Will starts Kindy

Our friends who lived here before us recommended Reynella Kindy to us and told us that there was occasional care there as well. I was quick to look into it and Will started going in May last year for 1 morning a week. He and I loved it! By the end of last year I was really struggling at home with 2 kids. I just felt guilty all the time as I couldn't give Will all the stimulation he was craving and I wasn't organised enough to do so many of the ideas in the Pinterest world that looked amazing and educational. I was also realising that I was well and truly to start working again and started getting the ball rolling to do some Relief Teaching. 

Although I have reservations about children starting kindy and school so early, I felt so confident sending Will off to Kindy this year for 2 full days and almost felt guilty that I was not sad! 

In term 3 and 4 it is hoped he will do 3 full days. (The Kindy has to wait to see if there is enough Government funding before this goes ahead) Will turned 4 on the 26th January and the very next day started Kindy. He was so excited on his first day but got all coy as soon as I brought the camera out. I was feeling really unwell so mum took him off to Kindy. It was a little disappointing that I couldn't drop him off on his first day but I was at least able to take the photos and make his lunch. 

 Will wasn't as eager the next day as he was so tired. He was excited to wear his new Kindy T-Shirt though. I would love to have a uniform for him but most of the kindergarten's here in SA are stand alone and not associated with a particular school. This does have it's good points though and Will's classmates will be going to heaps of different schools. He has at least one little boy going to the same Primary School next year. 

He looks so much like his daddy in these photos!

Will turns 4!

Like his mummy, Will loves to plan ahead. He has a clear idea of the things he likes and tries so hard to explain how he wants things to go. Since his 2nd Birthday he's been so certain about exactly how he wants his day to go. This year was explained in such a detailed manner but the concept was lovely in it's simplicity. Will decided 6 months ago that he wanted a car cake and of course wanted a party with LOTS of people. He named most of the people he wanted to invite and we negotiated it as it was getting a little out of control. Will was happy to negotiate and a few weeks prior he asked me if he could have pancakes for his birthday. "Lots of pancakes to share with all my friends...with blueberries, strawberries and lots of berries and yoghurt" he told me quite seriously. 

We decided that a brunch was the way to go, and it would probably work well for people as it was Australia Day and many people were going off to BBQ's etc during the day. I loved that the preparation was really simple and really cost effective too! 

I had looked at some cake options with Will but mum put a bit of a spanner in the works by bringing a recipe/pic of a tip truck/car from the Woman's Weekly Cake book. It was a bit more complex than the original plans but Will wanted to do the cake Nana suggested. Ha ha

I cooked a choc cake I made for the first time the other day. That was the easy part. I then had to assemble it which wasn't so easy...but I got there in the end despite my whinging throughout the process :-P ...and with a little help from our resident Engineer, Peter :-) Once that was done the icing was problematic too but I felt like we did a good job in the end. The cake wasn't quite as red as we'd hoped but Will didn't mind at all. It looks more Red in the photo but was a bit more pink looking in real life. Will loves Pink so he wasn't phased anyway!

He was very excited to open his presents.

Will has graduated from the trike to a proper bike now. 

I was a bit preoccupied and didn't get any photos of everyone eating but the pancakes went down really well. 

We just did one game of pass the parcel. The kids were plenty busy just playing in the yard for the most part. 

Just like last year, Will didn't even eat the cake. Sometimes I can't figure that boy out! He ate the same cake only the week before and loved it. He's a bit funny at social events with his eating...

We had a lovely morning and Pete and I got to take Will out to the movies to see Big Hero 6. We loved it so much and were very entertained when Will ran to the front at the end for a bit of a boogie. Seems it's becoming a tradition these days! 

Will was pretty wrecked at the end of the day but didn't quite fall asleep on the way home! 

Nursery Boy

In our church we have various programs for people of all ages. When children reach the age of 18 months they can attend Nursery (similar to a creche but with a more structured routine, including a very basic gospel lesson and singing time). 

Several weeks ago Will had his photo taken all ready to go on the nursery board at church. 
Can you see him???

We ended up being away for the last few weeks so he couldn't attend nursery in our regular ward. However, we were very lucky that his first ever visit to Nursery was with my wonderful friend Esther in the Epping Ward.

