Introducing Bear!

This year, after three long years of trying, I gave birth to our second child and first son, Bear.  I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am to be his mama!  After such a long time of trying with no results, my husband and I decided to stop.  We had our beautiful, healthy daughter. 

So we sold all the baby stuff. 

 And I fell pregnant.

 Literally, that month. 

Previous months (like, 3 years worth) I had all kinds of symptoms that always fooled me into thinking "this might be the month".  Like nausea, breast tenderness etc.  The month I fell pregnant, all that happened was that I STUNK.  Like, really really bad.  I was even giving people apologetic looks at the opshop.  My crystal deodorant had just broken and I just assumed my new brand was dodgy!  Only I didn't stink at all, it was my sense of smell going all superhuman on me. 

After a few days of this I got suspicious.  So I took a test, at night, a day early, just because I had a big packet and wasn't trying anymore.  There was the faintest line!  My husband couldn't even see it.  But my belly was all butterflies, I knew this was it.  So like with Butterfly, I woke up at dawn, too excited to wait, and took a "proper" test.  TWO DARK LINES!!!!!

It was so exciting to be able to ring everyone and tell them that FINALLY I was pregnant!  The best of all was to go in when Butterfly woke up and tell her "Mummy has a baby in her tummy", she had wanted a sibling forever.  My goodness, the excitement!  She was so into the whole thing, asking me a million questions, following the baby's growth in the books, and scolding me for drinking coke.

I had a great pregnancy, not easy, but great!  I wanted a home birth but my town's midwife was going to be away (Bear was due at Christmas). So I ended up travelling to the Sunshine Coast for a "grandparent's home" birth.  I had THE best midwife support during my pregnancy, for the birth, and still to this day.  But I will write Bear's birth story in a different post.  If you are on the Sunshine Coast "Know Your Midwife" is beyond amazing. 

A long story short: I did it!  Bear was born in his Grandma's living room, in the water, naturally.  A successful HBAC!

Bear is the sweetest little baby.  He had a lot of chiropractic issues from his birth (which was amazing, but not uneventful!) that made him a little high maintenance to begin with.  Dr Scott at Sunshine Children's Chiropractic fixed him right up!  Highly recommend.

 Since the minute he was born he has been Butterfly's biggest fan! I didn't know a newborn could favour people, but he had this adorable little "quack" he would only vocalise to her.  He is 4 months now, and it even more obvious that he adores his sissy.  He is a smiley, happy boy, but never moreso than when he is with Butterfly.  She has him in fits of giggles!

I had never planned on a 5.5 year age gap, but it has been perfect for our family.  Butterfly has never shown any jealousy, she worships him.  Of course the adjustment was a bit of a shock for her, but she only ever directed her annoyance at us, never her brother.  That's fine by me!  We had lived at her grandparents for over a month, went home for two weeks and then moved to a new city.  She has handled it very well considering! 

My period of infertility has given me the gift of perspective.  I am truly appreciating Bear every single day, drinking in all of his squishy goodness, staying present in the moment.  Having a baby isn't a picnic, but it is a unique period of my life that I am treasuring!  Having another baby made me realise how much I forgot about Butterfly as a baby.  So I will take the photos, and the videos, but mostly I will just soak him up right now.  Not so that this time I "remember", because I know I won't remember every little detail. I am just enjoying him here, now. 

Bear is a very different baby to Butterfly, and has put my parenting convictions to the test! 

I never wanted to use a dummy... so the universe laughed and sent me Bear.  Who refuses to comfort suck at the breast because of my jet powered letdown

I always wanted to cosleep... so the universe laughed and sent me Bear.  Who was SO noisy as a newborn I almost moved him out of the room.  Almost!

I wanted to have my baby rear facing for at least a year... so the universe laughed and sent me Bear.  Who cannot go 5 minutes down the road without screaming his "balls out" (as Butterfly would say).  I'm counting down the days to 6 months now so I can turn him around!

I didn't like baby swings... so the universe laughed and sent me Bear.  Who needed constant motion.  If we didn't live in a Smurf mushroom I would have bought every swing available!

I wanted to babywear... so the universe laughed and sent me Bear.  Who, until recently, HATED my soft structured carriers, preferring complicated wraps.  And now he's fine with my Yamo, but he is SO HEAVY!  90th percentile, baby!

I am passionate about cloth nappies... but this kid peed through just about every nappy as a newborn!  So. Much. Washing.  These days we have the occasional leak, but thank goodness his thighs have chubbed up!

