Double Assets

I was driving along today and I got that feeling, all you breast feeding mothers will be familiar with, when you feel that tingle as your milk comes in, and I smiled with amazement at just how incredible the human body is.

I loved breast-feeding Bianca, but when I got pregnant with Sienna the very thought of it grossed me out and I feared that I would continue to feel like this after birth. But in my third trimester I started to look forward to it and by the time Sienna was born me and breast-feeding were best buddies again.

Having a super food that is designed especially for my baby, at the right temp all the time and on hand whereever and whenever is fantastic. I also look forward to the weight loss benefits that I hope will kick in around three months!

So yay for boobies I say.

Bianca's Bedroom Tour

BEFORE & AFTER

This is the latest interior decorating project I have been working on. It kept me occupied while I was pregnant with Sienna. Here is a before and after picture of Bianca's bedroom. I was so happy with the final outcome and pleased that I managed it on a shoe string budget. Most things are second hand, repainted, picked up from markets and garage sales etc.

Spot the Difference

There have been so many differences I have noticed between Bianca and Sienna. The first and most obvious was that Bianca was 8pound 10 at birth whereas Sienna was a tiny 7pound 6. Sienna only reached Bianca's birth weight at 4 weeks. I loved having a tiny newborn, all the clothes Bianca barely wore Sienna is still in.
Bianca has very almond shaped eyes and Sienna's are very round and large. Bianca had a lot of hair at birth as you can see and Sienna's hair is alot fairer as are her eyelashes.

Our beautiful Girls

Bianca has been so adorable lately, as her vocabulary expands she trys out new words all the time and has started calling out "dadddddy, dadddy" in a sing song voice all around the house. I wondered why she started doing that until I thought about how I walk around calling out "Chris...... hey Chriiiiis" and Chris just loves her to bits you can see his heart swell everytime she gives him a hug.

Sienna is growing so fast. She is approaching 6 weeks and is such a sweet and nice natured baby. Up until now she has sleept with me at night but as of a few days ago she has started sleeping in her own cot, and it has been so much easier than I thought to make the transition. She is waking at midnight and 4am before being up for a morning feed at 7.30. I am really happy with that and feel like I am getting heaps of sleep.

How did I get so luckly to have two special angels. I am feeling extra loving right at the moment because they are both having afternoon naps at the same time and I am basking in the sound of silence.

Missing My Blog

Well I have missed not writing an entry in awhile, but it is an understatement to say things have been a little hectic.

Chris has been home for a fortnight, it has been so wonderful to be a family and especially have an extra set of hands. You know what its like when you go, go, go and you're running on adrenalin and then you stop and you just deflate. Well it has been a little like that for me. Chris has been taking care of Bianca in the mornings while I have been feeding Sienna in bed, I have had some luxurious 9.30am sleep-ins instead of being up at 6am.

The most exciting thing happening at the moment is that we have just purchased a second house which we plan to rent out. Here is a pic. Its a bit rough around the edges but we are planning on doing some sprucing up before we let it out. Chris is over the moon, it has been his goal for quite awhile now to start getting into property investing. I am really proud of him.

Also our new super king bed arrived today. I cant wait for sleep time!! We have been sleeping in my 10 year old bed and it has been my goal to get a new one for the past year.

So between Chris and I we are pretty chuffed with ourselves at the mo. Life is good

Menu Planning

Well I got my A into G and sorted out my menu planning after finding a useful article on the Simple Mom website.

This is an example of my first two week plan: So the theme on each night stays the same i.e Thursday night Asian night but then I just change the meal.

I am doing my groceries fortnightly as well, and so have chosen to plan two weeks worth of meals at a time.

Week One
Monday – Mexican: Mince tortillas
Tuesday – Fish w Potato bake
Wednesday – Casserole: Beef HotPot
Thursday – Asian: Thai Green Curry
Friday – Leftovers Night
Saturday - Takeaways
Sunday – Roast: Beef Roast


Week Two
Monday – Mexican: Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday – Fish: w Stuffed Potatoes
Wednesday – Casserole: Sausage Casserole
Thursday – Asian: Chinese Beef Stirfry
Friday – Leftovers Night
Saturday - Takeaways
Sunday – Roast: Chicken Roast

Domestic Bliss

Today is one of those days when I love my job. Nearly three weeks into being mum to two, I feel I have a good grasp of what it takes and my routine is beginning to form.

