I am officially THAT mother... You know, the one who dresses her children in matching outfits. I figure I've only got limited time on this so I might as well have some fun with it. My sister tells me it's a form of cruelty but I enjoyed the Country Road sale and the boys now also have matching printed board shirts for summer and checked button down shirts for winter to add to their wardrobes.

Of course I then popped instore a few days ago and they had just started their buy 2 sale items get a third free. Well, can you say 'bull' 'red flag'... I walked out with 9 items of course. In fairness, that included an outfit for Charlie and matching shirts for the boys for next Winter - oh yes, I am totally THAT mum.







Are you shopped out from the sales? I'm avoiding the stores (and online) if at all possible... which we both know is a lie because the toy sale catalogues are arriving anyway now and I have Christmas shopping to do for the boys and 3 little girls.

When I was planning your 4 week old photograph, I never expected it would be in Intensive Care.

I always laugh and identify with the e-card that says 'woohoo it's Friday! Oh wait, I'm a mum' because weekends just aren't what they used to be... not even close.

I've been quiet here as we've been busy finding our way ... Ok no, I've just been busy getting out and about to the park, the shops and all sorts of fun places while S has been off work.

Thank you so much for your messages, congratulations and well wishes on our little guy!! Life one week on from the arrival of C and we seem to have settled into a comfortable routine of sorts.

Organisation will be key now more than ever I imagine with two little people to care for in our home and lucky for me, organisation is one of my stronger traits.

I've been doing some reading (of course) and feeding/nursing times for baby continue to come up as a key topic where issues can arise. Apparently its the ideal time for the toddler to freak out/act out and get up to all kinds of mischief in a quest for attention.

A few helpful tips I've come across in this regard:

Packing a snack box at the beginning of each day for E whether we are going out or staying in so that if nursing time for baby coincides with snack time for E, I have his all ready to go avoiding potential hunger meltdowns. My Thermomix will be great in allowing me to do a cook up of healthy snacks and bites for just this purpose - fruit balls, chicken veggie nuggets, pumpkin fetta spinach muffins... I'm already making a list.

Have a book basket next to my nursing chair and rotate the books regularly adding new ones occasionally. This way E is occupied/entertained and we can all share quiet storytime while baby is nursing. This is definitely a good one for us as E loves cuddling up to me, reading and books plus we have read to him since the day we got him home so I'd like the same for B2.

Nurse baby outside weather permitting so there is plenty for E to do including the opportunity to run around and blow off some energy. I definitely plan on taking advantage of this idea and getting E on his netted trampoline or playing with his trucks.

Have some small surprises on hand like cars or stickers etc wrapped up and pull them out to reward E for good behaviour or to include him in the moment.

It will also be a matter of being organised and planning our days some what so that we can all get the most out of it and have an enjoyable time. Once B2 comes, E will have 4 days at home including 2 days with me and baby and 2 days with S home as well. He will go to daycare one day and have a day with each of his grandmothers too.

Like most toddlers, E is at his best when we get out of the house at least once and I'm lucky that my parents and his beloved Uncle J (my little brother) are across the road so that's always my back up plan when we are bordering on meltdowns. Rhyme Time at the local library and a local playgroup run by one of my mum's friends will be regular activities and weather permitting, we will spend lots of time at the local  parks and playgrounds. E will also continue his swimming lessons once a week and Little Kickers too so I don't think we need to worry about staying active and entertained.

We live centrally so have lots of options for entertainment including two big shopping centres and a few indoor children's play centres for those rainy Winter days. I will also have a girlfriend on maternity leave who lives around the corner with a boy the same age as E so I can see lots of morning teas at each other's houses in coming months.

So much more to think about with two little ones but also much more to look forward to, especially as they grow up and become playmates.

B2's arrival is getting closer and closer with everyday ... heck, I thought baby was going to make its arrival over the weekend with all the niggles and apparent 'early' labour signs I seemed to be undergoing. As the days pass, I worry sometimes about the arrival of B2 and if I will love this baby as much as I love E. I know I will love my baby, but will it be the all consuming, heart melting love that I get just from looking at my precious first born who makes my heart squeeze and sing.

