What's happening? and WIWT edition 5

Some thoughts on today:

• I thought I would write a long post today about what an agony my first mammogram was, but really, the complaints are over rated. Yes it was uncomfortable and sore, but really,  having your teeth cleaned at the dentist is far worse. Everything s fine. 
• It is the windy season in our corner of the world - on Tuesday night the wind blew down a  tree - on the main supply line of our area. So we had no electricity right through to mid morning Wednesday. Hunter made it a fun event for the kids and we all went to sleep rather late and the night was restless with lots of wakings up and dogs barking etc.
• I went to a talk on Tuesday night at the boys' school by a children's psychologist and play therapist - it was good, practical and insightful. She talked, amongst other things about using parent regulated choices to discipline and to teach our children to make the right choices.
• We did not sleep well again last night - maybe Murphy read here, or maybe it was just for the night? I would like to have 2 weeks of good sleep before moving the boys back to their room. Certainly by their birthday they must be back there. 
• In exactly a month from today our boys will be 4! Gosh 4 already! I always say to people that 4 was the age that was for me the turning point with the Princess - the point at which things really became easier. I know no two children are alike but we are certainly seeing the possible fragments of an easier future. Time to get their small little party organized.
• Sometimes a new good friend is an old one that moves closer to you, not in the physical sense. But this deserves a whole post.
• I have read 4 books this month - admitted one was rather slim, but sometimes I do not even make my 3 books target. And I am a bit into two others! I can see that hour and a quarter that I spend reading at the therapists L goes to is at least a plus on this level too. I have tried to work on my laptop, but the half hour at the OT is really too short to do much and the 3/4 of an hour at the play therapist might be an option on that level.
• The Princess is studying for her Primary RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) ballet exam. Gosh, what the little girls need to learn and remember baffles my brains. I am so proud of how hard they are working and actually glad her first real exam in life is not in school but at an extra mural.
• And today I am wearing short sleeves for the first time! Yeah - a beautiful 25 degrees Celsius outside and loving it. So WIWT (What I wore today): Gray top (Marilyn's - Brooklyn Mall), Blue Jeans (Woolworths) and gray shoes as previously shown

Sometimes pushing the boundaries pays off

Like it did this weekend - more particularly on Saturday. I have to mention that Hunter and I had a brilliant date night out on Friday night - we had a meal at Ciao in Brooklyn Mall and then saw African Cats at Cinema Nouveau. If you like documentary movies - it is breathtaking and better on the big screen. So the weekend started on a happy note.

Saturday was a busy day - it just happened that way. Our lunch with Marcia was planned months ago and the Princess had a "had to go to" party the morning. We also got an invite from friends we have not seen in ages to watch the rugby with them and have a braai. Now we have been rather conservative with our kids - especially the twins and really have not been out much late at night with them and certainly  not after a back to back day.

But guess what - they really took it so much in their strides! I literally went to the party with the Princess (the boys stayed home with dad), left half an hour early to pick up the boys and drove to meet Marcia. There we left just in time (if it was not that little man L loved that climbing structure so much that we could not get him off I would have had more play) to be del;ayed by an accident on the highway and in stead of picking up Hunter we met him at our friends in Centurion. We had one nap each from the boys on our way there and back and no complaints (apart from some hair pulling in the car grrrrr!) and tears - happiness. And the late night on Saturday saw to a great nap on Sunday afternoon. We will certainly do this again - I might just not cut my time frames this short.

Old tractor at Forest Fun that actually goes!

Sunday was spent at home, finishing the planting of a huge quantity of clivias and just chilling. Finishing up with our favorite visit to the local park.
There were lots of ways to help daddy....

While others just dd what dogs do best - chill in the Spring sun.

 And this is how you know that I am one of those moms that believe in the therapeutic value of mud, sticks and barefoot play...

 

Playing along today with Angie
So do you push those boundaries or play it safe?

Mr Murphy you have no reason to read this. None whatsoever.

But we have been having some great sleep recently. I truly believe that we prayed this sleep from God. Little man L has slept through for 6 nights! On Sunday night he briefly woke up and went back to sleep almost immediately. On Sunday afternoon we all had a 2 and a half hour nap. I think the last time we slept this well might have been when the boys were around 7 months of age.

But it is not only on this front that things seem to be moving ahead. The last two weeks Little man L has been in a total developmental overload. He has started to chat in English. His language skills is general has hugely improved. His teacher independently told me on Friday that she is totally stunned by the speed his development has taken. Yes, he is not potty trained yet, maybe that will fall into place soon. Please God, let it fall into place. His newest social milestone is that at last he has developed into our newest little tatter tail - as if 2  in the household were not enough. We still have our moments - last night he was over tired and irritated, but in general these are getting less.

