"As significant as political, miltary,educational or religious figures may be, none compare to the impact of mothers. Their words are never fully forgotten, their touch leaves an indelible impression....the memory of their presence lasts a lifetime. I ask you who else has that kind of influence?" -Chuck Swindoll

The incredible VALUE of being a Mum!!!
TODAY as we read to our children, create experiences and fun, hold them close and tickle their toes.....there's no more important job!

Labels: motherhood

Our friend telling of her baby daughter’s arrival last week…

“She came into the world in a very fast fashion and we didn’t make it to the delivery suite…she was born in the hospital car park!!!"

Her husband stopped at the entrance of the hospital to let her out, but she said/thought (!!) she’d be right to go park with him, 3 levels up…

As i know this friend quite well, and we both see the funny side of things…couldn’t help but burst into hysterics at the situation! (Knowing of course the babies safe and well!)

The hospital crew...and an umbrella up to give her some privacy:Being wheeled to hospital after giving birth!Another of our friends made the front page of newspaper when her husband delivered their baby on their kitchen floor...
Some babies want to come out in a hurry!
I can remember the mid-wife being so fussed about finding her special pen when giving birth to no.4, and screaming at the top of my lungs; "It's coming NOW!"

Any other stories of babies making a quick or out of the ordinary entrance? Please share...

Labels: motherhood

Hoped to rediscover this one day..,thanks Karen!

Your Clothes -
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes are your regular clothes.

The Baby’s Name -
1st baby: You pore over baby-namebooks and practice pronouncing and writing combinations of all your favourites.
2nd baby: Someone has to name their kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right? It might as well be you.
3rd baby: You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your finger falls. Bimaldo? Perfect!

Preparing for the Birth -
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don’t bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn’t do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.

Babies Clothes -
1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn’s clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby’s little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can’t they?

The Dummy -
1st baby: If the dummy falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the dummy falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby’s bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Nappies -
1st baby: You change your baby’s nappy every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their nappy every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their nappy before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Worries -
1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown - you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Activities -
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out -
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home -
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn’t squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Labels: motherhood

Very cute...
Our 5 year old son has gone out with BP for daddy time: A McDonald's sundae and air hockey

Because we've a small tribe and often a busy timetable BP and i decided to take turns going out with one of our children each week.

Last week J and i went to the movies which was really nice...
Our 3 year has already planned pizza with daddy for his turn...
Miss E keen on a trip to the mall with me next week

Great times together with each child, that I'm hoping if started now will continue on easy enough into their teenage years???!

Daddy and son now home reporting on the fun they had-gotta go!

Labels: family fun, motherhood

BP doesn’t mind me saying how… we’ve been teasing him about sounding like The Grinch; ‘I hate, hate, hate, double hate…… the cat over the back fence,when the internet's slow, gardening...”

“Too many hate’s Dad” the kids say….when our 3 year old heard someone say ‘hate’; I laughed listening to him tell his brother; “That boy said the ‘S’ word!”

Sometimes cute, sometimes scary however is hearing the vocabulary (And tone) we use coming out of our children’s mouth! “O my goodness do I really sound that bad!” Our example powerful in the lives of our children; their eyes wide open, ears tuned right in…

We have ‘off’ days ...but how awesome to be a positive force (!) more times than not in front of our kids- I know, I know, the ideal, but worth working on!!! My mum can’t remember ever hearing her mother complain!

If we’re regularly heard speaking negatively about people and situations, grumping and grumbling, getting in a tizzy, sweating the small stuff…that’s what they learn and we hear back!

I don't want to be negative influence in my home.

Labels: motherhood

“How I am today with my children on a daily basis is what counts”- Elle McPherson
TODAY not tomorrow
>Giving the bestest cuddles,
>Speaking words of life,
>Interested in what interests them,
>Not so preoccupied in what I’m doing, that I miss engaging in their world
>Planning something fun just for them
>Bothering be consistent with discipline even when I can’t be bothered
>Bragging about them to others
>Calm in my reactions
>Not a nag; TRY telling them what needs be or hasn’t been done with a smile on my face! 
>Big hugs with BP in front of them
>Prepare/plan a healthy dinner and snacks
>Making home the prize-an awesome place to be
>Stopping to give them my undivided attention

Labels: motherhood

Yippee got the latest edition of ‘Parenting’ in my hot little hand today…Such a great read from cover to cover!

