NO spend NOvember

I love shopping!  This is not a secret.

Spending money is so easy - especially with the wonders of Facebook and Paypal. Not to mention the excitement when the mailman delivers! And not because he is rexy sexy - definitely not!

My most recent purchases include frilly nappy covers, a new lunchbox and a BEAUTIFUL tablecloth. I have no doubt that once all my parcels arrive - I will LOVE them! But the buddhist in me asks - do I really really need them?

Here is the crazy thing - my purchases last month (without me actually sitting down and figuring it out like a smart person) would have totalled at least $500! That, my friends, is completely and utterly riDONKulous.

So that is why I hereby declare November - NOvember, no internet shopping for me!

"How easy!" I hear you exclaim! I shall preface by saying that I am CONSTANTLY on the net, CONSTANTLY. I breastfeed, I am often a work widow and I have a smartphone (do I need anymore excuses?).

My Facebook newsfeed is flooded with gorgeous pretties for my girls and myself! But I do know that shopping out my boredom is not the way to continue!

Plus the organiser in me will need to finish my Christmas shopping ASAP! So I am "allowed" to buy christmas presents but not from the internet and I have a set list of everything left to get!

Do you think I can do it? Any tips for me?  

Signing off crazy ex-internet shopper.

T

PS. I would really appreciate it if all of my favourite FB stores would not post nice pictures of things for me to buy! Wait until December I plead with you!

PPS. I still have a day left in October - what can I buy?

PPPS. My get out of jail free clause allows me to shop at Woolies online (I have 2 kids - give me a little leeway!) and Loving Earth online (where I buy some organic food goodies).

Hiatus

Blogger informs me that it has been approximately 2.5 months since my last blog.  I have an excuse, and it's a pretty good one!

I have been busy. Too busy. With this.

This photo can be deceiving, it may look like a super super cute baby but it also comes with the following: accidental homebirth, nappies, breastfeeding, hospital stay with infection, reflux, nappies, lots of internet shopping, chocolate, older sister dramas, low milk supply, returning to work, whining almost 3 year old, low weight gain and ........ more nappies.

I am sure future posts will offer further elaboration for you!

Is that a good enough excuse for you?

T xxx

YES

In writing this post and sharing photos with you I am hoping to inspire you to just say YES. 

YES you can climb by yourself (under 1yr)

YES you can stand at the top of the stairs and climb down yourself (1yr old)

YES you can taste the paint (18mths). 

YES you can explore rocky lookout on your own (18mths)

YES you can wear your party dress on a bike ride and go through the huge muddy puddle (2yrs)

YES you can climb up to where your Daddy is on a 6ft high mezzanine with no boundaries around it (this one had me pooing my pants!) (2.5yrs)

YES you can climb under Daddy's car in the puddle (2.5yrs)

I believe that my saying YES sometimes it shows that I trust her and I am allowing her confidence to really develop. It also doesn't devalue "no" and "stop", I use these in serious situations and I always tell her what I expect of her when we are out. She also asks me now if it's okay for her to do something "Mummy can I go in the water?", "Mummy can I touch the bird?" My heart always swells with pride when she does this. 

Before we go for walks I say to her "what do you do if Mummy says stop?" and she will show me how she stops. If we have to cross the highway I explain to her that I have to carry her bike and hold her hand crossing the road. Sometimes this results in me holding a screaming toddler and a bike whilst crossing the road BUT she knows the rules.

I don't know if this works for all kids but it really works for us. I realise my next child will probably be a terror who doesn't listen and runs onto the road but for now I like this delusional state where it's my parenting and trust of Miss S that have helped form her this way. Don't tell me otherwise!

If you are looking for some more inspiration I would recommend visiting one of my favourite sites for ideas - Play at Home Mum.

So hopefully you can draw some inspiration from this, does it really matter if your child's party dress gets some mud on it? Share your moments with me! I want to hear all about them!

Tata.

Mrs G.

FYI - I am always always always close by and supervising. Yes she has hurt herself, but she has learnt from that too. 

Keeping the Romance Alive

Since having Miss S, time seems to have moved so quickly (she is already in her 3rd year of living!). Some weeks it feels like I don't see Mr G at all, and when do see each other - I get to whinge about the banalities of my day and he whinges about work.

This is not healthy for either of us. This year we decided to have monthly date nights and we managed a few before finding it hard to fit in, and also it felt like we were constantly bugging our babysitters for help!

So when Mr G had a super busy June and I realised we were having a baby like tomorrow - I organised a surprise night out in the city!

Cue 5 star hotel, Nana babysitting Miss S and a full 24 hours to talk about adult things!

