For all my lovely and loyal followers, if there are any left, I now intend to blog more regularly over at The Baby, She Crazy! This is because most of my doings these days are baby-related, and somehow it seemed appropriate to pretty much give her a blog of her own! I will probably still update here sometimes, when I do things that have nothing to do with Elspeth. So, like, in 50 years or so... haha

I'm complaining about last night.

Little Ellie has been sleeping right through the night 99% of the time since she was four months old. But last night was just the pits. She woke up at 2.15am, for no real reason that I could find. I think she does have a tooth on the way, but at that point she didn't actually seem to be in pain. She simply would not re-settle for over two hours; it was past 4.30 by the time she and I both got back to sleep. And then, of course, I had to get up at 7am as usual to feed her and all that morning stuff. It's now just past midday: Ellie has been fed twice and bathed and had a nap (I also had a nap), while I'm still in my pyjamas and haven't showered, and I've only eaten a couple of slices of tinned peach. I have a splitting headache and I keep feeling dizzy, and I know I should probably eat more and maybe even leave the house, but all I want to do is go back to sleep. I'm hanging out for Ellie's next nap (maybe another half hour or an hour...) and then I think I'll nap again. And THEN, by which time it will be about 2pm, I will start my day. :P

Ellie and I went down to the lake today for a picnic and some fun.

So many leaves! Only two hands and one mouth! What to do?!

The weather was nice, so we stayed down there just playing for a couple of hours.

She also tried to chase some magpies! They all got away, though.

She kept trying to shove leaves up my nose, in my eyes, and into my mouth. Yummy! I think she got more in my mouth than her own!

No celebrity seems to ever actually do
anything wrong.

They're not immoral or criminal, oh no. They have an illness or an addiction. Since when does that make things okay?

Tiger Woods, hello? Sex addiction? Or just a sleazebag? Oh right, he has lots of money and publicists and a lot of people relying on his good reputation; of course it has to be a sex addiction. Ditto David Duchovny.

Amy Winehouse is always fun. She claims to be addicted to everything - sex, drugs, and alcohol! No, woman, you're addicted to publicity! For no matter what else she has - whether it be the addiction or the treatment, she gets attention!

Charlie Sheen's ex-wife says he's addicted to internet porn. Makes me wonder how he finds the time to learn his lines for Two and a Half Men. Maybe he just likes to whack off, and what guy doesn't?

Wynonna Judd is addicted to food!! I hope nobody tries to make her give that one up; she might get cured but only until she starves to death. It's not alright to simply be overweight, or to have no willpower, or even to have a genetic tendency to weight problems. Nope, if you're famous it has to be an addiction!

Perhaps we need to stop seeing addiction as an excuse, and start holding people responsible for their behaviour, how about that? WEIRD IDEA?!

Today was Cheap Shopping day! ALDI and Big W, hooray! Did you know you can get 50 nappies for $16 from ALDI? That's awesome. And 80 baby wipes for under $3. Love love love.





Also bought some warm winter clothes for Ellie from Big W. She has hardly any warm clothes in the sizes she'll be needing over winter. So I bought lots of socks and a cute jacket for her. If anyone fancies giving her a present, warm size 1 clothing with minimal pink if you please!!

Well, it was a normal boring Sunday until somebody had the bright idea of a picnic lunch! The sun was shining intermittently, the wind was blowing like mad, and we set off with cheeses and crackers to Canberra's Carillon.

Ellie got into everything - she went for the brie, and then the blue, then the cheddar. Then the cheese knife. Then the kabana, and the salami. Finally she settled on a cheesy breadstick.

However, it wasn't long before the wind picked up even further, and dark clouds menaced. We packed up hurriedly to head home, and indeed we did get spat upon from above on our way home.

But we made it back alive and unscathed, with plenty of left-overs for dinner!

Today was the Hens Afternoon Tea of my friend Krystle, in Weston Park by the lake. A lovely day was had by all! I was pleasantly surprised that there were some people there I knew, and I even won a prize in one of the games - a bucket of lollies.

Upon my return home, Aidan went out to Josh's Bucks Night.

And I discovered that Ellie has a new tooth JUST popped through the gum today! No wonder she was crying so much for, like, half an hour.

Pics of the regatta for Cazzie :)
There are more HERE

Dear God,

Why did you invent alcohol? And young men? And if you had to invent them, couldn't you have kept them apart? Didn't you know you were inviting trouble by combining them, or letting them combine?

