More on sleep

Well we are finally getting some good sleep in this house! For the last week we've been using a Baltic Amber Teething Necklace, and despite my skepticism, things definitely seem to be different... better. I did a bit of internet research before I bought one (initially I thought that it was for chewing on! No - its for wearing only, the amber releases oils into the skin, which supposedly has a healing, soothing effect). I was concerned that Skye might try to start chewing on it, or tugging on it, but she doesn't even notice that she's got it on - she just accepts it like its an item of clothing. Its short enough so that she cant see it, and it has a knot in between each small bead so that if it did break, only one bead is lost or has the chance of scattering. Its also got a plastic clasp which is designed to break under pressure, in case it gets caught on anything. I ended up getting ours on eBay!

So even though I bought it as a "teething necklace", it seems to be helping Skye stay asleep - a nice bonus! All of a sudden she seems to be able to self-settle - yes she's still waking, but she doesn't need me to help her back to sleep any more (touch wood!) The first few nights, she was still waking once or twice a night, having a little whinge, but after a minute or two she'd go back to sleep. The last few nights she's gone to bed around 7.30pm, and I dont hear a murmour until about 5am, when she has a little chat to herself for a while, then sleeps again until much later in the morning. On Saturday we had to go in to wake her at 8am - unheard of!!

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I have to admit, this kid cracks me up! Her latest thing is this HUGE fake smile LOL! She has figured out that if she smiles at people, they pay attention to her and say nice things to her. So if we're at the shops and I've got her sitting in the trolley, she carefully watches people as we go past (to the point of craning her neck to see them as they go by)... and the second that somebody looks at her, she instantly puts on this massive smile - all gums and teeth on display, eyes crinkled up etc (she smiles so hard its a wonder her face doesn't hurt) - the minute they look away, or if they dont notice her, the smile instantly drops off and she's looking for her next "victim" LOL!!

She does the same with the camera - if she notices the camera on her she stops what she's doing and smiles hehehe... hmmmm, wonder where she gets that from??!!

She's now crawling all over the house, getting more adventurous - exploring the house without me. She'll happily play on the kitchen floor with a few Tupperware containers and plastic spoons while I cook. Or stand up holding onto my legs. She falls over and hits her head almost daily too - to the point where I'm a bit concerned about taking her out in public because of the number of bruises on her forehead, I worry about what people might think!

Jogging again

Lately, I've been feeling like I want to jog. I'm not a natural runner, and I haven't run since before I was pregnant. But in the last few weeks, I felt the urge to get jogging for some reason.

We have a cross trainer at home, which I really dislike using. I think there is something wrong with it because even on the lowest level (1), its so hard to get moving! Level 1 feels like a level 10. Maybe the tension needs adjusting, but its electric, so I'm not sure how you do that.

Anyway - I've been pondering HOW I'm going to be able to go for a jog. I cant really take Skye with me, because its too hilly where I live to be pushing a stroller AND jog at the same time, and there aren't even any footpaths - so that option is out. I cant go early in the morning because she wakes around 5-5.30am, still dark outside before then. I cant really go when hubby gets home from work, because by then its pretty much time for me to start dinner.

So yesterday I did the only thing I could think of - while Skye had her morning nap, I went for a jog out in the backyard . Its 90 metres from our back fence to our front fence - with a slight upward slope. I managed to jog up and back 4 times before stopping to gasp for breath LOL! Heart rate was through the roof too - then I continued on, combining jogging with walking - managed about 20 minutes before I collapsed in a heap. I ended up jogging UP the slope and walking down it, because halfway through, I suddenly remembered that jogging downhill always gives me shin splints.

Today I'm limping, as I expected. My calves are CAINED, and my shins aren't too happy either - but it felt so GOOOOOD! I loved seeing my beetroot red face in the mirror afterwards - been a long time since I worked so hard - even felt a bit nauseous for a while afterwards. Elke (the dog) had so much fun chasing me back and forth too :)

Cant wait to do it again now!

One year ago today...

One year ago today we said goodbye to our beautiful, fluffy boy Shavez.


So much has happened in a year. We still think of him all the time, and talk about him quite often. He was one of a kind, such a huge character - there will never be another one like him. I just wish that Skye had been able to meet her big "brother".


Is it normal to still be so sad over losing a pet, a year later? I look at photos of him and still crumple into tears.

On the 4th of September, 2009

Our best mate passed away.

The tears I shed

weigh down like lead

on my heart -

Unto this day.

RIP big fella... miss you...

More sleep please...

Feeling good and on track at the moment after a bit of a tough fortnight! I have to admit that I dropped the ball a little with regards to my own health and fitness. No excuses, I know! But the reason is because of sleep deprivation.

Now I always thought that once a baby learned to sleep through the night, they KEPT doing it. Boy has that belief been well and truly shattered! We have always swaddled Skye for sleeps, and she sleeps great while wrapped (except for that horror 6 weeks when she was 4 months old). I was happy to keep wrapping her except for the fact that she started rolling over in her sleep, and waking up on her tummy with her arms pinned to her sides - well naturally she didn't like it and screamed and grizzled until she was 'rescued'.

So we started on the journey of re-training her to sleep unwrapped... and its been a bit challenging! We did it gradually, but she started waking 3-4 times a night again, and needing help to get back to sleep... I'd forgotten how draining it can be to get by on such small amounts of sleep!

Anyway, last night she slept from 7pm til 4.45am - so not too bad - fingers crossed she's getting the hang of it now :)

But I would like to know how you get a baby to sleep til 7am?? Skye thinks that by 5-5.30am its time to get up and start the day, and actually I'd even take 6am at this stage, that would be a sleep in! We have tried letting her cry it out (many times)- anywhere from 3-4am - but generally she will just grizzle and whinge for 1-2 hours non-stop, until one of us gets the shits and gets up! She's just got this internal clock that says 5-5.30am is when the day starts...

But anyway - back on track this week, no more excuses.

I'm also trying to find a protein powder that I can use while breastfeeding - I need one with no artificial sweeteners (including Sucralose) because I'm allergic to them - I used to use All Natural Whey, which is sweetened with Stevia, but it also has 1000mg of L-Glutamine per serve, which has not been tested as safe to use when breastfeeding... if anyone has any ideas I'd be really grateful!

My little one is 35 weeks old now - 8 months! Where is the year going???