Belated Celebration

Why?

Because somehow this week i made my 500th post! Holy freaking guacamole...can you believe it? I was hoping to do a giveaway to celebrate my 500th post but seeing as it snuck up on me like that i have no prize prepared, no nothing. So how bout a celebratory giveaway when i reach either my 600th post or 200 followers - whichever comes first?

30 Days of Music - Day 4

Good morning and welcome to Day 4 in my participation in the 30 Days of Music challenge. On Day 4, i need to tell you:
What song do you play when your feeling happy?

As soon as i read this prompt, one song popped straight into my head - " All I Wana Do " by Sugarland. I get the feeling that some of you may never have heard of Sugarland ( who are great country music duo ) and this would be the part where i get to prattle on about eclectic my tastes are. That, however, shall remain to be seen with my future video choices. What i will say is this a sweet country/pop song thats fun and sexy and great for singing along ...all the things i want to do when i'm happy. Hell, i've even started playing this song when i want to GET happy - you know, like on Monday mornings on the way to work. And this song will definately be making the playlist for my wedding reception, simply because its so joyful and makes me want to get funky with my fella  ( as influenced by lyrics such as " I dont wana get baby, lets turn off the phone ... " ). What song gets you in the happy mood?

Watch Cutest Baby Giggle In The World Funny Video

Wouldn't it be great if we could all laugh at the simple things in life? Who knew ripping paper could be so funny!

Operation Slimdown Update

So after yesterdays ranting and raving its time again for my fortnightly " Operation Slimdown " update. So a bit of sunshine compared to yesterdays rain... oh yea, sunshine means another good result! After last fortnights huge 3.7kg loss ( which still has me smiling my head off ) i was hoping for anothe loss, but not expecting anything as massive. Another 3ish kilos would have been nice but i accidentally   stuffed myself with a huge bowl of pasta on my birthday, and indulged a bizarre craving for Maccas the next weekend. So yea, i kind of played up a little compared to my insane strictness of the previous fortnight - but i'm okay with that. I re-introduced small portion of carbs and have been sticking with the at least 2 cups of vegies and 2l of water a day. So how did i go?
Bust: 94.5cm - up 1.5cm
Waist: 77cm - down 1.5cm
Hips: 99cm - down 2cm
Bum: 104.5 cm - up 0.5cm
Thigh: 65.5 - no change
Weight: 73.3kg  - down 800gms
Ok , so it looks a bit all over the place but i think the bust measurement can be attributed to womanly fluctutaions and a slightly padded bra, and the 0.5cm in the bum is pretty negligent ( and probably a slight variance in wear the tape was sitting as compared to last time ). And i'm happy with 800gms - i'm hoping to be able to do 1kg a fortnight til i reach my goal, and 800gms is not far off. And considering the pasta and Maccas binge, and not having added any exercise in yet ( through sheer laziness and a desire to NOT run myself ragged in 40 degree temperatures ), i'm ok with falling 200gms short of my goal.
So, overall, a happy result. And almost ( half a kilo short ) halfway there!

We're On The Move!

No, i'm not moving house or anything like that. By " we're " i mean Flynn - he's still not crawling as such but in the last 4 or 5 days he's figured out his own little way of getting around. I'm calling it the " bum pivot "... he goes from sitting down to hands and knees then lifts his bum high in the air ( like he's doing a downward dog yoga pose... ), turns his hip and then sits his bum down. This enables him to move maybe a few inches at a time so its slow going, but its enough for him right now. He's mobile and now that he can also sit himself back upright from his belly ( again pushing up on his toes, like he's doing yoga - must take after his mum ) i don't have to listen to his whinge wah-wah-wah help-me-mum-i'm-stuck noise. Yay! If i can get a photo doing his downward dog thing, i'll post it later.

Until then - you know what else has happened? The last three nights we've had pretty good sleep. Only one wake up, a feed, and then straight back to sleep ( with the exception of Tuesday night where we were up for 2 hours ). Its like Flynn knows that i've finally had enough. Or that going down to Tresillian is like being sent off to boarding school and, as such, he's finally decided to co-operate...

