The magic of Father Christmas

The fantasy and magic of Christmas time! I believe in adding fantasy and magic to the lives of our kids! They love the stories of a Christmas Father, with reindeer, and bringing the presents from the North Pole.

(On that note: How cute is the Portable North Pole videos from Father Christmas that you can personalize each year? For free! (Although there are cooler options when you upgrade.) There are also the birthday video that comes once a year!) We watch them every year!

I can remember my own excitement as a little kid at Christmas time!

I do not want to take this special time away from her. Little Miss has already told us that she knows that it is us who brings the presents! She is nearly 8 years, and it seems this year is the turning point! Some kids at school have also voiced their opinions... But she still gets excited about putting up the Christmas Tree, and musing about her presents!

I saw a video of a pastor in America shouting to kids at a mall that Father Christmas is not real! *Sigh*

I do not think of it as telling lies, but as adding excitement and fun into her life. She will be able to separate the myths from the truths in years to come! How boring would life be without these family traditions?

(It is also not difficult at all to add religion into the mix when you explain the reason why we are celebrating this time!)

I was reminded about the seriousness of her beliefs in a Tooth Mouse when she dislodged one of her final teeth last week. She immediately went to put the tooth in a shoe and kept on checking up on it through the evening. The Tooth Mouse was very tardy, because when she checked up the next morning, the tooth was still there! The Tooth Mouse had a lot of explaining to do (in a letter) about helping Father Christmas at this time of year...

I personally love the magic of Christmas time!
This is the best week of the year building up to Christmas Day!

Enjoy!
Peace!
Happy families!

A weekend of recovering

As much as I thought the previous time that Home Affairs was a breeze when we applied for our passports, as much my mind has been changed completely!

We were there on Saturday at half past seven, and the queue was a queue ... was A QUEUE!.
It took ages to get in there as they do not let everybody go into the building all at once. (Which makes sense!)

We had to be there with Little Miss as her thumb print is required again when picking up the passports. She was hungry (of course!) for three whining hours long. The breakfast bars only went as far as breakfast bars could go.

We finally got our passports, but it was an epic!

We did not do anything much the rest of the weekend!

Earth Hour 2015

We switched off the lights on Saturday at 20:30, and got very sleepy with the dark of the dark hour! Earth Hour is always something we enjoy doing with the children.

In final news: Little Miss pulled her seventh teeth yesterday. It is the first one that she managed to dislodge herself, and she was very proud.

The Tooth Mouse was also very eager, and she got R15 (a note and a R5 coin, nogals), while she was in the bath. The note stated that he was very impressed with the quality of her teeth!

----

Little Miss is attending Vacation School during the holidays. She is still eager to go to school while they are keeping them busy. With an extra payment from the parents (of course!), but it helps as we are busy saving leave for the longer vacations coming up!


What are you doing with the kids during the school holidays?

Teeth adventures - Number 4

Crisis again! Tooth number four went missing!

These "adventures" with teeth are keeping us busy, it seems!

Little Miss lets them hang and wiggle in her mouth, but won't let us come near them, or try to loosen them up.

Tooth number 4 was still there when Little Miss brushed her teeth on Tuesday night, but she discovered the open space (on top, right hand side) in her mouth while reading a book to her and her friend.

It was a total melt-down situation!
It was traumatic!

Luckily the situation was brought under control by promising to write to the Tooth Mouse, and telling him about the situation. He would definitely find the tooth where it had gone missing!

Big Sister wrote the letter, and it was placed in the slipper.
(Letter to the tooth mouse here: Babysitting two girls)

On Wednesday there was a letter back from the Tooth Mouse with a R10 paper note.
He wrote that he had found it! Jay!

Adventures with a tooth mouse

I don't know why we are being serviced by the tooth mouse and not the tooth fairy...
But somewhere a decision got us stuck with the tooth mouse, and apparently we can't have the tooth fairy coming to get the teeth now! (Says Little Missy!)

