Far too many days until you come home.

I am about to lose it with your kids Nathan! Today has not been a good day. It is currently 8.40 and Ryan and Ben are still piss farting about and will not go to sleep. I am on the verge of saying they cant go to Questacon with Brenty tomorrow. But if I do say that I get stuck with them and that punishes me! And I have been good! It's not fair having to do this on my own. * stamps feet* I guess any day that starts with Ryan and Ben consuming a whole block of Mummy's chocolate before 7am cannot be a good day. Mummy's cross because the only thing that keeps her sane in Daddy's absence has been eaten and the two little boys are out of their minds on chocolate.
Too cross to give details of our day. Lets hope tomorrow is better.

7 days to go

Well what a day we had. It started at 4am when the smoke alarm went off. I was sound asleep and it scared the shit out of me. Nathan and I have talked at time about home we would get he kids out in case of fire and his response was throw the rocking chair through the window. So thankfully I went to investigate before I threw the chair out of the window! There was no fire just a malfunctioning smoke alarm that was installed less than three weeks ago! The stupid thing just kept going and going even when I was pushing the hush button. In the end I took that batteries out. The shushed it for a while. It was an interesting experiment as the alarm woke Ryan and Matthew but not Ben. Good information to have. Anyway I finally had five spare minutes to call the sparky who installed it and he said he is away this weekend but he would drop in some time next we to fix it. Meanwhile I had stuck the battery back in to see if it would still go off (which it did) so I took the battery out and it is now beeping at sporadic intervals. So that wont drive me crazy, much, tonight!
Benny had swimming lessons today. He loves them so much. I find it interesting to see how hard he concentrates and listens. However today he didn't understand the instruction given by the teacher and he was a little short when correcting Ben (in the teachers defence he did have one really difficult kid today) and when Benny got in trouble he lost it. It really genuinely upset him to get in trouble!
After swimming Benny and I had lunch at the food court. We are still looking for lego storage. But didn't find anything at the mall. Then it was time to pick up Ryan. We came home for a sleep. For some reason we were really tired! Then off to pick up Matthew. Karen come over for dinner, we had pizza. I bought those little chocolate volcano cakes that Nathan would NEVER let me buy from Dominos for dessert! They were very yummy.
Well that is about it. I rally need to go to bed early as I am so tired and there will be no sleep in for me on the weekend.
Nath we will give you a call at our 12 midday tomorrow.

Thursday, I hope I miss you Daddy!

Hi! The boys are really missing you daddy. Ben asks every morning "Where did daddy go?" Every time we pull into the drive way Benny says "Daddy's blue car is home. He's not at work!" We had a rough night last night. Ryan wet the bed at 2am so I took the easy option and put him in bed with me. But then Ben woke up because Ryan wasn't there. So he got in and I was left with no pillow and a limpet on my back and a limpet on my front. At one stage Ryan wrapped his arms around my neck so tightly I couldn't breathe! He also had his leg wrapped over the top of me. So as you could image I didn't have a great nights sleep. If it happens tonight I KNOW the easier option is to change him and the bed!

Today we had school and pre school and it was my turn to help at pre school AND i had a meeting at Noah;s ark! So I dropped Matt and Ryan off, picked up Cid drove to Rivett had a quick meeting (where we didn't even do what we set out to do in the end!) Drove back and dropped Cid off, dropped in to our house cos I thought Benny had done a poo (he Hadn't!) then back to pre school to help. We rushed out of there at 1pm to give Benny a quick sleep. Then back to pick up Matt at 3. But since then it has been cruisy. Cid had cooked dinner. Which Matthew devoured. He really likes Cid's cooking. I think we might send him over there to live. Although she would probably want to swap Jacob for Matt! Karen dropped in and she had a bit to eat, dis the dished then went home.

Benny did so well at pre school today. He did some great painting and went to the toilet about 5 thousand times. It's all about the washing hands! He even told me he wanted to do a wee today! That was exciting. Matthew had library today. He was so excited about that. He borrowed two books because you can borrow two at big school. And he learnt the letter p. Ryan was great a pre school too. He did a brilliant picture of a Frank the fish. Debbie had a real (dead or not alive as she called it!) fish for them to explore. At one stage I looked over and some kid was asking what that was there and Debbie explained it was the fishes bottom and a discussion ensued about why fish need bottoms. Lots of discussion about poo followed! It was quite funny!

