This week I ......

1.        am going to finish the second last week of my teaching prac.

2.        am going to get a start on my Teaching Portfolio

3.        and finally send my application form to Ed Qld

This week I ...

4.        am going to try to be more patient

5.        am going to make a few calls to some people I have been meaning to catch up with for a while

6.        am congratulating myself on 4 1/2 months of having no cigarettes - and only been tempted    once!

7.       am not going to neglect my need for sleep!

This week I ...

8.      am hoping to get another 3 outfits completed from start to finish (these ones are Christmas Gifts)

9.      am wanting to cut out some patterns in bigger sizes

10.    will contact all those fabulous FB businesses who I would like to include in my next blog post to ask if I can use their photos on this blog page!

11.   will update my blog even if it means staying up late at night and completely ignoring #7

12.   will tell everyone who is dear to me why they are so!

Sleep or lack there of...

I'm sure most of you working mothers out there can attest to this when I say that the joys of being a mum most often than not, means we will most likely be sleep deprived.

I have been a stay at home mum for the past 13mths....
I have been a stay at home mum who studies part time for the past 8mths....
I have been a stay at home mum who studies part time and works part time for the past 6mths.....

I like most mothers believe that my baby is perfect. Miss Mollie has been on a routine since 6 weeks old - I very rarely have to get up to her at night unless she is sick or going through a growth spurt - even with her 8 teeth she has caused very little fuss - I have a perfect baby...

yet i am tired! I am writing this blog because over the past 2 nights I have had a total of 9 hours sleep and my baby hasn't stirred once! This week has been tough, my part time contract work has come to and end which meant tying up lose ends (of packing up census forms) and I have started my final field studies to become a middle years teacher.

and as I sit here thinking 'go to bed, you crazy woman, you can feel your eyeballs hanging out their sockets, as your head is swaying side to side and your forcing your eyes to stay open as you feel your brain forcefully pushing signals to your fingers to push those little black keys with letters on them...

go

to

bed

on that note i think i may leave you with some interesting facts about sleep

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep - Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles.^[1] It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than being in hibernation or a coma

hmm... and how about these from The National Sleep Research Project

The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.

A new baby typically results in 400-750 hours lost sleep for parents in the first year

It's impossible to tell if someone is really awake without close medical supervision. People can take cat naps with their eyes open without even being aware of it

Dreams may not serve any purpose at all but be merely a meaningless byproduct of two evolutionary adaptations - sleep and consciousness

The "natural alarm clock" which enables some people to wake up more or less when they want to is caused by a burst of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin. Researchers say this reflects an unconscious anticipation of the stress of waking up

Some studies suggest women need up to an hour's extra sleep a night compared to men, and not getting it may be one reason women are much more susceptible to depression than men.

Experts say one of the most alluring sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the internet.

I'm just a little bit excited about sleeping in tomorrow (until 7am when the baby wakes)....

Reason, Season or Lifetime?

I've recently been chatting to a good friend of mine. One I hold dear to my heart. A young woman who gives her everything to everyone she meets. she has had a rough time in her past but her future is as bright as the stars in her eyes. I have only known her for just about 2 years but already i have learnt so much from her. thanks S for being a lifetimer x

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

The Joys of Giving UP

They say to reach ones goals is to never give up - but what happens when the goal IS to give up?


In every walk of life that I have had so far people have been encouraging 'you can do it, don't give up'. From year 12 exams (many years ago now), to the grand final of a basketball game, through my first and now second degree at Uni.....

BUT.......

it's now 'OFFICIALLY' been one week since I HAVE GIVEN UP!!!!!!!



it was easy to give up after 13 years when I found out this was about to happen to me

and then this

and then as a first time mum with a partner that works a crap load of hours and living away from close family and friends I often felt like this......

and so with daily life being much more pleasureful for me now as I am slowly getting my shit together and seeing my partners hard earned cash turn into this

my partner, Andy and I went to the Doctors together (it was the only way) and we have both been 'smoke free' for just over a week thanks to Champix and being our own personal cheerleaders

and now with continued support and encouragement from each other, family and friends, we hope to be around a lot longer (and a lot less smellier) for Little Miss Mollie







Sweet just got bitter!

Yesterday I was willing to give my daughter away to anyone that would take her and I know I'm not alone.

For anyone travelling by themselves (flying in particular) with a child around the age of 10 mths old I have some recommendations.....

1. DO NOT DO IT - you are crazy if you do.
I thought I was fine and Miss M behaved very well on the departing journey to Cairns, via Townsville, for a wedding on the weekend. I timed the flights well to coincide with sleep and food times. I arrived to our slightly overcast tropical haven quite content.

