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. ">

Feeling Blessed

There are times in my life when I am reminded of how blessed I am to have what I have.
I have been going through a rough patch lately. Times when I feel down and stressed and tired, when it's hard to remember why I chose to have two kids so close in age, to remember why I want to have more. Times when we all get sick and I have to do things on my own, when Noah is going through a particularly terrible two year old patch.
I am grateful in times like this that there is always something that reminds me of why my children are so precious and why I couldn't possibly stop at two. Sometimes it could be something simple like a full night's sleep, watching my kids play nicely, Noah giving me a cuddle and kiss 'just because'. Sometimes it's coming across a story or blog about a mother's loss or hearing tales of illness and surgery.
It's these times when I hug my children that little bit tighter and give myself a mental slap across the face for not feeling as grateful as I should for being so blessed.
Being a stay at home mum is my calling in life. I have no ambition for a career, I get the most joy out of watching my children grow and develop and laugh and play. I don't want to miss a single moment and I find it so rewarding to be able to witness all of their milestones. For me, this is what life is all about.
Those few times that I get lost in how hard it can be are short lived and I am so thankful that I am reminded of how wonderful life truly is. Even with a snotty nosed teething baby and a tantruming, bored toddler!
I definitely am feeling blessed.


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My mini business/hobby

Today I am going to promote my little business...
I have started up a website in the hopes I can make some money from my little hobby. Go to http://nolidigitalcreations.weebly.com to view.

Invitations, business cards, canvas or poster prints, digital scrapbook pages or even a whole digital scrapbook can be made just for you.
Any requests or questions can be emailed directly to me and I will get back to you ASAP!

Please share with your friends! ">

Kids Shows

I love the shows out there for our kiddies at the moment. There is so much variety and majority of the shows are very educational and fun for them to watch. I can't be bothered putting in my 2c on the TV debate but I will say that Noah learnt more from watching The Wiggles than he would have if he didn't. Or should I say he learnt things sooner than he would have.
Playhouse Disney is probably my channel of choice for the kids. There hasn't been a show yet that I have thought is inappropriate or has content that I disagree with. Most shows are bright and interesting, have music and are educational ranging from learning to count to ten to learning how to sound out words. There are shows about manners, shows about chores, shows about going to the doctor - you name it, they have a show.
I don't use the TV to teach my children in place of me as a mother, but I do use it as an addition to what I can teach. Ok still not going into the Tv debate ;)
I think it's great that the show writers/producers are putting in so much effort to make great quality educational shows for children. No advertisements to boot.
Gotta love foxtel. ">

Where do you find the love?

After having your first child I'm sure every single person starts to question how they could ever love another baby like they love their first. It's a natural question to ask yourself after giving everything you have to this precious little person. You can't take away any of that love or affection so where do you find the love for another baby?
Even after having a second baby I can't answer that question. I have no idea where you find that love, but you find it. The heart has no size limit I've discovered... it can grow and produce more love than you thought possible and continues to surprise me every day.
Yet still I sit here wondering where I will find the love for yet another baby. Will my beautiful first born son miss out on something if I introduce another baby? Will my sweet little girl feel like 'the middle child'? Can my heart possibly produce enough love to give another baby what my other two children have?
When does a mother stop questioning what is right and wrong, what is best and when is the right time? My guess is never. So what do you do... just go for it?
That is the question! ">

Why I love this month

Hi everyone out there in the big wide world of the web!
I thought I might come up with a new blog topic, once a month I will think and write about why I love the age my kids are right now.

Let's start off with Lili:


Lili has just turned 10 months old... that's right, in 2 months she will turn the big 1!
I really do love this age she is at. She is crawling round the house and has gained so much independence. If I go out I can plop her down and she will explore and entertain herself. She is also starting to pull herself up on furniture and is so proud of herself when she does it! She is a happy little soul and loves attention and loves just about every person who will take the time to talk to her.
She is going through the stage where she wants mummy all the time. Not the separation anxiety type, but more just is over the moon when she sees mummy walk through the door and will just about leap out of another person's arms to get to me. How can you not love that? She is happiest when standing in my lap playing silly little games like jumping up and down, and giggling at each other.
She is starting to really want to play with her big brother too, if he is in the next room playing with his cars she will crawl in and try to join in, cackling away the entire time.

