Saturday, 31 January 2009
Love, Love, Love
I love, love, love my little boy just as most Mums do. It's just great, yes? But I also love, love, love lots of things now that I used to take for granted. Like right now. Foxy has just fallen asleep. Nearest & Dearest is out shopping, and so I have at least an hour to call my own. I am going to watch an episode of Cold Case and work on some knitting. I love, love, love my afternoon! Simple pleasures.
Friday, 30 January 2009
Health
What a difference it makes. Foxy has only missed one day of crèche this month. I am so happy.
-- Post From My iPhone
Monday, 26 January 2009
January Highlights
There's no getting around it -- January is a depressing month. And so long! I'm glad this is the last week of it. This is also week 3 of my 10 week term, and thus far...Foxy has been quite well. I know, I should not say such things. In any event, it is nice to know that there are only 2 more months during which Foxy illness will be a real pain in the you-know-what.
Not a heap load has been going on, hence a quiet blog. But there have been a couple of highlights. For our date-nights, we have been going over to the Fun Girls to be fed and to watch the L-Word. We LOVE going to their house because we have an agreement that we do not lift a finger at each other's houses. We also bring no drink and just sit on our fat arses & ask for stuff that we want. All good. Last week they made us pizza:
This all reminds me of how much I hate the whole pot-luck concept. I thought I had escaped it when moving from the US to here, but it is leaking over. I prefer clear boundaries between hosting and guesting.
ANYWAY. We also went away this past weekend for our good friend's hen weekend. It's a shot-gun wedding, so it was a very chilled couple of days at a spa. Foxy spent the night a Grandma's where he insisted that 3-4 am is play-hour. Oh the shame -- he so KNOWS. He is definitely the more difficult grandchild. Get this -- cute cousin actually requests a napkin to wipe his hands after meals. He doesn't need it for his face, he is such a neat little boy.
Meanwhile, we were here....
enjoying a bit of this...
Not a heap load has been going on, hence a quiet blog. But there have been a couple of highlights. For our date-nights, we have been going over to the Fun Girls to be fed and to watch the L-Word. We LOVE going to their house because we have an agreement that we do not lift a finger at each other's houses. We also bring no drink and just sit on our fat arses & ask for stuff that we want. All good. Last week they made us pizza:
This all reminds me of how much I hate the whole pot-luck concept. I thought I had escaped it when moving from the US to here, but it is leaking over. I prefer clear boundaries between hosting and guesting.
ANYWAY. We also went away this past weekend for our good friend's hen weekend. It's a shot-gun wedding, so it was a very chilled couple of days at a spa. Foxy spent the night a Grandma's where he insisted that 3-4 am is play-hour. Oh the shame -- he so KNOWS. He is definitely the more difficult grandchild. Get this -- cute cousin actually requests a napkin to wipe his hands after meals. He doesn't need it for his face, he is such a neat little boy.
Meanwhile, we were here....
enjoying a bit of this...
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
New House Rule
So. We have a new house rule. No eating biscuits EXCEPT when watching telly. Yep, we are using classical conditioning to train Foxy to watch a little tube. It's working a treat:
Love that chavvy kid.
Love that chavvy kid.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Milestone
He did it! He took a few steps tonight! Hurrah!
(OK, so maybe he took his first steps at the creche, but if so, they had the decency not to tell me.)
(OK, so maybe he took his first steps at the creche, but if so, they had the decency not to tell me.)
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Not so Happy New Year
We have very good friends who live is Beer-Sheva (Israel). They were featured here.
The "Mum" was my first PhD student when I was so green I had no business having a PhD student. We muddled our way through, and her thesis was fantastic. We have become friends as well as colleagues, and she was one of a small band of people responsible for Foxy's successful gestation. Yes, I actually forced her to inject my arse with progesterone during a conference. What a trooper.
