Antenatals and Old Macdonald Quack quack Roar!

Eli woke up a tad grizzly and frazzled this morning, I found him sitting in his cot playing with his feet. I think he was upset he couldn’t suck his toes because of his long onesie pyjamas he wears for his night sleep.

We had a quick snuggle in my bed as he was so happy to get out of his cot then he sat down and hurriedly scoffed down a huge breakfast of cereal and jammy toast before beginning the hectic rush the both of us had to get ourselves ready this morning.

My first antenatal appointment here went pleasingly well today. I managed to get Eli bug and myself dressed and ready and arrive at the doctors surgery 15 minutes early.

The midwives however, were not as organised as us! We waited an entire hour in the waiting room (disappointingly illequipt with any toys or anything with what to entertain a child)

We drew on paper, HE drew on his legs, which in retrospect I probably should have stopped him from doing but, strapped in an unmoving pram for an entire hour would be enough to have driven anyone insane.

We were finally called in (and as this was a booking in appointment) we took a long time with the medical history questions in which I get really good at saying the word NO

Heart problems   No

Medicine   No

High blood pressure    No

Allergies   No

Family history- wouldn’t have a clue.....

Where at this point  I am forced to give a quick rundown on my personal history which is the cause of my lack of family history which is

Um

Awkward...

Eli was fascinated with how the midwife checked Fyn in my belly, measuring my uterus and listening to his heartbeat. His eyes widened as he heard the racing horse like beats of his healthy new little brothers heartbeat.

My charming little conman did his bit and played his part of angel child perfectly by turning on the smiles and giggles as if with a tap every  time someone payed attention winning himself a play with a stethoscope and a blown up rubber glove “balloon” which he quickly got stuck into drawing upon.

Piles of paperwork  later, myself teamed up with a student midwife (who will accompany me to all my appointments and whom I must ring when I go into labour), Eli all tuckered out we finally made our way home.

I was singing as loudly as I could (to what else but Dinosaur Roar!) to keep Eli awake until we made it home which he did due to my terribly off key vocal skills.

Eli settled beautifully and had a great 2 hour nap waking up in a great mood.

We had a whole hour bath during which Eli impressed me with his animal recognition.

We sang Old Macdonald over and over again amidst hugs and giggles, Old Macdonald , in our version of the song, has only 3 pets on his farm. He has a “Woof Woof”

After which Eli yells

“DOG”

Old Macdonald also has a Dinosaur

Yells of “RAAR!” explode

And he has a Duck

“Quack Quack Quack” loudly from Eli.

‘Galumph went the little green frog’ was sung at least 20 times as Eli attempted the hand motions and became really quite good at them.

It was so rewarding to watch his little mind ticking over everything that we did. He was thoroughly proud of himself and I can safely say I was more than impressed with his accomplishments!

And so, with another day spent with my little blonde ray of sunshine over I shall leave you to your evening. My head still echoing with Baa Baas and Mary Marys and 5 little ducks taking a long walk over a hill and far away.

Ciao

xo

lovely days, toy addictions

How odd is it that we physically found it impossible to leave the comfort of our nice warm beds in the morning before we had children. Now, we just DO it AND we are nice to our kidlets when we do!

WOW!

Everyone made sure they warned me of late nights and early mornings. When you’re pregnant people find it their duty to tell you you’re going to be sleep deprived, they tell you you’re going to find it hard to cope at times.

Why do people do this? Why dampen a good thing? Obviously every parent knows it’s not going to be all sunshine lollypops and rainbows all the time.

We do it and even though we whine, secretly, deep down how nice is it to be getting up to the little one YOU created?

I love this age Eli bug is at. We may be up early but Im sitting pretty having a coffee whilst he feeds himself breakfast like a little champion spoon and all!

This morning was blissfully uneventful. Eli drew and pottered around and helped me do housework. He went down for a nap with next to no complaints despite Fyn kicking him roughly in his side.

I’ve often wondered when Eli would wake up and PLAY in his cot like I hear of some children doing and, today he DID!

I heard him grizzle as he awoke from his nap. Got my big belly out of bed (I was taking an opportune nap whilst the house was so serene) Started making myself a coffee and waited for him to call out for me crying, I had a full cup of coffee and it was then that I heard giggle.

Giggles? I must be hearing things!

