Self Portrait Maternity – 23 weeks

A few days late again!  The weeks seem to be sneaking up on me and before I realise it, it’s Sunday night and I’ve completely forgotton my post.  Better late than never right?

This week I haven’t listened to my body, I’ve been sore, really sore.  So over the weekend I relaxed, lots, and am feeling much better for it.  I’ve started to do a few ‘crazy’ pregnanct woman things, one of which involved completely loosing the boom gate key to our caravan park (to the point where I think I actually may have thrown it out), and going to delete a crappy photo off my phone, only to realise that I in fact deleted a couple the I loved and wanted 😦

Sorry about the blur in this one, can you tell I was rushing?

The belly is getting rounder, although some days it reverts back to the ‘sqaure’ belly.  There is no mistaking that I am pregnant, not that I just had a few extra deserts after dinner.  Emotions have been playing up again too, by the end of the week I felt at my wits end, and if it weren’t for some friends, I’d be going quietly insane!  But, all in all, I’m feeling great, we are on the down hill slide to Christmas and the holidays, my most favourite time of the year.  Phoebe and I are doing some wonderful crafts and are getting outdoors more and more.

Bel x

Self Portrait Maternity – 18 weeks

I’m a little late with today’s post.  I’m normally organised ahead of time and have it ready to go in the morning, but being back at work this week has thrown things into a bit of a spin.  That and the turn from beautiful spring days in Melbourne back to what seems like winter, yuck!!

18 weeks!  This week I’m sore, so very sore, but I’m not complaining, I’m still loving being pregnant.  My unstable pelvis is much worse than first thought.  I have to continue with exercises but must stop with my walking.  Instead I need to turn to the pool and maybe a prenatal aqua class (which of course, seem to all be over the other side of town).  I’m feeling lots more kicks this week than in the past two, or this week, I know for sure that it is of course you!  I’m back at work, which has meant I’m back to being a little tired, but that’s ok, it’s no where near as bad as it was.  I’m still loving chocolate milkshakes and cordial, as well as lasagne and spaghetti bolognese.

I’m having a bit of a down week, lots of thinking going on in my head (a few Blog posts to come, so watch out for those).

Bel x

Chase the Sun

This time last week I was on school holidays.  Phoebe and I took off to my Dad’s place on the edge of Echuca to chase the sun.  It was a beautiful couple of days, spent in the quiet, relaxing and chatting.  Sometimes it’s just nice to escape the normality of everyday life.

It’s now daylight savings, and to our family, it means a lot of things.  It means summer is near, BBQ’s and eating outside, catching up with friends, camping, and of course, Christmas and other celebrations.

Phoebe and Pa walking down to the river (this was my favourite photo of the trip)

Putting my new remote for the camera to good use.  I might actually be in some photos!

And this one is my other favourite!

Although the weather in Melbourne is back to being a little crappy again, daylight savings is making summer feel that little bit closer.  We are doing lots around the house and have been getting out for walks and bikes ride most nights.

What is your favourite part of the season change?

Bel x

She sleeps

My beautiful four year old girl, still has an afternoon nap.  Every day at around two o’clock, she jumps into her bed or even mine, and dozes off for at least an hour an a half.  I know I’m lucky, it nearly ended a while back but I persisted (if she didn’t want to sleep, it was relax and quiet time in bed instead).  But eventually she knew what I knew, that she still needed that nap to survive without being a wild animal until her bed time.

I know one day soon it will end.  I usually spend the time tidying up, doing washing and other household chores, but the realisation that soon her naps will eventually stop, plus I’ll have a baby on my hands, has meant I’ve started to savour these times and make them time for me!!

It may sound selfish, but stuff it, the washing can wait until she wakes, and then I’ll do it while she plays out in the fresh air and we chat!  Instead now, I’ll read, I’ll watch trashy TV, or spend time on the computer catching up on Blogs and actually commenting because I have the time.  I’ll visit Pinterest and daydream, I’ll tweet away with some people who I don’t know in real life but that I have a connection to.  Sometimes I will stuff my face, and other times I go out on the treadmill and go for a walk (while watching trashy TV).

But for now, while she sleeps, it’s all about me, it’s selfish and I love it!  What do you do when you have them tucked up?