Now it's time for Noah:


Noah is now 28 months old or 2 years and 4 months. Terrible 2's are definitely here but terrific 2's are here too :)
I love this age with Noah because communication is really coming along in leaps and bounds. I love that I can talk to him and most of the time he understands completely. I can ask him specific questions and usually get a good answer, for example if I hear a crashing noise I can ask him what happened and actually find out.
He is always coming out with cute little sayings and the tone in his voice is adorable. My favourite thing he says would have to be 'oh my god' with such a serious look on his face and in such a disgusted/serious tone. Puts a smile on my face every time without fail.
I also love that he is starting to play more with his sister. He has always been good playing with other kids with minimal spats but when it comes to his sister he doesn't like her touching his stuff. Since she has been on the move he seems to be warming up to the idea of having a playmate all the time and I often catch him sharing his toys and trying to teach her how to do things like push cars along etc.
He is also showing a lot of sympathy, if someone cries he instantly goes and gives a cuddle and kiss. He says sorry when he does something wrong (most of the time).

Overall I love both of my kids to pieces and I love the age they are at. With every age comes challenges, but even more so it comes with smiles, laughter and learning. ">

Missing You

Well today marks the first year anniversary of my Nan's passing and also her 78th Birthday.
I was lucky enough to be with her when she passed last year (yes, I do consider that lucky) and have missed her more and more as the year has passed. I didn't have a licence when she was with us but got it shortly after she passed and so many times I have wanted to just pop in and say hi. It makes me sad everytime I think of it and remember it's too late for that.
I am lucky enough to be blessed with Lili who has many of Nan's facial expressions and features. There are many times where I look at her and think 'oh that face is Nan's' and smile. She was named after her and seems to take after her too. I often describe her as fiesty, and maybe that's where she gets it from!
So today I remember my Nan yet again, and think of her even more. At times I wish so badly that she could have met Lili. Then I am so glad that she was able to meet Noah. When I showed him a photo of her this morning, I could see the instant recognition in his face and he pointed and smiled and sai 'oh' like he knew. That made me so happy to think he remembers at such a young age and after a year. Maybe he doesn't, but I am happy thinking he does.

For Nan

A year has passed without you here
But not a day goes by
Where I don't think of you with love
Or ask myself why.

I know it was your time to go
Yet the sadness is still here
I find comfort in my memories
And in knowing you are near. ">

New additions and one on one time

My brain has been a-wanderin' lately. Thoughts of little teensy baby feet and that newborn smell have been creeping back into my mind. The possibility of having another suddenly became a reality and I was thinking just maybe I am ready. Plus the fact that I am scared in 2 years time when babies and constant feeding and nappy changing is a distant memory I won't want to start all over again.
I do want to add to my family. I want 4 children and don't believe I will feel complete until they are all here. When number 3 arrives is what I'm not sure about.

That brings us to one on one time. Yesterday for the first time in a long time I was able to spend quality one on one time with Noah. Ben was home from work so he had Lili while I took Noah to a free movie screening at our local leagues club. It was great, he had a ball, I was able to really talk with him and play while we waited for it to start then during the movie he sat next to me talking oh so seriously about the events unfolding (we watched Open Season 2). Then he sat up on my lap and reclined back with his feet up and we had a really nice relaxing time.
I realised just how much easier having one child to look after is. Being able to really focus on them and give them the attention they crave is food for the soul... for both of you. It also made me realise just how much I miss Noah. He was my whole world for 18 months and for the past 9 months he has been just part of my world.
We will be spending more one on one time together in the future, I am going to make sure of it. Lili and I have one on one time together at least once a fortnight when we go to a trvia night and I have always enjoyed being able to give her all of me for that time. I just didn't realise how much Noah and I needed it too.