Scene 1:

The bottom tooth, Tooth number two,  has been loose for quite a while, and every now and again it was a whole upheaval when she had bitten on something. But we could not get near enough to it to pull it.
On Saturday the final straw was when there was blood. Dad tried to pull the tooth with tooth floss, but could not get in there for long enough to take it out. Mom was summoned as a last resort. The tooth came loose without even pulling on it! It was a huge relief!

Scene 2:

The tooth was put in a bag, and put underneath her cushion in her bed. I don't know why we did not tell her to put it in a shoe? There is an ad going around now about a little girl with a teeth underneath her cushion, but she only got a coupon the next day.  That must have influenced Little Miss?

Scene 3:

On Saturday afternoon while tidying up I discovered that the ants are marching to Little Miss's bed, and on closer inspection I found a dead moth underneath her cushion. I had to vacuum everything.
As I was placing the bag with teeth back underneath her cushion, I could not see the tooth and was starting to panic. But it was still there! It is just so VERY small!

Scene 4:

It was a very musical-beds kind of night, with Dad and me swapping places in Little Miss' bed. She was keeping on checking the tooth. I got out of her bed just before six. I had managed to secure the tooth and gave it to Dad. Dad was on his way to sort the tooth mouse, when Little Miss woke up. She was very upset that the tooth was gone and there was no money.

I managed to convince her that it is still very early and that we must give it some time...

In the meantime Dad had to go and search for the tooth mouse which might have been spooked. He nearly fell down the stairs when the tooth mouse ran past him, and left some coins and a little note on the stairs.

Dad could take the coins and note to Little Miss. She was much impressed with the R9 ($0.82) in coins, and immediately saved it for her trampoline that she wants in the garden. (Still don't know where we are going to put it?)

We later on found another note by the tooth mouse. (There was a bit of a misunderstanding, and Big Sister also did her part.)
It would have made it a lot easier...

Next time, we are definitely putting it in the shoe!


Do you have special holder for the tooth, or where do you put it?

Wordless Wednesday #246 - Tooth number two

The Tooth Mouse is visiting tonight

The first milk tooth is finally out!

The tooth is in her boot, with a message to the Tooth Mouse and an arrow to indicate where it us.

The teacher pulled her tooth today and stuck the tooth in her school note book with a message to the Tooth Mouse. 

Related post:

- Great excitement about a loose tooth!

Great excitement about a loose tooth!

Little Missy is extremely excited!

She has been telling me non-stop since picking her up today that her bottom front tooth ‎is loose. That is the same tooth that started to hurt yesterday and for which I had made an appointment at the dentist for tomorrow. 

I had to feel for 101 times that the tooth is getting more wiggly by the second! 

"I do not care‎ that your hand is dirty, Mom! Feel the tooth!"

I had to phone her dad immediately to tell him the news. 

But her Big Sister must not be told... She wants to surprise her with the gap in her mouth! (Be warned, Sister‎!)

Finally - fourth time lucky at the dentist!

We tried for a fourth time yesterday to get Little Missy in the dentist chair!

She promised that this time she would definitely sit and open her mouth. 

And she did!

She was at first reluctant. 

But after her big sister had her check-up and she could look over the dentist shoulder, it made all the difference...

The very capable dentist, Chantelle, did not mind at all that Little Missy was hanging over her arms and instruments. She, in fact, told her to come very close.

We have found our dentist for the Little One (and also the Big Ones)!

Little Missy had a check-up, her first teeth x-ray, and a teeth cleaning. 

All is well with her teeth for now! 

Thank goodness!

I made an Animoto for her fourth visit to the dentist:

Check out this video I made with @animoto - Fourth time lucky - at the dentist! http://t.co/nWBhPmsxKS
— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) July 2, 2013

Related post:

Third try at the dentist 

Third try at the dentist

We went for a third check-up at the dentist, after we found a dentist for the Toddler to go back to.

We had more than six months to prepare, and Mieka assured us that this time she would definitely sit in the chair.

But, she was not convinced at all when we got in the dentist office that she should sit, or open her mouth at all... Hiding behind my legs.

