#2985 Little boy shoes

We’ve missed it for a few weeks now, but today baby girl, baby boy and I headed downtown to do our little post-morning nap coffee date followed by quick shop. 😊

With one, HUGE addition: little boy shoes. 👟

Baby boy is getting more capable of walking everywhere by himself, thank you very much, and that unfortunately means that the time spent in the pram is getting reduced. He is getting bored.

So for the first time, while out shopping, I brought along his shoes. I knew I could do this only because I had help in the form of baby girl with me, and so it was… I got her to walk with him in some places while I like, bought bread, then when I was getting apples, paying for groceries, etc.

He loved it. This little guy was careening all over the place, going here, going there, touching this, touching that, looking over his shoulder at me like ‘are you gonna stop me?’ 🤦‍♀️

Now that he’s tasted freedom… there’s no going back! 🤣

#2862 Baby boss

It’s great when you’re made to go out when you’re still in the heady stage of ‘baby.’

Even more so when that baby allows for very little flexibility… it is so easy to stay at home, within the confines of routine, going by day by day by day.

But it was my Mum’s birthday today, and there was no way we were gonna miss that.

Even with baby boy screaming/crying all the way there. 😬🤦‍♀️

Still, its almost forgotten once you’re in the company of family. We spent some wonderful  time together, and it’s made me look even more forward to other family gatherings in the future… when the boss allows it.

Baby boy that is. 🤣

#2661 Should I stay or should I go?

You’ll know the above title in one of 3 ways.

1. It’s the title of a song from The Clash.
2. Stranger Things. Enough said.
3. None of the above, you have no idea of either.
4. (And you actually know the song and the connection to the Netflix show).

I’m vaguely familiar with the song, but after watching most of season 1 now of Stranger Things (if you know, you know) Hubbie and I randomly break out into this song that started out sweet but soon turned scary. 😬

I realised today that this song very accurately captures my own life.

“Should I stay (home) or should I go (out)?”

I’m fairly desperate for life to go back to normal, but anyone who’s parented a newborn would know it takes a LONG time for things to go back to normal.

The days are long, and feed-change-sleep-fuss-cry repeat is rife.

I long to go out… but the above.
So I think, I should stay home… but monotony of the above. 🤦‍♀️

And so each day it’s a battle between stubborn mama who wants to go out…

And cautious mama who thinks better the world comes to her.

I’m grateful to stubborn mama, because she takes chances… some days they pay off. Baby boy might fall asleep in the pram and I get a coffee date with baby girl.

Other days, like today, he doesn’t like the pram, and we exit the park quickly, baby girl pushing the empty pram, me juggling a crying baby and takeaway coffee.

Tomorrow? Who knows which Mama will prevail and what will eventuate.

“Should I stay or should I go?”

#2561 Let the games begin

We are on a very short family holiday spell… as of tonight.

It was mine and Hubbie’s last day of work, for a little over half a week… and sure, we are going to chill, do holiday stuff, go to holiday places, and try to sightsee, as well as relax majorly.

Tonight was the opening ceremony for all that, so we headed to a predictable fave restaurant that we like to go to, and followed it with some games.

Baby girl was almost screaming the place down as the motorbike swung her from side to side, and it really was fabulous to watch, and hear… it was the sound of freedom, and many fun times to come. 🥰💞

#2514 The ‘other’ anniversary

It only occurred to me earlier in the week. My nephew was scheduled to have a procedure today, and as I thought about the date, the familiarity of November 24th started to sink in.

Of course. It was my ‘other’ anniversary.

2 years ago, I had a procedure. Well two actually, I can reveal that, more now. I shared this info with my sister the other day, saying that it was a day of rebirth for me, and hopefully it would be a day of rebirth for him too. He and I now shared a big thing in common.

November 24.

When I step back from the day, nothing physically changed for me, not that I was aware of anyway. Nothing was found to be ‘wrong’ with me. I went home the same day. And to some extent (SOME) I went about the rest of my days as I had before.

The procedures had found nothing out, leaving me as clueless as I was when I went into it.

