Real World Problems

I had a very hectic Christmas. We always do.

We got up and rushed to my parents’ place where we spent a couple of hours and ate Christmas Lunch. Christmas lunch was late, so we couldn’t stay for dessert as we had to rush off to my in-laws place for Christmas afternoon and then Christmas dinner was spent with 50 or so members of our extended family at Christmas Dinner at Nan and Pa’s place.

This has been Mr Hat’s and my Christmas for years, but this year, we had a 3 month old to drag along with us.

IT.WAS.AWFUL!

Image credit found here

Missy Moo did not sleep for longer than half an hour at a time, and she only did that three or four times from 7am to 8:30pm so she was a little cranky.

And our family was a little cranky with us too. You see, by the time we got to dear old Nan and Pa’s place, Missy Moo, Mr Hat and I had had enough! We decided we weren’t playing that game that everybody loves to play with babies, you know the one, pass the baby around to EVERYBODY! Don’t forget to poke her and really get in her face, she loves that!

Someone tried to pry my daughter from my arms, someone tried to use guilt to have a hold, someone tried to compare my baby to another baby who was always allowed to be passed around to everybody, we were huffed at, there was even a ‘storm off’!

Merry Christmas guys!

Mr Hat decided that next Christmas, we weren’t leaving the house.

He must have been drunk on Christmas Cheer because the silly man actually announced this to his family!

And then the guilt trips started.

There was talk of it not being fair to our daughter, talk of older relatives not being around for much longer so the necessity of spending Christmas with them next year, there was even mention of the beautiful Miss B who will be spending Christmas with the family next year as she has missed the last 3 so because she has been living overseas.

I’m considering moving overseas if it means that I can avoid the Christmas politics next year!

I was in a ca-coon made up of ba-humbug and grumbles since Christmas. I locked myself and my daughter away in an attempt to recover from the patience I’d lost and the cranky hat I was wearing and then I remembered something…

I’m so very lucky that these are my complaints!

Yes this situation sucks is less than desirable, but realistically, what are my complaints?

I have a large family who want to spend time with my family.

Yep, that’s terrible! Sucks to be me!

After all, there are so many people with real world problems like poverty, AIDS, homelessness and people that have no family at all.

Image credit found here

So I am emerging from my ca-coon a beautiful butterfly with rose coloured googly eyes wearing my grateful pants that there are so many people that love me, my husband and my daughter and with a new years resolution to try to have more patience with people.

How did you spend your Christmas?

How do you juggle visiting all of the relatives that want to see you and your family?

Don't Judge Me But I Have Cleaning Ladies

There, I said it!

Yes, I know, I’m a stay at home mum so I probably don’t need cleaning ladies but

a) They do such a lovely job

b) It doesn't cost much money

c) They are really lovely ladies

d) They leave my house smelling beautiful

and e) Did I mention they are really lovely ladies?

I went to a job interview today. They asked me how I knew the lovely lady who had recommended me for the job. I told her she was a friend of one of my cleaning ladies.

Um, Big Mistake!

The look I received from the three people interviewing me said it all. I read the thoughts in their heads… here’s what they were saying…

Tall Skinny Male Interviewer: “But what else do you have to do all day?”

Female One: “Princess”

Female Two: “Lazy”

I could have explained that my husband hired these cleaning ladies for me when I was suffering from a pregnancy that included throwing up everything I ate, and seeing as I barely had enough energy to travel over an hour to work each day, work my butt off for eight or nine hours (minus the time I spent with my head in the bin or toilet, whichever was closest) and then travel home, the housework was being neglected. And I like a clean home.

My husband did work very hard at maintaining the housework, and the cooking, because I couldn’t be around food cooking, but he does work sixty plus hour weeks and he was busy holding my hair back and getting me glasses of water when he was home.

So the housework was being neglected and I hated that! But I was so sick! I mentioned that, right? The last time I suffered from mourning morning sickness was three days before I gave birth.

After Missy Moo arrived, we’d already fallen in love with our lovely cleaning ladies, and to be honest, I don’t like vacuuming and mopping floors (who does???)  so we decided to continue their service.

And I think it may have cost me a job.

So I came home from my interview, a little deflated. But as soon as I walked through the door of my sparkling clean home, I felt a whole lot better!

