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Category: Life and laughter

When Ella’s view of the world suddenly changes

The call I’ve been dreading for the past six months came through this afternoon. “You can pick up the prescription when you’re ready.’’ To be honest, I think I’ll be ready the day Karl Stefanovic wins a Gold Logie. While my little issue is pretty insignificant in the scheme of what some of you deal with on a daily basis, it still didn’t stop a little tear today. OK, so maybe it was full on, snotty nosed sobbing.

While there’s great relief in knowing Princess Ella won’t ever look like this:

(Yep, don’t you just feel sorry for that kid… Ahem) she will have to go tomorrow and pick out her first pair of glasses. She wants purple ones. We could be unveiling the modern-day version of Esme Watson come 3.30pm.

Since heading to the opthamologist last week for the follow up appointment, I’ve been trying to ignore the idea of her two eyes multiplying. If you don’t know the back story of the mad rollercoaster ride we’ve been on with Ella needing and then not needing glasses, then brace yourself for the full story here.

However, the clincher, and the reason I’m now quickly getting over my hang-ups with her wearing glasses, is that as if her eyes overcompensate her slight vision impairment there’s a chance the eye could turn in. This is me.

Source: cbsnews.com via Jacqui on Pinterest

Well, not that photo exactly, but I do have a lazy eye that will never be straight without glasses or contact lenses. I’d never forgive myself if my petty reasons for not wanting her to have glasses caused this.

Thankfully, Ella doesn’t give two hoots about my concerns. She even said to her Dad tonight: “Yay! I’m getting glasses, Dad. Mum’s really sad about it. Are you?’’ The combination of not needing “raindrops’’ at last week’s appointment– her term for eye drops – and running into a friend with glasses in the waiting room, has made her super keen to sport specs. All the cool kids are wearing them, it seems.

“I loved having the little windows on my eyes, Mum’’, she said after the opthamologist put lenses over her eyes to check her vision. Apparently, the “windows’’ made everything look brighter. As long as she doesn’t think she gets to hold up little lenses to her eyes all day. That could make going to the toilet difficult.

As for me? I just need to get over it!

So tomorrow afternoon we’re going shopping! Any tips for buying glasses for children? Are there things I should be aware of?

March 19, 2012
When did being a mum become so complicated?

At what point did parenting become more complex than a Rubiks Cube after someone’s tampered with the stickers? Sorry, that was usually me. A week or so back I saw Kochie (of Sunrise fame) tweet:

Gee Poppy, dates to park are complicated… Sunscreen, hats, drinks, snacks, spare nappy, clean clothes. Was it always this complicated?

It’s one of the reasons I’m happier sitting on the couch watching the princesses slide down the indoor slide. Now to figure out how to get a swing set through the door.

A fellow mum and I were discussing the “old days’’, when you were brought up by your mum, your nan, your aunties and half the neighbourhood who, really, just told you to “go outside and play’’. What exactly were all those women doing inside, anyway? They certainly weren’t on Facebook.

Nowadays, we mums do much of the parenting role alone (unless you struck gold in the partner stakes). We sometimes also work or run businesses, we juggle five social media accounts and still manage to declutter every inch of our homes.

We put added pressure on ourselves that our children’s Pumpkin Patch outfit stays clean, that their hands are constantly sterilised, they’re fed wholesome meals made from scratch (well, the packet says “homemade’’. Or is that “HomeBrand’’?) and their ponytail sits at a 45 degree angle from the top most point of the head. You do that, right?

What happened to sending them out in the same pair of clothes they wore yesterday? Letting them eat a little dirt, along with some extra protein goodness via a worm or two? Why can’t their hair look more akin to a member of Rolling Stones than Justin Beiber?

I think as parents, we’re our own worst enemies. Sure, keep our kids safe with sunscreen, boundaries in which to play and curfews. But do we go overboard when it comes to letting them be kids? Aren’t kids meant to have faces full of snot, dirt on their knees and a nappy showing off their plumber’s crack?

Are our kids just too… perfectly pampered? Should we get rid of this notion of the perfect parent and cut ourselves some slack? The important thing, after all, is that our kids are healthy and happy. Right?

