Catch Up/Update

Well I realised I have been pretty neglectful of my blog and am sure my 7 followers are besides themselves with worry :P SO here is an update.

Noah: Noah is now 3 years and 7 months, growing up so fast and is full of attitude. He is still a sweetheart and loves his cuddles and kisses and is still sneaking into our bed in the early hours of the morning, he has it down so that he doesn't even wake us, we just wake up in the morning to him in the middle! Lucky we just recently bought a king sized bed!
He is going to pre-school 1 day a week and he has a great time there and loves his teachers. He must be learning because he can do most of the alphabet song now which he never seemed to pick up at all when I tried to teach him! He is starting to understand more in the empathy department and I can reason with him a bit more but I have also learned to be more gentle with him because he just plain doesn't respond well to mean mummy and harsh punishment. It makes things worse, actually.

Lili: Lili is now 2 years and 1 mth, can you believe that? I started this blog when she was a baby, time has just flown by. She is doing great and is full of life, always running wild and playing. She loves to have cuddles and really appreciates 1 on 1 time, so Wednesdays seem to be her favourite day (when Noah is at school). Although she does spend the day talking about Noah. She sleeps well at night and most of the time we don't have to get up to her. She comes in to my bed when Ben is getting ready for work and goes back to sleep for a couple hours.
Lili is very cheeky and has most definitely entered the zone of terrible 2's. She throws a wicked tantrum and has a scream on her that would qualify for the horror movies. She is hard to discipline at this stage, I guess it's her age and also because she is so different to Noah. Time outs work fairly well, but you can forget about giving her a talking to lol. She is toilet training at the moment which is something she started herself and she is doing great. Still accidents of course but we have had many trips out of the house where she hasn't needed a change of clothes. So hopefully that continues to improve, which I'm sure it will.

Baby #3 and I: Well we are now 31 weeks and 4 days along. Feeling pretty good still, have my complaints like every pregnancy but overall things are going well. Bubs is sitting very low so causes lots of pressure and often pain. Have put on a fair bit of weight that I am already thinking about how to lose so please make sure I get my jelly butt into gear once this baby is born.
Bubs is moving lots and I often see a foot pushing out and around which is an odd but wonderful thing to see. I have my next midwife appointment next Monday which is the first in 6 wks so I will find out how I'm measuring and how bubs is sitting etc. Everything feels good though, the only complaints are physical ones for me like sore hips/pelvis, pinching nerves and strong braxton hicks contractions. Nothing new though, something I experienced with the other 2 pregnancies as well :).

So that's us really, life is just moving along all too quickly. I am mentally prepared for the baby to arrive (as much as you can be I guess) but there is still a fair bit to do. I sanded and painted the cradle last week so we just need to get a new mattress for that. We need to get Lili a new convertible booster seat for the car so the baby can have her seat. Also need to buy some newborn nappies and get all the bits and pieces like creams, towels, bath wash etc ready. Looking forward to giving birth again, and very curious to see what it is like after 2 fast labours. Will it be quick again or will it be completely different, only time will tell!

Oh and any suggestions for baby names would be appreciated, both boys and girls desperately needed. We need short names, preferably 4 letters and it should suit Noah and Lili. TIA! ">

Why I love this month

I haven't done one of these for a while but have been feeling all warm and fuzzy lately so thought it's about time.

Noah: 3 years, 5 months

I love this month with Noah because he is so imaginative and creative. He is really becoming his own person more and more each day and he comes out with some funny things. He can be very cheeky and very independent, wanting to assert himself all the time. He is still my cuddly boy and loves to cuddle up in my bed with his face against mine and his arm wrapped around me, fast asleep. He has been going to pre-school for about 4 mths now and is loving it, he always has a good day. He has definitely learnt a thing or two since going.

Lili: 1 year, 11 months

Well Lili is turning 2 in less than a month and I still can't believe how time has flown. She is a clever little chicken and speaks well, and comes otu with some funny things just like her brother. She is starting toilet training and doing well, although the cold weather is not the best time for it. She is still my fiesty girl and will pick fights with the bigger kids at the playground, reasons unknown! Lili is very caring and sweet and always tells me she loves me and has a kiss for me just because.

Baby #3: 21 weeks pregnant

I am loving this stage at the moment because the kicks are just becoming strong and occasionally I can see my belly bounce. Nothing like laying down and feeling a little dancing going on. I have got a lot of energy back most of the time so am feeling more on top of things again and enjoying being able to spend more quality time with Noah and Lili.

So it's a good time at the moment all round, I love my kids and am so thankful for them! ">

Must. Not. Eat. Junk.

How do I actually do this?