In the ‘Editors note’ Mary Grant putting it so well…

“…children who thrive tend to come from families where the parents have full, happy lives. Parents who have passions, friends, hobbies and make time to help others, actually give their kids a priceless foundation for life.
Merely loving our kids and making them the centre of the universe, does not give them the picture of what a satisfying life looks like”

YOU living a fulfilled and happy life gives your kids a fantastic start to life!!!!!!!!!!!

Labels: motherhood

Confessions of a not so great tooth Fairy!!!!!!!!!!

Explanation no.1 when she failed to turn up; "Perhaps she's on holiday"

Explanation no.2 on the second night we forgot (I know dreadful!) "Maybe your tooth wasn't clean enough...brush it and pop it back under your pillow

And on the third night as I'm crawling into bed... BP suddenly remembers, we'd nearly forgotten AGAIN! (Gosh I'd even wrote a reminder note) Quick smart we race to find money, writing a letter from the tooth Fairy in teeny weeny tiny handwriting "Sorry i was late i had fairy spots"

Phew! Forgetting 3 nights in a row would have been too much!

Labels: motherhood

Miss E's performance
She’s a natural, filmed yesterday for the up and coming kids DVD at church.
Her hair now cut with a fringe she’s been wanting for months

J’s imagination
Bribed a chocolate bar by Miss E to have his hair-which he’d planned on growing for 2 years, cut. Ever so handsome and full of inventive plans and contraptions for his room in our new house

Our 5 year olds first sleepover
…tonight at his good buddy Alberto’s house
I joked with him before he left; “Will you miss me?!”
Elijah’s reply; “Mummm I see you ALL the time”
…at 10pm we got the call, now tucked up in his bed!

Purr-fect
Amazed at the pictures our 3 year old is now starting to draw!

Labels: motherhood

Inspired today reading Victorias blog…

1. Quiet-time activity boxes:“I spend a lot of time figuring out different activities that the kids enjoy without any input from me, so I can do whatever I want at the same time. Quiet Time happens on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. By then they all need a break from each other and I need some QUIET. Everyone goes into their own bedrooms and comes out to swap over activities. There's many activity boxes. The stencils from the opshop have been a big hit recently. So has plasticine. Quiet Time has become so successful that it can last up to two hours if I give everyone a snack in the middle of it. I like teaching each of the kids to play on their own. At the end they make me take endless photos of what they make or set up.”

2. Doing a'Neighbourhood collage' together
3. And gorgeous Hexagon flower quilt

Thanks Victoria

Labels: motherhood

“Do you ever find in social situations that your children forget their manners? One easy way … is to prompt them on the way to an event. Help them practice what to say and explain what your expectations are… On the way home, reinforce their effort by congratulating your child for remembering to use their manners so well!” –Parents Inc

We often NEED do this… most recently in readiness for a 21st dinner, at not really a kid’s restaurant. I was on organising the venue, the owner not that sure about 4 kids setting foot on the premises!
So I laid down the drill beforehand…
At the restaurant the son who could of potentially swung from the rafters (he has that ability!) sitting still and conversing the whole night long!
In an email from mum: “They sure were good and it wouldn't have been the fun night it was without them.”

Whoah you should see (AND hear!)them at other times!

Labels: motherhood

IS NOT wasted time.”

My three year old on my knee, smelling his hair and kissing his head

Sitting an audience of one as my little boys strum their guitars and sing every song they know! (Song line “I offer devotion” sung by them “I offer commotion!”-How true is that at times!)

Leaning on the bench, chatting as the kids eat their afternoon-tea

P.S. Miss E did go to Year 5 Camp...home tonight, had a wonderful time, VERY tired!

Labels: motherhood

Okay mentioned that ‘Princess Dairies 1’ screens repeatedly in our car…and this week, ‘Cheaper By The Dozen 2’ in the house!

I rib BP because he thinks he’s not the type that cries in movies, yet remember when we went see this on big screen, looking down the row and seeing a tear roll down his cheek when Tom Baker holds his newborn grandson for the first time.
Come-on BP fess up, I think it lovely! He doesn’t mind admitting that he cried when each of our four children were born though …I was just relieved it was over, AND OUT!

