family photography: Theresa + Mason

Earlier this week, Clementine and I drove up to Terrigal to spend some time with Theresa and Mason. While we were there, we met up with Jodi on the beach early one morning. She took photos of me and the little one for my first sling diaries post (can't wait to share!) and then I got behind the camera to shoot Theresa and her sleeping babe. He did eventually wake up and the babies enjoyed some beach time, which resulted in a few of my favourite photos ever.

In between photo taking the three of us chatted about life and blogging, travel and babies. It's so nice—and so important, I think—to have other mum friends. Both friends who are right at the same stage as you (and can commiserate as well as rejoice in gummy smiles and tiny toes) and friends who are further along in their parenting journey (who can inspire and reassure). Today I'm grateful for friends, old and new.

p.s. the winner of the Love To Dream™ INVENTA Sleep Bag™ is announced here

7 month Clementine

Seven month old Clementine is a cheeky little lady. She's confidently sitting up, though she never stays there for long. She much prefers to spend her time crawling around and exploring. She's been doing a funny commando crawl for a while now, but just in this last week she's figured out how to crawl properly and boy is she ever fast! So fast, in fact, that taking these photos was quite challenging, even though I had Theresa to help me wrangle her. While I was shooting, I let her wander around the beach and she loved it! Eating sand and playing with seaweed was right up her alley, which makes this beach-loving mum pretty happy.

People are constantly amazed at how bright and active she is. She literally does not hold still for a second. She loves to pull herself up, eat paper, play with other babies, sit in her highchair, and go for walks. She continues to adore her dad, saving all of her big belly laughs for him. He sings her all kinds of songs that he makes up, and she goes wild. And we go wild for her, and her big gummy grins.

p.s. these last 2 photos of Clementine and Mason make my swoon

first beach trip

 

Yesterday we took Clementine to the beach for the first time. In the late afternoon, when the sun was still high, we drove to Jericho. She was asleep when we got there so we hid under the shade of a tree. When she woke up we set up on the sand, with an umbrella (not the beach kind) for shade. She actually seemed even happier than she is at home; I think she liked the sea breeze. This poor Aussie baby of ours doesn't enjoy the heat. This makes me scared for Australian summer later this year...

Anyway, we think she's too small to swim but my husband and I took turns dipping her toes in the water. She had the cutest puzzled look on her face the whole time. As for us, I'm sad to say that after living in Sydney for a few years I chickened out and deemed the water too cold to swim. I'll try harder next time.

the sky

 

The sky yesterday was so beautiful. We went for a walk through the Waverley Cemetery and along the bluffs, but I couldn't stop taking photos. We were looking for whales - my mom is determined to see one before she goes - but they must've been hiding.

In the cemetery we strolled through the tombstones reading out our favourite names. My two picks: Estelle Isabel Tickle and Elsie Maude Winter. Those have to be two of the best surnames I've ever heard. Can you imagine going through life with the last name Tickle? I feel like it would put a smile on your face every time you said it out loud. It reminds me of a friend of mine, her maiden name was Button. Cutest ever. If you could pick a name, any name, what would you choose?

p.s. would you take your husband's name?
p.p.s. how did you choose your baby's name?

out and about

First of all, I don't think I can title a post 'out and about' without mentioning that my husband mocks me mercilessly for the way I pronounce this phrase. Damn Canadian accent.

Moving right along... Two weeks after giving birth, I am still mostly taking it easy and spending my days at home. This weekend though, the glorious autumn weather beckoned us outside and so the 4 of us journeyed to Camp Cove. We wandered for a couple of hours, snapping photos and soaking up vitamin D while the little one slept blissfully in her moby wrap. In fact, Clementine slept right through her first beach trip. Oh well, I know there will be plenty more to come.

bump: 34 weeks

A late beach bump today. I'm actually 35 weeks now, but let's just rewind a bit shall we... The lovely Belinda and I took advantage of the glorious Easter weather to snap these at Dee Why last week. Now our days are finally cooling down, but I'm sure I'll still have a few opportunities to bare my white belly to the sun in these last few weeks.

So yes, we're in single digits now people. I could give birth in 2 weeks, or in 7. Let's hope it's somewhere in between the two because we are definitely not ready to bring a baby home in a fortnight, but another 7 weeks of gestating may actually break my back. These days by 4 pm I'm full on waddling. It's pretty hot.

The little one seems to grow stronger by the day. We can watch its little feet kicking from my belly button to my ribs, over and over again. Another favourite trick is to press both feet hard into my ribs and push its bottom up as high as possible. Though its sometimes just plain uncomfortable, its mostly endearing. A beautiful affirmation that baby is healthy and strong.

p.s. thanks again Belinda, I love them!

weekending

 

A typically Newtown building.

Photo shoot with Belinda, stay tuned...

The view in Manly. 

Organic blueberries - a major indulgence, given the price tag. 

And here begins the 3rd trimester. Holy crap.