The Early Bird Catches The Worm

I've googled the phrase "The Early Bird Catches The Worm", believe it or not.  I thought just maybe I'm missing somthing....  I was being optimistic you see.  A few images came up as well and I found this one quite amusing:


In all honesty, I do get up very early every morning, including weekends.  Weekdays for obvious reasons and on Weekends because Kiddy#1 does not think that sleeping-in is an option.  We are lucky if we can sleep until 7am on a weekend.  Of course once I am up, there are ALWAYS things to do.  Weekdays I need to rush to get myself and then the girls ready for work and school, but looking at this picture, I probably look more like the sun than the bird!  Sadly coffee has to wait until I get to work.

I think in my case as with many other Working-Moms (as well as Stay-At-Home-Moms who's work never ends) the phrase should rather be "the early bird catches extreme exhaustion!".

Kiddy#2 is teething at the moment, her second molars are coming through, so she has been grumpy since the weekend.  It is getting better, but she had interrupted sleep in the beginning of this week, which means that Hubby and I also had interrupted sleep.  She must have woken up 5 times during the night.  Since then she's been sleeping better.

On Tuesday night the girls' new bunk bed was delivered.  I was nervous to let Kiddy#1 sleep up top, simply because she gets up during the night and I was scared that she will fall trying to get down.  When she saw the bed she was super-excited and couldn't stop saying "thank you Mommy, I love you Mommy!".  It is so nice to see that they actually like it.  She's been sleeping up top since it arrived and Hubby assembled it and it has been absolutely fine.  What a relief!

I don't know if it was out of pure excitement about the new bed or just the fact that things are rearranged in their room, but Kiddy#1 has been waking up regularly during the night every night where previously she used to wake up only once every night.  Even at 4 years old she doesn't sleep through.  Since the bed arrived they want to spend more time in their room, which is nice, because now they are finally playing with their toys where before all Kiddy#1 wanted to do was watch dvd's or read a bible story and colour in, but on the other hand, all the excitement causes for very little sleep.  I am feeling a little bit like what I would imagine a zombie feels like.

Here's me looking forward to the weekend, trying to ignore the little voice in my head reminding me of the enormous load of clothes and bedding to be washed.....

Have a great one!

Parenting aint for the faint-hearted

Tonight I'm feeling like a complete and utter failure...  Let me try to explain why.  How often have I lost my cool today and got so upset that I ranted and raved about something not going my way?  I've lost count.  It pretty much started when I needed to go out in my lunch hour. I needed to go somewhere and someone parked me in and disappeared.  I ended up having to walk to the mall only to be sworn at by a drunk "bergie" because I said he must stop shouting and swearing at assistants in a shop I had to walk past.  He started following me, swearing after me, but I had the advantage of being able to walk faster than him, being sober and all...  Maybe I needed something to drink to calm me down!

Got back to the office, still parked in.  I started panicking because soon it would have been time to pick the girls up from school.  I phoned the body corporate, got a number for the so-called culprit but it was the wrong number which rang and went onto voice mail.  Long story short, the one trustee got hold of the right guy who denied it was him and who in the 5 minutes of me still seeing the car in front of mine and the trustee phoning him, quickly and quietly removed his 'rented' car.

Got to school, all went well until Kiddy#2 needed a nappy change and she screamed her head off.  I waited in her classroom and didn't dare to go and get Kiddy#1 first while I waited, imagining Kiddy#2's reaction if she should come back and see that I'm not there...

Finally got Kiddy#1, but she wanted to run up and down the pathway between the front gate and the front door and do all kinds of monkey business, while I was trying to keep Kiddy#2 in my arms who was adament she wanted to get down.  The school is in a Main Road with LOTS of traffic.  We finally made it to the gate and Kiddy#1 decided that she wanted to keep it open.... for the rest of the afternoon it seemed!  Eventually I said that I am no longer waiting.  As I turned my back to pretend to walk away she ran onto the sidewalk in the opposite direction nearly giving me a heart attack!

She threw herself against the outside wall of the school.  I walked over to her and much to my horror saw what looked like an old dry blood stain on the wall!  That just freaked me out completely!  I asked nicely, even begged, and then demanded her to go to the car.  She refused.  I tried to pick her up, with Kiddy#2 still in my arms, but she fought it.  Eventually I basically had to take her hand and 'drag' her to the car.  Ok not literally, I was trying to pull her up to her feet and get her to walk with me with her kicking and screaming.  By that time I could feel a migraine coming on.  I could just imagine the horrified looks from other parents picking up their kids at the same time!  I didn't dare to look at them.  They probably thought that I needed the "Worst-Mom-Of-The-Year-Award"!

Got home, I told her to go to her room at which point she screamed as if I was doing something terrible to her.  Who knows what it must have sounded like from outside!

This evening Kiddy#1 asked me to read a Bible story to her, but neither her or Kiddy#2 would sit still and listen for a minute.  So when I said that's enough, no more reading tonight, another tantrum followed.  So after trying to reason with her I tried reading again.  It wasn't perfect, but better.

They usually color in a picture after we've read a Bible story at which point I left them in their Dad's capable hands and came into the bedroom to just wind down.  I thought it might help writing a post about it so that I can read it and think "it wasn't all that bad".

