{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember - Soulemama
Friday, February 24, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember - Soulemama
Inspired and motivated to share a moment by Soulemama and her readers. Visit Soulemama to share her moment and others'. I would love you to share your lenz with me by posting a link to your moment below.
Inspired and motivated to share a moment by Soulemama and her readers. Visit Soulemama to share her moment and others'. I would love you to share your lenz with me by posting a link to your moment below.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
NOT Breastfeeding at Playgroup
There has been a lot of debate in the press lately about breast feeding or not. Extremists will always get their views into the media, and it is important, in my opinion, that they do. They give us an opportunity to ask ourselves what we think about the issue.
Breast feeding has been something I can do. Very little drama and a lot of success. I am grateful that my children have been able to benefit from the intimacy of breast feeding and the health benefits. Still, there are many other beautiful mother-child relationships for those who bottle fed, what's more their children are also healthy.
I have always advocated to other mummy friends that you do what ever is best for a happy mum and happy baby. At the point when the decision is being made, or is made that bottle feeding must begin I hear my self consoling friends with "It's ok" and "We can do our best, then we are allowed to bottle feed if we need too".
While I can breast feed I am not quite able to breast feed for as long as some Mums. At our Steiner playgroup I am always amazed by mothers breast feeding two, three and four year old children. All mothers have their reasons for breast feeding - for what ever duration, or bottle feeding and hopefully the reason encompasses happiness.
So I can say this and share this - but now I am living it with my second daughter I am struggling!! E is six months old. From four months she has shown strong signs of wanting food. She has been breast fed on demand - unlike my eldest daughter. She is now on three meals a day and loves her milk and food. She is happy.
I am less happy, I am tired too. Consequently, we are almost one week into one bottle of formula a day. She takes the bottle enthusiastically, unlike her sister! She devours her milk. She has three teeth, so its nice that the teat gets a hard time instead of me! Yet I feel a sense of guilt.
When I pulled out the bottle at our beloved play group I felt like a failure. I have not seen one bottle fed baby there before. E did not mind one bit. Actually, I bet nobody minded. Just me!! Our play group community are so accepting, and yet I felt guilt. So silly!
So why have I started to drop breast feeding? Let me remind my self.
E is ready for more. I am exhausted. Hormone fluctuations are making me a little crazy. Patience is disappearing. Oh, and here is a wee sketch of what my vivacious eldest daughter got up to today at play group...
That is her a top an eight foot fence. No one else at play group had the vision to see how to climb the fence. Kaea does! And did so twice today!! The fence neatly separates play group from kindergarten. Kaea has watched little people playing through the cracks in the fence. She has wondered through their green kindergarten pastures, past the fountain, rocky edged sandpit, meandering paths to the lush vege garden to feed the chickens. She has experienced a small sense of loss realising that her friends who once played with her at play group, are now on the other side of the fence.
At almost two and a half she told me she can go to kindy now. She has been told that when she is three, and can successfully use the toilet she may go to kindy. Well she can use the toilet and she is three next birthday so I can see why she must be there NOW. The kindergarten co-ordinator who rescued her from eight feet up (whilst I tried with baby in arm) a little shocked to learn that she was not three for another five months asked me if I thought she would be ready to attend without Mum. My response, rather sadly was yes.
I am not digressing from the point of this post. Promise. Kaea is an exuberant, independent learner, who cannot get enough of the world. I tire from keeping up with or just behind her from a little distance. She needs my energy as does E. So to keep up with them both and keep my self going forward I feel that a combination of breast and bottle from now on is the key.
Hopefully we can regain a happy mum, and maintain happy baby and toddler.
Breast feeding has been something I can do. Very little drama and a lot of success. I am grateful that my children have been able to benefit from the intimacy of breast feeding and the health benefits. Still, there are many other beautiful mother-child relationships for those who bottle fed, what's more their children are also healthy.
I have always advocated to other mummy friends that you do what ever is best for a happy mum and happy baby. At the point when the decision is being made, or is made that bottle feeding must begin I hear my self consoling friends with "It's ok" and "We can do our best, then we are allowed to bottle feed if we need too".
