Torn

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Yes, I am still here, but I have had a few days this week where I am not quite sure where I am. Yes, I am living in Melbourne at the moment, but I know there is a home to be made for us in Hong Kong. Chris is living there in our apartment, all alone. At least I have the girls with me here. Even if they are hard work and exhausting and relentless, I do get their kisses and cuddles and smiles and laughter.

I keep reminding myself it is just for a short while. Soon, we will be together again as a family. Chris was home last weekend. Each visit is an intense reminder of how much we miss him. How much I miss him.

Then Abbey is at kinder over 3 days during the week, and I feel validated that this is what she needs, right now. She is loving kinder, making new friends, learning so much. She comes home from kinder full of stories, eyes twinkling, a whole new world has been unveiled to her, and she is loving it, thriving on each new experience, full of the wonder of the world.

I continue to be torn between our two homes. Separated from my love. Excited and terrified all at the same time, of the new adventure that awaits us in Hong Kong.

Cat.

Grateful

This week I am grateful for sleep. The last few weeks I have been walking around in a daze. Like a zombie. Zoe has been up early most mornings, and some nights a few times during the night (this is not normal for her) I have also been having trouble getting to sleep at night, there has been so much going on in my head.

My mum is such a good egg, she stayed over last Saturday night, and got up to Zoe (at 5am!) and also Abbey who woke up not long after. I had an amazing nights sleep, got up at 7am, fed Zoe, had breakfast, and went back to bed for 2 more hours - I felt like a new person after all that sleep. I have been making sure I get to bed at a reasonable hour each day since, and the zombie feeling is gone. I am still tired, but not the zombie tired, there is a big difference.

I am also grateful that Chris got a last minute flight last night and arrived home this morning. So another long weekend with him. We are a family again for 3 glorious days. I am grateful he works for an airline (no, he is not a pilot!) so he is able to come home and see us often.

Finally, I am grateful for beautiful sunflowers. I bought two for us, and two for my mum last week. They inspired me to get out my proper macro lens and take some photos. I love macro photography and being able to see the world from a different angle.

Pop in and see all the lovely gratefulness over at Maxabella Loves.

Have a lovely weekend peeps. Cat

My Creative Space

Today I am finishing off some new skirts for my big girl for kinder. She rarely wears skirts, except with her kinder t-shirts, so I made sure I used some cute fabric. She insists on wearing dresses most days. I also made her some matching fabric covered hair bobbles, which I could not photograph as she is already wearing them.

Lots more Creative Spaces here.

Happy Thursday to you.

Cat

Mine

At 17 months old, Zoe is learning so many new words. This week, one of the new words she has learnt is mine. She has learnt how to say mine, but she still does not quite understand (yet) the real meaning of the word. She will pick up anything, and say mine. She thinks it is hers if she is holding it.

This has been annoying her big sister to no end. I must admit I have been quietly giggling on the inside when ever this happens. Since Zoe was old enough to move and grasp objects, of course she has loved playing with Abbey's toys and books and teddies.

How did Zoe learn to say mine anyway? Probably from listening to Abbey constantly say no, that's mine.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Cat

Grateful

I feel that I only survived this week with the love and support of my mum and some close friends. I am so grateful they are looking out for me at the moment. I know I sound like a broken record, but this sole parenting gig is full on.

I am so grateful that this week, one day when I could feel that I was fraying at the edges, Zoe was having another one of her *throw her whole body on the floor tantrums*. In the middle of the shopping centre. Just because she did not want to walk, she wanted to be carried. I turn a corner, and there was Nell, my best friend, out shopping with no children, looking amazing in a blue scarf the colour of her eyes, relaxed and carefree - everything I felt I was NOT at that moment. I could not have bumped into her at a better moment. She gave me a hug, distracted the girls and carried my shopping bags (I was carrying the tantrum thrower) We did our food shopping together, all the while chatting, my girls sitting in a twin shopping trolley next to each other, so well behaved and loving the attention of two mummies. I felt like a new person afterwards.

