baby space

fun stuff : get your fort on

2012-02-16T06:30:00.005+11:00

Really need to do this with the preschooler.

happy love day

2012-02-14T06:30:00.015+11:00

Whoever has your heart, I hope they're good to you today, and every day.

Love day last year.

image: lovely, love my family print from tuesday morning on etsy.

baby : 6 weeks

2012-02-12T14:50:00.001+11:00

My baby can talk! Not really. But she has started making tiny squawking and cooing noises. And the big one -- she has started to smile. Be still my already mooshy mama heart.

She makes you work for it though. On any given hour I can be caught grinning madly at her saying 'hello' over and over again like a demented parrot. And if she's been fed and is rested and in the right mood she'll reward you with a round face of crescent moons or a lopsided smirk. I love her.

But can I tell you something? Sometimes I feel like I'm missing her infancy. Sometimes I feel like I miss her even when she's right there. Crazy, right?

When Monday morning rolls around I get so excited because the boys head off to work and school and it's just the two of us. Sorry boys. I love you too! But I spend so much of my energy thinking about and caring for them...to be left just the two of us? It's such a relief.

This week she'll get her first immunisations. Even though I hate seeing those ginormous needles go into those teeny fat thighs I'll be glad not to have the thought of whooping cough at the back of my mind. I'll also be glad to stop acting like a loony germaphobe towards anyone that so much as sniffles in her direction.

And we're working towards getting a semblance of a routine in place. Right now she sleeps for 1-2 blocks at night and catnaps during the day. I'm trying to pat her to sleep in her hammock instead of having her fall asleep in my arms so we can lay the foundations for her to self settle. Boring but necessary.

Oh, and that little dog? It usually lives by her change mat. She loves staring at the pattern on its behind. I call it Daisy Dog because of the awesome vintage flowered fabric on its reverse side. The preschooler calls it Mrs Dawg.

Preschooler tangent: he's also started calling things 'awrd' which makes us laugh, e.g: 'that's an awrd dawg, mama.'

{cotton jumpsuit in oatmeal from cotton on kids. woollen booties made by a little old lady in Milan and gifted to her by her grandad and step grandma. plushie dog by junecraft.}

room for baby : sooki stripes

2012-02-09T06:30:00.010+11:00

baby space's Belinda from Nest Design Studio gave her son Charles' room a gorgeous modern makeover.

The white framed gallery above Charles' cot displays images in keeping with the cool tones of the space.

Junior sized replica Eames table and chair set complete the modern feel.

vibe
Modern with an 'around the world' theme.

who lives here?
Charles, 1 year-old in Victoria, Australia.

decor
Many of the items in Charlie’s room were made by me, however Etsy is always a favourite starting point when I’m looking for interesting and unique finds, particularly for his gallery wall. The world map and the ‘stash print are from My Sweet Prints, the soldier and bus print are from The House Sparrow,the Sweet Dreams print is from Elissa Hudson, the Welcome to the World Little One is a card I purchased from Milt & Joe, and I made his footprint.

walls
I painted the striped feature wall (yes, me at 35 weeks pregnant with a 10 pound baby – that was fun trying to reach the bottom stripes!) which was inspired by both a room designed by Samantha Pynn and also a onesie by Sooki Baby that Hugh (my eldest son) had from when he was a baby. In fact, the paints were colour matched and scaled from the onesie.

furniture
My beautiful egg chair fits this room beautifully and was a gift from my dad when I was pregnant with Hugh. The side table was a junk shop find that I sanded and painted a high gloss red, and the bookshelf is from Officeworks and I added the blue backing to it.

diy
My favourite DIY project in Charles' room is the atlas mobile. It was really simple to make and each globe features an important country/town/place to us, including the towns we were born, where we went on our honeymoon etc. I also love his reading corner, which I made all the cushions for.

best buys
I can’t go past the Ikea spice racks. I have one above his change table which holds all the everyday creams we use, but also books and toys for keeping the boys occupied whilst changing them.

top tip
Don’t be afraid of using red in a nursery or child’s room. It’s not a colour you should use in bucket loads, but little touches really make a room pop!

Feel free to pop over to my blog to get the details on everything.

By Belinda from Nest Design Studio.

the bump : the baby

2012-02-08T10:55:00.006+11:00

Remember this picture?

