Bobbing

Ok, I'm going to keep this brief.

She used to have hair like this:

Now she has hair like this:

A choppy scissors incident led to an angry mum finding the shortest piece of hair and cutting straight across...into a bob. And so it is that my child now has short hair.

S is no longer allowed to cut and paste at home. Mum will keep in mind that leaving the room to get something is apparently not ok... x

Christmas Lights

So excited in her car seat about to leave...in her pj's.

I took S out tonight to see Christmas lights for the very first time. She was the perfect age to go. The excitement of waiting up until it neared darkness. Knowing that her little sister was tucked up fast asleep as we "snuck" out of the house and drove out of the driveway towards our little adventure.

As we approached the street that I planned to visit she could see houses lit up along the way. All I could hear were exclamations of happiness from the back seat. I had the biggest grin on my face and a lump in my throat as she said "Look mum! A Santa on the roof", "oh mummy, thank you, thank you for bringing me to see the lights", "those lights...they're so...so...gracious!" (I have no idea where she gets this stuff from, but I love it).

The pictures tell the rest. Definitely worth the drive and a great lead up to Christmas. Something we'll be doing again next year. x

No more dummy

She must have been ready. I told her I had a surprise for her in the morning if she went to bed without a dummy.

One catch though (isn't there always?) - you can't have the dummy back. It's gone for good.

And just like that S ditched the dummy for her surprise and was wrapped with it when she woke up this morning (at 6.30am). Mum's pretty impressed too! Unbelievably painless. x

There's a party on the hill...

The internet was trawled for months prior for inspiration. Pretty decorations were leisurely made in the weeks before. Paper flower garlands sewed. Bunting completed. Cake ideas circulating through my mind. It was all a bit of fun.

I made a list of friends. Decided to throw caution to the wind and invite everyone. 29 kids were invited. And their parents. 26 kids confirmed their attendance.

Panic set in. Is the house big enough? What if it rains? How do you occupy 26 freaking kids? More flower pom-poms made to take my mind off it.

Party games organised to stop kids from climbing the walls with boredom. Pass the parcel. Check. Treasure hunt. Check. Pinata...it costs what? Ok, check. Alcohol bought to encourage the parents to mingle.

House decorated. Carpets vacuumed, garden tended to (thanks husband). Cake iced. Chose to ignore the curdled icing and soldier on. Girls were dressed. Dressed myself. Decided to enjoy this party since it was really just a few hours out of my life that could be great - and if not, it's just a few hours out of my life.

Started to relax. Mingled a little. Played the games with the kids. Found myself having fun. Kids got on just fine. Sun shone. Got sweaty. Face shiny and red. Something else I chose to ignore.

People leaving. Party bags offered. Kisses and hugs to farewell.

Photo courtesy of Jo

Feet ached. Throat sore from tiredness. Shoes off. Wine poured. Seat found. Aaaah. Mental review of the day. Giggled that my lemon tree got watered.

And just like that Isabella's first birthday was over. It was fun. She is so worthy of the effort. It helps that she smiled and laughed the whole day.

Now, I'm off to sleep for a week. Children permitting, of course. x

Uno

IsyB you are one. Now that was one whirlwind of a year that passed so quickly. You're still so little - petite enough to fool me into thinking I still have a baby. You're still keen on the breastmilk too, so its easier to carry on with the illusion that you're not yet one, you're still my little baby that I brought home from the hospital...was it just a few months ago?

Then I look at myself in the mirror and the dark circles under my eyes remind me that neither of us have slept through the night for a year...and then it feels like its been 12 months of busy nights. 

I know I keep saying it, but you've been an absolute delight from the moment you were born. You're calm, quiet, observant, affectionate and you have a loooong fuse. It's just that once its lit...we have to get out of the way because you're a firecracker once you're peeved!

You joined our family seamlessly. You loved us all immediately. You snuggled and smiled and played and crawled your way into our hearts and now that we are a family of four it is hard to concieve that we were ever really happy without you here with us.

You love your sister. She can light up your face whenever she walks into the room. S has been a loving and patient sister and it has been her saving grace after we've endured her 3rd year - a year of expressing herself, pushing boundaries and staking her claim in our family. Seeing her love you and you love her has helped us to see S as the gentle, loving little girl she is.

You are also cheeky with a great sense of humour. You have us laughing many times. Any grumps can be forgotten with a quick game of "Boo!" which you never grow tired of. It was your first word.

I am getting used to hearing "Mummy!" from another room. How is it that my baby can talk? Aren't you still too little?

You're just about to say "Boo!" here

You're cruising furniture but not ready to walk. You can crawl at a furious pace and you don't miss out on much since you can keep up with us all as you crawl along.

You're a great eater - more of a fruit bat than a veggie girl. It must be that sweet tooth you inherited. Sorry about that...

Thank you for this year. I was told 6 weeks after you were born by a stranger that had "abilities" whilst at a childrens party that you were given to me to show me what a wonderful mother I could be. I took it with a grain of salt (because she also told me I'd have 4!!! kids) but I can see some truth in it. Perhaps its because I'm a second time mum. Perhaps its how your personality affects mine. But I have enjoyed you immensely and I look forward to the many years ahead of enjoying eachother.