The return trip was not so fun! For the total of 3 hours on the plane (with a 30minute stopover) Miss M slept for about 20 minutes. When she was awake she did a combination of the following: she screamed, she jumped on me, she spat her food on me, she refused her food with screaming, she hit me, she pulled my hair, she pulled the ladies hair who was sitting in front of us, she screamed some more, jumped some more and occasionally laughed at me scowling at her whilst trying to hold my own bladder.

Miss Mollie during her only quiet time on the flights

2. If you absolutely HAVE to travel by oneself with a child of this age - I recommending hiring a nanny to come with you! so you can peacefully eat your sandwich and drink your cup of tea whilst reading a magazine as you curse the lady sitting in front of you and the stubborn noisy little girl bouncing on her lap. If you can't afford a nanny than at least save your shoulders.....

3. No matter how prepared you think you are for the flight with everything packed for your lil dear (food, toys, blankets, nappies, formula, toys) you may as well leave it all at home or in the checked luggage as the only thing your lil one will find amusing if annoying you so sSave your shoulders, pack as lightly as possible and giving your lil one the inflight magazine means you can leave any rubbish on the plane and possibly giving your child a meal at the same time (on our weekend away I found out that Miss M likes to eat paper as I found it in her nappy the next day).

4. Try to find a straight jacket for your child prior to travelling so when she throws herself backward she doesn't injure you on the way down...

and now for some 'practical' information that without it I know I possibly would have thrown lil miss at my partner waiting happily for us at the arrival lounge instead of just handing her to him and walking away.



1. Make sure the airlines now you are travelling with an infant. When checking in I always ask if the plane is full and request to have the seat next to me 'blocked' out so that they don't put any passengers directly next to you. This gives you and bubs a little more room to move and kick and scream :)

2. If travelling on longer flights (bigger planes) and with a smaller bubs who can fit in a bassinet I have asked Qantas for a bassinet seat. There are only 2 on planes and they are up front. Makes life easier to be able to put bubs in basinet for a sleep and for you to be able to go to the toilet. It's close to the front of the plane to so you get fed rather quickly.

3. You are allowed to take a car seat and pram for free - do not let airlines charge you for them!



4. I was very impressed at Cairns airport when I checked in my pram to be told that there were 'Qantas' provided strollers off to the side and to help myself to one for use throughout the terminal'. WOW! Extremely convenient and I got to leave the stroller at the gate and the Qantas staff took it back. WOW again - what a difference this made :)

5. The oldie but a goodie - give the child something to suck on for the take off and landing. The sucking action means that they are swallowing so it doesn't hurt their poor little ears and you get screamed at even more. Nipple, bottle, dummy, lolly pop... whatever helps :)

Do any of you have any additional tips for travelling with a baby. If so, leave a comment... would especially love to know any tips for travelling by car as from now on I will only be travelling by myself with bubs via this means of transport where they can at least be in their own car seat, in the back, whilst I'm up front and I don't have to look at the screaming child and only hear her!.







Where to begin.....?

ok, so I have recently decided to enter the world of Blogging. Bear with me, don't stop reading just yet... truly I have something important to say, and I promise, that if you don't like what you read and you're left feeling like you've just wasted 5 minutes of your time that you will never get back, than I will in fact give you $100.... well not really but I'll hopefully have given you a reason to come back and visit me again (well at the moment my legs, toes and eyes are crossed that the outcome is positive).

Until recently I was never a reader of blogs until one of my favourite inspiring work at home mums started her own blog. I was intrigued. Tina (/http://missgeorgieg.com.au/) was already an inspiration to me just from the beautiful creations she made and the thousands of fans that stalk her facebook page each day. When she announced that she had started her own blog I immediately went to link and was hooked.

I've never thought of myself as a 'steaky beak or gossip' and apart from high school have never really gotten into the whole 'do you know what she did on the weekend' or 'OMG she is pregnant' kind of talk. I have really just taken an interest in my own life and those close to me. That is until of course I read Tina's blog, and than Ilja's Blog, and Chrissy's Blog... omg I was addicted. I wanted to know what people were doing, what they were talking about and I thought to myself, 'if I want to know about these inspiring ladies maybe someone will want to read about my life...'  hmm, now what to write....

Well actually I have thought about many things to write over the last 3 days where in my spare time I have been perusing bloggers backgrounds and buttons and blinkies. Who knew that such a world existed? I know that I am going to have to find a whole lot more 'spare' time to blog and become addicted to such sights as The Cutest Blog on the Block. Having decided on a background, and some pretty meaningful yet very insightful buttons (the husband being unfed is where I know I am going to end up, we're already half way there in this household) I hope I am on the right track.

I do hope to be able to share with, any of you who chose to come back, bits and bobs about my life including my bubs, my hubs, my pups, my work, my study, things that inspire me, things that DON'T inspire me. I hope you come back to visit I promise I won't be a bore.... ok, so who wants their $100 transferred to their account?