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3 Months Of Love (baby chronicles)

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My Little O,

It's hard to believe that you're three months old. Where has the time gone? I swear two heartbeats ago you were snuggling on my shoulder quite content with just listening to the world go by. Now you want to lift your head and smile your gorgeous, crazy, toothless smile to everyone. Your eyes light up first then your mouth opens wide and razzle, dazzle it's smiles all 'round. You've just started to squeal, something your cousin LOVES to do. I think you will be copying his high pitched happiness in no time. 

You giggle when daddy blows raspberries on your tummy, he is your hero and the adventures truly begin when he gets home from work. Speaking of which, at the moment you are partial to a 5pm wake up not 6 which really doesn't work with office hours. Please start waking up at 6pm darling boy so daddy can have extended story and music time with you. 

Music and stories are the the most magical things in your life right now. We read and read and read - we're clocking 2 books every time you feed at the moment! I lay on the bed and hold the book above us so you can look at the pictures. Our favourites are Hooray for Fish, Guess How Much I Love You and The Elephant and the Bad Baby. 

Just after you've woken up in the morning you get taken out of your sleep suit and your morning music time begins. You stretch your little arms and curl your toes then chortle away to yourself while listening to Tchaikovsky, Ella Fitzgerald, Cat Stevens and Miles Davis. You ADORE music, all music, especially when your daddy bounces you on his leg in time to the beat. I've created playlists and folders on my iTunes for you, Orlando Classic, Orlando Opera/Musicals, Orlando Jazz, Orlando Contemporary. Each folder is a carefully curated selection which I hope will expose you to music's greatest. 

You absolutely abhorred tummy time until about 2 weeks ago, now you lay there holding your shoulders and neck up looking around for ages. You've just started rolling over from tummy position too, which is exciting and scary. Next thing I know, you'll be doing full rolls then commando crawling. You have a penchant for standing, balancing on our legs or tummies. When you do it your little toes curl up and you growl and heave and put all your strength and energy into staying upright (with our support!). 

I honestly can't believe how much you've grown, how excited you are about the world around you and how much love exudes from you every single day. I've only got one request of you and it's something I don't think you will be able to fulfil, please, please don't grow up too quickly. Your tiny, fresh, soft self has already changed so much I'm scared that if I blink all of a sudden you'll be my age and embarking on this journey yourself. I love you and your daddy loves you with all of our bones for forever and ever and ever. 

Love, Your Mamma.

Where Is It? (baby chronicles)

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We spent new years eve at Cottonsock's amazing "there is no theme" Hawaiian NYE party. Orlando slept through the whole thing (he had a dream feed when we got there) and we were home by 0130 and in bed by 3 (after his 230 feed). We woke up the next morning to a gorgeous day, the sun was filtering through the trees and it was a new year. 

During the morning I decided I was in desperate need of New Year Vietnamese and that we had to go and get it for lunch. All I wanted was a steaming hot bowl of Pho, spring rolls wrapped in crunchy lettuce, all the trimmings and then some. At that same time Hamish decided to wash the cars.

Washing the cars takes a long time, Hamish doesn't cut corners, he is a perfectionist when it comes to cars. So, an hour later he was ready to leave.

By then it was already 2 and I was starving, hello breastfeeding hunger! After some hiccups, getting ready, getting Orlando ready, I was ready to go. So I went out to the car and Hamish had the carseat from my car, trying to install it in his car.

At 3 in the afternoon, with a starving breastfeeding mum and a 5 week old baby who's outings are timed to coincide with sleep/feeds.

He said he was just going to see "how it went" in his car so I put the baby bag in my car and went back inside.

Half an hour later he was ready, with the seat now in his car.
Ok.
So I put Orlando in, strapped him up, made sure the pram was in the boot, asked Hamish if he had put the bag in the car (yes) and off we went.

I was climbing walls at this stage, 5 minutes after leaving Orlando started crying. I had packed a bottle in the bag and knew I could jam it into him when we reached the restaurant.

