Arab Drifting with a bike - YouTube

Still one of my favourite YouTube videos:

Arab Drifting with a bike - YouTube

just a bit of rambling...venting

You know when you have a great idea (well you think its great) and your husband agrees and tells you go ahead with it. So you do, but it doesn't go according to plan and you end up in a totally different position to where you were planning on going... ok I don't know exactly where I'm heading with this (in fact I think I'm just rambling now)

yeah... so... we started a little business importing clothing (this isn't advertising so I wont go into detail) anyway we started out selling a few items online and some silly person convinced me to list some of my handmade goods. Of course now everyone is ordering my handmade items and NOT the stock we paid good money for :( oh well at least we're getting sales AND lots of orders... Guess I'll be busy for a while now :)
 The only problem with being busy is it's taken away time from my creativeness (ok I'm not that creative, but I'd like to think I am... I have good ideas, maybe that's more me??). Now instead of making my 'great' ideas all my time is taken up making the items that I hadn't planned on selling arhhh... On a positive note I'm getting some great reviews, YAY! (don't know what I'm going to do with all the other stock though).

Not too sure why I'm complaining cause I've still managed to find time to do all the normal mummy things, maintain our lawns and gardens, make a start on 'spring cleaning' (which I hate by the way), help Monster with the developmental things he seems to struggle with (according to his Gymbaroo teacher) AND paint the spare room, well I've only done the first coat... but it looks a million times better then YELLOW! oh and why is it that grey paint comes out bluish???? it's really frustrating! I mean its called 'silver thread' and everyone comments "wow that's a really nice blue, it really suits Monsters room" arrhhh... it's NOT blue!! Hopefully it's just the carpet reflecting on the walls... (note to self: do test patch in lounge). Ok went a bit off track there :)


Today I vacuumed the floors (wow exciting I know right?). Elvis brought this ridiculously expensive vacuum (don't know why, I love/d my nilfisk) so of course I have to justify it by 'actually' using it... I've used it 6 times now and today I was ready to tell him where he can stick it when I FINALLY realised I was using it wrong oops... trust him to buy a complicated time consuming contraption...This overly priced vacuum is freaking awesome now!.. who knew? Well besides nearly ripping my toenails off every time I run over my foot/feet. Now just to work out how to clean the carpets... wash clean, not vacuum, I've worked that out now!

Wow I really am rambling tonight hmm... must be bored :) or time for bed :)
"night night moon"  - hmmm... read too many bed time stories tonight 

For future mums:

A good friend of mine is expecting her first baby in the next few weeks... She asked me if I have any advice. Obviously I've been given lots of advice since becoming a mum (and even before then). People tend to see a baby (or a belly) and tell you everything and anything (even if you really don't want to hear it)... So I told her my thoughts - Trust your instincts (this was what my mummy kept repeating to me, gee she's wise), what works for one baby might not work for yours. Listen to advice from others and use what works, dismiss the rest.

              And then I stumbled upon this: 

    (It pretty much sums it all up)

Created by Kelly from: www.iloveprettythings.com.au
Available from: The Smile Collective

The joys of being a parent...

Last night we made our first ever midnight trip to the hospital for the little Monster. He had croup and was struggling to breath. He's had it before so I knew as soon as I heard him what the problem was. After a quick call to nurse on call we decided to follow her instructions and make the long, COLD drive to town. The triage nurse did a few quick tests and he was given pretneslone to clear his airways. Within minutes of giving it to him he was back to normal and running around the waiting room... By the time we saw the doctor (an hour later) he was breathing normal and had almost all his colour back, which meant we got to go home YAY! (with some extra medicine to survive the next 2 nights)

Monster has been trying to drop his day time nap for a while now. I had hoped that after such a late night he'd WANT a sleep today... NOPE!  Personally I think he still NEEDS it.

 OK, OK, nap time is really mummy free time... I love my lil man but some days mummy needs to re-charge the batteries... and catch up on house work that you sooo can't do with a toddler wanting to help... folding washing is my main one... I was once told that a mum only gets so much patience per day and if it's all gone by 9am you just have to wait for the next 24hours to click over before it will be re-filled again.

He DOES go to sleep fairly easily at night, and yes he (most nights) sleeps through til 8 or 8.30am (would be a pretty good sleep in if Elvis didn't wake me before he leaves for work). So he's possibly getting enough sleep at night, but getting him ready (in his PJs and bedtime stories) can be tiring when he's extra tiered and grumpy, it's just not fun!

