My not-so-secret addiction...

My dear friend Larissa Dunlop (who is also my husband's aunty) is due to have a baby boy in 3 weeks time and she wanted to get some serious scrapbooking done before the baby comes.  Actually, we were looking for any old excuse to get together and devote an entire weekend (minus the Sabbath) to a creative weekend of indulging our passion.  The weekend almost didn't happen, with a scare from her end but all is well and we were thrilled to go ahead with it.

We LOVE to scrapbook and we have formed a firm friendship since I joined her family 7 and 1/2 years ago.  It was a delightful weekend and I felt privileged to be sharing her last moments before baby #2 arrives.  She is a very special woman and inspires me daily.  

I had a goal of 8 layouts for the weekend and completed 6 and sketched 1 so not too shabby!  We had burgers at Grill'd on Friday night then a cafe breakfast Saturday morning in the swish end of the Valley.  There was laughter, scrapping, fine foods and drinks and wonderful memories made!

Thanks to a wonderful husband and fabulous in-laws who helped looked after the boys so I could have this experience.  I think I truly am spoilt....

Anyways - here's what I did this weekend.  

Cairns kid-free!!

(These are in chronological order form the bottom up! I couldn't be bothered rearranging them..)

Our trip was so much fun!  My only disappointment was my inability to sleep in!  With children who wake at 5.30am everyday I was really looking forward to sleeping in but my body wouldn't cooperate.  And what's with not being able to get an uninterrupted night's sleep in hotel rooms?? Even when they are very comfy beds.  I just don't get it.  I guess there's nothing like your own bed!  I have no problems at home.  Once my head hits the pillow I am literally out in seconds.

Hit the ground running

We arrived back from Cairns today.  And I'm sorry to report, we've hit reality hard.  Oh, why can't life be just one long holiday?  Will the eternities be like that?  

Anyway, we had a lovely time and when I have a little more energy I'll report on our fabulous trip in the midst of Cyclone Hamish and post some pics.

Happy to report that the kids were fine!  Happy even, and didn't miss me at all!  In total honesty, I thought about them a lot but I didn't miss them.  Am I a horrible mother??  

I was definitely ready to come today and see them - eager actually.  And when I saw them and hugged them at the airport I felt that familiar lump form in the throat.  All is well in my world again....

Summer Lovin'

I'm singing the song in my head!!!  On Wednesday hubby and I are off to Cairns for one whole week of child-free enjoyment!!  I'm not particularly thrilled about being away from the boys for so long but am definitely looking forward to relaxing and going out at night, going places without a huge bag of snacks, drinks and pram etc., of eating in restaurants and SLEEPING IN!!!  I am truly excited about rejuvenating our relationship and really just having a BLAST!  We're going all out, we're going to enjoy ourselves and did I mention relax?

Now, any suggestions for my separation anxiety?  Will my 18mth-old forget who I am?  Will he cry everyday for me?  They are going to stay with my parents who live a 5-minute walk from either Dicky or Moffat beach and I know deep down that they will keep them so busy with outings to the beach or park, swimming in their pool, treats and walking that they will hardly get chance to miss me but I still worry. I'll be ok once I get there, I'm sure!

The measure of a successful mother

Today's post is deep and thought-provoking.  I feel nervous posting this!  But here goes....

For some unknown reason I've been thinking about this topic on and off all week.  I love being a mother.  I fill fulfilled as a mother.  From the moment I brought Lachlan home from hospital I felt at peace - like I'd finally found my purpose.  I felt 'this was the role for me'.  I don't want to imagine the day when I'll have no babies at home during the day or heaven forbid, when they all leave home :( boo hoo... (This may well be because my boys are only 3 and 18mths and I haven't got totally sick of playdough, teddy bear's picnics and playing at the park.)

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't find motherhood easy, and it certainly has not been without it's horrendous days full of screaming and crying from mother and children alike; and of course I crave child-free time (on a frequent-basis) and find the constantness of motherhood a little annoying at times - especially the days when 2 boys follow you to the toliet and hang off your legs all day.  I could recount hundreds of moments that fall into that category of 'annoying/ aggravating moments that accompany motherhood'.  But that's not the mood I'm in - today I'm in the "I appreciate all the blessings that come with motherhood" mood.    

Anyway, to get to the point, after having a few discussions with other mothers this week about various topics, I got to thinking: What makes a successful parent?  How does one measure the success of a mother?    Is it the number of activities you take your children to?  Is it the number of children you choose to have?  Because, surely you must a great mother if you have lots of children. right?  Is it measured by the number of tantrums your child throws out in public?  (If this is it, I scored very low at the library on Tuesday when Lachlan screamed at the top of his lungs in 3 seperate tantrums all in the space of 5 minutes...)  Is it measured by the brand of clothes you dress your children in?  Is it measured by your children's skill levels?  Is it measured by the number of toys your child owns?  Are you a successful parent if your children excel academically or in any other chosen area?  Is it measured by the contents of the lunchbox you pack? (Come on, you've all looked at those pristine tupperware boxes filled with scrumptious homemade healthy snacks and cursed the mother who managed to accomplish this and is bouncing around in a fresh white linen dress and perfectly blowdryed hairdo to boot.  No? really must just be me with a terrible problem then.)  Is it measured by the person your child chooses to marry?  Or whether they marry in the temple?  Is it the number of kisses they give you at bedtime?    

