on the cusp!

what a terribly demented day yesterday turned out to be! all we could do was do what we do best - strolling and looking and not spending a minute more than is necessary indoors. we caught a bus for kicks, strolled through preston chinatown, did our usual laps of glory around the nighbourhood. and all the while, trying your hardest not to blow my mind with your 'whinge-crying'. i know its not your fault poor baby but you did do my head in yesterday.

as always though, you redeemed yourself by virtually crawling for the first time. i lured you with my childhood fisher and price record player and it worked a TREAT. you can now make a few tentative 'crawling steps' but mainly go backwards. you can also officially pull yourself onto the sofa.

every morning on our early morning pram walk you demand to touch this piece of blue mesh on a building site fence. i wheel you as close as the wheels will let us and you delight in taking your time to really feel every detail.

morning muse

went for our usual morning stroll and it was 4 degrees *damn* and it was chilly......but nothin' ticks our boxes as much as watching trams rumble by, trucks clunk by, school kids on their way, bikes zooming past and rosellas having their breakfast blossoms. how amazing are the magnolias?

today we plan to battle the snot with more outings! pram rides and park plays and maybe even another trip to CERES. all in the name of distraction. hard cause I'm sick as well so to keep the energy up is challenging but of course doable. isnt' that the best thing about motherhood? i thought i had no inner strength - as it turns out - i do!

and whilst i'm musing....don't you love it when you share a smile of solidarity with another mother on an early morning pram walk? there are so many of us doing the same thing, almost co-existing without even knowing it. so its nice to connect and say "goodmorning". knowing someone else is out looking at birds with their little human whilst sucking back a morning coffee makes it a-o-k.

tryin' our darndest!

despite sickness finally hitting our household (for the first time) we are having fun.

pram walks // parks // looking at dogs // laughing at chickens // playing vigorously in the tupperware crate // cafes // CERES //

snuffling and smiling all at the same time! i've noticed that as of late i've been a bit glass half empty so today, despite sickness spoiling sleep-time i have been half glass FULL.

meanwhile - instagram is ADDICTIVE!

mixed bag

good and bad this weekend.....

good: MEGA tax return // visit from aunty sian // sunshine // husband had friday off // got my first ever phone that wasn't just from the post office pre-paid display cabinet // went for a beautiful little family arvo cuppa at CERES and then a walk along the creek // LP doing loads of dancing

bad: LP developing a nasty habit of waking pre-6am // LP and i battling first ever bout of sickness // finding out my phone has not been sending messages for the last 2 weeks which has left me wondering why no one in my life has been responding to me!

(p.s. so what do i think, as a former photographer, about instagram? this is my first ever phone with a camera. i've always been a fan of low-fi photography so i like it on that front. i also think that photography is for the masses and owned by everyone so again, it appeals to me in that sense. what do i think about these photo treatments? i guess i like them. what i might like more is that i remember using a wood rasper to rasp the inside edges of my negative holder to achieve this actual look when i used to hand print everything in a dark room. those were the days eh? meanwhile i'll enjoy this plastic fantastic instant satisfaction device!)

jasmine spells spring

dear melbourne,
when we leave you i'll miss the way your seasons remind me of things to come. jasmine spells spring and kee's birthday. we're waving goodbye to the last of the camelias and the magnolias are putting on a brilliant show. i'm even getting to dry some washing out in your very generous sunshine. feeling decidedly reflective and nostalgic about our time with you and will try and relish every moment we have left
xxx

the jasmine creeper outside our laundry & a new bedspread i bought months ago from an oppy, pleading for a dryclean

is it me? or is it you?

what is it about maternal health nurse check up appointments that leave you feeling like your child is defficient in every way?

we had one today and the major facts i've come away with are: my kid is a midget who doesn't babble.

that is despite the lovely maternal health nurse (a new one) who was so sweet she told me she LOVED my list of questions and gave me a whopping 30 minutes to take it slowly and and get to know us. she was reassuring, calm, quietly spoken, rational, reasonable, practical and compassionate.

this kid is so inquisitive she'd hear a pin drop. she moves and dances like a maniac and won't keep still for quids. she drops big toofy smiles like a rapper drops swear words and besides.......good things come in little packages!!!

