10 things ….

Well I thought the days of this blog were over … for various reasons I started doubting its place in my world and that of other's, but then a good friend told me she enjoyed my posts because they made her laugh - and if there is one thing I like to do its make people laugh (either at or with me). So E … this one's for you.

Lists - I always write them - usually for mundane items, but this one may be slightly more interesting than milk, bread, toilet paper …

10 things people don't generally tell you about kids and motherhood

1: Trying to understand your children as their personality develops is like visiting another planet on a daily basis.
2: Anxiety is your new best friend.
3: Being late, dishevelled and wearing the same thing all the time is the only image you seem to maintain with ease.
4: Do not under any circumstances enter a building (home, shop, toilet block) with full length mirrors EVER.
5: The amount of repetitive chanting you do, e.g,  'get dressed now' 'get dressed now' 'get dressed now' 'get dressed now' 'get dressed now', would put a Tibetan monk to shame.
6: Alcohol is the only access pass to adulthood that you've got left.  
7: 'Failure to thrive' is not a condition only newborns experience.
8: Learn how to cook colourless, flavourless yet nutritionally packed meals in 10 minutes or less.
9: Forensic scientists should employ children who are fussy eaters.
10. Despite (or maybe because of) all of the above - your children will still be the last thing you think about at night (with fondness maybe even an aching heart), and the first thing you think about when you wake up, and I am guessing it will be that way for the rest of my days.

Facing one's fears

Being a mother of 2 young children I have many fears to face - some worse than others - and some very unrealistic and the cause of great laughter to friends with older children - but all very real concerns for me - especially if they are events, experiences that haven't actually happened ... but could ! It seems I spend a lot of time worrying about those things that haven't happened and don't even look like happening ....but could ... seriously ! 
But one of the fears I have known could and will happen, and I have spent a lot of energy worrying about when it will, is ..... Head Lice. Even the thought of it used to make me feel queasy - as a child I never had this issue, and so I have (foolishly) led myself to believe that only dirty and nasty kids get lice - and it was only when I started meeting really nice (and seemingly clean) people that I realised how deluded I had been, and, in fact, dirty and nasty people (well perhaps just dirty), are the LEAST likely to get those damn critters. 

So keeping in mind all this anxiety, plus the fact that I still deluded myself into believing only Kids get it, one can only imagine the horror and humiliation when I found myself sitting in the chair at my slightly glamorous hair dresser (another delusional issue in my life), and was informed that I had HEAD LICE !!!!!!    Apart from nearly throwing up on the slightly glamour hairdresser (who was now treating me like a leper), I realised I had finally crossed the threshold - it had happened. Thoughts in my head went a bit like this for the next 20 minutes: How, why, when, why, how, why, shit ...what now, why, when, how, OMG what do I do, how, why, when, OMG I'm dirty and nasty ....

The postscript to this story is probably one familiar to those who have been there - done that - I've spent half a mortgage at the chemist, have drained the earth's water resources due to the amount of washing, and have taken on monkey-like qualities with my children (who have NOT got the critters - Oh the irony!)

The other postscript is this ... like many things with pregnancy, birthing and now parenting - the things you spend so long worrying about  - aren't always as bad as you thought they were going to be - humiliating perhaps - but just part of the crap that you find yourself doing, that you never really thought you would have to deal with - but you do - and as weird as this sounds - there is a sort of strength to be had from that - and a lesson that perhaps we should worry less about what might happen, and know that if it does - we are probably going to manage and be ok. 

BFF

One of the things I have learnt over the years is the necessity of really meaningful friendship, and the trust and acceptance really good friends provide, and the important role they play - both in good times and bad.

Last weekend I was lucky enough to jump on a plane and be with two of my dearest and oldest friends in a seaside location where we just relaxed, laughed and shared all the details of our lives that we never have the time to do. We all achieved organisational miracles to be able to leave our families, and were all more than ready to only have ourselves to worry about and to just be us.

We’ve done this before and have committed to making it an annual event because we all need it – not just the time out, but also the nourishment we get from our friendship and being with each other. We all have friends in different places that are associated with the different stages of our lives and our children’s lives. But the reality is that try as we might, these people can never really know us like we know each other.  More than 25 years of friendship means all the laughs, secrets, tragedies, heartache, embarrassing moments and personal growth and change that we have shared has given us something special, that is very unique and which we all cherish.

Last weekend is my way of making sure I never lose that precious gift and always make time for it, so that I will always have these girls in my life …for as long as that life exists.

  

The Summer Holidays ...and our love affair with the WA Southern Coast

Packed the car with as many essentials as we could - a lot of surf craft, sand toys, books, chairs, food and not much else (a few shorts and swimmers), said goodbye to the heat and headed south with a lot of anticipation and excitement about our two week pilgrimage to just some of the many beautiful spots along the great southern coast of WA. We were not disappointed...

There were many beaches where it was just us

Lots of time to just float around

Many adventures in the kayak and the boards

Lots of sand castles and holes were built

Lots of hanging in the big trees and beautiful bush

Lots of blueberries were picked and eaten

Lots of rock climbing and exploring

and time to think

I've only known these places for a short time but its got under my skin.  I feel so blessed that I can share these experiences, this incredible unspoilt landscape with my children and enable them to have this as their summer holiday experience and memories ....