And the quote for the day (Too much screen time happening here!)
Tom’s daughter to her dad;

“You taught us that there’s no way to be a perfect parent, but a million ways to be a really good one…””

As parents we will make mistakes, call the wrong shot, wonder at times what to do,or regret how events unfolded.
We're always learning...
So far from perfect, but giving the millions of ways to be a great one a really good go!

Labels: motherhood

Our 3 year old had his first car crash!!!!!!!!!

Yep, this morning getting ready for rugby and soccer he was waiting in the ute while BP rushes in to brush his teeth

BP’s in the bathroom, when I hear a lady at our front door frantically expressing (English her second language) “Your Baby, Your Baby”

What?

Looking beyond her to the road to see our 3 year olds little face in BP’s ute, which- happens-to- be- IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. My first dumbfounded reaction being (Derrr) “Why has BP parked the car on the road with our son in it?” …

“BRENDAN!!!!Our babies in your ute in the middle of the road”, me clicking and BP racing to the scene…

You guessed it… while waiting for BP, he pushed it out of gear, down went the hand break, and off rolled the ute down our drive, across the road, and SMACK into a car parked on the other side!

The trailer of BP’s ute unscathed, the other car hammered, but most importantly our 3 year old driver FINE!!!!!!!!!!!

So lucky, remembered later this morning how last night at Connect Group we really prayed a blessing and protection over our kids. We live on a fairly busy road with cars coming up and down all the time; it could have been potentially fatal. But fortunately because it didn’t, now kind of funny, BP worried that our boy might get charged for driving without a licence!

Labels: motherhood

Rebecca Woolf from Straight from the bottle comments how “parents want to read about one another’s failures. They want to say “me too” …
Wondering why not as many are comfortable admitting, as she labours to type…

“I’m a good mother. I trust my instincts and I am proud of who I am as a parent… I love that I’m not afraid to get dirty in the mud and dance around the house like a fool and I love that I can make Archer laugh with a single face. I love that I am unafraid and optimistic and patient. I love that I take Archer gallivanting around town to explore unlikely playgrounds. I think I'm positive and real and a good role model for my son and I think I'm doing a damn good job with this parenting thing.

There." She says;
"I said it.
Now why the hell were those words so hard for me to type? How come it was hard for me to admit that?
Is being happy unforgivable?
Must we hide the fact that we love being mothers or fathers, women and men? That we love being with our children …
Fulfillment and confidence and joy should not be stifled or hidden or kept secret. No one should feel embarrassed to admit they think they’re awesome: a good parent.”

TODAY especially fast approaching Mothers Day, give yourselves a break...how about as many of us as possible, no matter how young or old our kids, make a long list, beginning “I’m a good parent because…”

Come on admit it (In comments below) you ARE awesome!

Labels: motherhood

Back in the swing of things…schools resumed again and Brrrr the weathers cooling down here.

Looking forward to family cosy-up’s under blankets on the couch (No central heating) AND winter puddings, can’t resist!

Life is for living… moments to capture and memories to make.

Feeling incredibly privileged to have a house fill of children, a family. Something I think, never to be taken for granted!

Labels: motherhood

My mum and MissE at an Indian Restaurant we went to yesterday:
Still need my mum! Mum just flew out this evening …I’m sure collapsing in her chair after a marathon clean at our place today. Just moaned the other day to BP how our house was looking like a hell hole, exasperated that we never seem to get anywhere. Commented to the kids as well how I enjoy them being home during the school holidays-especially the slow-start mornings, having them guess though the two things I dislike. They knew in an instant; “The mess and fighting’ Think in the last few days I might add ‘Noise’ to the equation too!
So spoilt to have an action women mum, together the task became manageable. Thanks mum!

There’s a Proverb that says of the children of ‘a virtuous women’; “They will arise and call you blessed” When I was a girl I took my mother for granted as she slaved away so graciously for us; cleaning, cooking, ironing our clothes, providing so many fun experiences and creating an atmospherically rich home environment

It wasn’t until I ‘Arose’, grew up, married, had kids AND had to do all the washing myself!!! …that I truly appreciated what an amazing mother she is. She comes from good stock her mum/my Nan turning 80 last week. Both great examples I aspire to… although I may have skipped the cleaning gene somewhere!