If only I was feeling how I did when pregnant with Lili where I craved fresh fruit and salad... noooo I have to crave subway (and not the 6g of fat or less either), McDonalds, KFC and fish and chips! My current fave craving is subway, double chicken fillet on white, toasted at half time.

With Easter around the corner I will get my chocolate fill with rabbits and eggs... thank god it's only a weekend (and trust me, I will eat it in a weekend).

So far I am 3.5kg up at 14.5 wks pregnant which I suppose isn't too bad, but I know it only gets worse after the 20 wk mark. Why oh why does all the junk food have to look so damn good? I am grateful I haven't succumbed to the new double thingo at KFC which includes 2 chicken fillets a piece of bacon and 2 pieces of cheese with no bun! But I can't say I haven't thought about it.

No more cravings please! I'm done! I don't want to spend the next 2 years trying to lose what I gain this pregnancy!!

Time for a snack. ">

Born this way

Good Afternoon!!
I was thinking about my kids and about a new title for my blog, seeing as though my 'dynamic duo' will soon become a trio. As you can see I came to the decision to call it 'Fairy Dust and Pirate Swords'.
It's amazing how different my kids can be purely because they are different genders and how ingrained it is in them from birth!
Noah has always been a 'typical' boy, loving cars, trucks, planes, trains, pirates and dinosaurs. Lili has also been a 'typical' girl loving clothes, shoes, makeup and baby dolls.
I have never pushed anything on them, although I will admit to buying plenty of frilly dresses and pretty bows when Lili was born! Noah just seemed to be attracted to cars as soon as he was big enough to play and the same goes for Lili with baby dolls. Noah loves his dinosaurs and his favourite story is one about pirates, Lili love clothes and shoes and will make a beeline for them in the shops without prompting.
Don't get me wrong though, Noah also loves baby dolls and loves to push them in prams etc and Lili also loves to drive a car around with noises included, but their main interests are with the 'typical' things.
They really were born that way! ">

Into the 2nd trimester...

Well I am now sitting at the 13 week mark of my 3rd pregnancy. So far I have to admit it has been hard work, exhausting and not a whole lot of fun. Of course in the end it's always worth it but I have found this to be the hardest pregnancy of all so far.

I'm sure it's due to the fact I have 2 very active kids to chase, discipline (try to), entertain, care for. The morning sickness sure made things harder too, of course. Feeling like I am going to puke 24/7 is not much fun, it's like having a constant hangover... for 7 weeks so far. I have to admit though the morning sickness has eased a lot of the past 2 weeks, especially the past week. I still feel sick a lot but not as severe and I do have times where I feel ok.

The food aversions are frustrating, one day I feel like eating something then the next the idea of it has me gagging. How do you plan dinner when your taste changes from morning to night? The joys of it all!

2 days ago I got to see my little baby at our 12 week NT scan. It was just what I needed to be reminded why this is so worth it and why pregnancy is the most amazing experience you can have. It's hard to spend the time thinking about the baby and how it is growing like I did with the first 2 when I am so flat out with the kids, but that scan made it all sink in and the attachment level grew in an instant. It's so amazing seeing that little body in there, kicking it's legs, heart beating.

So week 13 is here now and with it comes the 2nd trimester. I am excited about getting that big round baby belly again and feeling those first movements. Time really is going fast, and I have to remember to enjoy it because before I know it the baby belly will be gone and a whole new person will be part of the family.

A family of 5... can't wait. ">

It's been a while!

Well the title says it all, it's been a while since I've been on my blog!

Life got pretty hectic for a while, we were very busy with moving house and then mummy started going to the gym 3 days a week, Noah and Lili have kindergym on a Tuesday then we have Mother's Group on a Thursday so time just keeps slipping away.

Well I am happy to report baby number 3 is on the way and we are sitting at the magic 12 week mark! Morning sickness has been pretty bad, with non stop nausea from 6 weeks. It is starting to ease up a little now and I am hoping that the 12 week mark will bring more relief.

I am finding this pregnancy very different, I think it's because I am so busy now with 2 little munchkins, but I forget I am pregnant most of the time and the nausea has made it hard to enjoy this first trimester. Don't get me wrong, I love that I am having another baby but it's hard to feel positive when I feel so crappy! I'm sure the 2nd trimester will be much better, and once those little fluttery movements start it will all become much more real.

Our 12 week NT scan is next Wednesday and I am really looking forward to it. I think seeing that little tiny baby moving around will help it sink in a bit.

In other news, Noah is doing well, going to pre-school 1 day a week and loving it. Having some issues with hitting and trying to find a way to get on top of it. Lili is growing up fast and talking up a storm at home, always jabbering on about this and that and is very proud of anything that is 'hers'. Has all of her teeth bar her 2 year molars now too.

