Romy's First Picnic

Today Romy went on her first picnic, and she loved it! Every week we meet up with our friends Renee & Oscar for coffee and this week we changed things up with a picnic. For the past couple of months Luke & I have been trying to take Romy on a picnic to no avail. Either the frustrating Central Coast weather is an issue, or we have grown up commitments or appointments to go to and we can never quite make it happen. So when Renee suggested a picnic to get the babies out of their prams for our next coffee date, I was a little worried my picnic curse would get in the way. But today was perfect picnic weather! Renee baked some delicious banana bread and packed some berries,  and I brought the picnic rug and brought the coffees. Romy & Oscar loved being able to interact with each other, rolling around and sharing each others toys, it was so lovely to see them enjoy themselves. Towards the end of the picnic the wind was starting to get to Romy & Oscar so we cut the morning short, but overall it was a successful morning picnic! 

Little Bear Cubs

Today Romy & I spent the day in Newcastle visiting our friends Ali & Xander. Romy hit the 8 month mark over the weekend, and Xander is 13 weeks old as of today. When we visited a few weeks back Xander was catching up on some sleep and we didn't get much face time with him, but today we got to spend much more time with him. Romy was all over Xander Panda like a hot rash, she kept wanting to grab his face and hold his hand, it was all a little too cute! I can't wait to see these two little bears play & grow up together. It's very special when someone you're close with has a baby at the same time as you, it makes the experience all the more exciting!

Custom Dachshund Illustration / Pursuit Of Feliticy

Have you checked out Felicity's business website make over? If you haven't, I suggest you pop over and have a sticky beak at her new layout and see some of her recent design work. The cute little dachshund was a custom illustration I made for Felicity and I couldn't be happier with how he turned out!

Pin Of The Week

[ pin it like it's hot ]

My sister found these on Pinterest this morning and texted them to me.

Clearly Romy needs a pair of these for next winter, especially because she'll be up and about and and all good bears need warm feet.

Currently

Reading:  'The Happiness Project' by Getchen Rubin. I've been thoroughly enjoying this read in the few quiet moments I've had the past couple of weeks. But I am very determined to read this number as some inspiration for my game plan next year!

Watching: The Sopranos. Luke & I have decided to pick up where we left off a few years back with it at season three. I'm really annoyed with myself for putting it off for so long because when I watch it I really enjoy it. Tony Soprano is the weirdest sweet heart. The Bachelor Australia finished up tonight, which I had really got into over the last month or so. At first I was so disgusted with the concept of so many different women competing for the same guy. I didn't find the contestants bitchy comments funny initially, as it took me a few episodes to lighten up over it and just enjoy it for what it was. I really felt sad for Rochelle that she didn't leave with Tim, she seems like a really lovely lady. 

Listening to: 'Bangerz', I can't get past it. It is so damn catchy. Luke is getting quite sick of hearing it though.

Thinking about: Next year and the fact that is going to start happing in just weeks now. Luke & I have some big plans coming up for early-mid next year and how everything is going to be different so soon. I am also really excited for one of my close friends who recently got engaged and am excited to be celebrating such a special occasion in her life. Also my cousin is pregnant with bb 2 so that is going to be super duper exciting, and my friend shared with me today that she is planning baby 2 very soon. So many positive things are happening!

Working on: a vector illustration for a friends logo and I am having a blast with it! 

Loving: printed photos. I have been putting off printing photos for a while now because it is always such a drawn out process, and Romy gets restless by the time we're finished and she wants to look around. So I always rush, and I would much rather rush on my accord. So on Wednesday we got ready to leave the house for the morning when we dropped Luke off to work and we went straight to the shops to print specific photos that I had preemptively put on a USB stick to make it easier. It took less than five minutes & I was able to cross 'print photos' & 'send photos to family members' off of my to-do list. It's also nice to have some fresh photos to change things up on the fridge and the frames around the house. 

Anticipating: Christmas! It is so soon! Romy loved being around her extended family over the weekend when we went to the Gold Coast, so I am excited that she will be surrounded by lots of lovely people again so soon.

Romy's First Time On A Plane

I mentioned in my four simple goals post last week that I wanted to cross a few things off of 'Romy's Firsts' list, and last Friday Romy crossed off her first plane ride! In the week coming up to the much anticipated first plane ride I was starting to get extremely anxious. And when I get really anxious I get snappy & I snapped at Luke all week. Romy picked up on this tension and Friday morning while I was doing last minute packing and completely unnecessary jobs in order to feel organised, she was starting to feel a little unsettled. Once I packed the last of our things and crossed the last thing off my to-do-list I was able to lighten up a little and get excited about the wonderful weekend ahead of us. 

