Continued...

So, how have you been!  It's been ages since we last spoke.

I know things might be a little awkward in the beginning after our recent (very brief) separation, so why don't I start by telling how I have been. Ok?

Well, things have been really great on this side.  Very busy, but busy is good.  I would far rather be a little too busy than a little too quiet. I have been a really nice wife lately, even if I must say so myself. I am making a concerted effort to be much more loving to my husband and it really is working. Why do I so often forget how rewarding it is if I just try a tiny bit harder to show my husband how much I love him?  A quick hug, a nice word. A little undivided attention (and the odd shag or two) and my husband is a happy man. Which means the rest of the family is FAR more relaxed and happy.  All because I put in some effort.  You would think I would know this by now!

Let's speak about the kids individually.  Actually, before I do - remember how when I first started blogging, we had a big debate about whether it was ok to blog about the kids and some of you said it wasn't ok because they might get embarrassed or angry or whatever when they were a little older? At the time I was like "typical conservative paranoid Americans" but I kind of see what you mean. In a way.  I still think my kids will be completely ok with whatever I have written so far, but it does get harder to blog about them as they get older.  When they are adults, they will be able to read things with a lot more objectivity and they will be able to read and feel the love, but as teenagers they might be full of the normal teen angst. Plus I don't want to label my children, I don't want to create a self-fulfilling prophecy for them.

So, dear Adam, Kate and Max when you read this one day, remember mommy loves you very much.  Even if you are gigantic pains in the butt sometimes. 

Let's start with the newest one - Oh My Word, how I love that baby. He is quite possibly THE sweetest, happiest, nicest, cutest, most divine baby in the world.  Max is the kind of baby that makes mothers say "oh, this motherhood thing is a breeze! I'll have ten of the little critters".  Everyone should have a Max. 

Max has just cut his first tooth.  Before his 5 month birthday!  That child is very advanced.

Adam and Kate are fine.  I think they are still struggling a little with the fact that mommy has a new baby, but they will be fine.  They both want 'uppy' all the time, and they want to sit on my lap and be held etc.  Kate's thumb sucking has got worse. I think it has gone beyond an attention thing and now become a habit. Damn. I tried the buckteeth thing, we even looked up pictures of buckteeth on the internet, but it wasn't enough to put her off.  Not quite sure what I am going to do about that.

As for Adam, well Adam is my special boy.  Adam cries way, way more than Max.  There is not a day that goes by, not even a few hours that Adam does not cry.  Apparently it is a boy thing.  I am hoping he grows out of it by the time he is 26. 

REMEMBER - MOMMY LOVES YOU VERY MUCH, EVEN IF YOU ARE A BIT OF A CRIER.

This is the last term that the kids are with Aunty B at their play school.  Next year they go to Big School.  The mere thought of it is enough to make me want to mainline some Xan@x.  BIG SCHOOL!  With lots of kids and rules and no 'special treatment'.  Horrors. 

What makes it worse is that they are the only kids from their play school that are going to the private school. So they will be at Big School ON THEIR OWN.  Where is that medication??

The new school is quite a bit further than the old one and a lot stricter about starting time.  Apparently their 8:30am means 8:30 and not 9am. Fark.  How am I going to get them there on time?  I am hating Big School already.

Right.  The baby has woken up.  How do I know he is awake? Because I hear laughing from the room!  Yes my friends, the child wakes up LAUGHING!  What a totally different experience from previously. If you know what I mean (not mentioning names, but follow my eyes...)

Ok, better go.  Gorgeous day and Max and I are going to take a walk up to Mimi's house and fetch Adam and Kate. 

Life is good. I am a very lucky girl.

Comments

[Carly]

I chose to send my daughter to a different school... most of the kids from playschool went to the adjoining school, but I chose to send her somewhere different... oh, the anxiety!! Plus we're English, so my daughter was only 4 years 3months when she started school. And she was ON HER OWN!!

The first day, she ran off to play in the playground. The second day, she told me that she was a big girl, and didn't need mummy to come in with her. The third day, she told me she didn't want to come home. On the Friday of her first week, she bawled her eyes out that she couldn't go to school 7 days a week. She's settled in really, really well. She is a young one, so she doesn't go full-time until November 3rd (but she's more than ready...)

I think I'm more bothered than her. She has new friends, we've been on playdates, etc etc. I'm still on the meds, but she's fine ;)

[Jennifer]

Ugh, the thumb-sucking. I actually kept up that little habit until I was in first grade. By then, the humiliation of being called out by the teacher (she once dipped my thumb in finger paint and let it dry, after which I shoved my painted thumb right back into my mouth....) and the bully kids in the class finally brought it to a halt. That way certainly works, in time. You can appeal to that sense of "you don't want to get teased, do you?" or maybe try a home remedy like nasty-tasting nail polish on the thumbnail. Laughing and simultaneously disgusted with myself for suggesting this...but you can buy bitter apple spray at any pet store, which works for preventing dogs and cats from licking their paws too much. Be sure to give her a rewarding milkbone and scratch behind the ears afterward.

[Melissa]

Ridiculous smile on my face, but this is just the lovlies post. Glad things are going well. Laughed at 8.30 meaning 8.30. I'm completely anal about puncutality. There are a few parents in Alexander's class...not so much! Makes me chuckle, and now I'm going to think of you.

Actually snorted at 'follow my eyes...'.

Just wondering if Australia has beaten you guys at anything recently...just so I can snark you. I do like a good snark with my morning (3rd cup of) coffee.

[One of Two Mommies]

Ahhh...I'm so happy you have such great kids. Isn't it amazing what thousands of dollars (and SEX!) can bring about? I think I have a budding little Adam myself. One of my 12 month old twin boys bawls at everything...if he falls, gets bumped, you leave the room, his bottle is finished, jupiter is circling...everything. However, he also squeals, laughs with more exhauberance than anyone I know, and cuddles you with his head pressed against you like no one can. I think your kids will read these blog posts one day and will be struck by how very much they were loved, not the other stuff (oh...and they'll also be horrified by the discussions about your sex life and boobs!)

[Lindsay]

So glad you're back!!! Big school isn't half as bad as you think- need tips, just shout! I'll tell you how to get the teacher on YOUR side!

[Kristin]

Max sounds delightful and I firmly believe the transition to big school is harder on the parents.

[Bethany]

Tertia, so wonderful to get such a nice update from you and I think this blogging set-up is fantastic! I would love you with a happy family and a post like this whenever you get a chance (once a week, once a month, etc.). Family first, Blogging second or third or fourth is definitely the healthy approach. Perfect!

[Pat]

I love when babies wake up happy. My nephew would wake up talking. My sister joked that he would fall asleep mid-sentence, then wake up finishing the sentence like the sleep-glitch had never happened.

[Woody's Girl]

Well, huh, that's just weird. Perhaps we were apart for too long or something, but you don't quite sound like yourself. Certainly, it's a nice update on your family... glad to hear all is well... but your *voice* sounds funny. Are you okay? Or is this just the "new you?"

Kiss smooshable Max for me. What a happy baby!

[Dido]

"Life is good. I am a very lucky girl."

oh my, yes you are. and you SO deserve it!

[Laura]

I quit sucking my thumb because my dentist told me I had to. My brother quit sucking his thumb because our oldest sister paid him $5 to stop. Depending on Kate's personality, maybe a word from an authority figure OR a well-placed bribe would work?