I know you are but what am I?

Tonight I read a discussion about where to send your kids to school, or whether to homeschool them. Homeschool? Interesting. I'd never even considered it until now, I just assumed Butterfly would go to mainstream school.

I got to thinking about my own school experience, and whether it was good or bad. Of course there were elements of both. At first I remembered all the good times. Then I remembered... I was bullied so badly in primary that I changed schools. Its odd that didn't occur to me at first...

I don't really like admitting that, because I feel that people might think I am socially retarded or weak or something. Not so. It is probably my strength that put me in the firing line...

In grade five I was one of the most popular girls in my group. I used to make up rude lyrics to the hymns at assembly, so everyone wanted to sit next to me for a laugh. I had a great group of friends and even a little boyfriend (you know, by boyfriend I mean someone who chased me around when we played bullrush!)

Then grade six happened. My three best friends left the school, and our group became pretty small. We ended up merging with what would become the "cool" group. I had some good friends, but the most popular girls could be nasty. Never to me, but to others. One day they tried to put one girl's hands in bird poo, because that would be really funny and everything. I snapped. I yelled at them, told them they weren't funny, just mean. I walked off with the poor victim and into my nightmare!

From that point on, I was public enemy number one. I couldn't answer a question in class without them mocking me. If I walked past they'd all start laughing. At touch football, they wouldn't touch, they'd hit. My "boyfriend" decided he didn't like me anymore. You know, all very devastating to an 11 year old. I would come home crying every day. My Mum tried to get the school to do something but they didn't. Kids are crafty, and are smart enough not to do anything in front of teachers. My Dad was deathly ill with the flu and Mum couldn't cope, so she moved me. Only after I had enrolled at another school did the principal take action. There was traumatising meetings in her office, where I was forced to try to explain my situation in front of my tormenters. It turns out the worst offenders were suspended and very nearly expelled.

One of the worst offenders was one of my former best friends. When the same girls were nasty to her... I was her shoulder to cry on. When they turned on me... she joined in. Lovely. She is the only one of them who still harbours a grudge (as far as I know)... she went to highschool with my cousin and liked to tell him how much she hated me, and how I almost got her expelled. Say WHAT? Way to take responsibility. I have recurring dreams where I befriend her again, is annoying. Every time I have the dream, I think, "Finally this isn't a DREAM! I can put this behind me", then I wake up. LAME.

One of the other girls rang me years later to apologise. Another I ran into at a party and there were no hard feelings. I don't harbour negativity towards any of them. They were 11 at the time, I'm sure they've matured since then! I do, however, still dislike that principal immensely, she failed me big time.

So how do I feel about the experience? Not sure. It is part of my story, of who I am today. If it didn't happen I wouldn't have been to the other school, where I had some great times. However I would not like Butterfly to experience it. How do you protect your kids from bullys? I was a popular, confident child and it happened to me. Remember your parents saying, "Just ignore it" or "They're just jealous". Not that they aren't right, but I don't remember that helping much.

On a tangent... we had this guy come to our highschool to talk to us about bullying. He had no legs, he got around on a skateboard. He told horror stories about him having his toes cut off during an exam (when he had legs he couldn't feel them) and being stuffed in a rubbish bin that was then set alight. REALLY heavy stuff. At the end he asked the school captains to stand up, and asked our female leader if she saw much bullying at the school. She said no. Then he ripped into her!! Asked everyone who had ever been bullied to raise their hands (which most of us did), and asked what kind of school captain she was to be so out of touch. He was really mean to her!

I lost respect for him at that point. She was wrong, bullying happened daily, but after his shocking tales of woe, I'd have said no too! No one had physical abuse like what he described. So in the heat of the moment I wouldn't have counted name calling bullying either (in comparison). Most principals don't have a grasp on bullying so to target a 17 year old girl was just nasty. She nearly cried. In his quest to prove a point he ended up being the bully! Not cool...

What were your experiences of bullying at school? Is ANYONE lucky enough to come out completely unscathed?

My Chemical Free Home

Seriously some nights I go to bed and can't sleep, as blog ideas run through my head! I mentally write them while I toss and turn, wasting precious sleeping time. So I thought I'd spend tonight getting them down... only, I can't remember what any of them were! I mean, sure, if I brush my teeth and go to bed I'll remember, but then I'm back to square one.

