Nothing wakes our baby up

I was looking for my shirt in a very dark room for about 5 minutes before I realised that I could just turn the light on. A second later, I remembered why the light was off in the first place. There was a baby asleep in the room. This proved that a) I'm so tired my brain doesn't work, b) a bright light shining directly in his face doesn't bother our baby at all. Now I'm intrigued. Time to find out what else doesn't wake him up.

Trilingual. Or none-lingual.

Moki can't stop talking and I'm terrified of forgetting it all, so I have to write it down. 
So, here's a list of some of the things M said in the last few days:
- Look mama, me skinut my cipele off! You bosa and I bosa!
-Mein tummy's very big. Me really hungry, dada. 
-Mama, I like me sladoled. I happy again. 
-Ugh, orah is really yucky!
-Klara likes sticks and Klara likes water, no like kamens, no like lots of kamens.
-B's so sweet. He's so mali! Tiny arms!
-Dada, are you best friend of me?

Lessons my children teach me, part I

When there's no salt on the table, use the pretend salt. It's just as good and you can use a lot more of it.

This is me!

My daughter drew a picture of me!

Being grateful for the little things in life

You should be grateful for the little things in life. When your child throws a full blown tantrum in a tiny space such as a camper van because the juice you offered her was boring, you have to appreciate the fact that she's rolling around under the table so at least she's out of the way.

Every gift is a "happy birthday"

"Here you go, mama" said Moki as she gave me three little rocks. "Hold on tight! It's a really happy birthday."

It's a crazy idea but it just might work!

Each day Moki's getting better and better at talking and explaining what she wants. Today, for example, she walked into our bedroom while I was playing with Bibbo and she managed to communicate a very specific request to me: She wanted me to put Bibbo in his chair and take him into the bathroom so he can sit there while she pees. It was such an absurd and peculiar wish that I did it right away, no questions asked. I don't think either of them particularly enjoyed that experience (it was a bit boring so slightly disappointing), but I'm excited to see which idea she's going to come up with next.

Beauty's in the eye of the beholder

Today I'm sick. That means I have a stuffy nose, my throat aches, my head aches and I'm feeling feverish. It also means I'm very irritable and hate the world and myself.

Today's one of those days when I'm aware of how pale I am, how awful my skin looks, how flabby my stomach is, how much weight I need to lose... I feel so disgusting today that I have absolutely no energy to make an effort while dressing in the morning. I grab whatever's in front of me. Literally. This leaves me taking kids to the daycare in a dark-blue and white stripey skirt, a black and grey spotty cardigan and a T-shirt with a cartoon character on it (which is never appropriate if you're 34, I don't really know why I have it in my closet anyway). My hair's up in a ponytail which is a not-so-secret code for "dirty". I desperately need a shower. I smell. I'm all gross. Still, I spend the day without doing anything about it, except complaining to the baby about how lazy I am and how I should go jogging. And then I feel even more miserable and have some chocolate instead.

The day passes between the waves of self-pity and self-loathing and it's already evening.
As I put Moki into bed and give her a sweaty hug, I have already decided to call it a day and curl up in bed. Then she stretches lazily, all cute and cuddly in her night-dress and kisses me back while running her always-so-sticky fingers through my greasy hair and says: "Lijepa mama" ("Pretty mama"). And I almost cry. 

This was an hour ago. In the meantime, I took a long shower, washed my hair, did my eyebrows and already chose clothes for tomorrow. 

I promise myself I'll do my best to look the way my sweet daughter sees me. Most of the days at least.

Why it is OK to play with food

-Moki, we don't play with our food! 
-But Pooh Bear swimming in honey! 
(from: "You thought you can't go wrong with Winnie the Pooh")

Party in the bathtub

A random thing to hear your child shout from the bathtub: "Mama, more soap for my friends!"

Little things in life

The best part of my morning so far was when Bibbo was crying so loudly that I couldn't hear Moki's hysterical screaming.