My Lake

Whenever J travels for work, I try to get up to my parents' place for a few days for some grandparent time. Just under 2 hours north of Sydney, their house is only metres from the water's edge in beautiful Lake Macquarie.

I grew up on this lake - swimming, picnicing, fishing, waterskiing, many of my most vivid childhood memories involve this body of water. Many friendships were forged and lost here and my two first serious boyfriends were very involved with the water, one a swimmer and the other a fisherman.

Here in the west of Lake Macquarie, it's not so much coastal as water meets bushland. Framed by huge gums and wild scrub, our lake is a unique, beautiful and serene part of the world.

Heike seems to love it here as much as I always have. "Warda, warda!" she screams when she sees the lake. I hope that she will form her own memories here and it will one day mean as much to her as it does to me - the place her grandparents live, where her Mum grew up, and she placed her first crab pot, caught her first flathead and had her first waterski.

Heike dressed in Seed

Enough of this Mum, let's jet

Z xx

Toddlers: World's Fussiest Eaters?

It seems like a fairly ridiculous thing to worry about when your child is in the 90th percentile for weight and you're living in the first world with easy access to nutritious food and clean water - I shouldn't really be concerned that my child isn't eating her organic free range egg white omelet. Still, the fact that my toddler flat refuses most foods is one of the most infuriating, frustrating and worrying things I have experienced as a Mum so far.

Don't get me wrong, she eats. But her current repetoire is boiled eggs, pasta, cheese and bread. For a while now she has completely refused anything else. She will pick pasta out of a chicken dish, and start screaming "NUP!" before a bowl of meat and veggies has reached the table. Meanwhile if there is a raw egg in sight she will holler until she is satiated, perhaps for the four minutes it takes to boil said egg or with a well timed piece of cheese.

On Sunday I decided to really make an effort and cook up a few meals my fussy miss might like, so at least I couldn't blame myself for being a boring chef. When offered one such meal (a yummy take on bolognese) on Sunday night, Heike promptly took the bowl and threw it on the floor. This caused me, to put it eloquently, to lose my shit. I was so angry, so completely frustrated and helpless, that I had to walk away and let my dear husband deal with the mess and the cranky toddler. I had had enough.

Luckily for me, I have an AMAZING network of women otherwise known as my mother's group who are always on hand to help me through times like this. On the verge of tears, I shot off a short message begging them to tell me I wasn't the only one with a picky eater and dish out advice. Within minutes I was receiving words of solidarity and wisdom. These gals are amazing - all of them work, one has just had a second baby, and they manage to whip up three tasty, nutritious and creative meals for their toddlers each day.

Here are some of their suggestions:

- Cheesy Vegetable Muffins - I used this recipe and they were a hit, although note many of the reviews say to add some onion and bacon for flavour.
- Nutritious dips - Such as a pea, ricotta and mint dip/spread (can be made with 1/2 cup crushed peas, 3/4 cup ricotta and 1 TBSP mint) or Chickpea, Lemon and Cumin (Blended in food processor), served with wholemeal bread, crackers or toast.
- Tofu Burgers (300g firm tofu, 1 TBSP soy sauce, 1 TBSP sweet chilli sauce, 2 TBSP peanut butter, 6 chopped spring onions, 1 crushed clove garlic, 1/2 cup oats + chopped coriander - blended in food processor)
- Corn on the cob - cheap and easy
- Veggie risotto - Chunky enough for the self-feeders to handle
- Annabel Karmel's Chicken Apple Meatballs were suggested - these used to be a hit in our house but any kind of solid meat is a no-go lately - it needs to be pureed or hidden.
- Apple and Carrot muffins - Great as a treat or lunch option with fruit. Also an Annabel Karmel recipe.

I find dinner is the hardest meal for us - the most likely to be met with refusal and the hardest to be creative with. I'm sure this is probably due to both Heike and I being tired and grumpy by 5.30pm, and possibly after eating and snacking all day Heike just isn't hungry. Who knows?

Do you have any more suggestions for fussy toddlers?

Z xx

My Daughter is Awesome

Ask any parent out there if they think their child is awesome and the answer will undoubtedly be yes, my child is awesome. In fact, they are the awesomest of awesome. Have you seen how awesome her walk is? And hear her saying "Grandma"? It sounds like gehgehgeh but it's most definitely "Grandma".

Well I'm jumping on the bandwagon - my child, like all children, is awesome. Here is a list of things that define her unique awesomeness:

1) When she walks, she looks like a zombie, which is not only awesome but very cute.

2) She is almost perpetually happy.

3) She dances vigorously to the Foxtel menu music. You know, the elevator music as you scroll through channels.

4) She sounds like a German military officer when she talks excitedly.

5) She thinks her Mum is awesome. Therefore, she is awesome.

6) She can eat a whole banana in 30 seconds.

7) She can do this while saying "Nanananananana"

8) She slept until 7.44am this morning and I was hungover.

9) She laughs hysterically at the mere sighting of a dog, and her laugh is contagious, making me laugh hysterically, which makes her Dad laugh hysterically, which leaves all three of us laughing hysterically at dogs. In public.

10) She is one, and all one year olds are awesome. The jury is out on two year olds.

Z xx

Online Shopping - My Top 5

Online shopping is a mother's modern day equivalent of a therapist, a glass of gin at the end of the day and gossiping about your neighbours COMBINED. It is so accessible, so FUN and so entirely therapeutic that I'm surprised we're not all in gazillions of dollars debt. Oh, that's right - we are.

But it's so fun and hey, it's only money right? I mean, we're all gonna' die one day, live it up while we're here yeah? (Things I tell myself)

I find my favourite sites are fluid, with so many new ones popping up constantly that it's difficult to maintain loyalty to just a few. On the other hand, with a hubby who works in the ecommerce bizniz and my own copywriting background I find I am hypercritical of bad sites and will never visit a site again if it is clunky. Still, I have some FAVOURITE FAVOURITE ones that I want to share because if you don't know them, you should:

1) Lark - www.larkmade.com.au

 I really really REALLY love this site. Like, really. First of all it just embodies my style (or the style I wish to have). They have free shipping and, I think, are super reasonably priced. But also, they have just done a site rebuild and it is now a really neat little site. They have frequent offers for registered members and a Facebook page where they keep fans up to date. My fave things are the party goods and the kitchen wares - sooooooo cute!

