kindermusik

One of the baby activities that we have enjoyed the most in Kindermusik .  Our lovely teacher Tanya runs a class locally.  There are classes for specific age groups and they are developmentally appropriate.  They only last 45 minutes.  But we are guaranteed a good sleep afterwards.  Ours is a small class of only 6 or 7 babies up to 18 months.  Classes run up to age 7.  The use of age old songs, beautifully recorded music, repetition, movement, dance and simple instruments.  The classes has given me tools to continue on at home.  We have lots of fun with the waking up song.  Each term there is a new theme, with a CD to take home and new songs to learn.  Next term is daily rhythms.  Looking forward to that one.

I just had to remind myself of his early days, re above photo

time for a swim suit

or cossie or bathers !  its raining constantly today and bub has just had a good daytime nap.  Have done the pre-requisite study on chronic diarrhea in children and then decided to explore options for a new mommy swim suit.   Just after my exam , we are giving ourselves a couple of days on a beach on the south coast.  Currarong Beach.  Can't wait.

Found a great spot here , great advice on choosing a new cossie  when still nursing.

Have made a bit of recovery after meltdown week.  Thanks Ams.  xxxx

good enough

I have had a few meltdowns this week.  With so much grief in the news from around the world and with bad news with friends and friends family, I think this has contributed. Along with the ever present anxiety about my sons lack of ability to sleep more than 2 hours and not really wanting to eat.  Apart from the usual wingeing, he is happy I think in his own little way.  Oh yeh and have a major hard exam in 2 weeks.  I just don't seem to retain much.

Its me that intellectualizes about this trajectory and my with own expectations my despair rises.   I have this bad habit of walking around my inner sanctum, constantly scanning, looking for what is wrong, how I could improve, creating a "must do" or "should" list in my head.

Being able to accept things as they are. Give myself and my family the credit that is due.  Love my son for who he is.  That what is here,  and now is good enough.

the pledge to be thrifty

Well we have been residing in our new abode for  2 months now and have been very tempted by certain purchases to make our days comfy.  I confess there are some things we have purchased new but I do find it hard how it could be otherwise.  We splurged out on a new king size bed.  But how can you buy a second hand mattress?? My old mattress was already 15 years old and has been up and down this continent.  And then of course you need new linen.  Grannies I do not think had such need to lie in star fashion  in their beds next to their loved ones.  But they still probably had many little bodies lying next to them.

And alas our printer went kaplunk.  Urgent run down to local electrical appliance store as needed to keep studying +++ and Marty had urgent stuff to make sense of in hard copy.  Mind you the whole of the next day was consumed by installing and trouble shooting this contraption.   GRrrrrrr.

Feel  happy about our dining set.  Table from neighbourhood garage sale and chairs from local vintage wares market.  Whole set together $220.  Found granny chic hand embroided table cloth yesteday.  Lovely.

We miss having fresh herbs growing out  our back door so have started making a potted garden in a our  paved area.  The clever little snails love eating the spinach though.  We have also started our worm farm again and the wiggly lovelies are doing their magic.

We have decided to stay here in this house for another year.  We are not ready to embark on home ownership and the fall down the vortex of renovations and cringe every time interest rates are raised.  Finishing my studies in Paediatrics and then looking more at being healthy and spending more relaxed time with bub, man and doggies is on the agenda.

Little man is now 11 months old.  He is just starting to point and babbles constantly in his own language.  Less screaming to communicate is so nice thank you very much.  We must learn though to be more wary of bossy 3 year olds.

mem's recommendations

1. I Went Walking by Sue Machin
2. Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg
3. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr
4. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
5. Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
6. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
7. Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
8. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
9. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
10. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd
11. Rascal the Dragon by Paul Jennings
12. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
13. Wombat Stew by Marcia K. Vaughan
14. Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen
15. Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss
16. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
17. Going on a Bear Hunt by Michel Rosen
18. Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
19. The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont
20. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

I found this list on Mem Fox's website on her recommendations for childrens reading.  A handy list to have.  XXXJ.  I wonder what books others think are treasures for their little one ??

daily rhythms

One of the aspects of child rearing I am a bit hopeless at is routines.  I guess after so long just thinking about myself it has turned my world upside down trying to be organised for a little one.  We always ate late after a long early evening walk with the dogs, especially in Summer.  I would often spend what seemed like hours lying on the bed staring at the ceiling, in my past life.

Of course with moving and re settling it has taken us a little while to get some rhythm in our days.  With Che still  waking almost hourly still after midnight, waking up and getting on with the day at times takes all the postivity that I can muster.

We have now been having a morning activity to attend to which  now tires him out for a midday sleep.  But it was getting that way  the evening would see him have this hyperactive burst of activity and it would takes me sometimes 3 hours to get him  down to sleep and then  he would be awake an hour later.  I was feeling a bit desperate.

Now I have worked hard at getting the late afternoon more organised.  It now goes as follows:-

4pm Walk the dogs and baby
5 -5.30 pm Dinner
Accompanied by some lovely calming music
6-6.30   Clean away all toys and paraphenalia and get ready for bath,  still with music, no TV and lights all dimmed.
6.30 pm Bath time and then straight into  his room.
6.45-7.15 pm Massage and body creaming,  (now has eczema for some reason), some booby and reading 3 books
We are currently loving all baby books by Mem Fox, "Hello Baby", "Where is the Green Sheep" and "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes"
Then final top up of Booby.

Am now trying to get Che off the nipple before falling asleep.  This has been the greatest challenge.
Into the cot with  sleeping bag.   And then try to settle.  Now he is falling off straight away when putting him in his sleeping bag.

All hopefully asleep by 7.30-8pm.

Phew,  I still am working on the many frequent night wakings and He still is in our bed at some time later .  But am now getting 3-4 hours of continued sleep at this earlier part of the night.

What bedtime routine do you find works for you?? Would be interested to hear.

PS. thank goodness for daddies or I don't think I would be so good now with bedtime XXXX

Alice Dancing Under the Gallows

Alice Dancing Under the Gallows

thanks marvelous kiddo for letting me see this. I wanted to have a memory of this always.

Alice Dancing Under the Gallows - Official Trailer