So I snuck up the stairs to watch him nibbling his toes quite contentedly and giggling at his own antics.  I managed one quick sly happy snap then he spotted me!

“Don’t!” he says

Then promptly

“Mum Mum Mum”

So I go up only to be greeted by the happiest chappy alive!

We read books, he sang into my deodorant he’d claimed for a microphone and he danced away to the tunes on his wiggles dance mat.

We had a bath to get off the unfortunate cereal that had baked into his scalp over nap time and I’m preparing myself now for a lovely afternoon.

This afternoon we played, did housework and had a visit from Adam from next door who had just finished his last exam which is pretty exciting, then we made our way to the shop to do the –everything but the meat- grocery shopping.

Justine Clarkes Dinosaur roar was our song of choice as per usual and I sang loudly proud as punch each and every time Eli big roared on queue.

Argh, I’m terrible. I keep seeing blue and red little boy’s toys everywhere! Today it was Woolworths that I lost out to my addiction as before my eyes were rows upon rows of reduced “Cars” things

I looked at all these shiny red toys and I looked at the face of my little boy who was not to be spoilt on his own for much longer and shamefully I bought him a play tent and tunnel combo.

The sheer delight on his face when we got home and he explored his new toy’s !

His giggles were delicious! The sight and sounds of my big little boy was lying down next to his gumboots in his very own tunnel giggling his little noggin off

Mummy did well!

Nic is home now and I’m winding down with a cup of tea whilst he bathes Eli in preparation for the Bugs bedtime and I’m hoping for a night of sewing (finally)

Hope everyone had a day as wonderful as I and I hope you all had more control over your shopping addiction than myself today

xx

xx

grumps and grizzles cured by craft

Due to mistiming my doctor’s appointment today Eli has had 15 minutes and that is the full extent of his sleep since 7 this morning.

Joy!

When he turned ratty after me seeing the doctor I decided against throwing him out the nearest window as, apparently, throwing your irritable munchkin’s from great heights is illegal!

Instead we went to the shop a bought a cheap craft paint set- the best 15 dollar investment I have ever made!!

Eli, I have decided, from watching him day in and day out, is a very creative child. He already role plays in his own quaint way, he makes all his toys talk to each other and they enjoy many a tea party.

Eli will be one of those children, I believe (as he is already showing signs of it) that needs to be constantly stimulated and kept on his toes or he will have the potential to be a very naughty child

Drawing will keep him entertained without fail most times for lengthy periods of time! And music! Oh lordy my child has music running through his veins! I may be biased but I’m pretty sure most times he bops right on time to the beat. He is so musically inclined he can hear a tune from miles away and he will just randomly start dancing, Nic and I finally catch up, can hear it too and just stare at him in amazement!.

One thing my Dad really encouraged was my brother and I to be artistic and this is something I would like to foster and nourish in my own child. To me, there is no better way to express yourself than when you find that creative medium that fits just right.

Eli has mastered drawing lines, he is a veritable line king!

I cannot wait to have thousands upon thousands of stacks of little fanciful crayoned or painted masterpieces he may procure in the years to come.

The set I brought him today was wonderful as there were so many mediums for him to use with so many textures. There was classic paint brushes and acrylic paint, there were rollers and sponges and sponge paintbrushes, textured paper and watercolour paint

He had a ball exploring the feelings, colours and ( i must be honest) taste of hi new set and the joy on his face as he discovered each new thing was priceless.

So, although, we were both sick of each other well before the time Nic Came home from work, we worked together and learned a new way of making a relatively restless day more enjoyable for the both of us.

I love You Eli Harrison Jarrett and I hope that all this one on one time stimulating your mind will help you flourish into a right little gentleman because you are teaching me so much each and every day I spend with you.

xo

a couple of days go by

After a lovely evening Saturday night at Nic’s seargents house for dinner in which I got a lot of time to talk to another sewing mummy , Eli got to run around like a mad thing playing with their two beautiful children and Nic was able to talk cars and his usual aerosexual talk (that i usually have to smile, nod and pretend to understand!)

Eli went to bed quite late but in a great mood due to all his play and woke up very late Sunday morning also in a lovely mood!