What do you think? Is parenting getting far more complicated? And who’s to blame? *runs away quickly*

March 16, 2012
Young Talent Time’s newest star has arrived

Most of you know by now that Ella is a huge Young Talent Time fan, which is not surprising considering she was born to a super fan from a previous generation. However, there’s one little difference between her and I – confidence.

This week she stood up in front of her entire Kindergarten class and sung Queen’s Somebody To Love (performed on YTT by Lyndal) – twice. The second time she sang it without her pinky in her mouth! Not surprsingly, her goal in life is to be on Young Talent Time. Let’s see if that one changes before the four years is up.

When I asked her “why did you sing?”, she said: “because I wanted them to hear my lovely singing voice.” So, here you are, Ella’s “lovely singing voice” on Somebody To Love. If only she knew the words.

Do you have a Young Talent Time fan in your house?

March 7, 2012
The idea of a little brother given the chop: The aftermath

If you have a husband/partner/boyfriend contemplating having a vasectomy, this post may help answer some questions and shed some of those fears. WARNING: If operations make you squirmish, probably best not to read this one.

By Julian O’Brien

The anaesthetist peered down at me as I lay on the table. “You’re lucky it’s a hot day,’’ he said. Puzzled, I shot him a questioning look. “Well, it makes the operation go quicker if things are hanging low and not retreating,’’ he said. And that was the last thing I remember.

Waking up what seemed like hours later after my vasectomy, which happened on the morning of the Labor leadership challenge, I was ashamed my first slurred words on waking were … “so, is it Julia or Kevin?’’. Yep, weird I know – not entirely relevant to the situation I found myself in.

Sitting in my robe awaiting the surgery, it had seemed like an eternity to get to that point. Truth be told, it was. You see, Princess Kel and I had talked about this a long time ago (even pre-marriage) and decided, should we be lucky enough to get our two children, I would bear the burden of birth control. It’s an incredibly personal choice and not for everyone.

One thing is reinforced through the whole process and that is: While there is an outside chance of reversal once done, the operation should be considered terminal for your “little squigglies’’. It’s not a decision we’d taken lightly and we’d received good advice to take our time with it as I’d spoken about in my first post on the topic.

Strangely, I went in to the operation with very few nerves at all. It was a relatively straight-forward procedure. Post op I sat enjoying a sandwich and a coffee when the nurse said to me, “he (my surgeon) doesn’t usually give you any stitches, he just leaves a hole’’. At my first opportunity, I grabbed a sneaky look and, sure enough, there was just one single hole. (Can someone pick my wife up off the floor please, she gets a bit queasy).

Anyways, the post-op pain was OK, but I did decide to take a couple of the prescribed painkillers. That feeling was worse than the operation. For the next few hours I laid on the couch watching the roof spin before they wore off and I pledged to stick to nothing but Nurofen from that point.

I’ve taken the medical advice and taken it relatively easy since. Thing seems to be going OK. The process now? Well, I’ve got eight weeks to work the remaining “little squigglies” out of the system fully (vasectomy bonus!) before I book a date with a specimen jar and pathology. That’s one story I’ll leave well alone.

If you have any questions at all, I’m more than happy to answer them.

March 2, 2012
The idea of a little brother given the chop

By Julian O’Brien

Princess Ella must have a sixth sense. Lately she’s been asking constantly for a “little brother”. Now that Baby Holly is no longer a “baby” and can more than hold her own, Princess Ella is after someone else to boss around. Every time Ella asks, I struggle to find the words to explain, but there will be no little baby brothers, or sisters, for that matter.

You see, today is the day of “The Snip”. I posted a little while ago when the vasectomy was first booked in and it seems like time has flown towards the operation day. Princess Kel and I had always planned only two children and the snip was always the preferred option for us, but everyone is different.

Strangely, I’m not at all concerned about it to be honest. I’ve read all the provided material, I’m in the hands of a very good surgeon and I’ve spoken to others who have gone through it. Princess Kel is far more squeamish than I am about it and couldn’t even bare to look at the diagrams in the information booklets posted from the hospital.

In another twist of fate I saw on Twitter ABC personality Adam Spencer tweet last week that he’d undergone “the snip’’ and had posted a pic of himself with his “best friend” … a bag of frozen peas.

I tweeted Adam and was surprised to get this message back:

“It’s not that bad actually mate – I went the big freeze as a precaution but am pea-free today – cheers’’.

