Almost Loving My Body

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The above verse means so much to me, I luckily escaped with no stretch marks but I am left with a tummy that looks and feels like jelly but it has held and nurtured two of the most precious things in my life and hopefully one more, so I do love my body for doing that.

This year I am joining in with I Heart My Body over at We Heart Life. As is the case with most women, I was much thinner before kids.  After Miss P I walked daily and kept a lot of weight off and was almost back to my pre child size and then I fell pregnant again- YAY!  But second time around I didn't get into the exercise as much, actually at all.  The morning teas out and the afternoon snacks caught upon me.  I put a stop to all of this not long ago and decided to take back control of my body.  My husband is no help as he thinks I look HOT all the time (thanks hun but I need the honest truth sometimes- thanks mum).

This picture taken just a few weeks ago is the first picture I have seen of myself in a bikini in a long time.  At first I was repulsed, but then I had a longer look at it and thought 'you know what, after 2 kids and a crapload of garbage, I don't look that bad.'  I am learning to love my body, I am still working on it to get it healthy again but I am actually liking it know.  I have always liked my body, as a teenager I was fortunate enough to have a good body plus I was very sporty so that helped.  I was never one for the scales and I still don't really 'do' scales.  I also don't like to go off my clothes fitting because every brand has a different size.  My drawers consist of sizes 8-12 and I am very happy with that.  If I feel right in my clothes then I am happy. I probably weigh more now than before kids and I am definitely not as toned but my body is my life story, it has changed along with my life.

From looking at this picture I can tell you 3 things I love about my body right now:

1. My legs- I am happy with how they look and have stayed quite toned, chasing after 2 kids I guess they should be right?
2. My Stomach- weird right as it doesn't look and feel like it used to, but it has carried two beautiful babies in it so I love it.
3. My Feet- is that weird to like your feet?  They never seem to gain weight or wrinkles or anything!

So I am in the process of loving my body, I am also working to keep it healthy.  I want my kids to see their mum as fit and healthy.

Do you love your body? What do you love most about it?

Budget Friendly Family Meal

As I am the one who does the cooking in our household (I am extremely fussy so there is no way anyone else is cooking) I try to make meals we will all like and are budget friendly.  I tend to cook the same meals over a fortnight and I thought I would share with you a favourite budget recipe.  This meal is budget but doesn't compromise on taste it is delicious and full of veggies!!!

Before topped with cheeses.

Sausage Pasta Bake
6 beef sausages
375g penne or spiral pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion chopped coarsely
1 small red capsicum chopped coarsely
1 small yellow capsicum chopped coarsely
1 large zucchini sliced thinly
200g mushrooms quartered
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
Bottle of pasta sauce
1 cup cheese tasty or mozzarella
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Cook sausages and once cooked cut into 1cm slices and put in bowl to side
3. Cook pasta according to the packet or your taste
4. Heat oil in frypan; cook onion, capsicums and zucchini until they are tender.  Add mushrooms, basil and pasta sauce; bring to boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.
5. Combine pasta and sliced sausages in a large bowl, add vegetable mixture and half of the cheese (Mozzarella or tasty).
6. Place in a baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheeses.  Bake uncovered in the oven for about 25 mins or until lightly browned.

*You can add whatever vegetables you like, we don't eat capsicum so we just have zucchini, carrot, onion and mushrooms.  Feel free to add or remove whatever vegetables you feel.

It is such a quick dish to prepare, I normally make it mid morning and then cover it up and put in the fridge, then at dinner time do step 6 and pop it in the oven.  This meal is great for the kids too!  It makes a lot of leftovers so make sure you freeze it.  We normally get 2 nights meals from it and it is just as good second time around.

Hope you love it and I will post more budget friendly family meal recipes son.

Mental Health Week

This week is Mental Health Week, it is such an important week to help raise awareness and reduce stigma around the illness.  Mental illness not only affects adults but also children.  I have teamed up with the wonderfully talented Nicky Johnston, author of the book 'Go Away Mr Worrythoughts' to bring some helpful tips on mental health in children.

