Peekaboo!

Hello...just popping in to say "hi" while we visit Auckladn fora few days.

Everything is goign well at the bach except

a) Tombliboo misses his Daddy teribly. He wakes eveyr morning crying, though this morning it was only a statement, "I want my Daddy", then on to the next thing...turning on the lights to see the rain- which brings me to the oter exception...

b) RAIN...oh my goodness, you wouldn't believe the rain! It is daily. I'm not joking. Every day it rains. Some days it rains fro the entire day. No, that's not quite true- it rains and rains and rains, and hten it clears, and you jump up to get your jacket (just in case it rains again) and head to the beach...but before your jacket is done up- it rains...again.

Right now, I find it comical, but I'm sure one day I will want to say words I don't usually say.

On Tuesday, I took masses of clean, but soaking washing (re-spun) to the laundromat to be dried. I bought a clothes horse to try not to have this problem again. We should be ok.

J-Man doesn't care that's raining- he wants to go to the beach regardless, in his jammies no less. I'm not so motivated, but trying hard.

We foudn a swimming pool that is veyr cheap (hooray), and had a blast there on Tuesday...but had to leave before anyone was ready to get the washing before the place clsoed. The only drawback is that under 3's must where a swimming nappy. I said my son wouldn;t liek that, and that he hadn;t worn nappies since he was 7 weeks old, but the rule remains.

We didn't get in the pool for quite some time...every time I got near Tmbliboo with the dreaded nappy, he hiffed it as far away as possible. Eventually (adn sadly) he saw that I was not going to let him in to the pool until he had it on. It still wasn't easy to put on him, but we did the deed, and he lit up like a christmas tree when we got in the water.

I let the kids choose something up to $10 from a shop that day as well...the only condition was that it wasn't food. J-Man chose books...yes that's right...my never-reading son, chose books! Not only that, he read them before we got home! Not only that- he had been humming and haa-ing over whether or not to buy the books or a stuffed panda, and told the sales lady he chose the books because they are more rewarding. She said it warmed her heart- it near stopped mine beating.

Today we visited a Playcntre, and they were very welcoming. We will go once a week, and Tombliboo will ahvea ball (though they did insist he put his clothes back on today when he stripped off). Princess will love it too, and didn't want to leave today. J-Man is veyr welcome, and he found plenty to do, but also felt awkward in parts, not really thining he belonged- especially when he needed to use to bathroom, and discovered toilets made for 2 year olds.

I think it will be a fun adventure. I hoep I can keep my giggles to myself when chidlren are asked to "put on school legs and arms". No, I don;t think I will be able to. I might just need to chat to the supervisors abotu that one...or not. I'll see. I'd like to think we can make a difference there, as well as just having a cool place to hang out and paint and play on a cool playground, etc.

Ben came to visit us last weekend, and the kids nearly toppled him when he waled through the door. I had a neat mother's day, with breakfast in bed love from Ben and Princess. I got gorgeous handmade cards, even one from my husband- turns out he misses me.

Ben took the kids to the beach while I had "a break", only I didn;t really knwo what to do with myself, so swept the bach, adn did the dsiehs and some dinner prep instead.

We went for a drive to a park, and for the kids to buy little treats. It was really nice. Ben is missing us all terribly. I forogt how terribly he does on his own.

I'm amazed I have not felt removed from real life at all...it's fun. I love being with my chidlren, don't miss adult contact at all- though I will enjoy it whenI get some :0)

I've done piles of puzzles, finished a book I started over a month ago, and begun another one I started last year, and never quite got in to. I don't know why I didn't- it's brilliant...Animal Vegetable, Miracle.

J-Man wants to go on here now, so I wil lsign off, and hopefully post again before we head abck to the bach.

We have no internet anywhere there, since the conecctions are so terrible, it takes 30 minutes to upload the mail, and look at the bank statement. So, we live without, and it isn't a problem.

One of my bach dreams was realised this morning when Tombliboo woke up and didn't cry for Daddy, merely said "I want my Dad", and got on wiht things...turning on the lgiht to look at the rain, and get a book.

Then J-Man came in to bed with us for snuggles and Hop on Pop. Princess would have joined us but (bossy) Tombliboo told her to sit in the lounge. The bed it a mite too small for 4 anyway, but 3of us snuggled in the bed, listening to the rain, and reading Dr Seuss. It was lovely.

J-Man has gone back to watching tv with his siblings, I can carry on...

We are eating dinner at 5m each day! I know...crazy! But we don't need to wait for Ben to get home, and so we are doing everything earlier. We are all in bed by 9:30pm most nights, some nights as early as 8:30pm.

The bach is very relaxing, even with a toddler.

We had a power cut one morning, which was disconcerting since the water is on a pump. I'm prepared for next time, sort of, but hope it isn't too regualr an occurrence.

The kids have made a "base" in the sand dunes, where they would like to hang out more if it weren't for the rain. J-Man has colour in his cheeks from all the running in the wind.

I've got a tonne of questions in my head about our lifestyle, and no good answers.

I notice that he needs a project of sorts to be happy- but it must be of his own devising. He is so happy at the moemnt. Just like when he dug the mudbath at home, or the big hole in the front yard. Some sort of purpose beyond the computer seems to inspire him, and the outdoors and the exercise is just what his body needs.

Only he doesn't see it...and nothing I think of grabs him. I'm not sure where my thoughts are heading on that count, but I like how things are now. I don't ever want to dictate to him when he can and cant go on the computer, for exapmple, but I know also how easy it is for him to get sucked in by it. How easy it is for anyone. I can't believe how many hours I spent in front of hte thing when I could.

He's written letters to his best friend, and drawn pictures for no other reason than that he wanted to. He's read 100 pages of Twilight, and invented games to play while we are stuck inside. He's happy, for the most part.

He has moany days too, which drive us all to distraction- but a quick reminder that this is how it is, and we didn't do it to torture him, and he's off finding things to do.

My time is really up now :0)