Got my iPhone

it wasn't nearly as crazy as yesterday.

Yesterday, the line wrapped around the Apple store (reminiscent of the craze in Chicago). Today, I walked to 3 (mobile phone shop). There were only 8 people waiting in line. Waited for about 30 mins and the bounce dude comes out. "Who wants a 16?" No one in front of me moved, so I said "Me!". Off I went, into the store...to get the LAST iPhone. Suckers!!!

Nicki, the girl who helped me, was very nice. Not like previous mean boys. Took my info...went to the back...gave me a phone...buh-bye... No money exchanged. That's right folks, I got me the new iPhone 4 for $ZERO and my monthly cost is way less (almost 1/2) what I paid in the States.

Here is the first pic I took on my walk home:

and some of my little goofball... (not the best pics in the dark apartment)

(he just realized he now gets mommy's old phone...)

I realize...

you probably come here for the pics and not to read my ramblings.... sorry. I will have more pics when it warms up enough to go out more regularly (and everyone gets healthy).

End of the week ramblings...

Who puts BEETROOT on a hamburger? Aussies do. The first time Rene bit into his burger he was like "what the ...??!" Thought maybe it was just the weird mall burger place we went to. Nope, next place served beets on their burgers too. Evidently it is an Aussie thing. Remind me to order burgers w/o beetroot and tomato sauce - yeah, not ketchup...tomato sauce. It's nasty.

Why do nannies think that 15 mins plenty notice when calling in sick (or quitting)? I have respect for my job to give them plenty of notice. If you don't value your job enough to give more notice, why am I paying you so much? If you can't tell...our nanny quit. She wasn't making enough money and said she could make more at Subway. Really? Because I am already paying you almost everything that I make. Since when does your "online-BA-degree-seeking" arse deserve more than my Ivy League Master's educated arse? (I apologize to all my online BA degree friends. this nanny just pissed me off... /vent over)

Last week when we talked to Papa, he asked if we'd seen any kangaroos. When we took our walk, we passed this kangaroo at the Aquarium (weird place for a 'roo...i know). Andrew loved the 'roo. He cried when we walked past the Aquarium and didn't stop to say "hi" and he hopped like a 'roo all week.

View from our apt (click to make bigger)

I hate you Vodafone!!!!

Took the day off so I could go check out some daycares. Had my first ride on the Monorail. It was quite different from riding the "el" (which I'll admit I haven't done since before we moved to CT). The car was basically like 2 (uncomfortable) couches facing each other with about 4 feet of space in between them then attached to 5other "cars". It sorta reminded me of the gondolas I took up Mt. Titlis.

Daycare #1: institutional in a chaotic sorta way. very dimly lit. lots of sniveling kids running around. nice outdoor space in the middle of CBD.

Daycare #2: actually a Montessori school. well lit. behaving little kids interacting w/each other and the teachers. soooo my style of learning. wooden toys. toys w/purpose. outdoor area.

In between my visits, I stopped in the Vodafone store (again) to try to get a SIM card. No luck. The guy said I needed a paper from my bank. Got it out..."oh, I meant a paper signed by your bank manager". ummm.. ok...how come you didn't mention this to me last week when I pulled out the same form? And how is it my husband can come in here after being in the country 2 days, ask for the same SIM card I just did and you give one to him? Why??? So once again I left the Vodafone store feeling like shit...needless to say that was my LAST time in a VOdafone shop. I will now be getting my new (iPhone) from someone else... 6 more days.... :)

thoughts on food (again)

Stopped at Coles tonight on my way home from work. Picked up some generic/store brand TimTams. Just wanted to see if they tasted the same as I could always save some $, esp if it something I should be buying in bulk... Generic TimTams aren't quite the same. You can tell the chocolate isn't the good stuff, but these will definitely pass in a pinch... On a side note, I think this was the first time I didn't eat an entire package in one night....

Rene is still not feeling well. He has been sick since we got here. Picked up some soup and the fixin's for "bear juice" - lemons, honey, and the tea we already had on hand.

Andrew brought me his shoes this morning and said "Home?" Poor bear...this is home.... I think he needs to venture outside more. I would get stir-crazy and want to leave if I was cooped up in a 1bedroom apt for days on end.

making a great impression...

This morning was the first morning it was pouring when I was due to go to work. yeah, it's rained...today it was pouring. I've yet to find my umbrella...so I ran. Yes, I ran. (if you are counting that is twice in one week. Maybe in this upside down world I do things completely opposite from back home...). It was only 10C, so it was coooold rain.

I was looking great when I got to work. I'd brought my real clothes in a bag, but my hair/make-up was looking awesome.

This is when I realized I had my "on-boarding luncheon" today - the lunch with the bigwigs of the company. No one is going to pay attention to me right? NOT! Everyone I've come in contact with up to this point has said "oh, you are the nurse from the States" or "we've been waiting for you" or "we're so excited you are finally here". There is no way I can blend into the walls during this luncheon.

The luncheon was in the office, but there were tableclothes, real dishes, catered food and me, drowned-rat-looking Yank. I'm sure I made a stellar impression....

