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Category: Raising Girls

  • FEATURE: Hot Cross Mum

    FEATURE: Hot Cross Mum

    I’VE been a bit of a hot cross mum lately. Princess Ella has been testing my patience to the point I’ve had to resort to ringing Easter Bunny. At this stage, Easter Bunny won’t be visiting our house due to someone misbehaving (at this rate, not for the next 10 years).

    Usually I wouldn’t stoop so low, but with the end of daylight saving, 4am starts to the day and Baby Holly popping two teeth at once and going through Wonder Week 26, I veered off the path of good parenting and picked up the phone. I will, of course, ring him back and invite him to drop off some eggs. I am not that mean.

    The real problem is two-fold. Firstly, there’s a little girl who’s not getting enough attention because mum is always throwing her boobs about breastfeeding Holly or trying to get Holly to sleep. I try my best to do as much craft, drawing, “hairdressers”, telephone calls to Dorothy the Dinosaur and hide and seek (with the bonus of getting five minutes shut eye under the bed) as I can. However, for her, it’s just not quite enough.

    The second problem is, dare I say it, me.  Romina from Martyr-hood put it best when she said

    “ how you feel about yourself, actually reflects in your own children’’

    and that

    “anxiety is contagious’’.

    This struck a chord with me because, well, the reason Ella is a grumpy pants, is because I’m a grumpy pants. Time for new undies, I say.

    After reading many blog posts about mums being grateful for their lot in life, I’m determined to change my ways. Naomi of Seven Cherubs has started a Happiness Project that I’ve jumped on board and I’ve already posted by first edition in Maxebella Loves’ I’m Grateful For meme.

    So Tuesday morning, as I set off on the road to get Holly’s six-month immunisation shots (yes, more reasons to jump for joy), I decided to get up and get happy.

    So I started singing at the top of my lungs – always guaranteed to make me feel better. I belted out a stellar rendition of Play School’s Ning Nang Nong where the cows go bong and the monkeys all say boo, and was halfway through Der Glumph went the little green frog one day when I realisedd Ella wasn’t even in the car with me.

    A little embarrassed, I quickly flicked on the radio and got rather disappointed by some bumpin’ grindin’ pop tune with no melody. It was at this point I realised how old I was. Back to the Ning Nang Nong.

    The end result was, however, that I’d released the beast and felt much better. I’d recommend it too. And if that fails, there’s always chocolate. Although, I’d better go ring Easter Bunny first.

    So come on, sing it with me…

    How do you overcome “challenging’’ days with the kids? What makes you feel good?

    Read about the follow-up phone call to Easter Bunny.

  • SHED: It ain’t all black and white

    SHED: It ain’t all black and white

    Ella dressed in Julian's Collingwood scarf and hat

    SHE must have caught me at a weak moment. I know a deal was done, I just don’t exactly remember when or how.

    Let me explain. When Princess Kel was pregnant with our first (which turned out to be Princess Ella), we agreed: If it was a boy it would be a Collingwood supporter; a girl would be a Carlton supporter. Yep, Kellie supports the Blues and I follow the Pies (and despite this we still are happily married and have been for eight years).

    For a while the deal remained true. Kellie would take great delight when I screamed out “GO PIES!’’ and Ella would reply “go the Blues’’.

    But then the tide turned. Ella started to see in black and white. It could have been the fact Collingwood had a winning year last year so she saw the joy it brought me, the fact I constantly played the club song to her during the final series or me getting her a Collingwood footy.

    Whatever, but when I sing out “Go Pies’’ now, Ella echoes it. She even requests “Good Ol’ Collingwood Forever’’ instead of “Twinkle, Twinkle’’ during our bedtime sing-a-longs. She was also more than happy to don my beanie and scarf for a photo which I posted on Facebook (as you can see). These were some of the responses –

    Moya: “child abuse’’.

    Jason: “Now that is just wrong on so many levels’’.

    Angus: “Congrats on giving your child the best possible start in life.’’

    Emma: “Stop it Julian, you’re embarrassing her!! Kel, make it stop!’’

