44/52

Waking up. 

These days

• 5:30am Bootcamp. 
• 7:30am Watching diggers, watching Milla eat leftover split olive pizza for breakfast. 
• 8:30am Drive to swimming lesson. 
• Grocery shop, visit to park with Paddy and co. I heard Milla say "My name is Milla, what's your name?" to some big girls. I made a show of throwing mandarin segments into her mouth when she was on swing. 
• Home to cook pumpkin pie, bolognese, roast veges, frittata, call Heath, life admin. Milla watching Play School, eating almonds, taking herself to potty. 
• "I not tired" is the dead giveaway that she's ready for a sleep. 
• 3:00pm quiet, dishwasher, diggers, sore foot, work emails, life admin.  

Weekend morning making pancakes. 

Milla is a cousin and I'm an aunty. Thinking back to those early days of milk-filled boobs and general haze. 

Milla's been in a study about sedentary behaviour and has been wearing 'computer pants' for a week. She's a pretty active kid! 

Thinking about how busy work is and that I should go to five days but Mondays are just the best. GAH. 

22/52 Big bed

First night in big bed. Well, I saved money and just asked Charlie to take a side of Milla's cot. It worked a treat. Her doona was intact, tucked in just as Charlie left her, eleven hours later. Trying right now for first nap there so we'll see. 

Walking the plank

Toilet training or die

Only four hours in. Listening to Milla howl from bed. She was really exhausted by morning one of toilet training. As am I. She's on undies #5 and likely wee-d in bed now.

We drilled her on the idea, she was on board. This morning when she came into bed I said "it's undies day" and she replied "no more nappies".

One big wee in the potty was the highlight of the morning. It followed her wee-ing on my lap and being in between undies. She took herself to potty in bathroom and filled it, coming out to kitchen declaring "I did it!".

First blossoms on our Silver Princess.

She also wee-d in bed when I'd just put new sheet on, wee'd on my slipper as she tried to see saw and a big wee at the door of her tipi.

She's exhausted, we've just started. We have the weekend and Anzac Monday to get this. Tuesday then marks day #1 of moving into the toddler room at childcare, hoping this will help not hinder the #ttod project.

11/52

Look at this big girl. 

We have a houseguest, an artist, fresh from Paris. Wonderful to have the Ballroom lived in and really, to meet a new and lovely person. She helps in the kitchen and with Milla.

Meanwhile I've been walking. Doing the big walks as Oxfam Trailwalker training. Though I'm a sub, not sure if I'll be doing the event. Getting out of town, remembering old hiking and awenturing days. Also it's meant Milla and Charlie spending some long days together.

The garden has had a major refresh, 1.5 cubic metres of soil and said goodbye to the tomatoes. Now Milla will wait for the lemons to yellow.

8/52

Warm night, big raindrops, pink sky. Milla quiet to bed. Charlie away.

Home on train, strawberries from Aldi disappearing fast. Unfriendly people on train, rare. Home to stand at counter, eat haloumi and more strawberries.

Into Milla's room, "Switch, light. Shoes, off, please. Buttons." Turns around for me to take her dress off. "Shorts, nappy. Up!"

Into bed to lie on her tummy and gaze at me lying on the couch. Chatting chatting. Pulls a blanket up over her head, turned away from me. Chatting chatting.

At some point she wants out and lies on me on the couch, soft fleece dressing gown covering her. Little eye peeping.

At home. 

2/52

First tomato of the season. All gone in seconds! She'd been waiting for this.

Not quick enough to focus with the 50 but still love the pic. 

More?

Nest

Spring is so sweet. My heart almost burst when I found a huge nest, well established in our lemon tree. That's what the little brown scurry-bird had been busy with! I felt so privileged.

So proud.

Today Milla took her breakfast el fresco, and the parrots were back, ready to swoop through the apricot tree. Great temperature, gorgeous sunshine.

Spring and flowers

When I get home, I know they've been out for a trike walk as there are flowers all over the front step. A little trail. I open up and walk through the house. All quiet. Milla is leading Charlie around the backyard. She turns, her face is puffy from crying. Teething. The yard is green and it is a beautiful mild spring evening. Just gone 7pm.