So today I am tired, sleep deprived and surviving on caffeine... THE JOYS OF BEING A PARENT!

Hanging out til I can do this... oh bed I miss you!

A Hobby? or a Chore?

So earlier this year I started crocheting. Mainly due to the fact that Monster needed a new beanie (he has very thin hair, therefore nothing to keep him warm. Plus he LOVES hats) AND, they're so darn expensive... I mean $30 for a hat/beanie that won't even fit him next winter... I don't think so! Also because everyone seems to be having babies this year... I thought this might help cut down on the money I spend on newborn gifts (yeah right, I just buy something else to go with the hat lol)

 So my first few were... wearable but I'm never impressed when he chooses to wear them out in public. Obviously I'm the only harsh critic as he always seems to get compliments on them. Not only compliments but orders. Which leads me to my current predicament; Do I want to sell my creations? Will my hobby then become a chore?

There's not a lot of money in selling hats. I've done some research and found most mums/nannas who are selling their creations are selling them for around $15 (newborn size). So if I were an accountant advising someone I'd probably tell them not to... $15 per hat which takes 2-3hours to make, depending on the detail. That's a no-brainer!

So do I give in to peer pressure and start a hobby business? or just keep giving them away? Do I start a Facebook business (like everyone else)? or do I sell at the markets? (not too keen on the markets idea as that will add to the overheads... although I have no idea how much a market stall costs at the mo. Plus that would mean I have to build up stock TO sell). Then theres always ebay or www.madeit.com.au ? But they also have overheads.

 I was thinking I could donate them to the local special care nurseries (Monster had a brief stay there) and they could give them to the tiny bubbas or sell them for fundraising. The only problem with this idea is Elvis probably won't agree, or he'll at least argue a few points against it. ick... I can already hear them... 

arghh... decisions, decisions... maybe I'll just relax by making another hat... 

oh I've also made a few scarves (for myself)

Here's a few of my recent creations:

(the one's I actually like)

For the Boys

For The Girls

who knew it would be so entertaining...

This post contains breastfeeding stories...
(just a warning as I know a few people don't like BF and gag at the thought of it)

Today I was reminiscing over where the time has gone...
Monster was breastfed til his 2nd birthday. The plan was for him to self-wean but the cut off was his 2nd birthday. So he's a real BOOBIES boy and a few of his stories involve boobies...

Boobs really have a mind of their own. I remember my mum being in fits of laughter when I took my bra off ready to feed Monster only for them/it to squirt EVERYWHERE. Poor baby was absolutely COVERED in milk, he couldn't even attach cause the milk was squirting him in the eye and he couldn't see anything...not to mention the floor had white puddles. Elvis was joining in with mums laughter all while I was panicking and freaking out cause I didn't know how to stop it. "Just pop him on" mum finally suggested :)

I've lost count of the number of times we were feeding in public when someone would come up to have a closer look at our little bundle.... only to cop an eyeful of something they were never expecting.

When Monster first learnt the word booby he used it as much as he could... At the doctors there was a poster with a girl in a bikini (skin cancer poster) and Monster(10months) got everyone's attention by pointing and screaming "boobies, boobies, boobies". A little embarrassing when your sitting in a FULL waiting room (cancer specialist) and some of the ladies around were missing a booby or two. Thank fully they smiled and laughed with him!
 If anyone walked past us with a 'low' cut top on he was very quick to point and scream "boobies". Yep even in the middle of the supermarket.

So recently whenever he has no shirt on he sits there, grabs his nipple and attempts to put it in his mouth... when i ask what he's doing? he replies: "Booby, yummy, yummy" (think he misses his boobies).

this post could go on forever as I have an endless supply of booby stories... but alas our breastfeeding journey is finished... so now I can enjoy a glass of wine (or two)...

Roll up your sleeves...

So last night I decided to make a booking to donate blood... or maybe pay it back. Last year  5 liters of blood and 2 plasma were used to save my life so I have a whole new appreciation for the blood bank. I haven't donated blood in years for a number of reasons (pregnancies, tattoos and I had no idea where the local blood bank was until I literally tripped over it, well it's front step anyway)... So I was really excited to be making a booking. Well I really didn't think about it properly did I? I mean I just had an operation less then a week ago and here I am thinking I'll just go in next week, huh... what a dork! So anyway, scrap that idea for at least 6 weeks (the wound has to heal, ie no stitches. They took 6 weeks to dissolve last time!)... well it was a nice idea anyway, maybe I'll book Elvis in for another donation, wonder if him splitting his head open while we were in China will affect his eligibility? Guess we'll just have to wait and see... 1 in 3 need blood...1 in 30 donate
HINT! HINT!
(there's even a link here for you, too easy)
look there's even one right here for you kiwis :)

Something you may or may not know...