Seriously, I need to cut down on my use of the exclamation mark. Sometimes I read past blogs and it seems I have lost the full stop. It cheapens the sentences that really need it! LOL

Ohhh thats right! I was going to list out the changes I have made towards a chemical free household. I thought going chemical free would be a total pain, but it has been so gradual that it hardly feels like anything has changed!

So here goes...

Deodorant: Body Crystal stick from Coles. Supposed to last 12 months... SCORE! It really does seem to work, too. I can usually smell myself when I really reek, and that hasn't happened for ages! I also find that I stink less when I forget to put it on (like, compared to when I forgot to put on my old deodorant). Not sure why that is, maybe it lasts longer?? Whatever I"m loving it!

Toothpaste: FAIL. Still using Aldi brand. Remind me to get onto that.

Moisturiser: Billy Goat Soap Moisturiser (AWESOME!!!!)




Soap: Billy Goat Soap

Baby bath: Moogoo, although it contains Phenoxethanol so will change to Billy Baby Body Wash when it runs out.

Nappy Rash Cream: Natures Child Bottom Balm

Sunscreen: FAIL. Still Banana Boat. Will change to Wotnot sunscreen in Summer.

Shampoo and Conditioner: Miessence ... mmm smells good!

Hand Soap: FAIL. Aldi brand. Any ideas? Hopefully not expensive ones??

Washing: Wild Soapnuts. I heart these little berries! Do yourself a favour and use them. Just do it. You'll save a buttload in washing powder costs!

Disinfectant: White Vinegar, although I am guilty of the occasional spritz of Pine-O-Clean on Butterfly's high chair. Will kick that habit when the bottle runs out.

Toilet Cleaner: White Vinegar

Floor Cleaner (mopping): White Vinegar

Dishwashing liquid: Earth's Choice Dishwashing liquid. I don't use much of this because we have a dishwasher...

Dishwasher Powder: Eco Store... seriously, this 1kg bottle will last you AGES!! I was beggining to think it was a magic bottle that never ran out, but, alas, probably 6 months of use finally finished it off! Again, save yourself some serious cash!

Oven and Hot Plates: White Vinegar and Bicarb

Shower and Bath: White Vinegar and Bicarb

Hubby's Shaving Cream and Deodorant: Still the usual toxic crap. He seems to think I'm a fruitloop... I'll change these eventually, baby steps for the skeptic!

Ridding yourself from the nasties in commercial body and cleaning products seems a mammoth task. Its not. Don't focus on changing everything at once, just research one thing at a time. Some things will cost you more money. My Miessence Shampoo almost gives me a heart attack every time I have to pay for it! But as you can see, good ol' vinegar has replaced most of my cleaning products, so I save a bundle there. I'd say I am still saving money, even though some things are pretty exy. I'll go back now, and colour the things GREEN if they save me money, RED if they are more expensive. K?

It it worth doing. I never used to worry about the things I put on my body, but the ingredients in everyday products are DISGUSTING!! Cancer causing, hormone disrupting, artificial junk. There has to be a reason Prostate Cancer is on the rise? A reason every second child has ADHD? I'm going to be on the safe side... I mean, how can you go wrong with natural ingredients? And they smell so purrrrdy...

What are your favourite natural products? Feel free to guest blog if your home is totally chemical free!

Fluffy Mail Monday

Who says Mondays are bad?


Butterfly and I had a really good day today. We set off in the morning to meet the lovely Tia-Louise and her adorable bunch of kidlings! Butterfly stuck pretty close to me to begin with but chose to crawl around a bit at the end, so she must have felt at ease! She also liked Aria-Rose (who wanted me to "put her dowwwwwn" so she could play Mumma hen!), Butterfly stroked her face and hair while she was playing next to her. Nawwwww!

On the way home I popped in to see Jenny (of Vintage is Beautiful) to pick up a prize we had won a while back... and buy Butterfly a dolly that was named after her!! It is so cute, and Butterfly loves her already, check out the big cuddles!!! Poor Jenny, I turned up unannounced because I couldn't get through to her mobile... normally I wouldn't do that to someone but I was driving past her house! She was forgiving, and humoured me even though she was sick... thankyou JENNY!! She needent have apologised for her attire... if anyone knocked on my door at 10am they would probably find me in a singlet and a pair of granny undies!! My poor poor post lady, she's seen it all...

Here she is... Miss Jossie doll!

When I got home there was a message in the letterbox that my fluffy mail had arrived!! Woo!! It was my Bumcheeks order from their recent sale. I had ordered 5 pocket nappies, but because my order was unavoidably delayed, Hollie threw in a FREE organic bamboo nappy for me to try!! For some reason I thought they would all be white, but no, get a load of this gorgeous colour!!


