Sheet cycling

It is colder here at night with winter especially making it known at night. It is vests and layers and socks...

It is not as easy convincing the Toddler of the same fact!
She is forever getting rid of her shoes and socks, and clothes. The birthday suit bandit!

We have to convince her it is winter here!

But the worst is at night. We can’t seem to keep the sheets and blankets over her. She starts cycling with her legs until she lies all in the open (cold). She wakes up and she is little freezing ice blocks. When I tell her she has freezing icicles, she sniggers and puts that little ice blocks of hands on me!

It means that she wakes up more at night, and we have to cover up. When she lands in bed between us, poor Daddy ends up with no bedding, most of the times...  (It seems I have a better grip! Wink smile!) We have to contend with cycling legs every now and again and getting the sheets back... And again...

When I go and lie with her, it is the same story! But I find that it is a bit easier keeping us covered!  I do cherish the co-sleeping, but definitely not the open-sleeping!

 When does this sheet cycling behaviour stops? She is older, but at nearly two and a half, it seems it is some unconscious thing still going on at night. Cycling the legs until there are no sheets or blankets left!

Winter is only beginning, and the nights are really cold! Brrr...

Movie Clip Monday #15 - Toddler building puzzles

The Toddler loves building puzzles, and she can do it over, and over, and over again...
Of course, we have to "help" her!

Lending Movie Clip Mondays from Tasneem at MumDrum.

Stuff you allow your toddler to do

For the sake of a few minutes of peace... The things you thought that you would never allow!

I allow my toddler to:

"clean" the windows (see photo);

scribble in my diary;

play with my cell;

paste stickers on our table;

break a polysterene cup in hundreds of pieces in my car;

allow her to eat cookies/chips in the car;

unpack my handbag;

let her play with my eye make-up;

let her help with washing of the dishes;

unpack my drawers;

play with my jewellery; etc.


And I am all cool with it! As long as we get a few breathers, we let her be...

What are you allowing your children which you would have frowned on before you had children?

Thursday thanks!

This Thursday has a lot to be thankful for... #thankfulness

- It is my "Friday" today. I have a long weekend coming up!

- Our wine order has come and I am drinking export red wine to France, courtesy Spier.Les Vins du Monde. Cheers!

- My friend and I got free cappuccino's at Woollies today because they forgot our food order! I was really looking forward to the mature cheddar on rye, but the broccoli from last night was much healthier... (Of course! Wink smile!)

-  I could still draw R100 from my account to put in some petrol for my car.

- Tomorrow is pay day!

- Hubby is making pork stir-fry, and it smells delicious!

- The Teen can finally submit her portfolio for Communication Studies at the university... One less thing to do! (Grade 12: the stress is getting to me)

Enjoy your Friday! What are your plans for the weekend?

Related posts:
Thursdays

Wordless Wednesday #77 - Toddler at a party

The Teen is clever!

Yes, she is very clever! She KNOWS and she tells you what she knows!


I am lacking seriously in grey matter to understand the complexities of her universe. I have become a second class citizen with regards the workings of this plane of existence we found ourselves in. I just do not know at all how all this fits in together…

My Teen knows how it works! There is not a thing that we say that do not get a clever retort back…

She told a teacher umpire yesterday to penalize a hockey player who had hit her in the shins. Or else she would have to leave the field. The teacher told her that she does not have to worry. She is sending her off in any case. With a yellow card! Before that she also had something to say about the other penalties blown by the teacher…

When I told the Teen to not be so bitchy, I was told that I clearly do not understand how unfair this whole situation had been…

If this had been a single incident, it maybe could have been overlooked as a single incident. But apparently there is a lot of wrong and unfair happening in the world. She is fighting the war against ALL the wrong-doing going on!

This is the passion and the vigor we all had at her age. I understand it, and I remember it! But we also have to learn to address the issues with more diplomacy. If you tell someone they are wrong; they just defend it, and you do not get your point across!

Now, how do I tell the all-knowing Teen that there are better ways to address an issue, but without her losing her passion for addressing the wrongs in life?

We do not want our children to become passive passengers in life, do we?

She wants to change the world! I want her to change the world!

How do I nudge her gently in the right direction?