So a few years ago I joined an online forum. At the time I was looking for people I could relate to... people who were going through the same thing as me. I'm talking about re-current miscarriages (with no cause found), Monster was our 5th, but first born. Anyway it was great having people you could relate with and who had not only been through it but also come out the other side WITH a baby :) It was also great to be anonymous and not have people look at you all sympathetic like and feeling sorry for you. I hate people feeling sorry for me, it irritates me! I'm not sick, or dying I just lost something before I'd really received it. The other thing I hated hearing was "it obviously wasn't meant to be" grrhh.. That sentence still grates my chalk board! If 'it wasn't meant to be' then why the hell did I get pregnant in the first place? No one has ever given me a decent explanation for it... well not one I can not argue with anyway.

The good part about going through all that was:
1. I developed thick skin. Some people really don't think before they speak! (the one that still sticks in my mind is "we're glad you lost your baby", she didn't mean it in a vengeful (is that a word?) way. According to Elvis, she probably didn't mean it like that... in other words she meant it for her own selfish reasons).
- A miscarriage isn't something I'd wish on my worst enemy, it's physically painful, not to mention emotionally draining.
The thick skin also helps with all the other dumb comments you get whilst pregnant and when you have a baby...
2. It has made me truly grateful for what I HAVE. After every miscarriage I was still thankful that I could at least GET pregnant on my own. No IVF etc. And now  that I have Monster I'm grateful for him! There are so many beautiful people out there that can not have babies and it breaks my heart to hear there stories.
3. Elvis and I grew stronger as a couple. We really are a team. And when you live away from your family it really helps to have someone who can always pick you back up when you're at your worst.

As horrible as it is to loose a baby or babies I'm at least glad I don't have some disease or other deadly medical condition. I don't have to fight just to breathe on a daily basis, nor do I live on a concoction of drugs/medicines. If this is the worst that can happen in my life then I really have nothing to complain about :)



OK, so this post didn't end up being about what I had intended. In fact I was going to tell you about AF, so on this forum I visit they call their 'period'  AF. I've never known what AF stands for but I guessed they were talking about their periods... "arghh.. AF arrived today, guess I'm not pregnant :("  Funny thing is I've been visiting this forum for years.
  So anyway, today I googled it... it stands for Aunt Flo, I really don't like calling it Aunt Flo! Why? because that's my mums name, well her middle name, and my dad calls her Flo, it's also the only nickname I've known her to have... You can see where I'm going with this.
Call it what it is people!

Lets start with an intro...

This is my blog, used to clear my head. If you've ever wandered what I was thinking... this is where you'll find out. Secrets will be revealed, well my ones anyway.

No real names will be used on my blog, everyone will receive a nickname... If you know me you'll know who I'm talking/thinking about.
This is me:

haha.. no its NOT! Looks nothing like me, although I did take this picture to the hairdresser once... lets just say she was the WORST hairdresser I've ever been to. 

Actually this is more me:

yup I can definitely resemble She Hulk... especially when I let things brew. So I will refer to myself as me, I or 'She Hulk'

AND, this is my husband:

OK, not really, but if you know me in real life you'll know why I choose this picture ;-)

   My husband will be referred to as Elvis, why? you ask, because Elvis was The King and my husband is My King :) wow that's a bit cheesey... oh, Plus my nanny loves/loved Elvis (can kind of see why, miss you nan).

And this is our wee man:

Ok, again not really but he is cute and cuddly like Elmo... and he giggles A LOT! He's also ticklish, wow just realized how much he has in common with Elmo :)

He will be known as Monster... not the ugly scary kind! The cute cuddly kind... plus we've always called him our 'little monster' :)

I may or may not publish real photos (haven't decided yet) but if they contain people I know, permission will be asked first :)

Anyway, if you're interested... stick around. If not... gee you're nosey! ;-)

Again, its more for me then anyone else so most of you will drop away due to boredom... my life isn't that exciting. But we are planning on travelling (again)... more will be revealed...