#401 Wiggles Band-Aids

I should really be grateful for my parents and my sister coming to visit us today. It has been way too long since my parents were over, and I was so excited to show the fam around, and head out by the bay into the still and fresh air, and say “here’s home.”

But no. Instead I am grateful for freaking Wiggles Band-Aids.

Because not even 15 minutes after their arrival, baby girl decided to bolt, Usain style, around the corner of the house, for no other reason other than she is a toddler and running is as normal to her as is refusing bedtime, wanting to eat chocolate, and deciding that Mum must not shop in peace. (For any non-parents that are confused, that means all of the above are NORMAL).

She tripped and fell on the uneven path out the back (one of our 1 billion to-dos on our no-existing to-do list) and scraped both her palms, so much so that skin was now missing. It didn’t look too bad – sure there was blood – but still, knowing that the skin had ripped off, even if ever so slightly, I knew it would be stinging.

And then there was the crying. Sure, she is a dramatic one, but she is also a trooper. She is tougher than some boys, and will normally get up after a fall, dusting herself off. That is how we raised her – ‘no fuss, up you go.’

But she would NOT stop.

I don’t think she was use to the constant stinging pain. Nothing would help, yet eventually after screaming the house down, we tried washing her hands, and also, applying Band-Aids.

She has never to this day, allowed Band-Aids on her. Which has made my life hard at times, because when I want to help cover a wound she’s gotten, she will scream “no!” ’til red in the face, and continue to wail. And cry. And moan. And scream.

While I rip my hair out trying to figure out how to help a girl that doesn’t want help.

But, after the application and removal of 8 Wiggles Band-Aids (this was due to the fact that as soon as they were on, they had to come off), we succeeded. Her last pair went on about midday, and thank God they’re still on. She’s napping with them.

Thank F&^% for themed Band-Aids. I don’t know what I would have done without them today.

#400 Watching, she unaware

I don’t know WHY I was tuning into the daft conversation of the other kinder Mums. I stood there in the foyer of the kindergarten this afternoon, my eyes wandering around, hearing what the two were talking about, while myself and all the other Mums in there, pretended we didn’t, in lack of social invitation.

And then I looked over. I realised I could peek through a side window of the teacher’s office, and could see right through into the room where the kids were surrounded around the teacher. They were sitting, and I immediately spotted baby girl: up the front, right in front of the teacher. They were making some noise, a song? They all began to clap and make fast lap actions, the noise escalated, and I watched in happy surprise, the excited demeanour of baby girl, as she moved fast, her face wrapped up in the happy moment, grinning her face off so hard I was sure her muscles would hurt.

I smiled broadly. I could see my princess having an absolute ball, and looking in like this, I knew there was no way it could have been faked for an audience. My heart swelled with love and joy.

That tiny moment, was almost enough to move me to tears. I tried to compose myself in that tiny foyer.

Seconds later she ran towards me, and we headed home 🙂

#399 Colleague appreciation no.2

So, it’s getting later in the gratitude game now, where I’m tending to double up on gratitude moments.

Not really double-up, but the theme is similar, hence all my “no.2” posts at the moment.

Take coffee for example (of course I would use coffee as an example). A narrow-minded person may be grateful for it, once. But an open-ended and wide-ranging one, would take cause to notice it’s deep aroma, the texture, the way it perks you up, it’s up-lifting qualities, of course it’s taste, and then there’s all the places you can enjoy this fine beverage in a range of wonderful locations… and so, so much more.

You get my drift.

I actually have been grateful to coffee in a number of ways too. And I will continue to be.

As I will find reasons to be grateful, for many, many other things multiple times over.

Like, a nice compliment. Appreciation. Who doesn’t need a bit of kindness directed their way???

So today I had my usual coffee walk with my work colleagues. I haven’t seen them properly in a while, which means that although I, and they, have all been working, with all of our shift work, and then my part-time work on top of that, I’ve just been catching the end of them as they conclude their day’s work.

I was both surprised and touched to hear, amidst our light-hearted banter, that they had missed me, and preferred when I worked earlier in the day, as opposed to late in the afternoon.

“But I don’t make that much of a difference!” I exclaimed, referring to my part-time work.

“But you do!”

