Yoga & Sleeping

So I am determined to shift this extra weight I am carrying, I have 8-13kg to move.
The last two nights I have done 20ish minutes of Yoga before going to bed, it feels GREAT! Last night I also decided to listen to a guided relaxation cd after doing the yoga. It was awesome, I have NEVER felt that relaxed when not sleeping and I was thinking just that .. and then I woke up to the sound of Anya crying .. I had fallen asleep on the lounge room floor for about 20min *lol* I was THAT relaxed ;)

I WILL shift this weight, I WILL get my body toned and I WILL feel great when doing it :)

Some toes on my yoga mat hehe

[b]

[breastfeeding]
I am very passionate about breastfeeding. It amazes me how our breast can nourish our children, not only that but provide such comfort as well. Had a rough start with breastfeeding with Lauren but I persevered and was smooth sailing for years. With Anya it has been bliss from day dot, so easy, just lovely :)

[breasts]
I have big boobs, once I am done having children, and if they don't shrink back when my breastfeeding days are over, I am getting a reduction. I am slowly learning to love my breasts, but mostly they just annoy me (apart from how they feed my children)

[bras]
See above .. bra shopping is hard, well it always used to be, now I live in maternity bras hehe

[beach]
I grew up a 5-10 min walk from a beach, on a peninsula so with many beaches a short drive away. I spent a lot of time at beaches... now I can't stand the sand *lol* As a child it was always just so much fun! A thrill, now .. not so much .. geez I feel old.

[birth]
Specifically homebirth. Can not imagine doing it any other way now :) Neither can Damien, or my mother. Its just so wonderful. Nothing beats after a hard, fast, painful labour & birth hopping into your own bed surrounded by familar smells, objects and people. Trust birth!

Encyclopaedia of Dee!

I am taking part in a challenge over at PBP very flexible, basically just do an A-Z of you in blog posts! SO here is A!

a [anya]
Ah my baby girl. She is such a sweet bubba, and so placid, always giving us lots and lots of smiles and laughs. She has brought such sunshine to our lives, we are so blessed to have two beautiful girls, they really are the centre of our world.

a [attachment parenting]
I hesitate to label parenting, but I strive to parent with many of the ideals of AP, most days I feel like I am doing really well, but other days GOSH its hard! Its so hard to parent this way! Maybe not with babies, AP is easy with babies, but toddlers .. especially 3 year olds... HARD! But we are getting there and as long as I can keep reminding myself why I want to parent 'this' way its all good :)

a [australia]
The land down under! I am a born & raised kiwi, moved out to Australia 10 years ago! (after I finished high school) I have grown to love this country, I do miss NZ at times, especially now that Mum has moved back. Without Australia I would not have met Damien, nor would I have my two girls. My life would be very different.

One year ago today

My father passed away.
I feel surprisingly at peace. I know he wouldn't want me moping around, he would want me to celebrate his life, which is what I plan to do.
I just rang my step-mum to let her know I am thinking of her, she was so touched that I rang :)

I lit the candles on my tall-boy dresser and put a photo of Dad up there from my wedding, when he was looking so much younger and healthier. I look at it and smile :)
There is of course some sadness, but mostly joy and happiness for the time I did get to spend with him, I am so thankful that he contacted me and let me into his life, I am also so glad that I was brave enough to do the same.

I love you Dad and miss you.

Grateful Friday

I think I am going to jump on the bandwagon.
I am grateful for:

• Damien, although he may be a slackass when it comes to housework he is so loving towards me and the girls. He adores his girls and it shines through in his interactions with them.


• Where we live, paying next to no rent in such a fabulous suburb, in a lovely house, we are so very very very lucky, I am grateful for this. To hear the birds and insects in the park, the hum of the main road, looking out the window and seeing trees and grass and in a more broad sense for being able to live comfortably, so many others do not have that. I take it for granted so much and 2008 it is my goal to become more Aware of the plight of others, of the impact my purchases and choices have on the rest of the world. It is so easy to live in our bubble but I want/need to get my head out of the sand a little.
  


• The rocking chair, although it squeaks a LOT and Damien broke it a little last night, it enables me to get Miss A off to sleep without pacing and walking the floor. A wonderful friend has a newer chair for us, and I am also VERY grateful for that! We just need to go pick it up.


• My girls they really are the sunshine of my life
  

Goals for the week

Instead of saying I have SO much to do today, I'm going to give myself a week so I feel less pressure :) House is AWFUL at the moment and my moods are suffering for it.

