The Mouths (and ears) of Babes

Thank you sweet Sunny, from
Sunny & Scout

~ ~

Sitting in our happy place, the toilet, with Master Magoo on the throne...

Magoo : Mummy, you be Nanna and I be Dada (Grandad).
Moi : Okay. I'm Nanna and you're Grandad then.

Pause to assume roles.
Magoo : (yells suddenly) What Nanna? What Nanna? WHAT???
Moi : (just about pee on the toilet floor, laughing)

Let's hope Magoo doesn't turn the tables and go to his Gradparent's with a bit of "You be Mummy, I be Daddy" business anytime soon.

~ ~



Magoo's little 3 year old friend : What's this?
                                              (Covers one eye with one hand).
                                              My eye pad!!! (Mum's new toy.)

~ ~

Moi : Wow! Lyssy's going to be six in a couple of months.

Magoo : Sick for coupla months?  Lyssy go doctor, Mum?

~ ~

Enjoying a catch up with a beautiful friend and her bub at Coffee Club.

Magoo had finished his "baby tuna" and gingerbread treat so interrupted our conversation with a lovely, loud

"I got  good idea. Let's go home."

Subtle.

Go on, share.

Shar :-)


"You be Mummy and I be Daddy" xx



Big boy. Little Boy

You've got to love the contrdiction that is kids.
(Well, that is most humans - but I prefer observing the little ones.)

Angels one minute, demons the next.
Love a particular vegetable one day, hate it the next.
Cuddling, snuggling and loving one second, lashing out in (frontal lobe underdevelopment) anger the next.

Don't they just keep us on our toes and make life interesting?
Some days resting and boring would be quite satisfactory though.

This last week my independent, busy little man has followed me into my morning shower three times.
Not because he's feeling particularly grubby since his bath the night before, but because he wants to be held and cuddled like a baby under the warm water.
I'm quite happy to oblige. It's so rare for him to be still or quiet for longer than a milisecond these days- I'm lapping it up.
Sore arms or not.

The child who can't play hide and seek without chuckling and yelling out "I'm ober here, Mum!!" kept a Mother's day gift in his cupboard for a whole week. He only eluded to his "prize" once - never opening it or pulling it out to soothe troubled waters mid week as I would have.

The boy who loved his trusty Smart trike and rode it to the park every evening one day last week decided "that bike for the babies". He has since rejected it for his pram (not for babies?) on our daily walks and park trips.

So, this is how I came to be a 'specialist bicycle mechanic' this week.
Adding it to the resume as I type.

Look, the bike was on special.
I strongly believe that bike riding is a rite of passage for children and essential to motor development, coordination, road safety, gaining independence...
I'm still amazed when students get to our Yr 4 Bicycle Education course and can barely wobble around on one.
Riding a bike is a huge part of childhood and was a fantastic way for me to escape my home for hours on end.
Not so for you, Magoo. It was much safer to roam the streets in my day.
(Just sprouted another grey hair for that comment.)
No, it is not my son's birthday nor will it count as an early Christmas present.
We liked it, I bought it.
Daddy's away and it made us feel good, OKAY?

So, I lugged the big box home. Well, to and from the car anyway.
Put Magoo down to nap and began the showdown.

Assembling toys is normally Daddy's domain.

(And I must obviously stand by, supervise and take photos!)

But if I couldn't wait for his return to buy the bike, I sure as heck wasn't going to wait for him to put the thing together.





1 bike against 1 determined Mummy.
Many, many pieces against 1 pathetic manual which was promptly discarded.

Also deftly ignored was this label :

That's for Dad's right?
I can do anything. I'm a Mum for crying out loud
  - or 4COL as the cool kids say.
(Sprouted another grey hair for thinking that and one more for typing it.)




I'm many things and stubborn mule is right up there, so this 30cm high contraption was not going to get the better of me.

You canna hand a mama
a grander spanner

I even ventrured in the man's space, crossed the threshhold into the shed and emerged with a tool. I got me an adjustable spanner  (I hope), and set to work..

(Without needing to grab myself a beer from the shed fridge, contrary to popular Man Myth.   Myth #1 exposed, fellas.)



One big jigsaw puzzle, really.

