Births

Unfortunately I am not keeping out with the blog, so much happens and I forget.
 I have felt inspired to update the blogs of my freebirthed babies with finally Day's montage.
 Day's birth
 As well as  photos to show how much J has grown over the past few birthdays (3rd,2nd,and 1st). He now has shorter hair and talks in sentences. Strong for a reason is my bet. This year he will be 4. He is often asked if he goes to school or Kinder sohe must look much older. At this stage we plan for him tobe homeschooling alongside his big brother. I am feeling confident about my children not going to school. We are slowly building upanetwork of likeminded parents and that has helped agreat deal. We even had a chat with a local who is considering homeschooling. Three of his children are at the same high school as my daughter and he isn't impressed with them either.

I am reminded why I don't blog too often, I ramble....

The birth of Freckle has been on my mind in most recent days. I was able to attend the blessingway and having some purple threads tied around my wrist helps me think of it.
I made the precious boy a breastfeeding beanie and I was honored to see it on him in some gorgeous photos.

I have been sporadically knitting and crocheting and my stash has dwindled. I have been busy and quite distracted doing various things.
My big girl turned 12 towards the end of February, she maturing in many ways, her hormones prove to me she is not a little girl. We went to a vegan cafe for lunch on her birthday.

I remember my daughter's birth.I remember the morning sickness  I suffered during the pregnancy, how strange it seemed that antenatal care seemed pointless, how the doctors wanted me to abort our much wanted child in the case she may have a chromosomnal abnormality like my sister had. I remember how I was ignored through the labour and how they took over as my baby crowned and treated me with such disrespect that I didn't understand.  I had no expectations or even a birth plan. I tore and the doctor took so long to repair it and this was a source of trauma for me as well as possibly the shock. I found the emotions of being a new mother incredibly overwhelming.

My girl was born chubby and so healthy.

Such a gorgeous little soul, I look back and wish I enjoyed those moments more.I was unwell when she was a baby possibly due to the birth and depression. I had Graves disease and when she was a toddler, I had surgery to remove my thyroid.

I feel have made so many mistakes but I don't know it all and I will continue to learn.

Roadtrip - the Victorian coast

 Victorian coast 

Photos by my 8 year old son, when we went to Apollo Bay stopping a few places along the Great Ocean Rd, this is at the Round the Twist lighthouse. We have been doing a few daytrips most recently which I always enjoy and the kids like as long as there is plenty of food and fun places to visit. I took pics too with my own camera just not at the lighthouse - I was able to set up my Eye-fi card which is cool as I can have my photos on the tablet and the notebook. Its meant to share on FB but doesn't. I found it shares my photos taken on the tablet (and even uploads these to the notebook which I find amusing) but not the ones taken with my camera. Not sure how that works!

Not perfect

Been kinda busy with 5 children and one being dependent on me. I am not perfect, just like life and my country. I know Australia is not perfect, plenty of problems, which country is perfect? But I do love where I live. I have no interest in going eleswhere to be honest but that has more to with my distrust of planes staying in the air while I am on it. Anyway, I have found a video that sort of sums up how I feel about my country of birth. "Not Perfect" by Tim Minchin.

I am not perfect but I am very happy in my life. I am living by instinct but still with a desire to learn and grow. I swing between being extremist in my views then I read something or experience hardship then I relax and figure we can only do the best with what we have. Its all a journey that does not start with perfection, its all practice even to the end.
Big kids are enjoying the school holidays though my daughter is very keen to get back to school as she has been invited to participate in the Independent Learning Program. Basically she will be responsible for her own learning and choose most of the topics to research. Maybe like unschooling but she can use the resources at school. I am happy for her.

J is talking more and more each day. Using pictures and him repeating the words has been helpful. He reads along with Av and Dad.
Day is 2 months old now. He likes cuddles so he is mostly in arms. There is some help with N being very much into just coming by and taking him from my arms. All the kids are helpful at times and so I am coping with a full house at this time. I am not keen on any more children, I am very happy with the five. I am happy that the 4 boys and girl I always thought I would have became a reality.

Just a few photos of my smallest boy who likes cuddles, breastmilk (though he often brings it up), babywearing, co-sleeping and looking at Mama and sometimes smiling. He is grown more in the past 4 weeks than in the previous. He is now close to 6kgs. He enjoys nappy free tummy time, may think about EC soon.

My big boy is 8

My boy is 8 now. I love what he wanted for his birthday, new clothes and lunch at the vegan cafe GloHealth. He is my least demanding child, always grateful for what he receives, still quite sensitive and thoughtful. Its amazing how different all my children are and I appreciate all their qualities.

See my boys. My younger boys seem to be more rough and like to wrestle, and to do more things together. They have been bonding more lately which is always a joy to see as a parent.

My middle boy is now yellow belt. I was excited for him to go to his grading but then on the day I had pre labour that seriously stopped me in my tracks. This pregnancy has left me clueless or maybe its just teaching me how unpredictable life and birth can be.

