Day 10

Hello double digits.

Hello extremely fragile emotional state.

Hello heavy heart.

Hello homestretch.

Hello how the fuck am I going to possibly manage another 100+ days without Oli aka Paps.

She's been a long week folks, a bloody marathon of a week infact. I totally underestimated the sheer amount of energy one needs to entertain and care for two, very active, toddlers. It feels as though I could lay down, and hibernate, for the rest of winter. Tired is an understatement. Exhausted is an understatement. There is no statement that will suffice for just how shattered this old mother hen is. And we haven't even officially moved out yet, the real fun begins tomorrow/ Friday when we officially evacuate the premises. Insert grimace. Thankfully, friends are fabulous things, and Abbey is coming over to help out for those two days before we head to her place to cause chaos for 5 days before we board that bird. What a legend/ I don't think she realises what she is in for. 

So today marks our final week in Perth, and to be frank, our departure could not come soon enough. We are so ready for that family support that other families gush about, actually we were ready 2 years ago, alas we will gladly make up for that over the coming weeks. First on the agenda when we arrive to the glorious Mount Maung? Sleep. Eat. Sleep some more. And then take an afternoon nap. 

But first, we must survive the plane trip. We won't be doing it alone this time though (THANK FARK!). We roped our great mate Stirling into coming back on the same flight as he was planning an NZ trip that same week anyway. Little does he know that I'm palming Oscar off onto him at check in and yelling NO BACKS whilst running off with Blake to board. Sucker. 

I'll round this up with a family snap I got the other day;

Yup, that's life at the moment.

Gem

Thought of the day "whine whine whine whine wine wine wine wine"

 

Day 4

Three lonely, albeit spacious, sleeps into this long distance love journey, and we are still alive & kicking (mostly O kicking me in the face). Oscar is officially the proud owner of three ginormous molars, and mercifully, it doesn't look like the fourth wants to show up anytime soon. Therefore we are back to sleeping in sync, and in turn, feeling slightly more sane. Just slightly. 

FaceTime is our saviour, and seeing Dad on the little screen guarantees a couple of big toothy grins from the tykes. Alas, it is SO not the same. After his 10 hour work day, and by the time we actually get to call, we are both shattered and lacking in any enthusiasm. There's no comforting cuddles, no cheeky smiles shared from across the room, and not a single chance of a sneaky smooch. I miss the sneaky smooches. 

However, Olis new job is going well, and our lovely & generous friends have taken him under their wing in their home. It is all working out to plan, and within just a couple of weeks, we will be back in the motherland, taking seaside strolls & scoffing steaming pies. Yum. 

Funnily, since Olis departure, we haven't had meat in the house, so I've been a part time vegetarian. Mostly due to sheer laziness & lack of interest in a grocery shop, alas, here's some of the delights I've been whipping up;

Rocket, spinach, mushroom, avo, tomato, potato & feta salad = a little dream come true 

Rocket, avo, mushroom, spinach, haloumi & soft boiled egg salad with dukkah

Pumpkin, pea & corn risotto- total hit with the littlies too

I don't care that potatoes aren't even considered a vegetable, or that they are directly linked to weight gain (I just read a really disheartening article about them), they are delicious. And I will cook crispy chips until the day I die. Plus I ate an entire avocado with them so it's pretty much a nutritional win.

Oh, and we were well on our way to devouring this berry, banana, date & spinach smoothie yesterday too, until;

Major blender blowout. The blender just blew it's chance of going home to NZ with us too as I threw it out in a fit of fury post clean up. 

Don't think it's all salads & carbs around here though, there's been plenty of sugar to ease me through the transition. Every evening thus far has looked like this;

Colouring & chocolate, my two current favourite 'C's. I ordered my Secret Garden book off book depositary a couple of weeks back, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be WAY more badass than originally thought. It's really intricate and ridiculously detailed, this one page is only half done after three evenings of solid colouring, but it is actually a really brilliant way to wind down. It may seem like this weeks fad, but get on board because it's totally rad. (Intentional rhyme).

Actually, there's one more C in my life;

Tame Impalas new album 'Currents' has been on repeat for 3 days straight now. Sooooooo bloody good. Like so good. You must wrap your earbuds around it. This song "Cause I'm a Man" is my personal favourite & it is funky as feck.

Lastly, these two;

I do believe I came out of the bathroom far wetter than they did after this particularly splash sesh, but just look at them would ya? Cheeky little ferocious chunks of spunk.

Adios amigos!

Gem

Thought of the day "I'm not even going to wear exercise gears to the gym today, straight to the cafe- good plan Gemma"

Night One

Last night was night #1 of (130) without Oli, and it sucked. Big time.

We begrudgingly dropped him at the airport at lunchtime, and I then drove the hysterical children home whilst wearing sunglasses on a fittingly dark & gloomy day to mask the silent sobs that bubbled to the surface. 

