While I've been on maternity leave, my husband has been working incredibly hard to provide for our family. Two jobs. Five days of 9 to 5 managing a music store and four nights of gigs a week. That's a whole bunch of work. Sophie and I get to spend time with him on Mondays and Fridays during the day, but he's off to work those nights. He doesn't get a full day and night at home.
AND he does it all because he loves us. We're super lucky.
Before Sophie was born we went out for meals a lot. It's one of our things. We love good food and we love other people preparing it for us. Since Soph arrived, I've perfected the art of eating quickly. I reckon I could finish an entire meal in five minutes. Our little one isn't at a stage where she appreciates fine food and wine and taking one's time to enjoy both. She's also on her best behaviour in the morning.
So now breakfast has become our thing. It's quick and cheap (ish) and delicious.
We're slowly working our way through the breakfast places in Perth. We've had some super duper ones and a couple were meh. Standout places that I've been to with friends but not yet with Court: Sayers in Leederville, The Attic in Fremantle and The Kiosk at Floreat Beach.
We'll get there. We're making breakfast our mission.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Stomping my foot.
I haven't ranted and raved on here in a long time. I think I prefer to keep it more as a diary - less essays - more of a place to sit and reflect on how lucky I am in life.
This probably won't be very ranty at all, really. Well, maybe.
Anyway, since becoming a mother, I've really noticed the difference between parents and non-parents. Prior to the start of my motherhood, I hated it when people made statements like that. I always thought that we're not that different. But until you've held your absolute favourite thing in the world in your arms, you really don't understand. You thought you had a favourite thing before? You didn't.
A childless friend of mine made a comment recently about how she wouldn't immunise her future kids, should she have any.
I went off. For starters, she hadn't researched either option AT ALL. She said the risks of being immunised far outweighed the risks of not being immunised. Whatwhat?! And then came the clincher: it can make your kid autistic. Or asthmatic, allergic, dead. But the autism thing really got my goat. That has been disproven and everyone who knows even a smidge about this theory knows that.
Aside from that, how the hell is it fair if a six week old baby dies from whooping cough after coming in contact with an unimmunised child?! See? This isn't just about your kid - it's about others too.
Okay - that was a bit of a rant.
This probably won't be very ranty at all, really. Well, maybe.
Anyway, since becoming a mother, I've really noticed the difference between parents and non-parents. Prior to the start of my motherhood, I hated it when people made statements like that. I always thought that we're not that different. But until you've held your absolute favourite thing in the world in your arms, you really don't understand. You thought you had a favourite thing before? You didn't.
A childless friend of mine made a comment recently about how she wouldn't immunise her future kids, should she have any.
I went off. For starters, she hadn't researched either option AT ALL. She said the risks of being immunised far outweighed the risks of not being immunised. Whatwhat?! And then came the clincher: it can make your kid autistic. Or asthmatic, allergic, dead. But the autism thing really got my goat. That has been disproven and everyone who knows even a smidge about this theory knows that.
Aside from that, how the hell is it fair if a six week old baby dies from whooping cough after coming in contact with an unimmunised child?! See? This isn't just about your kid - it's about others too.
Okay - that was a bit of a rant.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Six months old yesterday
My girl had her six month birthday yesterday. Very exciting for me and her father - a whole bunch less exciting for her. This is really the best age we've had with her: her personality is starting to show, she's becoming more vocal (attracting more "shhh"s from her father in public places!) and she's getting stuck into solid food. She loves the fruit - not so much the savoury stuff. AND MY GOODNESS IS SHE CUTE. Adorbz.
To celebrate her half birthday, we turned her car seat around. This can be done at 8 kgs or 6 months old, but I think it's better if you do it at the later stage of the two. She's 9.3 kgs now, so we've been pretty patient! She loves being able to see us easily in the car. I love it too - I keep turning around to make faces at her.
I did a terrible thing to her last night. By accident, of course. I dropped her while I was putting her in her high-chair for dinner. On the hard kitchen floor. She landed on her side and banged her head hard. And then we both started crying. She was in such shock and had a hard time calming down and I felt so incredibly guilty. I'm supposed to be one of two people who will always try to protect her and make her feel safe and then I also became the one who gave her the shock of her young life and probably the most pain she's known so far.
