gifts

Yesterday my midwife gave me these beautiful shells. I love the spiral and the texture of them. They have a heaviness and a colour that is not like any of the shells we see on the beaches here. There is one for me and one for the babe... She was given them in Arnhem Land when she volunteered there, working with birthing women. As she handed the shells to me and some Arnhem Land sand trickled out onto my palm, she explained that the women there birth with strength and courage, grace and beauty. That is the birth she sees for me too... It struck me that that is possibly the best gift anyone can give a soon to birth mama - belief in them.

blessed

I was the lucky recipient of a blessingway today. For months now I've been meeting with a group of beautiful women whom I've come to know and love, for monthly women's circles in my lounge room. Mostly we talk, spend some time child free, cry on a shoulder and eat cake. Its so very nurturing for everyone involved. Today was spent with the same group of women as well as my midwife (lets just call her the village midwife), and another gorgeous friend who has been a great support for our little family. Big owlet was included too for her first initiation into secret women's business... Today was just that little bit more special. There was an element of celebration in the air, perhaps relief that we'd finally got there, anticipation...

So what happened? There was food galore, cake of course... More red squares too oooh and ahh over. Big owlet tied red yarn around each woman's wrist, starting with me, ending with her, creating a web symbolising the connection between us all and to be cut when the babe arrives. Then each woman placed a bead in a bowl, sharing their wishes for me and the baby. This was the wobbly chin bit... The music playing was the same song that played when we lost Pippin. I didn't share it with the others because the lump in my throat prevented me from speaking, but I thought it was interesting that itunes picked that song right at that moment... *sigh* It was lovely and a point where we realised how important that circle is. Community and support. Anyhow, we got over the wobbly chins, ate more cake, painted with henna and made a necklace of the beads...



So now I'm left with a loungeroom full of good vibes, arms full of hugs and a belly full of cake and flowers. Blessed indeed. x

more red squares :: blogtoberfest day 29

Aren't they all amazing? I've started hanging them all on the wall where they'll be for owlet-to-be's arrival. They are all so different and reflect each of the women who have made them - there are a couple up there from the owlets too who just had to get involved (I'll let you guess which ones they made). What I love about projects like this is that individuality and expression. Its not a competition to see who is the best designer or has the neatest stitches. Each square is totally heartfelt and that's my favourite thing about women working with textiles...



Interestingly, most of the squares so far have come with a disclaimer. A reason why they are no good. Why the creator is not crafty enough, or the colours are not right. I get it. Its hard putting yourself out there. But I have always firmly believed that anyone can draw, paint, create something, no matter where their talents lie. It's within them, we just forget along the way, or maybe someone told us we weren't good at that, we should focus on other things, or maybe we just weren't encouraged. Two squares that were handed to me without a smidge of shyness of course, belong to the owlets. They just sat down, created something important to them and there it is in all its perfection, handed to mama with a smile...



I just want to thank each of the women who have contributed towards making this lovely thing for me and my family. You are all very special and dear to our hearts and your words, pictures and handiwork express so much about who you are. We love that. You all rock. xxxx

homebirth awareness week...

That's us, four years ago, meeting little owlet for the first time... in the dining room.

*************

I am aware that homebirth will happen in my lounge room imminently.
I am aware that homebirth is an amazing, life changing, completely normal, everyday miracle kind of thing.
I am aware that I am extremely lucky to have a home to birth in.
I am aware that many women around the world do not have the same luxury I do. The best they can hope for is to avoid trauma and infection and that someone might get them a glass of water or gently rub their back*.
I am aware that I am lucky to have a care provider who will just be with me and leave me to birth in my own time.
I am aware that my right to have the birth that I want, with the care provider I want, is on tenterhooks.
I am aware that the medical and political powers that be have put insurance before autonomy and seek to make homebirth, as I know it, illegal.
I am aware that they are doing this not just in Australia, but in Ireland and Germany right now too.
I am aware of my responsibilities as a birthing woman and parent and I am aware of the perceived risks.
I am aware that the risks are not as the media, medical factions and insurance companies would have us believe.
I am aware that I am part of a minority who cares about this stuff and worries that my daughters may not have the same experience of birth that they have come to see as normal.
I am aware that my best chance of avoiding intervention is to stay at home.
I am aware that when I birth at home, the only time we look at a clock is to record the time of birth... after we've all taken a moment.
I am aware that homebirth allows for a smooth transition for my family from a family of four, to a family of five.
I am aware that homebirth is best for me and my baby.
I am not brave. I am not a hippie. I am not built for birthing more than any other woman. But I am aware.


*Seriously. My midwife just returned from a stint of volunteer work in PNG. There women can expect to be assaulted and abused as par for the course when they birth. They are at huge risk of infection due to intervention and undergo extraordinary pain. They are not allowed a glass of water and labour alone. And here I am planning which corner of the room the birth pool goes in...

my creative space...

* Flowers from the garden for inspiration
* A stack of awesome magazines to read
* Some japanese silk and wool felt for making gifts that were due embarrassingly long ago -last on my list of must-dos!!
* Obligatory knitting
* Craft for the baby - silk thread for a cord tie. Well its that or dental floss! We may not even use it, but its good to be prepared... we've each chosen a colour to braid together - kind of like baby's first friendship bracelet ;)

Hoping to have some quiet time to get stuck into this stuff today... See more creative spaces at Kirsty's and join in if you feel like it!

wordless wednesday

more here

quiz kid :: blogtoberfest day 26

We went to a wildflower show a couple of weeks ago. There were some beautiful displays and the obligatory pinecone craft corner for kids... scones too. Big owlet spied a quiz that involved reading some clues and answering some questions and she wanted to have a go... and she won!! First prize was a tray of beautiful local native tubestock! Huz and I had just been talking about some new plants for our garden and how we might buy some for christmas, but this is so much more fun. Big owlet is very excited to have her own plants in the garden to tend, but mostly just excited to have won something :)