Nathan, Aunty Bron is fine. She still has her job. And she says all of the Media coverage is clown out of proportion. Bonds has been made in china for years. And the little that is made here is going. But she is ok. I don't think our (sorry my) share portfolio is as fine!

I cant think of anything else to tell you. But I do have these to show you!

Wednesday

What a busy day! We walked to school this morning and made it just as the bell rang. Benny had the road sense of a beagle this morning! He nearly ran onto Copland Drive and then as Paula and Jose came down the road he nearly ran out in front of them. Don't know what was up with him this morning he is not usually like that. Well, actually I do think I know the reason. He has become very competitive with Matthew and he was racing him this morning. And he obviously cant race and think at the same time. Typical male! So we dropped Matty and Ryan off and Benny and I walked home. We then went to the shops and I think I spent about 50 bucks on junk. Someone in this house is comfort eating. So all of that weight I have lost recently will have been put back on by the time Nathan is home. And you know what it is all his fault!
I also went to magnet mart and got a cupboard pully out thing. And with Nathan on the other side of the world I am seriously thinking about going out and getting the bigger one that matched too! (Comfort eating and comfort spending! Just doing all I can to convince him NOT to travel!) We got home just in time to have lunch then go back out for my meeting with the school principal. No I hadn't been called in already. We had a good chat about amalgamating the preschool parents association into the P & C. It was a good meeting. Benny tried anything to get my attention, so much so that Penny the Principal ended up giving him a cherry ripe! Do not tell the other children that if you hang out in the principals office long enough kicking things she will give you chocolate!!! I was a little late to pick up Rye Rye. Not that he minded he was happily playing. I then had a chat to the teachers about the plans for the amalgamation. So I eventually got the boys home for about 40 minutes of quiet time. Funnily enough a Barney dvd lasts about 40 minutes so it did work out ok! We picked Matthew up and Benny had a massive stack. So now he has no bark on his knee! He cried and cried and kept saying I've got Blood!
Next we dropped past Cid's place as she had cooked dinner for us! So i have put her pie in the fridge for dinner tomorrow because Brenton had cooked us dinner too! But before dinner we had swimming lessons. Now, how do you think Ryan went bearing in mind he has scabs where his knees should be? Yep you guessed it he screamed the whole lesson! And of course, me being a true swimming mum I made him sit there on the side of the pool for the whole lesson shivering. Thinking the whole time i paid 15 bucks for this lesson he can at least get wet!
After swimming we can home and bathed (not showered as 4 out of 6 knees couldn't get wet!) got in jarmies and went over to Uncle Brenty's for a lamb roast. He puts rosemary on his roast veggies which didn't impress Ben. He couldn't eat the spiky stuff apparently! We ate and ran so thank you for dinner Kata and Brenty it was lovely and I had the boys in bed by 7.30 so I could watch who wants a win farmer!
However the highlight of my day was receiving a brief phone call from my husband not to tell me he loves me but to say we were losing heaps of money on our shares! (Well he got a quick I miss you, I love you in!)
We will have some special stuff you you on the blog tomorrow.
Bye

Day 3, Tuesday

Gee typing out the days makes it seem like it's going slow. I might stop that!
So today we got ready for school (that involved lots of yelling at Ryan to get dressed. He kept complaining how cold he was, Well Durh! When you are standing there stark naked on a chilly Canberra morning!) But we eventually made it. Then I took Ryan and Ben out to brand depot. I wanted to check out the toy r us store there. I was hoping to get a Lego storage thingy. No such luck though. But while we were there the boys playing on the play equipment and they do a craft morning. So they coloured in a monster picture. Krispy Kreme donuts are out there now, so we didn't sit down and have one of those! When we got home it was time to tidy up for our play date with James. Benny had a quick sleep (Ryan woke him up) and then James was here. They stayed until we had to get Matthew. After school we hang out. I was going to do scrambled eggs but decided Maccas was better. Funnily enough the boys agreed! So we drove through had dinner then I had to go to the pre school meeting. Which was good but long! It finished at 9pm. I came home had a chat with Cleon and Michelle. I'm quickly typing this to you then going to bed as I can feel I have got a headache coming! Obviously we have to run through the whole list of undesirable events while Nathan is away!