I slept until ten whilst Nic performed the mundane parental morning duties, and , feeling very spoilt i received my bacon ,eggs and toast in bed having only to surface finally from my bed to get coffee

The rest of the day was relaxing . Nic and the boys from next door took Eli for a cruise along Stockton beach where they took some lovely photos and Eli was delighted to be allowed to play in the driver’s seat of the Prado whilst Nic cleaned the car afterwards.

Bug did not want to go to sleep at the routine settling time on Sunday night so understandably I was freaking out, after staying up late to finish sewing his cloth wipes, that he would wake up early this morning , especially as this was his first night in his pea pod MCN (modern cloth nappy)

This morning he DID awake at the unfortunate hour of 6 am and not clinging to much to the hope of him resettling I brought him downstairs and put him to bed with me where he slept in until 8!

I drifted in and out of sleep snuggling my beautiful little bundle, sometimes just gazing at his gorgeous peaceful sleeping face wondering where the time had gone and realising just how precious the next few weeks are going to be.

These 5 weeks (or less as my doctor and body are pretty sure of) will be my last chance to spend such vast amounts of one on one quality time with my firstborn before having to share my time and attention with Fyn as well.

With this realisation unable to leave my mind, Eli and I ventured forth to the pet shop where he spent a good half an hour giggling and yabbering at the little puppies for sale there. He greeted them with exclamations of

“dog dog”

And then waved goodbye when we did need to go.

Still feeling bad about soon having to share my time with Eli I spoilt him and treated him to a juice and donut sitting up on a big peoples chair at the food court at the shopping centre.

Nap time now zzzzzzzzzzzz

Lovely long nap by my precious Eli bug meant I got a nice chat in with my bestie, Bec who is enjoying her day off work And I managed an hour’s nap as well!

Today is wonderful!

When Eli woke up we had a nice long bath because as aforementioned I have only got 5 weeks left of this pregnancy therefore the curse of the lower back pain is rearing its ugly head more and more often!

Another long phone call with my Bec whilst watching Eli play happily with his toys I found that my attention had wandered off him and solely on my conversation and then

SMACK

I was hit fair and square, with much force right on my forehead with a wooden puzzle board!

And Eli laughed

Little demon child!

It’s amazing, even though i was actually in a substantial amount of pain how quickly my anger subsided as he happily went back to playing after being heavily chastised for hitting

How cute and perfect are these creatures we create?

I am feeling the afternoon heaviness now and Eli (after helping me clean up) is getting his creative juices flowing and drawing some pictures as a present for when his little brother arrives to stay!

Tonight, my plan of attack was to finally finish my second attempt at the playsuit pattern I had created.

When I began sewing something instantly ignited in me.

Finally something just for me that stimulated me enough to keep me entertained plus boosted my self esteem to find out how well the end result turned out!

I began with very easy patterns for pants (as before this id sewn a few toys and some cloth wipes) I had never sewn clothing before and was hesitant.

The pattern was easy and turned out gorgeous! So I’ve adapted it and others to make it MINE

How nice does it feel to find that one thing that that is yours, something other than your children that you can consume your time with and be passionate about

Split Personalities??

So far as you have read, my blog has been filled mostly with the hope and happy contentedness associated with my being a mummy and a wife.

I also said that I’d be writing the truth about my life.

I have not been wearing rose tinted glasses when writing my previous blogs, I honestly love being a mum and a wife with such a passion that I can’t describe adequately with any words that I have and sometimes I really do believe that that is the sole purpose  I was put here on earth, to be Eli and Fyn’s mum and to be Nic’s wife.

Along with all these wonderful feelings however are the times when I wonder where I have gone.

In case I am not making sense I’m not crazy I know WHERE I am , I just find myself wondering at the times Im busy being Eli’s mum and Jamee with a bump and Mrs Nic Jarrett where oh where did Jamee Saunders go?

The Jamee Saunders that used to party until the wee hours of the morning in the highest of heels and the most scandalously short dresses flirting so outrageously, in all probability looking like the biggest harlot in town.

Gone (at least for the next few years) is my ability to leave the house without finding that somewhere on my supposedly clean outfit is another hidden Eli grot stain.

I am soon to wear that somewhat familiar baby spew perfume that all mothers of newborns identify with.

I am no longer guaranteed a nice long hot shower alone and God forbid I think I can use the toilet unaccompanied by a small body!

