LittleONE baby D E C O R AT E F O R
baby.
Take a look at beautiful real life nurseries.
conceive.
TRYING TO
AU & NZ $14.95 (inc. GST)
The often challenging journey to create a family. ISSN
1836-4624
IT’S TIME TO
celebrate!
Gorgeous birthday parties, christenings and baby showers to be inspired by.
9
771836
462003
DRESSING baby
hat on.
L E AV E Y O U R
Keep little heads warm, cosy and super stylish during the colder months. Photography by Kate Monotti
Rocky wears Emmett Hat from $31 (www. etsy.com/shop/doverandmadden) and Tiny Tribe Classic Snapsuit in Cream $69.95 (www.tinytribe.com.au)
May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
155
DRESSING baby
Marlie wears Lurex Beanie $22 (www. fredbare.com.au), Lurex Pom Pom Cardigan $44.95 (www.fredbare.com. au), Lurex Pant With Bow $32.95 (www. fredbare.com.au) and Giraffe Print Shoe $49 (www.hardtofind.com.au)
132
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
DRESSING baby
Rudy wears Tuxedo V Neck $54.95 (www. sookibaby.com.au), Legging With Feet in Black $69.95 (www.tinytribe.com. au) and Globe Trotter Shoe $39.95 (www. cheekylittlesoles.com.au)
May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
133
PARTY time
GRACE’S
christening.
Mum: Linda, 28 Dad: Andrew, 33 Date of Birth: 6th May, 2011 Theme: Vintage Pastels & Florals Photography : Jess Parker
W
ith little Grace’s mum, Linda, styling, planning and organising gorgeous weddings and parties for a living, it was only a matter of time before Grace’s special events were planned as well! “My gorgeous baby girl was born two days after my birthday,” says Linda, who is just loving life with baby Grace. “She is nine months old now, starting to say ‘mama’, standing up and growing into such a beautiful, charismatic little girl.” Linda planned Grace’s christening and wanted to create a soft, vintage feel for the day. “I decided to collect hundreds of doilies to place on the tables,” explains Linda. “I added tonnes of vases and jars filled with foliage, silver suede and flowers and I also hand made pom poms and 116
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
chocolate bars for every guest.” For the dessert table, Linda used pastel pin, green and blue to reflect the colours chosen for the invitations, and designed the backdrop to further add to the vintage feel. “It was my first attempt at styling a dessert table, but since Grace’s christening we’ve had so many requests for them. I wanted to showcase the sweets that we had on offer and we also had three different types of cakes: a green ombre cake, a blue ruffle cake with a rainbow sponge inside and a beautiful white fondant cake with handmade peonies.” Linda was thrilled to have so many of her friends and family attend on the day. “I am originally from Queanbeyan, so to have so many people travel for Grace was simply wonderful.”
PARTY time
Baby Grace wore the christening outfit that Linda had worn at her own christening, so it was truly special and definitely kept in the vintage theme. “My mum kept it all these years and I didn’t see it until a few weeks before the christening. As soon as I did, I knew she had to wear it!” “Grace was such an angel all day,” says Linda. “I was so thrilled that she really seemed to enjoy the day and just taking in the love from all of our guests. My husband’s speech at the christening was also wonderful, and we had a lovely day. My heritage is Macedonian, so we also popped on some traditional music and had a dance with family and friends.”
Clever Party Ideas From Linda & Grace: Linda used personalised chocolates as a yummy bombonierre for a thank you to guests, as well as pom poms for each guest. She also created personalised menus that matched the invites to tie in with the decor and the theme of the day.
Christening Tips From Linda: 1. Plan ahead – months if you can! 2. Pick a theme and stick to it, and only then start to buy things. 3. Try and pull bits and pieces from different parties that you are inspired by to make sure you create your own spin, but be sure it doesn’t turn out too ‘mish-mash’.