We had a lovely time and Will thoroughly enjoyed his very first visit to Nursery. Though who wouldn't want Essie as their Nursery leader! I basically dropped him in there and he went straight to the toys and barely noticed me the entire time. He wasn't even phased when a little girl kicked him when she wanted his toy :-( 

Don't worry, I got my teacher voice on and had her apologising and giving him a cuddle in no time. He he. It's great that he was so relaxed and it bodes well for the future. I'll be able to attend BOTH Sunday School and Relief Society - YAY!

Will's first take home work of art - he he. What a valuable lesson to learn too :-) 

In Tassie he attended Nursery with Angela and her hubby John Vinen as his leaders and he loved them too. It's pretty great that his first experiences in Nursery were with beautiful people I have known for a very long time. 

Some of you might recognise these little cuties!!! L-R is Gemma Guy, Angela? Finn. (I feel terrible I've forgotten her name), myself, Angela Vinen, Sarah Doran at the back and Heidi Wardle. I'm loving mum's long hair here too.  He he

This week we were back to our regular ward in Point Cook. I didn't stay in long enough with him this week though and he was a little teary apparently. We heard him crying right as church was finishing and collected him pretty quickly :-P I'm sure next week he'll be more settled and hopefully my lovely friend Tiana will be over her cold and back in Nursery. It's pretty cool that I know his Nursery leaders so well :-) 

I didn't get any photos today so will have to take some another time. Can you believe Will is 18 months old already? I can't!!!

Clean living

This post may bore some of you and it may read like a biggest loser transformation story to others but I just wanted to document something I believe has been a major part of my life in recent months. I'm just going to launch right in....

I have drastically changed my eating and lifestyle habits over the last 9 months and feel better than I ever have before. Even when I was a young, fit 18 year old I wasn't this in shape and clean on the inside. 

I really struggled when Will was a tiny baby. I was in a new state, had very few friends and had only extended family on Pete's side. I definitely had the 'baby blues.' One thing that I believe turned things around was when I joined the gym and started associating with people who lived a 'clean eating' and exercise rich lifestyle. There were other things that helped me through this period and I have mentioned these on my blog before.

Don't get me wrong, I still will indulge in a non-healthy treat and occasionally eat a bigger meal than I should but for the most part our home is a non sugary, non processed healthy haven. 

Growing up in the Jones household, we ate a lot! Anyone who knows my mum knows that one of her greatest joys is to fill people up with her yummy food. When I say fill them up, I mean fill them up so much they almost need help getting up from the dining room table and have to be rolled out the door!! I also inherited a love of entertaining people, with food being the point of focus. However, I don't quite have the Italian Nonna vibe going on ;-) 

When you grow up eating big meals and indulging in regular treats it just becomes normal. I never felt that I was overweight as a teenager/young adult but always was conscious of my pot belly. I could never wear anything fitted without accentuating my problem area and whilst it didn't cause me to spiral into bad habits/depression, it did bother me. I never really knew what to do about getting rid of the excess either. I was quite active with sports but had such a poor understanding of the term "You are what you eat." When I returned home from my mission I lost a fair bit of weight through sticking to a low GI eating lifestyle, combined with regular walking and Pilates but put all the weight back on after Pete and I got married.

When I was asked to be part of a non-controlled group for a pregnancy study on "overweight and obesity in women during pregnancy" I was shocked. I know I was on the lightest edge of the scale for the group (at 64 kilos) but it was still a major kick in the pants! Working full time right up until I was 35 weeks also limited how much time I could dedicate to exercise etc and I put almost 20 kilos on during my pregnancy. I'm making this sound like I was in serious trouble with my weight (which wasn't really the case) but I guess I'm just painting a picture of the small but significant lifestyle journey I feel I've been on....

Will weighed in at almost 5 kilos (10 pounds 9 ounces) at birth so I know a lot of weight was him and fluid. I was so glad to be free of the excess and because he was a big eater right from the word go I was able to shed kilos quite quickly while I was breastfeeding. When he weaned off breastfeeding at 13 months my weight plateaued at 62.5 kilos and I knew I wanted to get into shape and get more energy. The main thing though was that I enjoyed exercise and knew it would be a great way to spend a bit of time for myself and get positive endorphins pumping. 

