Back to School

The kids went back to school yesterday. It was shitty weather and I really didnt want to send them but have to if you dont want the truancy officer on your door. Its a bit more scary for me at the moment as there is a new strain of flu going on here that has killed 4 kids to date. Only 3 of them had flu like symptoms but thats still 3 too many to me, so most of my kids were out of uniform as I made sure they were rugged up to the max. There was a bit of whining and protesting but I didnt care. Its amazing how scared you get when you have children, even about the little things. Jasper is at daycare. It was so cool this morning. Dave woke me up about 6:30 (it was the first time I had slept in since he had been dropping Jas off oops) and this time Jas gave me a big grin and practically jumped into my arms. As Ive mentioned before, hes usually quiet in the morning but not today. He then proceeded to follow me around the house, chatting away to me as I woke my children up from their slumbers and started the morning chores. I didnt really want to take him to daycare but if I didnt, Dave would have been paying for it anyway. Now the house is quiet as Ethan just bums around and the sound of Jaspers giggles and chatter arent here :(
Andrew cant wait untill his sister gets back as he thinks Im coping too well with 6 kids and doesnt want me getting any ideas now that I dont have a baby anymore. But I reassure him that thats not going to happen. I always have extra kids around but it is all the more appealing because they get to go home at the end lol.
Anyway, my camera shit itself yesterday so no new photos untill I can get a new one.

Another little thing......

The first day that I had Jasper, I kept having to remind myself that he was in nappies. With Ethan using the toilet by himself now, it just isnt at the forefront of my brain anymore. But dont worry Mum. The first one he presented me with was enough to make sure that it wasnt hard to forget hehe. Now its like I never stopped. Ive only had Jas a couple of days but I feel like Ive had him for always, hes fit in that well.
So thanks Liane and Dave, for trusting me enough to look after your precious son and giving us a chance to spend this time with him. Now, if only I can figure out a way to pry Miss Ruby from you :)

The 2 Musketeers

With his mum and little sister on holiday in New Zealand, I have had the privelage and pleasure of looking after Jasper while his Dad is at work.
Jas gets dropped off in the morning and because its early (being skool hols, my kids arent out of bed before 9), Im the only one awake to greet him. Its a bit cold in the mornings at the mo so I grab the blanket off my bed and try to set us up in front of cartoons for a while. Jas must think that me and blanket means him going to sleep and refuses to bunk down with me and has a bit of a grizzle. Hes really quiet in the mornings and a bit sullen and I know its because he misses him mum so much.
BUT all that changes when his big cousin gets up. As soon as Ethan rolls out of bed they are at it. Like this morning. Im sitting on the lounge floor playing twiddly fingers with JAS and all of a sudden he squeals delightfully and yells
'EEEF!'
and my sons reply of
'Hey Jaspa. You at my house again!'
while grinning widely at his cuz.Ethan always pronounces his name this way. Im suddenly invisible and the 2 do their morning ritual of catching up. After a bit, Ethan will announce that him and Jasper are wanting breakfast. This morning it was cereal 1st and then toast. So I give them their cereal and am doing their toast when I hear Ethan say to Jas
'No now look what youve done. My hoodie (his sentences are so grown up these days!)' and as I peek around the corner I see my son tip his bowl of breakky down the front of Jasper.
'Ethan! What did you do that for!'
'He put yuck hands on my hoodie mum'
'That doesnt mean you can do that to him!'
'Yes it does. Come on Jaspa. We go get changed'
GRRRR. He means me change them both AND clean up the mess. But they are so cute to watch and Im so grateful that they get to spend this time together. They spend the day playing and talking and poor Jas is happy to be bossed around most of the time. But Jas is still really happy to see his dad at the door at the end of each day.
Tomorrow is the 1st day of the new term and my brother has given me his 7 seater 4WD to cope with the extra child and carseat while I do the school run so I figure that after Ive been to the docs, Ill take him and Ethan and maybe Trinity and Patience for a toddlers trip out somewhere. Heres hoping the weather lets me.

Training update

Well we here at the Lazarus-Barron household are proud to inform you all that we are officially non buyers of nappies, pull ups or wipes. Yes the last of our tribe is toilet trained, including, and most importantly, during the night YEEHA. Ethan still has trouble telling us when he wants to do a number 2 and still needs help to get on and off the toilet, but other than that, we are nappy free sigh.
Arent we lucky : )