I am so grateful my friend Yvette and her two girls were kicked out of their house by tradesmen doing some work - they spent the day at our house. All the kiddies played well together, Yvette tidied up the toy room and the lounge room. We chatted over cups of tea, had fruit-o-clock, and enjoyed some chocolate cake. I even got some boxes of baby clothes sorted into sizes, Yvette folded them into boxes, and they are all labeled and organised. One more task completed. Thank you for the beautiful flowers too (pictured here)

I am grateful that my mum is always so helpful. Looking after the girls so I can run some errands, encouraging Abbey to tidy up her messes, washing my dishes - again. Reading Abbey the same book over and over. Getting Abbey ready for bed tonight so I could make a double batch of Mars Bar Slice for the kinder Garage Sale tomorrow (nice to be making this before midnight!)

Thank you lovely people. I am so grateful you helped me through this week.

Visit all the grateful peeps here.

Cat

My Creative Space

My Creative Space this week has been knotty. Lots of knotty. Of the French kind. And the first time I have ever done anything like this. It is a little addictive and is keeping me up late at night.

My big girl has just started kinder. She will need a blanket for rest time on the long day she is at kinder. They have reduced hours the first few weeks, to ease them into kinder, so I still have some time to finish it off (thank goodness)

It feels good to be using my Grandma's embroidery thread for her Great Grand daughter too.

This is based on the Fairy Bread pram blanket from Pip Lincolne's gorgeous new book Sew La Tea Do. I have made it larger to cover my big girl (all 4 years old that she is)

Have a lovely day.

Cat.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Grateful

I am a day late, but Happy Chinese New Year to you. Yesterday I was busy with My Creative Space and checking out all the other ones. It is now the year of the rabbit.

This week I am ever so grateful for the Chinese New Year. It has meant Chris got two public holidays in Hong Kong, and he came home to Melbourne to see us. We are loving having him home. Abbey wont let him out of her sight. There have been lots of cuddles and smiles. Sunday will be difficult, when he has to leave. I am trying not to think about it.

I am grateful, that while Chris has been home playing with the girls, I have managed to get some more packing and sorting done. Some more stuff was taken to the op shop, it feels so good. There is still a long way to go until the girls and I can move to Hong Kong.

I am grateful kinder has started for Abbey - she loved her first interview session, and while I was busy talking to her teacher, she was off making two new friends - I am so proud of her. I hope to get lots of packing and sorting done while she is off at kinder.

This afternoon, I am grateful my mum was able to look after Zoe, so Chris and I could take Abbey to see Tangled the movie.

How cute are these kids training chop sticks? Of course, they have been popular with Abbey as they are pink.

So many grateful peeps over at Maxabella Loves.

Have a lovely weekend.

Cat

My Creative Space

I have been having some fun in My Creative Space this week. I have enjoyed making these fabric head bands so much. They are so simple and quick to make, I wish I had thought of the idea.

These orange ones were made using the pattern supplied here, but we found them too wide for little girls heads (and mine too)

I adjusted the width, and voila, cute, easy to make head bands to match every outfit.

Blue ones to match the uniform of my dear friend Nell's little girl, who is starting school this week (good luck, gorgeous girls, I am thinking of you both)

Fruity ones for my two girls, as I have decided this fabric is simply divine, and must be worn. As often as possible. Especially with frilly bloomers. Squish.

(Fruity frilly dilly bloomers are almost impossible to photograph on one active 16 month old toddler. She did stop for a moment to watch some birds out the window. Thank you birds)

You will have to trust me, they are adorable.

Happy Thursday to you :)

Cat

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Week-a-boo: the best bit

The best bit of my weekend was eating home made penguin waffles, smothered in either butter or maple syrup. Yum!

Abbey would say the best bit of her weekend was dressing up, wearing lip gloss, being taken out to dinner by Nanny and Grandad and then being taken to see Mary Poppins the musical. She had a magical evening out, and talked about it all day Sunday.

Pop in an visit Claire for more weekend fun.

Cat