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.

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.

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

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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

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.

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.

Hello possessed hyperactive person is that really you?

I am reaching week 33 of my second pregnancy and the meaning of nesting has been taken to a whole new level. I remember being somewhat like this with my first daughter Bianca, the memories not too faded as it was only 19 months ago she was born. But this time I seem to be slightly maniacal!

Yesterday I cleaned the car inside out, gardened for an hour, mopped and vacuumed for the third time this week. Feeling slightly worn out I lay down which resulted in a dizzy head and the vomiting began. I was shocked to have pushed myself to such levels.

The nervous energy isn't a bad thing, the days are going by quickly, I am obviously getting a lot of things done that have been in my 'to do' pile for a while, but at the same time my ability to wind down/relax once Bianca is in bed, is increasingly difficult. I'm up and down off the couch and feeling guilty at 8.30 at night for not being engrossed in some purposeful task.

So this blog is a therapy of sorts, hopefully it will distract me enough to stop with the squirel like behaviour, at least to give myself a break before life with two children becomes a reality.