Romy is an excellent car traveller, the only time she gets upset during long drives is when the car slows down and stops at traffic lights. But other than that she copes really well being seated in a small space for more than a couple of hours. If she wasn't a calm car traveller I would have been way more nervous about the trip, but I still didn't know how she was going to react or what to expect. As we were boarding the plane she started to get really excited and was looking around at all the different people while rocking back and forth. She wasn't even put off by the loud engine, or the other babies that were unsettled during the flight. The only part of the experience she wasn't too keen on was being strapped into the seatbelt attached to mine. But she got over it quite quickly and fell asleep. She was even more relaxed on the flight back and didn't wake up until after we had landed. The whole weekend went smoothly with only a couple of tantrums and they were just a result of being over tired. Lets hope she is this easy going next weekend away!

Our Weekend Away

Christmas dinner (thanks for this gem Rikki!)

My family is pretty keen on Salt Water Sandals, clearly

Nanna cuddles

Aunty Ash trying to have a pre-party nap

Kissing cousins

Baby swapping

Friday afternoon my sister, brother-in-law, mother, Romy & I all went to the Gold Coast for the weekend. We had a family Christmas dinner altogether on the Friday night as this Christmas we all won't be together as some of my family will be off travelling or spending it with their in-laws. We all exchanged gifts, drank wine and ate lots of nice food. It was a very lovely evening, and Romy enjoyed meeting her extended family for the first time she didn't want to go to sleep. But after a couple of songs and a few walks around the garden, my cousin managed to get her to sleep.

On the saturday morning we woke up early to spend a few calm moments with the birthday boy before everybody arrived & to get organised for the big birthday party. While everybody was setting up mum, one of the aunties and myself quickly ducked out to get my mum a pair of salt water sandals, as everybody else had a pair and she didn't want to miss out! While we were out we had coffee and juice at this cute little cafe called The Barefoot Barista, and I had one of the tastiest coffees I've had in a long time. We got home in time to finish setting up for the party and not long afterwards everybody started arriving. There were so many cute babies it was almost too much! It was Romy's first birthday party and she had a blast being surrounded by so many people and so much noise. She especially loved playing with her cousins xylophone! On Sunday we all went out for breakfast before we said our goodbyes and headed for the air port.

Hopefully next time we're all together I am able to take proper photographs rather than the above grainy iPhone snaps with an actual camera. My cousin's partner Rikki took some really beautiful photographs over the weekend, and I cannot wait to see the rest of the moments she snapped up. It was one of the loveliest weekends we have had in a while, and I especially enjoyed seeing Romy so happy in my families company. I can't wait for her to spend more time with (almost) everyone at Christmas time.

Monday Mojitos

Romy & I got back from our lovely little weekend away late Sunday afternoon, to horrible wet weather that lasted well into this afternoon. So we gave our morning breakfast plans a rain check and Luke made french toast with blueberry jam at home and I picked up some coffees. After the weather wised up outside we did a quick grocery shop and made the decision to have nachos and make up a batch of mojitos for dinner. And it was the best way to turn a gloomy day into a good one!

This Time Last Year

This time last year I shared here that Luke & I were having a baby after we had our 13 week scan and saw Romy for the first time. However, at the time we didn't know we were having a girl for sure, but I felt like we were. And now a year later, we have a healthy 7 month old baby girl. Sometimes a year feels like no time at all, but when I think about all of the things that have happened in our lives in the past year it blows my mind how drastic life can change. Luke & I knew that once Romy came into our lives things would change and be very different, but we didn't know just how different they would be. I had no idea what being a Mother would be like, and now that I am and have been for the past 7 months I cannot even begin to imagine what things will be like this time next year. Romy will most likely be walking about, talking and telling us how she feels. We will probably be living in a different house. And most likely be doing different things. Every year Luke & I seem to be living somewhere different, surrounded by different people and changing circumstances and things. It can be exhausting, but it can also be exciting. This time next year we hope to be settled, without plans to move after the holiday period. And that is something I am looking forward to. 

Pin Of The Week

[ source ]

I cannot believe in all the years I have had the internet I have never seen anything like this on my google searches. Making one of these chairs has just been added to my bucket list.

