What A Novel Idea

My weekend started splendidly, with a long overdue cup of tea in bed, an old copy of The Devil Wears Prada and silence... Pure bliss!

Teach took E for a walk to pick up the weekend papers and coffee, spend some time together and give Mumma her down time. It was exactly what the Doctor ordered.

The time to myself inspired me to get a little creative and start researching a few projects I've had filed in my head under 'Maybe One Day' for a long time. So I wrote a list of everything I'd like to do or at least get started in the next year, closed my eyes and let my index finger land on one...the one I would start today.

Guess what it is?

An Annual Tradition

It’s no secret I’m a lover of the longer days, balmy nights, time at the beach and BBQs on the deck that are synonymous with summer, but I have one other summer ritual I take great pride in each year and that is packing (read: dump in a large garbage bag and hide in cupboard) my old smelly jumpers, trackies and bed socks away for vibrant frocks,  plenty of arm candy and a must-never-take-off pair of dancing shoes! 

Yep, I usually go on a spring cleaning frenzy and make space for summer. I say usually because I haven’t been able to perform this magical ceremony for the past two years.

Presents for Baby

A close friend of mine is expecting her first child in January. I'm soooooooooooo excited for her because I can completely relate to where she's at during this magical time....besides that, I know her and her husband will adore being parents.

Since we discovered she had a bun in the oven, I've been racking my brain trying to decide on the perfect gift to welcome Baby to the world, but I'd also like to acknowledge this beautiful time for the new parents. Dilemma. Do I get something personal for my friend, a gift for Mum and Dad or a trinket for the new bub? Perhaps all of the above?

Sleep Training: One Tired Parent's Diary - Part Two

Well it seems our endeavour to teach E how to self-settle during the night has ended before it really began...

I'm not sure if it was my initial resistance (covered by cocky confidence), levels of anxiety or desire to sleep and 'deal with it later' that overcame me, but I woke up today vowing to find another solution. Anything must be better than hearing my darling boy cry. In short, I gave up.

Sleep Training: One Tired Parent's Diary

After more than four months of E's constant night waking - ranging from every 4 hours to every hour - Teach and I have decided to try and teach E to self-settle during the night.

Self-settling is also referred to as Controlled Crying (CC), Crying it Out (CIO), Sleep Training (ST) and Controlled Comforting (again CC). No matter what you want to call it, it's a controversial subject. Many wise women before me *cough* have prepared papers on the pros and cons of CC, some declaring it causes psychological harm on the child and instils a sense of abandonment. Others say allowing a baby to cry and fall asleep on their own (without being fed, rocked, nursed etc...) will not harm them in and infact could teach children resilience.