18. secure
Are you happy with who you are today, compared to who you were a year ago?
It's so cheesy, but I LOVE who I am today. I love being a Mum, I love having time to focus on home & family. I feel like I'm the same person, but different. I don't have the energy for time wasting, and I feel like life has thrown a few curve balls at us for a reason - to shape the years to come, perhaps? Either way, I'm happy. Happy is good!
19. build
You get to build something this year - what is it?
I'd like to build a strong routine; and I'm getting there. Mon/Wed/Fri are exercise days - just for me. Monday nights are our family nights. We have a great little morning routine that we've built, and I love. Those things are really important to me. But physically? I'd like to build a washing line outside. We never bothered with one before, since Spencer was a destructive puppy & would have probably yanked all of our clothes off the line. I do all our washing and hanging indoors, which is fine - but it means our front room has turned into a laundry room. My poor visitors are greeted with hanging knickers as they walk in the door! ;) It's fine for us now, but as time progresses, it's getting harder to fit all of our + baby's washing there, so that's a goal for us this year.
20. believe
It's 2014: what do you believe in?
I believe in science. I believe that without it, we wouldn't have our little girl. I believe that she is worth every cent of the money we 'spent' to help bring her into our family. I believe that she's a special one, this kid; totally meant for us. I believe that when the time comes to attempt trying for #2 {& if we're lucky} she'll be an amazing big sister. I believe that she's one of the funniest, cutest babies on the planet - but then, I'm slightly biased there!! :)
16. watch
What movie(s) did you see in 2013 that you would recommend to a friend?
Probably 'The Hobbit'. I love, love, LOVED the Lord of the Rings trilogy - I'd read the books and really enjoyed them. But as for the novel of 'The Hobbit', I just couldn't get into it. When hubby wanted to see the first movie, I wasn't too keen. I was about 30 weeks pregnant at the time, and didn't think my bladder would last the full session, let alone actually enjoy it! I was pleasantly surprised. We also saw the second Hobbit film at the end of the year, which was just as good. I'm keen on attempting the book again, just to see if it's a little less difficult this time around. Definitely worth seeing, if it's your thing.
17. breathe
How did you make space + peace for yourself in 2013? How will you increase that in 2014?
Taking a bath! I love our spa in the en suite, but it's a luxury I didn't make much use of while TTC or Pregnant - and then didn't have TIME for with a newborn! I've taken to having one at nights once Georgia is in bed, and it's been glorious. Never underestimate the power of bubbles. Lots of bubbles.
Taking a break from my #weverb-ing for a Georgia update! My little lady is 42 weeks old.. soon I'll stop counting in weeks & start focusing on months. Just 10 weeks until we celebrate her first birthday. How crazy is that?
We've been plugging away at her sleeping routines, and she'd been kicking butt recently - until the last few days. We've gone backwards in the day sleeps; I'm blaming teeth, even though I can't see any new ones yet. There's a tiny lump near one of her top front teeth, but it's nowhere near ready to pop through yet. I hope it is just teeth, because I'd hate for our hard work to be stuffed again. Nights are still good though, thank goodness.
How's your January looking so far?
13. cultivate
What creativity or talent did you cultivate in 2013? What do you want to enhance this year?
I didn't feel particularly creative this past year - really, I probably only got my design pants on when it came to picking how I wanted Georgia's nursery to pan out. I am really happy with how it ended up, and I STILL love going in there now. We have a few additional canvases to put up on the walls, but otherwise, it's stayed quite the same - and I think it will for a while yet. This year, I'm trying to write more - not always here, but in journals too. I'm really hoping to foster my talent of super-fast-book-reading too, but having a baby has really changed that! Instead, I'm sticking to my goal of trying for 6 books this year. I'm still plugging away through #1...
14. share
You've been asked to give a 2-minute presentation on 'my biggest lesson of 2013' to a group of friends/colleagues/family members. Share!
The biggest lesson of 2013 was about patience. I could give a million spiels about how becoming a parent has changed my life, but everybody knows that by now! When you're trying to fall pregnant, patience is your worst enemy. When you're working with a known infertility cause {like PCOS and/or male factors} getting in to see a specialist and working out a plan of action can take forever. And then even MORE trying, and waiting, and disappointment - ugh. Patience is just... crap. It may be a virtue, but it's crap. I'm just saying. ;) In 2013, we waited for the baby to arrive - but this time, I was patient. She could come when she was ready to come. All that said, this time it was HER that was impatient, since she decided to surprise us early over the Easter weekend! Good things did come to those who wait{ed} - and so now, we wait for the next challenges, like Georgia's milestones - all we need is a little bit of patience - she'll crawl when she's good & ready to crawl. ;)
15. emulate
Is there someone you want to emulate in 2014? Why and how?