4 weeks pregnant, 39 weeks pregnant and 4 weeks new.

fun stuff : lucky ducks

2012-02-06T20:30:00.008+11:00

Yay for fun mail! We received this packet of fabulous wall decals by missy minzy.

The preschooler decided each duck was a member of our family. Guess who got to be the biggest, most colourful duck? That's right, mama. And the tiny ducks? They were the teen, the baby and the man. Gotta love a preschooler's perspective.

These pictures don't really do these little fellows justice, their colours are so bright and luscious -- they're going to be such a cheerful addition to the baby space nursery. Thanks for your kind gift, Irene!

baby : 5 weeks

2012-02-03T06:30:00.079+11:00

'Are you used to having a daughter?'

Was the question one of my closest friends asked me last week. No, I'm not used to it. Not just the part where I have a girl, which doesn't make much difference yet (except for the whole frilly dress thing ;) but the part where I have three kiddos. Three! Three feels like a lot. Especially when they're at such different stages of their little lives. Grunty teen to the left, cuddly newborn to the right and spirited preschooler in the middle.

But there's something else different too. When the teen and the preschooler were born I felt almost immediately like they had always been with me.

But with this little lady, I still can't quite believe she's here.

And can a baby be polite? I feel like even her cry is unobtrusive.

Remember her kickboxing moves in my belly? I thought for sure she would be Miss Activity (well, Mr Activity) but so far she is one cool customer. Loves her feeds and cuddles during the day and her sleep at night. She slept for eleven hours last night. Oh my.

Used to her? No.

Feeling super, super lucky and in love? Absolutely.

So, I'm curious. If you have multiple kiddos did you feel like your relationship with each of them was different right from birth? I'd love to hear!

p.s the preschooler was not going to let the five week photos happen without him:

p.p.s I just know the man is going to see this post and ask me why I put a doily on our child's head. What are your thoughts on head accessories for infants? Cute? Weird? You can tell me :)

{dress and bloomers by bebe for minihaha, gifted to her by her aunt and uncle. you can find similar items on sale here. crochet headpiece thingo from quick brown fox in newtown.}

room for baby : in the green room

2012-02-01T06:30:00.009+11:00

The lovely Nicole created this space for a tiny newborn girl.

Bright orange and pink accent colours compliment the soft green backdrop of the client's rented abode.

vibe
I went for a modern, bold and eclectic feel for a Mum who didn't want anything 'too girlie'.

who lives here?
Gisellse, 6 weeks.

decor
As this was a rental property we had to work around the green wall colour which in the end was super fun and really turned out to be a great backdrop for all the other pieces I sourced. I love this eclectic mix of colours and also the modern mixed in with the traditional. The freckle rug really pulled together all the colours I used around the room and made the whole room look very inviting and effortlessly coordinated. For the accent colours I focused on orange and pink which are such vibrant, fun shades.

furniture
The client already had the gorgeous Leander cot and I got this change table made up to match. I actually got the freckle rug sent over from India and the large 'G' canvas I also got custom made. The princess and the pea set on the change table was a gift and was given (by moi!) pride of place in the room because it's so cute -- all other soft toys were banished.

best buys
The alphabet decal for $36.00 AUD. It's large and packs a punch on this large wall.

nicole's fave
I love the freckle rug and also the paper chandelier.

top tip
I think mixing bold colours is always fun and gives a baby's room an edgier feel. Make sure if you are going for this look you really go for it will all the pieces you are buying in terms of colour and have fun!

By Nicole from Little Liberty.

baby : 1 month

2012-01-29T22:30:00.008+11:00

dear baby,
today you are one month old. you are a little snugglebug, a wee guppy mouthed feeder.

at night you sleep and sleep, usually waking only once or twice to be fed before going straight back to sleep. feel free to keep this up lovely lady.

we're breastfeeding and you're an efficient little feeder. 5 - 15 minutes and you seem to have a full belly. it's wonderful.

just in case you ever wonder what you looked like at one month I'll tell you: you have the finest brown hair that turns wispy and damp in the summer heat. you have blushed white skin that is still a little peely and spotty from being so new.

your eyes are of indeterminate colour but if pressed I would say they are a thunderstorm blue. I'm guessing they will turn hazel like mine. you have tiny feet and long elegant fingers. you don't get either of these things from me.

you seem to have the sweetest nature. while you sleep the most at night you quietly fuss and feed, fuss and feed during the day, especially in the morning. this means I get to spend most of my days feeding and cuddling you. I am not complaining about this at all.

even though you grew inside me for nine months, it's only now that it seems you're starting to know me. in the last few days when I scoop you up your eyes fix steadily on mine and the edges of your mouth look tentative, like the beginnings of a smile; you seem to look right into me and I fall in love with you even more.

