Christmas is my Favourite Time of Year

I’m sure many of you would agree with me, I love the slow build-up, a few Christmas carols here & there, fruit mince pies popping up, store decorations taking shape; they all spell one thing: Christmas. And with all these wonderful material items, there comes with it this incredible spirit that fills the air. People are happy, and smiling, and friendly. Everyone’s in a good mood, and looking forward to that long-awaited break from work. 

Christmas in SA is great, the sunshine, the swimming, the watermelons & braai’s! Gammon in the oven & trifle in the fridge, there are so many great things about Christmas, but the very best for me are the kids. We do a dress-up Santa, and the look on the kids faces as they see Santa for the first time, it’s pure ecstasy. It’s also a time of year that reminds me of those less fortunate than ourselves, and those that might be lonely during the festive season. In our family we have a ‘one gift per child’ philosophy, which leaves room to help other children also have a memorable Christmas,  through Christmas parties, prezzies & sweeties, such small things that mean so much to a less fortunate child. 

So this year I implore you, think of those less fortunate than yourselves, and let the Christmas spirit of giving really take hold. Have a very Blessed Christmas!

How the Tide Turns

I cannot begin to tell you how I loathed certain things my mother used to say to me as a child, and I always thought to myself, I will never do that to my kids. Admit it, everyone has at least thought that once in their lives! LOL, how the tides have turned... Now that I am a mom, and a mom to a precariously curious 3 year old, I am finally beginning to understand the “Because I said so!” and the “Because that's the way it is!” The ever lingering “why” word is used with such innocent conviction and sometimes after exhausting all my explanations, the answer is simply, “Because I said so!” A prime example to this scenario is, "But why can't I have another cookie?" "Because it's nearly dinner time." "But why??" "Because I said so!" Trying to find an answer that meets your three year old's satisfaction is far more challenging than meets the eye.

I find it very ironic the way that I feel about parenting from a parent's perspective. Behind all that moaning and groaning was actually sound reasoning too. When I think of what I must have put my mom through I always have a little chuckle, because what we do not realize as pesky kids is that someday we’ll be the annoying mother who has to be the bad person in order to protect and teach our inquisitive younglings. As a child I was very, let's say strong-willed, for argument sake and I never thought I'd find myself on the other side of the fence defending the parents :) I was going to be the cool mom who let her children watch late night television, eat pizza for dinner every night, who was always available to drive you around, and mostly the mom with the seemingly endless pockets.

But alas, as a parent, it is far more important now for me to teach my children right from wrong, good from bad, and to be humble, honest and compassionate. Yes, they might not always be on the 'A list' for parties because their mother wont let them out in that skirt, but at least I will sleep soundly knowing that I have done everything possible to raise responsible children. They might not always like me for it, but I know, when they're mommies one day, they will understand and appreciate it. Just a pity it takes being a parent to understand a parent, and that those years of wisdom have only filtered through now :) Be good to your kids!

First & Last Time @ Yeesh Woodmead

Wow, you know you've screwed up pretty badly when you've motivated someone enough to actually blog about the bad experience...

I've been wanting to try Yeesh for a while now. I heard from friends that it was the place to go, and at R50 per hour per child, you really would expect it to be rather spectacular. Firstly, let me just say that we were actually trying to go to the Yeesh in Bryanston, but the GPS got us lost again, and we ended up closer to the Woodmead branch. When we arrived, the parking lot was practically deserted and my husband and I were actually wondering where all the people were. We decide to go in anyway, so we unstrap the kids and in we go. There is no one to greet us at the entrance and two waitresses walk straight past us without even acknowledging us, (you know the mentality, if it's not in my job description I won't do it). After a few minutes we decide to leave, when we get to the car a woman walks out and apologises, saying she was upstairs. And that is our problem how? Fortunately she spoke to my husband because there was no way she would have convinced me to go back in. We pose for our photo and head in. The floor by the tables was filthy, with juice messed and not wiped up, discarded ice-cream sticks and let alone the misplaced crumbs etc. Our menu was covered in dried, crusty tomato sauce. My husband is starving. Ok children, shoes off, let's go play. Oh, wait for it, something we absolutely fail to mention in our advertising, for children under 4, we have a minute, non-spectacular play area, for children over 4, there's an awesome maze of indoor jungle gyms etc. Great, both my children are under 4, I'm paying R50 for this??!! I'm waiting patiently at my table for the waitress to come and take my order, but it appears there is only one waitress in the "coffee shop", the rest are all focused on the party that was, and the party to be. Now I'm grinding my teeth already, hoping the one waitress sticks her head out of the kitchen long enough for me to get her attention, when suddenly i see a small sign above the door saying, "Please place your orders at the counter." Seriously? You couldn't tell me this when you asked if it was our first time here? Ok, get up, place order, which is like pulling teeth because the woman taking the order doesn't seem very literate. Ok, our coffee arrives & my 2 daughters start asking for their milkshakes, don't worry, they're coming now. Eventually our food arrives and still no milkshakes. The woman is very apologetic, saying sorry, we had a last minute order for samosas. Like I care, just go get their milkshakes. Later on I ask for the bill and she apologises again, saying their heads are all over the place with the parties and the chicken... Once again, still not my problem. My point is, the place was very empty, if they can't cater for walk-ins as well as parties, then maybe they should consider only been a function venue. Or here's a possible solution: Let's hire more staff! Wow - brainwave!

