Sunday, March 27, 2011

Water, All Natural Snacks, and Sling Rides

Today was great fun! I took the boys to the beach for the afternoon.







Eli thought the rocks were the best part of our beach trip. He snacked on this one for about 20 minutes.


The kids ended up shoeless as they were soaked, but full of giggles and smiles from having so much fun.




Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Review of the Adjustable Peanut Shell


This week I was lucky enough to get chosen, by Babes In Arms, to use and review the Adjustable Peanut Shell shoulder sling. This was actually my first try of a shoulder sling (if you don't count the 10 minutes of my sisters Infantino).


The things I love about this sling are the padded shoulder, and the little pocket on the front, perfect size for my phone! It's also very small so can roll up in a handbag easily.


Slipping it on and off is a cinch, and adjusting it is super easy. I am a larger sized lady and it fit me perfectly. I had no difficulty at all following the instructions, so for a new baby wearer, this sling would be great! I love the extra safety strap on the inside, for peace of mind. It's also very soft and snug and Eli really enjoyed it!


I hip carried him as he is almost 10 months old and didn't approve of my attempt to Kangaroo Carry. I wish I'd had something like this when he was a newborn for trips to the shop, or school to pick up the other kids. For the price you'd get your money's worth.


It does come in an array of colours and patterns, I chose black because it doesn't stain and goes with everything. I'm boring like that!


You can check them out here.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Trip To Get My Car

This week has been kind of a nightmare. I'd spent the last 2 months saving up to go pick up my car. It was in Sorell in Hobart, and needed a new battery, new rear brake pads, and a tank of petrol.

I had booked a hire car to be picked up last Sunday, so I could get to Sorell on Monday (45 minutes from where I am). Get the taxi to the hire car place with both babies and 2 car seats, they wont accept my mastercard because it's a debit card not a credit card. The lady hadn't told me that. So we cabbed back home, $40 wasted and no way to get to the car in Sorell.

I ring around, my aunty lends us her car, so I go down the road to Eastlands shopping centre, buy a battery that the guy says is the right one for the car (according to his book). I stood there saying "It looks too big, are you sure" but he was adamant it was the correct size. Off we go to pick up the car.

Get there, car has been broken into, door lock is hanging out, glove box broken, wires hanging out. I'm annoyed but will deal with it later.

Go to put the battery in, wrong battery and doesn't fit. There are some men across the road working on a house, so I borrow jumper
leads from them but still can't start it. Call the mechanic and he comes out (call out fee) and starts the car with his truck battery. Yay!

So I take the car to the mechanic, say to put a new battery in and I'll take the other one back. I get back to Eastlands to take the battery back, and he calls. The pads I bought were the wrong ones. I was scared that would happen. So add another $120 and I now have a set of the wrong pads which I can hopefully return when I get home. He says the car will be ready at 5 now because he needs to get the pads from town so I took the battery back without a hassle
thankfully.

Get there at 5 and the car wont start! The mechanic is stumped because he drove it out of the shop and it worked fine, now it wont start. He works on it for an hour before it goes, then gives me the wonderful news... my starter motor is on the way out. Gives me the option to leave it there or take my chances in getting it home. I drive it to mums.

The car works fine the next 10 times I start it. Tuesday I decided to take Eli out and go op shopping while Ash slept and mum babysat. Get to the second stop and it wont start again. Get the cab home.

My nan drives from Blackman's Bay to take us back out to it and see if we can start it after it's been sitting there for a couple of hours. Goes first try. No more chances, I drive it straight to the mechanic to be fixed. That was 2 days ago. It's still there, they still haven't called me back. I have a terrible feeling I will be bussing home instead of driving :(

Add to that both kids have gastro now.

Bad luck? I think so!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Peanut Sling and Ergo Baby Carriers

So today I am really excited! Last night I got an email from Babes In Arms saying I had been chosen to review the Adjustable Peanut Sling baby carrier! I am very excited, as I have wanted to try a shoulder sling for a long time now! I've tried wraps, SSC, Mei Tais, a POD, and my favourite Hammock Conversion, but not a shoulder sling! Eagerly waiting it's arrival!

