Tis the season

I know, I know - It isn't the 1st December yet and it's bad luck apparently to be putting decorations up before then, but due to a big basketball sized belly I was unable to do a lot so needed Joe's assistance, and there was NO WAY I was waiting another week for him to be free again!

This is the first year we got Dante to help, which was, well lets say interesting. He had no idea what he/we were doing and when we gave him a bauble to choose where it was going to go, he picked a branch that already had a bauble on it.

But it was so much fun and I think the first time Joe has even got into the act also which made it really lovely.

You can also see in the background the new (IKEA!!) curtains that Joe hung up for me. I really want to get rid of the blinds but we still need some for of sun/heat/cold blockout so I need to leave them there for the time being.

We are also hoping to do some investigation into home renovations next year and we don't want to spend alot (any) money on window treatments until we have an idea of what we might do to the house.

Anyway, for those that love the Dante shots - here he is, we tried to get him to put the angel up on top of the tree but he struggled and after the tree almost collapsed on us, we decided Joe would help him! Sorry for the poor quality!

Dantes turns at finishing off the tree - The very first year that it is not my job to do it *sob sob* so bittersweet :-)

In the end it was slightly safer for Joe to do the honours.

But Dante was still more than happy to keep a hold of her and smile for the camera!

I then asked him to stand in front of the tree. He thought the photo would look better if he brought his chair across and sat in front of it. He also wanted to show the "Santa Stop Here" sign that seems to have turned into a gun. hmmmm Might need some more talks about christmas spirit methinks!

Thai Beef Salad - Ally Style

When I had my last check up at the doctors, I told her that I was struggling with wanting to eat heavy meat dishes due to the weather, my hunger and the fact that it often resulted in very uncomfortable indigestion. She immediately checked my iron levels and being happy with how high they were (all that spanakopita I am sure! go spinach!) she said that something like a Thai Beef Salad would be a good option for me.

I have been craving this dish ever since. Here is my recipe, mainly made up with what I had on hand and some ideas from a few cookbooks.

Ingredients:

500gm Lean Rump Steak
Handful each of fresh: Corriander, Mint, Chives, chopped
2 cups of baby spinach
1 Carrot - grated or peeled finely
2 cucumber, diced
3 tomatos, diced
1 packet of Changs fried noodles
handful of fried shallots to serve

Sauce:
Two cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 lemongrass stalk, bruised then chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
1 lemon (i would normally have used limes but lemon worked well)
2 tsp chopped chilli (add more if you like more heat)
2 tsp soy sauce (I couldn't find any fish sauce)

Place steak to one side. Assemble all fresh salad ingredients into bowl except noodles. In a separate bowl add all sauce ingredients and add or minus amounts according to taste. Your aim is a mixture of hot, sweet, sour without being dominated by any. Pour sauce on salad.

Cook steak on high heat until medium rare (due to being pregnant I cooked mine a little more than I would normally like - the more you cook it though, the less tender it will be). Let sit for 5-7 mins before chopping into bite size strips.

Add steak to salad and at last minute add fried noodles and stir. Top with fried shallots and enjoy straight away!

breakthrough

We have had a breakthrough - and none of us could be happier. Friday signalled the night that we would not allow Dante to come into our bed with us anymore. For the last 18months, Dante has woken up anytime between 10-5 in the night and has wandered into our bed. After a few half-hearted attempts of putting him back in his bed, we eventually gave up as at least this way we all went straight back to sleep.

Obviously with my expanding belly, Dantes expanding height and our queen remaining the same size, things were getting quite uncomfortable. We also knew if we didn't stop things soon, it would only get harder.

Anyway, Joe and i decided that this weekend was going to be our "no sleep" weekend and prepared ourselves appropriately. We made sure we had nowhere to be or go during the day to allow ourselves to catch up on our lack of sleep after tag-teaming putting Dante back into bed each night. We committed to memory what our "script" was with him, how we were going to say it, and how often we each went in before the other person got up and supported them.

Dante went to bed a little later than normal on this Friday night, we had been at a friends BBQ and he had a little accident that resulted in an enlarged lip that would make any hollywood actress envious. After all the excitement of the evening he went off very quickly and well, which isn't un-normal for Dant anyway.

So, Joe and I turned in early ready and geared up for the night from hell to crash down on us, I had downloaded half a dozen podcasts to keep me awake through those early hours when your body is crying for sleep, but can't due to your toddler crying to not sleep.

