Welcome relief

Jo visited with Angus and Daisy today. They are gorgeous kids and always have fun exploring my family room and playing with their toys. I find them a joy to have but it wasn't until Jo's mum Gill dropped by to see us that we realised how nice it is to enjoy a cuppa without having to have the eyes in the back of your head operating. While Gill enjoyed her grandchildren Jo and I had a chat over a cup of tea...in peace. It was most enjoyable. Then Jo took over and I got to enjoy a catch-up with Gill. I must enjoy it while I can because soon enough it'll be me chasing my child around the room getting her out of mischief!

Loving celery

I introduced Sienna to the world of finger foods today...starting with celery. It must have been very exciting for her because she chewed and sucked and played with it for 20 minutes. I kept taking off chunks that were hanging on by a few strings, but other than that I left her to it. Who knew celery could be so interesting?

Perth: Visiting Ginny, James & Jacinta

I hired a car and visited my friend Ginny who is living in Perth with her partner Warren and their two kids James (18 months) and Jacinta (3 months). It was wonderful to meet little Jacinta and have a cuddle with her and lots of cuddles, kisses and playing with an affectionate and happy James. Unfortunately by the time I pulled out the camera Jacinta was in bed, but I managed to capture some nice moments of James with Sienna.

Introducing the family

While in Perth Sienna got to meet more of her family...starting with the cheeky Watson's. They are a heap of fun for us both to play with and Sienna loved being constantly entertained by her cousins Melissa and Lauren who I called "The Circus". Sienna kept needing a nap after only being up for 1 hour because with the circus in town there was no rest for her unless she was in bed. It was great fun!

Sienna also got to meet her Uncle Martin (who she kept staring at as if to say "You look like my Daddy, but you're not my Daddy...") and her Great-Aunt Cheri who gave her a nice cuddle.

And last but not least was time spent with her Grandma & Papa. Cuddles, walks, outings, car rides, did I mention cuddles? She loved it!

A new adventure

Today we flew to Perth to spend 10 days with AJ's family. As it was Sienna's first time on a plane and, as I was travelling without AJ, I was nervous as to how she would go. Miraculously and much to my delight Sienna smiled at her fellow passengers, slept for 2 hours in the basinette and had no trouble with her ears during take off and landing. It was a breeze...much to my relief. I had knots in my stomach the whole trip!

It was wonderful for Sienna to be reunited with her grandparents and to be introduced to The Watsons (AJ's sister Natalie's family). She had 2 very excited cousins to meet and play with which she delighted in.

Sunny 23C in Perth...

Happy Days with Daddy

I captured pure joy in AJ's face tonight while he was playing with Sienna. It's beautiful to watch him enjoy her so much and I am blessed to have such a loving, supportive partner to raise a child with. We are lucky girls...

Dreamtime

Sienna is usually really good when I put her to bed. She loves getting wrapped up tightly and watches me leave the room before she drifts off to sleep. She sleeps soundly amongst the house noises (I can even vacuum under her cot while she's sleeping!) but the best part is when she wakes up - happy, refreshed with a whole new round of smiles to share. I love getting her up after her sleeps, it's my favourite part of the day. She watches me walk in the room and smiles all the while I'm unwrapping her and lifting her into my arms for a cuddle.

Mummy loves Sienna

Every night before Sienna goes to sleep, I stroke her head and whisper "Mummy loves Sienna". After telling her this, every night I am rewarded with a gummy smile through her dummy before she turns her head to the side to fall asleep.

Today my sister captured me with Sienna. We are in our pj's enjoying the Saturday morning exploring her room. I think these candid pics show how much this mummy loves Sienna.

Giving birth...to pooh

Poor Sienna was given medication to get her bowels going. The result was 45 mins of pushing and crying. In the end I was crying with her...it was like giving birth. She would rest, then push and cry then rest etc, etc. Just horrible, but results were encouraging. Poor little thing is exhausted - as am I. Must be what AJ felt like watching me have Sienna. It's a horrible helpless feeling.

Panic at the...mother's group

We left mother's group after 30 mins today as Sienna was screaming in pain because of her constipation. Pure torture for a mother to listen to...I have a Dr appt tomorrow to try and get this sorted out. I left my friends in a rush with Heather's delicious minestrone soup barely touched and a look of panic on my face. We were all trying not to cry. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day for my baby girl...

On HIGHer ground

I pulled out the high chair today because Sienna has been turning onto her side in the rocker while I try to feed her. I anticipated that she may do herself an injury if her refusal to eat that last spoonful turned ugly. So she sat up nice and high today and enjoyed dropping toys from great heights, seeing what I am doing at the kitchen bench...oh and being fed too!

Aunty's love...

I had lunch at mums today as she hosted Alisa and I. It is always wonderful to be looked after by my mum particularly now that I'm always looking after someone else. During lunch I enjoyed watching my sister enjoy Sienna so much. There's nothing quite like an Aunty's love...it's all fun and games and cuddles and kisses. Lots of kisses!