I also have entered a draw to win a ERGObaby carrier. These are pretty awesome, just throw them on and off you go, birth to toddlerhood, city to bush. I loved mine (so much so that it turned from black to a grey colour) and used it for 2 years, carrying my Ashy from birth until he was a hefty 17kg toddler. I hope I win! Check it out over at The Bragging Mommy :)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Feel The Love

Today when I picked Jaidan up from school, I said "Guess what Jaidan?". "What mum?" he replied. "I love you the most", I told him. "Mum stop saying that, I don't like it" he declared. "Why not?" I asked. "You give me a headache" he sighed.

Little brat. LOL

On another note, we had a very long and exhausting day today. Headed to a gathering for International Women's Day. It was lots of fun, Ash got to ride a pony and was surprisingly confident! We spent a lot of time there, having a stab in the dark I would say almost half the time we were there today was spent at the ponies.

I am feeling really cranky today. Lack of sleep I think, but I woke up tired and grumpy and haven't been able to kick it. The kids have been good but everything is annoying me so I've parked them in front of the TV for now.

I am so close to having my car I can taste it. Feels like one step forward, 2 steps back at the moment. I almost had the money to go pick it up, which is hard for me as I am usually very close to incoming amount with bills and things, and then the power bill came in didn't it. So back to square one basically and a 2 week wait is turning out to be a 2 month one I think.

Yes, today is a whingy whiny post. I'm allowed to have them occasionally aren't I?

Saturday, March 5, 2011

To Cuddle Or Not To Cuddle?


As mothers we worry about our parenting.

We worry about making 'a rod' for our own back.

We stress too much over little things...

Ashton was my easy baby. Why? Because I was relaxed. I went with the flow. I followed my instincts and not a baby book, or advice from well meaning people. Eli is just as easy, he's a happy and content baby. This is not because of his genes, or because he fit in with our lifestyle. This is because he had been nurtured, day and night. His needs have been met, when they arise, not in my own time.


One thing that comes up a lot is self settling. We stress about our babies not going to sleep on their own. Needing to be cuddled, fed, patted, rocked, stroked... to get to sleep. As I type this, Eli is snoring on my knee after having a quick feed and snuggling into me as he drifted off to sleep.


Something I have learnt in my 7 years of being a parent, is that sometimes they need it. Sometimes it's easier to give them a cuddle for 5 minutes until they fall asleep. Sometimes it's easier to feed them for 10 minutes if that's what they need for comfort. It's easier on us, and easier on them. Our children are people, with needs. Emotional as well as physical. Yes their bottoms might be clean, their tummies full, they might be snug and warm, or nice and cool. One thing you can't tell my sight, is what is going on inside their heads. When you put a baby down to 'self settle' and they cry, they are telling you something.

It breaks my heart that people leave their babies to cry. I did it. I left my oldest son to cry it out in his cot. Telling myself I was doing the best thing I could. Eventually he would stop crying and go to sleep. I did it with my next boy too, not as bad but I still did it occasionally. Eventually he learnt to self settle with his dummy. Ashton and Eli, I didn't. Eli is never left to cry. I pick him up, give him cuddles, comfort him in any way he needs.


I often wonder if people who leave their babies to cry actually think about it from the babies point of view. How would you like to be locked in a cage, in the dark, lonely and scared? You cry out for someone to come and bring some warmth and sooth you, and you are ignored. You're craving to be held, touched, cuddled... but there is no one to listen. So you stop crying. What is the point? No one comes when you call. So you drift off to sleep, not thinking happy thoughts, not feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Instead you feel sad, lonely, hopeless. You've given up. That night you don't have nice dreams, you have horrible ones and when you wake and it's still dark and lonely you whimper and go back to sleep praying that the next time you wake it will be morning, because that light brings comfort. The comfort that you so desperately crave as a baby.

Sometimes it is a pain, sometimes I just DO want to get that washing folded, or those dishes washed. Sometimes I just want to sit down and relax. Then I remember, this too shall pass. A day in the not too distant future he isn't going to need my comfort as much. He wont want to have special cuddles in the night. He wont need to hear my heart beating as he lays his head on my chest.

