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"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Samuel - Always reaching, always tasting, always learning.

Linking to Jodi's weekly portrait challenge. I'm quite late in jumping on this bandwagon, as my "fourth trimester" was a real learning curve for me, but I'm excited to watch Samuel grow and change each week.

Stills: A Weekly Collection

1. Lunch out with beautiful miss Hayley where I finally managed to feel comfortable breastfeeding in public. 
2. The most delicious, easy dessert; cookies and cream ice cream sandwiched between Arnott's Lattice biscuits. Yum.
3. A moment between my boys (mess in the background, ripped singlet and all).
4. Rosy cheeks, drool and chewing on anything that will fit in that tiny mouth. Teething begins.

This week included a sick hubby, threats of bushfires to my family's new home in the mountains, some long nights, and one amazing night with only one wake up. Yes, you read correctly, between 7pm and 5:20am Samuel and I only got up once! This mumma is having a bit of a proud moment here. 

A Day With My Boys

Last Sunday, after having a serious bout of cabin fever, I decided it was time for the three of us to head to the beach and let the salty air fill our lungs. It had been far too long since the last time I had sand between my toes and the sound of waves crashing in my ears; to say it was good for my soul would be an understatement. Despite my pasty complexion, I do believe I was made to live where the ocean meets the sand; and one day, I know I'll be back. Until then, days like this will have to keep my heart full. 
This was Samuel's first time standing on the sand and I loved watching him taking it all in. I find it so hard to write about him because I have to use so much restraint or all of my posts would just be me gushing over him and how much I absolutely love him. It's getting quite ridiculous, this love I have for him. Love that I didn't even know existed within me. I can't believe that I used to worry, when I was pregnant, that I could never feel the way other mothers describe. This huge adoration they babble on about. But now, oh boy, now I realise that those other mothers were dialling it down so as not to sound like lunatics. A mothers love for her child is a force to be reckoned with indeed.
On that note, I'm going to go kiss my boy goodnight for the hundredth time and take in all of his deliciousness because I'm his mum and that's my job.

Feeling Thankful

 
I am currently on the couch resting my achy bones and heavy belly, whilst sipping my cup of tea; thinking over my weekend and feeling thankful. 
Thankful for beautiful friends who drive for hours just to spend the day blessing me by helping to organise my nursery. Thankful for Sunday mornings at Church and Sunday afternoons with my darling. Thankful for finding quiet cafes away from the bustle of people trying to get out in the Autumn sunshine. And thankful to be dusting off my camera after a long break.
Andrew and I had a wonderful afternoon in the sunshine spending some much needed time out yesterday. I've been really cherishing these last few weeks we have together while we're just a couple. I am so excited to become a family, but while its just us, I'm breathing in every moment knowing how special they are.

Oh Hi There!

Hello friends, it's been far too long, and I'm not really sure where to start. I'll try to do a bit of a quick back track to get you up to date. The last few months gave the creative side of me a bit of a holiday as my body has been far too busy stitching together a sweet babe in my belly. After a long journey dealing with big things like infertility, our awesome God showed us that He is bigger than big things and Andrew and I eagerly started on this new adventure.
In the last few years, I always loved seeing pictures of beautifully pregnant women looking graceful and calm and I always imagined what a wonderful joy it would be to finally carry my own child inside me. Now that I'm 35 weeks along, I have a feeling I'll never be one of those beautifully pregnant women, and I don't think I'll ever come across as graceful and calm. Being pregnant is hard. It's tiring and sore and I have a feeling I must be doing it wrong.
It's not all bad though, there have been moments that I've absolutely loved. My favourite is coming home to an embrace from my gorgeous husband and feeling this sweet babe kick him from my belly. I love that. 
I also love that it's getting harder and harder to hold onto things that have upset me because my memory is getting increasingly worse. I guess it's teaching me that when I do hold onto them, it does me no good, if anything it makes me bitter, and who would want that?
I'm hoping to be on here a little more often from now on, so feel free to pop by every once in a while.. x

20 weeks

and today, 35 weeks.

Back Home

I had the opportunity to head up the coast and spend some time with my fam bam recently. It was fun to just hang out and catch up; we had lunch together, the girls were crocheting and chatting, then my sister Hayley and I decided to take a walk on the beach at sunset.
I love how relaxing it is to go back home, being near the water and spending time in the same room as my family makes me all kinds of happy.  

Cafe Seeking

After a long, tiring week, I think this weekend will be a perfect time to recharge. Once we get the usual chores out of the way, I think a bit of an explore of somewhere new is in order. I love finding funky cafes, quiet beautiful beaches and basically anywhere that I can click my shutter at. The photo's above are from a cafe in Bondi called The Atlas. It was really inviting and sweet, but the thing that really drew us in was the fact that it was open early on a Saturday morning. I'm not really sure where our feet will take us, but if you have any ideas of somewhere fun to go to in the Sydney area, feel free to share!