Winter traditions around here

Louisa said in her latest post that she's hibernating for winter.

I kind-of feel like that.

I love the cold, as you know, but not my cold house. It's a lovely summer house but we don't make houses for winter in South Africa.

So most nights you'll find me in my pjs at 6 pm (Kendra loves this - "ooh Mummy, I love your pyjamas") having tea or hot chocolate with the kids under the blankets.

We see Nanny S out, go straight to the kitchen and sort out the hot drinks so we're all ready at 6 pm.

It's quite lovely.

What is also lovely is my kids are unused to having lots of treats so when I give them TWO tennis biscuits with tea or hot chocolate, Connor goes "we can have TWO?!" It's too adorable.

red velvet cupcakes - do you like them? I could mostly leave them. What is the big fuss?

I've been sorting through the 12 - 24 month pics as you know (I finished tonight - ready for printing now!) and came across a few videos which I played for the kids.

They said, "why is Connor not talking properly?" and "Mummy, why didn't I answer you?"

They're fascinated that they are the kids who couldn't quite speak. So am I actually. Hearing those nearly two-year-olds speaking in their little baby voices is way too cute.

The other day Nanny V visited us with her little guy and, as you do (or as I do), I said to him, "do you want a biscuit, M?" holding out a baby biscuit, and Connor pipes up without skipping a beat, "Mummy, he CAN"T TALK!"

We all laughed so hard.

And then I explained that the reason they can talk so nicely is because V, Daddy and I all talked to them a LOT when they were babies so that they could learn.

They didn't seem convinced.

don't you just want to curl up with a book and a nice, big mug of tea?

So they're into videos.

One of Kendra's favourite things to do is to scroll through my iphone (she tried to scroll on the laptop this evening - these sophisticated kids!) and look for videos.

I wanted to see if they remembered something I told them MONTHS ago when Claudia posted on her blog about asking her kids if their job was to be the boss or if that was hers, which I thought was a fantastic idea. (C,please link in the comments if you're reading - I just spent 20 minutes searching and I couldn't find the post)

Claudia always has the best ideas. When mine were little, I "stole" her "gentle hands" and used it a LOT for Connor. Worked like a charm.

So I said to them tonight, "Babies (I still call them babies), do you remember what your job is as children?" and they churned out a whole laundry list of KRAs :)

For the record, what I previously told them is that their job is to 1) listen and obey immediately and 2) be respectful and have good manners.

They remembered - it was SO cute I did a little video but as these things always go, it was a bit of a disaster the second time with everyone grabbing at the iphone, pushing each other out the way... 10 seconds in.

This pic was really blah at first and then I bent my knees til my eyes were level with the lamp post. Now I love it!

 A lot of you commented on those cute little poncho/ gowns in this post.

Well, when the kids were real babies (a few months old), I saw those at Mr P Home in the baby section for R99 each I bought them.

They couldn't wear them in winter 2010 because they weren't walking yet but they've used them 2011, 2012 and now again this year.

We all love them - I love a snuggly child and they think they're fun :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I have about 6 hours of meetings tomorrow which is about double my normal comfort level. However, working with 6 extreme introverts every day means I now LOVE meetings - a chance to connect with human beings :)
What are you looking forward to tomorrow?



PS I still need to write posts on the school meeting, what your kids call your friends and on my performance appraisal. Which order would you prefer?

Random bits of loveliness

I've had the BEST time with the babies today.




D is busy doing that thing he does every time this year - catching up on all the Oscar movies so he can decide who should get the Academy Award - so I decided, on the spur of the moment, to grab the babies and take them to the shopping centre to get my Ballito photos printed.

I always get mine done at Foto First - they are more expensive than Kodak but the quality is a zillion times better so worth it - AND the man who owns the store always says nice things about my photography :)



The babies were well-behaved for a change (no competing for attention between me and D?) and we spent the 20 minutes waiting for the pictures at CNA where I bought a set of Sharpies in lovely pastels and a book for the kids (they have plenty but who can resist?!)




When we got home, they told me they wanted to write but I said no - writing always involves writing with markers on one or two limbs and I was not in the mood to wash legs and arms... so they played with play dough instead.

Do you know they played totally by themselves for 45 - 50 minutes?!

They do play independently but I usually only get about 25 minutes to do things at any one time.