Actually that's a lie, we drove straight to the shops for icecream. The cookies and cream only briefly numbed the pain before Blake asked "Mumeee, Dadee on an airplane? Where's Dadee? I miss Daddee. Blake Ossy Mumee go on airplane too?" And the sobs came back with a vengeance. 

Upon arriving home, it felt empty literally & figuratively. Most of our things have been boxed and taken away for the container, and we are left with a few toys, the TV (thank goodness), mattresses on the floor, three plates & cutlery, and clothes. This was amusing when Oli was still here, when we would laugh about camping out on the floor eating take out, and now it just feels weird. 

Perhaps it seems silly, being an emotional wreck after only one night without Oli, but it's the bigger picture that's really hitting home to me. Our chapter in Perth together is over, I somehow have to get the kids and I back to NZ in three whole pieces, and we won't see Oli for nearly 5 months. Five fucking months.

The more melodramatic side of me is screaming "I would rather dieeee than be without my incredibly handsome husband, TAKE ME NOW!!" And then the rational side is saying "chill out man, it's just a blip on the radar. Change is exciting, and absence makes the heart grow fonder" Ra Dee Rah. So I'm feeling rather spastic, and fragile, alas the children are keeping me on my toes as per, and before we know it, we will be on that big bird headed home. I am thrilled. And terrified. 

Totally open to you throwing in the towel and coming home whenever though Oli, no objections here.

Au Revoir,

Gem 

Thought of the day "Must keep busy, must keep busy"

Week in Pics

You guys know the drill;

As previously stated, Dry July and I had to part ways early this year... 

A splendid stroll in the sun yesterday, with a mandatory park pit stop. Big sis (little sis) pushing little bro (big bro).

You should have heard the shriek when I caught sight of this overgrown rat outside our door last week. Apparently we have a pet bandicoot as it's been back every night since. Cringe.

 Blakes last trip to daycare on Monday. Get the F out of here right? Swoon.

Oli and I had a hot date on freezing Sunday eve. How we're going to get used to the NZ chill is yet to be determined.

Thrashing Outkast at the mo, tis a brilliant distraction from the tediousness of packing 

"LOVE ME BACK OSCAR"

Four days left with my favourite being. Insert me crying a river. 

Aiiiiight well I'm currently killing time in the gym cafe after my measly 45 min workout, therefore I suppose I should go and collect my offspring.

Or get another coffee.

Coffee it is,

Sayonara!

Gem 

Thought of the day "adulthood sucks"

SOS!

At this exact moment in time, it is 5:30pm, and I am huddled up underneath my blankets in bed with the lights out, desperately hoping not to be found.

Shhhhhh, I am in hiding.

I'll show you what from; 

Oscar James and his Giant Molars. 

F&$@^%#}>£¥K!!!

There are two angry, raging mounds of raw flesh protruding from his gums, two tomato red butt cheeks, and a constant half moon dribble patch on his top. Want to know what is even worse than all these three put together? The constant whine that accompanies them. The never ending drone of his misery. The following me around relentlessly just so we are both 100% clear on just how much pain he is in. As if there were ever any doubt. 

Teething you torturous, malicious, persistent bastard.

One day life's all peachy, there's laughter and enthusiasm oozing about. We all sleep in sync and we arise eager to enjoy the day's activities. And the next day, big T shows up & there is no laughter. There's also no sleep. And the very little enthusiasm that is put forward is extinguished after five minutes of failing to make the TT (teething toddler) crack a smile. 

Teething is the reason my womb has shut up shop. There is no way I'm going through a full set again. Na ah.

On top of the mountainous mounds of flesh, we are going through a rather significant change of life events at the moment. We are moving home!

When I say we, I mean the kids and I, in August, will be headed back to Mount Maunganui to set up camp. However, Oli, is off to Karratha in North WA until December as of this Sunday. Long story short; there was a fantastic job offer, we ummed and ahhed, and pro'd and con'd about all going up there to live, alas, we wanted to be back in the Mount by the end of this year anyway so we figured we would bite the bullet, and stick it out long distance until the end of the year. 

Of course we came to this decision before mountainous molars turned up, and now I'm all like "doooonnnnnttttt leeeeeaaaavvveee meeee oolllliiii ooorrrr iiii willll diieeeeee". (My whine is probably just as torturous to Oli as Oscars is to me)

So throw in organising to move our lives overseas, packing up our seemingly endless amount of belongings (seriously how can we possibly have THIS.MANY.TOYS), cleaning up years of toddlers artwork on our walls, and we've got ourselves quite the chaotic situation.

So basically, Dry July and I just didn't work out this year.

Somebody bring me a bloody burger and a beer already please. Yes, in bed, please. (!!!!!!!!)

If you are childless, enjoy your sweet 8 hours tonight for me won't you?

Gemma