Welcome Lily Anne Fraser

On Friday 1st July, we welcomed Lily Anne into our family. Lily was born at 10.52 am, weighing 3.3kg or 7pound 4oz, and measuring 50cm in length. Marcus and I were overwhelmed by the feelings we had that moment when we saw her and knew that all was ok. We could immediately see similarities to Archie, though we were surprised to see such dark features- lots of dark hair, eyes and gorgeous olive skin. Whilst in recovery, Marcus made phone calls to all the family and waited patiently for us to return to the room. My heart skipped a beat as we came down the hall and I could see Marcus at the door, grinning from ear to ear waiting to see his girls. We had a few hours together, enjoying those cuddles and embracing Lily; oh how lucky were are to be blessed with 2 beautiful children.
Uncle Brent was the first visitor, as he was when Archie arrived. Then Mum and Jacquie arrived with Archie. It was a gorgeous moment when Archie met his sister Lily, he was pleased as punch! Lily was such a nice sister too, giving Archie a toy- Harold the helicopter. He was very happy with this treat! Jeremy and Carly, Murray and Shell also popped in and by dinner time, everyone had left and I was ready to chill with my girl. She seemed to latch on straight away and we had a lovely first night together. We had lots of visitors during my 5 night stay and with my recovery much better than with Archie, I was able to enjoy it a lot more.

Lily is 2 weeks old tomorrow- it's gone so fast! I love how Archie has been so good with her and adjusting to me feeding her and so forth, it's been such a relief for us all. I love how Lily snuggles up on my chest, like a little koala, probably as she did in the womb. I love her scent and her smooth skin, just perfect. I love how day by day, she is becoming more alert and eager to learn about the world that she has entered.
I also love how she sleeps so sound, totally oblivious to the drums Archie bangs, as she has heard his loud voice for over 9 months now. I love seeing Marcus and Lily having a moment together and the incredible support he has been for me, giving me time with Lily to establish feeding, whilst he has occupied Archie.
Life is precious and incredible right now; part of me wishes I could freeze this moment in time as it is just so amazing, but I know that it only gets better. So I will capture these moments on camera and film (taking way too many photos!) and welcome each new stage as we go along.

When 3 becomes 4...

It's Thursday 29th June and I have just woken up, ready to make the most of our last day with Archie before his world is turned upside down! I'm sitting on the couch, watching him play- he's "building a Cubby house with his Lego, just like Brent" he says... Then he goes on to describe in detail the door, walls, windows and oh... "I need stairs Mum!"
Maybe I'm emotional today, as I'm shedding a little tear as I write, but gosh I love him to bits and am so proud of him and the little man he has turned into. As Parents, we do what we can, to make sure they have the right food, experiences and happiness that will make them thrive and love life to the fullest. It is full on and very draining at times, but one cant put a price on uninterrupted 'time' with their child. It is harder than it sounds with all the gadgets we have, let alone daily chores, but I try to do this every day as I feel this is so important for his language development. Can I keep it up when number 2 arrives... I hope so!

It's nice to reflect on the growth he has made lately... Yes he still has a temper and has his 'grizzly bear' moments, but on the whole he is one happy boy. I love how he uses his manners and engages with all that he meets- I laugh as he chats to all the oldies down the concourse- he is best buddies with the fruit shop ladies, coaxing them into a free piece every visit! He has become quite independent now at playing on his own too, especially with his new cubby built by Uncle Brent- good timing buddy as there will be a lot of this in the next few weeks! We are sure you will be a great brother and look forward to our family of 4.

But of course as a mum sitting here watching him, I always worry about one thing or the other- do I play/read/cuddle him too much? Is that even possible? Is he getting better at playing with his friends and sharing at daycare? Why does mother's guilt follow me everywhere? Marcus has a chuckle when I tell him my worries as they are pretty lame, but that's just how it is, our motherly instinct is to love, protect and worry about our family.

