Day Trippin'

Hanging with nana at Lakes Entrance

Water Babies

stage 4 water restrictions mean the whole family has to shower together!!!

Happy Birthday Rakaia Rose Orenstein

in granny's cardi with mc hammer pant look

(>the fashion perils of cloth nappies - watch that VPL miss rakaia!)

Rakaia turned one week old yesterday! (>she was technically due today! but evidently couldn't wait to join us). It felt like quite a milestone getting thru the 1st week. SO much to adjust to!!! We feel so lucky to have been sent such a little angel who (so far) seems to have little trouble being in the world. It's amazing how much she's grown and changed even in seven days...

By the way we forgot to mention her vital stats for those who might've been interested: she was born 5 pounds 8 ounces (2.5kilos) which is kinda smallish but obviously still perfect!!! Joel had to race into baby target on monday morning and buy her some 00000 jumpsuits b/c everything we had for her was too big! Granny Jillian has knitted her a special made to measure cardi (see photo above) that will probably only fit her for a couple of weeks but she's loving it so far. Nana Lavinia has just about finished a special tiny merino singlet for her too.

nana lavinia from NZ and rakaia say hello

It was really cold and stormy in Gippsland for most of the week (with flash flooding to boot) so we stayed indoors and nested. The sun finally came out yesterday so RR has had some outside time and some rays on her skin. She was a little jaundiced for a few days (not uncommon) - so some vitamin D has been just what the doctor ordered.

sunbaking (you can't touch this!)

She's been knocking back mummy's milk like a champion and sleeping lots (letting mum and dad get some too, praise the lord!) and every day spends a little more time with her eyes open taking in her surroundings.

Checkin things out from her beanbag.

And no, that's not a bizarre head-dress- its her baby sling.

yummy yummy yummy i've got love in my tummy....

sleeping in with daddy

PS: a few friends have emailed asking for pronounciation advice so here's the rub: ra-KAI-yah... It's a maori word and the name of a river (and a small country town) near my home town Christchurch in New Zealand. I can trace my maori ancestry back 68 generations to a man named Rakai Hau Tou - so we felt like there was a nice connection there too.

We passed through the Rakaia township on our road trip in NZ over the new year. We already had the name in mind but decided we'd just wait and see.....

Orensteins come to visit

Too cute for words huh? Taken by Aunty Shoshannah...

First bath (not including birth)

Funny enough she took to the bath like a fish to water... checking everything out and us too! This all seems so familiar... hum...

Rakaia Orenstein Has Arrived

Rakaia Orenstein was born into water at 2.38am on Saturday morning 16 June 2007 in Bairnsdale. A beautiful little girl that couldn't wait to be born swam like a fish and was scooped up by dad and brought to the surface and into mum's arms. Mum and baby are doing well.

Thanks to all the well wishers and to especially to Kim our doula. Our love goes out to you all.

We have been hanging out at home getting to know each other and enjoying this precious time. Keep posted for more pics!

last yoga class

I finished up teaching last night. It still hasn't quite sunk in that i won't be working again for a while. The plan is to start up a few classes again in around six months -but we'll just have to see how the bub feels about that!!!

Over the last term I've been teaching a pre-natal class in Bairnsdale (nearest big town centre) to a lovely bunch of women... it's been great for me to meet some more local mums-to-be and also great to see them getting to know each other and sharing experiences.

so here... (drum roll) ... is the belly line-up....

[L-R kate, jodie, rachael, rachelle, leona, lisa, yasmin, evelyn]

We're hoping to meet up again and do mum+bub yoga >> something i started experimenting with recently in my home classes with some students i taught pre-natal yoga to last year. We sang, did a bit of baby massage, some gentle baby stretching and then mums did yoga poses either holding bub or giving them a bit of attention in some way. It was fun... and never predictable!!!