While I can breast feed I am not quite able to breast feed for as long as some Mums. At our Steiner playgroup I am always amazed by mothers breast feeding two, three and four year old children. All mothers have their reasons for breast feeding - for what ever duration, or bottle feeding and hopefully the reason encompasses happiness.
So I can say this and share this - but now I am living it with my second daughter I am struggling!! E is six months old. From four months she has shown strong signs of wanting food. She has been breast fed on demand - unlike my eldest daughter. She is now on three meals a day and loves her milk and food. She is happy.
I am less happy, I am tired too. Consequently, we are almost one week into one bottle of formula a day. She takes the bottle enthusiastically, unlike her sister! She devours her milk. She has three teeth, so its nice that the teat gets a hard time instead of me! Yet I feel a sense of guilt.
When I pulled out the bottle at our beloved play group I felt like a failure. I have not seen one bottle fed baby there before. E did not mind one bit. Actually, I bet nobody minded. Just me!! Our play group community are so accepting, and yet I felt guilt. So silly!
So why have I started to drop breast feeding? Let me remind my self.
E is ready for more. I am exhausted. Hormone fluctuations are making me a little crazy. Patience is disappearing. Oh, and here is a wee sketch of what my vivacious eldest daughter got up to today at play group...
That is her a top an eight foot fence. No one else at play group had the vision to see how to climb the fence. Kaea does! And did so twice today!! The fence neatly separates play group from kindergarten. Kaea has watched little people playing through the cracks in the fence. She has wondered through their green kindergarten pastures, past the fountain, rocky edged sandpit, meandering paths to the lush vege garden to feed the chickens. She has experienced a small sense of loss realising that her friends who once played with her at play group, are now on the other side of the fence.
At almost two and a half she told me she can go to kindy now. She has been told that when she is three, and can successfully use the toilet she may go to kindy. Well she can use the toilet and she is three next birthday so I can see why she must be there NOW. The kindergarten co-ordinator who rescued her from eight feet up (whilst I tried with baby in arm) a little shocked to learn that she was not three for another five months asked me if I thought she would be ready to attend without Mum. My response, rather sadly was yes.
I am not digressing from the point of this post. Promise. Kaea is an exuberant, independent learner, who cannot get enough of the world. I tire from keeping up with or just behind her from a little distance. She needs my energy as does E. So to keep up with them both and keep my self going forward I feel that a combination of breast and bottle from now on is the key.
Hopefully we can regain a happy mum, and maintain happy baby and toddler.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Show and Share: Heart Soaps in a Coat (Felted Soap)
I would like to introduce you to my big girl Kaea. She is a talker. Started talking quite early, has a fast growing vocabulary and talks about everything! Inspired by Meagan at This Whole Family we chose to celebrate Valentines Day by creating felted soaps together. Such a wonderful hands on and useful craft to complete with our children.
Together we've made her first "Show and Share" tutorial, thinking it would be a great way for her to do what she loves best - talk and share, and may be experience an audience wider than her family. You will hear her refer to "Tazza and Daddy" as these are who I framed as her audience. The concept of a blogging community as an audience was a little hard to explain!
Following this "Show and Share" are some supporting notes and comments from her Mumma.
Perhaps, your little people could enjoy this "Show and Share" with you.
The movie could do with polishing, however the focus is showing and sharing in her two year old way. We would love to hear what your little people think.
The timing of Meagan's tutorial on Felted Soap could not have been better for me. We are almost a year into toilet training and my pet peeve at the moment is liquid soap. The liquid soap dispensers are not kind or encouraging to little people who want to grow in independence. I am not a fan of soap bars left wet and slippery at the basin either. Felted soap is a great solution. Wool is self sanitising, it creates a lovely lather of soap, acts as a cloth to wipe off extra dirt and allows the soap to dry in a contained space. And it looks beautiful!
I have also read that once the soap has disappeared, you can cut open the felt, insert another bar and close the opening with more felting.
You will need:
Add grated or pieces of soap, along with coconut oil if using into a double boiler. When the soap has softened (timing will depend on the amount of grated soap) add essential oil if you wish. Softened soap can then be spooned into your moulds. Take care it can be hot. Level the soap and leave to harden overnight.