I'll let you know how it is, it is currently drying after its prewash (yeah, I know I should do more prewashes but I'm too impatient!).

I left Butterfly with her Dad while I went to the post office and to pick up a few things from the shops. I feel so strange without her though. Sometimes I feel like I need a short break, but going shopping without her is lonely! I am so used to getting around with my best girl strapped to my chest that shopping without her is just not the same. With a baby, everyone smiles at you, shopkeepers engage you in conversation, and you always have someone to talk to. Without her, no one makes eye contact with me and the shopkeepers aren't interested in having a chat. Sometimes I smile at people, and it takes me a few seconds after they've ignored me for me to remember I don't have Butterfly with me... its just sad! We have a very cold society sometimes.

Oh, and because I have borderline OCD, I have to visually check that her carseat is empty every time I leave the car in case she is there. Even though I know she is at home. Once I even called my husband to make sure he had her... and the first time I left without her, seeing the empty seat wasn't enough, I had to open her door and physically touch it!! I'm not the only one this paranoid right?? RIGHT?

Anyway I skipped half the things I wanted to do to get home. When I stopped in the driveway my girl and my man came to greet me... and she was SO excited! She kicked her legs and smiled... and then SIGNED "Mumma" for the first time!!!! I was so proud of her, and it was too relevant to the situation to be a fluke. She has done it before when I've shown her how, but never on her own steam. Brings tears to my eyes. I love you bubba!!

I = skxawng

Skxawng is Na'vi for moron...

So today I took off at 3pm to catch a 3D session of Avatar at the movies... to get away for an afternoon and spend some time alone. Butterfly's Dadda was home to take care of her...

I was pretty excited I must say. I have only been away from Butterfly a handful of times since she was born, and this would be the longest time so far... only possible because she is down to one nap a day, and SHOULDN'T technically need boob for a few hours!

I bought my ticket, and put it in my wallet. Then I went and got some maltesers from Woolworths (to save me $100) and then went to the candy bar for popcorn and froke. By the time I got to the guy at the front I had my hands well and truly full! So the poor kid had to deal with me loading up his station with my food while I fumbled for my ticket... finally I handed it to him, and he gave me the 3D glasses which I crammed into my bag. Yeah, I know, this is all very mundane but it is relevant, trust me...

I sat in the theatre all excited, eating popcorn and updating my facebook status on my phone. Finally the ads were over and the message comes up... "Put your 3D glasses on NOW"... so one handed I feel in my bag for the 3D glasses and put them on.

So the movie starts... and it is all fuzzy. I take the glasses off. Its fuzzy. Put them back on... its darker but still pretty fuzzy. "Well this is CRAP!" I think, either they haven't turned the 3D "on" yet, or the guy at the front gave me faulty glasses! But that doesn't make sense? I must have watched the first 10 minutes of the movie before deciding to go and ask the guy at the front what is happening. I take the glasses off. I have a closer look....

And burst out laughing!! Take me out the back and shoot me now... I was wearing my Sunglasses! What an IDIOT!! What a SKXAWNG!! I sat there giggling at my own idiocy, the other people in the cinema must have thought I was a nutcase. My husband is still shaking his head over it... oh man, baby brain strikes again!

So I thought I had seen Avatar on Blueray... I hadn't seen it at all! It is a totally different movie in 3D!! WOW is all I can say! I thought 3D meant stuff came flying at you from the screen, I wasn't prepared for the beauty of seeing a Pandoran forrest as though I was there... WOW. If you haven't seen it in 3D and you can spare a few hours, check out whether or not your local cinema is still showing it, you won't be disappointed!

I managed to chew through a large popcorn and frozen coke, and a whole bag of maltesers! I won't tell you how large the bag was... you will be disgusted at the extent of my gluttony! Have you ever gotten "movie mouth"... where your mouth is sore from chewing for two hours straight?? No? Err... no... me either...

Avatar is a 160 odd minute movie... I lasted 115 minutes! I got a message from my husband asking how long till it finished, as Butterfly was getting grizzly and continually signing for milk. He said to finish the movie, that they were fine... but I couldn't do it! I stayed for 15 minutes, all the time not paying attention and thinking of my baby, and when a Na'vi woman walked across the screen holding a tiny blue baby, that was it for me! I had seen the ending anyway. Sure, not in 3D, but I wasn't enjoying myself anymore... Mumma was comin home bubba!

