Lately I’ve been learning about discipline and self-control thanks to my girls, who are now 2 years, 9 months. While they have demonstrated adeptness at being stubborn, inventive and cunning I have been working on skills of patience and graciousness as my authority as a parent is challenged on a minute-by-minute basis.
I was unprepared for how cheeky they could be. I’ve had inner conflict too; full of pride at their excellent use of language and vocabulary but gobsmacked by their unbelievable naughtiness. I almost want to applaud, “great sentence” while reprimanding them for what they have said (usually something I have said myself, and that really is mortifying.)
The clincher was when Lily, responding to me losing my temper in a most undignified way, said, “Oooh, mummy’s very naughty.” Yes, mummy has been very naughty indeed and life in our house will never be quite the same again.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
bene
Reaching a new level of spontaneity, late this afternoon we went out with no food packed for our shoeless girls who were still wearing the little summer dresses they'd been wearing all day. The only packing we did was of the nappy bag which fortunately contained some light weight cardigans.
Several errands, one drop-in and a couple of detours later we lobbed at a great Italian restaurant we love and had a brilliant impromptu meal. Erin and Lily tonight showed great appreciation for good pizza, following our lesson in how to hold it with both hands and direct it towards your mouth and then say 'Bene' with approval.
The table was a mess but the owner seemed not to mind a bit, full of admiration at how these lovely girls love their food.
It's such a miracle to have these little people reflecting life back to us with such innocence and joy. And with tomato sauce smeared across their impossibly beautiful little faces.
Several errands, one drop-in and a couple of detours later we lobbed at a great Italian restaurant we love and had a brilliant impromptu meal. Erin and Lily tonight showed great appreciation for good pizza, following our lesson in how to hold it with both hands and direct it towards your mouth and then say 'Bene' with approval.
The table was a mess but the owner seemed not to mind a bit, full of admiration at how these lovely girls love their food.
It's such a miracle to have these little people reflecting life back to us with such innocence and joy. And with tomato sauce smeared across their impossibly beautiful little faces.
Friday, October 24, 2008
no time for blogging
this is the blog i've been feeling like i need to write, ought to write, want to write for a couple of weeks but there is no time, no time, no time, and even now i'm stealing time from what i should be doing (that is having a moderately early night and giving myself half a chance of recovering from this hectic week before the hectic weekend begins and not to mention doing all that while my hubby is still awake so we can talk and pray. not the other thing - no time for that either!) how do people cope when their loved one is not just temporarily out of action but permanently out of action and needing care all the time, all the time, all the time? it's going to be ok and the good thing right now is that blogging is quick, and can be about nothing and doesn't use up too much punctuation and doesn't require too much of anything which suits me because i have none to spare just now...
Saturday, October 11, 2008
sleep
I had thought that one (perhaps the only one) benefit of having my husband spend tonight in hospital, would be that I would have the bed to myself. So why is it that I'm still awake at half past midnight? Am I putting it off? Am I trying to guarantee that tomorrow will be even more a mini-challenge as I face a Sunday morning without my partner in parenting? Do I really want to face it without having had enough sleep?
Mornings can be tricky enough without the added complexity of getting the girls to church on time and with only me to do the policing, cajoling, consoling, rallying, jollying and (finally) bullying.
Perhaps I'm sympathising with my lovely man who tonight is in a bed with a snapped achilles tendon, hopefully sleeping a morphine-induced sleep, (no doubt with his mouth open), facing surgery tomorrow and some weeks/months without driving or walking.
Leaving his bedside this evening was not easy but I had to get home to the littlest ones in our family and big strong daddy was all on his own.
Mornings can be tricky enough without the added complexity of getting the girls to church on time and with only me to do the policing, cajoling, consoling, rallying, jollying and (finally) bullying.
Perhaps I'm sympathising with my lovely man who tonight is in a bed with a snapped achilles tendon, hopefully sleeping a morphine-induced sleep, (no doubt with his mouth open), facing surgery tomorrow and some weeks/months without driving or walking.
Leaving his bedside this evening was not easy but I had to get home to the littlest ones in our family and big strong daddy was all on his own.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
road trip 2
Aaaagggghhh!
Almost straight after I finished the last post (not the music) I heard the loud thud of Erin rolling off the bed and onto the floor. She wasn't hurt but very shocked! The ensuing screams and sobs went on for more than an hour, and had everyone in the house awake (seeing as by that time everyone in the house had gone to bed). It took a long time of cajoling and soothing before she and Lily calmed down and finally went back to sleep. I crashed on the mattress next to the bed. A few hours later I awoke feeling cold, and moved each of them from the bed to the mattress. I then crashed on the bed and didn't wake till next morning when they were creeping up to surprise me and wake me up. I was pretty wrecked and was seriously worried that I would definitely struggle to stay awake during the drive home.