I'm not going to lie, it's with barely suppressed delight that I organise your new wardrobe of tiny dresses and pretty shoes. I clothe you in light suits and sleeveless cotton dresses with puffy bloomers.

and so we watch you grow.

your dad waggles his fingers in the air above your head and you follow the pattern he traces in the air. and from the first day I brought you home your brother has pulled his blue painted chair, the one that used to be mine as a child, up to your hammock to read his books to you when I'm not looking. I only know he does this because when I come into your room the chair is placed by your bed and the books are scattered all over the floor.

baby : 4 weeks

2012-01-27T21:30:00.023+11:00

Four years ago the preschooler was born. And from the moment he was born he has taken centre stage in the baby space place.

In part it's because he's the youngest by 10 years and in part it's his personality; he is exuberant. He is enthusiastic. He's charming, communicative, engaging and not one to be ignored.

But he's not the youngest any more.

When I went to take the four week photos of this little lady, the preschooler turned into a Wild Thing. He's been a wild thing a lot lately.

Fortunately he is never a wild thing to her, only to us: his loving and wee bit exasperated parents. Towards her he is the most loving. The sweetest. The most kind.

He let her be a wild thing too.

Happy 4 weeks little lady.

When you and your brother get back your supper will be waiting for you. And it will still be hot.

guest post : lil magoolie : top five shared bedrooms

2012-01-25T06:30:00.009+11:00

Bron kindly asked me to write a little something while she's away having the latest little addition to the baby space team. Since I'm better with pictures than words, I thought I'd share my top five shared kids' bedrooms. These days with space at a premium, it's great to get some ideas about using one space for more than one child. I don't know if these rooms guarantee fight-free co-existence, but they sure look great! - Maddie (lilmagoolie.com) Click on the links to see more of the rooms.

top space :ohdeedoh

ohdeedoh

hop skip jump

armelle jewelry

real living magazine via keltainentalorannalla

baby : 3 weeks

2012-01-22T21:30:00.007+11:00

I was sure I was having a boy. I also thought the baby space baby would arrive late like my other two boys. I was all ready to still be pregnant at 41 weeks and then to give birth to a boy. And we'd picked out a name for our third and final boy: Luka.

But as we hadn't found out for sure what sex the baby was, we'd also picked out a couple of girls names just in case (the man was sure she would be a 'she'). We narrowed it down to two: Chloe and Asher. But when she was born she didn't look at all like a Chloe or an Asher. She looked like a Rose, which wasn't even on our long list.

A girl called Rose. Born one day early. A sweet bundle of surprises right from the beginning.

How about you? If you're a mama did you name your wee one's before they were born (we did with the preschooler) or wait for their arrival? And what do you think you'll do with future bambinos? I'd love to hear.

baby : 2 weeks

2012-01-21T21:30:00.002+11:00

Having a cuddle at two weeks tiny (last week).

Right now I'm just riding with the flow of this new little lady's needs : feed, change, cuddle, feed, cuddle, sleep, sleep, feed, change, cuddle...you get the picture. All of this cuddling is keeping me away from posting (sad) but it does give me time to read quite a bit over her chubby little shoulder (sooo cute).

Eventually I'd like to share our birth story with you but in the meantime I'd also love to share her growth here on baby space if you'd like to see?

3 week pictures and a bit about her name coming next...

p.s I did an interview about being a mama for with two cats a little while ago. You can read it here if you'd like.

guest post : my poppet : blythe doll love

2012-01-18T06:30:00.000+11:00

Hello lovely baby space readers, Miss Cinti here, mum to 2 year-old Emma, you may know me from such places as the My Poppet Blog and Poppet in the Pos t.

Whilst Bron is off having a well earned rest I thought I'd introduce some of you to the wonderful world of Blythe dolls.

