And The Winner Is...

Congratulations

to the wonderful Claire of BabbleOn who won my aden + anais swaddle giveaway :)

and due to no response from the winner of my last giveaway, I have had to re-draw that so,

Congratulations

 go to NewMumma who has now won my aden + anais burpy bib giveaway!! 

I'll be in touch shortly

Yay :)

So Grown Up...

This past weekend has really opened my eyes to just how grown up Ellie is. From her switching the lights on and off without a stool, to getting up and letting the cat out every morning and getting herself drinks of water. Then there are things like how she calls Kahlei "Sweetheart" in a soft, motherly tone or how she cuddles and soothes Jasper.

It's amazing to me that not even three and a half years ago this Little Lady was just like Jasper. Tiny, helpless and totally reliant on me. Just another reminder of how fast time really goes.

For some time now, I have been thinking about interviewing her and posting her answers and this seems like the perfect time for such a post;

Hi Ellie!
Good morning Mumma.
Do you want to answer some questions for me? Yea
What's your favourite colour? Pink
What's your favourite food? P'sketti, Mum. What's your favourite colour? Green
What's your favourtie song? Funhouse
What book do you love to read? Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy
Why is Hairy Maclary your favourite book? 'Coz it is z
Can you tell me a joke? Okaaay, I can tell you.... Cat Bom (bum)
What's the bet thing that's happened this year? Um, if I have a good sleep I can have a star (our new behaviour chart)
What do you want to be when you grow up? A mon... A bunny
Why do you want to be a bunny when you grow up? So I can so some hopping
What is your favourite toy? My iPhone (an old PDA we gave her)
What is your favourite shape? A star
What animal do you love? An ele-phant
What are you looking forward to this year? Doing some gluing and some painting too 
What do you love to do most? Some painting
Can you tell me a story? Kahlei bumped her head on the blinds and she hurt herself and she cried. That's a story.
Is there anything else you'd like to tell me? I like to watch the telly all day (they don't) and uhm, I falled over last night while I helped Daddy (said while sadly looking at her grazed knee from the incident)
Thank you! Can we do this again next year? Yep

What question would you ask your 3 year old?

Joining in with Fat Mum Slim's Point and Shoot

This is also my Blog This: Challenge 67 post

Choo Choo!! Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Review

In partnership with Porter Novelli and Walt Disney, we have been given the opportunity to review and enjoy these products below.

Getting our second lot of Mickey Mouse goodies was a little like Christmas all over again. It caused much jumping, screaming and general jubilation. I honestly did not think my girls would love Mickey Mouse this much. But, they do.


We first put the 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Choo Choo Express' DVD on while getting an appraisal for our house from our now realtor. The girls were perfect through out, happily watching as Mickey and friends find all the pieces for the Choo Choo Express.


I have to say, I think this is their favourite DVD so far. Firstly, it's a feature length 'episode', with what I would consider an intermission part way through. Then there's the simple fact that it's about a train, they love trains. So much so that Ellie used to be convinced her name was Ellie Thomas. 


And then there's the shape focus, which is actually perfect right now as we read a shape book every night and picking shapes in everyday life, TV shows and books is one of their favourite things to do. 


Since my first review, they have really started to understand, act on and enjoy the interaction part of the show. 


'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Choo Choo Express' is available at all good DVD retailers for $19.95.


The 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' soundtrack is a winner here, too. Especially considering this compilation of songs from and inspired by the show has the Hot Dog song. I love that it gets them dancing. Through the whole CD and then Hot Dog gets repeated a few dozen times. It wears them out and anything that makes nap time last longer is a winner in my books. 


The songs are catchy and often times based on the same tune as nursery rhymes or songs we already know, making it easier for my girls to pick up the words. 

On a more personal note, all this talk and singing about Hot Dogs led me to buy frankfurts the other day. I had a major craving!  

Dancing to Hot Dog. Again.

 

{52 Weeks} Week 29: Ouchies

This is me just after having a wisdom tooth extracted today. I was up most of the night last night, unable to sleep because of the pain. I was up at stupid o'clock googling 'fast home remedies' and making horrid concoctions which left me feeling like I had eaten a salty sausage. I went through 3 trays of ice and didn't get a moments peace to even contemplate sleep until 4.30am, at which point my Little Man woke up.

Not the best night I've ever had. Thankfully the culprit is now gone and once it's all healed I will be all good. Who knew I would one day be saying "Thank goodness for Dentists!"

Guest Post: How Did I Become That Mum

Today we have a little treat here at BeckyandJames.com; the ever lovely Louisa is sharing a post which I could have written myself, it's that close to what I am experiencing with Ellie.  Enjoy and be sure to pop over to Louisa's blog to check out her home on the net!

