Our Family & Our Life

It's REALLY handy having a hairdresser living upstairs because Isla's hair grows REALLY fast. It started out with just getting her bangs trimmed and then after a bit of chit-chat we decided that evening out the long bits at the back could do with a snip too.  After a few minutes, VOILA - The straight look or at least as straight as her hair can be.... The fresh out of the bath curly look... I know, the cup is in both pics even though they were taken about five hours apart - she drinks alot, what can I say... I like it and despite being a bit skeptical when I told him, Colin says it looks nice too. Phew! Now we just have to figure out how she inherited those curls? PS - she's still sniffly today, coughing and the nose is still running constantly.  I'm beginning to think this silly cold will NEVER go away.... Poor girl but she doesn't complain.

... if Isla will ever stop coughing, if her nose will ever stop running and will I ever have a full night sleep again before she's 18 or moves out of the house? So, I thought she was on the mend and then bingo, Wednesday morning her nose is running like Niagara Falls and she's hacking up a lung - albeit a loose cough. Getting to bed has been a struggle too because now she's coughing more and she thinks she has to come out at least once before falling asleep... Did I mention that I am sooooo ready for Colin to come home?  It's been a long almost four weeks of single parenting .... Whining finished.

I'm patting myself on the back at the moment for posting on the blog finally...... Nothing exciting to report.  Isla is still coughing especially at night but thankfully the doctor didn't find anything wrong with her and said it could take awhile to recover completely from a viral infection.  I have noticed a significant improvement the last couple of nights and tonight is the first night that I haven't used the Vicks Vapo in her humidifier.  She's been sleeping soooo much better too which means I also have been able to get a few more hours of rest each night.  Single parenting for long stretches of time is hard work so trust me when I say I need all the rest I can get. Colin is in Brazil and will return until next weekend.   For some reason I had it in my head that Easter was this weekend and he would be home on Friday morning but I got it wrong, it's next weekend.  It will be nice to have him back, we miss him so much!...

I have to share this poem I recently came across because it reminds me so much of Isla!  Just read it and you'll see why... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author: unknown A two year old is so many things. A tiny discoverer of butterfly wings. A hugger of teddies, a sweet sleepy head. And someone to dream for in bright years ahead. A special new person who right from the start, has a place in the family and a coarse in your heart. And just when you think you've learned all the things, that your dear son (daughter) is,and the joy that (s)he brings, a hug or a grin comes with such a sweet surprise, that love finds you smiling with tears in your eyes.

As I write this, the house is quiet.  The cats are asleep, Colin is asleep (and feeling ill) and Isla is still in bed.  I should be napping too but Isla awoke for a bit and that was the end of my "nap". I've been MIA from the blogging world.  We've been spending time together before Colin leaves again this weekend for Brazil.  The time he is home goes by far too quickly and I miss him already!  I think he will be back the Easter weekend. We've been keeping well for the most part.  Some good laughs and good cries, some happy moments and some moments of anxiety.  We've been through the whole realm of emotions and sickness but we'll get through and focus on the good for now.  We've come to expect plans that go amiss and to be honest, I don't understand why but I pray that His plan will be done.  Maybe I've been taking advantage of the good and haven't noticed them as much but there always seems to be something "bad" going on.  I...