Happy Birthday Ryan

A year ago today I was enjoying a 'mini break' holiday... in hospital, while gazing at our sweet newborn boy.

Happy Birthday, Ryan! I don't know where time flies to, but we love you more every day.

A car-shaped cake and plenty of presents (courtesy of grandparents!), made our little boy the happiest kid on the block. And Naomi very kindly offered to help him with all the eating and unwrapping that NEEDED to be done...

Wishlist Wednesday - So much craft, so little time!

I have recently joined the Etsy Supply Street Team (Team Esst), through my fabric and haberdashery supply shop, Fabric Fusion. What a fantastic welcoming group they are, and full of shops with the most glorious crafting supplies (just search for 'Team ESST' under Supplies, at Etsy).

As today is my first child-free day in over 3 years, I am having an attack of mummy guilt. I should be sewing up a storm, to justify having 1 day a week with both kids in Family Daycare. Instead I am sitting here dreaming about all these wonderful supplies, and the crafts I could try with them! So here is my Wishlist Wednesday, featuring supply shops from Team ESST.

Assorted ribbon embellisments by BusyBeading.

Artisan made butterfly pendant by CathyDailey.

Vintage 1960's A-Line dress pattern by Sandritocat.

Assorted altered art scrapbooking embellisment by MyBrokenArt.

PS - Team ESST are having a huge team-wide sale later in February... more details to come, so browse now and then check out the huge savings and special deals that will be available!

But Why????

You know you have a 3 year old when....... 'Why?' is the response you hear to absolutely anything you say!

Recent conversation -

"I'm hungry, Mummy"

"Yes, dear, we will have lunch soon."

"Why, Mum?"

"Because you are hungry, Naomi"

"Yes, but why?"

"Because the gastro-intestinal acids in your stomach have finished digesting everything you had for breakfast and morning tea, and are now sending hunger impulses to your brain, telling you to eat something."

Dazed look, thinks for a minute....

"Oh. But Why, Mummy?"

Aaarrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am seriously in need of parenting suggestions.... how do you deal with 'why?'. I am ok to answer it reasonably most of the time, but when it is the response to every single statement! (Daddy says this morning, Naomi I have to go to the toilet. Response 'why, daddy?')

Is there a recommended method of maintaining your sanity for the next year or 2, until this obsession with 'but, why?' passes?

To everything there is a season

... and now is not the season for my patchwork stitching group. Soon after we moved to this lovely small town, I heard of a dedicated group of ladies who meet each Thursday, to stitch, sew, knit, crochet and generally enjoy their mutual craftiness. I have been wanting to find a group like this - and all these ladies are so talented, that you can just sit and soak up their combined knowledge (like osmosis!).

We have been going each Thursday for a couple of months now. I am the only member with kids in tow. I am the only member this side of 60! But to their credit, these ladies have been very accommodating to Ryan and Naomi.

Unfortunately, I have decided not to keep going each week. Naomi's Playgroup also meets on Thursday mornings, so we have been shuttling from one group to the other. Also, as Ryan is growing up he needs more attention and entertainment - he is no longer content to sit in his capsule with a toy to suck on, er, I mean, play with. And heaven help me when he starts crawling!

I am going to miss what Naomi calls "Mummy's Stitching Group". It has been wonderful to feel part of an adult group, and share my craft interests. Some of the beautiful quilts I have seen are very inspiring!

But to everything there is a season (turn, turn, turn). And this is not the season for me to be in a stitching group. Perhaps in a few years, when the kids are in school / kindy. Or perhaps it is just something to look forward to, for when I am a grandmother!

I am trying to be philosophical, and not to be frustrated with having to drop the one thing that I really feel I did that was totally for my own pleasure. Because I would rather have the nice memories, than be frustrated and cranky at the kids every week, and not getting any enjoyment out of it at all.

Anyone for seconds?

Remember that tiny newborn baby I introduced to you 5 months ago? Just look at him now!

