So... Who is Megs anyway?

For those that aren't aware, every week on Adelaide Mummy Meetings, a Mummy is interviewed as part of 'Interview With...'. It has been a success with a lot of interest from mummies that want to take part and be interviewed, but also successful in allowing all the other mummies to become familiar with their fellow friends on a more intimate level.

It was suggested last week by fellow mummy Emma, that I take part and allow the mummies an opportunity to get to know 'Megs', not just the admin/creator of AMM. I was torn - I didn't know if getting involved would take it from being this community of mums, for mums... to 'The Megs Show'. I don't want to detract from the purpose of AMM... until the idea came about to get this blog back.

This blog is a part of AMM - this is MY story and my personal touch to an otherwise 'everyone else' focussed community.

BUT... Before I continue, may I add... I am an imperfect mother. I don't claim to be perfect, I don't claim to be right... but I do claim to know what is right for my children. After all, this blog is MY story.


So... Who is Megs anyway? Well let me tell you!

- I am Megs (Megan). I'm 29, a Leo and am therefore stubborn, high maintenance (honest!) and loving.

- I'll be 30 this year. I have looked forward to turning 30 since I was a young girl.

- I am a mother of two boys, Logan (6) and Ryder (7-months). I have a husband, Cameron... he's amazing. He's the love of my life and the creator of all of my accomplished dreams.

- I was born in Adelaide. I grew up in Adelaide. I live in Adelaide.

- I am a natural blonde, but I am indecisive so I change my hair colour often. At the moment I am dark. Next week I may be blonde again (I'm not kidding!).

- I am an optimist. I love positivity. I love to be inspired. I seek inspiration from those that are the same.

- I LOVE to cook. I LOVE to go to the gym + do my morning beach walk. I LOVE my job. I LOVE meeting new people. I LOVE my life.

The Interview Questions:

Are you currently working/studying? If so, how many hours?
Other than AMM, I work 2-days a week. It's a job that I love for an employer that is incredibly supportive.

What arrangements do you have for your child/ren when you are working/studying?
Logan is at school, Ryder goes to day care.

Where in Adelaide are you from? Have you always lived here?
I grew up in Mitchell Park and moved on to Aberfoyle Park where I lived until I was 18 and moved out of home. I've always been a Southern Suburbs girl and now live in Hallett Cove.

How old were you when you had your child/ren?
I was 23 when I had Logan and 29 when I had Ryder.

How did you find out that you were pregnant? How far along were you?
Logan: It was a bit of a shock as my then husband (I have been married previously) and I were trying on and off for quite a while. I was working a lot of hours and was feeling very run down so I had a sickie and went to my GP, thinking he'd give me a certificate, and I just needed a day to sleep it off... NOPE! Turns out I was pregnant (about 7-weeks).

Ryder: I had monitored cycles due to PCOS, second cycle in + we caught the egg!

Baby birth stats, for each: (Gestation, length of labour, pushing (or c-section), spontaneous/induction/elective, weight, head circ, length.)
Logan: 40+6, spontaneous labour of 30.5 hours (posterior). 8pd, 36cm head circ and he kept forgetting to breathe (thanks to pethedine) and was admitted to neonatal for 4-5 days post birth.

Ryder: Induced at 38+4 due to pregnancy complications (SPD + large size), BRILLIANT labour! 13.5 hours (5 active), 8pd 12oz, 36cm head. Such a positive experience considering I had a lot of anxiety!

Were you happy with the outcome of your birth/labour?
With my first, not at all. It wasn't just the complications during birth (I had pethedine which caused heart rate issues for Logan + breathing difficulties post birth), BUT I had very, very poor care from the staff. With Ryder, I went Private - I had a lot of anxiety about having another baby and wanted to take control of as much as I could.

How much Maternity Leave did/will you take?
With Logan I was back at full time work when he was about 8-weeks old (I think!), but when he was 6-months old I stopped working and studied from home for a while. With Ryder, I stopped work at 32-weeks (due to SPD) and went back to work just shy of 6-months old, but only 2-days a week.

What are your hobbies? Things you enjoy doing just for yourself
Gym/Walking + catching up with my girlfriends

What is the BEST piece of advice you received whilst pregnant/a new mother?
Happy Mummy = Happy Baby.
You can't give 100% of yourself to something when you're not feeling 100%.

What has been the hardest thing for you so far?
Finding that balance between everything. I feel most days that I am just keeping my head above water and not making any progress.

Where do you like to shop for kid's clothes, toys, etc.?
I am a Bonds FREAK. I love their range.
Other then that, my boys are dressed in a bit of everything - Logan loves Transformers + Ben10, so I tend to buy him a few of those so he can express himself.

Tell us a funny story involving your child/ren.
I took Logan to the after-hours Doctor going back about 12-months ago and it still sticks with me! The Doctor happened to be Indian and Logan looked at him, and asked me 'Mummy, why does that man have a chocolate face?". Luckily, the guy had a sense of humour and explained to him where he was from, etc.

Do you know where you'll send your child/ren to school? What are you looking for in their education?
I was of the mind that I would send my children to public school until they reach 'Middle School' age and then move them into private... until my son started school. I am not at all happy with his school, nor the way the public system operates, and as such will be moving him into a Private School as soon as he is accepted.

