Marcella's First Birthday

Well the milestone of the first birthday has been reached. If you haven't read the story of Marcella's Birth you can here. Wow, what an emotional day. Due to an incident the night before, where I was left feeling unsupported, not by friends by an organisation. I was already very emotional, and puffy from crying. So it was a challenge for me for the day to pull myself together so that I could be in the present, and enjoy and celebrate being on the other side.

I had great plans for the day, we first went  to a Life's Little Treasures playgroup, which happened to fall on the day, and chat with other prem mum's. Which we did and it was great and really helped to settle my emotions.

Marcella and the other children all had a great time.

So dressed in her Hope for Accreta shirt, we then went on to deliver our thank you cards that I had made up for the occasion.  So we first posted and hand delivered some of our cards to friends that helped up get through this traumatic event.


We then went on to the hospital to deliver our cards to the Doctors, Nurses, Midwives, Chaplains, NICU Doctors and Nurses, and everyone involved in helping to keep me here, or making the journey that much easier.

There were a few tears, especially when I saw one of the NICU Nurses that help with Marcella's care. She would sit with me for hours to try and help me get milk, and deliver the bond between me and my baby.  SO it was a very special day.  I also want to thank all of you out there that have supported us with Pray, Encouragements, Practical help and Support.  Thank you for helping make the journey a little easier.

Here is a few photo's from the day.

Loving Cake!

Enjoying some Story time at LLT

Goodbye Intensive Care

Saying thank you to the Chaplains 

The Last time I will be in the NICU

A gift for the NICU, hopefully will bless some Mum's to come. 

Saying Goodbye to the Hospital

What a difference a year can make.

We are all really thankful that we have made it this far.  Thank you all.

Conducting a Choir.

Since the restarting of life after Marcella's birth, where I came very close to dying, there have a been a number of things that I have taken on for the first time in my life.

One of these things is conducting the homeschool choir this year.  It was a fun, stressful, challenging and a nerve wrecking experience. LOL.  I have sung in choirs all my school years, and for me it was one of my highlights.  I was in my high schools concert choir, getting to perform at many events. This was the first time I have ever conducted one, and I new have a new found respect for my conductors growing up.

The song that we sang was "King of Kings"
which seems very simply until you add in the round. So my challenge was to keep each group singing the correct part of the song, while also keeping track of how many times they sang then song, then getting them to sing it as fast as they could.

The performance went really well, and the children did a great job scoring 84 points. Our choir was much younger than the other choirs that entered their category. That being said there was only 6 points between the winners and us.

I was very proud of the children and their efforts. I am also proud of me for swallowing my normally shy self, and jumping back into to something that I have loved for most of my life.  It was a good reminder of how much I enjoy the performing arts.

~ Christina

Our new points system.

A dear friend shared with me their points system. So we have decided to create a version and give it a go.  We recently purchased a Stick on white board from Office works, which we have put up on our wall. It is helping to make this process better and more fun for all involved.  The children can see easily how well they are doing.

In consultation with the children we have come up with a few things that we thought where important for them to get points for, as well as some that they will loose points for.

Each point is values at 5cents, and will be tallied at the end of the pay fortnight determining there pocket money for the next pay day.

Some are character traits others are practical things that help make the home run better.

For example
1pt - having their area cleaned before 9am.
1pt - Reading to the little ones (doubt bonus for me, as they are spending nice time together as well as practising their reading skills)
1pt - Having a good attitude when asked to do something.
1pt - Making Bed in the morning.
1pt - putting away their cloths
1pt - Encouraging a sibling.

-minus points
-1pt - dropping food on the floor instead of chicken bucket.
-1pt - Bad attitude
-1pt - For being discouraging, meaning, fighting, bullying, etc.
-1pt - For not eating in the kitchen.

ETC. This isn't our full list, and we are adding to it as we go.

What things would be on your list ? please share in the comments.

Warm Grain Free Muesli

Warm Grain Free Muesli 

Being on a Grain free or Gluten free diet can at times present with a lack of choices when it comes to breakfast! In the West we have become accustomed to eating cereals for breakfast, whether it be in the form of toast, packaged cereal, Oats, Muesli. etc.  

So making a change and taking grains out of your diet for good, or just a time means that you need to sometimes rethink breakfast. 

With a household of children that have in the past enjoyed those breakfast choices means that at times they get over having eggs, and the many different forms you can present them!  So here is my take on a grain free breakfast, served with a good dollop of home made yoghurt.

Recipe.

( Serves 6)

4 apples sliced
1 cup sultanas

1 cup peanuts
3 tsp of cinnamon
2 TB of Butter ( could also be coconut oil)
2 TB of coconut oil
1 TB of Honey.
Homemade yoghurt to serve.

Method 

1. Fry apples in butter and coconut oil until soft.
2. Add cinnamon to the pan. Stir well.
3. Add sultanas, peanuts, and honey to the pan, stir well and heating through.
                                                                                    4. Serve with some homemade Yoghurt.

 A really nice change this morning, and there was only licked clean bowls left over.

I am an overcomer

I am an overcomer!

Kangaroo Cuddles - Benefits for both mother and baby

It has long been known that Kangaroo cuddles help prem and sick babies. Having that close skin to skin contact helps to steading their heart beats and settle their breathing.  That feeling of closeness releasing calming hormones, and increase bonding. It is not as well known the benefits of skin to skin kangaroo cuddles for the mother as well. Here is a photo of me having a Kangaroo cuddle with Marcella while I was on life support. Marcella was stable and I wasn't. The medical team didn't think I would make it at that point, and wanted to bring us together incase I didn't make it. As soon as they put her on my chest the nurses said that I lifted my head and rubbed my chin on her head. I have vague memories of this. For that point I started to improve.  

You can read my full story here.

Pumpkin Puffs - GAPS

Pumpkin Puffs

Ingredients:
3 cups of mashed pumpkins
3 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream (Kefir works as well, optional extra for serving)
1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1 - Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2 - Lightly grease with butter 12 pan, muffin pan.
3 - In a medium mixing bowl whisk the eggs then mix in the sour cream. Stir in both cheeses and the chives. Add pumpkin and mix well.
4 - Spoon them into the pan filling the cups to slightly below the top, top each one with a little grated cheese.
5 - Bake 25- 35 minutes until they pull away from the sides of the cup and are golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool 5 minutes in pan.