This is his first 'dinner' - mmmm.... sweet potato and cauliflower, all mushed up. He devoured it! I hadn't intended starting solids until Ryan is 6 months old, but as usual I am being pressured by the medical fraternity because he is not putting on weight to match their charts. (Hello ... his parents barely reach 5'3", on a tall day!)

Anyway, rather than start comp feeding on formula, we have started solid meals a bit early. Oh, that and the fact that he was just about to take a bite out of whoever was holding him at meal times!

First day back....

was a real hum-dinger. Oh Boy. (No, I should say, "Oh Girl").

In just 8 days of his being on holidays with us, how on earth can I possibly have come to rely so heavily on Sweet Hubby entertaining Naomi, and playing with / carrying Ryan during the day?

I write this as peace has descended on our house. Finally. Ryan is asleep, Brad has taken Naomi for a looooooong drive (he left something in the office that he needs tonight). And I have just set a new world record for fastest time to devour a choc-mint Aero bar. Next is a glass of wine.

It can only be better tomorrow, right? And age 3 IS better than age 2, right??? PLEASE!!!!!

Tuesday Tips for Mum - making clean up fun

By the end of the day, the last thing I feel like doing is cleaning up the toys... again. But, our play area is right inside the front door (hmmm.... talk about poor planning!), and I do like to give Sweet Hubby a clear run through from the front door to the living area, when he gets home from work!

So my tip on getting little kids to help with cleaning / tidying up is to make it fun (sorry, that is so obvious it sounds silly, doesn't it?). Some of the best ways I have found to do this are:

* Have spare cleaning equipment for them. Naomi is thrilled at the thought of sweeping. So she happily picks up her toys, if she can then get to swish a broom around, while I am actually sweeping the floor. I also keep a spray bottle filled with water, and clean cloth, for her to "wipe" with, while I am doing bench tops, wiping down cupboards, dusting etc. She loves to spray!

* Make it a race. Against Mummy, against a timer, before Daddy gets home, or just to see who can hold the most toys in their arms at once. Whatever you can think of!

* Incorporate something they love. Naomi adores having her picture taken. So I like to take a 'before' photo, and then tell her we can take another one after, when the room is tidy and the floor swept. I did this today, and it worked a charm --

Before:

After:

and not a single complaint - she actively picked up toys, tidied up books, and helped me shake out the floor mat.

For more great parenting tips and idea, go over to see Kimberly at Raising Olives.

Cute bums!

Y'all know that I love cloth nappies - I find a strange sense of peace and accomplishment in seeing a row of cloth nappies on the washing line, drying in the sun. My mind seems to gloss over the fact that they are just going to be pooped on again.

I just used terry towel flat nappies and pilcher covers with Naomi. These worked fine, but I got a bit over the plastic pilchers.

When it came time to swaddle Ryan's little behind, I splurged. I bought this kit of Bummi's prefold nappies, that included 24 cotton nappies, 4 covers and 100 flushable liners. I love them already! The cotton is so soft, I am sure it will be wonderful for that ultra-soft baby skin.

And the covers are so cute - and very convenient. You just place the nappy in the cover, insert baby and wrap it all up in a sweet waterproof parcel, sealed with velcro!

I bought the 7 - 14kgs size (15 - 30 lbs), so hopefully these should do us just about through to toilet training. And all for A$200 (about US$160)! This is going to ease the budget significantly - with Naomi just about toilet trained (for daytime), and Ryan in cloths, the cost of disposable nappies for 2 kids should just about disappear.

But seriously, isn't this the cutest way to wrap a bottom??

Update...

It was all fine. Naomi had a wonderful day at her daycare mum's house, and is talking about going back again this week. She made a friend, and brought home a picture that we had to stick on the fridge. Just in case you were all wondering...

What a relief! Now I am looking forward to this Wednesday, as well!

A Farewell, and Feeling Guilty

Today I say farewell and thank you for all your long years of service, to Sadie, my vacuum cleaner. She has been with me through thick and thin ... until today. I was half way through vacuuming our little patch of lounge room carpet when **pop** and clouds of acrid black smoke billowed out of the little grill on the back of the machine. And I mean, it smelled awful. I had to open windows and turn on the fan to get rid of it!

