This post is from from my other blog here



January



May



July



October

This was the year I enjoyed pregnancy. Who would have thought it possible?! I loved carrying my forth child and taking responsibilty for my pregnancy, my baby, my health. I had a wonderful birth after my quickest labour yet. I didn't tear, I had a painless birth. I had the water birth I always wanted. I brang my own precious child into my hands and onto my chest.

Thiswas the year I experienced the birth I needed and deserved. No observers. Just my husband available to me watching his child being born. My other children sleeping peacefully. I was at home where I felt comfortable and unhindered. I was not restrained. I felt I had the right to not fear and just birth my way.

This was the year I enjoyed motherhood. I love so much that I have four awesome children. They are unique, they are special and they are a very important part of life. I couldn't imagine my life without them. I even enjoyed having a newborn in the house this year. Did I get lucky? Or is it meant to be enjoyed and I got ripped off with my big kids? I have been far less stressed. I have realised I can enjoy being a mother. And I do not have to be perfect. I love watching them grow and learn every day. What else is there to life than growing and learning?

This was the year I have simplified my life making is much easier to enjoy because there is less stress. I can control unneeded stress.I love the natural life. I embrace it. Slowly I can improve and do better. I do not have to be perfect now or ever but I can improve.

This was the year my husband and I have been closer and more in love than ever. We fight less and understand each other more. We listen to each other as we speak of the things we are passionate about. There is respect. I am so grateful that he is so patient especially as I can be so stubborn. Our relationship is not perfect but I accept that and I can see there is more room for improvement. And that means no room for boredom. Life is like that or what would be the point?

This was the year we experienced financial troubles. But as we had food and a roof we couldn't be more grateful. And we can adapt. We slowly made changes and we could prioritise.

This was the year we lost two family members. My husband's biological father was in ICU for months before becoming weaker and passing away. Then sadly just this past week we lost my husband's biological sister. Its still taking time to hit me. She was only in her late twenties and had two sons.

I look forward to the new year with all that it has to offer but with great memories of this year.

 

This post is from from my other blog here



My eldest son as a baby - about 8months.



My son turns 1.
His cheeks are red after his immunisation a few days before.



I shaved his head to limit his discomfort.



The eczema irritated his eyes and the surrounding areas.



Patchy




Itchy



Trying to get relief at the beach



His skin would clear then not long after it would be just as bad or worse



It affected him badly on the feet and face mostly



At times it would clear for the most part but would remain severe near his eyes



He tried hard not to scratch. We learnt the triggers and limited then.


We left the skin alone.

Between 4-5 years his skin improved immensely.
He swapped the severe eczema for asthma but since he has been at school his health has been much better.



I love his freckles! Six next April.

This post is from from my other blog here

This post is from from my other blog here

Despite agreeing we weren't buying gifts for the kids this year, my husband bought the boys remote control cars and our girl, alarm clock and drawing paper.





After a rushed morning, I took J on the train to Seymour and coach to Wangaratta. It was free and quiet making it a peaceful trip. Meanwhile hubby took the big kids in the car.



Kids were given some toys.



My brother was exhausted.
His pregnant wife would have been even moreso with the hosting etc.



The kids loved the swimming pool at the Big 4 cabins.





Unfortunately on Boxing Day, Av was quite unwell with asthma so hubby took him to the Emergency at the local hospital. The ventolin made him hyper but he wasn't complaining about not being able to breathe.



J was impressed with Bananas in Pajamas.

We came back home the day after Boxing Day - J and I on the crowded coach and train as the big kids went in the car with their Dad.

This post is from from my other blog here



My daughter



My eldest son



My second son



My youngest son (first time on the swing - he was unsure!)

This post is from from my other blog here

This post is from from my other blog here

My favourite band is Magic Dirt. They are originally from Geelong in Victoria, Australia. They are a great live band speciallising in noise and feedback. I have seen them several times over the years. I first heard them on a triple J complication Eleven with the song Touch That Space when I was in year 11 I think(1994). I thought that was so different and awesome so searched out their 1st EP. They have gone onto to release a few eps and albums even on vinyl. Coming up to 15 years of the Dirt. Now independant and doing what they wanna do. Yeah they rock!

My wonderful husband decided we should see my favourite band in Lakes Entrance (4 hours from home). The big kids stayed with their nan and aunty while hubby, baby and I took a drive. We decided to stay overnight as the long drive back wouldn't be a good idea at night.

When we got to Lakes it was about 8:30 and most places were closed and hubby was hungry.

We were told about Miriams and had a quality meal there.

We got to the reserve just as a band finished and fire show was starting. It was captivating to watch.

Magic Dirt were fun! Dean was back playing with the band.

 

Holidays are on for the big kids. They finished their school year on Friday. They did well according to their school reports. After a half day we went to visit their nan/ my Mum. She gave us many gifts!

