film: a few moments

Daniel has discovered his passion and his art. Twenty minutes of filming, a couple of hours editing and here we have a beautiful peek into the lives of friends...a memento, a keepsake, a reminder of a normal day when their son was small and cheeky.

A glimpse into daily life is so wonderfully intriguing. And really, it's what you want to remember as a parent, don't you think? While birthdays are special and holidays are memory making, it's the days spent at home, in the space where we live, eat, grow and learn that make us who we are. That fuse us as family.

Once again it is the simplicity of normal life that is true beauty. It's that normality that we want to remember. And express gratitude for.

I'm so proud of my filmmaker man...for pursuing his dream. For creating such beauty.

wintry

Four years ago on the Queen's birthday long weekend our seaside suburb was lashed by torrential rain and the wildest of winds. Daniel and I had just moved into this house, I was six months pregnant with Che and we didn't own a heater. Not that the heater would have made much difference because we were without power for three days. I remember sitting on the couch, watching the fifty-year-old gums sway and bend, wishing I could make myself a big bowl of pasta.

This weekend hasn't been quite so bad. We still have power, we have the warmth of a heater and a well-stocked fridge and pantry. But the rain has been persistent, keeping us indoors and rugged up. Our street is the perfect representation of our winter; wet, mossy, gradually becoming more bare. And I wish I could venture out into it, but the thought of getting soaked and coming home with muddy shoes (if I owned a pair of Hunters it would be a different story) isn't so appealing.

So while the wind howls and the clouds loom I'll watch from the window and hope that soon the sun will return.

Ps. Hello to new readers who have ventured here from far and wide...it's lovely to meet you.

bed

The last few days have been icy and our abode is just a little bit cold. Our big king size bed is warm though and so utterly tempting on wildly windy days. Che always seems to end up in there, a pile of books by his side, the perfect excuse for its unkempt state.

It's almost the weekend and I'm planning on making soup, baking quiche, drinking tea (and hot chocolate) and wandering aimlessly from one project to another. I do like an aimless wander every now and then. I hope, wherever you are, that you stay cosy and warm.

bump: sweet in the morning

Five weeks to go and I'm noticing little rituals forming in my day - a cup of tea in the morning sun just one of them. The ledge for the tea cup is handy too. Baby is still dancing in my belly, stretching it's legs and arching its back - the sure sign of a yogi or, perhaps, a ballerina. Braxton hicks have stepped up a notch this week, encouraging me to be in the moment and reminding me to breathe deep. I'm still teaching classes, still writing articles. But soon, work will slow down and I'll just 'be' for those last few weeks. Slowly yet purposefully preparing, feathering and waiting for baby's arrival. On the full moon, perhaps.

if you're a winner...

You can do a little dance. The nine winners of the eco nino giveaway are:

Rachel from Tea with Lucy

Leanne from Homemade Rainbows

Joanne from Three and a View

Sarah from Ramblings

Emily from The Beetle Shack

Jessica from Poppy and Ted

Sarah from Simple Sunshine

Matt & Ella from Live, Love, Leach

&

Claire from One Claire Day

Congratulations lovely ones. Please email your details to jodiclairewilson @ yahoo (dot) com (dot) au

And special thanks once again to Kylie, clever creator of eco nino change mat covers x

snippets

• a new dress that fits now and will be perfect for breastfeeding (always a fashion dilemma). On sale too.
• morning sun, bed hair, weetbix with warm milk
• windowsill installation
• fragrant, delicate, pretty bunch
• vintage jewellery and natural moisturiser.

the snippets that i noticed on a busy, busy weekend.

I have twenty teeth

I'll admit that I was suffering from motherguilt because I had never taken Che to the dentist. Motherguilt has incredible power; it makes me ponder my choices, it keeps me on my toes. Sometimes it makes me really organised, organised enough to make an appointment with the dentist and keep it. Daniel and I had been talking about the dentist with Che quite regularly - how important it is to get check-ups to ensure your teeth stay strong and healthy. His one question was: "After we go to the dentist, can we get ice-cream?" Our response: "Ice-cream goes against everything the dentist stands for."

I was a little apprehensive and envisioned a writhing, unhappy three-year-old clenching his teeth together. The book in the reception area helped - the story of a young boy who opens his mouth wide so the dentist can count all his teeth! As soon as Che hopped on that mechanical chair his mouth was open - he was eager and waiting. I was pleasantly in awe. He has twenty teeth, thinks the cleaning paste is 'yucky' and only had trouble keeping his mouth open when he was giggling so hard the dentist has to take the utensils out of his mouth.

I squeezed a check-up in straight after - still no fillings! But...I was asked, politely, if I tend to clench my teeth sometimes. "It's just that there's a bit of wear on the front teeth," she explained to me. I was lying there, thinking about all those times where as a mum I get so frustrated that I clench - and hard. "Yes," I admitted. "I do...and how bad is that - for my teeth and my parenting." Oh motherguilt, you're still there, even after the dentist.