What are your favourite children's book/s?
Logan loves 'Max Power' - It's like a younger kid's novel. He also loves 'Where's Wally' or anything that involves having to find something... As for Ryder, we just read 'The Hungry Caterpillar' to him at the moment. I have a few books in mind that I want to get him for his 1st birthday.

Do you know of any great apps/websites for kids?
'Cool Maths Games' + 'Poptropica'

Best trick to keep kids entertained while out of the house?
Nintendo DS, iPad.. Food, Drinks

WILDCARD! Tell us something we don't know! Or something people wouldn't normally know about you.
Bah! Some of you are friends of mine and would know this already... but I used to sing in front of large crowds (like Festival Theatre, shopping centres). I kick myself sometimes that maybe I could have done something with it, but now I have stage fright, can't even sing in front of my husband!

Tell us your favourite moment thus far about being a Mummy.
There really are so many moments. I love that my son makes me love notes and brings them home from school. I love that Ryder says 'Mumma' and 'Dadda' and is such a placid baby and is SO happy.

Do you know any good jokes?
My latest one... How many abstracts does it take to change a lightbulb?

'Fish.'

Do you come from a large family?
Not really. I grew up with my mum and sister, who's 7-years younger than I am.

If you were to win $10,000, what would you do with it?
Pay off the credit card, which I'll probably max out the next day.

If there was one thing about yourself that you could change, what would it be?
I'd change my lack of confidence - people think I have a lot of it, but I really don't!

AND for those who wanted to know MORE!

What was your ultimate drive to start this group?

Check out this blog post :)

How do you keep yourself motivated with the page and keeping up with your children?

I keep myself motivated by meeting the mummies, it's really that simple! It helps that I am doing something I am wholeheartedly passionate about and people are grateful for this little community.

I have days where my confidence is low and I question if this is really making a difference... but it only takes a Mummy Meeting, or a Buddy Match to see how much of a difference I am making.

How do you balance family, friends, etc?

Honestly? I am struggling to keep up with friends, I feel like a very poo friend at the moment.

My husband has been nothing short of amazing, picking up my slack and helping out with dinner/kids when I am in the midst of replying to emails, etc. It's give and take though, I help him when he needs it.

As for the rest, it comes down to learning to prioritise and manage time effectively. I'm not always sitting on the couch replying to each of you... I take the iPad out with me, or use my iPhone. Being on the go and having access to awesome technology allows me to multitask to the extreme!

What's the strangest things you've eaten be it during pregnancy or not?

I craved GREEN bananas when pregnant with Logan. I would say that's the weirdest thing I've eaten! I'm very plain when it comes to food, I don't like to experiment much.

Favourite holiday destination/where you'd love to holiday if you could go anywhere?

This one is SO hard! I have an obsession with Paris and the Eiffel Tower (hubby proposed to me there), so I would give anything to go back and relive that moment. BUT I also love Langkawi, Malaysia (where we were married) and I really want to go back for a wedding anniversary.

Then there's the Harry Potter Theme Park + Hawaii...

Where is the strangest place you have changed a nappy?

LOL! In the car in the carpark at Melba's Chocolate Factory.

What's your favourite ice-cream flavour?

Mocha Almond Fudge from Royal Copenhagen

Whats the craziest + funniest thing you did as a kid under 5?

I have no idea! I remember slapping my friend across the face for something... she reminded me of this YEARS later when we reunited at high school a good 12(or so) years later.

Oh! And I stole a toy from the local shops... but I am sure most kids have done that (Ryder already has!)

And whats the craziest + funniest thing your kid(s) have done?

Logan is obsessed with cardboard boxes, or anything that can store something. He is forever turning them into houses for his teddies and our Family Room is now full of cardboard boxes that are decorated to the extreme. He even has string from each house as power lines. That makes me laugh... the simplicity and sheer amazement of a kid's imagination. It's not crazy, until you come and see our Family Room!

Most embarrassing thing done by you and most embarrassing moment out with the kids (either what they've done/said or what's happened with mummy brain)

Mummy Brain? I have that ALL time! I am forever forgetting things, confusing the kids names (as well as hubby and the dog)... Nothing overly embarrassing though. Maybe I over think things too much?

What do you do to help your son (and you) manage his Sensory Processing Disorder, what do you find helps with this?

Logan has a range of Sensory Diet activities to assist with his SPD: We keep him active every couple of hours, use deep pressure massage (a large pilates ball that we use to 'squish him like toothpaste') and have recently implemented the brushing technique which is used to help stimulate all the nerve endings in his skin.

We also attend fortnightly Occupational Therapy appointments to monitor his progress and give us advice on what we are doing, or what we can do more of etc. It's still very early days and there's been a lot of change in the last couple of months (he now has glasses, and has recently had grommets inserted and adenoids removed due to sleep apnea), so I am sure that with persistence and time, we will see some changes.

He is such a good natured, happy child, he just has a lot of issues focussing/concentrating and he's just a very 'go, go, go!' child.

And that's MY Interview! Thanks for the opportunity, for the ongoing love + support that I get each day... and thank you for being such a GREAT group of Mummies! I really love what I do, and I hope that you love what I do... if not, please let me know! xx