Thinking Happy, Week 7 ( ? )

Ok, at leats i think i'm up to Week 7. Either way, its time for another weekly round of Operation Think Happy, brought to you by Holly at Good Golly Miss Holly!

1. Time with family and friends - yesterday was such a great day. Mick, Flynn and I visited with a dear old friend of mine, a lovely older lady that i've known for years, and it was a pleasure to catch up and be able to introduce her to my little family. Plus, after that, we got ourselves some Subway for lunch and headed to one of our local parks and met up with my parents, my sister, my 2 neices, my  uncle and his 2 daughters.... for a huge playdate!

2. Lovely weather - the sun makes me smile. It amkes me smile even more when the temperature is not so hot that you feel like you're going to drown in sweat, but not so cold that you need to bundle yourself up. Its been a week of absolutely lovely weather and i've been fortunate enough to be able to get out and enjoy it.

3. New recipes - So remember how i wanted to be Martha Stewart ? Well i've really been giving it my all this past week. I went through some recipe books, wrote myself out a shopping list, and cooked some really yummy meals this week. Mick has appreciated the effort and always tells me how good the meal was and thanks me for cooking it ( even when its crap! ) so its made me smile that i can cook nice meals for my family, without becoming too boring.

4. Fitting back into my pre-pregnancy jeans - hallelujah! Again, i dont really feel the need to mention the specific size but fitting back into my pre-pregnancy jeans made me happy because a) there are 2 or 3 pairs i  just really love and b) i dont have to waste money on hew jeans to fit my post-pregnancy body!

5. My son - he just gets cuter and chubbier and more clever by the day. He's learnt to poke his little tongue out ( cheeky boy! ) and now if he's sitting on my lap and i take hold of his little hands and gently lift them up, he plants his little feet and pushes up with his legs til he's standing. He think its the neatest trick ever and i think its too cute when he looks all chuffed with himself.

6. Getting to have a long shower - most days i get enough time to jump under the water, have a quick scrub of my bones and jump out. So it makes me happy when i can leave Flynn with his daddy and take a long, hot shower, shave my legs and wash my hair properly. Mmm, bliss....

7. ' Special ' time with Mick - if i have to explain this one to you, your too young and naive to be reading my blog...

Thinking Happy, Week 5

Time again for " Operation Think Happy ", as brought to you by Holly over at Good Golly Miss Holly! In no particular order:

1. Winnie the Pooh - Flynn is just starting to take an interest in toys and this week he's really started to pay attention to a small Winnie the Pooh comforter he was given. Mick and i wave it in front of his face and talk to him as Winnie and he's started to smile and giggle at it. Smiles and giggles make me happy!

2. Hot cross buns - so Easter is still a month away, i dont care. Fresh, warm, hot cross buns with sultanas in them are the bomb!

3. Bloggy love - I got me some bloggy love from DaughterOfTheStars this week. She bestowed the 'Sunshine Award " on me and directed her lovely readers to my page. Thanks much! She also described my son as gorgeous, so extra happiness points for that!

4. My beautiful fiance - he's done so mcuh work around the house today, and i've done nothing but feed the baby, read the sunday papers and take a nap on the lounge. I just really appreciate him. Aww....

5. Engagement party stuff - again. We've settled on a date - April 3rd, which is Easter Saturday. Party time!

6. Operation Sleep - its starting to work! 3 days in a row Flynn has settled down to a 2 hr nap in the middle of the day. His efforts, even though it must be hard for him being put into a new routine, have really made me happy. Tonight ? He's moving into his own room for night time sleep!

7. Knowing my weight - yep, i finally weighed myself for the first time after giving birth. And i have to say, the results werent too bad. In fact, i'm only 3 and half kilos heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight, and i'm happy with that. Still, am i going to tell you the actual number ? Uh...no.

Thinking Happy, Week 4

Hello again, and welcome to week 4 of Holly's " Operation Think Happy "! Just a reminder that this involves listing 7 things that have made you happy this week. Focus on the positives people!

