Imogen is eating her lunch so I have stolen a few minutes for a blog.

Life has been busy as always.  I am working7-8 shifts per fornight and studying.  I have almost finished my lactation consultant course.  only 1 and a half modules to go (out of 10)- 'public health' and 'research'.  so pretty much all of the applied knowledge work has been completed.  Now I just have to decide if i want to fork out the $500 to sit the exam so i can put a few more letters next to my name.  Some days I feel like i am paying more to work than i am earning.  in the last 24 hours i have paid another $315 for breastfeeding memberships (ABA-LRC and ILCA/LCANZ) to get access to their websites and journals.

I was planning on doing my grad dip in child and family health this year, but i've now decided to wait until next year when Imogen goes to pre-school.

I have been pottering around the house, making improvements here and there.  my 3-5 year plan is to move to a nicer area with better schools (before Charlotte and Lachlan start high school).  I haven't had time to do as much as I would like between work, study and running the kids around to taekwondo, dance (and now soccer is about to start again) plus I have just started playing netball again twice a week after having a year off. 

I've currently got a head cold which is making its way to my chest thanks to charlotte sharing her bugs with me.  Lachlan only got it bad enough to make his voice a bit croaky, but i think he liked the sound of it so we couldnt shut him up!  So far Imogen has escaped without symptoms.  I spent ages on the phone a couple of weeks ago trying to book in a time I could donate blood between what they had available and when i had a free hour without a child....made the appt for this wednesday before work, and now because im sick i had to reschedule.  they'll have to wait another nearly 3 weeks for by blood now!

well i've got a tonne of washing to fold and put away.  so thats the update for now.  take care everyone

love Josie. 

I hope everyone had a fabulous christmas.

I myself was very spoilt and am now sporting quite a few diamonds.....Im feeling very special!

The kids all had a great day.  We (and Santa of course) got them a 16ft trampoline, which has been great fun for the whole family.  I think I may need to invest in a packet of Tena Ladies LOL. after 3 kids the pelvic floor isnt what it used to be, but ive done better than i thought i would in that department .

The post christmas clean up is underway.  I have a couple of extra days of work this week to look after the kids, since OSHC is closed over the christmas period, so thay are helping me find new homes for all their new things..

Wishing everyone a safe and happy new year!!

love josie and family

I am very excited.  I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to a conference next week on attachment theory and child development, presented by Sir John Bowlby!!  I already have his book (which I now feel i should read cover to cover before the conference  )

Would be nice to hear it all from the horses mouth, rather than reading it in a text book.  Attachment theory really interests me, as it s got such an impact on my daily work and plays a part in almost every piece of advice i have to offer about behaviour, coping/resillience, sleep etc.

i wonder if there will be an article blossoming from my conference experience.....lol

(im sure i will have to write something up for my colleagues at work who dont have the opportunity to attend)

on another note, the lactation course is going very well.....another topic that interests me greatly.  i am learning lots to add to by current experience.

gee i wish i knew all this stuff before i had my own kids!!

Just an indicator of how busy life can get.  I still pop in regularly to see what everyone is up to and ask and answers questions.

I have found it a bit hard to be on the site in my spare time, at times, because work does get very draining.  its hard to take on parents complex issues at work, and then think about minti parenting, and think about my own parenting.  I am loving doing the baby checks and chatting with parents about how their parenting experience is for them.  seeing all these babies (healthy well babies, compared to the sick babies I see in the hospital) is making me a bit clucky..........but it would not be very clever of me at this stage to have a fourth!!

I am learning heaps from my lactation course.  I wish I had done it before I breastfed my 3!!! Im sure my breasfeeding experience would have been a lot more straightforward, lol.

Since I last blogged, I have done quite a bit around the house.  The kids bedrooms have now been recarpeted, painted and have built in robes......total facelift.

We have had some problems with lachlan biting and hitting at school.  I think it has to do with another boy, whom lachlan doesnt get along with very well and looks like he is a bit of a bully.....rubs lachlan up the wrong way and he reacts.  this other boy looks a bit rough.  Anyway, i've taken Lachaln to the psychologist to get some strategies on how I might deal with these issues and learn how to teach him how to manage his emotions in the heat of the moment (poor coping skills that he learned from his dad need to be resolved).  we are just starting on this journey.

The girls have been great.  Imogen is enjoying her ballet class (its so cute watching the 3 year olds skip around in their ballet costumes).  Charlotte is practicing for her upcoming dance concert.  she stands on the table outside and pretends she is on stage.

well thats out update.