So, things I need to get done by the end of the week:

• Fold & put away all laundry10.48Mon (there wasnt much)
  
• Tidy up 'stuff' from in computer room4.20ish Wed, another ongoing task, but I am happy with what I got tidied up in here
• Tidy up clothes on floor in laurens room10.45 Mon
  
• Tidy up 'stuff'' on floor in Bedroom .. move bedroom around, clean out nappy drawersHalfway through, bed & cot moved into new position, 'stuff' from bedrooom in big pile in hallway & computer room, time for break 4.55pm THurs
• Clean out fridge11.35pm Tue
• Clean out pantry (eeeep big job)
• Tidy up Laurens play room
• Attempt to empty some of the boxes mum has brought around, sort stuff out to keep/throw out/st vinnies
• Fix hole in Damiens bike shorts and shorten hotslings pouch3.20pm Wed
  


• Tidy lounge & vacuum12ishMon, 8.20amish thurs


• Tidy kitchen11pm Tue, I want to keep it tidy every night before bed, I was getting so good at that but have let it slide

*phew* some biggish jobs in there, so I have a week people! Lets see if I can get it done before then!

I want to get laundry, laurens room and fridge done today.

Had an ok weekend, I was cranky bitch yesterday, tired, house getting me down. Had lunch with mum, she leaves for NZ on thursday :( Seeing her for the last time before she goes on Tuesday *sigh*

Am finding Lauren really challenging atm, the not listening, ignoring me finding it hard to keep my cool. I had a realisation that I don't always listen to her, that sometimes I fob her off so I am trying to model listening and paying attention by doing the same to her. Tis hard though when she won't do the simplest thing, need to borrow the book "how to talk so your children will listen, and listen so they will talk"

Woot!

Lauren is off to the MILs today/tonight!!
I do love her very very much, but woohoo!! Its damn good to get a break :)
Felt like all I heard yesterday was 'mama come play with me', which I did try and do, but was feeling very stretched!

In the new year I am going to look into kindermusic for Lauren so that she has some interaction with someone other than just me :) She will also go back into swimming lessons and have these days with her Babka.

Poor Miss A :( She has a bit of a snotty nose and last night was awful :( I couldnt get her to stay asleep each time I put her down she would wake up crying ended up finding the FESS and clearing her nose a bit, I have never seen her this upset :( :( she was soooo tired. Eventually hopped into bed with her with me sitting upright supported by pillows, of course I can't sleep very well this way, she was very restless and kept crying out and letting out farts .. so now I think it was also wind! Gah! Around 12ish (I think) I was able to put her down beside me in the bed and I went to sleep (TG). She seems a little warm this morning and still a bit snotty, but has gone down for a nap. She is certainly happy enough though :)

Doh! Just realised I am supposed to be getting Lauren some weetbix *lol* Got distracted when MIL rang to ask to have Lauren .. best go feed the poor girl ;)

Chomp, Chomp

Miss A chomping away at Daddy's hand


"I may be slipping off Daddy's lap but I am not taking my eyes off you mummy, nor am I letting go of this thumb!!"

*sigh*

I'm going to miss my mum :(

Cup of tea on a sunday morning

Ahhh, nevermind that it had to be reheated .. ahhh hehe

The last couple of days when I have been sitting rocking *squeak* rocking Anya in the rocking chair to get her to sleep, she has thrashed around a bit, so today when she wouldn't settle and was thrashing I took her to our bed and wrapped her bottom half and lay next to her, she started sucking her thumb, I stroked her head and patted her (front of nappy) and OMG she went to sleep.. I am SO not used to a baby doing that *lol* Lauren only ever did that maybe once, so lets hope Anya lets me do that every sleep! Although I also hope I can hold her sleeping still every now and then.

I *should* be tidying up right now, restacking dishwasher, cleaning up kitchen & lounge room. BUT this cup of Chai is going down quite nicely :)OH and I have 2 baskets of washing to fold (FINALLY bought another basket, not quite up to 5 though L ;))

Damien & Lauren are hunting for monsters, armed with a torch and plastic bags *lol* Lauren loves hunting for monsters with Daddy, not really sure how it started nor what happens to the monsters once they are caught??!!

Well she woke after 10 minutes.. ah well its a start lol, had to rock *squeak* rock her back to sleep in chair