So we just kept driving and by the time we were half way there Orlando had stopped and I could almost see the Pho light at the end of the tunnel. Soup, sweet soup! Finally we reached Richmond, found a parking spot and got out of the car. Orlando was asleep so we just got the baby capsule out. I asked Hamish where the bag was, he looked at me like I was a crazy person.

"The nappy bag?"
"Yeah, where is it?"
"I thought you had it"
"But I asked you if you had it and you said yes"
"No you didn't"........"I never saw it"
"I put it in the car behind the drivers seat when you were fiddling with the baby seat beside me, it has his food and nappies in it, we have nothing."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

I was almost in tears at this stage. It's hard enough trying to get out of the house with a newborn, let alone getting out of the house to EAT A MEAL, let alone getting out of the house to eat a meal SANS BABY BAG.

Hamish asked me what I thought we should do, Orlando was still sleeping through all of this. I said "risk it". With that Orlando's super sonic senses lit up.

We walked into the restaurant and sat down and as soon as we sat those super sonic senses of O's went into action and he started fussing. A flask of tea was put on our table, bowls, chopsticks, serviettes, water... I looked at Hamish and just shook my head, it wasn't going to happen. By this stage it was god knows what time and I'd had enough. I was starving, we had no baby bag, Orlando was about to break decibel records. It couldn't get much worse.

We ordered takeaway and quickly went back to the car with Orlando the soloist extraordinaire starting to belt out his favourite song: I Need Something Done. Great song that one, problem was we had nothing to get that 'something done' with us.

So we just drove and he settled with the lull of the engine after 10 minutes.

When we got home Hamish got out of the car and went to lift the now sleeping Orlando out. I grabbed the takeaway. As I was walking to the front door to open it Hamish called out "he's got a dirty nappy".

Oh what a dirty nappy it was, Orlando's way of saying 'YOU WILL NEVER FORGET THE BAG AGAIN'. One of those nappies where you have to pop them in the bath after you've done the major clean up. One of those nappies that needs it's own rubbish bag. 

After his bath I dressed Orlando, fed him and popped him into his Moses Basket. He was out like a light in minutes.

Meanwhile Hamish had our takeaway lunch, pretty much early dinner, ready. We sat down to steaming hot bowls of Pho and Hamish looked at me "well, forgetting the bag was a good thing because otherwise that would have happened at the restaurant".

He was right, but I could have throttled him.

The bag hasn't been forgotten since, the pram though.... but that's another story.



Bunny Land

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It's too hot to leave the house unless we need provisions or in Hamish's case, unless he has to work.
So I'm setting up Magic Lands at home with different activities in different rooms.
Variety is the spice of life.
Tomorrow we are going to Mother's Group but we are also going to go to Drum Land. 
The saucepans are going to be put to good use, probably 95% by me.
Today we had lots of tummy time and a bunny rattle jam. 
Unfortunately Orlando's little hands are just that smidgen too small to grasp the rattle properly just yet.
Oh, and he pretty much just wanted to suck on the ears anyway.

Suggestions for warm weather baby appropriate activities welcome! (that are free, creative and educational... it's a daily challenge!)

xox


Juicyyyyyyyyy

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I have wanted a juicer for a LONG time and finally bit the bullet the other weekend by buying The Philips Quick Clean Juicer.
I've just used it for the very first time and I'm SO, so happy with it.



The most frequent question people have asked is: Is it hard to clean? The answer, I'm relieved to report is not at all. I've chucked the non bulky bits in the dishwasher. I had to hand wash one of the top bits, that's it. The machine claims to clean in 1 minute and if you use a dishwasher then it can totally be done in a minute. If you hand wash you're probably looking at 3 minutes.

Too Easy




So, I've decided to give myself a 7 day juice challenge. I'd like to increase my daily fruit and vegetable quota so I figure a juice will do this. I'm making either breakfast or lunch a juice (let's face it a juice is a whole meal). I'll let you guys know how I'm going probably via the Facebook page.



If you'd like to buy the juicer you can find it here or in major department stores.

I know I asked on the FB page but what juice recipes do you have, I'm really interested in green juices that don't taste horrid!!!!