Again Chantelle assured us that it was normal behaviour, and that we can't expect them before they are five to actually have a successful dentist appointment.

Fingers in the mouth (feeling insecure)

She was more keen to sit in the chair after she watched the dentist work in her dad's mouth.

Fingers...

And she loved riding up and down in the chair.

Chantelle got a quick peek in her mouth, and said we could leave until next time! Her teeth does not seem to have any problems.

Luckily by now we are brushing mornings and nights, especially after a little girl told Mieka that her breath was smelly in the mornings... (That was before we brushed in the mornings because she was still sleeping when we put her in the car.)

Now I brush a sleepy girl's teeth, and she does not complain!

For now all are on track!

The Toddler has found a dentist to go back to

I made an appointment at another dentist, after the previous time when I had the traumatic dentist experience.
It was now the Toddler's second visit to a dentist...

The first time she had to sit on my lap, and she allowed the dentist to look at her teeth. This time around she was still not willing to sit in the chair, OR open her mouth!

But Chantelle, the dentist, was not phased at all...

She had a whole story prepared for toddlers like her.
She showed Mieka the chair and how it goes up and down.
She gave Mieka a pair of gloves to put on.
She used the small mirrors to show Mieka how she looks into people's mouths.
She showed Mieka how to brush her teeth and move her arms in a circle while doing it.
She showed Mieka a green fluffy monster-like toy which resembles the plaque that eats away on our teeth. (Mieka loved holding it!)
She showed her the "elephant" that sucks up all the water in her mouth, and how its sips from the cup.
She showed us the tiny toothbrush that she uses, and practised some brushing on her hands.

Mieka was totally impressed, and opened her mouth for a little bit when prompted by the reward of a small toy.
Chantelle could quickly check that there was no major issues, and reassured me that we could try again in 6 month's time... She said that she believes a visit to a dentist should not be traumatic at all! (Thank you!)

In  the meantime I need to ensure that we brush her teeth in the mornings. (Gasp! Yes, she's has only been brushing once a day...) We had been neglecting it because Mieka still sleeps when we have to leave.

This morning I tried, and a sleepy head was willing to open her mouth and let me brush...
It seems the dentist has made an impression!

Bingo! We have found a dentist!

Post Traumatic Dentist Syndrome

Today I had first hand experience of why people are afraid of the dentist. I was traumatized for 45 minutes, and it felt like hours and hours of hell...

It was the toddler’s first visit to the dentist. She did not want to sit on that big chair on her own, but it was okay when she sat on my lap. The dentist had a quick look in her mouth, and that was it. She pulled her lips in that unhappy grimace... He said that her teeth are skew and that she would probably need braces when she is older. (Poor girl, as I have been through a whole brace history with the Teen, I am definitely not looking forward to doing it again. But that’s worries for later...)

Her dad was there, and she could go home with him. Sigh of relief that her first meeting with a dentist was not as traumatic as my visit today!

I am never going to that dentist again. Mental note! I am never going to the dentist again!!

That’s when my torture started. I was only expecting a quick check-up and clean, but the doctor said he noticed two teeth that needed fixing. The next moment that needle was in his hand, and he was in my mouth, the sharp sting of the needle, and him pressing against my cheek bone with his finger... I presume it was to lessen the sting of the needle, but that needle was in my mouth for a very long time.

Then he proceeded to fix the other tooth without any anesthetics. He told me that I should tell him when it gets too uncomfortable, and then he would also numb the other side of my mouth. The thought of another needle in the other side of my mouth made me agree with him...

It was torture:
The one side of my face was numb. There was a hand, and cotton balls, and a sucking instrument, AND another instrument which smelt like steel burning in my mouth. The glare of the lights above my eyes was blinding me, and because I had to close my eyes very tightly, my contact lenses started to act up, and tears were running down my cheeks. Do you think it bothered the dentist in any way? No, no indication of that! He and his assistant were discussing her previous employers who apparently treated her very badly...

“Listen here, you torturers, I am writhing in pain here!” No, I did not say it! Why do we suck it up?