Labels: motherhood

By Kidspot mum, Tessa:

"Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them….I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.

I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.”

Labels: motherhood

Made with LoveBy Kate Petty

We read this with our oldest 2 tonight!
Up until now when my kids have asked i've replied; "God took a little bit of daddy and a little bit of mummy and made you!"

Moving on a step tonight,our son, not embarrassed but more thoroughly amused at the revelation! I had introduced the topic with our daughter last year while chatting, but recently discovered this book at a friends ‘Book party’ to aid discussions!

One blurb on this book says; "the text is styled so it can be read on a number of different levels, for different age groups"

And an amazon customer review describes 'Made with Love' as
“... a wonderful, tasteful book about how babies are made... Each page presents a child asking a question; "Where did I come from?", "How did I get into your tummy?", "How did the sperm get from Dad to you?", "When did I start to look like a baby?", "Could you feel me moving inside you?", "How did you know when I was ready to be born?... etc” and the parent, answering each question with concise... easily understood words."

Labels: motherhood

“When they’re good they’re very very good but when they’re bad they’re horrid!”

My mother probably had reason or two to recite this poem about me when I was young…
And same goes for my lot!
I can say this about them today because they’ve been so ‘very, very good’ lately
BUT on a bad day are quite possibly the kids…

Fighting and bickering with each other
Running circles and jumping on people in the church foyer
With both fingers up their noses in public
Shorts back to front and barefoot at the shopping mall
Throwing a fit in the aisle next to you, or running madly up and down them
Eating dinner with their fingers, and Ooooo wiping their mouths on their clothes
Being a right little beep when visitors we probably haven’t seen in ages come over …
Sounding off, screaming or making loud Wooo noises…
AND the like…*~#!!~*

But gottta love them, and boy I do…

At the moment so love watching my little three year old at swimming lessons and the absolute joyous, ducky smile, look on his face…all going out together and knowing we’re part of each other, family! …watching my older two growing up, and the beautiful love for God and care for people they have, which is what I want for them most, gathering around the table, sharing the good times and the bad, my nearly 5 year olds face when he spots mine after school, walking up and down the road together, when they the thank me for food made or help given, hearing them say ‘I love you’ not only to us but each other too, dropping them off at school and seeing my biggest school boy walk off with his arm around his little brother, …

Could go on all day!

Labels: motherhood

Of note and interest recently has been a number of magazine and newspaper articles that detail the stress and tendencies of many mums’ and dad’s nowadays to over-parent their children
A striving to be perfect parent, and corresponding pressure to measure up, or guilt at not

I think, like most things it’s better to find your own footing and balance; endeavouring to be the best you can, but at the same time relaxing and REALLY enjoying the season you’re in with your kids….hopefully striking a healthy balance??!

As they wrapped it up in Saturday’s Herald;
“…relax…
“Do your kids feel loved?”
“Do you do the best you can?”
“WELL THAT’S OKAY”

Labels: motherhood

Labels: motherhood

We ALL went to drop him off...Our 3 year old eventually telling us to "GO"
-No tears there!

At home now wishing i could be a fly on the wall
My babies growing up!

Labels: motherhood

Driving home,feeling bad about my reaction this morning

Was feeling grrrrrrrr at BP for a conversation that had transpired in the car (Just rang him and ASKED for an apology!!!)
In the midst of my huff at him though…
When MissE offered me a sweet and innocence suggestion as what I could do with the little two while they’re at summer camp…kinda snapped back at her :(
It wasn’t major but…
Got me thinking how our reaction towards the kids can sometimes come out of our own frustration or mood??!

Something to be mindful of and keep in check….it being unduly, UNFAIR that they become recipients of our tense moments!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 1/17/2007 11:49:00 AM

Labels: motherhood

Changing the tune

A great tip i heard years ago...
When the kids have a spat, spoken an unkind word or temperatures are rising… stop them mid course (before the next world war) to say 5 things they like about the other

Used today...
Inside as it rained and poured, tempers got in the way of the ‘Levi Live’ show they were putting on (There’s always a show!)
So bought them to a halt to say 5 things they like about the other…
Surprised how quickly the mood turned into laughter and hugs

Sometimes on instructions to say 5 things they’ll...

