2011 - it was the best of times. It was the not so worst of times

When you're in the thick of things it's hard to see the wood for the trees, the trees for the wood or the woody trees and it's only on looking back you realize things weren't that bad. In fact they could have been a whole lot worse...
So 2011 saw loads of highs, a few lows and some middle to fair bits

We watched as Emma blossomed into a bright, funny, kind, compassionate little girl

I am sure that...

I realized I love been a mom. It's a privilege. To be Emma's mom is an honour

We celebrated Emma's 2nd birthday in May amongst friends and family who love and value her as much as we do

I now know that...

Times were hard for Mark work-wise but we've survived and of course it could have been harder

I went for a job interview never expecting to get it. But I did. Sadly I didn't take the offer but we learn from our mistakes and we move on

If you can...

We watched helplessly while Emma lay in hospital for 6 days. She made a speedy recovery. Sadly family friends' little boy didn't

I learnt I'm stronger than I thought, braver than I ever imagined and can function on very little sleep

Textbooks can't teach you how to love your child...

As old as I am and as wise as I thought I was I learn essential lessons from Emma every day. How to love deeply. How to laugh loudly. How to live enthusiastically

Thanks to emma I've learned special friendships are made with a very simple 'hello'

The best friends are found in the least obvious places and twitter pals are as true and as wonderful as real time ones

When times are tough someone else  is having it tougher

Yes...

Getting through those aforementioned times is easier with friends, family and a husband who 'gets' me

The little curve balls life throws your way teaches you to hold the bat differently, swing harder, faster and make a sprint for 'home'

Regret is a waste of time...

No matter how shitty life sometimes seems, it's better than the alternative

All my experiences, good and bad, have brought me to where I am today...and I'd like to think I'm a better person for them

At the age of 39 and 7 months...

My needs and wants have been replaced by dreams and hopes for Emma

I've been on radio...and I loved it

Sometimes you have to...

I'm addicted to my iphone and instagram

I love Diptic and Phonto and Hello kitty photo booth too

I started blogging and it's become my love, my hobby and my passion

This year I've had enough bad haircuts to last a life time. I've learnt that unlike foreskins hair grows back

It's important to remember that...

I've come to realize it's sometimes right to say no to things regarding Emma. In fact it's my right to say no

I've learnt life is not a race nor is it a competition. It's a journey and it's up to you to...

For all the things I didn't get, didn't achieve or didn't do I am grateful for what I have...

xxx

Tomorrow on 1 January 2012 the world will be no different. There'll be pain and suffering. There'll be heartaches and regrets. Families will have lost loved ones and babies will be born. But the beginning of a new year always brings new hope and promise. My wish for you and your loved ones is to cherish each moment, be kind to each other and especially yourself.


ps - my 2011 retrosprective blogging friends have given me food for though. I stood in awe of Tanya, laughed (and shed a happy tear) with Nicki, nodded in agreement with Sharon and was inspired by Margot

The ABC's of family holidays

A is for air...fresh, healthy, rejuvenating air and alcohol...very much needed in order to survive
B is for beaches...sandy, dirty, cigarette butt infested beaches and beach balls

C is for cloud watching...and comfort eating

D is for dog-lazy days...and drugs to get me through the days

E is for everyone descending down to Knysna for the holidays

F is for family...you can choose your friends but you can't choose your family

G is for gawdy bikinis, makeup and jewellery

H is for holidays...and hell

I is for ice cream and ice blocks floating in G&T's

J is for jelly fish, jelly beans and jelly in trifle

K is for kites flying high in the sky

L is for lazy lie-ins and lying around, which I believe people do on hols

M is for been mugged by monkeys at Monkeyland

N is for noose...which I'd like to put around my neck

O is for ocean...a wide expanse of water warmed by the sun and litres of urine

P is for pee...another word for urine

Q is for queasy...the way I feel on a boat

R is for rest and relaxation. What I would love while on holiday

S is for sunblock, suntan and screaming kids

T is for tranquilizers...can never have enough while holidaying

U is for umbrella and under-arm hair which can be found in abundance

V is for Van Rensburg's, Van der Merwe's and Van Jaarsveld's descending on the beach, malls and KFC outlets

W is for water, wind, wonder, wrinkly old women on the beach and men's w***** in banana hammocks

X is for xtra thick skin needed while holidaying

Y is for Y me?

Z is for Zippity doo dah days with Emma and hubs whole on holiday

A holiday to remember

I've been lucky enough to experience some of the most amazing holidays.

Locally and abroad Mark and I have traipsed around cobbled roads in Greece. He's been hit on and I've been ignored in Mykonos. He's eyed out topless gals and I've puked at men in speedos.