But seriously, I am on cloud nine!  Bear has brought SO much joy to our family!  I must kiss his cheeks at least a thousand times a day. 

Mama has waited a long time for you, baby!

You are most definitely worth the wait

PEACE

 

"Nice to meet you

Where you been?

I could show you incredible things..."

                       - Taylor Swift

Upcycled Blackboard Shop

 

This is my proudest upcycling project to date!

 

 

Butterfly recieved this lovely blackboard/whiteboard from her Grandma for Christmas (Funky Creations deluxe wooden blackboard/whiteboard from Target).  It is such a lovely and thoughtful present!  Butterfly especially loved the paper roll on the top, and spent a lot of time drawing us "maps" :D Eventually, she started to use it as a "shop".  She would "sell" us things from the boxes.  In passing I said to hubby "I wonder if the blackboard part comes out? It would make a pretty cool shop". Well, Butterfly immediately got excited!  She insisted it happen right away!  So Daddy got the drill out and removed the top of the unit so the blackboard slid out (we will be mounting this on the wall so as not to waste!)

 

 

 

This is what it looked like!  Butterfly immediately ran to get some things to sell in her new "shop", mostly play food) and I fetched her cash register and basket (we had all these things on hand so it didn't cost us anything!)

 

 

I mentioned curtains to Butterfly... of course we were looking through our fabric stash within a minute!  She chose this lace material.  She made the little cardboard open/closed sign all by herself :)

 

 

 "Roll up, roll up!  The shop is open!"

Butterfly had a BALL playing shop, Mummy and Daddy took turns being the customer.  Everything was $1!

 

 

The next day, I went to Mitre 10 to buy some spraypaint in pink to paint the new shop.  Butterfly doesn't have much pink stuff, I've kept most things gender neutral in case we ever have a boy!  But that may never happen!  Usually Butterfly would choose yellow, her favourite colour ;)

This was the only part that cost us money, $15 for two cans of spraypaint.

 

We replaced the very bright yellow and red buckets at the bottom with white Trofast buckets (from Ikea).  They fit perfectly!

 

Butterfly decided it would be a cupcake shop, like Katty Cakes (her favourite coffee shop in town)

 

 

This is the final product!  I made a sign for her new cupcake shop, and sewed this doily bunting from things we had lying around the house.

 

This has been a real family project, with each of us doing our part!  Butterfly had ultimate creative control :) I actually wanted to take her to the fabric shop so I could sew her proper curtains, but she likes these ones.  Bless her money saving socks!

 

I am so happy with the result!  Sometimes we make things at home, and then I see a professional one for sale and think "I REALLY want THAT one!".  I can't see this happening with this shop, I adore it!  And the one's I've liked in the shops have been $300!

 

This one cost us $15 because we improvised with things we had lying around the house.  I think, from googling old target catalogues, that this blackboard was $50.  It was bought a few months ago so they may still be around!  Or you might have something similar that could be upcycled.

 

Best of all, Butterfly had NOT stopped playing with it!  She has asked if we can bake real cupcakes one day to sell in her shop.  Of course baby, of course!

 

By the way, Butterfly's awesome rainbow shirt was tie dyed by my good friend at the fabulous 'The Sunny Daisy Tie Dyed Creations' (I don't get paid to advertise on my blog, I do it when I want to!)

 

PEACE

 

 

 

TV rots your family!

I've recently been asked to blog over at nurture-natural parenting magazine! What an honor! I went through and read some posts from other bloggers to see what they were talking about. I found one called "Two weeks TV free".

I've been pretty uneasy with the amount of TV Butterfly has been watching of late. So I decided to have a TV free day to see how we went.

I was dreading the day, I thought I wouldn't be able to get anything done and that it would be a
VERY long day!

I don't know what I expected to happen, but I was absolutely astounded at the results!

Lately I've been feeling so disconnected with parenthood, I hated playing and would avoid it at all costs. I'd always have an excuse not to have to play. Butterfly and I were clashing a lot, I had actually yelled at her a few times. We were both snappy and cranky.

The TV would be on ALL day. Some kids have the TV on but barely watch it. Butterfly is not one of those kids. I'd ask her if she wanted to come outside while I hung clothes... She would choose to stay in and watch TV. I'd ask her if she wanted to help me water the garden... She would choose to stay inside and watch TV. Anytime I'd be doing chores, she would watch TV. In between chores I'd sit next to her on the couch, but since Mike the Knight does nothing for me, I'd pick up my iPhone and browse the net. Anytime she asked me a question I'd have to ask her to repeat it because I'd been reading. If she did ask me to play, it was always 'in a minute' while I finished typing something.  It sucked!