I'm feeling excited about bub's arrival, nervous too but much more relaxed this time round.
We didn't find out the sex so that moment when we see bub will be amazing! I can't wait for
those first few hours of skin on skin cuddles with our newborn.
Next time I write I will be a mother of 2 and no doubt have a totally different perspective on life! 'Til then...
P.S. We have a teeny tiny feeling it might be a girl, let's see if we are right!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

This blog appears to be a bi-monthly entry now...and I'm tipping it will only get worse once jnr nr 2 arrives! Here's a brief re-cap of the last few months...
March saw us head up to Hamilton Island for a weeks holiday. It was such a great week, doing as much or as little as we pleased. Archie had us in the pool or beach every waking hour, he really improved by the end of the week, gaining confidence and swimming on his own back and forth between Marcus and I. Every day was in the pool and very refreshing- just what we needed.
Our treat for the week was to hire a little dingy boat, it was lots of fun! Marcus wasn't happy with the speed it went (or lack there of) but it did us fine. The fisherman in him burst out for the day, and Archie was impressed, but quickly got over it when Marcus couldn't catch anything! "enough fishing Dad" he said at one point, out in the water where all we could hear were the waves and Archie! The best part of the boat trip was stopping on a remote island, just the 3 of us for a litle picnic. The sand was pristine white, not a foot print before us; clear blue sky and the water was so inviting... Gee I could be back there in a heartbeat!

Marcus has been home a lot more since having his neck operation. This year will see him play about 10 weeks less than other years, but it might be just what he needs, both for his neck and overall happiness. He seems to be getting stronger and handling 3 tournaments in a row without too much grief now. He is currently off playing in Europe for 3 weeks and will be back in good time to welcome jnr.
We have had a few moments where we have freaked out, wondering how we will manage with 2, but I'm sure we will be fine, just like everyone else that is as crazy as us to extend the family!
Archie will definitely be the test for us, gee his world is going to change! On the whole, he is a happy, cheeky, very talkative toddler that is spoilt with cuddles and attention from all his family.
He is starting to test us with his temper (from his father of course!) and gets frustrated very easy. Probably all common toddler issues, but geez they drive me mad and oh so tiring, especially with Marcus away.
He has started to tell us to 'Go Away' which is not nice to hear your little man say! So I have had discussions with him about how it hurts my feelings and makes people sad etc. He then decides to say 'Go Away Milk,' and a few other items. So, we have another chat where I tell him he just shouldn't say it at all, to anyone or anything. I was happy with how it went- a deep and meaningful with a two year old!
Then, the following day, he was playing with his trains and listening to his Play School music and comes running out to me with the biggest, cheekiest grin on his face and sings... "Rain, Rain, Go Away! HA!"... He laughs at me before I could even respond and goes off playing again! What could I say to that??!! (I was quite impressed with his thinking really!)
Oh Archie, you are a character... How your life is going to change soon, but I'm sure, with a few tantrums and adjustments, you will be a wonderful big brother... So exciting!

There are many other events that we have had over the last few months that I should cover, but they will have to wait 'til next entry... I am getting kicked in the ribs and had best take the hint and head to bed! Until then xoxoxo

Where is this year going?!

A lot has happened since my last entry in late Jan! Marcus ended up having surgery on his neck and had the troublesome disc replaced. It was a little scary at the time, but it was his only option and he has since recovered very well. He was a pretty good patient too I must say :) and after not swinging a golf club for nearly 3 months, he is back at work this week in Miami. He is really pleased to be back playing and appreciates his job even more so now. It was the most time we have ever spent together in over 8 years, so it was very strange in many ways, but also awesome to wake up in the one house and not use skype!

Archie and I have got back in the swing of things too and are back into Gymbaroo, Swimming and Music classes each week. It's hard to say which one he loves best, he seems to jump into all of them with his happy go lucky attitude- it is great to watch. He cracks us up all the time with the sentences he is now saying- most mornings we are greeted with "Morning Mummy! How are you? You good?! Downstairs toys please! The stairs have proven a help with counting too and we can do up to 16 with the odd day up to 20! I love that he loves to learn, happily getting a book to read or a puzzle to play.
In between running Marcus to appointments and Archie's activities and daycare, we are only home Tuesdays. This is our day at home or to catch up with friends- We have had a play with our mother's group, Brodie, Helena, Zara and a spot of painting and cooking which he loves.