Cuddles with Nonna

Mum dropped in tonight and Sienna was full of excitement to see her Nonna - she just loves her. The two of them were having a lovely cuddle before Sienna's bed time...pictured here in her bunny suit.

Lunch and a movie with the Ingrams

We were treated to lunch with Em, Charli & Jaymi today. I met them at Balsamic and found myself smiling down at two gorgeous girls suited up in the most adorable outfits (got me all excited about the clothes I'll be putting Sienna in - I mean, the clothes she'll want to wear when she's older...).

In exchange for 2 toilet trips with the girls, Charli entertained Sienna while I enjoyed a prawn & pancetta salad and glass of vino with Em. Charli was so good with her that I'm considering hiring her for all of my social outings. It may mean I'll get to eat my meals warm a bit more often!

After lunch we saw "Bridge to Terabithia" at the movies. We all enjoyed it and Sienna was a dream - watched, slept, fed and played her way through the whole thing.

Toy sale frenzy

Today marked yet another first in the life of a new mum - the July toy sales. After perusing the catalogues I was armed with my list and ready to face the crowds to get my piece of the sale pie. I thought I was prepared for what I was about to embark upon, but I don't think anything can prepare you for the bedlam I witnessed. Mothers with trolleys piled too high for safety, pushing through crowds of other mothers with their kids strewn all over the floor playing with the display toys. What a bad idea that is - display toys. I saw 8 year olds on toddler bikes whizzing past my knees, toddlers throwing tantrums with display toys in the hands because their mum couldn't fit another thing into their trolley...or perhaps she dared to utter those dispicable words "No you can't have it".

I could barely think and had to keep returning to my list and reminding myself that my trolley was still empty so I didn't turn and run out of the store. Amongst the screaming, laughing, playing and trolley conjestion I managed to pull it together enough to get most of what I needed. I had trouble finding lots of things until I realised they had scattered items throughout the store, not just in the toy area. After 1 hour I'd had enough and made my way to the register with my spoils of war. When the assistant asked me how I was I found myself blurting "I'm a bit freaked out actually". She looked at me, then at my placid, smiling 6 month old baby and said "You're first toy sale?"

Time with cousins

Sienna was treated to some time with her Aunty Carmen and her cousins Evelyn & Justina today. She was cuddled and played with and was lapping it up and smiling her butt off in appreciation of all of the attention. It was nice to see her cousins enjoying playing with her now that Sienna is a bit more robust and likes interacting with others instead of just coming along for the ride.

We had lunch out and now that Sienna's on solids she won't hear of me eating without her participating too. So she enjoyed some baked potato and avocado while I tried to sneak mouthfuls past her watchful gaze.

Tonight when I removed Sienna's bib after she'd polished off 1/4 avocado there were tears. So I put her bib back on and the tears stopped but she looked at me with pleading eyes. Always a sucker for big brown eyes I prepared potato and pumpkin next and Sienna consumed it at a furious rate but seemed satisfied when I took her bib off this time. Perhaps she takes after her mum...loves her food!

Six months today!

Our little girl is six happy smiley months. Time seems to be flying by and we're having great fun getting to know Sienna. She can now chew her food (as of yesterday) and rolls onto her sides...but not over to her tummy. Today I introduced her to a sipper cup of water. She liked making everything wet but I'm not sure she got the idea that it was for her to drink. She looks at me like "Isn't that what I have you for??" Fair enough.

Play time...tapping into my imagination

We met up with Cath, Finn & Amelie this cold morning for a walk and a play on the play equipment. Ok, it was mostly a play on the play equipment for Finn, but Cath and I both had a tinker on the play equipment...purely for Finn's enjoyment of course.

I scaled walls, slid down poles, pushed swings, crawled through holes I wasn't sure I'd fit through, steered "pirate" ships, see-sawed and basically had as much fun as Finn on the equipment I could get on. We made up an imaginary world - mostly authored by Finn - of pirates and dolphins and special dinner orders of McDonalds which he kindly climbed up to the "princess tower" and got for us. Cath played the dutiful damsel in distress caught in a tower which Finn rode his horse up to rescue her. We were the pawns in his imaginary world and it was wonderful.

I had an insight into the imagination of a 4 year old and for once I was excited for Sienna to grow up and share her world with me on the play equipment. It's much more fun that way.

Lunch for 5 and one on the way...

We enjoyed an afternoon with Con and Ana-Maria today...and their five month preggy belly bump. It was lovely to see them as it had been a while and to also see a couple anticipating the arrival of their first bub. It took me back to my pregnancy and how exciting and daunting everything seemed. Sienna was on her best behaviour and so hopefully didn't scare the living heck out of them that they would be lumped with the same life come November this year. Luckily she was a shining example of life with a baby...and what they don't know won't hurt them! Only kidding, we love it 99% of the time and you can't describe or anticipate the joy that you feel when you see your child thriving and smiling.