LittleONE Baby Issue 9

LittleONE baby L E T ’ s PA R T Y

now.

T h en &

baby!

Gorgeous real life birthdays, christenings and baby showers to be inspired by.

How time and circumstance can change your experience with baby.

space.

AU & NZ $14.95 (inc. GST)

C R E AT I N G A L I T T L E ISSN

9

1836-4624

771836

462003

Take a look at beautiful, real life nurseries.

MERINO International Award Winning 100% Natural Baby, Infant

Merino Kids™ is an international award winning 100% natural baby sleepwear and clothing company. Our designer range of 100% natural merino baby sleeping bags and sleepwear have helped babies and their parents sleep better and safely through the night in New Zealand, Australia and around the world.

The Go Go Bag™ is a 100% natural baby sleep bag designed for your baby and toddler’s safety & comfort. We use only the finest merino & 100%

cotton. Merino fibres help regulate your babies temperature throughout their sleep. It breathes, absorbing and releasing moisture away from baby’s skin in warm conditions and insulating in cooler conditions.

The Merino Kids range is kind to delicate skin, easy to care for, safe and great value. Babies and infants sleeping in or on merino settle more quickly, sleep longer, feed better, cry less and gain weight faster.

Providing the very best natural start in life

KIDS

™

Design Collections and Toddler Sleep Solutions

2009

Benefits of the Go Go Bag TM The Go Go Bag™ has many benefits including; Prevents your baby from waking after wriggling out of their blankets.

Keeps your baby at a safe and comfortable temperature throughout the night which means you can use merino all year round with out the risk of overheating.

Merino regulates temperature by removing heat and moisture away from the body and in cool conditions (between four and six in the morning) it insulates.

Babies associate the bag with sleep so will settle more easily in unfamiliar surroundings.

Safely used by children with allergies, eczema and sensitive skin.

• • • • •

+64 (0) 9361 6941 • 1800 643 056 • www.merinokids.com

78 120

151

contents B i t s & pieces

P A RT Y

time

Dressing

6

Magazine Detail

86

Lucas’ Retro Diner 2nd

112

Little Fish

8

Publisher’s Letter

89

Isobel & Eloise’s Babushka 2nd

120

Picnic Time

10 Letterbox

92

Henry’s Tour de France 1st

128

One For Lunch

11

People, Places, Spaces

94

James’ Farm 1st

131

Baby Steps

13

I Love New Things

96

For Your Little One

137

Stepping Out

21

Beautiful Things – Canvas Art

98

Jethro’s Guess How Much 1st

147

In The Closet

100

Isabella’s Garden Party 1st

151

Pool Side

65

Beautiful Things – Special Occasion Bibs

102

Take The Party Home

159

Mini Me Style

191

Recording Childhood

104

Jasmin’s Ladies Day Out Shower

106

Luca’s Preppy Polo Naming Day

108

Evie’s Teddy Bears’ Picnic 1st

110

Lexi’s Eclectic Tea Party 1st

206 Stockists 208

4

Lust For This

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November 2012

up

106

175

71 Life with

baby

BABY ’s

space

30

Chew On That

24

Introducing Kirby William

32

My First Bed

35

Feature...Then & Now

50

Introducing Hazel Mary & Lulu Mabel

44

Out Like A Light

57

Introducing Sebastian Clay

46

Snug As A Bug

71

Introducing Sage Mila Wren

49

Always Watching

78

Introducing Ben

68

Working Mum...Karen Mennie

114

Introducing Ella Rose

138

Sitting Tall

141

Intorducing Frankie Lou

161

Introducing Theodore William

169

Introducing Charlotte Mae

200

Introducing Xavier

175 Food...Apples 178

Traveling Baby...Bali

181

Baby Abroad

184

Get Moving

185

Working Mum...Mandi Gunsberger

198

Essay...Burn The Book

“Love your baby, survive the day, be gentle to yourself, surround yourself with support and keep your expectations low. ” - Rowena Meadows,

p.196

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Issue Number 9 Publishing Editor Amy Doak Associate Editor Amy Sim Assistant Editor Shona Buttrey Copy Editor Ali Brakha Living & Food Editor Cheree Heath Writers Rowena Meadows Lauren Mitchell B Louise Brooke Tasovac Jessika Steiner Sacha van Weel Jodi Wilson Creative Director Dustin Schilling Junior Designer Cassandra Cheeseman Photography Kate Monotti, Rebecca Gray, Sara Taylor Victoria; Maureen Haynes, Katie Walker-Smith, Janelle Struss Queensland; Chantelle Bliss, Jasmin Hargreaves NSW; Jennifer Rayner Tas Print Manager Nigel Quirk Printgraphics

Get smiling this summer with seven month old cutie, Sebastian.

Photography by Kate Monotti

FOLLOW

FIND

us on...

us on...

Follow us on Twitter LittleONEMag and like us on facebook www.facebook.com/LittleONEBaby to keep up-to-date!

Distribution Gordon & Gotch For details on advertising in LittleONE Baby please call Amy Sim on 0401 349 591 or email amysim@littleonebaby.com.au We would like to invite you – as our readers - to submit letters, ideas, articles and other material that you would like to see us on...in LittleONE Baby. included

FOLLOW

Email us at mail@littleonebaby.com.au • Fax: 03 5444 1044 Or snail mail to: PO Box 2523 Bendigo VIC 3554 LittleONE Baby takes all care but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. LittleONE Baby holds copyright to all content unless otherwise stated. ISSN 1833-1289.

This magazine is printed on acid free paper that is pH neutral, that is elemental chlorine free and manufactured using sustainable forestry practices. The mill has ISO 14001 environmental management systems certification. It is printed APPEAR D SHOULD IN THIS APPEAR ORDER. THIS ORDER. usingINvegetable based inks.

This magazine is printed in Australia by Printgraphics Pty Ltd under ISO 14001 Environmental Certifications.

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While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publishers accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in this publication. The views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the editor or the publisher.

www.littleonebaby.com.au

The HUGGIES® website can help with all your parenting questions and needs. With advice from sleep specialists, nutritionists, midwives and other experts, through to a baby room decorator program, kids recipes, fun activities and more.

Plus become a new member today and receive 50 free photo prints from huggies.com.au ® Registered Trademark Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. © 2012 KCWW. KIMCLA1641/S/LB

W e o f t e n g e t s u b m i s s i o n s f r o m ‘ experts ’

PUBLISHER’S letter

l o o k i n g t o s h a r e t h e i r s k i ll s a n d k n o w l e d g e w i t h L i t t l e ONE r e ad e r s , a n d w h i l s t w e t h i n k i t i s a w e s o m e t h a t t h e r e a r e s u c h s k i ll e d p e o pl e o u t t h e r e wa n t i n g t o

wisdom ,

give out words of

I a m al way s a l i t t l e r e l u c t a n t t o

do so.

I h a v e a g o o d f r i e n d w h o i s n o t o n ly a m i d w i f e , b u t al s o a

six

I KNOW !

mother to four children under

S h e i s t h e e p i t o m e o f c al m , h e r

k i d s a r e g o r g e o u s a n d I h av e b e e n k n o w n t o a s k h e r q u e s t i o n s ab o u t p r e g n a n c y a n d

pa r e n t i n g o n m o r e t h a n o n e o c c a s i o n . t o m e , n o d s a n d t h e n s ay s ,

N o r m ally , s h e l i s t e n s

“I have no idea. Couldn’t tell you.”

N o w,

s h e i s n ’ t b e i n g d i f f i c u lt, o r s e c r e t i v e , s h e h a s s i m ply l e a r n t t h e u n i v e r s al t r u t h :

enough are different.

all babies and children just like grown ups, funnily

A ll b i r t h s a r e d i f f e r e n t.

A ll p r e g n a n c i e s a r e

d i f f e r e n t.

W i t h s o m a n y va r i abl e s t h e r e i s r e ally s o m u c h r o o m f o r e r r o r , so

giving advice is a risky old business .

T o s ay , “ t h i s i s h o w i t w o r k e d

f o r m e , s o t h i s i s w h a t w i ll w o r k f o r y o u ” s i m ply i s n ’ t t r u e .

T h at i s w h y I b e l i e v e

it is so important to hear everyone’s story .

R e ad

a s m a n y b o o k s a s y o u r b r a i n c a n d e al w i t h , l i s t e n t o t h e e x p e r t s , l i s t e n t o y o u r m o t h e r , y o u r m o t h e r - i n - la w a n d y o u r grandmother…and then

little one .

take away all the bits that work for you and your

W e h a v e a f e w s t o r i e s i n t h i s i s s u e t h a t r e ally s h o w j u s t

unique every experience is ,

how

a n d n o w t h at I a m t h e m o t h e r o f t w o

b o y s w h o a r e d i f f e r e n t i n e v e r y s i n g l e way i t i s l i k e d o i n g i t f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e all o v e r t h e n I c a n t o t ally s e e w h e r e m y f r i e n d

So mamas, don’t beat yourselves up if what is working for your f riend ’s bub isn’t working for yours. W e a r e all d i f f e r e n t, o u r is coming from.

l i v e s a r e d i f f e r e n t a n d o u r bab i e s a r e d i f f e r e n t.

A c t u ally , I

there is only one thing that is an absolute fact w i t h e v e r y o n e r e ad i n g t h i s r i g h t n o w a n d t h a t i s t h i s : you love your baby more than anything and you just want to see them happy and OK. L u c k y t h e m , a n d l u c k y y o u t o o ! B e k i n d t o y o u r s e l v e s a n d love the journey , h o w e v e r d i f f e r e n t i t m ay b e . w o u ld g o s o f a r a s t o s ay t h a t

Happy r e ad i n g !

- Amy Doak Publishing Editor

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growing babies organically.

Made with love for your baby, the nature baby range always respects the best ethical and environmental practices. With a fresh modern take on all the essentials you will need for your baby, our range includes 100% certified organic cotton and merino wool baby clothing, sleepwear and bedding, a luxurious botanical skincare range for mothers and babies and unique toys to inspire the imagination.

www.naturebaby.com.au

1800 240 358

Dear Amy, I wanted to commend LittleONE Baby on including the stories of women who have had difficulty in fertility and conception. Naturally when you want to start a family you believe everything will happen without a hitch and falling pregnant will happen because that’s how it’s meant to be.

When my own problems arose after a miscarriage, and then a chromosonal issue with my eggs was detected, it lead to a road that felt isolating, depressing and frustating. Reading the stories of other women’s struggles makes me feel conected to others who have felt that isolation, fear, frustation and depression of not knowing if a family will ever be a reality for them.

Thankyou for including an area that is often kept in the dark and shedding light on the fact that it is not always as easy to fall pregnant as it can appear, but for also including the hope that it can happen and that there are miracles out there that occur.

Regards Nicole

LittleONbabEy

letterbox.

Here is what our readers had to say about Issue 8 of LittleONE Baby...

Hi LittleONE OMG!!! I have had the pleasure of creating a little headband and a pair of shoes from your patterns in Issue #8.

Not only is this very cost effective, I can now make shoes and headbands to match a lot of my little girl’s outfits. I have had so many comments in regards to these super cute accessories and everyone asks where I get them. I can proudly say that I made them.

I have also drawn decor inspiration from a lot of the beautiful Baby’s Space and Baby’s Style features. I have implemented so many ideas from a range of styles into my children’s rooms. Keep the creativity and style coming...Love my LittleONE Baby Mag! Regards Tamara.

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Dear LittleONE baby I started reading your mag a year ago, whilst passing time at hospital while my son received chemotherapy. I loved it from that moment and it provided a great distraction.

It’s habit now that I buy it. This time however at the news agency the lady congratulated me, assuming I was pregnant! I explained that no I wasn’t, it just has fabulous ideas for parties and all things pretty and wonderful for babies and spaces.

Today I had a glucose test the 2hr one, I have PCOS so it requires monitoring and have managed to get half way through I read EVERYTHING! It’s reinforced my desire for another child after reading the TTC articles and their amazing stories. The thing Bec said about not being able to turn off wanting another child really hit home. We’ve been trying for nine months but I don’t ovulate regularly due to the PCOS, had sought help from fertility specialists, but it was all just seeming too much, especially given all we had been through with our son’s cancer.

But I can’t switch off wanting that one more! It’s pushed my motivation button again! I WILL get my 2nd baby!!

Thank you for your great magazine, it truly is one of a kind!

Gabby

D E C o r AT E F o r

bab y.

We would love to hear from you!

Email letters to mail@littleonebaby.com.au or post to PO Box 2523 Bendigo DC VIC 3554.

Take a look at beautiful real life nurseries.

Trying To

conc eive .

The often challenging journey to create a family.

AU & NZ $14.95 (inc. GST)

LETTERBOX

Dear Team @ LittleONE Baby, Thank you for making my week! I have just spent the MOST glorious afternoon sitting in the Autumn sun with my little eight month old in her new baby swing not for the whole afternoon mind you! reading Issue 8 of your mag. A week before having my daughter I moved from a fast paced, independent, city lifestyle to a small country town where the sounds are more bird whistling than street humming. Whilst still adjusting to my new surroundings, and new role as a mum, I felt I lacked a connection to what I imagined parenthood to be.

Whimsy, creativity and belonging filled me the minute I opened LittleOne Baby. The stories of other parents were immediately relatable, the nursery rooms were inspiring and the birthday party stylings provided me with so many ideas for the upcoming first birthday of my little girl that I will need to spend more time perusing the pages of your mag!

Congratulations on a fabulous edition and thank you again for helping me feel connected!

Kind Regards, Stacey.

ISSN

9

1836-4624

771836

462003

iT’s TimE To

cele bra te! gorgeous birthday parties, christenings and baby showers to be inspired by.

To LittleONE Amy’s letter at the beginning of the May 2012 issue was so beautiful.

I am expecting my second child in September and am fielding questions left and right about what I am ‘hoping’ for this time around. I am blessed with a beautiful and healthy two year old boy who is the apple of my entire family’s eye and sets my heart a flutter with every precious milestone, cuddle and kiss. All I hope and pray for is that our little bundle arrives safely into the world.

Congratulations on the arrival of your son Amy and continue to enjoy all his beautifulness!!

Haylee C

Hello!

I’ve recently bought your magazine for the first time and absolutely love it. I have gone through every page several times so far and still looking through it, I can’t get enough! I just love looking at all the rooms and have been inspired to update my son’s room with some of the ideas, so thank you.

One thing that I hate in magazines are the ads, but I am loving them and checking out all their websites.

I can’t wait to get some back issues and read the next one.

Thanks so much.

Linda.

Back issues of LittleONE Baby are available for purchase. Email mail@ littleonebaby.com.au for hard copy back issues. For digital versions, visit www. exacteditions.com/littleonebaby

PEOPLE, PLACES & spaces

Essential Bib $9.95 and Essential Baby Spoon $8.95 two pack

people, places, spaces...

There are some amazing brands and stores out there, selling all sorts of fabbo stuff for little ones - and so many of them have some serious super mamas behind the wheel. Meet the two clever cookies from innovative brand, b.box...

M

eet Dannielle and Monique from b.box www.bbox.com.au, who launched to market in 2009 with their essential baby box, the world’s first all-inone wipes box and nappy wallet. Stocked in over 400 stores nationally and in 25 countries, the original b.box is a must have item. The range has expanded since then though, with 10 products all giving great thought to design, functionality and aesthetic.

Monique says:

My most humbling parenting moment was... sappy but true - the first time I held my kids.

I wish I had more time to...relax. I think I can remember what relaxing is...

My favourite moment of the day is...the calm before morning before chaos descends!

Activity that I do not love to do but do it anyway because my kids love it is...play doh.

The current favourite product in my range is...our new purple additions! The sippy cup, travel bib, snack pack and nappy wallet are all now in this gorgeous new shade.

Dannielle says:

My most humbling parenting moment was..the first time that we realised that our daughter’s gorgeous smile wasn’t just wind.

I wish I had more time for... everything!

My favourite moment of the day is... kissing my girls to sleep at night and the quiet that descends soon after.

Activity that I do not love to do but do it anyway because my kids love it is... burying mummy in the sand at the beach.

My meltdown prevention tactic is...a good metldown every now and then is good for the soul, but with the kids it is the old ‘deep breath and count to ten’ trick!

The current favourite product in my range is...our essential nappy caddy.

I love everything to be organised and stylish. I have one packed with nappies, another for my older daughter’s hair accessories and trinkets...you can use them for everything.

Essential Sippy Cup $8.95

Essential Nappy Caddy $69.95

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BPA, Phthalates and Phthalates PVC free BPA, and PVC free

fun in functional fun in functional

we’re putting the we’re putting the

“Mums love that I tuck away and zip closed, containing all the mess!”

“Mums love that I tuck away and zip closed, containing all the mess!”

“kids can drink upside down thanks to my innovative weighted straw”

“kids can drink upside down thanks to my innovative weighted straw”

lunchtime fun lunchtime fun in the sun in the sun www.bbox.com.au www.facebook.com/bboxforkids

www.bbox.com.au www.facebook.com/bboxforkids

“I’m the must have lunch box for tiny tots!”

“I’m the must have lunch box for tiny tots!”

a new way to carry…

I LOVE LittleONE NEWbaby things

Mini Monkey carriers have proven their success in the market over the last few years - they are fabulous, sturdy and comfortable carriers that are totally suited to both mum and dad when carrying bub from birth. In fact, the original Mini Monkey carrier can even be strapped across a cot and used as a cradle for a newborn which is super clever. The innovative team at Mini Monkey have now created a brand new style of carrier - the first ever that bears weight on the hip, back and abdomen rather than the shoulders, meaning is is incredibly comfortable for both baby, and the grown up doing the carrying! It can be used from birth to three years up to 18kg in four different positions, and it comes in two lovely colours.

Here we have the mm-carrier in deep purple, $129.95 from www.kiekaboo.com.au

I L OVE

new things.

Get a little inspired to try something new…

a new place to shop…

Aiming to be a one-stop shop, The Children’s Department store is a brand new online store that allows busy parents to browse through a curated selection of smaller boutiques. These virtual stores offer the latest in fashion for children, unique gifts and beautiful toys. Each purchase is individually shipped, freight free, directly from each of the boutiques, making it easy, cost effective and time saving. Just perfect when you don’t have the time to shop around at various stores trying to find just the right items!

Bu the Blankie, $45, and Zuny Book End, $69.95, are just some of the items found at www.thechildrensdepartment.com.au

new ways to rock…

Talk about an innovative product that will last years and looks fab to boot! The rokii is a sleekly designed baby rocker which then converts to a child’s chair AND a ride on toy! It can be used from birth to pre-school age, is easy to clean and is non slip and non-marking. Made with non toxic, durable and recyclable materials, the rokii was an Australian Design Awards finalist in 2012 and we can totally see why! $598 from www. bowerandbeyond.com

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I LOVE NEW things

new ways to dress cool…

We love the bold colours and quirky prints that Scandinavian designers use in clothing and decor, and this latest label is no exception. Gardner and the Gang is a new line by Swedish Graphic Designer Mrs K - Kristin Nystrom. 100% cotton clothing and printed with silkscreen printing, the clothes are easy to wear with just a little hint of attitude! Free shipping worldwide, visit www.gardnerandthegang.com for the complete selection.

new ways to keep teeth healthy…

I love it when we come across a product that is seriously unique! It is so important to care for teeth and gums from day one with babies - many people believe that any damage done to baby teeth doesn’t ‘count’ which isn’t true. A cavity, or issues with plaque are simply harder to manage the longer you leave them. These all natural, unflavoured wipes can be used to wipe gums and itty bitty teeth to help fight tooth decay and establish good oral hygiene habits at a young age. Check out My Dentist’s Choice Tooth Tissues, $5.95 for 10 wipes or $9.95 for 30 wipes from www.babytoothland.com.au

a new brand of classic clothing…

Founded by an American Renee and Australian Rowan couple, urban squeak was born out of frustration when the two of them found that many babies clothes from the inexpensive through to the high end were more often than not made in Asia. Renee and Rowan wanted classic, clean designs that were made to last, using quality organic material and were made either in the USA or in Australia. The result is a lovely range of quality clothes that can be worn over and over, and handed down looking brand new. The designs are both modern and age appropriate - like this gorgeous outfit - Joah Love Natalia in Magenta, $56, from www.urbansqueak.com.au

new ways to stroll…

We adore Silver Cross and love that their fabulous strollers and prams and both fashionable AND functional. The latest member of the Silver Cross family is the Micro Truffle. Just $149, it is an affordable, light weight stroller with four wheel suspension, lockable swivel wheels and a large, extendable visor, making it perfect for holidays and everyday use. Buy at www. silvercross.com.au and be sure to check out their other great products while you are there.

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Is tinyme. Is cute.

Nothing says “the bestest gift ever” like tinyme.

The world’s cutest personalised products.

Create your very own ‘tinyme’!

Extremely cute child

Extremely cute ‘tinym e’

Extremely cute stuff!

Create your very own ‘tinyme’ in less than 60 seconds, then apply it to our personalised bags, clothing and name labels. Can you imagine the excitement when your little one sees their very own face on their very own product?

FREE SHIPPING* Enter Code LB12 at the checkout *Minimum $50 spend applies (excluding shipping costs). Valid from 01/11/2012 - 30/11/2012. Australian addresses only. Excludes rush orders.

NEW

Lunch never looked so good!

Personalised Diaries & Stationery

Tinyme Calendars. Add up to 6 names!

Iron On Name Labels

Tinyme Name Labels. Label it with style!

Personalised Canvas Artwork

Visit our site to join Club Tiny, our birthday club or discover the latest deals & promotions!

Personalised Books. Make your child the star!

Mix & Match Wall Stickers

Personalised Bags

TRUSTED & LOVED BY

OVER 150,000 CUSTOMERS SINCE 2006

I LOVE NEW things

new ways to sleep tight…

Anyone who has watched with frustration as their baby untucks and tangles their sheets whilst fully waking up in the process! will be thrilled to see that two clever mums have created the perfect solution to stop the tangle. The Sleeptight Sheet not only keeps additional bedding in place, but it cannot become untucked at all. Perfect for those cooler nights when baby can end up cold and unsettled. It not only helps baby get a good nights’ sleep, but mum and dad too! The sheet sets are available in Cot, King Cot to fit Boori size cots and Single Bed sizes and prices start from $89.95. Visit www.pkandf.com.au for more information.

new ways to care for your skin…

Proudly Australian made and owned, Absolutely Gorgeous is a natural and organic company specialising in luxurious skin and body care using pure and chemical-free ingredients. All their products are free of petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, petroleum derivatives, sulphates, colours and animal testing. Their absolutely gorgeous baby range is perfect for both mum and bub with a complete selection of yummy items. Prices start at $8.95 from www. absolutelygorgeous.com.au

new ways to wrap…

And The Little Dog Laughed has a beautiful range of toys, blankets, clothing and accessories in nostalgic designs. Owner and designer, Kylie Platt, has a real eye for colour and fabrics and combines gorgeous textures and mediums in her products.

Perfect for the summertime are her beautiful 100% Cotton Muslin Wraps $44 pack of 2 - big enough to create the perfect swaddle, cover a pram visor or lay on the floor, these versatile wraps come in a range of lovely colours and designs. Visit www. andthelittledoglaughed.com to see the full selection.

new ways to sleep safe…

We all know how dangerous bumpers can be in cots, however once bub is on the move it can be difficult to stop them scooting around the cot and that means there is always a chance for a random body part to get caught or hang out the side! Olli Ella have developed revolutionary ‘bumpettes’ that wrap around individual bars which allows air to circulate and keeps your baby safe and bump free during sleep. You can find Bumpettes, $62 for 6, at www.olliella.com.au

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Join our mailing list and receive a permanent 15% discount code to use online

BABIES LOVE BABU

SUMMER CLOTHING Available for NB - 4 years Priced from just $6.00

IN STORES NOW

www.babu.co.nz +64 9 834 0372 info@babu.co.nz

GOODIE bag

Diamond AHR Air Cushion Convertible Car Seat

goodie

Worth $659 The NEW Diamond AHR Air Cushion™ Convertible Car Seat boasts an innovative design offering protection from birth to four years of age. Featuring Side Impact Cushion Technology SICT, exclusive to Britax Safe-n-Sound this lifesaving technology dramatically reduces the impact of a side-on collision via cushioned deep-side wings. www.britax.com.au Q.Where do you think is the best place to drive with a little one in the back?

bag.

Want the chance to win one of these great prizes? Simply email to comp@littleonebaby.com.au with your answer to the relevant question and you’re in the running! Be sure to include the prize in the subject line, your name, address and the names and ages of any children you already have!

Peachie ‘Grandad’s Car’ Framed Print Worth $250 20cm x 30cm www.peachie.com.au Q.Why is this print perfect for your little one’s space?

Fisher Price bConnect Digital Soother Worth $199 www.facebook.com/fisherpriceaunz Q.What is the best way to soothe a little one to sleep at night?

Little People Loops & Swoops Amusement Park Worth $115.99 www.facebook.com/fisherpriceaunz Q.What is your little one’s favourite game?

Kate Lauren Cot Comforter Worth $220 www.katelauren.com.au Q.What is your favourite print of Kate Lauren Cot Comforter?

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delivering smiles australia wide children’s toys • gifts • online • free gift-wrapping free delivery for orders over $100.00

www.sendatoy.com.au info@sendatoy.com.au • 08 8332 1969

BEAUTIFUL THINGS to make

C A NVA S P HOTO

project.

Working with canvas, photos and scrapbooking items are all very popular right now.

Here, we have combined all three with a cute beach theme.

Words and Pattern by Cheree Heath Photography by Kate Monotti

Materials: • One 15cm x 10cm 6” x 4” beach photo • One 12.7cm x 17.8cm 5” x 7” flat canvas panel • One 20.3cm x 25.4cm x 2.5cm thick 8” x 10” x 1” wide canvas board • One cream photo mat window board with brown or black around window - Outside frame measurement

12.7 x 17.8cm 5” x 7” and window measurement approximately 15cm x 10cm 6” x 4” may be slightly smaller owing to brown/black around window.

• One sheet of scrapbooking paper in aqua colourings to suit the beach • One tube of aqua acrylic paint • One tube of burnt umber acrylic paint

• Foam brushes and one soft craft paint brush • Modge podge • White tacky craft glue • Paper towel and disposable plastic plates • New clean plastic clothes pegs

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BEAUTIFUL THINGS to make

Directions: 1. Place the 20.3cm x 25.4cm 8” x 10” canvas board on paper towel. Squeeze some of the aqua paint onto one of the disposable plates, then paint with one of the foam brushes, the sides and 2.5cm 1” around the front edge of the canvas. Leave to dry. Picture 1.

If necessary paint another coat on top.

4. Next place your photo on top of the smaller canvas board and sit the cream mat window board on top as you may wish to move the photo slightly depending on your background image.

If so you will need to mark where the photo will be sitting. Picture 4.

7.

4.

1.

5. Apply modge podge onto to the area where the photo is going to sit. Picture 5.

2. Place the 12.7cm x 17.8cm 5” x 7” flat canvas panel on paper towel. Squeeze some of the burnt umber acrylic paint onto one of the disposable plates, then paint with another foam brush, the flat sides and the whole front of the canvas board. Leave to dry. Picture 2 If necessary paint another coat on top.

5.

6. Place photo on top of modge podge area making sure you don’t get any modge podge on the photo. Wipe over with a clean paper towel. Picture 6.

2.

3. On the wrong side of the scrapbooking paper draw out the measurements of the top of the larger canvas board. Cut out. Pace some modge podge onto a disposable paper plate and paint the wrong side evenly with modge podge and place on top of the canvas board.

Smooth over with paper towel then place a ruler on top and gently go across the canvas board to make sure there are no ripples or bubbles. Picture 3.

3.

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8. Put some white tacky glue onto a disposable paper plate, then paint smoothly and evenly some white tacky glue on the back of the mat window board and carefully place on top of the photo canvas, making sure you don’t get any glue on the photo. Leave to dry clamping around the edges with clothes pegs. Picture 8.

8.

9. Sit your photo board on top of aqua board and arrange your beach themed items and your lettering, when happy with your arrangement mark with pencil dots where they are to sit. Then remove items and lettering. Paint the back of the photo board with white tacky glue and gently place where it is to sit on your aqua board. Press down firmly and leave to dry. Next modge podge or glue the back of your beach items and lettering and stick on to boards. Leave to dry. Picture 9.

6.

7. If you want your photo to look like it has been printed on canvas do this step otherwise just proceed onto the next step. Place modge podge on top of photo and canvas board and with a foam brush paint across evenly and smoothly.

This step is quiet daunting and you think you have wrecked the photo but leave it to dry and be patient and you will be surprised how it improves the more it dries. Picture 7.

9.

10. Your masterpiece is now complete, I hope you are proud of your efforts and will continue to do more themed photo projects.

'the best children's boutiques online'

info@thechildrensdepartment.com.au www. thechildrensdespartment.com.au

LittleONE BABY’S space baby

INTRO D UCING

Kirby Willam.

Born: 20th July, 2010 Weight: 9 pound 7 4.5kg Mum: Kelly, 36 Dad: Brad, 37 Big Sisters: Lexi, 4 & Cleo, 3 Design aesthetic: Modern & Sleek Photography: Sara Taylor

R

eaders of LittleONE Baby may actually recognise Kirby’s family. Big sister, Cleo’s room, was featured in our second issue, and some of Kirby’s fabulous furniture was used in Cleo’s space. When we saw his slick, modern space that still felt very much like a lovely baby’s room, we thought we just had to share. Mum, Kelly, is definitely one of those ‘I don’t know how she does it’ types – when Kirby was born, Lexi was just two and a half and Cleo was fifteen months old. “It was busy,” Kelly is quick to admit. “We were also planning our new house and had our current house on the market so needed it ready for any open for inspections, and I was working three days a week. Luckily, we sold quickly and I am lucky to have great family and friends who pitched in with babysitting and packing when we were packing and moving.”

