Om Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya, Jaya Rama

Recently, on this blog, I came across a video of a mantra that I have used to calm myself when getting stressed (like when William is crying in the car and Emma is whining and we are in a hurry to get somewhere).

I was really surprised when I heard the voice of the girl on the video because to my ears she totally sounds like me! I mean, I literally I had the feeling of hearing myself - my own voice. Weird, huh?
Well, I took it as a sign that this was the right mantra for me.

Om Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya, Jaya Rama

A rough translation: 'Om and Victory to Rama (the self within), victory, victory to Rama.'

According to this site it is "a Sanskrit mantra chanted by many Hindus and Buddhists. It literally means "Om and Victory to Rama, vistory, victory to Rama". Mahatma Gandhi chanted this mantra for over 60 years. It is intended to cleanse one of negative karma, from this life and previous lives and to take one "across the ocean of rebirth" ."

What's not to love? Plus, I really like the sound of it and I think William does too ;-)

Strong as a bull!

William under the table, pulling the chairs, how fun is that?



Not crawling yet, but moving about and sliding backwards while on his tummy. Loves discovering new stuff.

happy kids - update in pics

William on the kitchen counter

Emma learning to write the alphabet on the iPad

William ready to face the cold

Emma all dressed up in front of our Christmas tree

Emma at her Kindergarden Christmas Party

thank-you Santa

On November 25th, I started a post like this:

"Dear Santa,
for Christmas I would like sleep filled nights for William, Emma, Steph and myself. We really are getting desperately tired."

Today is December 14th, and William has been sleeping full nights (like 11 or 12 hour nights!) for the past 10 days or so. The last time we actually had to get out of bed in the middle of the night to help him re-settle was December 4th.

Yay!!!!! Woudn't you say?

Without a doubt, the cranio-sacral osteopathy has helped tons! In fact, William's first full night was just after seeing her for the first time on Tuesday November 23rd. He then had some really bad nights, but the general trend was positive.

After he skipped the 3 am feed on November 28th on his own and for the first time, we decided he might be ready to do without so we upped the quantities of banana and apple in the day-time and stopped feeding him at night.
The first 4 nights were a bit tough with a lot of screaming and he had no prop to help him out since, as per the sleep consultant's recommendation, we had removed the swaddle and the dummy. All we did was shh and pat his back for 2 minutes before leaving him to re-settle.
I have to say, for a couple of nights I had to brace myself to stay in bed so as to not react too quickly. Steph was actually much better at this than me. (I have to say though, that following an experts instructions makes it easier because you don't keep doubting whether what you are doing is the right thing and so you feel more serene and I think that babies feel that too.)

Whatever! The key thing is we are now sleeping again! I cannot tell you what a difference this is making in our lives, our energy levels and our general mood. We have a lot of catching up to do (in sleep and other things) but I feel wonderful and grateful that we have finally started!

Also, after going totally wonky due to the increase in night time sleep, now William's naps are improving too. Although he is definitely does not need nearly as much sleep as Emma does, (je sleeps around 2-2,5 hours a day when she was sleeping at least 4 at this age!) we are gradually getting into a predictable routine which means that hopefully Emma and I will be able to have some play-dates in the afternoons (which I won't need to cancel) and that I might even get some baby play-dates with Mums and lattes! How great is that?!

Finally, it also means that we can start to leave Will with a sitter and go out in the evenings for dinner and a movie!!!

So YAY! to sleep filled nights! Thank-you Santa, thank-you B. the osteopath and D. the sleep expert. Thank-you and Yay! William!

And oh! please! please, don't let this little post jinx it all!
Oh, and Santa Baby, now if you could also help out with Emma... the nappy thing, you know? It would be great if she would finally feel comfortable enough to poo in the toilet -not in a nappy while sitting on the toilet.

Thanks!

Grand-papa & Pata's visit

This week-end Grand-papa François & Pata visited us. Emma was absolutely over the moon with joy that her grand-parents were visiting and gave them a warm and enthusiastic greeting -jumping up and down - when they picked her up at kindergarden on Friday afternoon.

She absolutely lapped up the extra attention and love - especially from her grand-dad on the first day, but she also warmed up to Pata by Saturday.

The weather was not so great - snow and slush and rain and an absolutely glacial wind - but we still managed to visit Schönbrunn Christmas Market and have an absolutely scrumptious dinner at Do & Co Albertina.

We also decorated our Christmas tree and placed some gifts under it. This confused Emma a bit (how come there were presents under the tree and when did Santa Claus come?) so we had to explain that at Christmas time we exchange family presents and that Santa will come on Christmas eve (although she does not understand when this is despite the fact that we open the 2 advent calendars every morning)... She is 3 and 3 months old after all...

Emma and Grand-papa François

Tomorrow we'll be going to the kindergarden Christmas party.