We arrived to have our car valet parked and then we were upgraded to a suite! I have always wanted to hear "we have upgraded you today".

Upon entering the suite (which literally was bigger than our house!), soft music was playing, candles were everywhere, rose petals scattered and canapes were waiting whilst the Moet was chilling on ice!

It's not something we can do all the time (our credit limit wouldn't let us!) but it was seriously needed.

I personally think it's extremely important that you keep your relationship alive by doing little things like this. Not only for our sanity but for your little ones to see.

What do you do to keep your relationship in tip top shape? How do you demonstrate a healthy relationship to your kiddies? 

Organising Queen

One of my personal strengths (if I do say so myself) is being extremely organised.

It started as a basic skill - simple to do lists EVERYWHERE.

I wanted to share with you some of my tips on keeping yourself organised, I have utilised a couple of simple but effective systems in my house.

* An awesome Erin Condren life planner. It is set out PERFECTLY for what I need plus its colourful and personable.
* Cleaning Schedule - definitely not set in stone though. Some days I throw it out the window!
* Massive calendar so everyone in the house knows exactly what is going on when.
* Meal planning. We are now trying this on a fortnightly basis. So far so good. :) Its nice not to think about dinner each night - its already decided!
* Routine cards for Miss S. She doesn't refer to them every night but its a good reminder for her when she "forgets".

My number one tip is not to let everything get on top of you!

Every morning I try to have a semi-plan to my day. Whether my plan is to do nothing or to do EVERYTHING - I find the day flows better for me when I have an idea of most things I want to do.

Of course, my systems have flaws and don't always motivate me but they seem to be working pretty well for now!

How do you stay organised?

Internet Village

When I was pregnant with Miss S (3 years ago!) I joined an online forum of likeminded women who were all pregnant and due at the same time. 

There were some differences and many a learning experience but essentially I have found a group of women (some of whom I'll never meet) that I love and cherish on the internet. 

If you had told me that this would happen 5 years ago I would not have believed you. I didn't think I was the "type" - which is what exactly I don't know! 

There have definitely been some trials and tribulations, which one would expect from a group of pregnant hormonal women! 

In learning the perils of first time motherhood these women were my sanity - there to chat when up feeding at 3am, there when there was a funky spot, there when I needed a laugh, or a vent or a pick me up. 

After catching up with my fav internet bestie last week it got me thinking about all of our children - the generation that comes after meeting each other on the internet. Will our kids become friends on the internet? Will they forget about each other? Will they get married? Will they fight and think their mums are weirdos? 

I can't tell you. 

What I can tell you is that - without these women my adjustment to motherhood would have been a lot harder. In this day and age, mothers don't have the support and help they need from family (for various reasons!) and sometimes that late night chat is just what you need. 

They say it takes a village to raise a child, well I want to say thank you to my fav internet village and I hope one day Miss S will too. 

Future besties?

This time around I joined a new "due in" club, what started as 70 women with many differences has become a group of 10 ladies who I have started to love, cherish and appreciate for their wisdom. 

I hope my advice and knowledge helps them as much as my first group have helped me.

Peace out ladies. 

x

Guess what?

I am finally convinced that we are actually having a baby - we tried to conceive for 4 months and I am currently 29 weeks pregnant but its only just hit me. THERE IS A FRICKEN BABY IN MY UTERUS!

Long weekend plan for us was to paint the nursery/storage room. So naturally, we were too slack and lazy and ended up only sanding and washing the walls. BUT aside from the smell (oil of cloves aka Nana smell) it's coming along!

Then on Saturday night I got sick - cramps and nausea. YUCK. Mr G was fabulous. He rubbed my back until I fell asleep! The fact that I actually let him touch me when I was in pain and I listened to him when he suggested things to make me feel better - really gives me faith about us actually working together in this labour.

Today we had a fancy smancy 3D scan and I think it has really bought it home that there is a child in there! 

See - it's a real baby! 

It's SUPER exciting the second time around, there is something magical about knowing what's coming (at least as much as you can) and being able to remember the first time all over again. 

I have finally gotten a new sewing machine foot so I can start being crafty again! I have picked some GORGEOUS Cat in the Hat material to make some curtains. 

We don't know what the sex is and it makes it a little hard to buy clothes and things but the things we have purchased are super cute - and I can't wait to see them on the baby!

Not to mention that my baby, yep. My baby girl is going to be a BIG sister. What will she be like? Will she love her bro/sis? Do we have enough love for another one? 

We will find out in 11 weeks (or more!) how we all work together!