New age shopping

I love shopping. It's one of my favourtie things to do. The feeling you get when you find that perfect dress/top/shorts/skirt/shoes/accessory/whatever! I don't even need an occasion to shop for most of the time. Actually, it's probably quite an unhealthy habit...oh well.

Most of the time when I go shopping it tends to be just me and the little man.  A lot  of my friends are at uni or work and unavailable to physically be by my side and tell me what they think, so I came up with a creative solution. I get out the iPhone, take a photo and hit send. I'm usually pulling some hilarious face for comedic value, then i wait for a reply. I've usually got a few items to try on so this means i'm not standing around like a fool waiting for a reply. And thanks to the semi-new iMessage feature, I can send it to couple of people at once to get a honest, group opinion. It has now become my favourite way to shop. It has even proved as a valuable tool when getting ready for certain occasions. Since Leon isn't old enough to give me his opinion, if I want to make sure the outfits working, I just flick a pic and wait for the response. 

As i'm also the receiver of said photos, it makes shopping as the friend so much easier! I can check out the clothes from the comfort of my home/bed/work/where ever the hell i am! Because let's be honest, with everyones hectic schedules it can be ridiculously hard to tee up a time to go shopping together so problem solved. 

A particular group of girls and i up'd the ante when we were sending/receiving photos while one was off holidaying in South Africa. Didn't stop us from 'shopping' together :) 

Sure, to some this may seem pretty lame but to those of us who are doing it already, it's amazing! No more fashion faux pas when out shopping alone. So next time you're out shopping and don't trust the shopping attendant, send a friend a picture and see what they say. If you have my number, feel free to ask me! 

Example from a shopping trip. So attractive. I offered up an embarrassing photo of mine to save my friends ones ha! 

Miss Crosby x

Sweetest little things

Do you ever have those days where you just feel so grateful for all that you have? Where you just consider how lucky you are to be alive? Well I guess that would be my day today.

Nothing overly special happened, no big tragedies or life changing stories. I did have the privilege once again to sit down and have coffee with the beautiful Bernadette from Brave Foundation, which I must say was definitely a high point. Other than that it was a fairly ordinary day. 

But tonight, before I put my little man to bed, we just laid out on the couch together. No TV, no music, no games on mummy's phone; just snuggled into each other. I could feel his breathing slow down, his heart pace gradually calming and his little arm draped across me. In that moment I just thought how truly blessed I am. I still love holding him in my arms. 

Sometimes I think we get too caught up in life, focussing on what we don't have, or what's going wrong, or how things could be better. Sometimes we just need to take a moment to see the beauty in our own lives. Even when the negatives far outweigh the positives, we need to hold on to them even if that means holding on for dear life.

Or just remind yourself that there is always someone doing it  tougher than you and count your blessings. Appreciate the life you so happen to lead, cherish it and all those in it with all that you have.

Now i'm going to go in and give my son his final kiss like I do every night. Still one of my favourite things to do.

Miss Crosby x

Another Year Older, Another Year Wiser

So I turned twenty-one the other week, it felt surreal. 

But for now lets jump back to February of this year to one of my best friends 21st. She threw this wonderful party on a hot summers night. Many of her family and friends showed up to celebrate all the many achievements she has managed to accomplish in her years so far. I remember standing on to watch her brothers get up to do their speech, speaking with much love for their sister. Then listening to her dad, speaking with such pride about her academic and personal achievements she had accomplished. I remember taking a photo during the speeches and just looking around, so many people gathered together to celebrate one persons life, her birthday.

In that moment I started to feel slightly jealous, maybe even a little sad. It was then that I realised, I was turning 21 this year. It's supposed to be a momentous occasion, a coming of age, welcome to adulthood, everyone celebrating achievements etc etc. I then thought to myself, a lot of my friends who I went to school with were finishing uni, graduating with a degree under their belt, or working their way up in their respective workplaces. Gosh some were buying and/or building houses. What the hell was I doing? Working at a bar?  Didn't exactly seem to be something worth celebrating in my eyes. 

I then went on a mini emotional roller coaster of feeling very insignificant to my friends. It's not like it's any surprise by now that my life is quite different to theirs, but sometimes it feels like i get slapped in the face with the reality of it all once in a while. Being the year of 21st's for me, instead of being out every weekend juggling one party to the next, many nights were spent home. These are just part of the sacrifices you make as a mum.


