Girl's world

The days of our lives

2012-02-13T17:10:00.004+02:00

Baby M and I had the house to ourselves this morning. Aside from making myself a few cups of coffee, sending off a couple of emails and checking facebook for updates every so often, 7-11 was a total mom and tot jol.

What’s a jol for a 1 year old, you may wonder? Well, pointing out noses in the mirror is one example. Baby M gets VERY excited about the cute little face smiling back at her in the mirror. Blocks were nice for her too. My game was “let’s build towers with these blocks”, hers was “let’s throw them”. And balls, she loves balls. My game was “let’s roll these balls to each other”, hers was: “let’s throw them”. I tried playing dress up with her but she didn’t want to wear the hats, no; she wanted to throw them. And guess what happened to the cars at the top of the cushion ramp? Thrown.

Surprizingly though, the things we did when Son came home, which would have been obvious throwing choices, weren’t; the dough, the crayons and the peas at lunch- all safe. And if I don’t count the bit when she threw a hard cover Thomas book in his face while we were reading, I’d say that they even enjoyed each others company today.

Now, as they shower together with the garden hose outside (see video below) and the day draws to an end, I count my blessing that I’m able to afford this priceless time with my young ones. It’s certainly more valuable than any time I might have spent working on a script or a proposal today or trawling the malls again for that wedding dress I'm after...

2012-02-10T17:48:00.003+02:00

Baby M is not the least bit helpful when it comes to getting Son to like her. She’s taken to using her teeth on him, pulling fistfuls of his hair and smacking him when he’s down. For him there's nothing redeemingly endearing in her boisterous ways or even in her cute walking or talking developments. Last night she said “bear” while pointing to one of the three bears in Goldilocks!! He understandably doesn’t like that she wants anything and everything he is playing with/eating/drinking. And he certainly does not like being started with, tending to react oh so dramatically to even a minor infringement.

The fact that I’m alone with both of them every night this week (bar Monday) has not made keeping them separate any easier. In a moment of sanity now, I’m typing this on the floor with Coby bathing to my right and Baby M turning things upside down in the playroom behind a gate to my left. Now she’s starting to shake the gate and moan and probably doesn’t remember at all that she is there because she gave Son a serious hair yanking at the start of bath time.

I better get him out and her in. Then I might just put myself to bed first and let them work the rest out themselves ;)

Mix's tricks

2012-02-02T22:30:00.001+02:00

1. She walks
2. She lies down for a book before bed
3. She will eat as many beans as you give her

3 x after school fun

2012-01-31T21:58:00.006+02:00

Just got some lovely photos and a message from my friend Joeleen and thought it all too nice not to share:

Dear Friends

Playball fun had by all. Faces are redder than the shirts.

First drive with all 3 done. Check. Good time.

consumed:

1x banana

1 small cow cheese

1x corn thin rice cracker

1 small apple barney juice--- by all 3, in this order.

I think playball worked up an appetite.

Pics attached.

xxx

joe

Morning has broken

2012-01-27T10:12:00.008+02:00

Our mornings are chaotic. Not really. It just feels that way some days. Like this morning I only got out of bed at 6:30 (sleep in!!!!) and was faced with a monster to do list in order for us to even get out the door: Put Son in school clothes after a visit to the bathroom, get him to eat something and pack his school bag all by 7 while somehow getting myself dressed and ready too WHILE keeping happy vibes reigning throughout the home. Sometimes that's the part that's gotta give but today, because Baby M had a sleep in too, I didn't have to love her and hold her and pinch her cute face, which lightened the load exponentially. Dear husband took care of himself and I forewent my coffee.

Just after 7am we were in the car and strapping Son's friend Rachel in beside him. We're in a lift scheme now, you know! It's too sweet; Son and his two BFFB's (best friends from birth) share rides most days because with the drive to our new school being such a schlepp it just makes sense that we all help each other out.

What doesn't cease to amaze me is how, in under 3 years of life, children can grow to be such unique and capable characters. I so enjoy my car full of the sounds of toddler songs and sentences. "Bus world!!! Can we listen to Barney? No, Barney! Is this Bus World? Barney!!! I dropped my raggy! Are we on the highway? Do we have raisins in the car? Put Barney louder! Raaaaagggggiiieeee!!! PLEASE??? Hello big truck. Can we open the window? CAN WE OPEN THE WINDOW? PLEASE??? Oh, is this the highway. Digger! I saw a digger! What is that funny digger doing? I've finished my raisins! I want the funny song now! Put Barney again! No, the FUNNY song! Is this the funny song? Is this the road? Can we open the window now? Is this our school?... I can get out on my own. Help! I can put my shoes on. Help!" and then they are off. I can now listen to the radio if my ears are still prepared to take anything more in.

With the new lift scheme in place, and Robbie's undertaking to help out a few mornings a week, I will get to have a cup of coffee some mornings after all. I'll even be able to stick to my fitness goals... When work picks up I'm ruined...

Right, it's almost time for me to go fetch!

At one

2012-01-21T08:00:00.006+02:00

At 1 year Baby M, or Miks as she's most often called, is weighing in at 9.8kgs.
She is 78cm tall and the circumference of her head is 46.5.
Interestingly at this age Son was 10.8kg, 80.5cm and 49 around the brain.

I remember his first birthday well. It was my first birthday as a mom too remember.
We invited to the park all the children we knew, which was quite a few as Son had already started at playschool once a week. I attempted to bake and ice a soccer ball cake, hung up soccer related paraphernalia and sent everybody home with Barney-playing-soccer bags filled with goodies. It was fun but a certainly more stressful than the party we had for Miks. Also, Son was walking at this stage in his development so wandered quite happily around the park enjoying seeing so many of the people he knew playing on the equipment he usually experienced alone.

Miks, on the other hand, had a much smaller gathering at home, which was just right for her. She was quite content whether perched in her highchair munching on a miellie, presiding over all the goings-on in her garden, scooting around on a plastic train or bravely cruising between chairs as toddlers swiped at bubbles all around her.

The children in attendance all belonged to our dearest friends so everyone was familiar with the home and could comfortably help themselves to the food and drink I had put out, or had forgotten to put out as is the usual order for me.

Each child got a Mickey Mouse mask as a take-home gift, which proved to be more of a stay-here-and-play-more gift, and at the end of the day there were some paper plates to throw away, a cupcake or two to scrape off the stairs and some left over animal-shape pasta and peas for lunch. Finished and klaar!

So, thank you Miks for having such a fabulously chilled and happy first birthday, just like you!

Baby M turns 1

2012-01-17T21:32:00.004+02:00

Our new school!

2012-01-16T20:56:00.014+02:00

Son, his cousins and a group of their excited young peers spent the morning exploring, puzzling, creating and playing at the new Jewish Day school. Moms and dads basked in the warm glow of this beautiful, brand-new, built-with-love environment and I looked on with a sense of pride and relief- that's my media centre/ library/ creativity centre/ computer room there, remember? A couple of pics above show how it turned out. Son didn't want to leave. Hopefully tomorrow morning we'll all feel as enthusiastic when it is 7am and we have to be on the road up North!

P.S. We did it! Son is out of nappies! On the weekend each pair of undies he wore got wet and today not one. All day; the long drive to school, then to the shops then home then swimming, with a successful wee stop at each point. What a boy! 000 here we come :)

Perfect days

2012-01-09T19:53:00.004+02:00

Back from holiday of long sunny Cape Town days, Clifton stairs up and down to the beach, memorable meals and quality time spent with family and friends. The kids were amazing- totally out of their routines and inundated by newness but open to it all and cute as can be. There are too many great photos so I have put a selection of em up on flickr.

Go here to see them

School holidays- week 2 part 1

2011-12-21T21:41:00.006+02:00

Just a quick update because for those who check in here, one is almost certainly due.

We're well into the Summer holidays with Son in his second week off school and shopping malls spilling over with people hypnotized to spend. The sun has even come out to play which has us beaming with vitality one moment and dripping over a water-cooler the next.

I've spent loads of time with Son and Baby M playing inside, playing outside, talking, carrying and singing (Son is really enjoying "silly" songs and Miks enjoys anything Son does). Friends have come over to play and we've visited friends, Son's been in the corner a bit (at least its more for the odd destructive act than for hurting his sis), he's been on the toilet quite a bit (potty-training here we are) and in trollies a fair amount too (it's the way I feel most secure when out with them both).

We're all looking forward to getting away to Cape Town on Sunday for 2 weeks.

I'll try check in again from there but in the mean time, happy holidays y'all!

Summer webs

2011-12-13T11:09:00.005+02:00

At this time of year it’s not just sun which Nature sends this way to let us know summer is here; it’s bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. Geckos feast on the flying ants that swarm around our garden lamps and leave a carpet of wings for the morning newspaper to land on. Lazy lizards lie on the walls sucking up the warm rays in the sunny hours while trails of industrious worker ants spread messages about what’s been left and where to get it.

I don’t mind any of these things, even the slugs and snails, I enjoy their presence and watch them when I can, encouraging my kids to be curious with me.

Spiders, however, are where I draw the line of enjoyment. I don’t like that they may be dangerous (even though they probably aren’t) and for that reason I don’t feel great about them crawling through our home and my children’s bedrooms. But what do I do? I can’t whip out a can of Doom every time I see a member of the arachnid family lurking about in the same space as my own- the poison would probably do us all more harm anyway. Sure, if the spider had a sign on its back saying “I’m one of the bad guys” I’d let him have my shoe (as one well-meaning and brave friend suggested I do to a cockroach) but without knowing, shoe-smashing or taking any other lethal measure just seems a little Chinese government for me.