Ta da! All unwrapped!



Looking pro



And there she is!

Well, what a piece of cake.
All those Dads raising a sweat, swear whispering up a storm and 'needing' a recovery beer on Christmas Eve are pulling one over us.
Man Myth #2 exposed, fellas.
I'll take the bicycle assembly over turkey stuffing in the years to come.

And it hasn't collapsed on us yet.
(Possibly thanks to my gorgeous friend's husband who may have done some final tweaking for us prior to 'big boy bike adventure number 1'.)

Look at my big boy go!

Blurry photo cause he's faster than lightning.
Lightning with training wheels.

Might just tackle a trampoline next!

Shar :-)

Tears For Fears

I am blessed, lucky - whichever you choose to believe.
I know it.
I just forget to mention it sometimes.
This little (but oh so big) fact hits home hard sometimes.

Mother's Day, for me, was gorgeous. I have my sweet little Magoo and a hubby who is currently trying to please everyone but us, so is overseas.
But nonetheless, I have a lovely hubby who tries to please people. :-)

My own Mum is bravely rewriting her story each day and hopefully pushing the final chapter further and further back.
My Mum in law is a treasure - a true gift that came with the purchase of Hubby.
My Mum in law's Mum is still pulling her family together for Sunday morning tea and watching her great grandchildren grow.


I must be getting softer as I, ahem 'mature' - and not just around the middle.

So many stories in the media struck me super hard in the lead up to this Mother's Day.
Not because any of them relate directly to my personal experience, or even that of a friend.
They just touch those nerves that become raw and exposed once you hear that racing heartbeat and see that little alien squirming around inside of you.

Today, a Perth Mum is at the her 19 year old son's intensive care bedside. Suffering and struggling with the reality that her boy probably won't be coming home. He'll more than likely not fulfil his dreams, complete his studies or reach his potential on the football field. He won't finally settle down and have those grandchildren she longs to hold. She's surely praying for a miracle and bargaining with God. All because some individual took to him in the early hours of last Sunday morning and despite being a huge, solid guy, he didn't stand a chance.

Despite all her nurturing, her love, her discipline, her commitment and her support - somebody else took it all from her baby and her family in an instant.


On the radio last week, a local station ran a piece about a 23 year old man who had sadly lost his wife about 8 weeks ago. His wife was 37 weeks pregnant.

About here I began hyperventilating and bawling, considering pulling the car to the roadside.

This guy spoke of an unusual condition that for some (horrific) reason caused his heavily pregnant wife's body to completely crash. Their baby girl was delivered by c section while she was on life support and rushed away to our children's hospital.

His wife remained in another hospital, unresponsive to any tests and showing little, and finally, no brain function.
This awesome young guy has a beautiful little baby girl - but no wife, no partner to share the precious ride with..

I shed some tears for this guy, parenting the best he can at the moment and I shed so many tears for his wife.
For all that she has missed already.
I shed some tears for their daughter and all that she will never know.


Did I mention I am blessed?
I am certainly not under the illusion that I am indispensable (I can barely cook, for goodness sake), but I am plagued by that common 'Mummy fear' that something will happen to me, or worse still my 'people'.

So, I take  *'too many' photos, buy 'too many' gifts, give 'too many' cuddles, throw around 'too many' "I love you"s...
I can live with that.

I don't ever want to cause Magoo and Hubby real life, heart aching pain.
I don't want to miss what is in store for our little family.
I don't want to miss a second of Magoo's antics, his achievements, his slips ups and his successes - let alone a lifetime's worth.

I hope that your Mother's Day was one to cherish.
But, you know, yesterday and tomorrow are just as special.


Squeeze em every chance you get! x

Shar :-)

*There is no such thing as 'too many', for the record.

Wheelie Cool??

Sometimes things in life just speak to you.
Some bloggers are discussing the new welfare reforms, others the meaning of life.
Some people want to save the world.
I just want to colour coordinate it some days.
I happened upon this yesterday.

I was utterly disgusted and super excited all at once.
"What a flipping stupid idea," I thunk.
"What a flippin great idea," I thunketh.
"Hubby is gonna fur - eak when he sees our bin!"
"$19.95, no way - under 10 bucks - I'm in."