1.Build a vocab with your child to help them describe what they are feeling – sore tummy, headache in the belly button, hot and cold at the same time, a fast speeding heart (all physical reactions to a thought). Help develop other descriptions, instead of ‘happy’ use ‘ecstatic’, instead of sad say ‘glum’ or ‘devastated’. Giving extremes will allow their vocab to grow as their understand of their own feelings does. 2.Keep a list of ‘happythoughts’. Write or draw things to remind them of feeling happy or excited. Special photos, stones, feather, gem, movie ticket can be a trigger for some ‘happy thoughts’. This will take practise, but the strategy “Change your thoughts to change your feelings” really works. 3.“Go Away, Mr Worrythoughts....Your thoughts are not welcome” is the mantra used in the book, repeat, repeat, repeat at every opportunity. Or create your own powerful words to say aloud. Say it together as a whole family – make it a ritual! This becomes an instant thought breaker and will shift the feelings of doom and gloom to fun and laughter!

For more tips and loads of resources head to Nicky's website here.

I had the privilege of reading her book Go Away Mr Worrythoughts.  Not only did I enjoy it and find it helpful but Miss P thoroughly enjoyed it.  She asked so many questions after, which is what I was hoping it would encourage.  The best thing was that after a few days she came to me and informed me she had some 'worryininging' (that's how she said it so I had to type it that way) thoughts but they didn't bother her because she just remembered the book we read.  Now I will be getting a copy myself so we can read it more often. The book is full of beautiful pictures to help with children's understanding.  It is so well written and aimed to help children with Generalised Anxiety Disorder or other anxiety issues.  Its so nice to read because it helps children recognise those feelings and deal with them in their own way.  They also realise their feelings are normal which is a big thing in mental health.  I highly recommend this book for anyone with children not just children with anxiety issues but it can honestly help all children.

We must keep having these conversation with our children, how they are feeling and really encouraging them to talk about their feelings.  We have to keep asking everyone we love how they are and especially the men in our lives who tend to be a bit more reserved about their feelings.  There are lots of events on this week for Mental Health Week and lots of ways you can help so visit their website here for more information.

Nicky has other books and resources to help in other areas of mental health.  She is doing an amazing job in helping our children overcome these feelings. Take a look at all of her resources and fabulous work.  Nicky just recently won AusMumpreneur Making a Difference” Award at 2012 Connect2Mums AusMumpreneur Business Awards, a huge honour and an outstanding achievement!

'Making A Difference' Award

Website: www.happyhero.com.au
Blog: www.myhappyhero.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GoAwayMrWorrythoughts
Twitter: www.twitter.com/myhappyhero
YouTube: www.youtube.com/happyherobooks

Thanks to Nicky I have one signed copy of Go Away Mr Worrythoughts to give away!  Here's how to enter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Toilet Training- A Guide

I am by far an expert but I have toilet trained 2 little ones now and it has been quite good I must say.  Both have been toilet trained by 2- well Master X still in training but he has 3 months until he is 2 so its looking good!  I have done the same thing with both of them and its proven to be successful so I thought I would share some tips and things I do for others to try.  They may not work for every child but it did for us so give it a go!

I bring the potty out at about 13 months and let the kids get used to it and sit on it when they like- before or after nappy changes, etc.  They never really start using the potty until about 17-18 months.  When they start to show signs of wanting to use it and also developmental readiness- like dry for longer, telling you when they have done a wee/poo. Once you notice this development its time for potty at each nappy change, before bath time and any other time you see the chance.  If at first they don't like the potty, don't force it just let them become comfortable with it.  The worst thing you can do is force them!  I have always read a book with my kids, seems to distract them from the task at hand and makes them feel a bit more comfortable on the potty.  Both my two have started on the potty but then just used toilet training seat on the big toilet.  In the beginning I take them to the potty/toilet every 15 mins, this may seem a lot but its all about training and to do this it needs to be consistent and frequent.  Keep an alarm clock or egg timer handy if need be, this can also be a little bit of fun for the child too as they hear it ring!

