School holiday Monday

1. Finally stopped dithering and left Alex at his 2-hour gymnastics session - he looked so small compared to the other kids and I wasn't sure he'd cope. He did! At pickup, saw several more kids closer to his size and he was still doing fine, yay!
2. Inside entertainment on a rainy day - kids did playdough and I even sorted through a few things
3. Naptime OK even with daylight savings time - I guess I adapt better than the rest of the cows
   
4. Remembered chiro appointment before missing it and clear weather meant a popular stop at Lil Rangitoto park to fill in that awkward pre-dinner gap
5. Nadia peeing in potty! Sometimes asking, once telling me after doing it all by herself, so who cares that she dipped her onesie... Lots of false positives but at least she's keen
6. Great imaginative energetic after-dinner play with the kids (their imaginations and energy, not mine)
   

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours...

...so I refrained from doing unto them at 6:30am what they did to us at 11:30pm, 12:40am and 1:20am. Imagine what damage they could inflict if they were actually trying, instead of just drunk, clueless and feeling GOOD! (Sorry about the plagiarism, Mr Adams, but I doubt they were naked.)

1. Fulfilled Alex's fervent wish to go swimming (Nadia fervently said "Yeah!" so I think that counts too). Didn't forget anything crucial
   
2. Regained some energy bouncing on the trampoline with Alex
3. Regained more when P-Jay took the kids grocery shopping - long involved negotiation with Alex comparing the merits of the treat he could get from the shop with a treat already at home
4. Indian takeaways - happy family, no cooking
5. Family project - Alex paints, Mummy buys frame, Daddy puts painting in frame, Alex and Nadia almost get to touch the frame, glass, painting, screws, pliers and hammer but Daddy manages to hang it safely. Beyooodifull!
   

School holidays rolling in

1. Alex to preschool (on time, without any shouting, in correct shoes)
2. Nadia to PORSE
   
3. = Childfree morning!
4. Bought gigantic mirror to make downstairs look bright and big instead of cavernous and gloomy. Now all P-Jay has to do is hang it up...
   
5. Nadia to Dr for more serious drugs in the pursuit of better sleep - she did a wonderful "aaaah" on request
   
6. Picked up Alex and goodbye goody bags from preschool - everybody gets to have sticky fingers! Is the rainbow lollipop better than the Chupa chup? I'll leave that question to the philosophers.
   

Today failed to live up to its disaster potential

1. Got Alex to preschool (note absence of any qualifiers like "on time" or "without any shouting" or "wearing correct size shoes")
2. Bought more fruit (due to eating lots of fruit) and scored big time on the kid clothes half-price at the Hospice shop
3. Opened up Plunket playgroup before anyone found out I was late (see aforementioned bargain bonanza)
4. Got both Nadia and myself a nap (number one blue light special crucial accomplishment for today)
5. No walk today, but also no desperate dashes to shelter under thick trees or strangers' carports
   
6. Lovely little playdate for Alex (inside)
7. Dinner yummy - everybody ate! Looking good for maintaining my solemn vow that "I will not cook on Fridays" as fridge remnants should see us through.
   
8. Signed Alex up for gymnastics (his new favourite hobby) for holidays and term 4
   

23-09-09 Thank Aussie for the rain...

I actually think we need some rain!

1. Still dry(ish) as I dragged both munchkins to the chemist, desperate for solution to Nadia's itchy hands and feet. Left with a couple of solutions (calamine and PineTarsol) but can't buy anything that will actually work since she's not 2 yet.
2. Managed all this before going to LLL committee meeting
3. Decided that Google maps is crap for giving directions and am again sadder but Wises...
4. Made it to LLL committee meeting without having to explain to Alex why I am turning around and going back down this street again really slowly. Before children, I used to park quite well and always made sure I knew my route before leaving. Now, I excel at extracting a biscuit from a ziploc bag in a backpack beneath the child seat with one hand while driving through the last picoseconds of an amber light.
   
5. Gave away big bag of maternity clothes and boy clothes - yay for decluttering! (Yes, don't want more children, yes, I know accidents happen, yes, I still want to clear out the clothes because if an accident happened my first words would so NOT be "But I have nothing to wear!")
   
6. Nadia had surprisingly decent nap in the car
7. Cooked pretty much from scratch and the kids liked their potatoes and kumara with ketchup, leaving more curry for us
8. Watched cool program on fractals despite fractious children.
   

22-09-09 Really enjoying being warm!

1. Housework - not exciting but done
2. Got Alex to preschool with negotiation skills worthy of Middle East diplomat - mild case of end-of-termitis
   
3. Practiced poor impulse control at the library (I'm really good at that!) and Nadia practiced bar coding at the self-check units
   
4. Queen of fresh air - pram walked to pick up Alex and usual park visit (including traditional emergency dash behind Alex to remote toilet location...)
5. Dinner (aka feeding time on location: kitchen, table, in front of TV)
   
6. Alex loses consciousness in front of Family Channel just before Dad arrives home - Nadia still perky enough and poking fingers must be restrained
   

First Day - 21-09-09

Just the good stuff:

1. Opened brag blog
2. Took kids "cobweb hunting" and needless to say we found HEAPS
3. Let kids eat popcorn on the rug and Alex helped me clean up
   
4. Weeded and watered the garden (and each other)
5. Great gymnastics session for both of them (and Alex is even really in the class)
6. Everybody fed as needed all day (already watered), and enough dinner on the table for honoured guest and honoured Daddy