Quick note - Ellie's first two teeth popped through today! Both in the lower gum, right near the middle.

Sometimes I don't recognise myself.

I'm sure I used to be timid and shy. I recall once upon a time refusing to buy myself a pair of shoes because I didn't want to talk to the person at the counter. I think mum had to get them for me. I was probably about 13.

Now I yell at people for not using their indicators, and confront people about their poorly thought out beliefs and values.

Not so long ago I overheard a man talking to his wife about "Australian values". Frankly I haven't got a clue what they are, so I asked him. And he said, "They are what I went and fought in Viet Nam for." Sadly I didn't have time to discuss the matter further; I had to go through the check-out. But I would have loved to have told that guy his answer said nothing and made no sense.

I have opinions. I believe in them. I have no qualms in making them known.

For instance, there is no such thing as "Australian values". It is a phrase bandied about by politicians to gain votes from the patriotic, but never explained. I'm quite sure I share very few values with the kind of politician who'd say that, or the kind of voter who'd believe in it.

I also think that what human beings do to each other is disgusting. I would like to believe that we have moved beyond the primitive fight for survival and supremacy, but the more I read the news the more I see that people are indeed behaving primitively - I would say "like barbarians" but I think barbarians were more advanced than, say, Neanderthals. Just. And the things we do to each other are not justified as they might have been millions of years ago. Not at all. The things we do are heinous, and the reasons given are pathetic.

Another opinion of mine is that, truly, "religion is the opiate of the masses". The quote I stole, the opinion is my own. Religion is one of the above-mentioned pathetic reasons to do things to people. It is also a catalyst for conflict. There are thousands of religions in the world, each believing itself to be right while the others are wrong. Even within the same religion there are sects and schisms and debates. And it's all over things which may or may not have happened in the distant past. Surely we can leave all that behind us?

The last opinion I'm going to go into is my very own prejudice, and I think it's the only one I've got: stupidity. I hate stupid people. I don't mean uneducated; the underprivileged can't help the lack of resources available to them. I mean people who have the means but not the will. It's so much easier to just believe things - the bible, the newspaper, what Their Sharon Said About Our Shawn.

So anyway, that's me.

Ghost update...

Just a quick post about a couple of inexplicable thuds and bangs in here tonight. Sounded like the baby's chair thing being dropped onto the side table, but since it was already sitting there quite flat and secure... hmmm.

Also a very strong feeling of being watched tonight. I was sitting around in my underpants (hey, it's hot, ok?!) and I've had to put my jeans back on because I felt too vulnerable!!

The world of Stace right now... Aidan's into his second week of night shift, so I don't see an awful lot of him - at least, not awake.

We have a property inspection tomorrow, and if that bloody woman mentions my unwashed dishes again I'll rip her head off. Her job is to inspect the condition of the rental property, not my housekeeping. Also if she mentions the garden I shall point out that Australia has been in drought for about 15 years so I'm not about to waste water on this pathetic excuse for a garden.

On Friday afternoon we're heading down to Victoria for a few days - it will be Elspeth's first ever visit to her parents' home state! So that'll be fun. Friday morning won't be fun at all, because she will be getting injections. Ouchies!

I'm quite tired today. I went to a friend's place for a "party" last night - just because it was Tuesday, and she had leftover wine. I didn't stay that late, but having such fun got me buzzing so I couldn't sleep for ages after I got home! And then, of course, Aidan got home at about 5.30am, and then Ellie woke up at 7am... so it was a short and broken sleep for me! Again. Not to worry, it's all in a good cause!

On a poorly chosen stinking hot afternoon (today), a family of three (us) went to Cockington Green Gardens, a collection of miniature buildings set amongst lovely gardens to the north of Canberra. I enclose for your enjoyment some photos!

I loved the garden on this - the tiny trees and creepers!

So anyway, it's been a little while since I blogged. Again. I'm getting slack.

We bought a bass guitar! Elspeth's fingers aren't quite long enough, but Aidan and I are picking it up reasonably well - it helps that Aidan has played guitar before, and I've played piano so I have an idea of musical theory in general.

It's stinking hot in Canberra; a typical summer here. It's never very nice. It makes going out during the day a chore, which totally sucks for me because by the time it's cooled down, Elspeth is in bed asleep, so I can't go out then! (At least, not if Aidan isn't home. Which he often isn't. Work.)