Most of all be patient!  This is a huge thing for a little one, they may take to it easily or they may be apprehensive about it all.  It in no way reflects on who they are, how smart they are or how good a parent you are.  It is all a learning experience for both parent and child.  If the child has a reassuring and supportive parent during this stage then they will be at ease with it a lot sooner, this goes for every stage in their life.  They may also have days they have accidents all day and it may feel like you're going backwards but rest assured this is normal and just write that day off!  Master X today has had a bit of an off day- we have been out so a pull up has been on quite a bit so he has been 'just going' but tomorrow is another day and we are home so I am sure he will be back on track.  It is such a rewarding time for the little ones and a great time as you prepare to say bye bye to nappies forever (unless like me you are planning more babies) so enjoy the experience together as much as possible and don't rush it or feel pressured by others- again take the child's lead and let them guide you and you steer the ship.

Are you toilet training at the moment?  I would love to here how its going?

Where Is The Instruction Manual

We all have a vision of exactly how it's all going to be- the birth planned to the second, the afterbirth baby romance, the love all over with your husband/partner, the endless joy and smiles! And then the contractions start and from there the vision is blurred and then slowly a distant memory. As the pain begins, then the engorged breasts, then the crying, the no sleep, the husband who can sleep, the lack of energy to smile. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for some I can't say most of the above was true for me (fortunately for me though) although yes I did have a vision that got slightly blurred and refocused once my first bundle of joy entered the world but motherhood has just.......fitted me. That's not said in a self absorbed way either, I just think some people becoming a mother does instantly happen once you conceive or even once the baby is born whereas some it takes a little getting used to. Before you think "oh I bet she has a baby that slept from day dot, breastfed perfectly, etc" I definately didn't (stil don't actually). I have been blessed with two little cherubs who think sleep is over rated, my milk with Miss P didn't come in for almost two weeks, both catnapped through day and never just went off to sleep in their bassinet or cots. My husband and I had our disagreements, thanks alot to some outside influences if you catch my drift, so everything wasn't all peachy in paradise. But I just loved being a mum, I have always run off little sleep so after a month of getting used to broken sleep my body just seemed to adjust, once my milk came in things just sailed smoothly on he breastfeeding front too and then once I found the instruction manual for Miss P after about 6 months my life just became alot easier! Yep that's right, I found the instruction manual. We have always been told 'babies don't come with instructions' but we have been told wrong.



You see for the first 6 months of Miss P's life I think I read every baby book on the market- from sleep help, settling, wind, etc. you name it I read it. None of it helped of course so I read more. Then I had the lovely outside influences making comments about my constant holding and feeding to sleep was the problem. I had to do it tis way or that way- all of which never worked. At 6 months after doubting myself, fighting my instincts, arguing with my husband about my instincts and wasting money on books I started listening to myself and my baby. When she cried I checked the necessities- nappy, wind, hungry- if all was good we just cuddled. I stopped standing next to the bassinet/cot patting her while she cried instead I picked her up and cuddled her and rocked her. I didn't time feeds or check how long it had been I just fed her. I wore her in a sling and kept her close. Once bigger I laid with her in her bed until she was asleep and if she woke at night she either came in with us or I laid in her bed. And guess what.....I was happier, baby was happier and husband was happier. The household fell into this lovely flow, still the usual life dramas and issues but no tension within myself, no doubt and a happy connected baby. So needless to say when I fell pregnant with Master X I had no other birth plan than the spoken words between my obstetrician, my husband and I. It was a plan to bring our baby into the world safely that's it. From word go he fed when hungry, he slept when he slept I didn't stress that he wasn't doing "what he's supposed to do", he coslept for a long time (only just moved to a bed at 20 months and doing a fantastic job), when he cried I picked him up. All the things I should have done from word go with Miss P but was too distracted by what other people thought I should do. Both our kids are bright, have such great personalities and overall happy kids.