Here’s hoping on a pea-led, quick recovery.

How did you (or your hubby) cope post “the snip”?

February 27, 2012
How to survive your child’s school meltdown

Princess Ella somehow stumbled out of the wrong side of the bed this morning and from that moment till the time I walked out on her in the classroom, she continued to push buttons. And I’m not talking about her school uniform.

She didn’t want to wear a jumper. She didn’t want me to take her to school. She didn’t want just one cupcake in her lunchbox. If only she didn’t want to whinge.

The breaking point came when, in the middle of the classroom, she clung to my leg and told me she didn’t want me to leave – 15 times. There were no tears. No melodrama. Just quiet, “stay here so I can whinge some more’’ type of stuff.

So, I gently pulled her off me, told her I was leaving and walked out. As I got to the corner, I peered back to see what she was doing, only to see her standing in the middle of the classroom, head bowed and bottom lip dropped. Breaks. My. Heart.

A day earlier Nathalie from Easy Peasy Kids had posted Do you ever want to run away? and suddenly every word rang true. I wanted to be lying on the beach, good book in one hand, a glass of sav blanc in the other. And probably some hot guy fanning me with one of those giant branch thingys. Unless, of course, you’re busy, Brad. And then George, you’ll do.

Instead, I headed home and posted this on Facebook and Twitter:

“ Ella had a meltdown at school this morning (wanted her dad to take her, didn’t want to get dressed, wanted two cupcakes in her lunch etc etc). In the end, I had to walk out of the classroom. I’m feeling like the worst parent in the world right now. All virtual hugs accepted (bar sleazy, old men).’’

If you’ve ever wondered the worth of social media, here’s just a taste of why it matters for this mum in particular:

@RozBatson: Hope you feel better soon. Motherhood is all about guilt isnt it…. I am sure you did the right thing/only thing you could. :-))

@Sar_Wah: I’m sure you did what you had to do, the teacher would be well used to dealing with those situations & Ella will learn from it.

@katepickle: oh that is the hardest thing.. here’s hoping she was fine after you left and has a great day

Seana Smith – Author: Hugs, hugs, hugs… all part of the tricky business of settling into school, setting boundaries etc etc Best thing to leave to experts and walk away but so awful at the time!!

Casey: Oh dear! It is just awful how we beat ourselves up when we know they are struggling isn’t it? Big virtual hugs to you. Feeling yuck about it just means you are a loving, caring Mum – you are great! Xoxo

Anita: Big hugs – as a school teacher (on family leave) I can almost guarantee that within 10 minutes of you leaving she would have been fine! Teachers deal with that sort of thing often and are good at the art of distraction! Xx

Michelle: I just left my son crying at kinder I know how you feel and it’s not a nice feeling

Beyond the Bump: huge hugs, if it makes you feel any better I’m in line for worlds worst mum today, had to walk out of kindy leaving Dex on the floor screaming because I forgot it was red day and dressed him all in blue. I feel so terrible that I forgot. I’m sure your little miss was fine just after you left.

Angela: Big hug from me too Kel. I had been warned by a girlfriend that has 4 girls that a meltdown at some stage is very likely!! I’m sure Grace’s is just around the corner. You are a wonderful mum and I’m sure when you go to pick her up today she will bursting to tell you all the fantastic things she did today!!! Thinking of you xx

Diana: Hugs x100. Some days are just like that. Eat as much chocolate or cupcakes as you need to.

How can you not feel better after all that? And there was more.

The day did get better. After I picked her up from school at 3pm, we headed for babyccinos and a chat. The root of the problem is not school. She loves going to school. It’s that she wants her Dad to take her to school. She agreed it can happen sometimes, but there’s only so many times he can tell the boss he was caught in traffic (he is the boss. And we live in Tassie – there is no traffic).

Oh, and apparently her friend had chalk cake and can she have chalk cake in her lunchbox next week? Ah, shortcake maybe?

We’re now friends again and all is well with the world. Apart from the fact the wrinkly old people sitting next to us in the cafe “shouldn’t talk with their mouths full, Mum. It’s rude’’. Manners, indeed.

Have you experienced THE school meltdown? How did you cope?

February 21, 2012