Little bit of this and a little bit of that

I've had a lot to say lately.  I've just had no time to say it in writing.  I really wanted to write about how Melbs kicks big arse.  Basically, I'd planned to outline the true extent of how much I loved living there, and wanted to boast about our "shits-all-over-everything" apartment view.  I adored feeding the ducks in Fiztroy gardens everyday - well I adored seeing how much V & C loved it - I, myself, don't really care about culinarily satisfying our fine feathered friends that much.  In fact, I'm surprised Valli and Cordi still like them after the pecking spree a large group of ducks, geese and and swans indulged in, after I had the "brilliant" idea to feed the local wildlife on Lake Lausanne last November.  They closed in.  It was truly frightening.  Passersby had to help me fight them off.  Cordi got all twitchy in the night like Tippi Hedren in the final terrifying scene from that bloody Hitchcock movie "The Birds".....I guess she was the one holding the loaf.

What the hell are you looking at?

I wanted to give details about how much I enjoyed watching the hot air balloons that floated right past my bedroom window on the 11th floor every Sunday at 7am with their big intermittent puffs of fiery air (I never did take any pictures - too lazy to go and get the camera....).  I also wanted to write earnestly about William Rickets amazing garden filled with aboriginal tree-rock faces on Mt Dandenong (and one day I will).

Incredible place

 I particularly wanted to write about how to pack for 7 months into one suitcase in one day.  Plus, I also wanted to describe Valentina's and Cordelia's first 40 hours apart ever.  Valli ate ice cream and climbed starfishes, Cordi rode ponies.

I have come to the conclusion, after taking Valentina to Thailand solo, and spending the entire next day with her, that I am a much better parent to twins than I am to one child.  I'm kind of spineless with just one, and tend to bribe with treats in the hope of inspiring a reduced number of tantrums.  I think I was perhaps over-catering to her wishes, because I was worried she was upset about leaving Cordi behind. We couldn't get four seats on the same flight, so Valli and I went to Bangkok 24 hours before Chalks and Cordi. Even though we'd all talked about it, I don't think she actually realised what it entailed until we said goodbye.  It was heartbreaking;
"Cordi's not coming??? Cordi's not coooommmmmiiinnnnggg, Oh nooooooooooo".  She cried all the way through security and only stopped to talk to Cordi on the phone when I called out of desperation.  However, she cheered up once we spotted the plane out the airport window. If there's one thing Valli loves it's a plane!

I also think it's easier with two.  Really I do (definitely not in the first year though, sorry Skazzy!!).  I took Valli to Siam Paragon on her own- an extremely spiffy shopping centre, which has the most amazing toy department.  Did anybody realise that Barbie now comes in a Barbara Streisand variety?

This consumers paradise, is complete with an incredible aquarium in the basement.  By far the best aquarium I've ever been too.  Much, better than Melbourne aquarium and much much better than the sad excuse they have in New York City (Coney Island actually).  That was shameful.  Anyway my first trip with Valli was spent wrestling toys out of her hands, chasing her for miles around the store (complete with a few panic attacks when she was hiding really well inside racks of clothes), bribing with ice cream and "magic books" just so I could have a few more moments peace to shovel pad thai down my gullet.  She loved the fish and the shark tunnel (besides it chewed up time).  Then there was hours spent jumping in the hotel pool.....her favourite activity by a million miles.....she never tires of it....never......ever.....

When Chalks and Cordi arrived at 10pm that night a sleeping Valli woke up with great excitement.  Their catch up conversation was cute;

Cordelia:"Valli, I went on the pretty little horses"
Valentina:"You went on the pretty little horses?"
Cordelia:"Yes, I went on the pretty little horse called Bullseye!!!"
Valentina:"Lovely.  Cordi I ate ice cream"
Cordelia: "You ate ice cream?"
Valentina: "Yes.  It was a pink ice cream"
Cordelia: "Yummy yummy in my tummy".

Contrast the next day, when I took both of them to the same place (so nice and air-conditioned in the heat, plus they have a rather large shoe department).  This time I could sit down on a "poof" that resembled a dogs paw for 40 minutes, while they went nuts with shelves of fluffy puppies.

 

Then they hugged other various toys for a while and played in an underwater scene.
 

Cordi didn't want to visit the aquarium, and when some show started, with singing and dancing stingrays, mermaids and dolphins, Cordi had a mental breakdown of fear.  I tried to retreat, but Valli had gone in for a closer look.  Things got even worse when they started working the crowd.  I actually had my stomach patted by a chipmunk (with a screaming Cordi pressed behind me).  What the hell was that thing doing in the underwater show? And more to the point, why was it patting my stomach?  I have been caning the mini bar late at night, not to mention living on a diet of shiraz and Greens Organic Toffee Crunch for two months.....did it think I was pregnant?  Fucking chipmunks.  They really are annoying aren't they?  Those squeaky voices, the buck teeth, the cheerful attitude, their penchant for nuts.....

Shove off you perky knob

We had a midnight flight out to Frankfurt.  Stupid time for a flight.  The girls fell asleep at the dinner table and we had to carry them like two sacks of potatoes, in and out of two taxi's and through the airport.  Did I mention we decided to leave Australia without a stroller?  Interesting move.  I'm yet to see the merit.  Improvisation is typically needed.

Not to mention, how handy it is to have some sucker to carry your carry-on bags when you're on your own with Sleeping Potato Child slung half-way down your back and a 600m walk to immigration (as in my situation the night before).  Hats off to all the single Mums is all I can say.  I'm thinking especially of Alex who is doing exactly the same thing as me right now, but with no promise of reinforcement 24 hours later.

The girls were brilliant though.  Smoothly transferred to plane-seats that night,  and passed out for a further 6 hours. That meant I got 5 hours snooze time myself.  Good result for a plane ride, but I still feel like shit today. Pretty smooth trip, no turbulence, escaped my usual molestation by Frankfurt airport security, and we weren't running late for our connecting flight.  No pissing on plane seats, no food poisoning from a bad beef sandwich, pleasant flight attendants, no arguments with anybody.  A couple of annoying kids (no not my own), but I actually chatted to their parents.  I think they were jealous the girls were so well behaved.  I was smug and annoyingly sympathetic.  If I was them I would have despised me.  Hey, I almost despised myself.
 

We love the airport! (Because we sleep whenever we want, watch TV all day, and get carried everywhere! )

I tried desperately to keep them awake so they could eat a really early dinner last night....but failed.  Valli actually fell asleep standing up, while I was trying to walk her around until the sausages arrived. Therefore, no dinner.   Nothing like a child screaming with hunger at 4am.......Hello jetlag, my old friend.......