Beautiful Boy

Michael models his new nappy. He's worn all three new nappies today. He just looks so cute. Michael is already 6 weeks old, this newborn stage goes too quickly.



He's getting so strong and lifts his head easily now. He even rolled over from his tummy to back twice this afternoon. His sisters were very impressed with him.

Pay it forward

Pay It Forward

From Keely's Blog

I just had to join!

The first three people to comment on this post will receive a gift from me, sometime within the next 365 days.Who knows when it will turn up, or what it will be, but rest assured, it will arrive. All you have to do is promise to make the same declaration on your blog, and send out gifts to three of your lovely readers.
Easy Peasy.

I miss daddy

Lilly, Michael and I were walking to the shops. Lilly said, " I miss daddy. Do you miss your Daddy?"
"Yes, I miss my daddy," said I. so so much.

Fluffy Mail

How cute are these! I received these in the post today. they are a Starbunz Cheetah Pocket, a Cute Tooshies Bamboo Delights and a Tots Bots Bamboozles. A beautiful surprise. They are in exchange for some soakers I knitted for Mel's boys.

The nappies came from Darlings Down Under

I can't wait to put them on Michael. Why would anyone put plastic on a babies bum? when they could be using these beautiful creations.





Big sisters are so useful! Michael is just so adored by all his siblings. I have lots of helpers who just love to give Michael a cuddle while I get dinner cooked. I am so lucky to have six beautiful children. I love being a mum.

A Walk In The Garden

These photos were taken this morning as i collected the mornings harvest with the kids.

Getting organsied

I've been called lazy a lot over the years. I don't believe this is true. I'm always busy, just not with what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm hopelessly disorganised and undisciplined.

With Peter traveling away, for work, on a regular basis. I need to get organised and disciplined. I get stressed when I'm not on top of the house. With a new baby I have to be organised.

I am going to go to bed at a reasonable hour each night so I'm not so tired all the time. Once the kids are in bed each night I love to knit and watch TV and have me time and I lack the discipline to make myself go to bed and sleep when I could be having fun.

I sat myself down yesterday and wrote out a routine. A list of all the essential jobs I have to do each day to keep the house in some sort of order. The kids helped me write the list up and included their tasks too.

So here it is:

Daily Routine

Morning

Make Beds
put washing machine on
Get dressed
breakfast
teeth and hair

Off to school - 8.40am

hang out washing
garden - cats - rabbit - chooks
dishes and kitchen tidy

Afternoon

lunch
dishes
Organise dinner
tidy lounge
shopping
fold and put away washing

After school - 3.20pm

lunch boxes in kitchen
change - uniforms in the wash tues,wednesday and fri
Tidy bedroom
homework - school days

pool on tuesdays and thursdays 4.30pm


Evening:

tidy shed before dinner
dinner - 6pm
dishes
Feed Toohey
baths
dessert
teeth and hang up towels
lay out uniforms for the morning
tidy blue room computers off


Kids to Bed - 7.30pm

Prepare school lunches


This is just the essentials really. There are a lot of other tasks that need doing. There's usually more than one load of washing to do! I just wanted the basics written up, the jobs that if i don't do will result in us living in a pile of laundry, dishes and going hungry.

There are still all the jobs that go with a new baby. Nappy changes, feedings and lots of cuddles. And the constant messes to clean up that go with toddlers including toilet accidents, spills and toys. On top of all that are the tantrums .. including mine!

Michael slept 6 hours.

Michael had his longest sleep last night. Six whole hours. I feel wonderful! I woke half an hour before him and just lay in bed admiring him while he slept. He's growing so quickly.

Last week he put on a huge 330 grams and grew 1.5cms. He's 5 weeks old already. I think he's smiling too.

I don't remember the others growing so quickly.

