Happy Birthday Nanna

Yesterday was my maternal Nanna's 91st birthday. Last year, for the big 90, there was a massive celebration with all that have crossed her path. This year, it was just a small BBQ with the immediate family that could make it. She has 5 children with 5 inlaws, 12 grandchildren with 8 inlaws and 9 great grandchildren. As always, it was bring a dish and own meat and the spread was amazing (if only I remembered the camera, I could have been a food blogger!). As with any of our family get-togethers, the thermomixes were working overtime.


Nanna loves being around her family, thrives on the hustle and bustle and gets a kick from the harmless ribbing among the family. At one point, after the mandatory 'candle blowing out' she thanked everyone for coming, the food that was prepared and informed us that she is happy knowing that when she does pass over, we will all have each other - and there was the suggestion that at least the wake will be well catered for.  


She has the song picked out for her funeral - not one I am familiar with, but something about the end of a rainbow - as she says that is where Grand Dad is waiting for her. She has talked a lot about this over the last 2 years and Grand Dad has started to visit her a lot in her dreams. She is well and truly ready to go and often says how surprised she is when she wakes up some mornings. Although she is still very physically and mentally well, she will often not let us make plans too many months ahead for her saying "No dear, I don't think I will be around by then". It is as though she is preparing us for the time she does go, she knows she will leave such a big hole in all our lives. 


She is a true matriarch. She keeps our family together and does not tolerate nastiness of any kind. She is a nurturer - not in the 'born to be a mother' sense, - but she has always provided what we have needed from her, when we have needed it - whether that be a meal, a roof over our heads, or words of advice. Many, many people outside the family have been taken in by Nanna and been given a home when they have needed it most. She always had an open door policy and whenever we visited her, there would most likely be a stranger staying with them who became part of the family.


Her generosity, compassion and giving nature is truly an inspiration.


Happy 91st birthday Nanna. Looking forward to celebrating your 92nd!

Chantel x

Happy Second Birthday!

Dear Master Z,


I am a few weeks late with this post, but thought I would still put it on here, as a record of how things are in your life. I have been looking for some photos to add to this post, but you just can't have a photo at the moment without closing your eyes and opening your mouth. As soon as I say 'cheese', that's the face you pull.

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This year has been a jam packed year for you, with some highlights being your awesome first birthday party, your christening, many holiday's 'down south' and your second birthday on Rotto. 

Let's just remind you of the awesome Iggle Piggle Cake your mummy made your for your first birthday party:

Yeah, and sorry, but your 2nd birthday cake was brought to you by Rottnest bakery - a lot less work for Mummy!

You love The Wiggles, Thomas the Tank and Bob the Builder. You have the cutest singing voice and walk around the house singing "Chugginton" and "Hot Potato". You are learning more and more words everyday, though I think you have inherited your Daddy's listening skills, as some of the sounds that come out are pretty way off. I think you also have your Dad's ability to tune your Mummy out - I have no chance!

You love spending time with your cousin's Z and little baby J. Your best friend is your big puppy sister Princess K - who you call Caeser - even though you are very wary of being struck in the face with her exuberant wagging tail. You love being outside, you love the water and love playing in the sandpit. 

You go to sleep with Ted Ted, a bottle of water and a sleeping bag. If any of these are missing from the equation, sleep will not occur. You are an excellent sleeper, sleeping from 7pm - 7am the majority of the time and you still have a 3 hour nap each day to let Mummy play on twitter clean the house.

You started one day a week at day care and have been a superstar there. You caught a new bug pretty much every week you attended for the first six months, but hopefully you are now over that, with a very good immunity. You have been at a new daycare this year and really seem to be enjoying it - particularly the slide.

You are a gentle, sweet, loving boy, who makes our world light up. You always have a smile on your face and you have an amazing patience and perseverance. You bring so much joy to everyone around you and it is a privilege to be your Mummy and Daddy. 

Happy second birthday Master Z, we love you to the moon and back.

Mummy x

Sunday Session - the 21st edition

Last night, we attended my cousin's 21st birthday. So as I link up with Thea's Sunday Session, I thought it would be a good excuse to revisit some music from the year he was born - 1990. (Anything to get the 90s on my blog!)


