Month: October 2011

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Just call me Rapunzel

Cancer is something that effects everyone.  Every single person I know has a story to tell.  A family member, a friend, a loss or a story of survival.

Its been just over 10 years since I lost my dad.  I think about him every single day.  I sometimes even pick up the phone to call and tell him something and then realise I cant.

Paul also lost his dad to cancer.  Our fathers are indirectly responsible for how we met 🙂

My uncle in the UK is fighting a battle with cancer.

For the longest time I have felt like I need to DO something, something tangable, something with meaning.

Last night, waiting for the baby to fall asleep, the idea of the CANSA shavathon popped into my head.  Its something I say I will do, at least spray my hair, every year and for one reason or another I never do it.

I guess I’ve never been ready to do it, and spraying my hair seemed like a waste.

But now I am ready.

The minimum length requirement to donate hair to make wigs is 22cm.  My hair is about 44cm!

My brother in law and his amazing fiance are getting married in April, Im pretty sure Megs would not like my shaved head in her wedding photos and I dont particularly want a shaved head at the wedding, so Im only going to do the big cut in May 2012.

Im going to put a ticker up with a countdown.  Im hoping I can get a few of you to join me or to make a pledge towards CANSA when I cut my hair.

Please take a look here for more information on CANSA and the Shavathon

You can follow CANSA on FB here or on Twitter here.

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Random fact

I cannot have a cold lukewarm bath.

Even in the height of summer my bath must be boiling hot.

Gratuitous photo of my children:

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Success!

If you havent yet, go and read this post about Faith, breastfeeding and biting…

After getting advice from all the wonderful mommies on twitter and that read my blog as well as IRL friends and of course my mommy I decided that we would try formula.

I know that ‘breast is best’ and that since we were doing so well we should probably continue but the truth is I have been saying for a while now that Im looking forward to stopping.  Also, once the biting started, I found myself actually dreading feeding time.  I was very hesitant to put my boobs anywhere near Faith’s mouth and that was effecting my enjoyment of feeding Faith.

Yesterday I gave Faith a bottle at lunch time.  She cried for all of 2 seconds before tasting the milk and then quite happily drinking 150ml.  I gave her another bottle at bed time and she was quite happy with that too.  She woke up twice last night, first time I just gave her the dummy, the second time I made her a bottle and she drank half of it before falling asleep again.  She woke up at 7 this morning and had another small bottle.

I call that a success.  She is happy and getting a nutritious bottle and Im not afraid of having my nipples bit off!

The big thing at the moment is that my boobs hurt!  Actually only the right boob hurts.  Anyone know how long it will take for my boobs to stop producing milk, or at least stop hurting??

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African Fashion International

Oh my!  Was I spoilt.  I was invited to the opening night show of African Fashion International (AFI) by Intel SA along with Jenty, Angel, Heidi, Zinhle and Danielle .  We got treated to a hospitality lounge, drinks and food and got tickets to see all 5 opening night shows.

The evening started off a little rocky with the organisers at the Sandton Convention Centre being a little disorganised (oh the irony) but once we were inside it was VIP treatment all the way 🙂

The shows did run about an hour late so I didnt stay for all of them but the first three shows were fantastic.

Jenty from Jeanette Verster Photography very kindly let me use some of her amazing pictures.

First up Klûk CGDT

 

The 2nd show was Marianne Fassler

The next show featured Tart and Mataano

Up first: Tart (I just adored their clothes!!!!)

Mataano

You can see more of Jenty’s amazing photos on her site or on Facebook.

There were also exhibitors and while we were waiting for the first show to start I snapped a few photos with my iPhone…

MoseWaMosa

Then I found these amazing hand made childrens outfits from KIKI Clothing

And the most beautiful jewelry from Unknown Collection

Thank you once again Intel SA for organising an amazing evening out.

 

 

 

 

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Once bitten twice shy…

I always said that the day Faith bites me is the day I stop breastfeeding.

Tonight Faith bit me for the second time.

The first time was the middle of the night, she wouldnt go to sleep and was screaming and wouldn’t be calmed, I offered her the boob to see if that would help and she bit me.  It wasnt her fault, it wasnt mine.  She was angry and frustrated.  Children bite when they cant contain or express anger and frustration.  Especially when they cant talk.

