Well hello there!! – it’s been a while since I’ve posted here.
I lost my mojo for blogging somewhere. I’m not sure exactly where, or why, or how. But I guess it happens sometimes!
Especially when life is busy.
And especially when you have a baby that doesn’t sleep.
Really doesn’t sleep. Currently we are lucky to get a 2 hour stretch overnight.
During the day? If not in a pram being pushed around – 30 minutes is about our maximum.
BUT
I know it’s just a phase. (please let it be just a phase) And that it will get better.
Meanwhile life is just flying by at a crazy sonic speed.
Since my last blog post (a month ago! yikes!) we’ve had Australia Day, back to school, Noah’s 7th birthday, Valentine’s Day and Owen’s half-a-year birthday.
We kept it pretty low key this year for Noah’s birthday as he really really wanted to go to the movies with a friend instead of have a party.
So we did our traditional family outing and Noah chose his special birthday dinner (birthday person always gets to choose their dinner!) and the weekend after his birthday we went to the movies and watched Frozen which we all loved!
He is SEVEN now and into building and inventing and spy stuff and of course lego. We gave him an electric circuit kit, solar powered robot building set and more little bits to build and invent with. And of course lego!
I have had some beautiful readers send emails lately asking me how Owen is going with his reflux and you know what – that warms my heart so much that there are some of you out there who take the time to check in on me. Thank you!!!
I won’t lie that Owen’s first 3 months were absolutely the hardest time of my life. It is really tough with a baby that screams all the time. Although we have amazing friends that have helped us more than they probably know, it certainly made me feel pretty isolated for a while especially with no family here to be able to call for help or some time out.
Now it’s like a blur and although I know it all happened, I think I was just in ultra survival mode because I don’t really remember the details of our days. Just the constant screaming or fear he would start screaming or what do I need to do to avoid the screaming!
Getting stuck in the traffic to leave the school carpark was just the worst. I’d spend all this time rocking the pram to get him to sleep. Then pop him in the car and he just *knew* when that car wasn’t moving haha! I avoided going anywhere else specifically because there were so many times I felt like I was going to have an accident on the drive home from school {all of 8 minutes} as the screaming is just so distracting when you’re trying to drive.
And although I know how blessed I am that it was only reflux and that some babies and families endure much, much worse, it still wasn’t an easy time for our family.
From around 3.5 – 4 months we saw a improvement. My hubby would comment some weeks that “hey, you haven’t been crying at all when I’ve gotten home from work this week” lol.
I know I can laugh a little about it now but he probably did come home to me in tears about something or everything quite a few times (ahem – everyday at one point) during Owen’s first three months. It’s hard to admit that I found it that difficult.
I really really didn’t want anyone to think I was crap at having three kids!
But now Owen is doing much better. He is a happy and bubbly gorgeous little boy.
He is crawling {already, sob!} and learning to stand up. He kind of likes eating but not really (he likes pushing the food onto the floor the best though he’ll happily gum a chunk of carrot or cucumber, he’s not too fond of the pureed stuff).
He absolutely loves his big brother and sister (how could he not!) and actually cackles when they talk to him.
He has the chunkiest legs in all the land and I can’t help but squeeze them.
He still has pain from reflux and we know about it if we skip a dose of his medication which I was so so hoping he’d be off by now, but until we get the solids going properly I think we will have to rely on the medicine a little longer. Overall he is a super cute happy baby!
He just doesn’t sleep :o} haha!
And although I do wish it had been easier he is absolutely and without a doubt worth all of it.
Through all of this our big kids have been brilliant and I couldn’t have asked for anything more from them. And hubby and I, although at times so sleep deprived and stressed out, for the most part haven’t taken it out on each other which is just too easy to do when you’re over stressed and over tired. He is certainly my rock and we make a good team. *high five my love!*
Lately we have been trying to adjust to a new routine with school back and extra curricular activities going on. Chloe started kindy a few weeks ago and is absolutely an exhausted mess (think crying about everything and always saying NO!) after her school day even though she loves school so much she even dreams about the next time she gets to go and what colour the playdough will be. I forgot how exhausting it is for them during this transition!
And as for this blog of mine? I have some plans but life is really pulling me in other directions at the moment. Plus some days I am literally just making it through the basics like laundry and dinner and school drop off and pick up with a little bit of duplo building and all the homework thrown in between feeding/changing/settling/holding Owen.
I do hope to pop in much more often though from now on especially as I am close to finishing up a few lingering projects that were taking my focus and after being so very inspired by Mr. ProBlogger himself Darren Rowse who together with Kelly from A Life Less Frantic treated us perth bloggers to a great afternoon of generous knowledge and inspirational information this past Sunday. Just what my blog mojo lacking self needed I think!
Also I have been meaning to thank all of you who commented on facebook or sent in a message or email about what you’d like to see on the blog! I really loved your feedback and will be working my way through the list 🙂 if you have any thing you’d like to know about just drop me a line! :o}
Thank you so much for being here, for popping in to read what has been happening in my little world lately. I really appreciate that you did.
How is back to school going for you?
How’s your kindy kid doing?
Send me all your tips for crawling babies and LEGO!!
