motherhood: lena catterick
lena catterick
Lena Catterick, mother of two (Yolanda and Francesca), is the creative director and owner of the lovely brand of organic carriers, Yoli & Otis. We are such fans of their carriers and the philosophy behind what they do, and we are so pleased to hear from Lena on motherhood this week.
What are some words you live by as a mother?
‘No Expectations’
The one way to avoid setting yourself up for disappointment, is by having no expectations. Parenthood is a learning curve, mistakes aren’t planned and what’s planned isn’t a lesson learnt. You HAVE to be prepared for anything, mentally. Your state of mind is paramount to resolving any situation, with grace.
What surprised you most about becoming a mum?
I think I’m surprised at least once everyday, the whole experience is a journey of discovery.
As a mum I feel like we have just one very important function, and that’s love. Nothing else matters. It’s a labor of love with such an overwhelming sense of gratitude. You quickly forget about the tiresome times and moments of weakness and regularly have to pinch yourself at how magical the whole thing is. Surviving solely on love, and love is more than enough, is something that continues to amaze me.
How do you find balance in your life?
For us, it’s at least an hour a day in or near the ocean. We’re surrounded by some of the best beaches, with beautiful crystal clear waters and nourishing green foliage. It has an ever so wonderful effect of letting you forget your worries and just focus on how incredibly beautiful and surreal life is and what mother nature has to offer. Ultimately expanding your mind, giving you room to dance around and flourish to greater heights, in all aspects.
Words of wisdom for new parents (especially surviving the newborn period)?
BABY WEARING - it’s the tool of all parenting tools. Embrace it, persist with it, and LOVE IT. There's too much to gain from it, not to give it a go. Attend a local baby wearing group or check out your local Carrier Library service. Both of these options are incredibly resourceful for all your baby wearing needs and knowledge. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
Meaningful family moments?
These are the more ‘still’ moments for us. Our lives are so busy; with work, social gatherings, play groups, meal times and daily errands. Having an hour just to connect with each other, makes all the difference, and are the moments we truly cherish.
We do this thing everyday when we’re together, C\called ‘The Daily Bubble’. Basically, we make a bucket of bubble mixture out of water, eco friendly dish detergent, corn flour and baking powder. Then with our giant bubble wand, made of sticks and yarn, we create a giant bubble which we watch float away. As it floats, we count until it pops and every day we try and beat our record for the longest lasting bubble.
Has becoming a mother changed you?
Yes. To the point where I struggle to define who I was before becoming a mother. The little changes amount very quickly, it’s easy to feel lost. and you do, very often. Until that little voice says something so incredibly heartwarming or makes some subtle but affectionate gesture, like rest their tiny little hand on your knee, whilst they’re drawing or patiently chewing away on a bit of capsicum.
Basically, yes. It will almost certainly change you. But in such rewarding ways, it’s almost impossible to describe.
A day in the life of Lena:
I live… in beautiful Byron Bay
I am currently reading… Nourishing Traditions
I’m listening to… Ray LaMontagne
My weekends start with… Family cuddles in bed
One item I can’t live without is… Yoli & Otis Baby carrier - So simple to use, snuggly for both baby and Mumma and completely natural, using only medicinally rich herbs and the purest organic fibres.
Baby essentials list -
1. Yoli & Otis - Herbal Dyed Carrier
2. Nature Baby Organic Muslin
3. Nature Baby Pure Baby Massage Oil(we call it the ‘Sweet dream oil’)
5. Nature Baby Organic Cotton Sleeping Bags do an incredible job of keeping baby’s tiny body warm and toasty, without the concern of them kicking off blankets and waking from the chill!
Thanks so much for sharing with us Lena, xx Nb