There will be plenty more jobs out there, but there will only ever be two ladies that clean my home, and neither of them will be me!


**UPDATE** I was offered the job today! Came as a bit of a surprise but I accepted... Once again I am a pharmacy chicky! Can't wait to use my discount on baby stuff!


If anyone reading this is in the Lower Blue Mountains and is after FABULOUS cleaning ladies, call James Home Services! Judy and Deanne are two of the most lovely and genuine ladies! And they do a fantastic job! Oh, and this is NOT a sponsored post! Simply my own opinion!


Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!


Lots of love


Aly

Breaking-up is never easy

Image credit here

I am a monogamous person.

I don’t cheat, I don’t two-time, I don’t even flirt with anyone other than my betrothed, that’s how loyal I am. When I commit, it's a REALLY BIG DEAL. I never enter into relationships lightly.

This is why breaking-up has never been easy for me. I have been known to stay in a failing relationship because I just can’t bring myself to end it…

This week, I made a decision to end one of the most important relationships in my life.

I think I should also let you know that we only reunited a year ago, after my one and only left me to travel overseas FOR YEARS! I was heart broken, and after a series of one-off dates, I found another person I could connect with, someone else who completely understood me and fulfilled my needs. And then my first love returned, and like lovesick puppies, we got back together.

I think I am going to take the easy way out in this break-up because I am a massive chicken sometimes and just cease communication. To be honest, if I don’t initiate the calls and the visits, we have no contact. I’m always the one making time to fit in with her schedule, never the other way around.

I learnt a few things from my last relationship, like how my hair looks better when I have blonde AND caramel foils, and what shampoo and conditioner to use to keep my blonde hair looking fresh and vibrant instead of harsh and brassy.

You see, I’m a little protective of my hair… being the daughter of a hairdresser, my mother always stressed on me the need to take excellent care of my hair and how important a good hairdresser is.

So you can understand my dismay when my hairdresser, the one whom I had idealised and missed while away, returned, only to want to revert me back the way I was. But I have grown, my hair is longer and my knowledge of professional products has increased. I’m not the same naive little girl anymore.

Image credit here

I gave her every opportunity to adapt to my new style, but she’s convinced her ways are better, and after giving them a chance, I am not.

I only wish I could run back to my last hairdresser, albeit with my tail between my knees, but it seems she has up and left the salon she was working at, never to be heard of again!

There is a little light on the horizon… there is hairdresser that I have been hearing rave reviews about for years, my cousin and four of my girlfriends use him, and I’ve seen his work… it’s good.

Image credit here

So in 5 weeks time, when I’m due to sit in a chair looking like an idiot with a head full of foils be revamped, I’ll make an appointment and pray that it is love at first foil, cut and dry. Because seriously, I don’t have the energy for all of this emotional turmoil right now!

Have you ever had to end a professional relationship and dreaded it?

How have you ‘broken-up’?

Have you ever been the one being dumped?

Why People Who Don't Have Children Make The Best Parents

I was at my Mothers Group Get Together and bitch about our husbands today and I brought up a topic that is close to my heart, and the fellow mothers at the bitch fest meeting...

Image credit can be found here

How we were the perfect parents until we had kids, and how people who don't have children yet make the best parents! This topic was brought up after I encountered not one but FIVE disapproving stares as I pushed my pram containing my screaming baby, over to our meeting spot. As I walked passed these women with their toned abs and perky breasts I asked myself why I was the one that suggested a wake park filled with hot women to meet up I smiled at them, as sweet as I could, and thought to myself, I was once you, and one day, you will be me sweetheart! So enjoy your perfect bodies smugness while you can, because one day, it will be you pushing your pram containing your screaming child as younger versions of yourself give you the disapproving stare! *end rant, sort of...*

So I thought I'd make a list of a couple of the reasons people who don't have children make the best parents, feel free to add yours in the comments section...