Given that Cleo wasn’t walking when Kirby arrived, Kelly essentially had life with two babies that had very different needs and

one very active toddler for a while! Some people might consider her crazy to have three babies so close together, but Kelly just thinks that she is lucky to have them. “It took us over four years to conceive Lexi, so it was a lovely surprise to fall pregnant with both Cleo and Kirby straight away. I was pretty much breastfeeding or pregnant over a four year period, so I am pretty lucky that I really do love being pregnant,” Kelly laughs. “I’m also lucky that I don’t suffer from morning sickness at all. I only really hated it in those last few weeks when you are so big that you have to wake up to roll over at night.”

A self-confessed planner, Kelly has found out the gender of her baby-to-be each pregnancy. “I found out with the girls at 20 weeks, but we were told at 12 weeks with Kirby. I checked again at 20 weeks though, just to be sure! It helps me bond with the baby so much more. Suddenly, they are no longer an ‘it’ but a ‘he’ or a ‘she’. And it also

helps knowing that I don’t have to discuss names that aren’t needed!”

Kelly had loved the name Kirby for a while, but husband, Brad, wasn’t convinced.

“At least, he wasn’t until we went to Torquay for Mother’s Day Brunch and there was a perfect surf…” Kelly says. “A deal was done.

I got to name our boy Kirby and he got to surf! Win win.”

Measuring 42cm at 37 weeks, doctors were predicting that Kirby was going to be a big baby, and recommended that Kelly be induced at 38 weeks. With her waters broken and staying active, baby Kirby was in her arms one hour and 45 minutes later. “Lexi’s labour was 10 plus hours and Cleo’s was three hours.

Each birth I had less drugs than the previous one – probably because of the time factor – and Kirby’s was definitely the most active. I was out of the bed the whole time and spent most of my time on the ball.”

By the time that Kelly and her family had finally settled into their new home,

B RIGHT CO L OURS A RE ST Y L ISH WHEN SU P P ORTING GRE Y , B L A CK & WHITE 24

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BABY’S space

“No baby expert has met your baby, or lived in your house, so if it feels right and works for your family, then trust your instincts!”

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BABY’S space

Kelly couldn’t wait to get started on creating a beautiful space for the youngest member. “The room started with the chevron wallpaper that I had designed through the Wall Sticker Company,” Kelly explains. “I then added bits and pieces as I found them, adding colour and interest.

The deer head was found at local Geelong store Ballyhoo Art and I thought that if Kirby doesn’t want it when he is old enough to care, it would look great in a lounge or study. A lot of the prints I found online, and the frames are from Ikea.”

With a love of retro design and the Scandinavian style, Kelly found a lady online who custom crocheted quilts. “I love that Kirby has a quilt that no one else has,” Kelly says. “All of Kirby’s furniture belonged to Cleo and purchasing quality pieces has meant that they have lasted two children and also gone seamlessly from a girl’s room to a boy’s.”

Kelly credits Pinterest, Etsy and Madeit as the sources of her inspiration. “Even

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BABY’S space

though my husband refuses to go, I also love Ikea,” Kelly says. “Such great pieces at affordable prices. I also try to support small local stores wherever possible too.”

After a lot of pink, Kelly has loved the opportunity to create a space for a little boy, and it seems Kirby really is a stereotypical boy! “He is so cheeky and he is obsessed with balls and sport,” Kelly laughs. “He always has a ball in his hands.”

“Kirby’s first three weeks were challenging,” Kelly admits. “He didn’t sleep from 12am until 6am which made it rather challenging when you have two toddlers waking at 7am. We took him to an osteopath and she worked wonders! Since then, he has been a very relaxed and chilled little baby. My attitude with parenting has relaxed with every child though, so by the time Kirby came home, I just did whatever worked and went with the flow.” And what a lovely flow this little family has found!

y o u w i ll h av e m o r e t h a n o n e c h i ld . T h e y la s t t h e d i s ta n c e !

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BABY’S space

Things Kelly Loves About Kirby’s Room 1. The cot and change table. Both are beautifully built and very stylish. The cot is huge, so Kirby will fit in it for a long time yet. The longer I can keep one child contained in the middle of the night, the better!

2. Eames rocker. It looks great, it’s lovely to read books to Kirby in and it’s handy for clothes storage whilst I dress Kirby!

3. The custom removable wallpaper. I searched high and low and couldn’t find what I wanted, so I contacted the wall sticker company and they made me exactly what I wanted!

They loved it so much, they are now offering it as a standard line. I think it gives the room real punch and will grow with Kirby.

4. Special toys. All my kids sleep with blabla dolls and Kirby’s Gigi buys all her grandkids a custom made golly. I love the sentimental value attached to these items.

5. The Dr Seuss quote. A good friend from my mums’ group made this for Kirby for his second birthday. I love that it was made especially for him and is from one of my favourite childrens’ books. It has such an important message to kids.

Things Kelly Can’t Live Without 1. Baby Bjorn. With Lexi, I hated it.

But with Baby two and three it was essential – especially for kinder drop off and pick ups. Three children and a back pack don’t work with two hands!

2. Slow Cooker. To be able to ‘cook’ a meal in the morning when bub naps is pure heaven come witching hour.

3. Foxtel. Late night feeds were made much more enjoyable watching my favourite shows on IQ. Volume down and lights off meant that bubs didn’t get stimulated.

4. Baby capsule. It seems like a lot of money to buy a capsule and a baby seat, but it is worth every cent if you have multiple children to get a sleeping baby in and out of the car.

5. Books. We love reading and they are a great way to bond, encourage imagination and discussion.

Favourites include The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Gruffalo, We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, Guess How Much I Love You and Each Peach Pear Plum.

Advice from Kelly:

“I had no expectations regarding birth and I think that made things a lot easier. I just wanted a healthy baby at the end. All three births were different and unique and going in with a plan of having no plan definitely worked for me!”

“Trust your instincts. Sleep whenever you can. If people offer to help, there is nothing better than a meal cooked by someone else in those first few weeks.

If you can help it, try not to move house when your baby is due!”

t h i n k o u t s i d e t h e b o x , a n u r s e r y d o e s n ’ t h av e t o s c r e a m ‘ baby ’ .

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Plain S/S Envelope Neck Bodysuit $24 www. minihaha.com.au

Zachary Hunter Cot Comforter $220 www.katelauren.com.au

BABY’S style

Let’s Count 123 Wall Frieze $18 www. harrietbailey.com

KIR B Y ’ s

style.

Simple modern lines in black and white work perfectly with a few timeless basics in bright primary shades.

Brothers Chevron Design $29.95 www.almondtree frames.com.au

Replica Puppy Chair - Large $99 www. clickonfurniture. com.au

Artist Leggings Kit $40 www. amoramordesigns.com

Pete Penguin Dingaring $19.95 www.andable.com

“Chevron” Removable Wallpaper $149.95 www.thewallstickercompany.com.au

Replica Charles Eames Coat Hanger $69 www. replicafurniture. com.au

Sahara Cot $789 www. minimonarch.com.au

Numbers Print $39.95 www. littlepiestreet.com.au

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CHEW ON that

Sophie The Giraffe $29 www.babybunting. com.au

BPA Free Teether - Smart Phone $14.95 www. rudyandthedodo.com.au

chew on

that.

Help to relieve sore gums in as many ways as you can - what doesn’t work for one baby can be perfect for another.

Organic Wood Ribbon Teether $24.95 www. littlesewandsews. com.au Philips AVENT Animal Shaped Teether $10.95 www. philips.com.au/avent

y o u r baby w i ll l o v e o n e t e x t u r e o v e r a n o t h e r , s o t r y e v e r y t h i n g .

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CHEW ON that

Teething Peg $15.95 each www.naturebaby.com

Lifefactory Teether Dual Pack $19.95 www.until.com.au Boondie Baby Organic Teether $22 www. boondiebaby.com

Duke The Dog Dingaring $19.95 www.obdesigns. net

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MY FIRST bed

Mother’s Choice Combo Cot $299 www.igcdorel. com.au

Kalon Caravan Cot $1299 www.kidostore.com

my first

bed.

Know that baby can be comfortable, safe and at home in some of these beautiful places to sleep.

Troll Sun Bassinet $299.95 www.danishbydesign. com.au

w h e n y o u c o n s i d e r h o w m a n y h o u r s a baby w i ll s p e n d n app i n g &

Seed Organic The Pod $349 www.seedorganic. com.au

Mawok Air Hammock $290 www.babatude.com

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Bam Bam Cot Complete $699 www.minimonarch.com.au

MY FIRST bed

Childcare Sussex XT Cot $369.95 www. childcareproducts. com.au Kanoe Baby Hammock $369 www.avidiva.com.au

Mamas & Papas Dark Oak ‘Ocean’ Cot $1199 02 9317 4211

h o p e f u lly s l e e p i n g , i t i s w o r t h i n v e s t i n g i n a g o r g e o u s p i e c e .

Stokke Sleepi Mini $999 www.exquira.com.au

Somnat Cot $149 www.ikea. com.au

Amby Baby Hammock $298 www.amby. com.au

Natures Purest Crib In Walnut $529.95 www. naturespurest. com.au

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www.cotcouture.com.au www.jessicablowndesign.com.au

Ph. 08 8280 0094

Single Bed Comforters now available

FEATURE then & now

O h baby , w h a t a

change!

Talk about different strokes... no two babies are painted with the one brush. Any parent with more than one child will certainly vouch for that! But what if their start in life also varies within the one family… how does that affect the way they’re mothered? We speak with four mothers who tell of life with baby, then and now.

Words by Lauren Mitchell Photography by Kate Monotti

I

t’s true that each child is their own person from the very beginning of life. So it makes sense that these little babies should dictate our experiences of motherhood. But what if your circumstances vary, too? What if your babies are born in different countries? In different decades?

Tahnee Kurzke says regardless of the fact she has had five babies, it’s no given that her confidence as a mum has increased with each child. And that’s because all her babies have been unique.

What worked for one, didn’t for the others. Each had their own needs and personalities, so each provided a different experience of motherhood. Most mums could relate to that, but try adding almost 20 years between kids into the mix like Tahnee has. Advice changes in that time. Products change and so do expectations on mothers.

There’s only three years between Shannon Gleeson’s two pregnancies, although they were world’s apart. Baby number one came along out-of-the-blue, while Shannon tried for 18 months to fall pregnant again - only to find out 12 weeks later she was

expecting twins! How did she cope? What were the challenges?

Although Shannon is one cool mum who took it all in her stride, she says given the choice, one baby at a time is definitely easier.

When it comes to choosing how to juggle work and family postbaby, Bri Holder has been there, done that. She returned to full time work after her first son was born. She says it was the hardest decision she’s ever had to make. So choosing to stay home with her boys once number two arrived was a no-brainer. Bri says the upside is the experience her husband had of being an at-home dad. In a word; priceless.

Claire Larkin adored the 10 years she and her husband lived in the UK, and she got to live through the full gamut of life experiences there, by welcoming a baby girl into the world. Claire says while the lifestyle of being a mum in London was fabulous, it can’t trump family life in Australia, where sun, sea and sand were big factors in luring Claire and her husband home to continue their family.

t i m e & c i r c u m s ta n c e c a n m a k e t h e w o r ld o f d i f f e r e n c e . . .

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FEATURE LITTLE ONE then & baby now

G L O B ETROTTING WITH

tots.

Claire Larkin and Murray Mitchell were born in the UK and both moved to Australia with their families as children...

Words by Lauren Mitchell Photography by Kate Monotti

T

hey got to know each other at university, but it was when travelling independently in London that the pair met up again and became a couple. They lived in the UK for 10 years, where, in January 2008, they welcomed baby Delia into their lives. Claire and Murray now live in Melbourne, where Angus was born in June, 2010, and another baby is on the way. Here, Claire talks about some of the differences between bringing a baby into the world... on either side of it.

Then

“When Delia was born I went through the public health system in the UK. In my time I have only met one girl who went through the private system there – it’s very rare, it’s also very expensive.

You get assigned a team of midwives as all the care is midwife led.

The team interchanges between overseeing your appointments and delivering your baby.

I did consider a home birth and it was a feasible option presented to me by my midwives, but we agreed that because they picked up complications with my baby at the 20-week scan, I would be best delivering in hospital.

Water births are available with birth pools at each of the hospitals and this sounded attractive to me but my labour did not provide me with the opportunity.

Because of my desire to have an active birth with as little intervention as possible I had a doula, which is fairly common. This is an experienced birth partner to help you and your partner with labour, dealing with timings of going to hospital and negotiating hospital staff.You call them when you go into labour and they come to your house. My doula was excellent. A really quiet and unassuming presence.

Thankfully Delia’s birth was short and without intervention and we couldn’t fault the level of care or the facilities available.

My husband and I attended some birth classes through the National Childbirth Trust which sets up the mother’s group for your local area. One thing that was really nice was meeting my mother’s group before my due date and getting to know them as friends first rather than just mums.

Being a new mum in London was fabulous. Everything was at our door step so life was very convenient. I would only use the car once every six to eight weeks and that was when we went away for weekends.

There was plenty to keep me busy very cheaply like going to the gym, going to mum and bub movies, visiting the fabulous museums, galleries and gardens.

Some of the things that concerned me about moving back to Melbourne was having to drive the car, that leaving the house would be more of a hassle and that meeting other mothers would be difficult. But I was looking forward to raising my family in a place that had decent weather and an outdoors lifestyle.”

Now

“I had been in Australia about nine months when I fell pregnant with Angus. Because I had gone through the public health system in the UK I decided to do the same here. I did notice that some friends and acquaintances were surprised that I was using the public system. It was reassuring that I experienced a similar high level of care between the two countries.

I didn’t have any concerns about having my next baby in Australia because of my positive experience with baby number one and I felt I was getting a comparable level of care.

As I had experienced midwife-led care in the UK I chose the same for baby number two and have chosen the same for baby number three so I had Angus in the family birth centre at the Mercy Hospital, which also encourage an active birth experience.

My second labour was also very positive. I couldn’t fault the care or the facilities of the hospital. My experience was all the more positive because I again experienced a quick and complication-free delivery.

Unlike in the UK, my husband and I had our parents around and had some friends with small children but no mother’s group, which is something that I have missed. I am keen for my children to experience different cultures and traditions and having extensively travelled, visiting Europe regularly and working with bilingual colleagues, I can see the value of knowing a second language, so I will encourage my kids to learn another language.

We recently went back to holiday in the UK to attend the Olympics and while she is young, I think my four year old gained a lot from the trip and enjoyed experiencing the differences between the two countries - which for her was riding a double decker bus and visiting castles!

My sister has also experienced being a mum in a different country. Work took her and her husband to New York. She has had a baby in the US and one in Australia.

One of the biggest differences I noticed was the very short maternity leave my sister got. Most women in America work right up until their due date and the maximum maternity leave is 12 weeks which meant my sister had to get a nanny very early on. It’s good that in the UK and Australia you are entitled to 12-months leave if you want

t w o bab i e s i n t w o c o u n t r i e s a n d a n o t h e r o n t h e way .

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FEATURE then & now

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FEATURE LITTLE ONE then & baby now

FEATURE then & now

B OOKEN D B A B IES , D EC A D ES

apart.

Tahnee Kurzke has masses of love in her life, in the form of her five children and her partner Peter Cumming.

Words by Lauren Mitchell Photography by Kate Monotti

A

lthough Tahnee and Peter had been smitten with each other in primary school, it wasn’t until around 20 years, and three kids for Tahnee later, that the pair re-connected, fell in love and formed a family. Tahnee was initially reluctant to have more children, but now says that adding two little girls to their lives has completed it. There is almost 20 years between Tahnee’s first and last baby. Here, she talks about how that has shaped her own life.

Then

“I was 15 when I found out I was pregnant with Micah. I didn’t really know what to expect. I was a baby myself. I knew he would change my life and I wanted to be a great mum. I was more scared of telling my parents than anything else.

I have four sisters and one brother and when they found out they were nothing but supportive. I couldn’t have gotten through that time without them; we have always been quite close. At the time my eldest sister was also pregnant, so she was great to get advice from.

It was all very daunting. I went to antenatal classes and it scared the hell out of me! But my family and the hospital staff were fantastic.

Micah arrived five weeks early. I went through 29-hours of drugfree labour. When he finally arrived he was taken to intensive care as his lungs hadn’t developed properly. It was the scariest thing, not knowing if he was going to be OK. My biggest challenge was breastfeeding. I was determined to do everything right, but due to lack of milk and cracked nipples, I couldn’t feed him. I felt I had to prove to everyone that I was capable of being a good mum, as I was so young.You get a lot of criticism for being a teenage mum but the support and love from family always pulled me through.

Micah was my joy. He was so full of life, healthy and happy. I moved out of home at 17 and proved to everyone I could do this.

After 12 months of trying for another baby I’d given up hope, but then fell pregnant with Maddi. I then conceived Corben while on the pill… I suppose you could say my boys are my beautiful surprises.

Although I had three children, I wouldn’t say my confidence as a mum grew as each child was different. I think as a mum you learn something new every day. I’m still trying to be confident but we have to accept we all make mistakes, we’re only human.

I had major concerns when I became a single parent. Leaving the relationship was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I hated myself for hurting my kids, but I had to be happy. The biggest challenges were financial stability and missing my kids when they went to their dad’s every second week. That broke my heart, and it still does.

Now

When I met Aaron, Micah was 17, Maddi was 14 and Corben was 10. They were amazing; they could see he made me happy.

They were overprotective at first but they came to love Aaron very quickly. It was a huge relief.

At first I didn’t want any more kids. I remember telling Aaron if he wanted kids of his own, we should go our separate ways. His answer brought tears to my eyes. He said, ‘If it means giving up on you and the kids, then I’m happy with the three we’ve got.’

In time, as a family we all discussed having more children and the kids were so excited and supportive. I then wanted Aaron to experience having children. He is an amazing dad not only to Kaylee and Laynie, but to Micah, Maddi and Corben, too.

We’d been trying for a baby for a few months before the test came back positive. The excitement on Aaron’s face was priceless… it hadn’t quite sunk in for me, so I did another two tests to confirm it!

My three older kids came to ultrasounds and they helped set the nursery up. They were all involved with the labour. The boys were in and out of the room the whole time whereas Maddi was present at Kaylee’s birth. She even cut the cord. They were amazing.

Having Kaylee was like being a first-time mum again. A lot of things had changed over the years since Corben was born, such as how you should sleep a baby and when to give solids. Things like baby monitors, sterilisers and even prams seemed a lot more advanced. I took a lot of advice from the midwives but in the end we did whatever made her comfortable and happy.

There is only 18 months between Kaylee and Laynie. I think having the girls has brought us all closer together and blended us more as a family. Having the girls has completed us. It’s probably changed Aaron’s life more than anyone’s. Watching him become a dad has been priceless. I can’t thank him enough for his love and support of all of us. He’s made me the happiest girl in the world.

t h e r u l e s o f pa r e n t i n g c a n g o f u ll c i r c l e i n 2 0 y e a r s .

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FEATURE LITTLE ONE then & baby now

B EING MUM , HOME &

away.

Want to discuss the pros and cons of working mother vs stay-at-home mum?

Bri Holder is your woman.

Words by Lauren Mitchell Photography by Kate Monotti

A

fter Bri’s first baby, Mitchell, now 2, was born, she made the decision to return to full time work. Bri and her husband Rhys are both teachers. At that stage Bri’s earnings were greater, so although she says the decision was one of the hardest she has ever made, she did it for her family. And Rhys got to have the golden opportunity of experiencing life as an at-home dad. After the couple’s second son, Lucas, was born, it was time for some role reversal.

Then

It took us some time to get pregnant. Our journey started back in 2007 when we had been trying to get pregnant for 12 months and did not have any luck. In late 2007 I discovered I had an ectopic pregnancy. We went to see a fabulous obstetrician where we began our journey to start a family. We had three ectopic pregnancies before Mitchell was conceived via IVF. For those of you who have gone through IVF, you will understand the emotional rollercoaster: the counselling, the blood tests and ultrasounds and, worst of all, the waiting. To go through such an emotional time and to come out the other end with two beautiful kids means that our boys are very precious. We are so thankful that we had the support of our friends and family, as well as our IVF doctor and nurses.

Mitchell was about five months old when we made the decision that I would go back to work. I have always wanted to stay at home and I always valued the fact that my Mum stayed at home when I was a child. My Mum has instilled in me the values of having a parent at home to care and nurture children as they grow up. For me, this was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made. I spent many hours talking to Rhys, family and friends. Unfortunately it came down to money. Also, it would mean that I could have longer off work when we added to the family later on. To me this was my ultimate goal.

I went back to work full time when Mitchell was eight months old. There were lots of tears. I remember going to my mum’s house and sitting down over lunch discussing the pros and cons. My family were all very supportive.

Rhys’ sister was recently offered an opportunity to return to work. She has three young children. She rang me to have a chat about the decision we had made. I am glad that I have been able to share with her my experience of juggling work with being a Mum: trying to breastfeed before work, coming home and spending as much time with Mitchell before bedtime and adjusting to Rhys’ ways of doing things. By talking with her, I was able to relieve some of the emotion that she was feeling.

At times it was difficult to manage breastfeeding. Rhys and Mitchell had to come on school camp with me for three days so I could feed Mitchell. There were also times when I had to leave work early. Obviously, having a flexible work environment was helpful.

Rhys adjusted well to being a stay-at-home dad but he did face many challenges. He had to learn to cook, including buying, preparing and cooking meat - he is a vegetarian!

Rhys had many projects planned whilst he was an at-home dad.

He planned to renovate the house and had great plans of spending hours in the garage creating projects to sell on eBay! Needless to say, none of these happened.

For me it took some time to accept that Rhys had a different way of doing things: the way he cut vegetables to the way he sorted and hung the washing. The best advice I can give someone who is considering this change of roles is to be willing to let some things go. Just because he didn’t do it my way doesn’t mean it was the wrong way!

At first Rhys was the only dad who attended playgroup. Now, if a dad has a day off, they often join us for playgroup. I think Rhys made the other dads feel comfortable. Our playgroup is called Jolli Rhymes the first letter of each of the baby’s names from our mum’s group. Rhys started a weekly newsletter and wrote it as Mr Jolli Rhymes. It included commentary from the week’s playgroup as well as cartoons or silly quotes about parenting. This was well received from all and was often forwarded onto grandparents.

Now

Lucas was an IFV baby as well, so we were able to plan a bit better when we had him. I worked full time up until five weeks before he was due and he was born without any complications. I was a bit concerned about how I would adjust going from a working mum to an at-home mum with two kids. I had got out of the routine of cooking and looking after Mitchell full time and was worried about how I was now going to cope with having to do it with not one, but two kids. But I was looking forward to being a full-time mum again. We had always planned that I was always going to stay at home after our second child was born and Rhys supports me in the fact that I would like to stay at home for as long as we can to raise our family. For now, I have no plans to return to work!

Rhys and I were lucky in that when Lucas was born we had eight weeks at home together to prepare for Lucas’ birth and to adjust to life with two children. Now, Rhys is looking forward to the challenge of restarting his career and proving himself in a different work environment. Lucas is three months old and I am much happier at home but I would not change our decision for the world. The relationship Mitchell and Rhys have is very special.

Rhys also has a very good understanding of what it is like to be at home. He is much more helpful and considerate than he was before and also does more than than other dads we know. I would definitely recommend that both parents have an opportunity to stay at home. As an at-home mum I just love doing the simple things like going to playgroup twice a week. It has been pretty busy so far but I love spending time with ‘my boys’.

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love.

There was no history of twins in Shannon Gleeson or Dylan Neuchew’s family, so when their second pregnancy resulted in two bubs, the shock was huge.

Words by Lauren Mitchell Photography by Kate Monotti

W

hile big brother Dante, now seven, took it all in his stride, little sisters Giselle and Matisse, now four, provided a whole new experience for their mum.

Then

“My first pregnancy was a bit of a surprise. We were newly married and I had been told my chances of getting pregnant were significantly reduced due to my endometriosis. So Dante was our honeymoon surprise, conceived in South America. We joke that we didn’t declare him through customs!

We chose midwifery care, which is a team of around 10 midwifes who rotate through pre-natal outpatient clinic, birth suite and postnatal care with one of them being present at the birth. They were holistic in their preparation, very low interventional.

I had a pretty good labour. After a full day of labour pains we arrived at the hospital at 10.30pm and I was only four centimetres dilated but they let us stay. By 2am the next morning I was only 5cm, the midwife hooked me up to a monitor and the registrar suggested breaking my waters, which was a blessed relief, because by 2.40am the baby was crowning and I started pushing. At 2.53am Dante was born, a healthy 3.7kg.

Breastfeeding was the earliest challenge, but once you master it, it is such a sense of achievement. The biggest help I received was from the maternal child health nurse and other mothers were pretty good too. I loved breast feeding, there was this amazing connection where it was just him and me. The world could have fallen down around us and we wouldn’t have noticed.

There was a mother in my mother’s group who had twins and she was just so capable, she had her own business and seemed to have it all together. At her twins’ first birthday she was already 20-weeks pregnant with her third baby!

From when Dante was nine months I wanted another one. We tried for 18 months this time to get pregnant. Finally after Dante’s second birthday we had decided to not try to fall pregnant, no more alternative therapies. Then I got drunk at a wedding and that was it!”

Now

“We found out I was pregnant with twins at our 12 week scan. I started sobbing so hard the sonographer had to hold my wobbling belly down to do the rest of the measurements and hubby was mouthing ‘it’s ok’ and giving me the thumbs up from the corner of the room.

At my first appointment with the obstetrician he joked that he chose me because my medical file was the thinnest and lightest with an already-uncomplicated birth under my belt. To his surprise I replied, “well you chose wrong buddy, because I’m having twins”.

The look on his face was priceless.

His recommendation was to book in for an elective caesarean and he was very disappointed with my desire to birth naturally. Just because he said 95 per cent of twin births would end in C-section

didn’t deter me. Recovery-wise, a vaginal delivery has its benefits.

I was constantly worrying something might go wrong. I was more monitored than with my first pregnancy. At my 34-week scan I was ushered into a room and told the twins hadn’t grown in the previous two weeks and I would need to have an emergency caesarean.

In the end they decided that with bed rest and monitoring I would try to hold on for two more weeks, so at 36 weeks I went in for an induction/possible caesar.

Once the cyntocin IV infusion was commenced and the membranes of twin one were broken it was bang, contractions every three minutes. By the time twin one was crowning, I went from having an anesthetist a midwife and hubby in the room to a cast of 24 people within minutes. I had three big pushes to get twin one out, then twin two arrived breech three minutes later. She wasn’t breathing. The whole time Dylan kept saying over and over ‘it’ll be ok’ and after a few heart-stopping minutes we finally heard her scream. The team was pretty stoked with the birth, which was a rare sight for many of them.

The initial breast feeding regime was tough, but I was determined that I could do it. When the girls reached eight weeks they were being fed exclusively on the breast, both in the football hold. There was a lot more milk than with my first baby! I remember my father-in-law asking, ‘how much milk do you think you make in a day?’ I replied, ‘well it’s hard to say but maybe two litres?’ About an hour later I passed him in the kitchen making tea and coffee just looking at the milk bottle!

With twins there are just so many things that can go wrong. A small part of me felt cheated for a long time in only have been pregnant twice. I loved being pregnant and would like to have another, but the risk of twins is too great.”

I was thankful I’d had one baby before the twins came along because I was a lot more confident. I went into it knowing that if I was organised we could nail it…. Of course life wasn’t always organised! I would cry when I ran out of bread and milk because I knew that meant putting capsules, babies and toddler in the car, then getting them all out, then having the stupid question time from strangers ‘are they twins?’ Yes, they are, and I have to prove that I’m keeping it all together by getting some bloody milk and bread, so get out of my way!

Dylan always says having twins wasn’t twice as hard as one, maybe 1.5 times more work and challenge. A singleton is different to twins but they present you with other issues: ‘am I spending enough quality time with the one?’ ‘Do I expect too much?’

Babies are easy… the real challenge is when they are going through their ‘stages’ so instead of one child throwing a tantrum, there’s two. Then when they get older there’s the embarrassment of having them vocalise their displeasure at people who ask ‘are you twins?’. They get mad and answer, ‘No, we‘re sisters’. All parents have the same challenge of being a good parent, good role models and good partners. It’s hard.”

a l i t t l e b o y f o ll o w e d by t h e s u r p r i s e o f t w o l o v e ly g i r l s !

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FEATURE then & now

D OU B L E THE

OUT LIKE A light

Wishnest Birds Of Light $19.95 www. ohmygiddyaunt.com.au

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ou t like a

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Giimmo Night Light $44.95 www.avidiva.com.au

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SNUG AS A bug

Pure Cashmere Sleeping Bag $225 www. babatude.com

Natural Kids Organic Bamboo Baby Sleeping Bag $89 www. yourcheekymonkey. com.au

Callum Front Zip Sleep/Pram Pod $59.90 www. minihaha.com.au

Limited Edition Butterfly Go Go Bag $149.95 www. merinokids.com

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a l s o e n s u r e t h at b a b y i s c o s y n o m at t e r h o w m u c h t h e y m o v e !

