Love, bubs and life on our little farm

Am due to post a 22 month update on Elka but I just couldn't back away from the irony of sharing this blog first. This blog pokes fun at those people we all know, the ones who when they have a baby also have a lobotomy and can no longer speak/think/breath anything but their children. To the point where their facebook updates etc is entirely about their children, often the childs pooing, sleeping and eating habits, thrilling stuff.

I have had a secret pet hate about losing friends to this behaviour for awhile now. Sure babies are gorgeous and can be almost all consuming and we are all guilty of being obsessed (didnt I just say I was about to blog about Elka hehe and hell more than one of my facebook status updates has mentioned parental woes/joys) but at least the majority of us can still chat about other things in our lives. And if I have one more mum say to me proudly "I have never left my child for a night/day/hour/minute/second" I think I might be in danger of saying my honest thoughts back. So the facebook status updates and commentary on this blog gave me a good giggle I must confess!

Its been a pretty rough week but its finishing off better than it started... between an injured horse, long work hours, lecturing and Jase away on work trips, I am so thankful for the lovely support of my family and wonderful husband...

This pregnancy has hit that third trimester hard part - I can't stand or sit or lie without horrible back pain and bub does not feel like she is fitting - she is giving me a fair bit of pain and discomfort with all her pushing and kicking and squashing of my pelvic nerves. I am walking slowly and can barely bend to reach the floor. But its all good really and I can see the end. Hard to believe its my last pregnancy and its nearly over.

I got the rest of the pics from my maternity shoot with Alicia from Iris Blue Photography, here are a few more favourites :)

So last year I painted our bedroom (twice but that is another story!) and I love the deep maroon against our dark antique furniture and black chandelier - its very romantic and cosy. However, I really wanted some artwork to finish it off....

Its a difficult bedroom to hang art in - one whole wall is built in cupboards with sliding doors, another wall has the folding doors for the walk-in-robe and a very imposing antique chest of drawers, another wall has a huge window and the wall that our bed head is up against has a fantastic wall light makes it difficult to hang anything above the bed (oh and the wall has an air conditioner as an eyesore too!).

However, a lazy flip through a catalogue the other day revealed two canvases that would work perfectly. So off I waddled to grab them on the first day of the sale and I am quite pleased with them! This is when I point out that we are only likely to remain in this bedroom as our Master bedroom for only another 4 or so months as we are building a new Master bedroom (so I have to choose paint colours and artwork all over again - arrgghhh!!)...

But in the meanwhile I can enjoy them for myself and then be happy that when it becomes our Guest bedroom that it will look nice and finished :)

So a few months ago, I promised myself (and most likely hubby) that if I bought that lovely red Oroton handbag that I would be be good and not buy a new handbag for aaaaggges ;)



Well all good and well until this Basque beauty called out to me at the Myer sale... try as I might, even a toddler demolishing racks of bras could not up put me off from lining to buy it too. Its nice and big and I am sucker for buckles, chains and studs... (thats the horserider in me!). It has proven rather handy already for carrying all of my junk and Elka's and also almost blocks my big pregnant belly from the side. (This is useful as people love to stare at you when you are heavily pregnant and then make a comment to their companion - it gets old so shielding can be a nice break!)

Well, I don't even feel guilty since I can't buy lovely new winter clothes as I am way to pregnant to bother and don't want to be stucks with big sacks that I will never wear again, I have to put my shopping frustrations to accessories instead!

The lovely Alicia at Iris Blue Photography not only took these shots juggling her own teething 8 month old son and Miss Elka trying to be the star of the show but then edited a selection the same day to share!

I couldn't recommend her any higher!

This was only one of the locations we shot in so I can't wait to see the rest sometime in the future...

After a relaxing long weekend, you tend to pay for it with a crazy short week don't you!

Work was pretty hectic, finishing with working late Wednesday and going to a dinner seminar which meant a loooong day all up. Jase did the Elka pick up from daycare much to her excitement "daddy's coming" she was declaring happily when I dropped her off in the morning. According to Jase, she chattered herself to sleep saying "Mummy here in the morning". When she stirred this morning, the first thing she said was "Mummy here morning" - very cute! Nice to be missed ;)

This morning required some frantic house tidying and very early morning primping of me as a lovely photographer building her portfolio came around to do a Maternity shoot. Hmmm not sure how it went as model I ain't! Particularly with a toddler trying to get in the shots. I hope I will like some of the shots - we are our own worst critics aren't we!

Followed immediately by a long depressing visit by the farrier trying to rebuild Spech's feet which have crumbled to pieces in the last few days. He is back in the paddock after some pretty bad behaviour and unfortunately is still lame at this point. I am trying not to think about too much as its been a constant expensive battle with this horse and I am yet to feel we are winning it.

Elka was an angel for the farrier - she sits on her little red chair in the shade of the ute and chatters away giving us a running commentary. She was overdue for a sleep and she kept reminding us - demanding bed! You don't often hear a toddler demand a sleep! Even more cute, she marched herself off to bed when we got inside! I love that she is such a champion sleeper, I feel a sense of satisfaction that our sleep training techniques have left her so content and comfortable.

So I am resting up and preparing for an afternoon of groceries before tomorrow is a day of running chores at the shops and tidying the house in preparation for the in-laws visiting this weekend...

I am getting some pretty strong uncomfortable Braxton hicks and bubs is pushing out the sides of my belly like there is no tomorrow. But I am thankful that at this point I can still push on and get most things done...

We are athesists that don't eat much chocolate so Easter is a bit lost on us but the Easter Bunny still visited Elka on Sunday morning of course. She loved hunting down the plastic eggs and putting them in her Easter bag and the lollies inside were a big hit. I think Jase and I enjoyed it every bit as much as she did.

The munchkin has been asking to see dolphins for awhile now - they feature on her favourite Wiggles DVD (a zoo episode). We live close to Seaworld and are eligible for VIP passes that mean we can have unlimited visits to the theme parks until June... so how could we not take her!

Jase decided to take the Thursday off before Easter so its been a lovely extra long weekend for us and a perfect time to head to Seaworld pre-school holiday crowds.

What fun! Elka loved the animals, particularly the fish, turtles and Polar bear. The dolphin show mostly held her attention and left Jase and I impressed since we haven't seen it ourselves since were teenagers. I was delighted to discover that they have built a fantastic area for toddlers with rides that they are actually allowed to go on! I was expecting the height restrictions to be too harsh but was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say Elka loved it!














We finished a perfect day by heading to our families beach house that we love and spent some relaxing time just soaking up the sun at the beach and splurging on a lovely beachside breakfast before spending some special time with the whole family.

I might not celebrate Easter nor really love chocolate that much but so far this Easter has been just wonderful. May yours be just as beautiful xoxo