Like Magic (Baby Chronicles)

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Finally, a cooler morning greeted us yesterday. The sky was laced with grey, fluffy clouds it wasn't too cold but it wasn't that dry relentless heat we've had to deal with. It was perfection. After days of not being able to take Orlando out for a walk it was not only viable to get out of the house, but we could also go for a walk with the pram top down.

Orlando's eyes sparkled, everything was so fresh and new. We discovered leaves shaped like spikes, others round and soft, paper bark and bright red flowers dropping from long thin branches. There were puppy dogs a plenty. Long limbed Dalmatians and fluffy Maltese Shitzus their little tails wagging with boundless energy. 

I clearly remember going on walks with mum when I was a little girl. My earliest recollections are perhaps before my brother was born. There is a memory I have of her wearing jeans with rhinestones on the pocket. Oh the 80's! The stones would sparkle in the sunshine and I thought they were the prettiest most amazing, magical jeans in the whole wide world. Mum would hold my hand as I walked along the low brick fences, keeping me safe from a short but terribly scary fall. I'd imagine Crocodiles lapping at my ankles from the "water" the fence would be a log and I'd stumble along quickly to safety. There was a tree at the end of our street that had Witches Fingers - seed pods that fell from it which were long and pointed with a perfect hole at the end to poke my tiny fingers through so I could wear them. 

If I was lucky we would turn left and go to Mcdonalds for a small fries or if it was dinner time a burger. Back then the burgers were in styrofoam boxes and there was no nutrition panel. I would always have a dolly or Big Ted with me and they would share my food which would inevitably be abandoned for the playground.

There was always the left turn to Mcdonalds but then there was the right turn to The Long Park. The Long Park went via a front garden with a massive dead tree that had toys nailed to it. I coveted that tree. There were koalas and dolls and teddies all over it. If it was a hot day we would walk all the way down The Long Park and end up at Dairy Bell Ice Creamery. 

Dairy Bell was where one of my first birthday cakes came from, one of those cakes where the dolls skirt is made of ice cream. Bliss. I recall the shop being packed, always. If we bought an ice cream I'd walk home with sugary dairy deliciousness dripping down my little hand escaping the confines of the ice cream cone.

Those were my walks, way back when. I can't wait to create walking memories for Orlando. We are starting with pretty, whimsical leaves and enigmatic dogs, people who stop to smile and say hello, cloudy skies and sunny skies. Over time we will upgrade to walking together, holding hands as we cross the road, avoiding cracks in the footpath, passing favourite landmarks. These are magical days.

I cannot wait. 

Refused (Baby Chronicles)

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There was a good 3 or 4 day period, I forget now, when Orlando flat refused to breastfeed. It started on Sunday. Prior to Sunday morning he'd mostly had bottles of expressed milk. Hamish came home on Friday evening and as per our usual routine we bathed Orlando then I settled in for cocktail hour and the boys had story time, cuddles, a bottle then bed. The dream feed, as per usual, was a bottle as was the 3am feed. The next morning things started to get out of kilter. Badly. We had to go to the market and Hamish's mum was babysitting. So I had to breast feed and express enough for two feeds all before 1100. Crazy. Somehow my breasts kept up with me and everything was done so Orlando could have his bottles while we were out. By the time the next feed came around it was 6pm again and daddy time. I swear all I did was express, express, express that day. No fun. 

When it finally came to my time to breastfeed on the Sunday he refused. Screamed. He turned his head, not wanting a bar of it. I thought it was just because my breasts were SO full (expressing too much makes me produce very quickly) so I expressed. I should have persisted but he was so upset I gave in. Then the next feed he did it again. Arched back, screaming, screaming the house down. I felt like he thought I was poisoning him. It was heartbreaking. 

Breastfeeding was and is our bonding time. We look at each other, we have chats, we listen to music. Sometimes Orlando wants to join in with the conversation so badly he quickly detaches, chats away then literally smashes his face against my breast again and goes back to gulping the good stuff. I love those moments.

