Tag Archives: blog

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GFCF

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Tuesday, 15 July 2014: One Year, One Hundred and Six Days Old.

Ayla started a gluten free dairy/casein free (GFCF) diet today, under advice by a doctor and dietician.

Ayla’s been having tummy problems lately, along with a few other things I won’t go into here, and in order to rectify the situation we’ve been told to eliminate all gluten and dairy from her diet for at least one month until the exact cause can be identified and treated.

It’s going to be a tough month (what on earth do you feed a GFCF child?!) but Hubby and I feel very supported by Ayla’s day care centre, our friends and family.

Ayla herself seems unfazed. We’re putting a lot more fat into her diet too at this stage so she’s stoked, and Ayla sucked back her almond milk bottle tonight like a marathon runner sucks in air!

All in all, it’s going to be challenging and because it’s going to be a big part of our lives for the next little bit, I wanted to document it on here.

As we know, motherhood is full of ups and downs and diversions, and this blog is about sharing that; the good and the not so good, so stay tuned!

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Proper toddler

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Thursday, 12 June 2014: One Year and Seventy Two Days OldAyla is a proper toddler now!

She’s finally traded in crawling, nearly altogether, and now spends 98% of her time toddling around.

I didn’t think toddling could be so cute!

Ayla’s walk is half-waddle, with stiff little out turned legs that make her body sway slightly from side to side with each step.

And then there’s the bubble butt! Seeing Ayla’s little legs sticking out from her nappy covered tush is adorable, she looks like the cutest little white tailed bee in the world as she toddles about the house.

What really made me realise that Hubby and I now have a toddler on our hands was when Ayla mixed her walking with her words.

As Hubby and I watched from the couch Ayla toddled purposefully over to the kitchen and looked up at the benches.

After a moment or two Ayla then turned back to us and asked, with all the right tone and inflection, “water?”

It was as clear as day and as cute as a button. Hubby and I both melted with love and he got up to give our clever little sausage her water bottle.

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An Ayla A Day

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Wednesday, 11 June 2014: One Year and Seventy One Days Old.

When I started writing An Ayla A Day I didn’t know what it would look like, how it would work or who would be interested.

For me it was about capturing precious memories of my girl and in doing so I was able to craft an honest and accurate account of my transition into motherhood.

For 432 days I have religious written mementos of my life and the very special world it’s become since Ayla came into the world.

But now, with the added pressures of my work, the increasing attention our renovations require, my desire to return to fitness and the typically event-filled Dry Season the time has come to stop my daily blogging.

An Ayla A Day will still be around, it’s become such a massive part of my life and I love the creative outlet it gives me, but posts will be intermittent and varied depending on what’s happening.

I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support my near 500 followers have shown me over the past fourteen months and I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to bring you on my journey with me.

I hope you will keep reading despite the inconsistency and who knows, maybe one day An Ayla A Day will become an official book we turn to when we want to remember the tiny, fresh, gorgeous Baby Ayla who means so much to us.

Thank you.

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In the flesh

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Wednesday, 5 February 2014: Three Hundred and Ten Days Old.

Ayla and I made the trek to spend a couple of days with her Great Grandma today and we were welcomed with so much love it made my heart brim with pride.

My Grandma, Ayla’s Great Grandma, is 86 years old but the way she bounded out to the car and swept Ayla into her arms reminded me of a teenager.

Unlike some other family members, Great Grandma hasn’t been able to stay in touch with Ayla via Skype or FaceTime so seeing her today was extra special.

Although this blog helps to keep people up to date with the day to day happenings in Ayla’s life, nothing compares to seeing Ayla’s funny antics, her bright mind and her cheeky personality in the flesh, and I was so glad to have the opportunity to share my beautiful baby daughter with my Grandma.

So the three of us spent the day doing nothing more than talking and playing, and Great Grandma never missed a beat; one minute she’d be down on the floor with Ayla showing her how to beat a wooden spoon on a pot lid and the next minute she’d be up holding Ayla’s hands and helping her walk around the house.

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Notice: Holiday intermission

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Hubby, Ayla and I are heading out of town for a few days where we’ll have limited Internet access (can’t wait!!).

Anyway, this will probably mean that I won’t have the chance to upload posts to An Ayla A Day until 2014.

I will still be writing and keeping track of our adventures, so stay tuned for a massive multi-post upload in early Jan!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank you all for joining me on my motherhood journey, and for being there to share in some of the ups and downs over the past eight and a half months.

Although you’re all spread out around the globe, Ayla and I, and Hubby too, feel the love and blesses you send us and we’re very thankful.

I wish you all a very wonderful New Year and a truly fantastic 2014.

xxxx

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Guest blogger, Hubby

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Sunday, 22 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty Five Days Old.

I’m still a bit under the weather and can’t think straight to save myself, so I’m handing An Ayla A Day over to a guest blogger for the night; Hubby.

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It is with great pleasure that I, Daddy, can tell everyone that Ayla is at the stage when she knows who her two best friends in the whole wide world are.

When both Ayla’s arms extend to full reach for either one of us it’s pure love and one of the greatest feelings I have ever had.

It is these little things that when we look back later on in life we realise that they were the biggest things of all.

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The good things in life

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Friday, 30 August 2013: One Hundred and Fifty One Days Old.

When I say Ayla helps me appreciates the good things in life, I really honestly mean it.

Not only does she open my eyes to the little things, but keeping this blog for her is a daily reminder to focus on what’s great in life.

I read a blog today called “Sometimes my blog is as superficial as Facebook” and for a moment it had me questioning my own integrity and the integrity of An Ayla A Day.

Sure, the journey into motherhood hasn’t all been smooth sailing; my hormones have given me some wicked mood swings, my brain sometimes feels like its a runaway train and there has been moments where I’ve felt like coping was a far and distant dream.

But when evening falls and it comes time to write this blog I choose not to dwell on the sad, the bad or the impossible.

When I look back on the day, every day, there are great, happy and beautiful things to focus on… These are the things I want to write about, the things I choose to remember.

Admittedly the bad days are few and far between, but I’d be lying if I said they didn’t exist. It’s just that Ayla has become my shining light and now every day I find something beautiful or positive to celebrate.