I don't have the answer. If you do, please share because this summer I'm on the hunt for an effective organic control formulation that will keep 8-legged ones at bay and safeguard my family and the biodiversity of my garden.

Birthweek

2011-12-08T21:25:00.008+02:00

I turned 30 this week. The celebrations began on the Saturday night surrounded by great friends, abundant food, rose Pongraz and music that got us moving under the stars on the veranda of a popular Durban restaurant. My bespoke evening was made even more special by the beautiful little speech Robbie gave which had me just about in tears and everyone else most impressed by his speaking skills. The speech, the friends, my fabulous family, it all got me feeling so blessed.

By the time Tuesday arrived, my gratitude for all the blessings bestowed upon me and my loved ones was brimming over. Even while Son climbed up me like a mountain and Baby M put her whole mouth over my nose. Even when I was picking errand Jungle Oats up off the floor or trying to prolong my tolerance for playing trains with a very instructive toddler.

On birthday night, Tuesday night, I beat Robbie at backgammon then missed the play I wanted to see because I didn't listen to him when he told me the Drama Department was "down that way". Instead I insisted on following the crowds (I should've known they weren't there for a play). We were led to the courtyard where an unfinished short film on the effects of climate change on rural women farmers was shown. This was followed by a reggae-type band from Zim, some spoken word poetry, more soulful singing and a woman calling herself Nomvula who spun around and around and around. For nature, apparently. It was something different and I was glad to have dipped my little toe into the vast COP17 ocean of programming.

There's still a little more COP to catch, a little more birthday to celebrate*, lots of hours to read on my new Kindle and no limit to the thanks I have to give for all the goodness in my life.

*Saturday night will be the dinner which was postponed so that I could see the play. And on Sunday we'll have some cake with the kids at the beach house.
Agh, celebrating a new decade of life is worth being a little indulgent for, no?

Thursday: Prezels in the park

2011-12-01T19:31:00.008+02:00

I may have mentioned before that Baby M loves her home and routine like no babies business. But December 1st has arrived, Aunty Fi is off for three months of maternity leave, and things are getting a bit of a shake up. Like it or not, little Twinks is going to be spending a great deal more time out and about, and so far I think she likes it.

It's good that my work is not too demanding right now. It's good that the season of sunshine and kid-friendly vibes is upon us. It's really, really good that I have two such wonderful children who I really enjoy spending time with.

All good then :)

No dodo here

2011-11-30T07:31:00.013+02:00

Son: Why do Dodos stink?
Mom: Stink? Do you mean extinct? Why are Dodos extinct?
Son: Why are Dodos 'stinct?
Mom: Do you know what extinct means? It’s when something used to exist and it doesn’t anymore. Like the Dodo bird.
Son: Why doesn’t it anymore?
Mom: Because people didn’t look after them nicely.
Son: (Taking a magnet off the fridge) Where did you get this one from?
Mom: Mommy and daddy got it when we visited Mauritius, which is where Dodos used to live.
Son: (Considering the bird in his hand) I think we must look after it nicely.

Potapple salad

2011-11-23T08:41:00.004+02:00

Boil some eggs for 10 minutes, potatoes for 30 minutes, one apple chopped into largish chunks, some mayo of choice and voila! Potapple salad.

It's one of those recipes I found on some blog somewhere on the worldwide web which, by combining simple ingredients I always have at home, will create a flavour combination I'm sure I'm yet to experience. Intriguing...

Not tired

2011-11-21T19:02:00.006+02:00

After bath, bottle* and books Son began crying, "I didn't want to go to sleep".
What did you want to do? I asked
Play, he replied tearfully
But you didn't sleep today and you were up really early this morning.
I'm not tired, he began wailing again. Obviously very tired
What did you want to play with? I played along
Trains, he sniffed
Okay then, you can play with your trains in your room until you get tired.

I left him in his room and returned to check on him maybe 5 minutes later only to find:

*Son has recently graduated from a milk bottle to a sippy cup with milk at bedtime. He also uses his dummy a lot less and if it is in his mouth he knows to take it out when speaking. Ellie raggie is his best best best (seen above under his head) and day time sleeps are a thing of the past officially (I think it's official, but I've thought that before).

Sharing

2011-11-19T08:49:00.006+02:00

Toddlers aren't supposed to be able to share, or so they say. Certainly Son finds it terribly hard.

He had a friend over from school the other day and every time the friend touched one of his toys he'd cry "No, it's MINE Max!" I tried to explain that yes, the toys are his, but it's okay for his friends to play with them when they visit just like he enjoys playing with their toys at their houses. He didn't want to know and restricted poor max to playing with toys from Baby M's toy box.

For consolation, or perhaps to add to my helpful stock phrases, I Googled sharing. Here's what I got: the realization that we might be a lot further from the good sharing place than I'd hoped. "Children develop altruism and the desire for things to be fair by the time they are 7 or 8", according to a Swiss study.

Just then, Son came home from school with a freshly baked Kitka and proudly declared "I made it for sharing". So take THAT Swiss study.

And what's more, he is even allowing baby M to play with his train tracks as I write this. At first he wasn't too keen (read: he totally freaked out), but he was okay when I said we could re-build the tracks together when he was ready to play with them again.

So, with luck, the next 5 or 6 years might not be as socially frustrating as the Swiss had me fearing

Off to the beach

2011-11-13T16:17:00.002+02:00

Moriah playschool's three with baby sisters

2011-11-13T15:47:00.005+02:00

If caught in the right mood, Son has been heard protectively declaring, "Miks is MY baby sister"

And here she is:

Detox

2011-11-07T20:07:00.011+02:00

We're on it again, the train through Detox City.
I enjoy the ride but it isn't without its headaches, literally.

For the week Robbie and I are cutting out all wheat, alcohol, caffeine, dairy, sugar, meat (except fish), salt and processed foods.

Before 12 it's only fruit, that part is pretty easy- even enjoyable now with so many Summer fruits available.
The challenge is lunch, especially for Robbie who is at work all day and doesn't really have access to healthy food, certainly not detox healthy.

In meeting this challenge (by preparing his lunches after we've had dinner), there are some useful byproducts: I'm preparing meals for Son and tasters for Baby M too.

Yesterday I boiled up some brown basmati rice and added a mixture of cooked onion, mushrooms, chopped red bell peppers and sunflower seeds. Some plain rice was Son's lunch, a few mushrooms found their way onto Baby's plate this evening and both Robbie and I had healthy and filling meals on hand at lunch time.

For tomorrow I've made a quinoa salad (recipe below). Son will get quinoa (plain), Baby will try steamed broccoli and once again both Robbie and I will have tasty, colourful, fresh home-made lunches ready when we need 'em.

Even the worms are happy. All the unused veggie matter goes straight to them.
As Son said when brushing his teeth tonight, and with no apparent link to anything happening at the time, REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE!

So, dear readers, I invite you to hop on board the detox train as, just for the week, we leave those condiments with labels we can't pronounce behind us!

Quinoa Salad Recipe

This quinoa salad recipe is surprisingly tasty and healthy! Whole grain quinoa cooks quicker than most grains and is an excellent source of protein with about 11 grams of protein per cup of cooked quinoa. Feel free to experiment by adding different veggies such as zucchini, corn or even kale or spinach greens.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups raw whole grain
1 cucumber, sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup lightly steamed broccoli florets
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:Cook quinoa in vegetable broth until it fluffs up, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves and salt and pepper. When quinoa is finished cooking, allow to cool slightly then, toss with vegetables and lemon juice mix, stirring to combine well. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and chill before serving.

Makes 6 servings of quinoa salad.

(Recipe By: Jolinda Hackett, About.com Guide)

60th family photos

2011-11-03T19:23:00.015+02:00

Photos for 60th album selected, scanned, laid out and printed on 28 pages. Eventually. After switching design programs, thereby re-doing the whole thing, three times.
Was a cool and well-received pressie though!

Photos for tv screens selected, scanned and saved by the professional photographer as a PowerPoint presentation instead of a DVD playable file. Disappointingly, no slideshow of old photos on the night.

New photos snapped throughout Grampa Lala's fabulous birthday celebration weekend. Candles blown out *snap* Baby M discovers sorbet *snap* Son and couZin swim with the dads *snap* *snap* All just sitting around *snap* *snap* *snap*

My sister's husband commented on feeling surrounded by Paparazzi, which succeeded in getting us to back off. For a few moments.

The most surprising photo came in a book given to my dad as a gift. Granny Bess and her sister Jen as young girls beside their late dad Rowley, famed for his activism during the Apartheid struggle.