He is starting to recognize colours, he participates in activities way more than he used too. He communicates so well. I am so totally grateful. I do believe the Wilbarger brushing and deep pressure technique we have been doing the last 3 weeks certainly played it's part as has the Occupational therapy and Play therapy.. But I also believe that our constant prayers for our little boy is the crucial part of the equation.

Today we will find out our way ahead with his eyes - we are seeing the pediatric ophthalmologist again and I hope that our prayers  for his eye has also been answered. If not so, the I do believe that the operation was meant to be the next step - the tool God wishes us to use.

Truly, they keep us on our knees. And humble in ways we never knew existed. Our wonderful beautiful children.

Edited to add at 3:05 pm - Praise the Lord - there is remarked improvement. Although not exactly where he should be but close enough not to warrant surgery now. I am hugely relieved! We need to continue with his glasses and the dreaded drops every weekend for the next 6 to 8 months when he has his regular yearly check-up.

Friendship and the real world

I have met quite a few bloggers in real life - with some it is just a meeting, a casual friendship. And that is fine - the way it should be. With others you suspect before hand that it could be more - could be the start of a very real friendship. Mostly because they come across as being honest, tue to life people with values that you share - in our case maybe old fashioned ones because we both loved the other one's kids' manners. And so it was when I met Marcia on Saturday. Really I think we could have chatted another 4 hours without having said enough so we need to meet again. The venue was lovely too - Bambanani in Mellville - stunning service, the best childrens' play area ever (so ranked by the Princess) and good food. Wish it was closer to us.

Marcia was what I expected - a great listener, a great talker. My favorite type of person. And the kidlets - my, adorable. I loved that they greeted everybody so well. I was truly impressed. But very well reminded by how far we have come - what a huge difference two years makes. And a reminder what a handful our used to be - gosh! I forgot! And hers are so much calmer than our boys used to be.

When are we meeting again? And thanks for the lovely present - I was gifted a book and two of her stunning note books - one which is in use already.

Beanies to boot!

A while ago I saw a call for beanies for Cancer kids on Pink Hair Girl's knitting blog.. I thought it was a fabulous idea to give back to those that need to know someone else is thinking about me in a time of great distress. But me, not having knitted a stitch for many many years (make that 20), knew even if I started right then, I would not be able to make one in a month. Then the thought crossed my mind that I knew a great community of knitters that every year do some knitting for charity. So I spoke to my mom and the "tannies" (older ladies) in het retirement community and thanks to them I am going to post 33 beanies on Monday. Some have wonderful details and some are just knitted with great wool.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Through a child's eyes

The week before last  we had a rather tough one with Little man C. On Monday I had to go and fetch him at school in the middle of the day as he was complaining of a tummy ache and they had a rota virus alert at the school. He really looked out of sorts - not himself, but as soon as I dropped him off with Lucy he cheered up and he never was sick or complained the rest of the day.  Tuesday night (and every night going forward) I had a question from him: "What day is it tomorrow?" I'd say Wednesday (or whatever) and then he asked if he goes to school on a Wednesday (or whatever) to which I would reply with a yes. He would then burst into tears and say that his tummy will hurt again and I would explain that it would not as he is not sick. But I have learned long ago that a sore tummy is often about emotional stuff and not real tummy aches - so I said to Hunter that something was up at school. I have to admit that my first thought was bullying.

By the Sunday night he just broke down at bath time and I asked him if someone hurt him to which Little man L replied with a name. C confirmed it an asked that I fetch him after lunch as he gets hurt after lunch. I then mentioned it to the teacher the next day who was rather surprised as the named child is one of his close friends. But promised to handle it which the school does rather well in general. But the tears continued until on Thursday. I had another chat to the teacher who said to me that she has just figured out what the problem was.She let Little man C pick up a DVD and show to me and he told me that this DVD is now going home with one of the kids and will never return to school. A big smile followed. It turned out he was scared to death of.... Charlie and the Chocolate factory! (They watch DVD at school in the cold months or rainy days in the late afternoon from 4 onwards).

So my question is, do we really know what scares kids? I would not have thought that this one would have, but it is the way Johnny Depp looks in the movie that scares him - not the story or a scene. Some of the Disney movies are quite scary too - in particular I found some scenes in The Princess and the Frog very scary.. I know the Princess was so scared of The Lion King when she first saw it (the scene with the stampede). The school has promised that they will now stick to Barney, Noddy and so forth. Safe stuff.