Louisa is mum to two littlies, Miss Bliss and Little Bear. She lives in
Melbourne and is addicted to coffee, to-do lists and blogging, in no
particular order. She loves being a Mum even if sometimes it feels a bit
frantic. Louisa writes most days at Everything is Edible

 How Did I Become That Mum

It was about two weeks ago that I realised it.

My child does not listen to me,
respect me nor
fear me
one. little. bit.

She's gone from refusing to go into time out, to blithely ignoring me in general. I mean whaaaat?!? How does a two year old refuse time out??

Sheesh!

It feels like a bad episode of Super Nanny.
How did I become the Mum who can't control her own kid?
Whose kid kicks and screams and loses it ten times over, over nothing.

How did we get here?

It certainly didn't start out this way.

Perhaps it was when I started "choosing my battles" while preggers.

In theory it was in the name of positive parenting but really it was 'cause she's just so darn strong, and exhausting, and persistent, and if I'm really honest I couldn't be bothered fighting her.

So I didn't;
and she quickly figured out
that I wouldn't.

Perhaps it was when I started turning a good parenting strategy of being flexible into an excuse to give-in-to-any-stupid-whim-she-had-in-order-to-avoid-a-meltdown.

Yeah, that was a greeaaaat decision.

Uping the ante on television didn't help.
It's always left her a little riled.
And one might say we up'd the ante about 2000% over the past few months.

Was it laziness exhaustion?
Can it really happen that quickly?

However and whatever, it turns out that it can.

And it has.

And now, somehow, I've got to regain my place as Mother.

Wish me luck?

Wordless Wednesday: Australia Day

We Play: Stories

On Friday night I asked James if I could buy a vision/inspiration/affirmation board, unfortunately we're sorting, purging and packing to move so it was decided I would wait but because I feel a serious need to have a visual way to relax, calm down and focus I decided to make a vision 'file' out of a manila folder.

At nap time yesterday, I got the folders and and promptly got waylaid creating a book each for my girls. I covered a manila folder for each of them and then added paper, cardboard and dividers. I took inspiration from a recent post over at House of Baby Piranha and added handles. I put it all together with some ring binders so that we can put more in their 'books' and left them out for them to find.

They've been drawing, writing, sticking, gluing and carrying them all over the house and I have to admit I was feeling pretty clever, especially as it was giving me a little bit of quiet and some time where I could pack and clean without having two little whirlwinds undo what I had just done (I know, I am a genius)! It wasn't too long before Ellie came to me and, as she does every day, made me realise my 'clever' idea was nowhere near as amazing as what Ellie did with it.

She put her little hand in mine and asked if I would sit on the couch so she could tell me about her drawings. And so I sat. She perched herself next to me and started "Once upon a time" and told me a story about a girl who got run over. It had morals and all. At the last page she said "and so we have to drive carefully. The end." Bless her.

And so it has gone, both girls carrying their books around, drawing when it takes their fancy and updating me on the story they are creating.

Breaking Point

One of the nicer moments of the weekend. Jasper loves his Lamaze Octopus and I have a feeling it might just be the first thing he giggles at. He was working on a chuckle yesterday afternoon.

Unfortunately, this beautiful moment was surrounded by his constant crying which has continued on into today. The day starts well, until Ellie or Kahlei scream (tantrum or excitement, doesn't matter) and wake him and if he doesn't get the chance to resettle back to sleep then it's on. He gets too tired and cries. He becomes exhausted and cries.

And I am at that point. I can't stand it anymore, I have to walk away from the room and leave him. I'm tired and sick and stressed, so these past two days of never-ending, desperate wailing have strained my patience. Not to mention the two girls who seem to have a 'Jasper's-gone-to-sleep-must-wake-him' alarm. Seriously.

I also spent the weekend wistfully remembering when 'weekend' meant that at least one day out of the two was different to every. other. day of the week. When 'weekend' meant that I got to have a sleep in one day. How I miss that type of weekend. How I need a sleep in.

What did you do on the weekend?

Pop over to Fat Mum Slim for more Point and Shoot

aden + anais swaddle Review + GIVEAWAY!

I've never been good at wrapping my babies. When Ellie was born, James was taught how to do it due to me being immobile after my c-section. For those first few days James was The One. The wrapper. And for whatever reason it never clicked for me.

Considering I knew how important it is to tightly bundle up your newborn to encourage sleep it was very frustrating. Especially with Kahlei, who wouldn't sleep well unless she was unable to get her arms out. There were many nights I had to wake James and ask him to re wrap her after a feed.