loony

does wind make you feel loony? it totally makes me and my kid CRAZY! if the wind DOES change our faces, we would have a permanently demented expression complete with dishevelled hair! no doubt the ever present food stains on us both would just add to our infirmed look.

meanwhile - i can't get enough of these beautiful tulips unfolding. i probably take the same photos every year of tulips. whilst many people only like them in their 'pursed' form, i love them the more hagged and sloppy they get. please ignore that hideous grey 'feature' stripe from the roof. how dare it make my tulips look all 80's? (although i'm quite partial to yellow and grey as a combo). hideous paint jobs are but a renters reality!

nowadays the kid is capable of staying up for 3 hours at a time. this sees me falling asleep at around 8pm absolutely knackered from the mega-walks, the adventure playground, the dancing, the 'walking about', the noise-making, the bike-riding...........this kids just doesn't stop. it may just be the secret ingredient of my post-preggo weight loss.

finally, rest in piece dori dragon - you were a much loved colleague and friend. i'll always remember your cheeky grin as you skulked around avoiding paperwork smelling of more than a pack of ciggies with the faintest hint of gin. i love the fact you died remaining as wild and un-tamed as you were xxx

rough patch

rough patches are always so rough because they generally come when you least expect. like after an amazing weekend of sunshine, friends, good food and family togetherness.

roughness seems to hit after your 'expected' rough patch. like when you have something in your immediate future you are dreading. it comes along and you think everything is going to fall apart.  you fail to acknowledge that it all stays firmly together and you needn't have worried so much and then....

BAM!

that rough patch hits - just as the dust settles. just as you are squooshing your metaphorical toes into the sand of happiness and possible complacency. what the hell is with that?

what makes it possibly worse is that you feel even more self indulgent for feeling so miffed when you hear of families scouring bushland for their kids' remains, outrageous dictators clinging to power, entire countries starving. even a fellow mama who's kid has croup. even with all that going on i still manage to feel childishly hard done by and like i'd just LOVE a good ole fashioned TANTRUM.

these days can feel especially hard when *gasp - did she really say it* you smile and it doesn't make my heart melt. i feel tired. and old. and really, really BORING. i have to say though - looking at that pack of party whistles you have viciously enjoyed does begin to warm the cockles of my heart............

*rant over*

sat, sun.....i don't want mon!

blueberries // park // sarah // swings // prawns // champagne // lollies in the park // sunshine // salmon // ladybug helmet for LP // more swings // nearly crawling // tulips // teething // too many dishes.....

up early

 























we're up early this morning due to teething. thank god for mr stovetop espresso!!!!

and i have to admit, i've been getting a little excited about celebrating lottie pearl's first birthday! i know we are moving interstate just prior so i'm letting myself think about it all prematurely. i've never had big birthday parties myself but ALWAYS enjoyed hand making invitations.

i don't plan on making a big deal - even our wedding was just a picnic by the river - but i would like to make some invitations and get my sister to make some cupcakes. i have a stack of granny square blankets and would like to have just a 'all welcome, byo picnic' kinda affair.

its not till december so i feel very lame for even mentioning it but hey! here are some images that are helping to inspire me on this early frosty morning whilst LP digs around in her crate of bebe trash.

image one // image two // image three // image four // image five

picture (im)perfect

its almost disgusting to admit how many photos i've taken of Lottie Pearl. even worse knowing that our second child will probably have only a few photos taken amongst the chaos of raising 2 kids at a time.

my parents have been divorced pretty much my whole life, certainly for my entire memory. they always claim one parent has 'the photo album' and that whoever has it is keeping it secret so they don't have to share it. ridiculously silly i know but i honestly think they find it easier to keep blaming each other rather than admit they have actually just lost it.

of course family photos were different in the 80's. slide and negative film was expensive and there was still the magic of sending a roll away and having that ONE magic photo where everything worked and it was beautiful. otherwise all the other photos were just 'records' complete with blurriness, non-smiles, closed eyes.

now we take a million photographs of the same thing until we get the image we like. it means there is a much greater 'filter' on our life. i guess the same could be said for blogging. it is a contrived selection of our 'life'. i find this all incredibly interesting and wrote part of my thesis on the concept of authenticity within photography. now with a child i find myself striving for that perfect image but then ultimately deciding the best photo is merely just a record of an incredible moment. composition, focus and intangible beauty are all just a bonus.

i think i am becoming a mother in every sense - where sentimentality blinds aesthetics!