 

When I saw what a good mood they were in, I decided on the spur of the moment to try a new recipe. Will let you know how it works out as it's just come out of the oven but it does smell delicious!

And then they had no problems doing their before-bed routine and going to sleep.

I almost want D to go watch movies every day :)

K: Mummy, did you go to the hairdresser today?
Me: Yes, baby.
K: Because your hair looks nice. I love you because your hair looks nice.
Me: Kendra, you need to love me whether my hair looks nice or not.
C: Mummy, I love you ALL the time, even if you don't go to the hairdresser.
!

So after I eat tonight, I'm going to finish my list I started today, do some business blogging, make some sidebar buttons for my projects and then put those photos in an album. And hopefully jump into bed at 10:30 with a new book.

How was your Tuesday?

this is how I organise my Project Life cards. I posted more here

And I also forgot (thank you, Lesley, for the reminder) to post the link to how I get so much reading done. Here you go.

I've read my 5 books for Feb. Goodreads tells me I'm 4 books ahead of schedule. Last night I started Delight in your child's design. After that I'm going to read another Irish author.

By the way, who's read Liane Moriarty's What Alice Forgot? I loved it!!!!!

How has your week been so far? What are you reading at the moment?

PS it is hot as hell in Jhb!

Five on Friday

There's a video of me talking (eek!) here if you haven't had a look yet.


Thank you for the fantastic comments on the potty training post. Truly awesome content in the comments.

1. This week has been crazy and sadly, it's not over yet. I have one day with my babies and then it's my work conference on Sunday and Monday. Let's just say it's going to be interesting.

2. I almost hope the music at the event on Sunday night is boring so I don't feel tempted to stay up dancing and instead can go to bed and recharge. Right there I'm showing my age.

The mothers in the office have been debating whether we'll sleep or dance - my vote is to read since I feel very behind on my reading (I haven't even finished 2 books for the month yet and it would be nice to finish with 3).

3. Today I took time off work to go to my friend, K's boy's first birthday party. Here is the baby shower we threw for her last year. I raced home, fetched V and the kids (so glad I took V with me so she could run after one baby) and raced there. Arrived only 10 minutes late.

It was an animal party and she had bunnies, a tortoise, a sheep, goat and pony there. Of course, my kids ate the bunnies' carrots instead of feeding it to them. We fed them a good lunch before the party so they weren't hungry (chicken, potatoes, butternut and spinach) but carrot sticks are their snacks...

I learned that I need to teach Connor to share...my one friend's daughter came to fetch me to "tell Connor to give me a chance" - too sweet!


4. This crafting thing is getting out of hand. I don't know how you guys with tons of "supplies" do it. I have one drawer, about 4 scrapbook paper pads of 30 pages (of course I've used LOTS of the paper) and another small basket and already I'm feeling like it's too much.

After I publish this post, I'm going to make a list of projects I have "supplies" for (do I annoy you when I keep using ""?) and choose which will get done on Thursday. I feel like this is such a novelty for me hence the "".

Are you ready?

5. This week I received two random acts of kindness - two BIG bags of Pampers. Worth R350. I am blown away. And I just remembered that another friend gave me an envelope at the party. I love my gift, Roz, and now I have to do a project in my study for a magnetic board.




And what did I do for me?

Zip!

Except getting through this week :)

And ordering a programme from my old personal trainer because I recognise that I need to make time for exercise again.

And I suppose taking off the afternoon. My kids were LOVELY today - we chatted all the way there and home.

One conversation happened in the traffic just outside the Rosebank Gautrain Station.

Connor (shouting) Mummy! DRIVE! (hates that we have to wait at stop streets and traffic lights)

Me Connor, I can't drive yet. These are the rules of the road.

Connor (thinking I'm talking about our house rules) Please, Mummy, drive. (in a nice, pleasant, non-screamy voice)

Me Aaawww, you're asking me so nicely, boy, but I'm afraid I still can't go (we're jammed in by buses, cars, etc - all in a day's driving in Jhb)

Kendra We're STUCK

V and I laughed

Me Yes, baby, we're stuck!

On Tuesday I have a massage planned and I can't wait! I'm going to need it because I have an A4 page full of tasks ready for me at work. Somehow I feel better because it's a neat and consolidated list. Isn't that crazy?

What did you do for you this week?