Lark Store

2) Urban Baby - www.urbanbaby.com.au

Since I am so urban, it goes without saying that my baby is also urban. HA! But in all seriousness, this site is chock full of all the coolest, trendiest gear, gadgets and otherwise. With everything from feeding equipment and furniture to carriers and prams, Urban Baby is pretty much a one stop shop when it comes to getting ready for a new bub or updating for a new stage e.g. baby to toddler. The site offers free shipping on orders of $100 or over.

Urban Baby

3)  Oii Design - www.oiidesign.se

A (very cool) friend gave me the heads up on this Swedish site, which offers a range of the funkiest kids brands including Mini Rodini, Noa Noa and lots of other great Scandinavian brands. Scandinavians do style very well and this site is oh so cool. The great thing about it is that our seasons are opposite, which means their summer gear is going on sale just as we begin buying it - this makes the fairly pricey threads a lot more affordable, although you will get stung on shipping. Putting together a big order with some friends and splitting the postage cost is a great way to get around this. Meanwhile, you'll need google translate to help you navigate!

Oii

4) Next - www.nextdirect.com.au

Next is a UK site that stocks lots of basic clothes for women, men and kids, and they've recently entered the booming Aussie market. The link above is their site that's catered to Australian buyers, so the products are slightly more seasonal (they still offer basically the same range as the UK site but extend the summer line) and prices are in Aussie dollars. Next's clothes are affordable, GREAT quality and on trend. I buy HEAPS from here, and it has the added bonus of free shipping and guaranteed delivery within five days. This is the perfect site for when you suddenly realise all your child's pants are stained, too small, etc. - simply restock.

Next

5) Kido Store - www.kidostore.com

Another great little Aussie company, I stumbled upon Kido Store when I lived in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs and visited their Clovelly shop when I was pregnant. Immediately, I fell in love. There isn't a thing in Kido Store I wouldn't buy, they've just done that well with their buying and styling. The online store is great if you can't get into a shop (they have two in Sydney but ship throughout Australia) and offers free shipping on orders over $150. They sell very cute clothes, furniture and gear but I love their room accessories, having bought lots of prints, decals etc. from them and also my BELOVED Little Lam Freckle Rug. Look out for their Family and Friends weekends, with discounts and special offers.

Kido

Z xx

Corner Cubbyhouse

Those of you with toddlers know that it's not always easy to keep them entertained. Certainly there's nothing worse than a bored, over-energetic toddler, oh no. These little creatures are constantly exploring and learning and need to be stimulated for both development and parents' sanity.

A girlfriend of mine had her daughter's first birthday party at the Corner Cubbyhouse in Five Dock. Unfortunately we were overseas and couldn't attend, but were keen to check it out. We headed there with a friend and her little girl yesterday for a play and a catch up.

Corner Cubbyhouse is the PERFECT place for a busy toddler. It costs around $7.00 for kids and $5.00 for adults, but that price includes a coffee that you can enjoy in relative peace while your little ones play.

There's a special area for 0-3's and another for 3-12 year olds that includes climbing equipment and a MASSIVE slide that I may have tested out (Peter Pan syndrome). The 0-3 area is basically a large fenced in space chock full of soft play equipment, so you can let your child roam free without fearing that they'll get hurt, even if they decide to take a tumble head first down the slide, as mine is inclined to do. We also put the girls on the jumping castle as it was fairly quiet and there were no bigger kids dominating it, and it was pretty cute!

There are plenty of high chairs which makes feeding time easier, and a baby kitchen with a microwave for heating bottles and meals. There's also a baby change room and a cafe with your basic meals like hot chips for bigger kids (and parents!).

Personally I wouldn't take a pre-crawler there, or a baby lacking confidence in general movement, as the kids do go a bit crazy and I've heard it can get pretty packed at times. In general I would say it is better for 1-3 year olds but I've met some younger babies who can really hold their own, so I think it would be at the parents' discretion.

For more information on Corner Cubbyhouse, click here.

Z xx

The Veggie Garden

I've never been much of a gardener, in fact I've always been more from the "Bring a living plant into my home and I shall surely kill it" sect. When we moved into our house almost a year ago it came with a ready made garden, which was perfect for me and my equally brown-thumbed husband.

After a few months of living here we realised that even ready made gardens require maintenance, if you don't want them to die. We decided we DIDN'T want to kill our garden, because it looks awesome. In the process of watering, weeding and tending our plants, we discovered that we didn't really hate gardening after all. In fact, we kinda' dug it (OH SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! SNAP).

Our adventures in gardening have so far produced some fledgling herbs (it didn't exactly come naturally), some browning daisies, a thriving succulent garden (the one project not overseen by moi) and a hydrangea that so far refuses to flower. But we haven't given up! We are determined to become the Don and Donna Burke of our generation.

So began "Project Veggie Garden" this past weekend. We copied our friends (who are chefs and by no means brown thumbed, with AMAZING veggie gardens in both their back and front courtyards) and decided to build a largish planter box as we don't have tons of space. My talented husband built this with his BARE HANDS, what a legend.

The planter and its maker - materials from Bunnings

 We aren't quite at the point where we trust ourselves to grow from seeds, and are lucky to live close to a fantastic organic market where they sell tons of seedlings each weekend. Someone (not me) went a little overboard on the seedling purchase, resulting in a fairly crowded veggie garden, but I think it looks quite fab.

The finished product

I am actually really excited to see the fruits of our labour (PUN #2!) as these plants mature over the next couple of months. Not only will I feel really self sufficient, I will (hopefully) save money and not have to buy seedy Woolworths vegetables.

For me, the greatest thing about this veggie garden is it will limit the neccessity/temptation to buy vegetables based on convenience rather than health/ethical purposes. Undoubtedly pesticides, fertilisers and additives effect the quality and safety of vegetables bought at supermarkets and grocers, and it's not always easy (or cheap) to stock up at organic markets. I never thought much about this before becoming a mother, but lately it's been on my mind.

ANYWAY let's hope these suckers grow! NOMNOM.

Z xx

Until Death Do Us Part...

