27 February 2012

Week 8: Making time for yourself

I am a little late in writing my grateful post for last week, so will be writing two this week. I have been trying to get the house in to some sort of order, and at the same time not spend so much time on the computer...well it looks like the computer is winning.

My Aunt always says "You either a cleaner or a cook, and good at one but not the other", hmmm...not sure what category that slots me into. I'm neither a great cleaner nor the greatest cook!
I've never been a great tidier or cleaner. Even as a child I had a messy room...hmm...there seems to be a pattern. I remember telling my future husband that when I had my own place I would have more room, and it would be easier to keep it tidy. He will often remind me of this conversation.

Getting back to this week's grateful post.

This week I am grateful for days when I can make time for myself, whether that's enjoying a coffee; reading a
magazine; driving in the car with music, of my choice, blaring; taking part in some retail therapy; catching up with a friend; or just taking a relaxing shower or bath.

On Saturday I went and got my hair coloured and cut. It was nice to sit back and relax, read some magazines, enjoy a coffee and indulge in the head massage...the best part! But most of all, it was nice to have a break. And not have to answer to Mummy or worry about my two girls wanting or needing something from me.

My hubby and the girls were off to pick-up our niece for a sleepover, so that left me with time to get my hair done and then a spot of shopping afterwards.

Although I did miss them all, it was nice to have a little time to myself. There are days when I have had enough of staring at the mess I call my home, and tired of changing dirty nappies and washing and cleaning things I only washed & cleaned the day before.

As a mother you often put everyone else's wants and needs before your own. I find that I if I have a little time to myself, it makes me a happier Mummy and Wife. It also allows me to  handle whatever is thrown at me as I feel refreshed and am re-energised. 

19 February 2012

My photographs of favourite holiday destinations

Eiffel Tower at night, Paris, FranceA balcony in Piazza Navona, Rome, ItalyViews of San Gimignano, ItalyMonterosso, Cinque Terre, ItalyVernazza, Cinque Terre, ItalyRiomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy
Varenna, Lake Como, ItalyVenice, ItalySt Mark's Cathedral, Venice, ItalyPositano, ItalyPositano, ItalyCharles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, Czech RepublicCesky Krumlov, Czech RepublicCesky Krumlov, Czech RepublicPalais du Luxembourg, Paris, FranceBicycles under tree at Palais du Luxembourg, Paris, FranceMetro sign in Paris, France
Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris, FranceEiffel Tower, Paris, FranceParis, FranceParis, FranceParis, FranceMalolo Island Resort, Fiji

My photographs, a set on Flickr.

Week 7: My camera

I am grateful for my trusty camera, without it I wouldn't be able to capture any of the memories my husband and I have shared, including the birth of our two gorgeous girls and the holiday destinations we have travelled to.

Photography is a passion of mine. I love taking photographs of my sweet girls, far away places, family and relatives, as well as capturing memories that we can reflect on down the track.

I have a Nikon Coolpix 5700 digital camera. It is a great camera, it's getting a little old now (over 7 years old) and is rather heavy and slow compared to the newer, smaller and faster digital cameras that are on the market, but it still takes beautiful photographs.

Our trusty friend has gone on quite a few holidays with my husband and I back in the day when we were "DINKS" (double income no kids). In 2006, my husband and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, and celebrated by travelling to Paris. We love Paris. We stayed there for a whole 3 weeks...it was wonderful. The only bad thing, besides the hotel we stayed in, was that our camera stopped working on day 2! It was sad that our friend wasn't able to capture all of our holiday, instead a little Sony digital camera which we bought while there captured the rest of our holiday.

The Sony has since died, however our trusty Nokia once fixed, is still fighting fit and taking beautiful photographs.

You can view some of my favourite holiday photographs stored on Flickr here.


If you liked this you might like:
Week 6: Being able to see
Week 5: A smile

15 February 2012

Having a bad day -- am I depressed?

I am feeling like crap, I just had an argument with one my good friends on the phone over the purchase of "Wiggles" tickets...can you believe it?

To cut a long story short, there was a miscommunication between us both that caused some agnst and grief. She thinks I'm wrong and I think she's wrong.

This conversation ended with me breaking into tears and her thinking that I was depressed and that there was something seriously wrong with me.

I don't think I'm depressed, maybe tired and struggling with keeping the house clean & tidy, and also
worried about my little ones as they both are sick with colds.

Both girls have runny noses, and the sniffles since last Saturday. "Popette" seems a lot better, but "Cherub" is sneezing and congested, and having trouble breathing. I know it's nothing to be too concerned about as it's only a cold. And I shouldn't be too worried about it, but with "Popette's" track record of catching colds, they tend to hang around for a long time and are hard to get rid of. Then without realising it she passes it on to her little baby sister.

Does this sound like I'm depressed or suffering from Post Natal Depression? I don't think so.

Yeah I'm feeling upset, but I don't think I'm suffering from PND. I have completed the Edinburgh test - which is a screening test to help determine if someone is suffering from PND, with the Early Childhood Nurse after "Cherub" was born, as well as online, and the result didn't indicate any
serious problem.
 