Babies do come with an instruction manual, THEY ARE THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL. Your baby is better than any book, any stranges comment or any advice you get. Sure it's great to hear other people's stories and maybe even try it out if you feel it suits you but listen to our baby they know what they need. I know we all love our sleep but for a few years (depending on the amount of children you have) your sleep will be uncomfortable at times, lacking at times or peaceful. But remember the happier your baby the happier you are, if they fed 10 minutes ago and cry looking for more feed them again. I'm just sick of hearing comments such as 'is he not sleeping through yet?' or 'oh you're still breastfeeding' or 'doesn't he ever leave you'. No he's not sleeping through and I'm more than happy to be his comfort while he develops, yes I have only just stopped breastfeeding and no my kids and I are hardly apart and I love it. There is no general instruction manual for babies but there is one individual instruction manual for each baby and that's the baby.

This post isn't pretty with pictures, I'm actually typing it in the dark as I lay on Master X's bed after he was asleep in my arms for 30 mins. It hit me whilst I was rocking him, standing up and almost asleep myself that we can either fight with our babies or go with them and be happy. And by going with them I mean when they are young. I don't mean they rule the roost and walk all over you as a 4 year old, but listening to your baby will guide you through those fuzzy days and weeks. Block out the strangers or even sometimes family comments that make you doubt what you're doing, you know what to do, listen to your baby. I did this with Master X and weaning, I kept hearing 'he's old enough to stop breastfeeding' or 'will you ever wean him' so at 15 months I started weaning him because I doubted myself, guess what he let me know exactly how that was going to turn out! He wasn't ready, he didn't understand and he needed it still. So I once again blocked them out and kept feeding and then at 19 months I slowly started weaning and talking to him, then at 20 months it took 1 night to wean, we talked and he got it all because I waited until he was ready instead of forcing it because others said so. I'd love to run an antenatal class, I'd skip 90% of it and tell expecting mothers to have faith in themselves and their instincts, reach out for advice if need, listen to your baby and don't buy every book out there. I'd then tell expecting fathers to love their partner, trust her motherly instincts and protect her from outside comments or unwanted advice. Of course here is plenty of situations or moments we need someone's help or advice, I'm not saying block everyone, I just think mothers need to have more faith and listen the instruction manual. It's funny how the people who made comments about how Miss P would be when she was 3+ now suddenly have nothing to say to me?? Why? Because she has developed exactly the way I had said she would and I have proven to them that by doing what I was doing will benefit her! Oh silence is golden! She will be clingy, not social, won't be ready for school. Really- well she is secure and knows I'll never desert her or abandon her, she is a social butterfly and got accepted for early entry to pre pre. Do I get a 'wow you were right good job' from these people? No of course not but what I did get was knowledge and that's what I love about having a blog- I can share, if a mum reads this who is doubting what she's doing or that its not the 'normal' thing to do but baby and mum are happy then she can stop doubting and keep doing it. I want more mums to be enjoying their time as a mum, listening to their baby not strangers or others who make them think twice.

It's off to bed for this mumma as I just know I will fall into that deep sleep to be awoken by Master X. Don't worry what book to buy as your baby has the book you need, you just need to listen to it.

Kate xxx

It's Really Not Complicated

Why must we as humans complicate everything, we do it all the time, living life with all these added pressures just making it all so much harder.  I have been awakened to this in the last month, as I know watch every cent I spend- "Do I really need _______?" if the answer is no it gets put back.  We don't necessarily need to live like this but it really is great and brings you back to the simple things in life.  It also helps our family get ahead and be able to go on wonderful holidays down the track where we can make great memories, to look back on.  We can do this by limiting how much and what we spend our money on.

