the week before Xmas

I haven't been blogging much, as I seem to find myself out and about the last few days/weeks running all sorts of errands, doctors visits, shopping expeditions, christmas parties.....I guess it is just silly season business.

Have got a few things under the Christmas tree - all for K of course. Another package arrived today with stuff from my brother. I think she will really enjoy Xmas this year! I have a turkey we are gonna roast up on Wednesday 23rd when PIL come over for our Xmas celebration. Still have to decide what else to put on. Am kinda excited - first Xmas in new house and all that jazz.

Anyway, the week in review:

* Mon - already I can't remember! Oh, hang on - I....nope, no idea. Ah, ok just checked out my 家計棒 and saw I bought stuff at Ito Yokado, so remembered we went down to the bank to pay a tax bill (ugh!and it took forever. had to pay at bank since it was overdue, oops!) then got some stuff for the pot luck party on Tuesday. Afternoon a write off with naps. Also was my nephew's bday last week, so finally got to skype him, which ended in an hour long chat to my sister, also a half hour skype to mum so absoulutey nothing else done in the afternoon!!

* Tues - had a Xmas party at our old playgroup. It is a fair way away, so we didn't get back until after 3pm, and K was still sound asleep in the car until after 4pm!

* Wed - had apt in the morning at ob-gyn (will post about TJ-baby's progress in a separate post I think) then we drove to shopping centre at the next train station area, to see if I could get a Xmas present for my friend at home....no luck. But I still managed to buy up heaps - I am so in a shopping spending mood at the moment. yikes. So much for our budget AGAIN this month, lol. Also wanted to check out what kinda toys are around for K for Xmas - so that when PIL come over next week for Xmas lunch, I have an idea of what to tell them to get (We are going shopping together to get K a present that day too)
Came home to have lunch, but then realised I still had heaps of Xmas cards to post, and really had to get present for friend, so skipped K's nap and we kept shopping by car again in the afternoon. She was a trooper, out all day with no nap. Found something somewhat suitable for friend, so posted off cards and presents in afternoon.

* Thurs - ended up taking K down to peds as she came out with a rash on Wed night all of a sudden. It looked like someone had slapped her face, and it had been attacked by a hoard of mozzies to boot. When we hopped in the bath, it came out all over her back, and she spent most of the night scratching in bed. It had gone by the morning, but we went anyway, the doctor said it was 蕁麻疹(hives), gave us some syrup to try to prevent it coming out again (for a week at least) and cream to stop the itching. After docs, had to ems a package to J's host family in the US with rice crackers, dried squid, character candy stockings for the kids....we always leave it to the last minute, hope it arrives. Then stopped off at the shops AGAIN this time to get some fleecy lined wind proof pants for me (for night time walks with R) in Mens XL!! and some pants for around the house for J (in Mens M!!!- something wrong with this picture, right, lol!)

* Fri - finally a day at home! Spent morning cleaning, and actually feel like I accomplished something. Amazing how much you can get done in a morning. We usually use the mornings to go out, so that we can be home for K's nap, but the afternoons go so quick, and if I end up napping too (being all worn out from the morning activities, preggo excuse that I am using a lot lately) then NOTHING gets done. Since it was nice weather, we got 3 loads of washing done, plants got watered (they were almost on their last legs - my thumb is anything but green!), bathroom got the full treatment, upstairs got aired out all morning and then refreshed with incense burning now, made a batch of cookies, cleaned out the kitchen and rubbish bin. Still have a pile of stuff to do this afternoon, but am taking a peanut butter s/w break now with K while watching Ii tomo.
back again....
After lunch I did a quick vacuum, put K down for a nap and decided that my aching back and I needed more "down time" so put the kettle on, and settled in to watch "Gary Unmarried" with a cuppa and a biccie or four. I am watching the pilot episode, as all my fav shows are on holidays over Xmas, so no newbies online to see. And already it is nearly time for K to wake up again....too fast for my liking.

On another note, it seems that whenever we go out by car to the shops, it seems to take up a whole day each time. Or maybe I just really haven't been out "shopping" for so long,I forgot how tiring it is walking around shops and shopping centres. Until recently, our shopping has really been in and out of the grocery store as fast as we can type stuff. I guess it is a good thing to see that K has got to the stage where we CAN go out for a morning of shopping without it being a disaster (unless of course Daddy comes, in which case K seems to turn into devil child - I guess she is just playing J and me off against each other, but still, doesn't make for happy mummy or happy families. lol)