    Kellie: “ I’ll never have an afternoon nap ever again. My poor Carlton-loving daughter…’’

    Deep down, I know I’ve brain-washed my little girl and deep down I know Kel thinks I have reneged on a deal. She can hardly complain though. There is a long tradition of first-born daughters following their father’s footsteps. Why does Kel support Carlton? Because her dad does ….

    Have you influenced which footy team your child supports?

    Don’t forget to vote for Julian in the Top 25 Daddy Bloggers.

  • Grateful for underpants

    Grateful for underpants

    Holly's new toothy smile

    This week I’m grateful for:

    1. Underpants. Thankfully, Ella had knickers on at dancing this week. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, may I suggest you read When life goes bottoms up. Good if you like to have a giggle at someone else’s expense!
    2. Toothy pegs finally breaking through. Baby Holly popped her first tooth this week… and her second. There’s no point doing things in halves!
    3. My first paid PR job, including “Skype meeting’’. The wonderful Kat Cho from Deals for Mum gave me my first (unexpected) PR job this week. And my business isn’t even set up yet! I spent ages doing my hair, makeup, dressing nicely (well, from the waist up) and even sprayed on a bit of perfume to hide the baby spew smell (just in case you can smell someone while Skyping them! Cue: hubby rolling his eyes).
    4. Most importantly, the fact that when sleep deprivation has been all too much (due to No. 2), there’s always been something to make me giggle (see No. 1) and smile (see No. 3). I love my life!

    Tell us, what are you grateful for this week?

    I’m joining with  Maxabella Loves to share what I’m grateful for.

  • FEATURE: When life goes bottoms up

    FEATURE: When life goes bottoms up

    Ella's dancing feet

    WHEN preparing for three-year-old Ella’s dance lesson in the morning, I’ll be double, no triple, checking we have EVERYTHING. Why? Well first, let’s rewind to last Friday morning.

    Last Friday was particularly hectic – there was breastfeeding to be done, bags to pack, dishwashers to clear (well, only one dishwasher) and bottoms to be wiped. “No mum, I can wipe my own bottom’’. Here we go. “Of course you can, darling. Just make sure you put your underpants back on, OK?’’

    Let’s just say this conversation went on for a while (I won’t bore you with the script) and ended with “I’ll put them on later’’. Fine, put them on later. I’ve got other things to do. Ah, we spend so long pushing for the day our li’l people become independent, little realising the ramifications.

    You see, half way through her dance lesson, as I bounced Baby Holly on my lap, the dance teacher instructed her li’l subjects to lie back, feet in the air and pretend to be seals balancing a ball on their toes. It looked so gorgeous. Twenty sets of little feet cycling towards the sky.

    Then a thought crossed my mind, my body suddenly felt hot and I slightly choked. Had Ella put her pants on in the end? If not, there were quite a few people now getting an eye full. Yep, she was as naked as the day she was born.

    “Next, let’s all twinkle our fingers in the air, now bend over and touch the floor.’’ Nooooooooo. Please. She hasn’t got pants on. Too late. The other mums around me were in absolute hysterics. I had my hands full with Holly and could do nothing but watch it all unfold.

    A few minutes later Ella runs over to me. Little does she realise just how much of herself she’s revealed to her peers. I quickly do the hand-up-the-dress thing just to confirm what I already know and indeed, there are no underdaks covering the “front and back bum’’. I try to convince her that we need to get her spare pants out of her bag before the next dance begins, but she runs off laughing. Yeah, real funny.

    Finally, when dancing has finished, she complies and happily jumps into a pair of stripey pink and white knickers. Too late now, love. Everyone’s already seen what you had for breakfast. *sigh*

    So, my lesson to you is, fight for your little people’s independence, sure. But understand, as with everything, there are consequences.

    Do you have issues with keeping your child in underpants? Or is it just my child?

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    This post is part of FlogYoBlog Friday. Click on the links to read some incredible posts from around the mummy blogosphere!
    Click on the links to read some incredible posts from around the mummy blogosphere!