So what scares your kids, or you for that matter? (I remember crying my heart out and being so scared in the fire scene in Bambi as a kid). And how do you handle this issue with kids? I for one like to watch a movie or DVD with my kids for the first time so that I can handle any issues if needed.

August 2011 - Book 21

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

Lucy returns home after her mom is injured in a car accident and amidst a troubling time of change in her life - well reflected by the ever present earthquakes in a then country of residence, Japan. She leaves her beloved Yoshi amidst his own turmoil to face her place of origin.

Back home at the Lake of Dreams, Lucy discovers a family secret that compels and grips her, almost away form the reality of life at present.Her old love Keegan also finds his wat into her life once again.

I just love stories about artists and long forgotten family secrets - thus this book was an obvious choice out of the bookclub library. But it is also a well written and easy read for all. I love how I managed to build the places so well described in my imagination without ever finding the author's descriptions too long or detailed.

A great bookclub read - 8/10

July 2011 - Book 18

The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble

At the beginning of a new year, a group of five woman meet to form a reading group. Through the course of the year and the books that they read, we get involved in their lives. It turns out to be a most eventful year all round and the choice of books strangely reflects the twists and turns the lives of the characters takes.

The story is told in wonderful, easy to read language without being too simple. I loved the wonderful woman created for this story- each one unique and charming in their own way. Each developing and growing through the year in their own way. Wishing that I could be friends with every single one of them.

A truly charming and gripping read this is a great bookclub choice as most woman will find a like minded  friend in at least one of the characters. I also loved how the writer suggests books at the end of the book for reading groups and I intend to read some of these suggestions as well as the books read in the book during the course of the next year.

A totally charming 8 and a half/10

Om shanti shanti....or ye-ho!

I used to love yoga - and I have done yoga for years. In fact, I did yoga up to 34 weeks pregnant with the twins and up to today I am convinced that it was a contributing factor to the success of the pregnancy. I started yoga at a small studio ran by a little Indian man with a squint eye.He was totally brilliant and by week 8 or 12 weeks he had you doing a head stand. He also taught me deep full yoga breathing and to listen to my body. Later I moved to a well known Pretoria yoga studio,which I loved. But now I have a gym membership at one of the national gyms, connected to our medical aid. And sadly, I find gym yoga a very watered down version of what yoga should be. Never the less, I jump at the opportunity to go to a class when I get the chance but as most parents Hunter and I have to play tag-team in order to get to the gym.

On Saturday morning we got up just too late for him to make the 7:10 spinning class or for me to make the 7:00 yoga class. But when he offered me the chance to go to gym I jumped at the opportunity and at the chance to attend my first Zumba class. Gosh, I was plain scared but grabbed my big girl panties and stormed ahead. I did warn the instructor that it was my first Zumba class and that after months of colds etc my fitness was doubtful. And I started planning a blogpost on how hard it was etc.

But gosh, so much the opposite. I loved it! Totally loved it. And I made it through the whole hour without having to rest. Yeah! Ok, I did nearly die, but I think the smile never left my face - I had so much fun! This was the most fun I had in a gym in many many years.  I was rather stiff and sore in some places on Sunday - notably the upper abs. So now I am addicted - I find myself scanning the surrounding gyms for Zumba classes at times I may be able to go.Even just possibly. So the toss up will be yoga class or Zumba class!

But let's face it - pretending that you are Shakira for an hour, all sexy and samba-like, without anybody laughing at you is the best feeling ever!

Yes, I am actually going to post about the weather.

But it was just way off the normal yesterday - blog worthy I would say.

Yesterday morning was a nice and wram, although overcast morning. I dressed in a 3/4 sleeve shortish dress with ordinary stockings( -not tights) and shoes and a T-shirt cardi and as an after thought took my warm purple jacket. Good thing I did.I had a meeting in Eastgate with one of the major clothing retailers - halfway to the other side of Gauteng for me. But I love the R21 freeway so I took that way around to the meeting. As I progressed towards the South the clouds became thicker and thicker and when I parked at Eastgate the temperature read 7 degrees Celsius.

During our meeting I saw that it has indeed started to pour outside - heavy heavy rain and as I left just after 1pm it was raining so hard that you could hardly see in front of you. Stressful driving conditions to say the least. Just to be trumped by hail just after the airport, followed by what I assume to be either sleet or snow. The temperature in the car read 3 degrees outside! It looked like a white wonderland to the sides of the road, but driving conditions was so bad that I did not take any photos. I got to the Lynnwood offramp at about 2:40! Crazy for our part of the world.

And this is what I found in the garden on Sunday - Spring too soon perhaps?