By the Monday morning I was in pieces. It was so awful, so distressing seeing Orlando in such pain and affliction over something that was vital: food. I contacted my Baby Whisperer and she told me to walk around and jiggle him while encouraging him to take the breast.

It was like magic, it didn't happen straight away but when it did, I cried. I kept on saying "I love you so much, thank you, thank you" and Orlando drank and drank. Mind you I had to walk around, bounce him and pat his bottom while he was drinking. I would have done anything though - I was just so relieved he was attaching again.

When I offered him the other breast though it was dramarama again. Screaming, crying, arching of the back. So more jiggling, walking, patting and then, my darling boy decided he would drink.

This little scenario played out until Tuesday evening when we then offered the bottle again. Since that weekend I've got to say there have been moments when I've had to go through the rigamarole to get him to latch. He has either been cranky or tired or distracted and needs the jiggle, pat and walk to get him back into the rhythm of life again.

Jiggle, pat, walk, pat, pat, walk, walk....... drink.......

Solid Time! (Baby Chronicles)

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We have just started solids and what an exciting time it has been. Orlando is a few days shy of 4 months but I wanted to commence when Hamish was on holidays so he could be really involved at the start. 

Personally I feel that waaaaaaayyyy too much thought process goes into when/how/why a baby should start solids. In our house we go for incidental eating - if it's going to work for him and us then we do it. We have also completely forsaken the Farex based on professional advise. This method might not be for everyone though. 

I've taken his meal time as when our family eats, if he is eating we have a snack at the same time. I feel like this fosters family values and makes eating a social occasion. We talk, laugh and have family time. This evening we had Chorizo and cheese on crackers with a glass of Shiraz while Orlando had Sweet Potato (which he ADORES). 

Delicious. 

Now he's tucked up on the big bed with Daddy and they're having stories and laughs.

Happy Sunday peeps!

xox

Hospital Bag Essentials

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Thank you so much everyone for your kind words about my caesarian. 
You have helped - heaps.
I may have even cried reading some of the comments because they were so sweet.



Hospital day is looming and I've promised various people on Twitter that I'd do a hospital bag post.
Not everything is beautiful, some of it's secret women's business embarrassing but that's pregnancy for you!

So here it is!
Pregnancy bag essentials 101!!!
My quantities are for a 5 day hospital stay so just adjust to your needs.


Hospital Bag Essentials

A Bag! Hahahahahaa I chose the Country Road duffles (we are using 3) because they are colourful and have heaps of room and are easily cleaned. Find them here.

A Dilly Bag! Again from Country Road here because this size will fit everything and I'm a slave to that store haahhaaha. Find similar at Priceline, Target, Kmart your pharmacy, etc, etc.




Dilly Bag Goodies:
Shampoo/Conditioner/Dry Shampoo: You just don't know if you will have the energy to wash your hair so pack it all. I got all these mini ones from Priceline!
Deodorant: Pretty self explanatory again this mini one is from Priceline.
Hair Ties/Hair Pins: Because I always lose them, from Priceline.
Body Wash: Hospital soap is AWFUL I've picked Korres you can buy it from Kit, here.
Moisturiser: Because the constant climate control in hospital will drive your skin nuts, I'm using Korres again.
Facial cleaner/moisturiser: I use Epicure Cosmeceuticals they are amazing. Find them here. 
Make up: ok, let's face it. I've been wearing the stuff everyday, even when I am sick, since I was 15. Things will not change.
Hairdryer
Hairbrush
Nail File 
Tooth brush/ Tooth paste/Floss/Mouthwash

Clothes:
Breast Feeding Friendly Tops: I have bought 3 from Target (cheap, cheerful, doesn't matter if they get vomit on them! here) I am also taking some shirts into hospital with me and lower cut t shirts that I can pop a boob out of.
LOOSE BLACK PANTS: Regardless of if you're having a caesarian or going through the front door make sure they are loose for comfort and black because you will be surfing the crimson tidal wave like it's nobody's business. I bought 3 pairs from Target, they were $12 They are pj bottoms but will look fine with a pair of sneakers if need be around the hospital. Find them here!
Any other clothes you might want, do make sure you pack a cardigan!
Maternity/feeding bras: mine are Bonds. No, they do not give the greatest shape in the world but lord knows they are comfortable and easy to unclip for boob feeding! Find them here.
BLACK UNDERWEAR!! Again because of the crimson tidal wave. This isn't the time for your sexy smalls!
Nighties that have buttons at the front! For boob feeding and it's easier if you have a catheter to wear a nightie! 



