Merry Christmas

So. I kinda set myself up for failure on the December photo project by assuming at the outset I would fail.... Hmm. Never mind!








Nonetheless, much deliciousness and festive...ness was had by all. Christmas was laid back and quiet, time with friends and family. Nice.







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December Photo Project 2011

Best Buddies



This is Ewan's bestest buddy in the whole wide world. He'd break out of a dead sleep if he knew he was going to be able to hang out with her. He cries when they have to leave. He proudly wore her old pink boots for most of the winter, and dresses like a fairy with the best of them.

I love the innocence and delight of their friendship.

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December Photo Project 2011

I just love how aware they become all of a sudden, so in tune to their world and those around them. The more I think about it, the more I do believe that the "fourth trimester", those first three months outside the womb, is a time of protection and sheltering, nurturing, staying home, being still, and just enjoying this little unfolding human being.

Now at five months - how so much has changed already! I feel as though I could miss something important happening if I blinked for too long!

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December Photo Project 2011

So, my first attempt to take on one of these projects, hopefully more attainable than the 365 Project!




- Ewan's little crafty corner. Do any other crafty mamas find it ironic that dedicating time to making things with your little one can be sacrificed on the altar of crafting yourself? Or am I the only one with mixed up priorities here?

Sure hope I'm not!

Nonetheless I do love this little corner. It's bright and sunshiny for most of the day, and he can sit and watch the world go by while he draws or colours in.

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8 months

my dreadlings at 8 months of age...

cruddy pic i know....

Thankfulness...


* my two sweet boys
* our home which shelters us
* being awake before dawn and hearing the birds waking
* the ability to buy and enjoy fresh food
* steady work for hubby in uncertain times
* good friends
* our awesome country
* technology!

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Beauty

Sometimes I feel an upwelling inside of inspiration and beauty and creativity, like a fountain or a spring forcing it's way through the earth. The only time that is a bad thing is when I have no outlet for it. It's the more frustrating thing I know.




Seeing this little ones face makes it easier for a while, but the need to create never fully diminishes.


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Snapshots

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And then there were four...

How lucky am I to have not one, but two little laid back babies? Finn is so much like his big brother in so many ways, in looks and behaviour. How blessed am I?



Ewan is adjusting really well to not being the sole star of the show anymore. I think many of our attachment parenting style decisions have helped towards this - co-sleeping, extended and now tandem breastfeeding, etc. He does get frustrated sometimes when he wants something NOW and mama has her hands full of feeding or sleeping baby. Understandable! Mama however has discovered that you can in fact help a toddler on the toilet when holding a newborn, amongst other things!

As with Ewan, the slings have all been lifesavers. I find myself predominantly using the simple pouch sling, and the wrap only for longer trips out.

Anyway, life in new baby land is pretty good. Sleep deprived, but made up for in so many ways.




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The Haze

Finn Rowan, born 27th June, 6lb 12oz.










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The only way I'll know it works

Is if I try it out! So apparently I just needed to look a bit harder for an app the allows you to blog from the iPad. Like, I must have not looked at all, because there were several!



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Not Dread-ful at all...

ok, strangely this is a really difficult thing to write about. It's not been a simple decision, and yet it has.
I didn't wake up one morning and say to myself, "Oh, I think I'll go and get my hair put into dreadlocks today."
It was never a case of "It's just a hairstyle to me, there is no deep meaning attached to it."

See, my hair and I have a very long and intense relationship. As someone who suffered from very severe low self esteem issues for much of my life, it was always the one thing about me (physically) that I could always count on getting a compliment on. Even those who teased and tormented me in high school would always admit that my hair was pretty. Boys who otherwise ignorerd me, ridiculed me, or treated me as "one of the boys" would occasionally compliment me on my hair. So as you can see, it really became like a security blanket for me.

If I ever changed my hair, would that make people stop liking me? Would I ever recieve a compliment again? What would people think of me if I did something radical, that I've always wanted to do? What if that outward-expression of my inner self was rejected by those around me?

What if, what if, what if.

It's exhausting living that way.

Anyway, I won't go into the details, as those closest to me already know the important ones. Needless to say, I have thankfully come to a place of freedom from the what-if's - no one is ever totally free from them, but when you recognise their existence you can destroy them much easier when they do crop up. I've come to the realisation that as a precious, created daughter of God, the only opinion that matters to me should be His, and to strive to please everyone else is not only pointless, but EXHAUSTING. Did I mention how much it tired me out? Man.

So hey - I made the appointment, went in - and am so very happy with the results. I feel like this is part of the REAL me, the creative, wonderful, slightly wacky, fun me that was just beggin' to get outandshow the world who she really is!


It feels like being at home.

travellin'!

... the only time he stops moving is when he sits still to strike a pose.

limitations

I'm learning all about those on this journey of mamahood. Not only do I no longer have the freedom to sit on my rear end all day on the computer (but was that really freedom?) or create whenever I want (I treasure my creative times even more now) or even sleep when I want (the only thing worse than insomnia, is insomnia with everyone else!).

Technology has its limitations too. Sadly when I was away on holidays recently I discovered I can't actually use my new fangled iPad to blog on (Hey Blogger, or someone else handy with the app writin', can you please develop an app for me to blog on the fly? Pretty please?)

I took the weekend before I left as a last opportunity to create madly for a few weeks, and I'm glad I did. It was such a rush to churn out a ton of pretties, and I'm all set to do an Etsy update in a day or so. Been finishing up an order for a lovely friend of mine first, and just trying to get back into the domestic swing of things after a couple of weeks away from home.
"Smile for Mama, Ewan!"
"Okay Mama!" *bends sideways*

This kid cracks me up.

And do you know the best discovery of the last month ( possibly of my life?)

There really are no limitations.

in the works

mummy-made jammies! He looks almost as proud of them as I was. No, I didn't make the shirt from scratch - I confess the temptation of a $3 shirt is a bit too much for me, when I think of the time it takes just for me to rethread my overlocker to topstitch! (note - AGES AND AGES.) Anyway, these were made in protest of the I-can't-find-winter-pyjamas-locally-that-aren't-licensed.... debacle. Thing. And hey! He begged to wear them tonight, so they must be ok. And yes, he requested the hearts.


A treehouse for Mr and Mrs Straight Man (because they are. Very straight.), Mummy and Daddy Mushroom, and all their various visitors. Pardon the crooked rung. Today Ewan decided thry all needed somewhere to sleep, so mama sat down and made a bunch of slightly crooked "pillows". Good thing the ones using them won't notice they were done in a rush!
(Trees, and Mr and Mrs S.M are from www.winterwoodtoys.com.au )

and what has me most excited, a new idea to play with the wonderful wooden beads from www.chunkytimbers.com.au . This is a guy who lives around the corner from me, and I just can't seem to stop wanting to come up with new things to do with the gorgeous beads he makes!! So this week I discovered I can carve them - oh joy, and a new realm of possibility! A little messy yet, but my hand will get steadier with time. I was going to give away the above bead... but I find myself wearing it this evening. Perhaps I'll make another.

oh, I didn't see you there!

...it's been an interesting couple of months. rather than focusing on the glaring gaps in life's commentary, I'm just going to distract you with pretty pictures...

...potty training in the coolest summer we've had in years? Only with babylegs! (how cute are they?)
...kitties! Four to be precise. Mew.

... not just the coolest, but wettest summer. Ewan got to use his raincoat for the first time ever! He was very happy about it.

oh, and a bump. Making an appearance sometime midwinter (southern hemisphere of course.).