Well, that was quick.

Today I am in Natey’s room on his computer, so I don’t have to deal with stupid laptop stupidness. Natey won’t be home from work for 2 hours so unless Ash needs food (which is highly probable, she didn’t eat all night which is WEIRD, especially because there were exposed boobs in her face all night) I might be able to get some stuff written. Or I may get distracted by the boxes behind this desk. I know some of those boxes contain my stuff, and therefore my copy of Finding Nemo and Zoolander. I miss those movies… Anyhoot, random ramble over, story time begins!

When I last wrote 9 hours ago, I paused at us getting home from the travelling. 

Ash was pretty weirded out by my parent’s place. Each time she woke up from a nap she seemed more confused. After the first nap (during which time Jake and Natey went and bought meat pies for lunch! YUM!) she was so sad and clingy and confused, but eventually high-fiving the baby in the mirror made her happy. A few minutes after she woke, Ellen showed up! So that was awesome in a pile of yay. She had seen me pregnant but she hadn’t met Ash yet so that was nice. Ashley was quite careful and unsure of Ellen, but she was weirded out by everything so that’s understandable. Ellen did get hugs once or twice but they weren’t really hugs – once was when Ash wanted to get something on the other side so she climbed over Ellen, and the other time was when I left the room and she needed Ellen to carry her to me. I got pictures of that, even though Ash looks distressed. All up Ellen was here for 2-3 hours I think. During that time, Matty came home and freaked Ash out because he picked me up to greet me and that made me yell "oh shit!!" (I think that is WHY he picks me up like that, I kinda hate it) and I think she thought he was hurting me. 

After second nap, nothing would calm her down until we went outside and played with leaves and watched the cars go by. I’m really hoping that continues to work because that would be an easy method for calm.

When Dad came home, Ash wanted nothing to do with him, but it was close to bedtime. Mum didn’t get to see us until about 10:30 when Ash started crying but I was so deeply asleep that when Mum came in the room and asked if everything was okay, I said "I don’t know what’s happening!"

(I am so covered in mosquito bites! Itchy itchy itchy)

On Friday, Mum stayed home (report writing day, not that she actually wrote any) so Ash got time to re-bond with her grandma. They are currently playing with all the magnets on the fridge. Fun game! 

The morning was pretty simple. At one point Jake, Natey and I went to the store for bread and milk, and came home with those plus a huge pile of snaaaaaaaaaaaacks. Delicious things we can’t get at home, like cherry ripes and turkish delight timtams and chicken chips and bbq rice crackers. Mmm. Ashley stayed with Mum for that, and apparently she was fine until a few minutes before we got home. That’s what Lisa always says when we go out too. I wonder how Ashley knows that I’m almost home? She’s a smartie.

In the afternoon, Jenn brought her little girl Elouise over! Neither baby had their afternoon nap, so it did get a bit hairy towards the end, but it was sooo lovely to finally meet the darling Elouise and to see Jenn after 4 years. When Elouise was born I cried for days because I knew it would be so long before I got to meet her (I mean, sure the day after she was born I found out I was pregnant, so that also had something to do with it…)

Elouise is 8 months older than Ashley, almost to the day. (E’s bday is the 13th, Ash is the 12th). Elouise is 2lb/1kg heavier, and only about 2 inches taller, if that. She looks older but they are almost the same size. Which did come in handy when it came time to take them home, I could drive them because there was an appropriate car seat set up!

Those two were here for 4 or 5 hours. Elouise was madly in love with Jake, wanted to sit on his lap the whole time and got really upset whenever she couldn’t. She wouldn’t take her bottle except from him. It was adorable. She also rearranged the piles of papers that Mum has left in the lounge room.

The girls got on pretty well, only had a little dispute when Elouise tried to take Ashley’s rice cake (which resulted in Ash throwing the rice cake down, slapping E and then picking up the rice cake quickly before anyone else got to it. Kinda impressive actually), and when they both wanted the sippy cup it ended up in mutual tears. But still, so awesome. Ashley was better rested than the previous day so she allowed Jenn to cuddle her, and Elouise allowed me to give her cuddles too (and she loved playing horsie. Especially when the big bumps happened and she went FLYING in the air. heh)

Saturday was nothing doing. Ash got to know her Grandpa Petie a bit better, she wouldn’t cry if I placed her on his lap/belly and walked away. She giggles and gives the cutest grins to her uncles. She seems comfortable here, although she is still sleeping in the bed with me which is awkward because at home we have a king, here we are using my parent’s bed and that is a double. A slanty bed too, so we end up rolling into Jake. Last night she slept a few hours in the pack & play but not all night. Hoping that happens soon.

Yesterday she had a bath in the big tub here, first time in a big tub! She stood up not long after I washed her so it was a quick one, but then she climbed around the mattresses in the lounge room (where my parents are sleeping while we are here) in the nude for a while, and once she got a diaper she quickly fell asleep. The last 2 days she has had her 2pm nap at 5pm. I don’t know what’s up with that, but it is ok as long as she sleeps well in the night. The previous 2 nights (because our first night here doesn’t count because I can’t remember it) she has woken at 4am for a diaper change, and at about 6:30 she wakes up and sits in the bed or starts climbing us. She has worked out how to very easily sit up from laying down so it is hard to keep her down now. Mum gets up at about the same time as Ash, so that works nicely. That is why it is in the 7am hour and I am writing this entry!

Today there is a PARTY at Jenn’s, which is really just Jenn and her fam, me and mine, and Ellen. So 7 people. But it is a PARTY! Ellen made a cake last night, and according to facebook Jenn was baking at the same time. I have been asked to bring something for eats too, and I was going to buy lamingtons or something (too lazy/unsure of the kitchen to bake just yet) but now I think I might get something savoury/real-food-like, so the whole thing isn’t a giant sugar party. The party is at 2 so I don’t have to leave here until after 1 so I have 5 hours to get to the shops and have a shower. EASY!

Some time soon I WILL upload photos, because I have a lot, including a few of Ashley on the plane.