Blythe are no ordinary doll, they seem to have an amazing personality about them that many find hard to resist, and a fascinating history.

Manufactured by Kenner in 1972, the original Blythe was produced for only one year and then was retired because of poor sales, then 28 years later after appearing in a Japanese television commercial, she became an overnight sensation in Asia. To meet the demand of fans and collectors the Neo Blythe was released in 2001. They are made only in limited editions which adds to their desirability.

Last year I was lucky enough to be in Tokyo for the 10 year anniversary exhibition of every Blythe doll released in Japan. You can read about it here.

I was lucky enough to be lent a doll by a friend who is a collector, and both Emma and I were quite smitten. So whilst in Japan I decided to buy us a Blythe doll of our very own.

Meet Perty (Emma calls every Blythe, Perty).

We have lots of fun together changing Perty's eye colour (she has four), dressing her up for tea parties, and of course I love making clothes for her.

You can read more about our Blythe adventures here.

Thanks Bron for letting me take over your blog for a day. Good luck with the baby.
x Cinti

guest post : tales of me and the husband : new dad tips

2012-01-16T06:30:00.005+11:00

Please welcome Bridget from tales of me and the husband. You may remember her tips for visiting new mums from here. I asked her if she had any more tips and this is what she had to say. (This lady makes me laugh!)

{my husband, my babe, and myself}

I had this little guy a mere five months ago. It feels like ages ago and just yesterday all at the same time. When he reaches a new milestone I'm both happy and sad. "He rolled over! Hurrah Parker! Go Parker! Wait, no! Stop! Be still! Like the sleepy little slug you were when you were a few hours old! Stop growing!"

Happy, sad, up, down... such is the mind of a new Mom. I mean, post-birth, you've got hormones raging through you like a bulldozer, a potentially throbbing vagina tear, and two or more hemorrhoids from the whole pushing-a-babe-from-your-womb deal. Thus, the ups and downs are the least of it. But, nevertheless, a new Mom's mind is a crazy place.

So this is just one tip I have and it really goes out to the dads (who perhaps aren't really checking into blogs, so moms-to-be... show them this one!). Be kind. Be gentle. Be gracious.

Treat her (your amazing wife) with kid gloves for the first few weeks. If she sounds crazy, don't call her on it. Just love her through it and really lay the love on thick.

I remember when Parker was fresh out of the hospital (and the bilirubin lights -- poor guy had a bit of jaundice!). He was so little and so fragile and so breakable to my hormonal mind. I was afraid that a crazy disease would swoop in and take him from me. I remember, quite vividly, saying to my husband, "I cannot take him to the grocery store this winter. There are germs everywhere. I can't do it. You have to do all the grocery shopping through the winter months."

He said ok. He acted like it was no problem. He didn't tell me I was crazy.

And now that the winter months have arrived, my mind is a way calmer place, and I go to the grocery store like it is nooo big deal (three cheers for Bridget!). Parker is way more sturdy and less fragile to me. I realize he's a healthy little dude who can handle a cold or two if they come his way. Yes, I still bring hand santizier everywhere, but I don't avoid public places like the plague!

Again, three cheers for me! But, really, the unsung hero here is my husband who, despite having a crazy wife, didn't let on. He got a lot of points for that one.

guest post : buy modern baby : sleep, sit, suck

2012-01-11T06:30:00.002+11:00

While I'm away loving up the new baby space baby (yay!) we have some lovely bloggers from the most fabulous baby, craft and design sites dropping by to guest post. The first is Esther from the comprehensive site for beautifully designed products for wee ones, Buy Modern Baby Blog.

My philosophy when it comes to newborns is to keep it as SIMPLE as possible. The stage is so wonderful but so brief, so it's really not worth getting more geared up for it than you need to.

That being said, I reflect back on my months with newborns and have come up with my top basic picks. These are what I'd love to get if I had to do it all again.

First, newborns need a place to SLEEP. There are lots of different possible sleeping arrangements but I liked keeping my babies in their own little bed next to mine for the first few months. These three bassinets would be beautiful, cozy places for snoozing.

Anticlockwise from top right: BABYBJÖRN Bassinet Harmony, so-ro cradle, Stokke Bounce 'n' Sleep.

Second, newborns need a place to SIT. You can't hold them all day. At some point you need to eat or make a telephone call or... gasp! have a shower!