Morning's first photo at day care #20: Monday morning sleepy

Not a good way to start on a Monday... The result of not going to sleep at 8 last night. Although Mom and Dad tried!
I was thinking of the "Go the fuck to sleep" book that was a topic on last week's blogs via Reluctant Mom... It really helped!

(Book: Go the f to sleep - Adam Mansbach)

Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!

29 months: I am making my voice heard!

Tiny Tumbles - I'm staying in Mama's arms

The Toddler is 29 months now. She is her own little person!

We took her to the gymnastics yesterday, and she flatly refused to do any of the exercises. She woke up with a cold earlier, and I gave her some medicine which made her drowsy. Which I think had a lot to do with her being miserable...

We were discussing if we should take her home... Especially since another father took his son home when he did not listen to any of the instructions! But we were glad we did not!

The balloons made all the difference! The Toddler forgot she was miserable! They had a ball balloon of a time throwing, hitting, and kicking it!

This again made me realize that we can’t expect our little ones to always do everything we tell them to do. They should be allowed to make the choices of when to take part, and how! We should be the ones giving them the opportunities, but not making judgements on how they choose to become involved!  

I have seen that all the toddlers get lapses in concentration; but that they do partake in the exercises which they like! We should not “punish” them by preventing them from going or making negative remarks when they do not EXACTLY as being told.

They all learn in different ways, and as long as it is fun, they all get it in the end!

She's got a voice, and she is allowed to use it!

Related post:
Being otherwise

The day before the last

Coffee and lots of toddler-time

Apparently the 21st is the very last day! I have been enjoying the conversation going on in Twitter with #judgementday and #endoftheworld and #rapture


It is the FINAL final day on our calendar! (One of many! Wink smile)


I was thinking that if this is true and this is my second last day, I would definitely not be at work. How would I spend this day?

I want to spend it with family. (The people I am most grateful for.)

I also would want to spend it with the extended family. I would ask my sister and brother to come home from overseas.

We would have a final party! Probably a braai here in South Africa.

There would be good food! (Woollies would be perfect. I would not want to spend the day in the kitchen)

Red wine! The very best! I would sip on one glass… (Too much, and I could miss the end! That would be pathetic!)

I would tell my family I love them! (There should not be too much tears!)

I would call up all my friends, because they would be with their families. I would tell them I enjoy and love having them in my life.

We would all be discussing about what-will-happen-next! Heaven? Hell? Nothing? The discussion topic that would definitely take centre stage! (We were discussing it this morning when the topic came up.)

I also think that we should try to have that final party somewhere in nature. Where there are trees and clouds and we could feel the sun on our faces.

We would watch the sun coming up, going down, and up again for the final day…
That would be my second last day! With the people I care most about!


How would you spend your day before the last?

Plagiarism of blog - dealing with it (work in progress)

I have mentioned already (The Yin and the Yang...) that I have found my blog to be ripped off big-time on another blog. I do not understand what the meaning could be of this? It seems it is ripping off other blogs as well! They are not using Google Adsense, but they have listed the blog on various sites.

The link: http:// funny dash toddler dot blogspot dot com

I will start a process of getting them to take it down. I will report back here of my progress to get it removed.

This is the most recent post of mine on the blog which is plagiarizing my content:

1. I cannot comment on the blog, although I have tried. I wanted to demand them to take it off!

2. I have done a Sidewiki inscription on the most recent blog post of mine that is plagiarized on that blog. I don't know if it's anything worth? I don't see any other way of contacting the blog author/s.

3. My next step will be informing Google about the rip-off! Will let you know how it goes.

My second most recent blog post plagiarized on this blog site

4.




Stamp Day

At the polling station when we arrived at 7:30

It was local government elections here in South Africa, and we took the Toddler along. Luckily we went early and were out of there within 35 minutes after the polling station opened.

The Toddler entertained us while standing in queue. She was greatly impressed with the whole stamp idea, and I had to give her a mark on her thumb at home as well.

She is talking non-stop now, and when we arrived she informed us immediately that there is a woman with "blood" hair. The lady's hair is very red, and Hubby had to confirm and tell her "Yes, the same as Mommy's". The lady was okay with that... We hope!
But later she informed me there was a lady with a "snollie" (snot) in her nose. I don't know if the lady was touching her nose, and I did not want to look. The Toddler was adamant and she told me three times... I never turned around, and hoped the lady in question did not hear! The embarrassing things a toddler say! It has started big time!

