DONNA HAY ROAST PUMPKIN SOUP

Winter has hit Sydney, in full force. That can only mean one thing... SOUP SEASON (which is perfect given my 'too-pregnant-to-function state)

My favourite (and easiest) soup is Donna Hay's Roast Pumpkin Soup... Slightly modified to the Mummerina way

Ingredients:

2 butternut pumpkin halves (approx 1kg each)

1 brown onion

1 garlic bulb

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup pouring cream

Salt & pepper

Olive oil for drizzling

Method:

Scoop seeds out of pumpkin using a spoon.

Cut onion & garlic bulb in half

Drizzle oil over cut side of pumpkin, onion & garlic and season with salt & pepper

Roast in a 180 degree oven for approximately 1 hour

Scoop pumpkin, onion and garlic out of skin using a spoon and put in a blender

Add 1 cup of the chicken stock and blend until smooth 

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and add the remaining stock and the cream

Place over medium heat until soup is heated through.

Season with pepper before serving.

My serving suggestion, is to have a few naughty slices of garlic bread along side the soup!

How are you staying warm this winter? 

BIBS FOR A TEETHING BUB

Teething sucks... Any mother will tell you that.
Your baby may be unsettled, restless, sooky, clingy and possibly show symptoms of a cold and flu. But aside from all that... They will probably be dribbling and drooling as if they have completely lost their ability to swallow.

Some days, we would go through 4-5 tshirts which were all soaked in drool. Which makes it hard to dress your kid in any soft of coordinating outfit (not to mention, adds to the already overflowing baskets of laundry). In summer, I would just let Hank roam around in no T-shirts... But obviously that is not an option in winter.

Which is why I am building up a collection of bandana bibs, or dribble bibs. They look a lot more funky than a normal bib, and really do work better in terms of catching droll and stopping your little ones neck and chest from getting soaking wet.

Here are a few of my favourite bibs from Aussie retailers

Eden Baby Leopard bib $7.50

Kapow Kids cubic drib bib from Willow and Whimsy $15.95

Raenne Designs Tribal Bandana Bib $10.00
Gurt & Ernie shabby chic bandana bib

Functionality aside... Bandana or Dribble bibs are a cute and cheap way to dress up your little ones outfit.

What's your best teething advice?

POWER OF A FILTER

The other day, I posted a shameless selfie on my personal Instagram. I had edited the photo (as I do with most of my photos) using a filter and noise reducing effect.

A distant friend then commented on it saying "ahh you have amazing skin! I'm so jealous" Clearly she hasn't seen me in real life lately!

I instantly felt guilty. Here is someone who is comparing my digitally enhanced skin to their raw, natural state. I did reply with a witty comment about the power of an Instagram filter, but I still felt like I had single handedly betrayed the female population.

         original photo vs edited version

I edit 99% of my photos in the same way (regardless of if they are photos of me, my son, or anyone else). I have always had an interest in photography, and as technology has advanced, my interest in photo editing has also advanced. I think most females would be lying of they said they have never applied a filter to enhance their photo.

Regardless of if its a friends Instagram photo or an picture in a magazine... Don't let yourself feel inferior by comparing yourself. We live in a world where the pictures we see of other woman are almost certainly going to be touched up. So lets embrace it; filter your pictures until your heart is content... Just don't compare your 'untouched' self to a picture of someone which may not be quite so untouched! 

WHY I AM SCARED TO BE A MUM THE SECOND TIME AROUND

I think the worst thing about being an expectant mum for the second (or third, or forth) time is that you are expected to KNOW what to do.

Midwives, friends, and even our husbands assume that all our insecurities and inexperience we have the first time around have disappeared.

But they haven't. At least not for me. I'm scared.... Shit scared!

I'm scared of having a full term baby. Obviously I don't want a preemie baby again, but a full term newborn is foreign to me

I'm scared to bring home a newborn. Hank didn't come home from hospital until he was 6+ weeks old, and whilst that was still before his due date, he has 6 weeks to sort his feeding & sleeping schedule out

I'm scared of post natal depression (PND). The first week of Hank's life was one of the most horrible of mine. I am so thankful that I didn't suffer from PND for long... But I don't ever want to feel like that again

I'm scared that having a full term baby does not necessarily mean he will be healthy. Maybe it's because I've learnt so much from being apart of the premature/sick baby community that I know too well that even full term babies can have health issues beyond our control

I'm scared that having this baby will change Hank. I mean, I know it will change him... But I don't want him to be any less awesome than he is right now

I'm scared that I will become complacent. SIDS, hygiene, choking hazards, safe milk storage... All things that  I've finally been able to relax about

I could honestly list 50 more things I am scared of. I don't remember being this scared the first time around.

What where you most scared of as an expectant mum? 

WINTER NEON

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge fan of black and white; clothing, decor, interiors...you name it!

While monochrome will always have my heart, I am starting to appreciate what a pop of neon can do to your home or outfit, especially during these cooler months.

Clockwise left to right;
Chuck & Taz pram liner $58.00
RawNeon ply bunting $10.00
CheekychickadeeStore long sleeve onesie $28.00
Manly Beach Mason Jars neon jar trio $55.00
Glisten Designs Neon nights necklace $40.00

I definitely need a bit more neon in my life!

What trends do you warm up to in Winter?

REVIEW: WOW CUP

If you’ve ever watched an infant or toddler attempt to drink out of an ordinary sippy cup, you will probably have witnessed their frustration at not being able to find the mouth piece, or get any liquid out (because said mouth piece is around the wrong way)

There is a fine line between a cute little confused look, and a full blow toddler tantrum… and Hank has crossed that line many times due to him not being able to work out why he can’t get any water from his cup (and yes, I have taken photos of these tantrums to document as part of a ‘why my toddler is crying’ collection…mean Mummy!)

Enter the WOW Cup. It’s a 'sippy' cup with a 360 degree drinking edge. The innovative edge opens when you suck on it (yes, I’ve tried) and closes again after drinking, which means... NO SPILLS, halleluiah!

266ml WOW Cup from Howards Storage World

 

It is designed to help toddlers learn the skills to drink from an ordinary cup. It is free from BPA and you don’t need to worry about the risk of your little one causing themselves any dental problems due to prolong use of bottles with sprouts or teats.

Hank loves this WOW cup because he thinks he is drinking out of a cup like Daddy, and Mummy loves it because I don't have to worry about any spills or an impending 'Why-Can't-I-Get-Any-Water tantrum'

The WOW Cup is available from Howards Storage World and is $14.95

Has your toddler tried the WOW Cup?

Disclosure: I was not compensated or remunerated for this review, I'm just a fan! This review is my own and honest opinion. For more information see my disclosure policy