I'm So Tired That...

Early this morning I was stumbling around the bathroom. Its funny how being so exhausted can make it that difficult to find the toothpaste and get it onto the toothbrush.

Apparently, I wasn't the really tired one though because as I brushed with half-opened eyes, my sweet husband stumbled in and had the realisation - "Wow. I was so tired last night, I put my underwear on inside out!"

Now, I always fold his underwear (right side out) meticulously to put it away and yet somehow he was so tired that he managed to get them that tangled!

It gave us both a chuckle and I was reminded of one of my most tired moments since mommyhood began...

I was walking home in a comatose mode, literally 100 paces from my house when all of a sudden I stopped. Left, right, or straight!? I could NOT remember how to get home.

A body does funny things without sleep.

What's your sleepiest mommy moment?

Book Review: On Becoming Baby Wise

When my husband & I found out we were having a baby, how we would raise this child became a popular topic of conversation.

We knew a number of our friends who had read the book "On Becoming Baby Wise" by Gary Ezzo and Robert Buckham. We had a lot of respect for the way they parent and the way their children are behaved so we decided to have a go.One of the things that really stuck out to me about this book is that it strongly emphasizes the importance of the marriage part of a family. (Now, please understand I know there are circumstances where this is not possible, but I'm talking about a family where there are a married mom and dad. Sometimes we forget the importance of that relationship when we start adding kids into the mix!) This has always been significant to me, especially because I remember how important it was to my parents and how blessed I felt growing up in a house where my mommy and daddy loved and respected each other.

The other thing this book does is really empower the parents to be that - parents! This day in age, lots of kids tend to run their households. This book helps parents understand what it means to love and care for their children and help them develop into awesome adults.

I learned so much reading these principals and a lot of them we have incorporated into the way we care for our little boy.

One of the really controversial things about the book is that it advocates "Crying It Out." I don't really want to go there in this post because there are plenty of arguments both ways for this, but what I do want to point out is that it would be a shame to throw away all the very good tips this book has just because you don't believe in "Crying It Out."

I gained a lot of knowledge and insight into newborn sleeping patterns, how to feed, and the importance of learning MY baby and not just relying on a system or schedule.

I will say that one con for me was that while the book did encourage parents to learn their baby's cues, for me, it didn't help me know HOW to do that. While I really WANTED to get to know my baby and what he was trying to tell me, I didn't feel very equipped to do that.

In addition to a LOT of trial and error (which SEEMS against the book in theory, but really is all part of learning to be a new mommy or daddy, which the book advocates), I also found some other helpful resources in other books. Mostly, though, it has just taken time.

Of course, I'm constantly reminded that a mere three months into this parenting journey there are lots of other challenges ahead, I am really grateful for where we are at in our family. If you're looking for a good resource for your newborn or infant, I'd definitely encourage you to have a look. We are looking forward to reading more of the Babywise series to see what other tips may be offered for our little man!

Here's hoping for some more time to read,

Favourite Games at 3 Months

At the three month mark, we've established a few guaranteed-to-get-a-smile activities with our sweet boy.

The number one way, is a little game my grandpa (I call him Papa) taught me and played with me when I was little. For this reason, it makes my heart ooze with happiness every time I play it with my son and see his smiles and giggles.

I sit my baby up on the edge of my knees, facing me and sing a little song that goes like this:

El Paso, El Paso, El Paso (bounce baby softly on knees)
El Trote, Trote, Trote (bounce baby bigger on knees)
Giddyup! Giddyup! (bounce baby super fast)
Whoa! (pretend that you're stopping the horse and lean baby back just a bit)

Now, my little guy likes the first bounce and LOVES the second bounce. The third is just a bit rough for him yet and he sometimes gets a bit of a confused look on his face, but I figure we can build to that as he grows in confidence.

Another game that is similar is one my husband plays. Our son likes it almost as much as its very similar. It goes like this:

This is the way the lady rides, lady rides, lady rides. This is the way the lady rides to church on Sunday morning. (bounce baby slowly on knees)
This is the way the gentleman rides, gentleman rides, gentleman rides. This is the way the gentleman rides to church on Sunday morning (bounce baby bigger and sing faster)
This is the way the hunter rides, the hunter rides, the hunter rides. This is the way the hunter rides to church on Sunday morning. (bounce baby super big and sing faster)
This is the way the baby rides, baby rides, baby rides. This is the way the baby rides to church on Sunday morning! (bounce baby all around and sing super fast)

What games do you like to play with your little ones!?

Loving the playtime,

Mother's Day Memories

It was this time last year that our little boy made his debut into the womb.

To give a bit of history, we had spent a few months not trying to not have a baby, but as we looked at the potential timing of a little one's arrival, we decided we would need to stop "not trying" for a few months so we could time things better. My husband had been away during my prime time of the month so I figured we were in the clear and we would start being "safe" when he returned.

So, when I went overseas to work with a developing nation on a strategy to help improve their health care, I didn't take any extra health precautions. That week was a strange one. I was SO emotional. Usually I am very on it and enjoying what I do, but I found myself very sensitive and out of it. I even cried!! I was sharing a room with a friend during our stay and she secretly wondered whether I was pregnant because I was so strange.

When I returned home from my trip I was having coffee with a girlfriend. I was telling her how emotional I'd been and wondering what was wrong with me and asking for her to pray for me. Our coffee date went on and we were getting ready to leave and I had a thought - "Hey, I'm late. Do you mind if I run in and grab a pregnancy test?"

I know, I know. Stupid. But I didn't even put two and two together with the emotions.

I got home and needed to pee so even though my husband was having a meeting with some colleagues in our living room, I decided to take the test.