We've swam on our own private beach in Sorrento and we've stayed in a quaint little artist studio in Venice.

We've done serious damage to our credit cards shopping in Rome and we've sunbathed in Amalfi.

We've swam with dolphins in the Maldives and seen a turtle lay eggs in Mozambique. We've gagged at Gaudi and blushed at Picasso's paintings  in Spain.

I've bitched and moaned carrying heavy ski gear in Switzerland and sipped champagne in Champagne. We've shivered in our long johns and travelled the beautiful coastal towns in the UK  .

Yup, Mark and I have been blessed to do all of this and then some but nothing and I mean nothing, has beaten this holiday with Emma.

A trip to Knysna, which we've done many times, has never been so much fun, seeing it all for the first time through the eyes of Emma...

Wish you were here...

And the winners of the Jewellery by Janine giveaway are...

And the winners of the Jewellery by Janine giveaway

are…

The rather badly behaved holiday Emma helped me select the winners of this fabulous giveaway courtesy of jewellery designer Janine


Firstly it took me about 40 minutes to get her to put her hand in the bag for the draw...I kept getting told "wait two minutes mom"


She did the taking of one piece of paper at a time okay but then just wouldn't cooperate when I asked her to hold the paper up so I could take the pics...


The conclusion, NEVER EVER work with animals or children

 

 

Sharon…winner of the personalized name  necklace

Scared mom…winner of the beautiful charm bracelet with charm

Grazesandgroans…winner of the starstruck necklace Please drop me a mail at melinda.connor@gmail.com so we can get your prizes to you...there might be a bit of a delay with the holidays in full swing :(

Practical uses for lhoobs (low hanging boobs)

Ever looked at those two old sacs of skin hanging loosely from your chest? You know those things that keep your belly button company?

Well I've found a few practical uses for my not-so-slightly-low-hanging-boobs (affectionately referred to as 'lhoobs')

Here we go...as I use one of them to type this, with a cup of tea in other hand...

Use them as a bookmark

Who needs those airplane neck wrap around thingies when you have lhoobs?

Test the bath water temp without kneeling down or bending over

Position them the right way and you look like Jar Jar Binks for your next fancy dress party

Ear muffs on cold days

Fans on warm days

Trail markers when hiking

'Footprints' that'll confuse the crap out of rangers now and anthropologists in years to come

Extra pair of arms when doing breast stroke, backstroke or crawl. Sadly with butterfly you might get yourself in a knot

Instead of putting a bag or a jersey to save the seat next to you just place a lhoob there

Playing 'peek a lhoob' with your toddler

Play the drums sans drum sticks...very popular party trick

A scarf for those chilly says...though be careful how you wrap them otherwise you might end up looking like Jar Jar Binks (see above)

When the next person asks 'how low can you go?' show them

Fly swatter

Door stop (depending on how far away from the door you are or just how low your lhoobs hang)

Keep money, wallet or even your handbag safely hidden

Paperweights

Wind vane
Toss them over your shoulders and voila you've got reigns when toddler (or husband) wants to ride you like Sea Biscuit

A.D.O.P.T.E.D

I was reading Sharon's post this week, the one about honouring their Birth Mother. I love the way Sharon remembers and honours Ava's BM. It is, as Sharon says, "a love so deep that it is not understandable by most".

I have never met Emma's Birth Mother. I have seen an ID photo and know a little about her background. I do know that she is in her 30's and already has four children, including a set of twins.

What I have realized is that giving Emma up must have been an incredibly difficult decision for her. What kind of a mother can look at her other children and still make that choice?

A selfless soul who knew that in her current circumstances she would not be able to provide for her new baby. A woman with so much love for her child that she was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The social worker told us that Emma's BM would call every few days to see how she was doing. She called until the social worker told Emma had found a family. All she asked was if Emma would be loved and taken care of. The social worker answered 'yes, most definitely' and that was the last they heard from her. I remember feeling a huge amount of love for a woman I have never met. A woman who gave me the precious gift of life and a daughter to call my own...

A is for the Angels who heard us asking for our very own baby. A baby we could love and Adore

D is for the Dreams we had of you before we even met. You had curly brown hair, a twinkle in your eye, a little button nose and a smile that brightened up the darkest nights

O is for 'Once upon a time' I only dreamed of been a mommy and now that dream's come true

P is for Prayers answered and a Perfect little girl

T is for Together at last and a family of Three

E is for Ever. That's how long we'll love you and we'll be forEver grateful that you are ours

D is for Dreams that come true and for the Dreams we have for you