this little girl
after months without it I finally have my beloved 50mm 1.4 lens back (Daniel managed to pull it apart and fix it – a painstaking operation) / Poet wears the cloche hat that I wore in my late teens when I worked at Alannah Hill in Paddington.
For the record, I wouldn’t recommend your child start preschool in the wintertime; it’s too much of a shock to the immune system. Alas, Poet turned 3 in mid-July hence she’s been at pre-school for 6 weeks now (and she’s spent 3 of those weeks at home). This winter has been a tough one (for everyone, it seems) and so as the germs slowly leave our bodies and our home, I’m ensuring I don’t get complacent when it comes to our health. When the sun does come out we’re straight out the door, soaking it up. I’ve had a pot of bone broth bubbling away on the stove non-stop and I’m making lots of fresh juice, chamomile tea and hearty meals. Whilst spring is just around the corner it’s still cold here, hence my mantra continues: put your socks on. Thankfully, on they stay, keeping feet warm and bodies healthy.
One thing I do notice about illness and children (especially when a fever is involved) is the rapid growth they subsequently experience. All of a sudden Poet is older and wiser, her speech has matured and her behaviour is, well, an honest representation of a three-year-old (albeit challenging for her parents). She has leapt into three and once again I’m left wondering where those years went, where the baby disappeared to. She revels in her independence, does everything her way and refuses to accept help or guidance from us. Beautiful and stubborn and not a care in the world for what anyone else thinks.I’m wary of how fast these next few years will go, how focussed I should be on savouring my time with her before she leaps, once again, into a new stage; at school age. When I feel like I haven’t been mindful with my one-on-one time with her I make sure we walk together. She sometimes runs ahead or lingers behind so whilst we’re rarely side-by-side it’s that one-on-one time that I love the most. It’s when she asks me the most questions and when I’m present enough to answer them with patience.
It’s easy to feel guilty with the second child; to compare their experience with that of the firstborn and realise that it’s been so very, very different. But it was always going to be different, wasn’t it? Not better, not worse, just different.
I can't recommend it highly enough – cod liver oil taken every day is the ultimate cold and flu prevention! Kellie xx
Oh, ok! She's taking regular probiotics and eating broth every day, may add the cod liver oil into the routine. She hardly ever gets sick (touch wood) but when she does it hits her hard 🙁 x
We second the CLO….. GPA does a great fermented one. Just remember that Catherine recommends stopping all oil supplements as Spring starts. Not sure of the reason behind it, I just know it's one things she's always said. Spring has well and truly started here we're on week 1 of our detox after being prompted by the detox naturally starting in all of us the past week or so. Love to all xxxx
we used to line up for our tablespoon of hypol (cod liver oil) every morning as kids, my mum recently reminded me and so now I'm doing the same with my kids..so far so good!
I think guilt is a part of motherhood we'll never be able to let go of, I've felt it from day one when my second child was born 19 minutes after my first… I've been trying to find balance ever since! One on one time, when I do get it, is precious. They bloom without the shadow of their twin.
I hope your little lady feels better soon xx
I've always been fascinated by the dynamics of twins and now that I'm a parent….even more fascinated by the parenting of twins. Yes, I think guilt is apart of motherhood but I'm finding it easier to let go of it as the years go by x
oh! i worry about that balance often: giving the next child the precious one-on-one the fristborn had. this morning, for example, we brough our little one into our bed for mornings cuddles with mama and dada before setting off for the day. amist the pillow dives, tickels, and laugh-so-hard-until-you-collaps-onto-dada's-chest i lied there looking at my son wondering (hoping!) that we will do the same with the next one. i suppose he/she doesn't have to have the SAME experience, just as long as they feel the same.
Hi Jodi,
I think it's finally time to say hello!
I'm a regular reader since the beginning of the year and I love your blog in every single way (Oh, those photos! Your beautiful and honest words. And the amazing community sharing thoughts in their comments).
My second child is only 7 month old and I find it hard to give him as much one-on-one time as his brother had. Whenever I start to feel guilty about it, I remind myself that he has something very special our first child never had: That big love from an older sibling. From his first day on there is one more who loves him to pieces, so I think that makes up for the missing one-on-one time 😉
Best wishes from the other side of the planet,
Claudia
its true, the guilt is always there isn't it. I don't think there is a night that goes by where I'm not worrying about how much one on one time I need to spend, but I do know they feel loved, my middle guy told me so this morning, and that warms my heart and reassures me that we're doing ok.
I love this picture and that hat! x
Dear Jodi, how much like my sweet Nevaeh your Poet seems… Fiercely independent and probably feeling like she already understands the world well beyond her years. Everything about my soon-to-be 4-yo (in just 7 days) screams little lady now. The baby is gone. Although I remind her constant;y that she will never stop being my baby.