Secret Women's Business
Maternity Pads: I am taking 4 packs for 5 days... from what I've heard this is not crazy. The more the merrier!
Boob Feeding Pads: 1 box of Pidgeon's from Chemist Warehouse.
Ural: I probably won't need this as the baby will not be going through the front door. But it's a good idea for ladies post delivery it will ease the sting of your urine. 
Kleenex Flushable Wipes: I'm taking 2 packs. For front door ladies, SO much more gentle than hospital toot paper. For everyone: SO much better to clean the crimson tidal wave with.
Metamucil/Benefibre/Fybogel: Thank you Libby for this tip!!! I hadn't even thought of it but you don't want to be straining to code brown especially font door births! I will take Fybogel as it comes in handy little sachets you just dissolve one in a cup of water. 



Shoesssssssssss
Slippers
Thongs
A day shoe


Chompers
Snacks, savoury and sweet ESPECIALLY front door ladies as you need to keep your energy up. Things you can gobble quickly, lollies, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, crackers, chippies, pretzels, everything! Anything!!!
CHAMPAGNE!!! For post birth celebrations, you might not end up opening it but take it in case!!

Electronics
Chargers
Batteries
CREDIT FOR INTERNET WIFI!
ipads/ipods
camera
laptop
Whatever tickles your fancy really, just remember chargers and pre paid wifi because not all hospitals have free wifi and usually it's shit haahahahahaa

Also
Plastic bags for dirty clothes!!!
YOUR ANTENATAL CARD!! (Thank you SSG)
Medicare details
Private health insurance details
BLOOD TYPE CARD



If you have anything, ANYTHING to add to the list please let me know.
Hope you all have a beautiful weekend, we're going to be making the most of this one!!


Bow Baby

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This is a really quick sorry I've been MIA post.
Hamish was on holidays and we've been doing family stuff.
Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things this week ^_^ ^_^ ^_^



Orlando has been WOLFING down the solids, he is obsessed. 
It's always messy but always SO much fun. 


I posted this bow tie that I bought for Orlando on IG ahhhhh last week?!
It's made by Milk and Soda some designers from Melbourne.
You can find their stuff at Seed and Kidstore.



I'm off to see Mez and Cottonsocks and meet little Aviana now yaayayayayayyaayaaa
I'll try and take some snaps!!!

Peace Out Peeps!

The Ultimate Picnic

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So, Hamish booked a picnic hamper at Heide Museum Of Modern Artas part of my Christmas present, over the weekend we finally had our picnic.  



It was INSANE a huge, huge amount of food, enough for 3 hungry adults or 4 kind of hungry adults.



There was heaps:
2 Macarons (raspberry and rosewater)
2 Caramel slices
1 Pumpkin and fetta salad
2 Baguettes
2 Giant salad sandwiches
1/2 Roast chicken
Pesto
A tomato French thingy that I can't remember the name of
Paté
Olive Oil
Peppermint tea

We parked ourselves near some sculptures, under a tree. Orlando rolled about on the picnic blanket and we ate and ate and ate. 
It was perfection.


I can't recommend this enough, make the most of these warmer Autumn days people!
You need to order your picnic hamper in advance (48 hours notice) from Vue De Monde, you can do that here.


There are some fantastic exhibits on at Heide at the moment, it was a bit difficult with the pram and Orlando to go in and see them. 
I'm hoping to go back in the next week or so without the pram so I can see the Fiona Hall one in particular.



What did you get up to on the weekend?

