Saturday, March 29, 2014

Mothers' Day

Little man, just before bed, "just one more sleep Mum and then it's your special day" closely followed by a hand clap, his and mine x

Friday, February 7, 2014

When I grow up

What is wrong with adults? Why do we have to make an immediate assumption about what children will do 'when they grow up'? Why can't we just let them 'be kids'.

Stroke a dog and you'll grow up 'to be a vet'
Show an interest in lego and you're an engineer in the making
Ask to stir the gravy = "next Jamie Oliver"
Pick up a leaf = botanist or better still 'Attenborough'
Skip = gold winning olympic gymnast
Run - gold winning sprinter
Observation on culture or opinion on right or wrong = next prime minister

Seriously,  is this necessary, just look at their faces when you say this, they think we're all mental.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

True love's kiss

The boy has recently developed a fascination and passion for lego which warms my heart immensely. He'll sit for hours building cars, planes, towers, diving boards, the possibilities are endless. Tonight he built a treasure chest so I supplied the treasure (an old heart shaped pendant from a garish blue necklace). It got us onto the subject of love. He told me wisely that love should be looked after which is why he'd put it in a lego chest with a secret button that only he knew the code to. I said he was right but that love should also be shared at which point I gave him an impromptu kiss and hug. After I let go and tucked him in he told me it had been a 'true love kiss'. Admittedly this was a line stolen from our fav Disney film (Frozen) but the sentiment was that I'd really meant it. At last he believed and maybe even felt that my love was real. 

The small act of building stuff out of little pieces of plastic has helped him unlock or allow himself to acknowledge and accept that genuine act of love and affection. Funny how things work out huh.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Animal instinct


There are at least three separate subjects I would have loved to have written about today but this short note will hopefully go some way to explain the patience and love two members of our family have displayed to our three new additions since their arrival 6 months ago. 

Coco and Ned are our much loved dogs. They've endured no end of turbulence and some extreme violence (scissors and tail) since June. Much like us they've rolled their eyes and looked longingly at each other trying to remember what life as like before the tornado struck but much like us, their love is unfaltering. 

Their instinct has also proved immensely helpful. There is no better barometer of child ill-health in our house than a chocolate lab. Tonight, eager to get an early night, I searched the house for the dogs so I could get them out for their last pit stop. One was not in her usual spots. I found her on middle tiddles bed. Immediately I ask her to move, she doesn't, I try and shift her, she's stuck like glue, only then do I hear the raspy sound of a boy full of snuffles and the distinctive murmurs of an incoming cold. She's detected every sniffle since the day they arrived and has found her way through the house and into their bedroom at even the slightest off-colour day or night. 

The night that little 'un came down with croup she literally cemented herself to the floor of her bedroom before we had even a suspicion she was poorly. It was only four hours later when the little tiddler woke herself up with a bark so ferocious I literally didn't know what to do that we realised why she had so adamantly not wanted to leave her side.

I wasn't the best Mum today. One thing after another meant that I wasn't as patient as I later wished I could have been. We all have plenty of days like this but it doesn't make it easy so I guess it's good to know that when my time is being taken up looking after one, the pups are always looking out for the others.


Wednesday, January 15, 2014

It's true

It's true, most of the people who blog are the ones who have the shittest time (or so I am told). I suddenly realised I too am guilty of only putting pen to paper when the shit has hit the fan. The truth of my adoption journey so far (6 months) is that a huge amount of it has been magic. Each school holiday has been a milestone. Summer was mental in more ways that one and nearly left me in an asylum. Half term went better, even if we did have our first big sickness (croup). Ever heard a seal bark, me neither until October 2013.
Christmas was a revelation, we expected the worst and actually it turned out great. Guards were then let down, battle attire came off (ours), we realised we couldn't recount the last bite, spit, punch, tail snip, kick. Admittedly the car got keyed again but that was down to over zealous wand work en route to Harry Potter Land (forgiven). Everyone smiled (at least once), dinner was eaten, presents were unwrapped and chocolate was shared. Seriously, we even survived the in-laws and out-laws in the same room.
Nativity didn't go terribly, one lasted 30 seconds, another 3 minutes but in better news, the one least likely to survive a public show of confidence sang her heart out and did a dance routine.
Teachers have unfortunately come, gone and slipped a disk but we've coped with that too. Mummy was a dinner lady but that's another story and all the while we've ticked along.
Friendships are formed, if not for all them, for one and that's a start.
Talking of friends I went to ones' for dinner the other night and noticed a sign in her kitchen, it read "Don't forget, to the outside world, we're just a normal, happy family', I laughed so hard I almost forgot to put it on my wishlist.
x