Day 2, Monday

Well I should start with the things I forgot from yesterday..... Firstly, Matthew and I were talking about how he is the man of the house while you (Nathan) is away. I was saying how he had to help me out as someone had to do all of the things Daddy usually does. So Matthew pipes up with "Yeah, so Mum you need me to cook the meat and drive the car!" I told him to maybe start with picking up his toys and setting the table. I'll hold down the driving and operating hot cooking instruments for a few years yet! But how sweet. It gets even sweeter though! I went down to lay on the bed for a few minutes before we went to Cid's and Matty comes down with the massager and offers to rub my back!!!!! No asking, he just comes down and says Mum can I rub your back!!! We have got a good one there!
Anyway onto today!
Benny woke up a 7.15!!!!! Matthew and Ryan at 6.30. Sleep ins all round! We got ready for school and walked! We left to walk at the same time we usually leave to drive and there are less parking troubles when we walk so I really need to remember to walk more often. Anyway, near the bus stop there was a bobcat. So on the way back Benny, Ryan and I stopped to watch it work. Made the boys day! We came home and hung out three loads of washing (I told you there would be lots of mundane ramblings!)
Oh! Oh! Oh! I just remembered Nath! Benny did a another poo on the potty yesterday!!!
Back on topic. We had a mostly boring day. Benny had a good sleep. Ryan has decided he wants quiet time in Matthew's room just like Matthew used to before big school. So I let him and he lasted half an hour before he wanted me to tuck him in! And then that is when I heard it! Thunder! I raced out and just got my washing off the line. The thunder woke Benny up but not Ryan. I had to wake him up at school pick up time. Which was a story in itself! I thought i would be really clever and go early so I could get a car park. So I woke Rye Rye and took him and Benny out to the car in the pelting rain, crashing thunder and flashing lightning! How fun was that! Finally got them in the car, screaming by this stage of course. We get to school and I did manage to get a car park but it was still teeming! So I get them out and drag them both screaming out of the car park. We got to the preschool and Dorothy took pity on poor Ryan who was wailing that his knees were getting wet, and she look after him there while I went to get Matthew with Benny. We ended up so wet! So we all came home and have been in our jarmies since 3.15 this afternoon! Why is it Nathan that all of the worst possible scenarios happen when you are away?!
And how did Matthew fair at school in the thunder storm you ask. Well I asked him that same question and with a lopsided grin he tells me "Not very well!" Apparently there were only issues with the loud ones. Also at school they are still on the letter "t". Oh and he has brought home a piece of paper and on it is two pieces of wool. One long and one short and he has written all by himself "long" and "short"!!!! I asked him how he knew to spell them and he said it was written on the card in front of him but still he is writing words!!! (Even if only a mother can decipher them!)
Anyway. I am off to bed now. I hope you had a great time at the space museum and can get back to sleep (I just got a msg from Nathan that it was 4 in the morning and he couldn't get back to sleep!)