I guess there are days when the job as a mother is hard...real hard. I have a nearly 5 month old and 3 year old, and sometimes have days that remind me of the movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray, where each day seems like the day before and so on.

There are days when we are stuck in the house, because of the unpredictable weather, or due to the girls being sick etc, and go stir crazy.

There are days when all I can see is a mess from one room to the next, and when I clean it up, it happens all over again.

I try and get the house in to some sort of cleanliness, but often its in the kitchen for a quick clean, wash "Cherub's" bottles, get the steriliser on, and that's it. As I then have to get "Popette" fed, dressed (although she is getting better at dressing herself), feed "Cherub", spend some time with "Popette", clean up after "Popette', make our lunch, take "Popette" to the toilet, change "Cherub", etc etc.

Today I've done some cleaning while the girls have been having a nap. Put a load of washing on, which now needs to come off the line as it looks like the afternoon shower is on its way. I don't know, maybe I am expecting too much of myself.

Maybe, I'm just having a bad day.

But, if you think you might be suffering from Post Natal Depression (PND), and not certain if you are brave enough to speak to someone about it, below is a link to the Edinburgh test:
http://www.testandcalc.com/etc/tests/edin.asp

Answer the questions honestly.

If you think you might be suffering depression or Post Natal Depression (PND) try talking about your feelings with someone that you trust or get in contact with your local GP.

12 February 2012

Week 6: Being able to see


This week I am grateful to see. Yesterday I received some terrible news about my brother who had a freak incident where he nearly lost his sight in one eye. Its been a very scarey time for him and his family, and we hope that he recovers soon, and gains the majority of his sight back.

Its moments like these when I think of how lucky I am to be able to see. I guess you don't realise how precious the gift of sight is until something like this happens.

I don't know what I would do if one day I woke up and couldn't see my husband or children. As a mother, it would have to be the hardest thing; not being able to see your children smile, see your children jumping in muddy puddles, or watching them play at the park like I saw today.

Not seeing my gorgeous girls and husband would be heartbreaking. I feel so lucky to have seen the birth of my girls, and watch them grow up.

I am grateful to see their beautiful smiles.

I am grateful that my husband & I have been able to travel overseas, and to places within Australia where we have seen some beautiful scenary, and cities which we have grown to love.

I am grateful to see my favourite artist's art within museums & galleries.

I am grateful to see my family and friends, be able to look at and take photographs, to see a movie, to see animals and things in nature like a sunset, etc.

There are so many things I could list...but really, I am just grateful that I can see.

If you like this you might like:

Week 5: A smile
Week 4: My family

03 February 2012

Week 5: A smile

This week I am grateful for a smile. Whether it is from my 4 month old bubba "Cherub", which I am yet to capture on my camera or her big sister "Popette".

I love it when I talk to "Cherub" and in return get a big goofy, sometimes drooly, smile beaming back at me...she really does melt my heart and when I've had a crappy day, she brightens it up.

Here's a photo of almost a smile

Lately "Cherub's" big sister "Popette" has stopped smiling for the camera on demand, so when taking photo's I've had to be sneaky in capturing her smiling. Luckily I caught a lovely one of her at her birthday party. She is my beautiful big girl, and while she might drive me crazy at times, I love her to bits.

My big girl
Seeing my two girls together always brings a smile to my face. I guess because they are my pride and joy, and bring my husband and I much happiness.

My two girls


What made you smile today?

If you liked this you might like:

Week 4: My family
Week 3: Inspiration

If you have enjoyed reading my weekly 'grateful' posts, why not come and join me on my "52 weeks of grateful" journey. Unfortunately, I don't have a Linky tool, but you can always leave me a link to your blog or post in the Comments box. 

01 February 2012

Thank goodness for the rain

"Popette" is in her room "resting"...she's at that stage, where she tells me that she doesn't want a sleep (even though I can tell she really needs one), so I compromise with her and say that she can have a rest with her teddies on her bed. She's recently turned 3, and going through a "terrible three's"phase....who said it was "terrible two's" has got it all wrong!! Three's seem so much worse...mind you she's only been three for less than a month.

I had a shocker of a day on Monday, at one stage she held her hand up and said "Don't talk to me". I still have no idea where she got that from.

Then yesterday she was my sweet gorgeous girl, who was no trouble at all!

Today, she's been okay. A little whingy when she didn't get the strawberry milkshake I promised her, which was on the proviso that she would let me get her dressed so we could go out. Going out was a nightmare. I was supposed to take "Cherub" to a physio appointment at the hospital, we ended up missing the appointment as I spent 40 minutes driving around in the pouring rain looking for a parking spot. "Cherub" started crying for her bottle, so in the end I took the girls home...meaning no strawberry milkshake. "Popette" of course was not happy.

The house is nice and quiet, all I can hear is the rain on the road and water running down the downpipes. I think "Popette" might of fallen asleep, against all her efforts of trying to stay awake. :-) Thank goodness for the rain, I love listening to it when I'm in bed all curled up. I hope it's what helped "Popette" take a nap. Lets hope she wakes up in a good mood.