The holidays were fun though we didn't do too much in the first part. Easter was a non event as we were most excited about celebrating my son's birthday.

I have been knitting a little.
A vest for my youngest son.

 Bonnet in red llama yarn.
After preparing the tallboy I realise that I went overboard creating for the little one. What's new. So I am trying to make non newborn stuff now.

Knitted crane for Japan.

Hotshot for bub in Summer, knitted in cotton fleece.

Double stranded Versa with star buttons from the Bird and the Fish.

Now I am slowly but surely getting organised for the birth of our fifth child, I am feeling fine and I am just enjoying the last days (I don't think it will be more than a month but in May) of the family dynamic as it is.

Av has learned the alphabet, knows all the letters and can write the capitals and lower case. He can count to ten and extended himself to add small numbers together. He can also count to Japanese to ten. This is what he  wanted to learn for himself.
Meanwhile J has been picking up a few new words and saying them more clearly than he has older words. We are having a townhouse being built in the backyard which is interesting to see happen on a weekly basis. J says "House" and "Dirt"

Holiday recap so far

Christmas has come and gone.

We had a fairly relaxed day at home and at each of our mother's places. The children got many gifts even though they didn't get much from us. I think they were happiest with the gift they asked for and received from us.
New Year was celebrated in the City. It was very crowded yet surprisingly pleasant.

Family days out have been great.

Whether at the beach near home or on a day  roadtrip its good to see the family enjoy time out.

Melbourne museum is a favourite with our children. So much to see and they get to play too. I know I learn something new each time we go.

Brickvention is a Lego Convention held at the Melbourne Town Hall. The boys were so keen, they even waited 2 hours in a line that went around the block.

We took a family day out in Bendigo. I don't remember it being so far from home! But we did enjoy the day. We first visited the Bargain Room at the Bendigo Woollen Mills before having lunch by the lake. We visited Cold Rock Ice Creamery and the conservatory.

I have been having a go at embellishing knitted items. I am quite happy with the strawberry I did on this vest. I am getting the hang of it and I wont say I completely suck at it now.

I have been making a lot of newborn items so I wont bore myself or others with copious amount of pictures or details so just a few examples. (If you are interested, find me on Ravelry.)

Crocheted singlets made in 4ply cottons for testing. As you can see I enjoyed making these as there is 4.

I have made lots of mittens, booties, bonnets and hats.

Bibs too.

Of course a few soakers too many

This was a test knit, Lee pullover. I did a heart embellishment on it which was a little rough but I think I am getting better.

I have been having many pattern ideas but usually they stay as pictures or notes in a book. I would like to develop some pattern ideas but I don't think I have enough passion or enthusiasm for it.

Test crochet hat, Urban Shells to fit a child.


The children have such a short time at home before school starts. Grade 6 and grade 3 for my big girl and big boy. Av will be at home, he has wanted to learn to read so he trialled Reading Eggs online which he really enjoyed and I can see he has learned a lot. For a child who had no real interest in the alphabet, he has surprised me with learning phonics and the like.
J has been going to the toilet all  the time now, he has been out of nappies for a couple months. Sometimes he sleeps with us, sometimes not. He comfort feeds and to me he is still very much a baby but his speech is slowly improving so its nice to hear him communicate in more verbal ways.
Currently in week 25 of the pregnancy with a very active baby and gladly no nausea to speak of these days.

Loose teeth and awesome kids stuff

We took the little boys to Edwardes Lake for a play. I had some fun playing with the camera and trying shots with black and white and sepia as well as colour.

Both my big kids have had loose teeth in the past week or so. For my daughter its her 10th I believe, a cuspid. For my son, its his 3rd - his first top tooth lost.

This was our attempt at making a K (for our last name initial) with bodies. They did try different letters and J and Av didn't quite get it but it was a laugh! We opened up the lounge so the kids could play games.

Winter Holidays

Its cold and its Winter so I guess that would make sense! Making much use of our woolly hats.
During the holidays we have been keeping busy and have taken the kids a few places but nothing too organised or different. They went bowling yesterday with their Dad. I wanted to go but I was in need of a break. Honestly I have re entered the red tent. It is a relief in a way, its been over 31 months since my LP. I had 2 early miscarriages in April and June. Anyway I do wonder if I will have another baby or if I should be just incredibly happy with the 4 I have, who are fast growing up.

Taking every opportunity to take photos of all 4 together.

Look at that grin! They are watching 'Alvin and the Chipmunks" squeakel. We later bought Avatar and 2012 and they enjoy watching that too. It may be a challenge getting the mattress back in the room. The big kids have been sleeping in a single bed on the loungeroom floor most of the school holidays.
My daughter has large project to complete on Cyprus before she goes back to school. It is causing her so much stress, I think  the idea of radical unschooling seems favourable. She is 10, in grade 5 and she is doing a project of epic proportions. I don't think I did anything like that involved til high school. Year 10 even.
The big boys are going to see their Nan tonight.
 Look at those expressions! That is the awesome 4!