Bel x

Keep on keeping on!

Yesterday, I got my sooky-la-la on.  I’m not terribly proud of myself because I’m not usually that person, I’m normally the glass is half full type, but I was having a moment, I guess I could blame it on the hormones (or just that I was being a sooky-la-la!!). 

Yesterday I realised that in one month, my little ol’ Blog turns one!  One year of blogging here, wow!  Now, I started this blog for many reasons, firstly I just love to write, always have, always will.  Photography is a passion of mine, even if my sister and I decided to close our business.  I wanted other Mum’s to feel like they weren’t alone, some days can be pretty darn crappy.  I also really loved the community aspect of blogging that I had seen and heard of.  So I guess, overall, you could say it’s my creative outlet, my thing that I like to escape to.

But yesterday, I was all “What’s the point?”, I was kinda over for just “blogging for me”.  I know I have friends that read regularly, because they are also the friends on A Mums Reality’s facebook page.  I also know that maybe there are a couple of others that pop over here too.  Some days no one visits here, some days no one comments.  Some days, it’s all just a little disheartening.  That some day, was yesterday!

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I read heaps of things about Blogging before I started, I still do.  They say lots of things those ‘experts’,

First one it takes a bit of time to get readers – kinda still waiting, but I’ll keep plugging along.

Blog for you – I promise, I do, I do!

Join twitter and interact – I actually really like twitter (a little more than Facbook), I do,  but sometimes feel out of the already made circles of friends.

Get on Instagram – this is not a chore for me, I love it, I just do it and wold even if this blog didn’t exist.

Visit other blogs and comment regularly – My favoure passtime!  I have close to 55 blogs in my google reader that I visit and comment on.

Find your niche – and maybe this is where I fall down a bit, I write about lots of different things.

Go to blogging events – I don’t know about many of them, the ones I do are pretty big, expenisve and this little blogger is scared!!.

And publisise on social media –  I do when first post, but I don’t keep going on and on, it’s just not me.

So after my big sook yesterday, some really nice things happened out there in cyberspace.  First, Jess from My Heart, Your Home responded to a comment of mine on instagram and made me feel alot better.  Not only that, she then posted a photo of what she was doing, reading my Blog, and I got a new visitor!  Jess is beautiful and we have something big in common, she is having her second baby too, we are due three days apart.  Then Cherie from Raising Master Max also left a lovely comment on instagram and then popped over and left a comment here too.  She’s pretty awesome out there in the blogging world and is going places.  Finally, over on twitter, The Four of Us told me a bit about her blog, also made me feel better, and then we struck up a conversation and discovered she lives in the next town and had moved from my town!!  And then to top it all of, I had sent Alphabet Monkey an email just to let her know I was writing about the quilt I bought from her (it’s the right thing to do) and she emailed me back a most lovely email. 

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So today, I am feeling much better thanks to those people and many others.  It might not change much here, but it has changed the way I was feeling.  Today I also cleaned out my Google Reader, took out some blogs that no longer ‘speak to me’ and added more that do.  I took out some of the well known blogs, because that is was the only reason I really started to read them.  Today I guess I have to realise that sometimes my blog might not appeal to others, and some days, people just might not know what to say and don’t comment, but that’s ok, I have those days too.

So tell me, be honest, what do you like about coming here and what would you like to see more of?

Bel x

Dear Melbourne

Dear Melbourne,

I know you get somewhat confused as to what Season it is and what your day should look like, you have a tendency to sometimes even cram them all into one day.  But if you keep up the last few Winter days we have had, I think I will remain a happy girl.  Yes, it is still cold, but that is what Winter is known for, but your mornings have found me basking in the sun under blue skies, with tufts of white drifting overhead.  I have been getting out with the kids (I look after my nephew now on my days off), playing in the backyard or walking to the park.  I even find myself getting out with less whinging to hang the washing out and bring it in!

I don’t mind that you get a little gloomy in the afternoon, as long as the kids at school can go out for their lunch break and run around, I’m happy!  Us teachers know that they get a little crazy if they don’t!  Rain all you want after that!  It means I can get home, have a hot shower and jump in my pj’s early, and relax on the couch, all without feeling guilty!

Yes I am looking forward to the end of Winter like most other people, for warmer weather.  But right now, I’m happy with the days we’ve had.  Are you?