A few posts back I wrote about this new toilet training pack I purchased at the Baby & Toddler Expo, it is good, it is filled with great resources but honestly, it was a waste of money.  Not because the products are rubbish or it doesn't work or help but it simply wasn't a necessity.  On Monday this week I started "properly" toilet training Master X, by properly I mean at home majority of day and in undies the whole day.  It is now day 3 and he was dry all day, 3 wee's on toilet, 2 number two's and actually taking himself to the toilet obviously when feeling the urge!  Such a proud mumma!

It starts young...reading on the loo

The most useful part of this pack is the book, he loves it!  But really I went back to the basics and kept is simple.  That old saying KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid, yep its true!  I should have learnt as I did the same with Miss P, got the fancy potty, bought all these "kits" and in the end she used the same seat Master X uses on the big toilet and reads a book!  Again wasting money on these things I didn't need and actually not using them but my knowledge and common sense which is FREE!  Our toilet training plan is- straight on toilet in morning, undies on, toilet every 20 mins (this will become longer once he gets the hang of it, already I am waiting about 45mins as he is dry), stamps and stickers as reward for doing wee's or poo's on potty and a good book that he loves to read whilst sitting on toilet.  I find the book a good distraction rather than sitting there watching and waiting. So far so good, he is dry most of the day, he is waking up in the morning not very wet at all and is happy to use the toilet when asked and sometimes even tells me and drags me there!

We are also being smart with outings too.  Even though we are being money conscious doesn't mean we have to stay home,that isn't healthy.  Instead we again this year are purchasing one of the unlimited passes- Dreamworld or Seaworld/Movie World/Wet n Wild, this way we have something to do and once we go once we have made our money back so the rest of the time is free!

Very proud mumma of my boy and also proud of myself for going back to the basics and enjoying life at its fullest again.

It's One Thing After Another

So this week saw Master X start and successfully wean from breastfeeding! I am sad to end our journey but so proud of him as he has adjusted so well, actually there are lots more cuddles now especially at night so thats always great! As the weaning process didn't take anywhere near as long as i thought it would we are now about to embark on the next stage for Master X- toilet training!!! Miss P was toilet trained by just after her second birthday and I waited until around the same time to start her- as soon as they show me signs they are ready and willing I pounce! Sounds bad I know but I pounce nicely! I am toilet training them the same way, Master X will learn to sit on potty first and when he is older we will start the standing thing but for now he loves to sit on the potty. I bought this great pack from the baby and toddler expo so i am looking forward to using it. It's called 'Go Potty Go" and it is just a whole lot of fun and rewards for the kids as they master this new skill. Obviously I bought the boy pack as there is a pack for each. You can find their packs online here and I also purchased the Super Wee Man which will be used later on when Master X is mastering standing up to wee.

Today Master X showed me he is recognising his need to go (most of the time after he has been but its a good start) so I am now pouncing!  We don't use pull ups here unless we are going out or in car, its just undies at home!  Master X loves Thomas the Tank Engine so I have purchased several pairs of Thomas undies as he will be sad if he wets Thomas! He also loves trains in general and this pack is all about getting on board the potty train, kids are given a train ticket and follow along through the story.  There is also a reward chart which I find magical in the toilet training stage, who doesn't love a sticker!

So he has mastered one thing and now its onto the next, taking our time and doing it at his pace.  My little boy is growing up and then Miss P is 4 in 2 days!!!!  Time to get started on baby number 3 I think, well husband has been wanting to try awhile ago but I now feel master X is settled and the big changes are done or doing at the moment so perfect time to start trying now for all of us.

Do you have any great tips or tricks you used whilst toilet training? 

Kate xxx

Weaning

So i mentioned awhile ago that we would be starting night weaning with Master X soon....that soon is now! He loves to fall asleep feeding and feed back to sleep at night, it never bothered me and I really wish I could continue but in order for us to add to our lovely family I need to stop night feeds. Now i knew that this process was not going to be a one night thing and I knew it was me that had to do it- I wasn't going to send him to sleep over to break the habit nor was I going to send hubby in to settle- he is used to mummy and weaning will be hard enough for him let alone add mummy not being there too much stress for my little man. So for the last week I have been preparing myself for long bouts of screaming and just lots of cuddles (definately no cry it out here but Master X is a screamer at the best of times). So the first night came last night.....