Now I am left wondering how I could possibly balance three. I am sure I will manage, we always do but for now I am happy giving as much of me as possible to Noah and Lili and number three and four will come in time.
Besides, I will have my baby fix soon enough with my sister's third arriving hopefully by the end of the month! ">

Home Birth

Well I am broaching a subject that I must admit I am not too well informed on. I am bringing it up because I am looking at it as an option for my next birth.
I have thought about home birth since I first fell pregnant with Noah. I didn't know much about what was involved but liked the idea of being in the comfort of my home and having complete privacy and calm. Not much has changed, I know a little more but have much research to do and I still love the idea of being in my own home in a calm and quiet atmosphere.
My main reason for actually bringing this up as a serious consideration next time around is due to the speed of my past deliveries. Noah was a 3 hour labour and Lili was 30 mins. Going from waters breaking to birth Noah was 4 hrs 15 mins and Lili was 2 hrs 20 mins. From the time I knew I was definitely in early labour with Lili til her birth was less than an hour... this is what worries me. Also she was 2-3 wks early (depending on which date you use) so who knows when the next one will arrive.
What happens if I am sitting at home with my 2 kids and I go into labour? I most certainly would not drive myself due to my history of going from early labour to active labour so quickly and the intensity of it. My husband works 40-60 mins away. Then add a 10-15 min drive to the hospital. Chances are baby would be here before he even makes it home! My sister lives nearby but has 3 of her own children and I have a neighbour who may be able to look after my kids while I go in an ambulance... if she is home. My mum works at least an hour away. That is seriously narrowing down my options.
This is why home birth has suddenly become a very real prospect! I am not sure when I will have my next baby but I want to be prepared. What if the private midwives indemnity insurance is taken away and it becomes illegal for them to practice? What happens to people like me?
Only time will tell what will happen and I can only hope that I am able to have a safe home birth with a private midwife present. Hopefully more people can help petition against homebirth becoming illegal... for more info visit: http://www.homebirthaustralia.org/keep-private-midwifery-alive
Even if you don't want a homebirth, if you believe in every woman having the right to choose then it's important to help fight!
I didn't write this blog just to get people to help the cause, I am genuinely concerned about my next labour and delivery. I was just lucky that I went into labour on a Saturday with Lili or I may have had her at home with no assistance and no husband. There is every possibility that my next labour will be longer but the odds are stacked up against that happening... ">

Domestic Bliss link

This is the link to my 'Domestic Bliss' section. It contains posts about life at home and the things my children get up to.
http://talesofdd.weebly.com/domestic-bliss.html ">

Out and About

This is a link to my 'out and about' section of my blog which contains posts about our adventures and things I have found whilst out and about. My latest entry is worth the read if I do say so myself (particularly if you are interested in breastfeeding talk!)
http://talesofdd.weebly.com/out-and-about.html ">

Links

I will now attach some links to previous blog posts with a short run down in case you are interested in reading them.
Birth Stories: Obviously, this is a link to my birth stories so feel free to have a read! My labours were very quick and intense but wonderful!
http://talesofdd.weebly.com/birth-stories.html ">

Welcome to my blog!

After attempting a copy and paste from my previous blog site and failing, I will do a new introduction!
My name is Jess, I'm 26 and married to Ben, also 26. We have been together 10 years and were married 21/10/06. We live in Western Sydney near the Riff and have 3 dogs, 1 cat and a budgie.
On 7/1/08 we welcomed our son, Noah Benjamin to the world. He was a beautiful, perfect little baby and so easy to look after. We love having him in our life and couldn't ask for more in a son. He was such a good sleeper and gave us such little grief that we welcomed our daughter Lili Anne to the world on 4/7/09. Lili was also beautiful and perfect and so tiny. Lili suffered severe silent reflux though so the first 6 months of life were difficult for all of us. She is now off medication and doing well and things are much more pleasant.
I love being a full time stay at home mum and wouldn't change any of it for the world. Each day brings new challenges and successes and my life is complete... for now! Yes we will add to our family one day, when we are not sure exactly.
My views can be strong and I tend to shy away from confrontation in real life, but in the world of blogging I feel comfortable expressing myself fully, so you'll see the real me warts and all!
I look forward to reading your comments! ">

Ch ch ch changes

Hi to the world of bloggers!
I am throwing a spanner in the works and changing my blog host site. Personally I find Weebly a bit hard to navigate and just not what I'm after so I've jumped ship! I'll copy and paste all my blogs across and start again :) ">