*Please realise that I AM TAKING THE PISS! Most of these reasons are thoughts that I had before I became a mother - this is not a post criticising the childless*

1. They will never yell at their children in public, they will never have to, they'll be so well behaved!
2. Their children will never leave the house in mismatched clothes or with a snotty nose.
3. They'll never annoy the childless and take their children out to restaurants.
4. They'll loose their pregnancy plump easily because they'll keep up their gym schedule - after all, their babies will sleep through the night so they'll still have energy. Even better, they won't get plump when pregnant because they'll adhere to a strict healthy, balanced diet.
5. They'll never bribe their children, like, ever!
6. They will be able to go to the toilet with the door closed/have a conversation without being interrupted/go back to work after 6 weeks because babies sleep all day and toddlers can amuse themselves - at least theirs will.
7. The TV will not be used as a babysitter.
8. Their children will never sleep in their beds.
9. Their children will never have tantrums in public, or at all for that matter.
10. Their children will adjust to fit in their lives, not the other way around!
11. They'll never have to resort to a dummy.
12. Their children will spend most of their days playing outside, not in front of a computer.

Luckily for me, I have the perfect baby who eats well, sleeps through the night all night, every night, self settles, never cries and is studying advanced physics at 10 weeks of age, leaving me free to learn another language in my spare time and catch up on my reading...

What misconceptions did you have about parenthood?

To Hold or Not to Hold

In case you missed it, I'm a first time Mum.

According to mums of more than one child, I'll probably do a pretty good job of over-indulging my first child and giving her some bad habits, like not self settling...

I'm okay with this. 

I want to enjoy every second with my beautiful daughter, she's the best thing I've ever done!

So I cuddle my daughter each night, and she falls asleep in my arms, and I put her in her bassinet which is still in our room because Mr Hat has finally given up trying to convince me she needs to go into her own room. 

I love our cuddles. I couldn't breastfeed, so this is our bonding time. I love providing her with the comfort and security she needs to fall asleep. And she is beautiful when she sleeps. She sleeps so beautifully that she doesn't wake me up until her 7am feed, bless her for that! She's been sleeping through the night since she was 6 or 7 weeks old.

Image credit found here

She wakes during the night, but she settles herself back to sleep. I often hear her stirring somewhere between 5am and 6am, but she either goes back to sleep or she just lays there and amuses herself until she's hungry.

My MIL told me she rocked all of her children to sleep. Then she told my husband I was overindulging our daughter and I needed to put her in her bed and leave her to scream if she didn't go to sleep. I don't think this was malicious. I think she doesn't want to disagree with my choices for fear I'll be angered or annoyed and she'll be left out, so when she disagrees, she uses the backdoor and talks to my husband.

Never the less, it did cause an argument between Mr Hat and myself.

But as most of our arguments end in a calm conversation where we air our feelings and opinions freely, Mr Hat and I soon discovered why we were on separate pages. And then we agreed that what we have, though not ideal, works for us so, I still get my cuddles each night!

Missy Moo is only 10 weeks old. I want to re-evaluate our bedtime ritual at 6 months and then perhaps put her in a sleep routine...

According to the ABC (via mamamia.com.au)

Paediatrician Harriet Hiscock from The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute was part of a world-first study that followed up 225 six-year-old children who had received behavioural sleep intervention as babies to assess their health including emotional wellbeing, behaviour and child-parent relationship. The study showed intervention during infancy significantly reduced sleep problems in children and depression among mothers during the first two years of the child’s life.

It found techniques including ‘controlled crying’ – which helps babies learn to put themselves to sleep by letting them cry for set periods of time – and positive bedtime routines, had no adverse affects on the emotional and behavioural development of children or their relationship with parents when “ compared to children who as babies had sleep problems but received no sleep intervention.

The study helps to reassure parents and health professionals about the safety of sleep interventions in infants aged six months and older, especially as a strategy to prevent and treat postnatal depression. Parents can feel reassured they are not harming their babies by using sleep interventions like controlled crying.”

There are so many pro's and con's for so many methods, I'm simply using the one that works for us right now. But I am open to change when I feel she's secure enough to handle it.

As for my MIL, I'm tossing up whether or not to say something to her. On one hand, if there's something Mr Hat and I have got down packed, it's good communication. I can't see her backdoor efforts causing future arguments, so perhaps I should leave it. On the other hand, while I want her to feel comfortable enough to have a different opinion to me and be able to share it, I know myself and I can get my back up pretty easily and feel like I'm being judged... which is probably why she went through my husband in the first place! But this annoys me too because I'm simply impossible to please some times!