Both my cherubs are in bed at the mo and I am enjoying some precious time on the computer while the sun streams through onto my lap, ah the simple things in life.

It can be a marathon effort getting out of the house in the morning, but that satisfaction when we are all in the car and everyone is smiles (Sienna in her sleep) is really rewarding. It has been so refreshing to add a new challenge into the mix. Whilst I was enjoying Bianca so much, I did feel as though life needed something extra, a new challenge and Sienna has been just the challenge required.

Today I have been working towards putting a meal planner together. I have established that cooking and grocery shopping really are my weak points when it comes to organisation. Often I wont know what I am having for tea come 4pm and I would like to shop weekly at the supermarket without forgetting half of what I came for and needing to go back.

My Favourite Things

I know there are a few people reading my blog who are expecting babies so i thought I would make a list of the things I have found most useful in having second time around

A moses basket borrowed from a friend. I have found it great being able to put Sienna on the couch to have a kick and know that she is safe from Bianca accidently kicking her on the floor, also if she falls asleep in it, she can stay put.

I brought two snow baby merino gowns, from JK they are fantastic with scratch mittens to pull over and they also dry really quickly which is useful during this time of year.I also borrowed this front pack off a friend and it is by far the best front pack I have ever used. It is called a Baby Bjorn Active Carrier. I find it so much easier putting Sienna in the front pack and Bianca in her pushchair, as opposed to the double pushchair

.

My subscription to NZ Home and Garden. With doing so much breast-feeding it is a real treat to have a mag handy to occupy the time.

A friend brought me a box of Complan as a present, it turned out to be the best baby present ever! I have a shake for breakfast and I know that if I dont get a chance to have anything else it will tide me over until late morning

Online Shopping Addiction

Well I have found my vice at the moment. In those rare but precious moments when both of my cherubs are sleeping I like to relax in front of the computer to puruse the shops.

I brought these gorgeous items for Bianca's room from a site calledhttp://felt.co.nz/

One is a cushion and the other goes on the wall.

I also brought these door plaques for the girls rooms (obviously with their own names on them). They are $19.95 each and available on trademe, the sellers name is kamhlz for anyone who is interested.

Sleep Deprived but Happy

Sienna is two weeks old and I have been amazed at how quickly I have got used to having two littlies. It has been challenging at times but I have to say with no word of a lie that it is easier than I imagined. I am still getting my housework done, managing a quick morning shower and throwing a stew in the crockpot (sometimes).

The challenging part is when both girls require you at the same time then there is a period of craziness with an angry hitting, stomping toddler and a red faced flapping newborn vying for your attention. But even at these moments I have managed to stay airily calm. I mean what can I do? I could join Bianca on the floor for a tantrum! I have been most surprised at the experience I gained with Bianca and how much calmer and more confident that makes me feel in caring for Sienna.

Things that have been difficult:

• At meltdown moments dealing with two crying children
• Getting cabin fever from being at home more than I would like
• Transitioning from being available to Bianca 24/7 to her having to share her mummy
• Not being able to sleep in with newborn, because I need to get up to Bianca at 7am
• Having 10kg of weight to lose!!!

Things that have been wonderful: (these far outway the difficult)

• Watching how proud Bianca is of Sienna and hearing her call her 'my sisa' and 'our baby'
• Enjoying the newborn stage without as much apprehension as first time around
• Having the opportunity to do some things differently second time around - a fantastic birth experience for starters
• Feeling a completeness to our family (not that we are stopping at two) but just the feeling of having not one but two girls!!
• Having my love for one child multiplied by 100%, what a blessing.
• Having a sense of newness in my work as a stay at home mum. Enjoying establishing new routines and feeling really proud of myself at the end of a day knowing I have accomplished so much

Sienna's Birth Story

For all who are interested I thought it would be easier to post the details of Sienna's Birth on my blog site.

Well I cant believe she came early I had assumed she would be late like her sister. The biggest lesson I learnt from Sienna's labour is that subsequent births are a walk in the park compared to your first!! My midwife told me that but I didn't dare believe her.

