Preparing for her 2nd Birthday

Preparing for a birthday party is a crazy time for parents as we got to fork out money for decorations, food and presents and most of all the cake. It makes it even harder when you need to look around for the theme of the party too.

Looks like this is what I am doing preparing for my daughter 2nd birthday. My plan is to fill the house with Peppa Pig. Okay not completely but I'll try and make it festive with Peppa Pig toys and decorations. I'm going to buy the birthday theme sets that you can get with cups plates party hats and table cover. I'll be doing a bit of shopping online for the Peppa pig and George pig soft toys and the Grandpa pig locomotive train and Peppa pig swimming togs and clothing. I am currently looking for the cake design on pintrest and google of Peppa Pig cake so I just need to find a cake decorator to make what I want. I'll need to decide on the party food. I thinking i'll do all her favourite foods and treats plus a few adult faves too.

some pictures below

One Step Closer To Potty Training

Nothing like the feeling of seeing your baby grow up with the many milestones. Talking about Milestones. Our evening was running as usual and suddenly out of the blue Ella tells me she needs to poo and asked me for her potty with shock and amazement i rush to get her pink potty and placed it on the floor even though she didn't make it in time she sat on it anyway. She ended up peeing in her nappy before I got the change to strip her pants off. Such a proud moment for this mumma my girl is one step closer to using the potty. 

I introduced her to the potty about a month ago and just told her she does pee and poo in the potty and well I just left it at that. She plays with and sits clothed on it and knows to make a poo noise of pushing. It feels like forever that she had watched me got toilet and know I do poos in it and she helps me flush the toilet and know toilet paper is for wiping. Although she cannot wip or pee or poo anywhere but in her nappy and wiped by mum i know she knows a little bit about potty training.

I borrow book from the library for her and she loves the pictures and most of all me reading them to her. So I got the book Baby bear goes potty and she loved it and asked for it every night so I have re issued it a few times now. 

Overall I happy that my baby girl is growing up and is exploring and learning about this big world around her and it brings me joy that she can make the most it.

Byes for now 

Baby Obstacles, April

My toddler 20 month Update

Now that my daughter is now 1 year and 10 months old I have gotten into a quite constant routine and have been flying through the days enjoying almost every minute of it all.

She is a typical terrible two and she isn't even 2 yet as she is only 20 months. She is climbing anything and everything she can get sher feet and hands on. My dressing table draws are her preferred area at this moment so toddler proofing was needed ASAP. Oddly enough she still cannot climb in and out her cot so that a big bonus for me. She has grown into a srweet polite girl with many words to say. She can speak four to five word sentences, can recognise the primary colours (red blue yellow) and purple too. She loves to sing in her cot or where ever she is. Baa baa black sheep and twinkle twinkle are she favourites and she like some of mummies music too. Over this month she has been trying so hard to dress herself but she is confused by all the different hole part so I found her in her room with one shoe on and her two legs in the collar part of her t-shirt. She looked so proud of herself and gave me the cutest smile and said mummy look. Moments like those are priceless. My love for her just grows more and more each and every day. Although my heart ache knowing the one day she will be all grown up and will not need mummy as much as she does now. A part of me also is excited to see her grow into a woman and mother like myself.

Back in my past blogs I had lot of problems with breastfeeding and most of all SLEEP! To my amazement this has all sorted itself out with consistency following the same bed/nap time routine (slightly altered as she grew). I read the most help book two books and i recommend these to any first time mum or a mother needing a reminder. The no~cry sleep solution by Elizabeth Pantley. The New Contented Little Baby Book by Gina Ford. These books created a even more content baby and saved this mummies sanity. It took me a long time to get where my daughter and I are at now but I keep to it because I wanted her and I to have a good night's rest and to a smooth running day. I dont stick to the strict routine but I do make sure my girl gets her nap at 1pm-3pm everyday and stick to her night routine of shower time at 6ish and in her room to read book before 7 so she is tucked in and alseep by 7:15pm. I have my routine in a previous blog if you want it in detail. Do a routine that works for youself and your family remember that it is only a guide.

It just so lovely now to read a few book to my daughter then lay her in her cot and sing her twinkle twinkle and kisses goodnight then lights out and she either rolls over and closes her eye or she lays there smiling back at me saying nun nite mummy and plays quitely with her soft toy til she fades into dreamland.

The gentle approach of weaning her off breast before bed was a whole year process but I finally got there so there is hope at the end of the tunnel I thought I'll never get there BUT I DID.

My Baby Night Time Routine

My night routine starts off with me cooking dinner at 4:30pm and give my daughter bite size snack to chew while she waits for dinner.

