Yesterday afternoon, I followed Georgie around with my camera. He drove his tractor around the house, stopping every now and then to observe birds in the trees and dogs playing outside. He rubbed Lily Rose’s belly and then grabbed his watering can before heading to the vegetable garden without so much as looking for me. These are moments I dreamt of when Georgie was just a wee baby, when he would cry for hours on end and need my constant attention. There was a yearning for quiet times with a book, long showers with no interruptions, movie nights and drinks and conversations with friends all through the night. It’s been a while since adult normality has returned to my life but you know what? It’s SO much sweeter now. With everything I do, there’s a sense of pride, a mother’s sense of pride, i guess. All these independent moments are now filled with thoughts of my baby singing me songs, hugging me in the morning and kissing me so I can get up and make him toast with jam, counting to himself as he plays with his puzzles in his teepee snacking on rye crackers, little conversations we have throughout the day that make me smile and feel blessed that I am his and he is mine.
photography
With absolutely nothing on the itinerary, Sunday proved to be the perfect day for the kids to take their bicycles out for a ride and for the adults to finally soak up the rays by our pool. Things can get somewhat hairy with two two-year olds running around, unable to grasp the concept of drowning but there were more than enough hands to help keep them safe. Of course having a massive canvas cover over the entire pool that can easily hold up to 200 kilos is also a huge relief. However, swimming ‘lessons’ have been bumped up on the activity agenda and my little dude is adapting beautifully, kicking his legs and blowing bubbles. I’m hoping he develops a respectful relationship with water because living on an island means bare feet and lots of fun.
It’s a refreshing change of scenery for me to lounge around my house all day. With a toddler, it’s hard to stay put. They get bored, you get frustrated and before you know it, you couldn’t care less about the scribbling on the walls, if it means getting two minutes of peace and quiet. The mall and park has always been my answer to moments like these. But over the three months we’ve been in our new home, Georgie and I have developed a new pattern. We rarely leave our little corner of the world and spend hours potting around the garden, cooking, baking and painting. I even managed to put together a little bit of art in the form of stamped triangles. Also, I made a salad with fresh rocket from our vegetable garden. Pat on the back for me because up until three months ago, the only plant that survived in my hands was a cactus. I feel I have a lot to be proud of, especially my little dude who is talking up a storm these days and learning to appreciate days filled with music and Sunday afternoon burgers with the family.