Awww. I’ve known them for quite a few years now, and it’s interesting how well you begin to know each other’s lives and everything in it. I’m pretty lucky to work within a great team, and to hear from some of my longest and best colleagues that I’m missed when away…

Well, that just makes me blush. 🙂

#398 Babycino Break no.2

When: Today at Brunch

Where: By the Bay side

Who: With Baby girl

What: Babycino and Berry muffin

Atmosphere: Blissful

Why?: Just Because…

Because why else do you need a reason to head out into the glorious sunshine and enjoy a lovely break with your Beautiful Baby Girl? We went to The Winey Cow on Main street, and enjoyed an amazing cappuccino, Baby girl had her old faithful with Both pink, and white marshmallows, and we shared the gluten-free Berry Muffin which was unBelievable! Is gluten-free meant to taste that good?

Sitting in the sunshine and watching the day roll by, the glittering bay in the near horizon Before us, and I was really happy to Be there.

Babycino, the Bay, and Baby girl. A Brilliant combination if I do say so myself…

#397 A forever spot on my lap

It’s the little things…

As baby girl grabbed my outstretched arm and tore me down into the rumpus, promptly telling me to “sit” on the floor, I could only wonder at what she had in store for me. For us.

She grabbed the remotes and plonked herself on my lap, as if I were a trampoline. She pressed a few buttons, and scurried herself further into my lap, cosying herself deep just like a joey would find comfort in her mother’s pouch. She grabbed my arm and wrapped it around her body, for extra support.

And so we began to watch Frozen. We watched a few scenes, and since I’ve never watched it from start to end, rather just heard bits and pieces from the movie here and there as I did stuff around the house, I found it interesting to watch some key scenes: as I conveyed this, I could sense baby girl’s intense pride at ‘Mum taking notice.’

Soon enough though, she was up and off my lap again, re-enacting the scene in front of us as it played out, of Anna singing to her sister through a closed door “Do You Want To Build a Snowman?” I watched in amusement as she acted this all out, shyly yet very happily, and I showered her with praise. Once that song was over, back on my lap she went, cuddling up again.

…that are in fact, the big things.

You might be able to tell, if you frequent this space often, that I write quite a bit about baby girl, and the grateful moments I have with her, by watching her grow, joining in with her fun, and taking pleasure in these precious moments of her youth.

And it comes to stand, that although parenthood is full of trial and tribulation, with more than its fair share of headaches, anxiety, stress and uncertainty, it is something that gives the biggest payback. It is something that gives, in and of itself.

Baby girl is the light of our life. She is a little thing, but she is in fact, the BIGGEST THING.

 

#396 Bonding with the ‘Godfather’

Ooooh, scary huh. Just the way the words ‘Godfather’ seem to evoke images of a suited figure arising from the shadows, with his posse of dark assistants ready to ‘take care’ of your ‘requests.’

Nothing of the sort. Because we spent the most happy and leisurely of Sundays in our Godfather’s back yard, celebrating his sons 7th birthday party.

Although the entire sunny day was supreme in every way – in the way of hospitality, company, and just all-round good vibes and conversation, our Godfather took the time to repeatedly play and interact with baby girl, despite all the other guests he could have spent time with.

He kicked the footy around with her, letting her catch and throw it when her excited shrieks grew constant; he chased her around the fruit trees, in a kind of rugby-type game where she ran almost deliriously with the ball, just missing the important touchdown!; and he took her into the vegie patch, and gave her a ripe cucumber to take home, fresh and healthy from a home-made garden.

It was really beautiful to see, and more so when I saw the ease and relaxed nature with which he did it – he wasn’t rushing through the motions, or looking over his shoulder to look for a distraction to leave the scene. He played with all his heart, happily and repeatedly, with all the kids there, and I know from the beaming smile on her face, baby girl had a ball.

Baby girl had a ball, bonding with her Godfather 🙂

#395 Her Rock Star exit

We had been saying we were going to go home for over an hour. Of course, something would happen to prolong the stay.

A great song.

Cake.

Deep conversation.

Even dancing.

It kept getting put off, ’til finally, there was no more avoiding it.

“Baby girl, we’re going home.”

“No!” was her definitive reply, time and time again. First she cuddled up under a throw on the couch, watching TV. Then she asked for cake. Then she ran outside and into the makeshift dancefloor, to rip out some moves on what was the night of my cousin’s birthday get-together. A small gathering, but full of big vibes, nonetheless.

We knew we had to bite the bullet. We had to go home, and the longer we left it, the harder it would become to get her to comply.

Hubbie headed out into the yard amongst the throng of people, and grabbed a hold of baby girl, holding her high above his shoulders.

“Bye!” I prompted. “Say bye baby girl!”

And just like that, all the hands at the party flew up in the air waving to her, a chorus of byes echoing out, amidst the laughter and music of the party, and baby girl happily laughed and waved back. She could have been carried by the sea of hands back into the house, rather than up on Daddy’s arms, it was that scenic.

