The meaning of Christmas...

"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?" - Dr. Suess

As I write this there are only two days until Christmas... I feel a bit stressed and overwhelmed as the result of just moving into our new house means that I am mega-disorganised, and things are not at all how they should be. My daughter is off to childcare today, and I have started to write a super long list of things 'to do'...

But just reading that quote by Dr. Seuss has helped me somewhat... Yes I will still definately have to hit the supermarket and bustle along with all the other people trying to fill their fridges and pantries to the brim with Christmas cheer (I reckon everyone buys the equivalent of about a month's food to eat in only a few days!).. but as for everything else I am wanting to do - I think 'stuff it!'.

Christmas is about love, happiness, fun, joy, sharing good times with family. If I haven't got everyone equitable and appropriate gifts, if my cards haven't been delivered in time, if my house is quite disorganised - it doesn't matter!! It's Christmas and I am going to be happy, fun, and loving! Bring it on!

(And a very Merry Christmas everyone!!!)

On difficult days practise the alphabet...

Today has been a difficult day... One of those when the kids are going that extra bit whingey or crazy for some reason, there is plenty of things that you need to do, and places to be... and it just is soooo difficult to get out the door. All the things you do each day, are just that bit harder... and with such a cumulation you could easily lose the plot! Sometimes I get a bit of an 'out-of-body' experience and feel as though I am in a 'Zen' state of relaxed consciousness (ha!) - but really when a baby's crying constantly and a toddler is screaming and whinging and pulling at you - and you are remaining CALM somehow and in control - I reckon that is absolutely a Zen moment (not that I've ever studied it or know what the heck I am talking about really!)

But apart from being a 'Zen Mummy - I've come up with another theory of practising the alphabet:

Start each day with a basic plan in your head of how things will go: Plan A, when enough things go wrong move onto Plan B, which has less things on it and is a bit more simplified, when plan B goes wrong move to plan C - which of course is even simpler... and so on and so on. Until finally you may reach Plan Z - which is to simply to do nothing other than practise the alphabet, which you have already accomplished! Yay!

Not ants, not chopping carrots...

I love children's imaginations and the way they think!

Lately my darling two and a half year old is becoming quite the conversationalist (aka non-stop chatterbox) - and I just love the things she says!!

I constantly talk to her throughout the day, and often I am looking for something or asking a question of some sort - and if Tilly doesn't know the answer she will take it upon herself to say all the things it is not!

"Not ants", is one of her favourite responses - she seems to like talking about ants for some reason! She will also include them in her list of saying all the people that she loves! (I love you Mummy, I love Curtis, I love Daddy, I love Granandpop, I love Ants!)

This morning there was a loud banging/hammering/chopping? sound coming from outside and we were discussing what it could be... Tilly's eyes lit up with the thought that it could be pirates digging for their treasure (she finds pirates quite thrilling, and excitingly scary!)... She seemed pretty sure that it was pirates, but still decided to say all the things that it wasn't:
"Not Ants... Not chopping carrots..." I had to laugh!! I commented that it could be chopping carrots, but it sounded like very large ones: she then thought the rabbits would be quite happy with that!

I LOVE talking with my two-year-old. So cute!