Anyway, she reads this blog but does not comment because she does not think her English is good enough. You will see that she is mistaken. She has agreed that I can blog about her recent experiences...it really brings it home to read a first-hand account from someone I know & love:
We haven't started so well this new year. I am not sure if you are aware of what's happening here in Israel right now. Since last Tuesday, the Hamas has expended their activity and has started sending rockets from Gaza to Beer-Sheva too. On Tuesday night at 21.00 for the first time, we had an the alarm in Omer (where we live), and *husband* and I had to pick up *our daughters* from their beds and run with them to the shelter. Luckily we have a shelter in the home (which is being used as a storeroom). The next morning we had one rocket who fall in Beer-Sheva 10 min from our home. This time there was no alarm before it felt (the rocket fall on a nursery in Beer-Sheva, which was luckily empty). At 9.00 another alarm, we ran again with the girls to the shelter. This morning we got the message that all schools and nurseries will be closed. At that time we didn't really understand how severe was the situation. We took the girls with us to the Uni (which apparently was still opened). After few more rockets falling in Beer-Sheva (one on a school), we went back home. At night after putting the girls in bed, *husband* and I watched the TV. Suddenly, at 22.00, we heard a huge explosion. In fact, the entire house moved... This was the first time that I really worried. The bomb came with no alarm to warn. This time, the rocket fall in OMER (!!). I started packing and decided with *husband* that I'll take the girls the next morning to my parents' house in the centre of Israel. At midnight we had another bomb... This was the first time in my life that I was so afraid that I had stomach-aches. I was afraid mainly knowing that the alarm system is not reliable. I lied in bed, gave a kiss to *husband* and told him "Happy new year". It was midnight of the 31st!!
Well, the next morning we left for few days. *Older daughter* was SO tense and afraid that I had to convince her on the way to have a chocolate. Can you believe that!!
On Sunday we came back. The alarm system was taken care and seem to be more reliable. It is relatively quiet now. We had one rocket yesterday. Nothing yet today...
At these times it is easier being younger and less cognitive developed. Interesting... When *younger daughter* tells me "mummy, I am afraid", *older daughter* tells her" you don't have to be afraid. mummy and daddy are taking care of us, and if the alarm is on, we go to the shelter". What we say, is what she accept. It is easy for her. *Older daughter*, at the other hand, understands better the danger. She is worried. I think that slowly, slowly she manages to feel that overall, having a shelter at home, and having us around her all the time, she is safe. I hope so...
I have been myself in this situation for some time. As I do my clinical work in a city called "Ashkelon", which has been bombed for few months. But, it is completely different when you have you children experienced it. This is the most painful for me.
I hope this war will finish in peace negotiations. Both sides suffer a lot. As you can see, our family has entered this group now...
The "Mum" was my first PhD student when I was so green I had no business having a PhD student. We muddled our way through, and her thesis was fantastic. We have become friends as well as colleagues, and she was one of a small band of people responsible for Foxy's successful gestation. Yes, I actually forced her to inject my arse with progesterone during a conference. What a trooper.
Anyway, she reads this blog but does not comment because she does not think her English is good enough. You will see that she is mistaken. She has agreed that I can blog about her recent experiences...it really brings it home to read a first-hand account from someone I know & love:
We haven't started so well this new year. I am not sure if you are aware of what's happening here in Israel right now. Since last Tuesday, the Hamas has expended their activity and has started sending rockets from Gaza to Beer-Sheva too. On Tuesday night at 21.00 for the first time, we had an the alarm in Omer (where we live), and *husband* and I had to pick up *our daughters* from their beds and run with them to the shelter. Luckily we have a shelter in the home (which is being used as a storeroom). The next morning we had one rocket who fall in Beer-Sheva 10 min from our home. This time there was no alarm before it felt (the rocket fall on a nursery in Beer-Sheva, which was luckily empty). At 9.00 another alarm, we ran again with the girls to the shelter. This morning we got the message that all schools and nurseries will be closed. At that time we didn't really understand how severe was the situation. We took the girls with us to the Uni (which apparently was still opened). After few more rockets falling in Beer-Sheva (one on a school), we went back home. At night after putting the girls in bed, *husband* and I watched the TV. Suddenly, at 22.00, we heard a huge explosion. In fact, the entire house moved... This was the first time that I really worried. The bomb came with no alarm to warn. This time, the rocket fall in OMER (!!). I started packing and decided with *husband* that I'll take the girls the next morning to my parents' house in the centre of Israel. At midnight we had another bomb... This was the first time in my life that I was so afraid that I had stomach-aches. I was afraid mainly knowing that the alarm system is not reliable. I lied in bed, gave a kiss to *husband* and told him "Happy new year". It was midnight of the 31st!!
