Spoilt rotten

Yesterday was my birthday and hubby did a great job of spoiling me rotten.

Being pregnant as well it was extra nice for hubby to go out of his way to make sure I felt extra special. He had noted I wanted my wedding and engagement ring cleaned and  made sure this was done (even getting the band stretched so it can fit over my swollen pregnancy fingers) as well as finding me the perfect makeup case and Series 1 and 2 of my favourite show The Good Wife from 2011.

I have been craving sea food this pregnancy which is weird for me and nice to be feeling well enough to crave anything. I was hoping for a nice meal out but hubby really outdid himself with booking us a meal at SeaLevel.

We don't have a budget that allows for many indulgences but this meal was fantastic. The location, the service was spot on - and Nick used to work in the industry so can be fussy. We didn't begrudge a single cent of what we paid. To top it all off Aurelia was a perfect angel and happily coloured in after declaring she wasn't eating mermaid friends (she meant crabs and lobster).

After letting her run in the playground for being so beautiful at the restaurant we headed off to my parents house. Nick and Raya had made me a cake, and mum had cooked my favourite pork with my favourite birthday icecream cake - spoilt for choice. Nick's cake actually turned out to taste fantastic and the appearance - let's just say it was made with love.

Bubs made his presence known all day with lots of braxton hicks contractions but thankful no more hospital scares like we had on Friday.

After a swim it was nice to spend time with the family. All in all a very special day.

As a mum it is easy to spend energy giving to others so it was nice to feel so loved and appreciated by my family.

I am one very lucky 33 year old.

The memories laid down in the threads.

In preparation for our second little one joining us shortly I have been organising the clothes of my daughter to sell at a baby and kids market stall.


The progress has been slow. Not only because of the sheer volume of teeny tiny pieces, my daughter began life wearing size premmie, but because of the emotions.


When I look at the clothes I feel like my daughter has grown up in the blink of an eye. In the time it took me to exhale she moved from 00000 to a size 5. Just like that. Instant little lady.


Of course then I remember how at times days and hours have stretched before us both and we felt we had a lifetime to savour each stage of development.


But when I held these garments in my hands the memories came flooding back. I held up a tiny outfit to my husband who smiled and nodded with the "that's nice dear, a cute tiny outfit, what are you showing me that for" look. 


I remembered this is what she wore the first time she went to church. Each garment held a new memory. First birthday parties, the time she sat up by herself, my BFF son's 1st birthday party, cuddles as a newborn in 00000 outfits, her first Christmas, playdates with friends. I can recall even photographing her wearing particular outfits.


Now I expect her christening outfit and flowergirl outfits but I can recall a jumpsuit who my nephew had the same one of and the time we laid them in the cot together. Or the time she first wore teeny tiny denim jeans.


Moments which I thought had been lost to my memory were all stored away in the clothes. Knitted tightly like the threads of the garment. Making it harder to price each item cheaply to sell. 


Would I forget when I sold the clothes?


How we form memories, store them and have them triggered is fascinating. My mum has a way with numbers. She can recall telephone numbers of every house she has lived in, her highschool locker number while I am lucky to remember my own postcode.


Some people find their memories are linked with perfume or a smell that can almost transport them back to moments in time.


I kept working through the tubs of clothes. Smiling as each new memory came to me, and staring in astonishment at Raya until she wanted to know what I was looking at.


I am going to sell the clothes for the money and the space. Knowing soon there will be more new, teeny tiny clothes just waiting to be threaded with memories.

Feeling like a first time mum

Recently I found myself standing in a baby section of a larger store with a completely blank mind. I had a flashback of feeling like a 'new mum'. Now this is not to insult new mums but when I was a mum to be the first time I was unsure of many things - that giant leap into the unknown.

So I was a little unprepared to have those feelings this time around. Surely all the hours put in with the almost 4 year old who was doing the hard sell for a packet of Smarties had ensured I would be facing this pregnancy with a degree of confidence.

Surely I am not the only second time mum who seems to have conveniently 'forgotten' what the newborn phase is like. More realistically it is just denial.

People have been amusing themselves by assuring us that this second baby, our son, will be "our horror child". How charming. Thankyou to all those people who have no filter on their mouths and speak before thinking. I hope they aren't right a part of my brain whispers.

Second time around I am certainly more confident with wrapping I could keep houdini in, breastfeeding we overcame so many possible obstacles in our 17 months of feeding the first time and bathing slippery little things.

However I am totally drawing a blank on numerous issue. One of these is clothes.

What size am I meant to be buying? How many? My brain seems incapable of computing which season we will be in when our son is 3-6 months, 6-9 months and then will I need 00000, 0000 or god forbid I have to deliver a baby which fits straight into 000. Referencing to Raya is no help as we had to fold newborn nappies in half and she was wearing premmie clothes.

All of a sudden there is a chink in the confidence armour. Raya was a great sleeper who came home from the SCN in a routine and 4 hourly feeds. This time hopefully we will be straight home and establishing our own routines. Is that the sound of another chink appearing.

Has anyone else felt like a first time mum, second time around?

A january to do list

Welcome to 2012. I can hardly believe that this is the year we will welcome another little one into our family and I will be holding another baby in my arms. 2012 is the year of another big adventure.

 I can anticipate a few reality moments of "who do both of these childen belong too" in 2012. I don't enjoy pregnancy - the non stop nausea and vomiting but I am savouring the experience more this time (not the insulin injections) balanced against lots of "come out I can't wait to meet you thoughts".

Christmas was relaxing and slower paced this year which suited my pregnant self. Raya was spoilt by Santa.Rather than cramming things into one day we spent longer with different groups of family and enjoyed ourselves more - and spread out the dessert consumption.

NYE was low-key and spent with friends. We are past the clubbing stage now and fighting for a cab as a way to celebrate the new year.

A lot of blogs have  been talking about new years resolutions or what I like to think of as January's to do list. I used to love resolutions but I have realised that change comes for me not from one big decision in the first month of the year but from a consistent series of smaller decisions and it's consistency which is the key.

2012 is the year of keeping it simple and the pressure off from within. I am looking forward to putting family first and not having the pressures of anything else but being a mummy to two little ones.

However there are PLENTY of jobs which we need to do to be ready before the baby comes. Not that the little one will be aware of them being completed but we are remembering that sleep deprivation and knowing that if we don't get on top of things now things will be looking ugly by the middle of the year.

We also have a busy calendar. There are birthdays of 6 close family members including myself, hubby, Aurelia and 3 children before the baby comes, a baby shower to organise, a dedication, calm birthing classes and this is all hoping that the baby stays inside till close to full term.

Did you make resolutions this year or give them a miss? Share away what adventures you have planned for 2012.