Nevus Camp and Conference

Back in October 2010 I posted about the Nevus Camp and Conference. A camp and conference for families and children who have a Nevus, or are touched by someone with a Nevus. In our case it is our gorgeous, cheeky 5 year old son.

Well it is that time again when we start to fund raise to make this even happen, especially for the children. It is a brilliant camp and the children have so much fun together. They get to talk birthmarks and everything that goes with it.
The parents get to laugh and cry with each other about their journey. We ask each other questions, compare notes and talk about life in general.

Here is a pic of a few of us trying to get all the kids in one pic. Such happy, beautiful children.


I really cannot express what a wonderful event this is. As a parent it is so wonderful knowing other parents, chatting to them and just makes this aspect of my life that bit less lonely. Other parents who understand the tears, frustration, countless hospital visits, the beautiful person that is our child, a child who is so much more than a birth mark and dots all over their body.

All the parents and members of Nevus Australia are raising money in their own ways to make this next camp happen.
It is being organised for Melbourne, from October 4th until the 7th.
As I learn about what is happening in each state I will post here so people can spread the word and help us raise enough money.

So if you are able to please donate, even a few dollars, it truly all adds up! Visit the Nevus Australia website to donate and learn more.


Here is a pic of our gorgeous boy with his grown up Nevus buddy who he met for the first time at the last camp. It was so wonderful to meet Andrew and his wife, and hear him talk about his life and journey into adulthood with Nevus and everything that comes with it. Andrew is an inspiration and I am so glad us and so many families met him.

I would also like to add a big thank you to all the people who donated for the last camp. It happened because of you! We appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts.

Here's to the 2012 Nevus Camp and Conference!

Sweet, Hand Made gifts for my Squishy

These two gorgeous felt creatures were made by the mother of one of the big boys friends. She makes all animals and creatures and they are just divine.
So far they have been a huge hit with Miss 3 and Miss 2. They love playing with them in the dollhouse. Mrs Mouse and Mrs Rabbit can talk, didn't you know!
I love them, and am hoping she can teach me one day, when I have spare time, ha!




These crochet Mary Janes. Oh my! They are just adorable. A dear friend of ours, Indi, hand made them lovingly. I look at them and think how cute they are on her little feet. Then I can't help but know she will grow out of them. Damn babies!

I do so love hand made gifts. I am amazed, inspired, in awe and a tad jealous too with such gorgeous hand made gifts. I would so love to be able to create beautiful things for others.
One day. Did you just squeal April? Yes, one day we will sit together and I will actually get beyond two rows of a beanie :)

Nup, cannot get any cuter.............

A few extras, encore from the people.

So there have been some questions around the changes our family are taking on this year. More specifically that the older children are heading into, dun dun da!!!!!! School!

As I have said since we begun, nothing is set in stone. We take life at is comes and adjust, change, and go with what is best at the time.

No, I don't believe for a second there is a 'best way' when it comes to school or learning. The are pros and cons for any path we choose. I know parents with children in school who believe school is the ONLY way for children, all children. I know parents of homeschoolers who believe the same about homeschool.
I believe these are extremes and personally disagree. There is no one size fits all when it comes to children. They are all different. They all learn differently, process information differently, play differently. You get the picture.

Yes, I am sad. But I am also excited. I am also proud of my children who have chatted with us about their lives, what they want at the moment, and how they see their future. We wanted our children to grow and always speak up for themselves, think outside the box, and strive to be who they want to be and to head towards where they want to go. This character building can also be frustrating, but as parents we have to remind ourselves what we see as good qualities in our children that they will carry through and build on into adulthood.

I have no idea what this year holds for us. At the moment we are only looking at term 1 and seeing how it unfolds.
Nothing is locked in.

Yes, it has been hard. I loved the thought of the children all being homeschooled into their teenage years and us continuing to go put and exploring while others were 'stuck in school. I would day dream about when they would go to University, get an apprenticeship, or a job, travel, follow their dreams.
But this is not about what I want. I still imagine my daydreams happening, but on the path each child wants to take. Not what I want them, or hope for them to take.