It is an indication of how sad and pathetic I am that I am absolutely SHOCKED and DEVASTATED at the news that Danielle Spencer and Russell Crowe have called it quits after 9 years of marriage. For some reason I always thought they were one of those couples who would "go the distance," and even sadder is that they've two little boys who will of course be caught up in this whole thing.

The once-happy couple

To quote my mother, I didn't come down in the last shower. I know that divorce rates are steadily on the increase. In fact, the ABS tells me that around 40% of marriages entered into can be expected to end in divorce. Interestingly as well, the median length of marriages ending in divorce is around 9 or 10 years, which tells us that Rusty and Danielle's situation is fairly standard. Still, though. Sometimes it feels like the institution is crumbling around us.

When I married my husband I did so with the intention that it would last forever, although realistically I knew in the back of my mind that statistics weren't necessarily in our favour. Sure, we have more chance of staying together than divorcing, but only just. And when public couples split, especially those who seemed to be a great fit, it's more than a little confronting.

What's clear is that marriage takes work - and I can tell you that from experience! Having a child added about, um, 250% more stress to our marriage, and you can imagine that this only increases as more kiddies are added to the mix. But it's extremely important to continue to make time for one another and focus on your relationship - as my Mum has always advised me, it's only the two of you left once the kids have packed up and moved on.

I know I'm guilty of not always being quite as good a wife as I am a mother, and headlines like these remind me to refocus on the important things. Like, sometimes it's more important to sit down and have a beer with your husband than to sit and fold washing in front of X-Factor (I know, sad but true).

When thinking about this I had a look around for secrets to a successful marriage, and found some interesting insights discovered by a professor from the U.S., Dr Terri Orbuch, who had interviewed divorced couples and thus deduced these five simple secrets to a happy union:

1) Money - Apparently the biggest strain on a relationship is money issues - if there's plenty of it, it makes life easier. Clearly.

2) Affection - Men need it more than us women folk, who get it from family, friends, kids and even the local newsagent if we look sad. Ladies, give your man a cuddle.

3) Blame - Lack of it is best, i.e. better not to sit and stew for weeks over how it was your husband's fault your daughter found a razor blade in the shower.

4) Communication - Communicate!

5) Move on - Similar to blame, I guess - all about letting go of things. Easy for me these days as my memory's shot.

You can read the full article on Dr Orbuch's research, and watch a video on Dr Oz's tips for an harmonious marriage, here.

Meanwhile, I'm sure there are women out there who are more elated than devastated at the news Russell is single again. Personally, he's not my type.

Z xx

Life's Happy Accidents

As a child, I was more than a little accident prone. My Mum still loves to tell stories of weekly grazed knees and how in my first ever sporting race, I fell over - sadly, this trait has not left me as I've stumbled into adulthood. Just this morning I smashed one of my two bad ankles ("bad" from multiple sprains) into the glass coffee table, leading to an explosion of bad language inappropriate for a mother of a young child.

It seems that I have passed these fabulous genes down (fist pump!), although I did choose an equally uncoordinated partner who, no exaggeration, bumps his head DAILY. Heike's first year has been FULL of accidents and I haven't always been involved, which leads me to believe it's her doing as much as mine.

Apart from the frequent bumps and scratches, there has been a roll off the bed (TRAUMATIC!!) and a fall out of the pram (EQUALLY TRAUMATIC!!). Then there was the time she fell out of the pram again (less traumatic second time round) after climbing into it at the park before I could say "STOP YOU'LL FALL!!"

This morning was the worst yet, as it involved poor parental supervision and a razor blade. Sounds bad, right? Yeah it was pretty bad but I THANK GOD that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Justus and I were in our usual manic 7.20am mode (showering, dressing, making beds, gathering washing ETC...) while Heike enjoyed her usual 7.20am free reign of the bedroom. Next thing conversation goes something like: "Babe, Heike's in the shower" "Is she wet?" "Yeah she's wet" "What's she doing?" "Playing" "Is she happy?" "Yeah" "Oh she'll be right for a minute" "OH F#@! SHE"S PLAYING WITH A RAZOR BLADE!"

It's that easy, folks, for your 13 month old child to slice off the top of a finger with a friiiiicking razor blade. I reacted in standard fashion by screaming, crying and dry reaching while Justus remained trademark calm and took control of the situation. In all fairness Heike was actually fine and only became upset when her mother was wailing and pinning her down while her father applied giant band-aids to her finger. She had probably already cut herself by the time we'd discovered her and she seemed perfectly content. Still, anything involving your child and lots of blood is scary, am I right?

The one good thing about these kinds of accidents is that; a) You learn something (e.g. don't leave razor blades in the bottom of shower, don't let baby play in shower, don't leave baby unattended. CLEARLY!) and; b) Everyone's reaction is "Oh, these things happen all the time with kids!"

Yes, when it comes to accidents no one's judging, because they've all been there before. It comes with the territory. Babies are fast and fearless and completely unpredictable. Parents are tired and stressed and often new at the job. Thus, accidents happen. Generally they don't involve razor blades, but every family's different, right?

Here's Baby Center's list of top accidents among babies, so you know where to be extra careful:

• Burns, one of the most common childhood accidental injuries. These include sunburns and burns caused by stoves, lamps, matches, lighted cigarettes, fireplaces, wood stoves, and hot liquid from a pan, cup, bath, or hot water heater.
• Head injuries caused primarily by falls from high chairs, beds, furniture, stairs, and play equipment.
• Choking on food or foreign objects.
• Strangulation caused by strings, ties, ribbons, and cords on toys, clothing, and household appliances and fixtures.
• Nose injuries caused by running into stationary objects, falling on a hard surface, or deflecting a flying toy (or the fist or foot of another child).
• Items stuck in a nostril, like small stones, chewable vitamins, pebbles, and peas.
• Cuts and scratches caused by sharp fingernails (either your baby's own or some other child's), pets, sharp objects, and encounters with sticks and other pointed objects that live in your yard.
• Fractures and sprains caused by hard falls and, as your child enters the toddler years, by playing energetically. Children tend to break bones more easily than adults because they have soft areas near the end of each bone called growth plates.
• Contusions — bruises under the skin — caused by bumps and falls.