Which brings me back to it. My 21st birthday. After my friends party I decided that I didn't want to do a big party, I wanted to skip it. I mean, like I said, your 21st is a welcome to adulthood type of thing and I definitely feel as though I had that party 20 days after my 18th, when I gave birth to my son and was thrusted into this adult life and parenthood pretty fast. And I didn't really feel as though I had achieved anything worth celebrating.

I eventually told my two best friends how I was feeling. They really helped me to see that I can't compare my life to others, it's just useless. Sure some of my friends my age have degrees, great paying jobs and possessions that I don't have, but I have a family, albeit small, I have a son who loves me, adores me and one that i cherish with my whole heart. 
I live a good life, a GREAT life. Although this sure as hell isn't the life i imagined to be living at twenty-one, I believe it's better than I could ever have imagined. 

So, with the help of my two besties we started planning my 21st. Sifting through Pinterest for party inspiration and how to decorate and what food to serve and bla bla bla. Planning a freakin' party is stressful enough and I had the help of two of the best party planners you'll ever meet. It may not be their actual professions but if they were ever to start up a business, I would highly recommend them. 

Anyway, in the week leading up to my birthday and party (2 days apart) so many things did not go to plan, including my little man who had been quite ill for a few weeks leading up. We spent the week in and out of doctors appointments and he spent a lot of time wanting to cuddle and sleep. Was no fun seeing my little baby like that. Even though he was sick and this surely was not a typical lead up to ones 21st, I really didn't care. It showed me how significant my life is and has been. I have this precious boy who depends on me and I have the privilege of looking after, loving and caring for and i've managed to keep him alive ha! How is that not an achievement in its self? 


The day of the party I was really calm. A few friends came over to help set up, tidy up, I even had a friend come over unannounced just to fix my car which had broken down earlier in the week (ladies he is single ;) ). Everything was coming together. In the afternoon a friend and I made our way over to my lovely friend and make up artists house Paula's house to get dolled up for the evening. My friend even brought a bottle of Moët to start the celebrations. Paula did and amazing job (as per usual), just what I had wanted. Then it was back to the house to get dressed and wait for everyone to arrive. Before I had left the set up wasn't completely done so when I returned I got to see everything complete. I was so excited, like a little school girl! Everything looked amazing, my friends had really captured my vision even if i did explain it in little blurs here and there! I couldn't wait for the guests to arrive and the party to start! 

From start to finish, I had an amazing night. My friend catered the party and everyone was raving about the food. I handmade cocktails and spent hours preparing the bottles and drinks which everyone drank. My sister made an incredible cake, she's got skills! 

The time came for the speeches. This part I was honestly nervous about. Initially I had no idea who the heck would even do a speech. So I asked my besties, Melanie and Shannon if they would. I may not have known them since my childhood, or heaps of year in fact, but they have definitely made impact enough in my life to get that role. And I asked my Mum if she would do one on behalf of the family. My mum started with a letter from my Granddad, which he wrote when I was born, it was so beautiful to hear. Then she went on to read embarrassing stories from my three older brothers...stories I don't think i'll ever live down.

Then Mel and Shan got up and did their thang...maybe i'll leave that for another day.

My two beautiful best friends, Shannon and Melanie

We partied and danced into the early hours of the morning and as I woke up the next day I couldn't help but feel so completely blessed for the life that I have. It may not be the one that I dreamed of as a little girl, it may not be the one i imagined as a teenager, but it's the life that i have and it's a damn good one. Full of so much love, laughter, joy, friends, family and so much life! 

Thank you Tim @ bluenova media

I know i'll still have those moments of weakness and insecurities, that's just a part of life. I know at only 21 i'm living a life that's seemingly beyond my years, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Miss Crosby x

Ps.
My little man slept through my whole party :( turns out he actually had Glandular Fever! 

Picture Perfect....Again

Here are the rest of the photos from that wonderful shoot. I'm honestly so blessed to have the friends that I do. And I've been so blessed with my handsome son. 

Enjoy :) 

Miss Crosby x

Sprung!

I think every mother can relate to this...

So today whilst I was doing the simple, menial chore of washing the dishes, then I hear big crashing noises coming from the other room...I wait for the cry, hear nothing so I carry on with my task. Really, I knew exactly what had happened I just chose to ignore it and wait until I had finished to investigate.