Clockwise from top right: 4moms mamaroo, bombol bamboo, Nuna Leaf, Combi Pod Bouncer.

Finally, they are going to SUCK. Your #1 job as a newborn parent is to be sure your child eats and grows. This takes quite a bit of time throughout the day so you want to be comfortable.

Clockwise from top right: My Brest Friend, milkbar nursing pillow, babybaby Feeding Pillow.

So keep it simple. Have a place for your baby to sleep, sit and suck and you'll be all set!

the bump : 40 weeks

2012-01-09T06:30:00.030+11:00

The baby space baby is here!

At the moment the baby space place is a cocoon of newborn bliss. The man is on leave taking care of us and I'm spending most of my time off the computer loving up the baby. But I had to pop in to let you know the wee one had arrived.

As you know we chose not to find out the sex of the baby and we also waited until the baby space kiddos came to the hospital to meet their sibling before telling them if they had a new brother or a sister.

What do you think?

It's a girl. A very blue one. We are so in love.

More details to come :)

merry christmas

2011-12-25T06:30:00.049+11:00

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Are you making any resolutions? This New Year I'm hopping on board with Fat Mum Slim for her photo-a-day January challenge. If you fancy checking out the goings-on in the baby space place you might like to pop over to Instagram or Twitter and take a squiz or join in. I'm not sure I'll make it every single day with a newborn, but for sure I'll be tweeting when the baby space baby makes his or her arrival :)

Have an awesome holiday season lovely people.

family portrait by the talented nan lawson.

the bump : 39 weeks

2011-12-22T06:30:00.003+11:00

top: the baby space bump at four weeks. check out my massive grin and pregnancy test pride. just a little bit excited there. bottom: the baby space bump at 39 weeks. time to come out little one!

I think the next time I post about the baby space baby he or she will be born. Hoorah! I am so curious to find out who has been growing here all these months and I think we are as ready as we'll ever be. We have a final list of names to choose from, the car capsule has been installed (thanks Danni from Rock-A-Bye-Baby Equipment Hire!) the baby hammock is up (caught in a nesting frenzy I just might have washed it twice. And ironed it) and we have been practising our Calmbirth breathing and massage. I can't wait. But first, there's Christmas.

fun stuff : christmas countdown

2011-12-20T06:30:00.015+11:00

There are only five little days until Christmas! Have you done all your Christmas shopping? Thankfully we're all set in the baby space place. All that's left to do is to cook up some tasty treats for our day with the fam (and wait for the baby space baby to arrive :) Might we end up with a Christmas baby? Oh my).

If you're still looking for fabulous gift ideas you may want to check out the baby space gift guide and if you fancy being a winner on Christmas Eve you may want to enter our international Christmas Gift Giveaway full of lovely goodies valued at over $400 AUD. Good luck!

sweet image from kikki.k found on pinterest.

room for baby : into the woods

2011-12-19T06:30:00.008+11:00

Resident baby space contributor, Belinda from Nest Design Studio interviewed Jac about her wee son Nickson's bold Utah space.

Jac wanted to create a masculine nursery that Nikson could grow with rather than having to change everything when he got older. An old trunk (above) left by the home's previous owners was turned into a nifty bookshelf.

Nikson loves the delicate leaf mobile handmade by Jac.

vibe
Vintage mountain man.

who lives here?

Nikson, 9 months-old in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

decor
"It is a theme that's classic and won’t have to be changed over time," says Jac. "The only updating I will want to do is to change his pictures as he grows.”

Antlers previously belonging to Nikson's grandfather add interest by the picture gallery.

walls
“We love stripes and wanted to use them the best way we could for this small room," explained Jac. "Vertical stripes added to the height of the room and allowed for a more open feeling.” Jac used Valspar Eggshell finish in Tempered Grey and added contrasting vertical stripes behind the cot.

furniture
“One word -- used,” says Jac. “We just repurposed most of our furniture. My favorite piece is the bookshelf which actually is an old trunk we found outside when we moved into the new house. It had the perfect amount of space for what we wanted to put in it."

diy
“My favorite DIY is his aspen branch mobile. We just clipped a branch from outside and hung leaf skeletons. It really added to the woodland feeling we wanted to create. We repainted an old file cabinet from Pottery Barn, and we were given my mother’s rocking chair. Score!”

best buys
“The nine drawer vintage dresser was a steal on a local classified. And we were gifted the owl lamp from Target.”

top tip
“Be patient. You will be very surprised when pieces start catching your attention because you are on the prowl. Everything was totally worth the wait for us. We also were very specific when people asked us what they could give us for showers and parties. Plaid blankets, buffalo checks, deer artwork etc were all things I suggested and people responded. I am very grateful.”

