Our Everyday Life in Pictures: Happy 8th Birthday to Sienna

Eight years ago I became a mother for the second time only this time round I had a little girl. James was born with brown hair with a red tinge and Sienna's name was already picked out before she was born. Given that Sienna means "reddish brown" and it is also a place in Italy I thought this was perfect and such a pretty name. Actually it was one of the Mother's from playgroup that had the name and she was finished having her family and said the name which at the time I thought that's very different. Then a couple of days later I thought it was beautiful and chose Sienna Rose as her name. When she was born she came out with dark blackish hair which really threw me but I thought she was the most beautiful little girl on earth. Being a second time Mum you know what to expect and things are a lot more relaxed than the first time round when one could describe it as not knowing how to swim and someone drops you in the middle of the ocean and says "right swim back to shore now, it might take you a year". Nothing can prepare you for motherhood that first baby even reading books so your on the job training with no trainer on hand is hard and stressful. When Sienna arrived I'd learnt how to swim so it was just a matter of jumping right in. She was a fabulous sleeper up for 2 hours happy, then down for 2 hours, up for 2 hours down for 2 hours and then a great sleeper in the night time. We would have playgroup at my house with 8 parents and probably 10-12 kids running around but Sienna happily slept in her cot in her room through all of that.

Sienna was born in Brisbane by c-section at 3.05 pm on the 27th February, 2006. She weighed 3671 gms (8lb 1 oz)

James who is 2 years and 3 months old meeting his new little sister 2 hours after she was born.

Sienna is thoughtful, caring and has a great sense of humor. She loves animals and crafting, cooking and makes me laugh a lot. She leaves beautiful little notes for me in places I don't expect like on my shopping list there will be an "I love you Mum with a little heart". I will find little notes on our Menu Blackboard when I least expect it and burst out laughing. She handles her own "time out" and has done so ever since she was little. If she was cranky with her brother she would rouse on him and then go stand in a corner with her arms crossed not looking at him until she calmed down. It is such a good technique to have and at times particularly when she was very little it was the funniest sight to watch. I have a picture of her in her swimming togs and goggles and she had her arms folded and was facing the fence away from with only her head turned around looking over with the crankiest look on her face. I had to race inside and get the camera because she was clearly annoyed but looked ever so cute in the swimmers and goggles but with this cranky face and folded arms business happening.