So, on to topics of the remotest interest, I've been going through the incredibly arcane instructions on the Blogger help pages about how to back up this blog. Or "glob", as I tend to think of it lately. Blogger is the only blog service I've used, and I can't help but think that there could be something out there that is a little easier to use. The trouble is, I've been at it here for over three years now, and while it's certainly not going to be seen by history as up there with, say, the letters of Anton Chekov, it's my record of that time and it's currently at the mercy of the Blogger servers. And I'd like to take the whole lot with me if I were to switch to another service.
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The kids had their halfth birthday on the 17th of last month, so that was quite a milestone. So really, it's been fifteen months since I've functioned as a normal person.
These past six months have been the hardest I've endured in my life, and in many ways the dullest. Each day is mind-grindingly the same: feed, change nappies, play a bit, down to sleep, feed, change nappy, read a book, play, feed..... and yet fascinating and fresh at the same time. It doesn't make sense to me, either. They've changed so much in that time and I suppose I have, too. As someone with an interest in language, I'm finding their "pre-language" absolutely captivating. They're a long way off speaking as such, but their garble often follows the basic structure of developed speech. In the mornings while they're still in bed, and at other quiet times through the day, they have long conversations with each other. One will garble for a while, then wait while the other has a turn. And it has variations in tone and rhythm. For all the world it sounds like a conversation, and of course it is communication in some form. It's the same when they're speaking to Lofty or I as well. It's quite a privilege to watch.
They had their first ever swim on Sunday. We went along to a friend's 4th birthday at a local pool, thankfully, as the temperature hit 31C before 10am, which is when the shindig started. I get a real kick out of seeing them experience new things for the first time. The water was a bit chilly at first, so they weren't so sure about that. They never really looked happy in the water, but didn't kick up a fuss, either. It just seemed a bit strange, but kind of interesting. Edie had a mad kick, but Oscar just kind of sat there and gave me a "what the hell do you call this?" look. By contrast, I was incredibly relieved to get in the water, even if it was only the foot deep baby pool.
The laughably mis-named solid food has become a regular part of our daily routine, too. Navigating spoonsful of yellow (it's always yellow, no matter what it is) goo successfully between eight thrashing limbs is a delicate skill, and one that goes to shit the moment you take your full concentration off the job. Once again, watching them try new things is a bit of sport. If the new flavour is on the nose it comes squeezing straight back out like yellow toothpaste. And again, and again. But if this new thing is a goer then they bite and grab at it like it's their last meal. And that's the thing I really like about these two: there's no pretense. They don't care about social graces or what your feelings on the matter might be. What you see is what you get. Such a refreshing change from the complicated world of adults. So much so that on the rare occasion I get out and about I find adults quite strange and ugly. I was in the city recently and was alarmed by faces caked in make up, ridiculous fashions, ostentatious displays of wealth, acts of discourtesy.... oh, just the whole damn lot. My kids will grow up and take part in all of that in the same way that I have, but in the meantime they're just so straightforward and lovely. I wish they could stay like that forever.
These past six months have been the hardest I've endured in my life, and in many ways the dullest. Each day is mind-grindingly the same: feed, change nappies, play a bit, down to sleep, feed, change nappy, read a book, play, feed..... and yet fascinating and fresh at the same time. It doesn't make sense to me, either. They've changed so much in that time and I suppose I have, too. As someone with an interest in language, I'm finding their "pre-language" absolutely captivating. They're a long way off speaking as such, but their garble often follows the basic structure of developed speech. In the mornings while they're still in bed, and at other quiet times through the day, they have long conversations with each other. One will garble for a while, then wait while the other has a turn. And it has variations in tone and rhythm. For all the world it sounds like a conversation, and of course it is communication in some form. It's the same when they're speaking to Lofty or I as well. It's quite a privilege to watch.
They had their first ever swim on Sunday. We went along to a friend's 4th birthday at a local pool, thankfully, as the temperature hit 31C before 10am, which is when the shindig started. I get a real kick out of seeing them experience new things for the first time. The water was a bit chilly at first, so they weren't so sure about that. They never really looked happy in the water, but didn't kick up a fuss, either. It just seemed a bit strange, but kind of interesting. Edie had a mad kick, but Oscar just kind of sat there and gave me a "what the hell do you call this?" look. By contrast, I was incredibly relieved to get in the water, even if it was only the foot deep baby pool.
The laughably mis-named solid food has become a regular part of our daily routine, too. Navigating spoonsful of yellow (it's always yellow, no matter what it is) goo successfully between eight thrashing limbs is a delicate skill, and one that goes to shit the moment you take your full concentration off the job. Once again, watching them try new things is a bit of sport. If the new flavour is on the nose it comes squeezing straight back out like yellow toothpaste. And again, and again. But if this new thing is a goer then they bite and grab at it like it's their last meal. And that's the thing I really like about these two: there's no pretense. They don't care about social graces or what your feelings on the matter might be. What you see is what you get. Such a refreshing change from the complicated world of adults. So much so that on the rare occasion I get out and about I find adults quite strange and ugly. I was in the city recently and was alarmed by faces caked in make up, ridiculous fashions, ostentatious displays of wealth, acts of discourtesy.... oh, just the whole damn lot. My kids will grow up and take part in all of that in the same way that I have, but in the meantime they're just so straightforward and lovely. I wish they could stay like that forever.
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The local ABC is a constant presence in the house here at Chez Zezette, and the highlight of the day is The Conversation Hour. Today's guest is John Cale, which I've missed writing this, but not to worry! The interviews are available to download, finally. (And I'll be able to utilise the service when the household streaks forward into the recent past by getting broadband. We haven't bothered until now due to our extremely limited time available for dicking about online.) The interviews are invariably excellent, so I'd highly recommend you head over there and check out the selection. Bruce Haigh, Chris Sarra and Tom Keneally are a few I've particularly enjoyed.
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