Pets

Recently we had a few additions to the family. Cherise is very responsible - feeding them, cleaning their cage/toilet and playing with them.

We live near a quickshop and on a friday we usually buy a muffin for her lunch box, but as hubby is away I asked her to buy 1 herself. (Naturally I stopped in front of the shop so I could keep an eye on her). When she came back she had change, a tillslip and the muffin, telling me that next time she should also be allowed to buy herself.

Growing up

Jean-Marie is growing up so fast. Already she stands on her own if you give her something interesting to hold but the moment she sees she is standing alone she drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes

Daddy away

It is terrible not having your husband at home when you are so used to him helping out with the kids!

I tried putting the kids in bed with me but that was a disaster. Cherise used the bed as a trampoline and Jena-Marie couldn't stop laughing at her, trying to climb the walls to get away from her sister. So eventually I banned them from the room and they fell asleep in their own beds in their own room.

At least 2 of us had a goods night rest!

Cherise tells her grandma daddy has gone fishing - she doesn't understand the work thing so lekker. Jean-Marie is a bit out of routine. Just a few more nights and daddy will be home and mommy can rest!

Sping day September

Cherise had a spring day in September at Osie Teddies and we had to make them spring hats.

They also had a picnic on the sportfield

Toddler Athletics

In October Osie Teddies had their Toddler Athletics. It wasn't really a traditional athletics meeting rather an activity meeting. The main thing is that they enjoyed it tremendously even if the weather was a bit windy. To see their faces when they received a medal at the end of the day was priceless!

Dettol

Jean-Marie is the target of mosquitos everynight - leaving her with great red spots all over. I tried everything.
the other day I got this fantastic tip from my daycare mom, I should wash baby's clothes in Dettol.

It worked - no more mozzie bites!

Cherise

I never kept a diary with Cherise with all the funny things she was saying when she was little.

Well now I intend to write down all the funny moments for her to read again when she is older!

This past weekend she was on a play date at a friend of mine - her son is also 4 but english. Those two get along very well, she learned to speak english and he afrikaans. It had just rained and my friend took them for a walk on the farm, coming to a pool of water she turned to Dale and told him in her broken english "Don't loop in the modder", and apparently Dale understood but his mother burst out laughing and helped her with the english words.

Kids say the darndest things!

When your kids are small you have to be so careful what and how you say things to one another. The things they say are so wihtout pretence.

In our house we have two big couches in front of the TV so you can get really comfortable when watching TV. I was on the one and Steven on the other, Cherise decided tonight was my night and made her comfortable on my coach. Being a busy 4 year old she just couldn't keep still - kicking me in the process. I got fed up and told her I was going to daddy and lie on the coach with him, not in Stevens nature to keep quiet he asked her if she was really going to leave us alone if we were on the coach, after a bit of silence , with a grin on her face she said: "I think not". The way she said it(sarcastically) and the grin was just too much for us and we burst out laughing.

Cherise

Cherise has been on holiday with my parents for two weeks. The last week they went to Kruger National Park - the park has been the only thing she has been talking about the last month. Cherise is very fortunate to have such loving grandparents that absolutely adores her. She is only 4 years old but already in her short life she has touched and fed warthogs, zebras and now sparrows and a bushbuck.

Important occurrences!

So many things happened this week. Jean-Marie waved ta-ta for the first time all on her own. She said mama - apparently continuously while crawling through the house and there is a sign of her first tooth.

Great Grandparents

My kids are so lucky so say they knew their great grandma ouma Sannie

Monsters in the dark!

Cherise is no longer sleeping in her room as there is "monsters" under her bed that just doesn't want to leave.

I am out of ideas trying to get her out of our room. I even tryed sending the "monster" with her grandma, she agreed that they were all in the car but when its dark she just refuses to sleep in her room. Turning on a light doesn't help.

Milestones

Jean-Marie reached another milestone yesterday. She crawled on all 4's for the first time.

Previously she dragged herself on her arms towards the object she wanted.

Spring Day

Cherise's pre-school are holding their annual spring day. They have to wear a spring day hat and are going to have a picnic on the rugby veld of the primary school. She is so looking forward to friday. I already packet her picnic basket - the food will come friday morning. Being in pre-school she has learned a lot of good and bad habits - one being impatient.