I'm going a bit stir-crazy, to be honest. It's true that a considerable portion of my social life has always been online, but I'm missing the face-to-face aspect of having a job. I feel that I need to leave the house more often, see more people, do more things. But it isn't easy, with little Ellie still needing so much sleep and something like routine. I can't be spontaneous, I can't do anything alone, I can't get the pram onto the buses here, I can't take her anywhere for more than a couple of hours unless I also have the porta-cot to put her to bed. I know that sounds like a laundry-list of complaints, but that's just how it is. I would like to invite people around here more often - for dinner, drinks, or whatever - but Aidan always seems quite apathetic towards such ideas, and his lack of enthusiasm puts a damper on mine. Aidan also feels that Elspeth is still too young to leave with a friend or babysitter (or anyone other than our parents, who live too far away) so that puts paid to other ideas too. It's alright for him - he gets out of the house, he sees people and does things!

So I sit at my computer while Ellie sleeps, playing games and spending way too much time on Facebook. Gaining weight, losing fitness, wondering if my friends think I don't want to see them...

The rolling over sequence:

She started on her back in the middle of that playmat.

And then she rolled onto her tummy, which is par for the course.

But what's this? A new development! She rolled back over!

And just kept going and going and going...

I always thinks she looks smaller and cuter without clothes :)

Oh, and please forgive the dribble on her chin... she hasn't figured out how to use tissues yet :)

This photo clearly demonstrates one of my favourite little sayings: "No amount of cleaning will make this house look like a baby doesn't live here."
Observe the change table on the right, with the nappy disposal thingie just behind it, and the highchair through the doorway on the left. Plus, of course, the baby. Bit of a give-away. And directly behind her, that yellow thing, is a baby-specific washing basket. It has a thingie on the top which supposedly makes it look like a tiger, although I don't really see the resemblance...

Happy December everyone!

In the last month we've had lots of visitors - Andrew, then Aidan's parents, then my parents! Everybody, naturally, came only to see Elspeth. She's the popular one! And now the dreaded C-Day approaches (or X-Day, if you're American or lazy), and we are left quietly alone to not-celebrate. Aidan's working on the day anyway.

Elspeth has been a marvellous little baby, although she did forget her grandparents and cry at seeing them for a little while. But as soon as she realised they were nice, she was nice to them!

She was horrid to an old lady today, though! We were in the supermarket, and some nice old lady came up to say hello, and what a beautiful baby, and all those things old ladies say when confronted with gorgousness. And what does Ellie do? She starts screaming, of course! The poor woman was mortified that she made my baby cry!

Just a few random snaps of baby Elspeth!

Just had a very nice few days with Andrew. Didn't get out of the house very much - tough with the bub - but as shown in this grainy photo, we did go out to dinner at the local Spanish restaurant which I love. Thanks Andrew!

Tired. Elspeth had a restless night. Me too.

Ok, rant time. If you don't like swear words, don't read this.

What the FUCK makes anybody think they have the right to bash the shit out of somebody?

Where do people get off? What the hell are they thinking?

Some utter wankers in Melboure this morning bashed the crap out of a taxi driver because he wouldn't drive through a red light.

I mean, seriously, what the fuck? The taxi driver was doing his job and obeying the law. So they broke his nose and a car mirror, took back the money they'd pre-paid him, and scrammed.

Where has society gone wrong, that people seem to think this behaviour is ok? What have we done to make it acceptable amongst some groups to be like this?

This sort of thing makes me really angry.
I mean, shit, sometimes I feel like hitting somebody - but I don't! I have restraint and self-control. What is wrong with these people that they can't seem to stop themselves, or maybe they don't want to stop? It's happening more and more these days - not a day goes by that the papers don't have some story like this, and it's really getting to me.

I'm beginning to embrace a very right-wing view of crime and punishment, despite my generally left-wing politics.

Take these people, put 'em up against a wall, and shoot the fuckers.

No more second chances, no more getting out on bail, no more slaps on the wrist for violent crimes.

Fuck up, break the law, and that's it. In the slammer, or in the coffin, what do I care! I've had enough of the cunts. Yes, I said CUNTS! And I meant it.

I want my own country.
I don't want to share a world with these people.
I don't even like to think that we're the same species.

I have done very little today. I may consider leaving the house later. I should probably go and get something for dinner. I'm tired. It was a restless night.

Good morning Blogosphere!

Yes, it's morning. 7.30am. Having babies does really strange things to you - like make you get up before midday.

Normally I feed her then go back to bed, but she's been an irritababy of late so I'm trying to follow one of Tizzie Hall's routines a little more closely.