She had a huge lump on the side of her head and she eventually calmed down, but would cry every now and then. We took her to the hospital and the doctor said she would be okay and gave her some Nurofen. She slept well when she eventually got to bed. I ate a whole pizza in an attempt to feel better. It really didn't work.
Two things made me feel a bit better. Time and googling 'dropped my baby'. It turns out that lots of people have done similar things and considerably worse and their kids have turned out alright.
I still feel nervous though.
To celebrate her half birthday, we turned her car seat around. This can be done at 8 kgs or 6 months old, but I think it's better if you do it at the later stage of the two. She's 9.3 kgs now, so we've been pretty patient! She loves being able to see us easily in the car. I love it too - I keep turning around to make faces at her.
I did a terrible thing to her last night. By accident, of course. I dropped her while I was putting her in her high-chair for dinner. On the hard kitchen floor. She landed on her side and banged her head hard. And then we both started crying. She was in such shock and had a hard time calming down and I felt so incredibly guilty. I'm supposed to be one of two people who will always try to protect her and make her feel safe and then I also became the one who gave her the shock of her young life and probably the most pain she's known so far.
She had a huge lump on the side of her head and she eventually calmed down, but would cry every now and then. We took her to the hospital and the doctor said she would be okay and gave her some Nurofen. She slept well when she eventually got to bed. I ate a whole pizza in an attempt to feel better. It really didn't work.
Two things made me feel a bit better. Time and googling 'dropped my baby'. It turns out that lots of people have done similar things and considerably worse and their kids have turned out alright.
I still feel nervous though.
Friday, June 17, 2011
What a week it's been....
It's 7.39, Friday evening. Court is at work. Sophie is in bed. I have dinner in the oven, red wine in my hand and James Taylor on iTunes.
Court and I have always said that with Soph we have a bad day and then a good day. Ebb and flow, all that. This was particularly true when she was super reflux-y and undiagnosed. Usually when I have a bad day with Sophie, I tell myself that it was a write-off. "We'll wipe the slate clean and start afresh tomorrow", I say. I did that on Tuesday this week. And Wednesday. And Thursday. Today was excused because we had plans that got us out of the house at nap time.
It has just been one of those weeks. Sophie isn't a big sleeper during the day. I assume she'll have two half hour naps - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It isn't a lot, but it's enough time to myself to make it through the day. I have a few minutes to switch off. This week? No naps. Maybe 15 minutes in the car, but I can't switch off while I'm driving. The thing that replenishes my energy is the 12 hour sleep she has every night.
As I'm typing this, I'm thinking that as hard as it is to get through a day - or this week - I miss her as soon as she goes to bed.
And so I'll attach one of my favourite recent photos to this post. It's of my two most favourite people ever.
Court and I have always said that with Soph we have a bad day and then a good day. Ebb and flow, all that. This was particularly true when she was super reflux-y and undiagnosed. Usually when I have a bad day with Sophie, I tell myself that it was a write-off. "We'll wipe the slate clean and start afresh tomorrow", I say. I did that on Tuesday this week. And Wednesday. And Thursday. Today was excused because we had plans that got us out of the house at nap time.
It has just been one of those weeks. Sophie isn't a big sleeper during the day. I assume she'll have two half hour naps - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It isn't a lot, but it's enough time to myself to make it through the day. I have a few minutes to switch off. This week? No naps. Maybe 15 minutes in the car, but I can't switch off while I'm driving. The thing that replenishes my energy is the 12 hour sleep she has every night.
As I'm typing this, I'm thinking that as hard as it is to get through a day - or this week - I miss her as soon as she goes to bed.