I do try to get major appliances repaired where possible, but I think that after 10 years, this hard working machine deserves to take her final rest.

Just to clarify, I don't name ALL of our appliances... only the important ones. Like Gunther (spelling?), the fridge.

The reason for this inane post is because I am trying to keep my feelings of guilt at bay. My sweet Miss Naomi is spending her first day at Family Day Care today... without me. She has made some great progress in coming out of her shell, and getting a bit less shy in the last few months. We didn't want to lose that progress by moving to a town where we don't know anyone and she has no little play friends. And also, I have been feeling the need to have some time to catch up on housework, sit on the couch and get to know Ryan, and to do a few things that I enjoy. So I signed her up for 1 day a week, in family day care.

Naomi enjoyed our visit to Stephanie's (our daycare "mum") house last week. She was excited to play with other kids. But then this morning, reality hit. She cried "Mummy come too" in the car, all the way to Steph's house. I know that a short goodbye is best all round, but it was so hard to leave her crying, in someone else's arms.

And now I am feeling guilty, for wanting some Naomi-free time at all. Is it awfully selfish of me? If I clean the house from top to bottom, and do 4 loads of washing, will that help to relieve my guilt, so that I can tell myself it was productive time?

Remembering and learning

Things I am remembering about newborns:

• Newborn nappies do NOT last through the night. I had definitely forgotten this one! It was quickly remembered, at 4am, with a saturated child, sleepsuit, blanket wrap and bassinet sheet!
• They take an awful lot of organising to go out with. I was so used to just throwing in a nappy, some snacks and a drink bottle for Naomi - we went out with just a tiny backpack for the 2 of us. Now I feel like I need a shopping trolley, and half an hour to pack it up, before we are prepared to go anywhere!
• They do not co-operate at all with the nappy changing process - quite the opposite, in fact. Trying to corral both tiny, flailing legs and handle a nappy, AND avoid the boy-style fountain is proving a logistical challenge. (Little boy fountains aren't just an urban myth!!)

Things I am learning about 2-year olds:

• Naomi has an amazing capacity for love. She has accepted and welcomed little Ryan with a full and open heart - he gets far more kisses than I do, from her! I was a bit worried about the total change of our family dynamic, and how it would effect Naomi.
• They are extremely curious -- what happens if I poke Ryan with this paint brush? Answer - Ryan just blinks, Mummy yells at me.
• A 2-year old will pick the most inopportune moment for everything - like announcing that she wants to wear "undies", (ie ditch her nappies), 2 days after I came home from hospital. At first I thought this was an attention thing. But to her credit, she is doing reasonably well (when I ask if she needs to go to the toilet every 15 minutes), and is very proud of herself when it all comes together!

We are doing as well as can be expected here. The house isn't a total disaster, and I seem to have more patience with Naomi now than I did when I was pregnant. Maybe this is because I am making a concerted effort to spend time with her, while Ryan is asleep.

And speaking of which, thus far Ryan has proved to be an angel with his sleeping habits. Long naps during the day, and good sleeping at night. The biggest problem is that he always falls asleep during a feed, and I can't rouse him enough to have the second side! He then wakes within an hour, for the other half! I change his nappy, tickle his face, shake his foot... Mum has suggested a quick swish with a wet washer to get him awake for the rest of a feed. Any other ideas?

Welcome Ryan William

Ryan William

Born - 3.10am, Monday, 23 March 2009

Weight - 8lb 10oz (3.920kgs)

Length - 50 cms

Much loved and cuddled by parents and big sister Naomi!

Patience is not one of my virtues....

Technically, there are still 9 days to go until my due date. Realistically, I wanted this over and done with a month ago! I spend my days analysing every twinge, ache and pain and wondering... will it start today? Or tonight?

A few weeks ago I would have said I was nesting. The house was spotless, I was following my housekeeping routine and felt like I had some energy and a positive vibe going. Now I just feel hot, tired and aching. All I want to do is sit down and read / stitch / surf the internet / sleep. Unfortunately, I could write the same list and call it "Things Naomi HATES Mummy Doing"!!