It was the only way for an attention-seeker such as herself to leave the party -with ALL eyes on her. However, because she was the only one of her generation there tonight, it really was all about her.

And I realised, that with my amazing and loving circle of extended family, they ALWAYS do so much to make baby girl happy, and make it about her. Their own kids are older now, but they treat baby girl with the love and light and fun that they did with their own.

They treat her like a rock star, not just when it comes to goodbyes, but ALL the time.

And that’s pretty spesh. That’s pretty awesome for our party girl 🙂

#394 The bond they still share

Distance could have become an issue. I didn’t really believe it would, but then again, nothing is certain in life, is it?

However I did learn for sure today, that it definitely was NOT an issue. Baby girl and I don’t see my parents as much as we used to, only because we are a mere one hour 20 drive from them now…

After 1pm today, as I approached the freeway exit, baby girl and I had some kind of interaction that had me going ‘she is God-damn so bloody adorable.’ I leant behind me at the red light I was waiting at, to pat her leg.

“I love you princess.”

She indicated she loved me too, pointing to herself and then to me, as if her love was going out to me.

“Awww, thanks! You love me too?”

She then pointed to either side of her, like she does when she we are at the dinner table and she says she loves both her Dad and I – she sits in-between us. She also started repeating his name.

“Daddy will be happy to hear that!” Then a thought occurred to me.

“Do you love Baka and Deda?”

“Yeah.” With a wide, shy smile, no hesitation. No pondering required. I smiled widely back, and minutes later after pulling into their driveway, she showed her grandparents just how much she loved them, by giving them warm hugs and gentle kisses.

And as I watched the love exchange between the 3 of them, my heart just grew and grew.

Nothing could be better. No sunset, no perfectly-executed coffee, no sleep-in, no shopping spree, and no page-turning book, could compare to what was unfolding there at my parents’ front door today.

Nothing compares. Not when it’s from my very own daughter. And not when it’s from my very own parents.

🙂

#393 Enjoying the burn

I never thought I’d be so happy to have really uncomfortable stomach pain. But, I am.

After dinner, this growing feeling I’d had throughout the day in my middle region just kept intensifying. Totally manageable, but still… ouch.

Was it our dinner? I hadn’t really over-eaten. I certainly didn’t think I had over-indulged in the carbs. I have been watching myself, and today being the day baby girl goes to kinder, is also the day I get to workout at home alone, and the fact of working out actually supresses my need to eat anything too heavy or junk f00d like. It’s great like that.

It was only after realising, that this was a bit of a different stomach pain, more concentrated on the tummy muscles, that I realised –

THE ZUMBA.

It was working.

Yep, I still have a long way to go to where I want to be. But to know that finally, the moves I’ve been practicing at are finally starting to pay off… well, it is gratifying. Obviously. I’m getting it. And by getting it, I’m able to throw myself into the actions and exercises more fully, therefore…

Feeling the burn. Yes.

Let’s all stop for a second and thank the Lord that there are home workout DVDs. If not, poor unsuspecting persons would have to be subject to watching me in gym classrooms, trying like hell to work out how to perform ‘that’ certain movement, and only getting it at the 6th repetition .

“6… 7… 8… now turn.”

It is so annoying.

But, like I said, I’m getting it.

So now, less annoying… but more BURN.

Slowly but surely. Slowly but surely.

#392 Quick reflexes

So, I’m glad I’m here writing this to you.

I’m so glad I’m alive.

And no, I’m not being melodramatic. I was nearly wiped off the road today, and my quick instincts saved me.

A colleague at work mentioned those ‘Sliding Doors’ moments after I told her the harrowing ordeal, and that just freaked me out more. Imagine if I had been going a bit faster, the guy could have, he really could have…

…

…Rammed into my left side and thrown me against the concrete wall of the Monash. Doing 100ks on that freeway, and then having to slam on the brakes, and swerve very abruptly towards the concrete wall, is NOT FUN.

I wondered: imagine? What if? Was I meant to get into an accident? Did I avoid getting mashed up – my real fate? Was that my ugly destiny?

I can’t think like that. In fact, I actually can’t. As a glass half-full gal, I believe that what is meant to be, has been, and that is, I miraculously avoided a huge collision and definite injury because, I’m meant to be around here for a while longer.

Call it fate. Call it intervention. Call it timing. Call it circumstance.

I’ll call it quick reflexes. And I am bloody well grateful for it.