It feels as if my husband's late grandfather came to meet my dad in the form of this old photo. Two men whose impact in the world is not small. Two men I admire so much and both with many qualities I hope my children will embody.

x ...I think photos like being printed... x

Good eating

2011-10-28T18:53:00.005+02:00

For the record, Baby M s a great eater. I have no idea what we fed Son when he was this age but it certainly wasn't carrots and baby marrows. Baby M loves to explore a plate of chunky veg set before her and can happily work her way through a lunch of baby tomato halves and slices of baby corn and cucumber. Add a couple of cheese wedges or some boiled egg and that's a meal; she's happy and I'm completely delighted! If we are pressed for time or out of town, I simply feed her one of those Olli Organic jars of whatever or a cup of Woolies baby food, it's that easy. She even holds her own milk bottle. I know that's a little off topic, but it's all falls under the same "this baby is great at feeding time" banner. No, let's amend the banner to read: this baby is great all the time! We love you Miks

Good sleepers

2011-10-21T05:29:00.007+02:00

It's been years, literally, where a good night's sleep for me has meant having to get up only once or twice for a needy baby. Average nights, where I'm up that amount for each baby, have been more common. Early morning wakings are a given and a swiggly toddler pushing me off the side of my own bed is sometimes thrown in for good measure.

I had accepted all this to be the status quo and that Son may only sleep through the night as a teenager or, were miracles to occur, from 3yrs old. From Baby M I hoped for better. Lo and behold, let the record state: both children are now sleeping through the night! Baby M is 9 months old and Son is 2 years 6 months.

We're putting them to bed around 7pm and can go till almost 5am without hearing a peep. It's marvelous...

*Lord, I hope I haven't jinxed it by writing this post*

Shake your face!

2011-10-15T07:56:00.001+02:00

Being counted

2011-10-13T09:17:00.004+02:00

I quite enjoyed filling out the census questionnaire, finding the questions themselves extremely telling of the unique and troubled country in which we live and the idea of being part of such a massive gathering of information rather exciting. My husband found the whole thing invasive and threatening.

While the questions range from the standard who you are, what you’ve studied and how much you earn type, there are some which in themselves reveal a whole lot about this country we live in:

If you work, what is your main task or duty?
The examples given to show how the answer is to be written include:
TEACHINGCHILDREN SELLINGFRUIT FEEDINGCATTLE

If you haven’t worked in the last 7 days what is the reason:
Undergoing training to help find work, No jobs available in the area, lack of money to pay for transport to look for work, lost hope of finding any work etc.

What is the main material used for construction of main dwelling.
Options include plastic, cardboard and mud

The household's main source of water.
Options include Dam/pool/stagnant water

Options for main toilet facility include: pit toilet with ventilation, pit toilet without ventilation and bucket toilet

What energy/fuel does this household mainly use for cooking and heating?
One option is animal dung.

When trying to determine what each household owns, the first question offered refrigerator, stove, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, computer and television etc. Under that, they asked about our cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.
In the latter arena, we're much less prosperous. (Swings and roundabouts!)

I relish in the diversity of our country's people, I just wish there were fewer pit toilets without ventilation and absolutely nobody who had lost hope of finding jobs.

Perhaps under place of residence I should have written La La Land...

Conversations with a two-year-old

2011-10-13T06:30:00.006+02:00

Listening to an interactive Noah’s Ark story on my iPhone, Son looks up at me

I would go in there!
I’d go with you! Imagine all the animals that would be in there with us.
Scaaaary ones
Well we’d have to be careful of some animals like crocodiles and lions, but there are others we could play with.
Like guinea pigs
Yes
And Elephants
Yes, maybe we could stroke their trunks
They would spray us with water
That would be funny
Clean water?
I'm sure it would be clean water
Butterflies aren’t scary
That’s right, butterflies are beautiful!
Not for eating
No, not for eating!

The fun thing about conversations such as these, which happen throughout the day, is that while you have some idea of where it all comes from, you just never know where it is going

Mastering the self

2011-10-10T23:11:00.008+02:00

What can you really do when options involving working, eating and drinking are completely eliminated? Pray, supposedly, if it is Yom Kippur. But I went with the more pressing concern of watching the children.

I watched Baby M quietly making her way around the house with decisiveness and determination. I watched her crawling over to the table, pulling herself up to standing, banging things on said table then clumsily negotiating her way back down to the floor. I watched her bravely going for Son’s construction vehicles and train tracks time and time again, undeterred by the good push likely to be inflicted upon her when such violations occur.

Son is amazing to watch too, getting completely involved in the stories he creates around his trains. Only more absorbing for him at the moment are the stories other children create with their trains and post up on YouTube, which he'd watch all day if we'd only let him.

At one point, after watching a series of home-made videos called Accidents Happen where Thomas and his friends collide with one another non-stop for 3 minutes, Son raced over to his train set to get some accidents of his own going. And accidents happened indeed- the sweet boy forgot that, because he was wearing ‘underwear’, he needed to tell me when he had a wee on board. It took the sudden appearance of a darker shade of carpet to alert me that Son didn't quite manage to schedule the potty-stop. We're working on it!

I guess self-control is a great leveler, posing a new challenge for every season. No sooner have you worked out how to stand than you have to learn not to pee in your pants and before you know it, it’s no food for 25 hours and then the pee thing rolls around again.

PS- I had no voice the day of the fast and had to speak in whispers; quite significant on a day of repentance for sins committed in speech and action throughout the year past, don't ya think? Wonder what it meeeaans...

Smartphone test group

2011-10-04T21:23:00.003+02:00

Music man

2011-10-04T08:41:00.002+02:00

After some time in the company of our wonderful Gcina, Son roped his cousin into making some music of their own...

Probably expecting a sell-out tour, the Toddler Cousins Band expanded their repertoire

Watch this space for touring info and album release dates

Sent. Here we go again...

2011-09-22T10:17:00.001+02:00

I have just sent to the S A B C, at their request, a proposal for a new season of "Creature". The document includes a full budget breakdown (they're not going to like it) and ideas for the new show (that, they will like) in which we will be going to locations around Durban and shooting new wildlife footage (the part I like). Only if the latter is agreed upon will it be exciting for me to produce yet another series of this show. Now we wait as their response will reveal to me what the next year of my life will entail... I'll keep you posted my lovely readers

My babies

2011-09-20T16:07:00.000+02:00

Something I've heard all moms say at one time or another, and sometimes ALLL the time, is: I can't believe how quickly my baby is growing up! Well, it's my turn now. Baby M is qrowing faster than I can actually cope with. She's already pulling herself up to standing. She is already waking us up with a 'clunk' in the morning as she swipes her nappy basket on to the floor from her cot. From her high chair she is already playing the drop-things-on-the-floor-and-people-pick-it-up game. And she's is already crying when she sees me walk out of sight. She is growing so big, she happily wore cousin Zack's tracksuit pants and socks in JHB this weekend. They fitted just fine and he is two years older than she. I'm only buying number 2 formula now which suits both Son, Baby M and me. And she's now wearing only one size smaller than Son in nappies- in fact, by mistake we were putting him in her nappies the whole of last week.

Poor Son seems only too happy to fill any baby-void I might me feeling. As if he knows I'm secretly pining to keep Baby a baby, he's regressing. Shame, not entirely, but "I'm stuck" and "I'm scared" and "help me mommy" are his top phrases at present. I wouldn't mind if he grew out of this phase like, yesterday.

They're just too cute though and I am well and truly in love with both my babies

Page Boy's ABCs

2011-09-20T14:50:00.002+02:00

Don't think we'll return to that hairdresser. To be fair though, even the best stylist may come short when working with a testing toddler.

Loving Spring

2011-09-15T21:38:00.005+02:00

We love the view from this wrap-around veranda
We love weekend sunshine that gets us out into the garden
We love red and white Spring shorts in size 6-9 months

How cute are these two!

2011-09-15T20:47:00.003+02:00

Snapped chilling out on Sunday as their folks watched the rugby. Each with a raggy/googoo to match their outfit and a pair of styling shades, the only thing cooler than these to cuties was that South Africa won the game.

Queen of badly paying jobs

2011-09-15T20:23:00.005+02:00

I have been cast in a corporate video which will be shot tomorrow. I have probably spent more money preparing for it than I will earn for the day's work. (Must do own hair. Wax. Find costume: "night gown")

It reminds me of my student years in Cape Town where I babysat regularly for a lecturer couple and their two cute kids. I enjoyed the evenings I spent in their cozy observatory home, which was why I continued the gig even though it barely covered the cost of petrol to and from said cozy nest.

My real job, the one that's supposed to help pay bills around my own home, is probably paying me below minimum wage too if I'm to add up all the hours it consumes. But like babysitting in a warm family environment fulfilled me emotionally then, producing a programme fulfills me creatively now. And hopefully it will lead to some better paying jobs down the line.

So, while I have no ambition of being a professional actress, I do like being on set and my role as Mrs Jarvis will mean nice straight hair for the weekend. Payoff enough? It'll do...

And the family grows...

2011-09-10T08:57:00.004+02:00

Congratulations to my sister, her husband and their son who have just welcomed a brand new baby boy into their family. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, my brave sister pushed out 3.7kgs of flesh-wrapped life. Baruch Hashem and may your life be a most joyous one, new nephew xxx

Weekend Baby

2011-09-04T20:57:00.000+02:00

Glad we're not in Australia

2011-09-02T14:31:00.009+02:00

It’s one of those days where I’m playing stay-at-home-mom-without-any-help. While it is challenging at times, it makes for many satisfying moments too. Like when I managed to prepare toast and rooibos tea for Baby M and feed her while conducting a meeting in a semi-professional manner. When I couldn’t find someone to fetch Son from school things threatened to fall apart, but I simply cut my meeting short, postponed the signing of some documents, and strapped my grubby baby into her car seat. Another potential calamity was averted when Son, who had climbed into his own seat after being collected said, as I pulled off, “Mom, I’m not strapped in.” Oy!