I used to spend hours in the morning perfecting my hair and makeup, choosing cute sexy outfits fir day to day wear.

I drank like a veteran and nursed hangovers daily. After these episodes of wondering who I am and what I’m doing I realise that even though I’m bound to plans and that spontaneity no longer has a comfortable part in mummy Jamee’s life, that my life may not be action packed with exciting new outfits and parties and faces that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Even though somedays are more a struggle than others, and I find it hard to cope with tiredness, housework , with my husband or Elis whinging or the fact that this far along in my pregnancy I could pretty much live on the toilet I know deep down that my life IS fabulous, I am blessed and have such an enriched life now that it ISN’T all about ME

Instead of waking up to a different face each morning and awkwardly trying to remember names, I wake up to the familiar much loved face of my husband. I wake up to the cheeky grin of my ratbag Eli bug and the kicking of my unborn child.

I may not be spontaneous or trendy anymore but there’s still a rebellious side in there somewhere and I know that the Jamee Saunders I used to be does still exist but she’s stood aside a little, she’s improved a little and learns a lot more each and every day on how to be a better person.

I am not the same person I once was but I love the person I am now.

I am a mother and a wife and a young woman. I’m juggling so many different identities and I’m proud of myself!

Never in a million years if you had told me when I was growing up that there would be light at the end of the tunnel and that I would be so happy would I have believed you.

But I can now honestly say even though I still carry an insie black cloud of memories above my head that I’m still learning to clear that I am proud of myself

And very

Very happy

100% organic baby. I heart cloth!

I love seeing Eli running around in his cloth nappy.

I love the look of his little toosh all padded up in classic terry cloth, in vibrant colours knowing just how good it is for his sensitive skin.

I am fascinated with MCNS (for cloth nappy newbie’s this stands for Modern Cloth Nappies and they are designed like disposables but cute and cloth. Highly absorbent and very, very good. The best brands that I know of being Pea Pods, Cushie Tushie and Baby Beehinds)

This type of cloth nappying however, done full time for both Eli and Fyn was going to work out to be a much to costly enterprise and as I switched to cloth with the original idea being to SAVE money I haven’t been able to and still cannot justify the cost of replacing my terry cloth squares for MCNS.

Eli, therefore, wears bright bots vibrant coloured Terry cloth square nappies with bamboo fleece inserts for nap times (bamboo fleece is the softest most absorbent material, helping to keep moisture of babies bum )

I get mixed reactions to Eli being in cloth nappies, most positive and some negative and judgemental.

There is a huge misunderstanding surrounding cloth nappies, ideas of hard work, stinky nappy pails and poop and wee explosions tend to fill people’s minds when they think of using cloth nappies on their children.

All the above is entirely untrue ideals if you commit to cloth and work yourself out a system.

Yes, I do perhaps have to change Elis nappy a little more often that Id have to change it if it were a disposable nappy but, at the same time he has not had nappy rash since starting cloth (except for an unfortunate incident regarding too much orange juice)

I keep the nappy bucket filled with water and nappy san in the laundry and it has a snap shut lid which does not allow poopy odours to escape, I keep his nappies prefolded in a huge tub behind the couch along with half a dozen snappy nappies and tons of plastic pants.

When Eli was younger we were able to do the very traditional “boy fold” on the nappy (many don’t realise but boys fill a nappy in a much more concentrated spot than girls so need a lot more padding round their bits.

Now Elis bug is a big boy his MaMa in Longreach showed me a much more adjustable and leg hugging option of folding that suits us just right and that even Nic can manage!

Washing cleaning and maintaining cloth nappies is really not that hard of work either. (lately we HAVE had to use the dryer more often because of wet weather.)

Simply a matter of when changing a wet nappy, just throw the thing in the nappy pail when you are done and when changing a soiled nappy empty as much of the poop as possible into the toilet then again, throw the nappy into the pail as well!

I empty the nappy pail daily and wash the nappies on an extra clean cycle in the washing machine. They are then taken out dried and folded and the cycle continues.

Sound like work? Really it’s not!

I’m lazy and I do it! Folding hardly takes any time at all and I usually do it while Im watching tv and  find it an oddly soothing exercise.