From my experience, accidents are most likely to occur when you as a parent are stressed, anxious or busy, so these are the times to be extra careful with your bub, even though it's not always that easy. I also remember getting advice from the Children's Hospital that the MAIN thing they see EVERY DAY are falls from the change table, especially around the age when babies have just started rolling (which is what happened when Madame rolled off the bed). 

Wishing you all accident free days...

Z xx

Anti Amber

I'm fairly open minded and I'm all for trying alternative therapies and medicines - being married to the son and brother of two very alternative doctors, I've been exposed to a whole range of theories on the treatment of pain, viruses and diseases. Not all of it is for me but I'm generally an "each to their own" kind of gal.

Still, I do enjoy the odd rant (!!) and I'm never one not to voice an opinion. And frankly, I just hate those stupid amber necklaces that parents put on their babies to help "teething". There, I've said it. I hate them. They are ugly and they are dangerous and I don't believe they work.

So, you can imagine my sense of smug validation when I read on Essential Baby last week that the risks of amber necklaces can outweigh the benefits (of which there are none). Experts have told the CHOICE Baby and Kids Forum that the necklaces present a serious choking hazard, warning that "teething won't kill a baby but an amber teething necklace could". Damn straight! A Dr James Best went further to say that the efficacy of such necklaces is "biologically implausible," and thus there's no real reason for children to be wearing them anyway.

Okay, this is my gripe with amber necklaces. WHYYY do intelligent, logical women think that "oils" released from an amber necklace will in any way stop your baby from feeling any discomfort associated with teething? And WHYYYYYY is every problem with a baby from about four months of age blamed on teething?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who don't believe in teething. When my child is slobbering litres of drool and her gums are swollen and she is acting a little less cute and cuddly than I would like, I can see that it is probably her teeth that are bothering her. I will give her something cool to chew and take her outside and pick her up and maybe in extreme cases a dose of Panadol could be needed. But I find it difficult to believe that some teeth breaking through the gum would have her screaming all night and refusing to sleep, or being a total brat, when otherwise her behaviour is fairly consistent with a normal day.

It also really annoys me when people go on and on about how much amber necklaces have helped with their child's teething: "Oh little Johnny wore an amber necklace and we had hardly any problems with teething." Well, guess what? My child doesn't wear an amber necklace and we've had hardly any problems with teething either. In fact, this has been the case for plenty of people I know. Some babies, like some people, are better at dealing with pain than others. Some babies will scream for an hour if you look at them the wrong way - they're also likely to be a little difficult when their teeth are causing them pain.

Miranda, a fan of all things au naturale

At the end of the day I'm not going to judge you on something as trivial as an amber necklace, but I am going to try to talk you out of giving even more money to these companies that are exploiting gullible women by jumping on the natural therapies bandwagon. There is absolutely NO scientific evidence to support the use of amber and, so sue me, I'm a child of science. I will buy my expensive sunscreen without nano particles and my expensive food without preservatives but I'm not so far gone that I'll buy a hazardous stone necklace to prevent what can only be minimal pain associated with teething.

If you do choose to buy an amber necklace, which of course you're free to do, you may want to heed these safety warnings from the ACCC:

• always supervise the infant when wearing the necklace or bracelet
• remove the necklace or bracelet when the infant is unattended, even if it is only for a short period of time
• remove the necklace or bracelet while the infant sleeps at day or night
• not allow the infant to mouth or chew the necklace or bracelet
• consider using alternate forms of pain relief
• seek medical advice if you have concerns about your child’s health and wellbeing.

Z xx

Play Time

I don't know about you but as much as I love love love my daughter and love spending time with her, sometimes there is nothing more banal than play time. I mean, I find stacking and knocking down blocks pretty fun for the first five minutes. But soon enough I'm yawning and looking around for my smart phone, or getting annoyed that my toddler keeps knocking down my awesome buildings!

Still, play is a pretty important part of a toddler's life - in fact, playing is pretty much all they do, on top of eating and sleeping. While experts recommend that you play with your child for at least an hour a day, I think its equally important that children learn to play by themselves in order to foster independence and imagination. Not to mention if I played with my child all day, my house would be even more of a disorganised mess than it is currently.

The difficulty I'm finding with a 13 month old is that it's a bit of an in between age - they're too old for lots of the shake/rattle/button toys but not old enough for the more interactive/imaginvative toys like kitchens, dolls, lego etc. Take a look around your local toy stores - there are huge amounts of 6-9mth+ and 18mth+, which are either too simple or too advanced for your average one year old.

That said, you don't have to have a house full of toys to keep your toddler entertained - here are my top ideas for play (both parent and child driven):

• Books - Books are just the best invention, for adults and kids alike. While reading is generally a parent driven activity, it can take up 30 minutes or more of your one on one time each day. Babies love books and reading aids their development and literacy skills. We read three books before each sleep and have "reading time" whenever a bit of quiet time is needed.
• Obstacle courses - One year olds are generally either just walking or just about to walk, and love to try out this skill by circling household furniture. Set up creatively, furniture can form an obstacle course for your child to explore. 
• Push along toys - As above, perfect for working out those newly upright legs. We got this great trike from Mothercare (for my fussy "wooden toys only" husband) and I got this cheap musical walker from Big W.
• Parks - I'm SO lucky to live in a suburb with a park around every corner. And not just a park, a busy park, full of other toddlers with whom my child can play. I go to the park every day without fail, usually before or after a brisk stroll. It's great for both of us to be out in the fresh air.
• Singing - For some reason Heike is always happy while I am singing, and will usually dance along to my out of tune nursery rhymes. The problem is remembering enough songs - this site can help you out with a few.
• Rough play - I have a pretty full on toddler who just LOVES to wrestle. I imagine quite a few of you would be in the same boat. My only warning with rough play is that it can result in a very energetic toddler becoming even more energised and, let's face it, a little crazy. Equally it can wear them out, so it can be worth the risk. 
• Turning household chores into a game - This has to be my top idea, because it results in me actually getting chores done. Hanging out the washing is far easier if you give your little one some pegs to play with. Unpacking the dishwasher can be helped along with a few kitchen utensils to bang together, as can cleaning out kitchen drawers. The pantry is a super fun place for a toddler to explore while you cook dinner. Sadly I still haven't worked out how to fold washing with a toddler in tow - it's usually pulled back out of the basket quicker than it's put in.

