Puppy Chula

If they would stay this little and cute, I'd have several. Oh, and just to clarify-mainly for my sisters  who read this blog, I'm actually referring to the puppies...  :)

I don't know what Emerald has done to me or how, but not only do I love country music... there I said it, but I've become a dog owner... twice (the first time was short lived- and no Joe, I did not let her escape!).

 Now, for those who know me or my family (the 'Montes' side)... we don't do dogs, or cats, or anything that doesn't wear clothes and moves. The only exception are budgies, as they require little work and you don't need to even touch them. So pretty much any pet that you can just look at is fine.

Joe on the other hand, loves dogs and has always wanted a little Staffy puppy to call his own.
So at almost 7 years into our marriage,  the stars miraculously aligned for him, and I somehow agreed (again) for a puppy- well it was more like I had to agree. Joe had made the deal with our neighbours (the breeders) as soon as he saw her over the fence.

So meet our little staffy Paisley... named after our favourite artist 'Brad Paisley'- he's a country singer, but you all knew that, right ;)

Little Paisley, born April 13th 2011, along with her five sisters and five brothers (please excuse Joe's  crutch).

Paisley has settled into our family quite nicely. She has Joe wrapped around her little paw, and goes to work with him everyday (awesome) and the kids and I get to see her in the afternoon and weekends (the perfect arrangement!).

 I think she's so darn cute, and I even pat her! But I still can't bring my-self to pick her up. I need some time to get to that point where I'm ok with that squishy feeling and having its 'bits' on me, and if I never get to that point... I'm fine with that.

Elly is really good with her and is extremely happy that she is finally allowed to be 'the boss' of someone...

 Noah is hilarious, and I've finally seen the 'Montes' side of him. At the start of the week, Noah liked Paisley as long as she was a least a meter away. Any closer, and he breaks out this funky and sarcastic sounding, nervous/scared "ha ha ha..ha ha ha..." laugh/cry. It really is quite unique, and I should really post a video so you can get it's full effect.
But the last couple of days, he has been happy to pat her and even kiss her (my family are going to freak out when they read/see this) so it might just be possible to break the anti-dog cycle...

Noah is so brave around Paisley... when she's asleep and not moving (please excuse my huge pile of dirty washing, it got done that day... I promise).

Joe is such a dedicated pet owner. Not not only did he willingly offer to take care of all of Paisley's 'dirty business' (which is great cos I can barley even handle Noah's these days), he also built her a lovely doggy house. It also confirmed to us how much the kids need a cubby...

Anyway, welcome to our family Paisley! Mi casa es tu casa... except for my bedroom and the kids rooms, and my furniture and my basket of clean washing and my new fluffy bathroom mat!

'I've got you, babe...'

Elly and Noah are the best of friends...

...and the worst of enemies...

  

But no matter what, when either one is in pain or sorrow....

they are always there for one another....

...they have each other's back, and they show it with a cuddle.

A cuddle fixes EVERYTHING for these two...

When either one of them gets in trouble for something, they quickly drop whatever they are doing and run to each other's aide for a big cuddle of support... and the incident is forgotten.

When Elly was cranky at me one day, and told me to "go far away to Africa!" I happily responded with "I'd love too!" 

However, when I mentioned i'd be gone a VERY LONG time (I might as well make the most of it), she immediately regretted her suggestion, and broke down in tears. Noah was there to console her with a cuddle of understanding... and the over- dramatic reaction is contained. 

When one of them falls or hurts themselves, there is always a cuddle of compassion waiting from the other.... and the boo-boo is fixed.

When they fight, and wrestle, and pinch, and bite, and snatch and shout and push one another, I make them painfully cuddle each other (learnt this trick from my dad ;)... and the problem is solved... for at least another 10 minutes.

Yes, Elly and Noah are the best of friends and worst of enemies. But Joe and I can both see how much they adore each other deep down. There is no denying it. When those two cuddle, you can feel the love and I can't help but hear the 'Sunny and Cher' song... 'I've got you, babe...'play in the back of my mind every time. :)

A walk to remember

This is the up hill path at the very end of my favourite walk. If I'm feeling fit, I usually run up- all while El cheers me on... "run mummy, run!"

Winter is almost here. It’s starting to get very chilly in Emerald, which can only mean one thing…the kids and I get to come out of hibernation! During the summer time, if we’re not at the local pool or shopping centre, then we just hang out inside all day in fear that if we step outside we could possibly melt. Or even worse, risk my poor skin turning 10 shades darker and resembling charcoal from the unforgiving sun. It really is quite depressing.