But mentally, emotionally, something huge had shifted. It had shifted in me. I was stronger. I felt more confident. I also felt like I could tackle a lot more than what I previously thought. I realised I was courageous, when before I had felt like a coward.

2 years on, and I can’t believe where I am now.

It was always part of my wildest dreams, but to be on the other side of that dream is something else.

A few important things punctuated this day.

Firstly, I sent positive energy my nephew’s way, and soon heard back that he was doing well, recovering and at home. Thank goodness. 🙏

Thirdly (yes I’m jumping) I finally got my car back! Enough said, freedom is back.

But in the middle lay the sweet stuff. I had a hospital check-up… for my pregnancy. 🤰🥰 I wonder what the November 2020 version of SmikG would have thought about the insight that in Nov of ’22 I would be talking about iron reserves, sugar, my fundus being checked (and being spot on in the middle!) being happy about gaining 6 kilos, and hearing baby’s heartbeat, while also getting a distinct kick for the midwife (because baby kicks all the time).

She would have lost her mind. She would have been unbelievably happy. But that version of me had to go through what she did, to get to this place.

To get to me.

I am grateful to that version of me, for her bravery, her strength. Mostly I’m grateful that she held on, and never gave up.

I will make sure to keep the tradition going. 💪

It may have done not much at the time, but I swear, I will never forget this date.

November 24 changed my life. 🙏

#2229 Sooshi night

It’s only been rescheduled twice (🙄) but finally tonight Sooshi Mango happened!

It wasn’t just the laughs, the rude jokes, or the 80s brick houses with white pillars that made me feel like I was walking the streets of my childhood…

Nor was it just the cocktails after…

It was just the fact of being out, being free again. No responsibility, just fun with the girls.

I can’t wait to do it again very, very soon.

And I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me ’til I was home at the end of the night, that I actually ate sushi, before a Sooshi Mango show! 🤦‍♀️😂 Now there’s a joke for you. 🤣🤣

#2150 Double surprises

So I wrote about surprise pancakes not too long ago…

Today, it was doubled.

Not the pancakes! The surprises! LOLOLOLOL.

After my mum made us some pancakes while visiting my parents place (this is becoming a dangerous tradition 😬🤣🥞) my sister took baby girl to her pool!

• 

• 

Oh what fun! I had just as much fun watching them and laughing at their races up and down the width of the pool as they did splashing about…

Who am I kidding? They had a ball. 💖💖

Loving summertime holiday freedom.

#2112 Sweet cheeks

Awww. We met a beautiful baby boy tonight. 😍

He is precious, and so perfect. We all thought so, and all felt the love and sheer adoration as we had turns holding him.

Awww. I feel that is all I can say. So glad to meet you little man. 💖

And as I whispered to him “we are going to get very well acquainted, ok?”

😁😁

It was bestie’s newborn, and it was just beautiful being out and about with friends. It’s something I am still paying gratitude to, and which I’m still not able to wrap my head around… freedom.

But gee, it feels good!

#2098 3 ingredients

Some crucial ingredients for a great night out.

Coffee… and cute, cuddly paws.

But the most important element for a fantastic night?

Great company.

It’s sooo wonderful to be out and about again with amazing people. 😍🎅

#2095 Starting the day right

A big breakfast is the best way to start the day, right?

Well, it kinda depends what you mean by big.

‘Cause I don’t mean huge, as in size.

I mean big, as in importance.

And if the opportunity comes to spend the time in the best company, well, take it.

On Wednesdays Hubbie and I drop off baby girl at school, and then go to the Main Street to share some brunch and sip some coffees.

The rest of the school day we are doing mostly our own thing, only to get together again before we pick her up, but it’s that morning moment that is the best in my day, by far.

If we happen to have some yummy brunch and coffee while we are having our together moment, well so be it… but the type of food is secondary to the main point, of just being together. 💖

We have a moment of temporary freedom as we just chill, because that’s all you ever get in parenthood, isn’t it?

Temporary freedom.

And we love it. 🥰🥰