Just by turning the TV off... ALL of our problems seemed to resolve themselves! At first Butterfly was all 'where's the remote?' but soon we were engaged in play and she stopped asking. I found that, for the first time in ages, I actually enjoyed playing! We played board games, read books, read her Bindi magazine together and started using her Starter Stiles! She got the hang of it really quickly and loves sitting down to do it together. She learnt so much in one day! We talked more, laughed more and hugged more. She engaged herself in the chores I was doing, helping me clean windows and make lunch. It was nice to eat without the TV on!

The best part was, we didn't clash once!

I couldn't believe how easy the day was. I wish I'd known that pretty much all our issues could have been solved just by turning off the TV (and by extension, also staying off my iphone)! I'd read all the studies about TV rotting kids brains etc, I hadn't realised that it rotted relationships as well. We had become so used to using the TV to get things done. Butterfly has no siblings so I felt I needed the TV to provide stimulation for her.

As a family, I think we will always watch TV. It can be relaxing and fun, and Butterfly has learnt a lot from certain shows. Bindi the Jungle girl especially has expanded her world and taught her about respecting animals.

However we will be imposing some restrictions. I didn't want to be 'that family'... But I've tried letting Butterfly regulate her own TV time and it hasn't worked. I need the TV off for my own mental health, I seemed to be the person benefitting the most (which always benefits Butterfly as well!)

We will allow TV in the afternoons, occasionally movies on especially hot or rainy days, and Butterfly has a DVD player in the car for long trips.

This adventure has been about finding our family's healthy balance.

The TV is on right now, and I'm on my iPad, but when Butterfly asked me to play a board game I was careful not to say 'in a minute'. I put down the blog, I turned off the TV and we played.  Today hasn't been as easy as the first day, I've changed herbal supplements and am really tired and hubby is on overtime. So the TV went on earlier today, and we did go to Maccas for ice cream to kill some time!

They may be baby steps, but at least they are in the right direction :)

PEACE

"Stop trying and it will happen"

So.  I'm trying to have a baby... and having difficulties.

My difficulties stem from losing a tube to an ectopic pregnancy, and having some hormonal issues following an extended period of breastfeeding and chronic nightwaking with my child.

People genuinely don't know what to say when you are trying to get pregnant and its not happening.  Mostly they want to be the one to say something to make you feel better.  However some things, although said out of love, can be hurtful to someone with fertility issues.

Today I had someone literally berate me for "trying" to get pregnant!  It was someone I barely knew, who knew nothing about my story, and who already had two children of her own.  She kept saying how you "can't" try for a baby, that you have to relax and just let it happen.  It wasn't just that she said it, either.  She was very condescending, and went on and on and on.  And later on in the day she brought up the subject again to emphasize to me how important it is that I stop trying.

I could barely get a word in to defend myself.

I understand this way of thinking.  My two pregnancies both happened when I had booked overseas trips!  I understand the mind/body connection.  However, it is not fair to tell someone to "stop trying to get pregnant".  I want to be pregnant.  I want to have another baby.  And I have the right to go after what I want.  I could have just "stopped trying"... but then I would never have gone to Sharkey's  Healing Centre and would never have made the progress I've made.  I can see and feel the improvements to my health and wellbeing since I went.  I'm no longer tired or cranky in the afternoons.  I no longer crave sugar, or have trouble falling asleep.  It has given me hope that my fertility is improving and when I get a negative pregnancy test I think, "oh well, things are improving, maybe next month is it".

Instead of telling someone to "stop trying", maybe ask them how they are coping with it all?  Just because someone is actively trying to get pregnant, doesn't mean they cry like a dying wolf every time they get their period, or a negative pregnancy test.  It IS possible to work on your emotions without stopping the "trying" process.  Don't get me wrong, I do have times when I get sad, and frustrated, and it sucks.  But mostly, I am OK.  Sharkeys encourages you to work on how you feel emotionally, not just physically.  I used to get very upset thinking that Butterfly was getting older and, at 3, there was already an age gap too large for my liking even if I gave birth today!  I have gradually let that go, as something I cannot control.  People telling me to let it go didn't help, I had to do it myself.

