Normal is so overrated just ask your toddler

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I don’t like boxing or labeling my kid unless the label is  cuuuute because I’ll take that one.
He doesn’t like it though… “I not pretty boy,  I big strong boy”.
The label I was not too keen on is “different ” because firstly “different from what ” and secondly “people don’t like different”…
Every mom hopes their kid is “normal”, that their kid doesn’t stand out too much, well not in a way that makes people roll their eyes and look away awkwardly.
Every mom is sure everything is normal until their kid licks a bedpost (oh is that just us?) or wants to run around half dressed (not us, our kid doesn’t even like shorts – “why are these pants small, why are my leggies open”).
Toddlers are not normal, I hung out with my friends kids this weekend and confirmed that fact: the one was feeding an imaginary tiger, the other was dressed (in her moms words not mine) like a hobo princess and the other two were fighting over a tiara.
Aidan was rolling on the trampoline singing rolly polly… toddlers are not little adults they are individuals still adjusting to the world, and their personalities, and everyone else’s personalities and you just have to embrace the differences.
My little man is different, a quirky different that watches art and craft  tutorials (especially play dough ones) instead of cartoons , who confidently calls himself super Aidan and can carry a conversation (okay argument ) with any adult willing to listen.
He will ask me if I need a hug because I look sad or tease me for looking angry.  He puts his teddies on time out and tried to pep talk an ostrich into taking flight…
I love his quirky nature and his unruly hair, I love that he will try and argue his way out of a game of hide and seek… “I not here,go look in  the cupboard”… remind people to wear their safety belts, “Aidan buckles, everyone buckles”  and tell me to “help him, help me ,tidy up his toys”…
My vegetarian, who asked me with giant sad eyes if it’s okay that he doesn’t want to eat the chickens and the fishies  and who goes between excited chatty kid and sombre loner at the drop of a hat, is different in the best possible way.
He has made me look at “different” through new glasses.  Not as something to be ashamed of but as something to be proud of.
I pray that he never loses these differences or his sense of humour and certainly not his witt and I hope he will grow to learn that we are all “different ” and that the best people march to the beat of their own drums.
 
*picture: .freedigitalphotos.ne

Currently…BeingElla

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I LOVE the currently posts so many bloggers do and thought as the season changes and we enter the warmer half of the year in good old RSA I could try it out, so here goes:
 
 


Feeling: Sick and tired, I woke up with such a head cold sinus attack situation I could cry! HONESTLY if there was ever a doubt that Spring is in the air, just ask my sinuses , there is NO DOUBT!!!

Struggling with: Guilt! Guilt has always been a pretty sure fire indication that I’m heading into a depressive episode, If I find myself feeling too guilty about things that shouldn’t cause nearly this much anxiety I usually know to pull back. I missed a physio appointment on Friday and my phone died so they could not get hold of me, I apologised on the phone and in email but even so I couldn’t sleep for two days because I just feel so guilty. Then I forgot a order at home the other day and I just felt like the most useless person ever, guilt is definitely something I need to work on.

Succeeding at: The cooking ahead thing (knock on wood) Rob and I have decided to make Sunday afternoons “cook for the week time” that way when we get home from work it’s just pop in the oven or microwave. This is in an attempt to eat healthier, spend less on take-out and also have a little more time after work. Really hope it works out in the long run.

Making: Orders J I feel very blessed that I have had quite a few orders recently, I feel like this is really happening OH!BOY FTW J

Watching: Mostly play doh tutorials because Aidan is obsessed with it, honestly he just wants to watch people create things, it’s both cute and annoying

Planning: I want to do a new series on the blog, as much as I love the No Fear Just Faith series, recently I have not had much luck finding people to share their stories, so I figure, don’t force it, it will come and in the mean time start another series J thinking of picking the brains of a few WAHMs next so watch this space.

Thinking about: BED!!! Along with the guilt I also don’t sleep very well, I am beyond tired.