In closing, Never Again!

Guilty for been, well, me...

I must be the luckiest person in the whole world, at least I feel that way absolutely every single day when I wake up. I am so grateful for everything the good Lord has given me, he has blessed me in abundance. Not only am I healthy, I have 2 beautiful little girls who are also healthy, and a wonderful, supportive husband, who is also healthy. Not only are we healthy, we are happy. And we are safe, and we are well looked after. The list is actually endless... As grateful, and aware as I am of my circumstances, today, for the first time, I felt guilty about them.

 I came across an NPO that helps sick children. And I cried reading about the chairwoman who had lost her child. I do not think any words could ever describe the grief felt by parents who have lost a child. And I pray with all my heart and soul that I never have to find out. It just made me realize that I do not do enough. Yes, I contribute to various charities on a monthly basis, but the people actually doing the leg work are usually people with full time jobs & families of their own whom also need their attention. It made me feel guilty about been so blessed. It also got me thinking that perhaps the reason for been so blessed is to be able to do some good with what I have. I have taken the first step, watch this space...

Waking up in my House

4:30am: Pitter patter of tiny footsteps. Keira.

Big sigh. Me, “Come on, back to bed, it’s not uppies time yet. “

Keira, “But I want some water.”

Ok, walk around the bed, fall over the singing star (which is now singing), retrieve the water bottle from Etienne’s bedside table. Walk Keira back to bed, put the water bottle on her bedpost, tuck her in and walk out.

Hysterical crying.

Me, “What now?” Trying to calm her down before she wakes up Gabby.

Keira, “I can’t reach my water.”

Pass Keira her water bottle and retreat as quietly as possible. I have even been known to crawl out if it means Gabby stays asleep. Climb back into bed. I’m just falling asleep again when I get that feeling that someone’s watching you. I slowly open one eye and nearly die of heart attack. Keira is standing quiet as a mouse right in front of me, staring at me while I sleep.

Keira, “My water’s finished. Here’s the bottle. “

Seriously? You couldn’t keep that with you till the morning? (Oh yes, that’s in only 1 hour).

Me, “Ok, go back to bed.” Silently praying that she does actually do this. To my surprise, she does.

6:00am: Pitter patter of tiny footsteps. Gabby. So this is usual, pick her up put her into bed with us, with the 6 dolls, 2 teddies, and 5 blankies.

Me, “Lovie, it’s your turn for coffee. “

Etienne, “Uhu, I made coffee yesterday, it’s your turn for coffee.”

Me, “No you didn’t! I made coffee yesterday, it’s your turn. Get up!”

At this point Keira usually stumbles into the room carrying on with her dream as if she is still in it, “But baby just pinched me and I had to give her a time-out.” J Pick up Keira, put her into bed with us too. Same thought every day: we really need a bigger bed.

6:30am: Me, “Keira, tickle daddy so that he can go make milkies.”

This is my fail safe. Both children jump on daddy and start tickling. Have you ever felt a three-year-old tickle? It’s like they’re trying to gorge out your insides. Dad slips off the bed, “Ok, ok, I’m up.”

Getting my girls dressed is a nightmare. We always first have to fight about who goes first, then they won’t stand or sit when they need to, Gabby won’t let me change her nappy, the hair bobbles get pulled out  before we even leave the house, and let’s not even mention brushing teeth… Needless to say, by the time I get my coffee in the mornings, there usually isn’t any time left to drink it J

Car Seats in the Rain

Every time I have to lean over a car seat to strap in my kids in the rain, and my back gets soaking wet, I remember the time Keira needed to be hospitalised.  

