Valentines Day

See more reds at Ruby Tuesday
See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks
See more Love at Thursday Challenge

50 inspiring links: love, creativity and parenting

Weekend Links: Valentine’s Day! at Simple Kids
Blog Favorites: Asian New Year and Valentine’s Day at mama smiles
Heart to Heart: Back to Back Valentine's Day Crafts and Some Companion Books at Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile
Valentine Crafts! at The Crafty Crow
More Valentine Crafts! at The Crafty Crow
Valentine Crafts for Kids at The Crafty Crow
Kid's Valentine's Day Roundup at One Pretty Thing
Valentine’s Day Crafts at the long thread
Really Easy Kids' Valentines at Alpha Mom
Simple Handmade Valentine's Day Cards at Alpha Mom
Weekend Make and Takes: Valentine’s Day at makes and takes
Weekend Make and Takes: Football, Hearts & Chinese New Year at makes and takes
Valentine’s Day Crafts from the Past at makes and takes
Valentine's Projects from the Past at Ramblings of a Crazy Woman
Valentine's Past at Frugal Family Fun Blog
Valentine Review at 5 Orange Potatoes
Land Art at 5 Orange Potatoes
Free Crochet Heart Pattern at Planet M Files
Crafting With Love: A Fabric Wreath Tutorial at GardenMama
Decoupage Rose Votives at Crafts by Amanda
Be Mine Valentine Heart Wall Hanging at Crafts by Amanda
heart strings at Little Birdie Secrets
Valentine Garland at Oh So Crafty
Valentine Plaques at Ordinary Life Magic
Beginning Needle Felting with Kids at The Magic Onions
Crazy Log Cabin Quilting at Acorn Pies
Cozy at Acorn Pies
Cosy Winter Tea-parties at Home Baked
The February Home Baked Challenge theme is Love at Home Baked
How to Really Love a Child at Shivaya Naturals
Creative Joy at Shivaya Naturals
Creating Their Story at Shivaya Naturals
But No One Taught Her Math! at Pepper Paints
little teachers at The Blankie Chronicles
Are you having enough fun with boxes? at grit's day
The art of creativity at You know how we're an art family
Living in Colour at Playing by the book
Gnome Home at Raising Rainbows
5 Things at Bohemian Single Mom
How to Have a Creativity Day at christine kane's blog
Heart at Thinking Aloud
the simple things at Soul Aperture
{i'm not gonna write you a love song} at Journey Wildly
Carnival of Unschooled Life - February 2010 Edition at The Expanding Life
January Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting resolutions at hobo mama
Idle parenting means happy children by Tom Hodgkinson
Fun for Nothin' on Flickr
imagine childhood: your nature walk on Flickr
Creative Every Day Theme for February: Home
52 Projects

*Operation You is the home of Inspirational Monday. You can get more inspiration there and are invited to stop by and post your links of inspiration.

See more reds at Ruby Tuesday
See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

A year of love

"Sunny day today mama", 2009

1. Friends, 2. The shed door, 3. Daisies, 4. Family, 5. Joy, 6. Something magical aka the day my life changed forever, 7. Valentine's cup cakes and "I 'ove you", 8. Child Art, 9. Love

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Why Love Matters GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations kellyi.



Yesterday I posted something magical aka the day my life changed forever. Today I'm celebrating my IVF miracle baby (and the beginning of life with a sunny boy) by hosting the first Giveaway at sunnydaytodaymama and giving away a copy of Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain by Sue Gerhardt. To enter the Giveaway just leave a comment on this post and your name will be included in a random draw. The closing date for entries is Friday 8th January 2010 at midnight GMT and the winner will be announced on Monday 11th January 2010. You can also receive 3 extra entries if you blog a link to the Why Love Matters Giveaway and then leave a comment here with a link to your post.

A sample from Why Love Matters is available at http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/sue_gerhardt.html

why love matters

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Something magical aka the day my life changed forever

Four years ago today the two week wait was over at last and it was time for me to find out if the IVF had worked. I had an appointment at the clinic for a beta hCG blood test first thing in the morning and I cried all the way there. After the uncertainty (mixed with subdued excitement and hope) of the long 2WW, I was very aware that my dream could soon be over. I returned home for yet more waiting and paced the room for the next three hours. Waiting for the phone to ring, those three hours were the longest of my life. Eventually I stopped pacing and sat down and tried not to think any more. Then the phone rang and it was the nurse, and she told me immediately that my blood test had come back showing that I was pregnant. I was completely stunned and totally over the moon. I had a BFP . A BIG FAT POSITIVE. I was PREGNANT. At 21 years old I'd been told that I would not be able to conceive a child naturally and more than a decade later I'd finally become pregnant through IVF. It was going to be several months before it really sank in and I believed for sure that I was going to have a baby soon, but on that day my world altered completely with the news of my BFP. Nozy had sent me a text on 1st January 2005 saying Something magical is going to happen this year and he was right, something magical did happen and on 16th December 2005 my life changed forever.

To celebrate my IVF miracle baby (and the beginning of life with a sunny boy) I'm going to be hosting the first Giveaway at Sunnydaytodaymama. See my Love Thursday post tomorrow for details on the Giveaway and how to enter.

Another anniversary

Two days ago we were celebrating Sunnyboy's Conception Day and today is the anniversary of my becoming pregnant. Four years ago today I went back to the clinic for the embryo transfer and was delighted when the embryologist told us that we had two Grade 1 embryos to transfer. Putting them back in was supposed to be a fairly simple and painless procedure but there were some difficulties and, after two attempts and a great deal of pain, the doctor recommended a local anaesthetic to prevent me going into shock. After each attempt the embryologist took the two little embryos away again and I shall never forget her kind words when she told me "Don't worry, we'll take really good care of them." The third attempt was finally successful and, while I concentrated on not passing out, Nozy was watching the ultrasound monitor and saw the embryos going into my uterus in a little puff of fluid.