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Motorola MBP36 Video Monitor $369.95 www.cnpbrands.com.au

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Philips AVENT DECT Baby Monitor $224.95 www.philips.com.au/ avent

Roger Armstrong Baby Viewer $199 www. rogerarmstrong. com.au

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Angelcare Digital Sound & Movement Monitor $249 www.babybunting. com.au

Keep an ear - or an eye - on your little one during sleep and play with these clever baby monitors.

Oricom SC310 Digital Baby Monitor $79 www. babybunting.com.au

Philips AVENT Digital Video Monitor $269.95 www. philips.com.au/ avent

Motorola MBP16 Monitor $139.95 www. cnpbrands.com.au

a m o n i t o r c a n m e a n y o u n e e d n o t o p e n & c l o s e d o o r s a l l n i g h t.

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BABY’S space

INTRODUCING

Hazel Mary & Lulu Mabel .

Born: 27th April, 2012 Hazel’s Weight: 5 pound 9 2.7kg Lulu’s Weight: 5 pound 5 2.5kg Mum: Katie, 30 Dad: Justin, 27 Design aesthetic: Sweet Homemade Charm Photography: Janelle Struss

S

oon after Justin and Katie married in 2010 they were keen to start creating their family, and it was only after not falling pregnant that Katie found that she had PCOS Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. “I’d read about a lot of women with PCOS who had to go through the stress and expense of IVF in order to get pregnant,” Katie says. “I was so worried we would be faced with this and then a year to the day we started trying, I found out we had done it on our own!”

As excited as Katie was to be starting her family, nothing quite prepared her for the news that two little babies were on their way. “I still remember the ultrasound like it was yesterday! We had our first scan at six weeks and as soon as I looked at the ultrasound screen, I saw two black

circles and I knew right away that it was two separate sacks. I felt my jaw drop and my doctor was silent for a moment and then said, ‘mmm…looks like you might be having twins’. My husband and I just started laughing and crying at the same time. It was a magical moment filled with excitement, shock and, of course, utter terror,” Katie laughs.

Katie loved everything about her pregnancy and whilst her amazingly positive disposition may have something to do with that, she was also really aware that having twins can mean complications, longer bouts of morning sickness and other issues – and she was fortunate enough to not have any of these. “I look back on that time as one of the most amazing, magical experiences of my life. Considering I

was carrying twins, I think that I had a pretty dream pregnancy. I was bracing myself for the worst carrying two and I am so thankful that I didn’t have any complications.”

Katie and Justin were both keen to find out if their two new additions would be of the pink or blue variety “There was no way I could have handled another surprise!” and at their 17 week scan they were able to see clearly the gender of both baby. “Both of us had a blue vibe,” Katie says. “When we heard Baby A was a girl, we were convinced that the other would be a boy. When we were told Baby B was also a girl, Justin’s face went white with shock. It was the last combination we thought of! I have always been able to pick or guess the sexes of my friend’s babies and with

m i x c o l o u r s & pat t e r n f o r a c h e e r f u l & e c l e c t i c n u r s e r y .

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“For nine months you are counting down to the most exciting and amazing life changing day of your life. The suspense is incredible..”

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BABY’S space

my own I had no idea.”

Knowing two girls were on the way narrowed down the name argument, but not by much. “We found out we had very different tastes in names,” explains Katie.

“There were quite a few teary moments when my favourites were shot down by Justin! After months of debating, I had nearly given up and then in a moment of clarity we chose a name I just loved, and one that he loved and put them together!

We found after we did that we fell in love with each other’s choice. Now the girls are born, they are both perfectly suited to the names we chose.”

Katie and Justin decided to sleep the girls together for the first few months of their lives. “They absolutely loved being nestled up together,” Katie recalls. “I would often find them sleeping nose to nose or spooning each other. It would make my heart melt! I even found one of them suckling on the back of the other ones head – and both of them were sound asleep.

It was amazing. At about two months, when they started moving their arms and legs around in the cot we decided it was a

good time to separate them. We must have chosen the right time as they didn’t seem to notice too much and slept perfectly on their own from then on.”

With Katie unsure as to how mobile she would be towards the end of her pregnancy, she started on the girls’ room quite early on. “The room is charming, sweet, homely and homemade,” says Katie. In fact, Katie made many of the items in the room herself before the girls were born. “Most of the toys and the cushions in the room were made by me. I also made the baby quilts, cloud mobiles and ottoman.”

“I absolutely love home magazines and I am always trawling through them, looking for ideas. I knew I wanted a bright room, but not a specific colour theme. I originally wanted grey walls, as I am not much of a ‘pink’ person, and my husband wanted purple, so the light grey lilac colour was a nice compromise. I’ve always loved to sew, and when I got pregnant my sewing addiction escalated! Every day Justin came home from work I would show him something new that I’d made.”

“The girls are constantly changing and

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evolving but from day one we saw two very different little personalities coming through.

It is still amazing to me to see how very different two babies can be even though they are siblings. Hazel has always been very laid back, calm and collected. She is observant and takes in everything around her. Lulu loves to be held and cuddled, and she loves to explore and interact with everyone. Lulu was the first to smile and laugh, but Hazel beat her to the rolling!

People often say they look the same, but to me, there are no similarities at all. They are so different and I don’t even think they look like siblings. I love that they are so diverse, it is so special to have such different individuals grow before my eyes.”

Katie was keen to breastfeed the girls, but found that the challenges of feeding combined with the challenge of twins extra work. “We didn’t have much luck with the girls latching, and I was also so worried about how I would feed when my husband wasn’t at home as I needed help to twin feed. I was always expressing my milk after

every failed attempt and in the end I just expressed my milk and bottle fed. I was definitely a slave to the pump though and after a couple of months – when the girls were sleeping through but I was getting up every three hours to pump! – we made the transfer to formula. Now the girls are getting older, we’ve started on solids, and things are so much easier.”

“Life changed dramatically after the girls arrived. A lot of people say they go stir crazy at home with a baby after working but for me, being at home is a total comfort zone. I’ve got everything at arms length and I am in control. Leaving the house with twins takes a lot of planning! It took me a long time to get used to taking the girls out and about and I was quite nervous about it all. It did get easier as they got bigger, but my favourite place to be is at home with them playing on the rug!”

See more of the gorgeous items that Katie makes on her facebook page: www. facebook.com/sweetmarysewing

i s s u c h a s p e c i a l a n d l o v e ly way t o w e l c o m e t h e m t o t h e i r r o o m .

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BABY’S space

Things Katie Loves About Hazel & Lulu’s Room 1. My big, cream, tufted nursing chair.

I’ve spent many a night holding one of my beautiful girls in my arms, the chair is comfortable and homely.

2. The chest of drawers. It’s so gorgeous and it was the first item I bought for the room! It also came with a change table on top, so it has a double use which is perfect. With two cots, space is limited.

3. The cloud mobiles. I made them myself and I like to think that my babies will look up at them and float off to dream land. They have also been one of the first things that made my girls smile and laugh.

4. The Two Pillow Dolls. I made these before the girls were born and I love the idea of a pillow they can cuddle up to with a cute doll face. I made one with blonde hair and one brunette – my husband is blonde and I am brunette – and when the girls were born we were delighted to see Hazel had blonde hair and Lulu was darker!

5. Crocheted blanket. It is beautiful, big and colourful and was made for the girls by my Nana the girls’ great grandmother.

Things Katie Can’t Live Without 1. U-shape travel pillows. I use them every day when I am alone and need to feed both girls at the same time. It makes it easier when you need to put one down!

2. Avent bottle steriliser. With twins, there were so many bottles plus my steralising equipment – we were running that thing every few hours!

3. Good ole cloth nappies! We have tons lying around the house and use them as burp cloths, spew cloths, dribble wipes, you name it.

4. Dummies. Hazel has been a bigger fan of the dummy than Lulu, they can help to soothe an upset baby when you’re holding the other.

5. Bonds singlets and onesies. My babies started in size 00000, so I have bags and bags of onesies that they have grown out of. It is so sad when you have to go up a size!

Advice from Katie:

“With a c-section, I think it’s important to be as relaxed as possible. It can be a scary and daunting experience to be having major surgery. With a bit of trust in the doctors and midwives though, you can make it a wonderful experience! You need to remember that it is the moment your baby or babies! are being born and you only get one chance to make it an incredible moment so there is no use being in a state of panic!

The only side effects that I got during my operation was towards the end when I had some dizziness and a little nausea, which is all normal and soon passed.

“The first six weeks are definitely the hardest! It takes a little time to figure out what you are doing. I found I was very anxious and as soon as I started to figure the girls out and we got into a little routine, I felt the anxiety melt away.

People always say, ‘it gets easier’ and it really does! The best advice given to me was: at times you feel like everything is going wrong, but if your baby is fed, sheltered and, most importantly, loved you are already doing everything right!”

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French Storage Box $24.95 www. rudyandthedodo.com.au

BABY’S style

Blabla Kids Pink Cloud Pillow 70€ www.noeuf.com

Mrs. Darcy Lolita Carver Chair $389 www. adaanddarcy.com.au

HA Z EL & LULU ’ s

style.

Bright and colourful pieces that are made with love, combined with quirky prints and simple white furniture pieces.

You Are Loved Print $19 www. scissorspaperrockdesigns. com.au

Sad Joe Pillow $98 www.littlepiestreet. com.au

‘Dolly & Deer’ Reversible Cushion $49 www.oopsidaisi. com.au Up Up And Away $79 www. hugsandinspiration.com.au Cotton Spot Linen Set $95 www. goodtimecharlie. com.au

Kalimba Green Piggy $19.95 www. coccinella.com.au Valentina Ballerina $48.50 www.nanahuchy.com.au

Bronte Headpiece $25 www. cassidyscollection. com.au

Forest Critters Girly $79.95 www.lovemae.com.au

Oeuf Cot - Birch $1399 www.kidostore.com

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BABY’S space

INTRODUCING

Sebastian Clay.

Born: 11th March 2012 Weight: 8 pound 13 3.9kg Mum: Amy, 36 Dad: Rod, 36 Big Brother: Oscar, 3 Design aesthetic: Beach Babe Photography: Kate Monotti

“F

rom the moment I conceived, he couldn’t have been more different,” says second time mum, and LittleONE Publisher, Amy, about her second son, Sebastian. “Even though I had pretty rotten pregnancies for both boys, my pregnancy with Sebastian was completely different to Oscar. Different cravings, different types of morning all day sickness and just an overall different kind of vibe. With Oscar, we chose his name at the 12 week scan…

Sebastian’s name wasn’t agreed upon until the day before he arrived!”

Although Sebastian is just as happy and smiley as his big brother, Oscar, he is as fair as Oscar is dark and the things they have needed in their first few months are unique too. “Oscar wouldn’t take a dummy, hated lying in cradle hold, and Sebastian loves

both! The first few months really threw me though, because all of the ‘tricks’ that I had learnt to settle Oscar didn’t work with Sebastian,” Amy laughs. “It was a great lesson for me though. I have learnt not to compare, and I have learnt that what works for one baby, doesn’t work for another and that so often, it isn’t about the parenting at all, it is about the baby…and how the parent reacts to them!”

Even Sebastian’s birth was unexpected.

“Oscar arrived two weeks late and then very quickly,” Amy explains. “I went from contraction number one, to contractions a minute apart in an hour and needed an epidural to slow things down enough to breathe right. Even with all of that he arrived five hours after my first contraction.

I was really scared in the lead up to

Sebastian’s delivery because everyone says that your second baby often arrives in a faster time than the first. I kept telling anyone who would listen, ‘early epidural, early epidural!’ as I was so scared it would happen too fast and I wouldn’t get one,” she says.

Well, it did, and she didn’t, but not in the way you may assume. “It was a Saturday night, my due date, and about 11pm, as we went to bed, I said to Rod, ‘I think I am going to have this baby tonight.’ The contractions started soon after, about half an hour apart, nice and steady and really easy although they were in my back, not front. By 8am, they were around 20 minutes apart and I had even managed to sleep OK through the night.” A blood clot in her leg earlier in the pregnancy meant

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BABY’S space that Amy was going to the hospital twice a day for Heparin injections and she’d been told to skip the injection if labour was imminent as you are unlikely to receive an epidural if you’d had the injection in the last eight hours. “We went up to the hospital and I was ready, I thought for sure it was going to happen in a real hurry all of a sudden, so I was packed and looking for my room! They monitored me, told me it could be days and sent me home again.

They even told Rod to head off to his

cricket final because the baby wouldn’t be coming today!”

“I’d organised my parents to come and sit with Oscar and it was actually so wonderful to have my mum there. Her labours had been really similar to this so whilst Rod played cricket and my dad hung out with Oscar, mum stayed with me and really helped as the contractions got closer together. By lunchtime and the cricket final won! contractions were a solid three minutes apart, so I said I don’t care

what they say, we are going back to the hospital and I am not leaving without a baby! When we got there, they monitored me again and told me that the contractions weren’t that strong and they’d keep me on the monitor for a couple of hours and see how we went. Not that strong! They were crazy hurting, but again, all through my back, not exactly where the monitor was sitting. My obstetrician popped her head in around 3.30pm and I practically leapt on her! She asked if I wanted to be checked

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“He is such a perfect fit to our little family, although I get the feeling that he will be teaching me more than I can teach him!”

out and I said, please, yes please! Minutes later everyone was surprised to hear I was 7cm dilated and she asked if I wanted my waters broken. I said yes, so she did and they casually wheeled me to delivery. She said she would be back in an hour or two to check on me and I kept shaking my head no. She didn’t make it to the car park.

They called her back in time for Sebastian’s arrival just after 5pm and I was asking for that epidural! In hindsight it was an absolute dream birth, and this calm

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BABY’S space little bundle with big blue eyes barely cried then snuggled into sleep. Instant love.”

A calm little blue eyed baby was the perfect fit for the room that was waiting for him at home. “I just love everything about the ocean and the beach, and I wanted to create that same feeling of a fresh, calm space in Sebastian’s nursery,” Amy explains.

“I knew I wanted the Leander cot and change table in the whitewash and when I found the cute little surfer baby cushion online, I knew just what the colours would be. Using the turquoise, yellow and greybeige against the white and white wash furniture created exactly the light and relaxed space that I wanted.”

Along with some gorgeous French Provincial style pieces from Incy, Amy also reused the feeding chair and footstool from Oscar’s nursery “I sanded it back and gave it a white wash paint job…don’t look too close!” and the spare bed, creating a day bed that could also help out with the sleepdeprived nights ahead. “I also bought some cheap frames from the $2 store and spray painted them gold, I made some artwork, used some beach images from past holidays and some pieces from a vintage map paper.

Later, after Sebastian was born, we included some images of him from the day after he was born.”

Adding a few more sentimental items – like a globe that belonged to Amy’s grandfather, and a seagull that was a gift from her sister at a ‘beach themed’ bridal shower, Amy then hunted for the perfect image to hang on the wall near the cot. “I

finally found a shot online that I loved, but it was tiny. We had it enlarged and turned a little craft project into a really striking piece that I love to look at and it calms me down right away.”

“I really feel as though he chose us,” Amy says of Sebastian. “The connection that he has to Oscar, the way he seems to just lift the mood and the wonderful energy that he has was so evident early on. I feel so lucky to have him as a part of our family. The love I have for Oscar is so strong and I was so concerned that my poor second child could not be loved as much. But it is true that you don’t have favourites as a parent, your heart just grows so there is twice as much love. It is an amazing thing.”

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Advice from Amy:

1. The surfer baby cushion. I was a fat little blonde beach baby as a kid and when I saw this cushion on Etsy I had to have it! It just makes me happy to look at it.

2. Leander Cot and Change table. I coveted these for a long time before getting pregnant again! Not only are they beautiful, but they last for years – with the bed growing to a junior bed and the change table turning to a desk – but my husband and I are both tall and it is great to change a nappy and not have to bend in half like some tables have you do!

3. Canvas print and Wooden S. Rod made both of these and I think it is so sweet that he took the time to create something special for his baby’s room. The canvas was an image I found online and loved. We enlarged it at Officeworks and used a gel medium to stick it to the canvas… such a lovely picture and it looks like a real painting, even close up.

4. Cushions and rugs. A lot have been made by my mother and my mother-in-law – so special and lovely keepsakes. My mum also made a few of the other pieces in the room, like the cloud mobile.

5. Book shelves. $2.95 spice racks from Ikea and sprayed white. Awesome for Oscar to choose books when I sit and feed Seb.

Things Amy Can’t Live Without 1. Slings and carriers! Both of my boys are happiest when cuddled it seems. I would never have achieved anything without my Ellaroo Ring Sling and Ergo Carrier. The Ergo is great as Seb gets older, but I loved the ring sling in those early weeks of unsettled days and nights.

“If you are having your second, forget everything you did first time around – you will go crazy trying to figure out why you get different results with the same behaviour! Babies are all so very different, what works for one doesn’t always work for the next.”

“If someone is doing something differently to you, it doesn’t mean what you are doing is wrong. They are just doing what works for them and their baby – so just try to focus on what works for you, and what makes you happy. That is what makes it right.”

2. Turn A Tot Car Seat. Best car seat ever! It makes it so easy to get bub in and out, especially if you have a high or low car, and it must be comfy because many naps have been taken in it.

3. Stokke Tripp Trapp. These chairs are the best, and I love it even more now.

We got the Newborn Set with Seb and it was great as he was able to sit with us for meals from Day one and he was also able to stay out of harm’s Oscar’s way!

4. Silver Cross Dazzle & Carry Cot. I got this pram when Oscar was born and he still fits really comfortably in it, but Seb was most comfortable for his first five or six weeks in the carry cot. When he was three weeks old we went camping and it was very cold. Bundled up by the fire, he slept in that day and night!

5. Sleep sacks. Kind of like a onesie which opens at the bottom with a drawstring. I LOVE these, especially for a quick, sneaky nappy change in the middle of the night. I also like the idea of bubs being able to generate their own body heat and feel their own skin even on cold nights. Eeni Meeni have a gorgeous newborn one that seems to fit forever and is super soft.

n u m b e r o f c o l o u r s t o a m i n i m u m t o a l l o w t h e s ta r s t o s ta n d o u t.

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BABY’S space

Things Amy Loves About Sebastian’s Room

BABY’S style

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‘Bus Scrolls’ Print - Beach Rules $29.95 www. rudyandthedodo.com.au

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SEBASTIAN ’ s

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White wash timbers against a soft palette of yellow, ‘greige’ and turquoise creates a distinctly beachy feel.

Sailboat Embroidery Hoop Trio $37.95 www.ollierose. com.au

Keiley Bookcase $499 www.incyinteriors. com.au

Pippa 3pc Nursery Set $29.95 www. mor-stor.com.au Love You Really Much Boys Art Print from $22 www. poppystudio. com.au 62

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‘Endless Summer’ Reproduction Vintage Tin Poster $25 www. iloveparties.com.au

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Acapulco Cardigan $69.95 www.

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BEAUTIFUL THINGS to wear

SPECIAL OCCASION

bibs.

There are times when you have your baby dressed up looking adorable, and then, either for feeding or teething, their cute outfit has to be covered up with an ugly practical bib, so here are two examples of making special occasion bibs.

Words and Pattern by Cheree Heath Photography by Kate Monotti

Madden 10 months wears Classic Snapsuit - Vintage Car $32.95 www. sookibaby.com.au and Islah-May 9 months wears Classic Snapsuit - Heart Birds $32.95 www. sookibaby.com.au

Materials: • 2 towelling handtowels or 50cm of towelling fabric I have used towelling handtowels for the backing as I found them to be thicker and therefore more absorbent • 20cm fusible webbing • 1 packet of 4, 15mm snap fasteners

• 40cm of floral fabric • Small scrap piece of cream fabric for the collar • 1 metre cotton eyelet lace 3.5 cm wide • 30 cm pink ribbon 1 cm wide • Pink embroidery thread • Matching machine threads

For the girl bib:-

For the boy bib:-

• 40cm of cream fabric • 10cm of caramel and brown striped fabric • Small scrap of navy and cream fabric for the tie • 60cm of orange grosgrain ribbon 2cm wide • Navy embroidery cotton • Matching machine threads

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BEAUTIFUL THINGS to wear

Directions: 1. Print patttern from www.littleonebaby. com.au and photocopy pattern joining and cutting where necessary.

Remember to join the girl bib pattern pieces Da and Db together before cutting out the floral fabric and the towelling fabric. The girl bib and the backing pieces are in one piece not joined at the seam line like the front of the boy bib.

Cut out all your pattern pieces.

Pin the pattern pieces onto the fabric and cut out.

hem at caramel fabric. Check placement guide on the pattern piece. Using your sewing machine and matching thread sew around ribbon strips. Picture C. 5. Girl bib - Cut out and iron the fusible webbing to the back of the collar piece, take off the backing piece of the fusible webbing and place the collar onto the right side of the floral fabric, where indicated on the pattern and iron on.

Using your sewing machine and cream thread zig zag stitch around the collar.

Picture D.

2. Boy bib - Pin and sew the caramel striped fabric to the cream fabric of the boy’s bib, press the seam down. Picture A.

8. Both bibs - Place towelling backing piece on top of the right side of boy and girl bib, pin and sew all the way around on your sewing machine making sure to leave an opening of 9cm as indicated on the pattern. Picture G.

G. 9. Place your hand in the opening and turn through. Picture H.

D. A. 3. Cut out and iron the fusible webbing onto the back of the tie piece, take off the backing of the fusible webbing and place the tie onto the front of the bib, where indicated on the pattern and iron on. Using your sewing machine and cream thread zig zag stitch around the tie piece. Picture B.

6. Using two strands of pink embroidery thread, blanket stitch around the collar.

You can also embroider a flower on each side of the collar if you want. I have used lazy daisy stitch and made a daisy.

Picture E.

H. 10. Press the bibs and then handsew up the opening. Picture I.

E. B. 4. Using two strands of embroidery thread blanket stitch around the tie then cut your grosgrain ribbon into two equal pieces and place and pin them down each side of the tie, tucking under a small

7. Following your pattern as a guide cut the eyelet lace into three strips and place and pin, starting from the bottom, one strip overlapping the other. Sew each strip down on your sewing machine with matching thread, just up from the lace edge. Place pink ribbon on top of last lace strips raw edge where indicated on the pattern, and machine sew with matching thread down each side of ribbon. Picture F.

I. 11. Sew press stud/s where indicated on the pattern. Picture J.

J.

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12. Complete! Well done...now you can use your imagination and create some more special occasion bibs.

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WORKING mum

“We wanted to engage the child and the parent with products that are beautiful with the added bonus of being educational.”

BABY

talk.

Many successful business entrepreneurs can vividly recall a ‘lightbulb moment’ when their business idea hit them like a tonne of bricks. For others however, their life-changing decision is not so much like a lightbulb flicking on but more so a progressive brightening of the mind.

Photography: Nicole Anderson

K

aren Mennie’s decision to launch her own brand in the children’s market falls into the latter category. It crept up on her gradually, evolving and changing as the opportunities fell into place.

Up until this point in her life, Sydneysider Karen had been in a corporate management position with luxury international fashion brands. It was a dream job and while the constant travel and new experiences were great at the time, it wasn’t long before babies beckoned for Karen and her husband Sam. Soon, the pair’s first child, Ollie, was born and enjoying family time became much more appealing to Karen than catwalk trends, although she admits to a continuing secret love affair with glossy fashion mags albeit on those rare occasions when the house is quiet!.

While taking time to enjoy the simple pleasures that being a new mum brings, Karen also pondered how she could

combine her new knowledge of ‘all things baby’ with her long-held dream to start her own business.

That lightbulb started to flicker one day as she watched Ollie play with her ‘Yia Yia’ - Greek for Grandma. It dawned on Karen that she should seek out some simple Greek language books so Ollie could begin to learn and enjoy basic Greek words.

As Sam’s family are Greek immigrants and Karen herself a new Australian with Scottish heritage, it seemed silly not to keep the Greek language alive in their very multicultural family.

“In Australia, we have such a wonderful opportunity to learn from all the cultures of the world, so we should,” Karen says.

Fast forward a year filled with research and late nights and Glottogon was launched in July 2011 at www.glottogon. com. The online store was designed to bring bilingual educational tools to parents

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WORKING mum

and carers of young children and featured imported children’s books in languages such as Greek, Italian, Arabic, French and Spanish – the majority of which were previously unavailable in Australia. And, for the record, the name Glottogon was fittingly inspired by the English word “glottogony”, meaning origin of language, and the Greek words for “language” and “generation”.

So immersed in all things bilingual and educational for kids and with business growing, Karen decided to launch her very own range of board books and jumbo flashcards earlier this year.

Created in Glottogon’s Sydney studio and illustrated by Queensland artist Dori Berkovic, the inaugural range included two board book collections and giant learning flashcards. The three-part ‘Our’ book series was designed with the youngest of children in mind and features themes such as Weather, Food and Clothes. The ‘My’ series of three books Manners, Body and Week were pitched at preschoolers and early readers. In keeping with her vision for bilingual opportunities for all children, each product was released in Greek and Italian versions as well as English.

It was actually an exciting time in Karen’s life in general with the arrival of baby number two, Dimitri, a brother for Ollie, thrown into the mix. What’s the life of a business-owner mum without a few extra balls added every now and again to keep the juggling act interesting, right?

Earlier this year, the Glottogon team were rewarded for their many late nights when

United States magazine Creative Child declared the My Manners title their ‘Book of the Year’ for preschoolers. The Glottogon Learning with Animals flashcards also received a ‘Kids Product of the Year’ medal in the educational category. The awards provided Karen with reassurance that Glottogon was indeed hitting its mark.

They actually came at a perfect time in the evolution of the brand as Karen put the finishing touches on her next Glottogon product range. While the books and flashcards were growing in popularity, and continue to do so, Karen’s market was telling her that quality educational toys – not necessarily only bilingual ones – was where Glottogon needed to be next.

The latest range, which launched just last month, is all about puzzles. Working in conjunction with some of the world’s most talented and eclectic illustrators, Karen has developed a variety of games. There are two-piece ‘Puzzle Pairs’ for the youngest players, ‘Puzzle Trios’ which include three puzzles increasing in difficulty as the child’s skill set improves, 30-piece ‘Big Puzzles’ for older kids as well as ABC flashcards which showcase the alphabet and take children on a game of hide and seek with a fun character specific to each set’s theme.

The range is inspired by five key themes

– Space, Circus, Knights & Dragons, Ballet and Fairies and every product passes Glottogon’s all-important ‘FAB’ criteria – fun, appropriate and beautiful.

Durable materials and amazing illustrations infused with a sense of humour combine to provide premium, long-lasting products perfect for gift giving and built to withstand everyday use. They are available in some 65 retail locations around the country as well as the Glottogon online store from this month.

“We wanted to produce puzzles that feature great designs so kids want to pick them up and play with them. But they also have to be fun – that’s what the Glottogon brand is all about,” Karen says.

“We want to engage the child and the parent and I believe we have achieved that. Glottogon products are beautiful as gifts with the added bonus of being educational.”

While Karen’s family continues to be her biggest inspiration, she is also driven by the knowledge that Glottogon is making a positive impact on the lives of young minds. Beautiful, durable products and educational to boot? What more could we parents ask for?

Visit www.glottogon.com for more information.

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BABY’S space

INTRODUCING

Sage Mila Wren.

Born: 23rd January, 2012 Weight: 8 pound 1 3.66kg Mum: Anna, 27 Dad: Simon, 28 Design aesthetic: Woodland Fairytale Words: Jodi Wilson Photography: Jennifer Rayner

D

iary entry – January 15th 40 weeks, 3 days “I know I’ve been told not to wish this time away, but how could I not wish you were here? That seems unfathomable to me. Our purpose was to create you; to love you more than anything else in this world. How could I not want you here by my side, breathing you in, soaking in all of your utter delightfulness?

I’ll try to be patient, but there is nothing else I want more than to be surrounded by your beauty and soft milky breath.”

Like most first-time mums, Anna went well past her estimated due date. In the midst of summer she spent weeks in that strange ‘in-between’ place, patiently waiting

for her world to change. Life was a cycle of long beach walks, evening barbeques and restless nights. Regardless of the frustration that comes with being overdue, Anna relished in the last few days of pregnancy.

“I adored the roundness of my belly, the singing, talking and being one with my little girl,” she says.

With induction looming Anna bathed in clary sage oil; a herb known to induce labour. Coincidence or not, later that night she experienced her first strong contraction and while Sage’s arrival was still days away, Anna found comfort in knowing that her body was preparing.

Anna and Simon shared a secret for half

of their pregnancy – that their daughter would be named ‘Sage’. “Knowing her gender gave her an identity so we were absolutely delighted to discover that we were having a girl at our 20 week scan. ‘Sage’ wasn’t a name that we had considered until that moment so it was like she named herself to coincide with the unveiling of her gender. I like that thought,” says Anna. “Sage Mila Wren is our beautiful little miracle, our wise, pleasant song bird. Mila is a shortened version of our Chilean sponsor child’s name and Wren is my ode to all things ‘bird’.”

There is a distinct avian theme in Sage’s nursery – a sanctuary of delicate

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BABY’S space

“Over the first few weeks, Sage and I gradually learnt from one another.

She was as gentle with me as I was with her.”

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BABY’S space

decoration and treasured toys. Part Alicein-Wonderland, part whimsical woodland, the space beckons with its intricate details.

Neutral walls are the perfect blank canvas for all the beautiful things that Anna finds, including a feature tree decal which has fittingly become the focal point of the room.

A white bookshelf doubles as a display cabinet where considered vignettes adorn every shelf. Mini birdcages and a set of porcelain wings hang from branches, a sweet fawn sits near little red toadstools and two birds nests bring the outside in. Three shadow boxes are mounted on the side wall; the perfect home for precious pieces.