Finally, unwrap the stocking to reveal your felted soap - or soap in coat! Leave the soap to dry completely before using.
Thanks Meagan for sharing your tutorial and I hope you and your little people enjoy Kaea's "Show and Share" x
Together we've made her first "Show and Share" tutorial, thinking it would be a great way for her to do what she loves best - talk and share, and may be experience an audience wider than her family. You will hear her refer to "Tazza and Daddy" as these are who I framed as her audience. The concept of a blogging community as an audience was a little hard to explain!
Following this "Show and Share" are some supporting notes and comments from her Mumma.
Perhaps, your little people could enjoy this "Show and Share" with you.
Heart Soaps in a Coat (Felted Soap)
The movie could do with polishing, however the focus is showing and sharing in her two year old way. We would love to hear what your little people think.
Mumma's Supporting Notes
The timing of Meagan's tutorial on Felted Soap could not have been better for me. We are almost a year into toilet training and my pet peeve at the moment is liquid soap. The liquid soap dispensers are not kind or encouraging to little people who want to grow in independence. I am not a fan of soap bars left wet and slippery at the basin either. Felted soap is a great solution. Wool is self sanitising, it creates a lovely lather of soap, acts as a cloth to wipe off extra dirt and allows the soap to dry in a contained space. And it looks beautiful!
I have also read that once the soap has disappeared, you can cut open the felt, insert another bar and close the opening with more felting.
You will need:
- a mould for your chosen soap shape
- gratings of soap - I chose to grate a quarter of a cup from a bar of soap
- a double boiler - I used a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water
- a few drops of essential oil - optional, I used sweet orange
- tbsp of coconut oil - optional, I found that it helped to melt the soap
- wool roving, suited for wet felting - I found more than enough in a bag for less than $NZ5 from Spotlight
- an old stocking
- a bowl of warm water
Pop the harden soap out of the mould and cover with the wool roving.
At this stage we placed the soap in an old stocking. Using a stocking makes it easier for hands, big or little to matt/felt the wool. You may go without a stocking, it will require rubbing the wool for a little longer.
Dip the stocking wrapped soap into warm water and begin to rub all over.
It soon begins to lather. We took turns to rub the soap for almost ten minutes. For a larger bar of soap you may need to rub for 20 minutes.
Finally, unwrap the stocking to reveal your felted soap - or soap in coat! Leave the soap to dry completely before using.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Summer Tee Pee
I love tee pees! Last year while cruising the internet I found many gorgeous tee pees, my favourite being those who had the hand made touch. They reminded me of childhood summers spent under our tent made of bed sheets in the shade and with use of the branches of a nectarine tree.
In time for Christmas I managed to create these tee pee for my daughter and her cousin using this pattern from Spotlight - made from sheeting even!!
One was appliqued while the other featured stars. I love the idea of tee pees providing a little space for peace and serenity for big brothers or sisters. That is of course until little brothers or sisters learn to crawl!
KB still loves to share with her wee sister and read to her, so for now her tee pee is a shared space.
'dell has taken to his tee pee so much that it has become his nap time destination! For this I am so grateful as when he unwrapped this Christmas present from his Aunty it sure paled in comparison to his cousins bike from her Aunty!!
If you've not seen the tee pee pattern from Spotlight and want to practice straight lines and seams like I did, take a look. This is a great project, simple with potential to become a magnificent project.
What do you think? I would love to read your comments, they will motivate me to keep trying to find a space in my hectic life to post that which my busy hands have created!! Thinking about a give away too...
Hope to post again soon x
In time for Christmas I managed to create these tee pee for my daughter and her cousin using this pattern from Spotlight - made from sheeting even!!
One was appliqued while the other featured stars. I love the idea of tee pees providing a little space for peace and serenity for big brothers or sisters. That is of course until little brothers or sisters learn to crawl!
KB still loves to share with her wee sister and read to her, so for now her tee pee is a shared space.
If you've not seen the tee pee pattern from Spotlight and want to practice straight lines and seams like I did, take a look. This is a great project, simple with potential to become a magnificent project.
Hope to post again soon x
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