Going Vego...

So I tried to go vegetarian a few years back, but it was such a weak effort... all I did was take the meat off the plate and NOT replace it, so I got super hungry super fast! We need protein, yeah? So it failed dismally.

My sister has successfully gone vegetarian, but she is selfishly still in the Galapogas living it up, so I can't readily ask her questions. I recall one eventful car trip with her... I used to live quite near an abattoir, and had to drive past it to get to my place. There we were, driving along, listening to music, when she suddenly winds down the window and yells... "MURDERERSSS!!!" I almost crashed the car. Thanks for that, Vic!

One of my fans opened my eyes recently (I'm sorry, I don't remember who it was!). She posted a video, wish I'd kept the link, of animals being treated DISGUSTINGLY by humans. I couldn't watch it all the way through, I was crying after the first few clips. She said I should watch it all the way through, especially if I still eat meat. I can't. So I KNOW that I have no business eating meat... ignorance isn't bliss, its selfish. Thats how I feel about my own diet, anyway.

This time I want to do it properly, research, find out what makes good meat substitutes. I feel like I have to be super careful not to get anaemic. I am a breastfeeder, plan to be until Butterfly is LEAST two years, and hopefully tandem feed her when the next bub is born. I have already lost SO much weight from feeding her, which alarms me a little, as its still coming off and although I eat well, I do eats me a lot of chocolate...

I have also had low iron in the past. So I have to do this thing properly so I can remain healthy and continue to make quality milk. Does anyone have any suggestions for books, or someone to consult about it? Like a naturopath or something? I'm pretty uninformed with this stuff.

If anyone could help me out with their favourite recipes, advice, or something?

You've changed, ohhhh, for the better...

I LOVE my daughter!

She is at such a beautiful age... OK, so I say that at every age... but she IS!! She has recently begun to enjoy the company of other babies, she interacts with them now instead of just tolerating their presence. Here she is with her little friend, F, whose blonde hair is a source of endless amusement...

Little F, bless her, sat down and let me know she wanted Butterfly to sit next to her... then went and got a book for them to read! Naww... Butterfly patted her face a lot (as she does) and stroked her hair. Then, without prompting, the pair of them shared the biggest cuddle!! Arms wrapped right around one another, and they held on for a good ten seconds... we all went, "Awwww!" and wished we had the cameras out! It was beyond adorable. I get the feeling Butterfly wants to walk more when she has been around older babies, she really studies the things they do. I might have to get her out more often.

That afternoon I sat Butterfly down in her highchair so we could share a banana. I asked her if she would like me to put Sia on (she LOVES music, especially the new Sia album!), she nodded and said "Dah", so I put it in and cranked it up. She immediately put her arms out to me, and made really urgent noises. She looked worried. I thought I must have put it on too loud or something, and picked her up.

Um, NO, she wasn't worried, she wanted OUT of her highchair so she could DANCE!! As soon as I picked her up she started laughing and kicking her legs! So I danced her around the living room while she squealed and laughed (and danced)... I must have lost 10 kgs! Phew! It was one of those heart melting things you wish someone else was around to see. She absolutely loves Sia's latest album, especially "You've Changed" and "Clap your hands". Its really upbeat, perfect for a little groover to dance to! Click here for Sia's single, "You've Changed"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLPPlRDOZx0

Butterfly has also learned to sign "cat" and "bird", even if she only gets the signs approximately right, we know what she means! Oh, and the SINGING!! It is so cute to hear her sing, especially since she can't talk. Parenthood is great!

In other exciting news, Lawrence arrived today from Clothes Lime! Here he is... I luff him!

I was a little confused by the whole transaction, he was $1.92 on sale and his size said "small". So I didn't get my hopes up, I figured he was, like, keyring size!! Surely he had to be, to be so CHEAP? And when I payed, paypal said my transaction had been cancelled... but he disappeared from the website... so I wasn't even totally sure I had bought him!!