 It's taken me a long time (approximately 13 months) to realise that I don't need to be at my daughter's beck and call and she can, and should, entertain herself without my constant involvement. I've also realised that it's not a crime to check my emails or call a friend while my daughter is otherwise occupied, as long as she has adequate supervision and is getting plenty of attention at other times throughout the day. Like everything else in life, it's all about balance. Happy playing.

Z xx

No Added Sugar - Take Two

Okay, I've harped on before about giving up sugar and its various benefits. Like most things with me, I decided to give up sugar and it didn't stick for long. Slowly, insidiously, sugar crept back into my life. Until last weekend I ate four cupcakes and two pieces of cake in one day. IN ONE DAY.

I am completely hopeless when it comes to sugar. Many experts on the subject refer to sugar as a "drug" and for me that description couldn't be more accurate. Once I get that first hit, I need more more more. A block of chocolate in one sitting? Piece of cake (ha, see what I dun' there?)!

Still, even less aggressive consumers of sugar can benefit from taking a look at their eating habits. According to Sarah Wilson (my new guru on this subject who blogs here), even the average Aussie consumes up to 30 teaspoons of sugar per day. Which makes me shudder to think what sweet toothed ladies like myself are looking at. 30 TABLESPOONS? Gah!

I've also had a few hormonal issues lately (relevant to other new mums, will cover soon) and have thus been feeling like CRAAAAP - fuzzy headed, lethargic, moody, bloated and slightly psychotic at times. Funny enough, these same symptoms can be attributed to bad eating habits. Which made me think that if I control what I'm doing externally, my internals can only benefit, right?

I can honestly say that my eating habits are generally pretty healthy - no fast food, lots of whole grains, protein, veggies, probably not enough fruit and wayyyy too much sugar. A little too much alcohol perhaps. I say this so when you ask "Why cut out sugar?" you can see that sugar is the real problem area in my life.

So I set out on my no-sugar journey by getting myself a copy of Sarah Wilson's book, "I Quit Sugar". You can buy it online here along with her I Quit Sugar cookbook, which I haven't bought but am very keen to. I love the way she writes, for starters - she's so honest and easy to read. But I also love her 8 week program for quitting sugar. She encourages you to "be gentle on yourself" and has HEAPS of tips for beating the inevitable cravings and massive sugar come down in the first few weeks.

I only started this week and so far the only noticeable effect is a voice in my head constantly telling me I want sugar. I'm yet to feel cleaner, lighter and clear headed as promised but I'm sure that will come if I can manage to keep this up. I have a high tea on Sunday that I am dreading as I don't know how strong I can be, but hopefully there are sandwiches and I may allow myself an extra wine or two to compensate for lack of cake.

My coping strategy so far? Almond and chia spread. This has to be the yummiest thing around, and whenever I feel weak I shove a spoonful of this goodness into my gob. YUM.

NOMNOMNOM

I'll keep you posted.

Z xx

DIY Mum

Hahahaha I just made myself laugh so hard with the title of this post. I am essentially the antithesis of a DIY Mum, given I would at any given opportunity pay someone to do something for me rather than "Do It Myself". Other than your basic child rearing, of course.

However. Sometimes when you REALLY love that vintage look and you are REALLY fussy about what you like, there's no choice but to put on your Bunnings outfit (yes, much to my husband's amusement I have a "bunnings outfit" that I believe gives me an authentic DIY look) and get down to it.

Recently I bought an old Danish armchair, circa 1950. I've wanted one of these ever since I wanted to copy the awesome one my neighbour has. It fits in with our mid-century modern lounge room decor, and my idea was to give it a new upholstery with a prettier feel that's in keeping with my girly-vintage style. Here's the chair as I bought it:

Danish comfort

I've since contacted an upholsterer who will also take the chair apart and give it a bit of a re-furb, which I could have done myself but frankly, I'm pretty shit at DIY and I want this piece to last for a while. I'm yet to choose a fabric but my idea is that it will soon look more like this:

My Chair-spiration

Anyway, I decided I could probably fix up the aesthetics of the wood myself and spent a few hours on Sunday getting my polish on. We purchased some Gilly Stephenson's restoring poilish from, you guessed it, Bunnings, and it worked a treat.

Meanwhile, the other purpose of our Bunnings journey was our "balcony project". We have a fairly large balcony off our bedroom and since we moved in nine months ago it has been an arid, bare space that is never utilised. We hope to change that by transforming it into a tranquil sunbaking/play oasis that can be enjoyed this coming summer and for many summers to come.

Our idea (my idea which has now become "our" idea) is to lay AstroTurf on the balcony!! What a great idea, you say. TA, I know, it is an awesome idea. I'm hoping the AstroTurf combined with some cute gnome/toadstool accessories and some sleek white Adirondack chairs (purchased today, in fact) will give this space a fun 1960s feel that will influence our bedroom overhaul (yet to be begun as we keep changing our mind on decor). Anyway, I got my idea from a home improvement show but have since found some pretty rad pictures that have inspired me:

AstroTurf Atrium - 'nuff said!

I've always loved the feel of this rooftop bar on Swanston St

 

Making a small space a little greener...

 

 

Adirondack Chairs, in case you were wondering

Our project had to be postponed as there was a little too much umming and aahing over what grass to use and which chairs to buy* and we ran out of time over the weekend. BUT this weekend it will continue and hopefully we'll be getting glimpses of the finished product - so watch this space for photos and updates!

* Adirondack chairs range in price from $100 - $500 - many of the cheaper replicas are poor quality and, as these are for outdoor use, poor quality can mean no longevity. We ended up purchasing ours for $275 each from Prue Trollope in Balmain.

Z xx

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

Lesson number 835 in Motherhood: You will spend half your life in the kitchen, cooking for everyone but yourself.

Okay this may be a slight exaggeration and influenced by the fact that one of my favourite places to be is the kitchen anyway, but some days I do feel chained to it like a 1950s housewife. Today is one such day, chiefly because I had absolutely no food prepared for the week and spent this morning doing a big ole' grocery shop.

As you know I've been working my way through recipes from my good mate* Donna**, having purchased her annual kids mag a few months back. I'm yet to be disappointed, having just about cooked every recipe from the magazine by now.

