Lilium

In the middle of my table, about to burst into bloom and scent my whole house are a bunch of these flowers. They came yesterday with a card that was not signed and I have no idea where they are from. They are beautiful and the card has touched me (though Bingley is a little worried about competition) but I'd really love to know who they were from. They really did brighten an already bright day.

To start with, this maternity leave thing is just awesome. I get up and eat breakfast and get the Grot ready for school and then... whatever I want! I've so far been to a fantastic maternity wear shop and spend too much money (but I now have beautiful dresses!). Bought new linen on sale from Myer and cashed in a substantial amount of shopping credits with David Jones.

Yesterday I had an OB appt (accompanied by Bingley!) and found out that his majesty Prince Possum has deigned to put his head into my pelvis where it belongs, thereby sidestepping the whole booked caesarian thing! (I want some credit though as I have been lying on the floor in strange positions while massaging unruly heads for the last 2 weeks). It was just lovely to hear that something is going normal and well with this pregnancy.

I took the Elfling to her first ever ballet class on Tuesday, and you have never seen a more enraptured little girl to be dancing around pretending to be a fairy. The only thing marring it was that she wanted the full "uniform" (read: pink leotard, pink shoes and pink chiffon skirt, before the class and was not happy about performing in her gymnastics gear). I am (because I am a mean mum) holding such $$$ items above her head for the next week as a form of bribery.

The Monkey is also doing superbly well and has suddenly got tall. I'm not sure when this happened but she is such a gorgeous child. So cheeky and sunny and fun (even though the 2 hour tantrum the other day was pretty spectacular). I am starting to feel that tiny bit of guilt pricking my conscience that she has such a short time left to be my baby.

Speaking of which, I went grocery shopping with Bingley yesterday and after buying some pullups for the Monkey, he went back and grabbed a box of newborn nappies because they were on sale.

"What are those for" I asked, dead serious, thinking that he'd lost his marbles because there's no way the Monkey would fit in them.

"Um, for the child that will be born in a few weeks" he threw out.

Oh, yeah, that. Child? Another one. Fark! Forgot about that. I have come to terms with the being pregnant thing, and am actually enjoying my basketball up shirt status at the moment, but the reality of another actual child in the house hit me like a tonne of bricks. And again last night as we climbed into bed. And this morning as I luxuriated in bed. Newborns don't sleep like grown ups. Newborns make you very very tired. Can I blame pregnancy brain? No? How about sheer denial?

I have a small list of things that need to be done over the next few weeks - getting the carpets cleaned, reorganising the house, installing the baby hammock in our room, and planting our front planter pots again with something bright and cheerful. But it seems so surreal that I'm actually going to have a new baby again in this house. I try and imagine it and just can't. So I go to Target and buy baby singlets, and I go to Ikea and buy storage. But it just doesn't yet sink in.

Anyhow, I'm off to enjoy my (homecooked, hot, unrushed) lunch and to change icepacks* and waft around playing lady of the house in the lilium haze! Hope everyone is well.



*yeah, don't leave 6 months between waxes. Trust me.