Sunday, day one

Nathan is currently away for two weeks in the US so i will be writing my blog everyday. It will be full of the usual mundane things that he usually hears the minutes he walks in the door. So these post may not be a funny as you are used to reading. But very informative to Nath.
Anyway this morning Matthew woke at 6.30 and went straight into the lounge without waking his brothers. Benny had already gotten into bed with me 15 minutes earlier and had gone back to sleep! Ryan woke up just after 6.45. I got out of bed with them!!! They watched speed racer while I showered. What i actually should have said was they were supposed to watch speed racer while I showered. They were actually trashing our lounge room (speed racer wouldn't work in their dvd player for some reason.) So we tidied that up and then I decided they needed to expend some energy so we went for a walk up Mount Rogers. On the way up they walked well ran nicely. They were having races. We did a handicap race to the troll bridge. I sent Benny off first then Ryan and gave then a good head start before Matthew. Benny did really well and was beating Ryan until the very end. (Benny obviously is full of fast twitch and Ryan slow twitch muscle fibres!) Anyway Matthew won (could you picture any other result!) Ryan second and Benny bronze. Matthew then high fived and congratulated his brothers!!!! I was astounded by his good sportsmanship! Anyway Benny suggested a race up the mountain part so I started then. He ran four steps then wanted to get in the stroller. Which I pushed up with two flat tyres. Anyway we did make it up to the top but on the way down Ryan was running down when he stacked it! He took the bark off his knees, hands, forehead, shoulder. He did a great job of it. Anyway so we were half way down the mountain and he was screaming his head off. Benny kept on running down so I had to send Matt down to get him. So in the end we put Ryan in the stroller and made Benny walk. And he still cried all the way home and the whole way through me cleaning it and putting band aids on and then all afternoon! He has been walking around all crumpled up holding his shorts up above his knees! When he was crying I was shoving snakes in his gob in an effort to get his to shut up and when he would move and it would hurt more the snake would fall out and I'd shove it back in! I ended up putting a band aid over the sore bit and I was stressing about taking it off. i rang Brenty to do it and he was down the coast. In the end Cid ripped it off (she didn't hurt him at all. That lady has talent!) He still screamed through his bath. What a great start to you being away!
We just chilled out this arvo. Then we went to Cid and Trev's for dinner. Which was lovely. Thanks Cid! She sent me home with some frozen meals. And now the boys are in bed. So that was our day!
Blog to you tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Ryan!

So at 6.15am we were awoken to the sound of Ryan getting out of bed. He ran straight out into the lounge room and we had to call him back to our bedroom to remind him it was his birthday! Between the not being able to get to sleep because he was so excited that it was his birthday and a good nights sleep he had forgotten! Despite forgetting it was his birthday he had a great day. He was able to share it with his new preschool friends and then family and friends later during dinner.

Presents! Monster trucks, of course!

Spongebob squarepants monster truck (He loves spongebob!)

The birthday biscuits I made for him to take to pre school

The mega machine book Cleon and Michelle gave him.

The pirate t shirts Nanna Bev gave him (was a huge hit at preschool and it is apparently better than Uncle Brenty's pirate shirt, which is a Lego pirate, because it has a map!)

Birthday Dinner


Waiting patiently for his cake

Aren't they cute!

An ice cream echidna cake!

This time 4 years ago....

I was pretty sure I was having contractions. They weren't painful or regular. But I was still pretty sure I was in labour with my soon to be second child. My due date was the following day so I wasn't overly surprised. What I was surprised about was being taken out to dinner whilst in labour. You see my brother in law was in town for a swim meet and he wanted to take us out to dinner. I ummed and ahhed but was then convinced to go. The whole time I was too terrified to get out of my seat in case my waters broke (seeing that during ones dinner would NOT be appetising!) But thankfully my waters did not break during dinner. Although conversation was mostly centred around contractions and how could my husband and brother in law bring me out in public when i was almost nearly certain I was in labour! When we got home I went to bed and was really surprised to wake up he next morning still pregnant. Once again Brenton came around to spend some time with us. During the day we went for a stroll with Matthew around the block but mostly we hung out at home. I was still almost nearly certain I was having contractions. But as they were nothing like Matthew's I continued on. (Matthew's labour was text book, waters breaking, contractions starting and progressing evenly, resulting in child birth!) Anyway the day progressed until I got to the stage that I really thought I may be in labour and maybe I should ring the midwife to see what she thought. Her advice was to have a lovely bath and see if that got things moving. So I did and then I was pretty sure that yes i was in labour. Brenty left then and got on the bus for Canberra. We had dinner and I put Matthew to bed and I thought maybe I should go into the hospital to have an examination to see if they thought I was in labour. We said bye to my Mum and told her we would be home soon.
Anyway it was around 7pm on the 20th of February when we arrived at the hospital and at 8.34pm Ryan William Rickard was born! Nathan rang my mother and she said not to rush home she was fine with Matthew and then Nathan told her that Ryan had been born. Her response was "What, already!" Nathan then rang Brenton who was just stepping off the bus in Canberra to tell him the good news. (And by the way I feel really sorry for the mother of his children because he literally thinks that labour consists of a walk in the park!!!)
So that is the story of my second born child. Ryan William your birth was a pleasure and a surprise! Thanks you for the wonderful experience and all of the wonderful experiences you have continued to bring us over the last 4 years!