Back at home the three of us have enjoyed homemade ice-lollies in the garden, driven make-believe trains and read Dr Seuss. I’ve even fed us all: veg and chicken mush for baby, whole-wheat pasta and an apple for Son, and some tuna with rye vita for me.

Baby M is now napping, Son is hanging out in the company of Bob The Builder and I am grateful for a moment to do my own thing. It’s not even 2:30 but so far so good. I just hope the 4am bottle-making tag team the kids put me through doesn’t catch up with me. Or the 6am wake up. Or that hardcore gym session I had. Guess that’s why they say you should have kids young!

Interestingly I'm not left feeling completely relieved that I usually have more help and don't live in Australia. While I am glad we aren't Down Under, it's not because of the absence of domestic help, for today it is that which has allowed me to feel free in my own home.

P.S. I don't actually have any thing against Australia :)

Travelling light

2011-08-31T20:54:00.007+02:00

In the end I didn't take either of the kids to Cape Town. Instead, I left them at home in the hands of their capable dad and a great support team to prove how utterly well they could manage without me. Believe it or not (ha ha), I managed quite well myself. I got to read so much of my book and sleep through two nights in a row. Actually, the first night my body still woke as if responding to a baby's call, as it has done an average of 3 times per night for the last 7 months (and not much less, often more, since Son was born 2 years before). By night two Body got the message and stayed asleep till 8:30. I'll tell you, it makes a big difference to get an entire night to myself. It's like the difference between packing the hire car with my little piece of carry-on luggage versus the one-bag-each plus pram and bottle bag scenario I usually find myself in when traveling these days. And while I completely appreciate my family's grip on me being loosened for a couple of days, nothing felt better than Son's arms closing around me on my return.

If it won't rot on it's own, don't eat it

2011-08-26T10:50:00.002+02:00

Robbie and I have just finished a 10 day detox. The deal was to eat as much natural food as possible and cut out the processed stuff along with wheat, dairy products, meat and chicken. I welcomed the challenge to eliminate artificial ingredients from our diet but realized up front that I was going to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. We ate lots of brown basmati rice, lentils, chickpeas, fruit, veg and nuts and I enjoyed coming up with ways of making these ‘better choices’ taste good. There were tough times, like the birthday cakes, brownies and buffets, but they were outweighed by the times I felt the satisfaction of making the healthier choice for my body and ultimately for my health in the long run.

Couldn't have done it, or certainly enjoyed it as I did, without my very disciplined and strong-willed partner. We chatted about food and chewing and water-drinking and exercising. We shared kiwi fruit slices in a deserted lounge while fellow conference delegates grazed from doubtlessly delicious troughs. We shared funny stories from the day and found delight in peeled carrots. Next time Son and Baby M will be coming along for the ride but hopefully the good food choices we try to make for them now will stand them in good stead for the choices they make for themselves.

I’ve stumbled upon a blog (ourfamilyeats.com) whose author has cut out all unnatural food from her family’s diet in an effort to improve the behavior of their young daughter. She explains many of the negative effects things like artificial colors, flavours and preservatives can have on behaviour. Interesting, informative and possible very helpful if you are facing behavioural issues at home.

So here’s to healthy eating and making better food choices for ourselves and our loved ones!

Remember, if it is a plant, it’s probably good for you; if it comes from a plant, it’s probably not. (Paraphrasing veggietotmom)

2011-08-21T21:16:00.001+02:00

Must. Be. Adventurous.

2011-08-20T21:30:00.005+02:00

But whose coming with me? Son or Baby M?

I had it pegged as mother/daughter bonding. Baby M would join me for a little jol in the Mother City where we would spend quality time with one another, with my friend from The States and with the beautiful city itself.

But leaving Son just didn't sit right- he would not take it well. Not to mention the inconvenience it may cause those left behind to pick up the school lifts, the afternoon entertaining, the bed time routine and the all important tuck-in/kiss good night.

Baby M, on the other hand, she doesn't require anything from me that other people can't easily give her. Aunty Fi knows her feed/play/sleep shtik better than anybody, Daddy Robbie is no stranger to her after hours habits and Baby will be delighted as ever to have things remain unchanged. (She doesn't even really know who I am so how can she miss me?)

So as much as I looked forward to having my sweet little baby girl accompany me on a little out-of-town, out-of-the-ordinary, do-something-a-little-different-because-we-can jaunt, it looks like another cutie that I know is going to get the opportunity. And come to think about it, he'll probably make for a very cool little travel partner...

Thinking in blog

2011-08-18T19:29:00.011+02:00

You know those people who think in a language different to the one they speak? I'm one of them. I think in blog. There are periods I go about my days constructing prose from mundane happenings.

Were those bloggish thoughts in my head to become finger taps on my keyboard you would be hearing a lot more form Girl in The World.

Alas.

Now that I finally find myself back in Blogsville, what I'll produce will unfortunately by woefully dull.

Dull was not the order of the weekend past when we jetted into Jo'burg for my mom's birthday. Sleepless nights and horrendous plane flight aside, we had the most wonderful time. Foody family-filled Friday, severely social Saturday and so-soon (too soon) Sunday.

Back.

We're all full of cold. Son is off school and Baby M can't breath through her little nose. He is completely hyperactive through it all and she just smiles and snorts. I'm trying to remember to throw all my used tissues away and not get too irritated with the world and my lack of time to accomplish anything meaningful.

Detox.

Hubby and I have embarked upon a health-kick. Day three and the third cake offering declined. (read more about that and the lovely lady whose cake it was here).

Mealtimes while on detox can be a little tricky, though I quite enjoyed the salads I prepared for today's lunch and ate mine while Son clung to my leg and pretended to chomp it. Across town, Robbie had to run back to chambers to eat because (A) they do not serve detox-suitable food at court and (B) It wasn't easy for a sick and weak me to make and pack such a wholesome lunchbox so he best work through it if he knows what's good for him! The bean, rice and chickpea salad made him laugh (I personally don't know what's so funny about beans, rice and chickpeas) and he found that a raw beetroot, butternut and cabbage salad requires so much chewing that he couldn't get through it in a lunch break. Not quite a steak n kidney pie, ey? Eeuk.

Along with this detox we're hitting the gym. Though it feels more like the gym has been hitting me. So excuse me as I put this aching body to bed...

Good night.

Dietry update

2011-08-10T17:02:00.004+02:00

Today Son had cheese on toast with Robbie and I for breakfast. For lunch he had a fish cake and for supper he had whole-wheat pasta (plain). Snacks at school and home were peanut butter sarmie, oaties, banana, apple, strawberries and cashew nuts. He also chewed two spirulinas, two gummy vites and two homeopathic cold/flu pills. A healthy diet, yes? The thing is, if we add sausages and chicken nuggets to the list, as well as cous cous, quinoa and provita- then that is the entire list of what he will eat.

I go on about this fairly often, I know, but it really amazes me how few things this boy will eat. Occasionally he'll flummox me by asking for a carrot but generally he's been like this right from the beginning.

Baby M, on the other hand, has been much more open to trying new foods. She's so accepting of new tastes that very soon she’ll be able to eat just about every meal with Robbie and I, albeit in pasty form, and not just when it's cheese on toast.

Baby M's crawl

2011-08-10T14:18:00.004+02:00

You may recall Son's "combat crawl" which he was working on throughout his sixth month. Well Baby M has developed her own special method of getting forward- we call it the swimming crawl.

Looking back, while Baby M's arms reach out a little further and Son pushed off more from his elbows, the two crawls aren't all that different. Are they?

R.I.P my machine

2011-08-03T15:25:00.004+02:00

Computer open on bed for day time virtual errands
Water on side table next to bed for night time sipping
Son playing in room for early evening fun with dad
Times collide
Water and electric showdown
Computer shutdown
Darkness

"Due to the nature and severity of the damage, we do not recommend repair, as it would be
uneconomical. The replacement machine is a MacBook Pro 17” Quad-Core i7 2.2GHz/4GB/750GB/HD"

BLAH BLAH BLAH

The lesson (now that I am calm) keep your computer away from water and toddlers

And have insurance!!!

Play time with two year old and baby

2011-08-03T07:06:00.006+02:00

Woa, there is a lot we have to teach Son about having a baby sister. Like the fact that he mustn't kick her face or do a body slam over her while she is practicing her rolling.

His renewed irritation at her existence in his world seems to stem from her growing mobility. Because she can get around so well, anything on the playroom carpet is fair game. We patiently advise that if he doesn't want her sucking on his precious digger and dumper truck, lego pieces or books, then they shouldn't be on the floor. Tell that to a 2 year old!

This morning he didn't want her on the couch with us reading because he was offended by her looking at his books. He wanted her strapped in her little blue chair. The thing is, the days of her sitting happily strapped in a chair, are slowly coming to an end. She wants to get everywhere- and she can (just about)! So I'm sure the "we need to be gentle when we take something away from her" conversation is going to play out ad nauseam and I just hope the "we don't jump on babies" conversation isn't as frequent. More so, I hope he learns to share and even enjoy having someone take co-ownership

of "his" playroom!