Linda & Grace’s Party List: Styling www.harpereventdesign.com.au Stationary www.jenniferbirkheaddesign.com Vintage milk bottles and treat boxes www.harpereventdesign.com.au Cakes www.facebook.com/ KissMyCakes.Australia Flowers www.jaclynroma.com Photography www.whitesparkphotography.com Venue www.meadowbankreceptions.com.au
F R E S H F L O W E R S A N D PA P E R D O I L I E S C R E AT E A F R E S H & P R E T T Y F E E L . May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
117
PARTY time
ELEANOR’S
2 nd birthday.
Mum: Stella, 28 Dad: Zan, 36 Date of Birth: 24th October, 2009 Theme: Little Ted’s Big Adventure Photography : Stella Rutherford
T
he idea for Eleanor’s incredibly sweet second birthday party started with a story book – Little Ted’s Big Adventure by Peter Bowman to be exact. “I really wanted to have miniature food at the party, and this story seemed to fit perfectly,” explains mum, Stella. “It also allowed me to have really fun party favours based around the story and a little ‘adventure’ theme developed from there. Life really is a big adventure when you’re two, it is filled with constant exploration and discovery, so it was the perfect theme for Eleanor.” Life with Eleanor has been quite the adventure already. “I have loved every single moment with our ‘squishy’ one,” says Stella. “The minute we became a family, the world changed. I couldn’t love this kid more and the love between Zan and myself has strengthened too. I find myself getting so excited about the little things all over again and it is all such a big adventure now 94
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
that I am reliving my childhood vicariously through my kid!” For Eleanor’s special day, Stella was determined to keep the party small and intimate. “We had four little guests,” she says. “All very close friends and my young niece. Eleanor’s first birthday was a bigger affair so it was lovely having a small celebration for her second. It also gave me the freedom to get really creative, as I only had to make a limited number of each item.” Stella made all of the food in miniature, including small bread rolls filled with cocktail sausages so they looked like American hotdogs! Mini cupcakes, small scale cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches and tiny pieces were all displayed on a teeny food table…just the perfect size for the young guests. Keeping within the adventure theme, Stella also set up a tepee in one corner of the garden. “It
Party Tips From Stella: 1. Keep it simple, keep it sweet. Kids are often thrilled by the smallest of details (literally in our case!) and sometimes less is more. 2. Start work ahead of time to avoid last minute stress, especially if you are making things by hand like we did. I started making the favours about a month before, just doing a little each night. 3. Getting food the right temperature can be trickier, so it’s great to have a helper if you can. In my case, a big sister was essential! 4. The best party games are the ones you can get started, and then leave the kids to finish themselves. This gives you a break and allows the kids to play with their friends. Pass the parcel is always a great fallback!
SOMET IMES, T H E SIMP LEST I DEAS ARE T H E MOST SP ECIAL. May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
95
PARTY time
was a great way to get some respite from the sun, and we had stories and games in there. At some point there was always at least one child playing in there.” Stella handmade each invitation, complete with tiny envelopes, that set the tone for the rest of the day. “My sister made a delicious Lemon Syrup cake for the birthday cake and I copied some of the original illustrations from the book, laminated them and then pressed them into the icing as decoration.” Zan and Stella repurposed an old desk into a play kitchen for Eleanor as her main birthday gift – complete with sink, taps and an oven. “She also received plenty of toys and books,” says Stella. “She did spend most of her birthday playing with her little pots and pans in the kitchen.” Creative Stella even made Eleanor’s party outfit – a little patchwork skirt teamed with a striped t-shirt with a fox appliqued on to it. “It was a beautiful day. I loved being able to sit and relax with the other mums while the kids played happily. I think the highlight for them was the food though… they just loved the miniature items. We had a huge variety, but because everything was so small, they got to try everything without making themselves sick!” See more of Stella’s creativity at www. verydarkhorse.blogspot.com
BABY’S space
INTRODUCING
Eulalie Iris.