He did a poo! He did a poo!

Benny did his first self initiated poo on the potty!!!!! We have worked so hard for this moment! There has been a awful lot of poo coming out of his bum and a potty shoved under it to catch it. But until today no complete poo in the potty! I was starting to feel like it was never going to happen and I would have this 6 foot, build like a brick shit house bloke in nappies! Although after being at this exact point two times now. I do know that the fascination with poo now starts for Benny. Remember the poo train with Ryan. I wonder what Benny's "poo train" will be? But i do know there will be some kind of poo train! Bring it on I say!

A retraction

My husband is not the least romantic person in the world. He does however believe that McDonald is a fancy restaurant! But that is beside the point! My VERY romantic husband surprised me with a Valentines day present. A one hour massage to be used while he is away and it comes with babysitting! He then took me out to dinner and a movie. And I got to choose the movie! He's just not that into you is a great movie!

Pants full

Last night Nathan called me down to assist him taking Ryan to the toilet. Ryan had stuffed his pajama pants with his tiger, several t shirts, his jocks, his socks, his little guy (a soft toy), his pj top, a pair of trackie dacks and a partridge in a pear tree! He however wasn't in his pajama pants and he had built them into a lovely pillow. This isn't usual though! Usually he has most of that stuffed into the pants with him in them!

The big 3 - 0!

Nathan reached his very late twenties on Friday! This was after a week of celebrating as his party was the previous weekend. We had a great time at his party although it was around 43 degrees. And we were having an BBQ outside at lunch time! We were all melting until I got out the water balloons which then escalated to water pistols which then disinterated onto buckets of ice water! However a great time was had by all!

On Friday morning when the boys woke up I called them all into our bed so we could give Daddy his present. Benny jumped onto the bed saying "Daddy its a book!" We had got him a book on the capture of Saddam. So Benny is exactly like me and cant keep a secret.

After school the boys helped me make daddy's cake. Which by the look of it they thought was yummy. Especially Ryan!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Cake!

The generosity of children

The boys are asking a lot of questions about the Victorian bush fires. They want to know why it started, why it is so big, where did all the trees go, where are all the people going to live, are the animals ok, why wont all the water put it out, is it as hot as lava (Matthew is obsessed by volcanoes!). Their questions are endless. They want to know if our Melbourne house ok. Does daddy still have to go to work in Melbourne when the fires are there. How far is Melbourne from the fires, where is Victoria? Their questions are far ranging and show just how curious and imaginative little minds are. Their questions also show me how compassionate they are.
When I explained that there were hundreds of families just like ours that don't have a house or clothes or food or toys. In fact, any item that that they can think of they no longer have because the fire burnt it. It got them thinking. We talked about donated some of their clothes and toys (as they have so many). Ryan blew me away with his generosity. He said "mummy I don't think I could give away my monster truck t shirt but the others are ok." He also wanted to give away his new Lightning McQueen car Cid gave him for his birthday "because it is new and not really been played with so someone might like that!" (He obviously thought he wouldn't really like receiving used stuff). We talked about it for a little while and we were talking about how what they really needed was money. So Matthew suggested they have his, he didn't need it. Ryan thought they might like the piggy (The boys think the piggy miraculously produces money. When i say sorry we don't have any money for that they say just get it out of the piggy!)
So the boys have donated money from each of their bank accounts. They have no idea of the value of money so they wont miss what they have donated.
However, I am still struggling with the idea that what we have donated seems so small in comparison to what these people have lost. If any body has any other ideas on how the Rickard family can contribute to positively impacting the lives of all the affected people please let us know.