It was just after Keira’s first birthday, I’ll never forget because I kept thinking to myself it was awful that this poor child had to be hospitilised at such a young age L.  Keira had bronchitis again, she always had bronchitis, was always on the nebuliser, but this was probably the worst time. Along with the bronchitis, Keira had a runny tummy. I had taken her to the paediatrician that morning, and he had told me to keep a close eye on her. By late that afternoon Keira had still not eaten a thing, and although the doctor had told me not to give her dairy, I was desperate for her to eat anything, and was now trying a yoghurt. Then her little eyes lolled back in her head and she slumped over sidewards. Phone the doc again, rush her to the hospital. So, it would be the day that the worst storm of the year hit. I have this desperately sick child, and I’m trying to get her strapped into her car seat, and my back is absolutely and completely drenched.  

Any mom knows that having sick children is no fun, and how terrifying something like this can be. We needed to get a drip into Keira quickly, but she was so dehydrated that they couldn’t find a vein. One more try, otherwise they were going to have to put it in her neck. They poked & prodded my poor baby 6 times before they got the drip in her wrist, and all the while your baby can’t understand why you’re doing this to her. What an awful feeling knowing that you are the cause of so much pain.

Our experience at the hospital was not a great one. Keira’s runny tummy was so bad that I scarcely had time to fasten her nappy before I had to change it again, and it kept on leaking so the bedding needed constant changing. The drip had been put it very poorly, right on the bend of her wrist, so it caused her constant pain and eventually started leaking too. I had a terrible time trying to get her to sleep, and then as soon as she fell asleep the nurses would barge in to take her temperature, or nebulise her, or give her more meds. I later learnt that at other hospitals, if the child has just fallen asleep, they administer the medication when the child wakes up, now this sounds far more logical to me. At one point the nurse even confused the doses for Keira’s medication and if I hadn’t been there to stop her I shudder to think what would have happened. You are allowed to stay with your child at this hospital, but you have to sleep on a beat-up recliner, and this I suspect was more comfortable than Keira's metallic cot as she slept on top of me, just in her nappy to get her temperature down, and trying to avoid pulling on the drip cord. It must just be said that at this stage I was already 16 weeks pregnant with Gabby and already had that hollow back :)  

Upon Keira’s discharge, the doctor ever so matter-of-fact informed us that he had been most worried about Keira, not something you want to hear, but glad he had not told us sooner. Keira was in hospital for 2 nights & 3 days, my husband and I were so ecstatic when she was discharged, no place like home. I think we were just so glad to be able to take her home with us and care for her properly, away from the ignorance of callous nurses.

Shopping with my Girls

Shopping with my Girls.
Classic example of how shopping goes with my girls (true story).

Now, before every mom starts bombarding me asking why I took the girls to the mall in the first place, we were supposed to meet my husband there, so it wasn't supposed to be a 1 to 2 ratio, but a 1 to 1. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Etienne needs to have his pants made shorter but obviously this is an impossible task for a man to do by himself. Hence, the girls & I meeting him there. But, as usual, Etienne’s 10 minutes & my 10 minutes vary by about 20 minutes! So I get to the mall already frustrated that he is only now leaving the office. Ok, fine, let me go to Woolies first & buy the few groceries I need.
Keira, “I need to make a poo.”
Me, “Seriously?! You just had a poo, do you have to make another poo?”
Ok, into Woolies to get a trolley to put the girls in cause there’s no way I’m running after the two of them. Off to the loo on the other side of the mall. And, as expected, Keira didn’t have to poo after all *angry face*. There is some sort of novelty about using different toilets for my dear Keira. Ok, back to Woolies to grab those groceries. Gabby refuses to climb into the trolley so now I’m pushing an empty trolley and running after the kids *angrier face*. Gabby runs flat bang into a display at Woolies & immediately there’s a bump the size of an egg on her head *fuming face*. If you had just listened to me in the first place, you wouldn’t have hit your head! Ok, eventually console Gabby enough to finish my shopping. Finally Etienne arrives, off we go to Edgars to get his pants shortened. All of 5 minutes later we’ve finished the undoable task… Etienne goes to check out the Xbox games & considering both girls are relatively quiet in the trolley I decide to pop into Ackermans to look for a baby shower gift for my friend. While I’m trying to find something suitable, the girls manage to tip the trolley over sideways and pull the entire rack with all the bottles & teats & dummies etc over on top of them. Besides dying of embarrassment at what my children have managed to accomplish, I have to try to console 2 crying children, pick up the trolley & the groceries, and clean up the bottles etc lying everywhere. One word: MORTIFIED! Needless to say, all I want to do is join my kids in their crying & flee. Moral of the story: I will never take both my children to the mall at the same time ever again.

Etienne says, “On the upside, at least now you have more material for your blog…” Hahaha