We had a bright sunny day after that! Great weather for a braai!

And a great way to catch up on some sleep...

Wordless Wednesday 76 - Toddler playing with make-up

The Yin and the Yang and 40 Awesome Blogs for Midlife Moms

Life is strange. You always get the up with the down. The Yin and the Yang! Just yesterday I discovered that my blog is being plagiarized on a great scale by someone ripping it off word-for-word, as well as using my photos of the Toddler as their own. I find it very upsetting, and I am going to do something about it... (Threat! You better take it off, you lazy Thief! This is my life!)

And then I get an email of being included in a list of  40 Awesome Blogs for Midlife Moms! Awesome!

Bouncing back... It is a great list, and I am already reading a couple of them!

I must admit that I sometimes cringe at the "midlife" bracket! I am not there yet!! No! NO!

Yes, I am older, but in the end we are all women and mothers, doing it the best we can!
Although, I do think that I have acquired some extra wisdom (of course, Yes!) with the extra years which helps big time raising the little one again! (wink smile)

(Picture: Microsoft Clip Art)

Movie Clip Monday #14 - Bye leafs!

Toddler throwing autumn leaves into water streaming past at Dunkeld Country Estate, on our last Dullstroom vacation.
Saying: "Bye leaf!"

Lending Movie Clip Mondays from Tasneem at MumDrum.

Morning's first photo at day care #19 - "Plane, not school today!"

Mieka with much-loved Teacher Lee-Anne

The Toddler had other plans for this morning. She wants to go on a plane! NOT to school! I totally agree with the Monday morning sentiments!
I don't know where the plane idea is coming from. She has never been on a plane, and there has not been any discussions of us going on a plane trip...

I promised! We are going on a plane trip in the future! I like the idea!

She is also now saying the word plane in Afrikaans correctly. She used to say "vlieghuis" (fly-house), but now the correct "vliegtuig"! (That's why we need to write down theese cute word creations before they are not heard anymore...)

Walking with the Toddler

One of the best places to be: On Daddy's back!

I wanted to post this on Friday, but Blogger had other plans. More that 24 hours of down-time... That was really frustrating!

We have to fetch the Teen every night at half past five after she has finished with her hockey practice!
I know all parents have to struggle with this, but all this driving and taxiing back-and-forth is a big headache. It takes just a little bit less of an hour before we get back home. So I suggested we get something from it as well. We walk with the Toddler in the back carrier and get some much-needed exercise as well! We drive to the school, and while we wait, we get in an exercise of at least half an hour!

I have announced now a couple of times I want to move more, but it seems the daily business of it all makes me slip time and again. I hope we can continue with this little exercise... We all feel a little bit better after we have worked up a sweat, and the Toddler really enjoys being outdoors!

Late afternoon walk in the 'burbs

What to do with a strict teacher?

The Toddler is going to get a strict teacher the following year. I was hoping and planning that it would only happen when she was four, but the day care has decided to move her into the strict teacher’s class when she is three.

I am planning to move her to a new day care when it happens...

I have been so happy with the day care this year. I had some issues the previous year, with the Toddler getting hurt, and being in a class with only an assistant teacher.

They started this year in a new class! Only six of them, and I could see that it made a difference in the Toddler’s life. She started to sing and scrabble more at home! (Some more “lights” came on!)

During the holidays they moved her to a new class because it was felt that the six should be more up to date with the rest of the group. The reason is to integrate better next year. The Toddler is now with a group of about 15. She is extremely happy there!

The problem is the strict teacher next year!

From the beginning I said I would not let my child go to her. She screams at the children. She gives them hidings (although it is not allowed!). She has also said some pretty disturbing things to children, such as when we drop them off: “Your mother still loves you very much!” (WTF!)

She has told a friend’s girl that she makes the worst sketches in the world!

The day care owner is aware of this lady’s shortcomings. She told me that she has sent her home on a couple of occasions when she heard her screaming at the children. But she feels that this teacher is very good with keeping to the learning guidelines. She also spends lots of her time helping some of the children to catch up.