Looking forward to: Honestly this is so sad, I don’t have an answer for this, I want some time away with my boys I think that’s what I need to start planning, this tiredness is not a plan!!!

Loving: My boys! And all kinds of treats that are bad for me

A early birthday message to the husband person

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A couple of years ago I was introduced to this really annoying guy. He had a dry sense of humour and an answer for EVERYTHING. While he was quiet around others, I could not get him to shut up and he could be moody as all heck (still is :p )
He grew on me though, because he got my jokes and put up with my moods and had the prettiest green eyes, I subsequently liked him so much that I agreed to marry him and make another dry witted know it all…

Happy Birthday Robin, thank you for being you, thank you for filling in the spots where I fall short, thanks for getting things down off the high shelves and driving me around when I’m being a lazy bum, thanks for sharing the parenting duties with me 50/50 no questions asked and for accepting my family as your own even if they are way more than what you are used to. Thank you for singing along when Aidan and I are in one of our moods and for turning down your beloved rock music when I’m depressed and can’t stand the sound of music. Thank you for being okay with my need to be alone and also always being willing to just sit with me when I just need someone near…

I hope God grants you way more years, thank you for being the Papa bear in our 3 little bear story 🙂

From baby bag to beauty bag – five multitaskers

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I feel that it’s safe to say most of us are way more organised when it comes to shopping for baby than we are when it comes to shopping for ourselves, chances are you will run out of make-up remover way before you run out of baby wipes (Is that just me? hmmm)

So I compiled a list of products you can grab from the baby bag when you are in a pinch and I hope that you will indulge me by adding your own favourites to the comment section 🙂



Sudocrem is my preferred bum cream, I’ve been lucky that Aidan has had only one incident
of nappy rash in his little life and this stuff nipped it in the bud, Sudocrem is awesome and it works for mommy too; bites, irritations, anything…I’m a huge fan

Ran out of shaving gel? quick, grab the Elizabeth Anne’s special shampoo, it works great
and leaves your skin feeling nice and moisturised
It’s said to be great for stretch marks as well  although I never tried it

This is my friend Funtangly, say hello to the people Funtangly…
I have such tangly hair when it’s straightened, my hair is like NO! WE WILL NOT CONFORM!!!
Then I’m like HERE have some of Aidan’s Funtangly and be detangled!!! and it works
 I swear by the stuff

This isn’t technically a baby product, It’s coconut oil , but I use it on Aidan’s dry skin and hair, it’s kind of a everything product in my house; cooking, skin, hair EVERY BODY NOW!!!! coconut oil for president!!!

You know how you are not supposed to sleep with make-up on?
You know that yesterday’s eyeliner doesn’t count as smokey eye just because you slept in it?
Dabbing this on a cotton ball removes eye make-up which is AWESOME 🙂

What is your favourite multitasking product?

You should be starting your day with us: SA Mom Blogs

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Okay so there is a big chance you are starting your morning wrong!!!
Seriously doesn’t that sound like those annoying fb posts. The videos that say, “what she did, I can’t believe my eyes” HATE THAT
Anywho what I meant was, if you are into blogs (which you kinda have to be if you are reading this, well at least a little) you need to be checking out SA Mom Blogs.
Every morning or evening I grab a drink (mood dependent; wine for bad days, tea for cold days, hot chocolate for calories don’t count days) and go over to the FB group and settle down to a bunch of blogs.
What I love about the group is how different we all are, crafty moms, home schooling moms, business owners, breastfeeders, bottlefeeders… I can’t tell you who my favourite blogs are because it is kind of mood dependent, some days I want to know how to make diet snacks like these cookie dough fudge things from Laura, other days I want a laugh from one of Cindy’s list or some inspiration from Jonelle, I love Melanie , I’m pretty much obsessed with Maz and think me and Jozi are actually separated at birth or something. Heather who started it all, is always so thoughtful and I catch up with my local girls Megan, Luchae and Amelia on the regular…
I know I’m missing people like Cat and Namreen and … actually you know what, go HERE for the full list of mommas and a daddy 🙂

