Things I want to remember


I strap him into his car seat, close the door then walk round and get in the other side, next to him. He looks at me with a smile so I get really close and whisper: “hello.” “Hello” he whispers back. It’s the first time I’ve heard him whisper. So unexpected and cute.

His words are starting to include more abstracts, like help, blue, purple, cold, catch, pop, as well as things, like hat, hair, egg, owl, house, balloon, cake. He pronounces elephant “emmett.” He’s also joining-up words to make little sentences: “Look daddy!” “Hello mummy.”


Sing a Simple Song by Sly and the Family Stone comes on the radio. Noah’s daddy starts doing a funny dance round the kitchen, so I go in and start dancing too, which gets Noah dancing between us. And then his mummy joins us, and we all bust some moves on the kitchen floor. Impromptu Sunday dance parties are the best.

He likes to play with the contents of my make up bag while i’m putting my face on. He uses the tiny eyebrow comb to brush his hair. And he LOVES when i use the hairdryer on his hair. He points the hairdryer, looks up at me and says “yes?”


We’re in the car again, driving home. He’s chatting away to himself, as he does, when I hear him say: “Nana. Daddy. Shoo-she. No-no.” No-no is his word for Noah and he points to himself when he says it. He’s just listed everyone in the car.

Highlight of 2012 so far: walking into the spare bedroom to find Noah and his nana both jumping on the bed. Words fail me… :)

Getting away from it all


Eight women, three nights, one cottage, a lot of coffee, a reiki room, an incredible fox sighting, many bags of vegetables to be juiced, a surprise visit from a Blondie Bear, a few tears, a roaring fire, plenty of crumpets and chocolate, and a heck of a lot of raucous laughter. Thank you Sas, Jo, Megg, Lisa, Leonie, Penny and Emma. xo



[Photo of the magical fox by Penny – he sat in the sun and then sauntered right past us. We couldn’t believe it.]

The year in review


2011 has been a year of two obsessions: my nephew, Noah, and my book. Not a single day went by when I wasn’t thinking about one, if not both, of them. My relationship with both grew throughout the year, and both are now bigger, braver and bolder than they were just 12 months ago. There are a lot of similarities between being an auntie and an author — both roles stretch your heart wide open and help you see you are capable of so much more than you ever realised. Both require you to be skilled in nurturing and patience. Both ask you to play your best game, even when you’re tired or hormonal (or both).

I’m sitting here trying to remember what else went on in 2011…

… I started the year in full-on book writing mode, so shared some guest posts here from friends, including Fabeku, Jo and Megg

… there were lots of firsts for Noah: his first shoes :: his first birthday :: first time on a swing! :: first steps :: first time painting together :: first words :: first cuddle

… Marisa and I launched our Aquarian twins podcast

… Jen, Amanda and I completed our Polaroid book and our Pretty Polaroid Notecards arrived

… I wrote a whole honest-to-goodness book all on my own :) I wrote it, edited it, edited it some more, proof read it, prepared the Polaroids for it, consulted in the design of it, shared the cover of it, felt really effing nervous about it.

… I saw my name on Amazon for the first time!

… in January I’ll be celebrating three years of the Unravelling e-course, something I never thought could be possible

… we all took a second August Break and it was awesome

… I wrote about wisdom for Amy, intuition for Louise, recorded an a-ha moment for Jenn and talked transcendent sales with Fabeku, Chris and Alexandra

… I didn’t make it San Francisco :(

… so instead I launched a brand new course!

… this month I celebrate THREE years as an ex-smoker

… and I shared my Photography Manifesto

Favourite moment of the year: it’s a tie, between Noah giving me a cuddle and the magical spontaneous disco on Christmas Eve, when Noah got his mummy, daddy, auntie, nana and granddad all dancing around him — he’d pulled each of us by hand to the living room then stood in the middle and shook his tiny toddler booty to the music. The laughter and elation swirling around that room was the happiest I have ever seen my family.

Favourite sound: hands down, it’s the way Noah says my name: “Shoo-she”

Favourite taste sensation: all meals shared with family and friends at Jamie’s this year

Favourite email: the one my mum sent me telling me she’d just pre-ordered my book on Amazon and was so proud of me. I kept that one :)

Favourite phone call: calling Jo in tears of laughter

Favourite TV show: True Blood

Favourite tipple: champagne quoffed at Sas’s wedding

Proudest moment: helping my sister at her very first craft fair — and watching her sell loads!

Favourite blog readers: all of YOU! Thank you so much for visiting me here this year, and for all your love and support. It means so much to me — thank you xxxx

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Other years in review: 2010 :: 2009