A self-confessed perfectionist, Anna was determined to create a gorgeous space for her baby girl – even the practical items are aesthetically pleasing.

“We use the drawers for both storage – nappies and clothes – and a change table.

Her cot was chosen for its clean, rounded lines; we didn’t want anything too fancy and loved the fresh, white colour,” says Anna.

The nursery is filled with natural light most of the day and is, without doubt, the family’s favourite room in the house. Anna admits that the space is constantly evolving;

she loves adding bits and pieces every few weeks. “I hope to ignite her imagination and create an ever-changing sanctuary that stimulates her curiosity,” she says.

Whilst pregnant Anna decided to move her beloved upholstered armchair from her bedroom to the nursery. She dreamed of snuggly bedtime reading sessions and imagined it would be the perfect place to breastfeed. However, for the first few months Anna and Sage’s breastfeeding experience was challenging – a common issue for many new mums but one that is rarely discussed.

“When Sage would find it difficult to attach I would automatically feel frustration; I felt like I was failing. When she did latch on the pain was excruciating – I’d clench my eyes shut, curl my toes and try to breathe through each and every second,” says Anna.

Upon returning home from hospital Anna developed mastitis yet she ignored her doctor’s suggestion to switch to formula feeding. Anna had within her the necessities for breast feeding – milk, patience and perseverance. “Over the first few weeks Sage and I gradually learnt from each other.

She was as patient with me, as I was with her. She was as gentle with me,

n e u t r a l c o l o u r s c r e at e t h e f e e l i n g o f a s o f t, w o o d l a n d f o r e s t.

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BABY’S space

as I was with her. She began to attach easily and suckle noisily and best of all, be nourished. I didn’t give up. I pushed through the pain and now breast feeding is something that I not only do but I actually love.”

Sage’s sanctuary has an air of wonder about it. Beautiful, feminine artifacts abound but there is one piece that Anna and Simon treasure – a portrait of newborn Sage in a white bonnet. It’s a photo that they will cherish forever because it’s one of the only records they have of Sage’s first few months. Sadly, their computer hard drive recently failed and they were unable to retrieve any of their precious photos or video footage. Thankfully, Anna has a beautiful way with words and has documented life since Sage’s arrival in regular diary entries and blog posts fieldsof-sage.blogspot.com.

“Sage is pure light in our lives, her continuous babbles and chats are truly adorable. She is utterly fascinated by her world, and we are completely enamoured with her. She brings so much happiness and joy to each and every day.”

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BABY’S space

Anna Can’t Live Without: 1. Our Peg Perago Skate System which included our bassinet, pram and car capsule, all of which are interchangeable, is so convenient and easy to use while looking sleek and stylish at the same time.

2. Aden and Anais muslin swaddles keep Sage nice and snug at night and are lightweight, breathable and come in many cute designs.

Five Things Anna Loves About Sage’s Room 1. The decorative pieces in Sage’s room such as the ferris wheel, the vintage doll’s house, the wooden horses and the willowy tree all combine to infuse touches of wonder and beauty to her space.

2. Her wooden toy sets, which will be played with for many years to come, not only look divine but also ignite her curiosity and fascination.

3. The shadow boxes on the wall are perfect for displaying special treasures and compliment the natural colours featured throughout the room.

4. The Jolie Petit Chose mobile above Sage’s change mat is a charming distraction during those often challenging nappy change times.

5. The chair, the glamorous centrepiece of the entire space, is where I read Sage stories and breastfeed.

3. When Sage was really little our Bay Bee Cino sling was one of our most valued items. She’d instantly fall asleep as soon as she was placed inside and loved the warmth and comfort of being close to our bodies. Now that she’s a little bigger we absolutely adore our Ergo carrier as it is so comfortable to wear and allows Sage’s body to be supported in a natural sitting position.

4. We use natural oils such as olive, apricot kernel and sweet almond on Sage’s body to prevent nappy rash, treat cradle cap and for daily massages.

Not only do they contain no chemicals, but leave her body feeling soft and luscious.

5. Our Canon DSLR camera which has been used on an almost daily basis since Sage’s arrival. Perfect for capturing those precious moments in the everyday.

Advice from Anna....

“In the first few months....just take time. Take time to bond, take time to rest, take time to feed, and most importantly take time to get to know the new little person in your life. Be kind to yourself.”

o f t o d ay ’ s b r i g h t t o y s , b u t t h e o d d a d d i t i o n a d d s t o t h e s pa c e .

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Whimsical Branch Wall Sticker $55 www.41orchard. com

BABY’S style

Solvej Baby & Toddler Swing $220 www. solvejswings. com

Troll Sun Dresser $699.95 www. danishbydesign.com.au

SAGE ’ s

Botanical Tree Paper Cut Art $120 www. lovepaperscissors. com.au

style.

Natural materials and gorgeous soft colours create a calm and light space filled with magic.

Stone Top $39.99 www. masterandmiss. com.au

Miss Myrtle from $60 www. misskikiofcherryblossomlane.com

Si-ta Side Table $299 www. olliella.com.au ALWAYS Fancy Tram Scroll Print from $19 www. mayandbelle. com.au Bluebelle Ivory Audrey Underwear Set $25 www. bluebelle.com.au

Chloe Skirt $29.99 www. masterandmiss.com.au

‘Penelope’ Cinamon Linen Horse $45 www. andthelittledoglaughed.com 76

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Pregnancy makes you beautiful

Jessica, aged 32. Expecting a boy in 3 /1 2 weeks.

WWW.QUEENBEE.COM.AU

Email style@queenbee.com.au to request a catalogue 1300 PREGGY (773 449)

BABY’S space

INTRODUCING

Ben.

Born: 11th February, 2012 Weight: 6 pound 14 3.2kg Mum: Natalie, 38 Dad: Glen, 40 Big Brother: Toby, 10 & Charlie, 8 Design aesthetic: Eclectic Style Photography: Rebecca Gray

W

hen it came to planning a special space for her third son, Natalie knew she was well and truly over the traditional boy colour scheme. “I definitely didn’t want navy and red!” she laughs.

Despite Natalie working in the design industry and spending her time decluttering homes and offices, organising events and setting up children’s rooms, she actually hadn’t created anything for Ben prior to his arrival. “I am superstitious about purchasing items before the baby arrives, so I didn’t actually get too much organised before Ben was born. My good friend is Nicole Rosenberg, designer at Little Liberty and we sat down together and worked on a mood board for both a girl’s room and a boy’s about two weeks

before he arrived. She actually set up a baby registry and all of my friends and family bought presents that helped to deck out Ben’s room which was so lovely.”

Perhaps another part of the reason that Ben’s space was not complete was the fact that the family were renovating their home, literally right up until Ben was born. “My waters broke the night we moved back in! We had moved out for 10 weeks and moved a few rooms around to make room for Ben. It was a really busy time.”

“I knew exactly what I wanted – nothing too themed or matching. I like an eclectic look. My older boys’ rooms have lots of vintage pieces sourced from all over Melbourne. Special pieces that I will always keep, even after they have outgrown

them – hopefully to decorate a holiday home one day! They have an old vintage Australian flag made from hessian, a set of American bowling pins that I found at Mill Markets in Daylesford, an old wooden truck that sits in the fire place cavity just looking pretty, and many more things. I also wanted a soft, neutral palette and nothing too babyish.”

The result is a timeless space with a bright green colour scheme accented by birch timber. The Scandinavian feel to the room gives a fun vibe – perfect for a baby – but the details ensure that as Ben grows, the room and its quirky details will grow with him. “There are things in his room that could definitely be used in other areas of the house if he doesn’t want them or

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BABY’S space

“Ben is an absolute delight.

He is so calm and easy going, we are so lucky to have him.”

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BABY’S space need them as he gets older.”

With eight years since her last pregnancy, Natalie admits that she didn’t find it easy at all this time around. “I definitely think that the older you are, the harder it is,” Natalie says about her pregnancy, and Ben’s birth. “Ben was definitely my hardest. The first two were much easier! My labour was very long this time around and I needed oxytocin to regulate contractions. It’s horrible stuff – the pain was awful and I thought I was going to die! I can absolutely recommend using the gas as much as you can. It helped me so much with breathing through

contractions.”

Having two babies so close together with Toby and Charlie meant some challenging times and for a while, Glen and Natalie were unsure if they would have a third child. “A few years ago, one of our friends said that if there is even a little part of you that wants another child then you should go for it. If you don’t, you are sure to regret it later.”

So has much changed in the years between Charlie and Ben? “The technology!” Natalie says. “All the new equipment I needed and learning to operate it all, it is quite overwhelming.

The choice of strollers. The capsule that clicks into the pram…and clicks into the car seat. Glass or plastic bottles. Hundreds of different sleeping bags and baby wraps.

It had been a while and the choice now is quite daunting. A couple of days before Ben was born I went to buy a pram. I chose an Adventure Buggy City Mini because it was easy to fold, small and compact. When Ben was born though, he wasn’t much of a day sleeper so we did a lot of walking, about two hours a day, and I soon realised that it wasn’t the right choice. The wheels are small and plastic and every curve I went over seemed to

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BABY’S space

cause whiplash to Ben! So, I sold it on eBay and bought the Adventure Buggy City Mini GT, which has bigger rubber tyres that are much better for walking.

It is so hard to know with so many to choose from.”

Life with Ben has been an absolute joy for Natalie and her family, with his big brothers always happy to help out whenever they can. “Ben just goes with the flow – having older brothers with running around to do, he just comes with us and is always happy to do so. Life has changed only for the better. He is the absolute perfect addition to our family!”

i n ot h er ro o m s t h ro u g h o u t yo u r h o m e o n c e ba b y i s g row n.

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BABY’S space

Things Natalie Loves About Ben’s Room 1. Posters.

2. Animal Busts. Hand made of paper mache, they are so unique.

3. Wooden Table Lamp. All the way from Norway.

4. Featherstone Armchair.

5. Green Feature Wall.

Things Natalie Can’t Live Without 1. Motorised Swing. Especially for those first 10 weeks!

2. The Jolly Jumper. Hours of entertainment for you and your baby.

3. The Flying Saucer. At least, that’s what we call it. A device they stand in and have toys all around them to play with.

4. The Gymini. Baby play mat.

Advice from Natalie:

“Rest as much as you can.”

“Get baby into a routine as soon as possible. I highly recommened Tizzie Hall’s book Save Our Sleep. As soon as I put Ben on to Tizzie’s routines we were onto a good thing!”

s t i c k i n g t o a s i n g l e m a i n c o l o u r c r e at e s a s t r i k i n g s pa c e .

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Sunday Ganim Blanket $149 www.kidostore. com

BABY’S style

Böja Table Lamp $79 www.ikea. com.au Suck UK Home Guard Bookend $59.95 www.until. com.au

b EN ’ s

style.

Retro features, timeless colours and a Scandinavian cool vibe makes this space a room any boy would love to grow in.

Keith Koala Dingaring $19.95 www. obdesigns.net

Tortoise Romper $32.95 www. marquise.com.au

Rupert Cot $899 www. incyinteriors.com.au

Deer Head $230 www. thebabycloset.com.au

Snoop $65 www. littlepiestreet. com.au

Replica Anna Ferreiri 3 Tier Storage Unit $99 www. replicafurniture.com.au Replica Eero Saarinen Womb Chair And Ottoman $1195 www. replicafurniture.com.au

Woodland Tumble Playblanket $110 www.thebabycloset.com.au

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we are the future

Summer 2013 Collection Available at sudo.com.au David Jones and selected boutiques

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

time!

I t ’ s pa r t y

Get inspired by some of our readers as they celebrate birthdays, christenings and baby showers with wonderful ideas and a whole lot of love.

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HAPPY LittleONE BIRTHDAY baby baby

LUCAS ’

2 nd birthday.

Mum: Belinda, 32 Dad: Adam, 32 Big Brother: Aidan, 4 Theme: Retro 1950’s Diner Photography : Jess Parker

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um of two, Belinda, runs her own event styling business Styled By Belle, but she thinks that nothing beats the fun of planning for your own child. “I just loved planning Lucas’ special day,” she says.

“When it is your own child, you have more time to plan and prepare things, and you can go that extra mile.”

Lucas’ party was a 1950’s Retro Diner party, and Belinda truly thought of everything to make a fun and unique occasion. “We converted our lounge room into a little rock’n’roll diner. There was café style seating for the kids, a delicious dessert table, a milkshakes and soda station, and a take away station where lunch was served.”

“Being a retro diner, we had to have a black and white checked floor, so I sourced some checkerboard vinyl flooring. I found some cheap checkerboard look rubber flooring mats from The Reject Shop that I cut to size and stuck to the front of each of 86

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the buffet tables. The only thing that was missing was a jukebox, but at $300 to hire I couldn’t justify it for a two year olds party, so instead I used a cardboard cutout of a jukebox that we stuck on the wall. I also bought some old records from the op shop and used them as wall decoration.”

Elise, from Etsy store Sweet Scarlet Designs, helped Belinda bring the theme to life with cute invitations and printables that kept to the 1950’s diner theme. “The printables included everything including bottle labels, flags, thank yous and the backdrops,” explains Belinda. “Elise just emailed me the PDFs and I printed them up at Officeworks.”

With about 50 guests in attendance, everyone dressed up for the party. “Lucas dressed up as a ‘soda jerk’ in white jeans and a shirt, braces, bow tie and arm bands.

He just looked adorable. The guests also got into the spirit with boys in jeans, white tees and leather jackets and girls in circle

skirts, matching ribbons and neck scarfs.

Everyone looked fantastic!”

“Lucas just adores his big brother and watching their relationship build as he gets older is beautiful to see. They are never far from each others’ sides and Lucas mimics Aidan’s behaviour – they laugh the same way, repeat each others words and are always cuddling. Aidan was a great help in making sure that Lucas opened all of this lovely presents on the day! Their expression, when they saw the party set up for the first time, was such a highlight.

Nothing could beat that look of surprise and awe. That is what a party is all about – seeing your child so happy and excited. It just fills your heart with so much love and pleasure. Before we finished setting up the seating, we put on some rock’n’roll music and danced on the black and white floor.

It was such fun, and we laughed so much.

They were actually pretty good!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Party Tips From Belinda: 1. Start planning in advance and just buy bits and pieces as you go – it helps spread out the costs.

2. Utilise party printables stationary – it helps tie the theme throughout the whole party and is a really inexpensive way to add impact.

3. Pick a colour scheme of around 2-3 colours and try to co-ordinate the whole party using these colours only, it gives a more polished look.

Clever Party Ideas From Belinda: 1. Guests loved making their own milkshakes at the Drinks Station.

We had a milkshake maker and four different flavours chocolate, strawberry, banana and blue heaven to choose from.

2. One of the biggest talking points were the macarons made by Macarahrah that were made to look like little hamburgers. They were two macaron shells sprinkled with sesame seeds the bun, a slice of white chocolate the cheese, chocolate filling the beef pattie, raspberry sauce tomato sauce and mint leaves lettuce.

They were absolutely adorable and tasted yummy as well! I served this with little shot glasses of ‘french fries’ chips, so guests could have a burger and fries!

4. Delegate someone to be photographer for the day or hire one so that you are sure to capture memories of the special occasion.

5. Hire a professional to take care of everything for you! It is the attention to detail that gives the ‘wow’ factor and it takes away the stress of planning and preparing, giving you time to relax and enjoy the party with your family.

Belinda’s Party List: 1. Photography www. whitesparkphotography.com 2. Cakes, Cookies, Cupcakes www. kissmycakes.com.au 3. Hamburger Macarons www. macarahrah.com.au 4. Invites & printables www.etsy.com/ shop/sweetscarletdesigns 5. Styling www.styledbybelle.com.au

s t e p b a c k i n t i m e a n d r o c k ’ n ’ r o l l w i t h l u c a s at h i s d i n e r !

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Best Overall Product

Babies are wrapped in our pouches, safe and secure.

WINNER

2 in 1 Swaddle & Sleepbag Converts into sleeping bag

For more information, visit: www.ergopouch.com.au

AUSTRALIA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

ISOBEL & ELOISE ’ S Mum: Jodie, 39 Dad: Edward, 39 Theme: Babushka Baby Photography : Jodie Henry

G

orgeous little twin sisters, Isobel and Eloise, have a growing collection of babushka dolls that they just adore, so it seemed like the perfect theme to base their second birthday party around. Mum, Jodie, wanted a party that was quirky and unique.

“I initially got the artwork done for the invitations,” she explains. “I was then able to give that to the other suppliers I used, and everything tied together beautifully.”

Jodie used a lot of her wonderful contacts through her super cute online business, www.belleandelle.com.au and was able to source cupcake toppers, lolly bags, invitations, dessert buffet labels, hand stamped spoons and even personalised cushions on the couch and soap in the bathroom to go with the theme!

With two busy girls and a business to run, Jodie admits that things aren’t always easy.

“Both girls suffer from silent reflux, which

2 nd birthday.

gets worse when they lay down. Because of this, we didn’t get a full nights’ sleep until they were almost two,” she explains. But with the challenges of twins, also comes the wonderful bits. “The bond between them is amazing. They are the best of friends and have their own little language together.

They are very different from one another, except for one aspect…they are both performers! Every day we have to watch a new performance they have worked on – we are constantly entertained.”

The girls have many wonderful friends and family members, with their grandma and grandpa traveling from interstate just to spend the afternoon with them. “We had about 80 guests at the party,” says Jodie.

“Including four sets of twins! People thought they were seeing double all day.”

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

would be the only time that she would ever let it happen, so they enjoyed two beautiful, pink babushka doll cakes.

Isobel and Eloise have shared the role of Stella on the Ten Network’s successful hit show, Offspring, since they were just nine months old and onset they wear gorgeous clothes created by a Perth designer from the brand Elli & Ava. Jodie spoke with her about the party and she searched everywhere for the perfect babushka fabric to make two beautiful dresses for the party.

“She ended up sourcing it from Holland, along with cute little pink pom poms, and designed a custom dress just for them!”

“It was such a special day,” Jodie says.

“Seeing the months of planning coming all together was wonderful, but the absolute highlight was getting so many of our family and friends all together to share the day with us.”

Clever Party Ideas From Jodie: 1. When you select a theme – really run with it! I made use of the internet to source all things babushka to decorate the party. I wanted babushkas to be everywhere you looked and I am happy to say that I achieved that.

There wasn’t a spare space anywhere that didn’t have a babushka on it!

Party Tips From Jodie: 1. Plan and prepare ahead of time. I started working on the party about six months in advance – buying little things as I saw them and making lists of what needed to be done. It made it less stressful and also spread out the cost so there was no big outlay.

2. Pay no attention to that saying ‘don’t sweat the details’! It is the details that people remember, the personal touches that make it a really special day.

d o l l s f o r a c o u p l e o f d o l l s at t h i s c l e v e r b a b s u s h k a b i r t h d ay .

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www.cocoandginger.com For whole sale enquiries, please contact: Simone Ryan www.simoneagency.com.au ph. +61 412 997038 Western Australia: Emma Kirkwood emma@kirkwoodagencies.com.au ph.+61 419 337622

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

HENRY ’ S

1 st birthday.

Mum: Brooke, 33 Dad: Sam 31 Big Sister: Charlotte, 3 Date of Birth: 22nd July, 2011 Theme: Tour de France Photography : Brooke Garnham

B

aby, Henry, was born during the 2011 Tour de France and his mum, Brooke, has a very clear memory of Cadel Evans racing in the time trial on the very day that Henry was born. “My husband is a sports fanatic,” Brooke laughs. “He had the television on for most of the night watching it and we said then that the first birthday would have to have a French ‘Tour’ theme!”

Sure enough, one year on and little cutie Henry, with his big blue eyes and dimples, was ready to party. “We wanted our babies to be close in age,” Brooke explains.

“There are 22 months between Lottie and Henry and she has loved having a baby brother and a constant playmate. I find the first few weeks the most difficult as I

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felt like I was always saying ‘just a minute’ to Lottie, but adding Henry to our family has been amazing. It is so interesting to watch your second child in comparison to your first. Henry is a big, tall boy so he has always seemed older and once he was sitting at five months and then crawling at eight months they really started to play together and things got much easier.”

Brooke loves to plan a celebration and she put together the day as well as making Henry’s birthday cake. “I make all of my children’s birthday cakes,” she says. “For Henry, we did a large vanilla butter slab cake with blue fondant and a red bike made from lollies. I am definitely not the most brilliant cake maker, but I like to give it a go!”

“We tried to keep the guest list small,”

Brooke admits. “Being the middle of a cold winter in Hobart, we were very aware that the party may have to be kept indoors.

We had Henry’s grandparents and his uncle, as well as our close friends who have children the same age as ours. We were also lucky that Henry’s godparents from Melbourne were able to come and share the occasion.”

Henry received some beautiful and special gifts including a Little Moover wooden truck, a train set, a set of Paddington Bear books and a wooden name puzzle from Tinyme. “It was such a wonderful day,” says Brooke. “Even though it was so cold we were blessed with sunshine and wonderful friends. The kids just adored the day, and most importantly, so did Henry.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Clever Party Ideas From Brooke:

Whilst the Tour theme had a special meaning, it turned out to be a great idea! The red, white and blue colours worked great for a little boy, the kids loved the bikes and the adults enjoyed watching this year’s Tour on TV.

Party Tips From Brooke: 1. Accept help! My mother made some sweets and my mother-in-law made some savoury food. The rest of the food was kept very simple and I only really had to worry about the cake. It really took the pressure off.

2. If the party is at home, have the kids outside as much as possible. We had lots of outdoor toys set up for the older children including bikes and a jumping castle. We also set up a play corner for little ones and the kids just had a ball. We asked parents to bring coats for the kids, but we were lucky that it was a sunny day.

3. Set up a mini table for toddlers to sit at when eating the party food. This saved us a huge clean up and crumbs all over the house. I included plates, hats, whistles and cups with straws on their place settings.

Brooke’s Party List:

Invitations www.etsy.com/shop/ pinkcreativeinvites Bunting, lolly jars and lolly boxes www. littledanceinvitations.com.au French flags www.thepartypeople.com.au

h e n r y e n j o y e d r a c e t i m e w i t h t h e g r o w n u p s at h i s f i r s t pa r t y .

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

J AMES ’

1 st birthday.

Mum: Catherine, 32 Dad: Wayne, 40 Date of Birth: 16th March, 2011 Theme: Farm Party Photography : Cath Mossop

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ute little James is growing up in a gorgeous part of Australia – on the edge of a small town in the Adelaide Hills, surrounded by countryside – so his mum, Catherine, thought that a farm theme for his first birthday celebrations was the perfect idea. “Ever since James was tiny, we have gone walking and seen all the farm animals around our home, and my husband grew up on a farm, so it was a theme that meant something to us,” Catherine explains.

Catherine describes her first year with James as the most challenging and wonderful year of her life so far – something that all first time mums can no doubt relate to! “I can only remember the good times now,” Catherine laughs. “But I know that having a new little person was a huge culture shock! I am loving his age now, but I think that every age and each new milestone becomes my new favourite.”

Planning James’ party was something that Catherine really enjoyed and mostly she wanted the party to be very child-friendly.

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“Most of the children coming were around the same age as James so I wanted some quiet, baby-friendly activities to keep them happy. I sourced some little red wagons and filled them with hay for ‘hay rides’ and, as James just loves animals, I borrowed some baby chicks and set them up on the lawn for the kids to see and pat.”

Catherine made use of lots of existing items for the party, such as using left over hessian used for the decorations to make party favour bags, using card-making pieces left over from her wedding invitations to make the party invites and printing photos of James from his first 12 months and displaying them for guests to see how he has grown. In fact, the display for the photos was an old window frame that Catherine found on the side of the road and then sanded back to use.

One of the girls in Catherine’s mums’ group is a talented cake maker and she helped out with a gorgeous cake, as well as a special smash cake for James. Catherine also had cupcakes made with farm animals

on top for guests to take home. “The smash cake was hilarious,” says Catherine.

“James hadn’t really eaten anything sweet before, so it was a real treat for him. He didn’t really end up swallowing much of it, but I will never forget the look on his face at being able to grab that soft icing and squish it between his fingers!”

Catherine organised a special onesie for cake time, knowing that it was likely to get pretty messy, but for much of the day James wore a special farm outfit – complete with overalls and little red shirt. “He was so spoilt with gifts! He even received a motorised four-wheeler – quite fitting for the day really!”

After planning and enjoying such a successful day, Catherine admits that she was a little sad when it was over. “I decided to list the package of party supplies in the local classifieds and so far, two other busy mums have hired my farm party for their little ones special day. So what was great fun has turned into a business idea and I am loving it!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Clever Party Ideas From Catherine: 1. The themed food was a huge hit.

What had macaroon ‘haystacks’, chocolate ‘cow pats’, piggy biscuits, bottled ‘dam water’, homemade lemonade, popcorn and individually wrapped sandwiches.

2. Also, we had a big straw wreath at the front door, and straw hats and bandanas for kids as they arrived, which they then took home at the end of the day.

3. What I didn’t find second hand, I made, and what I couldn’t make, I tried to buy wholesale. It doesn’t have to be expensive, you just have to think outside the box.

Party Tips From Catherine:

Create the day around something that your little one will enjoy. Make it personal, try to avoid big crowds and anything too busy and loud – otherwise bubs will just be overwhelmed, upset and overlooked. Have baby-friendly food, games and activities and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Young children are easily entertained with the simple things!

g i dd y u p, j a m e s ! a d ay at t h e fa r m i s f u n f o r a f i r s t b i r t h d ay .

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FOR YOUR LITTLE one

Love Is Family And Friendship from $95 www.peachie.com.au

Alouette Petite Sterling Silver Bangle $75 www. alouttedesign.com.au

one.

for your lit tle

A newborn, a christening or maybe a birthday - sometimes that gift needs to be extra special.

Here is a little inspiration...

Baby Journey Bundle $235 www.kambamboo.com

b e au t i f u l, p rac t i ca l o r b o t h - t h ere a re s o m e b e au t i f u l Personalised Wooden Puzzle & Box $49.95 www.stuckonyou.com.au

Personalised Sailboats Collage $60 skye@ littlepearldesigns. com.au

Sophie The Giraffe House $165 www. yourcheekymonkey.com.au Bajo Rocking Horse $295 www.hardtofind.com.au 96

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Feeding Towel $27.95 www. fourzero.com.au

Pure Newborn Bib & Burp Cloth $34.95 www.eenimeeni.com

Ocean Waves - Baby Sleep Soundscape CD from 16.99 www.dinosnores.com

Owly Personalised Birth Art Print from $27 www. poppystudio.com.au

g i f t s t h at y o u c a n g i v e t o t h e n e w e s t l i t t l e o n e i n y o u r l i f e .

4 Organic Muslin Squares $49 www.urchin. net.au

Love To Swaddle UP $39.95 www. lovetodream.com.au

Birdie & Oak Custom Impressions $210 www. birdieandoak. com.au

Wishbone Flip $150 www. wishbonedesign.com November 2012

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FOR YOUR LITTLE one

Zuny Bookend $69.95 www. avidiva.com.au

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

J ETHRO ’ S

1 st birthday.

Mum: Rochelle Dad: Gordy Big Brother & Sister: Seth, 3 & Sienna, 2 Date of Birth: 3rd August, 2011 Theme: Guess How Much I Love You? Photography : Stephen Clarke

T

o say that life is full for Rochelle would be a bit on an understatement.

As well as running Perth Styling Business, Sweet Tables By Chelle, Rochelle was already chasing two toddlers when Jethro arrived. “He was born into a busy family,” laughs Rochelle. “When he was born, Jethro had a 26 month old brother and a 16 month old sister. I always wanted lots of children and didn’t want to wait too long before bringing another child into the family! Jethro has always been such a happy baby but he couldn’t wait to play with his brother and sister – he was crawling at five months and walking at eight months!”

When it came to planning Jethro’s first ever party, Rochelle knew right away what theme she wanted. “We based the party on the book Guess How Much I Love You. A ‘we love you to the moon and back’ wall

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sticker has sat above Jethro’s cot since I was pregnant with him, and we love the book.

We thought we would change it to Guess How Much We Love You though, since there are so many people who love Jethro so much.”

Using the colours from the book, Rochelle decorated with pale green, blue and peach and used pieces from the childrens’ room such as book shelves, drawers and a rocking chair. The party was held in the morning, so guests were treated to a breakfast table as well as a dessert table with pancakes, apple pie, custard, croissants and strawberry tarts.

Rochelle wanted to match the dark stain of the furniture with other decorative details, so in the lead up to the party, she looked for bits and pieces that would match. Artificial grass, flowers and plants added an outdoors element to the décor,

games included Pin The Tail On The Bunny the tails were cotton balls and mini copies of the book were used as take home gifts for guests. “Instead of chairs, my mum made floor pillows for the children to sit on,” explains Rochelle. “Bella vita Crafts supplied all the gorgeous wooden words that we displayed throughout the room and I also made a DVD of photos and video of Jethro’s first year that we played on the TV throughout the party.”

“Jethro just loves to be involved and makes sure he is a part of everything that is happening within the family. He has such a special bond with his brother and sister and watching them laugh and play together makes me so happy. He is the perfect addition to our home and I am so thankful to be his mummy!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Party Tips From Rochelle: 1. Choose a theme that is sentimental, that has special meaning to you or your baby - whether it is a book, a TV show, favourite toy or even a song.

2. When you have chosen your theme, write down every idea that pops into your head – sometimes the big ideas might seem impossible to achieve, but if you work on them slowly over the weeks leading up to the party, it is much less daunting.

