threelilprincesses.com

Author: Kellie O’Brien

  • FEATURE: I can see clearly now

    FEATURE: I can see clearly now

    RETURNING home from Princess Ella’s 3.5-year check with the child health nurse yesterday, there was great relief in being able to log into social media and ease some of my fears. Fear? What fears would I have?

    She’s ahead in her development. Her vocabulary is beyond what it should be (I only actually discovered this yesterday). She has great talent in creative pursuits. Physically she’s capable of all manner of activities. She’s mastered the alphabet and counting. She’s fit and healthy. In the words of her favourite movie character Mary Poppins, she’s practically perfect in every way.

    Except for her eyesight. During the test she was thrilled she got to look like this (well, the eye patch part):

    Ahoy, me hearties!

    Meanwhile, I had other things racing through my mind. Both eyes together aced the test (she even got praised for picking up the letters so quickly) and the right eye was spot on. But the final two letters to test the left eye were off – all three times. To add to that, she kept turning her head to the side to try and see better. We’re now on the path to getting a referral to see a specialist.

    There were some wonderful comments on Facebook and Twitter. Among them were mums whose little ones:

    • had temporary eye strain so wore glasses for a short period of time;
    • showed signs of eyesight problems during the initial test, but aced the specialist’s test;
    • wore glasses from 11 months of age (imagine the fun trying to keep them on!);
    • fooled their parents with incredible memory recall, but actually had bad eyesight.

    In all, the main message was it’s natural for us to worry but it’s a minor challenge in the scheme of things. And if she does have to have glasses, they’re now far cooler than they were in our day. One little boy was even chuffed he was going to look like Holden driver Mark Scaffe. Very cool.

    I had fears Ella would end up looking like this:

    Now that you’ve finished laughing, I should probably tell you that four-eyed little girl with the coke-bottle glasses is…

    ME!

    I’m severely long sighted. Thank goodness for contact lenses, you say! On a positive note, it’s congenital, not hereditary. So she can’t blame me. Anyway, we’ll keep you posted on her progress.

    Does your little one have glasses or eye sight challenges? How did they cope?

  • PHOTO: You take my photo and I’ll take yours

    PHOTO: You take my photo and I’ll take yours

    EVERY time I now try to take a photo of Princess Ella, I get a: “but only if I can take your photo’’. This is the result.

     

    Ella, pretending to be a model.

     

    Me, in my dags with no hair or makeup, having a “moment” with Baby Holly.

    Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys’ Wordless Wednesday. Click on the link to check out more photo posts.

  • FEATURE: Pooh, is that you, Mum?

    FEATURE: Pooh, is that you, Mum?

    *sniff sniff* What's that I can smell?

    DURING our holiday to Melbourne recently, I had cause to question whether I was living up to my primary school nickname of Smelly Kellie. Cow manure happens when you live on a farm. More correctly, I questioned whether I smelt of baby BO. Baby BO is more than just your typical smelly sock stink. More than just that musty armpit perfume. And definitely more than stinky undies smell. But let’s not go there.

    You see, my youngest childless brother was enjoying kisses and cuddles with his new niece – Baby Holly . That was, until she spewed on him. For the rest of the day, all I heard was his constant complaints of how he stunk. Did he? Because if he stunk then, I must be downright putrid. Look out, here comes Pepe Le Pew – just minus the charm. And here I was thinking it was quite pleasant. Kind of like Johnson’s Baby Powder, complete with the white mess.

    I did a quick check: were there any flies hanging around? I debated whether I needed to buy one of those hats with the corkscrews hanging off the brim. The worry was I often wore my breastfeeding singlets three days in a row without a thought that I might reek of sour milk. Mind you, Baby Holly seems rather comforted by my armpit odour as she nosedives for another feed.

    Since that holiday I’ve begun changing my clothes more regularly. The downside has been the amount of washing piling up. I also can no longer make it to the front of the cue in the deli section of the supermarket as everyone stands back and makes way for me. However, there have been positives. Strangely, my clothes no longer peel off my skin like sticky tape to paper. People in the streets have begun to smile at me again. I feel … shiny. Could it really be all from getting rid of my baby BO?

    Have you ever had to deal with a smelly situation – your own or someone else’s?

  • WIN: Aussie Giveaway Linkup and another winning entry

    FOLLOWING on from my previous posts about how to ace 25 words or less competitions, here’s another winning entry for you. This time it was for another $2000 Prepaid Visa card, with the question being what you’d spend the money on.

    To Sydney, to Sydney, to buy a Forelli bag, Home again, home again, with a new watch from Jag.