Well, the next morning we left for few days. *Older daughter* was SO tense and afraid that I had to convince her on the way to have a chocolate. Can you believe that!!
On Sunday we came back. The alarm system was taken care and seem to be more reliable. It is relatively quiet now. We had one rocket yesterday. Nothing yet today...
At these times it is easier being younger and less cognitive developed. Interesting... When *younger daughter* tells me "mummy, I am afraid", *older daughter* tells her" you don't have to be afraid. mummy and daddy are taking care of us, and if the alarm is on, we go to the shelter". What we say, is what she accept. It is easy for her. *Older daughter*, at the other hand, understands better the danger. She is worried. I think that slowly, slowly she manages to feel that overall, having a shelter at home, and having us around her all the time, she is safe. I hope so...
I have been myself in this situation for some time. As I do my clinical work in a city called "Ashkelon", which has been bombed for few months. But, it is completely different when you have you children experienced it. This is the most painful for me.
I hope this war will finish in peace negotiations. Both sides suffer a lot. As you can see, our family has entered this group now...
What's in a name?
Lots, I've decided. After thinking about for the last 3 years, I have decided to belatedly change my name. Foxy is already a Williams, and I don't like being the odd one out. Besides, my new name is beautiful:
Alison Williams
I will continue to use my original name for work, so am happy to blog under this one. Nice.
Alison Williams
I will continue to use my original name for work, so am happy to blog under this one. Nice.
Friday, 2 January 2009
Festivities
We have had a great holiday. Here are some highlights.
First, Christmas Day was fab. Credit crunch? What credit crunch?
The boys were indeed spoilt:
And my knitted gifts went down a treat:
Lucky Foxy also received this handknit from Grandma:
Unfortunately we didn't take any pics of the meal, but trust me, it was oh so good. No poultry in sight! Yay for cow.
Next, boxing day. The traditional walk along the seafront.
On to Oxford for a certain small boy's birthday. Wholesome family fun. We made pizzas...
before a Pokemon birthday cake...
Foxy loves the chaos & merriment of his cousins' house. They are a family of 6. I find it a bit much sometimes, but Nearest & Dearest & Foxy were plotting family expansion, I'm sure of it...
Our final event was New Year's Eve with our favourite ladies. It does seem that Nearest & Dearest spent most of the holiday cooking:
Leggy lollie made us all cocktails...
which resulted in a rather slow New Year's Day...
and our guests left at 3 in the afternoon in their PJs:
It was all just so great. I loved having a family Christmas.
Back to work tomorrow.
First, Christmas Day was fab. Credit crunch? What credit crunch?
The boys were indeed spoilt:
And my knitted gifts went down a treat:
Lucky Foxy also received this handknit from Grandma:
Unfortunately we didn't take any pics of the meal, but trust me, it was oh so good. No poultry in sight! Yay for cow.
Next, boxing day. The traditional walk along the seafront.
On to Oxford for a certain small boy's birthday. Wholesome family fun. We made pizzas...
before a Pokemon birthday cake...
Foxy loves the chaos & merriment of his cousins' house. They are a family of 6. I find it a bit much sometimes, but Nearest & Dearest & Foxy were plotting family expansion, I'm sure of it...
Our final event was New Year's Eve with our favourite ladies. It does seem that Nearest & Dearest spent most of the holiday cooking:
Leggy lollie made us all cocktails...
which resulted in a rather slow New Year's Day...
and our guests left at 3 in the afternoon in their PJs:
It was all just so great. I loved having a family Christmas.
Back to work tomorrow.
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