Why hello 'No', Haven't seen you around these parts before.....

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We have had 22 months of bliss without hearing 'No' from Master Z. I was thinking how lovely and positive a life without 'No' actually is. Imagining a world where you don't say 'No' to anything, imagining the opportunities that could come of it - I suppose a bit like Danny Wallace's book 'Yes Man'. 


I was initially worried when all the other babies at Mother's group found 'No' very early just like they say in all the developmental texts and they used it to it's full effect with the head shake - Master Z didn't seem to know it, or even need it, quite happy to go along with whatever was happening or suggested at the time. All his other speech has developed normally, "No" has just been lacking from his vocabulary. 


Then this week, 'No' has arrived in our house with a vengeance. With that full head shake and defiant tone. "Z, do you want some yoghurt?" "No!" "Z, can I please change your nappy?" "No!" And it's only just this week that I have realised that we haven't met "Yes" in the last 22 months either. And it has yet to appear. When a question is asked, we get the defiant "No", or a smile and babble that I am presuming is "Yes".


I had thought I would rue the day that "No" came into the house, but having it here and seeing his personality bloom so much in the past week with the empowerment that it has brought him, it has made me realise that it is essential for him to show us who he is, what he wants and how he wants to go through life. Some things I won't agree with and the Mummy card will be played (the one that trumps all) and I know that the word will become tedious many, many times, - and those of you with two or three teenagers will be laughing at my naivety - but it is nice to know that we can now get a glimpse further into the little person that is developing before our eyes.


Has there been a particular word / words your child has learnt that you think helps to let their personality shine?

Chantel x

Sunday Session - The Sun is Shining!

Yay! It's Sunday! Which means its time to link up with Thea at "Do I really wanna blog?" for her Sunday Session. Head on over to her page to see what others are playing.

It has got up to 36 degrees today here in Perth, so Spring is definitely on us. It has been a stinker of a day, but brings with it the excitement of a long summer. As I looked at songs along the theme of the moon a few weeks ago, I thought today would be a fitting day to choose some songs with a 'sun' theme. Didn't realise there would be so many, but here is a few of my favourites.

My first crush - Morten Harket from A-Ha. I was definitely going to marry him and loved everything about them and their music. Here is "The Sun Always Shines on TV" Sorry about the clip, I couldn't find one that would let me embed.

"Island in the Sun" from Weezer. A really happy, boppy, sunny song. Always puts a smile on my face.

The classic sun song - "Here comes the Sun" from the best band to ever walk the planet, The  Beatles. Sorry about the clip, best I could find.

Soundgarden - "Black Hole Sun" - so pumped they have reformed and will be doing the festival circuit this year.

Another band I had enormous exposure to when living in the UK, The Libertines - "Don't Look Back in to the Sun". One of TBone's favourite bands, so I have grown to love their work by osmosis. I don't like Pete Doherty or Baby Shambles at all, but I love Carl and his side project Dirty Pretty Things - they have disbanded, but check them out if you can.

Enjoy and have a great week. 

Chantel x

Say Goodbye to Fatty Boombah - The one where I try to kid myself

I 

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Its Friday, so its 12 Week Body Transformation post time. Week 3 weigh in.

This weeks weigh in was hard for me. I  had an increase in weight and instead of looking at what I needed to do to improve for next week, I tried to kid myself, registered a lower weight in my stats and then pretended it didn't happen.

I thought that if I just put the weight in as a lower number, next week I would do better and it would all even out. What lies I tell myself! This is probably one of my biggest problems - if I tell my inner self something enough times, then it must be true. Who am I kidding? Only myself! Who am I letting down? Only myself!

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Then I read this post from the wonderful Sarah and I saw the contrast in attitudes to dealing with disappointment. I buried my head in the sand, she resolved to make a difference. It was reassuring to know that others were experiencing the same situation as me. 

With that in mind, I resolved to get over myself and exercised my butt off on Wednesday night. Instead of throwing in the towel like I would usually do and console my self with food - emotional eating much??? - I am going to continue to exercise hard and eat well. 

I have stuck to the programme to the letter, so it was really disheartening to see an increase. It was an increase of less than a kilo, but it wasn't a loss. I realise there are many reasons that you don't lose as much weight one week compared to the next, and I am really hoping that I see some results next week. I would even be happy if there was a cm loss at our measurement next week, or an improvement in the fitness test. That will at least reassure me that I am heading in the right direction and all this is not a futile exercise.

Onwards and Upwards - or scales downwards at least

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Chantel x

Sharing

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I was sitting in a Doctor's surgery the other day with a client and his wife, waiting to attend a meeting with his GP. I was filling in at short notice for a colleague, so I had not met these people prior to this encounter and I had not spoken to them on the phone before. After the usual introductions and pleasantries, we waited for the appointment. The client's wife then proceeded to tell me about all the client's health problems, all her health issues, the Doctor we were seeing's life situation and her husband's sexual performance. This was all done in a stage whisper that everyone else in the room would have heard. This is from someone who I had only met 20 minutes before.

As an allied health professional, it is very useful to have an instant rapport with those you are working with as the issues we deal with are often very private and personal. To have someone's trust that quickly is very helpful to make an assessment of someone's needs.