Born: 19th January 2011 Weight: 7 pound 7 (3.29kg) Mum: Claire, 28 Dad: Patrick, 30 Design aesthetic: Bohemian Wonderland Photography: Janelle Struss Words: Jodi Wilson
W
hen Eulalie was still but a dream, Claire found a vintage green cabinet at her favourite rummaging spot, pre-loved furniture warehouse, The Bower. “When I saw it I instantly pictured it in a child’s room. Our child’s room. That green was so right!” exclaims Claire. And so began the instinctual process of gathering and collecting – bits and pieces to fill the light-drenched space that would, one day, be Eulalie’s room. Fast-forward a few years and Eulalie, now an energetic, delightful toddler, has one of the most beautiful nurseries around. Indeed, it’s the kind of space that makes grown women swoon. Claire has done her innerstylist proud; everything within the room, even the most practical items, are beautiful. “I didn’t really ‘theme’ the room as such, just filled it with things that I love, things that I hope she will love too,” says Claire. The bohemian wonderland is both timeless and ageless, perfect for the little girl who is growing faster than her parents can believe.
Claire and Paddy decided not to find out the sex of their baby, hence moments after Eualalie’s birth, they experienced the most beautiful surprise of their lives. “When she was born it was like I knew, all along, that she was a girl,” says Claire. Claire had planned for a drug-free water birth at a Birth Centre but because of Eulalie’s position (posterior presentation and deflexed head) she was transferred to the hospital after valiantly labouring for thirty hours. With the assistance of an epidural and the never-ending support of Paddy and the midwife, Eulalie was born after two hours of pushing and immediately placed on Claire’s chest. “It was the most precious moment I had ever experienced,” she says. Although Eulalie’s birth was different to the one she had imagined, Claire regards it as an intuitive experience. Her advice for other mums? “The most important thing is to surrender. Giving birth isn’t something you can control, you really just need to
be relaxed and open to all the possibilities. Somehow, you need to let go of the fear and just trust in your body and your baby.” Throughout the pregnancy Claire and Paddy were enchanted by the lyrical sound of the name ‘Eulalie,’ discovered upon reading the Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name. Although they first dismissed it as being a little too unusual, its beautiful meaning of ‘eloquent’ and ‘well spoken’ kept drawing them back. “Everybody is very curious about the name and its origins and how we came to chose it. We get really positive reactions although there are sometimes spelling and pronunciation issues.” They pronounce the name “yoo-lay-lee,” however it can also be pronounced “yoo-lah-lee,” while the French pronounce it “oo-lah-lee”. They often shorten her name to Lalie (lay-lee) and it suits her perfectly. Little Lalie-bug, as they affectionately call her, loves water. Bath time has always
L O O K AT I T E M S T H AT A R E U S E F U L & B E A U T I F U L W H E N C R E AT I N G A R O O M . 74
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
BABY’S space
“I wanted to create a place where she could be surrounded by beauty, not just functionality.”
May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
75
STROLLERS AND prams
Bugaboo Bee $899 (www.bugaboo.com)
Baby Jogger City Mini $449 (www.babyjoggerstrollers. com)
stroll.
TA K E A
Stokke Xplory $1699 (www.stokke.com)
For every budget, style and need there is a gorgeous pram ready and waiting for you and your bub to get out and about.