Listening to music...

I couldn't decide which pic I liked better...so you get both :)

Andrew likes listening to music on YouTube. Specifically Paul Simon's "You Can Call me Al" - he'll listening to that on constant repeat if we let him. He likes to drum-drum and strum-strum. Most recently we added playing the recorder. It is very cute to watch him try to "play" and whistle at the same time...

Things I've noticed...

besides the fact that the water goes down the drain clockwise...

People smoke a lot here. I noticed it when we got off the plane. I notice it walking down the street. Today, I noticed it in the elevator at work. The smell lingered...ugh!

Andrew is the only kid I see wearing sunglasses. I would think being in an area with depleted ozone and elevated UV radiation that parents would want to protect their kid's eyes. Nope...he is the only one wearing sunglasses. (Judgy McJudgerson just reveaing herself...)

Sugar rocks! I love the way sugar makes food taste so much better than HFCS. (case in point...TimTams!!!)

you could almost call it exercise...

**sorry the formatting is all wonky. not sure what blogspot is doing...

Andrew and I took a nice walk along the waterfront thru Darling Harbour while Rene rested (not feeling well). It was packed with tourists (food and wine convention) and, dare I say it, hot...well, 18C.

We are staying where it says "convention" in blue on the bottom left. (Our apartment building is attached to the Tram stop). Andrew and I walked from the convention center around Cocokle Bay Wharf and the Aquarium and to the end of King Street Wharf and back again. It was about 1.5 miles.

I was a very nice walk. We saw lots of boats. We stopped by the Aquarium for bit b/c there was shade. Andrew got to see a kangaroo (probably for the 1st time - it's not one of his regular "animals"). It wasn't a real 'roo, but a statue (pic to come later). He cried when we left and we had to stop again when we strolled past again. (He's so smart...he remembered where it was and started to cry when I past it. I had to go back so he could see it.)

On the map, for reference, Rene's office is where it says Four Point by Sheraton on the righthand side. I work halfway up King's Wharf (crossroad Erskine) and one more street over (past Sussex). It's 2 blocks from water :)

Also pertaining to exercise...I went down to the gym after Andrew was asleep. When I got on the treadmill and punched my (usual) numbers, it started walking at a snail's pace - darn km vs miles. Once I got back and plugged my numbers into the converter...I "ran" a lot slower than I did in the States. Now, at my pace how can it really be called running? I was so dang slow in the US and if I'm slower here....

misc rambings during naptime

Rene made us some delicious pan-epes (sounds better than "crep-cakes"). He was going to make pancakes, but we didn't have syrup. We have self-rising flour, so the crepes were a little spongy...hence Pan-epes. Slathered with Nutella (and banana for the baby bear).

We had a nice long chat with Papa today. Andrew danced, read books to Papa and acted like a goof-ball. Hope Papa enjoyed it as much as we did.

Had fun "cheese"ing for the camera :)

(yes, mommy and daddy are aware that I really need a haircut)

Thanks Auntie Jenn for my cool robot jammies :)

It seems like Scrubs and the Simpsons are on continuously. No, it doesn't seem that way...they are on continuosly. Which was fun and interesting the first few days. Now, after 2 weeks of the same episodes, I'm craving my Psych (crying a litte inside that the new season started...) or even a little Hulu.... Another intersting TV note, the Today show seems to be on here too. Of course I'm watching a day later (I'm watching Thurs show on my Friday)...

I feel like this is starting to be a little "diary-esque". Let me know if I'm boring you....

Rude awakening...

Woke up to "boogies boogies" at 1:30 this morning, which I will admit, is better than the screams of previous nights. I look over in the semi-darkness to see Andrew's face covered in blood. I'm guessing the "winter" air has caused his boogies to be dry and therefore bleed.

Luckily, we had been given a pack-n-play with an extra sheet. (Who thought a 2yo would sleep in a pack-n-play?? c'mon people...). Now, hopefully they wil change the sheets today - usually we just get the bed made.

Now getting back to sleep after being completely awakened is proving to be problematic...

First trip to Coles

Stopped by the grocery store today. First off, the store is not nearly as large as the chain grocery stores in the US. Of course, that means the selection is not as diverse.

Produce selection...a local/Australian produce :)

Meat is free range, grain-fed, blah, blah, blah (all the stuff we look for anyways - no searching for the good stuff).

Nary a HFCS to be found. They use....wait for it...sugar! Must say, food tastes much better with sugar vs the other crap. I am going to love not having to scour labels to find food I can feed my son.

We found some actual ketchup. Had to buy it. "Tomato sauce" can not substitute for ketchup on "hot chips".

The splurge...Diet Coke. $5 for 3 1.5L (on sale)

oh...and Dark Chocolate TimTams!!!!

Oh sunny day...

