Stop the Press

Okay, I must admit that I have been SO tired of all the advertising for the movie "BABIES." We don't often get movie ads on TV here so it has been the hype on all my baby product packaging that has driven my crazy. Quite frankly, I just hated the typeface they wrote BABIES in and decided the movie probably sucked.

Now, living in wannabe big town but still fairly rural Australia (I do love my city, but its true), I have NO idea if or when this movie will come here; however, I finally sucked it up to watch the trailer and I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE IT.Culture. Babies. Real Life. Some of my favourite thing all packaged into what looks like it will be a hilarious hour or two to spend my life on.

Maybe you're from the big city and I'm the only one behind the times on this, but this small town girl is saying if you haven't at least seen the trailer, watch it! FACT: I cried.

BABIES Trailer

Growth. Spurt.

Growing is good. Growing in spurts = not so good.

What is the point of growth spurt? I hated them when I was growing. And I still hate them now that I'm growing you, my little boy.

I hear some kids just grow steadily. No spurting. I'd like to know where we were supposed to sign up for that option. I'm quite sure you would strongly prefer this option as well.

For the record though, I thought growth spurts were supposed to make you tired? I swear sometimes I look at you and wonder, "How in the world are you not asleep!?"

You have rubbed your eyes red, yawned long enough to swallow a fly or two, and yelped those pathetic, grizzly cries over and over but your poor little thing... sleep just will not come. When I look at you, I remember the childhood feeling of those achy joints - a dull, annoying pain that just won't go away - and wonder if you feel the same but with no words to tell Mama where to rub.

All you want to do is eat. But Mama's milk just can't come fast enough. I feel so sad that I can't seem to give you enough of what you need but I know that if you suck long enough more will come. Its the way God made us to work in a team. Its tiring sometimes. But I like being on the team with you. And when you don't feel well, there is no better place you'd rather be.

And so the training, the routine, the principles, they all go out the window so I can give you that little bit of extra comfort until finally, your ravished little tummy is satisifed enough to drop into a deep sleep.

I let you stay next to me instead of in your cot and even though the last little while felt so exhausting, in the moment, looking at you sleeping there, I know we made it! And I know we'll make it next time.

I love you little boy!! Grow good. Love, mommy.

You Know You're A New Mom When...

...intimate moments are traded for a clogged milk duct massage.

Its All Good.

At the end of an unideal nap-time session today, I was so ready to just get on with some "me" time. Ironically for me, "me" time is less about "me" and more about everything else that is not "baby".

Work. Housework. More work. More housework.

So when we had unideal nap time on a day when I really wanted this "me" ... uh ... "work" time, I was not thrilled when a quiet little voice in the back of my heart said, "Stop. Sit. Wait."

I headed to the door, willing to ignore it, but my heart tugged me back and I reluctantly fell backward into the soft rolls of my rocking chair. Wishing I had something productive to do while I stopped, sat and waited (where is that phone and why isn't my email downloading on it today!?), I noticed the Bible sitting under the lamp.

It was one of those moments where the last thing I wanted to do was look at it... (yes, I have those) but I picked it up and opened it up, lost and uninspired, to the very beginning. (Definitely uninspired.)

And then I started to read.

The creation story. The one I've read probably hundreds if not thousands of times. The story I've told my little boy at least 10 times since he was born. Yes, the very one I spent five days of the last week teaching about.

And yet, in all of that, it hit me in a new way again. (Okay, IT didn't hit me. God Himself hit me. Okay, He didn't hit me... you get what I mean.)

It was the part about rest... and it wasn't just a slap in the face telling me I am taking too much on or doing things in my own strength. It was the reminder that the reason that God rested was that "It was good."

And that the reason He wants me to rest is because what I've done is good!

I want to spend my life loving, respecting, and working in team with my husband, lavishing on and training up my little boy, and using my time to help people in a very tangible way. I want to do that well.

And when the week is over, I want to remember that I've done good.

Getting bubby to sleep sucked. The emails waiting to be answered were still there when I got back. And so was the ant infestation I noticed on my way to the bedroom.

But my heart... my heart was at rest.

Dreaming Again

How does revelation come walking the aisles of Bunnings? There's something about the smell of saw dust that just makes the world okay for me.

It must be growing up the daughter of a contractor (who, ironically, ended up developing an allergy to saw dust and changed careers)... falling asleep on the construction site to a symphony of power tools while my 18 year old mother helped her new husband on the job...

Or the special memories of walking the aisles with my builder-turned-minister husband who can talk for hours about the physics of different types of hammers. And I'm not exaggerating.

Today as I walked those aisles, breathing deep and smiling at the elderly lady who had her arms full of a special project I could tell she was just itching to get started on, hoping that one day I could be just like her, I remembered the last time that I had walked those aisles.

It was the day that I had started labour and I remembered the very chair I sat in when I had the first long contraction that caused me to need to catch my breath. And the woman who looked at my sympathetically. And the shopkeeper who came to ask if I was okay as I laid my head on the little DIY table. And then the determination I had to suck it up and not show the pain when I realised that people saw there was "movement at the station." (I hated that phrase during the 10 days I was overdue, by the way.)

