And So I Don't Forget...

In Honour

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest We Forget.

 

Today, ANZAC Day, has me thinking about my Poppa. Gosh he would have loved Amelia. He and my Nanna both. Amelia's middle name, Mawson, was chosen in their honour.

Arthur Mawson and Gladys Eva Mawson. You are so very missed. 

Amelia: Two Months Old

At two months old, Amelia is...

• Giving us the biggest grins. It's awesome.
• Starting at babble and giggle. Despite neither of us understanding the other, we have some good conversations.
• Rolling over from front to back. She's only managed it twice so far, and on the first occasion I'm convinced she surprised the hell out of herself, but now gets frustrated when she can't repeat it.
• Sleeps well at night, for the moment at least. After a late night feed, about 11pm, she'll wake up for a feed around 3:30-4am and will settled back down fairly well until her day begins about 7:15am.
• Loving her dummy. Sometimes she'll manage to hook her hand around it and pull the dummy out of her mouth, then has this look of absolute 'what the hell happened!?' She's also managed to flip the dummy back into place with her hand, but more often she turns into a little pacman, chomping chomping with her mouth to try and find it.
• Working on self settling during the day. More so before our few days away through her out of kilter, but we've been able to put her down in her bassinette with her dummy, dozy but awake. A few strokes of her face, a pat or two and we walk away. Sometimes we've needed to come back in a few times to put the dummy back in and give her another few strokes (softest little face!) but she'll fall asleep.
• Awake for only about 45 minutes during the day before she's yawning and ready for bed again.
• Calmed by the motion of the car. Red traffic lights have become our nemesis.
• Still struggling a little with reflux, however the medication (which she hates) has made a huge difference. So much less unhappy, pained crying of an evening. 
• Discovering her tongue, with lots of opening her mouth and poking it forward. 
• Too small. As of her 8 week check up with the Maternal and Child Health Nurse she still hadn't cracked the 4kg mark. She'd grown another 3cm in length and has quite a large head, but she's just not gaining much in weight. We're trying to feed her up at the moment and hopefully she'll have gained more by her pediatrician check up next week. Fingers crossed!      
• Wearing a mix of 0000 and 000 clothing. 
• A little snuggler. When holding her up against your chest she'll shake her head back and forth until she finds her perfect spot and then just snuggles right in. 
• Tracking me with her eyes and often looks for me when she hears my voice.
• Not liking baths or clothes going over her head, but doesn't generally mind having her nappy changed.
• Owner of ridiculously long eyelashes. 

I am...

• Frequently referring to myself in the 3rd person.
• Rocking back and forth, often regardless of whether I'm holding my sweetheart or not.
• Amazed how many nursery rhymes I don't remember the words to.
• Feeling like I have so much time on my hands, now that I'm not often holding little one in my arms as she sleeps.

Anglesea Getaway

Last week we headed to the coast for our first little getaway as a family of three. 2 nights in a little AirBnB unit in Anglesea, about an hour and a half drive from home, was a perfect low key, no stress introduction to travelling with our little one.

A bustling area in the summer high season, it was relaxed and quiet being autumn weekdays. Perfect for travels with a baby who slept beautifully through 3 out of 6 meals. That seems to be what we did; eat well and take walks along the beach.

Dinner at Rose Chinese Restaurant, breakfast at Anglesea General Store, lunch at Aireys Pub. After an unsettled afternoon for the little one, we had (average tasting) takeaway pizza back in our unit for dinner.

The weather was beautiful for our final day. We breakfasted, well second breakfast because it's not a quick process to get out of the house nowadays, at 4 Kings (I think it was called) before spending some time on the beach. I couldn't resist dipping my toes in the water, which was predictably frigid. I didn't get a chance to introduce Amelia to the beach as she slept peacefully for every visit, but our pram does cope surprisingly well with cross countrying in soft sand.

One last stop at Bellbrae Estate for some wine tasting and feasting outside in the sunshine before heading back home. And little miss sleeping that whole car trip was the perfect end to our time away.

 

Goodbye March, Hello April

March was...

• 1544 photos taken. Consider this post restrained. ;)

• Amelia's first time being babysat when Mike and I went out to dinner with a group of friends. Apparently she slept almost the entire time for my parents, leaving them having to wait till she stirred for snuggles, and I regularly checked my phone to make sure I hadn't missed a call from them but refrained from ringing to check in. 

• A big family get together with Mike's family to celebrate his Mum's birthday, Mike's birthday and Amelia's arrival. She got to meet her second great-grandmother and had snuggles with both/everyone. 
• Having some (more) professional photos taken of our little miss. 
• Documenting a Day in the Life with our 3 week old baby. 

• Having lunch at Longrain in the city with Jenna, celebrating her new job. The food was delicious, the restaurant was kid-friendly, Amelia slept wonderfully and we had a lovely afternoon. We even managed to fit in some fancy donuts before we headed for home.  

• Celebrating Mike's 34th birthday by having friend's over for a dinner of takeaway pizza and cake, having family over for a birthday brunch and the three of us going out to dinner at a local Thai restaurant, as per his grandmother's suggestion and funding.
• Mike returning to work after 4 weeks at home on leave, looking after his girls. We miss him, and he us, but he still manages to look after us wonderfully well.
• Milly and I visited my Mum, pretty much just so I could have a nap. The sheets were freshly changed, a scented candle burned, there was a glass of water waiting for me by the bedside and a grandmother eager to look after her granddaughter. Nanna, Mum's Mum, had done this for her when I was a baby and Mum was so pleased to be able to do the same for me.  