So I was ECSTATIC this morning when he arrived! And he isn't keyring size, he's perfect cuddle size! Not exactly small... around 30cm I'd guestimate. I am so in love, he is so imperfect and retro and adorable. He is MY teddy, even if Butterfly doesn't end up liking him!

Another great adventure buying from a WAHM...

Little FATSO!

So, OK, we went to the doctors today and Butterfly got her 12 month health check. Why do I even bother with those, I have no concerns about her development?

Our GP is a nice enough lady, but she ALWAYS tells us B is so FAT! Has been since she was 12 weeks old, apparently. Is getting a bit old. You should have seen the filthy look B gave her the last time she said it, was GOLD!

This visit was something else, though. I laughed off the first two FAT comments, but when she was examining B with her nappy off, she said, "Oh, look at those rolls! You're so FAT aren't you?" When exactly is she going to quit with that? The kicker is, as far as babies go, B isn't fat. She is a real chubba, I'm not blind, but surely a GP has seen kids much bigger? She says it as though nothing amuses her more than to see my babies chubby ass stroll into her office.

"Is she walking yet?"

"No, she can pull herself up and stroll along the furniture though"

"Oh, so she's just timid"

Um, NO, she's normal. She isn't sitting on the ground whimpering too scared to walk...

"Can you put her down so I can see?"

B sits there bewildered at being plonked on the floor... she didn't get the memo about having to immediately pull herself up and stroll along the furniture...

"Oh, look at her, she's so LAZY!"

Hey, EFF YOU lady! She isn't a performing Monkey!

"How long does she sleep at night"

"12 to 13 hours"

"Good!"

"But she still wakes around every hour"

"Thats not good. You'll have to do something about that. How do you get any sleep?"

"Well we cosleep so all I have to do is roll over and give her milk. Hubby usually sleeps in the spare room"

*Laughs* "How do you expect to make another baby then!"

"You don't make babies in your SLEEP"

She's laughing so hard, I don't think she even heard me.

"Well you will have to make sure her sleeping is better before you have another one. Be careful, babies can be manipulative"

SIGH. Theres the clincher. She sounds like a baby trainer. MANIPULATIVE. Because she wakes at night and wants her Mumma? You know, maybe she is right... I bet tiny, ONE year old Butterfly purposely wakes up, calls for me (stifling giggles) and makes me feed her JUST to annoy me.

So wanting milk during the day is normal. At night, she's just misbehaving by wanting it?

Whatever.

I leave you with a photo of my FAT, TIMID, LAZY baby.

LEAF week... with a twist o' Baby expo!

Miessence products... http://www.mipureorganics.com/

Chemical Free Kids! http://www.chemicalfreeparenting.com/

Clothes Lime (knitted toys and recycled clothing) http://www.clotheslimeboutique.com/

Eco toothbrush... http://www.gogreenathome.com.au/abouttooth.html


Bokashi bin and other great Eco products! http://www.goodconcepts.com.au/

Chickens... http://www.citychicks.com.au/


Vegan site, including clothing... http://www.veganera.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=11

Vegetarianism... http://www.veganloveplanet.com/

Eco rewards program... http://www.viro.com.au/

The boys in BLUE

OK so a good friend of ours is a police man who retired this week. He emailed us a great poem I thought I'd share...

I'm Just Like You

"I have been where you fear to be

I have seen what you fear to see

I have done what you fear to do

All these things I have done for you.

I am one you lean upon

The one you cast your scorn upon

The one you bring your troubles to

All these things I have been for you

The one you ask to stand apart

The one you feel should have no heart

The one you call the "man in blue"

But I am a person, just like you

And through the years

I have come to see

That I am not what you ask of me

So take this badge, take this gun

Will you take it? - Will anyone?

And when you watch a person die

And hear a battered baby cry

Then do you think that you can be

All these things you ask of me?"

I love the police. They do the best they can with the resources they are given... and they aren't given many. I hear all the time, "my house was broken into and it took TWO days for the forensic guys to show up." Well I'm not surprised. Your house got broken into, I know that devastates you, but someone was raped, stabbed or murdered in your area, mind if they are attended to first? Not to mention the other 5000 houses that were broken into.