I am pretty used to having people share their lives with me - and it is something I do not take for granted, it is a privilege - but I am certainly not used to it being laid bare in 20 minutes as it was this day. I usually have to work a bit harder. I will say the client had that look on his face as though he hasn't got a word in for the last 5 years and knows that it would be futile to try.

I am not a sharer and I don't tend to trust that quickly - I know, I know, I expect from others, but then don't give of myself - noted and working on it! I am very open and honest about health issues as that is an area I am comfortable with, but personal issues and feelings, not so much. This is why having a blog is an interesting exercise for me. I am not a journal person, as I was always worried that someone might read it and judge me, mainly worried they wouldn't find it interesting enough. These are things that are on my mind with every blog post I write as there are some writers that have set the bar very high. I do believe that the best writers and posts are those that are written with honesty and openness. The rawness seems to be the most engaging. It is something that I have to get my head around, and I will try to do each time. I don't think I am going to get to the level of sharing that my client's wife is at, but baby steps and we will see where that leads us!

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Do you find sharing easy? Do you share easily with health professionals or do they need to earn your trust?

Happy Monday!

Chantel x

Sunday Session - The Quickie

I am a bit late joining in with Thea's Sunday Session at Do I Really Wanna Blog?, so I thought I would follow her suggestion for most weeks - an new song and an old song.

One of my favourite songs for 2011 - Architecture in Helsinki's 'Contact High'. They are an awesome Aussie indi band and have a great vibe when playing live.






My oldie is one of my all time favourite songs - but I say that each week of many, many songs :o) - XTC's 'Dear God'






Enjoy, and head over to Thea's page to see what everyone is listening to.


Have a great week.

Chantel x

Say Goodbye to Fatty Boombah - The one where I talk food

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Well, 1st weigh in done and we are now almost at the end of week 2 of Michelle Bridge's 12 Week Body Transformation programme. We weigh in on Wednesdays, and I have lost 2.1 kilos in the first week (and 2 days, but that doesn't sound as good!). Happy with that, as I wanted to lose at least a kilo a week and know that in the first week you will also lose a bit of water, so on track.

It has amazed me how effortless this has been. I am eating a lot of great food, am never hungry or craving anything and it has been so easy to exercise. It is amazing what a mindset change does and how easy it is to break entrenched habits if you persist and swap them with new, healthy habits.

The food has been great, TBone has eaten the dinners as well and has enjoyed them. We have had lasagne, fish, steak, pizza to name a few. I even had a pork medallion, which I usually avoid as I find pork tastes 'dirty' - don't know why, just one of my 'things' - but I actually enjoyed it. All easy recipes, and good, natural food. I consider myself a bit of a foodie, I love to cook, eat at nice restaurants and I love to eat, so the food has to be flavoursome for me to enjoy it and this has ticked all the boxes. Last night's Pad Thai was the only time TBone mentioned what we were eating tasted like 'healthy' food. 

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Probably the only thing I am having an issue with is lunches. I have previously tended to avoid dairy, wheat and bread as the repercussions are not pleasant. My mum is a coeliac, but I am not, I just seem to have an intolerance so only ever have gluten free in the house. Probably 5 out of the 7 lunches each week on the meal plan suggest a sandwich, which I have been having. I am substituting all of the dairy suggestions in the meal plan, so I thought if I avoided them, I could at least give the wheat a try. The suggested sandwiches have been really tasty and I have enjoyed them - I LOVE fresh bread!!!! - but am suffering terribly after. I think I am going to have to concede defeat and wherever a sandwich is suggested, substitute it for a similar salad. I will try this, but stay with 'gluten-ful' other products and see if its just the bread that is the trigger.

Oh bread, How I love thee...

Exercise has been great, and I am starting to get that buzz you get when you exercise regularly that makes you want to do more. I went back to Zumba last night..... Yep, confirmed its not for me. I think there is a distinct difference between not being able to do something well and not being able to do something at all. I must have missed that dancing gene unfortunately. Luckily, I love Pump, Step and Combat classes and am really enjoying Michelle's Crunchtime DVDs. In fact that is what I had best do now whilst Master Z is snoozing - if anyone popped their head into our living room, they would have the shock of their lives!!!!!

Until next week, 

Chantel x

Sunday Session - Regard the moon - La lune ne garde aucune rancune

Yay it's Sunday! Linking up with Thea at Do I really wanna blog? for her Sunday Session.

This week I have chosen to use the theme of the moon. Mainly because I wanted to put in this song by Echo and the Bunnymen - Killing Moon. Came across it from watching The Lost Boys many, many years ago and have loved it since., Have been fortunate to see them a few times at festivals and this is one of my all time favourite songs.



This next song was in one of the "Sing" books we used to use for music class in primary school- it was before Cat Stevens morphed and I remember loving to sing it in music lessons, 'Moon Shadow'.





The Police - Walking on the moon - nuff said!





And just to bring the 80s in, as I can't help it. This one gets me singing every time. The Waterboys - The Whole of the Moon 





Have a great week. Head on over to Thea's page to check out some great Sunday music.

Chantel x