-Start off with a gruff: “I like it when YOU’RE KIND to me”

-Try a quick- fire list
"I love your ears,I love your nose,I love your mouth, I love your hair, I love your neck”(Now if they name a physical feature they have to tack on a why they like it i.e.” I love your eyes BECAUSE they’re beautiful”....or

-say something funny like yesterdays:” I love the 2 holes at the end of your nose”

Labels: motherhood

So cool going back to our home church yesterday and seeing those we went to youth group with(years and years ago)now with little families of their own

Sitting there enjoying the Christmas concert last night i felt a certain warmness, as my 3 year old sat on my lap!!!
Yep my supposedly toilet trained little boy saturated the both of us
Blah...made a quick exit out of there, rushed home to change our clothes and back in time to pick the troops up.
Such a blessing;(Not the wee!)one of our old time friends Richard has lent us a van for the time we're here-Yay

All congregated now at S and K's about to load into cars and head down to Lake Rotoiti for the week

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 12/11/2006 07:38:00 AM

Labels: motherhood

After an a full-on weekend and exercise class this morning, chilled this afternoon finishing Ian Grants book; Growing Great Boys.
Highly, HIGHLY recommend it whether you have 1 boy or 6 like a family at the kid’s school!
Ian is one of NZ’s best known and respected experts on parenting and just a lovely man…you know when you have heard an authors voice before how can hear them speaking as you read!

Talking of growing boys...Our 4 year old's discussion often turns to the man he's going to be when he grows up.
During such a conversation the other day, his younger brother added; “When I grow up I going to be a horse”...ahhh i love being a mum!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 11/13/2006 02:49:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Recently read in a herald article...of a woman bumping into an old friend,AND her reaction as the friend begins complaining of the Relevance deprivation she now felt as a mum…

“ What are you talking about?" I half-screamed, gesturing wildly to the angel in the pram. "Look! Look! You’re raising a child. That’s the most relevant thing a human being can do! When did that get downgraded? I know there are chores involved in being a mother, but motherhood isn’t a chore, is it? It’s the single most important thing a person can do. Without it, no civilisation."

A great reminder TODAY that ‘Motherhood’ in terms of significance DOES NOT run a poor second to career and climbing the ladder of success … but is without doubt one of the most worthwhile and rewarding things you will EVER do!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 10/31/2006 01:14:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Its school holidays and are really enjoying the mornings we don’t have to get up and go anywhere!

Giving the kids credit…they are actually really good little players.
I often amuse myself listening in on their games…
A school session seems be taking place most days; the older two in a class/bedroom each teaching their pupil /younger sibling -lucky there’s enough to go around! The students even running messages from teacher to teacher

As I’ve a rowdy lot (Those who know us nodding their heads) it’s been said how they could be anything less with BP and I as their parents…
At home or even if we’ve been out and about, 1-3pm as been designated as ‘QUIET TIME’!!
After breakfast a TV/computer fast begins until 1pm when Levi goes down for a nap

Working great means:
They’re ALL ‘available’ to play with each other
Are ALL quiet at the same time
And I’m able lap up ALL 2 hours of peace…READY to do something fun with them at 3!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 10/06/2006 11:15:00 AM

Labels: motherhood

Each week my inbox gladly recieves 'Hot tips' from Parents Inc ;a wonderful New Zealand organisation in that "Zeros in on raising great kids"
It's free advise you can easily subcribe to by clicking the above link, and then "Register for weekly Hot Tips" at the top right corner of their site

A sample 'Hot Tip':

"Inspire your children with stories and people.
Look for a variety of ways to inspire your family.

Invite discussions about outstanding people who have contributed to the world - Martin Luther King, Louis Pasteur, Mother Theresa, Ben Carson (Gifted Hands and Think Big), Nelson Mandela, Lance Armstrong. Glean the reasons behind their success.
Take your children to concerts and plays and listen to great music.

Go to the museum. Visit art galleries. Extend their world and your own."

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 9/26/2006 04:29:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Now it’s in the past I guess I can tell!

Poor Levi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week…

Firstly I received a knock on my door. I recognised the woman as the cleaner at school…she too recognises me uttering a shocked “Ohhhh, its you”
She informed me that although now inside, moments before Levi had been out playing near the road.
Ahhhhh! Honesty I didn’t know he can now open the locked screen door.