Maybe what someone needs is some support.  If they ARE having a bad time emotionally, there is some reading on the Sharkey's website about it... hang on lemme find it... HERE.  Try listening to them, being there for them, and try not to offer advice unless you have been in their situation.  If you know that taking one's mind off the process can help, why not organise something to do together?  Girls weekend?  Spa pampering trip? (Don't any of my friends try that on me, I'm too much of a tomboy to enjoy that shit!) Lunch date?  You don't have to mention that its a "forget your fertility woes" thing, probably best you don't.  Just be a good friend.

I don't think I could "stop trying" even if I wanted to.  I am in tune with my body, I know when I am ovulating and therefore the best time to try to have another child.  I always said before I had kids that I would never "try", I would just go off the pill and see what happened.  What happened was I started to try!  How could I not, when I wanted a baby in my life?  And I want another baby now.  The only way I could ever "stop trying" was if I decided to give up on my desire to have another child, and its not something I can turn off.

Everyone is different, and what can hurt someone might not affect another.  And some things upset me some days and other days it rolls off my back!  In my experience, there are some things you should never say to someone trying for a baby, whether its been a month or four years (and I apologise to everyone that I myself said these things to along the way!)

*  "I know it will happen for you"  Actually, you don't.  It sounds like a comforting thing to say, but since I know you don't have a crystal ball, it isn't all that comforting.

*  "Maybe we can be pregnant together!" This is another reminder that you can get pregnant any time you want and I can't

*  "Just stop trying!" as above :)

*  "Try waiting for (insert more time than you have been currently trying)!" Any woman knows that every negative test sucks, whether it is your first or your 45746th!  It amazes me that people can say this when they have obviously been through the same thing. 

*  "you have plenty of time to have more kids" True.  But we all have a plan for our lives and it sucks when you have an idea of how you wanted your family to be and can't make it happen.  I don't just want one more, I want lots more.  And my husband is 10 years older than I am.  Time is a factor.

I have others but I won't list them, because I know my friends would be horrified to know things they said had me in tears (yes, catch me in a hormonal moment and it will happen!).  I also realise that no one ever says anything intentionally hurtful.  I don't even consider these things to be insensetive or thoughtless.  Because on paper these things don't seem at all offensive!  Its just things you can't understand until it happens to you.

Its funny, I can't speak for everyone who is trying, but pregnancy news doesn't affect me.  I can be happy for my friends around me who are falling pregnant. 

It may not be rational that the things above can create a pang in my heart.  Emotions are rarely rational.  Like I said, I have said most of these things to people myself!  I think that the best thing to do is listen, and try not to "fix it" or "empathise" if you have never been in the same situation.  We all want to make people feel better, but as a parent I have learnt that sometimes you have to let the people you love hurt so they can begin to heal.  Giving advice can sometimes make people feel misunderstood or unheard. 

I would like to finish by thanking all of my friends for their support and friendship, for putting up with my texts about how "I really feel pregnant this month!" and never are!  And for saying the above things and trying to make me feel better, even if you suck at it ;)

 

Bahaha who could not want another one of these?  I love you Butterfly!

PEACE

Unschooling is the choice for us!

Right now I am sitting here with so much passion in mah belly that I can physically feel it!  I haven't felt this way since I discovered Attachment Parenting!

So this is it, my family have made the decision, we are unschooling! And I am SO damn excited!  I can't wait to get started... oh wait, thats the whole point of unschooling, we HAVE started!

Recently I came back to facebook (for a while there I deleted all friends except immediate family).  I joined up with an unschooling group on facebook, and felt what it is like to actually have some support on the issue.  Because, lets face it, support is hard to come by for homeschooling.  I am pretty open about my choice, yet mostly refer to it as "homeschooling" because "unschooling" comes with a million more questions (and homeschooling arouses enough, dammit!).  I've had people say to me outright "oh, I don't agree with that at ALL.  I'm a teacher and have found that kids that go to school take direction from other adults much better than homeschooled kids" and have not really spoken to me since.  Its interesting, but "ability to take direction from adults" is not high on my priority list... I'd rather have a free thinking individual who is confident enough to ignore a direction if they disagree with it!

The questions surrounding homeschooling can be really rude, and irritating.  It depends who is asking, and their reasons for asking. Some are truly curious, and I don't mind expanding a few minds.  Others just grind my gears. 

What about socialisation? How will they get into uni?  Won't they get bored?  How will they function in the "real world" (is school really the "real world?")

I'm writing this knowing full well many of my audience will be sending their kids to school.  Most people do.  How would you feel if an unschooler grilled you on your decision to send your kids to school?  How would you answer?  The same questions apply... What about socialisation? How will they get into uni? Won't they get bored? How will they function in the "real world". 