Our bubby is now 3 months!

 

This post is from from my other blog here



My beautiful healthy chubby bubby boy.

This post is from from my other blog here




Adalita is still the ultimate rockstar leaping around and playing guitar lying down!



Dean was back after some time away. Raul looked glad to have him back.



Love the grin on Ada's face as she looks to Dean and does the rockstar stance!













The best band in the world still rock!



They played a few new songs but it was awesome to hear a few from the past.
They finished up with a Hard Ons cover Suck n Swallow and invited a few people up to dance.
The hour was too short! But it was free and fun.

This post is from from my other blog here

 

Last night our house was lit up by the coloured sky.

It was quite interesting so the little boys came out with me to have a look.

The sky changed colours. Yellow, pink, purple

.

 

Its crazy and busy for most people this time of year. Maybe safer to stay home but its good to get out and about. Thankfully we aren't doing Christmas shopping this year.

Our youngest bub is now 12 weeks old. 7.3kg and 65cm long - size 0! He is so wonderful, a real joy. Sleeping 9 hours at night and only occassionally fussy. I love to hear his laugh and see his almost always present smile. We visited the MCHN again on Monday and I think I like her. Apart from her pro vax banter I like her openness. She adores our son and thinks we are doing wonderfully. She likens us to a breath of fresh air and wishes more parents would make informed decisions. And she said she would have been alternative if she had a baby these days. She liked J's knitted clothes and wishes she had the time to knit. She does sew and liked J's rainbow blanket (handmade for Av) as it reminded her of PJs she made her daughter who lives in the UK. She made slings for her babies to babywear. Anyway she can talk! She seems relaxed - maybe just with us (cos we have been open?) or all her visits? She also said its normal for young children to talk to themselves during play (as Av was doing) and most kids don't. She attributes that to tv as a babysitter and says there has been a rise in children being referred to speech pathologists.

The big kids will be finishing school early on Friday.

Last night we went to a kids Christmas party which the children enjoyed. Its just over a week til Christmas. I am sure I will not forget as my 5 year old tells me how many more sleeps each day.

On Christmas we will be having a couple days away which will be lovely.

 

Handmade star washcloths for my Mum to give as gifts.

 

This is one of six decorations I made. Crocheted very quickly in 4ply cotton.

Two weeks til Christmas and still have no idea what we have planned. Probably because we haven't planned anything!

We have been keeping busy lately which I am enjoying. Trying to avoid the Christmas shopping crowds of course.

Our bubba has discovered he can be heard by squealing with delight. He loves a giggle - ticklish when I take his singlet off! He will be 12 weeks this Sunday. He very rarely cries. He is the dream baby I always wanted .

Meanwhile my little boy is as aggressive as ever. He is hard to deal with at times. Hitting out, yelling and fighting. But right now as I write this, he is asking for a cuddle, tickle and having a giggle. He says sorry when he hits me with his head!

My big boy is growing up too fast. He understands so much. He definitely seems older than his five years. He is not really a socially aware yet or maybe he just doesn't care. Kids laugh at the way he dresses and acts but he just takes it in his stride.

My girl is so bossy! But she is wonderfully helpful. She loves to hold her baby brother and will take him in her room so I can run around doing things!

 

This post is from from my other blog here

We saw MCHN today for the first time with J. Interesting! She called me alternative. I thought I was normal!!
10 weeks
Weight: 6940grams
Length: 61cm
Head Circ: 41cm

J has averaged a 305 gram gain every week since birth.