After he had finished with my teeth, the cleaning started. The torture had no end to it...They have a water-spraying instrument, but I am sure it is faulty. My whole face was sprayed, and later I was even grateful when they put a towel over my face! That last fluoride treatment is still making me feel nauseous as I am writing here.

I only got my face back four hours later. In that time I tried to eat some pizza, but it did not taste like anything... And I LOVE pizza! It means I missed a whole yummylicious pizza experience as well!

Up until now I was not afraid of the dentist, and I believed one should go on a regular basis.
My beliefs have been shattered! The dentist is THE DEVIL! I am never going to the dentist again...

I will take my toddler to a dentist, but also definitely not to this one again! My face has been violated, and I have been traumatized forever!

I am now suffering from PTDS – Post Traumatic Dentist Syndrome! (Powerwoman got a beating today!)

17 months - toddler update

Drums: Dum-Dum-Dum-Ta-Dum! The toddler is 17 months today!


Quick update: (Why it is SOOOO nice that they actually grow up!)

- The sleeping is going better and better. We have more and more nights where Mieka sleeps until 5/6 in the mornings. (Ta-Dum! Our sleep deprived nights are getting fewer and further in between!)

- She has 12 teeth. We discovered an extra four in her mouth about two weeks back. Big bonus – we did not notice teething-relate niggles! (It was probably those few many nights we did not sleep through... Who knows?)

- The breastfeeding is working well. I am planning to continue until the two year milestone, or until Mieka decides to quit. I read somewhere (on KellyMom?) that when you wait for the toddlers to wean themselves it is usually between 3-4 years of age. (Gulp!) We’ll see! I did not expect it to last as long, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. And the bonus – it is very good for them! (Pat on back! You go, Powerwoman!)

- Mieka got her MMR injection on Wednesday. She was two months overdue. She had a runny nose the whole time. I was also a bit apprehensive because of the link between MMR and autism, and because a lot of babies get sick after the injection. The teen got measles from the injection 15 years back! A doctor convinced me that it is better to get the injection sooner than later... (Thumbs crossed.)

- Mieka “told” me her first story this week. I was breastfeeding her, and she started to poke her eye, and saying something like “seer” (sore). I eventually deduced from that that she got sand in her eyes at day care.

- It is going very well at day care and the new class. She enjoys the activities and singing, and we can see the difference at home. (The “lights” are brighter!) She swings and rolls her arms while “singing”, and loves-loves building puzzles and blocks and sketching.

- She prefers spending time on our hips (big back-breaker at the moment (literally)): She gets us to take her finger, and as soon as she gets us up, she wants to be picked up while she directs us in the direction she wants to go! When she does not want to be put down, she folds in her legs, and no ways is it possible to get her to stand... (This too will pass.)

Oh, we love this little girl! She is a big pleasure in our lives! And she is growing up... Very quickly! (Big smile!)