1. The moment, #1 - I was in the middle of getting dinner ready last night when Flynn decided he wanted to have a grizzle, so Mick scooped him up and took him outside. After a few minutes i go to the door and out in our driveway, there they are - Mick lokking down at this little wrapped up bundle in his arms, chatting to him about God knows what. I just stood at the door, unseen and smiling.

2. The moment, #2 - A few hours later, i've finished feeding Flynn and he's lying back, all milk drunk.... but not taking his eyes off his daddy. Its like, even at 8 weeks old, Daddy is his hero. Too, too sweet.

3. Planning an engagement party - finally! We've been engaged since October but havent even thought about an engagement party yet. Its not going to be anything fancy, just a big bbq at my parents house, with family and friends.

4. Chocolate truffle balls - I stole this very simple recipe from Welfare Wisdom and completely loved it! Basically get a packet of your favourite biscuits ( like Caramel Tim Tams for me, or it could be Oreos, Mint Slice etc ), blend them into crumbs, mix with cream cheese, chill, roll into balls and then cover with melted chocolate. Yummmmm.....

5. Cucumbers - or, more specifically, cucumbers from our vegetable garden. I dont know how my farmer fiance does it but they're big, green and fresh...oh, and free!

6. Mothers group - This was the fourth week of meeting up with my mothers group ( a group of first time mums - our babies range in age from 8 to 16 weeks ) but its the first i've actually ' clicked with ' some of the other mums. I'm a little shy and it takes me a while to warm up to strangers, so it was nice to be able to have a little chat and not feel too self-concious about it this week.

7. Hitting the 8 week mark - that is, my son is now 8 weeks old and i havent broken him yet! He's also gone up a size in the clothing for the first time, so that was a nice little milestone to hit...

Thinking Happy, Week 2

Welcome back to " Operation Think Happy ", as so dubbed by Holly at ( the newly re-named ) " Good Golly Miss Holly! To remind you, the operation involves a weekly post of 7 things that have made you happy the past week. So:

1. Finding my son a girlfriend - or my best friend P had her baby this week and i've decided that she and Flynn will day get married. Welcome little E.C!

2. Spending time with my sister - i dont always get along with my sister, but it was nice just hanging out watching some movies with her one rainy afternoon. Also, it meant i could eat my lunch/go to the toilet/fold some washing uninterrupted because i had someone to help me with Flynn.

3. Cashew marsala - i literally only ate this meal half an hour ago but it was sooooo delicious. Chicken and rice and sweetness and creaminess and - yum.

4. Singing - i used to give awesome concerts whilst cruising around in my car; now bouncing around the loungeroom singing my son to sleep makes me happy. Today i gave a particularly tuneful rendition of " Love Me Like The World Is Ending " by Ben Lee, yesterday it was " Gravity " by Allison Krauss...

5. Afternoon naps - i've been lucky enough to fit in some afternoon naps while Flynn has been sleeping. I've always been a fan but now that i have a baby and sleep is not as abundant as it used to to be, a really good nap makes me very hapy indeed.

6. My neice B's smile - she's just tunred one and she has the cutest little smile. Not all her teeth have come in yet so its all gappy, which only makes it cuter. She also likes to accompany it with her favourite word - " Hello! " - over and over. Too sweet!

7. Mr Gil - admittedly he was kind of reading this list over my shoulder and wanted to know why he hadnt been included yet. So i've kept the best for last - of course he makes me happy! Sometimes unbelivably so.....

Joining the Operation and Accepting an Award

Once in a while other, more interesting blog writers than myself come up with an idea that strikes a cord with others. This time a really wonderful writer, Holly over at Mama Dearest/Domestic Goddess, has come up with what she has decided to call " Operation Think Happy ". What is this operation, you ask ? Well, its basically just a promise to make regular posts about things that have made you happy; Holly is going to make her list every Thursday and i'm going to ( try ) and make mine every weekend. What better way to finish a week than to look back at the things that made you smile over the preceding 7 days ?

* My post pregnancy boobies - ok sure they sometimes get tingly, hard as a rock and leaky, but boy do they look good!