I still don't know if I love it or hate it.
I didn't buy one, but had I fancied the beer can, cricket wicket or frangipani designs that were for the taking (at only $19.95), who knows.

So I've visited their site
http://www.wheeliedesigns.com/   (cause I know it's speaking to you too!)Woah! There's categories of the decals - from numbers to nature to sport to quirky.
No crap, in 'quirky' there's Scratch & Sniff ones!!!
In the 'camouflage' section, there is our slats. The ones I made, stained and erected. With a little help maybe. They call it 'stained' rather than 'Shar's slats', but whatever.
OMG, (yes, I'm 13 years old right now) you can make your OWN!!
There's a 'Will You Marry Me?' design in the 'Love' category. How's that for a proposal?? Personally, I think it should read "Wheel You Marry Me?", but I'm a tool.

If any of my mates have known about this gem and didn't share I'm going to be peeved.
It's a treasure trove.

They even have a 'Press' section in the sidebar, so somebody is in the loop. Huh? Where have I been these past few years?? How did I possibly miss this??

It turns out $19.95 was actually a bargain basement price for these babies - but the choice online is worth it. They do gift vouchers too - oooohh - everyone in my circle is going to be streetside styling!!!
(Hee hee, I just saw my girlfriends shake their heads.)
Excuse me for bragging, but it's May and I just sort-ed Christmas.

Right after I repainted our dog's kennel to match the new fence colour in our backyard renovation, I looked critically at this scene.

I mean, the green one is fugly enough - but what about the one with the garish yellow lid?
I feel these two eyesores are a blight on all our hard work.
(As are Magoo's outdoor toys, but you know, Motherhood and all that. And don't even get me started on the skis, kayaks and boards!)

Yes, they're functional, wheelie bins. But function can meet fashion. Look at Lady Gaga.
A walking butcher or telephone booth for goodness sake.

I did consider painting them, our bins, but Hubby never would have gone for it and taking out the bins would eternally be my lot in life.

Magoo, he loooves the bin truck man, the bin truck and bin truck day - so he too may have de-mothered me for messing with his turf.

But they're ugly.
Until now, it seems.
I'd seen the "Consider Our Children" and "50kph In Residential Areas" stickers adorning people's bins. I love a good set of home drawn wickets on a bin - but bin art (and c'mon it its art). Woo hoo - I think.

Now, the tricky bit. The big decision.
I love options. I hate options.

Have a wheelie terrific weekend!!

Shar :-)

Junk Anyone?

I think there are two 'two types of people' in this world.
Yes, dog people and cat people.
(Dog all the way, by the way.)


The other great divide is freely advertised on mailboxes the country over.
You are either a "No Junk Mail" person or a "Bring On The Junk" person.
I'm most definitely the latter.
I'm having trouble finding the little plate that reads 'Bring On The Junk' at Bunnings though.

I love a good dose of junk mail. The glossier and thicker the better - with lots of pictures and percentages to boot.

I also love shopping and really enjoy choosing/buying gifts, so there may just be a link.

I don't particularly care for real estate agents and their little calling cards or the Pizza Hut specials. Give me a good chain store, department store, toy store catalogue... even hardware gets a berth these days.

When I was heavily pregnant, my definition of midday bliss was my 'Baby Beethoven' CD accompanied with a side of some big-bumper-bonanza-babython catalogue.
(First child, remember!)

Yesterday I came home from a very interesting, humiliating, loud, tantrum sprinkled morning at the marina to see this one staring at me :

No? Really? Thank you Captain Obvious.
Is that what the 10 minute screaming meltdown in view of almost every other mother in the northern suburbs was about then?
(Magoo was also being 'observed' by an OT student for an assignment at the time. Can't wait to read that assessment.)
I don't think we'll be needing any drama classes anytime soon. Magoo has that one covered.

Yes, it is so environmentally irresponsible to clog letterboxes with precious paper products that predominantly end up in the 'round recycling'.
(I can now smugly say we genuinely recycle ours, as once I can part with the highly regarded literature, I use them to feed Magoo's new obsession with scissors.)

I have tried the online catalogues, but it's just not the same.