Lots of people were involved in creating those embryos (doctors, nurses, embryologists and other clinic staff). Everyone worked so hard to make sure everything was just right to give them the very best chance. My mum was outside in the waiting room and Nozy was holding my hand while I became pregnant. It had been my dream for many, many years and all those people helped make that dream come true. Sunnyboy will always know how very much he was wanted and loved, and I am honoured that so many people cared enough to help bring us together.

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Love

Corner View is hosted by Spain Daily and we are invited to post pictures telling the stories of our different lives and cultures. This week's theme is Love.


Little soul
I love you.
Thank you for choosing me
to be your mother.

Corner Views from around the world:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,

caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, allison, lise, cate, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, aimee, sunnymama, jenell, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, jodi, gillian, travelingmama, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, kelleyn, iris, demara, mus, ninja, guusje, di, sammi, theresa, cherry b, victoria, kathryn , lisa, liza, juliette, braja, mulot, anne, lucy, leonor, elizabeth, helene, dominique, shokoofeh, cole, jenna, podane, grey-lemon, line, nihal, urbaNiche, inner toddler, puna, lucylaine, adrienne, emily, lynn, skywriting, eliane

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Friends

You Capture is a weekly photo challenge at I Should Be Folding Laundry. This week's challenge is Friends.






Sunnyboy and Little Friend

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Child Art

Inspire Me Thursday is a weekly invitation to amuse your inner muse. This week's topic is Child Art.

Last week we went to Southend for our work outing and before we left we decided to make a pebble heart. I made the outline and then Sunnyboy filled it in. I was touched that he put so much attention into making the heart and, although I'd intended to leave this message of love on the beach for someone else to find, it was actually me who received a lesson in presence and unconditional love.











I love you Sunnyboy. You are my angel.





See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Family

You Capture is a weekly photo challenge at I Should Be Folding Laundry. This week's challenge is Family.


Sunnyboy and Nozy

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

To a child love is spelled T-I-M-E

*Operation You is the home of Inspirational Monday. You can get more inspiration there and are invited to stop by and post your links of inspiration.

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Blogging friends

I only started this blog three months ago and in that time I've found so many interesting and exciting blogs. Two of these blogs belong to Se'Lah and Vchelle and I found them as a result of participating in Love Thursday. Their blogs have become very special to me because I know that when I visit I will always come away feeling uplifted and inspired. They've both created little havens of peace and reflection and I look forward each day to stopping by and sharing in that, as well as finding out what they (and their lovely daughters) have been up to. I feel so very welcomed by them both and am happy to be able to say that blogging has brought me such wonderful new blogging friends. I'm also honoured that Se'Lah and Vchelle have this week awarded me the Premio Dardos award. I won't be passing this award on as I already received and passed it on earlier this week, but I do want to say thank you to them both not only for the award but also for their friendships, which mean so much to me.


A few of the posts by Se'Lah at Necessary Room that have enchanted, delighted and inspired me recently:
Make Way: Adventure...
Road Trip: Adventure...
The Butterfly...
Anansi's Globe of Light...
Thank you Se'Lah for sharing your enthusiasm, honesty and joyfulness. You have raised my awareness on many important issues and I appreciate your consciousness.

Some lovely posts from Vchelle at Operation You that have filled me with a sense of peace:
There's Hope
Internal Anthem
The Tea Party!
How was your good day?
Thank you Vchelle for sharing your wisdom and love. You have such a wonderful outlook on life and I appreciate your radical freedom.

Happy Love Thursday blogging friends.

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Joy

You Capture is a weekly photo challenge at I Should Be Folding Laundry. This week's challenge is Joy. I took some pictures of Sunnyboy playing joyfully in the garden.

Dancing on a beanbag.





Getting messy at the fire pit.



Swinging in the hammock.





To infinity and beyond!



'You are joy, looking for a way to express. It’s not just that your purpose is joy, it is that you are joy. You are love and joy and freedom and clarity expressing. Energy — frolicking and eager — that’s who you are. And so, if you’re always reaching for alignment with that, you’re always on your path, and your path will take you into all kinds of places.'
Abraham-Hicks - Excerpted from the workshop in Boca Raton, FL on Saturday, December 13th, 2003

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Daisies

Sunnyboy's favourite flowers are daisies.

To The Daisy
By William Wordsworth

With little here to do or see
Of things that in the great world be,
Sweet Daisy! oft I talk to thee
For thou art worthy,
Thou unassuming commonplace
Of Nature, with that homely face,
And yet with something of a grace
Which love makes for thee!

See more outdoor pictures at Outdoor Wednesday
See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

The shed door

Love on the door of a shed in our garden.





See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

"I 'ove you" and "I 'ove me"

A few weeks ago Sunnyboy came rushing up to me excitedly and said "got something to tell you mama", then, "I 'ove you". This was the first time he had told me he loves me but he says it to me every day now and I feel so very honoured to know that this is what he wants to tell me. Yesterday he said as usual "got something to tell you mama", but this time when I asked him what it was he replied with a big smile "I 'ove me". I hope he will continue to say this always too.

See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Birds in love

Nozy took these pictures at work this week.





See more Love Thursdays at Chookooloonks

Valentine's cup cakes and "I 'ove you"

Sunnyboy found Valentine's cup cakes in the reduced section at the Co-op today.

A few days ago when Sunnyboy woke up in the morning he rushed up to me and said "Want to tell you something mama" and when I asked what he wanted to tell me he replied "I 'ove you". Now he is saying he wants to tell me "I 'ove you" several times a day. I love him.

Valentines Day

A Tribute To Those Who Exist For Love w/Robert Bradley