Day 2 of our little pre Christmas holiday!

Day 2: After Bella woke up screaming when I went to bed at 11pm last night, and only went back to sleep after she found she could suck on the satin on the edge of her blanket (I have never ever heard her scream like that before! I would get her calmed down for about a minute and then she would start screaming again!), we both had an alright night's sleep. After half her feed this morning, Miss Bella and Auntie C spent some time together. She is such a spoilt child! But in the words of Auntie C, "Cute".

What a hot, sticky mess!

Today Bella and I packed ourselves into the car and undertook a massive trip (at least it seemed that way!), and we left "dad-dad" at home. We travelled first to Launceston, where I made 4 deliveries for Little Lillie Designs and then we visited "Poppy Dale" in hospital. Then back into the car and travelled through to Ulverstone where we are staying with my Nana and Bella's "great Nana". Today was the worst day to be travelling in a car with no airconditioning! Mind you, looking at the forcast for the next few days, it is going to get hotter and hotter, luckily we are staying next to the beach!!  So back to our car trip.... Miss Bella DID NOT SLEEP AT ALL the entire way up to Launceston. AT ALL. And I was so hot and sticky that I had my tops pulled up to my armpits trying to stop them from sticking to my back. Yuck. Fan on full as the air coming in the windows was too warm, it just was not pleasant! On the trip from Launceston to Ulverstone, little Miss was overtired and hot and cranky, but refused to sleep. Instead she cried for the first 1/3 of the drive, then I sang to her and she finally fell asleep, only to start randomly crying in her sleep! Poor bub!
I hate it when it is this hot and sticky, and silly me, I only packed Bella's fleecy PJs, so right now she is tucked up in bed in some tights and a top and only a light blanket. I hope she sleeps alright!

I decided yesterday to return to being a blonde. This is something I do when I get bored or frustrated. I am not sure which applies in this case, but my hair is in a terrible state because of it! I guess I will never learn!!!

A little time for me!

Today was the first day in 8 months that I have left Bella with someone and spent time alone with my husband! As a birthday celebration he took me to the movies (on a date like we used to) and Bella was looked after by my friend Jilly for a few hours, then we picked her back up and the three of us went to dinner! It was so super good to get out and be "normal" again! haha I love my little family so much.

The Modern Cloth Nappy... Totally different from what you wore as a baby!

I made the decision a month or two ago to change to using MCNs (Modern Cloth Nappies) on Bella during the day. I was worried at first about doing so (to be honest I am not the best at keeping up with the normal washing, let alone dirty nappies!!) but after looking into it and finding out you can get flushable liners (amazing!) I made the choice to give it a go. I joined asked on a mum's facebook group I am in about them and a lovely lady on there offered to send me some to try and then I joined a buy and sell group also on facebook. As of today, I have now created a big enough "stash" to last until Bella toilet trains! So now I just have to purchase dispoables for overnight wear. And I couldn't be happier! Bella's nappy rash has cleared up, and only comes back when she has super disgusting poops! I would recommend using MCNs to anyone who wants to give them a go, they can be expensive to purchase new, but if you keep your eye out like I did, you can get secondhand ones fairly cheap when other mum's decide to clear out their stash :) When I pick up my latest purchase next week, I will have over 40 nappies and HEAPS of boosters, and have only spend just over $250 all up.

Come on, these nappies are pretty damn cute! And any MCN mum will tell you, they are super addictive!

I also ordered for miss Bella today, personalised name dummies... Cannot wait to get them! What a spoilt little princess I have! 

NOTE: do not google "MCN" in google images as you will get hundreds of pics of topless women!!!!! oops!

Happy Birthday to me?

Today is officially my birthday, I am 25 and my little princess is now 8 months old. Where does time fly? Tiábella is such an amazing little personality! But such a "Daddy's girl". And the spitting image of him too, the short dark blonde hair and amazing blue eyes. I almost feel like I am cheating by blogging about her because there is nothing wrong with her, nothing serious to complain about, nothing medical to endure and inspire others with. The biggest issue? Well, besides throwing up non stop until about 7 months old and not growing for a few months, was the day her two bottom teeth popped through and then it was only a little grizzle!

She has a hugely curious mind, and loves to grab and touch and feel and move things from hand to hand and twist them around, and taste EVERYTHING! I often wonder how the world looks to her, what does she see, what makes her smile? Why does she think that her hands must be covered in saliva before she touches something?

But as she grows and embraces the world more and more, getting more independent, standing without assistance and insisting on feeding herself, I find I am missing one thing more than anything else. Tiábella doesn't want to cuddle or snuggle with me anymore! She is too eager to show off her new "tricks" and cuddles with mummy are not part of the deal. Maybe, just maybe, if I am lucky I may get a Happy Birthday hug this morning... Fingers crossed!

Fathers Day?

Today is Fathers Day... a day to celebrate the wonderful job that fathers all over the world do...

BUT

As I sit here writing this, covered in projectile vomit from my 5 month old, teething daughter, while my husband is away taking his almost 4 year old daughter back home to her mother and then going to work, I do wonder about a couple of situations... Like, those who do not want to celebrate their father due to their father not being interested in being a father and therefore while being part of the family ignored the fact that they are a father altogether, or abusive, or (in the case of a dear single mum friend of mine and her new darling daughter) have a father that just cannot be arsed to even acknowledge them... To some people, Fathers Day is not even worth thinking about, let alone celebrating!

According to dictionary.com a father is: "1. a male parent"... Very unexciting really! I did have a quick look at urbandictionary.com and the meanings in there become a lot more 'colourful'! Personally, a father to me is not just the man who you share 50% of your DNA with, a father needs to be a person who loves you unconditionally, protects you, helps you grow and learn about life and the world around you, and basically gives a damn about you... Looking down the list on dictionary.com, I feel a little better to see that "to father" also means "20. to assume as one's own; take the responsibilty of"...

I then think of another friend of mine, who has two young children to her ex-finace... But is now dating a decent, kind and loving mutual friend of ours. This is technically his "first" Fathers Day, as the children now call him DAD, and I feel a little hope welling deep down inside me... I can only hope that we can all find someone decent and worth saying "Happy Fathers Day" to, even if that person is not biologically our father...

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the dads out there, especially those who are decent enough to be fathers to those who may not be biologically theirs. I tip my hat to you!

{this moment}

{this moment} – A Friday ritual from Soule Mama.  A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment.  A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your “moment” in the comments for all to find and see.