Today I tried two new ones, Choc Banana Oat Cakes (alright yes, they are for me) and a Zucchini, Corn and Cheddar Loaf (a lunch option for Heiks). Because I love Donna SO much I will urge you to run out and buy a copy of the mag rather than posting the recipes, although I can tell you that I over beat the oat cakes/cookies a little (carried away with my Kitchen Aid, it happens) and fixed it with a bit of self raising flour and water. They turned out REALLY scrummy, evidenced by the fact I just ate two when I told myself I'd only have one. I also "sampled" the loaf (all in the name of good blogging) and it was all cheesy, zucchini-y, corny loaf goodness.

Mmm Oat Cakes...Delish!

Zucchini, Corn and Cheddar Loaf

I was also meant to make Apricot Chicken, an old faithful my Mum used to make me, but managed to come home without Apricot Nectar, which I believe is a key component of Apricot Chicken. Yes, I'm always winning at life. BUT not all was lost, because I managed to find this recipe for Orange Chicken, which has that similar Moroccan-esque sweet-savoury thing going on. Sadly I only made two serves so not enough for the whole fam as I would like to consume this with some couscous and steamed veggies, as Heiks will be tonight (lucky duck! Hubby and I eating Saturday's leftovers).

Orange Chicken, simmering away in my Le Creuset

The greatest thing about all of these recipes was that they are EASY PEASY which is in keeping with my philosophy that all cooking should be simple, fresh and delicious (this is similar to Donna Hay's "Fast, Fresh, Simple" credo, I admit).  I don't believe in over-complicating cooking with things like mortar and pestles and food processors and other such time consuming equipment, at least not when the same flavours can be achieved with some strong herbs and a bit of slow cooking.

RANDOM FUNNY PHOTO: Just thought I'd tack this on the end, Heike has been amusing us all weekend with her tendency to assume the "downward dog" position at random moments, holding it for up to five minutes if the mood strikes her. Here she is at the park yesterday stretching it out - must have been those three prenatal yoga classes I took!

Recently voted "Funniest Child Ever" by Justus and I

Z xx


* Relative term
** Hay

Ode to my Kitchen Aid

Recently my husband purchased me a truly valuable gift. A beautiful, suave, elegant machine that could even be described as a little bit sexy. It fulfils my every need and just looking at it makes me smile.

My Kitchen Aid.

I mean, I don't really have that much to say about my Kitchen Aid except for, oh, I LOVE IT. I can't actually describe my love for it in common English, but rather, like Romeo for Juliet, can only speak of it in sonnets.

*clears throat*

It's difficult to say my dear,
The love I have for you
Sitting up upon my bench top
So beautiful and blue

You are so very shiny
Your curves so very round
My heart it leaps with joy upon
Hearing your whirring sound

Cakes, cookies and sweets I love
To cook and oh, to eat
With you I make them easily
Their taste I can not beat

Superficial I may be
But I really have to say
You are oh so much prettier
Than other mixers of today

So please my love don't leave me
Or I'd be a tired old maid
Slaving over baking
Without you, My Kitchen Aid

Mine is just this shiny

Z xx

Baby Turns One!

Two days ago my little girl turned one - a fairly emotional and meaningful day for the parents as much as it is a milestone for the child. It's quite possible that I walked into Heike's room the morning of her birthday and sobbed "You're one!!!" before breaking down in tears. Quite possible indeed.

Anyway, because Justus had to be away on business on her actual birthday, we had a party two days before on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I decided to have the party at home because, well, I'm mad, and we also invited all her friends from mother's group just to further emphasize my insanity. All in all there were about 30 or so adults and 12 or so kids and I needed about 50 or so drinks afterwards.

Whenever I have any kind of celebration I like to do it right, making sure everything reflects my personal style and taste. This can make me fairly painful to be around in the lead up to any kind of event. Think screaming, hyperventilating and even the odd spot of violence (usually inflicted upon kitchen cupboards and utensils and rarely upon my husband).

My current/lifelong obsession is all things vintage with a modern twist. I put together a kind of mood board for the party using Pinterest, which I think is fantastic for this kind of thing and I'm currently using for my bedroom overhaul. When I worked out the look I wanted - girly, vintage, cutesy yet classic (try explaining this to your husband) - I set to work planning.

I bought loads of decorations on an Australian site, larkmade.com.au - their prices are reasonable, shipping is free, delivery fast and the range amazing. I also made my own bunting, which was easy to do using colored paper and twine - I used some on the cake and the rest on our front gate.

I decided to make a cake I found in this year's Donna Hay kids magazine (Annual 9). I am probably the hugest fan of Donna Hay ever (probably not ever but it sounds good) - her recipes are simple and tasty and her food is always styled beautifully. She also has a gorgeous little overpriced shop in Woollahra where you can buy gorgeous little overpriced kitchen wares (my favorite kind of wares). The "rainbow" cake was essentially a multi layer butter cake full of sprinkles, but it tasted lovely and was a hit. I made a practice cake the week before, which I recommend as I ended up cooking the cakes for around 10 minutes less than the instructions suggested.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some photos of how it turned out, taken by my lovely friend Toz. I'm bummed I didn't get any photos of the inside of the cake but it looked pretty much like it did in the magazine (ha!!). I changed the outside because I decided the ombré icing was a bit too girly and potentially risky as it flopped on the practice version.

Cups, straws and plates from larkmade.com.au - vintage place settings from local markets

My cake (and fairy cakes by my Mum!)

The kids table - flowers bought by my dear hubby on the day

Our beautiful girl x

It was a lovely day and one we will always remember and can share with Heike through stories and photographs. While I was fairly stressed in the lead up and may have exclaimed "NO MORE PARTIES!" at one point, let's face it, we'll be doing it all again next year.

Z xx

My One Year Old

Lately I've found myself overcome with absolute affection for my little girl. I'm entirely convinced that one is the loveliest age ever.

First of all there's the pointing at everything, accompanied by a little "Ohh" that makes her sound like a gossipy old woman. Then there's the constant cuddles - most frequently given to her stuffed toys but sometimes administered to the lounge, picture frames, strangers and occasionally even me.

There are kisses given to anyone and anything, including a photo of my brother with the governor and the newsreader on the Today show. There's also the language that is developing each day- most recently we've heard "up", "look" and "Klopp" (the title of one of her German books), while she still barks madly whenever she hears a dog.