Curry Power

2011-07-27T18:46:00.005+02:00

I wanted to make curry tonight. I opened up a vegetarian recipe book and looked at the first curry recipe I came across. It required lots and lots of spices. To my utter surprise and joy, I had them all. Cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, ground ginger, turmeric and more. And they aren't even past their sell-by date. The only thing I didn't have was chilli powder- in a house with three kinds of mazavaroo and chilli paste in the fridge, two chilli sauces, a Nando's perinaise and chilli flakes in the spice rack- no dried chilli powder! That aside, my spice-draw prowess is thanks only to Veggietotmom and our Thursday afternoon cooking school. No, not school. I'm learning a hellava lot but it's more like a coffee date without the coffee (as she said). And we actually come out of it with something constructive. Tomorrow we do savory muffins. Yippeee. Send me my shopping list please!

The Backseat Years

2011-07-23T17:49:00.005+02:00

These years I am in I fondly call The Backseat Years
Snuggly I fit between two car seats in the back of my Mitsubishi Outlander
While Daddy Robbie sails our ship
In true backseat-driver style, I cautiously instruct:
A little bit warmer please
Change the disk. Next track
Are you turning? It's just that your indicator's on.
To my right, facing the back, Baby M needs comforting
A blankie on one cheek, a hand the other and a dummy in her mouth
Son, on my left, likes my knee up so he can rest his head
When he drops his raggie or dummy I'm right there to pick it up
(Carefully extricating one hand from Baby's cozy cocoon)
He likes to snack and I offer him popcorn on a long drive
or ricecakes around town and apples any time
We sing, "The ants go marching" and "Barney is a Dinosaur"
And we argue when it's time to cater for any other musical tastes
We point out diggers, trucks, petrol tankers, bakkies with trailers and bumper-bashes
When we arrive at our destination my gymnastic disembarkation would score 5 at least
But a kinder score, please, for being such a sport

Beach picnic

2011-07-16T15:45:00.001+02:00

5 year anniversary in Pennington

2011-07-15T21:27:00.003+02:00

Some iPhone clips shot on our weekend away in Pennington down the south coast, strung together using iMovie (scrapbook template) and compressed with QuickTime compression in Final Cut Pro. The final product is a sometimes sideways, sometimes stretched, low-res, poor sound quality highlights package with very few of the actual highlights. You don't even get to see Son touching a baby croc , but you do hear me counting crocodiles.

Mouthing off

2011-07-15T19:56:00.003+02:00

Baby M is so full of gurgles and giggles, it's delightful. The sounds coming from Son's mouth have been less pleasing. Our poor boy caught that terribly named virus responsible for cold sores and fever blisters. How it manifested itself in the young chap was swollen, bleeding gums. Ouchieeeee!! So lots of moaning, wining, unpalatable meals and sleepless nights. Not so lekker for him but certainly the only people happier than he that he is now better, are Robbie and I.

Home for the holidays

2011-07-08T12:20:00.002+02:00

Half my family is sunning themselves on a private beach in Cannes and will jet to Paris in the next day or two. The other half of my family is in Cape Town playing in child-friendly spaces with their toddler and having early pizza dinners. I'm sitting at home grateful for a moment to blog after shoveling another butternut meal into Baby M's mouth while Son is babysat by Barney. The house is a mess even though I tidied up the crayons after drawing, the puzzles after puzzling, and washed the dishes and bottles. In all of this domestic not-such-bliss, I can't help but wonder why I passed up the options of going to France and Cape Town. Someone, please remind me why I chose to stay home?

She slept through!

2011-07-05T10:31:00.004+02:00

Baby M went to sleep at 6pm. She did not wake up for milk or a dummy or anything until just shy of 5am. At that point I gave her a good feed and left her to play in her cot. Yes, this is a child of mine! I knew she had it in her.
At 5:40 she was still entertaining herself nicely, starting the mobile by hitting buttons with her foot, when daddy went to her. He'd had enough sleep too, having passed out on the couch even before Survivor started. Son and I cuddled (read: Son took over most of the bed and I clung on to the edge) till just before 7.
I like this phase, long may it last.

Son in song

2011-07-04T20:36:00.000+02:00

Our new hang-out spot

2011-07-04T20:26:00.000+02:00

At 5 months Baby M:

2011-06-26T19:43:00.012+02:00

Weighs 7.1kg and is as tall as a 6 1/2 month old
Likes to splash in the bath much to Son's dismay
Eats organic rice cereal for breakfast and dinner
This week discovered butternut; next week carrot
Grabs everything she can
Rolls
Smiles a lot and laughs a little
Is better in the car
Vibes her mobiles and swings
Has a warm and gentle soul that glows behind her eyes

(Son got one of these at 5 months, so I thought it fair to take note of where our dear daughter is at this month in her life)

Collage Play: Botanic Gardens

2011-06-25T22:06:00.001+02:00

Baby Blue Eyes

2011-06-25T15:50:00.000+02:00

Glorious winter's day in JHB

2011-06-20T20:23:00.006+02:00

riou

Page boy, flower girl and baby fairy

2011-06-20T19:47:00.009+02:00

Page boy didn't much like the fuss of being dressed up in fancy clothes. Though once he realized how much attention a tie and a good pair of shoes can garner for a guy, well he was quite chuffed. This chuffed demeanor carried him right along the bride and groom's red carpet and through the photo session where he had the photographer and all the extended family who were posing for the photo, calling his name.

Flower girl is no stranger to pretty dresses but missed her mom who was back home in Durbs with brother and brand new baby sister. She had tons of love showered upon her and all were most impressed with how well she manged right through the ceremony and reception too.

Baby fairy didn't realize how cute she looked. She sucked on her skirt through the ceremony and did a little puke on her wedding coat. Her adorable party shoes- purple pumps- kept falling off, but it was okay because by dancing time she was back at my mom's home, snuggled in her cot, having been lulled to sleep by my magical brother.

Robbie and I were home by 11 and enjoyed the beautiful ceremony and reception so much, we joked about getting married again. To each other, of course.

Rocking Sunday picnic

2011-06-15T20:22:00.003+02:00

We were there too. Being out in the sunshine in the middle of winter with family and the greater community really did rock

Repeating actions

2011-06-15T20:15:00.006+02:00

Son tends to repeat things. He chooses to watch the same episodes of Bob The Builder over and over rather than new ones, he likes reading the same books again and again, doing the same puzzles and listening to the same song on the Cats album every time he gets in my car. When he asks for something from me, I can be sure he will ask again. So I have to ask myself A, “do I feel like doing this now?” and B, “will I mind doing this over and over again?” Like when he wants to wear one of my belts; Do I mind now? “not really”, will I mind him making a habit of it? Also, it won't put me out, nor anyone else. So, to avoid extreme desperate repetition, he goes to school wrapped in a belt. Same with when he wants another Dyna Jet, or when he wants me to build another Lego dairy (just so he can bash it down), or even when he wants to play horsey horsey on my back at 5:15. However, when he wants a bottle at 3am after insisting on having his “morning bottle” at 11, the answer is a flat out NO. Because he will want it again and again and I WILL mind. So I don’t let it happen once. As the poor family discovered when we holidayed at the Umhlanga house together. Sorry guys. He’s much less persistent when he goes for it these days and I still shudder to think of if others had to endure a battle of our wills.

As for Baby M, she has been repeating some actions herself. She rolls a lot. She smiles a lot. She has rice porridge for breakfast and every evening. She baths with her brother before her last feed of the day. She wakes for an unscheduled feed at around 9pm (gets it without any fuss from me). She wakes for a scheduled feed around 2am (I’m a little more fussed). At 4:30 she doesn’t like to settle and prefers to play awake, awake (I'd fuss if I had any energy at that time of day). But, by 7am, we're all smiling in the kitchen and then she sets off rolling, eating cereal, and smiling some more.

Dillydally

2011-06-10T10:59:00.010+02:00

Trying to write a script but it's one of those days where things go very slowly.

Today's problem relates to searching through my hard drive for footage. The insert I'm working on is about nature's brutal food chain but when I type "eat", I get given all results for thrEAT, brEATh, crEATure and dEATh. When I search for "cat", I have to wade through indiCATors, communiCATion, reloCATion and CATterpillars. Only to realize we have no domestic cats in this season's footage so will have to plug in a drive from the previous season. Going through all the indicators, communication, relocation and caterpillars there might eventually churn out a suitable fur-ball to cover the sentence "Adult and baby birds have to be on the lookout for four-legged predators, such as cats". (A sentence that will later be translated into isiZulu)

Maybe I'll move on to another insert with bigger words. The next one will require a search for "pollution" and "overfishing". Those will be easier to find. Alright then, enough dilly-dallying, forward march into human influences that challenge the survival of creatures in the wild!

3.8kgs of brand new baby love

2011-06-09T22:13:00.003+02:00

Welcome to the world Baby Ro! We are very excited to have you in our ever growing family.

Healthy eating vs just eating

2011-06-09T21:10:00.006+02:00

Son could quite happily subsist on bread and kiri cheese. He’d miss nuts and apples. And probably pasta, rice, cous cous, quinoa and fish fingers. That’s really it. Oh, and Wheatbix. I don’t think I have left anything out. All other food is either on Son’s “I once liked it but probably won’t eat it now” list, or his “don’t bring that near my mouth” list. The latter being a much, much longer list.

I firmly believe that because Robbie and I eat a healthy and varied diet Son will come around, but I am a little concerned about him getting the full spectrum of nutrients in the mean time.

To ninja-kick the threat of Kwashiorkor, I occasionally give the boy hot dogs. “Variety meat” grosses me out in general and I know these little organ parcels are packed with bad salts (sodium nitrate) and bad fats (saturated), but they do have protein (important) and iron (very important) and (the clincher) he eats them.

