Birthday party #1!

So it was the BP-Day! (Birthday party day!)

It was an exciting day - we were doing quite a lot for the party and from the start it was Go, Go, Go!

So, we were off cooking and cleaning, all in anticipation of the arrival of our guests at 3pm.

So, I had this wonderful idea of a rainbow cake. I had seen one in a blog somewhere before the girls were born and decided that I would make it for their first birthday - no question about it. So the day before when I had done my baking, I made 8 cakes in various colours to imitate the rainbow. Now I would usually make a scratch cake but thought that I would use packet mixes because of the amount I needed to make (mistake #1). So I baked them off and as I had baked so much during that day I decided I would ice them the day of the party (mistake #2). So I packed/stacked them up into any container I could find to hold them over until the next day without using any wax or parchment paper (mistake #3). I thought I was golden.......

You could imagine my surprise when (running late) I decided to finally ice the cake at 2.15pm (remember the party started at 3pm) and got the cake stacks out and....some fell apart and some stuck together. There were multicoloured cake crumbs everywhere and I just lost it.

This is how it should have looked:

(Sorry about the small pic - it was lifted from the web...)





 This is how it looked when I threw it in the bin.

(At least I had the sense of mind in my rage to grab the camera??). Needless to say Storm was sent up to Walmart to buy 2 cakes at 2.40pm - remember we were expecting guests at 3pm....

The day went off well but I do wish that I could have had more time to catch up everyone. I also wish I had have taken more photos of everything but here are some pics of what I did get.

Some of the patty cakes - loved the patty cake wrappers

No party with Australians involved isn't a party without fairy bread (such a hit with the kids). I would have made chocolate crackles but didn't get the copha...

Kerri was kind enough to bring her famous oreo balls. So tasty and went down really quick...

I had seen this wooden flower and paper mache flower pot at the local craft shop and bought them for the garden themed party. I was wondering how I would tie them in with the food and came up with the thought of marshmallow caterpillars. Heidi (the girls babysitter from next door) came over and I gave her the rough idea and she went with it and came up with these.

One of their bought birthday cakes - Italian Creme cake - so yummy with milk...

Heidi with the girls. Thankfully she was here as Kendall was a little unsure of all of the new people in her house and needed someone familiar. Storm and I were both running around like chickens with our head cut off so we would not have been able to get drinks, food, anything done without her taking care of the girls. They love Heidi. She was a great help with the girls and for me too.

Kerri and Al with Lauryn in front.

Atalaya - Heidi (her mum and not the same Heidi in previous pics) couldn't come so she and her stepbrother Tyler came with the Bradley family and were real delights.

Tyler with Sydney.

Joy with Vaughn and Mireya (our next door neighbour) with Kendall eating up the yummy food.

Joel, our water watcher. I have complete confidence that he took his responsibility very seriously (he, he!)

Ava (DV and Joy's daughter) fell in love with the swing (you can see the legs but not the swing seat for some reason?).

Lauryn with that grin that just won't stop!

Lily.

DV with Kendall - she chilled enough to actually let someone else hold her. Maybe DV had a calming effect on her?

Storm with Sydney. I love that grin - yes, of course I mean on both of them...

Now Rudy had an absolute ball and just loved having all the kids over. He didn't get out of the water for a second. Poor Oscar was freaked out about the balloons all day and refused to come outside. He didn't enjoy the party as much as Rudy did. (I can't believe that I was so worried about the dogs with the guests. After their initial hellos they both settled down well and were so good.)

The kids knocking back snow cones in the pool. I felt really bad for all the parents. I really sugared their kids up before sending them home. I do want it on record that I did stop the kids at one snow cone.

Happy Birthday cake for Kendall. In her hair as usual...

Sydney getting some cake in.

Shauna having a quiet moment.

Joel, Kim and Addison. Not a good pic but I only got a certain amount of pics of everyone... The fur in front is of course, Rudy.

The presents they got. They were so lucky and thanks to all who came and made their birthday really special. Next year I promise I will cater and spend more time with everyone.

Turning One!!!!!

It came! The girls turned one!

I wanted to be really crafty and do as much as I possibly could decorationswise and foodwise for their birthday party. It started about 6 weeks out with their invitations. I knew that I had to get people to plan their 4th of July weekend with the girl's party in mind (the party was on the 3rd). So I got the craft supplies and the cricut out with huge plans and ideas.

The first thing was the invitation.

I did do a better job on the glitter around the number one on the others (it was more of a squiggle). I made about 6 or 7 and it took me a while to plan it out. I consulted with Kerri and she gave me a tip or two and I went on from there.