When I grow up, I want to be like my Nanna. She was always really kind and cheerful; she tried seeing positives in most things. I tend to get into worst-case scenario mode & I'm NOT the most delightfully happy person all of the time, but I'm working on it. Having Georgia has helped there! I miss my Nanna so much, it makes me smile to remember her. While I'm thrilled she held on to meet the baby, I'm sad that Georgia won't get to know her in person like we did. I hope that by trying to be more positive and SMILEY like she was, she'll get a little bit of Nan through us.
I love hitting the shops - and it's something I've had to scale back a bit since becoming a SAHM with Georgia, what with one income and all.
I was recently approached and asked to join the Target Australia Blog Hub team, and was thrilled to find out that January's area of interest was BABY. What a perfect opportunity for Breathe Gently!
I had a few ideas on what I wanted to focus on while I was shopping in-store, but I also wanted to see if inspiration struck me while I was wandering the aisles. I came away from today's challenge feeling chuffed at my finds.
Without further ado, let me highlight some of the goodies purchased from my local Target store during today's shopping adventures. :)
My First Volley pre-walker shoes & Summer Fiesta Story outfit
The baby department is one of my first places to hit when I shop at Target these days. Georgia spent her first three months wearing little other than wondersuits & footed onesies from there! The first thing I discovered while wandering the aisles was a lonely little elephant plush toy - it was so cute, but looked a little out of place just sitting on a shelf on its own. I took it to a price check scanner & discovered that it was part of a set, so off I went, on a mission to find the other half. There was a whole wall of these beauties - as well as the elephant toy, the bundle contains a quilted reversible play-mat. There is also an owl & a fox option, but what can I say? The elephant caught my eye! In similar colours, the waffle knit blankets are great when we're out and about, so I popped those in the trolley too.
Reversible Cot Quilt/Playmat With Plush - Elephant & 2-pack waffle wraps
Another random find was in with the developmental toys & looked like it would be right up Georgia's alley. The O-ball roller is lightweight and nice and tactile - and best of all, can be used either a rolling walker, or as an individual ball. Since we don't have the space for a full sized walker on wheels, this will come in handy when baby girl decides to get her walk on. For now, Georgia was fascinated with the ball, shaking it & rolling it across the ground. It's a hit!
Oball Roller toy
We have a pretty strict bedtime routine with Georgia, which works most days that we're at home. After dinner and a last play, hubby is in charge of bath time! They both love this ritual, so I thought I might try and find a few things from the baby care department to help spice it up a little bit. She is sitting up on her own in the bath quite a bit, so the Safety 1st bath spout guard {aka the cute whale} was exactly what I was looking for. The foam letters and numbers are bright & colourful and will be great fun; perfect for her as she grows older. Bath time for babies is fun.
Safety 1st Whale & Baby Spout Guard & Munchkin Bath Letters & Numbers
And finally, a somewhat related baby purchase that caught my eye as I was headed for the check-outs. You might be wondering why these paper dinnerware sets feature in this post, but I'm planning ahead. You see, Georgia is turning 1 in a few short months - and the loose 'theme' we've decided to go with is BRIGHT rainbow colours! Since it'll likely be a backyard bbq party, these paper sets will do the job well! Loving these cheerful patterns.
Target 109 piece paper dinnerware set
All in all, I'd say this was a pretty productive shopping trip - Georgia's a very lucky girl & I'm a very happy mama.What have you been shopping for lately?
Disclosure: This post is part of a collaboration between Target Australia & Breathe Gently. I have been provided vouchers to purchase goods & have been compensated for my time spent on the project. If you're interested in finding out more, or would like to partner with Breathe Gently in the future, please email me.
11. fortify
What personal strengths will you use this year that you developed in 2013?
I carried a baby for almost 37 weeks. I gave birth, mostly of my own accord, and brought my daughter into the world. I fought for her when she was in special care, and fought for her during the early weeks of breastfeeding. Being her mum has taken more strength than I thought I had - and I've loved every second of it. Every time we battle through a learning curve, a cranky baby, a new experience, it's taught me to be stronger. 2014 is going to be about taking care of myself, so that I can be the best mum for her; that means getting healthy! :)
12. savour
What was your favourite food item/ingredient in 2013? What do you want to eat more or less of in 2014?
While I was pregnant last year, I drank a LOT of milk. I was always looking for quick snacks, and dairy products seemed to do the trick. While I was parenting a newborn, non-sleeping baby, food kind of became a lesser priority; so I developed bad habits of skipping meals & snacking a whole lot. This year, I'd like to eat MORE - more regularly, more quality foods & more veggies. That's a big stretch for me, since I'm a notoriously fussy eater, but I'm trying!
8. accept
What imperfection did you come to accept in your life in 2013? How will you embrace it more in 2014?
I've always been a bit of a stickler when it comes to having things make sense, or be in order. It stresses me out when things are messy or when things don't work when {or how} they're supposed to. 2013 was the year of motherhood - aka - absolutely nothing going as planned. Georgia has taught me how to go with the flow, and I'm already feeling more relaxed about things leading into the new year. Let's hope it continues! :)
9. laugh
Tell us about your biggest belly laugh in 2013!