Took a little family walk down to Pyrmont Park. It was full of little ones running around. The slide was a popular place for the "twos" crowd. Unfortunately, not all the twos knew how to wait in line or be patient. Andrew was very good at waiting his turn. He knows to sit down on his bottom and slide down...wheeee! He went swinging on a 'big boy' swing. Climbed up the rope dome - he probaby would have climbed up to the top if the ropes had been closer. Andrew, the frog, has been jumping all day. He loved jumping off the benches. Overall...a fun day at the park.

smiles make things better

Andrew and I took a walk along Darling Harbour after I got home. Watching the birdies and laughing makes mommy feel better.

Here's an "almost" pic of us:

Pic of the birdie that Andrew took:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...

how appropriate that this comes from Dicken's "A Tale of Two Cities"

Today started off great. I was working in Embryology. I got to see the most amazing sight...the beginning of life. I saw an egg fertilise with a sperm and an embryo divide into 2 cells. I know it happens all the time (esp at my office) but this was the first time I actually saw it happen. I saw the egg at 24 hour...one cell. Just a few minutes later, 2 cells. To think that we all started out that small...just makes me believe in the awesome power of God.

Then I ran some errands...

I went into the Vodafone shop to get a SIM card (how have I survived w/o a mobile phone for 2 weeks??). The guy was jabbering on about some phone plan, blah blah blah. I swear this guy wasn't speaking English. What I wouldn't do for some normal English.... even my little guy has started to speak with an accent. Agh!

I left the shop feeling like such a failure. I mean, who can't get a damn SIM card? I felt so dejected on my walk home. On the bridge, I had to avoid all the stupid kids on holiday who were running about acting like idiots (seriously, can I trip some of them?). All I wanted was to run into someone familiar on the walk home and get a big hug. But of course that didn't happen. Nor did it happen when I got home. Andrew is teething and CRANKY and not sleeping and WHINY and irritable and CRANKY. Rene is not feeling well. So I wallow in my sef pity, knowing this is just a phase and everyone who leaves home goes thru this adjustment period...but I still wallow....

So back to Dickens and his "Two Cities"...I miss Chicago. Not enough that I want to pack up and go back. Just enough to want to go eat at the only "American" restuarant besides McD's...Tony Roma's....ok, maybe I don't miss the US that much :)

My name is Nicole....

....and I have a TimTam obsession. If you don't know what a TimTam is, you are missing out.

They are this little chocolate biscuit that alone, aren't that spectaular, but dipped in hot cocoa are the most delectible bits of gooey chocolate I've ever had. My favorite is the caramel filled ones, b/c as you can imagine...warm gooey caramel is heaven.

Now, don't get me wrong...I'll eat them w/o dipping in cocoa. I can eat a whole pack and hide the packaging just so people won't know I ate them. I can stealthyfully eat them so little ones don't know what mommy just threw in her mouth. I'm addicted....

It appears I'm not alone in my obsessions....linkeroo

(I just found TimTams with Crunchy...why, oh why do they do this to my hips....)

misc rambings...

Looking out my window (yes, I have a window) I saw a bright, blue sky with big puffy clouds.

Aside from the fact that I was so excited to see the sun, I was thinking of these clouds. They will make their way over to you. And when they do, look at them and know I'm seeing the same clouds....

(only a few hours earlier....)


Also, if I'm supposed to be doing an "independent study" to practice my interview techinique for drugs and protocols that I've been teaching for years, does that mean I can take a nap?

and we are teething again....

Well, not Rene or myself. Andrew has started to get his molars. He's been putting his hand in his mouth a lot recently, so I knew it was coming. Today the nanny said he was "dripping". He just stood there with his mouth open and drool pouring out of his little mouth.

Interestingly enough, yesterday Andrew was asking for his necklace - the amber necklace he wore when he got the majority of his teeth. (Amber has the healing properties of succinic acid which is absorbed thru the skin. Andrew wore it the entire time he teethed and I never knew he cut a tooth until it showed - even when 4 came at the same time. Here is where I got it from along with some info. I have an amber necklace too. I've used it for my RSD pain and the relief is amazing!!!)

"Guess who pee-peed in the potty??"

That what I heard when I walked in this afternoon.


Andrew asked AND pee-peed/pooped in the potty 5 times today! We had put the potty-learning on hold with the big move. We didn't bring the potty chair, but he has don't quite well with the big potty. He loves to stand on the toilet afterward and pushing the buttons to flush. Just an FYI: water goes down the drain clockwise.


He was rewarded by a little 'pain o' chocolat' and being able to wear his 'big boy' pants.


Just a visual reason why our neighbors may not like us....

our little drummer boy

Misc food stuff....

After work, I stopped to pick up my "favorite" meal.

Yummy meat pie. (admittedly not the best pic...but trust me...it's yummers!)

I also picked up a 'fairy cake' for my favorite little guy. I got a blue sprinkles for him and a Hokey Pokey for me. I love Hokey Pokey and Crunchie bars. I'm hoping they have Hokey Pokey ice cream this summer like they did in NZ.

Andrew has been working on showing you how old he is. I would have the camera ready, and he refused to do it. Then as soon as I closed the camera, he would do it perfectly... so here is my best pic of "2"....