Honestly, learning and growing up never ends. It still sucks at times. We are always building character, whether we like it or not.

If we can get through schooling, no matter where or how, and the children are happy with their path, then I know we have done good.
Fingers crossed hey!

Year of big changes!

2012 brings with it some major changes for our family.
The best one, and biggest we have ever done in my opinion, is our house. A home we have dreamed of for years. I have only mentioned it here now and then mainly because, well, to most it is a very boring subject. A topic only hose who are building or renovating or dreaming can really understand.
So, lucky you, I will save you from going on about types of wood, foundations, ceiling height, windows, paint colours, straw, render and sooo much more.

I have a big list of things that need to be done for the planning stage and how much we need to save for said planning stage, grumble. We meet our draftswoman early in the new year to finalise the plans and then things will get very exciting! For me anyway, I love this stuff.
So yes, a big house to fit us all with room to fling a child around.

Another big change is the older children heading off to our local school. Huge news really. I am still coming to terms with my feelings. On the one hand I would love to make them do what I want. But you can't control someone and preach about their autonomy at the same time.
Children grow up. As they grow their view and understanding of the world grows with them. The children you wanted to always voice their opinion, have their feelings heard, now have those!

I have felt it may happen one day. One, two or more would want to give school a go.
I know for me growing up, when I was not allowed to do something, I wanted to do it. Foods I couldn't have, I wanted them. Told not to do something, I did it. Always testing boundaries and pushing for things I knew I could do, or would be ok with.
My determination and lure to seeing just how far I could go, or see what I could do, has certainly been passed on to the children. I want to embrace that, as much as I can while I remind that pesky inner voice that they are growing up and I have to continually let go a bit more each time. They have minds of their own, different ways of seeing the world.
Don't get me started on how the 2 eldest boys are the same shoe size as me now and VERY close to seeing eye to eye with me.

I have also never seen schools/institutions, as the enemy, like some home edders have told me.
Maybe it is part because I went to Uni to be a teacher. Part is also certainly because I and Hub both went to school, yet here we are challenging the world and views from the moment we got together at only 15. I am here and who I am because of my past, and the journey along the way.

In a nutshell I want my children to know that we are here and supporting them through their life and the direction they want to go in. For 2012, it will be a combination of school and still some home edding. Yes, you can combine both. I know too well there are gaps in what children want to learn and what they are exposed to at school.
Maybe that is the teacher in me, trying to make sure the children are well rounded, with awesome grammar and hand writing!

As you can imagine we have talked about school a lot over the years, and especially in the last few months. I was very pleased to overhear the older boys talking about going to school and how they are excited to go but how they are glad they know they can always go back to home ed if they prefer.
I love that they know they have choices and that their parents are following their lead and supporting them as they grow up (way too fast!)

What also helps is how family orientated this school is. There is around 70 students across the 7 grades. I have spoken to many parents about teachers, the principal, the school in general etc. I also put the school through the wringer so to speak when we visited each time the kids had went. In the last 2 months they have spent a couple of hours in the classrooms getting to know the teacher and other kids. They went 4 times and each time they would tell me everything that happened, who they spoke to, what they did, what they liked, what they were not sure of.
I am very pleased the school were happy for them to do this, as it meant the children could see for themselves for deciding for certain about going next year.

Don't worry, I'm not kidding myself it is all sunshine and lollipops! There are pros and cons no matter what we do. The key is the support they have and the ability to keep open dialogue with the children and us about their lives. Communicating with the teachers is also very important to me.

So we will see what Term 1 brings come Feb next year.
I will be home with my 3 little women and must admit I am a little excited too. I have no doubt there will be a lot of play dough happening and lots of cutting and pasting. A big favourite at the moment.
Miss 3 already has big plans for us. Lots of baking, going to the park and watching Dora. Yay, I think!