Thank you so much Jac for sharing Nikson’s space with baby space!

room for kids : little tranquillity

2011-12-13T06:30:00.010+11:00

Wee resident Arwen, "Adores the little white porcelain bunny on her pretty shelf -- she pushes her wicker chair over to climb up and kiss it every day." says Mum, Jo.

As an interior designer and stylist, Jo carefully applied her attention to detail to all aspects of her daughter's space. "To add a lovely tactile feel to the room I chose pure white embossed cotton bed linen with a pretty branch pattern sewn into it," she explained. "On Arwen's bookcase are a green antiqued bird cage and a collection of vintage story books from her dad’s childhood."

vibe

Serene shabby chic meets new country style.

who lives here?
Arwen, 2.5 years-old in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

décor
"Arwen has a love of animals and adventures, especially hooty owls, fluttery butterflies, jumping bunnies, sly little foxes and nesting birds, so I incorporated these into the room for her," said Jo. "She loves her dad's battered VW campervan so I stitched a textile picture in sea foam and white linen scraps to tie in beautifully with the colour palette and add texture to the new room. I custom make textile pictures now for my clients as part of my services at Hausstylish Interior Design and styling. You can see some of them at HausStylish or on my Facebook page. We both love the bunny on the bed -- it's called 'person'. It was mine as a child."

walls
"I chose Taubmans Willow Herb for the walls which is a very serene soft green, and the ceilings and doors were painted in a shade of white called Taubmans Cotton Ball."

furniture
The wicker chair originally belonged to Arwen's Nanna,the little bookcase and ornamental shelving were from Ikea and the bed was from Early Settler.

diy
Jo made the framed textile pictures and the paper ballet slippers hanging on the bed post. She also sanded the wicker chair, gave it a fresh coat of paint then further sanded it to give it a distressed finish.

challenges
Decorating and furnishing the space on a small budget was a bit of a challenge so Jo created some diy pieces and hunted for bargains.

best buys
"The lovely bed from Early Settler, it was only $199 AUD and adds a bit of character to the brand new room."

top tips
Jo says, "I think you can create this serene and soft look on any budget – the key is to stick to a simple colour scheme – like keeping most of the furniture and large pieces in white or cream and stick with one accent colour that is complimentary to the dominating colour -- I chose sea foam green as the main accent colour and didn’t stray from that."

Thank you so much Jo and Arwen for sharing your space with baby space!

newborn essentials part one

2011-12-07T06:30:00.011+11:00

Babies = stuff. Sometimes really, really cute stuff. Sometimes stuff that just makes it easier to get through the day. Here's part one of what the baby space baby will be using.

1.Going home outfit. How cute is it picking out baby's first outfit?! After rocking the teeny tiny gowns in the hospital the wee one is coming home in a white wrap romper with caramel polka dots (the one pictured above is white on white). It will be the middle of summer but we'll be coming from the hospital air conditioning so cotton with long sleeves and legs will be perfect. Originally I was looking for something in a soft lemon yellow but the preschooler was shopping with me and he took a fancy to this one. We also picked up booties to match.
Newborn wrap romper by Bebe by minihaha, approx $29.95 plus shipping from David Jones.

2. Car seat. Have baby, must travel. Capsules are so handy to tote around on school runs and outings but we didn't want to spend hundreds on a capsule that we will only need for six months. Solution? Hello capsule hire! We opted for the sleek Maxi Cosi Mico capsule plus two capsule bases as we have two cars at the moment. We're using the Sydney-based company Rock-A-Bye-Baby Equipment Hire who also do installation as a complimentary service. Bonus!
Maxi Cosi Mico capsule, approx $155 for six months hire, base/s extra from Rock-A-Bye-Baby Equipment Hire.