                       Picasso taking a break for a few happy snaps!

We are also spending a lot more time down the beach - I had forgotten how much fun this can be! The texture of the sand and ample water make it easy to spend hours down there together and have a very good sleep at home that day!

We have started toilet training too and have made some big progress this week! It is very tiring, but fingers crossed we can sort it out before Jnr nr.2 arrives :)
I am now 23 weeks and feeling pretty good on the whole. Jnr has again decided to hang out back, so I am getting a little back pain, but fingers crossed it will improve soon. Dear Nanna Annie is down this weekend to help whilst Marcus is away, so I am getting a break from all the lifting that one does each day with a toddler.
I was oh so tempted to find out the sex this time round, but part of me also wanted a surprise. Marcus didn't want to find out, so alas, we are waiting 'til the big day to find out!
Here is a pic of me at 23 wks, sorry for the wet hair!

It is an amazing feeling to be pregnant, those little kicks that start off quite nice, will no doubt feel like a big football match by the end! We are so grateful that we can add another junior to our happy family- it will be one big change for us all, especially Archie!
As for Tweet Creations, well I haven't had much time of late to create anything- my list of projects and ideas for the house is a mile long and I have a few orders waiting, ahhh... eventually I will get there.
One thing I have got right into though is 'Project Life' which is a quick and easy way of documenting our life with the many photos I take! It is still a little creative, but with more of a focus on photos, with enough pages for a photo and journal note for each day of the year. I am however adapting it to more of an event/occasion focus (eg. first week of Jan is Archie's B'day party). I still end up with lots of photos, but many are from the same day/week.
Hopefully I can keep going with it and stay up to date with the journalling that goes with the photos each week.
Here is a photo of the first week of 2011- as you can see, you can make is as easy as you like, or if you feel up to it, there is room for more creativity to add embellishments and so forth... I like the fact that I can pop the photos in asap and some weeks, that might be all I have time for, but still, I have got them in there and feel happy to achieve just that some weeks!
I am thinking I might even purchase another to do 2010- I have kept pretty much everything to go with the pics too such as Zoo tickets, flight tabs and other special travel memorabilia, so this album style could work very well with all the varying pockets it has.

For anyone that doesn't have the time or passion for getting really really creative with their albums, this is the perfect solution that I would highly recommend. Becky Higgins is the creator from the USA.
'Til next time... xoxoxo

Archie's 2nd Birthday

I am backtracking a little now, back to the 8th of Jan when we celebrated Archie's 2nd Birthday. It was a great day for a small gathering and we managed to have a ball outside, with the kids in their swimmers zipping down the slide!
Last year was a little full on, so this year we decided to keep to immediate family, plus Aunty Kath and Uncle James, Andy and John and Archie's girlfriend, Ava :)
With the cake finally finished, the Mickey Mouse theme was in full swing and Archie was grinning from ear to ear with his Mickey ears on all day!
He absolutely adores his grandparents and he is so lucky to spend a lot of time with them, so much so that he calls Poppy John 'Johnny!' oh dear...
Archie was surrounded by his cousins (4 girls), Ava and the rest of the family all day and he just loved every minute of it! Here are a few pics from the day :)

Archie started off the day with a few gifts, we tried to keep it low key and snuck a few unopened xmas gifts in there!

                                          The Mickey ears are on early in the day!

                               My new couch from Nanna and Poppy John, just loooove it!

                                          Baby Zoe getting in on the Mickey action!

                                           My Mickey Mouse mud cake effort :)

                                                 Nanna with sweet Samara

                                                The kids catching up on the goss!

                                                          BUBBLES!!!

