Little Angel

My friend Anna recently had a baby... her third!  It got me thinking about the wonder of a newborn.  The way their little bodies are such a contradiction - so fragile yet so strong all at once.  The way their faces become transparent with divine light and beauty when they sleep, as though they are not quite yet part of our world - I'm convinced they travel to the heavens in their dreams and touch the stars.  To hold that tiny quivering body in your arms and feel a heartbeat that started as a glint in the eye of love, is the closest we might ever come to knowing the beauty of our own existence. 

... and then they wake up and cry their newborn cry, reminding us that life is a crazy, hungry business!

(this beautiful photo was taken by the gorgeous and talented Emma Durkin)

Icing on My Family

I'm back.  From where?  From the laundry, from Africa, from the vacuum of daily life!  I have been so busy blending spag bol and patting lions that I've neglected my first true love... my macbook :(  "Oh keyboard, it seems like forever since I touched you".

Today, in the the rather chilly pre-dawn hours, as I lay waiting  for the Monkey to begin his morning Hadada call (my feet resting forlornly on the cold hot water bottle - damn electricity prices!), I began thinking about all the things that have fallen off my tram lately... things that have become the victims of my over-zealous, uber-motherly prioritisation campaign.  I no longer do yoga.  I haven't picked up a paint brush in nearly a year.  My toenail polish is older than my son.  I can't remember when I last took a photo of anything vintage (in my world, this spells crisis!).  And very worst of all, I haven't written anything for such a long, long time its a wonder I can still construct sentences.

Family life is busy.  The days are so packed full with doing things, I'm in danger of morphing into a verb.  Keeping a burly ten-month old fed, clean and amused is kind of like being a cross between a zoo-keeper and a circus clown.  Trying to fit in some income-earning work on top of that, well frankly, life becomes a whirlwind of pureed pumpkin, Omo and the odd intelligent thought.

So, in a bold and slightly self-indulgent move, I've decided to reclaim the icing on my family!  I NEED to do yoga.  I NEED to paint things, my toes included.  I NEED to acquire and photograph old stuff.  And I absolutely NEED to write about it.  We all have the precious things in life that fill up the cracks and crevices of our souls with love.  It is not sinful to do these things.  Rather, it is crucial to our happiness to try to cram in as much joy as possible!  

On that note, I'm off to attempt yoga with a Monkey on my back :)

x

Image from here

Cabin Fever

It has been raining here for days... days spent crawling the walls of our two bedroom apartment... days spent endlessly inventing new games to play... days spent staring at the pram in the hall knowing we won't be venturing out in the gloom.

Finally we couldn't take it any longer... we rugged up and braved the heavy, sinking skies for 10 minutes of blissful, chilly fresh air!

Yum Yum Mama's Magazine!

Note to self: Do not leave magazines on the coffee table... Monkey fodder!

Autumn Leaves

Autumn leaves are scattered up and down our street like confetti and there is a chilly bite in the air that nibbles our noses and earlobes as we wander. The days have been so crystal clear... perfect weather for long walks in the sunshine!

Fresh Out of The Oven

I saw a little baby yesterday that was so brand spanking new it took my breath away.  I seem barely able to recall what the Monkey was like when he was that tiny... it's the weirdest thing the way the memory works.  I know the nights were terrible and I could hardly function, but it seems so distant now.  Our boy has so much personality and is a constant side-show of clown smiles and laughter... but sometimes I wish I could jump back in time and hold my newborn again and feel the spectacular wonder of his little heart beating beneath my palm.

x

Image from here

From our home to yours...

HAPPY EASTER!