Cloth wipes were something that I WAS hesitant to start , but after buying yet ANOTHER pack of Huggies disposable wipes and after changing Eli into a cloth nappy and having to dispose of the wipes separately I thought why not? Because then a soiled wipe could simply be tucked into the nappy and disposed of in the normal way.

I did some actually very extensive research and looked cloth wipes up online, visiting forum after forum(surprisingly a lot of forums on cloth wipes!)

Cloth wipes just seemed to make sense, instead of finding the bin when changing I could simply throw the wipes in the nappy pail with everything else.

Cloth wipes, for me work much more efficiently than disposable wipes and aren’t full of chemicals that could perhaps be harming my baby’s delicate nether region.

There are, if you want to use more than water so many varied and cause specific solutions that you can make at home for your cloth wipes , that are great for bubs bottom

One easy recipe is

Water

Baby bath oil

Baby bath wash

Put in a spray bottle and apply as needed to the wipes as you use them!

I have, rather than buying wipes, cut up old receiving and flannel wraps to make funky wipes for Eli and YouTube had a great video that instructed me how to fold the wipes and put in a disposable wipes container so that they continue to come out just like disposable wipes do!

For my family, swapping to cloth nappies was the best decision, we’ve made and I feel comfortable in myself knowing that I am doing my bit on the carbon footprint I am leaving behind that will affect my kids future

I love cloth nappies!

On an ultra high note for me today, at the local baby store I scored 3 peapods night time MCNS 3 night time boosters and some re usable breastpads for a very reduced price meaning i no longer have to cling to disposables at all!

I am very excited to get them washed and try them out on Eli tomorrow!

Who uses cloth nappies? And who is brave enough to start?

Venting, living, loveing, learning.

How hard is it to pull your own weight with the housework?

For the male species this seems nigh on impossible.

I’m heavily pregnant, I’m tired, fat and been in pain for the last week or so. But apparently, as I do not WORK FULLTIME this does not warrant me being allowed to sleep in.

Apparently this does not warrant any decent amount of help with the housework.

No, I still have to stay up until close to midnight doing HIS chores as well as my own and then still get up early while HE sleeps in.

Unfair? Noo!

Should I pull you up on it? Noo!

No, you work all day, four days a week! You need your sleep!

And, why not sit on the couch and watch me scrub the floor?

You work full time and I’m just a stay at home mummy so why not?

Oh dear!

I was a little bit cranky this morning wasn’t I?

Re reading the above from this morning makes me laugh a little now, but at the time, Boy oh Boy was I mad!

Having children puts a huge strain on a marriage but it is so worth it and every bit of effort we put in even when we feel like packing it in and going separate ways is effort that means we DO love each other.

It’s rocky sometimes, there are silent treatments, there are snide comments and, at times, outright nastiness but a relationship is never easy street and as long as the good continues to outweigh the bad times then that is much more than enough for me.

Frustrated this morning, beyond a point I could cope with, Eli and I had a long walk down to the beach as it was nice and sunny out and I needed some time to clear my head.

The tide was right up to the embankment so Eli bug and I settled with a nice long play at the park. Eli was able to play with a puppy and so many other children (older than him which he loved)

Watching him make sure his face was right near theirs when he talked to them, watching him hugging them and chatting away in his own little language spattered with dribs and drabs of real words mixed in I have very much come to the conclusion that Eli needs more time with other children so I cannot wait until Fyn is born. Eli really needs to learn the beautiful, simplistic importance of personal space!

After finishing up at the park and saying goodbye to Eli’s playfellows, we walked all the way back past our house and continued on to the shopping centre as I still needed some more time to clear my head and Eli, at that stage, was having a nice long snooze in the pram.

Once I got home I realised that by taking such a long walk I had perhaps bitten off more than I could chew! My belly, my arms and worst of all my legs were killing me!

Eli who was awake by now spent the afternoon with Daddy whilst Mummy had a well earned nap!

It is dinner time now and my lovely husband (can you half tell we have gotten over our spat) is making massaman curry and then bathing and bedding the boy bug!

I will continue my relaxing afternoon by having an early one I do believe!

So the day has been eventful, and more patience and more communication between Nic and I has been recognised as much needed! I had some awesome outdoor bonding time with my gorgeous soon to be big brother little chatterbox monster and I had a nice long nap.

All in all the day turned out much better than my original rant indicated it would!