is it worth it?

every thursday or friday night we have a babysitter that comes so husband and i can have 'date night'.

i decided that instead of getting the cleaner in every week this was a better use of our money at this point in time. as most of you would know i'm sure, it can be difficult to get to even talk as a couple with little children around let alone actually spend quality time.

i am starting to rethink.

so for example last week - husband was actually home reasonably early to 'help'. what proceeded to happen was this: husband takes work phone call and spends the next 45 mins outside on the phone. inside there was complete chaos unfolding and after edi had fallen off the change table, lachlan had peed everywhere and the spaghetti pasta had boiled dry on the stove i felt a little.... stressed.

all of this is going down whilst i am trying to also get myself ready to go out. i push on and cuddle edi until she stops screaming, change lachlan & clean up the pee, salvage the pasta from the stove, feed the kids, put edi to bed and finish getting ready. then husband walks in from his phone call and says 'ok are we nearly ready to go?' i look at him with what must look like devil eyes and say something to the effect of 'yes and no thanks to you!'

once we actually get going and have our evening it is always very nice.

but is it really worth it? i mean really, really worth it?

this week was similar in that by the time i was leaving the house i am stressed. and correct me if i am wrong but isn't part of the whole purpose of going out for dinner so you can relax, talk, enjoy each other's company and so you don't have to cook dinner? so i have to cook dinner anyway, isn't that kind of half defeating the purpose?

what are your thoughts, do you think it's worth the effort and stress?

such a big girl now

today my precious baby lara-grace started prep.

she was just so excited and for the last 2 weeks has literally been bursting out of her skin to get to school. thankfully her little best friend from daycare who she's spent the last 5 years with was also going to the same school and they put them in the same class.

i thought i would be really sad (complete with tears flowing!) to see her grow up but the excitement just gushed out of her and it was impossible not to share her excitement and joy. it would have been a completely different storey if she was upset and clingy.

so this got me thinking... this really does bring about a whole other level of the responsibility of parenting. today is the first day of her 13 years of schooling life. this is where we have to really start being responsible and accountable parents. i'm not saying we haven't been responsible parents to date but that responsibility just lies with us, but now we have a teacher to work with too. that's really full on.

enough of the heavy stuff!

here are some pictures of her first day at school, enjoy!

please help lori

as i sit here on this rainy, miserable saturday with my totally imperfect life, i think of a woman who i only learnt of recently.

her name is lori and she has a blog Random Ramblings of a Stay at Home Mum. recently lori lost her husband to suicide. now i do not know lori, nor do i know anyone who knows lori personally but i cannot stop thinking about her. i came across lori through this wonderful community of people that is the internet of blogging etc.

i think of her day and night and what it must be like to just one day have your husband gone, never to be seen again. she has small children who have just lost their daddy. i weep every time i think about that prospect.

so suddenly my life seems pretty perfect.

i feel i have to do something to try and help. a few of lori's friends have put together a 'collection' as such to at least help with the financial burden she is now facing. you can find how to donate here at Where's My Glow.

last week lori buried her husband - can you imagine that? i know i can't.

thinking of you lori.

breast v's bottle feeding

i've decided to write about this 'controversial' topic that seriously just bugs the hell out of me!

i am so sick to death of these discussions going around and people feeling like they have a right to force their views onto other people and make mothers feel guilty or somehow inadequate for their situation or choice. i mean seriously what gives people the right to think that's ok?

a lady said to me recently that she was very pro-breastfeeding before she had her baby but a short sharp reality check soon followed. she got ill, had no milk and had a reflux baby and now maintains a new mantra of 'fed is best'. i told her at the time i would definitely be using that one.

fed is best people!

fed - is - best.

if you breast feed, great!

if you bottle feed, great!

personally i've chosen to bottle feed my children.

after my horrible experience with my first child and just not getting any milk i decided i wasn't going to put myself through that hell again so all 3 have had bottles as will my 4th child.

for me personally, i actually find it easier and it's my choice.

i wish these fruitless, anger provoking debates would just stop and everyone would just accept each other's choices.

grow baby grow

i was very pleased to get the results of my 12 week scan and told i was in the 'very low risk' category. to be honest i was a little concerned this time. i guess i feel like having 4 children i was kind of pushing my luck.

obviously there is still lots that can go wrong and i can only hope and cross every part of my body that nothing does.

we are 13 weeks now and just waiting for our little bubba to grow baby grow!

2011 what do you have in store for us?

a {belated} warm welcome to 2011.

i wonder what this year will bring? i'm certain about a few things:

1. we will be welcoming our 4th & final child to our family

2. there will be change

3. i will aim to be positive

4. i will try my hardest not to sweat the small stuff

our baby will be joining our family early july which is both scary and exciting. it doesn't really feel real yet but i just know the next 6 months is going to fly by.

this year there will be change. some exciting change to do with the business which i can't wait for and some challenging personal change.

positive, positive, positive.

i feel i have wasted far too much time sweating the small stuff, time to think BIG.

i hope 2011 is a good year for all of you too!