birthday

It was John's birthday yesterday and right now he is resting after his big night.  I feel so virtuous but I think I have a food hangover from pizza and chocolate cake.

Normally if I bake, I will make something gluten free and/or vegan to make the treats a little cleaner such as these amazing vegan banana and blueberry muffins.

For which I have lost the photo...

I am a MASSIVE fan of chocolate and John asked specifically for chocolate orange cake for his birthday so, who am I to argue?

It is so rich that even I had a tiny slice. 

I don't trust people who don't like chocolate, there's something shifty about those people.  Don't you think?

Miss Diva is also resting but doing double duty in her tireless campaign to welcome the baby.   Today's chore is to warm the bassinet.

Thanks for all your hardwork and dedication Diva.  It looks like I have some washing to do. 

But first, a swim...

spring

This morning I got up I walked out into the garden (as is often my first instinct) and I noticed that a poppy that I have been waiting for has popped!  What joy!

Who could believe that something as unsightly as this:

could turn itself up the right way and become this:

I'm not sure what sort this is as I bought 3 different types of seeds from ebay and when they sprouted I had already confused myself.

I'm pretty sure these are Flanders:

they look delicate but are so hardy, they have survived wind and driving rain and are still flowering profusely.

I also ordered California Poppy and Peonies.  I think this is a California Poppy:

A herb that I have used very successfully in clinic to treat anxiety and insomnia.  It is beauuuuutiful.

So I am pretty convinced that the one that popped today is not a peony as they have layers of petals.  It was still a welcome surprise and adds to the beauty of my poppy patch.

On further inspection, I also noticed that a cactus has flowered:

What an amazing colour!  We have quite a few of these around the pool and they will bare dragon fruit if we can protect them from the grubs that feasted on them last year.

I also noticed that my first tomato of the season has set:

Grow little tomato grow!  I would show you the strawberries but we keep greedily eating them as they ripen and they are sweeeet. 

So, the moral of the story is that I am going to have a wonderful day today as this is how it has started and I just wanted to share it.

baby's room

The baby's room is ready to go.

A borrowed bassinet under the tree (which might become the Christmas tree very soon!)...



A donated cradle with the plastic wrap still on the mattress because I don't want to get ahead of myself (its bad luck you know)...

I think these guys are going to be great friends...

And the baby's chest of drawers with change table thingy on top and bags packed next to it.  The brightly coloured one is the funky nappy bag.  We were advised against getting one that is too big so that it doesn't topple the pram and totally ignored that practical advice due to aesthetics...



On the other wall is a built in wardrobe which contains my vintage clothes, I haven't moved them yet.

remedies

My hips ached all night last night and I woke feeling bruised and battered - the first natural therapy that came to my head was Arnica and I have been taking it intermittently ever since I dragged myself out of bed.  I feel so much better for it and recommend it to anyone who has any kind of pain.  It is also great pre- and post-surgery so should be taken before and after labour to reduce bruising and trauma and speed healing and does not interact with ANY drugs. 

It looks like this:

 

 but should be taken ONLY in homoeopathic form - from health food stores.

I have been blessed with an extremely healthy pregnancy.  I have had lots of energy and feel fantastic.  I am at the tail end now and have had a little struggle with blood pressure with has seen me in hospital for observation already once and now I have to go again on Monday.  Luckily my lovely midwife has allowed me the weekend to get it back under control because she knows that I have been using Australian Bush Flower Essences to remedy the situation.  I didn't take my bushies on Friday when I went for my last check up because I decided that my bp would be fine.  Wrong.  So I have made up a mixture to take all weekend and put in my water bottle for when I am in hospital on Monday.  So far it has proved to work instantaneously for me - my bp is lower when I take it than when I don't. 

The formula is made up of essences of: Bluebell, Crowea, Five corners, Hibbertia, Little Flannel Flower, Mountain Devil and Mulla Mulla.  Normally I wouldn't take this many flowers in one hit but this is an exceptional circumstance.  If my blood pressure is high I won't be able to give birth in the birthing centre and will have to be hooked up to a machine to monitor my and the baby's progress which I can't even think about as I have my heart set on a natural, intervention-free birth. Wish me luck.

If you are interested in Bush Flower Essences, check out:  http://www.ausflowers.com.au/



Since we are on the subject...

I always have a teaspoon of organic spirulina in juice in the mornings and prescribe this for many clients as it is natural and not made in a laboratory.  I love spirulina.  I also have a tablespoon of flaxseed oil in my yoghurt - again natural and more of a food than a man-made vitamin.

I have been taking other oils and minerals since being pregnant - always in the most natural unadulterated forms that I can get and all quite specific to pregnancy.  Needless to say I have been surprised about the blood pressure hiccup.

nappies and food

I am (im)patiently waiting for my fabulous re-usable bamboo nappies to arrive.  I ordered them on the web after reading on-line reviews.  I don't know many people who have used these types of nappies and was having difficulty finding any reliable information which is what kind of led me to start this blog.  I am hoping that it will become a bit of a resource for natural baby products and therapies. 

I am hoping to bypass disposable nappies altogether but time will only tell what will happen there.  I have wonderful intentions!! After all "disposable" is really another word for "landfill" and I just can't bring myself to add to it.  A lot of people harp on about cloth nappies being no better for the environment (to make themselves feel better) but I do all my washing using environmentally friendly products and it is only 3 extra loads per week.  The brand that I have bought is Baby Beehinds Bamboo and the website:  http://www.babybeehinds.com.au/. Not made in Australia but they do assure that they are made in a family owned business in China and support the fair trade industry in Asia.  I will be sure to let you know what I think.

The best on-line reviews I found were at:  http://www.productreview.com.au/.

I have also bought Weleda baby products because I just love their products (and got them wholesale just before I left work).  A European company so I will be trialling Australian baby products and giving you my opinion.

Today I am making a couple of vego lasagnes to pop in the freezer for easy dinners when baby arrives.  One has alternating layers of pumpkin, fetta & thyme and spinach & ricotta, the other a more tomato, oregano, mushroomy kind of affair.  I wonder if the baby will like garlic? Surely bubs would be used to it by now! 

Dig

Today I finally gave into the fact that I can't dig in the garden anymore.  So I directed John around instead. 

We planted corn in the newly vacant space from where we harvested desiree potatoes yesterday. 

I was going to let that space breathe until my heirloom tomato seedlings are bigger but just couldn't resist filling the gap.  We treated the soil to compost, worm poo and mulch and left it one day, that's as good as it gets. We (he) also planted a whole bunch of colourful groundcovers to try and make the dandelion patch look a bit better.  The light has gone now and the flowers have closed up so, no photos of them.   Waiting for rain now...

I am off to have my first bath in my new bathroom now - epsom salts here I come.  Directing other people to dig is just as exhausting as digging itself.

Waddle

I have just been told that I have finally started to waddle - possibly due to the head which has lodged itself in my pelvis.  I am 36 weeks pregnant and I had an amazing reflexology treatment on Thursday and the next morning I felt that the baby's head had engaged.  I will see my midwife on Wednesday to confirm this as I haven't had a baby before and am just guessing.

Being a mum is going to be a huge learning curve for me as I, and my wonderful man John, have had not much experience with children.  Its going to be so much fun - I hope you enjoy the journey with me.