AJ Bartle
Goodness me was was it cold this morning! And that wind wow, not good for the skin. Check out this picture from the Central Tablelands of NSW. We're in for a bumper ski season too it looks like with Hotham receiving around 20 centimetres of snow already. I can't wait to go skiing again. Everyone seemed to think it was too dangerous while I was pregnant so I haven't been for a very long time. This cold, windy weather is set to continue til Friday.
NHM Mummas I'd like to officially declare this 'The Festival of Mum'!
For the next few days please palm off screaming kids to Daddy, feel free to drink Champagne any time of the day, washing.. what washing? Sit your bottom down, don't get up. Drink in (no pun intended) the love of your beautiful little creations and rejoice, you are a Mumma! And a damn fine one, which is why I declare 'The Festival of Mum' officially open.
One of my brilliant Mumma friends Ali Cooke has created an amazing place for you to celebrate with loved ones this Sunday. Everything we love is there tapas like street eats, market stalls, live music, craft beer and fine wine. Come celebrate with Bec and I at Five Senses and a shout out to my beautiful Mumma friend Ali for creating Five Senses and being an awesome hustling Mumma. We love hearing about Mummas doing inspiring, creative things and working hard at their own dreams as well as looking after their bubbas!
Happy Mother's Day Love NHM x
So no doubt you may have seen a recent post by the amazing Mel Watts 'the modern momma', where she shared a post on Instagram with herself sitting in her underwear. She does this to show her followers that they matter, really matter. This really resonated with me, mainly because of her bravery. We all have our so-called flaws that society has placed upon us, but not many of us are willing to share this with so many. Instagram is well known for it's beautiful shots of seemingly perfect models and buff, toned dudes looking well, buff. So it is so refreshing to have someone leave themselves exposed like this. She offered her followers two options, to offend or to spread love and I am so pleased to see that this particular post was liked so far over 20,500 times and had almost 1500 comments of support. As women and mothers we need to support each other. This is the BEST example to be presenting to our children and I believe that by teaching our children to support and love others, we could really make a big dent on bullying.
Congratulations Mel, you are so incredibly brave and your message to us mums is truly inspiring.
Back when I first started dating you would meet someone at a pub or club or through a friend or at work, basically it was pretty much all done in person. These days it is estimated that around 4.5 million Australians are using online dating and it is in fact the second most preferred way to meet a new partner behind an introduction by family and friends.
Imagine being a stay at home mum of three super young children and finding yourself single when you're in your mid 30's? Yep that was me. I was terrified of the whole idea of it to be honest. The only reason I actually did was because I read on a social media group that it could be a hilarious way of occupying your quiet nights alone once the kids were all tucked up in bed. So I set up a profile, decided to be completely honest and include photos of myself with my children and sat back and waited. I found the majority of my journey was using my gut and trying to separate the men from the jerks. I initially met someone nice but perhaps it was a bit early or perhaps he wasn't quite right so it ended and then I randomly messaged (yes it's a modern world now) another guy I thought looked nice, he messaged back, we started chatting, realised we had mutual friends, and decided to go on an actual date. Queue the nerves because I hadn't dated properly for over 13 years but I puckered up the courage and went. I haven't looked back.
But has the stigma of online dating stopped a lot of people from trying it? My mum still tells all her friends that we met through friends! Have you met your partner online? I'd love to hear some other stories, successful or not.
Bec
xxx
Miranda Kerr has a Newcastle connection of course we know! She was here for Matt Kerr her brother's wedding not that long ago remember? He has a restaurant in the Hunter Valley if you ever want to go visit Nanna Kerr's a homage to their nan Ann Kerr. Anyway, Miranda who doesn't even look pregnant in the shot above are you kidding? I was a whale with my second! Anyway, she's given birth yey. Her and multibucks dream boat internet man Evan Spiegel have welcomed their first child together, a healthy baby boy, named 'Hart'. What do you think of the name?
Love,
NHM x
I was following along a post on my local year 1 school FB group and the question came up about who you 'have' to invite to parties. Last year in kindy my son was invited to most parties, but then there were a few that he missed out on, and boy did that cause chaos. This year I have felt that they have more established friendship groups so perhaps inviting just close friends is now acceptable. And possibly the best way to achieve this is by personally giving invitations to the parents rather than have the child or teacher hand them out in class?
What has worked for you and what are your birthday invitation rules that are working for your school group?
HUGE congratulations to Newcastle's Reece Hignell who made it through to the top 24 on Masterchef. A self professed food nerd, Reece said that he prefers to stay home on a Saturday and research food combinations and techniques than head out on the town. We'll be cheering you on this year Reece!
Do you know a local mum who should audition for next year's Masterchef? Tag them now!