I also went on to make their birthday sign.

It's hard to focus on in the pic and of course, I didn't get a proper picture of it but I made all the flowers that decorated the pieces and cut out all the letters as well as the circles and contrasting shapes on the ovals. Thankfully I had the cricut...

I'm getting a bit ahead of myself as their actual birthday was a couple of days before the party. I got them some patty cakes from the bakery and we skyped mum and sang happy birthday in the backyard while they stared blankly at the patty cake not realizing what they should do with it.

With some encouragement they played with it and put a small amount in their mouths (I was secretly happy that they don't have my sugar addiction!) They ended up covered in red and green frosting. (I ate some - of course!)

To clean them off we put them in the pool and then opened presents. We bought them a swing (yet to be put up at that stage) and bought them some assorted toys to play in the sandpit that the Galvins gave them. Mum had bought them some bunnykins and their Uncle Simon an Aunty Katie had some toys mailed to them from Macy's. The girls sort of got the paper unwrapping/ripping thing but I really had to help them in the end.

I cannot believe that the time has gone by. Both Storm and I talked about it and even though it's fantastic that the girls are doing what they're doing, I realized that I miss those days when either of the girls would all asleep in my arms.

So I came up with a few things that I miss:
1. Their baby waas! (read crying)
2. The teeny, tiny clothes they wore. They were so small that we had to wait until they were about 5 days old before they actually fit into the preemie clothes. So teeny...
3. Having them fall asleep in my arms and be so content as they were laying on my chest.
4. Watching them try cereal for the first time.
5. Their first smile (intentional not gas...)

Things I don't miss:
1. Sterilizing the bottles.
2. Mixing the formula.
3. Bathing the girls in the tabletop bathtub.
4. Having to rock them to sleep EVERY nap/sleep.
5. Sydney's night terror thingey's that she would have everynight about 45 minutes after going to bed and waking up Kendall so she suffered as well.
6. The 1/2 to 3/4 hour that it would take to get the girls back to sleep after Syd's night terror thingey's.
7. Constipation and having to massage their bellies/abdomen whilst they cried out in pain.
8. Holding their bottles whilst they drank.
9. Feeding them every mouthful.
10. Knowing that I still have all the baby weight (and more!) and now have no excuse as the girls are older and I should have made time.....

Things that ROCK now:
1. They're on the move!
2. Sleeping through the night (except for when Syd throws the dummy out of the crib and then cries until she gets another...)
3. Kendall's laugh and smile that just won't quit.
4. Sydney's speed and love of the word - SPAGHETTI and OH No!
5. Holding their own bottles.
6. Sippy cups.
7. Feeding themselves.
8. How they just adore both Rudy and Oscar and really enjoy being with them.
9. And going to bed by themselves and loving naptime.....
10. Peakaboo and the ooo, ooo game with Kendall.

Sigh...it's going soooo fast now. If I blink will I miss their 18th?

So Forrest Gump

This is so cute. Remember when Forrest Gump finally goes from the bus stop to Jenny's apartment and she shows him Forrest Jr.? Remember, he's sitting in front of the TV looking so small and totally absorbed in what he's watching?

Here's my Forrest Jr.'s.....

Aw, shucks......

And we're off!

So, I can't believe it!  It only took me 3 months to finish off the blogging about the trip - must be a record huh?

Anyway, as Stormy is out with a mate tonight (downtown at some shady bar eating $2.99 shrimp cocktails -I hope we don't have a repeat of the jalapeno incident- and drinking cheap arse beer) I have stayed and looked after our beautiful progeny. They, of course were angels and as Kendall is now crawling like a stroke victim (I mean it - she only uses her right arm and leg! She's got to watch it or else she'll keep going around in circles!) she is sleeping so soundly as the exercise is plumb tuckering her out!

So, I'm sitting here cruising all the craft websites and wishing I had half their enthusiasm/skill/resources/imagination I have also looked through a couple of pics (post-Oz) and a couple of the girls caught my eye.

Sydney. Drooling and looking so cute.

Kendall - A typical pose for her. I swear I wish she had a dummy fixation like Syd does. It would be so much easier when it comes to "the time". You know when the dummy fairy comes and takes the dummies to the new babies who need them.

Syd - Such a cute smile. She just poses for photos now so easily. There used to be a time that when the camera came out that both girls would just "stun mullet" themselves and give me the most boring pics. Not now. Now, they are really becoming so much fun!