My question is: Do I allow my child to be subjected to this lady’s inability to control her own anger, and also her seemingly lack of insight into the child’s psyche? The other questions: Does learning take place in a place of hostility? Or should my child learn to handle different types of authority figures? Is it too soon to subject her to this at the age of three?

While writing this, it seems I have made up my own mind already...

What are your thoughts about strict teachers? Do some children handle it better than others?

Related post:
Day care woes and first report card

Wordless Wednesday #75 - Mother's Day gift from day care

Mother's Day 2011
Photo of Toddler framed in picture made at day care

Related post:
Wordless Wednesday #23 - Little hand - the previous year's Mother's Day card from day care

The first bleep

Mieka at 8 weeks

The heartbeat is the sound of a horse galloping very fast! That’s what it sounded like when we first heard it at the gyne’s offices. The first ultrasound scan at 8 weeks. That was in May 2008.


It was the most wonderful sound in the whole wide world!

We had lost a baby only four months back. We had a check-up at eleven weeks, and the little dot did not move or bleep! It was the most horrifying deafening sound of all! Nothing!

So you can imagine our apprehension when we sat again in the doctor’s offices… Saying to each other that we would not want to go through this again if there was something wrong… It was too stressful and painful!

That bleep is by far the most beautiful sound in the whole wide world. I heard the sob from my husband as I was wiping the tears from my eyes!

We also could not relax this time around until I heard the confirmation over the telephone at 18 weeks…

The amniocentesis test showed a perfectly healthy baby girl! Joy! Your father said his only thought was of you being perfectly healthy. (He was in a business meeting at the time.) It was only later that it struck him that I said a “girl”! He had to phone me back to confirm!

We were so excited to hear that all was well! I am sure that we wouldn’t have parted with you in any case. Even if they told us that something was wrong! I started to feel you kicking at 14 weeks, and I knew right from the start that you were a girl! You were part of the family already…

Today, we are still excited about you being in our lives!

Thanks for choosing us as your family!

You are our perfect little girl!

Mieka with Arnia

Movie Clip Monday #13 - Fetching the toddler at day care

My best time of the day is when I go to pick up the Toddler at day care. That happy face when she finally sees you... There is nothing that makes it worthwhile more than this!

Lending Movie Clip Monday from Tasneem at MumDrum.

Thanks Mom

It is especially true when you have your own children that you realize how much your own Mom has done for you:

• She always had an extra helping hand when money matters were tight when you were at home.
• She made sure you had your cupboard stocked up for the season before she bought clothes for herself!
• She fetched and taxied you and friends to whenever you wanted to go! (Without complaining!)
• She was always preparing food, and making those lunches for school.
• She worked full-time to help provide for us.
• She believed in us, and helped us believe in ourselves!
• She taught us: Women can do anything!

Thanks, Mom! You are still the best! I have the best Mom in the World!

My Teen placed the following quote on my wall on Facebook today:
“This heart, my own dear Mother, bends with love’s true instinct, back to thee!” – Thomas Moore

I hope you had a great Mother's Day? Mine was spent with Hubby and the girls! Cannot hope for a better way to spend a Mother's Day!

Related post:
Mother's Day 2010

Fun in the sponge pit this morning

No, the Toddler doesn't want to swing or drop into the sponges, but she loves crawling around in it!
Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!

Friday, you came early!

Thank you!

Miracles happen each and every day! This has been a four day work week, and we have a Friday showing up! How great is that?!

The Toddler was extremely impressed that it is Sweets Day today, and off she went to day care… The money is in her bag! AND she gets to visit Ouma (Gran) tonight! She announced yesterday already that she wants to go to Ouma, and when I told her that it is only tomorrow, she was not impressed…

The Teen celebrated her boyfriend’s birthday with him yesterday, and is planning another day tomorrow with him. Watching him play rugby and going out! We might see her for a few minutes this weekend… I am hopeful!