So, 2am came and Dante awoke. I was hyper alert and shoved Joe, who jumped out of bed, and went to speak with Dante. He explained that Dante was a big boy now and needed to stay in his own bed. He also mentioned that there was a present waiting for the big boy who could sleep in his bed all night and not come into mummy & daddy's room (bribery = parenting 101 right?). Dante cried and after throwing his hands in the air, stayed in bed. Joe came back into our room and mentioned that it wont be long before we heard his footsteps.

Turns out those footsteps never came. I stayed awake an hour waiting for Dante to come in, he stopped crying after about three minutes (yes, I was counting and clock checking) and after a couple of coughs, we heard nothing until 7am. Yes, our child finally slept in his own bed until 7am in the morning.

He was rewarded with his present (a cheapo mini basketball and hoop set) and hasn't stopped playing with it since he received it.

We were so relieved but knew that Saturday could be something special in itself. We treated Friday as a fluke.

Putting the Dant to bed on Saturday night was just as hassle free. This time, the bribe was going to the shops and he could have an ice-cream. it worked.

Again, he woke around 3am and I jumped up put him back to bed, and gave him a cuddle, repeated much of what Joe had said the night before. Dant wasn't impressed. He cried for daddy! Joe, ever the wondeful father, got up even though it wasn't "his turn" and gave dant a cuddle and told him about the trip to the shops tomorrow. He then blew Dante a kiss which was apaprently returned.

We heard footsteps again at 7.10am that morning. Bliss. Dante climbed into bed with us at that time and quietly read his "mail" (a big w catalogue) for another 30 minutes before convincing me to wake up.

As he was so well behaved, he got to choose his favourite breakfast - googy eggs (boiled eggs).

He ate two!

At the shops he met Santa which he was super excited about until he was face to face with the "big santa" and then quickly became terrified, so no photo - Santa was kind enough to give Dante some antlers though!

Luckily I brought my camera so thought I would try get some christmassy snaps in anyway

I even convinced Joe to take a photo of me, depsite my bed hair (untouched from the night before - sorry) and ever-decreasing wardrobe!

We are excited about what tonight (Sunday) will bring us, could we be so lucky that it will be a repeat or even better than the two nights previous? We can only hope!

Hello Ally,

I thought you might like to add this photo of another of your special creations. Little Erin is delighted with the outfit you made her. She had her first swim today but I am not allowed to share that photo yet!!

Hope you have more happy sewing days ahead. I am sure Dante will enjoy learning how to occupy himself while Mama is on the sewing machine.

LOL

Grandma Gem

Whats growing in my backyard.

Our "fig twig" has done really well this year - doubled in size and the leaves are looking wonderfully healthy. It is behind a barrier (normally our fagoli patch) to protect it from toddler trampings.

Our first strawberry is contemplating it's own photosynthesis. I played with the colours only because the real colours haven't developed yet but I am very excited when the time will come that we can pick our own and enjoy!

I have now entered that "zone" where my world has pretty much shut down around me except for preparations for the impending birth.

I don't remember it happening this early with Dante, but I do remember those last few weeks at work where there was zero concentration on anything unconnected with babies, labour and motherhood.

We have been busily preparing the house for the new arrival, spring cleaning every cupboard in sight, I even managed to convince my sister to come down from Brisbane and show me how to clean my bathroom so it was as nice and clean as hers! Thanks Clairie!

There is still so much to do, I had a little scare that made us think we might be welcoming a November baby rather than a December baby and that has on the one hand made me more determined to have everything ready as early as possible, but also to stop doing so much (doctors orders). While I haven't really been exerting myself, I certainly can notice now when I try to accomplish something it is taking me much longer and requires much more concentration than normal!

Dante has been a champion through all this. He is often neglected, left to play on his own while I bustle about with loads of washing, emptying cupboards and then the mandatory re-coup on the couch afterward! I also can't bend over to quickly pick up his toys or join him in a quick game of "rockets" or such, and while he will often express some resentment he is generally good natured about it all. Thank god he still has his refuge at the child care centre to go and run amok with his mates!

My care factor for many other things that I would normally consider important is waning also, and I really need to up my discipline to make sure I keep connected with my friends, and my study - these are the two that I have seriously let slip. I have a uni exam in two weeks so I have already highlighted my study times in which I will force myself to revise. I received two HD's for this course already, I would hate to let it all slip now at the end.