^_^ ^_^ ^_^

Wedding Fun

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Hello peeps!! 
So my latest project is doing all the fun social media stuff for Chameleon Events, Melbourne's boutique events management company. 
I'll be running their FB page, twitter, instagram and when we have the website sorted out their blog. 
If you could follow all the usual suspects that would be fantastic. 
I've got some great material to share, inspiring, fun stuff and some amazing weddings that Chameleon has put on to show you all!! 
Get on board it will be a lot of fun and there will be special offers along the way.

xox

facebook.com/eventchameleon

twitter.com/eventchameleon

instagram: eventchameleon

Soup LOVE

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This is a silly, pretty much pointless blog post about my new found SOUP LOVE!



I just ate this soup
I loved it
I looooooved it
Probably the best packet soup I've ever had
Ever
We have a very small freezer so making soup and freezing it isn't the easiest thing to do logistically
I avoid pre made soup because most of them taste awful...
But this, this is shut the door, bomb dot com GOOD SOUP.
Really good.
I served it with 1/4 diced avocado and a generous splash around of Tapatio and heaps of Coriander.

I got it at Safeway... not sure where else it's sold.

That's all, see I told you it was a pointless post.
I was just so excited about my SOUP!

xox





The Big Kill-Cull

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So a few people have asked about my giant wardrobe cull recently, how I did it and why.
I did it because every single time I opened my wardrobe - I had nothing to wear.
Now, I have everything to wear.
My wardrobe is now a mini micro collection of clothes that practically all go together and I love every single thing.
I'm NO wardrobe/fashion expert but here's how I decided on what to kill and what to keep.


  • Haven't worn the item in 6 - 12 months/NEVER - peace out!
  • "I will lose weight to fit into it" - well, you haven't even tried to do this since you bought the item so when was this miracle going to happen?! OUT YOU GO!
  • But it's got XYZ memory attached to it - Yes, and the memory is in your mind not the item of clothing.
  • It was expensive - So are houses, people still sell them.
  • 3 sizes too big - But you were going to lose weight for those other 3281903 pieces of clothing what are you going to do for this one - PUT IT ON?!
  • Crazy maternity/breastfeeding 0300 purchases - you should NEVER make a purchase while hormonal.

Here's what I am left with:

  • 5 Jackets: trench, light dove grey cotton parker, embellished navy coat that sits upper thigh, denim jacket, beige silk blazer. 
  • 3 Pairs Of Jeans, dark/normal wash skinnies, Bassike Lo's. 
  • 1 Cardigan, my faux-ssoni.
  • 1 Sweater, years old grey/white mottled silk mix Witchery number.
  • 5 Striped tops
  • 1 Chambray Shirt 
  • 3 Dresses, 2 maxi one LBD.
I previously wrote on the blog FB page that I'd kept a skirt, it's since been discarded and that I had less jackets, denim made it back onto the scene. 
I also lost 2 tops to "around the house" wear.
I've not counted around the house clothes in The Great Wardrobe Cull or maternity wear/work wear. 

So that's my wardrobe story!
Have you done a cull recently/plan on doing one?
What have your rules been?
Have you regretted it later or been at peace with your decisions?


P.S SORRY about the AWESOME PHOTOS! haahahahahaa It was almost dark, took them with my iphone etc, etc... THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!!!





 

Privacy

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I was going to post this on FB the other day:

"Oh my goodness, I do NOT want to see naked photos of children I DO NOT KNOW on FB because someone I know has been tagged in them. "

It got me thinking (again) about all the tagging and hash tagging that people do.
All the hash tags on instagram #baby #babyboy #babygirl etc, etc.
When you click on a hashtag it takes you to ALL the photos that have been hash tagged with the tag.
Think about it, ANYONE can access your innocent #baby photo of your loved one in a bath with a bucket on their head.
Do you really want anyone accessing those photos?
I know it sounds like I'm clapping on like a hyper vigilant person but you've got to think about it. 
Yes, I post photos of Orlando across all platforms of social media BUT my IG is private and I screen everyone as well as I can before allowing them access, my Twitter is private, my FB is private. 
I can filter what goes on the blog, my most public arena.
And let's face it my blog is literally microscopic in the blogging world.

I've had people on Twitter and IG talk about bad people who have tried to follow them.
There are scary, disgusting people out there.