* Flynns new found smiles - my boy gave us his first smiles this week. He does this little smirk thing out of one side of his mouth and then throws his head back and has a huge open mouth, like he's laughing with out sound. Too, too sweet....

*Caramel Tim Tams, straight outta the fridge - chocolate coated chocolate biscuits with a chewy caramel centre. Yes please.... a little bit of happiness at my finger tips.

* Black shorts - or, more precisely, finally finding a pair of black shorts that were the right length, right price and that flattered my mummy tummy.

* Getting out of bed to find that Mr Gil has sorted all the dirty laundry - and was in the process of washing it all too. What a good fiance/daddy!

* " Burn Your Name ", by Powderfinger - still absolutely loving this song and everytime i hear it it makes me smile....

* A bbq at my parents place - just us and them. I'm happy to admit that Mr Gil and i get along really well with my parents. So much so i think we can say we actually LIKE hanging out with them ( O.M.G ... is that wrong of me ? )

So thats my first contribution to " Operation Think Happy ". And now, onto accepting an award which was given to me by Suzanne Icognito at Incognito Soapbox Confessions. Apparently she thinks i'm a " Kreativ Blogger " :

I dont know how " kreativ " i am - lets face it, i'm not all that good at coming up with new and exciting blog projects or operations of my own - but hey, if she wants to give me an award i will gladly accept it! There is also a meme that is supposed to be done when accepting the award - i have to share 7 things you guys dont yet know about me. Even though that seems like an impossible task ( how long have i been writing this blog, and how much random crap have i already shared ? ) i'll give it a shot. Here goes:

1. I like my tuna sandwiches best when there kind of soggy. Dont drain all the brine or water from the tuna and add lots and lots of avocado!

2. I have a scar in the centre of my hairline from walking into a door when i was little. No, i wasnt drunk - i was only a toddler and learning how to walk and, you know, i lost control and crashed into the hinge of the door. Ouchy McGouchy!

3. I may be 26 but i still love " Sesame Street ". In fact, because its Sunday afternoon and there is zero else to watch on tv, " Sesame Street " happens to be on right now.

4. I think i have too much body hair for a woman. Seriously, i'm one of these poor unfortunate ladies who is a natural brunette and is sadly afflicted with dark body hair. I'm not exactly the bearded lady, but its enough to make me feel decidely unfeminine sometimes...

And thats all i've got. Sorry Suzanne, but i seem to have exhausted my supply of random tidbits a long time ago!

DD minus What? - The Introduction

Right, so before you all get cranky with me for having missed quite a few days on this countdown, let me explain two things:

#1: I missed Christmas Day and Boxing Day because, well, theyre Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I had people to see, presents to unwrap and a big plate of fresh prawns to eat.

#2: I've missed the other 3 days because, well....i gave birth.

Yes, ladies and gents, you ready that correctly - i would formally like to introduce the blogging world to Flynn Charlie Freshfield, born December 27th, 2009 ( or at what would have been DD minus 15) :

There he is - my very own little dude. After having known since the 20 week mark that we were having a boy it has been fantastic to finally meet him. I wont go into the gory details of the actual birth ( although i probably will at some point - its a tale every mother wants to tell ) but suffice to say after only 6 hrs from first contraction til the big arrival i was happy to see a perfectly formed little person turn up. If you cant tell from the photo Flynn has his daddys nose and my hair ( check out the hair - isnt he spunky?! ) and he weighed in at 6lbs and 9 ounces he's on the smaller side of average ( which tends to happen when you arrive 2 weeks earlier than expected ).

So far, all is going relatively well - he's had a little trouble getting the hang of the whole feeding thing and he has this funny little sqeaky noise coming from the back of his throat when he's sleeping deeply - which alternately super cute and super scary because it sounds like he's struggling for breath - but other than that both he and I - the mumma! - are doing just fine.

So there you be. I'll leave it relatively short and sweet for now. I just thought i would take advantage of the fact that Mr Gil was kind, and smart, enough to bring me my lap top to amuse me during this 3rd day in hospital and fill you loyal reader type people in on my absence. Hoping you all had a very Merry Christmas and wishing you all the best for your New Years celebrations ( i predict mine will be spent in front of the tv, watching fireworks from downtown Sydney whilst i breastfeed)......