I committed one of those brain-bubble stupid moments this week when I forgot my Wimpy coffee of the roof of my car, and drove from the Mall. A truck driver tried to alert me, but I gave him a complete ignore-look! It was only when a student stepped into the street, and took the coffee from my roof that I realized that he was actually trying to tell me something important! I will never forget the look on the driver’s face: “I told you so!” Not even my “I-am-sorry-wave” and cheapish smile could make him wipe that indignant look of his face!

Hubby and I are going to a Barnyard show tonight. Can’t wait! A bit of time out tonight!

What are you doing on your weekend?
Do you still have brain bubbles, even when your children are older?

The Toddler is down at 8

 

We had some sleeping issues during the holidays last week.  As soon as the regular routine gets shifted or moved along by a couple of minutes hours, everything goes out of the window!

No new revelation here! We all know it! It is our own doing (as parents!) when we let it slip... We were driving around again on Monday night while she was full of beans, singing songs...  While we were feeling like zombie parents driving ourselves into a coma...

Luckily when she went back to day care this week she was extremely tired, and it is now the second night that she went to bed at eight AND fell asleep immediately... Back-to-reality does have its merits for tired parents!

The photos are evidence of some of the late night art being done by the Toddler last week. She starts by cutting up pictures from magazines and making collages. Even the dices got a place on the collage. I think it is pretty nifty because she does it all on her own!
(The same as the collage on her sketch pad as well.)

Happy sleeps!

Wordless Wednesday #74 - Walk beneath the trees - Dad with toddler

Dunkeld Country Estate vacation
Dullstroom, Mpumalanga

The Toddler being scrapped; or why fellow bloggers are nice!



Lynette at A work in Progress created this scrapbooking art work

Lynette of A work in Progress asked me to send her the picture of Mieka that was taken at the day care a while back. I had it up here on the blog.

My Hubby asked incredulously why someone would do something like this? Because she is very nice!
(Am I right, Lynette? Wink smile!)

This is one of the reasons I have found blogging to be so satisfying. I have met the most wonderful people here who are trying to live normal lives... Some get hit by life! Somehow we get through it by blogging about it, and by encouragement and sympathy from fellow bloggers! It is sometimes also just nice to find out that we are all the same... We struggle with the same issues, no matter where we are in the world!

Thanks Lynette, I can't wait for the real thing. (Yes, she is even sending the scrap book creation by post!)
This is so very sweet and nice and thoughtful of you!

In search of higher education

Next year seems very far away, but when you want to continue your studies past Grade 12 you need to register YESTERDAY already. The registrations have opened in March and places are filling up...

We went to an Open ay at the Potchefstroom University on Saturday. Everything is available on campus. The residences are close by and it seems very safe, especially for the young ladies! I was at first not very keen on the university because it is one and half hours drive away, but it seems that the institutions nearby does not offer us the same options.

The Teen wants to continue her studies in communication with a keen interest in book editing. It seems they have a very good degree in Communication as well as specialization areas. The problem is that they only select 100 people in a year to start with the course! We will definitely have to apply to other universities as well. (Sigh!)  She has to prepare a whole portfolio to be accepted here! (Standards are high.)

We only went through one of the residences, and the Teen has voted it as her favourite to go to next year! (They have the option of three.)

I was struck by the fact that the young people have three or four years more of being in a safe and secluded bubble! A couple of more years of being young and carefree... What a wonderful opportunity! It made me wish I was young again, and with all the limitless opportunity ahead of me... Well, nearly! But I had my four years of university life as well! Which I enjoyed thoroughly!

I am holding thumbs that The Teen gets to have the best time of her life while preparing for a career! And I am holding thumbs that she gets a place here!

Related post:
Grade 12 - the stress is getting to me

7 years

It’s been seven years since the day we got married. 1 May has been a very good choice. We’ve got Worker’s Day each year, a public holiday to celebrate our special day!

Thank you, Hubby, it has been a good seven years! It has flown by much too quickly! (Time flies when... Yes, that! Big smile!)

We are having so much fun!

The Teen reminded us that in other countries we get the opportunity to renew our vows. And of course, we all know about the seven-year-itch! Seven seems to be a good number to have reached!

Some fun!

Hubby gave me chocolate and flowers, and I had to make good with breakfast at Second Cup. I nearly forgot because I lost track of the days... I blame the vacation! I thought I still had until Monday!

Related post:
6th Wedding anniversary