Squibblog

celebrating relaxation

The lead-up to Christmas was hectic - as always - but not nearly so stressful as I would have imagined. We celebrated first with my Uni friends. We planned and then dressed for a summer picnic, only to be caught out in sub 20 degree temperatures and rain in the park. After suffering for a bit, we retired to Jeremy's house where I learned a life lesson as a parent: how to handle a child who bursts into tears when 'Santa' doesn't give her what she expected.

Nell's crying jag really did my head in, but we sorted it out when I explained that Santa would come to our house and there was still hope that he might bring the Snow White dress she desired so fervently. I also explained that Santa maybe wouldn't be so happy about bringing any presents at all of he heard about her screaming that she didn't want his offering. It was a delicate few moments. Turned out that she really liked the rejected present, after her lovely friend J took an interest.

We then celebrated with Soy's family on the weekend before Christmas, exchanging presents and listening to jazz standards of Christmas songs. Christmas Eve was our first spanners-and-swearing construction project. I had visions of us toiling deep into the night under spot lights to get the kids' trampoline erected, but we were spanners down and drinks-in-hand at 8pm for Soy's and my favourite Christmas Eve pasttime: watching the Life of Brian.

My family Christmas was on Christmas day and involved delicacies of all kinds, at least half of which we couldn't eat because we were so full. The pinata was the highlight, as is traditional, and there were no complaints about Santa's offerings (Snow White dress remains the only thing Nell has worn all week).

I braved the sales on Boxing Day, for reasons I can't quite remember. I had a slight panic attack in Myer when the lines for the escalator stretched all the way around the floor (and that was the one to get out!) but I escaped into the relative sanity of DJs and managed to buy all the necessities (kids shoes, underwear and shoes for me) that I was waiting to be discounted before stocking up.

The rest of this week has been spent with Soy still recovering from his sinus surgery. Me and the kids have been lazing about the house and jumping on the trampoline. It's been very quiet and I've completely lost track of the days, which is how a holiday should be.

on Christmas exhaustion

Soy's illness has meant that I have been wrangling both kids pretty much single handed these past few days, including preparing for Hannukah, catching up with different groups of friends and supervising play dates with school and pre-school friends.

While I'm exhausted, I am far from 'over' hanging with the kids. We've been having fun trotting about town, reveling in our roles as co-conspirators in Christmas related secret missions. We've been reading our bedtime stories during the day, snuggling up on the couch morning, noon and night to read Harry Potter #4.

For some reason I have more energy, more concentration and more patience, knowing that there is no back up from Soy. Shopping is done (a whole day early!), cooking is more or less complete, work is more or less on track.

I haven't had much time to blog, twitter or answer email, and I may not get a chance to get to the computer again before Christmas. If that's the case, Merry Christmas to you all. May you feel as content as I do right now, may you drink as much bubbly as I plan to. Stay safe and read on in the new year when Squibblog will embark on a glorious year 7.

just to add insult to injury

Things have been a little stretched at Chez Baxwood this week. Aside from the fact that Nell's school finished two weeks ago, meaning we had to organise care for her on top of the Christmas rush (thanks Mum for coming to the rescue!), we had various school related activities for Zac, all the copy for the next issue of Go magazine due today and Soy went into hospital for sinus surgery yesterday, staying overnight last night.

Having someone in hospital, particularly under general anaesthetic, is a bit stressful and I was sad and worried yesterday. But overall we're really pleased that he is finally having this done. His almost constant irritating illnesses (he's sick so often that I rarely mention it on the blog) have meant that he's hardly had a chance to really ride his bikes in the second half of this year. Since we both caught the pilgrim 'flu in July, he's hardly had a well day. This operation is (fingers crossed) about to change all that by taking away the places where bacteria colonize his sinuses. A little too much information, possibly, but I know that's what you've come to expect here.

As I type Soy is holed up in bed with a huge pad of gauze strapped beneath his nose, to catch the yukky ooze. It's anything but pretty. Fortunately Soy says it's not nearly as bad as when he had his tonsils removed five years ago*. 

We're hoping that Soy's face will have stopped oozing by Christmas day, but we're hoping the next few days are going to be a little quieter here with school and work finished [Aha, ha, ha, ha. Oh, I just crack myself up sometimes].

* finding a reference in my blog to Soy's last operation over 5 years ago made me feel a little like a scriptwriter for Dexter. 'Previously on Dexter...' 

it's that too-busy-to-post time of year

I've had a lot to say these past weeks, but very little time to say it. It's because apart from editing the magazine, getting the kids to and from their various Christmas gigs, attending functions and attempting to do my Christmas shopping, I'm also reading a great book and doing a lot of sewing (this Santa photo show Nell wearing one of the dresses and headbands I made her). That means all my days and nights are spoken for, and my discretionary minutes see me reading or with needle in hand. All good, but not for Squibblog.

We have been focussing on Nell as fair bit these last few days, with her first ballet concert happening last Saturday. She was up on stage at the Seymour Centre, hugely excited, although not really remembering what she was supposed to do once she got there. She did a bit of hand rolling, bottom wiggling and jump-and-clap work and looked adorable in 4 yo disco garb.

We've also spent wonderful times with long time friends Annie and Kylie, first celebrating Annie's 40th (notice how I didn't say 'old friends', although there is no sensitivity there, I understand) and then attending our traditional* carols picnic together last night. We lit upon the City of Sydney celebration in Surry Hills which was far superior to the preachy one we went to last year. The city was giving away flashing Rudolph noses, Soy was very taken with Justine Clark and the kids were thrilled when the big man arrived in a fire engine. Who needs reindeer when you have flashing lights and a siren?

*we've done carols together two years in a row, which is certainly a tradition as far as we're concerned

christmas cheer from Nell

Today was Nell's Christmas concert at preschool. She was fabulous, of course. I've made a YouTube video, not of the concert itself but of her singing one of the songs in our loungeroom afterwards. I made the video using the HP TouchSmart computer we are testing at the moment - the video is made on the webcam and the sound sync is a little out. Don't worry that you can't understand the words - she's singing in French and I'm pretty sure that no one, native French or English speakers alike, would be able to understand what she's singing. This video is all about gorgeousness and nothing else!