In November

Yesterday I took my two little girls to Mum and Dad’s for our weekly family lunch. Amelia played computer games and Lily slept.
Six months ago I was enormously pregnant and living in a pair of track pants. But at least I had time to get my hair done. Not these days – now I am going for the long and shaggy look.

A year ago Dooce started advertising on her blog giving me some big ideas, we planted zucchinis which were all sadly eaten and Lily was just wee tiny tadpole of a thing living inside of me while I kept her a secret for 12 weeks. Lucky me was about to go and see Matthew MacFadyen play Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

Two years ago I launched A Month of Softies (which is still going strong thanks to Amy who is moderating the group with great gusto), I created two of my favourite illustrations ever which then went on to inspire my first exhibition, we were hunting for a house to buy (we almost bought one with six bedrooms!) and I was living and breathing fabric and sewing and softies and crafting loveliness.

Three years ago I was having motherhood / work conflicts — ahh how times change (not). I just read that entry from three years ago and I still like the sound of LOOBYLU HEAVY INDUSTRIES… I think I will go and work there. Amelia had just started to crawl and was a happy chubby little thing.

Four years ago Amelia had turned one month old. She didn’t sleep much. I was having an awful time feeding her and I disappeared inside a strange, drawn-curtained cocoon world. I didn’t know motherhood was going to be so hard. If I could float back through time I would definitely pick this point and give myself an enormous hug and say “this soon will pass”. Because it did. And here she is, four years old, cuddling her little sister and arguing the reasons why she should get a Bratz doll for Christmas (forget it).

Five years ago we were newly weds, I was writing a novel, I had just embarked on my new freelance illustration career, we ate sushi twice a week at our favourite local restaurant, we saw movies, slept in, read magazines and did all that pre-baby stuff. (“before you were born dude / when life was great / you are the burden of my generation / I sure do love you, let’s get that straight”).

Six years ago — speaking of when life was great — we headed off to a tropical island for a romantic, beach-bound holiday. Of course it rained for the week and the beach was made of broken up coral (horribly sharp and uncomfortable) but we ate incredibly well every night from the all-you-can-eat buffet, and there were great cocktails.

and Ten years ago I moved into a house with a group of friends and we experienced Melbourne’s WORST landlord! We lasted there two weeks and lost a huge amount of sleep, money and sanity. And looky! Ten years on he’s still at it.