5pm = Dinner Time

5:30pm-6pm = Playtime 

6pm-6:30pm = Shower time

6:30pm = Get dressed for bed & say goodnight to Jonah (our dog) and Daddy even though he at work, 

6:45pm = Drink of water and storytime sing twinkle twinkle

7:20pm = Bedtime

My night time routine for my daughter has been pretty much the same since she was born and I like it to stay how it is as it works so well for her and the family. Once in a while we do go out for a family dinner at a restaurant so she goes to bed a little later and may not have bath/shower time but it only a one off and we usually get back on track quickly. 

She settles to sleep on her own now so I lay her in bed sing twinkle twinkle give her kisses as I walk out of room shutting the door as I say shhh. Not long after that she talks herself to sleep. All my hard work has paid off. It all worth it in the end

Baby and Life Update

It feels like forever since I've posted on here so I thought ill catch you up on a few things. Life couldnt get any better.  My daughter is now 19 months old only 5 months away from turning 2Years old. She is doing amazing and we still breastfeed mornings and in the afternoon after naptime. Talking about naps she now has a nap every day at 1pm-3 and goes to bed at 7pm and wakes at 7am. Yay full nights sleep is amazing. Most nights I'm naughty and stay up late but sometimes I feel I need my alone time. Thats usually spent watching YouTube Videos about families, artists and do my new found hobby of drawing portraits of people & anime and the odd animal here and there.

Since November last year I decided to get back into drawing as I have always loved it but I was never quite as serious about it as I am now. Im seeing my improvement in my art day by day. I am self taught and I borrow books from the library to study drawing human anatomy which has help. My inlaws have their own gallery that hold weekly sketching and painting classes so I have been attending them and they have inspired me to draw everyday when my daughter is with her grandparents or is at daycare. I don't work but I do need a break like all mums so she goes to daycare twice a week for 3hrs in the morning. That give me enough time to myself. Doing art is a great outlet for me as I find motherhood difficult especially now that my cutie is a toodler. All mums need a hobby. We need something that make us feel like ourself. Art make me feel like me April not just mummy.

My lifetime goal was to study hard to become a Vet Nurse and care for animals. This year my goal has changed a little and I was conflicted between becoming an Artist or a Vet Nurse. After a good hard think I decided I'd do both. Although I havent started studying yet as I have been so wrapped up in my art hobby. I didnt get the courage to sign my enrollment form to the distance learning animal course so I miss the intake. I am thinking ill wait for next year, a fresh start, to start studying animal care again. I have a level 2 certificate in animal care so that should help.

It going to be very busy for me next year. Studying to become a Vet Nurse, Doing my mothering and creating art in my spare time and also updating on here more regularly. Well I best leave this here as im rambling on. I have high hopes with my future and I am ready for the many more obstacles to come.

Bye for now
Baby obstables, April

My Baby 12 Months Nap Routine

Don't we love the new ages and stages that our baby goes through. My daughter was at the stage of refusing morning naps but clearly still needs it. She can't deside if she wants a late or early morning nap. But she is still quite consistent with her afternoon nap. Routine is changing a lot round this age.

To be honest I do not always stick to routine. A lot of the time we have days where she only has one nap a day and other she has two. It varies day-to-day and depend on activities in the day also. My daughter has times where she sleeps right through the night and times when she needs a breastfeed to get back to sleep 1-2 times and other times when she wakes up, has a moan then falls right back to sleep few times in night.

I have always breastfed her to sleep. I find it is best for us less stressful. 

Don't get me wrong though sometimes breastfeeding to sleep doesn't work so I do have to put some effort in by comforting her at interval the 5mins - 10mins -15mins so on til she relaxes to sleep or holding her til she sleepy enough to put in cot. Sometimes I hum along with her lullaby music machine. 

I cannot control and make my baby sleep but I can make the environment relaxing and calm. Having a naptime routine is great to have, which is slightly different to night routine. (Night routine blog coming soon). This is what works best for my daughter and may not work for anyone or at any baby age & stage. This is only a guide to help a mother out!! 

Here is my method to naptime

By the end of playtime things we usually quiet down and she brings me books to read her. She like the animals alphabet picture books. Once I see the tired signs (eye rubbing, eye bags, red eyes - (sleep cue blog coming soon) I'd tell her naptime and carry to her room, turn on music machine, change her nappy, start breastfeeding til she is asleep & place her in cot when i notice her fast asleep cues ( snort, lazy arms & legs and light latch or unlatches from boob). 

My method does not work from time to time due to fussiness, over active arms & legs and playing the latch on latch off game, while having a conversation to my boob and also aching of the back, Most of the time I have to hold her tight to control her mini tantrum and guide her back to suckling breast.

