Category: Life

This:

This might not look like anything special to you. In fact, you may be wondering why I’m posting a photo of a very normal toilet. But I am excited.

We’ve lived in this house for the last four years and had an outside toilet the entire time. Finally, we bit the bullet, replaced the entire grey water system, had new trenches dug, put in new piping and got a toilet put inside. See here for photos.

It was an absolutely huge job and half of my front yard remains nothing but clay and mud (we’re hopeful we can put grass seeds in soon) but it’s DONE!

My friend, the ever lovely Lucy, dropped her husband in it and suggested that he could put our toilet in for mates rates. I am beyond grateful to them both, not only Tom for taking the time out to plumb everything in and make it work, but for Lucy letting us borrow him and being so generous with her friendship and support. Also, Mum for offering to make the ceramics to pay Lucy and Tom with.

Sometimes, the people you meet are simply amazing. They really really are.

It’s been a busy few weeks, but it’s all done now and guess what Internet – I can pee inside. No more am I freezing myself at 3am because the baby bounced on my bladder.

So beyond thankful.

It’s loud in my house this morning, which I think is more of a statement about my mental state, rather than the relative loudness of my children. Despite hoping really hard that I wouldn’t, I caught Isaac’s stomach bug and spent a fair amount of time Thursday night through to Friday morning actively wishing I was dead.

I curled up around my bucket and was glad for the fact that my children were sleeping, as I threw up and pulled all the muscles in my stomach, chest and throat.

It wasn’t fun.

Recovery yesterday was slow and this morning, I have just braved a single piece of toast in the hope that I can get something other than water cordial to stay down. A cup of tea would be much appreciated, but to be honest, I’m too tired to make it.

In other news:

This.

This is one part of my yard that is now covered in trenches and mud. That trench is not meant to have water in it, by the way. Two days later, we’d hoped that the water might have evaporated, but a quick glance this morning showed that there was actually more water seeping in from the old failing grey water system.

It was meant to be a simple job – dig a trench to put pipes down, so that we can put a toilet inside. Unfortunately the toilet pipes intersect with the very old earthenware grey water pipes and we were forced to dig those up and replace them as well.

Only to discover that the grey water system at the moment is not working at all, forcing us to replace it entirely.

A “small” job suddenly had Nathan and I playing juggle the budget and working out how exactly we were meant to afford the extra work. Luckily our contractor is a guy who has been working for my family for years and he’ll be happy to be paid in installments.

Needless to say, this week has been a little chaotic.

Also seen while outside freezing my nipples off: a murmuration of starlings.

So Isaac’s laxatives kicked in last night before bedtime, which worried me for what the night would herald. I needn’t have worried, he slept through the night.

Amy however was awake at 8pm, sobbing because her ear hurt. We knew her ear hurt, she’d been to the doctor earlier and been prescribed antibiotics for the infection that was hanging around in there.

At 9pm, I took her to bed with me, in the hope that we would get some sleep. By midnight, I realised why Amy is always so tired – the kid doesn’t sleep. No, she just rolls around in bed and pretends to be quiet.

Another dose of panadol was given, right before she decided to vomit.

I’m rather pleased that she made it to the kitchen sink before throwing up her dinner and antibiotics. Nathan tucked her into bed and dealt with the vomit, while I tried to sleep through the rib dislocations that have become a nighttime norm.

I kept her home from school again today, which was wise, as she threw up her breakfast and first dose of antibiotics this morning, right before Isaac’s bottom exploded and I was left shouting at Isaac to just “for the love of freaking god, LAY STILL, while I put this pukey blanket in the wash, LAY STILL DAMMIT.”

He didn’t lay still, but at least Amy’s doona contained most of the vomit.

The lump in his stomach is maybe a bit smaller, but still there, so we continue with the laxative until the lump disappears.

This is what my life has come to.

In other news, my ducklings hatched and overnight, something made them vanish. Maybe a feral cat, maybe a snake, but I am minus six ducklings this morning and whatever it was, upset the mother enough to abandon two pipping babies. One was dead this morning, the other finished its hatch with the help of a warm box in front of the heater inside and is currently drying out.

BUT! Really, what I wanted to talk to you about was Saturday.

On Saturday, the ever lovely Frogpondsrock has her head shorn in order to raise money for research into Leukaemia. If I’m complaining about my children being unwell, at least Amy’s ear infection will clear up and Isaac’s impaction will dissolve. Leukaemia is not that easy.

I would really really love if you could donate a couple of dollars to her here. She’s being even braver, chopping off all her hair in front of a large audience of Roller Derby Fans.

I’ll be at the event too, pregnant and unwell, but wielding a camera and likely enjoying the fact that I am there without my children.

Getting back into the school routine has knocked the entire family around. Gone are the luxurious sleep-ins that Isaac wants and Amy is no longer able to raid the fridge before anyone else is awake.

Now, if I was any sort of new and popular blogger, I’d have a series of tips here, complete with a shiny graphic. I’d be ready to tell you all about how to adjust your routine and make sure that everyone bounds out of bed without swearing at the alarm, or screaming.

But of course, I’m me, and fabulous graphics are not really my thing, nor are tips and advice on how to live your life. Sorry, but you’ll have to buy a magazine for that.

Instead, we’ve been stricken by an end of Summer cold. I use the royal “we” here, but really I mean Isaac and I. Amy, our darling germ carrier was a bit sniffly for a couple of days before improving today (thank god, because it’s photo day) and Nathan has had a sore throat that he’s very kindly shared with me.

However, it’s onwards and upwards, because anything that doesn’t land Isaac in hospital is not really a bug worth whining about (sure, he sounds like a frog croaking, but he’s eating and playing cars).

Pregnancy is going well, you know, all the usual bits and pieces happening. My pelvis falls apart on average twice a day, but I’m much better at putting it back together now. Babe is fluttering occasionally, enough to let me know that it isn’t dead in there and my uterus continues to expand at a normal rate(photos when I warm up enough to upwrap myself from the blankets I’ve wrapped around my shoulders – stupid body temperature).

I had an antenatal appointment last week that consisted of a LOT of waiting, a lot of talking, a slightly panicked midwife (BUT YOU HAVE TO BE HIGH RISK!!!) and a calm, brilliant OB (Sure, you’re not low risk, but I accept that there isn’t going to be much we can do for you, and sure you can have midwife care).

After two pregnancies with doctors and midwives alike panicking about the growth of my uterus and smaller than average babies, I’ve been set up with my very own personalised growth chart for this kid, hopefully averting professional panicking down the track. I’m not sure that 20th percentile babies are even all that much to worry about.

Really, this is about it.

How are you?