Some people might say I'm a bit of a hypocrite for posting photos of Orlando but I feel I've got control of the image I put out there.

Anyway, that's my 2c.
This post was meant to be written a LONG time ago (when I was pregnant still) but Hamish told me I was being ridiculous so I just shut my gob but I'm interested in my readers opinions on the issue...

So, what do you think?
Do you have everything on "private"?
Do you hashtag photos?


The Leaves Are Falling

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Cherie over at Raising Master Max just wrote a beautiful post about having her family stay over for a few days, you can read it here.
The part of the story that got to me the most was missing her family SO much because they are so far away.


Leading up to my first Mother's Day I've got to say it's been pretty hard at times having a new born baby without my mother around.
There are days when I wish I could call her and say HELP! Come over and let me sleep or do my washing or take me out for lunch. When I want to swear and be mad or whatever I don't really feel comfortable doing that with anyone else.... 

Since Orlando was born I've had questions about what I was like as a baby and I've asked dad and he has answers but it's not the same as hearing it from mum.
I want to know how she went breastfeeding, what her advice is when Orlando is cranky, what my eczema was like as a baby...
I need to know about her cancer...
I want to see her smile when her grandson smiles back at her.

It's not fair.
At all.

Maybe I'm just having a hormonal day.....
But it's really, really, really shit that I love and miss her so much and she isn't a part of the most important time of my life. I know it's been years and years and years but the day she died is SO fresh in my mind. So fresh. 

Ahhhh it's always bad in the lead up to special days... Pull it together Merowyn!





On The Side

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Hello! 
Hello!
Just a shameless plug for the blog's FB page, yesterday there was a little Kardashian a little Monsanto.
Clearly my mind is all over the place
Follow the page here.
I'm finding it much easier to do little quips on the FB page than full blown blog posts at the moment.


Then there is the my-other-job page Chameleon Events!
Even if you aren't planning a wedding it's a fun place to be with silly polls, photos and a whole bunch of fun things.
Please follow and interact, the better a response the sooner I can make this kind of gig a full time thing!!
Like the page here.
While you're at it follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
The blog has had a few posts but I'm still trying to figure it out so bare with me!!!
I am using both Twitters and consequently sometimes tweeting from the wrong accounts hahaahaha

Shameless plug over ^_^ ^_^ ^_^

Wake Up Little One

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1FTMVG on Make A Gif, Animated Gifs


Yesterday I crept into the bedroom to wake up little Orlando.
I started by taking a photo with my phone before I opened the blind.
Then I just took some snaps in succession. 
This is every single photo I took and the looks he gave me as he woke up.

xox

zzzZZZzzz Night Time Routine Styles!

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So a few people on Twitter/mum's group/FB etc have asked how we went with Save Our Sleep.
We didn't.
I got the book and decided it was far too strict and that I was trying to fix something that essentially wasn't broken. Orlando was sleeping fine he just needed a feed at 3am. He was hungry, I didn't want to have him bawling his little eyes out because some book told me to. Anyway, things really started to fall into place when we started a night time routine. It's honestly one of the best things we did, we started doing it at about 3 months I think?! It's embedded in him now, he's out like a light at 1845 - 1900 and then Hamish and I have our time for WINE and TV and CHEESE and DINNER woooooo ha!

So here's our night time routine, I highly rec you do something like this early, early in the piece (if you want to of course!). I've found Orlando thrives on routine, your baby might not. Just adapt it to times that suit you/your baby! Of course solids only started at 4 months for us :)

1720 - Solids
1800 - Bath
1820 - Milk - bottle or breast, depends on if I'm exhausted/there is expressed milk in the fridge etc, etc...
1845 - 1900 - out like a LIGHT

2300 - Dream feed (yes we still do it, I know we should drop it especially according to Save Our Sleep but with the dream feed he is having 5 feeds a day + 3 solids meals).

0700 - 0730 Up!

Sometimes he wakes up at 6am and just chortles away to himself in his cot. Has little snoozes and then chats and a snooze then a squeak. I am strict about not getting him up until at least 7am. He isn't fussed and isn't crying. I don't want him getting into a routine where it's ok to wake up at 5am. 5am isn't kind to anyone.