3. Make sure someone is on hand to take photos – don’t let the special day that you create for your own child go by without someone capturing the memories!

4. Write down the activities that will happen throughout the party and make sure you have everything you need in a box nearby – a lighter for candles, a pen for Pin the Tail, spare batteries for the CD player, prizes for games, etc.

Clever Party Ideas From Rochelle:

I love to incorporate a way for guests to leave a special message for my children on their birthdays. For Jethro, we had a ‘Jethro, we love you this much!’ book which was an A4 notebook covered in a sticker designed by Emma Smith, which looked just like the book cover. Each guest wrote a message inside, and I can’t wait until Jethro is old enough to read them all…and to know how special he is to everyone!

Rochelle’s Party List: Styling www.sweettablesbychelle.com.au Photography www.facebook.com/ stephenclarkephotography Stationary www.emmasmith.com.au Cakes www.littlewishcakes.com

a fav o u r i t e b o o k i s t h e p e r f e c t t h e m e f o r j e t h r o ’ s s p e c i a l d ay .

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

ISABELLA’ S

1 st birthday.

Mum: Daisy, 29 Dad: Francisco, 41 Big Brother: Leonardo, 3 Date of Birth: 15th February, 2011 Theme: Vintage Summer Garden Party Photography : Jess Parker

P

arty planner and mum of two, Daisy, couldn’t wait to make the most of the fact that her little girl was a summer baby. Little Isabella celebrated in style with a gorgeous summer garden party and Daisy enjoyed every bit of it. “I wanted something really whimsical and magical,” Daisy explains. “A summer garden party theme let me use gorgeous pastels and incorporate all of the vintage pieces that I have collected over the years.”

“I brought along a lot of vintage props and flowers to decorate. I used a vintage dresser as the dessert table and we served iced cranberry fizz in an apothecary drink dispenser on a vintage drink trolley. Two days before the party, I found an old side table and gave it a coat of paint and it was the perfect candy table. It was a huge hit with the kids because it was the perfect 100

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height for them to help themselves. I made some fabric roses with buttons to add to the vintage feel and I also made some paper fan doilies to add a little whimsy.”

The final result was a simply gorgeous day enjoyed by just a few close friends and family. “Everyone brought along their picnic blankets to lounge and relax, and just enjoy the sunshine of a beautiful summer day.”

The scene was set for the day with invites featuring pastels, flowers and a rabbit – as Isabella was born in the year of the rabbit.

Li-Ann at Ham and Pea also created printables to match for the food tables, and drink bottle wrappers for the glass bottles.

Daisy and her friend, Helen, from Kiss My Cakes decided on three cakes – a main one to match the invites, a yellow buttercream smash cake and a blue ruffle

cake. “She also made the beautiful rose cupcakes and bunny cookies.”

Isabella wore a gorgeous Butterfly Betsy vintage ruffle sunsuit in a summer floral print. “It was so cute to see her in that vintage highchair and smash through her first cake experience,” Daisy laughs.

“It’s been such an amazing year and my little girl is growing too fast!” says Daisy.

“I didn’t feel like the time went by so quickly with my son, Leonardo, but perhaps this time around I am busier. It is such a blessing to have a healthy baby, but I am glad to be past waking up for night feeds and the routines that small babies need. As Isabella gets older, it is wonderful to see her interact with her brother and participate in all the fun things we do as a family.

Her personality just shines through more evidently now and I am just loving it.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Clever Party Ideas From Daisy: 1. Instead of using paper boxes or bags for favours the kids selected their own lollies from the jars to fill and take home, I used muslin bags and personalised them with an iron on design. This meant the bags could be reused.

2. Keeping with the idea of using fabric, I also used fabric rosettes as decoration for the candy jars – such a simple way to dress them up.

Party Tips From Daisy: 1. Plan ahead. Set a theme, but don’t overthink it, keep things simple.

2. Make sure you have a Plan B if you are doing an outdoor party. One hour before the party we had grey clouds and rain, and then 30 minutes before the sun beamed! I don’t think we will be so lucky next time!

3. Get a professional photographer to take lasting moments of the day – it will give you more time to enjoy it!

Daisy’s Party List:

Styling www.facebook.com/Leo.and.

Bella Photography www. whitesparkphotography.com Stationary www.hamandpea.com Cakes www.facebook.com/ KissMyCakes.Australia Flowers www.muesliandyoghurt.com.au

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TAKE THE PARTY home

Cake Slice Boxes $6.95 for 6 www. inviteme.com.au

Handmade Retro Surf Favour Bag $2.50each www.iloveparties.com.au Lolly Bags $11.95 for 8 www.tinyme. com.au Goodie Bag $12 www.alilliebug. com.au

ta k e t h e pa r t y

home.

Give your guests an extra favour at the end of a party with these cute little bags just waiting to be filled with treats.

Chacha Party Favor Bags 3â‚Ź for 10 www. noeuf.com

Monster Print Lolly Bag $10 for 10 www. amoramordesigns. com.au

Take Home Peekaboo Boxes $12.95 for 12 www.inviteme.com.au

Write To Me Treat Bags $12 for 10 www.writetome. com.au

Sunshine Favour Bag $4 each www.hamandpea. com

Chevron Tote Favour Box $12.95 for 12 www.sweetstyle. com.au

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AVAILABLE AT

DAVID JONES

AND LEADING BOUTIQUES NATIONALLY

Stockist Enquiries 03 9832 4815

www.minihaha.com.au

BABY shower

J ASMIN ’ S

baby shower.

Mum to be: Jasmin, 29 Dad to be: Josh, 32 Big Brothers to be: Zane, 10 & Beau, 9 Baby’s Due Date: October 17th, 2012 Theme: Ladies Day Out Photography : Jasmin Hargreaves & Jane McCrae

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orgeous Jasmin is one of LittleONE’s super talented photographers, so we were all very excited when she announced she was pregnant! Expecting her third gorgeous boy he will have arrived by the time you are reading this, Jas says that this will be her last, so she wanted to go all out with a beautiful baby shower. “I planned the day myself as I knew it would be my first and last,” she explains. “I wanted something that everyone would love and remember. I was extremely picky with everything that I did, and I was buying and stocking up months before the day.”

With just nine weeks to go before her new baby’s arrival, Jas had only just started feeling up to partying by the day of her shower. “I had extreme all day sickness from Week 5 until Week 26, helped only by medication. Feeling my baby kick made it all worth it though.”

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Jas and Josh found out they were expecting a little boy at 12 weeks, and had it confirmed throughout the pregnancy, so Jas started work on a nursery for her baby boy early on. “His room is red, white and black so I decided to use these colours for the shower as well,” Jas says. “I added a touch of class, and made it a little more feminine by using a damask print in the theme.”

A lolly bar was the centrepiece of the space with red, white and black lollies as well as some gorgeous cupcakes and cake pops. “I have a wonderful friend who owns Rach’s Frosted Fantasies on the Central Coast and she made me a chocolate mud cake in the shape of a pregnant belly and mummy boobs in a red and black dress,” says Jas. “I also had another wonderful cake maker, Janelle, make some take home cupcakes for my guests. They were individually packaged in damask patterned

boxes and had thank you imprinted in the icing. She also made a gorgeous – and totally edible – little cupcake with a baby on it as well.”

“We didn’t play too many games, it was more of a relaxed get together, but we did play Guess How Many Lollies In The Jar, and also the string game to guess how big my belly is…which is not a fun game when everyone thinks you are twice the size you actually are!” Jas laughs. “I also set up a table that you could make your own singlet for bubs with different squares of fabric to make shapes and pictures and glue them on and decorate with fabric pens.”

Jas wore a gorgeous, flowy maternity maxi dress from Queen Bee and just loved the day. “I was so spoilt with such beautiful gifts for me and my little baby boy. It was just great to have a relaxing day with all my female friends and family.”

BABY shower

Clever Baby Shower Ideas From Jasmin: Photos are part of creating beautiful memories. In damask matching the cupcake boxes, I organised some disposable cameras so that all of the guests could take some images from their perspective of the day. It also ensured that I had lots of extra photos!

Shower Tips From Jasmin:

Give yourself plenty of time to plan.

Check out all online stores to see what is out there and be sure you have the best price.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

1 st birthday & christening.

LUCA’ S

Mum: Thetis, 29 Dad: Sam, 38 Big Sister: Zoe, 3 Date of Birth: 25th March, 2011 Theme: Preppy Polo Photography : Lauren Cioccia

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hen combining both a christening and first birthday celebration for her son, Luca, you would have thought that mum,Thetis, who is an event stylist and party planner, would have gone completely over the top! Far from it, Luca’s special day was shared with family and a few close friends and was a simple, stylish and sleek affair.

“I took inspiration from none other than Ralph Lauren,” explains Thetis. “With that in mind, we wanted to keep it simple with sophisticated, clean lines and fresh colours of white, navy blue and Kelly green. We had a little seating area with some cushions that was our drinks and chatting area before lunch was served. The kids used this space later to draw and play.”

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crayons and a mini white sketchbook for them to colour in on the day. We also set up croquet on the lawn which the kids loved and they looked gorgeous!”

“We set up a marquee in the yard, complete with artificial grass and tables to look like a polo match luncheon. The tables were draped in fitted navy tablecloths and beautiful bunches of green foliage.”

Keeping with the theme, little Luca was dressed in Ralph Lauren on the day! “It was the cutest thing of all,” Thetis says. “He wore a shirt, bow tie, seersucker jacket and some linen trousers and shoes.”

“He was so spoilt by everyone,” says Thetis.

“He received lots of toys, gorgeous new outfits and even some beautiful jewellery.

The best part of the day was having family from both sides of our family together and under the one roof. That rarely happens,

unless it is a special occasion, so I was so happy that everyone was there and Luca could spend time with them all.”

Running a small business with two babies in tow is certainly a challenge and Thetis admits that she thinks it may also be the reason that Luca’s first year went by so quickly. “Luckily, unlike his sister, he slept well through the night,” Thetis laughs. “He wakes at 6.30am most mornings so love or hate it I have at least been able to get a little more work done that way!”

As Luca is getting older, Thetis is just loving each stage more and more. As well as the wonderful bond he is developing with his older sister, his personality is shining through. “He is getting into all kinds of mischief,” Thetis says. “I love that he is more vocal and seeing him trying to speak in his own little language is just adorable.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Clever Party Ideas From Thetis: 1. I set up a separate ‘lounge’ area with some toys, colouring pages and crayons to keep all the kids busy.

2. For Luca’s special day, I also had a graphic designer create a crest for him. This was carried throughout the stationary, labels and tags on the dessert table and I also had a large crest printed and laminated which I am saving as a keepsake for him.

Party Tips From Thetis: 1. Plan ahead of time. Having a little baby doesn’t always leave much time for last minute planning!

2. Enlist the help of a stylist or planner if you are short on time or not the creative type. They can design, plan and set up the lot, leaving you to enjoy the day.

3. Scour the internet for inspiration, be sure to check out online party store sales and buy up then.

Thetis’ Party List:

Event Stylist www.littlesooti.com.au Photography www. lauraciocciaphotography.com.au Stationary www.hampandpea.com Cakes & cookies www.facebook.com/ KissMyCakes.Australia Flowers www.aschajolie.com.au

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

EVIE ’ S

1 st birthday.

Mum: Lisa, 37 Dad: Scott, 33 Big Sister: Sophie, 3 Date of Birth: 19th April, 2011 Theme: Teddy Bears’ Picnic Photography : Lisa Nolan

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hotographer and mum of two, Lisa, says that life has been a little busy since Evie’s arrival, and she doesn’t just mean adding one more baby to the family. “We moved interstate when Evie was just five weeks old. Moving away from family and friends with a newborn and a two year old, plus managing my own business, was definitely a challenging time,” Lisa admits.

“I wouldn’t change any of it though.

Seeing how close our two girls are is so lovely. Watching them play, hug and smooch each other, it just makes your heart melt. It is amazing watching that automatic close bond that siblings have and watching this grow is just beautiful.”

For Evie’s special day, some friends and family drove over 12 hours for the

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celebration, Lisa chose a Teddy Bear’s Picnic theme. “I used the lyrics of the song on the back of the invitations, but wrote that you were sure of an Evie Birthday Surprise!” Lisa says. “We set the party up at the park with an antique dresser to display the food, white linen table cloths and picnic rugs. We hung pink mosquito netting and paper lanterns from the trees and made paper teddy garlands.”

In fact, homemade was definitely a big part of the rustic and eclectic vibe of the relaxed day, especially when it came to food! “We used Nana’s special chocolate cake recipe for the birthday cake, along with chocolate butter cream icing, crumbled flake for the bark, green coconut for the grass and a teddy family having their own picnic on the rug

Sylvanian Families to add to our collection – a mum, dad and two little girls, just like our family,” explains Lisa.

“We organised fresh ham, egg, chicken and salad for people to fill their teddy bear buns. The rolls were amazing and a real hit!”

Lisa says, although admits that the weather was a bit of a worry for their outdoor plans.

“It was a little wild as it rained for days in the lead up to the party. We thought about trying to find another location, but figured we would try our luck and as it turned out, the sun came out as we were setting up, and it started to rain again as we were packing up! It was a beautiful day. The kids ran about on the open grass, we all lazed around eating in the sun with good company. It was a really fun and relaxing day.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Clever Party Ideas From Lisa:

All of the food at the party was ‘teddy bear’ themed – swimming teddy cupcakes, honey joys with honey bears, chocolate coated bears, honey bear biscuits with pink icing dresses, oreo bear faces and milky way bear cars!

Games were bear themed as well and were created around the teddy bears that came along to the picnic such as – the oldest bear 1975 was the winner!, scruffiest bear, fluffiest bear, biggest bear, smallest bear, best dressed bear and of course, the prizes were bear themed too!

Party Tips From Lisa:

Enjoy it! Make the extra effort, choose a theme and make it a memorable day. Just have fun with whatever you choose to do.

Cook some homemade food, you can always taste the love in it.

Lisa’s Party List:

Photography www.imagesoflifebylisa. com.au Bear Buns www.moderncakecreations. com.au Hair clip www.bellasblooms.blogspot. com.au

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

LE X I ’ S

1 st birthday.

Mum: Rhani, 33 Dad: John, 38 Big Sister: Illy, 3 Date of Birth: 6th May, 2011 Theme: Eclectic Tea Party Photography : Rhani Capobianco

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e have been so blessed to have two beautiful, healthy girls,” says mum, Rhani. “Lexi has been showered in love – sometimes a little too much! – by her older sister, however she always seems to come out on top! Now that Lexi is walking, they really are two little mates playing together, it is lovely to watch.”

Rhani, as a graphic designer, loves to create and welcomed the opportunity to put together a special day for Lexi’s first birthday. “I really enjoy sourcing party decorations and finding unique props,” Rhani explains. “And I love putting my creative passion and enthusiasm in to areas outside of work.”

It was work, however, that inspired the

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day. Rhani initially created the gorgeous invitations and printables that led to the rest of the unique garden party styling.

“We set the party up in my mum’s garden which is beautiful and overlooks the Mitchell River Backwater. It made such a lovely backdrop for the day. The teapot from the invitation was the basis for the theme and we also had a cake made to suit, using the same purple and gold colour scheme.”

The dessert table was the centre point of the party and Rhani spent lots of time searching for the lollies on the table to work with the colours and style of the day. “I just love creating a celebration,” Rhani says. “I do the same for Christmas and Easter too. There is nothing more

enjoyable than sitting up at a lovely table setting.”

Rhani admits that so often first birthday parties are more for the adults than the children, but they were sure to invite a small group of close friends and Lexi’s little cousins to help celebrate the special day.

Lexi received some beautiful gifts for her birthday, but it was the gift that mum and dad gave her than Rhani hopes she enjoys as a real keepsake as she grows. “For both of our girls we had a book professionally printed with photographs from their first 12 months, along with a personal letter written to her by members of our families and people who are influential in their lives.

Something that they will always be able to read and appreciate as they grow.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby

Clever Party Ideas From Rhani:

We used items from the girls’ bedrooms as props on the day, and looked for things we already owned to suit the retro theme. It was a little eclectic with a kids’ chair, an old tomato box, candles, lanterns and personalised tags all making up the décor.

Party Tips From Rhani:

Put some thought into planning the day – having some unique ideas and special touches can make it so much better.

Rhani’s Party List:

Invitations www.ideaplusink.com.au Cake www.facebook.com/pages/ Jemma-Louise-Cakes

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lit tle

LITTLE fish

f ish.

As the weather heats up, get your little one in to some super cute cossies and enjoy the sunshine!

Chicco Retro Check Swim Short $24.95 www.oobi.com.au

Swim Nappy $15 www.babylush. com.au

Cuddlefish Onesie In Seaside Navy $39.95 www. cuddlefish.com.au

summer is here and sooner is bet ter when it comes to Spliced Kiniki Logo Rashie $34.99 www. kinikikids.com

Vivid Floral Halter Bikini $24.95 www. plumcollections.com.au

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Funky Fish Board Shorts $19.95 www.mida.net.au/ shop

LITTLE fish

Navy Swim Short $19.95 www. minifin.com.au

Spotti Navy All-In-One UV Suit $48 www. babesintheshade. com.au

Cherry Baby Swimmers from $35 www.glitterbaby. com.au Flower Pop Aqua Nappy $39.95 www.escargotkids. com.au

i n t r o d u c i n g y o u r l i t t l e o n e t o t h e wat e r .

Bambino Mio Swim Nappy $24.95 www. cnpbrands.com.au

One Shoulder Ruffle One Piece Swim Suit $39.99 www.kinikikids.com

Crab Boart Short $69.90 www.terryrich.com.au

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BABY’S space

INTRO D UCING

Ella Rose.

Born: 8th September, 2011 Weight: 6 pound 8 2.7kg Mum: Jade, 28 Dad: James, 42 Design aesthetic: Lavender Love Photography: Katie Walker-Smith

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ike so many first time mothers-tobe, Jade was terrified about her birth during her pregnancy with Ella. “I had never been to hospital before so I was very anxious, and listening to everyone’s horror stories really didn’t help at all,” Jade explains. “However, leading up to the birth I was happy, I felt great and was open minded about the birth and pain relief. I had no birth plan and just went with the flow. I was lucky enough to have a textbook birth, no epidural, no stitches and I walked out of the birthing suite with a healthy baby. Yes, it hurt, but I definitely didn’t feel like I was going to die. Ella’s birth was long, painful and very hard work, but it was nothing like some of the stories I was told – and believe me, I was told some shockers!”

Ella’s due date had come and gone and there was still no imminent labour for

Jade. “I was booked in to be induced the following week and in the meantime I went for long walks, had accupressure, took more raspberry leaf tablets, did lots of shopping and lots of yoga! In the early hours of the morning, I woke with contractions – James got excited, called the hospital and told them my ‘transactions’ were three minutes apart,” Jade laughs.

“My waters hadn’t broken and after a day or so of contractions stopping and starting, a short visit to the hospital I was only 2cm dilated, so I was sent home, lots of baths and showers, I was definitely needing some pain relief. When we went back to the hospital, I was delighted to be 6cm and the doctor broke my waters. I started on some gas and my midwife was lovely and kept me moving into different positions. It’s funny – I had brought along this ‘labour set’ of natural stuff including mist, essential

oils, massage oil and other things. I didn’t give any of that a second thought in the moment!”

With half a dose of pethadine, Jade started feeling relaxed and focused, and despite not feeling ready to push, was told by her midwife that she was nearly ready to. “I stood up for a bit, and then went back to the bed and on my knees which was definitely more comfortable. The fatigue really kicked in at this stage and I remember thinking ‘how can I possibly push this baby out after all I’ve done?’ Two hours of pushing only felt like half an hour and before I knew it, Ella had arrived. It was such an amazing moment! The pain went away instantly and when I turned onto my back, Ella was placed on me and she started to feed right away. It is so incredible how they know what to do!

In fact, Jade was really happy to find

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BABY’S space

“I can’t imagine our life without Ella and I don’t know what we did with our time before we had her!””

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BABY’S space

that feeding came easily to her and Ella.

“Ella attached well, and I had plenty of milk. I just found it so convenient, it’s one less thing to pack when you go out!”

Life with a new baby still had its challenges though. “Those times when you have done everything but can’t settle the baby can be so challenging,” Jade says.

“When you haven’t had much sleep, it can be so hard to think clearly. I had focused so much on the birth, I didn’t really learn much about what to do when your baby actually arrives! It’s amazing how quickly you learn though, and so much is natural instinct. You have to really learn to trust yourself.”

Jade runs an internet based wedding business Wedding Bling, and husband, James, has his own real estate business. This meant that maternity or parental leave wasn’t really an option. “It has its benefits such as flexibility and working your own hours, but on those days when Ella is sick, teething, needing extra attention or having short sleeps, it can be a real struggle to meet deadlines and get jobs done. I’m lucky that we live walking distance to the bank and post office and I have often loaded up the pram with orders and Ella in between!”

It was actually Jade and James’ wedding that inspired Ella’s gorgeous space. “Our wedding was shades of lavender, white with crystal details and incorporated butterflies!

I have always loved the colour and I love butterflies for their symbolism. As soon as I knew we were having a girl, I started on the room. It can be hard to find décor in the colours that I wanted, so I am lucky that I have a mother who can sew!” Jade laughs. “We searched for fabrics in so many different shops, trying to find the right shade of lavender and in gorgeous patterns.”

“I bought most things for her before she

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arrived, as I wanted to be as organised. I buy little bits and pieces as I see them though, and her room has definitely evolved since she was born. I also bought things as I needed them for each stage.

There were certainly a lot of items that sounded good at the time that I didn’t use, but it’s hard to know when you haven’t done it before!”

“Life has definitely changed – but for the better,” Jade says. We still go out for lunch or dinner or coffee, we still go on holidays and have people over for dinner.

We just have to pick our times and places, be prepared and organised and also be a little realistic and very patient! It is hard now that Ella is walking, but we’ve never enjoyed picnics in the park more.”

“Ella has brought so much joy into our lives and we just love watching her learn new things, grow and change. It is truly an amazing journey and we are so blessed to have her in our life.”

s p e n d i n g t i m e i n b a b y ’ s r o o m l o v e ly f o r m u m a s w e l l a s b a b y .

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Things Jade Loves About Ella’s Room

Things Jade Can’t Live Without

1. White Butterfly Mobile. I HAD to have this and the store was out of stock. The lovely shop assistant rang every store in Australia and had one from Melbourne sent up! It is just so pretty and modern – it can be hard to find stylish items that incorporate butterflies.

1. Jolly Jumper. My mum bought it for us and it was a life saver – best invention ever! I used to hang it from doorways and went from room to room as I needed to do things.

2. Butterfly Wall Art. I bought these decals and didn’t know what I was going to do with them. I then had a canvas that I painted over in lavender and arranged the butterflies in a row.

It is very simple – but effective!

3. Ella’s Mirror. I love this idea. I have seen this done as signage at weddings, so I bought the mirror and had the decal done in her room colours.

4. Nurseryworks Sleepytime Rocker.

Night feeds and settling was made a little easier with this comfy and stylish rocking chair. It looks great in the room and it is going to make a great story time chair.

5. Lavender Walls. It took a while to find the perfect shade, but painting the walls was a must. It creates a lovely ambience in the room.

2. My pram. I have a Joolz Day in denim and I love it! A good pram was a priority for me – it is stylish, has great suspension, it’s not too heavy and it is high so she can see everything. Definitely worth the investment.

3. Tetra Tea Tree ‘Snuggle Bed’. This was given to us and we used it until she outgrew it. It made a great transition from the bassinet to the cot, and it was great for when Ella slept with us, or if we were at a friends’ place for dinner. Highly recommend!

4. Stokke High Chair. We have it in white and it looks great. I love that it can be adapted from birth to adulthood and that Ella sits up at the table with us.

Advice from Jade:

“Join a mothers’ group. We were lucky as our ante natal class became our mothers’ group and we got along really well. It was great to share advice, and if you are having a bad day…or week…it’s great to know you aren’t the only one!”

“You can be overloaded with information when you have a baby – all of a sudden, everyone is an expert! It is great to hear and to have things to try, but it’s best to go with what you connect to, and what makes sense to you. Always do what works for you and your baby – remember that no one knows your baby better than you. I needed some structure and something to aim for, but I also wanted flexibility. I really loved Tizzie Hall’s Save Our Sleep – it was a great reference and made sense to me.”

“Get out and about regularly. It seems like an effort, but you will feel better for it. Even if it’s just a walk around the block with the pram. The fresh air makes a big difference. Make the most of going for coffee or lunch before they are crawling and walking!”

5. Wraps. I love the Aden + Anais bamboo swaddling wrap. Once I learnt to swaddle, I loved it. These are a great size, super soft, stylish and have many uses outside of swaddling.

I always keep one at the bottom of the pram and use it when Ella is sleeping in it.

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Lilac Moroccan Print Cushion $69 www. bohemianliving. com.au

Mrs. Darcy Molly Table $289 www. adaanddarcy.com. au

Saskia Lilac Skirt $49.95 www.oobi.com.au

ELLA’ s

style.

Gorgeous lilac tones, white and crystal details make for a pretty and magical little girl’s space.

Always Remember Print $24.95 www. rudyandthedodo.com.au

Cocoon Couture Butterfly Bean Bag $99.95 www. denimbaby.com.au Fabric Baskets from $9ea www.ozhandmade. com.au

Hope Dream Believe Print $18 www.scissorspaperrockdesigns. com.au

Lark Daisy Lane Print $16.95 www.larkstore. com.au

Lavender Toile Reversible Cot Comforter $129.95 www.bollyandbear. com.au

Expedit Shelving Unit $89 www.ikea.com.au

Lifefactory 9oz Glass Baby Bottle $27.95 www.until.com.au

Troll Sun Cot $499.95 www. danishbydesign.com.au

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DRESSING baby

time.

PICNIC

If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure for a big suprise - gorgeous summer onesies... and the cutest teddy bears!

Scarlotte wears Petal Sunsuit - Purple Multi Colour Silk $60 www.cocoandginger.com, Angelina wears Chloe Sunsuit - Italian Flower $49 www.cocoandginger.com and Harper wears Mermaid Romper $39.95 www.fredbare.com.au and Zara Baby Girl Hat $12.95 www.zara.com Accessories: Vintage Doily Bunting $70 www.cassidyscollection.com.au, Giant Button Cushion In Vintage

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DRESSING baby

Fabric $69.95 www.thecraftysquirrel.com.au, Pink Teddy $24 www.daisyandmoose.com.au, Pink Mushroom Handrattle $15 www. ladedahkids.com.au, Elizabeth Classic Bear $59.95 www.silvercross.com.au, Vintage Pink And Grey Hand Crochet Blanket $68 www.andthelittledoglaughed.com and Vintage Style Children’s Tin Tea Set $34.95 www.tigertribe.com.au

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DRESSING baby

Samuel wears Roll Sleeve Growsuit $34.95 www.purebaby.com.au, Jensen wears Knitted Bodysuit $54.95 www.purebaby.com.au and Eddie wears Marcel Striped Romper Overall $35 and Soft Cap $21 www.minihaha.com.au

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Accessories: Panda Cheekies $27.95 and Puppy Cheekies $27.95 www.tigertribe.com.au, Grey Crochet Monkey $55 www.ladedahkids. com.au, Pale Nulle $115 www.littlepiestreet.com.au, Boys Skye Blue Hand Crochet Blanket $68 www.andthelittledoglaughed.com and Silver Grey Hand Knitted Blanket $70 www.madeit.com.au/KidsCreations

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DRESSING baby

Angelina wears Playdate Romper $55 www.fabrikstore.com, Harper wears Chloe Sunsuit - Broiderie $55 www.cocoandginger.com and Green Jali Sun Hat $23 www.havelidesign.com.au and Jensen wears Short Sleeve Bodysuit $26.95 www.marquise.com.au

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DRESSING baby

Accessories: Cream Teddy $24 www.daisyandmoose.com.au, ‘Henry’ Cinnamon Linen Rabbit $45 www.andthelittledoglaughed.com. au, Leo Lion $55 www.ladedahkids.com.au, Petite Bebe Crochet Blanket In Mint & Crisp White $99 www.tillyandotto.com.au and Purple Haveli Blanket $68 www.havelidesign.com.au

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DRESSING baby

Scarlotte wears Infant Summer Suit $39.95 www.littlehorn.com.au and Pure White Hat $32.95 www.eenimeeni.com, Eddie wears Stripe Short All $45.95 www.ouchclothing.com.au and Samuel wears Henley Snapsuit $34.95 www.sookibaby.com.au Accessories: Duck Baby Bell Roller $19.95 www.tigertribe.com.au

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Plan Toys Tea Set $46.95 www.imaginefun.com.au, George Classic Bear $59.95 www.silvercross.com.au, Ebulobo Baby Activity Bear $76.95 www.coccinella.com.au, Bridgette Red Dots Sun Hat $27.95 www.oobi.com.au, GUND Slumbers Bear $39.95 1300 881 940 and Large Crochet Floor Mat $130 www.ladedahkids.com.au

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DRESSING baby

Models: Angelina, 11 months Eddie, 7 months Harper, 9 months Jensen, 11 months Samuel, 10 months Scarlotte, 9 months Photography: Kate Monotii Styling: Shona Buttrey

DRESSING baby

Hula Onesie $29.95 www. hideandseekonline.com.au Cocoome Organic Sleepwear $29.95 www. cocoomeorganic. com.au

Milk Cotton Frill Sleeve Pink Mouse Jumpsuit $39.95 www.escargotkids. com.au

Pudding Cloud $49.95 www.oobi.com.au

“A Trip To The Eiffel Tower” Sunsuit from $38 www. sugarplumtree.com.au

one for

lunch.