You can imagine my joy at something else he has taken to eating: my spirulina tablets. It’s an algae tablet a day for this kid! And he asks me for it. He’s so funny.

Perhaps when the protein-rich spirulana tabs fall out of favour he’ll move onto _________ (fill in the blank. I want to say broccoli but we all know that’s not going to happen)

Yuppie crisis

2011-06-03T08:44:00.007+02:00

Oh no! My domestic worker/child-minder/house-keeper/life-saver has called in sick! I expect no sympathy from those who go without this kind of life-assistance day in and day out. Your kind is often on my mind and with awe I wonder how you manage. But you do. As I am today. Particularly well I must say. I have gotten Son and Daddy Robbie off to school/work fed and looking presentable. I "fed" Baby M her cereal (still can't work out how Aunty Fi manages to get 5 spoons of the stuff into her actual mouth). The Lego bomb has been cleared away and beds have been made. I'm dressed. I called the garage guys to come fix the garage, the aircon people to explain how to make the hot air happen and the passport lady to send me Baby's unabridged birth certificate. The documentation for Baby M's passport is all neatly arranged and will be sent today to the address I just phoned the travel agent for. I'll go to the post office after I drop the containers off at Veggietotmom for all the yummy meals she is preparing for me as a gift to someone special. First I'll have to buy the containers though. I'm hoping to do that before 9:30 which is when I have to be at work. But I can't get going till Baby M wakes up from her nap. Of course it's a long one! So we wait.

PS. I guess I found my inspiration to share (see post below). I tend to feel inspired when I'm managing a variety of diverse things at once. In the mean time, you'd never believe how little sleep I'm functioning on. No, you wouldn't. Maybe I'll go put a little powder under my eyes while I wait for Miss Thang to decide to wake up...

This is me right now ----->

Gone inspiration hunting

2011-06-02T15:52:00.003+02:00

Be back ~~in 5~~ when I feel like writing about something

Dear big brother

2011-05-26T15:37:00.006+02:00

Thanks for letting me share your bath

And for your hand-me-downs

For having a nice friend,

with a new baby sister for me to play with one day

And for teaching me how to build cool stuff!

PS- I think you're starting to like me and it feels great!

Begging brilliance

2011-05-24T13:18:00.002+02:00

Our guys could learn a thing or two about sign writing from this creative beggar:

Current affairs

2011-05-22T19:30:00.002+02:00

Baby M has a lot to say

I like

2011-05-21T21:15:00.007+02:00

Things I like RIGHT NOW:

OUT TO PLAY organic t-shirt

STATUS UPDATE business card

MAGNETIC CAR holder

LEGO cutlery

and Swiss Miss where I took all that from and left behind sooo much other cool stuff.

Best online discovery in a while...

Girl's World dictionary

2011-05-21T17:12:00.008+02:00

crank

–verb

to break to pieces from a violent blow or collision.

Son, as he runs toward Baby M's play gym set up on the floor, announces matter-of-factly:
I need to crank it!

Related Words: Pop, crunch, bash, crash, break

Origin:
2011; Son's creation

Durban beachfront looking good

2011-05-19T13:51:00.002+02:00

Nursery Rhyme Mash-up

2011-05-19T13:27:00.002+02:00

Son's version:

Two little dicky birds sitting on the wall
One fell off and broke his head

PS- I never thought a child of mine eating pizza for lunch would make me happy because of how many food groups are contained in the meal!

Balance

2011-05-13T13:03:00.006+02:00

AKA: A half-day-in-the-life of (flexi-time) working mom

At 4:30 I start wondering how I'll cope with the day ahead on so little sleep. It's been a bad night but at least there are fewer of them now. At 5 I hand over the reigns to dear husband. At 6 I join him and the kids in the playroom. Change Son’s nappy and put him in school clothes. Today dropping him at school and the time I need to be at work will coincide. At least I manage to feed baby M a little early. I make a packed lunch for Robbie who leaves before our helper arrives. When she arrives at 7:30 she prepares jungle oats for Son, which I imagine smeared all over his school clothes. I shower and dress myself hoping no one will notice the regurgitated milk splattered on my black shoes. I pick the oats out of Son’s hair and conveniently ignore his complaints of a sore ear. I drop him at school and get to work a little late. Approval finishes in good time. I should be able to get my hard drive formatted, my photos printed, my tofu for the veg burgers and maybe even grab a cup of coffee before fetching Son from school. Hell, maybe I could even get myself that foot massage I’ve been dreaming of! Beep beep. It’s a message. “He says his ear is sore… Sorry…”. I arrive at his school to find him curled on a beanbag sucking his dummy and holding his rag to his face. He isn’t even participating in his favourite song. The paed can see us. It’s an ear infection. Hello Zithromax, old friend. Coffee happens with Grampa La, my dad. Son it thrilled to be with us and almost forgets he isn’t feeling well until a stupid ugly dog charges him. We're both very upset. We get over it, chat with Gramp La, enjoy our drinks and wonder through the art exhibition. I’m not even out of the parking when Son falls asleep. I get someone from the organic place to bring my Tofu out to me. Home now. Both sweeties asleep. I relish having a moment to blog and will shortly switch over to a script which I hadn’t anticipated having time to look at again this week. Better do it before Baby M wakes for play time and her 2pm feed. Bye x

What phrases do you need on auto-repeat?

2011-05-11T19:47:00.000+02:00

Read this post.
It's things this blogging mom hears coming out of her mouth multiple times a day.
Funnier than the blog itself are the comments. Like Jessica B's:

Just scratching the surface here, but:
We don't say kill you.
We don't say half-wit.
Please do not lick your meatball.
Please do not lick the door knob.
Put on some undies! You are not allowed to get the ice-cream truck naked!!
No, we cannot have skittles and orange soda for dinner.
Would you burp like that if the President was here for dinner?
Get off of your sister's face please.
Do not shoot your sister again, or you will sit on the stairs.
No, not ALL mommies have those dents on their legs. Thanks.
Can anyone tell me why there is applesauce in my shoe?
I will spank your bare hiney right here in public if you do that again!
No you can NOT try to blow up a potato with gasoline.
No, rocks don't catch on fire. Wait, WHY??!
Maybe you can jump off the bridge when you're eight.

My phrases on auto-repeat? Will have to listen to myself carefully tomorrow and get back to you. But other than pleading with Son to spend the whole night in his own bed, I don't think I have much to nag or reprimand incessantly about, thankfully.

for the record

2011-05-09T14:03:00.004+02:00

I like noting down my kids' milestones. I forget to do it sometimes, like when Son got his first tooth or when Baby M first smiled, but here are two I will make note of.

Sunday 08 May- Baby M rolls from tummy to back

Sweet. On the spectrum of milstones its not quite up there with "first step" but it's on the spectrum nonetheless. The next one for me is perhaps the greatest milestone of all:

Sunday 08 May- Baby M sleeps through the night!

That's right. We put her down around 6:30pm and never heard a peep until 4:30am. Finally! My watered-down version of sleep training has worked! Well, on one of my children, at least. The other one had me up 4 times convinced he had "poofy nanna" in his nappy, wanting milk and just moaning in general.

When I wasn't with Son I was lying awake waiting for Baby to need me or sneaking into her room for proof she was there and in good health. So I certainly never felt rested this morning, but I do feel a night of sleeping-though coming on for me too some time soon!

A word from my brain

2011-05-05T20:18:00.007+02:00

Hello.

I am Terri's brain. I'm functioning ever so slightly better than her body. She's going on almost a month of a tummy bug. Three months of less sleep than she (we) have had in two years. Two years of not sleeping through the night.

So finally I spoke up. I got her to the doctor who's given her stuff for the bug. She's going to be more resolved with the children who are going to start sleeping better. She's going to be getting more sleep which will mean I'll start working better.

Hopefully I won't be blamed again for taking Son to his swimming lesson. On Clamber Club day. When swimming is on the opposite side of town to Clambering. And we haven't swam since January.

Regards

Brain

Blog up to ya!

2011-05-01T20:49:00.006+02:00

My blogging efforts are baring fruits: a comprehensive month-by-month multimedia scrapbook of my kids! This evening Robbie and I have been flicking through some old posts. Going back to when Son was three months old is a real trip. At three months he, like Baby M, had his first trip to Jo'burg, spend his first mornings on the beach (and here) and hated the car seat (that, we haven't forgotten). But he did have many more videos made of him and had already graduated from Baby Gym. Better get my camera out and start doing some rolling exercises with her!

Meals on Wheels

2011-04-30T20:19:00.004+02:00

For lunch it was wholewheat/soy milk mac 'n cheese alla Lauren and dinner, Bolognese alla Bess. Both such saviors for this under-slept over-worked mum with her seemingly always empty fridge and an endless barrage of mealtimes. The charity-case feeling is muted by the feeling of a tummy full of homemade goodness shared with care. Thanks to the kind donors :)

Snap!

2011-04-26T14:24:00.004+02:00

Not planned. At least not by my sister and I. Maybe the boys are in cahoots. Perhaps the similarities are just in the genes. Or jeans...

Google: infant bath frequency

2011-04-22T19:29:00.011+02:00

From the day Son was born we have bathed him pretty much daily. He skips the odd bath and we occasionally mix things up but generally we're a bit religious about his bedtime routine. Having a predictable end to the day has always appealed to us for him. While the music he listens to as he falls asleep has evolved over the years, the core routine has been steadfast:
dinner -> bath-> story-> milk-> music-> sleep.