A few days later driving home after picking up Elijah from preschool…
He starts fussing;
Elijah: “MUM,MuMMM we forgot, MuMMMM, we forgot…”
Me: “Elijah DON’T WORRY about your drink bottle we’ll get it tomorrow, just quiet down”
Elijah: “No mum NOT the drink bottle…you forgot Levi!!!
Again “Ahhhhhhhh!”
Slam on the brakes…look back towards the school to see Elijah’s teacher coming out of the school gates holding Levi

Any other delinquent mum stories out there??? Please tell

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 9/11/2006 09:23:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Am very much a proud mum!

Ella and Jamin both performed today in the matinee and tonight to a crammed full house in “That’s entertainment” their school show. The production took the audience on a journey from black and white silent movies, right through to action and animation

Ella performed in her class Western performance of ‘The Good The Bad and The Ugly’
In the Drama groups takes on “Gone with the Wind”
And the dance groups performance of High School Musical: “We’re all in this together” (Which has been played a zillion times in our house!)

She really shines on stage; so joyous, and loving every moment of it!

Was also sooooooo proud of Jamin. He was selected to deliver a speech about “Singing in the rain” on stage BY HIMSELF to a packed house, and introduce his class item
I was on the edge of my seat.He was so confident, doing so well...can't help BUT gush!…

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 9/07/2006 11:09:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Levi is so talkative at the moment…chat, chat chat, chat CHAT.

Stopping for a lonnnnggg conversation with him yesterday I realised that he’s actually a lot more up with the play than I give him credit for!
We still think he’s the baby around here

A few Levi-isms captured today:

“My cup in the dish-whopper”(Washer)

“I wipe my bobbin” (Bottom)

“Got my pappy” (Nappy)

“I boub (good) boy”

“Mum where’s your bone” (Phone)

“Daddy gone na-niii’s on the cow” (Couch)

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 8/19/2006 06:24:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Every now and then I’ll quietly slip a little note in my school kid’s lunch boxes telling them:

“You’re awesome”
“I thank God for giving me a gift as wonderful as you”
“Thanks for being so kind to your brother”

Yesterday while grocery shopping I spotted these novel little chocolates: (At Harris Farms if you’re in Australia).
Popped one each into the kid’s lunch boxes today…

And saved a message or two for some sweet talk at the side of BPs coffee!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 8/14/2006 10:17:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

"As the parent of an adult, I can tell you that the time your children are young is really very short – really!” Virginia Stiles
So true, I can’t believe our oldest (Pictured above) will be 10 next year-already!
It makes me more aware that TODAY IS THE DAY to maximize every opportunity as ‘Mum’. I won’t always get it right but…
If I waited until I FELT like it,or aren't too busy... I just may miss the opportunity or hardly ever:

Play soccer with the kids in the yard,give my whole attention when they’re talking to me,get down and play their games,show interest in what they’re into
have their friends over to play,properly train and discipline them,sing silly songs in the car,take a leisurely walk hand in hand,go crazy and laugh until our sides hurt,devise fun and adventure,create a warm loving atmosphere....
And the like…

I really don’t want to turn down or keep putting off because “I don’t feel like it today” or “I’m too busy now”…Although the kids need learn to respect when we can’t and not be demanding!
But perhaps are more conscious that there need be more occasions where “I can”, more time where my attention is undividedly theirs and I’m fully tuned into their little worlds. By choice!

For time truly DOES fly...and my children won’t wait.

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 8/08/2006 09:54:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

July 22 2006

Yesterday in particular I felt like I’m not handling my children very well…they’re out of hand!

BP’s been full on day and night with work for the last month and I’ve been flying solo a lot, AND…

Don’t have eyes in the back of my head, nor enough arms and legs to:
Cook dinner,
Pull-up this one for the way they’re speaking,
Attend to the squabbling two down the hall,
Let alone notice master 2 year old climbing the cupboards to get the car-keys (which we then have to turn the house upside down trying to find)…
ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

Plus been a tad rundown and lacking the energy I normally NEED to hold the fort together…

Consequentially something’s gotta give and it seems proper behaviour management and calmness under fire has taken a backseat

As the younger two flew off the handle yesterday… BP watching on from a work phone call later asked “Why did you let them get away with that??”
Me: “Honestly I’ve not the strength left to cope with them”

