I love radio national

Part of the joy of being home and being a Mama for me is having the time during the day to listen to radio national ABC AM radio.  I love it with a passion.  So many segments: lifematters, the philosopher's zone , the health report, in the mind.  It has become like a reliable friend.  I especially like listening to the spirit of things on Sunday night.  Have a listen to the audio if you have time.

I have been doing Yoga and meditation on and off since age 15 years.  I often wished I had become a teacher of Yoga and not been so academic.  Now I do at times want some time to myelf to sit and meditate.  I would just have to try and get up earlier than my son.  But I find myself wallowing around trying to yank my eyes open into the blur.


I guess mothering is already a challenge in being ever present in this moment and being mindful

little bumps

In the chaos of our decluttering, packing and cleaning, our little man has taken a few knocks.  His ever adventurious spirit means he has encountered a few little bumps along the way.  Today I think he knocked his head about six times whilst trying to cruise around furniture and climb over things when our backs were turned.  Lots of crybaby,  reaching out, extra boozie to soothe.  The whole process is very much two steps forward one step back.  Finding it a bit hard doing it on our own.

I keep thinking of well its going to be good, because we will be so organized in our new place.  Have this image in my head of how now want things to be.

I have decided to take on the challenge of dottie angel and still have preloved or handmade stuff for our new abode.  Will be a challenge as so many nice shops in Bowral/Southern Highlands.  But also lots of great op shops and antique/vintage stores as well.

memories of our jardin

this time last year more than half way pregnant and busy painting and wondering.   was just starting to feel I could stand upright without having waves of  nausea and lightheadness.  very much enjoying aternoons and early mornings on front verandah catching a little winter sun.

the walk to wagstaffe

lost in translation

It's almost like our little man doesn't really like being a baby.  Once reached one milestone there is frustration about not being able yet to reach the next stage quickly enough.  I am quite happy for him to be little baby for as long as he likes.  As he is now crawling, exploring, pulling everything out of the cupboards and trying to communicate with us.  But this gets lost.  All of a sudden He is a baby with a new temperament.  URRRR, whining,whinnning.  Not yet old enough to point.  I find myself running always behind trying to anticipate his needs.
This is especially evident at mealtimes.  Wanting to be so independent and self feed, but not really being able to co ordinate hand to back of throat, ooh the frustration and mess.

New nickname, Davross, sitting up on  dalick like high chair,  ordering us around with some unintelligiable grunts and groans.

Has anyone used baby sign???  Realise only a phase but at times it has us overwhelmed.

Peter Frampton - I'm In You (1977 Videoclip)

off for a swim

Every Wednesday morning for the last few weeks buba and dada head off at 9 am for a swim lesson in a lovely little private swim school in Woy Woy.  A special bonding time for them.  I stay home and have a bit of time to organise myself.  I have done and folded all the washing, made a crock pot of slow cooked chicken with parsnip and dill, stacked the dishwasher, done some ironing, attended to all emails and am now supposed to be finishing my case report for my diploma of child health. I have found it very hard to diligent in my studies of late and am of course making a last dash to get this completed.  Just need to be more organised.  Very prone to procrastination.  Come on Jill it so important that you get this done!!! 

Hope you are in some sunshine today

gifted, preloved and passed on

In anticipation of our child's birth, we received so many loving gifts and also many preloved items.  I  wanted to be conscious of what I was buying and the only new thing I purchased was a change table in a last minute rush.  It had lots of drawers underneath to store cloth nappies.  Everything else was second hand for the nursery.

Now with preparation for our move we have been busy decluttering.  We have been given preloved clothing for our son until about age 5!  Our new place is much smaller with less storage.  So I was in a quandary.  Do I pass on all his baby clothes?  All the 0000 and 000,that no longer fit him, but are so cute.

The real chance of being able to have another baby at age 45 is pretty remote.  I have had patients fall naturally pregnant at 46, and the baby has been vigourous and healthy.  I wonder what it is going to be like for Che to be an only child.

So last night impulsively I put 3 bags of baby's clothes as an offer on freecycle. They were picked up this morning.

A little bit grieiving.

la salle de bain

These 2 shots are of our bathroom when we moved in.  There was an original cast iron claw foot bath, but the plumbing was leaking underneath it.  The hot water system was an old small electric plug into socket.  The floor was cold slate tiles.  The walls were very mouldy.

We gutted the whole room, re- arranged the plumbing for the bath and toilet and made a sepatate walk in shower. We got the cast iron bath re- enamled and de rusted and painted underneath.  The tiles we used heritage white brick style to half way all around the walls and timber lined the walls above and the ceiling.  My only regret is not going with my gut instinct, we ended up putting square white tiles on the floor.  With my hair constantly malting from breastfeeding and labrador hair wafting in from the sun room, I am constantly mopping up with terry towel nappies to keep looking clean.  I would have used a grey tile I think otherwise.

We also had to squeeze in the washing machine. For the hot water service we invested in a solar hot water with booster.  We have never had to turn the booster on.  Yeh free hot water from the sun.

I will miss my bath.  Our new place we are moving to has 2 bathrooms to use but alas no bathtub!  Most nights I have a bath with my little one.  He gets very excitied when he hears the bath water start to run.  Many nights when he has been bouncing off the walls, the bath always calms him down to get ready for bed.  Off  to bed now myself.


I hope the weekend has been restful for everyone.

SECRET LOVE

Now playing along with Alison's rewind.http://lifeinapinkfibro.blogspot.com/2011/04/weekend-rewind-special-wedding-edition.html

treasured moments of sunshine

I am always prone to some winter blues and with so many changes happening our family is feeling a bit vulnerable and the wet, windy, grey rainy days add to the drama.  But the weather is not here for us.  This morning sitting in my sunroom bathed in morning light , looking out over the sun dappled garden and hearing the birds, lovely.

 Pockets of our garden we are really proud about.  The garden is now just over 2 years old and now some plants are really showing their true colours.  Dreaming of starting from scratch once again somewhere new.

Our little man is now 8 months old.  He is crawling everywhere, clapping his hands to music and to my off key singing, throwing his food anywhere except his mouth, and showing little protests more often.  His sleeping is gradually improving.  He still wants to feed all night and some mornings I  struggle to get going. 

One question to anyone out there.  Leaky nappies.  I feel I have tried everything.  From purpose made cloth night nappies with good wool or PUL cover, to many differnet types of disposables.  Still every night leak all through  singlet, PJs wrap onto sheets.  Soaking his or our bed.  Sometimes twice per night.  Grrrrrr!

wild weather

The recent wild windy weather has done some damage to our ever over growing garden.  Our block was essentially empty when we moved in except for a magnificent frangipanni at the front and some casuarainas along the creek and a few swamp mahogoneys right up along the back border.

I was anxious for a garden and privacy at the start and with not having the ability to immediately renovate we set upon the garden with such vigour.  In fact I think now we did over plant and crowd the trees a bit.  We have learnt so much.

The garden beds were built up on permaculture principals  and constructed on a wavy organic style.

The above Acacia was one of the fastest growing trees and last week was full of beautiful  yellow fluffy blooms and bees and birds were going mad.  Sadly after returning from the Southern Highlands to meet our new house, this tree is no more, snapped at its base by the strong southerly winds of August. I believe Acacia's are very prone to this.  Vale lovely tree.