It's similar to the app that facilitiates reading a novel on screen  - if you're lucky enough to have an ipad. I only know cause all the other committee members bring theirs to meetings - yet I'm the sechetary.

I don't think you can replace the feel of the paper in your hands, the weight of the book, turning actual pages, falling asleep with the book open on your chest...

However, If anyone wants to send me an ipad to disprove this assertion, feel absolutely free. I'll happily be a whore convert.

Thanks to the impending Mother's Day (because apparently there is no way the other halves and little people will remember to spend excessively without being bombarded by pink reminders), there is junk mail overlaod right outside my front door just waiting to be enjoyed before Magoo destorys it.

You "no junk mail" types (and your cats) don't know what you're missing!

Shar :-)

A Picture Speaks...

From my last post, it's pretty obvious that I'm not a huge fan of Hubby working away.
I, for one, get way too independent for my own good.
Magoo, well...

Last night as I was dishing up dinner, Magoo went very quiet.
As any toddler Mum knows this is highly unusual and needs to be investigated as it usually spells M-E-S-S or the like.

Here's what I found.

Is Magoo

a) gazing sadly out the door as he watches his little friend across the road squeal and run to welcome her Daddy home from work;

b) bringing a tear to my eye;

c) breaking my heart;

or

d) all of the above?



I think I would have rathered a delightful Pro Hart style collage of toothpaste, make up and conditioner all over the bathroom floor.

Shar :-}

Disclaimer :
I am well aware that many families / women / children cope beautifully with a part time family structure and it's probably a flaw in my character that I don't (want to).
I am well aware that many women single parent on a full time basis and I am absolutely in awe of them.
I am also well aware of the alarmingly high rate of marriage breakdowns within my school community which is largely a 'fly in - fly out' population. And I have never understood this correlation more than at this time.



Skype cuddles just don't cut it.



Mum On The Run Vs China

I'm on a mission.

To unearth and understand what it is that China has over me.

As it stands in the 2011 series of 'Having A Hold Over Hubby' 

(which only began 2 months ago)

the scoreline is currently

Shar & Magoo - 0    China - 3

What the?
Firstly, you would think I had it in the bag - what with my cute toddler and really well behaved dog??

I don't get it. Strangers in our suburb are quite taken with my sweet looking toddler and beautiful wonder dog. I know because they stop us and tell me.
They don't take one look, run away and book the next flight to China for pete's sake!


Maybe China has fantastic breasts?
Maybe China doesn't talk excessively?
Maybe China didn't drink too much champagne and fall asleep on the front step after THE wedding on the weekend?
Maybe China offers regular cooked meals, a maid service, laundry service, accountant, cheer squad and personal assistant... No wait, that's what I offer. :-)

Granted, Hubby is 'working' up there - or so I'm told - and I've never been to China, so I haven't even scoped out the competition.

I've certainly never hosted an Olympic event - unless procrastination and overthinking are to be included sometime soon. So, Beijing may have a leg up there.

From extensive 'Skype vision' the place looks fairly dull, grey, industrial, crowded and sunless. (Ok, well that's mainly the skyline.) Which makes my defeat all the worse. 

Nobody wants to be left for the mousy cardigan in the corner. If you're outdone it may as well be by the buxom, twenty year old bikini model - which I imagine would equate to Bermuda, Bahama, Cocomo (or any other Beach Boy lyric) in geographical terms.

Then again, the experts at Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china) tell me that China is a "mesmerising, most populous and culturally idiosyncratic nation" filled with "loud, garrulous and quick thinking people".

I'm sure I could be garrulous - if I had a clue what the heck it meant?

Hey, just looked it up - and whaddaya know - I am garrulous!
 1. excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, ...
(www.dictionary.com)

I'm told (by my pals at Lonely Planet again) that she's no longer considered cheap, China.
But there are 3,219 things to do.
I guess that's why he stays for weeks at a time then?
I'm pretty sure I could find 3,220 things for him to do here.
Starting with cleaning the pool, oiling the deck and mowing the lawn.

If anybody's been up there, or better yet hails from China, I could really do with some insight.

I'm sure I could lift my game, but I don't know where to start.
And I really don't have the energy for making 'modifications' that won't win me this series outright.

Shar :-)