There is a group of young men in the hotel across the road from here. I think they are playing some kind of game, because periodically their voices are raised in unintelligible shouts. It does not sound violent or menacing; it has that quality of arrogance, of being obnoxious and over-confident and completely unconscious of irritation, that comes of too much testosterone and not enough maturity.

At any rate, it's very annoying. I've half a mind to step out into my yard and yell "SHUT UP!" for surely if I can hear them, they will hear me. But they (probably) aren't breaking any laws, and they're just silly enough not to care for my puny opinion.

So anyway, God, if you'd care to convert me, just be a good chap and strike 'em down, eh?

Thanks!

Stace

Ok... Chris-inspired, I'm going to attempt to write a sentence or two.

Ellie is standing up now, by pulling herself up on the side of the cot. She is also crawling really well.

Now, the last week or so I have actually done stuff, yay, so here it is...

On Friday 26th March, Aidan and Ellie and I drove all the way from Canberra to Rye (almost 800km, or about 470 miles) to go to a friend's wedding on Saturday. Dedication, huh? It was a really nice wedding on the beach, although Ellie grumped a little bit. She slept through the reception in the groom's mother's spare bedroom. Lots of fun was had by all, especially the best man who appeared to adopt some little kid who looked exactly like him.

On Sunday we started back for Canberra - except my parents convinced me to stay with them with Ellie while Aidan went on home. Aidan had to work, and my parents were going to Canberra later anyway, so he went on and us girls stayed in Euroa. It was really nice; my dad is a hugely doting grandparent, and mum little less so! So it was nice and peaceful and we all had lots of fun.

Then we all came up to Canberra because dad was sailing in a model boat regatta. Yay! So mum and dad stayed here for a couple of days for that, and then went home.

And now it's just me and Aidan and Ellie again. She has a slight cold and is a bit miserable. Aidan's been sick too, and I think I'm getting it now as well.

So anyway, I had my cocktail party last night to celebrate my birthday. It was lots of fun, I think everybody enjoyed themselves. I didn't take any photos though. :(

Just a couple of shots from the Melbourne trip... late. :)

Sitting in Hudsons's Coffee stealing the internet from Mag Nation next door. Melbourne! Loving it. Except I have wicked period pains right now. Ouchies. Otherwise having fun. Saw Tammy and her little Alexis for lunch yesterday; I haven't seen her in years so I expected awkwardness, but now we're both married with kids we have much more in common than we ever used to!! So that was good.

Having lunch with Wayne shortly. He's suggested Dragonboat, which is expensive, so I hope he intends to pay!! Then mudmeet later tonight with the Melbournites.

Muuust... bloooooog.... MOOOOOOORE!!!

I just had to come home early from a dinner party because Ellie decided to scream instead of sleep. I can't say I blame her; one of the women there had a particularly loud voice that must have been very difficult to try sleeping through!! Oh well, had fun while I was there, and maybe next time Hannah will have a partaaayyy on a night Aidan's not working, so I can leave Ellie with him!

Initial impression from the sonographer yesterday is that Ellie's hip is "slightly immature" but that's nothing to worry about. Still waiting on the final report from the doctor who reviews the ultrasound images, we'll have that on Monday. Should be fine.

I have been ultra-efficient mum today. I got up at 7am, fed and changed Ellie, put a load of washing on, and a load of dishes in the dishwasher. Went shopping, put Ellie back down for her nap, then finally had breakfast. After Ellie's nap, she had elevenses and a bath, and lots of playtime, and I've put another load of washing in the machine. I also made a start on dinner before realising that we're going out tonight and not eating at home!

Also, somewhere in there, I squeezed in a teensy weensy nap for myself. Not for the first time, I wondered why they're called "nanna naps" when mummas take them too! Then I had a coffee, really strong, with sugar, and now my leg keeps twitching. Related, maybe?? I don't usually drink coffee; I only started fairly recently specifically to keep myself awake and not because I actually like it. I hate it, which is why I put sugar in it.

I can't believe Elspeth is nearly seven months old now. Things have all just happened so fast! She can sit up on her own now, at least until she loses concentration, she has a third tooth on the way (to judge from the chewing and chomping and crying), she chuckles at everything, and she's just gorgeous.

But today we have to take her to get an ultrasound, because the doctor thinks her hips might be developing crooked or something. Asymmetrical. There is an extra crease on one leg that isn't on the other, which might simply be an extra fat roll, or it may indicate a problem. I guess we'll find out at three o'clock this afternoon.

Cross your fingers for us!!

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!