On The Night You Were Born.

On the night you were born,

the moon smiled with such wonder

that the stars peeked in to see you

and the night wind whispered,

"Life will never be the same."

Because there had never been anyone like you.....

ever in the world.

So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain

that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.

RYDER NICHOLAS!

Not once had there been such eyes,

such a nose,

such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.

Heaven blew every trumpet

and played every horn

on the wonderful, marvelous

night you were born.

{Above words taken from the book: On The Night You Were Born, by Nancy Tillman. We were given this book by my brother Spencer, his wife Heidi and their 3 kids, to welcome in our new baby boy. From the moment I read this book, I fell in love with it!}

****************************

Dear Ryder,

You are one! ONE years old already.

We love you so, so much. A love so deep that is just for you and us.

You bring us so much joy, so much happiness, so many laughs and so much love. Together with your sister, we feel like the luckiest parents in the world.

You are everything to us! And what a wonderful year it has been.

On the night you were born in November of 2011; the world changed - it became a better, brighter, more beautiful place. All because of you!

Love Mummy and Daddy x

****************************

You can see Ryder's first birthday celebrations here :)

Wrapping up 2011. Reflection.

Tomorrow will be the last day of 2011. This time each year, I can't help but be nostalgic & reflective & look back at what was, what is, and look forward to what may be! {And the reflective mood is set perfectly right now....as I sit here on the couch with Chris, candles burning, and he's pumping out tunes on our lounge room speakers, with photos from 2003 streaming from my laptop to the Apple TV....gosh we look young back then.....anyways....back to the post at hand.....}

Today, I wrote on my Facebook status that I was a little sad to see the back-end of 2011 as it has been such an amazing year & I don't really want it to end! But....like everything in life {the good & the bad} it must come to an end......time to close some doors & open new ones. Complete some chapters, and start writing new ones. Cherish old memories but strive in making new ones.

However, on this day, I'm feeling grateful. I'm feeling thankful. I'm feeling happy. I'm feeling love. And I'm looking forward! Looking up!

Cheers to that!

2011 truly has been fabulous! So much has happened & I'm glad I have this blog that journals & captures a lot of what this year contained to look back on one day!

Of course, it hasn't all been sunshine & rainbows. Like everyone, we have our share of hard times, scary moments, down days, stress, worries and frustrations. But for the most, and here on this blog, I like to focus on the positive, the good, the love. And 2011 was filled with lots of LOVE!

The year kicked off with a bang....some much needed family time away, a weekend in luxury, our little girl turned three {rainbow style} and my business turned one.

In February, after a pregnancy loss in 2010, we fell pregnant again! I was riddled with morning sickness for 4 months & struggled bigtime! But.....came out the other side, stronger & more motivated than ever!

Pregnancy photo shoot with Carly Webber.

As the morning sickness started to clear and I started to get some 'there's light at the end of the tunnel' feelings again, Chris & I were discussing 'bucket lists' over dinner one night, we decided I'd tick a few off of mine & embark on my dream overseas holiday this year! It was so unplanned, so impulsive, so scary.....but so amazing! Within 3 weeks of birthing this idea, the trip was booked & paid for.....we were going!!! Nothing was going to stop me.....not fear.....or even a car crash! And no, it wasn't how I imagined my first USA trip would be.....I was heavily pregnant & traveling solo with a 3yr old, but it was still perfect. I'm a big believer that things pan out just the way they're meant to....so I decided to take this chance, grab it with both hands & embrace it for everything it was worth! Ella & I lived it up bigtime as we ventured hand in hand through 10 flights & 4 countries. We did Los Angeles, New York, Canada, Kansas & LA Hollywood! I learnt a lot about myself during this trip. I also learnt that I still hate flying, but I have a new desire to travel more; despite that hate & fear! More importantly, I learnt that I'm stronger & braver & a whole lot more independent than I give myself credit for.

{Don't forget to stop sometimes & smell the roses!}

And although, family is my everything.....friends are so special too! Friends are my family too! And time with friends makes me happy! An impulsive getaway with girlfriends made my heart full in 2011 and seeing my girl treasure friendships too makes me happier than words can express. 2011 taught me & reminded me how important friends are! This year, some of my friendships sizzled out & didn't stand up to the smallest of obstacles, wheras most, like a fine wine, only got better over the duration of the year :)

Tiffany, Me, Jackie & Mon at my Baby Shower. Sept 2011.

Jet & Ella. Photo from this post.

Ella started dancing lessons in February this year. I always hoped that one day I'd have a daughter.....and a daughter who loved to dance was just a bonus :) Watching her confidence & independence grow as a result of her weekly dance classes with Miss Parker was so soul-warming for me as a Mother to observe. And watching her on stage this December in her first ever concert....oh.my.goodness.....BLISS! A heavenly Mummy-Moment! The world could've ended at that moment.....my girl dancing & twirling & shyly smiling on the stage whilst a VERY proud Mummy, Daddy & Baby Brother watched from the audience pews, and I would've died a very happy woman :)

However, the highlight of the year, hands down; no doubt about it...... our baby boy arrived on November 3rd! Ryder Nicholas's large 9pound 8oz body slipped from me & into the big wide world! He made me wait for him {a week overdue!} but once he decided to come, oh boy....he came! A one hour labour from start to finish had Chris, Ryder & I all in a minor traumatic-shock for a short while afterwards :)

Ella made me a Mumma in 2008! And this boy made me feel more complete than I could ever imagine in 2011!

And, although, being a Mother of Two is so much more exhausting & soul-wrenching than I prepared myself for...it's also so much more magical & fulfilling than I ever imagined! Life is good! I have 2 amazing children & for that I'm thankful!

2012 is just around the corner....a little over 24hrs away in fact.