 Time for cake :) Archie was adorable and couldn't believe everyone was singing for him, so sweet. If only we had got it on video :(

 The day rolled into the night with the boys carrying on outside and the girls inside, talking baby names! Princess Mary had her twins on Archie's Birthday, which seemed very fitting given our special connection with Denmark.
Another party over at the Fraser's! I do love entertaining, always have and always will :)

January 2011

My hope of being able to write on my blog every week is proving to be somewhat of a challenge! Like all families, we lead a busy life, squeezing everything possible into each day, but I just can't seem to get to the old blog!
We were so looking forward to chilling at home after the busy festive season and we have enjoyed it so much. Time together at home without golf clubs is like gold for us and I have seen how Archie has loved every minute of it.
But now, it should be time to get back in the swing of things, pack the bags and get on the road again. But unfortunately, we have hit a big wall. Poor Marcus been diagnosed with a degenerated/bulged disc (C5-C6). It initially caused some grief back at the Aussie Open in Sydney in early December. Since then, it has really gone down hill and he is in excruciating pain- wearing a neck brace, taking many pain killers and in general, not able to do a lot. He was hoping that with rest and drugs, it would heal, but the last week it has got even worse. It breaks my heart to see him in so much pain and a little worried about his career and the near future. He has been seeing specialists and having treatment (call me the taxi driver!) and they have now decided that he needs to be operated on to replace the disc. The surgeon is very hard to get into, so at this stage, all we can do is wait. He has an appointment on the 1st of Feb, so hopefully soon after, they will operate. There is risk involved and I know this is in the back of his mind, but recovery is surprisingly quite quick, approximately 4 weeks. So although it means he will miss several months of crucial tournaments, he really has no choice for his health and future career but to operate now.
There are plenty of people in harder situations than us- the recent floods have caused so much grief and we also have a friend who, in his early 30's is having intense chemo therapy. Life definitely hands out some cruel cards and ours is not that bad when one puts it into perspective.
But for someone who is always on the go and such a positive person, dedicating himself tirelessly to a sport that he loves, he has found it really hard to deal with. Thank goodness for Archie in our lives- the forever smiling happy go lucky boy that he is :)
So today, as I sat back watching Archie play outside, I tried to capture the endless smiles he brings to us and for a moment, life's pressures were forgotten about.

Words can't describe how much happiness you bring to us Archie John, we can't wait 'til your little sibling arrives in July for you to play with.

Festive Season

All of a sudden, Christmas and New Year have passed in a flash and sadly, we are already busily planning for 2011!
Since we returned from Singapore, we stayed home for 2 weeks, then off we went again, to Sydney and then Coolum for golf. It was a great 2 weeks away with lots of activities. In Coolum, we stayed at the Hyatt on course which is magic! We rode our bikes to the beach and played with the crabs and sand for hours on end. We had afternoon naps and then back we went to the pool. It was a lovely finish to what was a busy year for Marcus and he too enjoyed himself after his rounds with a few beers n pizza.
Marcus then continued on to Thailand for his last of 8 straight tournaments, whilst we came home and prepared for our O'Donoghue/Houlihan Xmas party to be held at our house. We had a great day with everyone together, Santa visited and we ate way too much!

The happiest boy in the world with his new back pack from Lib and Digger from Santa!

The kids had a ball which is the main thing and Nanna and Patty loved seeing everyone together.
Jacquie was a the queen chef, making sushi and salads, what would we do without Jac!
The following week, Marcus returned and we decided to have an xmas party with friends that we haven't been able to see the last few months. It kinda blew out a little and we ended up having nearly 40 for dinner! Jac was to the rescue again with nibbles (too many though, thanks to my ambitious ideas!) and then we cooked a ham on the bbq and had it with salads and burgers which was a big hit! We topped it off with Lemon Meringue cup cakes and slices galore. Alas, the following day was very very quiet as I was a tired pumpkin! With all these parties and social outings, it is very tempting to enjoy a vino or two, but with Baby number 2 on the way, I have been very well restrained!
We are thrilled that another junior is on the way, Archie points to my tummy and says 'Baby', hopefully he thinks it's as exciting as we do! I am 13 weeks now and have had a great first tri-mester with no sickness at all, just a  little tired and extra hungry. All very similar to my first pregnancy, so I am intrigued to see whether it's a pink or blue one! I am due on 11th July- which sounds so far away, but I am sure that with all we have planned in next few months, it will go very quickly!
That might have to do for now, loads more to write but it will have to wait 'til next entry :) Time to attack the study and get back into a few canvas orders that are patiently waiting for me :)