So, here I am again with a newborn, unable to wrap him as securely as I would like. Once I put him down, there are often times when he cries out not too long after due to having punched himself in the face. Poor love.

Maybe the problem lies in my wording. I've always called it 'wrapping' but my recent aden + anais review introduced me to 'swaddling'. Doesn't that sound divine and full of love? Or is it just me?

Thanks to Junger-Godfrey PR I not only got the pleasure of trying out the burpy bibs, I also got sent a prince charming swaddle 4 pack, to review.

The 100% cotton muslin swaddling wraps are soft, luxurious and oh-so-cute. They're nice and large at 1.2m x 1.2m, which is awesome.

I think he's stunned that his arms are still in...

The larger size means that it takes Jasper longer to wriggle himself free and much of the time he falls asleep before he is able to get his arms out, punch himself in the face and wake himself all the way up.

The only problem we've had is that in the few really, sweltering hot days we have experienced lately Jasper won't sleep swaddled in these wraps. There is only one wrap that works on these days and it's very thin and flimsy. Barely there. Every other day, though, I am using these to keep him snug and happy.

Still stunned...

Now, to the bit you've been waiting for!! Thanks to Junger-Godfrey PR and aden + anais, I have one Classic Muslin Collection swaddle 4 pack, valued at $49.95, in your choice of print to give to one lucky winner.

To be in the running all you need to do is make sure you are a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy (lemon squeezy).

Entries close January 30th at midnight (AEST, ie Sydney time) and will be drawn by Random.org on the 31st. Please note, entry is only open to Australian residents and be sure I have your contact details in case you win!!

If the prize is not claimed by the 7th of February, this competition will be redrawn on the 8th.

Today I am Grateful for You Guys

Yesterday, I asked a small favour. Thank you so those of you who went over and supported my mum. And a special thank you to those of you who went a step further and followed her. You won't regret it, I promise! I am so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful, warm and caring community.

** And I am grateful to those of you who took up my Pay It Forward challenge! Thank you a million times. If there's anyone else out there who wants to join, I still have once spot...

Today, I am also grateful for:

1. My Bubba Moe sling. We went to town and while James had a haircut The Three and I wandered around the shops, walked by the water, which Ellie so loves to do and had a generally lovely time. With Jasper all cozy in Mumma's pouch, Kahlei in her pram and Ellie holding my hand it was a smooth outing that left me refreshed and empowered. I CAN get out of the house with three children under 3 and a half and it CAN be easy, relaxed and wonderful.

2. Cakes tasting good even if they look like a disaster

3. The joyous laughter of tickles at bedtime. It might be revving them up, but how can I  not adore the fun of the three of them? So cute, I just have to share another photo!

4. Instagram. Loving it. If you have an iPhone and don't use it you should and if you DO use it I should be following you!

What are you grateful for today?

Linking up with Maxabella Loves...

** Edited to add

{52 Weeks} Week 28: Blogger

I love my blog. I love the blogosphere.

I love that I am able to speak frankly here, share my struggles and joys with people who understand. It is so therapeutic.

The support I've received. Amazing. The things I've seen this community do for others. Amazing. I am so proud to be a Mummy Blogger.

Tonight, I would just like to ask a favour. There is a brand new blogger who is close to my heart and could use some virtual hugs tonight. My mum could use a bit of support. She'll probably kill me for this, but I know the power of your comments. I know how your words can lift me up and I want her to feel the love, too.

Mumma - I love you. You are a strong and amazing woman. 2011 is going to be better. I promise xo

Things My Kids Have Taught Me

Today Jasper is 9 weeks old and tomorrow will mark 3 years, 5 months since Ellie made her entrance into the world and this Mumma was born, so I thought it about time I shared the important lessons my children have taught me thus far. The things you don't get told before that first bub blesses you with their presence.

Without further ado, things my children have taught me (in no particular order);