• A day trip out to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Icecreamery for hot chocolates and brownies.   
• Getting together with my Dad's side of the family for lunch on Good Friday. Amelia had a special Easter outfit gifted by my aunty Lyn and looked adorable, despite being fussy. It was a lovely afternoon, just relaxing in the lovely weather and chatting away.

• Easter Sunday lunch at my sister-in-law's, where little miss received many an Easter present. (As did Mike and I for that matter). She was wearing another lovely bunny outfit, this one a present from Mike's aunty and uncle.   
• A pediatrician's appointment where Amelia was placed on medication for reflux. It has made so much difference; no more hours of screaming baby of an evening and all three of us are so much happier. And, hopefully, she'll have increased her weight gain.

• Getting together with my Parents' Group for the first time. Run by the local council, we'll meet once a week for 6 weeks under the direction of a Maternal and Child Heath Nurse. We're a large group of 16 so I haven't really spoken with everyone yet but there are some lovely ladies, and babies, and it's very reassuring to look around and see everyone trying various ways to calm fussy baby, just like me. 

• Meeting Max, the adorable newborn of good friends of ours, when he was only one day old. It feels odd to realise that was us only 6 or so weeks ago!
• Dinner at Welcome to Thornbury, the food truck park I'd been wanting to get to for ages. There were prams everywhere, so I'm sure we'll be back. 

In April I'm looking forward to... 

• A couple nights away on the coast, just the three of us. We've booked a little place through Air BnB and I've already started the packing list.   
• Beginning a 6 week pottery course, this time exploring hand building.

Simple Scrapper: Delanie's Berlin Wall

When I think of the 1980s, which is Simple Scrapper's Story Starter theme for May, I think of Walk like an Egyptian by The Bangles and the fall of the Berlin Wall. This layout, based on a sketch template from the Simple Scrapper membership collection, is the next addition in my 'I Remember When...' mini album. 

The page is about 7 inches square and uses a photo I found online (source) paired with my journaling and simple embellishment. The design is based on the same sketch template as I'd used previously in this mini album which simplified the process for me. 

 

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping.

Things I Have Learnt in 7 Weeks of Being a Mum

• Labour bloody well hurts and epidurals are awesome.
• It is possible to arrive at places on time with a baby, you just need to start getting ready hours in advance.
• When you sit down to breastfeed, whatever item you're wanting is guaranteed to be on the wrong side of you. 
• Being peed, puked and pooped on isn't as horrifying when it's your own child doing so.
• Babies contain a whole lot more in volume than you'd expect.  
• You'd do pretty much anything to make your baby smile.
• Pelvic floor muscles are the unsung hero of the female body. Respect them.    
• You can survive perfectly fine on 6 hours sleep, you just trade in the top 10 percent of brain functioning to do so.
• It is reassuring to see others fumble their way through new parenthood too. All you're experiencing, totally normal.
• You will ssshhhh ssshhhh ssshhhhh like a steam train if you think it will help your baby go to sleep.
• Baby clothes are the cutest things imaginable.
• The excess of laundry that comes with a baby isn't so much from washing their clothes as it is your own. Refer to pee, puke and poop above.
• Have a few items of clothing set aside to wear out of the house is a wise idea. 
• It is remarkable what you can accomplish with only one hand, occasionally a foot.  
• Babies can wake you up with the loudest of groans and grizzles while they remain sleeping soundly. 
• Their sleeping volume is nothing compared to full scream. Holy moly! 
• Subtitles are very useful when watching TV while trying to calm a crying baby. 
• Your baby learning a new skill can make you incredibly proud; them achieving a sleep milestone can make you euphoric. 

Simple Scrapper: You Bring Joy

Just look at my little munchkin's face, all snuggled into her Aunty Woody. 

This layout stemmed from a sketch template in Simple Scrapper's May membership collection and it is already an absolute favourite of mine. I feel like I'm channeling Ali Edwards, writing a love letter to that little munchkin of mine.

Journaling reads: 

The other day my Mum leaned over and quietly told me about a conversation she’d had with a new mother from her work. I didn’t realise how much joy I would bring to other people by having a baby, the woman had said. ‘That’s what you’ve done’, Mum told me. ‘You’ve brought me so much joy.’

During my Dad’s second visit to the hospital, when you were all of 26 hours old, Mike commented that he’d probably been somewhat distracted at work that day. Dad agreed, sharing that the world felt different now that you were here. More golden. More wonderful. Apart from me, Mike and medical staff, he was the first to have a cuddle of you. I’m pleased about that.       

Even Jenna has told us that it feels like her life has changed since you’ve been born. That there is now someone who matters more to her than herself. I knew Jenna had been eagerly awaiting your arrival – I received text messages tell me she was ready for her niece or nephew and to hurry up – but I think we’ve all been surprised how much she adores you. She’s asked to handle nappy changes, even some stinky ones, and is booked in for her first baby-sitting session.

From Esther holding you at the hospital, turning to Ben and saying ‘I want one’, to your Great Grandmother Esme quietly teary as she held you for the first time, you seem to enthral everyone you meet. The ladies at my Mum’s work and the people at Dad’s, our cleaners, people we meet on the street and, of course, us. My sweet little one, you bring joy.

The pattered paper is from Basic Grey, coral letter stickers from Kaisercraft with red from American Craft and Studio Calico ink. It's a very simple layout, just three areas of colour on white cardstock, but I think that lets the story and photo shine.  

 

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping.