33 years and 9 months

It was my birthday the other day.   I turned 33.  And while I have never been the type of person who worries about age or getting old as such, I have to admit that I did have a little moment and thought to myself "wow...33... how did I all of a sudden become 33 years old?"  It really made me stop and think...and I'm not sure how I felt about it.  A little uneasy?

Am I where I thought I would be at 33?  I don't really know.  I'm not really someone who makes serious long term goals, but I can say with authority that I am happy where I am right now, whether it was planned or thought out this way or not.

Tim had to go away for a work conference at the Hunter Valley so he was actually away on my birthday which felt strange.  I woke up to an empty bed, but soon Ella started cooing and we snuggled in the newly laid flannelette sheets (it's turned really cold all of a sudden!).

I got a phone call early in the morning from Tim.  I was feeding Ella her breakfast at the time but he sent me on a hunt around the house to find cards and presents that he had hidden around the house for me before he left.  He made me smile (particularly when I opened a card and found a voucher for a fancy day spa - can't wait to book that baby in!).

Since Tim was away mum and dad invited me over for dinner so I wouldn't be by myself.  Dad had taken some time off work and left early so that he could prepare a feast for me which was so nice.  Mum cooked a chicken curry, dad cooked a fish curry as well as some home made roti and sambal prawns.  Perfect comfort food for the cool weather.  I felt spoiled and loved.

Ella turned 9 months old on the day of my birthday also.  She's changed so much in the last few weeks.  She has now been crawling (proper crawling) for about two weeks.  Prior to this she was doing a kind of commando crawl thing where she would drag herself with her forearms on the ground and kick her legs madly like she was trying to swim.  It did the trick and got her where she wanted to go but now she has mastered crawling she's off!! 

She has also learned how to pull herself up onto furniture and is scooting around the place.  I really need to start baby proofing because she is grabbing at everything except her toys!  Television remotes, cushions, books on the book shelf, keys, my handbag.  Nothing is safe!   She is getting more adventurous by the day.  She has discovered that there is more to the house than just the living room where she normally plays and now wonders around into the kitchen and laundry downstairs exploring all the little nooks and crannies with her little tongue poking out in concentration.  (Note to self - must clean floors...her little pants are filthy from dirt and dust on the floor!)

She's been saying dada for quite some time now and makes lots of other noises and sounds but had not said mama, but I am pleased to say that she now says mama too!  I'm not sure she really understands who mama is though - I can ask her where dada is and she will look straight at Tim, I can ask where Archie is and she'll look straight at him, but when Tim asks her where mama is - she just looks blankly...Oh well, we'll get there.

Ella is so independent now.  She loves doing things for herself and often gets frustrated if I try to do too much for her.  She loves to feed herself (messy but cute) and gets very frustrated if she can't do something like open her favourite book (Buddy and the Rabbits) on her own.  She amazes me every day as I watch her character unfold and see her learning new skills so rapidly.

Oh yeah, and she now has two top front teeth.  We went through a bad phase with teething. Her gums were so swollen and she got an ulcer where one of them came through the gums which was nasty.  Poor little thing.  It wasn't fun for any of us, least of all her.

Ella is sleeping at the moment and it's cold outside.  I've done a little house work and ticked a lot of things off my to do list.  Think I'll go and snuggle up on the couch with a hot cup of tea right now.