  • FEATURE: Love you to the moon and back

    FEATURE: Love you to the moon and back

    Letter to Ella

    AFTER reading quite a few posts this week on mum’s struggling with self worth, their identity and just sheer tiredness, I began to wonder if maybe that Super Moon had some sort of impact on us. The reason is, it’s been a particularly tough one here too. Although, I well realise there are women out there doing it far tougher than me.

    I won’t bore you with all the details, except to say part of it has been three-year-old Ella returning to her tantrum-throwing ways (why, I’m not sure) and five-month-old Holly either teething or just trying to test me. Whatever the case, I’m pretty exhausted this week.

    Thankfully, I had cause to open Ella’s keepsake box last night to store away tickets to a Wiggles concert we went to earlier this week. As I was doing so I stumbled across a letter written by her dad and I on her first birthday for her to read one day in the future.

    If the Super Moon put me off kilter, then it was the stars that aligned and led me to this, a letter I was meant to reread.

    “To our beautiful little girl,

    It’s hard to believe a year has passed since you entered our world. On this day 12 months ago our lives changed forever and Ella, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

    From the time you arrived you have filled our life with joy. Your wonderful smile, cute little giggle, your character and personality infects everyone you meet.

    Ella's keepsake box

    Already you are proving to be a clever, if not headstrong, and loving daughter. It makes the sleepless nights and stinky, pooey nappies all worth it.

    Hopefully, in future years, you can look back on this little note and understand that, to your parents, you are the centre of their universe and you can be happy in the knowledge there are two people who will love you unconditionally always.

    We can’t wait for the birthdays still to come.

    Love your mum and dad’’

    Enough said really.

    Please share …

    Today I’m taking part in FlogYoBlog Friday. Click on the links to read some incredible posts from around the mummy blogosphere!

     
    FYBF


  • FEATURE: Top eight infant books and how they’re affecting your child

    FEATURE: Top eight infant books and how they’re affecting your child

    THE O’Brien house is filled with books. Every room has a book or bookshelf of some sort. There’s even a book over there in the middle of the kitchen floor at the moment (must pick that up in a minute).

    Now that Ella is three, she’s looking for more advanced stories. She likes her big thick book of fairytales (Jack and the Beanstalk is her fave) and her Winnie the Pooh chapter book. It’s meant the rule of three or four books at bedtime has had to be cut to one or two, otherwise we’d be reading ‘til midnight.

    Despite Ella becoming a “big girl’’ and wanting to take over the reading role (more on that in a later post), we’re discovering all those baby books Ella so loved once again through Baby Holly.

    Following on from Top 10 Aussie kids TV shows and how they’re affecting your child, here’s my list for Top eight infant books:

    1. Where is the Green Sheep? – For some time Ella believed my blue knitting yarn came from a blue sheep, the green from a green sheep, the red from a red sheep etc. Hmm.
    2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – If you eat a lollypop, ice cream cone, chocolate cake and cherry pie you may just turn into a beautiful butterfly. Sorry darling, try hippopotamus.
    3. Dear Zoo – Learnt she can have a camel as a pet, if she so wishes. However, it’s likely to be just as grumpy as mum. Mum, on the other hand, scored the cute little puppy dog. Or was that the naughty monkey?
    4. Dr Seuss series – Apart from speaking in rhymes and riddles (if she wasn’t already) she has, on one occasion, requested green eggs for dinner. I refrained from getting out the food colouring.
    5. Peepo – Mickey Mouse existed in the olden days, but didn’t quite look as shiny as he does on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (check out the toy box in the kitchen).
    6. Spot (the dog) series – If you’ve lost something, it’s more than likely hiding under a flap.
    7. My First Book of Nursery Songs (illustrated by the rather talented Trace Moroney) – Her mum is one damn fine singer. OK, maybe not! But we can dream, can’t we?
    8. Each Peach Pear Plum – There’s no need to panic if her baby sister’s cradle gets shot out of a tree and she ends up drifting down a river.

    So, what books are the top reads in your house? Is there a book you suggest we introduce Baby Holly to?