And while I enjoyed the memories that came flooding back - and the fact that there were special things about the day that made it so memorable that it would strike me in an ordinary moment like that, I also got a little bit sad.

Because if that day was the last day I was at Bunnings, that means that I haven't been to Bunnings in almost four months. And its one of my favourite places to be.

In that moment, I realised all over again just how much my life has changed in the past four months. There are the obvious changes - the weeks without sleep, the overflowing rubbish bins, the yellow poop stains on my favourite shorts, and the fact that my heart feels like it has tripled in size.

But its the subtle changes that surprised me... the fact that I had not had a moment to do one of my very favourite things in almost four months.

So as I walked the aisle today, holding the hand of my favourite man, as he pushed the pram holding our sleeping sweetheart, I relished in what it meant for my heart to dream again...

Planning the deck we could build on the back of our house, the dwarfed fruit trees (um, they have dwarf avacado trees now!? yes, please!) we would put on it and the friends we should share the fruits with... Calculating how many cold cokes we'd have to sell for a dollar to save the money to do it.

And picking out the new floor we could put down at our ministry centre so that our friends who have an Indigenous dance outreach could practice and the teenagers who need a safe place to hang out can dance their precious little hearts away... And feeling motivated again to get that grant application in to see it a reality.

Teasing. Laughing. Loving. Disliking. Problem Solving. Not having to use the toilet every 5 minutes.

It felt good to dream again.

Deal Alert - Muslin Wraps

When we were preparing for our baby, I must have been given muslin wraps from about 4 different people. Before he arrived, I told people I didn't need anymore because I thought, "This is getting ridiculous! What will we do with all these blankets!?"
Little did I know, that these wraps would be an absolute staple in our bed time routine!! And we found ourselves doing laundry more regularly just to have the best blankets to wrap our little one when naptime came around. It got to the point where we decided having a few more would be helpful because we were getting behind on laundry (hey, I never claimed to be on top of everything!) and lo and behold the next day we got a belated baby present - a set of SUPER adorable muslin wraps. Ummm, perfect!
American mommies, if you don't have muslin wraps, I 100% recommend you get a set, particularly if you live in a warm climate. They are a staple for Aussie mommies and I can see why. Our little one sweats like none other. In fact, we ended up sleeping him in just a nappy and a muslin wrap swaddle almost every night because it was so hot! They're also perfect for a lightweight blankie, a semi-breathable shade cloth for your stroller/pram, and a million other things like an impromptu breastfeeding cover (although not as ideal as proper one), a burp rag, and more. (Disorganised or resourseful - you decide!)

So, all this to say that Toys-R-Us (Australia) has these on sale for half off - just $10!! If you don't have some, be sure to go snag a pack... or a few!! You won't regret it... and if you do, just send them our way! ;) Your timing might be the perfect solution to me actually doing a load of laundry!

Definitely NOT avoiding housework,

Check out these ADORABLE note cards (GIVE AWAY)

I am a sucker for adorable things... especially note cards. I love writing notes - long ones, short ones, thank you ones, funny ones, meaningful ones. Its just something I love to do! And I really love having cute note cards to use.

I went on Etsy in search of some cute note cards and was thrilled to find flo3er Not only are her cards adorably handmade, but the prices are absolutely amazing. After growing all to accustomed to the "cheap" rack at Target in America, I have been shocked to find cards upwards of $8!! Sometimes that is my entire budget for a birthday gift!!

I was stoked to find these awesome cards at a really great price... even including shipping!

Flo3er agreed to send me some of her note cards free of charge to review... and the best part? Yep - she also sent me a pack to give away to one other lucky person! Aren't they too cute!?

The shipping was SO quick and they came packaged with a cute little sticker that had the perfect boutique feel.

One of the great things about flo3er is that she will even custom make cards for you! How is that for customer service? This truly is the perfect place for a mummy on a budget who doesn't want to sacrifice thoughtfulness... and adorableness. Is that a word?!

Isn't this one adorable?!

So, what do you need to do to win this super cute pack of 4 birthday tags?

You can enter up to 5 times. Be sure that you leave a separate comment for each entry as each comment will be counted as an entry!

1. First (you must do this one): Visit the flo3er shop on Etsy and comment to tell me what cards you like best.

Sample Entry: I like the Car Birthday Card for Little Boy

2. "Like" the flo3er Facebook page and comment that you did. Flo3er is new to Facebook so leave an encouraging welcome message!

Sample Entry: I liked the Flo3er Facebook page.

3. Follow this blog and comment that you do.

Sample Entry: I follow The Aussie Mommy!

4. Follow The Aussie Mommy Twitter and comment that you do.

Sample Entry: I follow The Aussie Mommy Twitter!

5. Blog about this Giveaway and send the link to your post.

Sample Entry: I blogged it!

This giveaway will close on Monday, 31 May at midnight! Winner will be announced on 1 June!