I had been going to the gym consistently for a few months without seeing visible results but I felt happier, had more energy and was enjoying my new hobby. I actually put on a little weight at first due to the muscles building up. It wasn't until I adopted the mindset of "70% diet, 30% exercise that I really noticed changes. I made the comment to a lady on a health forum I love that "you can exercise like a demon but until you realise that it's basically 70% diet and 30% exercise you just won't get results." With great advice from the instructors and fellow gym members I started eating 'cleanly.' Basically this means eating wholesome, non processed foods. I still followed the low GI principles and limited SUGAR and portion sizes. I have gone from 63 kilos to a much trimmer 57.5 kilos. It's not a huge loss but it has made a huge difference to my body. What is more important than actual weight loss is that I've shrunk. I have lost 10 cms from my hips, 15cms from my waist and 10 cm from my bust (one of the minor downfalls of exercise I guess ;-)

What is more important than that too, is that I feel clean on the inside and have heaps more energy. When I eat treats now I still often enjoy them at the time I eat them but afterwards my body rejects the bad food. I'll spare you the details but I simply have trouble processing sugary, fatty foods and as I said, my body tries to purge the rubbish from my system.

It would be remiss if I didn't mention Pete's achievements too. He has lost 10 kilos and is so much more disciplined with his eating habits. He still has a lot further to come than I do but long gone are the days when he'd eat a loaf of white bread in one sitting and have take out 2-3 times a week. Unfortunately, he's quit his gym but I'm hoping when winter is over he'll get that motivation for exercise back. I know I am struggling with my eating now it's getting colder and I just want to have a hot milo and a bickie after dinner :-)

I have made a lovely group of friends at my gym and they inspire me every day. So many of them have undertaken MASSIVE lifestyle changes and it's so refreshing to be around positive, healthy and just like minded people.

One thing I'd wished I'd done is taken some before shots and done a comparison. I do however, have a recent photo of Will and I swimming that I can compare against an older photo of Will's first swim lesson. The photos are 6 months apart and I think you can easily see some differences. Hate the first photo!

 November 2011                                                                  April 2012

I just want to list the amazing blessings that I have received through this change of lifestyle

• Constant exercise has given me HEAPS of energy
• Made me happier
• Makes me feel more attractive -
• which leads to greater confidence
• positive attracts positive - I have found that my positivity influences the people around me for good
• all these things have made me a better mum and wife
• generally promotes health - limits colds/viruses and other diseases. I have had one cold since joining the gym in October 2011 and it was gone after 2 days...

Being a stay at home mum

Seeing my almost 11 month old Will with his four front teeth nearly all the way down and his two perfect bottom teeth makes me sad!! It makes me realise how quickly he's growing up, that he's not going to be a 'baby' for much longer. As it was he was basically a 3 month old when he was born - at least in a few aspects.
He is developing so much and I'm often finding myself reflecting that I haven't recorded some of his milestones because the gaps between them are narrowing and I'm just so busy living life with him.

I am grateful in many ways though that life is getting busier for us. You may think I'm crazy but the slow pace of life as a stay at home mother to one really well behaved baby has been hard for me. Our days were filled with the typical eat, play sleep routines and the occasional outing to do groceries or visit someone but I was finding myself feeling extremely bored and unfulfilled on an intellectual level. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE spending time with Will. It is impossible not to be happy around such a joyful soul but there was still a gap left in me. I was talking to a friend about it the other day and she said some women will just always feel a little lacking and it's ok to admit that being a stay at home mum isn't the utmost fulfilling role in the world. It's not going to come naturally for all of us.

I think a lot of us put pressure on ourselves to become this amazing mother and home-maker. I thought that when I had a baby I would just accept this new role and love it and that it would be my absolute purpose. While I still accept and believe deeply that it is my divine role to be a mother and nurturer I realise it's not selfish or ungrateful for me to feel the way that I do sometimes.

I think if we'd stayed in Adelaide or were in Tasmania my experience as a new mum may have been a different story. Having no immediate family members and limited established friendships in Melbourne has been so hard for me. I was too stubborn to join a mothers group and when I realised I needed that support I was too prideful and embarrassed to join one because I'd let so much time go by (Will was 8 months by then). I was worried about joining an established group and felt I'd be on the outer. So if any of you future mothers are reading this...please at least give a mothers group a go. I really think it could have been a great support to me. Problem with me is that I over-analyse everything and often talk myself out of doing new things.