If that is unsuccessful i'll lay her down in her cot wait rougly 10secs if she gets up i'll offer her water from sippy cup then offer breast again and usually she settles and falls asleep. If she is too wound up with the activeness and fussiness I'd do the same thing lay her in the cot but wait in the room and let try and settle and if she stands or sits ill lay her down and quietly say "it's nap time". I repeat this 3 times and the 4th time I say nothing til she is staying laying down and is a bit quieter i'll leave the room. I then check her in 10 mins and usually she is asleep by 20 minutes - 40 minutes at most.

Although other times she is simply done, finished, with the breastfeeding session so I let her get on with her activities and just wait til she is ready for a nap. (wish I didnt stress so much in the early days but that a novel to tell). Like I said you cannot force a baby to sleep or let alone anyone, am i right?

What is your babies/toddler nap time routine?

One Year Baby Update

It's has now been ONE year since the day I was in the hospital in giving birth to our daughter. The year has gone by so fast yet I still remember most of the lovely milestones and her first-ies.

As of this day she is a great walker and is well on the way of running around. Ella is a busy girl she is into everything and bringing me all her books to read. I can ask her to bring me whatever toy I ask her to get like i ask her "where's your elmo, bring mummy elmo?" and she will look around and walk to it pick up elmo and pass him to me. It's the same with books. Such a clever girl.  She eats food that I eat so well now although she has been teething quite bad for the past few weeks so she has not eaten that much so she been snacking now and then. Ella still loves good breastfeeding sessions 4-5 times a day, even with teething.

Within almost 3 months Ella has cut almost 6 teeth. Her to top front teeth are fully out. i'm not looking forward to getting bitten with those bottom teeth coming through but she has pretty good so far (knock's on wood). Night have been rough but we slowly getting back onto our normal night routine. I usually put her to bed at 7pm and then breastfeed her once at round 2am and she sleep through to 6:30am.

Ella has reached all the milstones either early or on the mark. She started crawling a 7 months then not long after that she was using everthing to pull herself up and then at 10 months she was using her walker trolleys and before I knew it she was taking steps on her own at 10 and a half months and at 11 months she stood up and walked on her own. Of course I had encouraged & praised her a lot and held her hands. Praise helps, it gives them a sense of achievement and they feel really good.

Not much to update on as she has reached the 1 years old. She sleeps better, eat better, gets around the house better and gets into everything. Now the joys of having a toodler and tantrum will be on my way. The joys of parenting.

Little Swimmer

Swimming is so fun with a baby. I have been practicing blowing bubble with her and her has not quite got the idea as she just bobs her open mouth in the water but to my surprise she blew a bubble. I so proud of her all this practice is paying off. She made a 7 year old friends pity i forgot her name but she was playing peek a boo with Ella and did lots of high fives. Ella favourite thing was the fountain. We were splashing about at the pools for an hour. That was Ella record she didn't want to leave for lunch she wanted to keep on swimming. Yet again another awesome day with my cutie pie. My great little swimmer.

Ella First Birthday

Ella first birthday was a blast. Can't believe she is a whole one years old!! My baby grew to fast! If only I took more photo I was living the moment. She opened up lots of presents from friends and family and not long after the candles were blown out the pink icing was all over me her the table and the other 1 year old kids. Ella got me good. I was pink on my face, shoulders, legs and arms. In the end she didn't eat any cake but did enjoy the other snacks which were. The rest of the day she was playing with her new toys and lot of laughter and giggles. It was a beautiful sunny day so we were outside just hanging out and chatting and so on. All and all we had a great day and we all slept well that night. 

My sweet little angel

       My Sweet Little Angel

My sweet little angel, when we first meet, you engraved my heart with pure love that I cannot regret.


 I held you close with the umbilical cord still attached. You washed all the pain away when your skin touched mine. I was flooded with joy and happiness flying on cloud nine.

When you opened your puffy eyes mine filled with tears. Your my little girl and you were finally here. Time has flew by and now you growing up and will be turning one years old soon

OMG She's Walking

I couldn't believe what my eyes were showing me. My 11 month old did something new.

From crawling position Ella put her head back reached her arms up and balanced standing up right on her two feet then began to take a few unsteady steps towards me with a huge smile on her face as if to say mum look at me I'm so clever.
That she is, clever!

Ella started off with walking along furniture and then eventually moved of the furniture and sort of swung to the other furniture. After 2 months of using her wooden trolley she finally let go of the trolley and started to walk. It was not long until she took one step to get somewhere then before i knew she was taking 2 steps and eventually 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 steps within two weeks after that she was taking all those steps but she could not stand up on her own she needed to use something to pull her little body up.