I don't have the answer, but offer a thought.  As mothers, we compare ourselves all the time.  (don't we?)  For what?  Perhaps in search of feeling like a successful mother - of building our self-esteem and seeking some sort of credit for our work.  But at the cost of making others feel inadequate?  At the cost of talking so much about how good we are or how wonderful our children are, to the extent that other mothers question their abilities and self-worth?  Would it not be better to boost, encourage and build each other up, sharing laughs and crying about our children without judgement?    

We are all individuals.  We all have different trials, find different things hard or easy.  We all have different children.  I believe there are no perfect rules.  What works for one mother doesn't work for another, just as one set of rules works for one child, but won't for another.  A mother has to do what works for her, and her family.  Some mothers are calm, some extroverted; some mothers are crafty, some are not; some mothers have clear homes with apparent ease, some have crumbs on the carpet.  But all mothers LOVE.  We have to forget the media's image of 'the perfect mother who has it all'.  We have to erase the pedastal we have in our mind of who we want to be like - for that person has troubles and worries too that we just don't know about.  We have to stop counting and start sharing.  Let your guard down once in a while and share with a friend what you really feel.  

So today I congratulate all mothers out there and particularly my friends, who do their job.  That is an accomplishment in itself - to just be a mother day in, day out.  I admire each and every one of you for the individual characteristics you have.  You are all successful mothers in my eyes because you love your children and do what's best for them.  That is all we can do - we can only do the best we can and make choices for our own family, and try a little harder each day.  That will be different for every mother out there.  And I am learning that that is ok.  In fact that is perfect - how else would we learn and grow, if we weren't all different and didn't have varying qualities to share?  So thankyou to all you very special and successful mothers who teach me things everyday.  Thankyou for your friendship and love and support.  Thankyou for allowing me to realise that I have faults.  Thankyou for being my friend.

(Please note, this post is my thoughts and definitely NOT directed at anybody else except me.  I wanted to express my thoughts and thought you may enjoy reading them too.  I think I've always fancied myself as a bit of a writer (I take after my dad) and have found a blog as an outlet.  There was absolutely no offence intended and I hope none was taken.) 

Would love to hear your thoughts too - perhaps I've totally missed the mark!  XX

I can't believe it's February already...

I've given up trying to make up the time I've missed by not blogging since last November....  I can't remember Christmas now anyway and really, do you care now that we are into February of 2009???  

Instead, I'll share the top 10 things that made me happy in January:

1.  I now have a clean, and stylish lounge room filled with gorgeous photos of our family.  -  thanks to my good friend Catherine for the many hours of holding frames up and redesigning me!!

2.  In January alone, I have already completed 2 double layouts and 5 single pages - I'm scrapbooking mad at the moment!

3.  We held our young women's planning sleepover and have the years' activities set.

4.  I finally got to the bottom of Hayden's ongoing disgusting bowel motions, and fixed it.

5.  I have finally come to terms with Hayden's official status of being 'underweight'.  I'm not doing anything wrong and he is healthy!!  Thanks Dr Forbes.

6.  Lazy afternoons spent with family.

7.  I haven't changed wet sheets after naptime for the whole month (I think....)

8.  Swimming at Southbank - boy, I can't get enough of that place!

9.  Realising I have some very special friends who love me!

10.  hmmm....... I can't think..  But I must admit that I've had a delightful time with my children this month.  One of my mummy goals this year is to spend more one-on-one time with each of them.  I've made a special effort to do something special with each of them while the other is sleeping.  This takes hard work, but it's been very rewarding.

I'm excited for 2009.  The boys are growing far too quickly.  I cannot believe Lachlan is a sunbeam....  It makes me a little sad to see him growing into a big boy already, but it's also great fun.  He's got a sense of humour now and he has great conversations and uses the funniest adult-words.  "What was your conversation with your friend about Mum?" hahaha  He loves his own company and has the funniest dialogues going on with his toys.  If he would just stop talking at dinner time...

Hayden is.................. well lots of things like adventurous, happy, whingey, destructive, into everything, but mostly.............. just FAR too cute for his own good!  And boy does he know how cute he is and use it to his advantage.  

As for me - I have many goals this year, but if I only achieve one, it's that I can learn to keep calm and reign in that ugly temper.  It's a work in progress and some days I do so well only to unravel at 6pm..  Changing our weaknesses keeps life interesting I guess!

   

Living in on the EDGE....

This is what I came out to after my 3-minute shower. The chairs were on top of the table from my mopping earlier this morning - well except the one in the left of this picture that Hayden used to climb up onto the table and then into his high chair. The picture doesn't show it but the feet of the highchair were milimetres away from the edge of the table. Those are glass baubles in the vase too - thank goodness he didn't decide to throw those around....
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS CHILD? HE IS DRIVING ME NUTS. DOES THE CIRCUS TAKE 16MTH OLDS? The old 1960's wooden playpens are looking good right now - oh, hang on, that's right! he can climb out of it.....