Shiny, Happy People...

Uh...person. Meaning me. Yes, this is a feel-good, everything-is-going-great, you-cant-get-the-smile-off-my-face kind of post. I have just had a really good day, and again i'm not exactly sure why. Just lately, say in the last 6 or 7 weeks or so, I have found myself smiling, whistling, humming all the time and i have really been enjoying my job. I've come to realise that i love talking to people and i especially love advising people on the fashion aspects of getting glasses. Sure, Yogi and The Bell still get to me, but not to the point where i want throw the towel in anymore. Its a relatively new feeling - this shiny happiness. I like it!

I'm starting to become one of those incredibly chirpy people that i used to loathe. Is this a good or a bad thing ? Is it good that I'm consistently happy, and enjoying the conisistent happiness? Is it a bad thing that i used to really dislike people like that ? Either way, it doesnt matter - what matters is things are on the up and up.

Lets see: I've bought property and have a million and one ideas buzzing through my brain about how to decorate it; I'm loving my job at the moment and, i think consequently, have really brought my store up in the business side of things; I have the next week off work, during which time i will be attending a wedding, going shopping and spending a day at a water park; and i have a casual lunch date next Saturday.

Seriously, i know this post is sickly sweet and your all sitting back going " Oh God, what is she so happy about ? Seriously, all this sap makes me want to throw up ! " - but smile people, and embrace the happy....

Is that a challenge ? Double dog dare me ?

Five weeks til Christmas - can you believe that? 35 days to go until the Big Red Man comes and i get to stuff my face with prawns and Christmas icecream ( yes, you read it right - i make Christmas icecream ). And, knowing that there is only 35 days til my Christmas, our branch manager decided today was the day to put all the Christmas decorations in our store. Of course, everyone knows that you risk certain and eternal Christmas bad luck by decorating before December 1st ( yes, this means you too Andy and Capricorn ), but she insisted today was the day. Seriously, you've never seen an office covered in so much Christmas kitsch. It was cute and fun and cheery today, but i 'm guessing by the end of, lets see, next week, its going to be nauseating.

Anyhoo, like i said, decorating the office was quite a cheerful experience for the day, which got me to thinking - why dont i concentrate more often on the cheerful stuff ? Sure, when the big stuff happens - like birthdays or parties or exciting experiences - i'm all about the cheer; but I dont readily acknowledge the everyday things that make me smile and keep me from spending the day with my head under my bed covers. And so, in the spirit of the season i have decided to conduct an experiment - everyday up to and including Christmas Day, I am going find one thing that makes me smile. And, furthermore, I am going to let things slide - dont sweat the small stuff, you know ? Seems to me, after years of having listened to Oprah say it over and over ( hey, so maybe i dont pick things up so easily... call me stupid ) that actively focusing on being happy will..... make you HAPPY. Who woulda thunk it ?

In kicking off the challenge, here is the list of things that made me smile/smirk/giggle/cack my pants with laughter today :
* The radio playing " Run to the Water " by Live on my way to work - i love that song!
* A young girl coming in with her mum to look at sunglasses - she had the most gorgeous curly hair.
* Selling sunglasses - i just really enjoyed the customers today.
* The amount of Santa ornaments my manager has accumulated over the years - its like a Santa City in my dispensary right now!
* A bumper sticker that said " Nurses - We Can't Live Without Them " - thats it. No joke, no punchline. Just nurses are so under-appreciated. Big cyber hugs for the nurses out there...
*Andy and Ben's co-blog - laugh at loud funny.
*Chit chatting with J during work - when we werent busy with customers, we were busy being fools. Laughing makes the day go quicker, thats for sure.
* Eating gooey caramel-ly icecream for dessert - can you say yum ?

Which brings me to now. I'm currently texting back and forth with P while we watch " The Amazing Race " and after that , it'll almost be time for bed. Add one more to the list - sleeping always makes me happy.....

