Dear Baby, 6 Month Update

Millas dress from Aunty Amy in London

Half of a year. 

This month Milla learnt to crawl (caterpillar), she's very efficient at in now and I really hope she learns to crawl properly and doesn't just make do (there will be a video later in the week). She's so speedy and sometimes manages to sneak away and get into something before we notice. We've had to begin to be house aware and remove any dangers from her exploring grasp. She loves to get into our shoe pile and pull them all out and she often pushes herself over to our sliding door and will just stare at our little lawn and fence. Its thrilling, really. We are learning to say no and to teach. And to be honest I'm so crazy proud of my little caterpillar.

At 5.3 weeks I walked into the lounge from going to the bathroom and I caught Milla sitting in the middle of the lounge floor with a toy. Sitting. All by herself. She had maintained a sitting position for a short while but often fell over. I didn't push it and didn't try and prop her up, all in good time I thought. Well, turns out she just figured it all out on her own, including how to get into a sitting position. One week later she is a pro. I've been spending a lot of time on the floor these last few weeks and the carpet has never been vacuumed this much!

Milla loves to sit in her high chair, especially when her Daddy is hiding underneath the tray and pops up to surprise her! Her little eyes scrunch up, she takes a deep breath and then cracks up laughing! Oh my! SO sweet! 

Still completely attached to her Mama, I can't escape her sight with out tears but this month she seemed to quite like being held by her Granddad Harry and her Aunty Izy. Progress! 

She's quite a quiet girl, doesn't often babble or talk back but when she does get going you cant stop her. Sometimes this worries me, I worry that I'm not talking enough to her or not exposing her enough to others but then I remember that I am and I do. I'm doing the best I can and if Milla wants to be quiet and watch then that's what she can do. 

These photos were taken today, her first leap day on a blanket her Nana knitted her - yes, another one. You can see her rash under her neck that she has had for a while. For the life of me I can't get rid of it. Any suggestions? Her eyes are so big and beautiful, they make me melt. I'm sure she's going to melt a few boys hearts in her future too (*sigh*). Her hair is growing like wildfire! At least a centimetre long now and is a very soft and fluffy light blonde.

Dear Camilla, 

Your Father and I are so proud of you, you have captured our hearts and made us better people. Thank you for existing.

I want to stop and take a moment to tell you how special you are. Unfortunately, you are growing up in a society that values money and looks over too many other important qualities. If I haven't already taught you it enough I want to tell you again: Be who you are, not who someone else thinks you should be. There is so much worry in trying to meet others expectations. It's wasted worry because you are who you are. I am learning to put expectations aside and just be. 

When you find others putting worldly expectations on your life; who you should be, look like, act like, know you weren't raised that way. Girls might tell you you need to be skinner, Companies might tell you you need to be prettier, boys might tell you you need to be loser, school might tell you you need to be a doctor or an astronaut or a janitor. Friends might tell you you need to date that boy to be cool, or to buy that magazine to look good. Do not conform to the worlds standards.

If you will listen to anyone Camilla, please listen to your Mama and Dad because we don't say any of those things. In fact, we only say one thing: Please, be who you are.

Be who you are Camilla! Our God created you so perfectly - he formed you before we even knew of you. You were in Gods plan from the very beginning and he had a lot of time to think about you. Trust yourself and listen to who you are on the inside because that small little voice, that is the voice of God telling you how beautiful you are.

Individuality is a gift and it should be explored. You were raised to explore and to find who you really are and you are special, wonderful, thought about, healthy, beautiful, smart, gifted, important, talented, kind, gentle, courageous, eager, cuddly - all of that and you are only 6 months old!

Baby girl, please keep growing and unravelling like a beautiful flower. I love everyday with you because I get to learn a little bit more about who you were already created to be. And when you are 15 or 20 I hope that you are still unravelling; the beautiful petals peeling back layer by layer as my wonderful daughter learns who she IS.

Happy half a year! We love you just the way you are xxx

Monthly Updates
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 

A New Appreciation of Mornings

50 little birds tweeting and pecking, making my morning bright.

source

I'm starting to appreciate mornings. The happy smiles, peaceful air, the whir of a washing machine, a cupboard full of clean dishes, sunshine streaming into every room of our house, a hot shower and a clean face and the possibilities of a whole day ahead.

