Donna Hay... my hero!

Hi Dolls,

I hope everyone has been fabulous. As usual, I have had another chock-a-block full week.

After months of no mobile service, I finally got off my butt and contacted Optus to get out of my contract. Could not believe my luck when I had no problems getting out of it and I didn't have to pay a thing - score! So, we went straight to the Telstra shop last night so they could hook us up with the lot - mobile, internet, t-box and t-hub. I had finally talked my husband into getting the internet and everything else that goes with it, so I was pretty pumped we were finally sorting it all out... until Telstra told me that I couldn't get the internet in my area. Are you serious!? It's not like we live in the country! Their explanation was because all the internet ports in my area are taken and  there isn't any left for us, but I am more than welcome to go on a waiting list for the next available, blah, blah, blah. So I rang this morning to go on a 'waiting list', and guess what... there isn't one! Grrr... my only option apart from a stupid and expensive wireless pack is to just ring up every few months and try my luck. The likelihood of this actually happening is extremely low. Someone basically has to move and then the next person that moves in hopefully doesn't hook up the internet for a really long time and then perhaps I might be able to get it... if I ring before the other billion people also wanting the internet. So annoying... anyway that's my little vent for today... even though I did vent about it last night as well. Deep breath... moving on!

On a much more fun note, Piper rolled! My mother-in-law bought her a little tummy-time mat and she still hates tummy-time but not so much anymore. Anyway, she was wiggling around and rolled. I don't know who was more shocked, but after the initial shock, I yelped for joy and started clapping and she started giggling!
Piper also moved onto the 'big bath' this week. As with most of her things at the moment, she has grown out of her baby bath, bassinet and even her car seat. She loves being able to kick and splash and it's just too cute.
What isn't too cute is her new habit of waking up at 3am every single night. Last night was the first night in so long that she amazingly slept through. I won't hold my breath, but I am secretly hoping that this is the beginning of a wonderful night's sleep. Fingers crossed! She has settled quite nicely into the eat, play, sleep routine. It isn't strict but it helps me understand why she's grumpy, when to put her down for a nap and when to give her a bottle.

I had my Mother's group on Wednesday. There are 5 of us and we are taking it in turns having everyone over at each of our houses. Every sixth week we plan to do something fun outside the house somewhere. These lovely ladies kept making and baking things for afternoon tea and seriously put me to shame. Who has time? Especially when they do a 24 pack of mixed MnM, Snickers and Mars Cookies for $10 at Safeway! My husband is the one who cooks, I'm very lucky he looks after me. He even used to make my lunch for me when we both worked. But, this week was my turn and all the Mum's were coming to my place so I decided to give baking a go! My Mother-in-law got me onto Donna Hay and she is my kind of cooking lady. She declares herself the queen of cheats and if there is a shortcut she will point you in the right direction.

I gave the Chocolate Eclairs and Chocolate Brownie Cake a go. I must say they were delicious. They were also so easy, which is a relief because that's how I roll.

Why don't you give them a go:

Chocolate Eclairs

Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 cup (250ml) double (heavy) cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon icing sugar, sifted

12 sponge finger biscuits, halved length ways

125g dark chocolate, melted

¼ teaspoon vegetable oil

Method:

1. Place the cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and whisk gently until thick.

2. Place the bases of the biscuits onto a wire rack.

3. Spoon on the cream mixture and top with the remaining biscuits.

4. Mix together the chocolate and oil.

5. Spread the chocolate mixture over the tops of the biscuits.

~

Chocolate Brownie

Makes 16 Slices

Ingredients:

200g dark chocolate, chopped

250g butter, chopped

1¾ cups (310g) brown sugar

4 Eggs

⅓ Cup (35g) cocoa powder, sifted

1¼ Cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

¼ Teaspoon baking powder

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (325ºF).

2. Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Place the sugar, eggs, cocoa, flour and baking powder in a bowl.

4. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until combined.

5. Pour into a 20cm square slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper.

6. Bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted skewer withdraws clean.

7. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before slicing.

8. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

http://www.donnahay.com.au/



Xmas Shopping - Check!

Hi Dolls,

So it’s been a busy week. Two words – TOY SALE! This was my first year checking out the mid-year toy sales. We usually leave all our Xmas shopping until a few days before Xmas. I always mean to make it happen earlier but the funds and motivation are just never there. It’s just more exciting picking out the perfect present for everyone on a deadline. Shopping and spending all that money at once is quite exilerating! But, now that I have a baby and it will be her first Xmas this year, no one could hold me back! As soon as those toy catalogues were delivered to my letterbox I was all over them! It felt like it was Xmas already! Looking through all the toys I wanted to get for my little girl, Piper, and for my nephews and friends babies it really brought back memories of my own childhood. I remember circling all the things I wanted when I was a kid (which was pretty much everything) and still not much has changed. I love junk mail and still circle everything I want – I mean need. So the list for my little girl was pretty much the same - massive. I also picked out her presents for when she is two – doll house, and when she is three – kitchen and when she is four – drum kit! But shhh… it has to be a surprise! I ended up with a massive trolley at two different stores and had to go back again to the original store for the things I forgot the first time. So I am now all set for Xmas and it’s only July! I feel so organized, I must be forgetting something. All I have to do now is just pay for it – Boo!!

This week, I also caught up with B & L, who are friends we made at our baby birthing classes. They had their little baby (what a cutie!) just 4 days before Piper came along. We had a great time and Piper got a little present as well – a little ittybittyindi ‘confetti’ headband. B made it and has just started her own label – ittybittyindi designs. She is so clever and creative. She makes beautiful, one-of-a-kind children’s garments, accessories and plush toys. They are handmade with a sprinkle of love, a cup of giggles and a pinch of mischief. You can be assured your teeny tot will stand out in the crowd with a wardrobe full of cheeky, cute and quirky outfits from ittybittyindi designs!

I haven’t seen B since our birthing classes and this was the first time our little girls met each other – even though Piper slept through the whole thing! We swapped birthing stories (shocking!) and it got me thinking back to when I was still pregnant. The minute anyone heard I was pregnant, the nightmare pregnancy stories came out to play (double shocking!) Seriously, no one wants to hear the bad stuff before you are about to go through it and have a baby. The thought of birth and labour and everything in between is scary enough anyway. We don’t need to hear anything else that is going to scare us more from something that happened to a friend of a friend's, cousin's, best friend's, mother's, sister's, daughter's friend. Who cares! Chances are it’s not true anyway and then what happens - you can’t sleep at night! My advice – buy yourself a full length maternity pillow (amazing) and block your ears! Whatever happens, the end result is amazing and when you are holding your little baby in your arms it is all totally worth it and nothing else matters.

I have also started my mother’s group! It’s amazing how much you can learn about a group of woman and their babies in 2 hours. It’s nice to have a reason to get out of the house and put some makeup on and catch up with people whose eyes don’t glaze over because you can’t stop talking about your baby (guilty – oops). I do make an effort and try not to talk about Piper all the time, but she’s so cute and doesn’t everyone want to talk about her? Ha, I know. I was one of those people who couldn’t stand it when all anyone could talk about was their kids. I didn’t mind a little bit of baby talk but not for the whole conversation. I now understand that if you are at home with a baby all day long, some days there isn’t much else to talk about. Apart from talking about my shows – Winners and Losers and Offspring (love them) there’s not much time left for anything else not baby related. I'm in my own little bubble. I don’t even watch the news anymore (well actually I never did) – never anything positive on the news, certainly no happy endings! So I don't even know what's happening around the world. That’s why I always try to get out of the house and be as social as I can. I still love shopping, but will have to be satisfied with window shopping until I go back to work. I have been creating a mental shopping list for months now.

Well, until next time… peace and love…

Check out ittybittyindi designs on FaceBook – ittybittyindi designs, and the online store on Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ittybittyindi