Enjoy sunny days out with these gorgeous little onesies - one simple item is all you need!

‘Gone Fishing’ Romper $31 www.andthelittledoglaughed. com

Henley Growsuit $34.95 www. purebaby.com.au

Printed Piggy Snapsuit $34.95 www.sookibaby. com.au

Baby Romper $45 www. misshaidee. com.au

Boys Organic T-Bodysuit $51 www.naty.com

Piper Romper $46 www.emmalaue. com.au

Out To Play Cherry Check $44.95 www. oobi.com.au

a o n e s i e i s p r a c t i c a l a n d e a s y - p e r f e c t f o r a wa r m d ay o u t.

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milt and joe acorn : aden and anais : alphabet soup : b.box : babes in the shade : ben sherman : bluebelle : chalk n cheese : chilli kids : down to the woods : dwell studio : emu : fabrik : flat out frankie : frankie ray : gaia organic cotton : heavenly creatures : hugg a planet : jacob and bonomi : kiniki : knuffle kid : la de dah : limabean : little rivet jeans : littlehorn : little wings : mae : maiike : minti : mizzle : munster kids : native : oishi-m : ouch : paper wings : peggy : red bobble : saltwater sandals : see kai run : sudo : tutu du monde : walnut melbourne :

www.miltandjoe.com.au bricks and mortar: 374 hargreaves st bendigo 3550 email: info@miltandjoe.com.au phone: 0354440881

DRESSING baby

steps.

BABY

A beautiful, well made shoe can make an outfit... regardless of how old or young! you may be!

Photography by Kate Monotti Chase wears Zara Baby Boy Shirt $29.95 www.zara.com, White Shorts $36 www.daisyandmoose.com.au and Penny Loafers $35 www.lousshoes.co.nz. Indi wears Picnic Top $44 www.fabrikstore.com, Bloomer $39.95 www.fabrikstore.com and Heidi Walks Velcro $39 www.allaboutheidi.com.au

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DRESSING baby

Ruby wears Dusty Pink Girls Babygro $39.95 www.baobab.com.au and Gabrielle Powder Pink Shoe $49.95 www.oldsoles.com.au.

River wears Sunday S/S T-shirt $39.95 www.oishi-m.com, Ned Short $59 www.chalkncheeseclothing.com.au and Gucio First Steps Shoes â‚Ź48 www.noeuf.com. Archie wears Short Sleeve Rib Bodytop $17.95 www.naturebaby.com, Zara Baby Boy Pant $45.95 www. zara.com and Combi Shoe $39.95 www.cheekylittlesholes.com.au

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Gracie wears Tilly Top - Blue Butterfly $34.95 and Lacey Bloomers $24.95 www.tillyandotto.com.au and Sunday Sandals $29.95 www.skeanie.com.au. Veronica wears Trudi Tootoo Dress $84 www.chalkncheeseclothing.com.au and Outrageously Orange Shoes $29.95 www.cheekylittlesoles.com.au. Remy wears Sketchosaurus Tee $34.95 and Leggit Legging $39.95 www.munsterkids.com.au and Converse First Star $25 www.converse.com.au

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DRESSING baby

Gracie wears Petal Sunsuit - Indian Summer $55 www.cocoandginger.com and Sparkle Shoe $40 www.etsy.com/shop/ picipapucs. Veronica wears Betty Sundress in Lime Stripe $39.95 www.hideandseekonline.com.au and Pre Walkers $39.95 www. loveluckandwonder.com. Remy wears Pip Jumpsuit ÂŁ27 www.indikidual.bigcartel.com and Easy Tread In Silver/White $49.95 www.oldsoles.com.au

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Veronica wears Madeleine Top $39 and Zoe Knickers $20 www.emmalaue.com and Lemon Sorbet Sandals $34.95 www. beautifulsoles.com.au. River wears Hei Tiki Singlet $24.95 www.naturebaby.com, Happy Daks $39.95 www.ecopeko.com and Zara Baby Boy Shoes $45.95 www.zara.com. Archie wears Baby Fox Tee $34.95 and Comfy Short $34.95 www.iloveminti.com and Robeez Surfer Dude Monkey $39.95 03 98326400

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DRESSING baby

Models: Archie, 16 months Chase, 14 months Gracie, 18 months Indi, 13 months Remy, 13 months River, 10 months Ruby, 16 months Veronica, 12 months Photography: Kate Monotti Styling: Shona Buttrey

Chase wears Red Polo Shirt $36.95 www.claesens.com.au, Boys Woven Check Short $39.95 www.purebaby.com.au and Sunburst Shoes $39 www.lousshoes.co.nz. Indi wears Edie Playsuit $39.95 www.peggy.com.au and Piped Crown Prewalker $55 www. chookleaf.com.au

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Bouquet Crocheted Mary Jane Booties $16 www. madeit.com.au/ KidsCreations

Shoobie Truck Shoe $17.95 www.oobi. com.au

Brilliantly Blue Basic $39.95 www.cheekylittlesoles. com.au

out.

stepping

Need a few more gorgeous treads in fabulous colours? So many to choose from!

Saltwater Sandals Mash Ups $77 www. littlepinwheel. com.au

Campine Shoe $90 www. chookleaf.com.au Sail Away Shoe $34.95 www. woddlers.com.au Flower Shoes From Petit Nord $33.75 www. onlythebeginning. com.au

Camper Mary Janes $110 www.camper.com

Animal Print Hi Tops $49.95 www. loveluckandwonder. com

MJ’s Bubblegum Pink With Heart Shoe $34.95 www. beautifulsoles. com.au

c h o o s i n g a q u a l i t y s h o e w i l l l o o k a f t e r l i t t l e g r o w i n g f e e t.

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DRESSING baby

Silver Patinated Shoes From Petite Nord $33.75 www. onlythebeginning. com.au

SITTING tall

Fresco Chrome Highchair $799 www.bloombaby.com

Stokke Tripp Trapp $349 www. exquira.com.au

Sprout High Chair $399 www.oxo.com

tall.

sitting

A fabulous high chair is more than just somewhere for baby to eat - it is a way to help them join family meals, and can look great to boot!

Mamas & Papas Raspberry ‘Juice’ Armchair $219.95 02 9317 4211

l o o k f o r a h i g h c h a i r t h at i s e a s y t o c l e a n a n d v e r s at i l e .

Leopard Highchair With Tray $99 www.ikea. com.au

Mother’s Choice Dine With Me Hi-Lo Chair $179 www. igcdorel.com.au

Blämes Highchair With Tray $99 www. ikea.com.au Mamas & Papas Apple ‘Pixie’ Highchair $169.95 02 9317 4211

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HiLo

2-in-1 High Chair Hi

-

6 mths - 2 years

2

Flip

-

Lo

2-6 years

HiLo is a dual-height evolutionary chair that provides secure seating for youngsters aged six months to six years. Streamlined, easy to use and highly practical, it is a stylish addition to any modern interiors.

With a simple swivel, HiLo turns from high chair to under-table chair.

In its high position, the HiLo fits under the kitchen counter. In its low position, it lets toddlers sit at any standard-height table without a booster seat.

The moulded seat ensures secure, comfortable seating for both babies and toddlers without the use of a cushion. The HiLo has been designed with hygiene and easy cleaning in mind - it has no cavities or moving parts in which food can accumulate.

Available at Bubs Baby stores, Baby Bunting, Sydney Baby Kingdom, Mothercare, My Baby Warehouse For more stockists visit:

www.kiekaboo.com.au

Now Available in PINK

FUSSYfeet

www.fussyfeet.com.au

825/B New South Head Road Rose Bay NSW 2029 Telephone 02 9371 2565 Email info@fussyfeet.com.au

Stockists of: Mod8, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Andanines, Aster, Atlanta Moccasins, Birkenstock, Bisgaard, Catimini, Camper, Chipie, Garvalin, GBB, Hunter, Old Soles, Replay & Sons, Richter, Ricosta, Start-rite + Tip Toey Joey

On-line ordering available Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with product news and sales

BABY’S space

INTRODUCING

Frankie Lou.

Born: 23rd January, 2012 Weight: 8 pound 1 3.66kg Mum: Anna, 32 Dad: Nathan, 33 Big Brother: Scout, 2 Design aesthetic: Eclectic Vintage Words: Jodi Wilson Photography: Leila Cocker

A

nna and Nathan believe a child’s bedroom should be a safe place; a room that encourages creativity and provides a sense of security. “We have never sent Scout to his room for time-out or as punishment when he’s naughty because we want to ensure that going to bed is a positive experience,” says Anna. “We feel Scout and Frankie’s rooms should always be a comforting place and we hope they will always love to spend time in there.”

A wedding planner and stylist, Anna is ever the organised one. She planned for a small gap between her children but took over a year to conceive Frankie. “I was diagnosed with secondary infertility and was told that my ovarian reserve was low; the quality and quantity of my eggs wasn’t great. I was told that it would be highly

unlikely for me to conceive naturally,” says Anna. Thankfully, she proved the doctors wrong and was pregnant three months later.

The first four months of pregnancy, both with Scout and Frankie, were challenging.

“I needed medication to stop me vomiting and then the sickness just turned off like a light switch. With Frankie’s pregnancy it was much harder, dealing with a toddler running riot while I felt sorry for myself on the couch,” she says.

She chose the New Zealand ‘Birthcare’ option of care for pregnancy and birth with Scout but opted for the one-on-one care of an independent midwife with Frankie.

Whilst she relished in the excitement of adding another baby to the family, Anna suffered a long list of pregnancy complaints.

“You name it, I had it,” she says. “Reflux,

morning sickness, gestational diabetes, back pain and a pulled abdominal muscle.”

When Anna discovered at five months pregnant that she was having a girl, the opportunity to create a glamorous, feminine nursery made the aches and pains a little easier to bear. Intent on combining her passion for DIY with eclectic vintage pieces, Anna has created a vivid space that can grow with Frankie.

Long before she fell pregnant, Anna purchased a second-hand cot and change table that she tucked away in the garage. “I thought that if I was lucky enough to have a girl one day, I could use it. It was just one of those things that I saw and just had to have,” says Anna. She was given her GreatGrandmother’s antique dresser and side tables as a gift; touches of nostalgia that

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BABY’S space

“Every piece in her room has a story and we’ll enjoy telling her about it when she is old enough to understand.”

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BABY’S spacec

were treated to a contemporary makeover with a coat of silver paint and new handles.

Nathan painted a zigzag chevron design on the feature wall in graduating shades of pink and magenta, complimented by tulle pom poms in turquoise and hot pink hanging above the cot. A stunning personalised mirror was purchased after they had announced Frankie’s name inspired by the magazine! - a wonderful keepsake.

The opulence and grandeur of the nursery is akin to a cocktail lounge – most definitely not for the faint hearted.

However, amidst the crystals and lace are sweet little trinkets and artworks with a story; sentimental pieces including a hand sketched bunny, an ink drawing by Great Grandad Richmond and an old gift-card from Frankie’s Granny’s collection.

“My mum sewed up the gorgeous floaty curtains and made a few cushions to

brighten the black and white feeding chair.

I like to think that every piece in her room has a story and we’ll enjoy telling her about it when she’s old enough to understand,” says Anna. Whilst she is constantly working on creative events, it’s Frankie’s nursery that has provided the most contentment. “It’s very rewarding knowing that you’ve put so much effort and love into something which will grow with your daughter,” she says.

Many of Scout’s newborn clothes were grey and cream; perfect hand-medowns for his little sister. Whilst pregnant Anna washed and folded the teeny tiny clothes, prepared the pram and carseat and enjoyed shopping for little girly extras like decorative trinkets and floral headbands.

Anna was amazed at how delightful shopping for a girl was; there was so much more to choose from!

Frankie’s nursery was perfected weeks before she was born, and then the restless

u s e Q u i r k y v i n ta g e p i e c e s & f u n p o p s o f c o l o u r f o r a u n i q u e r o o m .

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BABY’S space waiting began. In the lead up to the birth Anna swam laps and treated herself to a few pregnancy massages to ease the increasing back pain. She was induced a week and a half before her due date because of gestational diabetes and endured a very long day and night in the hospital while she waited for labour to start. After three gel applications and a stretch and sweep contractions begun and Anna requested an epidural soon after. Frankie was born after six hours of labour, a sweet dark-haired blessing.

After two very different birth experiences Anna is happy to pass on advice to other pregnant women and their support people.

She believes that it’s important to go into labour with an open mind but, at the same time, be confident enough to ask for information. “It’s all a very overwhelming experience, and while you may get told that certain things have to happen, there is always an alternative. Ask questions! Do your research before hand so you know

your options at the time. Don’t regret the fact that you didn’t speak up and query certain decisions. Stand your ground and don’t get pushed around!”

On coming home from hospital Anna and Nathan had a restful first week where they navigated life with two kids. They are firm believers that their children must fit in to their lives hence Scout and Frankie are now accustomed to social gatherings and outings. “Nathan and I don’t work our lives around feed or sleep times and we never tiptoe around when the kids are napping.

As a result both the children sleep really well around noise,” says Anna.

When Nathan went back to work Anna took a little while to get used to the ubiquitous juggle of a toddler and a newborn. But like most mums, became a professional multitasker overnight – feeding Frankie while bathing Scout was a regular evening event. Since then things have settled and a routine has been established.

Life is chaotic; charmingly so.

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Anna Can’t Live Without: 2. Penny Scallan change mat with nappy and wet wipe pouch 3. Merino swaddle wraps 4. Baby Bjorn front pack 5. Nuna sway bouncer

“As a first-time mum with Scout I tried to follow a book that advised particular times that you should wake and feed your baby in order to create a routine. I ended up throwing the book across the room after day three! Scout was so unsettled - he was telling me he was hungry and tired and wanting to sleep for longer periods. Rule of thumb: never wake a sleeping baby!”

Five Things Anna Loves About Frankie’s Room 1. Natures Sway hammock 2. Bird lamp, with dimmer 3. Chevron wall and personalised mirror name with bird detailing 4. Great Granny’s dresser set that has been passed down from generation to generation. It was used by Anna’s granny and mum and lovingly restored and painted silver for Frankie.

5. Art work in repainted second-hand frames, including print’s from one of Anna’s favourite children’s books Victoria Plum.

h a n d l e , l i g h t f i t t i n g o r wa l l a r t a l l o f f e r a t o u c h o f g l a m .

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BABY’S space

1. Knitted baby clothes handmade by Granny Sue – the perfect addition to neutral newborn outfits.

Advice from Anna:

BABY’S style

Pink Party Tassel Garland $59.95 www.larkmade. com.au

Mrs. Darcy St. Barts Cushion $72 www. adaanddarcy.com.au

Personalised Baby Print from $27 www.offonmybicycle. com.au

FRANKIE ’ s

style.

Create a colourful and eclectic boudoir for baby with pink, purple and touches of metallic to make it extra special.

Replica Kids Ghost Chair $69 www. replicafurniture. com.au April Kiss $219 www.mischaaoki. com

Organic Softie Tool Set $19.95 www.littlesewandsews.com.au

Peter Pan Dress $82NZD www. buttonlove.co.nz

Mrs. Darcy Moroccan Pouffe $209 www.adaanddarcy.com.au Frame Name Wall Sticker $70 www.41orchard.com

Lalanka Blue Dress $39 www. hardtofind.com.au

Balloonerina Onesie $24.95 www. myarkadia.com.au

Tanya Headpiece $30 www. cassidyscollection. com.au 146

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Frankie Ray’s Little Lola Sunnies $29.95 www. eyetribe.com.au

closet.

in the

A great item of clothing can make you feel amazing, and there is no more important time than being pregnant to feel your best.

Do not underestimate the importance of fabulous lingerie at a time when you can feel a little less than sexy. A wonderful bra that fits you properly will take you through your last trimester and those months of feeding that follow. And a pair of cute knickers to match will make you feel put together even if you do have a trackie thrown over the top! Cake Lingerie have delicious colours, super soft fabrics and great designs that will support all body shapes. Shown here is the Mint Toffee Convertible Nursing Bra $64.90 and Mint Toffee French Knicker $29.90 from www. cakelingerie.com.au

With the holiday season comes parties, get togethers and functions that require a little more style than a kaftan and a pair of thongs on your feet. Isabella Oliver creates amazing items that are beautifully made and fit your pregnant form to perfection. We are loving this Lulu Lace Dress $225 - it is very Mad Men-eqsue and will make you feel a million dollars at your Christmas work do this year! Visit www.isabellaoliver.com to buy or for more great options.

Loving the coloured jean craze but struggling to fit your bump in your favourite pair for Summer? Queen Bee is, as always, completely on trend and their latest range of Noppies Skinny Jeans come in absolutely every colour of the rainbow. Super comfortable and super cute and a steal at just $89.95 especially when you know that you will be wearing for a bit after bub arrives! Visit www. queenbee.com.au to see the full range.

l o o k at c o s t p e r w e a r o v e r 1 2 m o n t h s w i t h m at e r n i t y p i e c e s .

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IN THE closet

There is a theory that the lack of sleep that you face in your final weeks of pregnancy is just training you for what is to follow when that little bundle of joy arrives, but there is nothing saying that you can’t at least feel comfortable and look great while you are so sleep deprived! Check out these gorgeous pyjamas from Hot Milk Step Right Up Pajamas just $44.90 for the soft and lovely shorts and $69.90 for the cami or the longer pant. Go to www.hotmilklingerie.com to see more.

IN THE closet

One of the things you can miss the most when you are breastfeeding is the simple act of wearing a dress!

Especially in the warmer months when throwing one item of clothing on is the simplest thing that you can do. Melke and Feeding Fashion have created the ultimate solution with their perfectly pretty range of frocks and tops and we just adore the latest design, the Charlotte Maxi Maternity/ Breastfeeding Dress $220 from www. feedingfashion.com

For so many women, the first few weeks of breastfeeding can be tough. Cracked and sensitive nipples, combined with leaky breasts can make for a seriously challenging time. The very old Nordic tradition of using shells to help heal and protect your breasts during this time has been modernised and improved in Paris by Bebe-Nacre and is now available in Australia. A natural and beautiful alternative to plastic shields and creams, the shells assist with the incredible healing properties of your milk. Breastfeeding Shells are $49.95 and available at www. petitebisou.com.au

We all appreciate the women come in all shapes and sizes, but it can be tricky when buying maternity clothing and the only sizes available are S, M & L - often sized for height more than anything. Plus Maternity has come to the rescue with maternity and nursing wear for plus sized women. They have most recently opened a flagship store in Sydney’s CBD - just near the QVB and the town hall. If you can’t make it to Sydney city Level 2, 70 Druitt Street for a spot of retail therapy, check out their full range online at www. plusmaternity.com.au and find lovely items like this Short Sleeve Square Neck Top in Green $79.95 or Plus Size Sleeveless Cross Front Nightie $69.95.

Sorella & Me is a gorgeous brand using organic, fair trade cotton and specialising in sleepwear, lounge wear and most importantly for you, dear mama maternity wear. Their fab maternity wear covers all the bases including breathable stretch cotton, nursing clips, adjustable straps and plenty of support where you need it. Love this cute Organic Singlet for $54.95 and Organic Shorts for $44.95.

Head to www.sorellaandme.com.au to see everything they have on offer.

i t e m s t h at m a k e y o u f e e l g o o d a r e s o m e t i m e s j u s t w h at y o u n e e d .

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Combine two of this season’s hottest trends with a look made to flatter your bump - the peplum dress and fresh, nautical stripes. The Jetty Stripe Peplum Dress is just $119 and can be dressed up or down, making it the perfect Summer wardrobe staple this season. Find it, and a full range of great new season’s pieces at www.szabomaternity.com.au

IN THE closet

There has been a great deal of research done over the past few decades that support the theory that babies hear and take in much of their surrounding in utero. Bellybuds creator, Curtis Williams, and his wife were keen to play classical music to their unborn child, but there wasn’t always the time to lay still and do so. Bellybuds is the result, which allows mum-to-be to plug them into their iPod or media player and ‘suction’ them to her belly, allowing the benefit of sound to impact baby at any time of the day or night... nifty! $55 for the set and head to www.bellybuds.com.au to find out more.

MELKE Shop the collection www.feedingfashion.com 07 3800 0350

Beautiful breastfeeding and maternity wear

side.

POOL side

POOL

Summer can be a tough month when you are pregnant! So find some shade and water, and look great while you are at it.

Photography by Kate Monotti Bec wears Khaki Halter Neck Tankini $39 www.maternitysale.com.au

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POOL side Jessica wears Seraphine Jessica Reversible Bikini Band $119.95 www. queenbee.com.au

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POOL side

Jessica wears Adele Bikini $149.95 www. maternityonmooki.com and Dark Grey/Sand Dot Stripe Hobo Diaper Bag $143 www. denimbaby.com.au

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POOL side Jessica wears White Kaftan Dress $57 www. maternitysale.com.au, Habitat Bamboo Eyewear $199.95 www.stickseyewear.com. au, Natural Crochet Women’s Classics Shoes $58 www.toms.com, Turkish Summer Towel $49 www.olliella.com.au and Summer Zigzag Malaya Tote $85 www. bohemianliving.com.au

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POOL side

Bec wears Deity Swimsuit $99.90 www.hotmilklingerie.com, Classic Black Twisted Bangle $14.95 and Mocha Twisted Bangle $14.95 www. mummabubbajewellery.com.au November 2012

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POOL side

Jessica wears Quack Nursingwear Lucas One Piece Nursing Bathers $134.95 www.queenbee.com.au

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POOL side

Bec wears Karma in Raspberry Harem Print $85 www. holidaydesign.com.au and L채ssig Vintage Cosmo Bag $159.95 1300 661 885 Jessica wears Seraphine Lila Red Spotted Halterneck Tankini $119.95 www. queenbee.com.au.

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POOL side

Bec wears Juliette Versatile Chic 2 Piece Tankini $149.95 www. maternityonmooki.com

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style.

mini me

MINI ME style

Messanger/Change Bag $189.95 www. littlepiestreet.com.au

Match your little one to you in the most subtle of ways - with cute accessories for both of you!

Original Changing Bag $280 www.idaising.com Grid Tan $29.95 www. cheekylittlesoles. com.au Mini Loafer $39.95 www. cheekylittlesoles. com.au

Easy Tread Shoe $49.95 www. oldsoles.com.au

Sisken Tarlee Leather Tote Bag $299 www.sisken.com.au

w e k n o w t h at b a b y i s n ’ t a n a c c e s s o r y . . .

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MINI ME style

Stylish Little Me Stroller Bag $199 www. stylishlittleme. com.au

Tan Cowboy Boot $49.95 www. cheekylittlesoles. com.au

London Hipster $349 www. vanchi.com.au

Classic Pre-Walker In Navy $29.95 www.skeanie.com.au b u t t h er e i s n o r e a s o n t h at yo u ca n ’ t t ry t o co - o r d i n at e w i t h o n e a n o t h er !

Lassig Green Label Neckline $249.95 1300 661 885

Baby Penny Loafer Leopard $35 www. lousshoes.co.nz

The Jordi $495 www. claudineandash.com 160

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Baby Brogue - White/Grey $35 www.lousshoes.co.nz

BABY’S space

INTRODUCING

Theodore Willam.

Born: 17th January, 2011 Weight: 8 pound 13 3.9kg Mum: Carolyn, 31 Dad: Richard, 38 Big Sister: Tabitha, 4 Design aesthetic: Magical Forest Photography: Chantelle Bliss

A

ll mothers like to believe that their children are miracles – and they absolutely are – however mum of two, Carolyn, is grateful for the miracle that is her youngest, Theodore, every second of the day. “At our 19 week ultrasound we were told that we were having a baby boy. We were also told that he only had half a heart and we were encouraged to end the pregnancy,” Carolyn tells of that heartbreaking day. “We rejected the advice and we started planning a beautiful space for our son to eventually come home to. It was a labour of love because the chances that he would ever come home were slim.

Creating the nursery gave us hope and we

knew that if Theodore did make it home from hospital after a difficult fight for life, it was so important that his room was soothing and welcoming.”

Theodore’s room was painted a gorgeous sage green, not only for the calming colour but also as Carolyn felt that green represents new life and hope.

“We decorated it with woodland animals because we wanted his room to have an enchanted forest feel. We hoped that he would love being in his room because it was created with such love.”

Following a miscarriage after daughter, Tabitha, Carolyn and Richard were thrilled to fall pregnant again. Carolyn

experienced extreme morning sickness in the early months and had to spend weeks in hospital having only IV fluids to recover. “From 19 weeks on, once we were told about Theodore’s condition, it felt like my pregnancy was a ticking time bomb,” Carolyn explains. “There was so much uncertainty. We didn’t know if he would make it out of the delivery alive or if he would ever come home from hospital.

It was a really scary time. I had no idea how common congenital heart defects are.

CHD is one of the greatest killers of infants under the age of one in Australia, with six babies every day being born with some sort of CHD.”

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BABY’S space “The birth was extremely difficult. We were not allowed to deliver at the hospital that we chose, and we had no choice but to deliver with a specialist high-risk obstetrician who was experienced in delivering babies like Theodore. It was awful having to be away from home and away from our own trusted and caring obstetrician,Vijay Roach, who we adore. I had to give birth at the hospital connected to the Children’s Hospital so that Theodore could be taken directly to the intensive care unit. Once Theodore was born, the team of doctors put him in an incubator and they ran 600m down the corridor to the intensive care unit at the attached Children’s Hospital. Richard went with them, and I was left along with my

Blackberry waiting for a text message to hear whether my baby had made it alive to the NICU. We didn’t get to hold him until he was a week old and he had his first open heart surgery on day two.”

“Leading up to the delivery, it was more fear than excitement as we just so desperately wanted to hold our little boy.

Not knowing what the future would hold was very scary,” Carolyn says. “Life turned upside down once he arrived. We were torn between our little girl at home, our baby boy on life support and the day-today things that don’t go away when things like this occur – the mortgage still needs to be paid, our little girl still needs to go to preschool and ballet and so on. So, Richard needed to get back to work and I

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BABY’S space

“I loved feeling him move and knowing he was safe inside me gave me a lot of peace through a difficult pregnancy.”

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needed to find a way to juggle life between home and hospital. It wasn’t easy.”

The name Theodore means ‘gift from God’ and it seems he certainly is. “His middle name, William, means to protect and we thought this was a special choice for him also,” says Carolyn. “He is such a happy boy, with a heart of gold – even if half of it is missing!”

“Theodore just loves life, despite only having half a heart. He has been through so much surgery and faces even more in the future, but we choose to cherish every single day that we have with him.”

To support vital research to find a cure for Theodore’s heart, please donate to The Heart Centre for Children. Visit www. heartcentreforchildren.com.au to find out more.

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Things Carolyn Can’t Live Without

1. Nurseryworks Sleepytime Rocking Chair. It’s gorgeous and was the standout purchase. Even before Theodore was born, I’d sit there and relax and think about him. It was so special to finally be able to rock him in my arms. Every day we sit there and read stories together. He loves it.

2. Wooden Blocks. Theodore never tires of them!

2. The colours. They are so gentle and inviting and such a calm space for Theodore to spend time in.

1. Baby Bjorn Bouncer.

3. Capsule & pram. I have a maxi-cosi capsule that clicks into the Quinny Zapp stroller and it was the best thing ever.

4. Stokke Tripp Trapp. So easy to clean – the best high chair ever.

5. Dwell Studio Toy Storage. We love the storage bins.

Advice from Carolyn:

“Enjoy the small things and try not to worry about the bigger issues. It is the little things that bring the most joy – like seeing your baby smile across the room, or see him playing with his sister.

Everything is special.”

“I would encourage any other mum facing this sort of birth experience to stay strong and positive and focus not on the birth, but on the life that follows.”

3. The layout. It is simple and uncluttered. It is important to make things easy so that in the middle of the night when things go pear shaped, you are not fumbling about through drawers and containers.

4. Kaloo cot and change table. So cute and functional. It will be easy to convert the table to a chest of drawers when Theodore is out of nappies.

5. Cocoon Couture bean bags. A huge hit for both Tabitha and Theodore. It is adorable to see Tabitha sitting on the big bag, reading stories to her little brother on the little beanbag.

Such an adorable pair and they both enjoy books.

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Things Carolyn Loves About Theodore’s Room

BABY’S style

Owl Bunting $25 (www. willowtreedesigns.com.au)

Personalised Owl Design $65 (www. almondtreeframes. com.au) Pop & Lolli Enchanted Forest Trees Wall Decal $329 (www. alittlebitofcheek.com.au)

THEODORE’s

style.

bObles Elephant - 6 Layers $179 (www.exquira. com.au)

Take flight with gorgeous owl themed items and lovely details in soft greens and beiges.

Owl Mini Storage Box $15 (www. misslilly.com.au)

Farmland Friends Cot Quilt (with bonus carry bag) $129.95 (www.littlechipipi. com.au) Owl Baby Bib $12.95 (www. appleandbee.com) The Bamboo Flat Bear $25 (www.babychic. com.au)

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Kaszubebe Puzzle $25.95 (www. coccinella.com.au) November 2012

Bloom Luxo $1550 (www.bloombaby. com)

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BABY’S space

IN T R O D UCING

Charlotte Mae.