Full disclosure: I'm on FB today to organise a collection point and volunteers for the Plunket Annual Appeal next week :)

Zariahs Response

I consider it a huge honour to know you. You who are kind, outward focussed, generous, willing; You warm my heart in ways nothing else can with your call to action.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for responding to Zariahs Journey.

Zariah is 3 years old and is being treated in Christchurch for lukemia. Her pregnant Mum and Dad are down here with here with her. I'm sure at this very moment there are dozens of stories so similar to their family's but at this moment it is Zariah who has been brought to my attention and I called a pon you, The Sisterhood. And boy did you respond. 


Gifts have been sent and donated to Zariah and her parents, I'm waiting for a few more in the post this week and then I will be going to visit the family on your behalf. I know of a few women in Christchurch who heard Zariahs story and took it a pon themselves to visit bearing gifts already. You are wonderful.

If you would like to respond you still can, there is still time. See this post for some ideas or come up with something you would like to donated yourself :)

I never wanted The Sisterhood to be about praise. I thought to give praise to that would be silly because we would just be doing what we are called to do (if we are able). However, through the last 2 women we have blessed and now this little girl and her parents I really really feel that you go above and beyond 'the call' and for that I am honoured to know you. You know, when I post these things here on my blog I am always so surprised at every comment. "People read my words!?" I think. It is a real blessing to me to know that someone might be interested in what I have to say. So imagine my surprise and overwhelming joy when I actually get emails in my inbox from people all over the country telling me they want to help some one they have never met before. Oh. My. Goodness. So for that I praise you. Thank you for hearing the call and responding.

If you aren't able to respond at this point in time I hope that one day that might change and you too will experience the joy of giving. It really is such a joy. In the mean time you can head over to the original post and leave a comment for the family if you like. Hazel is showing the encouraging comments to the parents :) And I thank you, even for just reading this post and getting this far without getting annoyed at me for asking for something!

This certainly isn't for everyone, but if it is and you are able I do hope you'll read Zariahs Journey and read how you might be able to respond.

Bless you. Bless you.

Facebooking with Wooden Spoons

My Mother called me this morning "Wheres your electric beater?! Do you not have one?"

"Huh? It's broken. Why?"

It seems that even though I'm not on ol' Facey people still talk about me on there.

Last night the husband uploaded a video of me creaming butter and sugar while Milla looked on and tried to stick her hand in the mixture. I was using a wooden spoon and I didn't realise he had uploaded it. Hence the phone call. Mum will call me about almost anything that I put on the interwebs (hi Mum!).

Immediately I jumped on Facey to have a look. Whhaaat? Day Two: fail. Urg.

You might be pleased to know that I restricted myself; I didn't check any of the 11 notifications I had staring me down; I just wanted to see the video and see what part of our home life had been shared with the outside world. The video wouldn't load anyway. Double fail. Waste of time.

Lesson One: Facey is its own little world. Even if I'm not on it, it still exists and operates and I can chose to participate or not. I felt a little bit panicked when I found out that people were watching a video of me I didn't know existed and were commenting and liking and -I- wasn't reading the posts. (How many people liked it!? What were they saying? Did they think it was cute? Did they mock me for using a wooden spoon??)

The husband is a big social media user, when we were talking about my fast last night he didn't reallllly seem to understand it, asking why I couldn't just cut down my time and what was going off it going to achieve when I would just go straight back on when the week was over?

Well. Hopefully after a week my habit and need to check it every half hour might be broken. Maybe I wont feel the need to do that next week? Maybe with going cold turkey this week I'll get a gazillion things done and I'll think "I never want to waste time again". Maybe I'll realise how much I don't need it in my life. Maybe I'll make more of an effort seeing friends in RL because I wont know what they had for dinner last night.

Yesterday went wonderfully. In lou of Facey I cleaned mould (woohoo), blogged, read my book and played with Milla, saw a real life friend and went on two big walks and baked (with a wooden spoon). It was a great day! Today is shaping up to be just as good even though I slipped up a little bit this morning.

Walked into the lounge yesterday and "caught" Milla sitting up all by herself! BIG girl!