In fact I thought it was quite funny because earlier that day I was speaking to Sharon about breastfeeding and biting and had said that Faith had never bitten me… Ok, Im not sure why that would be funny 🙁

Tonight I came home and Faith was still awake, very sleepy and about to doze off and I decided to offer her the boob since the last time she had milk was 3 hours earlier and it often sends her to sleep.  Well, she opened her mouth no problem, didnt make a single sound and then bit me again.

Those two little chompers are bloody sharp!

Im a little hesitant to put my boobs anywhere near her mouth again.  Im not sure what to do.  Do I stop breastfeeding and go with formula?  Do I keep trying, never knowing when she will decide to bite?  Do I express and offer bottles (that she doesnt take from me, the one who gets up for her in the night…)?

I also always said that I would only breastfeed until she was a year old, thats in just under two months time.  Also, expressing isnt that great, I definitely dont get as much milk expressing as I do when she sucks.  Also, if I stop breastfeeding her I will lose my beautiful C cup boobs (selfish reason to keep going, I know).

So, what do you guys think?

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Bullet points

  • We have been doing the cycle of sick in my house.
  • Aaron and Faith followed by me, now Paul and Faith again.
  • I love the Jewish holydays, I am off work for about half this month.
  • Long weekends FTW!
  • My cell upgrade is due in just under two weeks, iPhone or the new Nokia N9, decisions decisions.
  • Aaron is loving swimming so much.  Its such a joy to watch.
  • Faith is crawling, although she is still lazy about it.
  • My first born child will be 4 (!!) in 21 days!
  • My second born child will be 1 (!!) in just under 2 months!
  • We have been counted.  Census 2011 was quick and painless.
  • Yesterday I must have slept for at least 18 hours and I slept last night.  Im still tired…
  • I dont think I have ever been quite as happy as I am right now 🙂
Paul and me at a reent family brekkie
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Your favourite things – Faith

I spotted this on Cat’s blog, Jenty’s blog and Tanya’s blog and I thought what a wonderful way to remember the kids childhoods.

Now for Faith…

TV programme:  You dont really watch TV but if you are sitting in the lounge and the theme music (for ANY show) comes on, you look at the screen adn rock back and forth and smile.
iPhone App:  You love chewing on my BlackBerry, does that count?
Meal:  Food, did someone say food?  You eat anything and everything, especially if someone else is eating it, you just have to try it.
Fruit:  Apples..
Vegetable:  Like Ashlyn you love tomatoes, especially the rosa tomatoes (even though they are really a fruit).
Breakfast:  Banana and strawberry porridge.
Drink:  Mothers milk, really…
Toy:  Your new favourite toy is a magnetic house thingy that sings the alphabet (in an australian accent), it was a present from your Ozzy cousins for your brother a little while ago.  You love pressing the button to make the music and singing start and you totally rock out to the ABC.
You love:  Your brother, chewing on things, your taggie(s), the dogs and your nanny, Aletta.

 

Something that happened yesterday:
Its not something that happened yesterday exactly but its been happening over the last week or so.  You have become mobile.  You dont crawl as such, its more of a one legged, two armed leopard crawl, but it gets you from A to B.
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Your favourite things – Aaron

I spotted this on Cat’s blog, Jenty’s blog and Tanya’s blog and I thought what a wonderful way to remember the kids childhoods.

Im starting with Aaron…

TV programme:  You love anything on Disney Jnr, especially Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Mickey Mouse Club House.  You have also discovered Sponge Bob Square Pants…
iPhone App:  You love Angry Birds and the Incy Wincy Spider game on my your iPod Touch
Meal:  Pizza!  With black olives.
Fruit:  Red apples.
Vegetable:  Ummmm whats that?  Is an olive a vegetable?
Breakfast:  Coco Pops.
Drink:  Cream Soda.
Toy:  Hmmm, you love your new dragon that Cheryl and Raymond gave you for your birthday.
You love:  Your sister, drawing, playing outside, school and your nanny, Aletta.

Something that happened yesterday:
Yesterday you were a little bit sick so you stayed home from school.  You LOVE staying home almost as much as you love going to school.  Mainly cause you got to help Aletta clean the windows with the squeegee…