Growing

It’s Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas! Our bodies are feeling a little cranky, a little sore, and carrying babies through this hot, hot summer is no small physical feat. If you’re feeling it too - you’re not alone.R&R (Recipe & Recommendation)Recommendation: Get into the water — the ocean, the pool, anywhere you can dunk your head under. A good pair of togs, a sarong, some funky jewellery and a great hat go a long way. Sink into the slowness, enjoy being by the water. You bloody deserve it doll. Recipe: A refreshing Mango Chia Seed Pudding — cool, nourishing and perfect for summer. Find the recipe hereRecommendation: The MCO Beauty Lip Mask — a summer staple for dry, tired lips. Shop it hereRecipe: A festive Christmas Quencher (non-alcoholic punch) — hydrating, celebratory and perfect for Christmas Eve sipping. Lil’s Mums text about the quencher reads: It starts with a lemon/sugar syrup -maybe 1 cup of sugar, juice of 2 lemons, 1 cup of water long strips of the lemon rind (use vegetable peeler) big sprigs of mint. Boil together till sugar dissolves. Cool leaving rind and mint in the syrup until you put the quencher together. Add the strained quencher base to a large tin of pineapple juice, ginger ale and soda water.Ps while we’re talking about Lil’s Mum the naked reference quote from this weeks chat is here A very Merry Christmas from us to you, we’re so grateful to be in all the seasons alongside you. Beth’s PicksLil’s Picks

This week on Growing, we’re donning our Mrs Claus hats and chatting all things Christmas giving. We dive into what’s going into the Santa sacks for our kids - with a focus on thoughtful, practical and joy-filled ideas. If you’re still searching for inspiration, there might be a few ideas here for you too.OUR SANTA SACK PICKS: TrampolineAir ToobzBackpack or lunch box for daycareA book refreshYoto cardsA potion kit made from bits and bobs sourced at the op shopNew CrocsA dress-up boxSchleich animal figurinesGrimms building blocksAlison Lester Books Togs for summer Share this episode with a friend who’s in the thick of festive planning - or someone who needs ideas that feel a little more intentional and a little less overwhelming.

This week Beth poses the important question: how many Airtaskers does it take to build an IKEA cupboard? As it turns out… quite a few. And it’s still not quite finished.The good news? Her twinny boys are growing beautifully (we’re talking almost off the charts x2), which feels like a reassuring little nudge that even under double load, her body knows exactly what it’s doing. Meanwhile, Lilly is knee-deep in silly-season chaos asking herself two things: Where the helly is that husband she married and where the helly is her iron? (Spoiler: she’s depleted on all fronts.)The girls also share a loving little reminder to compliment the mothers in your life. A small noticing can land like a hug — and we all need more of those.On R&R Beth’s Recommendation: A great summer read — The Paper Palace and a Recipe (sort of): Pods. Yes, the chocolate ones in a packet snickers or mars or whatever takes your fancy. A recipe at a stretch, but deeply delicious.Lilly’s Recipe: A slow-cooked shredded beef ragu from RecipeTin Eats — perfect for boosting those iron levels. Make it here and Recommendation wise she’s suggesting a gorgeous, wholesome follow from a UK mum — @lifeatbluebell_If you love the podcast, please recommend us to your mums group — and if you haven’t already, we’d so appreciate a rating and review. It helps more than you know.🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we’re diving deeper into an ongoing growing pain with Beth - one sparked by a quote she stumbled across on Emma Morris Instagram about how burnout and motherhood can collide in a big and overwhelming way. Together, the girls tease out what might be fueling the fire:the relentless societal expectations placed on mothersthe invisible load of flurrying, scurrying, and holding everything togetherIt’s reflective, heartfelt and deeply validating for anyone who feels stretched thin during this season.Meanwhile, Lil is feeling a little lonesome. Her husband is deep in silly-season festivities (every day and night) while she’s home picking up the pieces - and honestly, where are the Christmas parties for the mums?!R&R (Recipe & Recommendation)Beth’s PicksRecipe:A family favourite: this delicious, quick and comforting Sweet Chilli Chicken & Cashew Stir-Fry — perfect for weeknights. Try it hereRecommendation:A beautiful round-up of local small businesses to shop this Christmas:Lauren Sissons Studio – Art prints, wall stickers & kids card gamesRommer – Beautiful tableware for kidsKick Brick – Construction toys for kidsMaynetic – Magnetic boards & toysMum Club – The BEST caps for mums, dads, aunties & unclesYour local bookshop – Always a perfect choiceDesign Planner Kids – Personalised reusable colouring matsTara Treasures – High-quality felt toysSound Slam – Card game for family funDays In The Sand – Bright wetsuits for kidsLil’s PicksRecipe:A delicious and versatile Beef Brisket from Boob to Food — tender, comforting and so good. Get the recipe hereRecommendation:Inspired by a fortune cookie that read: “You deserve a rest. Relax and watch a movie.” So we’re passing that on to all of you — consider this your official sign to pause. Make it a Christmas movie… or don’t. Whatever tickles your pickle.

Motherhood: Easier Said Than Done.This week, Beth is feeling the weight of motherhood - and the never-ending list of shoulds.You know the ones: we should rest, we should drink water, we should move our bodies, we should nourish our bodies, we should look after ourselves… and yet the how feels completely out of reach. It’s one of those big, honest chats about the gap between what we know and what we can actually manage in the thick of motherhood.She also shares her sweet little glimmer of taking her daughter to the cinemas for the first time… where there is now (wait for it) a kids’ playground inside the cinema. Has society lost the plot entirely or is this an absolute hack? Hard to say, we’re not sure either. Meanwhile, Lil is her own growing pain this week. She’s in a full shame spiral about her phone addiction and has bought herself a brick… but she’s so addicted she can’t seem to activate said brick. Make of that what you will.Lil’s RecommendationShe’s obsessed with Avocado Zinc — specifically the tinted SPF and the blush for an easy, lazy-girl, put-together moment. It’s on sale — treat yourself Shop Avocado Zinc hereLil’s RecipeA bold but life-changing avocado toast upgrade: add pickles (and goat’s cheese, and butter). She knows it’s a big ask — but it’s worth every bite.Beth’s Recommendation + RecipeA two-for-one delight: packet mix muffins.Any box from the supermarket will do — fun with a toddler, low-pressure, and absolutely in alignment with our current energy levels.Also to circle back to a previous R&R of Lil’s Beth now has her very own Tineco mop and she’s absolutely sold — you can be to if you want to jump on the bandwagon Tineco .