Born: 23rd June, 2011 Weight: 5 pound 5 (2.5kg) Mum: Kristine, 30 Dad: Luke, 32 Design aesthetic: Cottage Charm Photography: Rebecca Gray

F

irst time mum, Kristine, was determined to create a gorgeous space for baby daughter, Charlotte, despite the restrictions that she faced in doing so. “As with the rest of our house, the room is teeny-tiny,” Kristine explains. “There is little room for anything more than the basics. I am an incurable DIY-er and I relish the creative challenge of decorating on a budget – and I mean budget!”

The result of Kristine’s hard work is a gentle space with plenty of charm and character and decorated with a mix of antique, vintage and upcycled pieces.

“My husband and I installed the board and batten treatment ourselves,” Kristine explains. “We transformed the ugly beige wardrobe doors with some chalkboard paint and alphabet decals. I made the light fitting from an old zinc basket and I painted

the second hand cot that I bought from eBay. I also bought antique cedar drawers that I use as a change table and the rocking chair from eBay. I made new cushions for the chair, and I made the mobile from hand-crafted timber birds and twigs.”

Organised by nature, Kristine had planned to use some of her accrued annual leave to stop work a little earlier than most first time mums – at around 28 weeks. “I was really looking forward to that time, being at home and getting everything ‘ready’. I was only two weeks into my leave though and I landed in hospital! I hadn’t even bought any maternity bras yet, and I really had to rely on friends and family for many of the basics. They all offered their help with the nursery too, but I was adamant about completing that myself.”

Kristine’s 20 week scan had revealed a low

lying placenta, which is relatively common.

She was to return for a repeat scan at 32 weeks to confirm the position, but at 30 weeks she woke at 4am with what she thought was a minor bleed. “A few hours later, I was in the hospital being told that I needed to have my baby…now!”

“Thankfully, the bleeding subsided, though I was diagnosed with placenta previa and ordered to stay in hospital on bed rest – which ended up being two months! Placenta previa is a complication where the placenta attaches too low in the uterus and, as a result, part or all of the cervical opening is covered. This blocks baby’s passage out and can cause severe hemorrhaging at any time. It occurs in around one in 200 pregnancies and is very rare in a first pregnancy.”

Kristine says that, at first, she was

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“My life has changed a lot, although I still very much feel like the same person, which I think is important.”

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terribly upset about what was occurring.

“I felt robbed of the experience that I had envisioned and felt that I deserved. I soon came to realise that things could have been much worse, and in many ways I was actually quite fortunate. Still, it was hard to be away from home and to accept the fact that I had lost the opportunity to ‘nest’ for my first child.”

At 38 weeks, Kristine underwent a planned caesarian, which went smoothly.

“It was a surreal experience and seeing my child for the first time was the most amazing experience of my life!”

A quiet and placid baby, Charlotte has been content with her place in the world, despite the dramatic events leading up to her arrival. “After spending so long in hospital, I was just so grateful to be home, everything seemed wonderful! I didn’t have that sudden transition of being home alone one day and home with a baby the next that I imagine many new mothers have. In a very different way, life had already changed for me well before Charlotte arrived and I felt prepared and so eager for the next phase.”

Dad Luke is a teacher and, as many teachers are quick to say, the list of potential names is tainted by experience. “There were many names that I suggested that were automatically ruled out,” laughs Kristine. “Charlotte was a name that he loved and I think it is really pretty. We kept the name a secret but somehow my sister guessed it – both the given and middle name. She was visiting me in hospital one day about two weeks before the birth and she said, ‘I think if it’s a girl you’re going to call her Charlotte. And you know what I think is really nice following Charlotte?

May.’ I couldn’t believe it! To be a little different and slightly more modern, we changed the spelling to Mae though.”

Despite the difficulties with her pregnancy, Kristine is more than content with how it all turned out and she is loving life as a stay-at-home mum. “Obviously next time around it would be nice to be at home, but it really taught me not to rely too heavily on your ‘plan’ for the pregnancy and birth. As I learned, pregnancy is its own boss and can be fickle and unpredictable. Sometimes you just need to go with the flow.

You can read Kristine’s blog and get inspired to create your own décor at www.thepaintedhive.net

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Things Kristine Loves About Charlotte’s Room 1. The mobile. It’s whimsical and sweet and adds the tiniest hint of pink. I made it myself.

2. The chalkboard wardrobe.

3. The antique cedar change table drawers.

4. The gallery wall. All of the frames are from op shops and the bird prints are free printables from the internet.

5. The brass lamp.

Things Kristine Can’t Live Without 1. Bouncer.

2. Sleeping suits.

3. Teddy bear.

Advice from Kristine:

“I don’t feel qualified to offer advice!

Babies and mums are all so different – I think you have to just do what works for you.”

“Try not to feel too disillusioned if your birth doesn’t go to plan. A happy, healthy baby is the end goal.”

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Newborn Natural Lamington Sock-ings $12.50 (www. lamington.co.nz)

BABY’S style

Lady Peacock Chair Natural $995 (www. designchild.com.au)

CHARLOTTE’s

style.

La Lune Print $95 (www.larkstore.com.au)

Upcycle, reuse and get get creative with simple pieces that have a soft, natural feel.

Cuddle Bear $63USD (www.taneorganics.com)

Mac Quack Duck Baby Rattle $16.50 (www.nanahuchy. com.au) OUR HAPPY HOME Tram Scroll Print from $19 (www. mayandbelle. com.au)

Scrabble Cushion $39.95 (www.until. com.au)

Oeuf Sparrow Cot - Grey $1199 (www.kidostore.com)

Chella Girls Dress $87 (www.babatude.com)

Bella Special Occasion Dress $89 (www. chalkncheeseclothing. com.au) Bladis Basket $14.99 (www.ikea.com.au)

Spot Grey Wrap $44.95 (www.gaiaorganiccotton. com.au) November 2012

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FEEDING baby

my eye.

APPL E oF

Apple is one of the first foods that many babies taste - and one of the most versatile fruits there is.

Words by Cheree Heath Photography by Kate Monotti

Benjamin (9 months) wears Applepop Dribble Bib $13.50 (www. bibska.com.au) and Magic - Alls AIO Nappy $28 (www. babybeehinds.com.au) and Olive (13 months) wears Sunday Pink Apple Playsuit $34.95 (www.oobi.com.au) November 2012

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FEEDING baby

A

pples are a good choice for a first food for babies as they are considered to be one of the least allergic foods, are easy to digest and are available all year round.

One of the most important nutritional components of apples is that they contain two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble fibre.

Soluble fibre serves a very useful function in later life as it prevents the built up of cholesterol in the lining of the blood vessel walls.

Insoluble fibre regulates bowel movements by providing bulk in the intestinal tract. This holds water, which both cleans the digestive system and moves food along quickly.

Apples contain a mineral called boron which helps your bones stay strong and healthy, lots of antioxidants which help protect your body from diseases and Vitamin C - one apple supplies a quarter of your day’s Vitamin C needs.

Apples are versatile and work well in sweet or savoury food and they are very easy to prepare.

Chicken And Apple Fingers

Baked Apples

8 months plus

Ingredients: • 2 apples or more if cooking for all the family • butter • cinnamon, dried apricots and sultanas (for toddlers, older children and mums and dads)

6 months plus

Ingredients: • 1 cup minced chicken meat • 1 medium carrot • 1 medium apple • 1/2 small onion • 1/2 garlic clove • 1 small egg yolk • 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs • pinch crushed dried thyme • pinch crushed dried parsley • pinch freshly ground black pepper

Method: • Preheat oven on 180 degrees celsius.

• Core apples but leave the skin on or else the apple will turn to mash.

• Place a small amount of butter inside the core hole for baby, for the rest of the family fill the core hole with cut pieces of dried apricot and sultanas, then dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.

• Place the finished apples in a shallow baking pan or roasting pan that has been filled with a bit of water approximately 5cm deep.

• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until tender, checking the water level.

• Take out of the oven when the apples are tender, remove from pan and allow to cool down for babies and toddler.

• Slip the skin off for baby and toddler and cut into finger pieces.

• For mum and dad and the older children serve warm with skin on accompanied with warm custard.

• Select apples that are firm, brightly coloured and without bruises or marks and smooth. Avoid those with any sign of wrinkling to the skin.

• Store apples in the refrigerator not at room temperature, this way they will maintain their crispness for up to one month.

Method: • Peel and grate the carrot, apple and onion. Peel and crush the garlic clove.

• Put the minced chicken in a bowl, add the carrot, apple, crushed garlic and onion.

• Next add the beaten egg yolk, breadcrumbs, dried thyme, parsley and pepper. Mix well.

• Take small amount of the mixture and roll into sausages. Makes about eight sausages depending on what size you have made.

• Place the sausages under a grill and cook for 10 minutes on each side.

• Allow to cool and then serve with some steamed vegetables that can be eaten with fingers.

• NB. These also make great chicken hamburgers for toddlers/older children and mum and dad, just double the mixture.

Basic Apple Puree

Apple Rings

4 months plus ash, peel and core one or more red apples of your choice.

• Cut the apple/apples into chunks, and place them into the top of a steamer saucepan.

• Steam on medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

• Once the apples have cooked and are nice and soft, puree until smooth.

• Breast milk, formula or boiled cooled water can be added for a thinner consistency,

7 months plus These apple rings are a great natural teething ring and healthy snack for toddlers, older brothers and sisters and mum and dad.

•

Ingredients: • 2 large red apples

•

Buying And Storing Apples:

METHOD: • Pre heat oven to 200 degrees celsius.

• Line an oven tray with baking paper.

Wash, peel and core the apple.

• Make the apple rings by thinly slicing

•

•

the apples cross wise 3mm (1/8th of an inch) thick with a sharp knife.

Remove from the oven and let the apple rings cool completely before putting them into a sealed container.

Arrange single slices of apple rings on top of the baking paper.

Cook in the oven for 1-2 hours depending on whether you want your apple rings to be tough and leathery or dry and crisp.

Makes about 2 cups and keeps for up to three days.

a p p l e s a re e a s y to f i n d at a n y t i m e o f y e a r & s i m p l e to c oo k too .

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shop online

www.misshaidee.com.au

TRAVELING baby

“The trip was a lot more confronting... and a lot more rewarding than we ever would have thought.”

B a l i w i th

baby.

Or perhaps you can call it Travel 101? When her first baby took her first trip overseas, Jessika took notes on what worked...and what didn’t!

Words by Jessika Steiner

A

fter 6 months of being relative recluses as we navigated our way into parenthood my husband and I decided it was high time we took the plunge to make our yearly pilgrimage overseas.

Bali is a fantastic travel location as the Island is rich in culture and natural beauty and the locals are friendly and family orientated so we knew we’d be welcome with a little one. It was our destination of choice as we had been there a few times and felt it was exotic enough to feel like we were on holidays but not too much of a challenge that we’d be turned off travelling for life. Little did we know that 10 days holidaying with baby is more confronting

and a whole lot more rewarding than we ever imagined.

The flight from Sydney took about nine hours and was relatively painless. Made so by the fact that my parents and sister had joined us for the trip and were super keen to pass Ineke around when she got a bit stroppy. We took a day flight that arrived at Denpasar airport at 10:30pm local time (1:30am Sydney time) so Ineke was able to take her two regular daytime naps in the bassinet during the flight and ended up sleeping once we got to our hotel.

Here are some tips that I suggest will make your trip a little easier when travelling with a baby.

Tip 1: Book the bassinet on the plane

Make sure you always book the bassinet and get there as early as it is subject to availability. We were lucky enough to have it on both flights but I have heard of others who’ve missed out due to people getting there earlier and paying extra. Most carriers supply bassinets for babies up to 18 months of age but it also depends on the size and weight of the child. The ‘recommended’ weight is 11kg but this varies again depending on the carrier.

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Tip 4: Jetlag busters

Tip 2: Bring your own car seat.

After experiencing the Balinese’s unusual approach to driving and lack of seat belts we thought it best to bring our own car seat this time round.

I managed to buy a ‘Safe n Sound’ car seat on Gumtree for $50 and this worked a treat for the duration of the trip. I recommend hiring a driver so that you can ensure you have transport when you need it. We really bonded with our driver and ended up giving him the car seat at the end of our trip.

He had small children of his own and was really grateful as they cost a lot to buy in Bali.

We stayed the first couple of nights in Legian at a lovely family-friendly resort next to the beach. Despite the fact I normally like to ‘get off the beaten track’ I chose this location as it was only 20 mins drive from the airport. Perfect for unwinding after our flight and settling Ineke into the new time zone.

Tip 3: Make sure you book a cot at your hotel.

Now this seems like the obvious but a week before we left I suddenly remembered I hadn’t booked a cot for Ineke. Luckily cots are readily available in Bali and during our stay Ineke slept in anything from a simple port-a-cot to a number of intricately carved wooden numbers. Be sure to check the stability of all cots where your baby will be sleeping. This was a big concern of ours but we were very happy with the facilities offered to us.

TRAVELING baby

Surprisingly this only took a couple of days to conquer. After reading quite a few travel blogs I decided to do the gradual approach and get Ineke to bed half and hour closer to her normal bedtime everyday. Sydney is 3 hours ahead of Denpasar so this just meant heading to bed a little earlier for the first few nights which wasn’t a problem for us anyway as we were a bit jetlagged ourselves!

Tip 5: Ward off mozzies

Malaria isn’t a problem on the main Island of Bali but there are a number of other mosquito-born diseases so it pays to be safe. We bought a low-irritant baby-safe repellent and applied this to Ineke’s clothes and the exterior of her cot. We also made sure she was wearing long pants and tops in light colours when venturing out at dusk. Most hotels offer mosquito nets as an extra precaution too.

After two days in Legian we booked a driver to take us up into to the central highlands to a lovely town called Ubud.

Ubud is the artistic hub of Bali, located amongst the luscious tropical rainforest. It is a little less touristy than the beachside areas and tends to attract a more culturally sensitive crowd. We used Ubud as a base from which to visit local sights like the traditional arts and crafts markets, famous monkey forest and museums.

Blair and I took advantage of the grandparents and were able to escape for a bike ride amongst the scenic rice paddies and some massage pampering on site at our hotel.

In the evening Ubud has a great number of restaurants that come to life. Lotus Café is an old favourite where we saw a traditional Balinese Legong performance while eating tasty Indonesian fare. Whats more, we were able to book seating on bamboo mats which was just perfect for a sleeping baby. If you’re not travelling with family, professional nannies can be hired but like anywhere use at your discretion and best to research and book one prior to travelling.

Tip 6: Bring a light weight travel stroller

We were tempted to bring our Mountain Buggy Swift but ended up buying a light-weight Steelcraft holiday stroller. It was excellent to navigate the narrow footpaths and reclined so Ineke could nap while we had a stroll around the markets or stopped off at the many great coffee houses in Ubud.

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Accommodation suggestions:

Tip 7: Food hygiene and avoiding uncooked foods

As with most South East Asian countries the food is delicious but uncooked foods such as salads, peeled fruit and ice should be avoided. This is even more important for babies as they just don’t have the immunity to bacteria and microbes that adults do. Ineke ate a variety of familiar jar and sachet foods we brought from home and was able to enjoy fruit we washed (with bottled water) and cut up ourselves. At this stage she was still breastfed three times a day so this supplemented her diet.

Make sure you bring your own small knife and always carry hand sanitiser and bottled water with you. Obviously all formula must be mixed with bottled water as tap water can carry waterborn bacteria. I also found that plastic bibs were a life saver as they didn’t take long to dry in the humidity. P.S When you reserve your plane tickets book a baby meal for your little one. This saves carrying tonnes of extra food with you in the cabin.

The last four days of our trip were spent in the Eastern coastal town of Padangbai.

We rented a villa at an Eco-Resort and spent our days relaxing by the pool. I’d highly recommend spending more time in one place. If we were to do it again I think we’d probably stay somewhere like this and use it as a base for the duration our stay.

As Bali is such a small island it never takes more than an hour or so to get to where you want to go and you can relax knowing you don’t have to pack up baby and all her necessities and move every few days.

Kumlala Pantai – Legian: Familyfriendly and reasonably priced with a resort atmosphere. This hotel is only 20 minutes drive from the airport and situated directly on the beach amongst the tourist mecca of Bali. Good for shopping and a stopover to acclimatise before moving on to the more authentic Bali experience. www.kumalapantai.com Tjampuhan Hotel – Ubud: Situated on the edge of a rainforest river this hotel is absolutely stunning. A bit more pricey, this hotel has everything you could ever need including its own Spa in a series of grottos near the river. Be sure to request a room close to reception to avoid the many stairs unless you want a calf workout! tjampuhan.com Bloo Lagoon Eco Villas – Padangbai.

These cosy self-contained family friendly villas are off the beaten track (about 2 hours from Denpasar) The view of the ocean is stunning and you can rest easy knowing that Bloo lagoon practice sustainable living. Padagbai is perfect for those who want to get off the beaten track or have a stopover on their way to Lombok Island. There are some lovely secluded beaches in the area and many dive centres that take snorkelling and scuba diving parties out to the coral reefs. www.bloolagoon.com For excellent travel advice for Bali visit this great site: www.littlebalilove.com

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BABES abroad

V E G E MI T E & MIC H E LIN

stars.

Lily MacLeod has accumulated a lot of air miles. She’s lived in France, Hong Kong and Thailand, sampled exotic foods and taken her morning swims at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world - and she’s only fourteen months old!

Words by Sacha van Weel

W

ith Thailand’s stunning island of Koh Samui as their current home (or Samui as the locals call it), Aussie dad Luke, and French mum Isabelle, have made sure that little Lily’s first few years will be an introduction to diversity, multiculturalism and some of the best food and scenery the world has to offer.

It’s an exciting life they lead but the simple pleasures they love. A typical day for the MacLeod family involves waking up and heading to the terrace for a breakfast of fresh, exotic fruit, taking a leisurely walk where Lily stops to pick up every flower and leaf she sees, an afternoon nap and then off to one of Koh Samui’s pristine white, sandy beaches to swim, build sand castles and watch the sunset. Luke, a chef, relishes the time he has to acquaint Lily with the

kitchen and make their own yoghurt and bake banana cake (although it’s dad who prefers to lick the bowl and spoon!). They regularly sample the local cuisine and a favourite past-time is to search the local markets for tasty produce that they take home and cook up together.

The foundation for Lily’s exotic, fairytale life was established well before she made her debut appearance in the heart of Normandy, France. Luke, (who trained under the tutelage of Masterchef ’s Gary Meeghan), had left Australia years earlier and after long hours of dedication and determination, reached what most chefs would consider to be the pinnacle of their careers: A coveted position working for the world-renowned, three-Michelin star chef, Pierre Gagnaire. (His prior gig was

‘second de cuisine’ to France’s best up and coming Michelin star chef, Alexandre Bourdas. His restaurant, SaQuaNa, received its second star while Luke was resident in the kitchen.)

Despite telling himself when he was still studying at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast TAFE that he would one day work for Pierre, Luke says “I learnt a lot, but sometimes the fantasy is better than the reality”. Luke’s best memories of France are a far-cry from his Michelin-starred life, and full of experiences and values that he is determined to hand down to Lily trawling the markets on a limited budget, hand picking fresh produce and taking it home to cook it up for friends and family to share and enjoy.

However exotic their life sounds, it’s

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BABES abroad these simple, shared values and a priority for finding the balance between work and family that allow Luke, Isabelle and Lily to adapt so easily from one culture to another.

For Luke and Isabelle, finding the balance between work and family life is the key to happiness, regardless of what corner of the globe they choose as their home.

Lily’s parents may have grown up literally a world apart, but shared values and the discovery that they had both grown up on a farm brought these two together like vegemite and cheese. Individually they are very different, together they make a winning combination. “The fact that her mum makes killer paté, sausages, bacon, ham and homemade foie gras doesn’t hurt either!” It was the simple things that attracted Luke in the first instance to Isabelle - a surprise, midnight birthday party after work when he thought that everyone had forgotten, an impromptu afternoon tea by the river and a shared

philosophy on the importance of making time for friends and family. They were married in one of France’s oldest, wooden churches in the picturesque, seaside village of Honfleur, where they also lived and worked. It was here where Luke worked at the exclusive SaQuaNa (you have to book months in advance!), and really got to indulge his passion for early morning market treks to hand-pick seafood and fresh produce. Famous for its impressionist painters, abundant seafood and quaint, romantic restaurants situated around the ancient harbour, this was to be Lily MacLeod’s first home.

When Lily was only a few months old, Luke got an offer to work in Pierre Gagnaire’s famous Mandarin Oriental restaurant meaning a relocation from France to Hong Kong. The family had barely enough time to adjust to their new life before Luke’s workload was giving him only one day a week to spend with Lily

and Isabelle. Reality took over from the fantasy, but thankfully it wasn’t long before Luke (who was already making a name for himself in the world of gastronomy), was headhunted and asked to run the restaurants at the luxurious Intercontinental Hotel in Koh Samui.

The MacLeod’s packed up, moved again and arrived in Koh Samui to find the balance they’d been hoping to achieve.

The new position gave Luke complete autonomy in running the restaurant and the freedom to create a new menu inspired by his desire to showcase the local produce and combine all the things he had lived, loved and experienced over the past decade.

Above all, it gave him the time he needed to devote himself to Isabelle and Lily.

Lily is a constant source of amazement for Luke and her beach explorations have even inspired him to plate up masterpieces like ‘Snorkelling in Koh Samui’: mouthwateringly, fresh seafood floating on

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BABES abroad

“Finding the balance between work and home is the key to happiness, regardless of what corner of the globe you live in.” [a vacuum-packed bag of] seawater and surrounded by shells, sand and driftwood.

A breakfast treat consists of Anzac Cookies made slightly dry and formed into muesli topped with homemade yoghurt, tropical fruit and raspberry sorbet. Life just doesn’t get much more idyllic than this.

With friends and family popping over for regular visits, the sense of family unity that is inherent in the Thai people and having mum and dad close by to witness every milestone, Lily will never feel the isolation that living in a foreign country can sometimes induce. She’ll learn to speak French, English and will probably pick up more than a few Thai phrases along the way. In a few years, she’ll have a more sophisticated palate than most kids, and with Luke and Isabelle laying down plans to one day move back to Australia and open a restaurant, she’ll have the opportunity to discover yet another culture;

but this time it will be a culture that is completely her own.

Lily’s passport may need renewing soon for lack of pages left to stamp.

Her jet-setting and idyllic lifestyle will probably seem completely normal to her as time goes by, but in years to come her experiences and access to different cultures and languages will remain with her and leave her with a wealth of memories and photos. With grandparents and family on either sides of the globe, travel will always be an inherent part of the MacLeod’s lifestyle. And though her life will be rich and diverse, it will be a love of the simple life that Lily’s parents will strive to cultivate in her. Regardless of where they call home, Luke and Isabelle will continue to ensure that, central to Lily’s upbringing, is the maintanance of that precious, and everso-important balance between work and family life.

Things Luke and Lily miss about Australia: 1. Vegemite - thanks to family and friends who send jars over, Lily never goes without her vegemite toast 2. Australian food philosophy - when working in France, Luke missed the freedom he had in Australia to experiment and take risks (French food philosophy is based on hundreds of years of solid tradition and has hardly changed) 3. Friends and family

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l ot s o f p rod u c t s g e a red to wa rd s tr av e l a re g re at f or ho m e too .

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WORKING mum

S T YL E &

substance.

As a mother of three who put a lot of time and thought into the products she eventually buys for her children, Mandi Gunsberger, the woman behind www.babyology.com.au, understands how becoming a parent means becoming a different kind of consumer.

Words by B. Louise

M

andi spent her pre-baby years working as a film talent agent, event manager, and in marketing and public relations in the hotel industry, including a stint in San Francisco, before returning to Australia. “Living in the USA gave me an insight into technology and new media that led me to launching Babyology in 2007, after having my first child Hayley in 2006,” says Mandi. “I wanted a career that would give me job satisfaction but also the flexibility to raise a family.”

Babyology is a lifestyle review website and Mandi’s ‘fourth baby’, focusing on all things infant, toddler and tween. Even though the business launched after Mandi gave birth, the seeds were planted earlier when Mandi was pregnant. Her interest in interior design and fashion combined with her own

personal research into baby products on which she kept comprehensive research, started as a small private blog, which she thought could develop into an online resource for Australian parents craving the same information.

“Pregnancy and having a baby are exciting times in people’s lives and I think it’s natural for people to want to make it as special as possible,” says Mandi. “What has changed in recent times is the amount of choice when it comes to children’s products. This is why Babyology tries to help parents make good purchasing decisions when faced with so many options.”

The products Mandi features on the site are all chosen based on helping discerning parents find products that are suited to

their tastes, as well as covering areas such as travel, activities and event ideas for kids birthday parties, christenings and baby showers, that Mandi believes parents like to peruse, before making major financial decisions.

The site obviously resonates with Australian parents, given that Babyology has grown so much since Mandi first created it, from a one-woman project to a thriving business with a team of 12 staff located in Australia, as well as America and Europe.

“Since launching, Babyology has achieved considerable success and experienced solid growth. Babyology now reaches an audience of approximately 160,000 unique visitors each month,” says Mandi.

Mandi hasn’t looked back, having two more daughters, Polly in 2008 and little

m eet the w o m a n b eh i n d b a b y o l o g y . . . w i th her n e w e s t a dd i t i o n !

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WORKING mum

Audrey in August of this year, but still continuing to expand Babyology, especially in the realm of social media.

“Babyology has a very strong presence on Facebook (over 60,000 fans) and very active Pinterest community (50+ pins each day) and in the last year we’ve launched a presence on Instagram. We’ll be keeping an eye out for other exciting platforms to connect with our readers in the future.

Digital media is changing so fast that we always need to be adapting,” says Mandi.

Of course with having three children, Mandi says she has had to find ways to work on the business around school and preschool drop-offs and pick-ups, as well as music, gymnastics and swimming classes, play dates and family time at the park and

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the beach. “Running this kind of business is a 24/7 job but all I need is my iPhone to stay connected,” says Mandi. “The Babyology team is amazing. I just check in throughout the day in case anyone needs anything and then work every night after the kids go to bed. However the bulk of the Babyology team is often online at night too,” says Mandi.

Besides her staff Mandi also credits her husband Ben, as the reason she is capable of running a business with looking after their girls. “While working a full time job as a computer graphics supervisor in the film industry, he still finds time to support me with Babyology,” says Mandi. “We share everything that needs to be done based on who has the most time that day.”

Although she’s reached a point where she manages well now with her team, Mandi says the period after Polly was born when she was caring for two kids under two, while trying to grow Babyology in its early stages, was difficult. However once she switched her mindset from working on short-term projects to a long-term business plan which was based on her goals of where she wanted to be with her business at various points in the future, Mandi says she was able to make more progress. This has meant that Babyology has moved forward to the point it is at today. Mandi says her mentor Kylie Little, the original founder of Essential Baby, played a key role in helping her do this.

Her personal experiences of trying to find quality time for her family ensures Mandy sees the value in the brands and services that cater to busy parents that are emerging in the market. “Many parents are taking advantage of services that let them outsource household tasks like house cleaning, food preparation and birthday parties organised for them so the limited time they have can be spent one-on-one with their kids,” says Mandi.

Mandi also recognises that as much parents want affordable and practical products, they also like to be inspired by the latest and greatest, which is why she can’t resist reviewing some of the more luxurious products she comes across.

“People are able to buy products that are more in line with their personal style and needs, whatever they may be, now more than ever before,” says Mandi. “And sometimes it’s nice to dream.”

A lot can change between Baby #1 and Baby #3 – especially in a rapidly growing and changing market like the maternity/ newborn/children industry.

We asked Mandi about the changes she has found during the last few years, and what she has learnt in that time about what you really need: “It’s easy to pick the first-time parents.

They’re the ones wandering around the baby store with a mile-long list of things to buy for baby. It wasn’t that long ago I was one of them.

“In the excitement of our first pregnancy, my husband and I bought all sorts of things we thought we needed. It’s what first-time parents do. Things like a special pillow to stop our baby getting a flat head, a fancy battery-guzzling musical box and light

WORKING mum

projector that just kept our baby awake and an expensive nappy bin for the nursery to hold soiled nappies. We realised rather quickly that the outside bin was a much nicer option!

“Here’s some other things you can easily do without when it comes to newborns.

Teeny tiny shoes and sneakers are super cute, but odds are your baby will never, ever wear them. I still have the itsy bitsy Puma crib shoes I bought in a weak moment during my first pregnancy, though my daughter – and then her younger sister two years later – never wore them, not even once! The same applies for newborn-sized jeans that so many expectant mums cluck over. Babies are most comfortable in their first weeks and months in simple cotton or bamboo jumpsuits – organic if you like - and most prefer to be swaddled or wrapped too in the early days. So forget shoes and opt for little cotton socks or soft booties instead. Don’t go overboard with baby clothes. Babies outgrow 0000 and 000 outfits within weeks and most likely you will receive plenty of small sizes as gifts.

People love to buy tiny baby clothes as presents!

“We’ve just set up a nursery for baby number three and this time round we know exactly what we need for our newborn.

“Wraps are crucial for helping babies sleep soundly. I used ordinary wraps for my first child, but her arms were always escaping and she would startle and wake herself up.You’ll find babies have an innate ability to escape from their wraps, however snuggly you think you have swaddled them.

This time round I will be investing in new-style swaddles with zips, like the Ergo Cocoon or the Love To Swaddle.

“Baby monitors have also come a long way. Today’s video models allow you to see your baby too, or just use your smartphone.

There are iPhone apps for keeping tabs on baby as well as for tracking breastfeeds, contractions and more.