I would have been home 5 minutes earlier, but it was the first time I'd driven hubby's car and I couldn't for the life of me find how to turn on the headlights... see? SKXAWNG!!!

I = Retired Vampire!

I am aware that most of my blogs are a little... listey? I do like my dot points! Must be a leftover from uni days, making all those notes... whatever, I think it seems to work to get my point across! Anyway I thought I'd deviate from my lists and tell you a story... but what about? Orright what about my job pre-bubba?



So I met my hubby at 15 (thats a story for another time) and have wanted to be a Mummy for as long as I can remember. But everyone said I was too "smart" to be a stay at home Mum, so off to Uni I trudged...


So I kicked my science degrees ass, and was offered a place with one of the uni's top research teams to do my Honours. What a FANTASTIC opportunity! They approached ME! So I started filling out the paperwork, then broke down. I was devastated. Why? Because I felt like I was choosing a career over a family, as honours leads to PhD, a four year round trip. So I turned it down. YES, it was a fantastic opportunity, but I wasn't going to take it because it was an opportunity for someone else. Not me. It wasn't what I wanted. So I enrolled in a Masters of Clinical Biochemistry instead, one year then I could enter the workforce... then by my calculations, work for a year then get maternity leave!!!!


Fate is a funny thing, and I ended up getting a lab job before I started my Masters, and figured out that I didn't need it! I had the job I was going back to uni for. So there I was. Fresh out of uni. In a lab. Handling sick people's blood... FUUUUUUCK!


So it turns out I was very good at my job, I took pride in being efficient and accurate. It really was a great job! To be more specific I ran tests on blood, urine, fluids, cerebrospinal fluid, and yes, the occasional poo. Once I was involved in a trial which found me diluting poo with poo... I DON'T recommend it! When my boss told me the experiment didn't work and I would be doing it again, I almost DIED. We did have a fume hood so you couldn't smell it, but there is only so much mixing and measuring you can do with a sick patients diarrhoea without wanting to hurl! I think I was pregnant at the time too...


It wasn't all shitty work (haha), actually we didn't handle poo much at all. I actually got to do some really cool stuff as well, which involved being in the operating theatres (I didn't touch the patient, just their blood). I also got to help out with clinical trials... sometimes using my own blood!


More than playing with blood and maintaining analysers, I loved my colleagues. OK, not ALL of them, some of them made me want to scream, but I had great friends. We laughed A LOT. We were in a unique position, where we could make a difference to patients without contacting the public. So we could have a giggle without being insensetive. And giggle we did... my Supervisor was great, I could tell him I hated him 3 times a day and he knew I was kidding. I once told my boss he was evil (as a JOKE, God!) and got ranted at for an hour... pfft.


The laboratory is not a good place for a clutz though... and I am a massive clutz!! I ended up in emergency twice in my 3 year career, once for getting my fingers crushed in the centrifuge (no major damage, but DANG it hurt!) and once for getting blood splashed in my eyes. That one sucked. Imaging lying on a hospital bed with SUCTION CAPS applied to your eyeballs, while freezing saline is pumped over them... not pleasant. Meanwhile worst case scenarios are running through your head... that I have contracted HIV and can never have kids! Luckily we knew whose blood it was, and they were all clear. PHEW! Apart from that, the worst injury I got was from a molten hot pie from the cafeteria! That REALLY hurt!


It was not the best being pregnant in that environment, I had to be extra careful about my infection risks etc. We actually perform pregnancy tests, so when I was TTC I would try to bleed myself on night work to see if I was pregnant! It didn't work, though, I am too much of a wuss and I couldn't get enough blood out of a finger prick. Had to go the ol' pee stick option!


I do miss work... being challenged on a daily basis, the satisfaction of doing a job well, my friends. But I won't be going back. Technically I still work there, I am on 2 years unpaid leave, and am entitled to another 2 years if I get pregnant again in that time. But it is just an insurance policy. Like, in case my husband loses both arms and legs! And even then, we will call that plan Z... I am exactly where I need to be, exactly where I have always wanted to be...

With my beautiful daughter!!!

OP shopping, across the universe...

I went to the opshop again today, I'd say I check it out once a week! I was actually after winter clothes for Butterfly but it seems too many before me had the same idea...

We didn't come away empty handed though! We bought Butterfly some toys, I don't buy her toys often and they had some great stuff! We got all of this for $15...