I have missed your blog bianca!! Look at your beautiful kids in your beautiful home. you’ve obviously been spending what little energy reserves you have on your family instead of your blog and that is one of the things that makes you an amazing mum! And I totally hear you on the exhausted kindy kid syndrome! aah! x jane
Thank you so much Jane! You are so sweet and definitely know what a worn out mama needs to hear! Thank you xx The exhausted kindy kid is hard no!? Poor things I feel for them!! x
welcome back Bianca! glad things are a little easier with little Owen. My nephew had undiagnosed reflux till 6 months and the amount he cried was tremendous so I can only imagine. That little baby is now almost 4 but he is still on medication for his reflux, so don’t feel bad if Owen is on it a little longer, as long as it helps 🙂 Melanie xx
Hi Melanie, thank you so much!! Oh your poor nephew! And his parents! 6 months of not knowing what is going on would be so so difficult. I’m sorry to hear he is also still on his meds for reflux! You’re so right about as long as it helps! We just want them to be happy don’t we. Thank you Melanie xx
One thing I can always rely on Bianca when I come to your blog is your honesty. It’s so refreshing and real. Thank you! I hope you get a little rest soon, you are far from crap at having three kids! They are all lucky to have such a dedicated mum. I would love to see how you store your lego and what you end up doing! xKat
Hello!!! So happy to see a post from you. You are such a fabulous mum and I hope a certain little munchkin settles down soon and lets you sleep a little longer. Reflux is not fun and I’m slightly terrified I wll end up on the same path as you in a few months. Argh!!! Hope to see you back to blogging again soon but take care of yourself and that beautiful family of yours in the meantime xxx
Hello lovely!! Oh thank you, right back at you lovely lady!!! At least you know where to come when you need some one to commiserate lol 🙂 But I am sure your beautiful bub will be just fine!! x
Well hello you.. I must say the start of the year has been a shock to the system for me and I am only just taking control but you just have t go with the flow huh?!
Oh Bianca, it truely is one of the hardest things to have a non sleeping baby. I totally understand and I’m sorry you have to experience it too!! But I’ve had 2 babies like that and guess what?! It DOES get better. Promise x
You are amazing how you still manage to paint and craft with the kids, blog , bake delicious looking cakes and have a house that looks amazing and clean and tidy when you are having a hard time. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you are an inspiration to so many xo
Oh thank you Liz, you’re so lovely! Thank you, I know it will get better and it’s just a phase 🙂 Trust me I don’t have it all together all of the time, not even close! But thank you lovely xx
How gorgeous are those legs! No wonder you can’t resist them. My first boy had reflux for a long time, probably about 9 months it started to ease. Unfortunately, the medication never really helped him. It’s heart breaking knowing they’re in so much pain and the crying wears you down, not to mention the washing… We had a lot of complications, but in many ways it was the reflux that would break me more than anything else, because it can feel relentless. May the force be with you x
I have missed your blog bianca!!
Look at your beautiful kids in your beautiful home. you’ve obviously been spending what little energy reserves you have on your family instead of your blog and that is one of the things that makes you an amazing mum!
And I totally hear you on the exhausted kindy kid syndrome! aah!
x jane
Thank you so much Jane! You are so sweet and definitely know what a worn out mama needs to hear! Thank you xx
The exhausted kindy kid is hard no!? Poor things I feel for them!! x
welcome back Bianca! glad things are a little easier with little Owen. My nephew had undiagnosed reflux till 6 months and the amount he cried was tremendous so I can only imagine. That little baby is now almost 4 but he is still on medication for his reflux, so don’t feel bad if Owen is on it a little longer, as long as it helps 🙂
Melanie xx
Hi Melanie, thank you so much!!
Oh your poor nephew! And his parents! 6 months of not knowing what is going on would be so so difficult. I’m sorry to hear he is also still on his meds for reflux! You’re so right about as long as it helps! We just want them to be happy don’t we. Thank you Melanie xx
One thing I can always rely on Bianca when I come to your blog is your honesty. It’s so refreshing and real. Thank you! I hope you get a little rest soon, you are far from crap at having three kids! They are all lucky to have such a dedicated mum. I would love to see how you store your lego and what you end up doing! xKat
Hi Kat, thank you so much it’s always so nice to hear from you!!!!
I will be sure to share a post about our lego! xx
Hello!!! So happy to see a post from you. You are such a fabulous mum and I hope a certain little munchkin settles down soon and lets you sleep a little longer. Reflux is not fun and I’m slightly terrified I wll end up on the same path as you in a few months. Argh!!! Hope to see you back to blogging again soon but take care of yourself and that beautiful family of yours in the meantime xxx
Hello lovely!! Oh thank you, right back at you lovely lady!!! At least you know where to come when you need some one to commiserate lol 🙂 But I am sure your beautiful bub will be just fine!! x
Well hello you.. I must say the start of the year has been a shock to the system for me and I am only just taking control but you just have t go with the flow huh?!
Yes! Even if it means having to find a new flow lol. x
Oh Bianca, it truely is one of the hardest things to have a non sleeping baby. I totally understand and I’m sorry you have to experience it too!! But I’ve had 2 babies like that and guess what?! It DOES get better. Promise x
You are amazing how you still manage to paint and craft with the kids, blog , bake delicious looking cakes and have a house that looks amazing and clean and tidy when you are having a hard time.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, you are an inspiration to so many xo
Oh thank you Liz, you’re so lovely! Thank you, I know it will get better and it’s just a phase 🙂 Trust me I don’t have it all together all of the time, not even close! But thank you lovely xx
How gorgeous are those legs! No wonder you can’t resist them. My first boy had reflux for a long time, probably about 9 months it started to ease. Unfortunately, the medication never really helped him. It’s heart breaking knowing they’re in so much pain and the crying wears you down, not to mention the washing… We had a lot of complications, but in many ways it was the reflux that would break me more than anything else, because it can feel relentless. May the force be with you x