    Hmmm, I’m guessing there were some pretty poor entries for me to score this one!

    If you’re a blogger or business owner with a giveaway you want to link up, please read the below. For readers, simply start clicking the links and enter for some great prizes. If you think you won’t win anything, think again – last week I won two prizes. Best of luck.

    This linkup is a combined project with the wonderful Tina Gray, so don’t forget to pop on over and say hi. You can link up your giveaway on either of our sites – it all goes into the one linky.

    If you’re a blogger wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

    1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately.
    2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents. 
    3. Grab the button to add to your post.
    4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly. 
    5. Start entering the giveaways!




    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses and Tina Gray {dot} Me



  • WIN: Full Belly + Little Bundle double book pack (review and giveaway)

    WIN: Full Belly + Little Bundle double book pack (review and giveaway)

    WHO ever thought a host of celebrities could have eased my morning sickness during both pregnancies. They could have reassured me when I struggled to fall pregnant the second time. They could have allowed me to see those labour pains in a whole new light.
    Don’t believe me? Then you obviously haven’t read Adelaide psychologist, author, parenting expert and Parent Wellbeing director Jodie Benveniste’s latest book Full Belly: comfort and inspiration for pregnancy and birth.
    During both pregnancies, I devoured pregnancy books like they were bibles. However, often they weren’t all that comforting or reassuring. Often, it was the opposite – magnifying the fears I already had.
    Jodie has compiled a book that helps deal with not only the physical, but also the emotional issues that come with being preggers. There’s such a calming tone within this inspiring little book – from food cravings to labour pains. Each subject is given its own page and, in bite-sized form, includes a quote from a celebrity, a bit about Jodie’s personal experiences and some words of inspiration. It makes it such an easy read.
    It’s this formula that she used for her successful first book in the series, Little Bundle: Comfort and inspiration for new parents. This is the book I’m most devouring – for obvious reasons. I can pick it up and read just the page that most relates at the time, I can skim through to the subjects that interest me or I can lap up every page. I love how Jodie reassures, gives you confidence and inspires you to make the most of every precious moment.
    There is a warning I’d like to add though. Tears: there will be many, but all happy. The anxiety page has been my saviour. So too the self belief page. The quote for self belief comes from Henry Ford and really resonates with me: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right’’.
    If you’re looking for someone who speaks with warmth and empathy, who offers comfort and reassurance, then I’d recommend these books for whatever stage of parenthood you’re at. Or alternatively it’s a wonderful gift for a friend. Now, where’s that page on babies not sleeping again…. You can learn more about Jodie and the books at www.parentwellbeing.com
    To go in the draw to win the double book pack – including a copy of Full Belly: comfort and inspiration for pregnancy and birth AND Little Bundle: Comfort and inspiration for new parents – leave a comment telling us your favourite quote.  The giveaway closes Friday, July 10 at 7pm and a winner will be drawn randomly and announced on this blog and via Facebook and Twitter. Australian residents only. Limit of three entries.
    Want extra entries? Then here’s how you can up your chances in the draw. Each task is worth one extra entry, but must be included as a separate comment (or it won’t count).
    1. Click the Facebook button below and share this giveaway with your Facebook friends. Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Facebook’’.
    2. Click the Twitter button below and share this giveaway with your Twitter followers (Twitter handle is @ThreeLil). Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Twitter’’.
    **DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of both books for review. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses and Tina Gray {dot} Me
    AND THE WINNER IS: Tutu Ames, who said: “I tweeted (then got distracted on Twitter)”.
    Congratulations, Tutu!
  • FEATURE: I’m grateful for sanitary pads

    FEATURE: I’m grateful for sanitary pads

    Baby Holly: “Da-Da DAAADDDD.''

    This week I’m grateful for:

    • Dora the Explorer toothpaste. When I ran out of toothpaste this week, I was ever so grateful to look into the cupboard and see Dora flashing her pearly whites back at me. Ahh, fresh, bubble gum breath.
    • The first week of The Bloke in The Shed’s new job as Editor of The Advocate Newspaper now behind him. It’s been a tough one for him and two little girls who didn’t get to have their dinner with him each night. That’s not to say there won’t be more weeks like this, but it’s nice to have this one out of the way.
    • A sanitary pad in the middle of my copy of Madison magazine. Ella spilt her water all over the dining room table – including my copy of Madison – during dinner the other night. I hadn’t even had a chance to read it. However, when I picked it up, I noticed only the back half (the side facing down) was drenched. The front half had been saved by the sanitary pad. At least it was put to good use.

    I’m joining with  Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.