Pre School

Ryan's first day was today! He walked in like he owned the place! He strode up to the board and wrote his own name (it took Matthew three weeks!).

He put his lunch box and drink bottle on the trolley then said "Come on Mummy let's find my locker!" He looked for the one with his name and put his bag there then it was off to the bath room to find where his hand towel would go. Then he sat himself down at an activity table and he was off! (Meanwhile, Benny picked up where he left off last year and tipped all of the puzzles on the floor and walked away, leaving them for mummy to do!) Debbie and Dorothy had a giggle when they put his name tag on because the three people that could read it (Themselves and Ryan!) already knew his name!

He felt like he was where he FINALLY belonged! There were no tears, he just quietly said you can go now Mum. And Benny and I left! There were also no tears from Mummy! I must be getting used to all of this leaving my children behind! I think it also knowing what you are getting yourself in for. Debbie and Dorothy are the two most lovely ladies and I trust them implicitly with my children. And I know that for a fact!

So Debbie, Dorothy, Ryan and all your new friends I know that you will have a great year at preschool this year!

Satin sheets are very romantic!

But not very practical! I bought a set very cheap from target. And we have spent the last two nights trying to get some sleep between them! They are obviously NOT made for sleeping. Wink! Wink! Nudge! Nudge! The first night I wore my jarmies and nearly slid out of bed. So last night i slept naked and the doona slid off!
I sold the sheet set to Nath with the idea that the pillowcases would stop his hair from falling out. He wants to know how he can stop his head from sliding off the pillow!
Apparently we are the only people on earth that weren't aware of this. My friend Cid pointed out that she discovered this in her twenties. But you must remember I am married to the LEAST romantic man that walks this earth! The same man that firmly believes that Macca's is a romantic restaurant!
So from now on I have informed Nathan that they will only go on the bed when they are covered in rose petals and then they will be removed before I go to sleep!

The teacher took the sticker back!

Well almost. But his behaviour today was apparently awful! He threw his hat up on the roof! He kicked a little girl. She apparently kicked him first but still. And he got into a punch up! This is not my little boy! He must be Nathans!
So we have spent the whole afternoon going over what is acceptable behaviour and what isn't and how to deal with unacceptable behaviour from others. This school business is hard.

Day Two

Well I had to send him back, apparently its illegal not to send your kids to school! Stupid law! And look what happened today!

My son is apparently VERY talented at quiet time!!!!! His first ever sticker on day two. I think he must be genius!

First Day

And he is never going back. I wont let him! See why!

Apparently (I wouldn't know, I wasn't supervising!!!) he fell over at lunch time in the big bad playground with other more unruly kids! Where there is less supervision that what Mummies provide. He cried and cried and went back to his classroom (I'm sure he was sobbing for his mummy!) and they then took him to the sick bay! And not even a phone call to let me know my son was seriously injured! So that's it no more school for him! He can stay home with me where I can wrap him up in cotton wool and teach him that he must NEVER leave him Mummy or bad things happen!

Big School

Well, it is finally here. Matthew's first day of school. There were no tears or blubbering. (My eyes did well up but the whole you cant cry in front of the child kicked in!) He was terribly excited. When we arrived at school one of his best mates Dylan was arriving as well. And they are in the same class so he was thrilled. He walked into the class room as if he owned it. As cool as you please he said to the only adult in the room "Hello Mrs Nelson!" (I explained to her that we had been talking about her all weekend so he felt like he knew her! There was only one moment of terror in his eyes and it was after Nathan and I had both kissed him goodbye and Daddy said "What are you going to do now?" I think that was the first moment he thought "Oh shit, I don't know!" So we pointed him in the direction of Dylan and the train track and off he went. Not even a backwards glance! So to my baby boy I hope you are having a great day and opening your mind to all the exciting things that big school delivers!

Super student!

Barkley wondering what the heck is going on?

Dylan and Matthew at Big School

How proud is Daddy

Mummy not wanting to let go!

Cleon and Michelle had to get a photo with the big school boy too.