E - Vida

After 6 cosy months, our house on the crescent now has to wait a long and lonely day before she's filled again with familiar people, smells and sounds. A full time job with 2 kids is not a joke - I am one (of millions of) tired Mamma(s)! And after just a few days back at work, both kids came down with season-shifting colds. Before I'd finished soothing their coughs and wiping their noses, there were 3 sick souls in the home. But the show must go on! Today Ethan moves out of our bedroom... A much thought about - quickly done move that now I'm feeling quite iffy about. Seems that once we enter the busy season, just like leaving home at the start of the new day or watching your kids grow up: there's just no turning back. Photo update to follow soon. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

In those quiet moments, you HAVE to wonder... For not remembering to keep a curl from Jorja's very first haircut, I now have many, many long strands to make up for it - a clump of light brown locks, to be precise. Inspired by Aunty Annie's half 'n half haircut, Jorja got hold of the scissor and snipped away! Oh for sure, I'm relieved that it wasn't a 1cm fringe number - but that doesn't make it any easier to accept. Just goes to show: when it's really quiet and you're wondering if she's inside doing something mischievous... She probably is! Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Some think that massage and beauty therapy is reserved for the girly girls... But LET's FACE IT - we all enjoy a little pampering now and then! To help me make the most of my last few days of leave, I was treated to a back and neck massage, facial and pedicure on Monday. Admittedly, two hours of free thought is a little overwhelming: How's Ethan doing with P-J outside? What colour should we paint Jorja's room? Is the Fruit + Veg City Whammy Wednesday worth it? (Ooh, this steam on my face is invigorating!) What am I wearing to work on Monday? Should I have put a load of laundry on before I left home? What's the time? (Oh I hope it's not over yet!)... I mean, the last time I lay this still on my back for longer than 45 minutes, I was wheeled out of the labour ward with a newborn! Every now and then, even a plain Sally like me goes to Romy for a treatment - and you should pop in too - 72 Uppermill Road, Gardens. http://m.facebook.com/pages/ROMY-at-LETS-...

We had planned to take Jorja to the Lion Park today - a treat for her (and Mom) before the school schedule tightens up and I go back to work! Instead, at 4am, we were off to the Emergency Rooms at Red Cross Hospital to check out Jorja's aching arm. It's happened before: rough play and a quick jerk 'unlocks' something in her elbow (a ligament, we now know), leaving her arm limp and sore! In previous times she had either slept it off and it relaxed and eased back into place (?!!) or we found ourselves in the presence of a medical practitioner and it was sorted out promptly. Third times a charm. It happened after 9pm, we weighed up the options and decided to try rest first. At 03h30 she awoke, still eina, and so we head off to the ER. Fortunately P-J was home, Ethan was obliging, the hospital was ready for us, the Dr was helpful, Jorja's arm was sorted out and we could all come home relieved. (Not quite the excitement of the Lion Park - but pretty cl...

The girls at Bonny Babies got together for a baking session: Everyone assembled, followed the first instructions given, started stirring and then...BAM! A gooey pink cake mixture explosion! I arrived to find everyone covered in at least 5 splashes - but after a quick clean up, the left over mixture was baked off and a pretty platter of cute cupcakes was presented to Gran Jean for her birthday. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Every so often, it all comes together - the weather's good, the ladies are on leave at the same time, one husband finishes work early and the other one's husband starts later than expected, the kids are behaving... ...And then we have a good visit with the Klaasens! Andel and Robyn are so good at helping us out - especially when P-J's working late. They've had 3 years of practise too - so they've got the drill down to a fine art by now. Thanks to them, nights without P-J at home to help me are not nearly as overwhelming as one would expect them to be - plus Rob cooks a mean, well-balanced meal and Andel can carry all of our bags on one arm! Score! Zac and Ethan enjoyed each other's company too - for the few times that their napping and nappy change schedules were in sync. Uncle P-J had some good time with the boys before heading off to work later in the afternoon, Rob got a chance to spice up her daily routine a bit by throwing in a: 'bake sago...

Try as they might, a little earlier today, fellow patrons at our local mega mall just could not work out the dynamics: One young(ish) looking lady wearing that all-too-comfy slacks and signature ponytail with one large infant strapped to her, instructing one tireless three year-old tangled in the adjacent trolley. Next to her stands another damsel, only slightly distressed by the occasional whimper coming from the little bundle in her arms... And bringing up the rear (and the trolley) dressed in fresher eyes, fashion and a fear of cuddlesome chaos - also heavily laden with 2 backpacks, 1 shopping bag, her own purse and a carry chair - the final member of the tour group. Are they foreign immigrants? Is it a visiting nursery group? Was there a mobile 'sitter service offered by the mall? No! No! No! It's just us 3 sisters out running a few errands... Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device