Lucky for me BP took them off with him in the truck for the afternoon, while I soaked and recuperated in the tub…
And today instead of coming home on auto-pilot to do the washing while my son was at a party…took a u-turn to the shops BY MYSELF and happily meandered for a couple of hours

I love being with my kids but all the signs (Which I should of read sooner) pointed to the need to pay some attention to me. I need a privilege card too!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 7/22/2006 02:48:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

July 17th 2006

Samantha, our ‘Aunties and Uncles’ girl came over today for a play…
Carrying around a folder all day with this page inside:
“HOW TO REALLY LOVE A CHILD
Be there. Say yes as often as possible. Let them bang on pots and pans. If they’re unlovable, love yourself. Realise how important it is to be a child. Read books out loud with joy. Invent pleasures together. Remember how really small they are. Giggle a lot. Surprise them. Say no when necessary. Teach feelings. Heal your own inner child. Learn about parenting. Hug trees together. Make loving safe. Bake a cake and eat it with no hands. Plan to build a rocket ship. Imagine yourself magic. Make a lot of forts with blankets. Let your angel fly. Reveal your dreams. Search out the positive… Keep the gleam in your eye. Encourage being silly. Plant licorice in your garden. Stop yelling. Express your love a lot. Speak kindly. Handle with care.
CHILDREN ARE MIRACULOUS”

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 7/17/2006 07:57:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

July 9th 2006

I meant to do my own version of this ALL last term… sick of the sound of my own voice repeating the same instructions over and over again…and wanting the kids to be a bit more self- directed/motivated.

Thought only this morning I must draw up some kind of chart in preparation for term three,
And then-o joy…logged onto kiddley tonight and followed their lead to a site where they draw up the charts for you; I only needed pick and choose, fill in a few gaps and print…easy, pretty much effortless and now DONE-like it!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 7/09/2006 09:27:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

June 26th 2006

I had a moment…
Sitting at the movies on Saturday (We went to see ‘Over the hedge’),my eyes turned from the screen for a few moment to look down the row at my kids little faces watching the movie and BP at the other end with Levi snuggled on his lap
Felt a gushy "Awwwwww"
And “Wow all these children are ours!”

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 6/26/2006 11:10:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

June 17th 2006

Yesterday BP and I with our cuppa’s in hand were browsing through a book shop as we sipped.
Spotting some pretty cards and trinkets I suggested to BP he buy a card and a little something to surprise Ella
Thinking it a great idea too he scanned through the pretty cards with butterflies, glitter etc… eventually declaring “Found one” as he pulled out a card with two bulgy eyed fish!
He bought a cutesy pink pen inscribed with “You bring the party wherever you go” and at home with a play on the word “Eye”, wrote at length a beautiful card for Ella …
Asking too; “‘Eye’ was wondering if you and ‘Eye’ could go on a special date sometime.”

Ella came home thrilled to find the card, running to find her daddy, stressing; “‘EYE’ would love to, thanks Daddy!”

And for their special date the two of them are going ice-skating…

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 6/17/2006 11:51:00 AM

Labels: motherhood

June 2nd 2006

Scenario:

This morning Ella drops a splodge of cat food on the floor

Ella: “Eeeeeeeekkkkkk, OOOooooooooo; I’m not cleaning up that!”

The damsel in distress then taking no time at all to work out ‘tactic’, as she cries out:
“I NEED a superhero”

Immediately I hear the charging feet of a valiant Master 4 and 7 pounding down the hallway… on a mission to save the day; “Don’t worry Ella, we’ll do it” …said o so very manly

I’m thinking how cute from where I am making the bed…
Naturally presuming (Of course) that my superhero sons were mopping it up with a cloth, thinking nothing of the sound of a running tap
UNTIL I turned up on the scene and discovered one very flooded kitchen and
…the superhero’s about to tip yet another bucket of water onto the floor

“NOooo!”

Like the time they cleaned the car with the pot scourer how could I get mad… only calmly suggesting a preferable alternative, should they ever be called to a Cat Food Cleaning Rescue again

My ‘adorable heroes’ (Are those two words supposed to go together?!) then without prompting grabbed old towels to soak up the water…
And as I mopped… thought to myself; yeah it’s so true that our little boys (And grown men!) just want to be heroes

BP and I once read a small book for dads by John Eldrudge called"You have what it takes:what every Father needs to hear"

In it he says:

“Every little boy is asking one basic question.
You notice it in nearly everything he does. “
”Every boy wants to be a hero…
He wants to know: Do I have what it takes?”