Sleeping pattern

I must say getting enough sleep is becoming a big priority in my life as I am not getting enough. Cherise is sleeping much better since she moved out of our room, but Jean-Marie is the big screamer. She will start waking up from 11h00 and scream. I started giving her a bottle to sooth her but at 03h00 in the morning she just doesn't want it anymore. Just when I think I can not take another sleepless night Jean-Marie will sleep right through. Parenting is such a pleasure sometimes!

Hamster

The other day Cherise got a hamster. She is looking after "Hammie", feeding him, playing with him, cleaning the cage. I just wonder when the novelty will wear off and I have to look after the poor fellow. She had a hamster when she was 2 but weren't too gentle handling him.

One morning at 3 she woke me up asking me where Hammie is, I told her to go look in the cage as that is where he should be, her answer to me was she played with him and fell asleep again and now he is not on her bed anymore. I woke my husband and we had to look everywhere in her room, after 1/2 hour I told her I will find him when the sun is up, upon entering my room I ran infront of me and he was put back. Cherise got a warning not to play with him when its dark.

Thinking back I find it hilarous being woken up in the middle of the night to look for a hamster!

Sharing

Sharing responsibilities makes life easier. I don't know if I am one of the lucky few that get help from their husbands, but I am just gratefull. Last night I had a meeting at the school and when I got home the children were already eating. I can't imagine my life without the help of my wonderful husband!

21 June Cherise Birthday

We had a blast on her birthday. We hired a jumping castle which everyone enjoyed even the grandma's and grandpa's but most important, the kids enjoyed the day tremendously.

School holiday

The holiday is finally over. Keeping a 4 year old kido busy and entertained is quite a challenge especially in winter time. She absolutely loves the outdoors so I took her and a friend to Wild Thingz which is our local bird and reptile park.

But now its back to getting up early!

Smiles!

I just love making her smile just to see her TWO dimples!

Birthday party

I am busy organising a birthday party for Cherise. She changes the theme of her party every week, so now I decided to stick to her first choice, fairies. This year I decided to host the party myself - which turned my dining room table into a storetable for all the party goodies. All the work is definetely worth it to see Cherise's face everytime she needs to help with the party favours or painting flowers.

Time

My oldest is turning 4 in three weeks time and I realised she is going to grade R in a year and a half. It feels like yesterday that we brought her home. Time is just going by too quickly! She has moved out of our room and into hers and I do miss her trying to sneek into our bed....I thought I would never say that.


They grow up so fast!

Sick baby

Having a sick baby in the house can be stressful especially if they don't stop crying. Jean-Marie had an ear and throat infection over the weekend and just couldn't stop crying. Eventually we took turns sleeping so one parent is holding her the whole time. This was just a terrible weekend!

Something unusual

A few weeks back a truck with six baby elephants stopped on its way to another province and dad couldn't let this opportunity go by without showing it to his angel!

My other angel

They are so adorable when sleeping!

Holiday in Mozambique

Going to a foreign country with a 3 year old can be very stressfull. Mine enjoyed holding the fish after dad and granddad came back from fishing in the ocean in the afternoons.

We stayed in an airconditioned house with DSTV!

My sleeping angel

Doctors bill

As a working mom I can't go to a clinic for the baby's immunisation shots, so of to the doctor. Last week we made an appointment which turned out to be a weighing and measuring visit and she charged me the full consultation fee even though she didn't have all thestock for the immunisation shots. Her answer either go to the clinic or make another appointment later in the month.

Morning ritual

Getting everybody ready in the morning for school, work and creche is very stressfull. My 4 year old needs to be encouraged to get dressed, eat - you constantly need to remind her to take a bite - and to brush her teeth. Before I started working again it took me an hour to get her ready for school and sometimes we were late. She absolutely loves reading her books, so the first thing she does in the morning is open a book and to get her attention proof to be very difficult as they are at the age of "I will do what I want and I know best".

Between all the bad there are funny moments. Cherise(4 years) doesn't see my father-in-law very often in his work clothes - their company buy their clothes from my husband - so this morning I put on a shirt from my husbands company and immediately she noticed, telling me that I have her grandfathers shirt on, which is very funny because he is a very very large man.

I can handle the oldest but the trouble starts when Jean-Marie(4 months) wake up when we are busy getting ready. She demands your attention with a cry and you can't ignore her, making it very difficult to get dressed and ready.

going back to work

Going back to work after 4 months of maternity leave is pure hell. To leave your baby at a daycare while you work isn't a nice experience. With my firts born I really wanted to go back to work - she was a difficult baby - but with my second it is a totally different story. This is my first day back at work but already I feel like maybe I should have stayed a month or two more.