I have so much love for these people, and will probably awkwardly come up to them at an event sometime, HEY MEGAN, remember that? AWKS (is 30 too old to make awks happen?)
Blogging especially in SA where it’s suddenly “a dog eat dog”, “you can’t blog with us”, “we blog pink on Wednesdays”, kind of world (see what I did there? Mean Girls reference people) is scary. I find myself feeling out of my depth sometimes but these women have always made me feel like it’s okay to just be me and that right there is cool 🙂

Do go over and check out what everyone is up to. The FB Group is the easiest way to keep track, go there and show them love but don’t forget about me now, I’m needy like that!
Queue Dream Girl Music, *and you and you and you, your gonna love me*

When you are unable to can…

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Let’s all just nap (freedigitalphotos.net)
In the words of a good friend of mine, Zandile, who is as beautiful as she is funny (biatch)
Today I am unable to can!!!

Well not just today, the last week or so. Please tell me I’m not alone in having (for a fleeting moment) considered getting booked into hospital just so I can nap.

I’m not good at acting sick though, have never been, besides I’d probably upset the karma Gods and end up with a hospital infection. I’m what you would call unlucky/accident prone/awkward…

As I sit here typing I have a wrist I can’t put pressure on after falling down the stairs at my physiotherapists office, AFTER my appointment.

I have a rash on my face because the coating of my glasses is coming off and guess who is allergic to what is underneath.

I wont bore you with what the winter has done to my hair and nails, oh the brittality (yes I just made up that word)

Any who the point of the rant is that I am like many people this time of the year, so tired, my tired is tired.

I think mine comes from the beginning of the year when I decided to be a journalist again and like with any new thing I start, I was “ALL in”- “ ALL in” can be exhausting.

I resigned four months in and (determined to not have my family have to pay for my whim) I started working double jobs in my notice period.

The three months I was home I worked two jobs, I finished my online digital marketing course and I tried to get a business up and running.

I didn’t want to tell my boys they couldn’t have popcorn at the movies, that they needed to tighten their belts, just because I wasn’t feeling the 9 to 5.

I dropped the two job thing to come back to the office (Maybe if this was the plan all along I would have taken a day or two off). Determined to keep us afloat I have worked weekends and evenings and it was working.

Then a few days ago my careful planning fell flat when a months payment I was expecting didn’t materialize, there goes my juggling act, there goes my I can do this…

My need to please people (sure I can put a rush on that, hahaha) and my love of the Oh!Boy brand saw me / sees me sewing till the middle of the night. Meanwhile  my husband and son have been doing this tag team sick thing.

I find myself very close to sitting under the table rocking back and forth singing I’m a little tea pot, because YES I’m still short and stout, the best I have been able to do diet and exercise wise is not get any fatter.

My Dr seems okay with this, you know considering  the whole fatty liver and insulin resistance thing, but I’m not so okay with it.

Suffering from clinical depression for so long I know the signs, I know that falling asleep before finishing the lunches and not bothering to put a lick of lip gloss on my face are not good signs.

I’ve taken on extra shifts for the next two weeks (because, bills) and need to finish samples for  my new catalogue because it haunts me,  so this dream I have in my head of sleeping late and watching episodes of the new normal is just that, a dream!!!

Okay I’m done complaining now, at the crux of it I know I’m lucky I know that it’s just another day in paradise. I know that so many people I know are going through equally, if not worse days, I get that.
I know I am blessed to have a husband who respects me enough to let me do my own thing and who supports me even if I have to get lectures about slowing down every so often.

 I just thought I’d share my bad week and say, sometimes things SUCK! It’s okay, it makes the unsucky days even more unsucky (yes I’m taking liberties with the English language here)

So let’s all just have a little cry into our sugar free Chai tea and know that today’s sacrifice is tomorrows reward J tomorrow being rose water martinis J