Bel x

The Sun

When I was packing for our Familymoon, I made a big decision to not take my DSLR.  Instead, I took my point and shoot, knowing that Hubby could use it too and that I would actually be in some photos, rather than always being immersed in taking them myself.  I don’t regret it, it meant I enjoyed every minute of our holiday with my own eyes but I will take it next time, it’s too beautiful not to!

Hamilton Island was just what we need for our break.  Warmth, lots to do or nothing to do if we wanted, and eachother.  I eventually hope to make a little film of our holiday, but I have lots of other things on my mind at the moment, but I’ll get there.

So our holiday……the best thing we did was a helicopter ride to Whitehaven Beach (yes I was shitting myself for those of you who know me well!  But once I was on, I was suprisingly fine).  But it was awesome!  It was a fifteen minute ride there, and once there, our pilot set up a beautiful picnic complete with champagne for us and juice for Phoebe.  We played along the almost deserted beach for over an hour before heading back.  This I will remember always!

 The three of us, all ready to go, complete with our life jackets around our waist.

Coming into land at Whitehaven Beach.  To the left, I saw a sea turtle swimming around.

 Phoebe loved the head mic and being able to talk to us.

My beautiful family!

More to come!

Bel x

Winter

Winter, some love it, some hate it! I would be a lover, that is, if you took away the mud, the puddles and the drizzling rain. I don’t mind the cold, not one bit (the wet, that’s another story). Winter means:

• Our fire roaring all night long and a toasty house when we wake.
• Snuggles on the couch.
• Lingering mornings in bed.
• Jumpers, scarves and beanies.
• More nights in instead of nights out.
• Visits to our caravan and walks along the beach (we don’t go much in summer, too busy).
• Sleepovers in the lounge room.
• Hot chocolates with marshmallows.
• The crisp morning air.
• Reading books.
• Hot baths.

Are you a lover or a hater of Winter? What does it mean to you?

Bel x

Sugar, Soft Drink and Tea

Last week I downloaded and started reading Sarah Wilson’s, ‘I Quit Sugar’ e-book which was prompted by chatting to a friend who decided to give up soft drink after relying on it a little too much. Which got me to thinking about how much of it I actually drink too.  The book was an easy read and an interesting one too.  But if anyone knows me, it’s pretty possible that I will never be quitting sugar completely!!  I’m starting off small, early last week, I gave up soft drink and have since only had two glasses of zero (the first one I enjoyed at the movies, the second I thought I needed with Mexican, but the enjoyment level was not so much!).

I’ve also eliminated any fruit juices, so all I have really been drinking is in fact water and a milk in the morning with my breakfast.  Suprisngly, I’m finding it easier than I thought.  But now, as I try to tackle my next, biggest hurdle of cutting right down (to almost no) chocolate, I need another vice!!  In the book, Sarah talks about tea drinking and how it helped her through the really hard stages.  So I’m on to it.

I am a plain jane kinda girl, I’ve only really ever had normal tea, with a dash of milk and some sugar (which I’ll also cut out).  So last night I put out the call on Facebook, what tea do people recommend I try.  Wowee!!  The response, I never knew there were that many avid tea drinkers out there.  And then they put me on to T2!  Woow Baby!!  Not sure whether to thank them yet for this or not!  I’m a little overwhelmed by how much is out there, and then all the pretty tea pots, which of course I must have!  Today though, I will venture to the supermarket and try some of the ones that were recommended by friends, once I decide if I like, looks like a shopping trip for the good stuff!

Have you given up something?  And if so, did you replace it with anything?

Bel x

 

Polka Dots

On Friday we are heading out for the day to catch up with some friends in the nice country air.  It should be a great day!  But it meant that the craft I planned for Phoebe and I to do then, I bought forward to today.  The kid loves painting, always has.  We haven’t done it in a while at home, she seems to do it alot at kinder.  I originally posted this idea on my ‘Kids Craft’ board over on Pinterest, but you can find it here (but it is in another language!).

A few cotton buds and some finger paint, and a tree trunk that I sketched onto a piece of paper, was all that was needed for todays bit of fun!  A colourful polka-dot tree!

What did you get up to today?

Bel x