Hello there poppets! / L Plate Mama

It’s bedtime, your body and mind are ready and willing for 8 hours of restful slumber. You complete your night time ablutions and tuck yourself into your soft warm bed. A few moments later, you have drifted off into the land of nod, your body rejuvenating, mind unfurling. The morning comes, your alarm clock pulls you from your dreams, and you stretch and yawn and up you get to a new day, with your sleep bank full, body rested, mind recharged. Perhaps it doesn’t work exactly like that for you, maybe thoughts about work are swirling around your mind like a whirlwind when you’re lying in bed, perhaps you’ve an injury or aliment niggling at you, or an argument is replaying in your mind, with all the things you should have said burning on your lips. Perhaps once you have finally drifted off loud neighbours, or the local cats fighting awake you from your slumber preventing you from going back to sleep. Your nights are broken, and the mornings come with your body heavy, limbs aching, eyes b...

The Bub is a heavy little vegemite, approximately 10 kilos of chubby legs, arms, big gorgeous baby head with plump cheeks. At 7 months he doesn't really help to carry himself, he's upright and his fingers may curl around my sleeve but compared to a one year old weighing 10 kilos, he feels as if he's double the weight. I carry him on my right hip, always. Or I did until it lead to my most recent baby related injury. All L plate mamas will tell you their backs hurt, probably their shoulders, and perhaps their wrists too. Looking after a baby, especially a newborn is physical and repetitive. I have found I my right arm is stronger, and better equipped to readjust his weight after Bub sees something he likes and launches his whole being in that direction. This hip jut, arm back and round business lead to 2 of my spinal bones (I was so worn out and brain dead when I went to the physio I couldn’t recall when my vertebra were called) being out of alignment – hence a sore back...

Hello! I’m sorry for the long absence, the boy is more active and demanding now and the opportunities for blogging have been swallowed up by arranging various housey things. I’ve missed blogging, there is so much going on with the daily developments and joyful moments of raising a wee man. Plus the hair-pulling exasperation of ‘why is he not sleeping’! This morning I love him more than ever! He is just so warm and wonderful and clever and amazing. It is such a gift to see the simple pleasure he takes from discovering an air vent for the ducted heating in the floor, the beaming smile he bestows on the dog (or a light fitting which he is especially partial to), the relish with which the nectarine was devoured for his breakfast. Here in our warm home (with freshly painted window frames) with the autumn wind encircling us, I feel very lucky. Bub is now 7 months old. Yesterday we went for lunch with a friend and her lovely 5 year old daughter. The cafe was too small to bring the pram in, ...