Oh, we have had so many. So, so many. Watching Georgia, the queen of crazy faces, experience new foods across the year; that definitely takes the cake. I just have to share this little collage, because honestly, this kid is HILARIOUS. {If you want to see the whole thing, plus hear the sound - click on the image & you'll be taken to the full collage.}
10. support
How did you volunteer your help last year? What will you do this year?
The support I have received from the infertility community has been priceless - and I'd like to think that I was also able to volunteer some help/love/advice to those around me during that time too. This year, I'm going to continue with this, but also think locally too - donating to local charity shops, offering help for new mums I've met with little ones, and being a good listener to those who need it.
As of tonight, I am officially done with expressing. The pump has been put away, the bottles are currently drying after their last official sterilising - and I have at least a free half hour this evening all to myself.
It's a funny feeling. On one hand, I'm thrilled to be done - no more feeling like a dairy cow, no more sitting around with my boobs out {except for nursing}, no more being disappointed with spending lal that time and energy only to get a measly 20, 30, 40ml of milk. But at the same time, it feels really strange.
While I've worked my arse off to be able to breastfeed Georgia, and I'm happy about that, I have the pump to thank for that. For the first few months of her life, I pumped after every feed - to boost supply, but also to give to her in the form of top up bottles. I gradually scaled it back to two a day; once in the morning, once at night. As she got stronger and more efficient at the breast, I dropped the morning pump, but continued to express at nights - at first to store in the freezer for emergencies, and afterwards to use for her solid food breakfasts. It's become such a habit, and without the pump, my breastfeeding experience would have ended a long time ago.
But for now, we're done. I still have some frozen expressed milk in the freezer that I'll gradually use over the coming weeks - mainly for cereals in the morning, and the odd bottle if we're out. I suppose I'd better get used to all the emotions that come with moving on from things; she's moving further away from the baby stage & dipping her toes into the little person category. I wish time would slow down just a little bit.
6. capture
Share your favourite memory captured from 2013. What's your plan to capture 2014?
I think this one pretty much sums it up:
This was the image that Jason took {and yes, that's his hand} that we first shared with the world after Georgia's birth. Because she was breathing too fast, she was whisked away to special care after I held for several seconds, and I didn't see her again for several hours after that. I relied on Jason to go with her, stay with her, and PLEASE bring me back photos - I had barely memorised her face before she disappeared. This image of her in the oxygen headbox, {or buzz lightyear helmet!} was one of the first I saw of her, and her gripping on to her daddy's finger is just priceless. It both makes me smile & breaks my heart at the same time.
In 2014, my aim is to keep on capturing candid moments of Georgia as she continues to grow. We're not good with poses around here - we're in a phase of refusing to smile when the camera is out, and in a constant state of motion. That means the photos may not be clear, or award winning, but they're fun!
7. send
What was the best thing you sent to someone in 2013? What will you send this year?
I'm part of several IVF groups that I've met over the years - most started on forums or blogs, but have turned into Facebook groups over time. One batch of ladies in particular have struggled along with me, and I was the first to receive a positive pregnancy test - so they supported me through early pregnancy all the while battling through their own struggles. I'm happy to say that since our lucky cycle, we have a whole herd of new babies now, with some on the way, and only a few beautiful women still waiting for their miracle. Sending gifts to their new little ones, and tokens of support to those who are still waiting {so they know they are not left behind} has been wonderful - particularly because we are all spread out over Australia. I'm hoping 2014 will see nobody left behind.
3: hasten
What new trick or shortcut did you learn in 2013? What do you want to speed up in 2014?
I learned how to change a nappy quickly and efficiently - and with minimal leakage. That, my friends, was a life saving skill, let me tell you. I also learned {on my feet, mind you} how to change a nappy in the most awkward and interesting of places. In 2014, I'd like to speed up my efficiency during Georgia's nap times. I spend way too many naps having me-time, instead of organising or tidying or working out, so it's time to step it up.
4: Rebuild
What do you plan to pick up or rebuild this year?
Cliché, but I want to rebuild my fitness. I'm currently hovering around my IVF weight, and that was high to start with - so I'd really like to work on that. It's not so much about the number on the scale as me finding the time and prioritising exercise. I didn't want to make resolutions this year, because I always feel so guilty when I don't stick to them, but my hope is that I'll be able to rebuild a bit of a fitness schedule over the coming weeks. Like I mentioned above, Georgia's morning nap {which goes from 1-1.5 hours usually} is the perfect time to utilise, so 30 minutes on a treadmill a few days a week will be a good place to start.
5: Sing
What song or lyrics will be forever tied to 2013 in your mind? What songs are you excited to keep with you through 2014?
2013: Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia. The song that Georgia bopped her way through during the last months of my pregnancy, and then the song that calmed a cranky newborn down as we bopped together around the living room. Who would've thought that dance music would have done the trick?
2014: I'm hooked on the new Smooth channel on Foxtel here - I'm showing my age here, but I'm loving the easy listening stuff. It's handy to have on in the background when I'm with the baby or pottering around the place.
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