I can not believe 2011 is over! I swear the years go faster & faster the older we get! And although 2011 was so fabulous & I have my hesitations that 2012 could be any better......I feel challenged & motivated to MAKE SURE it is bigger & better & full of even more amazing moments! 2012 is coming....are you ready to rock it out with me?

Yes, there will be hard days I'm sure, but I hope that mine & Chris's love, commitment, hard work & optimism continue to bring us joy & good times!

Life is full of good & bad experiences. We can choose to let the bad control us or we can CHOOSE to learn from it, reflect on it & move on! Cheers to moving on I say!

What will 2012 bring us?? Buckle up.....let's see.......

Happy New Year everyone! Thank you for reading my blog & sharing my family's journey with me! I hope to see you all here in the new year!

Passing it on......

{Sunday 31st October 2010 ~ Me holding my baby niece Lily}

Last week, I got a message from the lovely Charmaine from Fairchild Street saying she had tagged me in a blogging game! I love getting these 'pass on' blogging games, as they are a great way to get to know a little more about our bloggy friends!

I had to answer 7 questions, and here they are:

1. What is one thing you cannot stand?

Laziness! Hey, don't get me wrong......we all have days every now & then, when a spot on the couch with junk food & a movie is exactly what we need! But, I’m talking about people who are too lazy to do their job properly & in consequence it effects others. Or people who are too lazy to give their children a positive, healthy lifestyle.

2. If you could go back to your childhood what cartoon or t.v show would you pick to be your favourite?
We weren’t allowed to watch much TV as kids, but I had a few faves that I would watch on the weekends or holidays! The Smurfs! I loved that show so much….that & the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

3. What's something you do or have done that would surprise a lot of people?
When I was 18, I worked 3 jobs whilst at university getting my teaching degree {front desk/receptionist at Target, waitress at an Italian Restaurant & a Promotions Girl / Promo model….yep, I’d walk around functions with my bleach blonde hair handing out flyers & samples for companies}

4. Do you believe in ghosts?   No, not really as such!! I do believe in souls living on though in one form or another. And I believe in the odd sign or symbol from something/someone not seen. Hmmm....reading back that answer I just wrote, I guess it sounds like I do believe in some sort of ghosts.....but I'm not a believer in the white spirit floating around harassing you or scaring you or spying on you....I think it's a lot more deeper & magical than that....and with a lot more reason!

5. When you go into a store what's your weakness, something you just can't help yourself buying more of?
Lip Gloss!!! I have way too many tubs/tubes/sticks of the stuff J

6. What is your proudest moment of being a parent?
I really can’t depict just ONE moment that stands out as being my proudest parenting moment as there is a string of them….and each day a new proud moment is threaded to that string, such as this one. However, bringing my daughter into this world was such a joyous, PROUD moment….but then every time she hit a milestone, I would beam with pride again. Just watching her on a daily basis going about her daily tasks, provides lots of proud moments for me! Watching Ella interact & learn & play & explore makes me so proud .....more than words can describe!

7. If you could go back and relive one day of your life which would you choose?
This will sound so cliché & predictable…..but there is two days that I could happily relive over & over again! {1} Our Wedding day! Everything about that day [5 years ago] was PERFECT! The place, the people, the weather, the feelings, the emotions, the promises made, the photos, the food, the dancing, the LOVE….the EVERYTHING! I married my best friend that day & I could easily relive that day a million times over! {2} Bringing Ella into this world! The pain was crazy & I stuck to my goal of having a drug-free birth, so no…..I really wouldn’t want to keep reliving the pain of labour over & over again…..but the surreal experience of releasing this amazing little bundle of 8 pound magic out of my body & into the world was a moment I could live in forever! Seeing her for the first time, touching her, cuddling her, smelling her, feeding her, knowing that she’s OURS…..that we created her, that I carried her & kept her thriving for 9 whole months…..everything about that day was a blur of pure BLISS!

And a few photos to finish....coz I can't resist....it's my new obsession....i don't think I could sleep tonight knowing I did a recent blog post without photos of my LOVES :) hehehe!

And, now it's my turn to tag some other bloggers to join in on this blogging game:

Kate from Mumma Bear

Kasia from KasiaBear

Ali from Mummah

Simone from Honey n Fizz

Lisa from Lisa & Mini Ginger

HAPPY TUESDAY EVERYONE!

My Blog.....before My Blog....

{image from here}

This little wee-blog of mine is only several months young.....however during 2007 & 2008 I had another blog! It was a PREGNANCY BLOG! As soon as we discovered the magical news that I was pregnant in May of 2007, I started googling & reading & joining in on pregnancy forums! I wanted to know everything about this little miracle growing inside me.....so, I joined a great website called I-am-pregnant.

On this website, you can not only join in on forums & chats, but you can add & view photos of nurseries, bellies....pretty much anything & everything pregnancy & child related!! But the best part was....you can host your own pregnancy blog on this site! It's a fun way to keep record of your pregnancy journey & join in with other's journeys too! I met some amazing Mummies from all over the world on that site! And even after you've had Bub...there's still forums & group chats about each month & milestone of a baby/toddler/child's life! I also found it a great place to go when you wanted to gloat about Bub hitting a milestone or cry & vent when something wasn't going too well....or a place to ask questions or share stories of loss & fear!

You can view & read my pregnancy with Ella blog here!

Including my birth story with my little Miss :)

I love reading back on that blog & remembering life as a couple {pre-kids} and all the magic & joy that pregnancy brought me/us! I love that I have a keepsake reminder of the ups & downs of being pregnant with my first child! I have printed off a copy of the blog & put it in 'Ella's special box' for her to read when she's older :)

Did you keep a journal or diary of your pregnancy/s?