My one really useful achievement in the past couple of weeks has been to start cooking double sizes of some meals and freezing them away for easy post-baby dinners. We only have a small freezer compartment, so I am actually sending all my frozen meals out to Mum's big deep freeze, for collection back at a later date! It has made our grocery bills a bit higher, to be buying extra meat portions, but will be well worth it when Brad and I are both too exhausted to be bothered cooking.

My mum is convinced that the baby will be born this Saturday, 14 March. The date is special to us, as it was my Dad's birthday. And it is also the first date that we calculated my due date to be, before the first scan. Me, I am beginning to feel like I will be pregnant forever!

Birth Skills - a book review

I have mentioned in a previous post that I have been feeling rather apprehensive about labour and birth the second time around. I could not get past the memories of a long latent first stage that sapped my energy and my all my belief that I could actually get through the birth. It took some very strong people around me to keep me going through the 32 hours, and the disappointments of hearing how slow progress had been.

This time around, I did some serious thinking about what to do differently. I know I have to stay positive, but just had no idea how. Until a friend recommended that I read "Birth Skills" by Juju (Julia) Sundin and Sarah Murdoch. Well, I have. And I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Not only is there clear and concise information on the physiology of what your body is actually doing during the labour and delivery process, there are extremely practical strategies for coping with labour pain, staying focussed and positive. The book is based on the antenatal classes that Juju provides, in Sydney. It is the next best thing to being able to attend the classes.

The focus is on strategies for minimising the perception of pain, during the first stage of labour, and on methods for effective pushing in the second stage. Suggestions for managing pain include vocalising, using other large muscle groups (eg stamping your feet, squeezing stress balls) for distraction, visualisation, and most importantly, getting as big and as loud as the pain itself.

Juju has a website where this is all explained so much better than I am doing, here. Suffice to say that I am still nervous, but now feel calm, positive and am actually looking forward to the process (sort of!) which will bring our new bundle of joy into the world - hopefully sooner, rather than later!

Seventeen in the bed....

And the little one said... "Roll over, roll over"

So they all rolled over and one fell out...

Is it any wonder she sleeps so badly when there is hardly room for Naomi in the bed?!?! Ha ha ha... only kidding, this photo was taken straight after we made her bed up with clean linen, and she decided to take all her dolls and animals off the shelves and tuck them in. It was too cute to pass up on the photo opportunity!

Sounds I love...

I love..... the giggling coming from the lounge room as Brad and Naomi 'cook' dinner together with her kitchen set.

I don't love...... the smell of potatoes that have been there for too long, as I open the pantry door. Ick. Wet season can be such a pain.

If only the 'chicken and mashed potato' being prepared by my 2 favourite people was of the edible variety!

The good news and the serious stuff...

So I had my next OB appointment this morning. To get the results of the Glucose Tolerance Test that I had to do, after failing the Diabetes Exclusion Test. Apparently I failed the first test pretty spectacularly (if you are going to do it, do it well).

The good news is that I passed the GTT just fine - the OB classed the first one as an 'anomaly'. YAY!!!! I suspect I should probably still ease off on the Mars Bar Cheesecake, but it is good to know that I haven't been labelled as a Gestational Diabetic. And I can nibble on the occasional piece of chocolate, totally guilt-free!

As the title of this post implies, there are some serious thoughts going through my hormone-swamped brain as well. Brad and I are just sort of getting our heads around the whole 'actually having a second baby' thing. I have asked a good friend to mind Naomi when the time comes, and she has happily agreed to do so. N has played there with her little friend Harry a few times when I have had to do things, so hopefully she will be fine.

I had a long labour with Naomi - the first, 'latent' phase took about 24 hours, but the contractions were 3 minutes apart right from the first one. At about the 18 hour mark, I was tired, emotional and worrying that I couldn't make the distance. Then when I was told that I was only 2 cms dilated, I fell apart. It took some pethidine and a few hours sleep to get me back ready for more active labour, which still took another 10 hours. I was lucky to have had my wonderful sister as a midwife, and she knew what I really wanted -- ie, that my yelling for a caesarean to get it over and done with was just the tired raving of a scared woman. She (and Brad, my mum and another midwife) were a tower of strength in talking me through it.