Silver Cross Dazzle $389 (www.silvercross. com.au)
Phil & Ted’s Smart Stroller $250 (www.philandteds.com)
Steelcraft Strider Plus 4 $499 (www. striderplus.com.au)
S I N G L E O R D O U B L E , U M B R E L L A , J O G G E R O R T R AV E L S Y S T E M . . . 50
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
STROLLERS AND prams
Mountain Buggy Swift $499 (www.mountainbuggy.com)
Mima Kobi $1647 (www. nurseryelegance.com.au)
Quicksmart Backpack Stroller $189.99 (www. haggusandstookles.com.au)
Silver Cross Surf $999 (www. silvercross.com.au)
Maclaren Quest $299 (www.maclarenbaby.com)
W H AT E V E R T Y P E ( O R C O L O U R ) T H AT Y O U N E E D O R WA N T I S O U T T H E R E . May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
51
TRYING TO conceive
would often throw up, pass out and just cry my eyes out as the pain was so intolerable,” she says, describing suffering regular ‘bowel attacks’ comparable to labour pains. Collette eventually saw an allergist who determined her food allergies. Then she was told of a naturopath on the central coast - Catherine Chan - a renowned fertility specialist. “I made an appointment, thinking if she can make babies, then surely she can help my bowel. She got all my food allergies sorted out, she widened what I could eat and she got me healthy. That was over three months, so I thought, let’s make a 12-month commitment to her and see if she can get us pregnant.” She says she and Josh were both at their healthiest as a result, but still no baby. Collette’s doctor was so impressed with their health; he suggested bypassing IVF in favour of Collette taking the fertility drug Clomid. Collette was told it typically forces you to release three or four eggs in a cycle. “I released 12,’ she says. Collette had an injection to give herself to release
the eggs, but the doctor warned her not to do it. “He said, don’t have sex, you could end up with six to eight babies. I said, I’ve got the injection at home, I’m doing it. I’m serious. I’ve waited so long; I will deal with whatever is dealt to me... And I didn’t fall pregnant.” To help her deal with the stresses, Collette began creating recipes that she, and
“In life we are all dealt obstacles...you have to do something with the knowledge you have gained whilst getting over them.” her whole family, could enjoy. That woman in the Blue Mountains had inspired her to take what she’d learnt about food and write a recipe book - to help her own health improve, and that of others suffering the same allergies. It was a distraction from the business of baby making. Collette had two frozen eggs in reserve from a previous IVF cycle, and decided to try again. They got a
phone call on the way to the clinic only to hear the eggs hadn’t survived the thawing out process. “I thought, what more can I do? I broke down. I gave away all my baby clothes. I thought, this is what we’ve been handed, I’ve just got to focus on the girls, I can’t be greedy. “Three months later I said to my husband, ‘I’ve just got to try one more time. I have faith that this isn’t it.” As fate would have it, there was a vacancy at the IVF clinic that very month, and Collette took it. Twins Smith and Alice were soon on their way… “I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Collette says, looking back on her six-year journey to add to her family. “That’s fate. I just had to wait for the perfect time.” “ I know I wouldn’t have written my book (Cut out the Crap) if I’d had that third baby straight away. I’ve sold over 5000 copies and I help so many people with allergies. “All I ever wanted to do was be a mum. I desperately prayed and prayed and prayed for my family, so I’m going to love it and appreciate every moment.” May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
45
TRYING TO conceive
THE JOURNEY TO
concieve.
We asked our Facebook likers about their own experiences and we were amazed at the response... so many women have struggled to start or grow their family...but so many have succeeded! Here are just a few.
I
am 38 and my battle began 11 years ago.We want a baby! How hard can it be we thought? Three years later nothing. Not even a hint of a pregnancy. The daily temperature taking, the chart logging, the research, the stress, the tears, the anticipation - it all lead to a sad marriage with no baby. For various reasons (including the inability to bear a child), that marriage ended. I wondered if someone would ever call me mummy. I met someone. After five years, we both agreed that we wanted a BABY! I was so scared, yet so excited that my time might finally come. Another two years went by.
46
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
Enough is enough said my partner. Off we went to IVF Australia. We wondered where this all would lead. I wondered if it would lead anywhere, after all the disappointing months that had passed by in my adulthood. When you are trying for a baby, you can only live a month at a time. Your entire life becomes about cycles. After all these years of trying, I never told a sole of my battle. I shrugged off the curious comments, invasive questions and assumptions from friends and people who cared to ask. I would frequently tell people, I don’t want kids - just to avoid the topic. I started to wonder if my mind had tricked my body into that fact.
