Well slowly I am getting used to using my phone for things, I got it when baby #2 was about 2mnths old. I was doing a lot of holding and not much work/ staying in touch!
I was sad to see that the user manual was about 150 pages and only online! Grrr I got the phone precisely because I couldn't get online! Now with hootsuite I can tweet from my phone and with my most recent install - I can blog, things are looking gd, only taken me 4mnths to get to this point!
But yay I am celebrating!
Breadwinner and Breadmaker
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Android agony and anticipation..
Six month sensation!
eek my first blog with the new format! Here goes!
well baby girl turned 6 months a few days ago and boy is life looking different lately! I never had enough time to brush my hair/ eat - let alone get enough of my work done! Now I have astudent who is home for the summer doing 3 mornings a week with my angel whilst I work - and I am so much more productive that when on the 4th day (today) she then does in home childcare for my toddler and I have baby girl - I am not so behind on work and I can focus on catching up on my online life, business and the such like.
(Yeah yeah I could be sorting the nursery cupboard with this 'free time' but I have more things than places.. but anyway I may be getting a new (old) chest of drawers so each child has their own and I will have more places to organise the kid's clothes etc!)
Anyway! Baby girl is still only having 2 (sometimes 3) 20 min naps - but still compared to her brother who only had 2 ten min naps all day for first 8 months! I'll take it!
However just the freedom to get work done 3 mornings a week has transformed what my week looks like and my stress levels!
I'm now trying to get to the bottom of bringing into my dashboard two old blogs and reviving those! But I guess one step at a time. I have missed blogging and I am aware that I now need to fathom pininterest... but all in good time!
But thanks for anyone reading my blog during the quiet quiet months... I should be posting with increasing regularity from now on... now just for a bit more sleep at night and I will be like a new woman! or at least feeling less tired and old!
B :)
ahh I have seen I need to figure out the how to set returns etc etc, didn't have to do that before.... hmmmmmm will leave for another day!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
February where did you go?!
You'd think with an extra day in it this year February would not have slipped by me so quickly, but with my parents visiting from overseas, work being record breakingly busy, laryngitis followed by strep throat and that was just me...
Our gorgeous son has been blighted with ear infections etc...
Oh well March is probably going to be fairly busy too - but I am so very excited for the projects we have on the horizon... this weekend for example we are collecting our rabbits. Two does and a buck.
Last year we failed to buy the buck and with me being on light duties during the latter part of my pregnancy I handed over care of the rabbits and well they got too fat to breed... so this will be our first foray in the full life cycle of our bunnies and hopefully we will keep the best of the best to continue on and on and on - with our own home grown meat source.. but more on this later.
Exciting times ahead!
Our gorgeous son has been blighted with ear infections etc...
Oh well March is probably going to be fairly busy too - but I am so very excited for the projects we have on the horizon... this weekend for example we are collecting our rabbits. Two does and a buck.
Last year we failed to buy the buck and with me being on light duties during the latter part of my pregnancy I handed over care of the rabbits and well they got too fat to breed... so this will be our first foray in the full life cycle of our bunnies and hopefully we will keep the best of the best to continue on and on and on - with our own home grown meat source.. but more on this later.
Exciting times ahead!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sweet Potato & Leek Soup (+ Ham)
I love the old fashioned way of life and I am sure soup swaps and the such like would have been common place in small communities, which is why I was so pleased to be invited to a modern day soup swap.
Effort one a week ago was a 9 bean soup that well just lacked something, so at the 11th hour I went with a Sweet Potato, Leek and Ham effort. For the first time I didn't cook Ham Hocks in the slow cooker, just regular oven so at the last minute chickened out on adding the Ham - didn't want to make 6 families sick and when working with a meat that is supposed to be pink...
Anyway totally made is up as didn't have a recipe for 6 liters or even any quantity beyond serves 4 etc!
2 VERY LARGE sweet potatoes - diced
3 bunches VERY LARGE leeks (9 in total) - chopped
2 litres of chicken stock
3 litres of water
1 litre milk
1 spoonful of butter
(Ham Hocks -optional)
In large pot - I used my canning pot, add butter and fry leeks til soft - about 5 minutes! Add chicken stock, water and diced sweet potato. Boil, simmer for 30 mins. Remove from heat, add milk, then puree to desired consistency. Voila!
Meanwhile you can cook ham hocks or just cut up cooked ham and add to the soup, serve/ freeze/ share and enjoy!
(I acutally did 4 litres of water, but feel 3 would work better and yes this works out to 8/9 litres of finished soup... but what can I say - I like batch cooking and I was making it up as I went along!)
Effort one a week ago was a 9 bean soup that well just lacked something, so at the 11th hour I went with a Sweet Potato, Leek and Ham effort. For the first time I didn't cook Ham Hocks in the slow cooker, just regular oven so at the last minute chickened out on adding the Ham - didn't want to make 6 families sick and when working with a meat that is supposed to be pink...