1. Everything tastes better if it has been dunked in your drink first or your drink has been tipped in your plate
2. Things taste even better, best even, if you roll it in the dirt
3. Good jokes never, ever go out of style and never lose their appeal (High five, mirror Case)
4. Having a sister (or two) is the best
5. Having a brother is pretty cool, too. Except his peanuts. They're gross
6. You have to be careful what you say early on, swears are picked up much quicker than anything else - 'aw, cwap' may be funny the first time, not so much the times after that
7. Favourite movies MUST be watched to death, until a new favourite is found
8. Farts are funny. Yours, mine, hers. And it's okay to ask perfect strangers if they just farted
9. Tiny noses and chubby cheeks are totally, ridiculously and additively kissable
10. If Mumma is sick and needs sleep and rest then bubs won't sleep a wink. Pretty sure it's some kind of rule
11. Cleaning is futile. Two little whirl winds follow me around and undo whatever I have just done - in half the time it took me to do it
12. Daddy is entirely too interesting and demands all night-time-sitting-on-the-couch-feeds attention. So much so that any bub will forget to actually suckle, but will not forget to whinge that they're not being fed
13. Children have an inbuilt playground radar
14. Three year olds have amazing memories. Especially on things you don't want them to remember
15. Stupid noisy toys need to be played with all day everyday until they 'disappear'
16. There's a transition stage between nappies and being toilet trained, where some toddlers change their own nappies. Gotta love thinking they're asleep only to go in and discover poo everywhere
17. If you can use it they can do it better, learn it faster and before long they're teaching you how your phone works
18. Today's favourite meal is tomorrow's food aversion
19. Colour coordination is the key - Ellie is pink, Kahlei has been dubbed green and Jasper, blue (all by Ellie)
20. If you're three and you have a two year old sister, you are automatically the boss. You can put her to bed, take her dummy, give her a time out and she will not think anything of it
21. "Cuddles make you better." Ellie tells me this when I look down or have a bad day. So true

These are but a few memorable life lessons I have learnt. I know there's still so much more they will enlighten me on.


What have your kids taught you lately?

"Gonna be Home Late"

I hate those words. That dreaded sentence which always seems to come when I am at my worst. When they're at their worst and when all I want is for James to come home early and take the girls out of the house for an hour or so, giving Jasper a chance to nap uninterrupted and me a moments peace. It's always the way. 

The long days are always, always the ones I want cut short. Like today, with me having barely any voice, a pounding headache and a earache that's kicking my butt and Ellie having an hour and a half melt down over a three minute time out. Jasper having trouble settling and Kahlei getting into as much mischief as humanly possible. I would catch myself looking longingly at the clock only to realise my count-down could not begin.

And I do count-down. Every day. On the bad days, I watch those hands move slowly around the face of the clock and will James to come home soon to take someone off my hands, to give me a moments silence. To hold the baby, who's cried all day or play with the toddler who hasn't let up for a single moment. Or to just hold me and be my shoulder to cry on. On the good days I watch for the moment when I will finally have some adult conversation and companionship.

Tonight, I am watching the first of Oprah's Australian shows alone, which James and I were so looking forward to watching together and I was lamenting the fact that he's not here.

As I put Ellie to bed, she looked out the window and said "I'm worried Daddy's not coming home." Bless her. As I explained that Daddy, would in fact be coming home and would sneak in to tuck her in and kiss her on the head I realised just how lucky I was. He may not be home just yet, he might be missing our 'date', but he will be home.

And for that I am so very grateful.

We Play: Blocks

This week we're not being very creative in our play. I took all three children with me for Jasper's needles last week and should have known better because the girls managed to catch something and give it to Jasper and I. So, I feel like death now that they're on the mend.

Luckily, they both have a renewed love for their wooden block set. Ellie, in particular is enjoying building, sorting and recognising letters as she sits quietly to play. Kahlei builds, knocks down and repeats.

I just love the concentration and seeing their play evolve.

Today my favourite part of Ellie's play, other than the fact that she was quiet for so long, was when she decided Jasper should be a part of what she was doing. She found the J block to show him and told him it was 'J for Jasper'. It was a tear in the eye moment for me.

What have you been playing this week? Link up with Childhood 101's We Play!

Swimming

On Sunday we were finally able to get out the Little Mermaid shell grandma gave the girls for Christmas and fill it with water. They had a wonderful afternoon splashing about. James popped his feet in and dropped pebbles in for some good splashes.

Jasper and I watched, laughed and I took lots of photos. It was lovely, although I managed to get burnt. I didn't even realise I was in the sun.

The rest of the weekend was full of tantrums and sickness and tears, so this was a special, happy time for us as a family. A break in the crazy weekend.

Come join in with more Point and Shoot fun with Fat Mum Slim.

Today I am Grateful for the ability to Speak Up + {52 Weeks} Week 27

Speak Up

This post has been kicking around my brain for a few days, but I wasn't sure I wanted to write it. Wasn't sure it was right or okay. I thought people would think me selfish and then I read Jane's (of Life of Planet Baby) latest post where she touched on what I want to say and I was reminded it's normal. What I am going through is normal.


Then, as if to cement my desire to get this out there, I had my first visit with my volunteer yesterday, a lovely woman named Sue, who the girls insist on calling 'Lady'. Back in her day PND wasn't spoken of and so she suffered in silence.