First run this morning, post half marathon. Left calf still aches. Supermoon hanging over Newport at 6am. Milla wakes late, happy and helps in the yard.

Helping sort rubble in backyard.

Helping in the yard

Getting muddy.

Flashback

Flashback a year ago. Milla in her crib, swaddled, in Ballroom.

Brilliant light. 

This morning, after three nights in her new big blue bed, she again took me down the hall, to her bed, patted it and pointed at it, chatting. It's definitely a new thing, receiving note.

We chickened out last night and after two cups of milk in her tiny glass (about 60mls) we gave her another 60mls or so of cow milk in her bottle. She was tired and grouchy by 6pm. An adjustment to one nap per day perhaps. Maybe I should do as they suggest and follow the childcare routine of early lunch and one afternoon nap.

Hanging out in East Brunswick.

Sick

Since finishing breastfeeding, Milla has been sick. Causation or correlation? She may also (always) be teething. Biting the couch in flamboyant fashion. Biting my leg! Sleeping long and now on antibiotics for a possibly long-standing ear infection. She's off her food and has lost weight, is lengthening out. Frozen blueberries are the only thing that can entice her.

Unable to rouse this sick baby.

We're thinking to rationalise her toys, after a considerable expansion. Get more Montessori and have a smaller range on rotation. A cardboard tag from some clothes is one of her favourite things in the box. Our books are boring us too. Her favourite is definitely a hand-me-down book on shapes.

No childcare on Thursday or Friday, too sick, Charlie stayed home and I was able to go for a long run Friday morning, getting good distance notched up - 16kms doing a great loop up and under the West Gate to see a really good view from Stoney Creek Reserve then back along to Point Gellibrand, the beach and home.

Books

Charlie sold some bike gear on eBay and declared the profits would be available for new books. Awesome.

Milla has had books read to her since her first weeks. Guess How Much I Love You was read many times in the Ballroom to the tiny infant.

Then we were given Lost and Found and Maisy's Colours and they become firm favourites.

A few others have joined the repertoire. Since Christmas, Charlie and I learnt Each Peach Pear Plum by heart and Where is the Green Sheep gets lots of grins from Milla. She now points at elements in the pictures (pointing is her favourite thing this week) and tries to turn pages. She rocks and reaches and is very happy to be read to and unless exhausted will want more and more.

So the family excursion to Readings finally happened yesterday (after Ikea! We must be mad!). We spent $95 in twenty minutes, anxious to get back on the road before Milla let us know she was tired.

Readings haul at home. 

It was fun and mad. We three picked up books and quickly read them. The Mix it Up book was the only one I'd already seem before. Though I've coveted the black and white fabric books. Perfect for little ones. How to Catch a Start is by Oliver Jeffers, who we love from Lost and Found. It's going to be fun reading these!

7/52

Got a cold. First time I've been crook in a year or so. Might have broken the back of it today. Charlie home all snotty. Put Milla down for a nap and she howled. And howled. So I went for a run. Came back to a sleeping baby, but forty-five minutes of howling, wah.

Milla takes big bites out of the backyard tomatoes. I'm harvesting a kilo a day still.

Learning 'no' by trying to eat leaves. 

Post-swaddle life is good. Though with the naps, it's harder to get her to rest and she pushes herself up to bang her head on the top of the crib.

Swimming lessons start this week for Milla, Mum will take her and hopefully I'll get some longer runs in.

Post-Swaddle

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. But we had a very good night.

Bottle feeding.

Milla is working hard to roll herself over. She also sleeps really well. Usually she goes to bed by 9pm and wakes around 5am. Time to stop the swaddling. My plan was to have a few days of all naps with no swaddle before trying overnight. But the opportunity with Charlie being away was too good.

Yesterday Milla slept for two hours in the stroller as I pounded the westside pavement picking up local honey and beautifully pressed second hand clothes. It was 30 degrees but felt cooler. It was glorious. Hard work walking. Found the Vernon Street shops for the first time.

After lunch Milla declined to nap. I tried. She screamed. I tried. She got up and was cute. Ach.

