Parenting Tools

Dad be stepping up

~ Mumsgoneclimbing ~ 1 Comment

I freakin LOVE my husband. Sure he annoys me to no end, leaves his clothes all over the house and has a distinct knack for relaxing on the couch while chaos reins around him…totally none the wiser. BUT…I love love LOVE him, and every single day I feel beyond blessed to have him on my team.

Although we’ve had our up’s and down’s the years roll on and with each one our connection is stronger. When parenthood landed on our door, with all the surprise of snow for an Aussie Christmas, I knew our relationship was hitting a big test. After all it has been my experience as a witness that children tend to make or break a relationship.

To my utter delight (and quiet confidence) parenthood proved to only deepen our understanding and compassion for each other. My man stepped up to the plate as a little human catapulted us into a life with a level of purpose and dedication that we had not experienced before. Suddenly what was important actually seemed a hell of a lot more important then… hmmm anything previously. And LOVE!!… my gosh, we learned to love more then ever before and this love was unconditional.

IMG_3490_fotorNow here we are welcoming another member to our family and getting pretty darn use to Little Roo being our number two. And my husband…well he be stepping up yet again. Sure I already knew he was a great dad. But with one child it is easier for mum (or whomever happens to be primary carer) to juggle the bulk of what needs to be done. I know this isn’t every family’s dynamic but it certainly seems a trend among my tribe. When you add another, not soooo easy. The team has had to reinvent itself, change the strategies and pull together. It’s not always beer and skittles, but certainly results in an ever deepening family connection.

So to my main man Mr G, thanks…for stepping up and being the insanely amazing man you are… I am truly grateful 🙂

p.s remember this when I am tired and grumpy and send you evil mumma eyes xo

Books for welcoming a baby

~ Mumsgoneclimbing ~ 2 Comments

Books, Books wonderful glorious BOOKS! It may have taken almost three years but I am finally getting the picture that if we want Boz to focus on, learn about, sing about and love something…anything…all we need to do is find some great books.

Sometime in the next few weeks the newest member of our family with be travelling from my belly to earth side. For the past month we have been exploring books that celebrate pregnancy and new babies. Here are three that have captured Boz.

Mummy Mummy What’s in your Tummy? by Sarah Simpson- Enock illustrated by Linzi West

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A gorgeous little book that is full of simple rhythm and rhyme. Each page you lift a flap to discover silly outrageous things that could be making mummy’s tummy grow. A balloon? a boat? a birthday cake? The end result of course being a BABY.

IMG_3059_fotorThe illustrations are so colouring and burst off the page. About four of Bozzies favourite things turn up in the mummy’s tummy so it got his attention straight away. I also made a point of doing a big exaggerated NOoooooo and shaking my head after each page of silliness. Then a big YESSSSSS when they finally came to the baby.

There’s a HOUSE inside my Mummy by Giles Andreae illustrated by Vanessa Cabban

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To be honest this one didn’t resonate with Boz much but I quite like it. Giles Andreae writes great childrens books and this has that similar flow and rhyme you may already know. I love all the familiar homey scenes that are portrayed through out the book and how the little boy uses his imagination to explain how on earth a baby would be living in his mum’s tummy. Much of what he supposes is not too far from the truth 😉

IMG_3064_fotorI like that it normalises some of those traits mum’s go through during pregnancy like eating lots of different things and falling asleep/being super tired. There is lots of care, love and curiosity sprinkled throughout so it almost feels like a book that gives you a warm hug.

One Special Day by Lola M. Schaefer illustrated by Jessica Meserve

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Alrighty this is OUR favourite one, I have fallen in love with it and so has Boz. It is the gorgeous story of a little boy who is lots of things; strong, wild, messy, free! It takes you into his magical world that is full of animals and adventures. One Special Day this boy that is full of spirit becomes a brother!

IMG_3067_fotorThe illustrations in this book are pretty darn delicious, I sort of want to rip it up and frame them. The story feels so full and yet there are very few words. You find yourself being drawn into each page, pausing to take in the beauty of the moment. Its one of those ones that gets me choked up, “because for the first time ever – Spencer was a brother”.

IMG_3069_fotorWe borrowed all of these, and a few more, from the Gold Coast Libraries. Although I think I may just purchase One Special Day 🙂

 

Share the load and find some headspace

~ Mumsgoneclimbing ~ 4 Comments

A friend of mine recently said something along the lines of “You love your kids even more when they’re sleeping and I found out why… It’s because you actually have a moment to think about it”

IMG_3590_fotorAs parents, and particularly if you happen to be a stay home mum or dad, it can be rare to find a moment that is not consumed with either the responsibilities of living or the responsibilities of making sure your child doesn’t decide to grab hold of your dogs tail and attempt to bite it off. Your mind is constantly focused in the moment or the ever so boring to do list, that you actually do not get the chance to reflect and appreciate life.

There is another thing that tends to happen as well. We become so use to the treadmill that when someone offers to tag team, jump on and keep it rolling while we take to the bush track instead, we tend to deny them. I seriously crave the sort of me time that for 27 years of my life was on tap. Nothing extravagant…just conversation with a dear friend that includes my full attention and no interruptions. Or a walk along the beach to wonder at the ocean and waves without seeing them as a immediate drowning hazard. I have an amazing husband who will often ask if I want to take time, but I get so stumped about having time that I can barely come up with what I want to do” ahhh…ummmm…okay……ummmm”, or I feel this weird guilt for leaving him to wrestle our son for an hour (all the while being completely aware that it is RIDICULOUS, unfounded, hogwash, self indulgent guilt).

IMG_3591_fotorThis morning I ask for some time and it was happily given. Of course it would be happily given by my husband, our family or a friend pretty much when ever I was in need. But this morning I TOOK IT! It was wonderful. One and a half hours of just walking along enjoying the world, sitting to meditate not on my bed at the end of a busy day but in the soft sand while gazing at the waves, finding some head space, just being…reflecting and feeling grateful.

So to all of you out there who have little time to turn off from what is right in front of you or what is hijacking your mind…jump off the treadmill of life, find some head space!!!! You do not have to be a parent, maybe your life is full of work, or stress, or relationship needs. Whoever…whatever…when some one offers to share the load so you can find peace…please… let them.

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