If I say I'm pro police, I inevitibly get told the SAME story... "I got a speeding ticket and the cop was a jerk!", well, you know what? He might have spent the morning telling someone their loved one had died. Or been spat on the night before. Or attended a horrific road accident. So forgive him for not wanting to hear your excuses for speeding. He's heard them all before. Nor does he want to hear that he is wasting his time giving you a fine when there are murderers on the loose. YAWN. ALL laws need to be enforced. If we let people speed then the road toll would be astronomical. I will let you in on a trade secret, a fail proof way to get out of speeding tickets... ready... DON'T SPEED! Now, don't go telling everyone...

Please don't comment with anti police shite. I don't want to hear it. I know not all coppers are good people, coz they are people. No occupation has a "100% No Douchebags" guarantee. But until you have seen a grown man reduced to tears because he spent the night holding the hand of a young man whose insides were outside... and was still ALIVE... you don't know what they go through in that uniform.

So if you DO get caught speeding, be nice to the policeman. He's working to protect you. Long hours. Attending horrific scenes. Working Christmas Day. MOST years.

End rant.

I HEART THE AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCE!

BUTTERFLY's 1ST BIRTHDAY!!

This must have been the most planned birthday EVERRR! Man I'm tired... SUCH a busy day!! We all had a great time, Butterfly was so happy, content and confident considering the number of people around! She had a good ol' dance to the jukebox, I was thinking she was going to get stage fright!

All of the other mothers dressed their little ones up for the "Rock Chick" theme, they all looked ADORABLE!! Sausage boy ended up winning best dressed, he came with a rock outfit, stars on his face and he matched his Sausage date perfectly!! Kudos on the matching foot attire Sausage Mama... the prize was a BPA fre boon duckie (Slim)! It was a hard contest to judge!

All of the bubbas had a good boogie! I love watching babies dance, so uninhibited! Best dancer went to little Imogen, who entertained us with the chicken dance! Dude, an 18 month old doing the chicken dance is too adorable!! This was especially hard to pick, as there were some rad moves going around! Little Pheonix was getting dowwwwwwn! Imogen won herself some black babylegs with white stars, perfect for rock chicks!

I am so tired I don't think I will be able to get off the couch and actually go to bed... so here are some photos to help tell the story of the day!

The beginning of the decorating... I hung up Butterfly's baby clothes from when she was newborn (all in the colour theme!)... is a cheap way to decorate!!

Butterfly's birthday book for people to sign instead of cards... I am SO glad we did this, we got such lovely messages! Also notice the bowl of coloured chocolate lindt balls to entice people to the book!!

More cheap and meaningful decorations... clothes, toys, nappies (teehee), socks and my favourite mumma daughter photo!

The party favours... handmade guitar rattles!! One for each rock baby in attendance

Balloons, Balloons, Ballooooons!

My beautiful party girl!!

Errm... yeah... Sausage boy, the best dressed! Here he is wearing gluten free chocolate cupcakes!

The cupcakes!!! My friend Alethea made these as Butterfly's present!! The turned out FANTASTIC!! And tasted good too :)

All of the Mummas and Bubbas!

Mmm cupcakes!

Our food theme was mexican... chilli con carne (easy on the chilli), guacamole, layered bean dip, salsa, corn fritters, nachos, and fruit platter for the littlies!!

Butterfly hangin out by the jukebox!! My parents won us this jukebox in a pub raffle!!

Happy Birthday to YOU!!

Butterfly and Footprint Dadda!

The most beautiful baby in the Universe!!