Never the less after finishing the dishes I walk into L's room to this...

The cheeky rascal pulled out every tray from his toy drawer and I find him like this with a face that says 'what mummy, I didn't do it'. How could I be mad with a face like that. Bless his cotton socks.

It's so funny how things that used to be so easy now become such a risk. Turn your back on them for one second and they can create such a great mess! 

And it's always the most bizarre things too. Sometimes I know he's just trying to help and it goes horribly or strangely wrong. The amount of times i've found used, dirty spoons in the cutlery tray because he was trying to put his dishes away ha! 

Just the other day when I went to put a load of laundry on I found this...

I guess he didn't think it was clean enough?

Such things I love/loathe about motherhood. He certainly makes sure that life isn't boring. 

Miss Crosby x

Picture Perfect

So, my last post I promised some pictures...well the day has come! I can't describe how happy I am with these photos. Rachel, the photographer did such a great job capturing the moments. I don't think most people understand or appreciate how difficult it can be to photograph little kids,
especially energetic kids like my darling boy.

We've had a few rough weeks so these have come at such a great time. I've had a sick little boy and I've been one sick mumma. It has felt like it's been three weeks of isolation. Just him and I in our little home sharing lots of cuddles, watching lots of Cars and drinking lots of water. As silly as it is, I've really enjoyed spending so much time at home. I haven't even been able to work because we've been that sick. I'm not used to having the privilege of being at home with him so much, I really miss it. Being a working mum sucks sometimes, stupid bills ha! Oh well, I've cherished the time we've spent and now it's back to work. He's worth the time sacrifice to better our lives financially.

Anyway, I love this. She's really captured 'us'. I love him, he loves me. We may be a little family but we are a mighty family, one full of strength, admiration, silliness, joy, ups, downs but most of all - unconditional love. I love this little boy, I can't believe he is my son and that I have been entrusted with his life. I cherish him.

A Little Exciting

Well, exciting to me, maybe not to you.  

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure and privilege to meet Bernadette Black who is a very inspirational teen mother. She actually played a very big role in my story, whichI will go into  at a later date. Anyway, I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down and have dinner with her on her very short trip to Perth and what can I say, she is amazing! 

Whilst we were chatting I mentioned my blog and how I was still starting but wanting to use it more as a tool to reach young girls, especially young mums. She said that sounded interesting and she'd love to read it, so after connecting on good ole' facebook I sent her the link. I received a beautiful message from her a little later on about how much she loved it! Bernadette then asked me if she was able to add a direct link onto her website to my blog so of course I said yes! I can't wait to share my story and life with so many other girls who have been through or are going through a similar life journey, it's such an honour! If you wanted to look through her website yourself or maybe even read some stories from some other people who have experienced teen pregnancy then you can find it here. I have so much more to say on the topic and eventually i'll get to it, but for now, hello to any new readers who may have stumbled across my page through the Brave Foundation page, happy to have you :) 

So I figured now I should probably try and get a little more swanky with this blog page. I am not good at this webpage/technology stuff. Sometimes I wish I could just write with pen and paper and it would reach the world. But alas, we live in a technology driven world. Just today instagram has been down and so many people are already having withdrawals! So I guess I should pick up my game...

A beautiful friend of mine and I have been talking for ever it seems about shooting together. I kind of took advantage (sorry Rachel) of the idea and asked if maybe she would be kind enough to shoot Leon and I for this page. She was happy enough to oblige, so this past Friday I spent the day at her house shooting with my darling boy by my side...for the most part. I believe when they say not to work with animals and kids, whoever 'they' are were completely right. All morning while I was in hair and make up he was so well behaved, happily sat there playing with Lego and watching a movie, only every now and then coming up and talking to me so politely. But of course, when the time came that he needed to be in front of the camera and act all cute was the time he decided he had had enough. I take my hat off to any child photographer, it is not an easy gig! And then when we were shooting just us, I swear every time I had gotten into position and Rachel was ready to shoot....'MUMMY!' ....ahh children.

Regardless of the testing times, I can not wait to share the images with you! We had such a fantastic team with Rachel (who's website I believe is under construction) and Paula, who just captured all that I had envisioned. I don't know if i've ever been this excited for the end product as this before, maybe it's because it has a different purpose for me. Anyway, i'm excited! I don't know what more to say other than stay tuned :) Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Sneak peek, my sweetheart. 

Miss Crosby x