3. Stroller/pram. One of the key baby items that will be used for years. This time around we decided to go with the very popular Bugaboo. Because I had a dream. Yup. I dreamed that I was looking down at a pram and it had those iconic handles. The next morning I hopped onto eBay and there it was. In red. I love that the wee baby and I will be will face-to-face when we're strollin' and we'll also pop a skateboard on so the preschooler can catch a ride. We nabbed the old school Bugaboo Frog on eBay for only $300 AUD in a used but great condition.
Used and new Bugaboo prams, strollers and accessories are available on eBay.

4. Baby carrier. Honestly I would never have known to pick this carrier had I not had a fantastic experience when we borrowed one for the preschooler for backpacking around Asia earlier this year. The ERGObaby carrier rests on the hips which I found incredibly comfortable. I could wear it all day long -- and when we were travelling I did! It's really hardy and easy to clean (just pop it through the wash), has a sleeping hood so little heads don't loll and holds newborns to 18kg. We also grabbed a newborn insert which is needed for the first 4-6 months.
The Original ERGObaby carrier in Camel, approx $115 AUD plus shipping from ERGObaby.

5. High chair. This is the same high chair we used for the preschooler. We love it because it suits most interior schemes, has no complicated buckles, clips or padding and can be wiped down quick smart. Also it's an incredible bargain!
Ikea Antilop high chair with tray, approx $39.95 AUD from Ikea.

the bump : 36 weeks

2011-12-05T07:45:00.002+11:00

the baby space bump at 36 weeks and two days.

Oops. That was a wee bit long between bump posts wasn't it? Last we checked in we were at 33 weeks and now here we are coming up to 37 weeks. 37?! That is a full term baby. That's an if-I were-having-an-elective-c-section it could happen next week kind of situation. But I'm not of course, and with both the baby space kiddos I went past my due date, which is apparently the case for around 70% of births, so we won't be blowing up that birthing pool just yet ;)

So what are the baby space baby's stats this week? Apparently the little thing is about the size of a bowling ball and weighs around 2.6kg. And yes, I am feeling it. See that serene, rested look in the picture? Not indicative of real life situation. Let's just say that the uncomfortable time has well and truly arrived.

Now that we're on the home stretch we plan to take it easy apart from the most basic holiday shenanigans like the preschooler's Christmas concert, (always soo cute to see the kiddos singing and dancing, I actually get teary. Do wee concerts effect you similarly?) Christmas with our wonderful folks and low-key visits with lovely friends.

If you're already a mama, can I ask -- did you feel the need to slow down pre-birth too? Or did you like to keep busy until the big birth day arrives? I'd love to hear!

p.s If you'd like to snaffle up some Christmas goodies we're having a couple of fun giveaways here and here :)

p.p.s Thank you for everyone who voted in the Soon Maternity Challenge and congrats to Kelsey from Snappy Casual who won!

christmas giveaway : gift extravaganza

2011-12-02T06:30:00.010+11:00

Deck the halls it's that time of year! One lucky winner will be taking home all these goodies valued at approx $424 AUD this Christmas. Hoorah!

1. One delightful Australian handmade Dotty Dog plushie from High Maintenance Hippy valued at $25 AUD.

2. One personalised Print-it-Yourself Mini Me Paper Doll package PLUS one year membership to the Outfit of the Month Club (a new outfit every month for a year!) from Lily & Thistle valued at approx $26 AUD.

3. Your choice of one quality art print from ArtBuds. New Horizons by Nathan Spoor valued $85 AUD or Cat Genesis by Foi Jimenez Jurado valued at $110 AUD.

4. One Australian handcrafted Green Santa Sack from fabrik valued at $33 AUD.

5. The complete (three sets in one!) Girly Woodland Scene fabric wall decal set from (love)mae valued at approx $230 AUD.

Excited? Me too! To enter all you have to do is visit each site: High Maintenance Hippy on Etsy, Lily and Thistle, ArtBuds, fabrik and (love)mae and leave a comment on this post telling us why you'd love to win these items and/or your fave items in the respective stores. Happy browsing!

Giveaway closes at midnight, Sydney time on the 23rd of December 2011. The winner will be drawn by True Random Number Generator and announced in the comments on this post on the 24th of December 2011. Be sure to leave your email address or check back on the 24th to see if you are the winner. This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. Good luck!