End of another weekend

Another weekend has gone by. Saturday was filled with finding items (tiles, fabric etc.) for our renovation. It was a day of disappointments to a certain extent. One was re-visting a tile shop only to see the same tiles kept aside for us that we had seen previously and rejected. We have given up the search and will select the more expensive tiles - damn. The other disappointment was finding out that to order the fabric we liked cost 10% more than buying off the shelf even though it was a line that the shop normally has in stock. Did a quick search on the internet and found the same fabric at a cheaper price - bonus.

Coco and Arabella have changed their swimming lessons to 8am on Saturdays so off I went taking the girls to swimming. Arabella is enjoying her new teacher and is actually listening! She still hasn't got the hang of "big arms" but she'll get it soon. Coco continues to swim well. She does lap after lap after lap. I am sure she is exhausted at the end of it.

Today we finally had a free day to just enjoy ourselves without thinking about the renovation. It was one of those dull grey days in Sydney. So we decided to go to Wild life world in Darling Harbour. The kids loved looking at the snakes and spiders. I am sure Arabella will be a snake handler one day. She couldn't keep her hands off the poor diamond python at the exit. She was stroking and while noone was looking squeezing the poor snake. Titi loved the spiders and the nocturnal animals. It was so cute, this morning before we got out of bed, Titi loves to bring books over for a read. He pointed to a butterfly in a book and said "buttie" but by this afternoon he had corrected himself and he said "butterfly" in the butterfly enclosure. He was wearing a yellow jumper and the butterflies were attracted to the colour and kept on landing on him which he found a bit unsettling.

After wild life world we went for a walk around Darling Harbour and discovered a Malaysian Festival. We ate some Malaysian food that I needed a translation for. Coco and Titi loved the food - Nasi Lemak and Matubarak (I hope I got the spelling right). The kids had a play in the playground - Arabella loved the big slide and sandpit (she enjoys anything that will make her dirty and/or wet) and Titi once he finds a good circuit will do it again and again - Up the ramp, into the tower, down another ramp on bottom, round the tower and then up the first ramp and so it continues. We then had some icecreams and then homeward bound. The kids were exhausted by the end of it and we had 2 sleeping beauties on the way home.

Time to start preparing for another week so we can do it all over again.

I can hear

I finally feel better. For the past two weeks I have been feeling yuck - viruses, deafness etc. Ailments that make me feel as though my body is falling apart. Went to the Dr - got my ear syringed and wow what a difference. I feel a part of life once more. Not just one sense has been restored but amazingly all. I can see better, taste better, feel better and most importantly hear better.

The builders are still demolishing the bathrooms. Today the jack-hammers started to remove the floors. The concrete might be 2 inches thick but has been treated with a substance that has made it super strong. Light fittings downstairs have been removed, dust is falling around us and the house is shaking. We still have a rook over our heads.

The noise has kept Titi up from his lunchtime sleep. The kids became feral just before dinner. Thank god we decided to cancel our dinner out arrangements otherwise it would have been mayhem in public rather than the relative privacy of home. Apologies to the neighbours for screaming outside the back door after one was relegated outside to calm down.

Ahh peace at last - all three fed, washed, read to and tucked up in bed. The reset buttons have been pushed and they are quiet and peaceful. WHERE'S THE CHOCOLATE!!

The tooth fairy and the destroyer

Arabella had her front tooth extracted today. Wow she was brave. She is currently high on codeine and feeling mighty fine. We had to be at the hospital at 6:30am and she was very good at waking up and getting ready. Here is a before and after image of our little treasure. She loves her new look already since she can now eat with the front of her mouth.

Building work or should I say demolition has started with our renovation. Upstairs is looking a great deal larger with a few walls knocked down. Can't wait for it to finish and they have only just started.

Upside down

Today we are moving all our belongings from upstairs to our downstairs rooms. Packing boxes so that the kids don't rummage through piles of pillows, blankets, towels and clothes. Keeping the bare minimum out. And why are we doing all this? Well the builders arrive tomorrow and will demolish two bathrooms, move a few internal walls and knock this house into shape! We can't wait - new bathrooms, new paint, new curtains, new lights and new carpet. Almost like having a new house. Everything should be back to normal in about 2 - 3 months. And then we can think about downstairs.

Tomorrow will be quite a sombre day however since little Arabella Miller will have a front tooth removed. It is quite an operation since it has to be done under general anaesthetic. She lost her front tooth in an accident about 5 weeks ago. The tooth was re-inserted but since an abcess has formed she needs to remove this tooth or else she may lose more. She is such a brave girl. When the dentist told me she would have her tooth removed she said "Mum, I will be just like Coco". You see, Coco lost a tooth 2 weeks ago but unlike Coco, her tooth won't grow back for a long time (4 years). She will be our gappy little girl.