Don’t feel well… I was in bed fast asleep by 9pm last night cause I just wasn’t feeling right. Not a cold, or stomach bug or anything, the closest I can come to describing it is similar to the SPD pain I used to get, but more of a dull ache rather than excruciating pain. Still feel a bit icky, so here’s a filler…

I keep thinking about taking a proper ‘break’ from the blog, but I just can’t tear myself away from putting up something, even a filler, every day. I’m almost a full 5 months through Blog365 - it’d be stupid to ruin it now,right? Right??

My parents were over today. My mum had to go to our local (read uber) hospital to have some tests etc carried out before going in for an operation next week, so they decided to pop over before hand, and my dad came back over while mum was in.

So basically I’ve not had any time to write a post cause I’ve been entertaining.

(can anyone say “LAME EXCUSE!!”)

Here’s a lil pic of Zack and J having some artistic differences to fill up some space, and to show off of course

A year ago today was my Uncle Bill’s 97th birthday. He’d been unwell for a very long time, and had been bedridden in a home for over a year. The next day, the 4th, he passed away peacefully in his sleep. This is a little tribute to my dear Great Uncle Bill.

Although we first met when I was around 2, my first memory of you is from our first trip “down south” to visit you and your wonderful wife, Betty, in 1994. I was 10 years old and sure that it would just be a boring trip with my parents to see some old relatives. I couldn’t have been more wrong!

You and Betty were more fun and entertaining than I ever would have thought before we met. You told me about stories of when the two of you met in Africa, and of your travels all over the world. You always seemed to know what sort of tales to tell me to capture my attention, and had numerous keep-sakes from these wonderful places to show me and sometimes, if I was very lucky, you would give me one or two as gifts to take home with me. I still treasure these and I always will.

I couldn’t believe how quickly I loved you both so much, but I think I know why. The one thing that stood out above everything else was the way you valued MY opinions. You not only wanted to tell me about your lives and lessons, you wanted to hear about my life, my interests and my views on the world. I had never really had that from family other than my parents, and I grew tremendously as a person because of your enthusiasm for me.

Betty was such a gentle, kind natured soul. Oh and her laughter was infectious! I can still hear her giggling away and smiling at me as if it were yesterday. I wish it was yesterday. She passed away what will be 8 years ago this summer. R.I.P my lovely and loving Aunt Betty xx

Bill, well… you were one of those people who I couldn’t help but sit up straighter for, I wanted want to do well for. You were the person that would always make me think “oh I’d better not do that, what would Bill think??” when I was a teenager. You always had such a twinkle in your eye when you spoke, and oh the discussions we would have! The first conversation you had with J was about your thoughts on devolution in Scotland. That threw J for six, but he still managed a decent conversation on it, lol!

I can’t even put into words how I feel about you both. You have shaped who I am and who I aspire to be in so many ways. I love you both so much and hope that I do you proud. Not a day goes by that I don’t think fondly of you.

Rest in peace Bill xxx

Bill, my cousin Tom, and me in 1985.

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas, we sure have! Zack has been spoiled rotten, as have all of us

Here are some pics of our day…

Before the Stampede

Max the Christmas Elf

Bacon for breakfast

J helping Zack open his presents

Look at that!

Max and Monkey (Granny made him this!)

Caught in the act!

The aftermath…

Hope you’ve all had as fun a day as we have!

Marylin, J, Zack and Max

Wow I really can’t believe that he’s 2 months old already! Not only is he smiling lots he’s also started attempting to laugh… ok so it sounds more like a puppy yelping, but I’m sure it’s a laugh trying to come out - either that or he’s getting REALLY freaked out by the funny faces I keep pulling at him…

He had his first immunizations on thursday last week and was weighed and measured etc so the stats are now

• weight - 11lb 12oz
• length - 57cm
• head circumference - 39cm

which means he’s put on 3lb 4oz since he was born, stretched 6cm, and his head has gotten 4cm larger. Just as well he came out when he did then!

His feeding’s still a bit of a mare, he *should* be having 5 6oz bottles of formula a day, apparently… he won’t take more than 5oz in a feed and that’s only if we’re really lucky, and he refuses to have more than about 3oz in his last feed around 11pm no matter when he last fed, whether awake or as a dream-feed… basically he’s an awkward wee bugger with his food.

Last night went well though… fed at 11.30pm, fast asleep by the time he was back in his bed… next up at…

5AM!!!

I actually went to sleep at a decent hour and had about 5 hrs sleep in a row… god I feel better for it! lol

I don’t know why but I just can’t seem to get into the swing of the Christmas season at the moment, maybe because I’ve left everything to the last minute… I’m not sure. I know that I’m usually much more buoyed up by now than I am this year that’s for sure - got some Christmas songs on and they’re just not moving me at all! Maybe it’ll hit home this weekend when we get the last bits and pieces for pressies etc. I’m hoping to take Zack to meet Santa… I just hope he doesn’t freak out like he did last year - it’d be nice to have a decent pic rather than one of him screaming his face off! lol

I put up our Christmas tree yesterday but the boys decided not to sleep for long at their nap time (i.e. Max screamed his head off which woke up Zack) so at the moment it’s naked apart from the lights and a lil bit of tinsel… they’re both in bed at the moment and I feel like i *should* be putting the baubles etc on but tbh I can’t be arsed. I’d rather just get J to do it when he gets in - I think if I do that he’ll have a heart attack cause normally I’d never let anyone decorate the tree but me!

Just having a can’t be bothered day me thinks. My parents re coming over tomorrow with the Christmas gifts, so I’ll have to do it before they get here or my mum will insist on doing it for us. On second thought… maybe that’s just what I need.