The top selling single in Australia that year was Sinead O'Connor's 'Nothing Compares 2 U' - but that is way too whingy for me, so first up is B52s 'Love Shack' - came in at number 10 even though it was released in 1989.







One of my favourite grungy bands is Faith No More, and this one of their first hits, but it was still before they were a commercial success - 'Epic'.





1990 was the year of Roxette's 'It Must Have Been Love', Jon Bon Jovi's 'Blaze of Glory', Aerosmith's 'Janie's got a Gun' , New Kid's on the Block's 'Step by Step' and Milli Vanilli's 'Blame it on the Rain'.
But on the non-commercial stations, there was some amazing sounds starting to evolve. It was the year before Nirvana's 'Smell's Like Teen Spirit'and the grunge explosion. The west coast of America had many emerging bands with dirty guitars, and a black view of the world. Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and SoundGarden were all in a garage somewhere on the brink of something pretty amazing in music history.

Next song is Andy Prieboy's 'Tomorrow Wendy' - such a haunting song.






That song makes me cry, so, to lighten the mood - my favourite song from 1990. Still a favourite, feel good song - and I love the film clip, always makes me smile and bop along - They Might be Giants 'Birdhouse in your Soul'.





Surely that got you smiling :o) Have a great week! 
Head on over to Thea's Do I Really Wanna Blog? to check out what other's are listening to.

Chantel x

Priorities

Saturday was my birthday and we had the whole weekend planned with fun stuff to do. I love birthdays. I love to make a big deal of people's birthdays and I love to celebrate my own. We had planned that when TBone got home from work at 2pm Saturday, there would be a quick turn around and we would head off for afternoon tea at Koko Black (I know, a cafe devoted entirely to chocolate - could you get any better!!!) then shopping for my presents, followed by a quiet dinner at home with candles and an expensive bottle of red we have been saving for a special occasion.

But....

Poor TBone came home at 7am Saturday with a stomach bug and spent the rest of the day in the bathroom. Seems he caught Master Z's bug of the week from day care.

Now, I am usually very laid back and caring - I am a health professional you know :o) - but for some reason, all care and compassion left me and all I could think was that my birthday had been ruined! I was close to tears even though I knew perfectly well that there was nothing he could do about it. The poor thing was feeling terrible not only for the lurgy, but as he felt he had ruined my birthday. 

I spent the morning huffing and puffing, playing with Master Z and feeling very sorry for myself. What a waste, as it was a beautiful day in Perth. Once Master Z went down for his midday nap, I thought, right, going to go and buy my own presents. First, I decided to get my finger and toe nails done, so headed to a local salon. I asked for the special pedicure and manicure and got shuttled to one of the booths. The guy started sanding my nails and then clipping them back - that was then I started to pay attention to what was going on. He then pulled out acrylics and I pretty much melted into a blubbering heap. My fingernails had been cut right down. "I don't want acrylics, I only wanted a manicure, its my birthday and everything is going wrong!" 

The poor people in the salon didn't quite know what to do with this stranger with tears running down her face and mascara following them. They were very lovely to me, fixed my now very short nails up with a manicure, dealt with my elephant like feet and toenails with a pedicure, not even commenting on the fact that my legs were hairy like a bear.

As I was relaxing I decided I needed to grow up, act my age and make the most of the day. I can be very Pollyanna when I need to be. So I went home, picked up Master Z and went to have the day we had planned, unfortunately without TBone though. I had a lovely afternoon being escorted around Claremont by Master Z and TBone was well enough to have a low key version of the dinner we planned - but we have saved the wine for another time.

The next day really put things into perspective for me. TBone was well, the weather was fantastic, despite predictions otherwise and we headed to one of my favourite places in Perth, the zoo. Master Z had the best day, his smile was beaming the whole time and he chattered away throughout the day. He was so excited to see the lions, tigers, elephants and the meerkats up close and spent the afternoon imitating the monkeys. I had the such a lovely time just watching him happy. We let him spend most of the time out of the pram, wandering around the zoo at his pace.

That's when I realised that what happened Saturday didn't matter and I am embarrassed at my tired and fatigued reaction. The day we had Sunday, a simple activity, the three of us together enjoying each others' company, Master Z soaking up new experiences, that is what deserves to be celebrated. And that is how I will remember my birthday for this year.