The teen is a beautiful lady

The teen is finished with grade 10 (standard 8 for the old folks). She wrote her last exam paper the previous Thursday. Now it is only two more important years left in High School. Very soon she needs to decide what she is going to do with her life!
Scary that they grow up so quickly! I saw Yvonne’s posting on her second daughter who has also completed her grade 7, and how sad she feels about them moving on.
I have been trying to think about all the cute things that Arnia did when she was little. I know there were many, and that she was SUPER CUTE! But I can’t remember the small detail. That’s why I want to blog about Mieka and the things she do.
I remember Arnia with her thumb. She refused to take a bottle when I had to go back to work. At four months I was forced to take her off the breast to get her to drink a bottle. She started to suck her thumb after that, and it was only at ten years of age when she had to get braces that she stopped sucking her thumb. A GOOD reason why they should not suck their thumbs, but unfortunately it is not something that you can take away such as a dummy!
At one stage I painted very bad-tasting stuff I got from the chemist on her thumb while she was sleeping. She was about six or seven years at the time. She could not understand why her thumb tasted so bad, and resorted to her left thumb. I felt sorry for her when I saw how confused she looked every time she put her thumb in her mouth. It was very funny to see the expression on her face. I could not do it for too long, and caved in after only one or two nights of her struggling with her thumbs:
Right thumb goes into mouth. Horrified look on face. Inspection of the thumb. Another try. Even more horrified look. Inspection of thumb again. Left thumb into mouth. Uncomfortable sucking of the alien thumb.
“Mom, why does my thumb taste so bad?”
“I don’t know, maybe it is rotting because you sucked it rotten?”
(Shame on you, Karen! The lies we tell them. I plan to do it less with Mieka!)
The thumb also came with the blanket. My mom bought a white blanket with a blue teddy bear imprint on the blanket, and Arnia took a liking to it from the start. She used to take the blanket everywhere, and worked her thumb through a hole in the blanket to suck it. It was a very big blanket, and she used to drag it behind her. When I had to wash the blanket, I had to promise her to put it back in her hand the same evening, which I always did. The blanket was far from white, and it was torn when she finally gave it to her dog after she stopped sucking her thumb…
With hindsight: I should have worried less about the thumb and the blanket – the braces sorted out the skew teeth and peer pressure prevented her from taking the blanket to school. (Smile) Today she is a beautiful lady, and we still remind her with fondness about the thumb and her blanky!

The first 3 teeth

Got it! The 1st 3 milk teeth! It is very difficult to get Mieka to open her mouth and sit still at the same time. This photo is an accomplishment of my photographic skills.... NOT!

Day Care punishment

The woman looking after Mieka at the crèche had been fired. She was seen giving a baby a hiding. They have closed circuit television, and she was caught red-handed. My first thought was that she was caught having a smoke near a baby, or that she had left the babies on their own. This would have been worse as well. I am thankful that the crèche management reacted immediately.
But, Horrors! I can’t imagine what possesses a person to hit a baby. There is never a reason. What if she had hit Mieka as well? I hate the thought! The thought that we have to trust other people to look after our babies. Damn that I have to work! Do other people feel the same as me? Or am I just feeling down? The working mother’s guilt kicking in again?

Mieka has got her second tooth. They are coming in one after the other, because we can see them in the gums, all shiny. Luckily it did not affect her very badly. You always hear the scary stories about teeth and babies getting sick. She only has a runny nose, and the sleeping has been going better this week. Margot, it seems we are not going to need the sleep training. (Thumbs crossed!) We are also noticing that she is pivoting on her behind, and sometimes gets on her one knee when she want to reach out to something or someone. Maybe the crawling thing is still going to happen? Self-talk: RELAX, Karen, and enjoy the baby!

First tooth

Great joy! The first tooth has arrived at ten months! Mieka was taking a bite from Dries’s ice-cream when he said he felt something last night. It feels like an accomplishment, although it is something in baby’s development that we have no control over. Congratulations! Very cute! The first of firsts!
Photo: Mieka this morning, hitting the xylophone!

I have been checking Margot’s blog about her “successful” sleep training, but the inactivity makes me wonder? I hope she got it nailed, but I have a nasty suspicion that it is not as easy as that. Or else I am jealous as hell! I have had a couple of bad nights as well, with Mieka not falling off the breast as usual into a deep sleep, but battling when I put her into her bed. With hindsight, the blocked nose and most recent sleep battles most probably were linked to the first tooth.
The breast feeding is still going well, and while it is the easiest and best for the baby, I will continue. My goal is to reach the one year mark, and that is within two months already. When she is awake, it is a battle to keep her interest focused on drinking, because she wants to look everywhere, and starts to slide down to “walk”. I have to wear a necklace each day to keep her occupied. Sometimes she turns her head while she is still latched very tightly, and that is something I try to avoid! Ouch!
Petite Peu, the little bit of a dog, has been banned to stay outside. We have failed completely in our house training. She thinks she is supposed to pee and poop in the house. And she chooses the best spots, such as our bedroom carpet, or even a cushion on the floor, to make her mark! We have had enough! Two babies are too much to handle at this stage! I hope it does not signal potty training difficulties in the future?