A very merry Christmas to everyone out there.
From Kaine, Renee and Jesse.
Tag: Family
Home Sweet Home
A few days ago marked 10 years of living in our home.
On the 21st December, 2005 we were just a couple of kids moving into our first home. At just 21 years old there was definitely a sense of pride and accomplishment in purchasing our own home. It wasn’t much, a three bedroom low set brick, nothing fancy. But we loved it and were so excited to be officially starting our life together.
While living here we have married, had three pets (one of whom we miss very much) and two foster dogs, welcomed several guests requiring solace (some for a night or two and some for longer), been on four overseas trips, had multiple job changes one of which saw me working out of our home for the past five years. And most recently we became a family of three under this roof.
Though we have big plans for our ultimate dream home this place will always be special to us. And a place we’ll call home for a while yet.
12 Days of Vlogmas – A Glimpse Into The Life Of A Daily Vlogger
So we have been filming and uploading daily vlogs to our YouTube channel now for nearly a week. And wow… what a week it has been. I mean, who would have thought that daily vlogging could be so exciting but at the same time so tiring…
To give you some background, we decided to take part in what has become to be known as “Vlogmas” around the YouTube traps, after seeing some of our favourite YouTubers decide to take part in it. So what is it? Well essentially, it’s committing to upload a vlog (video blog for those who are uninitiated) style video to YouTube every day, for a nominated period over Christmas.
Awesome! That sounds like a great idea! That’s definitely something we should get on board with. Let’s call ours… ‘The 12 Days of Vlogmas’. Surely 12 days of videos won’t be too hard to accomplish.
Well apparently, as we ourselves have found out, it can be a lot harder than it seems!
I can safely say that I now have new found respect and admiration for the daily vloggers that we watch on YouTube. Especially those who haven’t missed a single day of uploading in years. I don’t know how they manage it.
Uploading daily videos to YouTube brings with it a lot of work… as we have since found out.
There’s remembering to charge the camera batteries each night and then making sure you take the cameras with you each day. There’s trying to keep your videos interesting for people to watch. There’s filming the footage you want to use (which can come with some public embarrassment) and then there’s the editing and upload process.
It can be exhausting. Especially due to the fact that we also have the responsibility of caring for a 6 month old that demands so much of our attention at the moment.
But in saying all that, we were well aware heading into ‘The 12 Days of Vlogmas’, of the work that goes into creating daily vlogs for YouTube. By that, I mean that we are no strangers to daily vlogging. We did daily vlogs whilst on our Euro Trip (watch our Euro Trip playlist here). The difference however, is that we were on holidays… we were relaxed… we were baby-less… and we had a lot of time to do whatever we wanted.
But that said, after the initial shock to the system of having to edit and upload a vlog everyday, I now find myself getting more and more excited during the editing process. I find that our editing skills are getting better and better as we do more and more videos. And I am getting more and more excited about what adventures we will get to film the next day.
I find that as we get deeper into our Vlogmas journey, I am finding pleasure in the fact that we are challenging ourselves to come up with new and more interesting things to do and film each day. And I love that it’s getting us out and about doing things we normally wouldn’t do.
I love the fact that we are filming, even if it’s just for archival purposes, our days in the lead up to Jesse’s first Christmas. How good is it going to be for Jesse to watch these videos back when he’s a first time dad going through the same thing with his first born!
I love that we are constantly improving our filming style and our vision for better shots. And that we are constantly improving our video editing skills. I love the fact that I am enjoying the editing process more and more as I continue to experiment and evolve and create better content that I am really proud of.
Despite the fact that ‘The 12 Days of Vlogmas’ has been overwhelming at times… I absolutely love doing it.
And I cannot wait to see what tomorrow video will be!!!
Photo Friday: Jesse’s First Photo with Santa
So we decided to get out and about with Jesse last night. Mostly for some Christmas shopping, but also to get the obligatory ‘baby with Santa’ shot.
And so here it is… Jesse with Santa. Looking up at him wondering who he is exactly.
It was actually pretty cute seeing him on Santa’s knee for the first time in his life. And despite all our and the staff’s efforts to get his attention, he just wouldn’t cooperate with a smile or a glimpse in our direction.
Santa’s beard is just too interesting!
We had a bit of a chuckle about it afterwards and also thought hey, at least he wasn’t screaming in full tantrum mode like some babies in their photo with Santa.
The start of another Christmas tradition.
You Know You’re A Parent When…
There are many tell-tale signs that you have become a parent. Some are obvious. Yes, that small human being that’s constantly hanging around you now is your child. And some that may have happened subtly over time. Like the increase of toys scattered on the lounge room floor and the ever-growing dark circles under your eyes.
We have certainly noticed a lot of changes in our lives since becoming parents. And we’re only six months in!
So here’s what I’ve found.