The Dr declared, ‘we will start with an IUI’(intra-uterine insemination). You still self-inject a serious of hormones, but instead of the eggs being removed from the woman and then joined with the sperm (as they do for IVF), the semen is inseminated directly into the woman (the procedure is not dissimilar to having a pap smear). The first IUI was unsuccessful. Here we go again I thought. We must wait ANOTHER month......But, month 2........ bought a life changing moment. “Tania, you are pregnant”, said the nurse on the other end of the line. “NO, I can’t be” I blubbered. “Yes, Tania, you are pregnant”. On the 25th of January 2010, I gave birth
Wetness Indicator that gradually changes colour when the nappy is wet, helping you know it may be change time. Waistband Pocket to help protect against leakages at the back. Unique 3-Layer Design to quickly draw moisture away from baby’s skin. Fasten-Anywhere Grip Tabs for a perfect fit. Breathe Dry® Cover to allow air to circulate, keeping baby drier.
® Registered Trademark Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. © KCWW 2011. KIMCLA1626/LOB
TRYING TO concieve
THE ROLL OF THE
baby dice.
In Australia, one in six couples will fail to fall pregnant after a year of trying the good old fashioned way. Statistics are cold comfort when you’re living the reality of that, because it can seem like you’re the only one, trapped in your own quiet grief. Words by Lauren Mitchell • Photography by Kate Monotti
M
other-of-two Bec Owens says although she had the support of family and friends when her second pregnancy ended in miscarriage and the months to conceive again were long and hard, nobody could say anything to make the situation any better. She says she assumed that if a couple had no problems having a baby once, the roll of the dice would always be in their favour. But it wasn’t so. Collette White’s four children were all IVF babies, but as she found out after baby number two – medical science is not always a sure fire way to motherhood. She had a five-year wait to welcome twins into the world, trying many known ways in the
meantime to fall pregnant, from a fertility naturopath to the drug Clomid – which she describes as “ten times worse than IVF” as far as hormones go. Pauline Conlan went from one extreme to the other to achieve her family of three children – a cancer survivor; she was warned it would be difficult for her to have children following the treatment she’d had. But two little girls came in close succession. Several miscarriages later – one at 20 weeks – and Pauline knew just how lucky she was to have her girls. Thanks to her determination, they now have a baby brother. Ashleigh Alvarez fought severe endometriosis to fall pregnant. “I think a lot
of girls don’t realise they have it and find out when it’s too late. They wonder why they can’t get pregnant, and that’s why,” she says. On top of those struggles, Ashleigh also suffered with pre-eclampsia during her first two pregnancies, but even that did nothing to stop the overwhelming desire for a third baby. Ashleigh proves love for a baby is an all-consuming thing. It’s often assumed that IVF is the answer to infertility, and for many it is, but as these women prove, there are lots of other options available to help the cause, from Chinese herbs, to naturopathy to artificial insemination. We hope that their stories will inspire anyone who’s in that dreaded one-in-six.
W H E N A W O M A N WA N T S T O B E A M O T H E R , T H E R E I S O F T E N N O G I V I N G U P May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
37
BABY’S space
INTRODUCING
Parker Hugh.
Born: 3rd August, 2011 Weight: 8 pound 1 (3.68kg) Mum: Sarah, 28 Dad: Jordan, 28 Design aesthetic: Relaxed Contemporary Photography: Melissa Boulden
I
t all started with a moose head. “About half way through my pregnancy, I was still stuck for ideas as to what to do for Parker’s room,” first time mum, Sarah, explains. “Then I found the moose head and everything had to revolve around that! A girlfriend bought me a cool, handmade crocodile, and that is what inspired the lime and mustard tones.” Parker’s gorgeous and unique space is not typically baby, but that is what sets it apart. “It is mostly mid tone grey with hints of mustard and lime, soft beech wood and white accents,” describes Sarah. “His furniture is a combination of white and beech wood and he has lots of little quirks and interesting objects on the shelves – lots of hand made and hand knitted toys and personalised touches.” “You spend so much time in the nursery,
I think it is important to fill it with things you like to look at and to love the feeling of it. It has to say who you are and pave the way for your little one to think outside the square a bit!” Part of helping create Parker’s space was finding that he was actually a he! “We found out (gender) the first day possible! I was going insane wanting to know, although I had a gut feeling that he was a boy. Once we knew for sure, we sent everyone a beautiful postcard letting them know too! We think we would definitely find out again. As well as helping with his room and the things he needed, it was lovely to get used to the idea of a little boy. We referred to him by name early on which was nice. We chose his name very early on. We wanted something unusual, but not strange, and I think we nailed it!”