Anyway totally made is up as didn't have a recipe for 6 liters or even any quantity beyond serves 4 etc!
2 VERY LARGE sweet potatoes - diced
3 bunches VERY LARGE leeks (9 in total) - chopped
2 litres of chicken stock
3 litres of water
1 litre milk
1 spoonful of butter
(Ham Hocks -optional)
In large pot - I used my canning pot, add butter and fry leeks til soft - about 5 minutes! Add chicken stock, water and diced sweet potato. Boil, simmer for 30 mins. Remove from heat, add milk, then puree to desired consistency. Voila!
Meanwhile you can cook ham hocks or just cut up cooked ham and add to the soup, serve/ freeze/ share and enjoy!
(I acutally did 4 litres of water, but feel 3 would work better and yes this works out to 8/9 litres of finished soup... but what can I say - I like batch cooking and I was making it up as I went along!)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Room-sharing rascals!
Is your wee one room sharing with you?
It is so taboo because of the tabloids to use the term co-sleeping as they all seem to take that to mean dangerous bed sharing.
Bed sharing is not in itself dangerous. Infant mammals need to feed often and historically would always be kept close to hand by their mothers, nursed often and when wanted.
The first three months of a baby's life is described by some as the 'fourth trimester' and I couldn't agree more with that description. They arrive into this world with a brain just 25% of it's final size, so many complexities to yet develop - it is all a minor miracle. So to just deliver a baby and place it on it's own in it's own room is just a huge wrench and a light years away from the warm cozy world inside mom's tum - where there is constant warmth, touch, food and sound.
My little ones are room sharing rascals - I did this with my son for the first 5 months, then he went to his own room, just yards from us. My daughter is now ten weeks old and is still rooming with us. Most nights I hold her, but some nights recently she has let me put her in the bassinet next to me.
I don't begrudge holding her, but I do sleep a lot more deeply when she is next to the bed in the bassinet. I know that her little neurons are developing a secure attachment and she knows mommy will be there for her. I like that by hearing her stir I can rouse, feed her and put her back to bed, or keep holding her and neither of us have to get fully awake!
There are only a few things that make bed sharing unsafe and they include being in-toxicated, even a couple of drinks could make you unaware of your movements, or the location of your baby. Smokers are advised not to bed share. Be aware of loose bed covers, pillows etc. If you can have a seperate baby sleeper/ bassinet by the bed that is best. Basically so that you are sharing the room, but not the sleeping surface.
A friend put the thought in my head that because we are stopping at 2 kids - this will be my last time for room sharing with my little rascal, so the question is - will I be ready to give it up when she hits 5 months old...? Ask me again in 2 months time!
It is so taboo because of the tabloids to use the term co-sleeping as they all seem to take that to mean dangerous bed sharing.
Bed sharing is not in itself dangerous. Infant mammals need to feed often and historically would always be kept close to hand by their mothers, nursed often and when wanted.
The first three months of a baby's life is described by some as the 'fourth trimester' and I couldn't agree more with that description. They arrive into this world with a brain just 25% of it's final size, so many complexities to yet develop - it is all a minor miracle. So to just deliver a baby and place it on it's own in it's own room is just a huge wrench and a light years away from the warm cozy world inside mom's tum - where there is constant warmth, touch, food and sound.
My little ones are room sharing rascals - I did this with my son for the first 5 months, then he went to his own room, just yards from us. My daughter is now ten weeks old and is still rooming with us. Most nights I hold her, but some nights recently she has let me put her in the bassinet next to me.
I don't begrudge holding her, but I do sleep a lot more deeply when she is next to the bed in the bassinet. I know that her little neurons are developing a secure attachment and she knows mommy will be there for her. I like that by hearing her stir I can rouse, feed her and put her back to bed, or keep holding her and neither of us have to get fully awake!
There are only a few things that make bed sharing unsafe and they include being in-toxicated, even a couple of drinks could make you unaware of your movements, or the location of your baby. Smokers are advised not to bed share. Be aware of loose bed covers, pillows etc. If you can have a seperate baby sleeper/ bassinet by the bed that is best. Basically so that you are sharing the room, but not the sleeping surface.
A friend put the thought in my head that because we are stopping at 2 kids - this will be my last time for room sharing with my little rascal, so the question is - will I be ready to give it up when she hits 5 months old...? Ask me again in 2 months time!
Having it all!
The term - having it all makes you imagine someone with a cool calm character, successful career, wonderful loving family, great holidays - home cooked meals always and so on.
