Lulu’s Ramblings
April 1st
Been ages since my last post. Life has been super busy so far this year. We did the Franklin Health Expo in March, added another business to my little empire (http://www.onesiebummsie.co.nz/) and this weekend coming I have the Calendula Baby Fair which I have organised. It’s a big task but fun! The Franklin Parents Centre is keeping me busy.
Children! Well my middle daughter is now 3 and is so fragile at the moment, tears and screams over the littlest things. Very frustrating but it will pass. My baby girl is now 8 months (almost 9 months) and is starting to walk on her own, a few steps each day! Can’t believe that! She is also a little escape artist, you leave a door open and she will crawl straight out and down the steps without a thought! I lost her the other day, didn’t realise the other kids had left the front door open and I found her outside by the swing, came me a huge fright.
Take care xx
Louise
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January 25th
Welcome 2012! I hope you are going to be a cracker of a year 
Though in saying that it hasn’t been a totally wonderful start for the year. My mother in law was involved in a car accident which landed her in the hospital, she is now recovering and her injuries weren’t life threatening but still a shock to the system and not what anyone was expecting to happen that day.
The school holidays have been long and not too bad really. We spent Christmas down in the South Island with my family and we even managed to go camping at Lake Benmore, only my most favourite place in this country! That was so much fun and Miss A even managed to catch her 1st fish which was so exciting for her. Miss D wasn’t so lucky but she had fun riding the motorbikes with everyone instead. Baby D, now almost 7 months started on solids while on holiday and is now making sure she steals my crusts at every given opportunity. This week we have seen her learn to crawl so now she is going everywhere…even out the doors! The little monkey!
I would like to touch on the subject of earthquakes, Christchurch did put on a shaky show for us and it was scary as all hell. I can only imagine what the real big ones were like, the 5′s we had were enough for me. But to live with the shakes on a daily basis, I can now understand the stress it causes some people. You just don’t realise until you are there. We humans are at the mercy of Mother Nature and She must be respected. When that big 5 struck on the 23rd, I’m glad my ‘step’ dad was home otherwise I would have shat myself even more! Miss K was outside all on her own so Mr Scamps ran outside to be with her and I just grabbed Baby D off the floor and started to move to the doorway until I was told to stay put. So I did, I stayed put in that comfy chair where I thought I would be the safest and sat there holding Baby D for the rest of the day. I was literally too scared to move out that seat! Not fun! So my hat goes off to all the families who live in Christchurch and deal with that all the time. I was there for only a couple of weeks and that was my reaction to the quakes. I think I would be a mess if I was there any longer.
So here’s to a rather shaky start to 2012 which can only get bigger and better!
Till next time xx
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December 7th
It’s December…how did that happen? School is finishing for the year next week then it’s the holidays, not sure if I am excited about that or not! I am going to enjoy having my big girl home, not sure I can handle the constant fighting between her and her sister though. It’s a good thing we are heading away for a holiday and I’ll have my mum as a backup lol.
I don’t enjoy Christmas time, it’s too stressful, too much pressure to buy lots of presents that we can’t afford, worrying that family will get offended if we don’t get them something but then feeling guilty when they give you something but you didn’t and just the pressure of trying to find something for the kids! We have a small problem of a small house. We have outgrown this 3 bedroom house and don’t really have room to fit anything else in so I’ve been trying to find ‘little’ things that wont take up much room. Not an easy feat. I am still at a complete loss what to get Baby D, she is now 5 months and loves to sit on her own. I thought she was sitting really early but after a quick look at her sister’s record books, Miss K was also sitting at 4 months. I do wonder if that is a 2nd/3rd baby thing as Miss A didn’t sit until she was 8 months or so. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!
That’s all for now, I’m tired and going to go read my book while Baby D is having a nap!
Take care xx
Louise
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November 29th
Penpals – a thing of the past?
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November 9th
Where has this year gone? I am sure time is speeding up on me! Perhaps that is just the effect of being a parent? So much has been happening and is happening (some of which I can’t yet announce but soon). One of the biggest things is that yesterday I became the new President of the Franklin Parents Centre. I am super excited about this as I have hundreds of ideas buzzing around my head, so watch out Franklin for some very cool events happening next year! If you aren’t already a member I do recommend joining us (click here to go to our website).
Everything just seems to be falling into place which is nice. It does mean I’m going to be even more busier, it’s a good thing I love being busy! I need to find an extra $25 in the budget to bring in a cleaner to help with the housework I think, that will certainly take a load off me but not sure Mr Scamps will approve of that one just yet.
The girls are good, have I mentioned that I really don’t like the 5 year old attitude? Team that with a nearly 3 year old attitude and you have us….fun times!! Just wait until bubs starts getting on it too (oh dear!). Bubs is now 4 months old, really only feels like she was born last month. Such a strange feeling knowing that she is only 4 months but still feels so new yet we are positive she is an old soul.
