Thanksgiving

A little while ago, a friend of mine started a blog based on letters to herself. Letters to her life, that day, the people, experiences. A wonderful idea, and partly the reason I started this. I'm not sure exactly why she started this, and she has since moved on, yet i still find myself checking in sometimes to see what it is she is thankful for. Thinking of this, and having just had a sticky beak to see if anything has update, has made me think, again, about what it is in my life that i am thankful for. Sometimes i wish we celebrated Thanksgiving in Australia, simply to publicly acknowledge what it is we are thankful for. Consider this my Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for:

My Three: They give me so much...daily. 
My Brother and sisters, mum and dad: for making me who I am and continuing to be amazing!
My wonderful friends: new and old. for teh experiences they bring to my life, both with me and without.
My brain: Simply, you amaze me. I contstanly try to destroy you with champagne and late nights, but you constantly support me with your dreams and reality.
Barbie: I love her! maybe just because she keeps my 2 occupied for hours, but also because she kept me occupied and dreaming for hours.

of course i am thankful for sunshine, blue skies, running water and electricty, IQ on Foxtel (godsend if you have children!), the NEW roof over my head and my 600 thread count Sheridan sheets and the list will go on and on but without the above people and also the people they are thankful for, my world would mean very little to me.

One fo' da Mumma's

This last week or so has been awash, AWASH I tell you with happy news of impending births and wonderful heralds of safe arrivals! Three friends have divulged, within days of each other, that not drinking on a birthday 12 weeks prior was due to PREGNANCY (and illness, and tiredness), not attending that Pre Christmas function was due to PREGNANCY (and illness, and tiredness) and shock horror, not joining me in Sushi the other day was due to *GASP* PREGNANCY. HOORAY!!! I scream from the rooftops!! And then on the other hand, a wonderful girl, Bridget, who you may even know through the blogging community, has welcomed her first born, Fletcher. Oh my goodness, what a beautiful thing it is. To hear another wonderful woman, another wonderful friend has met her bundle. Congratulations!! 

Ahhhhhhh........ (*WARNING: I know I sound somewhat clucky!! How does "Moore with Four" sound???? Don't worry...not yet! Miss E well and truly shocked us out of our dreamland. Need a few more years to get used to her!)

Anyway. I write today to new mummies, mummies to be and my mummy friends. About 2years ago, an awesome mummy friend and I, came up with a little idea of things that you are never told and never know until you are in the situation and have to ask. A little black book if you wish. In it we would write all the pearls of wisdom we had learnt and things that our mothers told us that even after 30 odd years, still worked a charm. I'm sure it has been done (If not yet, after reading this some young entrepreneur will get it off the ground!).

Below are a few of my favourite thoughts that have stuck with me. They are more mental than practical, because it is often the mental you need encouragement with!

• Hold him close...often. Contrary to what you may be told, you cannot spoil a two week old baby. Cuddle him, kiss him, smell him.

• Sleep when you can. No doubt the endless feeding is exactly that...endless. So leave everything else and sleep when he does.

• Lastly (and my favourite) this too shall pass. Your time with him this little, is fleeting. Savour it. At the same time, the late nights and constant crying will stop as you become more aware of his needs and more confident as a mother.

These affirmations should be the first thing midwives tell you when you are crying on day three, the first thing that horrible Health Care nurse says when she visits you within days of bringing baby home and the only things that should matter. Write them up in black texta on butcher's paper and stick them to the wall! Better yet, pass them on to all the new mums or mummy to be you know.

Mummies reading, what good advice has stuck with you about the first 6 weeks? Would love you to post it below.