We have a plane to catch, brb

Romy & I are heading off for the weekend to the Gold Coast to visit some of my cousins. And to go to my cousin's baby's first birthday party & have a mini pre-Christmas dinner as we all won't be together this year. Also a lot of my family will be meeting Romy for the first time so this trip is especially exciting. It will also be Romy's first plane ride! During the week I caught a quick segment on a morning talk show about the negative experiences some parents had with their babies on public transport and now I am starting to get nervous about being that mum on the plan with the crying baby. Years ago when Danielle posted about her first travelling experience, I remember reading along unable to relate, and thinking how far off that ordeal would be for me. And in a few short hours I'll be able to cross it of my 'things that scare me' list. Have a great weekend!

November Wishlist

Señora Las Flores by Little Tienda

Bizarre Leather Handle Basket

Remington Metallics Hair Dryer

Keshet Chew Teething Necklace by Beadee Baby

Let's Eat! Market Tote Bag by Kikki.K

Four Simple Goals Before 2014

At the end of October Elsie posted on A Beautiful Mess about her four simple goals before 2014. And because my to-do list wasn't long enough as it is, I decided to set myself four simple goals to work on with the remainder of 2013. These simple goals will also help me achieve positive results on my already extensive to-do list. I want to spend more time making things and being creative, crossing a few things off 'Romy's Firsts' list, taking meal times on as a creative challenge and expanding on my cooking skills which at the moment only consists of steaming vegetables and pushing myself to step outside of my comfort zone. Are you taking on the four simple goals before 2014 challenge?

Start Your Week Off With..

One very magical day by How Very Us

This one's for all the girls in the middle of it by Sometimes Sweet

DIY Storage box makeover by Whimsy Darling

Coffee date by Coffee & Honeycomb

Get Real: The effects of procrastination & sticking to your values by Completely Unfinished

Enjoy your week!

Style Lust / Kirsten Dunst

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

There simply are not enough pictures on the internet of Kirsten Dunst. When she isn't a crossed eyed hot mess with her boobs out, she pulls together some pretty sweet outfits. She has some pretty neat dresses & her styling always appears so effortless. 

Unspoken Pillow Talk

Almost everyday for the past few weeks this happens. It is a little unspoken pillow placement war that Luke & I have going. I prefer the top option, while Luke is a fan of the bottom. I'm not so sure that Luke is aware of it, but every time he comes home or is in our lounge room, he will automatically rearrange the scatter cushions side by side and I will put them back later on. I find it too amusing to be bothered by, or bring it up with Luke as I would like to see how long it takes him to realise that I do actually put the sugar skull in front on purpose!

Monthly Agenda / November

TUNE / NEED / MEAL / READ

I am really excited about this month's read, The Happiness Project, and I feel as though this book couldn't have fallen into my lap at a better time! I read the first 40 or so pages on the train over the weekend and was instantly hooked. Like many of the self fulfilment books before it like Eat Pray Love, this book focuses on the happiness you can expand on in your every day life, rather than the happiness you might seek from over seas travelling. And it employs a far more practical approach to changing things about your routine and life with an all year happiness plan. I am so glad I picked this up just in time for the new year.

Luke & I often include song references into our daily conversations as reference points, or to lighten the mood. Lately when Romy is tired and refuses to open her mouth for her veggies, we sometimes sing varying songs that elude to her being naughty and we often sing to her 'bad boy for life', even though we don't really listen to much of Sean Combs' music. After it being stuck in my head for weeks, I looked up some of his videos on youtube from when I was younger and got hooked! So I dare so this album will be on high rotation this month. 

Weekend Adventures

Friday I looked after these two cuties while their parents were at a wedding and we all went to the park. It was Romy's first park visit and she loved being in such a playful environment even though it was a windy afternoon.

Friday night I caught the train to Sydney to catch up with my cousins. It was my very first night away from Romy.

After I met up with Jay, we had a quick catch up and a cocktail in Newtown before we went back to his apartment to drink wine and get ready for our evening.

We went to Jay's friends birthday/halloween party where this ridiculously awesome halloween version of Miley on her wrecking ball decoration was hanging out the front. Jay's two younger sisters Emma & Olivia met us at the party and after a few pit stops we all went back to Jay's apartment and ended our night in the wee hours of the morning. After coffee, breakfast and a quick browse along King Street in Newtown I made my way home early Saturday afternoon. My parents had family friends staying for the weekend, & along with my sister, brother in law, my parents & their neighbours, we all had dinner together Saturday night.

And today I had my first shift back at the cafe. I'm not ready to go back to work full time, or even part time as I want to spend as much time with Romy as I can while she is still so little. So every second Sunday will do for now.

While I was at work, Romy spent the day with her Aunty Ash & Uncle Al. It has been a busy weekend in a really good way. I got to catch up with some family friends & my cousins, juggle three small children while getting organised to spend my first night away from Romy, see my sister for her birthday, and have a couple of days off from routine.