Well last night was not half as bad as what I thought it would be, I know its only night one but he did so well. He woke at 830pm and for 15mins he screamed at me but in the end succumbed to my cuddles and slept and woke at 1130pm and did much the same. Then 355pm and wasnt as bad and then came waddling down to our bedroom at 5pm. To many this may seem terrible but I was so proud of him he did such a fantastic job! He was looking forward to his morning feed.

All day we have been talking about how we have milk in the morning whenthe sun is up and you can see outside, night time when it is dark you sleep and no milk. Master X uses the word 'bobble' for wanting a feed and today he has actually been teasing me with it. Coming up to me saying 'bobble? No' then smiling. He's getting it, he's really getting it and its the best feeling. I tried night weaning when he was 16 months and I just knew it was way too early, he wasn't comprehending it at all and it really affected him, but now he is almost 20 mths he is able to understand it so much more. Even tonight as he went to bed, normally he would feed to sleep but tonight he rolled around then fell asleep on his own next to me, it was great.

So weaning is well under way, hopefully the morning feed won't affect my hormones too much and I can continue it for Master X. I have had 2 beautiful and long breastfeeding journeys, both similar but unique too. For now I am going to lay down and maybe sneak a little sleep just in case tonight is worse than last night. It's the 2-3am wake ups where it's so tempting just to feed him back to sleep but I know I have to stick to it, consistency is the key! Consistency and gentleness I believe, the last thing I want to do is stress my poor boy out so we are taking it slow and doing it our way that suits him best. Wish me luck and hopefully by the end of the week he is taking it all in his stride still.

Just too cute isn't he! I love our nightime cuddles and being number two it's a rare time we get one on one!

Kate xxx

Going Natural For Our Health

I have been going to the local markets lately on a Sunday morning with the kids, allowing hubby to have a sleep in (I know I am fantastic aren't I) I buy all our vegetables and fruit and the odd "junky" toy for the kids!  At first I was doing it to save money as i bought in bulk, but it wasn't until I purchased supermarket strawberries last week that I realised we were all benefitting from the freshness of the food I was buying at the markets!  The supermarket strawberries had no flavour and were hard, something I had never noticed before!  We love our little trip to the markets, its literally a whole new world with a very "diverse" range of people!

Last week we planted our own garlic and strawberry plants, thanks to the rain I haven't had to water them all week but they need sunshine so go now rain!  This is the start of becoming a more natural household!  Master X wear cloth nappies at home 80% of the time (Iknow I could do better but better than not at all), I make his vegetables for dinner, I try to only give the kids the occasional packet food, the creams we have are natural (except one for Master X which I intend to change) and I have stopped buying harsh chemicals for the house!  Now, as much as I would love to say that everything we consume and use is going to be 100% natural, its just not going to happen!  I will still use disposables when out, Master X does have the Raffertys Organic vegetables when we go out.  But I am making a conscious effort to read all labels and try and chose all natural or as close to all natural as I can for the sake of my family!

In our family reading labels is also a matter of life and death as Master X has an anaphylactic allergy to egg and as you can imagine egg is EVERYWHERE!!!  So since he was diagnosed at 11 months every packet food is checked and any food where I cannot read the label he does not have!  This allergy has made me aware of the contents of our food much more than I did before.  There is a lot more baking happening in this house (husband thinks this is great and needless to say I have to double the batch to compensate what he eats at night!) and parties are just that little bit more stressful for me, theres no kicking back and not worrying what they eat, I have to be one step behind him the whole time.  In my favour, Master X is very good and has never been one to pick anything up and eat it.  Plus he is quite fussy with his food so we are still eating mashed vegetables for dinner and a lot of the "baby" food that is egg free.  So in our attempt to be more natural, it will benefit everyones health whilst keeping the environment safe for Master X. The thought of using that EpiPen absolutely freaks me out so we don't even keep eggs in our house!