I remember as a child that I was always taken to the dentist for regular check ups and mum and dad were right onto me about brushing my teeth. I've been lucky enough not to have too many dental problems. So because of this I've been extremely careful about my own kids' teeth and care. I'm known in my circle of friends to be quite strict on their diet and so they've only really ever had milk and water to drink. I also brush all their teeth and will continue to do so until they're over 8. So, imagine my surprise when I took my 6 year old to the dentist only to be told that two of his baby teeth need to be extracted because they're so bad that it would be hitting the nerve. I burst into tears in the dentist's room amidst her questions of diet and dental care. Then the following week we went back to have the teeth removed and walked out an hour later with all teeth still in tact and an appointment for surgery at Maitland Private Hospital at the end of this month. My son was so distressed AFTER having the needles that he literally refused to open his mouth and just sat and cried. Poor little man.
Have you had experience with the dentist with children at a young age? Put me out of my misery that I'm not the only one...
My baby was always a good sleeper but transiting to a single bed has been TOUGH. Here is some advice from NHM Mummas about how to get your little bubba to transition to a big bed.
Danee Norro We are all about star charts in our house. Buy some fun stickers so when they make small achievements they get to choose and put the sticker on. Make the chart together, We didn't think the chart would work but it really does and it still does years down the track. Kmart have books of stickers. We have things like.
Eat all dinner
Stayed in bed all night
Tidy toys
No nastiness
Then used to have Toilet training stuff on there too.
Angela Eastham We bought a gro clock.. my son would always get out of his bed and take him forever to get to sleep... since buying gro clock he has improved
We had some issues with both of ours when transitioning. We bought a bed rail which I found really helped with making them feel secure. Then we did a reward system for nights in their big bed. It takes some time but they do get there. We also used a night light and snuggle toys
Ko Bee A super strict routine and no day sleeps its tiring however... a book , sing a song, scratch back a lay and a cuddle. Is how I started with a chat about the day.
Take her to the shops to choose a special toy to sleep with and a night light.
Lauren Boyton I set up the portacot, when she got up i said if you get up again you go in the baby bed, next time she got out she got put in the portacot. Once asleep i transferred her to her big bed so she woke in it.
My son took his favourite toy off him and said bunny will come back when your asleep. I only had to do it a few times for each of them
Bec Innes We got our son a smaller toddler bed and put up a rail. He loves the secure feeling and adjusted easier after that. We also put a baby gate on the door. It still took a few weeks for us but i never offered the cot or a porta cot just persisted.
Emily Cargill With my 1.5 year old we started with naps in his big boy bed, favorite toy, and nice music before full nights. We made his room a nice fun place that was safe/ comfortable for him that he could go in there by himself if needed. He played up a bit at first since he used to nap in our bed or the pram but soon got used it. Some nights I'd just get him to sleep by any means then put him in his big boy bed so he woke up in a familiar place just different. He would wake in the middle of the night at first, I'd get him a drink, then sing or just lay there until he settled. Now he sleeps through most nights in his bed unless it's really cold then he comes in with us. All together it is a big process and we had some bad nights but it ended up being worth it. He knows that if he needs to he can sleep with us but I know it is hard(I don't sleep well with him in or bed).
Jacki Adams We've gone with a pretty strict routine. Finish milk in bed; read some books together in bed; lay head down on pillow to finish last book and tuck in; turn on Raffy with lullaby; we have a Kmart night light that projects stars so I tell my daughter I'm going to turn out the light and turn on the stars & then I shut the door. Some nights are better than others but I've found being consistent is the biggest thing.
Good Luck!
I don't know about you but as I sit here trying to settle my 5 month old while enduring many 'mistakes' while my 2 year old potty trains I think going to Cher sounds like a fantastic idea! I can see you ladies gripping a bubbles and singing along to 'if I could turn back time' when Cher kicks off her Australian tour in Newcastle on September 26. By the way how cool is Newcastle getting this show first?! I swear we're getting totally popular haha.
I used to do Stand Up Comedy in Melbourne with Madeleine West. We all questioned as to why Dee from Neighbours would want to do Open Mic nights with us but we were happy to hang out with her. I haven't seen Mads for years but I followed on as she married hot Vue De Monde chef Shannon Bennett and they raised a family of their own.
Long story short Mads is unreal and she now has 6 kids. We'll definitely get her on our Radio Show shortly but before we do I thought I'd share her tip for getting your kids to eat dinner at the table.
She and Shannon play board games with the kids at the table! Mads said 'Make sure all of them stay at the table and make some loose rules, like, "You have to eat three mouthfuls of your dinner before it's your turn", "You can't touch the dice until you've eaten three big mouthfuls".'
She added that this approach also allows her to carve out a small portion of quality time with her children, Phoenix, Hendrix, Xascha, Xanthe and twins Margaux and Xalia. Nice one!
Growing up, we had friends who had separated yet remained really close because of their two daughters. I used to really admire them for their maturity and have also recently heard that they have just bought a house together. Sometimes it can be incredibly hard to keep things friendly particularly if one partner feels they have been treated unfairly, and then it can be hard when either party begins a new relationship.
