42 months multiplied with cute

The Toddler went past her 42 months mark last week.

She is  such an energy ball of movement and a constant jabbering stream of cute sayings.

It is as if we can hear her brain out loud trying to make sense of the world.

Her fantasy world is also increasing daily with the things she comes up with...

Friends are becoming very important to her. She has a friend at school whom she absolutely adores, and she comes back to tells us that Jade says this and that... Or Jade says that is how it is supposed to be!
It seems that Jade calls the shots, and what Jade says goes!
I am trying to tell her that not what everything Jade says is the truth, and that she should think herself  to determine whether something is true...
She gets very upset when Jade tells her that she is still too small/a baby, when in fact they both are the same height and age!

I am not exactly sure how to deal with this appropriately, and to learn her how to not place a person on a pedestal! Any ideas?

I told her about the "Talk to the hand!" comeback, but I don't think she understands it or uses it...(Maybe it is also not such a good idea!)

Why are they sometimes so centred on one person, and not seeing all the other lovely children to interact with?

She came to work with me on Monday, and although it was extremely difficult to get anything done, I am missing her in my office...

A colleague relayed that she also had fun listening to the commentary going on.
They had the following exchange:
"Mieka, I love your hat! Can I have it?"
"No, you are too big! You must grow small again to be able to wear the hat!...
(some thinking) But then you must get a mother again!"


Please time, don't let it go by so quickly!

Wordless Wednesday #134 - Working with Mom

Morning's first photo at day care #29 - Visiting Little School with my sister

The Toddler was so excited this morning to go to her previous day care, especially since it is with her sister who works there during the holidays!

Her princess shoes on (with back-up shoes in the bag).

She was not that impressed to be separated from her sister later, but she could go to the class of last year's teacher.

This week her pre-primary school is closed, and we had to make a plan for each day of the week!
Thanks to a nearby grandmother who also helps a lot!

What do you do with the children when the schools are closed?
Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!

Weekend camping

The full-blown winter weather had us uncertain about going camping over the past weekend...
I had a few calls from Hubby saying that we should make a call: NOT going!

But in the end we were packing. Haphazardly, because of the going/not going... (That explains the forgotten stuff!)

We arrived at Kokoriba (just a few kilometres from Brits) with scarves and jackets, and realized we had not packed any summer clothes. Luckily I put in the swimming costumes as an afterthought.

Heated pool fun

It was definitely worth the effort to get away from winter for a weekend and to soak in the rays of the bush!

Lesson learnt: Never ever plan your holidays around the weather. Even if you think the winter has got you slumped... Just go!

The Toddler had a ball!

It was only dust where we camped, but she was found playing in it the whole weekend.
The bunnies, and birds around the camp site made for excellent entertainment.

And I got to see wonderful sunsets!
I wish we could have stayed...

North West sunset!

Short story on the shortest day of the year

There was a young girl who thought that life was going to be smooth sailing after she had finished her studies and drove off in the sunset with her mate.

Wordless Wednesday #133 - Feeding the birds with Grandpa

The haunting of words

Today, as in most other days, I have been thinking about a "brave" woman who has had to go in hiding for the safety of her children.
"Brave" because she doesn't have another option but to be brave!

And she has been writing!
Haunting words of beauty and of shock and of finding herself!

Of having to go through a series of excisions, of being a dead woman, and being silenced.
But she found her voice again, even going to the media to tell her story.

A story of finding violence in her own home. A story of finding that her partner was not the person she thought he was. A story from violence to healing.

I am just appalled that a person who threatens the safety of his wife and children are allowed to walk free in the streets. Even two years after the violence and the 18000 pornographic images have been discovered on his computer. The divorce had gone through in the meantime and joint custody has been awarded to them.

She had to take her children and run...

This is not a third world country we are talking about. It is in America. Where the laws and the justice system are supposed to be better?

You can read her ongoing story on Wanderlust!

Thinking of you, Kristin!

Also with the knowing that there are so many woman without a voice, who have been fighting on their own for the safety of their precious children..

The best way to shop with a toddler

While she is sleeping... Keeping the stroller at the most vertical level possible!

She woke up when we were leaving the mall, saying that we haven't bought anything yet!
We could show her all the shopping bags...

Win-Win!
She got in her afternoon nap, and we found the last minute Father's Day gifts!

Questions about Dad

A present from school:

1. What is Dad's name? Dries du Toit

2. How old is Dad? Shows 3 fingers

3. What is Dad's favourite food? Soup

4. What does Dad like to drink? Juice and water

5. How much money does Dad has? One

6. What type of work does Dad do? At Clearwater (nearby mall)

7. What does Dad do if he comes from work? He makes tea for me

8. What does Dad watch on television? Rugby

9. What type of car drives Dad? Grey car

10. What do you do with Dad which is very special? We go to Clearwater

 

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Winter, you've got me slumped

On my way to work at nearly 7am

I really don't do winter very well!