Mostly, I love that she and I are communicating, whether it be through words, gestures, cuddles, sounds or the odd slap across the face (thanks Heiks!). We don't have long conversations but we do understand one another and, I think, enjoy each other's company.

One is definitely easier than newborn and from what I've heard far less frustrating than two. I'm working on appreciating the moment and I appreciate this one - spending each day with a sweet, energetic, crazy one year old girl.

Sleep Transitions

My newly one year old (birthday post to come) has well and truly begun the transition from two sleeps to one. What a pain! After months of a set routine and an organized life, things have been thrown into chaos again. SIGH!

As you all know I'm a prolific googler and researcher. So from the moment Heike started taking a longer morning sleep and carrying on about her afternoon sleep, I was online looking for answers.

As it turns out (and always does when it comes to babies) there is no one answer for dealing with this "in between" time when bubs don't quite need two sleeps but aren't quite ready for one. The main strategies to try  are:

1) Wake them up from their morning nap so they'll be tired enough to take another in the afternoon: Adherents to this strategy recommend waking bub up after 30-40 minutes in the morning and giving them another sleep at around 1pm. The morning sleep will eventually be dropped and the other brought forward.

2) Force one sleep: Keep baby awake until around 11am (despite the fact they will be ridiculously tired) and put them to bed for minimum 2-2.5 hours - this approach can involve quite a bit of resettling before bub really gets what they're meant to be doing.

3) Go with the flow: Let bub have the sleep they need in the morning and, if needed, take them for a long walk or drive in the afternoon so they get another short nap in. Gradually the morning sleep will be pushed back, maybe a half hour each week, until bub only needs the one sleep a day.

Despite advocating going with the flow repeatedly, you may have noticed I'm not that great at it. I like control - order! Thus I have tried the first two methods and can tell you, for us, they've been a complete failure. Personally I found Heike just wasn't getting enough sleep, taking one 30 minute nap and another just over an hour or just taking one 1.5hr nap and then screaming in her cot for an hour. Not fun.

I decided on Saturday to just go with the flow and let Heike do what she wants to do. It's only been three days but so far, so good. Each day she's slept a minimum of two hours in the morning (today she had 2.5) and taken a short nap in the pram in the afternoon. This also works out well for me as it forces me to get outside and take a long walk each day, which should hopefully negate my current penchant for eating, um, everything (that's another post right there).

Transitions suck! Here's to having a good one nap a day baby before I know it.

Z xx

EUROTRIP

Well well well. It appears I have been M.I.A for, let's see, FOREVER. I SUCK. There may be more talented, conscientious people than I (there are) who can travel the globe with an eleven month old and various stuffed bunnies in tow and still manage to update their blog. I, however, am a flawed being and my blog posts seem to fly out the window whenever there is even a moderately significant distraction in my life. A four week holiday led me to forget I even have a blog and instead frequently stress about foreign foods and jet lag and appropriate airplane behaviour and other things you SHOULDN'T be worried about on a holiday but of course DO when you simply must stress about SOMETHING.

SO! Welcome back, me. The past four weeks have seen my little family and I (and extended family on both sides) travel from Sydney to Hong Kong, on to Germany via Finland, take a quick Paris weekender and end up in country France for a few days. Then it was back to Sydney via Finland with a two day stopover in Bangkok. Does your head hurt yet? It should when I remind you there was an 11 month old on board. Yup. Head's hurting.

When I set out to write this post I intended to heap upon you wise words regarding traveling with a baby. But then I thought about it and realised that my own approach to traveling with a baby consisted of constantly stressing about how many clean bottles I have and breathing sighs of relief that I have such an easygoing, adaptable child.

Summer in Europe? Get naked.

I have a feeling that if my daughter were not so laid back (a trait clearly not inherited from yours truly) we could have had an entirely different trip on our hands. As it was she reacted with complete class to every hiccup and setback (again, unlike yours truly) and quickly adjusted time zones four times. She was the darling of her Aunties, the cherished plaything of her cousins and the apple of her grandparents' eyes.

What should be mentioned, however, is the ridiculous amount of ridiculous things that took place on this holiday. I'm sure I've told you all that I attract drama. I'm not drawn to it, oh no - it's drawn to me. I can see it coming and literally turn and run away but it always, ALWAYS finds me.

Let's see, first there was the Typhoon 10 (the highest level, yep) that kept us stranded in Hong Kong Airport for 21 hours. Then there was the unplanned night spent in Finland. There was the flight to Paris we missed (don't even ASK how much we paid for a new one...) and the other flight that cost us an extra $130 for a name change (Justus I'm looking at you mate).

There were the specs Justus lost (that one's on me) and then came the brand new sunglasses - gone. Heike's favourite cuddly bunny was also a casualty. Family arguments? Oh, there were heaps! Tantrums (thrown by adults)? You betcha! My parents even got scammed in Bangkok on their way home. Let's place that cherry on the cake, shall we?

Interestingly, almost all the drama of our holiday had absolutely nothing to do with our tiny tot, but rather came down to bad luck or mismanagement. Considering what a "lucky" person I am and how "great" my husband is at planning, I'd say we had it coming.

Nonetheless, a great time was had by all, particularly Madame H who would have loved to bid us adieu and spend a few more weeks I'm sure. The weather was warm, the bread amazing and the beer cheap. All in all - I'd do it again in a flash.

Swimming naked, German style

Z xx

The Great Outdoors

Sometimes, you just gotta get outside. Recently the weather here has been less than ideal - 15 degrees and rain, anyone? So we have been cooped up inside a liiiiittle too much and frankly, it's sending me mad. Last week I took Heike to the shopping centre to "play". Admittedly it was one of those with an indoor kids play area but REALLY?!?! I'm losing respect for myself.

A few weeks back we purchased a Tatonka hiking backpack on Gumtree for $70. Barely used and in perfect condition, it was a bargain I couldn't wait to use. My other half was less convinced and the last few weekends have seen me trying to invent reasons to go places with the backpack - difficult in the previously mentioned weather conditions.

This past weekend we scored members tickets to the Swans game - the perfect location for baby backpack wearing! Justus was dubious but as soon as he put the backpack on and heard Heike's squeals of delight, the shift from sceptic to convert was evident in his face. The comfort, the convenience, the novelty! It quickly became his new favourite baby item.

