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Finding The Happy

Looking for joy in all the right places

Month

December 2014

Atticus is one month old

Yes, it’s gone by pretty quick – mostly because we’ve had three lots of family come through (Brisbane, Singapore and a surprise one from Adelaide/Brunei). And then there was the Christmas week. And then just like that, the little man is a whole new moon bigger.

But to be very honest, our days have lengthened of late. Sometimes, I count the hours, the minutes, and they pass all too slowly. We’ve hit that awful phase of endless crying for no good reason – or rather, the stretches in which Atticus refuses to be comforted or settled are getting longer and longer. It feels like the crying:sleeping ratio is about 3:1, with some eating, weeing, pooing, burping, and fluffing in between.

At least with Arddun, she slept lots during the day because she was so terribly jaundiced and groggy. Atticus isn’t orange. But he isn’t sleeping.

The mind knows that this is normal; newborns are all over the place. Their body clocks are erratic, and there seems to be a developmental milestone that goes hand in hand with yelling till their little heads turn purple with fury. But emotionally, mentally, spiritually… we are feeling our age. The idea of accidentally falling pregnant with a third is starting to terrify me enough to want to run out and tie tubes.

But he can also be such a cute kid.

So let me start with the honest portrait. This is Atticus for majority of the day, at present:

Atticus yelling his head off
He doesn’t have a piddly cry either. He’s LOUD, make no mistake of that.

But then he can also look at me like this:

Atticus one month picture smiling
“Oh hello, it’s you! You’re a sight for sore eyes!”

And he also smells so, soooo good. I’m convinced it’s God’s way of building in self preservation for the poor tykes.

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Those pouty lips are definitely his father’s. I think the flat nose is, regrettably, mine.
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There’s no sweeter baby than a peacefully sleeping baby. Especially after 5 hours of fussing.

Christmas 2014

I’m finding it more challenging to photograph our family’s shenanigans lately. Still to master the art of farfing DSLR camera settings with one free hand only. Yes, Atticus’s feeds are inversely proportionate to my success rate for capturing the moment.

Nevertheless, I tried. With any and every camera within grabbing/lurching distance.

Christmas lights montage 2014
Cruised around the neighbourhood on Christmas Eve to marvel over some serious Christmas lights displays
Christmas window montage
One home converted their living room into a miniature Christmas display village. Awesome effort. Even had an electric train.
Opening presents on Christmas day
The only (lousy) shot I managed to take of Arddun opening her presents on Christmas day
Getting ready for Christmas lunch
Raymond BBQing in the background while we get ready to tuck in
Christmas lunch at the Kirkies
Enjoying our non-Christmas-on-Christmas-Day lunch at the Kirkies
Tony posing with Pavlova
Tony makes beautiful Pavlovas. This one disappeared very soon after this pic was taken
Atticus crying while wearing Christmas onesie 2014
Atticus’s First Christmas. Spent mostly sleeping and occasionally yelling his precious head off
Arddun having a laugh with daddy Christmas 2014
Sharing a private joke with her daddy
Arddun close up Christmas day 2014
Merry Christmas, baby girl

Ten Years

Ten years ago,

Kiss at wedding
We chose each other to be family

Since then, we’ve cooked in three kitchens

Kitchens montage

Travelled to Singapore so many times we’ve lost count

Singapore montage

Gallivanted through parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales

Travel montage

Farewelled two loved onesPhotos of Mum and Cuz

Made two beautiful babies

Children montage

Loved and laughed

couple montage

We didn’t get much chance to make it a big celebration this anniversary. Visits from family overseas and interstate was one reason. And then there was the rather tiny matter of birthing a whole other human being and being severely sleep-deprived as a result.

And yes, part of me wants to knuckle down and get real Deep and Meaningful about my marriage at this time of year. Part of me wants the big fanfare to mark this significant milestone. Ten years! It should mean something. I want to tell him how he’s changed me. I want to tell him how I never want some things about him to ever change. I want to tell you that there were rough bits and boring bits and tough bits, but they were few and far, faaar between the absolute comfort and joy and love and certainty and assurance I get to enjoy every day. Every. Day.

It’s been a real privilege being a wife and from that, a mother. Ten years! Thank you, God.

Bouquet of red roses
120 red roses over 10 years
Arddun playing with knife and fork
Some percussion entertainment while we wait for our anniversary lunch to arrive

Arddun close up

Atticus sleeping in capsule
Sleeping prince while we wait for the food to arrive
Arddun's apple juice
Arddun’s la-di-da apple juice

 

Arddun's gourmet carbonara lunch
Arddun’s gourmet carbonara lunch
Tony with long glass of beer
The man whose name I took as my own
Long glass of beer
Enjoying a long glass of ice cold

Close up of Tony's ring

 

Happy 10th Anniversary, Tony. I love you.

Photo of Tony Velle silhouette

My three loves

Just some shots of our newly expanded family nucleus. Letting my n00b photography skills be the outlet for all my proud, mushy mamma hormones running amok. Sorry for high sappiness levels. I am a wife and mother in love.

Tony with Arddun
Snuggles with Daddy
Arddun leaning into Tony
You’re still my favourite girl
Arddun looking up at Tony with painted face
“What did you do to your face, Arddun?”
Arddun and Tony at doorway of master bedroom
DIY face painting

Arddun looking serious

Arddun looking concerned close up
Don’t be so worried, baby girl. This change will be for the better, you’ll see.
Tony looking at his son
Father and son
Arddun, Tony and Atticus
My three loves

Welcome to the Family, cutie-pie

Tony and I are fairly isolated from our families, seeing how his are up north in Brisbane, and mine are mostly in Singapore. So it’s been just wonderful having our peeps make the long trip to welcome Atticus to the fold.

Arddun holding Atticus for the first time
Big Sister had the first cuddle

Jo-anne and Ah-yee comforting Atticus

Jo-Anne and Ah-yee with Atticus
Proud Nanna and Grant-aunt
Jo-anne, Shawn, Charmaine and Ah-yee
Nanna, second cousin “Uncle” Shawn, “Aunty” Charmaine, and Pee-Poh

Shawn, Charmaine and Ah-Yee with Atticus

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Proud Nanna, Happy Nanna
Proud Nanna, Happy Nanna
Andrea with Atticus in bedroom light
Can’t stop grinning!
Andy with Atticus
Cuddles with Aunty Andy

 

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