Most of all, I worry that E won't understand the changes and will be upset at the loss of having S and I solely devoted to him only. I worry that he will think he has been displaced and isn't as loved or important anymore. Thinking of this actually gives me a physical ache and I know S has been feeling the same.

Wanting

So to be entirely truthful, I was still not one hundred percent sold on the Thermie when it arrived - worrying given the cost but my mum was so enthusiastic on hers that I figured I'd fall in love eventually. Fast forward a few days and I am head over heels! Everyone needs to have a Thermomix now in my mind.

So when your Thermomix arrives, the consultant delivers it to your home, does a little run through of assembling and washing the machine, flicking through the manual and cookbooks and then gets you started by assisting to make a vegetable stock paste from scratch. Can I say, what a breeze it is to make stock! Roughly chop a heap of ingredients, toss it in and 20 mins later, fresh homemade stock paste.

Sunday was my day to really 'attack' the Thermomix as we made it to the markets in the morning to stock up on fresh produce and then the supermarket. My mum had already made us cheesymite scrolls in her TMX previously and we were all a fan so I thought fresh hot scrolls would make E and I a yummy lunch. They took all of ten minutes to prep (not including dough rising time obviously) from tossing the flour in the TMX to sliding them into the oven with relatively little mess or fuss. Hot out of the oven, E finished a whole one with gusto and I scoffed at least two... maybe three. Buoyed by the ease of preparing a tasty lunch for E and I in record time with no unknown extras, I was looking forward to dinner!

I had decided we would try the creamy tomato and salami fettucine from the Basics cookbook for S and I. We unexpectedly had my niece for a few hours in the afternoon so E went down late and it was 8pm before we were ready to get started on our dinner ... this would be a true test of the TMX value in our eyes - could it provide a healthy dinner quickly and with minimal cleanup. We took our time working through the steps, double checking instructions etc and threw in a few extra's but within 30 minutes we were sitting down to a restaurant quality pasta and both 100 percent sold on the investment.

S has started enjoying cooking but likes to follow a recipe to the tee and is very precise with his measuring, chopping etc which of course takes time and creates a lot of mess. I'm a little more haphazard with quantities etc born from years of cooking and experimenting. Both of us loved that the TMX weighed each ingredient as required, cooked it all in one pan (instead of having frypans, saucepans, knives and boards to clean), timed and stirred it and beeped when ready. It was as good as eating at a restaurant and S told me he was so happy we bought a TMX!

Feeling confident after watching me prep dinner, S got up early this morning and made us some CADA - a fresh muesli of coconut, almonds, dates and apples in the Basic cookbook. He added some greek yoghurt and fresh mango to serve and told me he couldn't believe it only took him 4 seconds to chop the ingredients for a breakfast he would pay over $10 for in a cafe.

I'm looking forward to trying out a few other recipes this week and so our menu looks like this:

Mon
Chicken cashew nut with steamed veg and a soy ginger sauce all prepared in the TMX

Tues
Balsamic steaks on the BBQ with a side of Mediterranean quinoa salad prepared in the TMX

Wed
Chicken and veggie sausage rolls - filling chopped and combined in TMX

Thurs 
Beef stroganoff on mash all done in TMX (including unpeeled potatoes mashed to a creamy texture that disguises the skin!!)

Fri
Home made pizzas with dough made and veggies/toppings chopped in TMX

I will also make up some apricot balls and mini quiche mix for baking one night this week in the TMX to cover E's lunches and snacks.


So, while I've always had a healthy approach to E's diet and at the very least, a balanced one to S and my diet,  I've never been one to read labels every time or rigidly monitor additives etc. but knowing that I can prepare fresh food quickly for my family that is wholesome and healthy definitely makes me happy. I can also see how valuable the TMX is going to be for time saving once B2 arrives as in those early days with E, and even now, there are nights we have toasted sandwiches at 9:30pm because we are both exhausted and can't be bothered prepping anything else.

I would love to hear some of your favourite Thermomix recipes to try.

Things we loved over the first 12 months ...