At midday last Friday while chewing on a Big Mac at Tahunanui Playground, I commented to Chris that I was having some 'funny pains', just Braxton Hicks was my first thought. Chris was due to leave for a weekend hunting trip at 1pm and as we waited for him to be picked up I had a worrying suspicion there was something going on, but being in denial I told him not to worry. At about 2pm I started to time these 'funny feelings' and found that they were quite regular.

It was at 5pm that I dared to think it may be something more than pains and my friend Jen came around, She knew straight away I was in labour but I continued to think it may be nothing. Jen was fantastic, in fact she should rent herself out as a labour support guru. She rubbed my back through my contractions and encouraged me to try different positions that really worked. By 7pm I was needing to concentrate and breathe through the pains and by 8pm when we called the midwife I was beginning to get vocal.

So Jen bustled me in the car and we headed for the hospital. Contractions were 2-3 mins apart and painful enough to be mooing like a cow and clutching Jen in a iron like grip.

Sienna was born at 9.03 pm. Just 40 mins after arriving at the hospital, sucking gas like there was no tomorrow, with 4 pushes she was out. It was no walk in the park, don't get me wrong, but it was very empowering and a healing experience after having such a hard birth with Bianca.

Chris arrived back from Greymouth an hour after Sienna was born and my other support friend Kim arrived just moments after Sienna arrived and was there to hold my hand through a tough period where the placenta got stuck.

It was an amazing experience and I am thoroughly enjoying being mum to a newborn again. I will write soon on how the first week has been.

Thankyou for all the well wishes.

The Mad Dash

Today I am hobbling around like an old woman, manically wiping out pushchairs and unpacking nappies. I told myself I wouldn't go over the top and for the most part everything I am doing is necessary, but I am starting to walk a fine line.

The hospital bag is starting to come together and Bianca has had a practice night at Nan and Grandads which went well.

The one thing I have done this time around which I am most pleased with is purchased some post pregnancy clothes in advance. I'm not talking evening frocks and jeans in size 8 here, but easy care lounge wear, comfortable jersey knits and casual wear, I found a lot of what I liked at Witchery and then purchased a few cheaper things from Dotti and Shanton.

After I had Bianca I was loathed to put on my maternity clothes but nothing else would fit. Trying to shop with her was a logistical nightmare, as the changing rooms dont cater for pushchairs. So this way I have some nice new clothes to put on and feel half decent.

The nappy bag dilema has been solved. After I splashed out on clothes I reconsidered how much I should spend and came across this bag on trade me , its the Oillily Brand which I love, not absolutely perfect but I got it for $50 and hopefully I will be happy with it when it gets here.

The Home Straight

I am into the home straight now with under 4 weeks to go. A friend made an interesting comment yesterday about the last month of pregnancy being 'labour month' and this is quite fitting with how I am feeling second time around.



I am having a lot of pelvic pains, shooting pains, braxton hicks and just a wide variety of physical feelings that make me feel like my body is a well oiled machine beginning its countdown to show day.



I still seem to be running off high energy stores almost manic behaviour that I am sure my husband finds irritating. We have a list on the fridge at the moment of 'things to do before baby arrives' I thrust it into Chris's hands the day he arrived back from sea, after 9 weeks of work. I have been meticulously crossing things off the moment they are done. Chris said the other day "The moment all those jobs are done, you are just going to find more that need doing". I replied "Of course I wont honey then it will be time to for us to relax", but already there have been a few that have snuck onto the bottom.



I have also found myself on the quest for the perfect nappy bag again! I did this with Bianca and ended up getting a Oi Oi Designer Bag off trade me, which was way too cumbersome and felt like we were going on a weekend away everytime I left the house. So I have sufficed the last year with a $30 rucksack from Glassons. The only downfall is that to find anything in it takes about 10 minutes. So....... the search begins. I found this one below on an American Site, it has all the bells and whistles but is very expensive. I seem to have this strange idea that if I have this super organised nappy bag, motherhood will be a breeze, demented I know.

Mothers Day

Well Mother's Day falls on my birthday this year, a good or bad thing I am not sure. I decided to buy myself a Mother's Day present early so as not to get it mixed up with my birthday purchase, can't be missing out on presents now can we!

