Friday morning

Morning beautiful Friday! Three days ahead of us which to be filled with...studying, studying and a little studying.  The heat has been bearable this time around so we're really enjoying Summer.

Little P's chubby legs are out for all to see which puts a big, wide grin on my face. He's growing so quickly, nearly walking and two extra choppers have just appeared.

Ahh...I can hear him now - just woken from a 14 hour sleep...which means this mother also had some rest.  Ready for a full weekend of studying!

Heating up

Each day is becoming just a little warmer, which is a helluva lot nicer than a 20 degree jump from one day to the next.

Early this morning Piet and I got out into the garden (Piet literally) and gave it a good water so it survives the next few days.

Last year this echinacea was eaten to the ground by rabbits, but is slowly growing back...I love him

After watering, the cobwebs started to appear in the sunlight, they're pretty special, sparkling away like jewels.

Summer sun in one's eyes...

This year I've decided to try and achieve one 'great' thing each month. (Besides looking after a toddler, husband, house, garden, working and studying). Something that I makes feel good - or even better that it's over :-)

For the first month of the year I've succeeded in completing a 4,000 word case-study as part of my MBA.  Reading, analysing and writing while looking after a toddler seemed the most ridiculous thing to attempt and is probably what kept me away from the blog for so long, but the minute I sent it up to the 'Cloud' at Deakin Uni for marking a HUUUGE weight lifted off my shoulders and I sensed the beginning of 2014 being a great year! Woo hoo to me!

Contemplating

I've been contemplating life for the last month, thinking many things through, so haven't felt much like writing at all. And really, after such a long time off, I couldn't think of how to start when I returned!?!

But gosh it feels good to...just write...bloggers block indeed.....

We had a ball over the Festive break, my little family and I.  Many pictures to come, and stories to tell. Now little P is a little older he was great fun to take out and about. I think I've dealt with the fact that I don't live in Sydney anymore, but can still have fun on this farm and in this state of Victoria.  I just need to start exploring, take on something new, stop telling myself 'you can't' and showing myself 'you can'.

2014, I'm gonna tackle you head-on...

Summer sunset

Tonight, a beautiful sunset filtered pink, orange and red rays through the house....very surreal.

It signals the end of a really fun weekend and the start of a busy busy week, including a challenging day at work tomorrow.  Only four hours to survive then I can focus on Christmas with my family.

Am looking forward to clearing my mind.  The last six months of returning to work after maternity leave have been tough, though I've been keeping positive. It's difficult when my priorities have changed.

I love my husband and little boy so much and can't bear to be affected by work when I arrive home. It's a battle that I sometimes feel I'm losing.

You know that Sunday night feeling you used to have before going to school on Monday?  For some reason I have that now.  It hasn't happened for a very long time.

Better times ahead in 2014. 

My boy is growing up.

My boy is growing up and I consciously have to think about what he now can do.  It never occurred to me that he could sit in a chair without falling off.  I've been sticking him in the high chair or on my lap whenever he eats.

It also didn't occur to me that he could open a pack of sultanas on his own and eat them one by one. I've been hovering around him like a new mum handing him a little sultanas when the previous was chewed & swallowed....

So I tried him on a chair and handed him a pack of sultanas.....and tadahhhhh! It was just like he'd been doing it all his life!

He must think I'm stupid.  He may think I think HE'S stupid. Maybe it's because he can't yet walk or talk I'm treating him like a 4 month old.....or maybe I just need to let go and allow him to grow up.

I have to get my mind around the fact that he's growing & learning everyday, especially at childcare where he gets to check out all the other kids and their activities.

Exciting times but I have a twinge of sadness that his days of needing to be looked after like a baby are further dwindling away.

A house that we designed....I can't begin to imagine.

Image from The Australian House & Garden

Here's a picture of a random front door, a great place to start, a great looking entrance. Could it be possible? Could I be lucky enough to have a house designed by T and myself? I've never built a house, my family never a built or renovated a house.  We just bought a new one...already complete...to suit the needs at that time.

I can't begin to imagine what it will feel like to live in a house that has my stamp on it.  I feel a little grown up just thinking about it.

But where to start......with the front door, I guess.  A front door just like this!

It's sweltering in Victoria

OK, so yesterday we had 41 degrees and it seems I joined everyone else in Geelong by hangin' at the local mall.   But not for Christmas shopping, instead I volunteered a few hours to help wrap shopper's Christmas gifts for a gold coin donation towards Gateways Support Services www.gateways.com.au

Yesterday I was feeling pretty frustrated at work, but I can tell you that after a half hour of wrapping gifts and chatting with friendly shoppers I felt SO much better!

Must be the holidays coming up but EVERYONE wanted to chat and tell me about their Christmas plans, their family and where they were going camping.  This was super as the more they talked the less chance they were noticing how badly I was tying the ribbon or curling it with scissors.

I think I must be obsessed with my son as I told a fair few strangers about my 16 month old....but they seemed to be happy to listen to me as well.

Today, it's slightly cooler but the breeze is making outside just pleasant.  Little P and I had a breakfast tea party on the grass in our pyjamas (more water on us than we drank). Then a neighbour dropped over and I had to run at lightening speed through the house to get out of my pyjamas while they wondered what was going on.

Plus the goldfish have returned from the depths of the water pond just in time for little P to almost snatch one in his grubby hands.  (Must put a gauze cover over this weekend!)

Christmas & holidays are finally here - only one more half day of work - though have been talking with interstate clients this morning while shovelling Weet-bix into Piet's mouth so he didn't yell during the conversation.

Tomorrow, T and I are going to a special place as the first step of what may be a new idea in the making....can't say too much - but, boy, do a I need a change!