But, for the most part, people who choose to school aren't required to answer for their choice.  After all, the majority of the world have made the same decision as them.

So before you shoot off questions, remember that unschooling is not a default choice.  Its a parenting philosophy that has developed over time, and much research has been put into the decision (books, blogs, the experience of parents on both sides of the fence).  So do what an unschooler does, and TRUST. Trust that the parent is making the best decision they can for their child.  Trust that the parent has, at one time, had all the same questions and gone seeking the answers.  And still, they chose to unschool.  Trust them.

 

 

I have been through periods of doubt, of questioning, of reflection.  I've done a lot of thinking about my own schooling.  I kicked the school systems ass, I got an OP of 1, with A's in almost every subject.  Plonk a bunch of grade 12 exam papers in front of me today... and I would probably fail the lot of them.  Truth be told... I would probably not pass them if they were grade 8 papers!  That is the school system, to me, in a nutshell.  On paper I am Smarty McSmartpants.  In reality, the knowledge I have actually retained is the few small units within subjects that interested me.  Or on weekends or school holidays, when I learnt by doing something.  I used to be able to solve differential equations.  Ask me to do it today?  I'd have to google that shit.  The only head start I would get is knowing they were called "differential equations"

So I don't worry about what Butterfly will learn.  I trust that what she does learn will be relevant to her and therefore she is more likely to retain that information.  I will foster and encourage her passions, and if she needs to attend university to make her dreams come true, I trust that she will work to make it happen.  Now that I have finally "unschooled" myself, I can relax and trust the process of life!  And I am SO excited!

Something that is said often about homeschooling "oh you are brave, I could NEVER do that!" 
A very wise, unschooling owl said to me today, "they send their kids to school? They are so brave, I could NEVER do that!"

Every parent has the right to choose what they believe to be the best for their child.  Are you sure school can provide your child with as much as you can?  If you have doubts, then unschooling might be for you :) I welcome questions from people who are seeking information to make a choice for their own family.  I do not welcome questions from people who are intimidated by my choice and seek to trip me up.  So if  you have love in your heart, ask away :)

PEACE

I've had Butterfly... WHY can't I get pregnant again?

So its been over a year since my ectopic pregnancy and we have been trying ever since for our second child.  Its just not happening!  Finally I took the advice of my friends and went to Sharkey's Natural Healing Centre http://www.sharkeyshealingcentre.com.au/

I have been SO impressed at what I have learnt and how far my body has come since I went! 

The atmosphere at the centre is absolutely wonderful, everyone who works there is friendly and accomodating.  The last few trips I've had to the doctors to talk about my fertility I've felt that they were very condescending and dismissive of my concerns or symptoms.  So Sharkey's makes a wonderful change!

One thing I have learnt about my health is that I was putting too much pressure on myself as a mother.  When it was suggested that I was stressed I was like "no I'm not!  I'm a pretty chilled out person"... but I was told that although I have a high emotional tolerance to stress, that my body was under stress.  I had never even CONSIDERED that!  Having breastfed for almost 3 years, and having Butterfly wake hourly from 6 months to 2 years old had thrown my body out of whack.  I have a very loving and supportive partner but I still shouldered a lot by myself, and neglected giving myself any down time, to be alone or do something I enjoyed.  It never occurred to me that "me time" was necessary not only for emotional health but physical health as well.  So, being finally given permission to put myself first for once, I started going for a run in the afternoons as a way to get healthy and take some time out from being "Mum" (I've since been told to cut down to every second day with my running!)  I have also set some boundaries for Butterfly (especially as I plan to homeschool this is important)... I'm a person too, I deserve to do things I enjoy during the day, whether she approves or not! 

It is so fascinating to me how naturopaths can tell so much from listening to you!  Simple things I barely thought worth mentioning, such as having trouble falling asleep or being moody before my period, told them so much about my body!  At Sharkey's they make up a herbal concoction specific to each patient, and soon after I started the herbs I had so much more energy, my cycle started shortening (its usually 38+ days long) and I no longer had trouble falling asleep!

My doctors had tested my thyroid recently, and I was told I was fine.  However, at Sharkey's they gave me a different referral (I wish I could remember what the difference was, I think it was testing FT3 as well as FT4?).  Based on these results, and my temperature chart (my temps were so low pre ovulation that they were below the limits of the chart!), it appeared my thyroid wasn't functioning properly after all!  So my herbs were tweaked and I was put on Thyroplex supplements, and the following month my temperatures had already improved! 