I love you Butterfly

xo

Butterfly recieved some very lovely presents as well! All of them were great, but I especially loved the handmade ones... talented Nerissa made her TWO amazing dresses!! They are too cute for words, can't wait for her to wear them! Extra talented Megan made her a butterfly toy (I KNOWW!!! Cool hey!) and matching canvas. Rhiannon got her a strawberry plant in a pot (so eco and delicious, I LOVE it!!). The Sausages got her the most ADORABLE retro red and white striped swim suit! Sausage Mama just GETS me. Its the COOLEST!! Remind me to upload photos of these... but my camera is, like, over there, and the presents are over THERE.

Oh, and I also got some great organic bath products!!! Weeeeeeeeeee! Thanks Kylee :)

What a great day. I am stuffed. I had left over chilli con carne and cupcakes for dinner... uuuuurrrrgggh so full!

I don't think I've blogged her party justice, but it'll do for now :)

Goodnight zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Happy Birthday to YOU!!

Today my baby girl turned ONE!! I would say its gone fast, but thats not entirely true. I'd say the fist six weeks took aaaaages, the first six months took forever, but the last six months seem to have happened over night! Strange.

I'm not sad to be losing my "baby". I am so proud of every milestone she reaches, and every day she is more aware, and more of her personality shines through. Joss is a real joker, she loves to laugh and to make us laugh! She is also very musical, she LOVES to dance, "sing" (silently) and clap her hands! One of her favourite games is to hand me the sheep puzzle piece, I say, "Baaa", she says, "Baaa" then claps her hands... so we clap our hands... then she throws her hands in the air, and we copy her and say, "Yaaaaaay!!!". Is hysterical to a one year old!

Her other favourite games are...

Running away in Daddas arms while Mumma chases saying, "Raaaaaar!!"
Picking up a giant long piece of tubing and trying to make the cats play with it
Throwing remote controls off the couch, while Mumma says, "UH OH!!"
Galloping along on Mummas chest at the shops while Mumma makes clip clop noises!
Pulling all of the cards out of Mummas wallet and handing them to her
Putting her sleeping bag on her head
Sitting on the big soft chair in her room and pointing at every single soft toy she has, and making Mumma put them on the chair with her (by the time I'm finished, she can't be seen!)

She really is a joy and a treasure, and I am one lucky Mumma!

Here are some photos of today, I'm off to bed after working hard to get the house tidy for her party!

Happy First Birthday!

Just a few presents...

Reading the card

Cuddles for her new Foofa doll!!

This, by the way, is why I bought it for her, she was so cute cuddling her in the shop! She is good, though, when I ask her to put something back on the shelf and wave good bye she does

Wooaahh so many cool presents!

Happy Birthday Jocelyn!!

My life changed the day you were born

I have never been happier!

Thank you for choosing me to be your Mumma

I promise to love you always, just as you are

xoxo

Mumma

Too too busy

Mannnn I feel so frazzled right now! Sooo much to do before Butterfly's birthday party, there is a lot to be said for having it in a park... getting my house up to visitor standard is no walk in the park!

I FINALLY finished my sewing project: party favours for the babies. Hours and hours and hours I have spent on it, and some of them aren't up to scratch in my opinion. But overall I am pretty proud of my attempt considering I haven't sewed since I was 13! I can't show you pictures yet or it will ruin the surprise for the party guests...

In other news my husbands new "Hog" has arrived!! We decided to save money and the environment by selling one of our cars, as he works pretty close to home. So he bought a little second hand scooter, it can't go on the highway or nuttin (its no Harley!) but it'll do him. He likes to walk in the house randomly with his massive helmet on to make me laugh...

Butterfly seems to like the new scooter...

I first brought bub out to have a look at it yesterday, and said (because she's big into noises), "This one goes ROOOOOOM ROOOOOOM ROOOOOOOOOM!!"... my husband cracked up laughing and said, "You haven't heard it yet, have you? It actually sounds more like a lawn mower!" ... and it does! So yes, this is NOT a motorbike by any standards. But for a scooter its pretty cool. Her name is Sascha (the Scrubs fans will get me). All she needs is a little bell and some handlebar tassles...

The Eco Diet

OK so I hope by now we all have a very healthy environmental conscience... but are we all healthy EATERS??

