Two years ago, Tercero came rushing into the world. I’ve been feeling nostalgic about my pelvic floor muscles, apologetic to my perineum and I’ve been trying to remember what it feels like to sneeze without clenching (hard). In honour of the great day, I have reprised the birth announcement that we sent out at the time. […]
When Newborn was brought home from the hospital, the biggest threat to his health and safety was the inquisitive and intrusive fingers of his older brother Tercero. Aged nearly two, Tercero seems destined for a life of crime. He will walk up to any child of any size, push his face in front of theirs […]
Recently, Prima was asked the inevitable “What do you want to be when you grow up?” question by my mother. Encouraged by her grandmother’s praise over her prolific art work, Prima declared that she wanted to be an artist. My mother duly affirmed her 6 year old optimism with a “That’s wonderful darling, you’ll be […]
I had a playdate yesterday with the stay-at-home-husband of my best friend. Like us, the family has recently migrated back to Canberra from England. My best friend is working and her husband is staying at home for now to look after their 18 month old daughter (hereafter referred to as Cub-ling to protect her secret and very sweet […]
I watch a lot of children’s television. This is because my children watch too much children’s television (for example, see Law & Disorder). In the heady days of my first pregnancy when I had time to rub my belly with cocoa butter, read books on fetal development and contemplate (delude myself about) the kind of […]
I have said that so many times in my life. Variations include: I will play with you in five minutes, I just need to wash the dishes/load the washing machine/tidy up/put away (insert name of one of hundreds of objects I put away each day)/cook dinner/feed (insert name of one of four or all children)/ […]
Before I had children, I never baked a damn thing. I never saw the point. Why bake when you can buy (especially if you shop at Waitrose)? I remember attending the 1st birthday of my niece, years before I had Prima. My cousin, the baby’s mother, is a brilliant doctor and dedicated mother, who insisted […]
My husband recently asked me when I was going to stop walking around naked in front of the children. He said he was sure that when he was Prima’s age (6 years old) he did not see his mother naked. The thing is, I don’t think of myself as naked around them and they haven’t […]
Yes I know that probably makes me sound pretentious but for the Brits reading this, you know there is only one news service. Here’s another game that both men and women like to play but only women admit to (honestly, minds out of the gutter please, we are still talking about the news). The game […]
At school, our older children, Prima (aged 6) and Secundo (aged 5) are learning how to deal with bullying and conflict. When troubled by some one, they have been taught to stand up and say in a loud clear voice, assertively and politely: “Stop it, I don’t like it.” They have then been instructed by […]