Happy birthday Boo. You are so loved. x



Standing

She loves to stand but she needs a prop. Any old thing will do. x

34

I am 34 today.

I know it's been said a thousand times by countless others - but how did I get here so fast? Where did that time go? Am I really in my mid thirties already?

I'm not saying I'm old. I'm just amazed that I'm here already. But when I do a few sums in my head the numbers add up and it makes sense.

I've been with my man for 16 years :: I've studied and obtained a degree :: I've gotten married :: I've lived overseas :: I've travelled extensively :: I've worked 3 jobs in 3 different industries :: I've bought a house ::
I've had 2 kids

These things don't happen within a couple of years. It took time to get here. And so, here I am. 34.

I've always felt so young and I have no reason to feel any different on this birthday, but I do. I feel different. I feel like it's time for me to grow up. Be an adult. Suck it up. Do what I have to do to get where I want to go. Be authentic. Be myself. Like myself. Stop apologising for who I am. Stake my claim in this life. Say no when I feel I need to. Say yes when I mean it. Love more. Fear Less. Now.

So today I have cleansed, toned & moisturised my neglected face. My dry hands have been moisturised several times. I have gone to the toilet as soon as I need to go, instead of holding til my kidneys ache because I'm busy with other things. I discarded my breastfeeding bra and put on something lacey. I took my vitamins. I included myself in my list of people to care for today and I think I could make a habit of this. It's not half bad. It actually feels quite good.

I would never relive my youth but I don't regret a minute of my past. It's got me exactly where I am today. 34. Alive. Loved. Blessed.

Happy birthday to me. x

6 months

The days, weeks, months are flying by. My baby is 6 months old. When I say flying by, perhaps a more accurate description would be moving by in a haze of sleep deprived stupor. But it's a happy stupor.

How could it not be with a gorgie like this beaming up at you every day? Eating like a trouper. Smiling her sport of choice. Cuddles a favourite too.

Moving forward on her tummy using her legs like a caterpillar. Rocking back and forth on her hands and knees. I'm watching my baby grow in leaps and bounds week by week. I'm delighted for her while at the same time grossly outraged at how quickly the newborn phase passes and how before I know it this little girl of mine will be running amok around my home.

Funnily, it's this same reliance on the changing of phases that I hold onto when my eyes are hanging out of my head once again from a busy night shift. It's a phase. It'll be over soon.

How bittersweet motherhood is. We break out hearts if we think our children may not be thriving, yet they also break when they do. Thriving means growing. Growing means changing. Changing means that time is passing. Quickly. I'll be discussing world events over a cuppa with Is before I can blink, and I know it. I'm acutely aware of it. And yet I look forward to it.

For now at 6 months of age I'm loving being the centre of her universe. Having her rely on me for everything. My heart feels like it moves in my chest when she smiles at me. When she tries to take the spoon off me to feed herself. When I walk back into a room and she's halfway to the other side of it beaming at me with pride.

Go on then - thrive my lovely one. But go easy on me - my heart can only take so much! x

PS. Two milestones to note:

1. Received her first black eye as an accidental gift from her sister.
2. Slept in the pram - finally!!!

4 months

You were 4 months old last week. As if you knew it, you discovered your voice and talked happily all day. You've found your hands in recent weeks and stare at your feet as they dance away in front of you. You have a smile for anyone who enters your line of sight. Big, gummy, delighted smiles. Especially when we're excited for you, such as when you rolled over front to back for the first time last Sunday.

So far you've been a placid soul. You have a gentle nature but a cheeky smile, a hearty giggle and a general delight about you. At the moment while you're feeding, you'll pull off my breast, give me a cheeky smile and then get back to sucking with gusto...which is a little harder given you're smiling so widely.

You're so happy to be here with us. I feel that as the weeks roll by you're unfolding before me like a beautiful rose - lots of layers, more things to discover about you - each new stage more thrilling and delightful than the last.

You're a mummy's girl in public places. A bit shy and very quiet. When others hold you, you try to smile, but your face changes from a full crescent shaped frown to a weak smile and back to a frown while your eyes plead at me to take you back. You really are trying to be happy in someone else's arms. As soon as we put you in the car to return home from a social outing you exhale big sighs of delight and talk away, smiling the whole time. Safe in familiar surrounds.

You need to be talked through new situations. Your sister loved baths, but you need me to talk to you about what's happening - I can't just sit you in it straight away. I start by dipping your toes in, then up to your knees, then sit you in the bath before slowly lowering you onto your back. All the while I'm telling you it's ok, you're alright, you're safe, the water is warm and inviting. You look at me with a worried little face. You take in deep breaths and then hold it - not sure about any of it. Until I keep talking and you trust me and you eventually enjoy yourself kicking and wriggling away.

I never knew babies could be as easy as you are. I've honestly enjoyed every day with you. I look forward to every day to come. Thank you for being you - I love every inch of you inside and out. x