(I finally just edited the mass collection of photos of Lottie Pearl's entire life and printed hard copies of them all! total satisfaction!) 

flying tips

lottie pearl has just flown her 8th flight. by the time she's 1 year old she'll have flown 11 times..............so i guess i do have a few tips but most of them are dependent upon the individual baby. I have also flown half of those on my own without K so my biggest tip of all would be to try and travel with your partner.

1) Don't be afraid to use TIT! I have never been one to over-boob my kid. but on the plane sometimes you just need to provide a little comfort. and for me, its the only way  my little human stays still!

2) Ask for help - thats what stewards are for! If you need to go to the toilet, don't be a martyr - just ask a flighty to hold yr kid for you. There are always at least a few on board that are outrageously clucky and will only be too happy to help you out. Otherwise, just look for the resident grandma - you know, the one who has been endlessly staring and smiling and commenting on your baby since boarding.

3) Have everything within reach - lunchbag, toys, a snack for you, spare nappies. Just make sure your usual nappy back is stocked to the hilt! Also, use stuff on the plane to amuse your kid. Especially if like mine, she's bored of anything that remotely resembles a toy. Empty bottles, laminated safety pamphlets, seatbelts, plastic cups, spoons, headphones with the foam covers removed. You name it, she loves it!

4) Don't fly at night. Seriously. We've made the mistake ONCE and it wasn't pretty. I know some people recommend flying when your kid is meant to be snoozing but that just doesn't apply to ours. We try and fly in the morning that way we can give her a nap when we get to our destination.

5) Have your destination set up and ready to go. I ask whoever is having us to have portacot, heater, blinds blocked out and even some food ready so that as soon as we arrive we have everything set out and can just get straight back into our routine. Also, plan for a relaxing day the next day so you can get back into your routine and give bub a break from the chaos the day before.

6) Time difference? oh time difference absolutely blows. I just spent 10 days in perth living on melbourne time. not pretty at all but hey, after 3 days of trying to change her little body clock and failing it felt much easier to just go with her. even though I was up between 4 and 5am it also meant she was in bed by 5pm and i could hang out with my family which was super nice. I guess I'm a fan of the path of least resistance.

7) Lastly - just try and remain calm and confident. As always - your baby feels your vibes and will certainly stress out if you do. Babies cry (especially on descent as that is when they get the most ear trouble so just give them booby or water bottle then to suck on to help them equalize) and the fact is that probably 80% of the people onboard have kids, want kids or know kids. Just try and be compassionate to your kid - whatever you find boring, uncomfortable and tiresome - chances are, they will too.

What are your tips?

and off we go again!

what a whirlwind..........

after 10 days in darwin, then 5 nights home with a visit from my dad, we booked and left for Perth to visit my gravely ill Poppy so we could say goodbye.

despite being there for such a sad reason, especially after having to return home 5 months earlier as my uncle died suddenly, we had some amazing family time. all the things i am looking forward to about our return back to perth in december. just hanging out and doing all the good stuff. strolling. playing with the hose. long baths. riding in laundry baskets. op shopping. i even managed to have my first hangover since lottie was conceived! (yuk, its overrated people!).

and now we're home again. as always, lottie travelled amazingly well and just picked us all up when we were feeling down. pretty sure he won't last till our return in december but we love you poppy. you remain a stubborn old bastard right up til the end.

and mum? all i can say is thanks :)

we heart the tropics! (*ahem* only in the dry season may i point out). the in-laws live in what can only be described as an open air tree house. we spent our days swimming in the pool, croc-free lagoons, bird watching, sunset strolling, market go-ing, eating, cooking, nudey playing and eating all manner of tropical fruit goodness! we have decided that Lottie Pearl's skin name is Little Papaya - after all the papaya she consumed!

loads of time with uncles, aunties, grandparents, great grandparents and cousins! it has totally reinforced our decision to move to perth.........we barely picked up a toy whilst we were in darwin - because the outdoors were all we needed. simple things like sand, lawn, water in washing baskets, warm breezes.

we even visited the 'fun bus' a mobile playgroup bus which goes to different parks and set ups activities for kids of all ages! lottie absolutely loved it all!

darwin - we can't wait to visit again soon!