I hope to have Baby M bathing with Son soon, but we're not there yet. In the meantime she gets her bath in the morning. Sometimes. Hence my Google search. I was sure bathing her two or three times a week couldn't be too bad. I mean, I wipe her face, neck and bum area more often and she really doesn't do enough to get grimy elsewhere. But with niggling guilt as we get to day 3 without a bath once again, I decided to Google for confirmation (hopefully!).

Any fears can now be allayed:

livestrong.com says "during the first year of life, it is fairly easy to keep your baby clean without giving him daily baths... Three tub baths per week may be enough for a baby under 1 year of age, according to the AAP. As your baby gets older and more adventurous, especially when he begins experimenting with solid foods, you may find that he needs more frequent baths."

The bottom line, according to answerbag.com, is "babies do not get dirty enough to need daily baths. A bath two to three times a week, along with more frequent cleaning of areas where sweat and dirt accumulate more quickly, leaves baby clean while protecting sensitive skin."

Those seem the popular views across a number of sites visited. So we're on track. Don't worry Baby M- we do care, big time! Things are just a little hectic around the home between 4:30 and 6pm after which time you're usually asleep somewhere! Thanks for being such an easy going and self cleaning gal. We love ya xxx

Our Passover story

2011-04-20T15:56:00.008+02:00

It's not quite like being lost in the desert for 40 years, but traveling to Jo'burg with two little ones is a challenge none-the-less. Unlike those Israelites, we have the luxury of being able to plan the trip, but when things don't go according to plan it can feel as if the parted waters are closing in.

With flights scheduled around sleep times and a car booked according to the size of its boot, we headed to Jo'burg for Passover. It was Baby M's first time out of Durbs and we knew she would be just fine. Son, on the other hand, well he is such an inquisitive ball of energy, flying with him has never been a breeze. Surprisingly, his behaviour was excellent and if not quite a breeze, perhaps a light gust.

Problems arose when the car hire place didn't have our car seat waiting. The 20 minutes it takes to sign all the documentation is difficult enough for the parent managing the children during that time, but 2 hours? When we are told it would arrive in a minute? I had to breastfeed Baby in the parking garage, Son had to stop himself from destroying everything in the car out of sheer exhaustion and Robbie had to explain to the supervisor that if they didn't have a seat for us they better negotiate with another dealership to rent one of theirs. Eventually, just as I was storming back into the rental bastards ready to implode, a suitable seat arrived.

Based on previous trips to my home town I imagined we'd be hectic non-stop all over the place from then till we returned the car four days later. That wasn't the case. Each day had manageable outings but most of the time was spent at my parents beautiful home with my most special people, lots of delicious food, love and music.

Both Son and Baby M slept through the seders (Pesach meals). So while they never quite heard the story of Passover, as is the main tradition, and Son didn't get to perform all his songs, at the centre of it all is family, and that they certainly got.

The cold weather threatened to plague us all with sickness. Our first born even caught a nasty cough and runny nose for half a day. But thankfully his immune system prevailed and it passed over.

Cheesy Pesach analogy aside, as we remember how the Jewish people were physically and politically freed way back in our history, may we all in the present day work to free ourselves from enslavement by any negative forces in our lives (and from such terribly long sentences).

Chag Pesach Kasher Vesame'ach

May we witness miracles in our times!

Below, a cute video that's been making the rounds..

yesterday

2011-04-13T18:12:00.000+02:00

5:40am up feed everyone get everyone ready drop Son at school home to express milk pick up computer get to the studio record voice overs for episodes 18 and 20 approve edit for episode 15 not happy with sushi insert fetch son from school shop drive drive drive he sleeps I write about rhinos for episode 22 express more milk rush to meeting at 3:45 excuse myself at 5:45 hand my dinner roll over to pitiful and persistent beggar arrive at recording for shul choir at 6 out by 7:10 Son not bathed wants books wants me to sit after 5 books while he falls asleep to jazz cold pizza hot tea warm bed deep sleep Baby M up up up Son up Baby Son Baby Son out of bed with Baby into own bed Son joins before 5 By 5:3o he wants Bob the Builder I want coffee feed everyone get everyone ready express milk review Episode 14 disk noting obvious product logos to blur go to studio film episodes 18 and 20 give everyone left over ice cream 11:10 home to feed Baby M 11:25 fetching cameraman 11:35 fetching Son 11:50 filming sushi for episode 15 drop off cameraman drive Son for ages (see post below) fail at sleep write a blog feed Baby take Son to Clamber Club miss turn off get there late home Robbie fetched supper put Son to sleep made me tea and now... now I can breath and dream of sleep till I actually sleep and am woken a million times only to find myself in tomorrow again and unprepared.

Driven to sleep

2011-04-13T13:38:00.008+02:00

Not that long ago the idea of using a large portion of the petrol in my tank simply by driving Son to sleep was just crazy. He hated the car so much that the less time spent in it, the more peaceful for us all. Now Baby M is like that, but if I want to get Son to sleep during the day, driving him around is the only way. We even have a special route. It's not quite like driving from Clifton to Hout Bay, but it has some pretty parts.

We drive along the Umbilo cemetery's tree-lined road before turning right at the bridge. Bridge of Squalor, let it be called, is where trash cascades down the banks and concrete walls are black from vagrants' fire. We get to a lake where we open our windows and look through the trees to the water. "No ducks", Son always says, disappointed. Sometimes there are hadedas or Minors pecking in the grass. He watches leaves fall and I wonder why the municipal truck, with its 20 workers, is always parked there; the workers seemingly on an endless lunch break. We begin our lap around the lake. "What's that?" Son always asks as we pass two rusty old machines. "They are rusty old machines," I tell him. We continue past the park full of attractive and forbidden equipment. On the other side of the lake we stop again. "No ducks", says Son.

Heading back now after reaching our "Hout Bay", we pass the rusty old machines again. Today I stop because it seems the municipal workers are busy with them. I ask what the machines are for and am told they remove sand, and sometimes toys, from the sewage. Cool. There are sewage strainers at our Hout Bay.

The route home is slightly different. We continue past Bridge of Squalor and onto Lane of "Million Trucks". Chances are we'll have a train pass us. This is very exciting for Son but makes me anxious as he is not supposed to be getting excited. Even more exciting for him is the fire station where the friendly firemen (and woman) offer to show him round the truck. I have declined till now but will take them up on it soon. The fact that they switch the "Beebom lights" on for him is excitement enough on this drive that's supposed to culminate in sleep.

Today it took excruciatingly long. When finally he was asleep and I tried to carry him inside he woke up. He is now making a car line on the carpet. I could quite easily have a sleep myself though. Even with Son's little dumper truck as my pillow.

Son's birthday cakes

2011-04-10T19:38:00.012+02:00

Cake 1 @ school. Last minute Pick n Pay swiss roll!

Cake 2: An improvement. Went down well with all the family who gathered on Friday arvie.

Cake 3: The real McCoy! Milky Lane 3 layer ice-cream cake with cool car print. Shared with all of Coby's school friends, our friends AND family and we've got 2/3 still sitting in our freezer!

Three parties is perhaps a touch indulgent but each gathering was unique and worthwhile in its own way. At school Son got to be the boy with the crown. That afternoon his most important people joined us at home for tea which became dinner and then bath-time for the kids. That would have been enough, but to have all Son's little friends scooting their little plastic bikes around a playground track today- well, it was priceless. Having not quite put my finger on what to serve from 10 to 12am, I over-catered in a big way. We were left with 2 untouched cakes, unopened packets of chips, loads of cheese n tomato triangles and crudetés for Africa. So we got to really share the love; the venue's caretaker became a cake taker, the security guard got a generous snack pack and Aunty Fi went home with goodies for all of her kids. I'm thinking the crudeté will make a great pasta sauce for dinner tomorrow...

We are so proud of our beautiful 2 year old son. To all those who were part of helping us celebrate his life this weekend (as we do everyday in a less flamboyant manner), thank you!

Baby M's home (nearly 3 months)

2011-04-07T21:36:00.002+02:00

Two as an age

2011-04-07T20:48:00.008+02:00

Two is terrific. I'm finding Son really fun. Not only can we build Lego together for ages, which I love, but we can be really silly, make jokes together and play made-up games. Like our one about things that you can and cannot eat- the inedible things (money, shongololos, cars) are the most fun to say because they get a really big "NOO!!! GROSSSSSSS!!! EEEEUUUKK!!"

The love is abundant and things like a kiss on somewhere sore really makes the sore go away. He is quick to say sorry if he hurts or upsets me and almost always says thank you without any prompting.

His understanding is mind-boggling and there is very little that I can say to him which I feel he doesn't comprehend. At bed time, for example, I said to him "you don't need mom to sit with you to go to sleep tonight do you? I know you can do it on your own, and I'll be just outside your room so call if you need me." And he was cool with that. It was just after we had done our nightly prayer (which, if I forget he says, "family?"). Tonight I started the prayer, thanking G-d for our family, as I always do and he said, "that's all". I can go on for 10 minutes on a good night! Not tonight I guess :)

In one day you can lose track of all the great things he says. The other morning, while taking stock of his cars, he says, "where's my ground breaker?" He looks a little more then continues, "I had it yesterday." I mean, does he really know what yesterday means already?