She got a puppy dog xylophone (for her musical interests), a cash register, a pull along caterpillar for her balls, a pop up toy (I have been going to the opshop for weeks looking for a working one!!) and a little bag that had spades and a watering can! She sure got spoilt!

Puppy Dog Xylophone is a hit!

The camera is still a favourite toy...

Kisses for Puppy!!

I used to think op shops were for poor people... Now I LOVE them, they are a goldmine! I was there last week and a woman came up to me and showed me a toy she found, it was brand new with instructions that retails for $50 in the stores! She was stoked, her daughter wanted one. She got it for $5! I find most toys are $2 to $5, and of course there are variations in quality but if you are patient and swing by once a week, you can find some gems.

Last month we found this Ernie doll, Butterfly doesn't watch much sesame street but wouldn't leave it alone in the shop, so he came home. He remains one of her favourite toys!! He gets cuddles and kisses that make me jealous! Sausage Mama was kind enough to give her an old Burt of SB's to match, and she loves him just the same!! We actually have to hide them at dinner time or she points and cries out for them and won't eat!

When was the last time you hit the op shops? Why not have a look there next time you want to get your kids something, save yourself some $$$$ and save the environment some packaging!!!

I AM a good mother!

Occasionally my husband says to me, "You are such a great Mum". And do you know what my automatic response is??


"No I'm not."


WHY do I DO that? Why do I think I am not a great Mum? Is it because I get so tired some mornings I can't be bothered organising something for us to do and she gets bored? Is it because I accidentally hit her head on the car AGAIN? Is it because the carpet badly needs a vacuum and she is eating 3 day old bits of rice off it? Is it the leftover guilt for previously leaving her to cry alone in the dark??


Sitting here I am trying to find examples of things that should make me feel like a bad parent. But I can't think of many... so what is with my low mothering self esteem?


You know what? I AM a good mother! A GREAT mother even...






I am a good mother because I put Butterfly first, if there is a choice between something that is best for me and something that is best for her, I always choose her.



I am a good mother because I am still breastfeeding Butterfly 11 months on, even though the pain it caused ME in the early stages was almost unbearable. And even though there is societal pressure for me to wean her.



I am a good mother because I am willing to admit when I am wrong, to change my methods to benefit her. It was hard for me to throw away all I knew and stop following routines. But I did it. For her. It was hard for me to admit I made a mistake in having a c section. But it WAS a mistake, and one I won't be making again.



I am a good mother because I spent hour after hour pureeing Butterfly fresh vegetables instead of buying her jars. I have since learnt the benefits of baby led weaning and have stopped pureeing her food, but she still gets fresh, healthy foods. The only sweets she has are my home made date scones. She is only 11 months after all!



I am a good mother because I have researched baby products and am making changes in my house to reduce her exposure to toxins. It is a big pain, but it is so worth it.



I am a good mother because I don't give a toss what other people think of me, and will gallop around the shops with Butterfly in her carrier, just to see her smile.



I am a good mother because I get up to her every hour during the night (or WORSE) without complaint.



I am a good mother because I know her favourite food, her favourite song, her favourite toy and her favourite game!



I am a good mother because I can read her, I know when she needs me, when she needs milk, when she wants to be left alone.



I am a good mother because I will hold her to me when I know she is going to be sick, so she doesn't get it on herself, so she is comforted.


I am a good mother because I try to be. Because I want to be.



Dear Butterfly...


Thankyou for making my mothers day so special, for favouring "Mum Mum Mum" instead of "Daddadada" today! For the sloppy kisses. For giving me a spontaneous high five when I was so tired I was almost in tears. You cheered me up and gave me the strength to carry on. I love you more than life itself.


I am not a mother without you!


Love you
Mean it
xoxo
Mumma

stop... pause... REWIND

At a catch up between some like minded Mums, a friend of mine came out with a corker. When she had told a friend she was breasfeeding, her friend was baffled as to why she wasn't using formula... "Don't you embrace progress?" she asked...

Say WHAT???

Our society has come to a point, I feel, where we have meddled in things that ought not to be meddled in! Just because we have formula, doesn't mean we should all use it. Of course it is necessary for those who can't breastfeed, and can make life "easier" (although thats debateable), and allows women to return to the workforce. But shit, my body makes it for FREE, so I am not interested...

Anyway this isn't a "benefits of breastfeeding" blog, I think we all know em!

