2010 - the year of ME

Image: bellouccello

Wow.

Another year over, another one about to begin.

I've been thinking a lot about the new year and what I want it to be. The last nearly 4 years have been about pregnancy and babies - 2006: mostly pregnant, 2007: Josh born, 2008: pregnant and Zoe born, 2009: sleep deprived blur.

Might sound a little selfish, but I want 2010 to be more about me. I want to:

{get active}

{get healthy}

{achieve a healthy weight}

{do more things that make me happy like decorating my home, collecting handmade stationery as well as making some of my own for my family and friends}

{continue trying to buy gifts for people that are from small business or hobbyists for that extra personal touch}

{take time out to restore my relationship with my Creator which has fallen by the wayside primarily because of the last four years (see above!)}

{enjoy my friends more by socialising with them child free}

{take time out for manicures and pedicures because they are so indulgent and fun (I found a place last week that does both for $42!!)}

{go to more live shows}.

I won't be upset  with myself if I don't achieve all these things in their fullness, but I want something to aspire to next year which involves redefining myself a little so I can be something much more than mummy.

Wishing you all a wonderful transition into the year 2010. xo

little miss zoe - a giddy girl

Look who is a 'giddy giddy' girl.

I made this post a few months back about how much I love their hair clips. Teri from giddy giddy asked me if it would be ok to add Miss Z to the giddy gallery. So there she is in the number 1 spot!

Phew! How is everyone recovering from Christmas? We had a great time with family and friends, though I went on a bit of a photo strike and now have no photos from the special day. I'm a bit sad about that now. I received Wii Fit Plus from hubby, so I really have to get going on my next project - '2010 - the Year of ME'. I might blog about that later.....

Anyway, I am now enjoying some time at home with hubby around, who is also on hand to help with the kids. I was even able to duck away to the shops the other day where I pampered myself with a manicure and pedicure, bought a new dress and scoffed some peanut butter Lindt balls!!! So good!

Tomorrow hubby is out for the day and my mum is coming over to help me with my little chair project. We should have them all painted up by the end of the day. Yippee!!

merry christmas one and all!

Wishing you many presents

under your tree

in your stocking

in your tummy

and in your heart.

Merry Christmas. xo

christmas has come early

 

 I've just received the best early Christmas present ever. Ever. Ever. Ever.

At the moment for my little boy's day sleep, I need to lay down with him while he falls asleep. It never usually takes very long. Today I had been out all morning shopping. I came home while he was finishing lunch and I told him we would go and lay down for a sleep. He really snuggled up next to me today, like he had missed me. I closed my eyes and prepare to catch 5 mins of zzzzzz's myself when I heard a little 'i love you mummy'. For a split second I thought I had heard wrong, so I went, 'mmmm?'. Again I heard a little sleepy 'i love you mummy'. I wanted to cry...I was so moved.

Now I know my boy loves me, and if I ask him he will of course always say he loves me, but this was the first time he has ever said it to me completely naturally and because he wanted to right at that moment. He was happy, content and expressed that to me by saying 'i love you mummy'.

I don't need any presents this year. That's all the gifts I could ever want wrapped up in one sentence.

Image: Deep Fried Kudzu

etsy store feature {freya art}

A few weeks ago I stumbled across this fabulous store on etsy - FreyaArt. Freya makes beautiful prints including these personalised baby announcements with the most gorgeous messages. I wrote a small article on FreyaArt as my first piece for Skout's Kids Product Directory. You can read the whole article here.

dance like there's no tomorrow

There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.  ~Vicki Baum

My boy is just so funny sometimes. He makes my heart sing with joy.

A few days ago he was looking through an old jewellery box of mine and found my long lost red rose hair clip. When he saw it, I realise now, it triggered his memory of a recent Postman Pat episode he has been loving lately where all the villagers are preparing for a Spring Dance. One couple dance together and the lady has a red rose when they dance. So when he found the hair clip, he came up to where I was sitting and said, 'Mummy, put it on'. So I put the clip into my hair. I thought that was it.... He then took my hands and said 'let's dance'! I was so stunned for a moment, but then I took his hands and danced away the afternoon with him. He was so delighted, and I heard lots of 'ole's and 'bravo's coming from him.

I so love when my days are blessed by these little gifts. They come unexpectedly and remind me to not get bogged down in the daily routines and rituals of caring for a toddler and a baby. I sometimes need nothing more but to sit back and enjoy the creativity and delight of a child.

This blog post was for Sunday Citar - a blog quote meme created by Tabitha @ FreshMommy.

at least i know what zoe will be wearing

Have you decided what to wear for Christmas yet?

I'm not enjoying thinking about it this year, as my options are really limited given the amount of weight I need to lose to fit into anything in my wardrobe......

But as this blog post's title suggests, at least I know what Zoe will be wearing!!!

I just made an online trip to Little Styles and this is what I picked up.

I can't get enough of those giddygiddy hair clips. They are just too adorable.

I'm banking on Christmas Day being quite warm so thought I would go with bloomers this year rather than prettying her up in a dress that will probably end up coming off anyway. My mum also bought her the sequined tank top from Seed (just thought I would put the pic of it with the rest of the outfit above) so she will wear that with the bloomers and ballets and the little Christmas gingerbread clip in her hair. I think it will be cute. Just have to hope it arrives on time now, especially with these AusPost strikes that have been happening!

What's your little one wearing for Christmas this year?