But now that the cooler weather is here, we are out of hiding! We take nice long walks to the park and pretty much everywhere else. I can be out nearly all day with the kids just walking from one place to the next. The weather is perfect for it and the sun is forgiving. Doesn’t matter what time of the day it is, my skin still remains a nice caramel colour :). It’s also the only form of exercise I don’t demise.

This morning, we were supposed to walk to Kindy but we were running late. So as we drove there, I noticed that my favourite walking track had finally re-opened! This whole time, some parts of it had still been under water from the floods earlier in the year. So as soon as Noah and I arrived home, I put him in the stroller and off we went.

As I was walking, I was remembering and thinking to myself just how much I had missed this walking track. It made me reminisce about all the times I’ve walked that same track and with whom.

It reminded me of how little Elly was when we first arrived in Emerald and walked that track, and how she never wanted to sit in the stroller like Noah does, at the same age. She much preferred running on the track instead! It was the same track where I got to know my friend Cassie really well, all while we attempted to get super fit holding our heavy 1kg weights, and as we chatted about the meaning of life... no, nothing really that deep, just the weekly goss mainly :).

I thought about all the other special people I’ve walked that track with. My sisters Karla, Irma, and my good friend Kristen who all came and visited me in the cooler months, so it was possible. Well actually, Karla was the one exception. She came in the summer and made it her mission to walk all over Emerald in 40-degree heat and all while pushing a massive double stroller, but she’s Canadian, so she can be forgiven. Even my mami has walked part of that track with me, and I thought of her today, and how much I miss her. It’s also the track I walked for exercise when Noah was in my belly and the afternoon I was contracting before he was born the next morning.

I must’ve been in such a deep thought during all this reminiscing; as I did not even realise my iphone had fallen out of my stroller pocket at some point. It was only when I got to the last part of the long walk and stopped to get a drink, that I realised my phone was missing. So back I went with a happy and content Noah, to retrace our steps, look for my phone, and add close to another hour to our walk.

Well, I’m pleased to report that I eventually found my phone lying there around the bumpy part of the walk. I took it as a sign from the 'blog gods' that I needed to use my phone to take pictures of this much loved walking track, as to not forget it when we move away.

So I did…

The botanical gardens is the beautiful and shady part of the walk.

The first little park you come across. If you stop here for too long, YOU WILL get eaten alive by midges.

The river that runs all through the botanical gardens. I used to tell Elly that if she got out of her stroller, a 'crocodile' might get her... I was desperate and it worked most of the times.

Then we come to another park, and El would always want to get out...again! So i'd run past it or tell her it was 'broken!' It's mean I know, but I made up for it later.

ps. This little park has gone completely under in both floods. It used to have a convenient fence around it, but it didn't survive the latest flood.

The foot path that leads straight to Coles shopping centre. Unfortunately, I discovered this AFTER Karla's and I near death experience at a busy round-about. I thought at the time that it was the only way to get there...oops!

ps. The Coles shopping centre is STILL closed from after the floods. So sad. I miss walking up that path and dimolishing all my walking efforts, while the kids and I would get a treat from Wendy's.

Then there is what I like to call the 'wilderness' part of the walk.

The 3rd and final park in the walk (yay!). This is where I'd be a 'good mum' and let Elly get out and play. However, if we were running late and I needed to be a 'mean mum' again, I'd run past or tell her the 'ant's nest' will bite her bottom! I know, I tell El so many fibs- I could write a book full of them! :-/

Lastly, we walk over the John Gay Bridge and we are almost home. This Bridge has been completely under water...

a lot!

Now some pics of me and one of the best walking partners ever...

"Noah can you tell me where I dropped my phone!?"

p.s My 'Phil and Ted' stroller is the best! I knew it would be a good great investment. Thank you Phil and Ted... whoever you both are.

What can I say? The boy loves hats...

Noah has a thing for wearing hats. While most mums struggle to get their children to wear one, I don't. Noah will put a hat on with no request from me. I think it's cute. Joe is a little concerned (about some of the hats)...

There's the gangster hat...

The smurf one...

...this little blue number is one of his favourites...

This is a reasonable sun smart one..

This one is questionable...

He has even tried to leave the house with this little sequenced number. I let him get as far as the car with it and then despite Noah's refusal, I made him take it off once we got to our destination. You'll thank me for it later buddy.

Then there's Joe's favourite, the hard hat...

and my favourite is an oldie but a goodie...

Then there's our least favourite, the bowl hat...

It's a good thing you're cute Noah.