So that's my 2c about a night routine, like I said he's to the clock with it. We've been doing this for 3 months now and love it, he loves it, we know when to time our dinner etc. PLUS we've managed to SAVE OUR SLEEP :) :) :)

Have you got a night time routine?
How does yours go?
Is a night time routine not working for you?


Day Routine Stylessssssss

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I'm NO BABY EXPERT so take what I say as you will.

Following on from my night routine post I've had a few people ask about our day routine/how I get Orlando to nap. I've been thinking about it lots, trying to remember. 

We tried to establish routines, "the way things work" from day one. From the moment Orlando was born we had him self settling, we would put him down and he would go to sleep straight away (like a newborn does). As he became more aware of the world around him he would sometimes have a little grizzle and we would leave him. If he cried I'd be in there in a heartbeat but a little grizzle or being frustrated - I would leave him. We have a fantastic monitor so we would watch and listen to him on it and take the wait-and-see approach if it was appropriate. I want to reiterate though we wouldn't let him cry, there is a huge difference between an "I'm tired" whimper and a "help me please" cry.

But people have asked me how I've been able to have him nap so well during the day. At the moment he has 3 naps: 2 hours post breakfast, after lunch then afternoon for around 1-1.5 hrs, 1 hour, 30-45 mins respectively.

He always sleeps in his cot. Blinds closed, white noise on. I do not have any mobiles over the cot, my theory is the cot is a place for sleep not play. 

God, I sound like a bitch ahhhhahahahaa

So yeah, this is the routine. It is a routine we established as soon as we got him home (albeit he was in the Moses Basket then). 

Now here's the clincher: I basically didn't "leave the house" for the first 3 months to establish the routine and cues that we have now. If we did leave it was brief and timed around feeds, a quick walk, quick 20 min shop then home. There were friends that didn't understand and got quite upset with me for cancelling lunches etc but I had to put Orlando first. I had to establish a routine and a pattern. For me it was like getting all the ingredients out for the cake before you start making it. I felt like it was so important to do the groundwork. It was tough, I actually lost a friend because of it. But I look back and I'm so glad now that I did it because he day naps like a dream 9 times out of 10.

There are always going to be odd shitty days, but in the greater scheme of things Orlando's day goes pretty smoothly.

Now that he is a few days from 6 months it's easier to get out. In fact for the past, I'd say month and a half or so, I've felt confident to mess with his day routine. I have been getting out when I need to/want to (within reason if he needs to sleep or feed etc then that comes first). It's taken me that long to be able to do that though. 4 months of hard work and basically being chained to the clock/routine.

That's the tough cookie truth of what I did. It really, really worked for us. But it might not work for the next person so like I prefaced with: I'm NO baby expert so take what I say as you will.

Phew, long verbose post! Time for an alcoholic drink, ohhhh yeaaaaahhhhhh. 

xox

Colour My World

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b9ZiN3 on Make A Gif, Animated Gifs


Years ago I tried to do the beige/cream/conservative/"grown up" thing. I really put in the hard yards to make our house as neat and clean and beige as possible. I've got no idea what was going on then, why oh why?! Anyway all I want to live in is colour - surrounded by colour. It makes me so happy. I've had my eye on our dinner plates for a LONG time thinking they were just so white and so boring and so uninspired. I wanted colour dammit and I wanted non matching. Then I found these Anthropologie plates and well, the rest is history. A miss matched jumble of creatures and colours, dinner and dessert (what will be used as side) plates. Hamish had to come to the party with his Chef's Hat on and ruin my glow with "they will be no good for when we want to plate something up that's artistic". ARGH! Yeah, yeah chef man.

Of course, now we need coloured glasses too (from my favourite haunt IKEA) hahahaahahahaa ahhhhhhh poor Hamish...




So that's the extent of my life at the moment colourful dinner plates and glasses, exciting hey!

^_^ ^_^ ^_^

p.s sorry about the gif obsession lately... :/
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