And so I'll attach one of my favourite recent photos to this post. It's of my two most favourite people ever.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Five and a half months
In the last five and a half months, I have gone from feeling completely helpless to feeling confident that I can get through a day with Sophie by myself. It doesn't sound like a long time, really, but Soph and I have grown and learnt a lot so far. I was just telling a friend that I'm finally starting to understand her tired and hungry signs. Only now! Definitely still learning. I know that she doesn't like sitting in her pram, she likes being held upright, she likes standing up, she likes Skidermerink, she doesn't mind having her ears cleaned but hates the nasal aspirator, she loves her Daddy's "owrowrow" sound that he makes just for her and she usually finds it hilarious if we snort like a pig while nuzzling into her neck.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Coffeeandcake Club
Do you know what I'm enjoying about motherhood?
Many things! But one of the top ones (obviously apart from the adorability of my daughter - I'm not that selfish, you guys!) is mothers group.
I'm not a very social, good-at-chit-chat kind of lady. My face goes red and my knees go weak in pretty much any social situation, so I'm surprised that I'm loving this side of things.
I'm part of two mothers groups. One is a community one and the other is organised by a friend who wanted to get together regularly with mums she knew. Initially I had to force myself to go. I came up with heaps of excuses as to why I would be better off at home on a particular morning, but I always told myself to stop being silly and to get Soph and myself into the car.
Just this week I've started to feel really comfortable with both - yes, it's taken me four months of seeing these people weekly....
I think I knew that when we had Sophie I would break away a bit from my other groups of friends, not to mention no longer spending forty hours a week with the girls at work. But I tried not to think about that side of things. I didn't really want to make new friends (because I'm terrible at it - see above), but I knew I would be keen for people who were experiencing the same things as me.
And that's what I've found. A couple of groups of women who are friendly, open-minded and have some really great advice.
Also, there is always food. You know how I feel about cake.
Many things! But one of the top ones (obviously apart from the adorability of my daughter - I'm not that selfish, you guys!) is mothers group.
I'm not a very social, good-at-chit-chat kind of lady. My face goes red and my knees go weak in pretty much any social situation, so I'm surprised that I'm loving this side of things.
I'm part of two mothers groups. One is a community one and the other is organised by a friend who wanted to get together regularly with mums she knew. Initially I had to force myself to go. I came up with heaps of excuses as to why I would be better off at home on a particular morning, but I always told myself to stop being silly and to get Soph and myself into the car.
Just this week I've started to feel really comfortable with both - yes, it's taken me four months of seeing these people weekly....
I think I knew that when we had Sophie I would break away a bit from my other groups of friends, not to mention no longer spending forty hours a week with the girls at work. But I tried not to think about that side of things. I didn't really want to make new friends (because I'm terrible at it - see above), but I knew I would be keen for people who were experiencing the same things as me.
And that's what I've found. A couple of groups of women who are friendly, open-minded and have some really great advice.
Also, there is always food. You know how I feel about cake.
Cooking and baking and tasting - oh my
I'm right into my baking at the moment. LOVING it. Loving it so much, in fact, that I'm having supply and demand issues. Not enough demand. Everyone is away on holidays at the moment, so I haven't really had anyone to give it to. I've mostly tried to eat it all myself, but my mothers group has also copped a fair load of it. As has Court.
Many of the recipes I use are from food blogs that I follow. It's really nifty to have a bit of a background to the recipe and a review of how it all went. Ooh, plus 'along the way' photos! I like to know that my mix is looking right.
I made a fabulous cheesecake a couple of days ago. It was super duper. Just the bee's knees. I've been wanting to bake macarons for a very long time. I have the recipe printed off and sitting next to me. But I know they're fairly tough to get right and I'm scared. I've never been so apprehensive about a baked good in all my life! Eventually I'll get around to making them (probably when I have a babysitter) and if they work I will be the happiest girl in the world.
Many of the recipes I use are from food blogs that I follow. It's really nifty to have a bit of a background to the recipe and a review of how it all went. Ooh, plus 'along the way' photos! I like to know that my mix is looking right.
I made a fabulous cheesecake a couple of days ago. It was super duper. Just the bee's knees. I've been wanting to bake macarons for a very long time. I have the recipe printed off and sitting next to me. But I know they're fairly tough to get right and I'm scared. I've never been so apprehensive about a baked good in all my life! Eventually I'll get around to making them (probably when I have a babysitter) and if they work I will be the happiest girl in the world.
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