Latest and lucky last babe!

Our sweet baby girl arrived in a speedy, very intense and hard labour, just over a week ago. Hub and I both were swaying more towards our babe being a boy, and laughed when we saw nope, another beautiful baby girl had joined our family. Another not so little girl! She was 11 pounds and 58.4cm long. She still feels so tiny in my arms though.



Having her first feed, all snuggled up with Mummy and her fan club! The other children all adore her and always want to look at her and cuddle her. Miss 2 wants to eat her, or kiss her to death. She will hear her cry and say 'Ohhh baby sister!'




Master 5 asked me to take some pics with her. He has been very cute, just watching her, gently touching her hand. It is very sweet to watch him, especially as I would say he is the most energetic and on the go out of all the children.


Our days have been quite slow and lazy, perfect for babymooning. Over the next week we will be getting ready for Christmas. The children are all very excited and looking forward to a day of fun at Nanna and Poppy's house.

A long time between drinks

The hours fly by so fast. The days and weeks too. Yet it also feels like time can drag by soooo slowly.
My head is still swirling with everything and more we have going on right now, but thankfully it is not overwhelming me or having me feel anxious.
I'm nudging 35 weeks now and flow between feeling zen about when the baby will choose her or his birthday, to just wanting it over and done with already.
This is normal for me, I have done it the last 5 pregnancies. I just try to remind myself baby knows the best day and labour goes so much better when it happens spontaneously.

I am feeling very heavy in the pelvis, especially since bubs dropped about a week ago. Yay I can breathe again, but ouch at the same time!

I am still asked if this is for certain the last baby. Even by people that know Hub had a vasectomy. Yes, it is! 100% it is. It has been 5 months since hub had it done, and I am more happy and content with the decision as time goes by.
I love and adore babies. They smell, the squishyness, holding them, their sweet breath. They really are lovely.
But I know my body and mind are ready for this last baby. I know what a strain my body has been through carrying such large bubs too.

I have also been told by others how they cannot fathom making such a decision. How it is so final. How it means no more, and they can't imagine doing it. This makes me laugh. As clearly, it means they are not ready. They do not want to close that chapter of their lives yet.
And of course that is ok. I was there once. Amazed at the women making final decisions about no babies. It means no more babies!!
And now it is my turn. My turn to feel 'done. For years I wondered, and was concerned too, if I would ever feel done. I would listen to Mums talk about how they just knew, and how they were excited for the next stage of no more babies.
I honestly did not get it. Of course I didn't get it. I wanted my window to stay open. I was not ready. It was not my time.

But now I am. And I laugh at how once I could never imagine being here.
I feel happy, liberated, excited and to be honest a bit sad too. Endings are always sad.
I am trying hard to enjoy the kicks and movements of this bellybabe. Knowing she or he is the last to grow inside my womb. The last baby, our little caboose!

The current little caboose continues to make me laugh, and brings so much joy to our family. I can't imagine, nor remember life without her.
I know I will feel the same when this wee baby joins us too.

Here is Miss 1 asleep in a funny place, as usual. All our children have been such great 'anywhere' sleepers. No matter where we are, if they feel tired they fall asleep. This was the last suitcase to unpack after a weekend away. She loves to help. By help I mean she will toss everything out of the case, clap her hands, smile and say 'All done!'
I must admit, if the older boys did this at nearly 2 I would more than likely crack it, sigh and tell them not to do that. Now, many years and babies later, I am more patient, but more than anything I see the funny side, and don't sweat the small stuff. I know how fast time goes by, how fast children grow. I choose to laugh. Life is much happier this way, for all of us.

House plans are still in the making, just going very slow as we save for what needs to be done next. It is a longer process doing it this way, but it means things are paid for with cash upfront and then we don't have to worry about it again.

The builder is currently doing the final touches on another straw bale home not far from us, and then will be able to have more time for us. It has worked out well and we are grateful to find people nearby who can help us build our home.

Til next time!