I hope to have some more recipes for you of some of the snacks I have been baking and with 2 birthday parties in the planning stage I will share with you some allergy free but so yummy party food!

Kate xxx

The Magic of Discovery Making a Vegetable garden

From the minute they are born children are discovering, the magic of discovery is encouraging your kids to discover new things about the world.  This will differ from age to age but they never stop discovering and learning.  This is so clear in our household, with an 18 month old who is still discovering the very basic parts of "his world" here at home to an almost 4 year old who is just starting to discover the world outside of the home.  Both so different but just as magical as each other and helping them with this discovery is so rewarding.  Discovery for kids happens all year round, but winter can sometimes bring unwelcome bugs to our little ones and stop them discovering.  Here in our house we use Nurofen for Children as it gets temperatures back to normal faster than paracetamol so the kids can get back to the magic of discovery.

Just a few of what we purchased to plant

The kids are always with me doing the groceries and just the other day my almost 4 year old Miss P asked me several questions about different foods I placed in trolley.  From where they come from, who puts them there, how they get to the store and more.  So this opened up an opportunity for discovery.  At home we discussed that people planted the vegetables, cared for them and then picked them.  Miss P wanted to do this so we decided to make a vegetable patch (small but suitable for us).  So off to the nursery where Miss P helped choose the vegetables we often eat, soil to help them grow and of course some new gloves!  Not to forget our 18 month old Master X, who unable to discuss with us about the process, he was doing his own discovery in the nursery itself and then helping with digging the vegetable patch.  Discovering new textures, smells and skills all magic to him.

Discovering how to dig in the dirt

Different texture, digging in the rocks

Miss P really enjoyed digging the holes for the plants as we discussed again that we need to care for the vegetables in order for them to grow.  Miss P discovered that it wasn't an instant process, something which I feel is a valuable lesson, that we can't have everything instantly!  So with the vegetables planted and watered, the magic of discovery was great and we are still talking about it.  The vegetable garden will be our little ongoing discovery as our vegetables grow and then again when we get to pick and eat our vegetables from our own garden.  I cannot wait to see the excitement on Miss P's face when they are ready to pick.  The magic of discovery is alive here and we love it.

Loving the magic of discovery

Explaining that Master X "isn't doing it right"

For more information on how Nurofen can help with your children's fevers visit their website www.nurofenchildren.com.au 

Kate xxx

The Journey So Far

Motherhood brings with it triumphs, dilemmas and challenges! I have had my fair share of all of these with my two little ones. The biggest triumph I have had with both the kids has been breastfeeding- Miss P was fed until 16 months and Master X is still feeding at 17 months. I have had a wonderful journey with both and the journey for Master X and I is almost over, we would like to add to the tribe and in order to do this I need to cease breastfeeding (doctors orders and I had to do the same to fall pregnant with Master X) here lies the dilemma, getting Master X to go along happily with this is the challenge!

We are not ones for cry it out and Master X will not allow anyone else to settle him especially if not feeding is offered! So I began to do what I do best- read and research. I found an excellent article by Dr Jay Gordon (thanks to a great friend for it) on gentle night weaning (here) and it's exactly the way we would want to approach it and intend to. I also visited the Australian Breastfeeding Association forum and gained alot of tips from other mums and breastfeeding experts. It also made me reflect back on the journey to the end so far.