Many days went on and Ella was getting better balance on her two feet with the help of mummy and daddy and other objects in her height to get her up and about

Finally Ella pulled her body up from the floor and began to balance on her two feet with no help at all and walked unsteady towards me..LOOK ELLA IS WALKING!..I swear all the neighbours would have heard me. I yelled out to her daddy in the other room so he could see this wonderful milestone of the many of Ella's journey to growing up.

That moment is forever embedded into my memories just like all the other milestones and first moments.

I am a proud mum and now I need to have eye at the back of head to keep up with my little walker.

6-11 Months Baby update + Postpartum

It has been awhile since I have written on here so here is an update of what has been happening for these past 6 months.

Lets start with solids as that is a big milestone at 6 months old.
It was exciting to give her her first taste of food as she had only ever consumed breast milk so this mummy was determined to see how Ella would react. I started her off with a 2pm solid feed as she seemed happy at this time all rested from naps. Her first food was purred banana. I didn't want to bother with the baby rice cereal stuff as it really has no nutritional value. It was so hard to get her to open her mouth and spoon feed her this but after a few taps on the mouth and taste of the banana she finally let me spoon fed her. She only had a few spoon fulls so I usually ate the rest of it. It was like a daily smoothie for me, tasted gooood!! It felt like forever to get to her eating I cannot remember the order of what I feed her but I just eventually started giving her different fruits cooked and cooled pear and apple then I moved on to giving her vegetables such as carrot pumpkin potatoe kumara. While I was getting Ella into solids she became very fussy with taking naps during the day again and I was really struggling and was starting to become obsessed with getting everything right and organised as I am a person who runs more smoothly when there is routine. I turned everywhere to solve my problem of getting Ella to sleep during the day. I was getting frustrated and angry it wasn't working and Ella was getting more and more overtired. I swear I tried all the tricks in the book. I ask for advice for family and friends and also from the ladies on the mummy group on the facebook even look at website on the internet I called plunket and healthline and still I was obsessed with no real plan to get Ella sleeping. I spent a lot of my day stressing out about it and crying. Enough about that where was I that's right SOLIDS..once ella was enjoy her fruits and veges I started introducing meat by mixing it into her veges and she wasn't to keeen but with time she was being spoon by me and was actually enjoying it by the age of 8 months. Must of been because she started crawling at 7 and a half months old. All that crawling must of worked up her appetite. I ened up buying Ella baby food from the supermarket as it was becoming to time consuming and a waste of food to make it myself so I brought baby food pouches. I pick the fruit one mostly as she like banana the most and I started picking the more meat and vege ones. So preparing her meals was much easier she either ate it cold straight from the pouch or I heated it in a bowl in the microwave for about 20-30seconds on med.high. So it took from 6-8 months to get her eating lunch and dinner which was only few spoons and it slowly increased day by day till i felt she was ready for breakfast. I never pushed breakfast on her because she never really wanted it as she just get a breastfeed first thing in the morning even sometimes she wouldn't have breastfeed in the morning either because of the 2 night feeds she had.

Ella started crawling at 7 and a half months. 
Not long after that she was moving across furniture and reaching out to other furniture across from her so she was getting mobile quicker than a thought a baby would.

By 8 months she was a successful crawler and was already looking ready to stand on her own as she was standing for more and more seconds each day, went from 2 second to 4 to 8 and so on.

At 9 months old Ella and i had become bit more relaxed with her sleeping for naps and at night as I thought to myself is it really worth the effort and energy when all it is doing is stressing her and I out so by 9 months she was sleeping really well and with that she was more comfortable with eating solids. She eats what we at this point a little bit mashed then how i would have my food but the same stuff and she loves getting messy and squashing her food through her finger and rubbing it all over herself and her high chair. I brought a high chair from a friend of mine so I got a awesome deal and didnt have to pay much at all. Overall the 9 month mark of being mum is so much more relaxed for me but it still isn't easy but I am coping so much better.

Between 10 month old and now 11 month old Ella cut her first tooth. The top middle left tooth look so cute when she bites into biscuit and leaves a tooth mark. So these part two months has been tough because of this teething business going on so sleep has been a little tricking for my little one and she is wanting to chew and bite anything and everything. Glad she has not bit me yet. She has been wanting to breastfeed a lot more and has been rather clingy towards me and it driving me crazy though I do like the cuddles. To this day today Ella is cutting a second tooth but it is playing pee-a-boo and hide and go seek so it playing on her gums. I'm rubbing teething gel on her gums and sometime giving her pamol and it seems to be helping especially before meal and before bed.

So summing this all up life as a young mum has been a wonderful journey for this almost one year of it. Im proud to be still breastfeeding and never needed to spend a cent on formula for my baby. I'll wean my girl when she is ready as of now she is far from it.