This time of the year when it is cold and dark...
And day after day feels like a struggle to get out of bed.

All I have are the winter groans, and the winter cragginess that have set in...
It feels like my head is frozen in a slump of ... nothing!

I know I should pep-talk myself into gratefulness, and that the winter sun goes a long way to help getting us out of this!

I don't like the winter!

I feel like signing out for the next two months!
Signing off! For now! (Not really!!)


Tomorrow it will look better again?

Wordless Wednesday #132 - Let's move, Grandpa!

Life lessons while studying

The Student has learnt a couple of valuable lessons while studying.

In our era of Google, Wikipedia and cut & paste it is a valuable lesson for all Students. Of. Life.

I always try to believe the best of people, and usually expect the best from somebody else.
I also believe that the way we expect them to be is the way that they will show up in our lives!

She lent in good faith her memory stick to a fellow student, and had her work copied by two others. Work that she had put much effort in.

In the end she had to go and lay a complaint, and had to face "stories" and bad vibes going round.
She also got the same marks for her assignment which the other two got. So her marks were compromised!

Her memory stick were also stolen after that!



The lessons that she has learnt:


- Never give your intellectual property to somebody else to copy. Help them with ideas, but never give the whole document.

- Keep your memory stick in a safe place. Always!!

- Do not lose your trust in other people, but do not make it easy on them to violate it!

- Do not let yourself lose your focus on achieving your goal, specifically to get an education!

- Work hard to play hard, in that consecutive order.

- The Truth always prevails!


Best wishes for the exams, my girl!
I know it will go well!

My daily rejection

The best time of my day during the week is when I go to fetch the Toddler at school.

I cannot wait to see the little face. To see how it lights up and she comes running up to me...
I look forward to it the whole day long!

But it seems that she does not share my sentiments!

As soon as I pick her up I have to hear that her Dad is supposed to come and fetch her!
Every day! For the last three weeks already!

He usually drops her off, and I go to pick her up.

I do not mind when I am being told that her Dad should come to lay with her in the evenings! That usually gives me a bit of me-time. It also does not happen every night. And sometimes she prefers her Mother at night...

How do we deal with these daily rejections?
(I hope she reads this one day, especially when she has her own children...
"I forgive you!")

My eldest also wanted to go and stay with the un-father when she was 12. That was one of the worst times in my life! At 13 her eyes finally opened up to the situation!
It was a very bad rejection to live with for a few months!

Parenting involves a lot of rejection!

"I love you, even though you do not want me around all the time!"
I know it's part of growing up and becoming a big girl!

Wordless Wednesday #131 - Birthday 91 and 19

On the floor, that's where the conversation is

I was reminded again yesterday of how important it is to get down on the floor when wanting to connect with children...

We were all so excited to see the little ones, and we were trying to get some response from them...
But we did it by talking from way up there to them, while trying to solicit some sort of verbal exchange!

It did not work at all!
They were hiding behind legs, and the faces were solemn...
Looking at us with eyes that say: "Do not even bother!"

I went to sit with them on the floor while they were colouring in, and all of a sudden the atmosphere changed. (I wanted to take some photos!)

They started to talk to me! I did not even have to ask another question!

The words just poured out of everyone...
And I got some smiles!

"Get down to their level!"
 (I will not forget again!)

It's time to Shake the world

A global movement in support of Millennium Development Goals: 

It is time to Shake the World!

The United Nations formulated Millennium Development Goals in 2000 to be reached by 2015. 

Eight goals have been formulated with practical solutions to some of our world's most pressing issues.

The 8 goals are the following:

1. "Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger"

2. "Achieve universal primary education"

3. "Promote gender equality and empower women"

4. "Reduce child mortality"

5. "Improve maternal health"

6. "Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases"

7.  "Ensure environmental sustainability"

8. "A global partnership for development"

It seems like such unattainable goals. But I like the fact that they have identified a few practical & fun tips that can help to reach the MDGs, which makes it far more attainable. Every step in the right direction is a step to the better!

For example, the first tip for Goal 1 is to support fair trade:

"LOVE TRADE NOT AID, CREATE JOBS AND WEAR THE BRACELET
Help others and look good yourself" - Shake the World

It is something that we can do as well. Buy the bracelet, and support the female crafters of a fair trade producer in South Africa. Buy your bracelet at stores like Edgars, or keep a lookout for it.

Tips and tricks of how you Shaked the World can be shared as well on social media and on the website: Shake the World

How do you shake the world? #hdystw

SABC Radio station SAFM took part in the initiative as well today. That is where I bought my bracelets.

I always get excited when I see positive steps in making our world a better place! 

I would much rather rave about this, than raving about a painting or the traffic or why I am excited that it is a Friday again!

Happy weekend!