Any suggestions???

Let's Talk About Sex Baby!

When I was pregnant, I asked my friends who were already mothers, about the sex post baby.

Nothing too personal, just how long they waited until they recommenced 'special cuddles'.

Here were their answers...

3 days (c-section)
3 weeks (twins, v-birth with tearing)
2 weeks (v-birth with tearing)
6 weeks (v-birth with epistomy)

After picking myself up off the floor when the lovely Miss M told me about how she waited a whole 3 days until recommencing the luurrrvvve with Mr M, I decided that I was going to be open to the idea of 'special cuddles' prior to the 6 weeks recommended.

At 4 weeks, I rolled over, and gave my husband the cuddle that meant 'special cuddles'. We decided to use those rubbery things just in case so we didn't get pregnant again. It was dark, so Mr Hat didn't realise he had grabbed a 'rough rider' protector. OWiiieee. Get off of me you SOB please.

At 5 weeks, after checking that the protector was a nice, ultra thin, I still decided my pain wasn't worth his gain was still too present to participate in such festivities.

At 6 weeks, all was good in the land of lurve and Mr Hat was welcomed back after a very long back tickle with open arms.

3 FRIGGIN DAYS! How that is even possible I don't know!!!

How long did you wait until you recommenced 'special cuddles'?

My Husband, the LEGEND!

I have always been a feminist. Before I met my now husband, I was an inflexible feminist.
Now I see things aren't always black and white, there are shades of grey...

I DON'T take the rubbish out... that's HIS job.

He doesn't clean the toilets... that's MY job.

He works at paid employment, I'm a SAHM... that doesn't mean I've lost my bad-ass feminist attitude, it means he earns double my wage and it makes a lot more sense that he continues to earn his big salary while I embrace my full time, unpaid domestic engineer/SAHM role.

I'll go back to paid work, when I'm ready. In the mean time, I'm enjoying spending time with my little cherub as she grows and develops and I'm there for every single milestone along the way... EXCEPT FOR TODAY'S MILESTONE but I'll get to that!

I love being a SAHM. And I'll love going back to work, when I do that too, as I said, it's all grey matter here peoples!

But I digress... my husband, is an absolute LEGEND!

As I said, I've always considered myself a bit of a feminist. But I'm also the least handy person you could meet! And yes, I know there is no direct correlation of feminist to handy person but I've previously felt that my reliance on usually a man someone else to do all things handy was a failing on my 'bad ass feminist' self.

Earlier this year, I tried to help Mr Hat put together the computer desk, 3 hours later and the poor man was still managing to keep his cool with me. I think that was mostly because he knows I was TRYING to help, even if that help was more annoying and unhelpful than actual assistance.

I did mention to him that in the very unlikely chance that something ever happened to make us part ways, I would like it in any divorce papers that he still had to be the handy man because as all my friends and family know, I can't even connect the TV to the DVD player, let alone put together furniture!

Getting to the point of this post... I was very chuffed when my cousin bought us the Baby Lamb Swing for Missy Moo. That thing has been a LIFE SAVER some days! It plays music, there's a mobile thingy that swings around and it sways the child back and forth. There are a heap of swing positions (not that I've learnt how to change them yet... Mr Hat changes it for me on request) and the thing is awesome, have I emphasised that yet? Well anyway, the wonderful contraption has 1 major drawback... it is ONLY battery operated... requiring 4 D cell batteries (RRP approx. $8.95) every 2-3 weeks, which can get a little expensive!

But Mr Hat fixed that! He did something... and I'm not going to even attempt to explain it to you, but long story short, he made it so that now it uses electricity! Hip Hip Hooray for Mr Hat! The whole thing took him less than 30 minutes to fix and he had all of the supplies in the garage!

And that makes him a legend! I love being married to a handy man sometimes. They come in real... handy! Anyway, I've read a bit lately about what women want from a man... whether it be the traditional handy man or todays less handy man... personally, I LOVE the handy man! Did I mention that Mr Hat also recently built a platform for our new front loader washing machine because I didn't want it wall mounted but I wanted it raised a little so I didn't hurt my back bending down? I'll say it again... LEGEND!