Believe me - in trying to 'have it all' work and a life, there are many times I just feel like - I am just doing it all. I am not trying to complain and right now I shouldn't as baby girl is sleeping peacefully next to my computer and I am getting time to catch up on work and writing.
We are just over the crest of the hill of back to back illnesses, yikes a family taken out by stomach flu - is not a pretty sight, just as I was getting through the laundry back log - bam: ear, nose and throat infections! I took my eye off the ball and whilst DS was on antibiotics I was not topping him up with probiotics, so just as we were coming to the end of the course, bam a heavy heavy cold, made worse by another of the two year molars trying to work it's way through!
This winter needs to get harsh and stay that way for a few weeks and then kill off all these germs. Playdates and 2 days in childcare - just keep it all circulating!
I am hoping beyond hope that if I join the modern world by getting an Android phone, that I can get even more work done. It takes DD a lot to get to a deep enough sleep that I can put her down even if just alongside me, it doesn't matter what wrap or baby carrier I use - wearing her and computer use is challenging. In a month or two I will be able to do a back carry with her, which will help tonnes when trying to get work done, not just at my computer.. I have a big cook coming up and erm that's gonna be tricky. DH is kindly gonna help with lots of the food prep first, which will help.. anyway I will worry about that another day! At least a phone in my hand whist holding a sleeping baby is do-able, the cooking.. um will just have to stick to the easiest marinade based ones this time!
I think today wouldn't seem so bad if I hadn't got kids with germs and am fighting off a tickly throat. I'm really putting my excellent vitamins to the test at the moment!
Well having it all isn't always a breezy walk in a sunny park with a kid on the hip and a phone to the ear.. sometimes it is struggling to meet deadlines, find enough clean clothes for Sunday lunch at grandma's and to then be able to string a sentence together!
For all those have it all moms who are also a bit snowed under too - I salute you.
Believe me - in trying to 'have it all' work and a life, there are many times I just feel like - I am just doing it all. I am not trying to complain and right now I shouldn't as baby girl is sleeping peacefully next to my computer and I am getting time to catch up on work and writing.
We are just over the crest of the hill of back to back illnesses, yikes a family taken out by stomach flu - is not a pretty sight, just as I was getting through the laundry back log - bam: ear, nose and throat infections! I took my eye off the ball and whilst DS was on antibiotics I was not topping him up with probiotics, so just as we were coming to the end of the course, bam a heavy heavy cold, made worse by another of the two year molars trying to work it's way through!
This winter needs to get harsh and stay that way for a few weeks and then kill off all these germs. Playdates and 2 days in childcare - just keep it all circulating!
I am hoping beyond hope that if I join the modern world by getting an Android phone, that I can get even more work done. It takes DD a lot to get to a deep enough sleep that I can put her down even if just alongside me, it doesn't matter what wrap or baby carrier I use - wearing her and computer use is challenging. In a month or two I will be able to do a back carry with her, which will help tonnes when trying to get work done, not just at my computer.. I have a big cook coming up and erm that's gonna be tricky. DH is kindly gonna help with lots of the food prep first, which will help.. anyway I will worry about that another day! At least a phone in my hand whist holding a sleeping baby is do-able, the cooking.. um will just have to stick to the easiest marinade based ones this time!
I think today wouldn't seem so bad if I hadn't got kids with germs and am fighting off a tickly throat. I'm really putting my excellent vitamins to the test at the moment!
Well having it all isn't always a breezy walk in a sunny park with a kid on the hip and a phone to the ear.. sometimes it is struggling to meet deadlines, find enough clean clothes for Sunday lunch at grandma's and to then be able to string a sentence together!
For all those have it all moms who are also a bit snowed under too - I salute you.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Babywearing burns calories!
I love wearing my babies for so many reasons and I just got another one! You burn 211 calories an hour babywearing. I wear or carry my baby 24/7 - so bring on the cakes!
I would love to write a fuller piece on baby wearing - but for now suffice it to say this traditional method/ style of parenting has increased in popularity again after the dark ages of parenting at a distance, where parents were wrongly advised carrying or picking up your baby will 'spoil' them!
Celebrity mums are often photographed out and about with the latest sling or baby wrap.
I have sling, woven wrap and a carrier for my baby transport as well as a hipseat for my toddler, so I can wear his sister on my front and carry him (28lbs) supported on my hip. love it!
more another day (sorry!)
I would love to write a fuller piece on baby wearing - but for now suffice it to say this traditional method/ style of parenting has increased in popularity again after the dark ages of parenting at a distance, where parents were wrongly advised carrying or picking up your baby will 'spoil' them!
Celebrity mums are often photographed out and about with the latest sling or baby wrap.
I have sling, woven wrap and a carrier for my baby transport as well as a hipseat for my toddler, so I can wear his sister on my front and carry him (28lbs) supported on my hip. love it!
more another day (sorry!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)