First birthday dreaming

I actually can't believe I'm writing this post. How is that I'm already thinking about Hame & Lach's first birthday party?

In my defence, it is around the same time as Father's Day and numerous other family members' birthdays, so I think I can *just about* get away with it :)

I'm thinking blue skies (slightly out of my control perhaps?), kites, ribbons, and laughter.

I can't believe my babies are going to be one so soon.

image from here

Julia Gillard - a new era

I've been glued to the tvs, papers, blogs and twitter all morning.

We have a new Prime Minister. Australia's first female Prime Minister. Historic? Absolutely. Momentous? Oh, yes. Exciting? Definitely. Remarkable? I don't actually think so....

But first, how did it happen?

Well, where did Rudd go? In the beginning he was everywhere, all the time. On TV. Prime time tv even. On radio. Everywhere. Highly visible. But lately, he's been noticeably absent and Julia has been eveywhere. Acting PM. On TV. Taking Tony on head-to-head. Making jokes. Sounding relatively normal (well, as normal as a politican can sound - why is it that they have to use so many words to say the simplest thing?). Being SEEN.

SHe's also been left to talk to the public about lots of tricky and controversial subjects. Emissions Trading Scheme. Refugees. other yucky stuff. Whether Kev wasn't here, or whether he knew no-one could understand him (god, he speaks some gobbldy-gook), I don't know. But Julia has been a consistent voice.

Not that this kind of thing makes a huge difference; after all, in Australia we don't elect our Prime Minister. The winning party chooses who leads them.

But it has obviously helped her party to think she's pretty ace. Her being a woman hasn't stopped them from seeing this. And so we see the leadership challenge.

Poor KRudd. I do feel sorry for him. And not just because of his terrible chin. He's actually my local member. Not that you'd know it. And thus, the absence rears its head again.

Yes, Julia Gillard is our first female PM. But I really hope we don't let her gender become the talking point, rather than her capabilities. It is absolutely historic, of course, and extremely significant for women especially in Australia. But it's not the only thing that defines her, nor is it even the most relevant.

I actually think the whole leadership challenge has been extremely gender-less, to be honest. The powerbrokers who kickstarted the leadership challenge wanted Julia for the top job not because she is a woman, but because they reckon she's the best person for the job.

Whether she is remains to be seen. So let's hope, like we would with any PM, that she does it with integrity, strength, intelligence, tolerance (and fabulous shoes :)).

9 months!!!

My darling little ones are already 9 months old. 9 months!! And what a blessed 9 months it's been. My boys are hilarious. They seriously crack me up. They make the funniest sounds - and so loud! They're very mobile now too - not proper- crawling - but commando-crawling around the place, spinning on the spot, and generally getting into everything.

We just returned from our first overseas trip with the babies, and they were total dolls. Lach slept the entire way there, and Hame slept for about half of the trip, smiling at everyone around him the remainder of the time. The trip back wasn't quite as relaxing but only because they didn't sleep the whole way. They were still utterly charming. We waited until last to disembark and so many clucky ladies stopped on the way past to tell us how precious

, gorgeous and well-behaved they were :)

We shipped them around too - a few nights here, a few nights there, different cots, different bed times, lots of getting in and out of the car and taking them into cellar doors for wine tastings, and they just smiled the whole time. We visited my Grandad for his 89th birthday, and it was the first time he'd met the boys. He adored them, and they adored him. They gave him lots of smiles and cuddles, and he played lots of 'pop goes the weezel' - it was beautiful to see them with their Great-Grandad 'B'. Moments in life like that are very special indeed.

They really are very special little ones, and I think it took this trip for us to really realise just how lucky we are.

**********

Little Lach, my sparky little monkey

You are so so cheeky. Your mischievous smile disarms everyone you meet.

You are a tiny bundle of energy - always moving, looking, thinking, stretching, reaching, spinning, laughing.

Your kisses are the most wonderful thing, and the way you snuggle in to my neck for cuddles saying

'mamamama' melts my heart.

You have been sick this month, but you are so tough. Mama and Daddy didn't even know you were sick until it had become quite bad. You didn't complain or whinge. You just needed lots of snuggles, and you bounced right back.

You and Hamish are best friends - you're always looking for him and smiling at him. You've started having to share your toys too, and you do it with reasonably good grace - mo

st of the time :)

You're still only little (7.6kg), but you make up for it in personality. And hair. You have the cutest, softest, pure white thick thatch of hair.

All the love in the universe

Your Mama

**********

Hamish, my darling one

You are such a special boy. You are kind and generous and always so happy. You don't cry. You really truly don't. People don't believe me when I tell them, but it's true. You are the happiest little baby I have ever come across.

You have 'ocean eyes' - they are such a deep dark blue and they seem to go forever. They twinkle with laughter and then out they come - the most delightful giggles and squeals I've ever heard.

You really love music - when you hear music or singing your eyes open wide, you smile a huge smile, and you start to dance. It is so beautiful, and it makes me happy because I love music too. I love that when I sing you stop whatever it is you're doing and stare at me with a big smile until I stop.

And I love that when I come in to pick you up in the morning you smile at me as though you've never ever been so pleased to see anyone. It melts my heart. You also shout 'dadadadadad' all the time, which brings the biggest smile I've ever seen to your daddy's face.

You are on the move too! You have mastered the art of the commando crawl, and you are all over the place. You like squishing yourself into the most unlikely places - like under the armchair, behind the rocker, inside shelves shelves.

You're the bigger brother at 7.9kg, but you're still my little baby. You have such soft squishy cheeks that you look chubbier than you really are. But you're catching up to other 9 month olds, and I'm sure it will be no time at all before you're back on the scale.

So, my dancing, smiling, darling one, as ever, all the love in the universe

Your Mama