So we survived the great Trek!

The trip there was done with minimal drama, boys slept most of the way, and were easily entertained with books and toys. Check out billy.gorilly.com for some awesome road trip activities.

It was very touching spending time with my brother. Selfishly, deep down I had hoped that there was a slight possibility that maybe he wasn’t adjusting so well, that maybe he would have to return to good old Durbs. But he is doing marvellously…adapted to living the bachelor life, and even zipping through the back roads to avoid the notorious joburg traffic.

We are now back to the world of tantrums and toiling with discipline!

Everyone tells me these are the trying years, and boy are they right. The boys are battling to show their independence, and at the same time assert themselves, and its such a task to maintain some form of discipline whilst still growing their confidence.

I mean really, where do you draw the line ? I see some parents that remain so calm and unabated whilst their children just throw hissy fits. Me, on the other hand, just candle hande the drama. I just get so frustrated and flustered and end up shouting. Let me tell you, this has only a worsening effect on a screaming toddler.

I know that these tantrums are quite normal for this age, but my worry is that they don’t grow out of it, and we end up with two spoilt brats….u know the kids that other mums, just turn the noses up to….their parents obviously taught their kids no discipline!

But im trying, I really am…like this morning, Sam insists he wants cake…..at 5am! Seriously?!

So I tried the calm, reasoning approach ‘Sam, mum doesn’t have any cake, and all the shops are closed this early, so we will get some when they open a little late’.  ‘ NOOOOOOO…I want cake now’, he wailed….which proceeded to turn into a screech then full blown hysteria. By this time, he had woken up his brother,(who is not a morning person by any means). So now there were 2 grumpy children, one of which was crying as if he was being beaten to death. Eventually I decided to try and wait this one out…no reaction from me, and he carried on and on and on. I’ve got to give the kid points for perseverance!  He cried for almost 3 minutes, until eventually it turned into sobs.

And where was dad u ask? Calmly sitting alongside me….that is, until he couldn’t take it anymore, and picked up Sam and took him to another room. I really am thankful for him! D can just sense when I’m almost reaching that breaking point….and comes in to save the day!

 

The great trek

So this is the week of the much anticipated road trip. We are calling it the great trek. It will be the first road trip withe the boys...total distance to cover 567kms, approximate duration :5,5 hours.

My kid brother recently relocated to Josies with his fiancé. We have always had a very close bond and usually can count on the other for honest, unbiased opinions. It's been a big adjustment not having him around, but such is life I guess.

So hubby and I decided it would be nice to visit them for a weekend. I must admit, we did do a pros and cons list before agreeing to do this trip. Firstly, we've never taken the boys on a road trip before. Second, boys have been even more crabby and demanding in the last week. Squabbling with each other over who mum belongs to and who dad belongs to, was enough to have us reach for earplugs a the nearest bottle of pinotage..
Us with the boys in a confined space for 5 hours....would we survive, unscathed?

We decided to bite the bullet.

I mean, really, surely some coloring books, DVDs, toys would be enough to keep the terrible two occupied and not erupt in a war in the backseat? Surely? Surely!

So I went online to do some research for surviving road trips Good old faithful google helped me out with some survival tips for traveling with toddlers. Here are some I found very helpful:

1. Given that the attention span of a two year old is literally 15 minutes, take along a variety of activities. Coloring books, stickers, DVDs, storybooks are good ideals.
2. Keep snacks that are easy to hold and eat, and result in little mess. The boys get very grumpy when they get uncomfortable. Crumb free snacks and hard to bruise fruit are good choices eg crackers and apples.
3. Keep extra wet wipes in the front of the car.
4. bottled water is very handy for thirsty little travelers as well as for washing grubby hands or fruit.
5. take along something familiar as well as something new to spark interest.

So these sound well and good.....watch this space for the the feedback.




Cartoon from http://travelblog.portfoliocollection.com/Blog/Festive-Season-Travel-Tips-From-Tempest-

Mum mum mum

So we're half way through February already! One more valentines down...hubby didn't disappoint either. Roses delivered to workplace, dinner reservations at our local Italian joint...babysitters organized for two hours....was a special evening....especially after the draining week at work.

For some reason this week was particularily draining...switching from boss mode to mum mode was even more difficult....and I think the boys noticed it too. I say this because mums attention was needed more than normal...to see what new skill was learnt today, or to tell mum how sore the knee was that the brother kicked...mum,,mum,,MUM...MUUUUMMMM!!!

It all just got a bit much. That's why our valentines 2 hour dinner, was sooo much appreciated.
Hubby and I spent a long time just chatting and catching up, which in itself was just calming and comforting. That time together is so important, especially when we both have demanding jobs.

I sometimes envy my friends that can afford to be stay at home mums. They don't hav to endure the hassles of annoying work colleagues, frustrating employees that don't deliver, bosses that expect too much, then come home to kids that expect to see a mum that's charged up with energy to play endless rounds of ring-a-ring of roses, or sing old McDonald until you are blue in the face. They just seem so much more relaxed!
Although if I really had to think about it, I suppose being a full time mum would come with its own set of challenges....

