Katie Updatie - Month 3

Gone are the little newborn baby days, you're a big girl now (but not really), filling out well with perfect rolls on your legs, kissable cheeks and a big puku! 

Katie, you are such a delight! The sweetest baby I have ever met. You smile so often, and talk so much. You just love to have eye contact with people. When you don't, you'll sit quietly and wait, or you'll make a lot of demands to get our attention and when you have it you light up the room with your grin.

This last month you've rolled over once from your tummy to your back and have started to push through a bottom tooth. I can feel it there waiting to come through, its causing lots of dribble but not much else.

You are still sleeping in your basinet in our room but we're making plans to try and see how sharing a room with your sister will go. You sleep quite well through the night, so I am hopeful! 

Camilla loves to talk to you, she gets right in your face and grins and does a "goooaaaheeheeeheeaaaa" noise. I guess she's copying what I do to you! She also says "Hiii Kaaaatie. Boats. Yup. NO. gooooaaahehe Tatie". To that you light up, its adorable watching the two of you build a relationship that will last the rest of your lives. By the way, we've been watching the Americas Cup for the last week every morning, hence the "boats". Everything is about boats around here! 

Your Daddy loves to come home from work, he picks you up or sits next to your bouncer straight away and talks to you about your day.

He loves you, we love you... You are so loved and are a huge joy in our lives.

Thank you baby girl. Be strong! 

READ MORE:
Dear Baby, Month 1
Dear Baby, Month 2

Sisterhood Blessing Families

Nearly 2 weeks ago I put out a call on The Sisterhood Facebook page and told you about two special families who could do with some supporting.

The first was a family who lost their 28 year old Mama to cancer that week. She left behind a husband and three little kiddos. This situation doesn't even bear to think about too much. As a young mum, I cannot even imagine my family in that situation. I felt that it was important that we could do what we can for them, hoping that if that was us, others would do the same.

I'm praying for this family every day, hoping God will fill them with strength and peace and He would carry them through.

With your donations we were able to send this family an $800 grocery voucher. It might not go far with a family of four, but it might relieve some pressure for a few weeks. 

The second family's home burnt down, we were told about them the day after the fact, and all they had were the clothes on their back.

In times like that I would be grateful for community. Well, that's what The Sisterhood is. We're a community, and you were more than pleased to be able to support them.

We sent them $400 Warehouse vouchers and $400 Briscoes vouchers, as suggested by the person who nominated them.

Altogether you raised $1670 in one week for these families. The $70 came in after I had already bought and sent the vouchers so it will remain in the bank.

Thank you so much for your continued love and support, Sisterhood. Its a pleasure to serve you. Next, we'll be doing the Ninja Bake which I will be focussed on for the next month.

READ MORE:
One more day to sign up for the national Ninja Bake weekend! 

You can bless Deb, the lady responsible for the Kindness Quilt

Join The Sisterhood email list - get all the important links in one monthly email

Millas Bed Time Book

My good friend Amanda is a kid-idea genius. A few weeks ago I lamented to her that Milla just wasn't staying in her bed at night (just for the initial "getting to sleep" part), she suggested I make a little book to spell out her bedtime routine since she seemed to respond so well to her baby books in the lead up to Katie's arrival.

I made mine using Picmonkey, a free online site that you can edit photos on. Although Amanda assures me a simple word document would have been sufficient. 

It was lots of fun being a children's author for an afternoon (even if I did a shoddy rushed job on the editing), Milla loves her bedtime book and she recites it now. At night she stands at the door and says "Dinner, oven, YUP, Dad home?" super cute.

We're still working on the staying in bed thing, some nights she's perfect, other nights it all one big game.

Do you have any tips to help me keep my 2 year old in her bed when we say good night?

I'm thinking of doing a Picmonkey Tutorial to make one of these books, keen?

Leave a comment and let me know! 

**EDIT** Since writing this post and scheduling it last week we've cut out her day time naps. That seems to be doing the trick, she's usually begging for bed by 6pm now! 

Meet The Sisterhood - Miriam

The Sisterhood is made up of so many beautiful women, many of whom have been with us since the very beginning. I wanted to introduce them to you as they mostly stay under the radar and behind the scenes but they are so very important to me!

I've asked them all a few questions, and they replied! I hope you enjoy getting to know a few more Sisters! (I'll be posting these interviews each week. Make sure you leave a comment and some love for them!)

Introducing Miriam!

Miriam. Miriam, Miriam. I have had many late night conversations of Sisterhood musings with Miriam. She is constantly encouraging me, spurring me on to good deeds, and well... Just being like Jesus, really. Except female. And she's an incredible baker. When my daughter turned one, she turned up at my house with a birthday cake FOR ME to celebrate MY first year of mother hood. Ahh, awesome much!? She also blogs at Create Hope Inspire , and you can read her posts on last years Ninja Bake weekend and Kindness Day. 

How did you first hear about The SisterhoodFrom Sophie's blog. :o)

What initially made you get involved? How did you get involved?I wanted to be involved because I really believe in the ethos of the sisterhood. It puts into action something I believe very strongly -'Kindness is powerful, we are powerful when we are kind'. I like that is was simple to be involved - you gave what you could and others gave what they could and together the whole was big. I initially got involved by giving small things.

How did that make you feel?
It made me feel excited to be part of something big and lovely and secret

What is your favourite part of The Sisterhood?
The fact that it helps us to do what many of us want to do anyway - it gives us reasons to be kind, thoughtful, generous and selfless. All qualities that enrich us and others. I also love the sense of extended community. While I am (failing to) deliver baking secretly somewhere else in NZ someone else is doing the same. It is a shared excitement and the conversation that comes out of that, that I find the 'fun' side of the sisterhood. Stealth is fun (except I may need some further training in this!)\

What would you like to see us do in the future?
I loved the great cookie drop and the kindness day heaps. Maybe a specific kindness with photo action could be fun - e.g let's see how many people can leave a chocolate bar for someone to discover somewhere, in one day.....or how many encouraging texts can we collectively send in an hour, day, week...
anything really - it's all good!

If you want to make friends with Miriam, you can find her here:
blog - http://createhopeinspire.blogspot.com
email - makeitgiveit@gmail.com

Want to meet more?
Angela's Interview
Hazel's Interview
Gina's Interview
Deb's Interview
Treena's Interview