“A baby sling or carrier is very useful but I recommend waiting until your baby arrives before buying one. Some babies prefer to be upright in a Baby Bjorn-style carrier while others like the snugness of a sling. It’s a good idea to hold off and try your baby in each style to see which is more comfortable for them.

“Babies need somewhere safe to sleep but you can forego a bassinet or cradle and put baby straight into a cot. A designer option

is nice and certainly gives your nursery the wow factor if there’s money to spare, but as long as your cot meets Australian safety standards, it doesn’t matter if it costs $100 or $2000. Make sure the linen is also a safe option and be aware of cot bumpers and other bedding accessories that might not meet SIDS recommendations.

“Next comes the all-important pram.

There are so many options right now and more coming into the Australian market all the time.You need to make sure to choose the pram that is right for you, your lifestyle, climate and needs. Things to look out for are whether it is suitable for a newborn, does a bassinet come with the pram, the weight, suspension, whether you want your baby to face you or away, if the handlebars are adjustable and reversible (if you and your partner are a different height).

Not to forget colour and style! If you’re planning on adding to your family, think about whether you need a pram that can be adapted to carry two children. And it may sound silly, but consider borrowing a friend’s baby to test-drive your short-listed prams. Some are easy to push when empty, or with a light-as-a-feather newborn inside, but become much different with a heavier baby or toddler on board.

“Car safety is crucial and most hospitals

won’t let you take your newborn home in the family car unless midwives are sure you have a suitable car seat fitted. I had a regular car capsule but it was a killer on my back as my babies grew. This time I am going for a Maxi Cosi car seat that clips into the base of the pram so I can easily move the baby from home, to car, to school pick-ups and without waking them.”

And for the woman who knows about everything baby – what are some of Mandi’s favourite things?: 1. For practicality, my Bugaboo Cameleon3 and Maxi Cosi capsule are incredible. Being able to take the capsule out of the car and put it straight on the pram base is fantastic.

2. Every season I’ve bought clothes for the girls from eeni meeni miini moh.

I love their colours and details.

3. For myself, I could never live without my Orla Keily handbag and raincoat. Their bold patterns are so fun.

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I n l o v i n g m e m or y o f

Thomasina Bridget Brasier.

8 th M a r c h 2 0 1 2 - 1 3 th O c to b er 2 0 1 2

Help other little ones just like Thomasina by donating to Heart Kids - www.heartkids.org.au/donate-to-heartkids 188

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Photography by Kate Monotti

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RECORDING childhood

“One mother

R e c ord i n g

childhood.

Gretchen Rubin, in her bestselling book The Happiness Project says: “The days are long, but the years are short.” It’s a sentiment that resonates with parents the world over, one that prompts many a diary entry, photograph and video recording.

Here are a few creatives who capture childhood.

looked at a photograph of her baby in the bassinet and said, ‘I can just smell Ruby in that photo.’ I knew there my job was done.”

Words: Jodi Wilson Photography: Beth Jennings & Tim Coulson

T

here is no denying that childhood is fleeting. Those months and years of exceptional growth and expansion pass by in a blur of disrupted sleep, dirty washing and mornings at the park. It seems that just yesterday there was a birthday; tomorrow it’s time to bake the next cake.

Brisbane-based mama and photographer Georgia Brizuela takes photos to capture memories, especially when she feels like she’s overwhelmed by the enormity of motherhood. “There is a big wall near my house and on it are the words: ‘The longer you look at it, the bigger it gets.’ I realised that it’s true, the more I focused on something, the larger it became in my life. I decided to focus on the delight; to document all the tender, wonderful moments that make my heart sing and let

them become big – and they have,” she says.

Her well-known blog documentingdelight.com features photos of her children Priya and Theo, a 365 day project that chronicles their adventures and colourful home life. Georgia has captured Priya mid-pirouette, Theo with a quivering bottom lip, brother and sister joyously bouncing on a hotel bed. As individual photos they depict a single moment – as a series they tell the story of childhood.

“Photographically it’s a huge, huge task and whenever I look at it I think ‘Did I really do that?’,” says Georgia. “I look at the photos and see so many moments that filled my heart with joy and to seem them all lined up, well, I feel so lucky.” Taking the time to document the goodness amidst the normality provides countless opportunities

to be grateful, and a thorough record of the year. As well as posting on her blog, Georgia prints every photo in a coffee table book at the end of the year, one for each child. It is, to her, the very best kind of documentation. But what will it mean to Priya and Theo when they’re grown?

“I think about this sometimes...what will they think when they pour through the pages of memories and love letters?

I can imagine Theo saying ‘Aww mum, gross’ about the words I have written with each photo. Priya will say ‘I can’t believe you included this photo with my finger up my nose!’ But, I can only hope they are delighted by their own innocence and are inspired to be present and in love with their own little ones,” she says.

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RECORDING childhood

Photo: Tim Coulson

Photo: Beth Jennings

Photo: Tim Coulson

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RECORDING childhood Photo: Tim Coulson Home is where real life happens and for professional photographer Tim Coulson, it’s the perfect place to document memories. Eighteen months ago he saw an opportunity – one that became the catalyst for an entirely new and successful career.

He has a passion for photographing families in their homes because he believes that there is beauty in the every day. He shoots in natural light, often in the early morning, when the children are in their pyjamas and pancakes are cooking on the stove.

“People book me because they want to see beautiful details that exist in their everyday lives – in their homes and in their families. Those details exist for every single family; you just have to see them and recognise what is really happening,” he says. Tim is present and engaged on every

shoot and his photos are testament to the emotional connection he shares with his subject. Each photo is a captured moment, one that is rarely recorded; a mother consoling a child, a father leading the way, siblings in fits of giggles - everything that already exists.

After creating a series of stunning family sessions Tim recognised that many of his clients and his friends owned DSLRs but weren’t using them to their full potential.

He promptly launched The Nursery: A People Photography Workshop and is taking it on tour across Australia and New Zealand. His attendees have one thing in common; they want to shoot manual and capture their children’s days in a collection of photographs – memory keepers.

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RECORDING childhood

Melbourne-based photographer Beth Jennings also photographs families. Together with her clients she pre-plans the entire shoot – location, food, clothing, jewellery and props are considered and created.

She aims to build a story for each family in a whole new way with the fusion of still images, video, audio, text and music.

“My clients want images that literally stop time, images that capture their child’s unique personality in context...the tiniest expressions, gestures, smiles – it’s all so delicate and subtle,” she says. Ultimately she aims to photograph a moment that will trigger memories. “One mother, Tina, was looking at a photograph taken of her baby in the bassinet. ‘Oh, I can smell Ruby’s room just looking at that photo,’ she said.

And I knew, right there, that my job was done,” says Beth.

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Photo: Beth Jennings

RECORDING childhood

Photo: Beth Jennings Photo: Beth Jennings Mum-of-three Brydie Piaf admits that she gets quite sentimental about precious moments passing by too quickly. “In words and photos I try to capture the essence of a particular moment or period in their lives...because before long the boys will have whiskers and Edie will be wearing high heels,” she says. Each child has a book that Brydie created shortly after they were born, starting, rather aptly, with their birth story. Every year, around their birthday, Brydie writes a recap of the year and talks about their birthday celebrations. At other times she records the funny things they say, usually so hilarious they need to be

committed to paper. The documenting process is an organic one, often spurred by her boys’ magical thoughts or new-found knowledge. “If we travel somewhere I send a postcard from our holiday destination and it gets pasted into the book too,” says Brydie.

Likewise, Sydney writer and mum-of-two Jodi Wadling jots down sweet thoughts about her children on arty postcards found whilst out and about. “They are everywhere – in cafes and corridors of the most public places and they are beautiful, quirky pieces of art begging to be appreciated,” she says.

Photo: Beth Jennings

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RECORDING childhood

Photo: Beth Jennings

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RECORDING childhood

Photo: Beth Jennings

Photo: Beth Jennings

Inspired to document the journey, Jodi writes about why she chose the particular card and how it resonates with the day. “I gravitate towards cards that say something about the spirit of the time, what my girls were saying, wearing, smiling at - and undoubtedly doing to make us smile back at them and the world.”

Instead of filing them together, Jodi keeps the postcards between the pages of books that she revisits often. “The pleasure of returning to my favourites is enhanced when I find a moment in my girls’ lives long since gone,” she says.

For those who document childhood there is a shared concern that being the photographer or the writer removes them from the moment. Recording childhood is beautiful and important, but experiencing it with your naked senses, imbued with the scent and sound of a moment – it makes for a complete memory. Be right there in it - present, attentive, completely lost in the moment.

Find Tim & The Nursery at www. timcoulson.com and Beth Jennings is offering a special of just $495 for a CD of your ten favourite images and a 75+ years archival canvas ready to hang. Visit www.bethjennings.com for this special and more details. See more photographers from LittleONE in your area on page 207.

f i n d s o m eo n e w ho l oo k s to c a p t u re re a l l i f e & e v er y d ay m o m e n t s .

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A LITTLE essay

BU R N T H E

book...

Just putting it back on the shelf will not do. You will need to physically remove it from your house or you might be tempted to keep going back for more punishment.

Words by Rowena Meadows

I

will not mention the name of the book that had me feeling this way after the birth of my first baby but what upsets me the most, is that I let it get to me for at least the first six months of her life.

Let’s rewind back a little to when this book started polluting my mind whilst on my babymoon in Thailand. Instead of enjoying my last slice of child-free holiday, there I was, a six months pregnant whale, busting out of my indecent bikini (should have purchased sensible maternity swimsuit), with my yellow highlighter and my book. That’s when I began mentally creating a standard for my baby and me, which in my total ignorance I felt should be simple enough to obtain. In my paranoia, I even made my husband read the highlighted sections and tested him to ensure his commitment to implementing this parenting approach.We had a huge fight when he miserably failed my pop quiz and I accused him of not being committed to preparing for our baby. I know, complete psycho pregnant lady, right? I just think it was very hard for me to accept that my baby was not coming with its’ own individualised set of instructions.We are used to instruction manuals in this day and age. If we don’t know something, we can find it out immediately with a little bit of Google action.We demand answers, and we get them!

So when our precious daughter arrived and did not conform to the strict routine recommended in the book, I became distraught. I kept reading it, flipped the pages at 3am during night feeds that sometimes lasted two hours.Tears fell on the pages that repeatedly told me that my baby could and should be on a routine from day one of her life. I yelled at my husband when he suggested we could go out for a coffee at a time that didn’t match up with the book’s recommendations. I despaired when my 198

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baby slept or fed at the wrong times and what’s worse, I even began to resent her for not doing what the book said. This book’s control over me was impairing my ability to bond with my little girl! So I put it back on the shelf, knowing that it didn’t really feel right, but I kept going back to it every now and then. I suppose I was lacking the ‘mother confidence’ required to recognise and appreciate my own natural instincts.

Pregnant women everywhere with little experience of babies are buying baby books and hanging on their every word in the lead up to the birth of their first babies. And it is not just the books. It has become increasingly evident to me that the community holds the concept of ‘a routine’ as the blanket answer to all baby problems.

Even single friends without children brought out the old ‘routine solution’ when they encountered my baby! If I could have a box of nappies for every time somebody has suggested that my constantly unsettled baby would do better on a routine, I wouldn’t need to even think about toilet training my daughter until the age of 10! Honestly, when I was in the thick of it, I felt like this ‘routine’ concept for newborns was invented to make struggling mothers feel like monumental failures.

I managed to bite my tongue when a pregnant friend mentioned that she would be having lots of visitors at the hospital because the first two weeks at home with the new baby would be visitor free. The purpose being to use those two weeks to get her newborn firmly settled into a routine!!

The poor love would most likely be headed for tears unless she hit the jackpot with the perfect, golden baby. Routines are brilliant, for older babies and toddlers but there is a

huge risk to the mental health of a first time mother who thinks a routine for her brand new baby is what she should be aiming for.

My intention is not really to specifically criticise baby books or routines for newborns, just to highlight the fact that when a source of advice is making you miserable, it is probably a good idea to look elsewhere. I have no doubt that this particular book has been a lifesaver for other mums, (I’m sure of it because they’ve told me) but just not me. It’s true that for every story like mine, there’s another attesting to the fact a particular book or routine was perfect for another baby. In my limited mothering experience, I have learned that the best approach is to gather little tools from lots of different sources.

Create a ‘mothering toolkit’ with little pearls of wisdom from a variety of sources.

Only add them to your kit if they feel right and trust your instincts when they don’t. My ‘mothering toolkit’ is a mishmash of advice from very different books and very different people. The most important criteria for my ‘tools’ is that they empower and encourage me rather than leaving me feel like a ‘bad mother’ with a ‘bad baby’.

What is the most important piece of advice I have? Love your baby, survive the day, be gentle to yourself, surround yourself with support and keep your expectations low.

Things like patting, rocking or feeding to sleep can be broken but you can never get back the opportunity to shower your new baby with love. Let your baby see the loving, nurturing, happy, relaxed you, not the frustrated, paranoid, and disempowered you. Burn that book, or better still, sell it on eBay.

BABY’S space

IN T R O D UCING

Xavier.

Born: 17th October, 2011 Weight: 9 pound 3 (4.2kg) Mum: Kelle, 33 Dad: Niki, 34 Design aesthetic: Natural Calm Photography: Maureen Haynes & Kelle Howard-Dean

W

e actually found Xavier’s gorgeous room floating around on the internet and we just couldn’t wait to get a better look, and hear about the story behind the room. Although Xavier’s gorgeous room is definitely a gender neutral design, Kelle and Niki actually knew that a boy was on the way when mum, Kelle, started designing the room.

“We knew right away that we wanted to find out what we were having,” Kelle explains. “My husband was certain we were having a girl, and I was sure we were having a boy. I’d heard of another couple who had asked the sonographer to write the sex on a card and put it in an envelope for them to open later on. We thought

it was such a beautiful and personal idea, so we booked a restaurant for dinner and opened the envelope and card there. It was such a special moment, just the two of us, and we still have the card to remind us of it.”

Kelle had started thinking about a nursery as soon as she knew she was pregnant, but she waited until after the 12 week scan to get started on the design. “I’ve always loved interior design,” says Kelle. “It was important for us to have a special place to hang out. I wanted the room to be fresh and modern, and we can easily add touches that reflect Xavier’s personality as he gets older.”

The result of Kelle’s hard work is a

gorgeous calm and soothing space that is quite neutral with pops of blue throughout.

“I really focused on the ‘details’, searching high and low online and in stores and I made sure that I only included pieces that I really loved. I loved the idea of stripes in the room to add some depth and interest, the paint colours are nice and neutral so they compliment rather than take over the space,” Kelle says. “I saw an image of Trina Turks shop front over in the States and she had used a vibrant blue along with a yellow colour and I just loved that. I searched for a Moroccan pouffe in exactly that colour and that became the starting point of the room.”

When Kelle found out she was

a dd c o l o u r i n a s u b t l e way f or a tr u ly f re s h a n d l i g ht f ee l .

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BABY’S space

pregnant, in addition to creating Xavier’s room, she and Niki also decided to undergo a major renovation. “It made the pregnancy go pretty fast, but it was also stressful at times,” Kelle admits. She also found that her pregnancy wasn’t exactly as she had thought it would be either. “I certainly didn’t anticipate getting as big as I did! I put on nearly 40kg of ‘baby weight’ and that definitely became a hindrance as time went on. Swollen feet and no energy in those last few weeks was tough too, but I just tried to be grateful that I was lucky enough to be pregnant.”

Kelle and Niki attended a Calmbirth course a few months before her due date, and she firmly believes that many of the techniques that she learnt there helped with Xavier’s birth which she describes as ‘quick and painful!’. “My waters broke at 11.30pm on my due date and we were at the hospital an hour later as I started having

very strong contractions immediately. My blood pressure was high, so I was being monitored and that was tough as it meant I wasn’t able to move off the bed. I used visualisation techniques to get me through – picturing the three of us playing in the pool and at the beach as he grew up, and also of my Dad who had lost a very long battle with cancer but was always able to remain strong. I had taken a photo of Dad into the birthing suite and had already planned to think of him when things got tough – he was so strong with what he went through, so I could get through this!

Xavier was born at 5.30am.”

Like so many new mums, Kelle says that she was reluctant to ask for help when she and Xavier arrived home. “I found those first few weeks quite overwhelming, and I tried to get out and about as much as possible. In hindsight, I should have taken it easier and just focused on being a new mum, as opposed to ‘super mum’. Next time around, I will definitely take on people’s offers to help with the housework and cooking! Niki has had a really busy year with work too, so I found long days at home alone a bit tough at times. I found a great mothers’ group though, and they have definitely kept me sane!”

With his lovely nature, Xavier has certainly helped Kelle make the transition to ‘mum’.

“He has been a really chilled little guy, since the day he was born. He always goes with the flow and has blended into our lives seamlessly. He is always smiling and he doesn’t mind a little flirt with the ladies either!”

Kelle is now using her design skills to create nurseries for other families.

Check out her details at www. habitatandbeyondkids.com.au

“I made sure I remained as calm and relaxed as I could through my pregnancy, and Xavier is definitely a happy and chilled out little boy.”

c l a s s i c p i e c e s m i x ed w i th h a n d m a de i te m s m a k e the s pa c e wa r m .

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1. The driftwood hanging wardrobe.

This is my absolute favourite thing!

My husband and I made it and it is perfect for hanging some of your favourite baby clothes.

2. The ‘I love you more than you’ll ever know’ print. It bought it from Esty and as soon as I saw this I teared up and knew I had to have it. From the moment I found out I was pregnant I felt the most unbelievable love for my baby.

3. Little Lion teddy bear. This was my dad’s – I gave it to him for courage when he was in hospital and now it belongs to Xavier.

4. The butterfly mobile. It is so delicate and catches the light so well. Xavier really loves it.

5. The stripes on the wall. They add a bit of interest and the subtle butterfly decals on the wall near the cot add to the space.

Things Kelle Can’t Live Without 1. Love Me Baby sleeping bag. Xavier likes to feel the security of being wrapped, so this sleeping bag was a life saver.

2. Dummy. I wasn’t going to use them but I am so glad that I did! He only has them to drift off to sleep with, or to settle when he is overtired, but they really help.

3. Fisher Price Bath. He has grown out of it now, but it has a little ‘stopper’ in the middle to sit the baby on which makes it easier to bathe them.

4. Sophie the Giraffe. When he hit four months, this was the first toy that he really enjoyed playing with.

5. Exersaucer. It was great in those early months when he couldn’t sit unassisted. He loves to stand, so playing in his exersaucer gave him some independence and he loved that!

BABY’S space

Things Kelle Loves About Xavier’s Room

Advice from Kelle:

“Not planning too much for the birth really helped me. I did have a birth plan, however I wasn’t too hung up on whether or not the plan changed – just whatever was best for Xavier and me on the day. The Calmbirth Course definitely helped me with the experience as well.”

“Try and take it easy, book in some time for yourself too and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done. I believe that a child can sense how you are feeling, so if they have a happy mum then it makes things easier and happier for them too!”

“Make Etsy your best friend! It is really the perfect place to search for all the unique accessories for your room. I literally spent hours searching and had a lot of fun doing it!”

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A Child’s Day from $24 (www.hugsandinspiration. com.au)

BABY’S style

Replica Stone Stool $89 (www.clickonfurniture. com.au)

Noah’s Ark $24.95 (www.rudyandthedodo. com.au)

XAVI E R ’ s

style.

Create a calm and relaxing space with soft grey and white, adding just a pop of colour with a beautiful turquoise.

The Pallero Glider Chair & Ottoman $699 (www. tushitots.com.au) Light Blue Rowing Oars PJ $42.95 (www. huckleberrylane. com)

Make A Message $90 (www. flatoutfrankie. com)

Lelby’s Owl $17 (www.avidiva. com.au)

Moroccan Leather Pouffe $189 (www. larkstore.com.au)

Bradley Pull On Cargo Short $35 (www. minihaha.com.au) Boori Sleigh Cot $799 (www.babybunting.com.au) 204

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STOCKISTS

41 Orchard www.41orchard.com A Lillie Bug www.alilliebug.com.au A Little Bit Of Cheek www.alittlebitofcheek.com.au Absolutely Gorgeous www.absolutelygorgeous.com.au Ada & Darcy www.adaanddarcy.com.au All About Heidi www.allaboutheidi.com.au Almond Tree Frames www.almondtreeframes.com.au Amby www.amby.com.au Amor Amor Designs www.amoramordesigns.com.au And the Little Dog Laughed www.andthelittledoglaughed.com Andable www.andable.com Apple & Bee www.appleandbee.com Aromababy www.aromababy.com Avidiva www.avidiva.com.au Babatude www.babatude.com Babes In The Shade www.babesintheshade.com.au Babu www.babu.co.nz Baby Beehinds www.babybeehinds.com.au Baby Bjorn www.babybjorn.com.au Baby Bunting www.babybunting.com.au Baby Chic www.babychic.com.au Baby Goes Retro www.babygoesretro.com.au Babyjo www.babyjo.com.au Baby Lush www.babylush.com.au Baby Toothland www.babytoothland.com.au Babymoov 1300 661 885 Baobab www.baobab.com.au Bbox www.bbox.com.au Beautiful Soles www.beautifulsoles.com.au Belly Buds www.bellybuds.com.au Bibska www.bibska.com.au Birdie & Oak www.birdieandoak.com.au Bloom Baby www.bloombaby.com Bluebelle www.bluebelle.com.au Bohemian Living www.bohemianliving.com.au Bolly & Bear www.bollyandbear.com.au Boondie Baby www.boondiebaby.com Bower & Beyond www.bowerandbeyond.com Bubbaroo www.bubbaroo.com.au 206

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Button Love www.buttonlove.co.nz Cake Lingerie www.cakelingerie.com.au Camper www.camper.com Cassidy’s Collection www.cassidyscollection.com.au Chalk And Cheese www.chalkncheese.com.au Cheeky Little Soles www.cheekylittlesoles.com.au Childcare www.childcareproducts.com.au Chook Leaf www.chookleaf.com.au Claesens www.claesens.com.au Claudine & Ash www.claudineandash.com Click On Furniture www.clickonfurniture.com.au Coccinella www.coccinella.com.au Coco and Ginger www.cocoandginger.com Cocoome Organic www.cocoomeorganic.com.au Converse www.converse.com.au Cot Couture www.cotcouture.com.au CNP Brands www.cnpbrands.com.au Cuddlefish www.cuddlefish.com.au Daisy & Moose www.daisyandmoose.com.au Danish by Design www.danishbydesign.com.au Denim Baby www.denimbaby.com.au Design Child www.designchild.com.au Dinosnores www.dinosnores.com Eco Peko www.ecopeko.com Eeni Meeni Miini Moh www.eenimeeni.com.au Emmalaue www.emmalaue.com.au Escargot Kids www.escargotkids.com.au Exquira www.exquira.com.au Eyetribe www.eyetribe.com.au Fabrik www.fabrikstore.com Feeding Fashion www.feedingfashion.com Fertile Mind www.fertilemind.com.au Flatout Frankie www.flatoutfrankie.com Four Zero www.fourzero.com.au FredBare www.fredbare.com Furious Kingston www.FuriousKingston.com.au Fussy Feet www.fussyfeet.com.au Gaia Organic Cotton www.gaiaorganiccotton.com.au Gardner And The Gang www.gardnerandthegang.com

Glitter Baby www.glitterbaby.com.au Good Time Charlie www.goodtimecharlie.com.au GUND 1300 881 940 Ham & Pea www.hamandpea.com Haggus and Stookles www.haggusandstookles.com.au Hard To Find www.hardtofind.com.au Harriet Bailey www.harrietbailey.com Haveli Design www.havelidesign.com.au Hide And Seek www.hideandseekonline.com.au Holiday Design www.holidaydesign.com.au Hot Milk Lingerie www.hotmilklingerie.com Huckleberry Lane www.huckleberrylane.com Huggies www.huggies.com.au Hugs & Inspiration www.hugsandinspiration.com.au I Love Parties www.iloveparties.com.au Ida Ising www.idaising.com.au Ikea www.ikea.com.au Imagine Fun & Games www.imaginefun.com.au Incy Interiors www.incyinteriors.com.au Indikidual www.indikidual.bigcartel.com Invite Me www.inviteme.com.au Isabella Oliver www.isabellaoliver.com Ivy Emerald www.ivyemerald.com.au Kambamboo www.kambamboo.com Karimu www.karimu.com.au Kate Lauren Designs www.katelauren.com.au Kido Store www.kidostore.com Kids Creations www.madeit.com.au/KidsCreations Kiekaboo www.kiekaboo.com.au Kiniki www.kiniki.com.au Koolaman Designs www.koolamandesigns.com.au La De Dah Kids www.ladedahkids.com.au Lamington www.lamington.co.nz Lark www.larkstore.com.au Lässig 1300 661 885 Lima Bean www.limabean.com.au Little Chickens Australia www.littlechickensaustralia.com.au Little Chipip www.littlechipipi.com.au Little Horn www.littlehorn.com.au

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Sugar Plum Tree www.sugarplumtree.com.au Sweet Style www.sweetstyle.com.au Szabo Maternity www.szabomaternity.com.au Tane Organics www.taneorganics.com Terry Rich www.terryrich.com.au The Baby Closet www.thebabycloset.com.au The Crafty Squirrel www.thecraftysquirrel.com.au The Children’s Department www.thechildrensdepartment.com.au The Iconic www.theiconic.com.au The Wall Sticker Company www.thewallstickercompany.com.au The Wean Machine www.theweanmachine.com.au Tiger Tribe www.tigertribe.com.au Tilly And Otto www.tillyandotto.com.au Tiny Me www.tinyme.com.au Toms www.toms.com Tushi Tots www.tushitots.com.au Until www.until.com.au Urban Squeak www.urbansqueak.com.au Urchin www.urchin.net.au Vanchi www.vanchi.com.au Willow Tree Designs www.willowtreedesigns.com.au Wishbone Design www.wishbonedesign.com Woddlers www.woddlers.com.au Write To Me www.writetome.com.au Your Cheeky Monkey www.yourcheekymonkey.com.au Zara www.zara.com

STOCKISTS

Little Pearl Designs skye@littlepearldesigns.com.au Little Pie Street www.littlepiestreet.com.au Little Pinwheel www.littlepinwheel.com.au Little Sew And Sews www.sewandsews.com.au Lou’s Shoes www.lousshoes.co.nz Love Luck & Wonder www.loveluckandwonder.com Love Mae www.lovemae.com.au Love Paper Scissors www.lovepaperscissors.com.au Love To Dream www.lovetodream.com.au Mama & Papas 02 9317 4211 Mambino Organics www.mambinoorganics.com.au Marquise www.marquise.com.au Master & Miss www.masterandmiss.com.au Maternity On Mooki www.maternityonmooki.com Maternity Sale www.maternitysale.com.au May And Belle www.mayandbelle.com.au Mida www.mida.net.au/shop Milt & Joe www.miltandjoe.com.au Mini Fin www.minifin.com.au Minihaha www.Minihaha.com.au Mini Monarch www.minimonarch.com.au Minti www.iloveminti.com Miss Haidee www.misshaidee.com.au Miss Kiki Of Cherry Blossom Lane www.misskikiofcherryblossomlane.com Miss Lilly www.misslilly.com.au Mizzle www.mizzle.com.au Mor-Stor www.mor-stor.com.au Mother’s Choice www.igcdorel.com.au Mumma Bubba Jewellery www.mummabubbajewellery.com.au Munster Kids www.munsterkids.com.au My Arkadia www.myarkadia.com.au Nana Huchy www.nanahuchy.com.au Nature Baby www.naturebaby.com Natures Purest www.naturespurest.com.au Naty www.naty.com Noeuf www.noeuf.com O.B.Designs www.obdesigns.net Oh My Giddy Aunt www.ohmygiddyaunt.com.au Oishi-M www.oishi-m.com

Feature Photographers Chantelle Bliss (Forever Bliss) www.foreverblissphotography.com.au Maureen Haynes (Life in Bloom) www.lifeinbloomphotography.com.au Beth Jennings www.bethjenningsblog.com Kate Monotti www.facebook.com/ katemonottiphotography Jen Rayner www.facebook.com/ JenRaynerPhotography Tim Coulson www.timcoulson.com Rebecca Gray www.littleredrobin.com.au Katie Walker Smith www.katiewalkersmith.com.au Sara Taylor www.geelongphotography.com.au Janelle Struss (Moments in Life) www.milphotography.com.au

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LUST FOR this

wa n t n eed

have.

The perfect little people’s bed...

K

alon Studios is a fabulous young US design studio focused on contemporary form and innovative design.

Not only are their pieces very affordable and super stylish, they are also eco friendly.

Using sustainable 100% Solid FSC Certified maple or raw, natural wood, the products also use Green Guard Certified, low VOC and 100% HAPS free.

We have been loving the gorgeous Caravan Cot with its very cute colour range for some time now (check it out on page 30).

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Inspired by the storybook circus wagon, its simple, retro inspired design is unique and timeless. So, with many of us finding that our babies are little people before we know it, it was very exciting to hear about the launch of the Caravan Divan.

The Caravan Divan fits seamlessly into even the smallest of spaces and it is designed to be a perfect first ‘big kid’ bed for your toddler. It can also be used as a simple, yet elegant, couch in any room of the house! The bed and seating area

is small and low to the ground, so perfect for little ones just learning to get in and out...and stay in! Though it’s small, it is spacious enough for a growing child to use as seating in the years to come. The Divan, like the cot and the Caravan Dresser, comes in six colourfully fun finishes.

You can find the Caravan range from Kalon Studios at Kido Store (www. kidostore.com) with prices starting from $1299 for the cot and the new Divan available from early 2013.