I brought this set of candle holders from Living Light and an aromatherapy burner and oils.

I have really enjoyed having nice smells in the house especially at night. I thought I could have oils burning during my labour but with my face buried in the gas mask they will be of little use.

I also splashed out today and brought a tunic and tights from JK for myself. With six weeks to go, I am literally wearing the same pants everyday and starting to feel a little sick to death of them. I do have others and I put them on sometimes but within an hour I am back in my old faithfulls. I justified the purchase, remembering that I will probably be wearing them for at least two months after the birth as well. So nieve I was first time around I thought that my tummy would be flat by the next day. Well shock horror I was still looking five months pregnant for the first two weeks afterwards, that little bit of information my midwife obviously forgot to tell me!

This time I am aware of the tummy pouch and of the hair feeling like crap for a month or so, I dont feel that bothered by it because I know its just temporary, but there is nothing wrong with making sure I have all the lotions potions and tummy tucking knickers to help me through the trauma. It is also the perfect time to make such purchases, as if I get the raised eyebrow from Chris over the Visa bill I can just say I NEEDED them they were essentials and of course he wouldn't understand bacause he wasn't the one that was PREGNANT was he! that usually puts a stop to any further questions, there needs to be some perks to being an incubator for 9 months (10 months actually).

To Do Before Baby #2

Once upon a time there was a pregnant lady, she was running away from a fog monster, she knew once it touched her skin that she would fall into slumber for 100 years, so she ran and ran and for awhile she felt she was outrunning it! Horray for me she said but then it started to gain pace and she could feel its breath brushing at her heels......

Well thats where I'm up to at the moment except its not a monster you can see, its the exhausting tiredness that hits you near the end of your pregnancy. It happens right about when your body says 'this is ridiculous, I cant eat, stand up, tie my shoes, roll over in bed' so it starts to shut down. All the meanwhile I have a 19 month old who can think of nothing more enjoyable than tipping the rice bubble all over the floor. (She looked too cute to tell off)

So I am aware my energy wont last forever and as the six week to go mark approach I can feel smug towards all those people that tell me I am 'too organised' as thankfully I am able to write my 'to do list' without filling up a whole note-pad.

My To Do before Baby Number #2 List:


One. Move Bianca from her cot into her big girl bed and buy a bed rail to use at Nana's


Two. Set up the change table and install capsule in car


Three. Buy a bouncer; a 1-5 year Baby Book; buy a photo album for new baby and thank you cards in advance


Four. Enrol Bianca in play centre for two mornings each week


Five. Stock pile dry food essentials; cat food, washing powder, toilet paper, toothpaste and NAPPIES



Six. Make to freeze; sweet and savoury muffins, pumpkin soup and lasagne



Seven. Have Chris build the shelving in Bianca's big girl room


I do have mummy brain so if you see any stuff missing from this list that was especially helpful to do before your babies arrived, please let me know.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder or does it?

It was Bianca's pre-school morning today and I took a leisurely stroll around Mitre 10 to pick up some winter pansies. Over a hot drink in the cafe I started to read an article in the Next Magazine about couples that work away from home and it got me thinking about being a Fisherman's Wife.......

The general reaction when people find out Chris is at sea for three weeks at a time is to say 'wow that must be hard; what a long time to be apart; it must be difficult for you with a child' and to all of these comments sometimes they are true but generally 90% of the time I enjoy our lifestyle.

So I started to reflect on the pros and cons of how our family operates and why it would work for some people and not others. A big plus is Chris's career has enabled me the flexibility to be a full-time mum which I really thrive on and feel so blessed to be doing.

I also love routine and when Chris is at sea I have my schedule for the week and know what the plans are each day. But I also like change and to have something to look forward to. So when Chris gets back the house has that holiday feeling. We can decide mid week to spend the day in Kaiteri or drive over to Takaka to stay with family. Chris also has more opportunity to spend quality time with Bianca during the day, taking her swimming or heads out on the bike with her in her bike seat.