Kendall - Getting cheeky. She has the funniest laugh now and has this facial expression where she will suck the air in her mouth (her lips shaped like she has just heard someone curse) and hold the expression until you laugh and then she'll join you. She'll keep doing it until she gets bored or we do. Most times, it's us as the girl really has stamina!

Syd - Now since the girls are more aware, it's become quite an event when we go into their bedrooms once they're awake. As Syd is the one who is first seen when you open their door, this is usually what we would see as we go in. Syd's head poking over the bumper (now removed but that's another story) with a huge smile on her dial!

And of course - our fur babies! These boys are so good with the girls. Rudy just loves them - I mean loves them! When we get up in the morning he is so happy to see the girls that he greets both with such joy and enthusiasm that he knocks them over sometimes! Oscar licks them but only if their hands have been in food or something. The girls get so excited to see both of them and will often crawl (well Syd did but now Kendall is on the move so it applies to her as well as of yesterday and today!) to them and play with their fur. We once caught Syd sitting next to Rudy, happy as Larry, just running both hands through his hair, repeating it time and time again. She was fascinated and he was thrilled (someone to pat him endlessly, what joy!) Oscar is just thrilled that he can sit under their high chairs and catch the fallout (he has such patience and is rewarded constantly!). Both boys just rock!

Day 22 - The trip home

This was the day I was dreading the most. Going to Oz was hard but at least the girls would be somewhat still able to get their sleep in etc. Coming back meant that we were going to miss their nighttime sleep as we were leaving in the morning and travelling for 14 hours and arriving back in the morning. The girls napped but never got the good sleep that they get at night so when we arrived in L.A. they were cranky, tired and Kendall was coming down with a cold. The flight from L.A. to Las Vegas was a nightmare with kendall crying the entire flight. Yes, I was that person with the crying child. It didn;t matter what I did I could not get her to relax and settle down enough to sleep.

So we got home and back to the renovations. There was a plastic sheet draped separating half the room (helping avoid the spread of dust) and workmen walking through the house. We dropped the bags, fed the girls, got them to sleep and went to sleep ourselves.

Never again.....

Day 21 - Prepping

Ok, I lied on the last post. The day at the Harbour was not the last day in Sydney. I was smart enough to leave the last day unscheduled to prep for the trip back. The Wednesday we spent packing up and resting as much as we could. It was such a mission to pack everything down into the luggage that we had as we had been so lucky with gifts for the girls and buying some souvenirs so cramming them in was tough. Needless to say I got it done.We went to bed somewhat early after watching the second movie that we had managed to watch in 3 weeks. I know pathetic huh?

Day 20 - The Harbour

So, my grandmother came up from Huskisson just to meet her great-grandkids by train. The woman is the other side of ninety and bless her cotton socks she still gets around. It was great to see my Aunty Ruth (that's what I call her) and we had a geat lunch in the Rocks area of the harbor. The Rocks is where some great old architecture of Sydney's roots are. Beautiful sandstone buildings have been wonderfully preserved and some have even been utilized as shops/restaurants. It's a beautiful place to check out the harbor as there's Circular Quay (where all the ferries come in), views of the Harbour Bridge, The Rocks of course and probably the most recognized Australian piece of architecture - the Opera House.

Feeding the girls at Cirqular Quay. (Just before this pic was taken this random woman came up and started talking to me right when I was talking to Aunty Ruth. She just interrupted my conversation with my grandmother to tell me about her twin grandkids. Storm and I have have taken to avoiding eye contact when we go shopping now as we get asked questions like - "Are they twins?" We say yes rather than "No, they're just sisters" or "I was pregnant twice in a  row and we stunted the growth of the first born". OR another one is "Oh double the trouble!" - you betcha. Or they come in to get a closer look which just freaks both girls out! Get away from my kids people!) Sorry, so off subject!

The gratutitous shot in front of the Opera House. It has to be done!

The same position from another angle to get a shot with the Harbour Bridge. Storm and I used to walk from our apartment in North Sydney, across the Harbour Bridge and down into Chinatown to get seafood on a Sunday. It took about an hour in all and once we had the seafood we would catch the train back and scoff it down. Yummo...I miss fresh seafood.

We had a counter lunch at the Observatory pub. Not necessarily the best meal I've ever had but it was great to enjoy some pub fare and a lemon, lime and bitters....

Just up from the pub was this...Kendall Lane! Aren't we lucky to have a city named after one daughter and a town AND lane named after the other? Wow, how lucky are they??? (I know, just run with it!)

This was our last day in Sydney and it was time to pack it all up and get our tails home. Sigh..What a trip. It certainly wasn't a holiday and we were so exhausted. The girls were great and we were really proud of how good they were.