If a split family is what your life is, how have you managed? Are you and your ex still friends, or trying to appear that way for the kids?
As mum's we're suckers for newborns. That cute little cry, the adorable little hands they're just so beautiful aren't they? Kate has taken two photos of Prince Louis Arthur Charles fifth in line to the throne and released them to the world.
Kate broke from tradition when she insisted that the Royal photographer was not to take early photos of her kids and that she in fact would take them herself. Way to go Mumma.
Honestly somedays I just think how on earth did I survive that? With potty training has come several of those days. I was hanging the washing out on the line yesterday and I hear 'noooo buddy' I run back to see what's happened. Summer has missed going to the potty and done it in her knickers that's ok. The problem however was the dog treating the contents of her undies like a gourmet meal. Savouring every bit and then smiling at me afterwards as I pulled him away. WOW I never envisaged any of this before I was a parent but OMG! What was your last OMG Mum Moment?
I love the way Newcastle gets behind their sporting teams. That feeling of community is a beautiful one and whether you’re into the Jet’s final or not tonight, surely an event such as this should be celebrated.
Their journey from the back of the pack to grand finalists hasn't been an easy one with injuries and the mid-season departure of Andrew Nabbout ensuring Newcastle's ascent hasn't always been smooth.
But experts are tipping it may go the Jet’s way tonight because of Newcastle’s ability to rise above those issues.
Some are worried without Jack Duncan in goals there may be problems but this is a team that can adapt and with an anticipated 30,000 Newcastle fans cheering them on tonight surely all players will be on the ball (pun intended).
The Melbourne Victory haven’t been very victorious at McDonald Jones Stadium in the past winning only 3 out of 19 games there. Let’s hope they continue that losing streak woooooo! I mean we wish them all the best.
Where are you and your family watching the Grand Final?
Wow, Newcastle is turning it on this weekend! Last night we braved the cold and went to Knights stadium to watch our beloved knights and tonight the soccer grand final is on and boy do I wish I was going to that! There are also special big screens set up at outdoor places that you can watch the game on. From Sarge and I... GO JETS!
Tocal Field Day is also on this weekend until tomorrow. If you haven't been, it's a great day out for the family.
Are you or your kids looking to get into the work force? Here's a tip according to new research avoid degrees like arts or science or anything does doesn't leave you job ready after you complete the course. After struggling through many years of a law degree I was rather astounded to find that in no way was I prepared to be a lawyer, in fact, I wasn't even properly qualified, there were still other studies to complete to be admitted to practice and more years of study if I wanted to be a barrister.
TAFE was once thought of as a second cousin to Uni but it's is now being viewed in a more positive fashion because it's purposeful, cost-effective and guaranteed to produce results. Employers get job ready employees and graduates leave feeling confident that they can do the job.
Until recently I hadn't really thought about what kind of parent I was. You just woke up each day and did your best right? Recently my partner and I have started to 'blend' our families and have come across some obvious differences in our parenting styles and it has helped in a way to know which parenting categories we fall under so that we can try to understand how each of us parent. My partner is a definite helicopter and I have to admit to being a tiger with a fair amount of free range. Hopefully we can figure out some common ground to 'blend' both of our styles.
So, are you wondering which category you fall under?
Attachment: focuses on very little separation between the mother and child during early childhood
Holistic: placing great awareness on loving and respecting all beings, eco friendliness is important and discipline is not
Conscious: A conscious parent is an influence, not an authoritative figure. The child is often the boss
Permissive: very little rues and guidelines
Free Range: allows children to be free to explore the world at their own pace and with independence
Authoritative: follows the approach that children need rules, regulations and expectations to succeed
Tiger: tend to 'hover' over the kids protecting from threats and dangers
Baby Led: routine and structure are guided by the baby, not the parents
Summer and Lillian are regulars at my Family Yoga Studio The Ohana Room, Cardiff
Honestly, I don’t know how you do it Mummas? You're expected to bring in some kind of income so the family can go ahead a little but you have babies everywhere and childcare is expensive and hard to come by. I have a spirited 2 year old and a 5 month old and the struggle is real.
The first time the baby weight just fell off but since I gave birth I’ve ballooned at the rate of knots just because every spare moment is spent on working for my small business or at the radio station. I use up all my babysitting tokens with my partner or parents to work and then there’s none left for any downtime or training time. I bet you’re in a similar situation? Any time I try to take both of them out to do something it’s a massive event. I tried to go to a MEGA class this morning and my toddler navigated the baby gate and went to run out onto the road so we had to leave.
My eating choices are vegemite toast crusts and bits of whatever’s going around, my drinking choices are constant and without a wine, I fear I may well just lose my sanity.
For anyone giving this #MUMLIFE a go, kids, work the whole shebang. I take my hat off to you. You are truely amazing Mumma never forget that.
Ps. what’s for dinner? haha!
Ok here's something fun. JT slept with Baby Spice back in the day. The rest is pretty funny too