Soaker and bib set

I'm so enjoying baby Michael. He's the sweetest baby and is even sleeping well at night. The breastfeeding is now wonderful and he's putting on lots of weight, 220gms in a week! He loves to be held and I have lots of helpers here to give him a cuddle while I knit, cook or even clean! His big brothers and sisters argue on who's cuddling him next!

I knitted Michael a new soaker last night and a matching bib today.

I love the Dandelions soaker pattern very quick to knit and easy to follow. I use DK weight yarn and knit a size up from the pattern size as the pattern is written for a worsted weight yarn. Worsted weight is not commonly found here in Australia.

I'm hoping to get back into knitting for the store soon. And a few soaker and bib sets will be on the list.

Self Striped Socks another SSS completed.

I cast these on way back in November and quickly got bored with the stocking stitch. They are knitted in Lincraft Hot Socks yarn. I'm pleased with the final result but in future will avoid a plain stocking stitch sock. I did learn a new skill knitting these .. Breastfeeding and knitting at the same time!

Indulgences

It's so nice to treat myself every now and again. I love getting parcels in the mail. A year ago it would of been quilting fabrics, patterns and tools. Now it is knitting patterns, yarn and tools (in this case needles). My passion for quilting has faded a little and the knitting has taken over. My yarn stash is now rivaling my fabric stash in size! There just isn't enough hours in the day to knit, quilt and be a mum of six children under 11 years.

I love my new sock book and can't wait to knit a few pairs of socks on my new Knit Picks harmony DPNS.

Cupcakes

The kids made their own dessert last night. Yummy cupcakes. These were a packet mix. Fern and Rose did most of the work and the boys joined in with the decorating and eating. Fern is starting to be very useful around the kitchen now she is getting a little older. She peels and chops the vegetables for dinner most nights. I just don't watch her use the knife as it scares me. There comes a time when you just have to give your children some freedom to try out and develop their skills, even when it involves knives.

Thuja socks finished

Pattern here

Great pattern. Very easy and quick to knit up on ADDI Turbos 3.75cm 30cm's circular needles.

I love the feel of this yarn Heirloom Cashmino, very soft. The stitch definition is beautiful.

I find black a pretty boring colour for socks but Peter loves it.

SHOCK - Pete minus beard!

Peter shaved his beard off! I'm still recovering from the shock. I can't get used to him without the beard. It feels really weird I can't read his facial expressions like I used too and it's freaking me out.

The whole time we've been together he's had a beard I have never seen him without it before. He didn't even warn me he was going to shave it off. he woke me in the morning asking what I thought of the new look. A bit of a shock first thing in the morning for me.

I must admit he does look a lot younger without the snow white beard. I'm hoping he'll quickly get sick of shaving and grow it back.

Modern Cloth Nappies

We love Modern Cloth Nappies. So easy, so cheap and so cute! Michael hasn't worn a disposable yet. Most of Michael's nappies have come from swaps with friends on Nappycino. Some have been gifts and a few I have bought.



Melinda sent Michael a gift of a terry and velour nappy, wool pants and a special velour nappy with a Bob the Builder Applique! Thank you Melinda. The sewing is perfect and they will all be well used!

Caroline also on Nappycino swapped me some nappies for some crochet. Some great nappies here with a little one for Lilly's cabbage Patch Doll. Lilly loves her dolly nappy.



Mandy another Nappycino member sent me a huge stash of nappies as a gift! I was amazed she could fit that many in a postpack. There's a lot of use left in these and some well sort after brand names including Honey Boy! I'd never seen one in real life before.

The last photo are nappies that Lindy swapped me for some little sewn outfits for her beautiful boys.

I've been overwhelmed with the gifts and well wishes of Nappycino members. Thank you to all my friends on Nappycino for your support and friendship.

Beautiful boys

Liam is missing from the shot. Michael is 2 weeks and one day old today. He loves sleeping in his sling with mummy or daddy holding him. He's doing really well and is a wonderful sleeper at night. He sleeps 5 hours at night already how lucky are we! The breastfeeding is a struggle but getting better.