Then he walks his toy elephant along the ground and stops at Robbie's feet. Robbie says, "Hello Mr. Elephant." To which Son replies, "Hello daddy's feet". Is it just us who think that's crazy cute?

On the way to school that same morning, when discussing what he is wearing, he gets to his lovely new shoes from Granny Bess. Looking at the big turnable smiley face on the side he exclaims, "shoes have a spare wheel on the side!" (He knows about spare wheels because his Jeep has one at the back. Tow-bars excite him too)

That's all on one morning. Before he's even fetched from school with stories to tell.

Did I mention his great dance moves?

Loving this boy so much.

And he turns two tomorrow!

Wow.

Wait till he sees the 5-story parking garage we got him....

Will definitely post pics of the no doubt special weekend ahead. But first, here are some from the week past.

Fishy fish counter

2011-04-04T19:57:00.008+02:00

Let me say upfront that I am a great supporter of meat-free Monday. The fact that we had fish tonight is because I figured most nights are meat free anyway and Monday is a good night for me to try something new in the kitchen.

At some point this weekend I was flicking through the last pages of my Women's Health when I came across a really appealing fish recipe.

So at Pick n Pay today I mosey on over to the fish counter.

"Hello," I say in my ever cheerful way, "do you have a firm, white fish that's sustainable?"
"Eh?"
"A white fish on the green list?" I say, gesticulating toward the SASSI paraphernalia decorating the fish window.
"Kingklip."
"Kingklip is on the orange list. I'd prefer something on the green list."
They look at me blankly.
"Y'know? Our oceans? They're in trouble? Some fish are being overfished and won't-"
The ladies call for back up.
"Yes?" says a more senior type
"Hi, I'd like to buy a firm white fish but I want one that's on SASSI's green list. Here!" I point to the variety of fish pictures with green borders.
"We have kingklip."
"Yes but that's ORANGE!"
"Ma'am it's white."
"Oh alright. I'll take it."

I feel bad that I took it but I did. And I cooked it. And it was goooood! Such a simple recipe. Will share after the picture and this link to SASSI in case you don't know what I'm on about.

Fish in tomato broth

1 tbsp olive oil
1 firm white fish (green ones= gunard/panga/santa)

for the broth:
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
200g tomatoes (I used chopped salad tomatoes but bella/cherry would have been nice)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
Generous pinch of chilli flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes (I used Himalayan salt and it was fine)

To serve:
Basil leaves
Ciabatta slices (according to recipe)
Baby potatoes and green peas (my version)

1) Add broth ingredients to a pot and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

2) Heat olive oil in heavy non-stick pan until hot. Add the fish skin-side down and sear for 3 minutes.

3) Add the broth. Turn the fish over and simmer for 3 minutes.

4) Serve sprinkled with torn basil (an ciabatta for dipping if you go that route)

ABCish

2011-03-31T20:04:00.001+02:00

Personal Disneyland

2011-03-29T20:26:00.002+02:00

Dizzy, sure. Maybe a bit of whiplash even. But this roller coaster is mine to ride and it's actually a great one. In fact, with days like today, it's more coaster than roller.

Muesli for breakfast with Son was a nice start. We even built a 5-story truck stack on the carpet much to my vehicle-enthusiast's delight. After dropping him off at school I returned items at the grocery store and attended to my shopping list then swapped shopping bags for Baby M and took her along to meet a friend for lattes. How civilized! Then I finally managed to have new tyres fitted on my car, which has been a nagging priority for weeks. After school Son went in the pram for a walk with Anuty Fi and Baby M being bribed with only a bowl of red grapes for the ride. I've missed those walks of theirs! As hoped, the walk put him to sleep for a couple of hours, leaving me free to finish a script and design and print invitations for Son's second birthday party! In the afternoon we baked bran muffins and then went to Granny B's for dinner.

All in our respective beds now and its not even 9 o'clock.
Early to bed and no-doubt early to rise!

So while this ride is rough at times, it's really lovely at others. I guess a few vertical loops are well worth enduring if it means sharing a cart with this family I'm blessed with (especially if the tracks start becoming a little less hilly).

Why Monday gets a bad rap

2011-03-28T20:09:00.007+02:00

Shopping: FAIL
Left my wallet at home. Even had to swipe my parking ticket at Pick n Pay to get out of The Pav for free as I didn't have the R7 needed for spending under 1hr in the facility.

Tea with friend (and both babies): FAIL
Restaurant closed. Didn't help that I braved rush hour traffic to get there with Baby M screeching all the way. Walked to park instead. Carrying a kid in each arm. Did I mention how little sleep I'm getting? Boy, could I feel it!

Son was so disappointed in not having gone to the restaurant and cried "RESTAURANT!!! I WANT TO GO RESTAURANT" all the way home. So I picked up Robbie and off we all went to Primi Piati.

Restaurant for early family dinner: FAIL
Before we even realized you had to order at the counter, Son had emptied all the sugar onto the table and Baby M had began howling again. Another mission aborted!

Instead, I gave Son supper at home. What would he eat? Yogurt. Berry yogurt. 2 spoons only. With honey. Refused to bath. Then it took 2 hours to get him to settle down and go to sleep.

Mother: FAIL

Good night

PS- Robbie on the couch here says I did get them both to sleep in the end so I should rather end this post with "SUCCESS". Such a sweety.

Things they love

2011-03-24T17:46:00.004+02:00

Baby M loves her mobile. Mobiles were totally ineffective during Son's infancy. We had such a cheapo one that you had to wind it up every 50 seconds or so but that wasn't actually such a problem 'cause Son would hardly lie in one place that long anyway. Baby M, on the other hand, can enjoy her fancy Bach/Mozart/Chopin mobile for sometimes the full 20 minutes that it runs. Thanks Jen Katz! Jen is my sister's mom-in-law. The gift she bought us for Son's birth is also really coming into its own this time round. Baby M is delighted by that musical swing like nobodies business!

What is Son interested in? He's big into jazz at the moment. "Miles Jazz" in particular (Miles Davis) though he doesn't mind a little Allen Toussaint and Harry Conick Jr. He also loves putting all of his matchbox cars in a line on the floor ("car line! car line!") and building double-decker garages out of Lego.

They are so sweet

Too tired

2011-03-22T07:46:00.003+02:00

I was given a cute PJ set in December which read "too tired to care". After thinking about it for a while I realized I had to exchange the item; surely I could never be too tired to care. Not me! Well, I may just be about to be proven wrong. After the sleep deprivation torture which I've withstood for countless nights, the symptoms speak for themselves. It takes at least 45 minutes after getting up in the morning for me to no longer be on the brink of tears. Sometimes a whole lot longer. I'm snappy and rattty and crabby most of the day- a far cry from the high energy and usually very enthusiastic-about-life me. I've got a constant headache and sometimes I feel so tired and helpless I literally gag. Fun, hey? I've tried various measures to improve the amount of sleep I'm getting at night but even if I'm sleeping by 7:30 I still feel cheated by sleeping in snippets of 2 hours MAX. I lose track of how many times I'm moving from my room to Son's room to Baby M. I don't know where I am when someone calls out for me and I probably even fall asleep on my feet in the passageway some times. But by 3am I've given up trying. I'll sit with Son for as long as he wants. I'll walk the house with Baby until she finally succumbs or I'm called back to Son. And if they are both quiet, I lie in bed waiting. So in the morning, as I sit surrounded by lego and matchbox cars with swirling thoughts of how I'm ever going to work on a script again in my life, Son repeating every sentence 7 times and Baby M starting to moaning (did she ever stop?), I realize that I may really be just too tired to care. But I still get up for the doorbell. I still make my dear well-rested (only compared to me) husband breakfast and lunch for work. So there's still a shred of care. Maybe it's just me that I've stopped caring about...

Son chilling

2011-03-19T17:28:00.001+02:00

@ Rachel's 2nd birthday party

Baby M back @ work

2011-03-15T16:33:00.003+02:00

Congratulations March

2011-03-13T19:50:00.005+02:00

Happy birthday to my dear husband, darling sister, sister's son of specialness beyond, cute and clever niece, cool brother-in-law, great friend, adorable daughter of said friend, cousin in America and a couple of other really lovely people! Wow. Congratulations to March on being such a brilliant month!

Not only does March play host to all those birthdays but it's also where you'll find World Maths Day, World Water day, World Kidney day, Pi day and Save a Spider Day (that's tomorrow)!!

What's more is that this March my brother and sis and her family came to visit! Best special time of bonding and laughing and singing and fitting as much nice stuff, and food, as possible into a very short time.

Some time

2011-03-08T14:25:00.004+02:00

Both children are sleeping. The fact that it is the middle of the day makes it even more remarkable. Must be because neither of them are 100% better yet. Hate when they're unwell but do very much like this time to myself. Its time that I so need in order to get back onto the work wagon which is currently pulled up on the side of the bumpy road I'm on, just waiting for an ass to kick it into gear.

*sigh*

I was sure I actually had something to say when I began this post but that no longer seems to be the case.

Guess it's good that I'm posting something anyway so that you don't lose faith and stop checking in.

Tea anyone?

Work? Oh, yes!

Bye

x

Mr Smart

2011-03-03T08:15:00.004+02:00

Yesterday morning I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my wet hair.
Son looked up at me and said, "Oh what a smart hat, Mommy!"

Then last night, he slept in a big bed in his new big room.

Now that is smart, Son!