Bedtime came a little early. Strangely I was exhausted. I left one arm out of her sleep bag. Nervously sat and waited for her to fright. Nope. Woke up at 5am for a feed. I put her back to bed in a new sleep sack with both arms out. Slept for two hours. Winning. Then she got up and ate vegemite toast. And gulped down her peach and fig porridge.

Butterflies

She could watch butterflies all day.

Backyard loveliness at nearly six months.

Milla's First Christmas Part 1

Christmas for us is usually a busy day, with a big of angst on my part about who goes where, when. We have three families in Melbourne to spend time with, and somehow we want to be with all of them, all day. This year will be a little different. We will stay home, no driving, no commuting around. A few years ago I caught the train from Richmond out to Eltham on Christmas morning, with summer puddings in my backpack. It was a hot day, empty train. Things change. No more Rodda Parade house and pine needle smell.

The first part of Christmas was putting up the tree and trimming it. Aunty Em helped and our tree was made by the talented Pat who made our bed too. We only had three decorations, ahem, so have received some heritage baubles from both families to add.

Cool tree, weird decorations... 

On Friday we had the second part of Christmas - Freeland Lane family. Uncle gave Milla her first present, and she was so attentive and engaged opening it up.

Oooh a peak inside.

Milla's arrival does change Christmas somewhat: the first of the next generation for our families, the first kid to entertain. I wonder about Santa / Father Christmas and what we'll say to Milla about him.

Belated Bedroom

During my pregnancy, I was asked endlessly how the nursery was coming along. Today we started.

It involved putting Milla to sleep on our bed, then quietly moving half a room of junk/gear to the Ballroom. A quick vacuum, hang the bunting and mobile, place the crib, move the bookshelf, arrange select books and toys. The room is still half full of gear/junk but Milla has had her first sleep in her very own bedroom.

She's a winter baby, and seems to be a little unsettled by the heat. She's been getting around in a nappy and heat rash and this afternoon we draped a wet flannel over her round tummy. 

Happy to have Charlie home from work on Friday. 

We're still feeding the same routine (6:30, 10:30, 2:30, 5:30, 8:30) but this week I need to get organised to feed her solids. She's reaching for spoons, holding the side of cups and licking her lips when we eat. 

Sunday afternoon

A trip to the market, just across the way at the Substation. Farmer's Market outside, Artist's Market inside. Perfect. Got Gippsland garlic, some fruit pies, cheese, apples, and birthday presents. Milla fell asleep on the way home.

One sock off. Love those cheeks.

Birthday season is here and last night Milla saw her first birthday candles. It was so wonderful to watch her face. Even more was just how loved she is by family. Got a fab gift from stepsister, accurate right down to the father's eyebrows...

We sure are... 

Bikram and Painting

I've been painting the shed. Not as fun as it sounds. But satisfying nonetheless. Painted Charlie's wall in between him resetting it. It's such a great time to spend in the backyard. Butterflies, nectarines appearing and everything smelling great and growing fast.

Painting progress. 

Yesterday I went back to Bikram. First time in 18 months. I did used to go to the Richmond studio semi-regularly and it felt amazing. It's not advised during pregnancy so it was a long while before I could return. And it requires logistical coordination. So Ma came and looked after Milla as I nervously headed off to the Yarraville studio yesterday morning.

I had tried to research for advice on breastfeeding and Bikram but couldn't find anything. When I arrived at the studio, though, I was informed that my milk might be a bit acidic afterwards and that my baby might notice. Also that my boobs might hurt in poses lying on my tummy, and to do a variation. I intended to take a spot at the back of the class and simply try to stay in the room for the 90 minutes.

But, it was amazing, and I felt so good throughout. But I remembered this is how it always was with Bikram. I would get nervous that it would be hard, and then it was always way more satisfying and exhilarating than I expected. I felt so energised and when I got home, started up the mower, mowed the yard, then made a frittata, and some cacao power slice. Then a dehydration headache set in and after Milla's 2:30pm feed and being put to bed, I took some Panadol Extra and had a nap for an hour. I had drunk litres of water but maybe I need to have electrolytes straight out of class.