Some of the things that can be challenging is the adjustment period when he gets back in. For instance at the moment he has done a double trip meaning he has been gone for three sets of three weeks. Often people say 'it must be so romantic when he gets in' and I can say it used to be abit like that, we would head out for dinner and a movie, but now with a toddler life doesn't stand still and often its straight back into cooking tea, the bed-time routine with Bianca and Chris catching up on urgent maintenance around the house.

We usually have a two day settle in period, Chris gets his body clock back into sync from working shifts and I get used to having man shoes cluttering the door way and snoring in the bed!

Its not everyone's cup of tea but our choice of lifestyle suits us. We cherish our time together as a couple and a family but also rise to the challenge of life apart. Chris loves his job and being out on the ocean and I love the challenge of an independent life full of activities with Bianca, my own hobbies and friends.

My 10 tips for garage sale & market shopping

One. If its $1 or $2 dollars and you like it, dont think about it too hard just BUY IT

Two. Always make a decision on the spot if you come back to it, its likely to be gone

Three. If you are putting a silent bid on something at the auction house or an auto-bid on trade-me (as an example) put $41 on it instead of $40 or $26 instead of $25, as the round figures are usually what most people pick and you could win it by a couple of dollars.

Four. If you are looking around a stall or garage sale and see something you are going to buy, tuck it under your arm, or give it to the seller for safe keeping so someone doesn't snap it up

Five. Keep coins on you so you have more bargaining power. If someone wants $2 for something, you can offer up a $1 coin. Usually people are likely to take what you offer if the exact money is in front of them.

Six. Have a limit for yourself, say $20 for the market or a morning of garage sales, that way you will be more choosy about the stuff you buy. But keep this flexible if you see a big item that you like.

Seven. Try and envisage a purpose for the purchase you are making, if its a home accessory think about where you would put it or if its something that needs touching up how much will the cost be.

Eight. BUT..... if you see something you absolutely love, follow your gut instinct, you can pop it away for six months. I have done this with heaps of things. My husband will whinge about me not using it and I say 'you'll see', within a year I have always found it a home.

Nine. Dont expect your partner or husband to be all excited about your purchases. My experience is if you buy them a hammer or torch they will be over the moon but when you tell them excitedly that you picked up some babies thermal onsies for $1 they stare blankly at you.

Ten. Always think when you are looking at something what would that cost new? You can get a bit stingy when you get into the swing of bargain hunting and $10 for an item can seem like heaps but when you think about what it costs in the shops eg. $100 you get it into perspective.

Second Hand Junkie

Before Bianca was born Sunday mornings were for nursing a hangover or a lazy sleep-in. Today I was up with a bright eyed and bushy tailed toddler at 6.30 and we were ready to head out the door at 8.30 down to the Sunday market but it was raining so disappointingly I missed out on my weekly fix of bargain hunting.

I am passionate about second hand stuff. I love visiting the recycling centre, auction house, market and garage sales. Most of my favourite items have been gleaned from these places or online at Trademe.(I love retro toys - Bianca loves this ducky trundler and pushing her Ernie and Bert around in the dolls stroller)

The first thing I love is the money saving of course, I brought a jolly jumper last week brand new in its box with price tag still on it for only 15% of its original price. Its also the aspect of it that my husband appreciates as well, which is why he doesn't roll his eyes too much when I come home with another supermarket bag of 'must haves'.

The other aspect is buying something that is beautiful but just needs a bit of tender love and care, a print that needs a new frame or piece of furniture that needs a paint. I have included some pictures of some of my favourite market purchases.




These ballet prints go for up to $40 on trade me I got this one for $3


You don't always know at the time you are buying something that you are going to love, until you get it home and find it a place to live. But all these items I got for under $5 and they were worth every penny



I brought these two mirrors at a garage sale a year ago and have sprayed them both and turned one into a jewellry board for Bianca


The aqua floor lamp isn't everyone's cup of tea but it works perfectly with the aqua accents in my lounge, as does the aqua floral vase that I picked up for $2.I picked this cabinet up from a garage sale for $20, I was hesitant at the time but it has worked perfectly in our lounge with a new lick of paint and handles from the $2 shop. This Crown Lyn Vase I picked up for $2 at a garage sale they sell for up to $100 in the antique stores, and the french trug was perfect for the space I had free.


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