Let me just say this, I had an opportunity to share a life lesson with my precious daughter today which I've tried explaining to her.  I'm hoping that she understood what I wanted to say to her.  It actually doesn't matter how badly they behave, I love my girls with all my heart and wouldn't exchange them for the world!  I wanted Kiddy#1 to understand that we all behave badly and fail miserably sometimes, but it is ok.  As long as we try to get it right next time!

The two little monkeys just came into the room with their usual mischief and cheered me up again!  Naughty little things!

Tranquil breakaway weekend

I shared my epiphany about writing a children's book with hubby the evening after my previous post and his response was "just finish your photography course first!".  As much as I hate to admit it, he probably has a point.  So the plans have changed ever so slightly.  I will finish my course first and THEN focus on the book-writing issue again... hopefully in the not to distant future.

Two weekends ago we went away to get a break from the hectic city life.  We visited a lovely cottage on a farm just outside of Bredasdorp.

The setting was so peaceful and beautiful.  The girls could just run and play without us having to worry about cars, etc.  We went for walks every afternoon before supper time, getting some fresh air.  Of course we met some weird and wonderful creatures along the way.

The cottage has no electricity so we used a gas stove to boil water for coffee, barbecued meat either on the inside built-in braai or we built a fire outside.  At night we built a fire indoors to warm the place up.

To get hot water for a shower we had to build a fire to heat it up.  There are paraffin lamps in every room and hanging from the chandelier on the patio.

We had a little visitor who gave me an enormous fright when he came flying into the lounge where we were sitting by the fire the 2nd evening!  He was so cute though.

All in all a great weekend away.  I'm already looking forward to start planning our next trip.  But for now, as instructed, I better make progress with my photography course first.  Of course a trip is an ideal way to take on-location shots...  I'm just saying...

Story Time

A while ago we were visiting with our friend who worked with Hubby before.  He has no kids of his own, but he is surprisingly patient with our girls.  As a matter of fact he always tries to cover for them when they get into trouble with us.

While visiting we had a conversation about "what is the one piece of advise you will want to leave with your children".  Talking about his Mom whom sadly passed away recently, he said that she was such a wise woman and he has learned so much from her, but should he ever have kids he doesn't think that there are any significant things he could teach them that will stand out from the rest...

That made me think..... a lot!

I got this idea in my head; actually I have a lot of those, but the specific idea I am referring to is, wouldn't it be cool to write a children's book?  I always said that I would like to write a book, usually jokingly, but I'm actually considering doing it.  Of course I have never attempted anything like it, but will put some serious thought into it.

Now the question comes to mind, what will I write about?  What is the one thing I would like to teach kids, including our own?  Well, let the research begin...

Morning Routine

Last night I was convinced that I broke my little toe after bumping it against the skirting on my way to the kitchen.  I'm not so sure anymore if it is broken, but it is still very sore and I walk funny as a result of it.  This morning, sore foot and all, I had to rush as usual to get myself ready for work and the girls ready for school.

The alarm went of at 6am.  I snoozed it...  I snoozed it again... and again... and again... and again... Then I just switched it off.  At 6:30am I flew out of bed, grabbed whatever was closest to wear, gave Kiddy#1 her favourite breakfast cereal and let her watch an animation movie while I was getting ready.  I need to leave by 7:30am to be back in time to start work at 8am without having to rush.

I got Kiddy#1 dressed and combed her hair and she brushed her teeth.  I walked past the bunny's cage and saw that he was busy pulling the cardboard out from under the area he uses as a toilet.  So I had to get a plastic bag in the kitchen to remove the mess he has made.  Got back and as I was taking the cardboard out he jumped forward, pushed against it and the poo went flying into his water bowl!  I was not impressed.  Cleaned the cage and of course then had to change his water.

While Kiddy#1 put her socks and shoes on it was Kiddy#2's turn.  Got her out of her cot and took her to our room to change her nappy and clothes and get her ready.  Of course by the time we reached our bedroom I've noticed that her eyes were almost sealed shut with yellow discharge because of the wind blowing in her face over the weekend.  For some reason her eyes seem to be very sensitive to wind.  What I thought would be a quick wipe of her face turned into a real battle and it took much longer than expected.

As we headed for the front door I realized Kiddy#1 only put one shoe on.  Got her to put the other one on.  As I was about to pick up the bags again, I remembered they haven't had their cough medicine (season is changing so they both have a couch) nor their vitamins.  Ran back to the kitchen, keep in mind my foot is still very sore, got a spoon and ran back to them in the lounge to give them what they needed.  Kiddy#1 got upset because I gave to Kiddy#2 first and she ran into the passage and refused to come back when I called her.  After 'serious negotiation' she finally came back, got her vitamins and we were ready to go.

Got outside, there are two ways to get to the car.  I had Kiddy#2 in my arms, went one way, of course Kiddy#1 took the long way.  It already was past 7:30am.  She wanted me to chase her to get her into the car... not fun when you are already late...  Got in the car and Kiddy#1 showed me she scribbled on her hand.  This was the point where I thought I might as well give up in trying to be back in time.  Ran back into the house... with my sore foot... and got wet wipes.  Got back in the car and took off only to land up behind a slow driver.  I was furious by that time.

Got to school, and took Kiddy#2 to her class.  Kiddy#1 wanted to greet a teacher who was talking to another teacher.  This took ages.  Eventually got her to her class and did a power walk to the car and took off.  Only to drive behind an even slower car this time.  To say I was frustrated is putting it lightly.  Anyway, I managed to walk into the office at a minute or two after 8am.  After the hectic morning I still consider it as on time!

My foot is till sore...