2013 Goals

Every year my husband and I sit down and make some goals for the year. Some of these goals are personal and some of them are family goals. In 2012 my goal was to loose weight and start living a healthy life. I have done that. I have lost over 20kgs and my life is much healthier. We eat good food, we spend time outside and we are happy.

The goals for 2013

Take the kids camping at least twice
read 10 books
be able to run around the block
save $5000
loose the last 10kgs
spend 2 hours outside with the kids each day no matter what the weather is.
lean to cook more meals with chicken in it.

Master Joshua

“In terms of a disability, I don’t view myself as having a disability…I function like any other hearing person can. My deafness does not deprive me of anything. I can do anything I want. Except maybe sing.”  Summer Cider (Gallaudet University Recruiter)

It was a Saturday morning. I woke my husband up and told him he was going to be a dad for the second time. Our excitement grew and we could not wait to meet our little boy. 2 hours 45 mins latter we had him in our arms. Master Joshua was born on the 17th Jan 2009 and weighted almost 7lb. I held this little boy on my chest and told him how much I loved him. 

The next morning a nurse came and asked me if it was ok for her to take Master Joshua for a routine hearing test. I saw this as a time to eat my breakfast before my Husband and Master Noah came for a visit. When the nurse came back she told me my baby did not pass the test. My heart sunk. I then looked at my baby and cried. I realized that he never heard my first words. I then started grieving my child hearing.
  
I spent the first 12 months of his life grieving his hearing. I remember looking at this beautiful little boy and wondering what the use was talking to him. I remember holding him telling him I loved him and then crying because he could not hear it. I remember praying to God to take my hearing away and to give it to my son. I got angry with myself and I wondered what I did wrong.

Three years down the track and I have a very cleaver little boy. He runs, makes a mess, gives the best hugs and talks. He is just like any other three year old boy.

Master 7 Months

I woke up this morning looked at Master 6 months sleeping in my arms and realized he was now Master 7 months. Oh my, where did the time go?

7 months ago I gave birth to this beautiful baby boy on this very same bed. My husband devillered him without having any idea on what he was doing. My mate turned up just as the baby started crying then started to take photos.(thank you Jenn) The ambulance turned up a few mins latter and then my midwife walked in the door. 7 months ago I became a mother for the 4th time.

I spent my whole pregnancy loving this baby not not being in love with him. I didn't want 4 children so I did not have a closeness to this baby at all. I spent my time wondering what the hell I was doing. Then I gave birth to  Master 7 months and  everything changed. I felt like I was strong and that I could do anything.( I still feel that now. ) I felt in control and I felt a closeness to this baby.I was in love with this baby.  I believe giving birth at home ( even if it was not the plan) gave me this closeness.

7 months on and I love being a mum to my 4 little ducks. I could not see my life any other way.

Looking after Mum

When my first little man came into the world my life changed. Everything became about my Husband and my baby. Before I knew it baby number 2 and 3 where in the mix. I was so focused on everyone else that I forgot about me. As a result I became unhappy, my skin started to look awful, I got fat and I always seamed to have a cold or some other illness. When baby number 3 was about 11 months old I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't believe who I saw. I started to wonder who this person in the mirror was. I had lost myself.


A few weeks latter I found out baby number 4 was on the way. That was the day I decided I was going to find me. I was going to look after me.

When I started looking after myself. I got happy. I started playing with my children, I started to enjoy being a SAHM, I started to enjoy life. My skin became clear and it started to get colour in it. Then when I gave birth to baby 4 I found out I had lost heaps of weight. 26kgs of weight. I also realized I was no longer sick all the time.  If I did get sick I got over it quicker.


Mums take some time each day to look after you.


Eat healthy food most of the time. I love food. All food, good and bad. I make sure I eat well most of the time but I do enjoy eating "sometimes" food. Some weeks I eat to much  "sometimes" foods but most of the time I eat good stuff.

Drink water. I never realized how much water my body needed. I drink between 2 - 4 litters of water a day. depending on how much I am moving and how hot the day is. At first I was going to the toilet all the time but as my body got used to all the water my skin started to look wonderful and I started to get more energy.


Exercise Do something you enjoy. I love walking and I go for at least a 20min walk every day. It is good for mental health. It gives you time to think.


Sleep If you don't sleep there is no way in the world you are going to be able to exercise. Your more then likely going to want to sit on the lounge chair all day.  You will more then likely not drink water because you will want coffee, tea, coke etc to help you stay awake.