Wrist band from beyondblue.org.au - I wear it daily

And so today, I am grateful that I live in a time where Post Natal Depression is spoken of, a time where it is acknowledged by medical practitioners, mothers, fathers and there is help. When I first wrote of my struggle, I was merely using it as a form of release. I didn't realise the support I would find. After living through maybe 12 months of this in silence, by choice, I realised that I had possibly prolonged my own suffering. Because being open, talking about how I am feeling and what effects me and having people tell me they, too have suffered in the same way reminds me that I am NOT alone, I am NOT eternally flawed and I am NOT failing. I may feel like all these things but I am not.

This week and a bit has been horrible. I had no idea that learning of a fellow blogger's plight, a woman I have never met and only know through reading her amazing, witty and insightful posts, would lead to so much feeling, so much outpouring of grief from the community which surrounds her. But, more than that I realised that when people wrote comments like "Thinking of you", "praying for you" that the majority mean it. I know this now because every time I wrote that hashtag on Twitter or commented on a post in her honour I meant it. I was praying with everything I had.

And before there was even time to fully realise what had happened, Queensland was bombarded with rain. The ruin, the devastation. So much. Too much.

Everything was getting on top of me, stifling me and worst of all life went on as normal. The baby cried, his reflux played up, the girls fought, I had days of headaches and all three children became sick. All these little things piled up, on top of the big things and I felt the edges of the darkness all around. The stress. The worry. And it felt wrong. As far as I was concerned, I had no right to feel depressed about the events which had transpired. Yet, there I was wanting to climb into bed and sleep the days away, snapping at my poor darling children and grumping at my husband because it was all too much.  Then, the guilt of being so affected when I wasn't directly part of the tragedy ate at me.

As I listened to Sue's story, I was gently reminded that I am not alone in this. She shared that if this disaster had been happening back then it would have done her in, I knew I am not the only person adversely reacting to something not directly touching my life. And I am blessed to still have a healthy family, a house, a dry town. I am blessed to live in a time when speaking up about my depression does not draw scorn. And I am in a position to raise awareness, to maybe remind somebody else that they are not alone and that it's okay to ask for help.

Visit Maxabella Loves to see more Grateful posts

What are you grateful for today?

And the Winner is...

DIANE!  

Congratulations! I will be contacting you shortly.

I am honestly, so excited to be sending these amazing bibs.

So much so that I will be running another aden + anais review and giveawy soon - 

this time with swaddles, so be sure to come back for that.

~ Pay it Forward ~

I have happened upon many posts about Pay It Forward: 2011, each time I have thought what a lovely idea it is and how it's a great way to start the new year before I go on my way quietly, NOT leaving a comment but hoping I might see some of the gifts received posted on blogs later in the year. A part of me briefly wanted to comment once or twice until I thought about it a little more and started asking myself 'what would I send?' which quickly had me freaking out and moving on.

So, this morning when I found Cate of Keep Cate Busy had posted a Pay It Forward post I smiled at the screen before clicking away because 'WHAT could I possibly send?' and to echo Cate's worries 'what if nobody responds?'. You might not be able to see me here, typing away but I was pretty sure if I posted this and got no reply that you would all be able to feel my immense embarrassment radiating out at you upon visiting my site.

I went back to doing what I do, the TV on in the background doing it's continuous loop of the utter devastation of the Queensland floods. Vision upon terrible vision of ruined lives. Reports of people missing. Loss of homes, businesses and lives. Stories of self-sacrifice. A 13 year old insisting his 10 year old brother be saved first only to be swept away by the flood waters... And that was when I decided to join in.

I went back to Cate's blog, left my comment and immediately had 'The buyer's remorse' but then I decided that with all that has gone on in the past week, something like this is just what I need. Maybe it's just what YOU need too? *Deep Breath* Here goes:

"I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people who leave a comment here.

However, to be eligible, you must repost this message, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade by you, and it must be sent to your 5 giftees sometime in 2011. Ready, set, GO!"

I still have no idea what I am going to give, all I know is that it will be lovingly created and sent.

Once you've commented and reposted your own Pay It Forward pop back here and post the link in my comments and if you miss out (I am now telling myself you will all be beating a path to my door, or at least my comment box. Of course you will) be sure to come back and click thru to the posts of my giftees.

Please join me :)

P.S. While I have you here please donate to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal and help those suffering in QLD

Wordless Wednesday: Light a Candle

Today I lit a candle when the children went to bed. For Tony. For Lori. For their children. For the people lost in the QLD floods and for those who have lost them.

It's been an emotionally draining, stress inducing week for me - I  can't even begin to imagine what it's like for those in the thick of it.

Playing along with A Beautiful Mess and Faith Hope and a whole lotta Love