I find myself being a bit concerned that the OB and the private hospital that we are going to this time might have a firm time frame in mind, and start talking about interventions such as epidurals, if I am not on their schedule. I did have a chat with the OB about this today, and he assured me that second labours are always different to the first time, and that he certainly did not expect me to have anything like the time frame. We also discussed natural options to get things moving - taking a walk, having a sleep, going home etc. He is happy to do these things, and doesn't feel the need to leap into breaking the waters, or using drugs to speed things up. This was reassuring.

A good friend who has had 4 natural births suggested that I use a little notebook, just to jot down my wishes before going to the hospital, so that the midwives have a note that I don't want to be told how dilated I am, don't want an epidural if at all possible etc. I think this is a good idea - especially as I want Brad to be able to focus on me and our baby, rather than have him in discussions with medical staff.

My question (after this long-winded and boring post) is -- has anyone actually written a birth plan, and if so, did you find that it helped to communicate your wishes and facilitate the kind of atmosphere in the birth suite that you wanted? If you know what I mean???

Sleep negotiations

Conversation held in Naomi's bedroom last night:

Mummy (as tucking in and giving hugs and kisses) - "Naomi, if you sleep all night in your bed, and don't come in to wake Mummy up, in the morning I will give you sticker. OK?"

Naomi (nestling under blanket) - "Mmm?"

Mummy - "So stay in your bed, and don't wake up Mummy, for a sticker tomorrow."

Naomi (clearly thinking about this concept) - "OK.... wake Daddy".


For the record, she came in and woke me up 3 times, needing to be put back into her bed. No sticker was given this morning.

Does anyone have any ideas for getting a toddler to sleep through? She doesn't wake up crying - she just wakes up, and requires me to be lying on the floor next to her bed, before she will go back to sleep. She has a nightlight, soft music playing, her drink bottle available, etc etc....... I am exhausted, and very worried about what we will do when the new baby comes in 2 months time.

Love is...

... your hubby getting up early in the morning to deliver your 2 plain crackers to the bedside of your sick little one, where you have been sleeping on the floor all night, knowing that you will be nauseous without them.

Last week Naomi had some sort of viral thing that seems to be going around. She was spiking temperatures of 39.7 deg C (sorry, my maths isn't up to converting to Fahrenheit!), the doctor found no cause of infection so sent us home to ride it out with Panadol and cool sponge baths. 5 days of medicine every 6 hours later the fever broke. Thank goodness its over with no lasting effects (other than that we are back to square 1 with her sleeping habits -- or lack thereof!)

I woke up one morning after tossing and turning on the floor beside Naomi to find 2 Sao biscuits on my pillow - I had forgotten to bring them with me (not anticipating being there ALL night), and Brad noticed when he snuck in first thing to see how we were doing. What a sweetie he is!

Still alive!

Although it feels like I have dropped out - or off the planet - for the last few months, I am now beginning to feel that I have just a small bit of control over my body and my life again. The morning sickness has almost totally receded, and aside from aching feet and being exhausted at the end of every day, I am actually now feeling pretty good again!

I have had so many ideas for posts in the past few months, that just haven't materialised into words on the screen. My mum and I went to a wonderful quilt show about 8 weeks ago, and I found the photos still on my camera the other day. I will definitely get to posting them up on here... soon! (Can't rush these things, you know!).

Anyway, in other news, there is the distinct possibility of a move in our near future - to the other end of the State. Brad's project work here in our city is wrapping up, the next project that company have lined up for him is over an hour's drive each way, up a winding mountain range, and they are not making any provision for families to move closer to the site. With work hours being 7am to 5pm, and every 3rd Saturday as well, we wouldn't see much of him - which is not a prospect I would look forward to, with the new baby due in March.

So instead he is looking seriously at other options in the south of the State, and specifically a move to our capital city (hi sis!). But we shall have to wait and see how the interviews go......

Must dash. Naomi has woken up from her unusually long nap (all of an hour!).