Oh, and the milestone I missed today... Missy Moo, a mere 9 WEEKS OLD... ROLLED OVER for the first time today! Nanna saw it, Nanna's sister, my cousin and her 2 children saw it, and I was in the kitchen! Darn it!





Do you like a handy man or are you the handy person? And when did your kids first roll over? I thought at 9 weeks Missy Moo is a little young? Now I'll have to be extra careful when leaving her on the bed or popping her on the change table! Darn it! She's growing up too quickly!!!

Immunisation Day

Missy Moo received her 8-week vaccinations today.

Not nice.

It is 8:55pm and she has decided to punish me by not sleeping. Or she could just be unsettled because of the needles and not so sweet liquid the nurse tried to shove down her throat.

I didn’t want to be there when they did it. I wanted to wait outside.

My Doctor told me I’d managed pregnancy, childbirth and her time with us thus far, I would be fine.

I went into the room; I turned around and faced the wall.

I was not fine!

The nurse took forever to get everything ready. Or she didn’t, I’m not really sure as all I could think of was the pain my beautiful baby girl was going to be in soon.

She gave her the liquid. Missy Moo was not impressed.

The nurse injected the first needle. I heard a blood curling scream and then very loud crying. I rushed over to comfort my baby and was told there was still one needle to go.

I returned to the wall.

The nurse injected the second needle. Another scream. The crying continued. I rushed to my baby girl, took her from my husbands’ arms and wrapped her into me.

She calmed down. So did I.

As we were standing in the reception area, I remembered something very disturbing about the whole ordeal…

My husband laughed.

My daughter was balling her eyes out.

I, may or may not have been teary eyed.

And my husband, holding our screaming child, was laughing.

Not. Happy. Mister. Hat!

He’ll pay for that sooner or later…

So Missy Moo is now immunised. And despite my knowledge that a couple of needles are much better than a sick child, I’m not happy about the aftermath.

Go.to.sleep!

She is currently in the mechanical swing her Aunty bought her.

I wouldn’t usually put her in there to try and put her to sleep but my arms are sore and I need a break.

Her father is asleep. I wish she were!

It’s going to be a very long night…

What tricks do you have to settle a baby after their needles?

Dear Gail Kelly

Dear Gail,

I can call you Gail, right? After all, I was a very loyal St George customer during your rein as the St George Queen and when you resigned and were crowned Queen of Westpac, I dutifully followed you to your new kingdom.

I am ridiculously proud of you. Not only are you the only woman chief of any of the big banks, you were placed 8^th Most Powerful Woman according to Forbes Magazine this year, and you are a mum, to four children, including triplets! The changes you made at St George were inspirational. Your work at Westpac has been outstanding.

Your latest in a very long line of achievements, Westpac’s 84% net profit increase to $6.35 billion is very impressive, incredible even.  Under your rein, Westpac has the highest profit of the big four banks for 2010, you are working your magic here, just as you did at the Kingdom of St George.

I’m sure your shareholders are tickled pink with Westpac’s profits. Problem is, while I’m a loyal customer, like many of your loyal customers, I’m not a shareholder. I am, however, one of the many who has had to keep tightening my belt to afford the interest rate rises.

You have said that Westpac is yet to make a decision on what they plan to do about rate rises, and that it remains under review. My request is this, please think of all of your loyal customers who have been tightening their belts, and ask yourself, how many notches do you think they have left?

My mortgage has risen over $100 a week in the last year. This has meant that instead of enjoying time with my newborn, I have to go back to work. If interest rates continue to rise as they have been, my newborn will remain an only child unless we win lotto, rent out our home to strangers and rent somewhere cheaper, or sell our home. I don’t have an extravagant home. And my husband works 60-hour weeks so we can afford it.

So I am appealing to you not as the CEO of a major bank, but as a mother, please think of all of your loyal customers who are families, struggling to make ends meet, and act accordingly.

Yours Sincerely,

The Mummy Hat


How have the interest rate rises affected you and your family?
If you rent, has your rent increased significantly in the last year or so?

Scaling down the sweets...

Today I'm off to the OB.
I'm not filled with excitement like I was when I was pregnant and had an appointment with my obstetrician. It's not because my OB isn't lovely, because she is. It's because there are a few things I'm not looking forward to at this appointment.