Hump Day Wednesday

I have a really good day. Nothing special happened, but it was just one of those days where a succession of little things make you smile and then, before you know it, your smiling all on your own and just enjoying the day. It probably helped that its Hump Day Wednesday and not a Monday, but still.... So what got me smiling ?

* My hair looked really cute today. I usually straighten it and either leave it out or then throw it up into a ponytail, but today i had one peice of hair that just didnt want to go straight. So what did i do ? INsetad of wrestling with it, i just kicked the rest out at the ends aswell, so i had this cute little flippy thing going on.

* I listened to Panic at The Disco's new album " Pretty. Odd " on the way to work. I am loving this album right now. Its just quirky, hippy, slightly pyschodelic, sunshiney pop.... perfect start to the morning.

* A lady with a baby came in to have her eyes tested. The baby was probably only a couple of months old and he had a sweet shock of chicken-y fluff hair right on the crowd of his head. He smiled at me. Too cute!

*Both of my co-workers were in a good mood today, as compared to yesterday. It always makes things more fun if everybody has a good vibe going on.

* I was really productive at work today. I spent a long time staring at numbers and entering data, but we're caught up from having had Monday off work.

*I finished right on time - the clock tower bell chimed 5 o'clock and i was out of there, no having to wait back for straggling patients!

It was just one of those days we're all the good little things mount up until your floating along on a cloud of contentment. And you know how once you started " floating along " you start to seem floating in and out to ? At least i do. What i mean is once i'm having a really good day i start drifting off into daydreams, usually drifting right down Memory Lane, to other good times and events : hanging out on lunch breaks with friends at school; coming up out of Penn Station onto the streets of New York City for the first time; a lazy afternoon spent with a cute guy leading to the best sex ever; seeing John Butler Trio play in New York City and learning that all the Americans knew the words to " Zebra "; hanging out with my gorgeous neice and having her spontaneously say " I love you Aunty Amy " .... you know, all the good stuff. The stuff that sustain a person when they arent having such a great day.

So there you be. Hope you all had, or having a great day too. If not check out this here musical video and let Panic at the Disco make it all better .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f3K2sEHuIM

My best friends wedding. No, its not THAT movie....

So i've just returned from the Blue Mountains where i spent the weekend for my best friends wedding. I am glad to say it could not have turned out any better - she had beautiful weather, she looked beautiful in her dress, the resort for the ceremony and room for the reception were beautiful and i managed not to trip down the aisle. My heart was literally burtsing with happiness for her, because i know she had been extremely stressed about things not going right, about people not getting along, about the fact it could rain, and so many other things. But, thankfully, none of that happened and i believe my best friend really enjoyed her day. And i'm glad for it. I know i spend a lot of time on this blog writing about my own problems, the things i stress about, but my every thought was truely with my friend for wedding - sure, i'll admit to last minute jitters myself ( like tripping down the aisle, or dropping my bouquet - trivial things ) but i was very much focused ( as the head bridesmaid should be ) on making sure my friend remained stress free and relaxed. Well, as much as a woman about to be married can be anyway.

The ceremony was lovely and as tedious as it was hiking around the resort grounds in high heels to have pictures taken, by the end of it the bridal party was completely relxed, which i think is going to make for some really good photos. The reception went off without a hitch too - the speeches ( all bar one, anyway ) were all either moving or funny, the food was fantastic and her uncle made for a relatively good DJ. And it was nice to be able to just sit and chat with people you wouldnt normally get to talk with - for instance, i found out that her new husbands groomsmen are hilariously funny and still completely immature, even if they are in their 30's. I also had a D&M ( a deep and meaningful for the uninitiated ) with the brides father, which was very much appreciated. Even on his daughters wedding day he had unbelievably lovely things to say about me, about how much HE appreciates the friend i am to his daughter and now that she is married he'd like to see me get out, enjoy my life and find someone special. It was a little emotional actually - the only thing that kept me from crying was the fact he was already a little pissy, so the conversation was also quite amusing in the way he presented it.

So, overall, everything went well. I know it must be a fabulous relief for the bride and groom for all of it to be over, but its also nice to have it off my plate and out of my thoughts aswell. I'm looking forward to having non-wedding related dreams for a while...