She wondered why I didn't have an IM at the birth and called me slack for only visiting the dr once during pregnancy. She was okay about it though. She just said cos he was my forth you run more risks. Too bad I aint everyone else and defy all that! That is, it was my best pregnancy.
She did agree that some drs are stupid. Not my words - hers. I said some drs aren't so smart. Hubby told her how a dr told us babies die under water to which she sighed and said Yes well we have been having babies for millions of years (Slight exaggeration). And the human race still survives!
Also mentioned the dr who tried to convince us we were still pregnant despite having a complete miscarriage.
I think she found that sickening.
She (Diane, the mchn) asked, "Breast or bottle" (Breast, of course)
"You know what we call you?"
"We call you ALTERNATIVE"
I just thought alrightee! I thought she was going to say 'hippy'
But yeah I do what comes naturally and I am not normal!
Amusing.
The mchn also mentioned the breast crawl and that nature has got it right.
The mchn asks about family planning and says there is heaps of options available. Hubby is confused! I look to him and say - Kid spacing.
She was quite open about telling us that condoms are not reliable. They burst and slip off. We don't use any contraception!
She assumed that we co-slept. Bingo! Also that I demand fed.
There is a concern with J's skull plates. There is a ridge but its not straight. So she suggested we encourage him to lay on the other side so it sorts itself.
She must think we babywear as well. (Bingo). She suggested we give him tummytime. Hubby says oh yeah we do nappy free time. Oh good!!
Then hubby says we use cloth nappies so you think we are hippies even more so!
She says oh that's good.
Hubby talks about the cost that people don't like the idea (referring to mcn). MCHN says well cheaper cos you reuse them! Think of how much disposables cost each year.
You belong in Geelong. Why don't you live there??
She recognised the mcn J was wearing and said she hasn't seen them since she was working in Geelong.
She seees how strong J is and thinks 2x about suggesting anymore advice I think!
She does ask what I am going to do about immunisations.
I say no just yet.
Oh when?
Maybe 2 years.
You are taking risks.
Yeah just like immunisations?
What do you mean?
The chemicals in the needles.
Oh but there is aluminum in everything even Infacol wind drops (which I do not use!) and breastmilk.
I say there is junk in most foods.
Hubby says that's why she is vegetarian!
Oh not vegan?
No not quite.
Good or you will be on iron supplements all your life.
I say that I have used some iron supplements.
She says she loves the way I speak! (So not articulate, I suck!)
What iron supplements?
Floradix and Spatone.
Good. You wont need too much orange juice etc. (As compared to the tablets)
She asks about the big kids - have they been vaccinated? We tell her about what happened to our big boy and she agrees the needles trigger eczema!
We talk about that. How eczema is a gut not skin condition. And how prevalent it is. She gave us a book about it - just released last year by the government. About time. She agreed they are slow.
We also talked about the state of hospitals and lack of funding and staff. Well, make sense why I avoid all that?
We made another appointment. She was very clear that I didn't have to come back but that she would like us to. She also said I could fill the blue book out ourselves and we can do whatever we like with it (such as taking unnecessary pages out).
I appreciated her honesty and her general open mindedness.
She didn't try to undermine me at all even if she may have disagreed with some of my ideas (namely unassisted pregnancy and immunisation).
Also had a postnatal depression questionaire. Not sure she agreed with it.
She told us we are doing well, I know what I am doing and that we have a beautiful looking baby.

1. Whats the main thing on minti that make you so addicted?

The freedom to write what I like and uploading photos.

2. Whats something funny thats happened to you recently?

Falling on my butt?! It still hurts weeks later though.

3. Whats a word you kid/s say/said thats pronounces funny / cute?

Av (3y) remembers J's birth and says "Where placenta" Its so cute! My kids say lots of things that make me smile!

4. If you could be someone famous for a day who would it be and why?

A rockstar like Adalita (magic dirt) just for fun. Otherwise a person of power so I change people's minds! Or at least plant the seed.

5. Sum up what minti means for you in 5 words.

Writing. Photos. Change. Engage. Growth.

 

Questions are from the Empowering Birth Blog and posted on Understanding Birth group.

Answers are mine!

[]When you think about your previous birth, what is your favorite moment?

The actual arrival of my son. He came out in one go and I had no control!

[]What moment do you try not to think about, or what moment still bothers you

Probably afterwards when I was in the shower. I felt faint and very tired. I was worried I would faint so in retrospect I could have prepared better for that.

[]What was your most brilliant moment

The birth itself when he just came out in one go into my arms. It was just so easy. Fetal ejection reflex rocks!

[]Who or what helped you most when you gave birth?

My son helped me most! I felt so connected to him. I could feel him move during labour and I knew that we were in it together. My husband was fantastic also with filling the pool, taking photos and just being there for me. Being at home without observers helped me immensely.

[]What was your first thought when you saw your baby?

Gosh you're a little Maori! The nose and rosebud lips. I thought he was amazing. Still do!

[]If your baby could speak, what's the first thing it would thank you for?

Life?

I would like to think he would say to me, "Thanks Mum for not being scared to have me and thanks for giving me the best start you could. Thanks for the yummy breastmilk. Thanks for the cuddles. Thanks Mum for being relaxed and smiling at me lots"

[]How did the journey of birth change you?

It sure has been a journey. I feel I have a lot to process since J's birth. It was more a physical ordeal with my first 3. This time it feels I need to think more about the person I am and should be. I understand more about what my kids need and want to embrace the natural life more than ever before. Its brought things out in the open for me.

[]What do you now know about yourself that you didn't know before?

That the fire in my belly is good for something. That to truly trust my instincts and do what is best requires to go against the grain and I am okay with that. That I am alone. And I am also okay with that. Because no one else cares as much as I do about me and my family. To go against what I know is right will not make me or my family happy.

I have managed to make a hat for a gift. Usually doing a round at a time!

Adult size and in Patons Jet.

It was a lovely warm day yesterday so the idea to tire the kids out with a bush walk came up.

Shame all I heard was "Argh!! "(when seeing bullants) and "I'm hungry".

Oh well! I grew up near bush lands so I enjoyed it!

  

I carried J in the wrap and hubby took the big boys for a little while each in the other wrap.