Tizzie Hall is an odd name. But she is, apparently, a baby whisperer. I can whisper "baby" too, but I don't think that's what it means.

She has set out routines for babies of all ages - how long they should be awake and asleep, how often they should eat, and when they should eat solid foods.

I've been using her routines as a guideline and they have helped. But my own laziness drives me back to bed instead of keeping Elspeth up for 2 hours.

But not this morning!

Upon Aidan's suggestion, I am going to begin documenting the odd things that happen around this apartment. We believe the place is haunted, despite natural skepticism, and here's why...

A necklace of mine went missing. I mean really missing. I've had four people search this place from top to bottom with no luck.

Other small items have occasionally vanished, usually to be found shortly after asking for it back aloud. (These items are usually found somewhere I've definitely already looked, like where I thought I'd left it in the first place.)

A piece of pizza disappeared - I was leaving it for Aidan, but he swears he never ate it, and I know I didn't.

A bottle of Elspeth's milk was moved from the living room to the bedroom, and neither Aidan nor I recall doing it.

A bottle of baby oil was moved from the bed to the bedside table, ditto. (This was just last night.)

At night I often here little tinkly noises just like one of Elspeth's toys with a bell inside it. But Elspeth is asleep in her cot beside me.

Aidan and I have both seen a person - or at least the suggestion of a person - in a particular spot in the apartment. I generally see a silhouette out of the corner of my eye, nothing clear or definite, but Aidan says he's seen it directly.

These are the things that stick out, which I remember having happened at some point since we've lived here. I will continue to update if anything else weird happens.

For the record, here are some common "symptoms" of a haunted house that I have not noticed:

cold patches
marks on the walls
objects here that aren't ours
lights going on and off
unexplained bloodstains
discord or animosity in the house

And another symptom which I'm not sure about is hearing voices, footsteps, and doors opening and closing without explanation. It is sometimes difficult to be sure if certain noises are coming from our place or next door - we are in an apartment block. If I had to guess, I'd say that most of what I hear is from next door, although sometimes at night it really does sound like water running in our bathroom. Not sure on that one, though.

I have noticed a feeling of being watched, which apparently is common, but I'm going to put that down to paranoia and nervousness induced by the other things.

Today is our 3 year wedding anniversary!

It's been a jam-packed 3 years with lots of happenings and changes. The one thing that hasn't changed is our happiness!

We have a lovely day not-planned: nothing concrete, just snuggles and declarations of love, followed by an Indian meal to be delivered to our house later tonight. Screw cooking on our special day!

The giggle videos

Right. It has been far too long since I blogged, so here I am to tell you about Elspeth's amazing week and our holiday on the coast.

She is now four months old.

In the last week she has rolled over, eaten solid foods, begun to regularly sleep through the night (11pm to 7am), and been dunked in the ocean. How awesome is my baby?

So anyway, mum and dad picked Ellie and I up on Saturday to head down to Merimbula - Aidan had to work, so he came and joined us on Monday. The weather was great - almost cold at times, a lovely contrast to Canberra's unholy heat. We swam in the sea, we walked on the beach, we read books, mum and dad were utterly enthralled by little Elspeth - she's turning into such a giggle-pot! It's gorgeous. She is just growing up in leaps and bounds; it won't be long before we need a priso- er, playpen!

And now we're home again, and that's all I have to say about that.

Things that make me hate the world:

A man threw his daughter off a bridge, and will probably be acquitted or get off lightly on mental health grounds.

Kids are bullied to the point of suicide.

A woman is murdered, and people who aren't even suspects won't come forward to assist police.

Doctors rape their patients in shocking abuses of trust.

Alcohol related violence is on the rise.

And this is just today's Fairfax news; I haven't looked at world news or any other news sources today. I want to become a vigilante and just shoot the deserving in the head. Do you think I'd look good in PVC?

There is just one month left until NaNoWriMo! One month in which to decide subject matter, think about it, and plan it, before I have to sit down for a month and write 50,000 words. Again. This time I'm thinking of writing about preganancies, births, babies. Just because I won't have to do much in the way of research! I've just been through all that, and it's all fresh in my mind. But I don't know yet. Of course, I could just as easily write about an alien invasion - from the point of view of the aliens. Or humans invading another planet, so we're the aliens. Or the day the fruit juice factory exploded and covered the town in orange juice, causing dreadful problems for people with citrus allergies. Who knows?!