Mt Wash A Lot

Having four children means I have plenty of washing. I used to have a huge problem keeping up with it all. It got so bad that my bathroom and laundry floor was covered in dirty washing. The master bedroom floor was full of clean washing and we still had nothing to wear. In the end I got so fed up with it that I started a system.

My washing system is simple. Washing is done everyday except Saturday. This way everything gets washed, I know what everyone owns and we always have something to wear.

Monday - Colours
Tuesday - Bedding and towels
Wednesday - darks
Thursday - catchup day. ( we all have weeks were we don't get everything done.)
Friday - towels
Saturday - rest
Sunday- darks and whites

After I started this new system I  noticed that some people in the family had more clothing then they needed while other members had next to nothing. This was because I was never quite sure what we owned. So I sorted all of the clothes out.

Master Noah and Master Joshua
16 Shirts (they share shirts)
12 shorts (each)
6 church/town/going out shirts (boys share)
2 dress shorts (each)
5 uniforms sets (Master Noah)

Miss Leah
10 shirts
9 skirts
5 shorts
8 leggings
7 dresses

Master Oliver

12 jumpsuits
3 overals ( I have a soft spot for overals)
5 singlets
5 shorts
5 shirts

I am no longer pulling my hair out and my children always have something they can wear.

First Day

 I put all my children into daycare when they get to the age of 2. I believe it helps them and it give me a much needed break and time with the youngest member of the family. Today it's Leah's first day. She was so excited to be going to school today. She woke up at 6am got her bag and packed it. She even remembered to put Dora in for nap time. She got ready for school just like her big brothers and when it was time to walk out the door she had the biggest smile on her face. This was her moment.

When we got to day care she put her bag, lunchbox and water bottle in their spots just like she had seen her big bother do all year. She put her hat on gave me a kiss and ran to play. I fussed around making sure both children had everything, settling the baby and signing them in. Then I called out "bye bye Leah, mummy will pick you up in the afternoon". That was it. She looked at me with tears welling up in her eyes and as I reached for the door handle her little feet were running as she was screaming "MUMMY NO". My little angel was beside herself that I was going to leave her alone at school. (so much for my explaining what would happen)

As I walked out of daycare I cried. I could hear her crying and I was not the one giving her a cuddle. I heart was in my stomach. I still needed to drop my eldest son of at school so I dried my eyes and hoped she was starting to settle. When I got home I put the baby to sleep but I still felt my heart in my stomach. I then sat down and cried.

I know she is going to have a wonderful but all I want to do is run down the street and hold her in my arms. ( I may pop in soon just to ask how she is going). I thought I would get better at sending my kids to daycare/school but it's the same with every child.

4 not so little Personalities

I am amazed about how all 4 of my children have different personalities. They are all so different. What amazes me more it that most of the time they all work together.
Noah is my eldest and handfull.  He is a full on child and always seeks approval. He wants to be told he is doing a good job and seeks praise. He like attention. This can get him into lots of trouble because he will do anything to get that attention.He always needs something to do and get bored easy.  He is also a sensitive child and takes everything to heart. He is loving and always tries to help. When I am sick he is the one who will give me a teddy to cuddle, ask God to make me better and tell his brothers and sister to be quiet.

Joshua is next in line. He has been such an easy child. He like lots of alone time. He likes heaps of space. He is a boys boy. He is good at sport, He is also lazy. If there is something on the t.v that he finds boring and the remote control is not in arms reach he will not change the Chanel. That would mean he would have to get up and grab the remote control. He would rather sit and watch that boring show. He also has a short temper and becomes frustrated easy. He enjoys pulling things apart to find out how they work. Many times I have found him pulling apart a torch, toy, DVD player to see how it is put together.

Leah is another full on child. She is very independent. She has to do everything for herself. She is the boss. Everything has to be her way and you better do as she says or there will be trouble. She is also very affectionate she gives the longest cuddles loves kisses and loves being close to people.

Oliver is only 5 months old so he has not really shown who he is. So far I can tell that he is very laid back. Nothing really seams to bother him. He tends to take everything on the chin. He hates being left in a room alone.

So there we have it. 4 very different little people in one house. I'm not sure how they all work together (most of the time) but they do.

Lets try this again

I tried to start a blog a few months back but my internet got cut off and while I was waiting for it to come back I forgot my email address and passwords.

This blog is about my little family, how I survive with 4 young children and my journey in life.

So if anyone is reading this... Enjoy.