The one thing that has certainly made all this easier is the onset of spring. Our backyard has turned from wasteland to wasteland with some pretty flowers. No seriously, for the first time in several years we have green, green grass. It has been annouced that we will be allowed to water the lawn on weekends right over christmas, and that combined, with our washing machine connected to a grey water hose we hope to keep it green long into the new year. The roses look the best they have ever done, but I don't need to tell you - see for yourself:

This is a "fresia rose" and smells divine. It was mum and dad's when they lived in canberra, I never managed to make it look as good as they did, but I think I am pretty close this year!

This dark mahogany rose was in our garden when we brought the house - we don't do anything to it besides a little clip here and there and every year it never fails to bloom and look lovely.

I never thought I would be this excited about green lawn. Go the grass!

Last summer we moved our citrus around and in the process lost our lemon tree, and made our orange and kaffir lime very unwell. Luckily the kaffir lime has sprouted some buds giving us some hope that we will be able to enjoy some homemade fishcakes and laksas!

These are my babies - my grapes. Apparently they taste awful but I love the look of them and grapes in a wine barrel is just a combination made in heaven. There is parsley in the bottom. Dante knows what parsley and orgegano is and can now go and pick them for me when I am cooking (although he tends to be a stingy when I request a handful I am lucky to get a leaf or two!)

Countdown to party time

Well Casa Paolino is totally getting geared up for the silly season. It starts this week and doesn't end for the next 18 or so years. My sister is arriving at the end of this week for a flash in the pan weekend visit. I cannot wait. I love catching up with family and I seem to be at the best stage of my pregnancy to date so should be able to enjoy all the lunching, munching and shopping we are planning to do (well, shopping as in "window shopping" right Clairie?).

Next week I have booked in my yearly pilgrimage to IKEA. At the moment we are looking at heading up on Tuesday. It's a public holiday here in Canberra for Melbourne Cup (if you can explain that to me, that would be great!) and it's not in NSW so we are hoping it will be relatively quiet.

My Law exam is then on the horizon and the weeks before will be filled with frantic preparation. Thankfully I then have a break of around two months before getting back into it.

We then fall smack bang into christmas parties, end of year going ons and preparation for fragola to welcome themselves into this world. In admist all of this my parents are coming across for a few weeks to help with the whole gaining a second addition to the family.

So, busy busy busy. But fun, fun, fun. Dante has recently expressed an interest in cooking. He loves playing at his little kitchen wearing his apron and making cups of "tea or coffee". With the brief glimpse of sunshine last weekend we also were able to get out and play in the garden together. We tried to teach him the fun that is Grip Ball, except it's not so much fun when you are an adult, or if you are under 5. But any chance for Dante to play with his daddy he will be there. Joe has been teaching him how to kick the "footy ball" which is basically any ball (Joe is hoping that he will stick with the soccer ball!) and Joe informs me that he is showing promise and is "good on both his legs". Right.

Dante, perhaps the reason you can't catch the ball is becuase your eyes are shut??

The boys playing in the backyard - Look we finally have green grass!!

Does this make me Whistler's mother?

Taking my order "White, no sugar thanks Dant"

He's now ready to take your order - what will it be??

This blogger has been blogging

Yes, another break in transmission has occured - albeit unintended. It has been very busy around the canberra household with lots going on. But I have been blogging, just not on my own blog. I was offered the prestigious opportunity to guest blog over at my pal's blog, Caveat Calcei. This awesome chick is not only a lovely, nice lawyer (they do exist!) that has motivated me with my current uni study, she also is a mum and awesome twitterer! Check out her blog and leave a comment.

For those after the mandatory Dante, shot - this is him demanding a photo to be taken (and yes, we are aware it is well and truly time to go back to the barber!) :

Teddy Bear's Picnic

Well we finally had some lovely weather today and just in time for the Teddy Bear's Picnic. It was a fun day at the park (put on by the ACT Govt) with lots of exciting things to see and do. Today the theme was "Return to Space" to celebrate the international year of Astronomy. This meant that Dante HAD to attend. Any chance to see some rockets and astronauts!

We had a lovely time, we ate lots of food, played on the playground and we even got to dance to the funky band playing. Dante brought Fusion and Dimitri along for the fun times and we even met up with his two best mates and their parents.

We didn't make it to the Teddy Bear Parade as it was way past nap time and boys just weren't interested. A pity because so many people stopped us to comment or play with Fusion, and Dimitri was totally dressed for the occassion:

Dante kissing Dimitri the "astrobear" while getting ready for the picnic

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Dante and his mate Luka "tackling" and "cuddling" often mean the same thing with these two boys

Getting their groove on - the boys dancing to the music

Oliver and his mum Alex came also and joined in the fun times!

A bit too tired to walk back to the car, it's much better to get a horsey ride from daddy