Someone at work told me 'you only get given what you can handle'...so I've decided to adopt that saying and embace it!...no seriously I really mean it..

Pic from apartmenttherapy.com 

Out if the dark, and into the light

So how this for extreme...going from thoughts of death and all those dark thoughts, to preparing for a wedding this weekend!

Yes!!!! time to wipe away all the dark colors and bring out the bright, joyous gear! That's the thing I love about Indian weddings...the bright, festive colors, the glowing bride, proud groom, even prouder parents, the flowers, all the aunties proudly bringing out all their heavy yellow gold carated jewellery in all it's splendour, families catching up on the family gossip, reminiscing, commenting on how big the kids have grown ( as apposed to them not growing, really?)...I just love it!

Time to haul out the eastern wear, slap on some make up and jewellery and watch a gorgeous couple being their lives together.

We decided that we wouldn't take the boys for this wedding, given that their attention span is currently 5 minutes max... But more so, cos I believe that it's the bridal couples day, and who really wants their special day interrupted by noisy kids drowning out the vows that they are professing to each other?

Beautiful bridal couple  : www.sherazkphotography.com 

How gorgeous does this couple look?...Never mind the beautiful colors and the smiling faces, what makes me tingle is the thought of the dreamy anticipation that runs through their minds..all the plans they have for their future together....the travels together, setting up their home,  the babies they will have ......makes me think of our wedding day, but that's a whole other topic

Just when you think you have it figured...

You know that saying 'live for the moment'. It's sounds so inspiring and achievable and makes sooo much of sense, right? ...but if you stop and think about it, how do you do that when you are a parent?

So much of the hubby and my time is spent on trying to make sure the kids are safe, happy and won't have to battle financially for their future....where's the time to live in the moment?

These thoughts ran through my mind yesterday, as we attended a funeral of a 32 year old father of two young kids. I looked at the widow, staring blankly at the casket ( as is customary in our culture, the family sits alongside the casket, whilst family and friends come to pay their last respects). She looked blankly at her husbands body, and one could see that she had cried all the tears that her body could muster. I wondered, had they made the most of the time they had together? Were there regrets? Or things left unsaid?

During the drive back home, all these thoughts made me self-reflect....what if something (God forbid) had to happen to either myself or hubby tomorrow? Such morbid thoughts, I know! But that's what funerals do to me..once the respects are paid to the deceased and we have made peace with the passing.attending a funeral is like voluntarily putting oneself under a microscope of self analysis...well for me at least...is this normal?
It's a bit like the New Years resolution debate...you make the resolution and for the first month of the year, u stick to your guns, and hit that gym religiously..inevitably, slowly but surely the visits become sparser...until come June, they are non-existant. Same token, when we got home I resolved to make sure my family spent more family time together, less screaming matches on whether or not to wear shoes to go out, or eat Oatees for supper.

True as nuts, it took a day...just a day, for us to revert to us vs the kids....but u know what I realised?

This is our chemistry, this is what our family is all about....we love and we fight, and it's all treasured family time!

Out of the mouths of babes...

I always think...how will I ever remember the cute things that my kids say. A friend of mine said I should keep a little notebook and write down all the funny little comments they make...but really, the thought of running hastily to grab a notebook (which I would first need to remember where I'd left) every time a cute phrase is uttered, really doesn't seem like it could materialise into a force of habit.

Like just last week, I heard the big twin ('bigger' by a whole 3 minutes) counting all his blocks. He was doing a marvelous job till he got to ten, then he continued with a face full of concentration...'eleven-teen, twelve teen thirteen.. 'I just looked at him with the hugest grin..it was just the cutest thing ever!
Then there was the week we were reminding the boys to mind their manners. That week we were all about please and thank you's. One evening my little twin ,Sam, just could not get his dad to give in to his demands of carrying him, so he promptly said with the most serious of faces 'dad go to the naughty corner!'. My hubby looked at this little face with raised eyebrows and in a shocked voice said 'what was that Sam?' With a cross brow, Sam fiercely said ' go to the naughty corner PLEASE dad!'... Seriously? This from a 2 year old?...what response do u have to that ?

All I can hope for, is that one day when they are all grown up and well-mannered young men, we  can at least recall some of these memories to share with our grand kids :)

Greetings

hi there!
So this is post 1 of 1. sunny morning outside:  had a whirlwind of a morning, getting all three of my boys (hubby uncluded) out of the house to granny's, so I could gulp down a cup of java and then head off to work. Now (calm restored), I can buckle down to tacke whatever the day presents.

A little about me :
I am a bean counter ( yes one of those awfully boring accountants), well not really...work is stressful, but enjoyable...most of the times.
I have twin toddler boys that keep my hubby and I busy most of the time.
They are adorable and are at the age where they say the cutest of things...well most of the time.

Why have I started a blog ?
Still working that one out....truth be told, I was googling an idea for a kiddies birthday party, and came across the most interesting blog from a mum in the UK.
I loved how she shared the most delightful news on her kids, so thought this would be awesome to try and to let my hair down a little.
These days the boys take up so much of my day, that there leaves little room for me and my thoughts.

So thats how the idea was born.
Heres to a beautiful summers day :)