I pondered this while consuming a cheeseburger stunner meal from Hungry Jacks ("would you like to upsize to a large today?"... "Sure!"). For those unfamiliar, this is cheeseburger, fries, coke AND a chocolate sundae!! Butterfly was sleeping in the car and I was lamenting the loss of my midmorning nap... I usually sleep when she does, and if she falls asleep in the car I can't move her or she will wake :(

I do loves me some junk food. I am a bit of a food addict. I am so careful to make sure bub eats well, but I don't do the same for myself. So I thought I'd give it a bit of a spin, hit me right in the eco conscience!!

Lets think about one little burger meal. (Although truth me told it wasn't that little... nor was my stomach after consuming it!)

The Cheeseburger... bread (at least 10 ingredients), beef, onions, pickles, tomato sauce (at least 10 ingredients) and mustard (at least 10 ingredients)

Fries... potatoes and oil

Coke... awww man I hate to think, conservatively 10 ingredients

Sundae... Ice Cream (?5 ingredients) and chocolate topping (?10 ingredients)

Really I have no idea on how many ingredients there would be in all these things, I think I'm underestimating.

AND packaging

One cheeseburger wrapper, printed
One fries box, printed
One Soft Drink cup, printed plus one plastic straw
One sundae cup, printed, with plastic lid and plastic spoon
One paper bag, printed

OK so... around 60 ingredients. EVERY SINGLE ONE started out innocently enough, growing somewhere. Each had to be picked, sorted, packaged and transported (think petrol consumption) to another location for processing (carbon emissions), transported AGAIN to be made into the final product, and AGAIN to the stores to be sold. I'm sure there are heaps more processing and transporting steps than I am aware of.

Then there are the emissions caused in the production of the packaging. Sure, some of it is made from paper and will break down, but that doesn't mean it doesn't impact on the environment.

THEN there are the methane emissions produced after consuming the meal, especially if you ordered onion rings...

So next time you go to get a burger, or reach for a bag of snack size kit kats, think about the impact on the environment your naughty snack is having.

A BANANA only requires picking and a quick truck trip ;) ... or better yet, picked straight from your own yard!

I type this while consuming a M&M McFlurry with caramel topping... but in my defense, I didn't ask hubby to bring it home, and after all those emissions it took to make it, I couldn't waste it...

Motherhood is...

I was leant a recipe book, you know one of those ones done by a preschool for mothers day, and I found a poem a really liked (and related to!)...

Today I left some dishes dirty

The bed I made at 3.30

The nappies soaked a little longer

The odour grew a little stronger

The crumbs I spilt the day before

Are staring at me from the floor (or in my house... "she is now eating off the floor!)

The fingerprints there on the wall

Will likely still be there next fall

The dirty streaks on the window panes

will still be there next time it rains

"Shame on you lazy bones" I say

"And just what have you done today?"

I nursed a baby till he slept

I held a toddler while he wept

I played a game of hide and seek

I squeezed a toy so it would squeak

I pulled a wagon, sang a song

Taught a child right from wrong

What did I do this whole day long?

Not much that shows, I guess it's true

Unless you think what I have done

might be important to someone

with bright blue eyes and soft blonde hair

If that is true,

I've done my share

I really liked this poem, because it is all too true that it can look like you have achieved nothing in a day... when in fact you have been non stop!!

Today for example. Some days I know Butterfly is feeling sick/teethy/in pain, so I say to her, "I know you need me today. I will be extra patient for you sweetie"... it might sound super lame, but simply saying that positive affirmation out loud makes it easier to cope during the day. Today she was really grumpy, crying for (seemingly) no reason, wanting early bed, extra boobies, to be carried ALL day long. And I didn't mind at all. There is something super satisfying about being there for your child when they need you the most. I was rewarded with VERY big cuddles and kisses this evening.

So we actually didn't physically get much done today, but I am EXHAUSTED!

Click HERE for a link to a great blog about positive affirmations for peaceful parenting! Have a read, I believe it really works!