Nonetheless, after some coffee and a nice walk on Dutchmans Beach, I felt fine and headed off from my brother's house feeling positive and happy. About 45 mins into the trip, the traffic came to a standstill and didn't progress for more than an hour. Two trucks had collided, both drivers were flown to hospital, and the passengers in cars on the F3 switched off their engines and made the most of the novelty of playing on the highway.
Erin and Lily were very good and patient but after an hour it was necessary to let them out of the car for everyone's sanity. The air conditioning was letting us down again.
Naturally we'd only been standing on the roadside for a short while when I saw the flashing lights of an RTA car. I ushered the girls off the road and back into the car. The RTA vehicle went past saying happily, "The traffic is moving now. Go now." Yeah right. Strapping two two-year olds into a car is never an easy thing, but when there is pressure from the 1000 stranded drivers behind you it is downright hilarious. Imagine telling Lily that we need to rush!! Talk about power!! (Hers I mean.)
The trip was hot, long and really wearing. Erin whinged solidly for the last 30 minutes, "I need to get out..." I agreed wholeheartedly, fighting with peak hour traffic as we came through the Sydney suburbs, heading directly into the late afternoon sun!! I was so happy to be home.
I had prayed a lot about being able to keep the girls safe in the car and to stay focused on driving over a long distance on a fairly monotonous freeway. God didn't just uphold my prayer, he showed me that I could do what I needed to do even in some really uncomfortable conditions.
So I feel confident I could do it again - but very very keen to stay at home for the foreseeable future.
Almost straight after I finished the last post (not the music) I heard the loud thud of Erin rolling off the bed and onto the floor. She wasn't hurt but very shocked! The ensuing screams and sobs went on for more than an hour, and had everyone in the house awake (seeing as by that time everyone in the house had gone to bed). It took a long time of cajoling and soothing before she and Lily calmed down and finally went back to sleep. I crashed on the mattress next to the bed. A few hours later I awoke feeling cold, and moved each of them from the bed to the mattress. I then crashed on the bed and didn't wake till next morning when they were creeping up to surprise me and wake me up. I was pretty wrecked and was seriously worried that I would definitely struggle to stay awake during the drive home.
Nonetheless, after some coffee and a nice walk on Dutchmans Beach, I felt fine and headed off from my brother's house feeling positive and happy. About 45 mins into the trip, the traffic came to a standstill and didn't progress for more than an hour. Two trucks had collided, both drivers were flown to hospital, and the passengers in cars on the F3 switched off their engines and made the most of the novelty of playing on the highway.
Erin and Lily were very good and patient but after an hour it was necessary to let them out of the car for everyone's sanity. The air conditioning was letting us down again.
Naturally we'd only been standing on the roadside for a short while when I saw the flashing lights of an RTA car. I ushered the girls off the road and back into the car. The RTA vehicle went past saying happily, "The traffic is moving now. Go now." Yeah right. Strapping two two-year olds into a car is never an easy thing, but when there is pressure from the 1000 stranded drivers behind you it is downright hilarious. Imagine telling Lily that we need to rush!! Talk about power!! (Hers I mean.)
The trip was hot, long and really wearing. Erin whinged solidly for the last 30 minutes, "I need to get out..." I agreed wholeheartedly, fighting with peak hour traffic as we came through the Sydney suburbs, heading directly into the late afternoon sun!! I was so happy to be home.
I had prayed a lot about being able to keep the girls safe in the car and to stay focused on driving over a long distance on a fairly monotonous freeway. God didn't just uphold my prayer, he showed me that I could do what I needed to do even in some really uncomfortable conditions.
So I feel confident I could do it again - but very very keen to stay at home for the foreseeable future.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
road trip
I have now attempted and survived part one of my first proper road trip with twin 2 year olds and no other adults. It was a hot day, the airconditioning in the car went on the blink, I missed a turn off early in the trip but recovered nicely, there were assorted roadworks and a traffic snarl on the freeway ... my girls had two episodes of insistent crying (Erin) and ear-piercing squealing (Lily) but none of these things ruined the sense of achievement having brought us all safely up to Port Stephens to visit my brother.
The girls are now asleep (finally) in their cousin's bed. I will have to go soon and move them to another mattress so I can take the bed. I'm bone-tired and, pride and all that notwithstanding, I think I should opt for sleep and let tomorrow offer new scope for suburban greatness.
The girls are now asleep (finally) in their cousin's bed. I will have to go soon and move them to another mattress so I can take the bed. I'm bone-tired and, pride and all that notwithstanding, I think I should opt for sleep and let tomorrow offer new scope for suburban greatness.
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