“Every little girl is asking one basic question too…
’Am I lovely?”

He continues
Fathering made simple:
“Answer “Yes you have what it takes,” or “Yes you are lovely”
Answer it a thousand times in a thousand ways over the course of your son’s or daughters life, and you will have done your job

We could debate whether his theory is true or not… but so far it’s proving true around here!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 6/02/2006 10:41:00 AM

Labels: motherhood

May 15th 2006Mothers day at church yesterday we received these groovy socks…mine are the green striped, Ella’s the pink (She’s a bit under the weather, so sat in with us)
If look closer you’ll see writing (In part) on the bottom which reads “Feel free to pamper me”
Hint, hint!

During Bobbie Housten's great message which she mentioned her tendency to say silly things and err on the grandiose in expressing love to her children;
i.e.” I love you so much it hurts”
It was then cute as she read recent notes from her now grown children with their silly, out there, grand words of love for her…
Such as:
“I love you more than sticky date pudding…with ice-cream and that’s a lot!”
“I love you with all the love in the world”
…etc, etc…can’t remember them all…but were VERY sweet!

Reminds me of Big Nutbrown Hare and little Nutbrown Hare in "Guess how much I love you"Seen it? Such a lovely book and gift!
We often quote a line out of it “I love you right up to the moon and back”

…but now inspired will also add an “I love you more than the last piece of chocolate melting in my mouth….or hot apple crumble and ice-cream,
and the like too!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 5/15/2006 12:17:00 PM

Labels: motherhood

Levi last Saturday and TODAY;
Sporting his first offical haircut


Off the record: the hack job he recieved from his
then 3 year old brother at the beginning of the year;
How he got him to sit still we do not know?

Was thinking the other day how we still call him 'Bubba',
when in reality he's now so much more a little boy.
He knows it too!
Yesterday when i called him 'Bubba'...he relied with some force in his voice;
"I Bee-vi NOT bubba"
And an "I love you Bubba" when putting him down for an afternoon nap
was met with; "I uv oo Bee-vi, NOT Bubba"

My babies growing up
Don't tell him but i think he'll always be our bubba round here!!!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 5/13/2006 10:04:00 AM

Labels: motherhood

3rd May 2006

-O’s mum asked “Seriously - how do you survive 4 hours in the car with 4 children, on your own, there and back?????”
-Answer: Bribery! I dangled 4 delicious Wonka bars in front of there noses and informed them they’re all yours, WHEN you wake up!
They snuggled into their pillows and all went straight to sleep-YES!

Funny too: during our time away we loaded into cars and went on a cool dirt track mountain drive. My passengers were all kids-6 of em …and it seemed the higher up the mountain we climbed the louder their volume got also.
Desperate for a moment’s peace I started a "Would you all be quiet!" game, chanting:
“Silence in the court the monkey wants to talk, speak up monkey, laugh donkey”
It worked a trick...they got into it big time,the longest period of silence lasting a whole 12 minutes!

On the way back when talk turned to toilets (You know butts, poo, etc!!!)I also pulled these out these games from years gone by to help them REFOCUS!

-CAR COUNT: First one to spot 10 cars in the colour appointed for them to spy out-white won

-“DA da da da DA”
All sing the above and then take turns adding a line to make the song/story build:
ie All: “DA da da da DA” Then 1st person: “On a hot summers night”
All: “DA da da da DA” …next person “Little Johnny got a fright”
All: “DA da da da DA” …and the next: “He was walking outside…”
All: “DA da da da DA” …AND so on…

-WHEN I WENT CAMPING I PACKED…” A version of the golden oldie memory game where each person rattles off what’s been packed and then adds another item i.e. “When I went camping I packed marshmallows, matches, my toy T-Rex… AND (Their addition) my yellow pillow”
…it’s then the next persons turn to then recite the list by memory and pack something else

Enough fun to take us all the way back to base camp!

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Posted by bestlife to motherhood at 5/03/2006 12:35:00 PM

Labels: motherhood