Of course, it was positive. What in the WORLD do you do stuck in your bathroom with guests in the living room when you find out you're pregnant!? I just stayed calm, hid everything and went and joined them. It seemed like they were lingering (they probably were, we hang out a lot and normally I LOVE having them around!) But when they weren't showing any signs of leaving, I said something really rude. I said to my husband, "I really need to speak with you privately before dinner."

They definitely got the hint and as soon as they were out the door, I showed him the test. Of course, I had purchased the cheapest one in the shop and we were both really confused at how I could be preggers so we did the only thing a naive first time pregnant couple would do - go buy a second test! It was positive too and so began our journey...

And now, a year later, I am being celebrated as a mommy by my precious boy and his daddy.

Enjoying this day oh so much,

Lilacs & Lollipops HideAway Nursing Cover - GIVEAWAY

That's right... you've read the review about how much I absolutely LOVE my HideAway Nursing Cover from Lilacs & Lollipops... how it absolutely changed my life... how I can now peacefully feed my sweet baby in public without worrying about what body part is showing to whom... and how I double it as a cover for his Baby Bjorn when we're out to help his super stimulated little mind turn off for just a moment so that he can fall asleep when we're out and about.
Well, today is the day you get to change YOUR breastfeeding life!! That's right, the fabulous ladies at Lilacs & Lollipops are offering one privileged Aussie Mommy reader the HideAway Nursing Cover of your choice!!

If my first blog didn't convince you enough, well let me say that Lilacs & Lollipops have just released a new and improved version of their fabulous HideAway Nursing Cover. According to their Etsy store:

"We have improved our Nursing Covers by adding a Terry Cloth pocket and Nickel Overall Buckle. The Overall Buckle will allow you to adjust the Nursing Cover to the exact length you want and no re-adjusting for every use."

Now, I love my HideAway Nursing Cover, but any mommy saving minute like an always adjusted overall buckle really sounds appealing to me!!

If you're not a breastfeeding mum, well I would definitely recommend this Lilacs & Lollipops HideAway Nursing Cover for a gift for any mums to be. It is my new number one favourite to give to my girlfriends at their showers! You'll also have to check out the Lilacs & Lollipops store to see all kinds of other fabulous baby shower gifts with ADORABLE diaper clutches, bumbo covers and more!

So, are you wondering how you can win this fabulous giveaway from Lilacs & Lollipops? You can enter up to six times. Here's what to do:

1. Visit the Lilacs and Lollipops website and comment this blog to tell me what HideAway Nursing Cover you will choose if you win. (One entry)
   
2. "Like" the Lilacs and Lollipops page on Facebook and comment that you did. (One entry)
3. "Follow" the Lilacs and Lollipops blog and comment that you did. (One entry)
   
4. Tweet about this Giveaway and comment that you did. (One entry)
5. Follow The Aussie Mommy on Twitter and comment that you did. (One entry)
6. Follow The Aussie Mommy blog and comment that you did. (One entry)

The winner will be chosen by random.org on Tuesday, 18 May. Check back here to find out whether its you! Once the winner is announced, you will have 72 hours to contact me to claim your prize.

Enjoy!!

Asking for Help

I'm definitely an independent person. I always have been. I spent a lot of time alone growing up. I was always keen to travel and take adventures. I'm not necessarily a risk taker... I just like to be able to handle things on my own.

That's my approach to motherhood a lot of times too. I know that I have the capacity to do what I need to do to take care of my little boy. I want to be assured of that.

At the same time, while I'm very confident in that, I've also decided that I really like to hear other peoples' experiences. I like to hear their ideas and what worked for them. I know that their choice may not work for me because their child, family and circumstances are different from mine, but I often find I get some great tips hearing from other mums.

Today I took a big step. I went and saw a lactation consultant. I went with this mentality: "I am fully capable of taking care of my son. He is healthy and he is thriving and that is good. BUT, there might be something more I can learn. There might be a way that I could do this better."

Thanks to the Australian government (Hey you Americans, the right national health care MIGHT not be as bad as you think... I'm just sayin'...), I was able to see a lactation consultant at an Infant and Parent Management Service totally free. The nurse I saw was very sweet. I took my son at a time when I was sure he'd be ready to eat and we just chatted.

Do you know what I learned today? My gut was right. He IS healthy and thriving.

• I said: He generally only eats for around 10 minutes at a time.
• She said: He is a very efficient eater. (She could hear him chugging away!)
  

• I said: He still takes feeds during the night... sometimes 2-3 times!
• She said: Is he always this active? (Yes.) Because he is always on the go, he needs more calories than babies who are content to just sit quietly.

Am I disappointed I went? No. I thought that these might be the answers I'd get. But I am really proud of myself for asking for help. For understanding that there MIGHT be a better way but there also MIGHT NOT for now. I am happy that I was open to the possibility and even happier that - as exhausted as I am - my boy and I are doing just fine!

From one vulnerable mum to another,

The Wall.

I hit the wall today. Okay, maybe not THE wall. There are so many walls to hit in motherhood, aren't there? And then somehow we keep going again!

I didn't mind today's wall so much. The emotional wall, now that is a spooky wall to hit! Today I hit the physical wall. I just got to the point where I didn't think I could physically keep my eyes open anymore.

So I grabbed baby boy and even though he wasn't tired, we rested together on my bed. Him, babbling away to the lines on our wood-paneled ceiling and me, content to smell dried up spit up as I nuzzled into his cozy neck rolls.

Is it possible to be THIS tired and yet THIS fulfilled all at once? Ah, motherhood.