As a parent, I find myself going back to the past more and more. We have all these wonderful technological advances that are supposed to make life easier. However newer isn't always BETTER.

Think nappies...

YAY!! Disposables were invented! No more washing, folding, ironing terry squares... just chuck em in the bin and move on!

STOP!!!! That is HORRIBLE for the environment, would feel like crap against a smooth little bottom, and is made from Gosh knows what toxic junk.

REWIND... MCN rocks! Easy to use and damn cute!

Think toys...

YAY!! Look at these wonderful new colourful plastic toys, so easy to clean!

STOP!!!!! They are made from awful chemicals that leach out and have harmful effects on your littlie

REWIND... how cool are wooden toys! Butterfly loves blocks, and wooden trains and cars are so fun and retro! Or just give her a cardboard box full of tupperware...

Think food...

YAY!! Microwaves and food processors make feeding infants so much EASIER!

STOP!!! Allowing your child to eat solid foods (SOLID, not pureed) is much more beneficial than cramming them full of mush

REWIND.... introducing baby led weaning! Nothing new to most cultures... just let your baby help themselves from your plate when they are ready.

Think cleaning

YAY!! Look at these awesome products in pretty bottles, just spritz them on and they kill 99.9% of germs!

STOP!!! Those products are a) bad for the environment b) toxic to us and c) it is harmful to kill ALL the germs in your house!

REWIND... where is my bicarb and vinegar again??

Think medicine

YAY!! Antibiotics are invented and save lives! Let's use them to cure EVERY illness!

STOP!!!! Overuse of antibiotics is leading to drug resistant SUPER BUGS!

REWIND... hop in bed, have a cup of tea and see how you go for a few days before demanding antibiotics for a VIRUS (antibiotics interfere with the life cycle of bacteria and are powerless against viruses!!)

Think sleeping...

YAY!! Cots are invented! Put that kid in its own room, got to get more sleep that way, right?

STOP!!!! Cosleeping benefits parents and babies! Helps establish breastfeeding! In countries where it is the norm, SIDS is so rare they don't even have a name for it. More benefits here

REWIND... sleep here next to Mumma, darling, I will hold you and feed you through the night. If you are sick I can keep an eye on you. I can hear you breathing next to me, I don't have to go into your bedroom at night worried about your safety.

Think prams...

YAY!! Prams make life SO much easier! Just strap your baby in and push them around to your hearts content

STOP!!!! Baby wearing has too many benefits for me to name... click here!

REWIND... I heart my YAMO, Butterfly never grizzles at the shops anymore, and she laughs like a maniac when I jolt her around like I am a horsey! Clip clop clip clop

Think Childbirth

YAY!! We can labour in hospital with medical equipment to assist or help if things go wrong, and they have DRUGS!!

STOP!!!! STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!! Birthing in hospital often leads to unnecessary intervention, induction, assisted deliveries, hasty caesareans! In countries where homebirth is the norm, the infant mortality rate is going down, but in the USA where C section rates are on the rise, infant mortality is going UP!!! There is something wrong with that picture...

REWIND... birth at HOME! In your own space, at your own pace. A midwife can attend with oxygen and drugs in case you haemorrhage. She will have equipment to monitor the baby. Your baby will be born unmedicated, and you will be too. Better bonding and breastfeeding! As nature intended. Oh shit, now you've got me started. OK I will refrain from my essay ;)

I could go on and on. Baby bath products (BOOOOO!). Video games instead of imagination (BOOOOOOO!!). Processed foods. Artificial colours. Preservatives (BOOOO!! BOOOOOO!!!BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!). The closer we get to nature the better off we will all be. Sometimes I feel like selling up, buying a few hectares in the bush and moving there with all of my hippy friends! We can grow our own food, sew our own clothes and breastfeed our toddlers to our hearts content! Who is with me?

Mumma builded a fort!

The DANG shops were closed today! Butterfly and I had planned to while away the afternoon with some retail therapy. Ah well, we came home and built a fort instead! One of those activities kids love that parents hardly ever get around to doing. Even a 10.5 month old found it fun!

Doona cover + fitted sheet (we were folding washing when the inspiration hit) + two chairs

Wow Mumma its a little house!

Where's Butterfly?

I see you cheeky monkey!

I hide again for you Mumma...

This is so much fun!

Fort friends... the password is... booby milk!

Forts are great for reading your favourite book

I sneaking up on my Mumma... shhhh!

We had a great time! Will do it again... sometime... next time I wash the bedding!