For anybody who has had a baby in the past 10 years, you know what I am talking about. I've spent the last couple of weeks regaining my dignity after childbirth, I'm not looking forward to giving up some more of it today.


But that's not my main concern, oh no, it's the dreaded scales.

Knowing I'm a little self conscious about my weight, my lovely OB only asked me to get on the scales twice during my pregnancy. But she did let me know there would be a weigh in at THIS appointment. And this weigh in has consumed my thoughts for the last 48 hours.

I didn't have that bowl of ice cream I've been thinking sweet sweet thoughts about for the last week.
There has been no Bailey's and milk after Missy Moo has finally settled for the night.
The packet of 'fun size' Cherry Ripes is still sitting in the cupboard, only half eaten, from 3 WEEKS ago.

No, there has been no reward for all my hard work mummying, unless you include the lovely fresh fruit and vegetables I have been enjoying*.

And all in the vain hope that the number that appears through the glass this afternoon, is one that isn't too high.

Morning sickness,
started at 6 weeks,
ended in the delivery room!

I'm not over weight. I was when I fell pregnant. But suffering terrible morning sickness, I lost a big enough chunk of weight that I slipped into the 'healthy weight' range at 5 months pregnant. And then my weight went up, but that was okay, because my baby was growing and I was trying desperately to ensure she had all of the food and nutrients necessary to come out with a clean bill of health. It wasn't that easy, the last time I threw up from morning sickness was 3 days before I gave birth.

But my princess came out a very healthy 3.5kg and 49cm long. I still looked 5 months pregnant but I had a beautiful baby girl. Baby trumps still looking pregnant. Slowly but surely my body has attempted to return to pre-pregnancy state... and this afternoon, I find out how much work I have to do to keep myself in that lovely 'health weight' range...

You see, after suffering from morning sickness for so long, and  loosing so much weight, it seems a shame to just pile it back on again. And I really enjoyed the lovely comments I received when I was pregnant, telling me how I looked better than ever even though I spent half my pregnancy with my head in a bucket.

I could just get pregnant again, spend the next 9 months with my head in a bucket while trying to take care of a baby and look like Amy Winehouse at the end of it, minus the tattoo's and make-up! On second thoughts, I'd rather be overweight!

The good news is, there is light at the end of the scales... if the number is good, I'll have that bowl of ice cream to celebrate. If the number is bad, I'll have that bowl of ice cream to console myself. Either way, I'm having that bowl of delicious, sweet, mouth watering, luxurious ice cream. After all, a girls got to be bad once in a while!

Did you feel any pressure to get back into 'shape' after having a baby?

*I do really love fresh fruit and veggies so it hasn't been all that bad!

My bed was squeaking last night!

The time has come, 6 weeks is up. My husband circled it on the calendar with a bright red magic marker. I couldn't pretend to ignore it any longer. It was D-Day... so yesterday, after fighting the good fight, and loosing, I bit the bullet... Yesterday, I bought Missy Moo infant nappies. She's getting too big for newborn nappies. I.was.devastated.

I no longer have a newborn. Which is such a shame, not only because I blinked and my newborn is now *gulp* an infant, but because I can no longer use having a newborn as a convenient excuse.

Telemarketer rings at night "I'm sorry, I can't talk, I need to put my newborn to sleep".
Painful neighbor across the road wants to whinge about other painful neighbour/council rates/how kids these days have no respect/how her family no longer visit her because she is a whingy pain in the behind "I'm sorry, I've got to go, I need to feed the newborn".

People are not as lenient when the newborn turns into a run of the mill baby. By the time your newborn is an 'infant', people expect you to have it all in hand and can spare time for them, or so I'm discovering!

Which brings me to the point of this post, I have a squeaky bed. I didn't realise I had a squeaky bed until I brought my newborn home from the hospital and set up her bassinet in our room. My husband and I are now very self-conscious of our squeaky bed. We try not to move around too much so we don't wake the newborn baby. The husband made a comment on the weekend that Missy Moo will be making her way into her own room soon. Over.my.dead.body.