You know you’re a parent when…
- Tired is the new normal. You can’t actually remember what it feels like to have a night of uninterrupted sleep. The next time you get to do it might be years away, but you know you will never take a full night sleep for granted again.
- There is a mini, makeshift bed on the floor next to yours. Though it may only act as a deterrent and it may only last for a few hours before they inevitably end up in your bed anyway, it’s good while it lasts.
- 6.30am is now considered a sleep in. What happened to those people that used to sleep in til 10am on Sunday mornings?? Now by 7am your child has kicked you in the ribs, punched you in face and pulled your hair until you gave in and got up. And by 10am you’ve managed to feed and clothe everyone, do two loads of laundry, wash up all the bottles, change clothes again due to a vomit or poop explosion, sing ‘five little Ducks’ three times and if you’re lucky, get ready to leave the house.
- Coffee and wine are practically food groups. Or insert other caffeinated / alcohol laden vices here.
- Kids shows now grace your television screen for several hours a day. And you sing along with all of the theme songs! Those things are catchy as hell and you find yourself humming them long after the show finished.
- Having someone else’s vomit or poop or wee or snot or dribble on you is now commonplace and no big deal.
- You narrate EVERYTHING all whilst referring to yourself in the third person. ‘Mummy is just going to go to the toilet and then I’ll be right back to pick you up ok?’
- You now talk to your spouse through baby talk with the baby. ‘Mummy thinks Daddy should go and change your nappy so Mummy can have a rest’.
- Your camera roll that was once filled with photos of food, travel snaps and drunken selfies is now full of photos of your kid. Often multiples of the almost exact same photo!
- You find yourself suddenly much more tolerant of other people’s children. That toddler throwing themselves on the ground at the shops is no longer the spectacle it once was. Instead you are just thankful it’s not your kid this time as you give the parents a knowing smile.
And, for good measure, number 11 is that despite all this you wouldn’t have it any other way. Even on the toughest days a smile, giggle or cuddle from the small human makes being a parent totally awesome.
A friend said to me recently that of all the people she knows who have children, none of them have ever said ‘Oh, don’t do it, it’s not really worth it’.
I was oddly comforted as I realised she was right. I too have never heard any parents say it wasn’t worth it.
So while it might be bloody hard at times, anything worth doing usually is.
The Four Gift Rule
This Christmas, is our first as parents.
This Christmas, is Jesse’s first.
This Christmas, is not going to be like any other Christmas’ we have ever had before… and we can’t wait!
Christmas with children is fun. We’ve seen the movies! And we remember what Christmas was like when we we’re kids. It was the best time of year! Waking up to find all the presents Santa had delivered, under the Christmas tree waiting for us to open them.
And even spending time with some of our family who have kids. Just seeing the absolute joy on their faces at Christmas time when they get to open Christmas gifts from Santa and loved ones.
But how much is too much? How do you not go too overboard when getting gifts for your children.
I was recently talking to my sister-in-law who told me about this great tradition that they’ve implemented for gift giving at Christmas. The four gift rule.
When we were talking about it, I absolutely loved the idea of the four gift rule. For a lot of reasons, but mainly because it’s a simple tradition that we can start this Christmas, and keep for many more Christmas’ to come!
So what are your favourite Christmas traditions?
We would love to hear all about how other families spend Christmas and any traditions you have.
Footage Friday: YouTube Trailer
As you would know by now, as part of our ‘Not So Secret Life Of Us’ project and blog, we have our own YouTube channel.
Well, one of the projects that we kept putting off, was our NSSLOU YouTube Trailer. This is basically a video that any new visitors to our YouTube channel will be presented with, giving them a snapshot into our lives and what our channel is all about.
And can we just say, that we are absolutely stoked with how it’s turned out!
We went through all of our old footage dating right back to when we were first married… and combined it into a 3min long highlight reel of our lives so far. So check the video out below, and while you’re at it, go hit us up on YouTube and leave us a like, a comment and subscribe… 😉
Peace out! (I think we need to come up with a better sign off… hahaha…)
6 Things I Won’t Miss About Breastfeeding (and 6 that I will)
It is probably a little taboo to talk about breastfeeding in a negative way. And I’m in no way intending to disrespect those that are unable to for whatever reason.
So let me just say I love breastfeeding my baby and feel incredibly lucky that I’ve been able to do so (read about my breastfeeding story here). But there are certainly a few things that I won’t miss when the time comes for us to move on from it.
Things like:
- Having to wear a bra 24/7 and being limited to nursing bras at that.
- Having to wear breast pads in said bras to avoid unsightly wet patches.
- Being limited to outfits that provide easy access to my boobs. I’m really looking forward to being able to wear the other 70% of my wardrobe!
- An inquisitive baby craning his neck to smile at his dad, or glimpse at his favourite TV show with nipple still in his mouth (ouch!).
- The 5 times a night feeds during his leaps.
- Being handed a cranky baby with the comment “I think he wants boob” (like its the magic cure for everything).