Thus when we woke on Sunday morning to SUNSHINE and the internet told us my soccer game was CANCELLED anyway, we decided we would GET OUTSIDE and use the magical BACKPACK. We drove to Camp Cove, otherwise known as the most beautiful place in Sydney, and set out for a walk around south head and then back to Watsons Bay for lunch.

It sounds trite but the warm sun on our faces did wonders for our mood, as did walking past a nudist beach full of sixty year old sun worshippers naked in the middle of winter. Perhaps weeks of grey have altered my perceptions but I swear I have never seen the water such a perfect shade of aqua, never seen it glitter quite so prettily under the sun's rays.

Heike was an angel baby for the day (as always but she loved the backpack) and Justus my Leo Lion was at his sunshiney best. Even I didn't complain about walking a little further than planned or waiting 30 minutes for lunch. It was a timely reminder of the importance of fresh air and sun to well being and the truly healing powers of nature.

Cherubs

Z xx

Life's Daggy Essentials

I'll start this off by saying that "Mum" doesn't need to be synonymous with "daggy", as most of you know because the baby booming Hollywood industry has seen the emergence of some truly stylish and "yummy" mummies. But on a practical level, looking fabulous with children in tow just doesn't work. Nice shoes aren't condusive to running after the world's fastest crawler and short-skirts-on-windy-days-while-pushing-a-pram-and-picking-up-a-dummy are great if you want everyone to see your faded black undies.

Quite a number of stylish wardrobe items have been put into storage this year. Short skirts were the first to go after the aforementioned undie-flashing incident. It should be mentioned that my cellulite is *probably* a little more severe than it was two summers ago, which may have also influenced my decision to wear jeans year-round. My vintage fur coat - where would I wear it? Bright patterned blouses would look fairly ridiculous at the local park and any material that isn't denim or interlock is likely to be destroyed by vomit and dirty little fingers.

That said, giving birth isn't a free pass to veg out in your trackies every day (she tells herself in the mirror each morning). It just requires a little jigging of style - you know, a wider range of converse trainers to choose from, an even greater number of jeans and a selection of shirts and jumpers that cover the delightful plumbers crack subtly revealed each time you pick up a screaming infant.

Still, I have enjoyed finally being able to embrace my inner dag. And when I say "inner" dag I really just mean my outer, real self dag I tried in vain to disguise in a former life. Finally, I'm out and proud. Daggy things I have welcomed with open arms include wearing joggers everywhere (and by joggers, I mean real Nike runners - everywhere), Birkenstocks (us daggy people think they're cool but come on guys, they're daggy), backpacks (so practical!), and caps. You know like baseball caps that say "Port Douglas - Paradise"? Yep, those.

But my all time FAVOURITE daggy item is my rain coat. While many of you may feel that rain coat is more in the "practical" and less in the "daggy" column, I have always firmly believed that Mountain Designs waterproof windbreakers are the epitome of dagginess, despite having always been desperate to purchase and wear one.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant I knew the waterproof windbreaker was finally within my reach. As a mum, I would have a legitimate reason/excuse for wearing one. Finally, late last year, I purchased my very first one and boy, do I love it! It's everything I dreamed and more. Lightweight and comfortable, I can throw it on over anything and immediately be protected from wind AND rain. Gone is the cumbersome umbrella of old, replaced instead by an item that sees fashionable women of a similar age ignore me in the street.

My rain coat has been getting a good workout lately with all this rain we've been having, so I can vouch for its effectiveness. As for its style factor, well, I'll let you judge for yourself. Still, isn't it nice to embrace practicality?

Loving the rain these days

 Z xx

Mother of the Year, Yeah!

After a series of, uh, let's call them "incidents" involving Heike's head versus various pieces of household furniture this week, I've been forced to take a long hard look at my parenting style. I must say it does, upon examination, appear unconventional. I like to think of myself as "laid back" and "free thinking" but others might view me as lazy, careless and flighty (I would call these people "uptight"). 

In light of this I compiled a list of the top five reasons why I will never win a Mother of the Year Award, assuming such things existed and were doled out by parenting Nazis.

They are, as follows:

1) I constantly see risks and yet fail to act upon my observations - I have been known to look at Heike pulling herself onto an object, particularly those with slam-able draws or potentially fatal sharp corners and say aloud "Ooh, that looks dangerous," approximately one second before disaster ensures (fingers are slammed, head is bumped, tears are cried). I'm not entirely sure but I feel like other mothers use the word "No!" and pull their child away. Not I! Live dangerously is my credo (it's not).

2) I have been known to let my daughter eat off the floor - Yesterday I saw Heike eating a strawberry and said happily "Hey, I haven't given you strawberries today! That's resourceful." I then walked back into the kitchen. 'Nuff said.

3) I let my daughter play with my keys, phone and wallet - I'm not sure why but these objects have been deemed "off limits" by responsible parents everywhere. Neglectful parents like myself allow their children to play to their hearts content with such contraband, resulting in destroyed iPhones (vomit kills smart phones, FYI) and awkward moments in cafes where they realise their ATM card is still in their child's cot.

4) I can not make Glad Wrap stick - I always thought that when you gave birth, your body released hormones that enabled you to Glad Wrap lunches and leftovers in taut, neat fashion. Not so. In fact, I think my Glad Wrapping is worse than ever because I'm just too tired and busy to give a shit. Instead I use containers, which go missing for weeks and are then found mould encrusted on the floor of my car.

5) I am generally vague and forgetful - You all know my track record with car keys. I'm getting better but still haven't managed to live down my infamy. I have, in my mothering prowess, burnt boiling potatoes (previously thought impossible). I have also burnt stewing pear (does happen not frequently). I was incredibly proud that I managed to send off Heike's school application but, incidentally, I had enrolled her in the wrong year. I drove 10 minutes to pick up some formula and other groceries, parked and then realised I had left my wallet at home. You get the gist. I don't know about anyone else but when I was a kid, mothers simply did NOT do things like this. Or did they just hide it well?

Despite my shortcomings and the concrete knowledge my parenting won't win me any accolades, I DO have a happy, healthy daughter who gets TONS of cuddles, OODLES of kisses and has lots of laughs with her, ahem, kooky mother.

Z xx