Some of you may be aware that I have an obsession with vampires….from author Anne Rice, to Anita Blake the Vampire Hunter, to Twilight, to True Blood to The Vampire Diaries. I’m part of a NZ Twilight Forum but we girls love all vampires so the name is a little misleading, anyway, each time the movies come out we do a special screening where we hire out a theatre and watch the movies (no males allowed!). It was looking like I wouldn’t be able to make it this year due to the kids but my lovely husband, Mr Scamps came to the rescue and agreed to take a day off work and put himself out just so I could have a girly time watching Breaking Dawn with my vamp gals – I’m bouncing off the walls with excitement…..Thursday next week – yay!!
Right I better stop my rambling and get some new product loaded up while Baby D is fast asleep….the washing can wait!
Take care my friends xx
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October 21st
Thank goodness the school holidays are almost over! I never truly understood how stressful they are until now. We’ve been lucky with the preschool the girls attend stay open during the holidays so we were never effected by them and only knew it was school holidays because their swimming lessons take a break. It has been a right mission to entertain a 5 year old, a nearly 3 year old, a 3 month old and try to get work and housework done all at once! I think I managed to stay on top of the housework but work unfortunately has been piling up. Next holidays I’m going to more organised and get her enrolled in a couple of (hate to say it, expensive) school holiday activities.
I have a little bubba who loves my full attention and demands it throughout the day, she hates to sleep for longer than 10 mins and if I can get her down for longer, it’s a good day! I then spend the next few minutes running around like a headless chicken doing things that need doing. Should be a good way to lose weight? Yeah nah! The flat tummy still eludes me, well lets me honest, I haven’t had a flat tummy since I was 4 years old according to my mother. I do try to fit a walk into my busy schedule but I’m yet to make it out the door! Too many excuses I’m afraid, I really need someone who will literally drag me out kicking and screaming!
Right nap time over, work hat off, mummy hat on. Till next time xx
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September 27th
Week 2 of having a school kid and so far it has been really good. I’m surprised at how it has thrown me into a routine of homework (yes homework already!), making lunches, getting clothes ready and just being able to get out the door in time with 3 kids in tow. It’s amazing really as I’m not much of a routine person (my routine is no routine!). I now get 2 full days of just me and bubs which should mean I get more work done? Nope! Still working on perfecting that one, it’s not much fun packing orders with a screaming baby, it’s impossible to talk on the phone with a screaming baby (sorry to all those who have endured that one so far!) and it’s hard to type with only one hand. Never mind, we’ll get there….eventually!
I love that I have been able to put a product to good use, Ginger Pye Reusable Wraps. These little NZ made wraps are wonderful! Wipe them clean, no rubbish and Miss A loves the fabric. Makes the lunch box fun and colourful too. I do highly recommend them. The snack size wrap is great for the morning tea snacks. I’m getting in some reusable snack bags which I can’t wait to put one to good use!
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September 5th
It’s official, my little baby is now 2 months old! Where has the last 2 months gone? I think I blinked and missed lol. Another big milestone for our family this month, our eldest Miss A is turning 5 on the 18th and starts school on the 19th. Talk about mixed emotions. On one hand I’m really excited and on the other thing I’m sad and can’t believe it has been 5 years already. In some ways it feels a lot longer and in others it really doesn’t feel that long at all.
It means now I have to start making school lunches and this is one thing that has always terrified me…I have no idea what to put in it school lunches! I do have all this grand scheme to start baking again but somehow I need to find the time to fit it all in and then make it last or at least clear room in our tiny little freezer for all the goodies. I asked on the Scamps Boutique Facebook page for suggestions, so make sure you go check them out!
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Welcome to Lulu’s Ramblings, this is the part of the blog where you can get to know the person behind Scamps Boutique.
I’m Louise, a 30 something mum and wife and I’m the force behind Scamps Boutique (and The Baby View which use to be known as Mums to Be and Cloth Nappy Love). I have been a stay at home/work at home mum for 5 years now and while it can be stressful, I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world!
We now have 3 beautiful girls (Miss A is almost 5, Miss K is 2.5 and Miss D is 6 weeks). Miss A and Miss D were both home births, Miss K was meant to be a home birth but we ended up having to go a birthing unit. All my girls have or are using cloth nappies (and disposables at night – naughty I know!), I have used a selection of baby carriers with them all and we also co-sleep. Some people may call me crunchy (where did this term come from??) but I just do what feels nature and right to me! I would love to home school my girls too but that just isn’t possible right now…maybe one day.
I have been married for 5 years, we got married in Christchurch at the beautiful and stunning ChCh Arts Centre. I happened to be 7 months pregnant at the time so it had to be a quiet affair as I didn’t have the energy for a full on wedding day! Last month we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary and was meant to do the whole renew wedding vows and have party that we didn’t have on the big day….but I had given birth to our 3rd baby a couple of weeks before that so it wasn’t going to happen! Maybe in another a 5 years?