So tonight when he cried and I picked him up, and he rubbed his head into my shoulder like he does when he's tired, I smiled. I sat down, and cuddled him, stroked his nose, stroked his eyebrows. Whispered that I loved him. Breathed in his scent and rested my head on his head.

\

Today he wants my cuddles. Needs my comfort. I am going to enjoy it. It doesn't last forever. Ashton can verify that. At 12 months he was going down to sleep in his cot and sleeping through the night, without any crying. Now at 2.5 he sleeps 12 hours at night, and a 2 hour nap during the day. He is my best sleeper.

The day we put down the baby book, and tune in to our hearts, is the day that parenting goes from stressful to easy.
*this blog is a rewrite of one I wrote last year*

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Music, Play Dates and Good Food

We've had a very busy couple of days! All the usual kids activities have all started again and it's taking it's toll getting used to it all again!

Yesterday was my birthday. I was woken to "happy birthday mummy! IT is YOUR birthday today mummy!!". I was greeted with a lot of facebook wall messages wishing me a wonderful day which brought a smile to my face. Then off we went to Kinda Gym which was great fun as always and home again. Chase made me a gorgeous puzzle at school, he drew me "holding some balloons for your birthday". How cute is that? When I asked Jaidan what he'd made me at school for my birthday, he replied with "nothing but if you give me some money I will buy you something at the shop?". How thoughtful LOL
I really did have a wonderful day. I got lots of hugs and kisses, and I got to spend it with my boys which is really all that matters! I also got some lovely presents from my sisters, brother and mum, and a surprise from a lovely friend in Melbourne. Thanks Sarah!!

A friend of mine, Nat, shared a link with me today. I will share it with you. This girl is 10. Her voice and songs are just amazing. I absolutely love this song and also one called 'Unexpected'


My lovely friend, Tammy, knitted this beautiful set for Eli when he was a very new bubba. It was so massive on him. Today I pulled it out of the cupboard to try again. It fits! And I think he looks adorable in it!

I also have to give a shout out to a wonderful company called Machiko Baby. I bought some things for the boys and they look adorable on! I am sure you will agree!!




Eli is 9 months old today. All I have to say is that time really does fly!! He's really getting around now doing the cutest army crawl, he looks like a little caterpillar. He's so beautiful and so much fun! He's got a wicked sense of humour, loves playing peek a boo. He can say a few words now, and does the cutest things with his brothers. He roars like a lion with Jaidan, and says "uhhh uhhh" when he's touching something naughty LOL His little face lights up at school pick up when he sees Chase, and Ashton dotes on him which is just adorable. He can clap and wave, and has started pulling up to a half stand. He really enjoys his food and the BLS is going wonderfully! He can eat basically anything! His 2 favourite foods so far are sushi and Teriyaki beef. This child has awesome taste!
The longest noodle in history

What happens when you're 2, and decide not to nap...

I better get some rest myself, playgroup starts again tomorrow at the primary school so we're off to that. The Ashy has a playdate with his gorgeous little mate Kobi. I have a feeling these 2 2 year olds will grow up close :) They are in a lot of the same groups and we've started having play dates.

Really need to get my house in order over the weekend. I feel like I'm living in a cluttered house that only gets tidied properly on inspection day. Time to break out the boxes and garbage bags and put away some of this stuff. Since I'll be here for the next 12 months, my thinking needs to change. Go from "I'll have somewhere to put these in a few weeks" to "better buy some more shelves and pack away some of the stuff I don't need" ... the joys! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Oh and feel free to go and vote for Elijah, in the Bonds Baby Competition :)

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Feed Feed Feed

Wonder Week here. Apparently not only is sleep over rated, but the booby is a dummy/comfort toy/food source/boredom fixer/play thing/sleep aid...

Really I'm not complaining, I love our breastfeeding relationship and being a 'crunchie mom' is very important to me.

On another note, Mr. Idonotwanttorollorcrawl has started pulling up on things to standing. For a child who does nothing much else then sit and play with his toys, this really surprised me.
My. Child. Is. A. Freak. LOL