It’s Sunday afternoon and the sun has come out at last and probably we should be out in it but, instead, we are sitting on couches with our feet up while our little girl plays.
It’s been a busy but lovely weekend. Yesterday we walked Madeleine into the city while she slept, to join the growing Christmas crowds and buy some decorations to celebrate the season in our new home. Madeleine got to watch the big kids ride the Santa Train at Myer and she was absolutely enthralled (she kept making “Woo Woo!” sounds all the way home). We wandered up and down Collins Street and pretended we were Christmas shopping for four-carat diamond rings and Montblanc pens, while the weather danced the classic Melbourne dance of drizzle and sunshine and downpours and sunshine all over again.
This morning started out with coffee and croissants from Rathdowne Street, before some dear friends came over for lunch. They had daughters (“big” girls of four and nine) who Madeleine absolutely adored, so she had a fantastic time playing with them and copying them and bossing them around to within an inch of their (very patient) lives. I’m really loving how adaptable this new home is for entertaining, with separate living areas so the kids can play and run amok in another room if they want to while we eat at the dining table, but a little outdoor deck right next to the dining room for when they want to play and run amok with us!
I really will take some photos and show the new place to you, I promise. I’m hoping this coming week will be my last week of work so unless Baby B comes early, I’ll have some time to take pictures in a week or two.
After our friends left we cleaned up (that only took about 20 minutes – amazing!) then did a spot of dancing with Madeleine before settling down on the couch with our feet up. I thought it might be fun to do one of these “taking stock” posts, inspired by Pip from Meet Me at Mikes. Do you want to do the same? Let me know and send me a link if you do.
Making : a series of board books for Madeleine, from here
Cooking : this pork ragu
Drinking : orange juice and soda water (but dreaming about white wine)
Reading : The Agrarian Kitchen for fabulous foodie inspiration, and The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton, for my book club
Wanting : a glass of white wine
Looking : at my daughter host a tea party for herself under the lounge room rug
Playing : tea parties with Madeleine. every. single. day.
Deciding : whether or not to join this digital conference. Will you?
Wishing : I hadn’t left the door open, because a fly just came in
Enjoying : my little family on a rare Sunday afternoon off
Waiting : for Baby B2 to arrive!
Liking : planning Christmas decorations. What do you think of these for the table?
Wondering : whether I will find time to make this advent calendar for Madeleine
Loving : my new night-time freedom, with Madeleine now sleeping
Pondering : life, family, work, creativity, love, motherhood, time, friendship, ambition, priorities and the great, big, messy mix of it all
Considering : whether that smell heralds an imminent nappy change
Watching : Mrs Brown’s Boys on DVD (blame Mr B)
Hoping : I’ll be able to finish up work this week
Marvelling : at how my body can grow a human being
Needing : more rest
Smelling : that suspicious nappy
Wearing : maternity jeans with banana smeared all over the knees
Following : a grand total of 125 blogs! (I just counted)
Noticing : how quickly I get tired this late in my pregnancy
Knowing : I was right about that nappy (excuse me while I go change it)
Thinking : about this blog and where I want to go with it
Feeling : nervous and excited about the new baby, in equal measure
Admiring : how easy it is to entertain guests in my new home, and keep it clean
Buying : Christmas presents
Getting : excited about spending Christmas with my growing family
Bookmarking : home decorating ideas from blogs I like
Opening : a new box of tea bags
Giggling : at Madeleine, running in and out of the room on chubby legs
Feeling : incredibly lucky