Once Sarah was on a roll with creating Parker’s space, she was well and truly organised before his arrival. “We pretty much had everything when he arrived,” she says. “The only thing I needed once he was born was some 0000 clothes! We all thought he would be huge, but he was actually quite little.” Despite finding it easier than expected to fall pregnant with Parker – “we were very lucky in the first month of trying!” – Sarah didn’t exactly relish the pregnancy itself. “I felt pretty wretched for three quarters of the time! Potato seemed to help a lot; it settled my stomach. I think the worst part though was everyone telling me how massive I was! And, all of their own horror stories. I did love watching him kick around though – endless entertainment for Jordan and me at night. I also loved to prepare and plan for his arrival.”
LOOK TO TOYS OR ARTWORK TO BE INSPIRED FOR A BOLD COLOUR SCHEME 26
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
BABY’S space
“I never imagined that I would love being a mum as much as I do. It’s astonishing how wonderful it is!”
May 2012
|
LittleONE baby
|
27
Issue Number 8 Publishing Editor Amy Doak Associate Editor Amy Sim Assistant Editor Shona Buttrey Copy Editor Ali Brakha Living & Food Editor Cheree Heath Writers Prue DeAraugo Adrienne Lindsay Rowena Meadows Lauren Mitchell Heidi McIvor Brooke Tasovac Jodi Wilson Creative Director Dustin Schilling Junior Designer Cassandra Cheeseman Beautiful twins Greta (left) and Lucy (right) are just five weeks old. Their blanket is a Jacob and Bonomi Cot Blanket in Grey Lil Apple $99 (www.miltandjoe.com.au) Photography by Kate Monotti
Photography Kate Monotti, Lisa Nankervis, Rebecca Gray, Louise Treacy (Victoria); Tanya Love, Rachel Richter, Naomi Vasington, Janelle Struss (Queensland); Chantelle Bliss, Karen Ashcroft, Renee Bell, Jasmin Hargreaves, Carissa Little (NSW); Melanie Boulden (SA); Jennifer Rayner (Tas) Print Manager Nigel Quirk (Printgraphics)
FOLLOW
FIND
us on...
us on...
Follow us on Twitter (LittleONEMag) and like us on facebook (www.facebook.com/LittleONEBaby) to keep up-to-date!
Distribution us on... Gordon & Gotch
FOLLOW
For details on advertising in LittleONE Baby please call Amy Sim on 0401 349 591 or email amysim@littleonebaby.com.au We would like to invite you – as our readers - to submit letters, ideas, articles and other material that you would like to see included in LittleONE Baby. Email us at mail@littleonebaby.com.au • Fax: 03 5444 1044 Or snail mail to:
This magazine is printed on acid free paper that is pH neutral, that is elemental chlorine free and manufactured using sustainable forestry practices. The mill has ISO 14001 environmental management systems certification. It is printed APPEAR D SHOULD IN THIS APPEAR ORDER. THIS ORDER. usingINvegetable based inks. This magazine is printed in Australia by Printgraphics Pty Ltd under ISO 14001 Environmental Certifications.
8
|
LittleONE baby
|
May 2012
PO Box 2523 Bendigo VIC 3554 LittleONE Baby takes all care but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. LittleONE Baby holds copyright to all content unless otherwise stated. ISSN 1833-1289. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publishers accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in this publication. The views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the editor or the publisher.
www.littleonebaby.com.au
NEW! BABYBJĂ–RN Baby Carrier Miracle www.babybjorn.com