that offers a creche) should really be considered! My local gym has been fantastic for my situation, it has a great creche so I can relax and know the kids are in a safe , fun environment whilst I get some "me" time in a group class ( not brave enough "yet" to hit the main gym this time round) . I have also encouraged a few other mums from Joanies' mothers group to bring along their kids to play with my little rugrats which has been an added bonus! Anyway if you can possibly afford it , give it a go as it may be the time out you and your kids needed!
I have reluctantly just returned to the work force to do some hotel reception work. I enjoy the work but do feel as if it's too soon to return and am only doing it to get bigger day care rebates for Joanie to eventually go to Day Care ( Shaun and I have had a difference in opinion on when to start her there) and to be able to afford the expensive living costs in isolated Broome Town. I'm working casual shifts that start once Shaun finishes his Maintenance Management work . We work at the same hotel that we've been connected to for over 10 years so its like putting on an old coat I suppose.
Monday night we all met Mr "Super Dooper Moon" (? the official scientific name right?) well I'll be honest and admit I didn't go out and see it as I was dealing with two Silly Super Moon Sprogs and was up and down to them all night, this was made even more frustrating as they were perfectly behaved a few hours before when Shaun went fishing for two nights , I should've guessed it would be Murphys Law + Super Moon and they would turn into Gremlins once he'd left! I was in struggle town the whole next day but tried to kick on and not feel sorry for myself at home.. I forced myself out the door to take Koby to see his mates at the mothers group. I'm glad I went as the hostess and the other mums were so welcoming and it's lovely to see Koby interacting ( well lying next to ) other bubs around his age . There was also another little boy around Joanie's age who she loved to play with , he shared his toys so beautifully with her and they enjoyed each other's company . Sleep who needs sleep? I thought....Joanie doesn't...i perked up with a lovely coffee and carried on after the mothers group to run some errands...we were running on empty but still go to the post office and supermarket.
In the afternoon my dear friend invited me and the kids to her house for a swim in their magnificent pool......well the wheels fell off and Joanie turned into "Red Gone Wild" and no longer remembered how to share and carried on like a pork chop ( a sooky pork chop) and got very upset about the prospect of sharing her frogs (or ponds as she calls them) with her mate Ritchie. Well my relaxing swim and catch up was cut short as she couldn't build a bridge about her frogs playing with anyone other than her so I embarrassingly took her and Koby home early. Guesse sleep isn't overrated after all? Shaun has since returned and is now on night shift with Koby for the next few nights so I can recharge a bit for my three shifts this week.
If I had my time over again with my first child I would listen to people when they said "sleep when they sleep" even though it sometimes got my back up when that was recommended ( probably more than anything because I was over tired and irritable) I wish I could get that time back that I chose to clean instead of sleep! When you have two or more kids chances of naps have decreased even more, chances are your older child wont sleep when the infant does if at all so first time mums I would sleep any chance you get! Will the sky fall in if the floors don't get mopped till tomorrow? No ( hey I'm still telling myself this ).
Being a parent is a real balancing act as you have to find time around the kids for yourself , adult time with your partner , work , house work , something always gets neglected and it's often the time you should be spending on yourself , not enough , but I think my general life balance is improving , hopefully the balancing act is only going to get better and better!