About two weeks ago I stopped day feeds so Master X was only having feeds at night. I thought this would be the best way and then we would just focus on the night feeds. Well he got sick (still no day feeds) so night feeds remained and then I to sick so again still feeding at night. This brings us to now. As of late my little man has been throwing alot of very emotional tantrums, really upset heartbroken almost. I know this is common for his age but I can see there's more to them. Since the time I stopped his day feeds he has become very clingy and quite upset if I move away from him and has begun waking more frequently at night than normal. He wakes quite scared and almost as if he's lost. Then I thought a bit harder and looked at the big picture. Master X began this over emotional behavior a day after I dropped day feeds, it was gradual but started then. Then his night wakings became more often and alot more upset when he woke- normally he'd wake, roll over, feed go to sleep but lately he wakes screaming, then eventually feeds then asleep. He has also been waking at 430 am everyday, he normal rises early like the rest of the house but normally 530-6am! Then today he seemed really unsettled and it really concerned me, he had a good nap through day, no teeth, not sick. I kept thinking I know this has to do with breastfeeding. Lately he has been pulling on my shirt through the day crying for milk. So tonight I have decided I want my happy little boy back and I have been going the wrong way about it. Thanks to some expert advice from Australian Breastfeeding Association I realized I was doing things in reverse. I need to increase the day feeds which will eventually decrease the need/want for night feeds. This will then allow me to begin gradual total night feeds.

I have such a great supportive husband who always tells me to just listen to my heart and listen to Master X. As much as we want to add to the tribe, if there is a bigger age gap between number 2 and 3 then so be it we would rather that than Master X being so unsettled. So to,or row starts the new plan of attack, day feeds reintroduced and increased- when wake, after breakfast, morning tea, after lunch, afternoon tea, afternoon and before bed. I know this won't have an instant effect but hopefully over few weeks he will not wake as much through night for a feed as he is being fulfilled throughout the day. His tantrums will probably still remain (being an 18month it comes with the territory) but they won't be as emotional. I have had the best journey(s) with breastfeeding so far I don't want to end it badly. So wish me luck in this journey and here's to making my little man feel reassured again.

Kate xxx

Always a Positive

The sun is out and its a new day! The worries of yesterday have gone and time to move on people!

Well sort of anyway! The theory is great and I try to live by it but sometimes Mr Negative still creeps in and we realise we are HUMAN!

Recently some aspects of my life have changed, kind of for the better but in a sad way too. Us girls we value our friends (Im sure guys do too but we have a different connection to our friends) so when one departs us it kind of hits us hard. sometimes this is out of our control which in my case it is and i love this friend dearly but she is just that my friend and a dear one at that and i must respect her desire to distance herself from me. Does it make it easier? No way in fact harder. Its always easier if there is a clear reason, a massive argument to make it clear why this is happening but other times there isn't one and you just have to go with it. I have previously been very upset (internally) trying to comprehend it and coming to terms with reality of semi losing this close friend, but I am at one with it now. I am still upset at times and confused but really do I get upset and waste my life wondering or do I get on with it, let my emotions be known and just hope one day she will venture back? I have chosen the latter, I'm living my life!

I read a very sad blog the other day and ever since then my perspective on life has done a 360! No longer to I get upset over tiny things, or annoyed at meaningless things. My husband works very hard for us so the time we have with him we need to make every second count! If the house is a mess no longer am I running around yelling at kids to pack up, they're kids after all and they aren't being rough with the toys they're merely playing and having fun! This long weekend just gone I made myself aware every time I went to jump in when my husband was playing with kids, or when the kids started getting toys out and when the house looked like a tornado had hit it! Instead I went with it (I still tidied dishes and the usual) and it was a much much happier and fun household! Who knew one person could change the way it all functioned- I know the MUM does it again, right?? We mum's control a lot of how our families are and I have just realised this and it is so true! I stopped stressing and being military mum and all of a sudden we are functioning and happy! Although I am still military mum when needed but everything in moderation!

And it is our 5 year wedding anniversary this weekend and we are heading to The Hilton in Surfers Paradise and I can't wait! We decided instead of presents which we probably won't use again lets go away as a family, be pampered in a luxury hotel and enjoy what we as a husband and wife have created together!

So its onwards and upwards for me, I hope you all can see the brighter side of life too! And remember we all have and are entitled to bad days, there are days everything is negative its the world against me but then I realise what and who I have in my life and it makes the bad days a little easier. Mind you there are those days everything seems to go wrong the minute I open my eyes so I normally just write those days off!

Stay positive, laugh lots with people you love and who love you!

Kate xx