So life is good, I love my kids and we are happy in our new home. Having more space has really helped with our sanity and having a toy room is the best thing you could ask for! Looking forward to the year ahead and the new adventures that will come with it. ">

Why I love this month

Time for the July edition!

Lili: I love this month because she turned 1!! Her birthday was wonderful, we had a beautiful day (see previous post)and the little princess acted exactly as that. Lili is learning to walk, if you give her a push along walker she can go all over the place, but she is not yet confident enough to walk alone. She will take up to 6 steps between people and furniture but that is all. Although today I gave her Noah's toy lawnmower to push which is so flimsy even the slightest pressure flips it over and she walked along pushing that for about 3 metres before stopping. So the kid can walk, she is just choosing not to right now! I love that she is learning more words and is starting to communicate with us. I love that she is becoming her own little person!

Noah: I love this month because yet again Noah's talking and communication is improving. He can have a whole conversation and tell you exactly what he wants. Sometimes he talks too fast or misses words but you usually can get the idea. I love that he is getting excited about playing with his sister, seeing her up on 2 legs and doing more means he can teach her more and is constantly calling out 'Nini, come on - this way!'. He will open the back door and call out to Lili to come too then wait for her to crawl out. He is being very affectionate, all kisses and cuddles and at times will just sit next to me and rest his head on my arm then stroke my face or kiss my hand. just to say I love you!

As always, I love every month and every month also has it's challenges. If I remember back to 3 years ago, none of those challenges matter and I remember how lucky I am to have what I have. ">

Birthday Girl!

Well last Sunday we celebrated a very big day in our household... our beautiful baby girl turned 1!
I know we all say time flies and we talk about where the year has gone, but this past year certainly has been the fastest of my life so far. I have a hard time believing little Lili is 1! Part of that is because she's such a littlie, still somewhere around the 3rd-10th percentile for weight and height. I can't say this bothers me, I love that she has stayed my baby girl for so long.
We had a wonderful little party with close friends and family who spoiled Lili rotten (as she deserves). She was the perfect party girl, smiling for photos, playing with her friends and eating plenty of cake!
Present time was lots of fun, opening up all those gorgeous girlie outfits, and Lili getting excited over all her new baby dolls and toys. We even managed a game of pass the parcel, thanks to Miss Olivia for helping all the kids!
Noah was very well behaved, the green eyed monster did not make an appearance and the day was enjoyed by all! I couldn't have asked for more from the day, and it will make me smile as I think of it for years to come :)
Thank you to everyone who came and helped us celebrate, and thank you to those who helped out, especially mum, Melissa, Monica and Karryne.
From here on out there will be walking and talking and tantrums galore... and I wouldn't change a thing! ">

Finding your mum voice

So have you found it? You know, that voice that can stop your child in their tracks just by saying 'No' or 'Uh-Uh'?
I found it around the time Noah started to crawl. He started to get into things and find things and I realised from across the room one day that I had to stop him before I could get to him - and there it was, my mum voice.
I have to admit that even the mum voice has failed a few times, more so recently now that Noah is well into the terrible 2's (that I so naively thought were non existent in the first few month of having a 2 year old)and he is pushing boundaries like never before, but it does work majority of the time. It is still working particularly well on Lili who has not yet realised she can defy mummy!
I have a friend who has a particularly effective mum voice, which I discovered today. All it took was a 'Uh' in the mum voice and her beautiful daughter immediately stopped what she was doing with a look of concern on her face! Oh the envy I felt!
I do find it amusing the sudden emergence of the mum voice, something I had not realised I had even after years of trying to be the leader of my pack of dogs. Like most things since having kids, it is one those things that comes from deep inside, and surprises you! My mum voice tends to be more of a low growl... so tell me, what is your mum voice like and how did you find it? ">

Why I love this month

Well to follow on from last month, here is this month's edition of Why I love this month. That's a lot of months.

Lili - 11 months
I love this month with Lili because she is developing her communication more and more and learning to play with others. She tries to copy her big brother all the time and just thinks he is so fantastic! She has taken her first wobbly steps, 2 here and there and can stand alone for a short period. Her first birthday is less than 2 weeks away now and I just can't believe it. She is still so small and petite, but full of character and life. She is still making me smile everyday and her fiesty, independent attitude is blooming!

Noah - 29 months or 2 years, 5 months
I love this age with Noah much because of the same reasons as last month. His speech is developing all the time and the things I hear him come out with make me laugh and make my heart melt. He is very kissy and cuddly at the moment and often just sits and kisses and cuddles me for no reason other than he loves me. His eating has come along in leaps and bounds and he has been putting on weight after months of no weight gain and poor eating. Toilet training is coming along slowly too. The best thing about this age is the fact that he can tell me what he wants and that he can tell me that he loves me!

Through all the tantrums and tears, always comes a ray of sunshine to put it all in perspective. ">