Having said that there are some things I definitely will miss.
Things like:
- That it is pretty much the magic cure for everything (from hunger to conjunctivitis…who knew!)
- The gentle strokes on my arm or breast or the foot that gently lands on my arm from a contented little boy as he feeds.
- Gorgeous cheeky grins as he looks up at me mid-feed, milk spilling from his smile.
- The convenience of being able to sleep whilst feeding throughout the night (we can regularly be found asleep in the nursing chair at 5am, boob out).
- Marvelling at how a body that once fit snug in the crook of one arm is now stretching over my entire lap.
- Being the only one who can provide that comforting feeling that breastfeeding brings for my son (though this can also take its toll when you feel like you haven’t left the couch in 4 days).
I know that when that last feed happens, though I probably won’t know its the last feed at the time, that I will no doubt feel a bit sad that its over. But there is part of me that won’t mind to have my body back, be able to let ‘the girls’ roam free if I feel and be able to wear a dress again (one that doesn’t require buttons or the ability to slip down).
The Power of Positive Parenting
The other week, I had the pleasure of attended a number of seminars for work based around health and wealth. One of the sessions I was grateful for the opportunity to attend on the day, was called ‘The Power of Positive Parenting’.
This session, which was presented by Professor Matt Sanders, was about an initiative called the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). More specifically, what it is… how it works… how we can get involved… and how it can benefit families with young children.
So what is Triple P? Well, if you look at the official website it says that “Triple P helps you manage your child’s behaviour, emotions and development in a way that isn’t hurtful. You will build strong relationships, communicate well and encourage the kind of behaviour you want to see. Triple P is one of the few parenting programs in the world with evidence to show it works for most families.”
It certainly sounded like Triple P was something that both Renee and I would be interested in, particularly because it seemed to reflect our own thoughts and feelings on the style of parenting we wanted to implement in Jesse’s upbringing.
The Triple P website mentions that when implementing the positive parenting program, there are five key principles. These principles are:
- Create a safe, interesting environment
- Have a positive learning environment
- Use assertive discipline
- Have realistic expectations
- Take care of yourself as a parent
At the session, Professor Sanders was able to expand on what these principles are, and what they involve for parents looking to raise their children in a safe and positive environment. And with every principle he covered, I started to admire the Triple P philosophy and program more and more. It really got me thinking about the discussions Renee and I have had regarding how we wanted to approach parenting. I then began to see how this positive parenting approach could work in with our approach.
Professor Sanders also covered off on a lot of parenting examples that are taught through the Triple P program. And while they are certainly too long to list in a blog post, the examples he gave really spoke to me. A lot of these examples were things that Renee and I had previously discussed, with the intention of implementing them into our parenting style and approach.
Things like the fact that a lot of positive praise is okay!
That you make family a priority and make sure you give your children your full attention at least once every day. Even if it is only for a couple of minutes, while they show you something they have done.
Encourage your child’s learning. Don’t solve every problem for them. Talk to them and run through how they might be able to solve it on their own.
Use consistent and assertive discipline. Don’t be aggressive. If they do misbehave, ask them questions like “how do you think what you just did impacts on others?”
And always create a warm, loving and safe environment which encourages your children to shine.
While I have often heard of being a peaceful parent, I will admit that this session was the first time I had heard of the term, being a positive parent. And while many of the strategies and principles may be very similar between these two parenting styles, I really think that a blend of the two is what Renee and I are aiming for with our parenting approach to Jesse.
And while I can sit here as I type this and say that yes, this is absolutely the strategy that Renee and I are going to use in raising Jesse… the fact is that we will still get things wrong. We will still make mistakes. And we also understand that parenting needs to be fluid. You might have a parenting game plan, but you will need to adapt and be willing to make it up on the fly.
But what we have both come to realise, is that having a good foundation to build upon is a great way to approach parenting. And that is what Triple P is offering. A foundation for us to build upon. Somewhere to start. Because being that we are new parents, this is a whole new world for us.
And the best thing of all, is the information we have that is right at our fingertips. Available on-line. Anywhere… Any time… The perfect companion while we tackle this epic new adventure of being first time parents.
And while this whole parenting thing at the moment is pretty much a breeze (on account of the fact that Jesse is still just a little too young to be rebelling against anything except for pureed sweet potato), I know that the strategies we learn today through the Triple P program, will come in very handy in the future.
There is one thing I know for sure though. And that is that I am very excited about raising Jesse to be the man that I know he can and will be.
Footage Friday: 5 Month Milestones
We can’t quite believe that Jesse is six months old today. Happy half birthday little man!
This past month we have seen so many changes in him. He is getting so big and is learning new things every day.
He has found his feet and loves to grab them when laying down and try to put them in his mouth. And he has also found his voice and loves to test just how loud he can squeal.
Roll the tape…
not so secret life of us 