As part of the fertility plan, I started eating gluten free, which is actually not as hard as you think it would be!  I mean I was also trying to eat more healthy, fresh foods, and when you aren't eating much that is processed its pretty easy to avoid gluten.  I thought I already knew a lot about health, but it turns out health is not as simple as eating fruit instead of chocolate.  2 servings of fruit a day is the maximum you should consume, because although it contains natural sugars, they are still sugars.  And I thought a banana made a perfect morning tea snack, but I was advised to eat them with some protein because of the ?glycaemic index.  So now I have a small handful of nuts if I eat bananas or strawberries, or eat them at the end of a meal.  I also make sure I have some protein if I am eating something with lots of carbs (although I no longer have massive carb meals like home made potato and sweet potato fries!)  Apparently apples are fine to eat alone.

When starting a healthy eating plan it can be daunting, but its actually not as hard as I thought, especially when I am doing it so I can have another baby.  I have been off sugar for so long now, I no longer crave it... that is MASSIVE for me!  I was such a sweet tooth. 

I highly recommend going to Sharkey's if you are having trouble concieving.  They are located on the Gold Coast, but do skype consulations to all over the world!  They can ship the herbs to you.  At the very least I would recommend seeing a naturopath, and taking your basal body temperature every morning when you wake up to show to them.  You can get apps for your phone where you can enter your temps and they will give you a graph!  I love iperiod personally.  Another option is to buy the Fertility Bible from Sharkeys, which will help with the necessary lifestyle changes you can make to help you concieve.  I know, I know, there are plenty of drug addicts who live on processed food who fall pregnant with no worries.  But everyone is different, and although it may not be fair, some of us have to make serious changes in order to fall... and doesn't everyone need to be healthy? 

Honestly, I don't think I would have ever fallen pregnant without Sharkey's... I know I haven't fallen pregnant yet but I have been able to FEEL the improvements to my health and my cycle!  Maybe my thyroid would have evened out after another 5 years?  But seeing improvements the first month with Sharkey's was AMAZING! 

Outdoor Kitchen!

We at the footprint farm are eagerly awaiting Spring!!  We have been getting busy in the garden and ordering our organic seeds for the new season!!

 

 

Hubby built me a vege garden bed along one side of our patch!  Yay for more space to grow!  I bought some Chia seeds to grow a chia bush, looking forward to seeing how that goes

 

 

 

Butterfly's Flower "Bed" is growing and we have flowers!

 

Our two new male ducks (Tutti and Plex) get their dance on to impress our three duck girls!

 

We bought two poodle x bichon puppies from our neighbour!  They are Bindi (major Irwin obsession at our house!  So nice to have an idol for Butterfly who is an earth ambassador AND is home schooled!) and Chase, and they are brother and sister.  This is Chase in the photo.

 

Puppy LOVE!

 

They my babies too!

 

This picture says it all!

 

Nawwwww!

 

Butterfly chose this serving plate at the op shop, it makes a great fairy garden pool!

 

We FINALLY have our outdoor kitchen!!  We were given this spare sink ages ago.  Today hubby screwed it to 2 upcycled panels that used to make up the back "cage" of his 1940's truck.  He hammered in star pickets and wired the panels to those for stability. It helps that he had a sore throat today and so was not in the mood to argue with me or lament about our garden looking like a junk heap! 

 

 

 

OK so I admit this IS a grog dispenser... but it was rotting away in a cupboard since we had Butterfly, and this is perfect for dispensing small amounts of coloured water for making mud pies!  Butterfly also pushes her hands under them to squirt out a small amount so she can "wash her hands" :) Trust the child to think of an imaginitive way to use something!

I'll have a "lerrow" on the rocks please, sweetheart!

 

 

 

It was a major hit!  My next project is to add some hanging hooks to hang spoons on, and on the other wall I plan to attach some funnels etc to make a "water wall" to flow into the sink. 

 

 If you look closely, you will see Butterfly is wearing a See Sam upcycled shirt :) Check them out on facebook!

 

We also added another wooden panel to her garden to add some interest, and shade!

 

I always feel so fulfilled at the end of the day if we have spent an adequate amount of time outside "creating"!

 

I would love to see your proud gardening or playspace achievements, old or new!  Post them to the wall :)

 

Don't forget to check Gumtree, Ebay, FREECYCLE, Ziilch, your local tip, etc for cheap or free items for your garden! One persons trash is another persons upcycling opportunity :)

 

PEACE