It's been traumatic enough having to acknowledge I am no longer the mother of a newborn. Ee-ow taunts me as I change Missy Moo into her new 4-8kg nappy, I'm not ready to forgo her gas sweet smell in my room as well! But each time he moves and the bed squeaks, I sense the 'discussion' of her relocation creeping to the surface...

After all, if we move her, it's just further for me to walk to tend to her when she cries/needs feeding/I need to check she's still breathing because she is sleeping so peacefully. And let's face it, it's better to make things as easy as possible when you are trying to soothe/feed/burp a baby at 4am. And I'm not ready. I'll wear that too.

So for now she stays in our bedroom. Unlike her growing up, this is a fight that I stand a chance at winning! And if that doesn't sit well with the husband, we do have a spare room with a bed that I don't think squeaks, maybe he can relocate in there!

How old were your children when they moved into their own rooms?

The Honeymoon's Over!

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary today.
Well not so much celebrated it, but it was acknowledged. We did go out for a quick bite to eat for dinner, though that was probably more to do with the fact that I was too tired to cook...

We used to be THAT couple... the annoying lovey dovey couple who would be excited to see each other even if the period of separation was only a couple of hours.

Now, we are parents. Our conversations revolve around Missy Moo and whether she did a one or a two...

Everybody told me that everything changes when you become parents, and I believed them, mostly. But while I was busy preparing our home for Missy Moo's arrival, I think we forgot to prepare our relationship.

I guess we're just at that 'next stage' in our relationship. The stage where the honeymoon's over. But I've never believed that the honeymoon stage ever has to end so...

I am now going to instigate Date Night. One night a month the Mummy Hat comes off and the Wife Hat will be dusted off and worn for some much needed adult time. No nappy talk, no baby updates and no scoffing down dinner one handed while rocking the pram with the other and silently praying the baby won't cry and cause every pair of eyes to stare at us and secretly judge our parenting skills...

Now if only I could find my Wife Hat... Last time I saw it, it was under a pile of nappies... Hmmm, might be harder than I thought!

What do you do to keep the spark alive in your relationship?

Don't you know... I'm a Mummy Blogger Now!

I like to talk... A LOT. 

Never fond of giving an edited quick review of a story, I like to really give my audience a detailed account of whatever it is I'm rambling on about. Often I get side tracked with another story and don't end up finishing my original story, like the time I was telling my friend Katie...

Anyway, back to the point... I like to talk a lot, and I like to write a lot. So keeping a blog seemed like a good idea at the time.

And then I had to think about WHAT to write about. Because if my initial posts are BORING, there's a good chance it'll only get worse!

The good news is... you don't have to read them have to suffer for long, a post is really short!

But I really appreciate constructive criticism... Who am I kidding? We all hate to be criticised! I appreciate encouragement, you can keep your criticism for the telemarketer who calls at 7:30 at night when you are trying to soothe your screaming baby while your toddler is at your feet demanding ice cream!

So be nice (won't be hard seeing as I haven't told anybody about my blog yet!) and leave some encouragement for the first time Mummy's first attempt at a blog.

Toodles!

Aly

To My Angel

I lost my little angel before she reached 12 weeks. Apparently that makes me lucky because I didn't have enough time to get really attached.
The pain I felt burnt me from the inside out.
We recently gave birth to a little baby girl. I held my breath for 9 months, praying that nothing would go wrong.
She is perfect. Just like my first. I know this even though I never met her. Call it mothers bias if you will!
  
Here is my letter to her...  
  
Dearest Angel of Mine,

It will be a long time until we meet, not the nine months I originally envisioned.

When you were tucked up in the safety of my womb I dreamt of what your life would be. I dreamt of the future, of your future, of our future together.

You made your father and I so happy, even if it was only for a short while, you were real and so is our love for you.

I bled for you. I cried for you. I mourned your passing loudly, quietly, openly and in private.

I think about you all the time. I take comfort in knowing you will never feel any pain. Never know rejection or embarrassment or fear. But you know love because we love you. We will always love you.

We will meet again in heaven, finally, I will hold you in my arms. Until then, know that your mother loves you, and that love is eternal.

All my heart, 
Mum


This post first appeared on With Tears of Love. A website for sharing, supporting and understanding stories of baby loss.