Reading with Tone

Waiting for mum while she has her hair done

Sound asleep with "Tiddy"

A plate of watermelon makes a great hat

Ear, nose & throat infection

Poor Mieksie is crook for the first time. She has an ear, nose and throat infection and as a result is pretty miserable. I'm pretty angry though. Apparently there are no doctors in Ballarat taking on new patients. I have been a patient at Ballarat Group Practice for 20 years, but they refuse to take Mieksie, because she is a new patient. So today we had to go to MedicAid. One of those sit around and wait places that are full of super bugs, no doubt. The trick is, you can't make telephone bookings. So I had to bundle a very miserable girl into the car, find a park, traipse halfway across Ballarat to be told I had been placed on the list and the best idea was to go home for 2 hours and then come back again. Once we got back, we then had a further 40 minute wait.

I am so angry about Ballarat selling itself as a great regional city to "downshift" to, but then can't provide me with the basic infrastructure I need!!!! Think I might forward this one on to the city CEO.

Anyway, Mieksie is doped to the eyeballs, anti decongestant, penicillin and panadol. She is taking small amounts of milk, but no solids. Poor baby....

Taking Flossy's bag for a ride

Hey, no drinking and driving

What big eyes you have.....

"Go Saints"

13 months on.....

Hard to believe that Mieke is 13 months old today. She is still sound asleep (14 hours), after a huge couple of days.

We went for a drive on Sunday afternoon, it was such a nice day. We thought Mieks would sleep in the car, but she had other ideas. She was so tired she was in bed by 6.15 on Sunday night. That suited me because we had to be up early on Monday to catch the train to Melbourne. We go to Melbourne on the first Monday of the month to catch up with our Mother's Group. So the grand plan was; Mieks would wake around 6.3o (she did). Then we would have breakfast and get dressed (easy). Leave the house about 8.30 to drive to the station, find a park and get organised (reasonably easy). The plan then was that she would sleep all the way to Melbourne (NOT A CHANCE!!!) and not only did she not sleep. she grizzled and cried most of the way to Sunshine. Eventually she passed out, about 10 minutes before we had to get of at North Melbourne and change trains. We had a great time at Mother's Group catching up with everyone and hearing all their stories. We left about 3.10 to catch the train home. Mieks had been awake all day, so I was pretty confident she would sleep all the way home. No such luck. Again, she grizzled, refused to sit in her pusher, screamed, threw things and was generally a pain in the backside. She passed out about 15 minutes before we got home. Little Bugger.

Apart from our exhausting day, we are all really well. Sam is busy at work, but loves seeing much more of Mieks. Mieks continues to amaze us by learning new words everyday, last count she had about 40 or 50 words. Her favourite at the moment is "FOFFIL", my dad, her granddad, Fossil. She is trying really hard to say "FLOSSY", my mum, and her Granny. Yesterday she came out with "purple" and "star" and her toy of choice at the moment is "KESHI" her kokeshi doll.

No walking yet, but Mieks is trying really hard to pull her self up on the furniture. She is getting really good at "downward facing dog", she'd be great at yoga. Legs straight, bum up in the air and almost face planting the floor.

The house plans are coming along really well. It's all getting a bit exciting. Hopefully building will have started by the end of the year. The architect is hoping all the externals will be done by Christmas.

Hope everyone is well,
Paula, Sam & Mieks

Morning tea, a banana