This isn't meant to sound negative, I'm actually in a really good place mentally and physically and my spirituality is increasing too. I'm recognising the many experiences of the last 11 months and seeing the learning opportunities I've had because of them. Things that I wanted before I had Will I realise I don't want anymore (i.e. A fast-paced life of travel with a young family due to Pete's job). If opportunities to live overseas arise we'll definitely consider them but knowing how much I have needed my family and friends over this year I can't imagine the last 11 months in a remote or overseas location. It would have been so much harder...

I am so grateful for a couple of special people over here who have helped keep me grounded. They probably don't even realise how much of a rock they've been to me. Just being able to talk to another young mum who has often felt the anxiety and loneliness I've felt and being able to enjoy spending time together with our boys has been a great blessing for me.

As you can tell I'm going through a serious time of contemplation and reflection and Pete and I have a few important decisions to make over the next few months about the direction our family needs to move in. I feel equipped to make good decisions though and am feeling less anxious about the future. I still want to plan 1 - 2 years ahead and probably always will but I'm gradually learning to not stress myself silly if I don't know the specific details. Fellow control freaks will understand what I'm saying. I know there's a few of you who read this blog ;-)

Now back to that gorgeous boy of mine - I mean Will in this case ;-)
Will is a great sleeper. He has 2 naps a day and sleeps 12 hours or just under overnight. He loves sleeping on his tummy. I love that when I lie him on his back in his cot at night all snuggled up in his sleeping bag he make a grunting noise and rolls straight onto his tummy and falls asleep - sometimes before I've even left the room.


He LOVES the water. He and his friend Bastian have been doing swim lessons for a while now and they're getting so clever. Will no longer just floats along. He'll actually kick his legs and start responding appropriately with the actions we do to the songs we sing. I'm hoping we get some summer weather over Christmas in Tassie so we can go for lots of swims.

Notice the tongue out - it helps you concentrate you know!!

Will is a hungry boy and is loving his food. His favourites are: Cherries, Mandarins, Sultanas, Broccolli and Cheese. He still loves vegemite sangas or toast as well. He eats pretty much everything I give him. I try to make a couple of things with fish each week for him and he particularly loves the salmon pasta I make. He drinks heaps of water but he actually prefers drinking out of my water bottle or cup.
Grandma was naughty when she visited and introduced Will to ice-cream. Magnum temptations nonetheless!!

Oh no - mum discovered us! It was all Grandma's idea mum!!

I like eating it off the stick!

Gotta get every last bit!

Yay for ice-cream!

What, no more?!

Joining a gym has been one the best things for me. I feel more energised and more positive about my body and I've just enjoyed having something to look forward to. It's become my 'hobby' I guess. It hasn't been without challenges. The hardest one was getting Will to not scream the whole time he was in the creche. I would drop him at the creche and he would basically scream non-stop until I picked him up after 20-30 mins. Sometimes it was so bad one of the girls would come upstairs to get me. Surprisingly I was still able to enjoy my time at the gym, albeit limited time. I continued to take him about twice a week hoping he would get used to it. Finally we had a breakthrough. I don't know if I can put it down to one thing but it all just came together and he had a positive experience. My mum and dad were staying with us and I asked mum to come to the gym with Will and I, drop him into the creche and wait outside if they needed to bring Will out. Well, turns out he was the only one there that day (not a day I'd normally go) and he was smiling and interacting with the girls and even playing with the toys. The girls told me after they were a little freaked out. Was this the same baby?? I joked with the girls previously about imagining that when they look at the list of kids for the session they must cringe when they see Will's name...they said they did :-) I think a combination of having my mum and dad over who looked after him a lot without me around and having the creche all to himself was critical in the improvement. I now take him on days when it's the quietest - even though it means I can't attend a class. I think he may have been overwhelmed with all the children in the past. He still grizzles a bit but only for a few moments when I drop him off. It's so nice to pick him up smiling - not sobbing and with a red blotchy face from crying so hard!

I don't have any gym photos to insert here!!

I'm going to leave it there for now otherwise this is going to get way too long.

We're off to Tassie for Christmas and are excited to have William to celebrate with.