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Wednesday, November 28, 2007

MISSING!

In the interests of helping the community, I thought I would post this which I recieved courtesy of my dear friend Tracey. If anybody can help please leave a message on my blog:


MISSING

ROUND YELLOW THING USUALLY FLOATS AROUND IN THE SKY!!!
ANSWERS TO THE NAME ''SUN''
IF U SEE HIM TELL HIM IT'S F****** NOVEMBER!!!

Monday, November 26, 2007

That Nesting Feeling?

So, I have a MOUNTAIN of work to do on my house before this baby arrives. I have to sort out Shannon's room, to accommodate said baby. I have to sort out the study...so we can get into it! I REALLY have to sort out our bedroom...once again, so we can get into it! I figured the Nesting Feeling that comes towards the end of pregnancy would cover the Sorting that needs to be done... so far no Nesting Feeling!

It is not that our house is particularly messy, in fact it is fairly tidy and organised... on the surface. It is the underlying strata that has become a problem. I am quick to blame this on the lack of time that I have had due to exams but that, as an excuse for everything, is wearing a bit thin, so now I am beginning to believe it is because we have Too Much Stuff. Time for a bit of downsizing, I reckon. So, where's that Nesting Feeling that I need to help motivate me through this Very Necessary Job?

I am sure I will soon reach the stage where it will be too exhausting to attemp such a mammoth task. Maybe realising that the job needs to be done is all the Nesting Feeling I am going to get! Perhaps I better fall back on good old self motivation and will power. OK, so where do I get those again?

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Ahhh Mommyhood...

There are some things that REALLY make being a Mommy better than being anything else. Since finishing the dreaded exams and "returning to normality", Shannon and I have had some real quality time together and it is BLISS (albeit a little exhausting if I HAVE to be honest!)! We have started making 'Christmas decorations', which invoves - for Shannon - cutting out Christmas gift wrap and sticking it down with glitter glue onto a piece of card, and - for Mommy - cleaning up the...erm...after effects!

Since the main reason for this post is to prove that Mommyhood is the best vocation EVER it would be remiss of me not to mention the end of year school thingies that make a Parent feel sooooooooo proud (and of course to add photos!):

Shannon at her Catrobatkidz Awards Ceremony - they got to show off some of the things they had done and they got a certificate and a medal. Shannon was obviously the cutest and best performer on the day and here is the proof:



We have also recently had School Photos. Now, I know that everybody says that their child is the most beautiful, cleverest, cutest or whatever positive out look they have, but who can argue with evidence... Shannon is TOP OF THE LIST!!!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Return to Normality!

As it turns out normality is a bit of a state of mind issue and therefore returning to it may be a litte tricky given my current stage in life and pregnacy, and given the time of year. But nonetheless here goes...

So since my last post the ONLY thing I have been doing is exams. That does not mean just writing them that means being consumed by them every waking moment. A little obsessive you may think but that is how it happened. Sean was hugely supportive, and only once dared to ask if perhaps a little food shopping might be fitted in around my reivision since the fridge has been rather empty for the last month. He also wondered at one stage if perhaps I could do a little laundry as he was suffering from a severe lack of socks to go to work in!

Shannon, for her part, has become accustomed to watching DVDs every day when she got home from school to a point when she was VERY cross with me yesterday when I told her that there would be no more after school DVDs and we would go back to doing activities together. She is fairly amenable so I am hoping it will not take long to wean her off the dreaded TV! The best thing about Shannon during stressful times is that she tweaks my sense of humour constantly!

This is my little (Sean is the big version!) rugby fanatic all dressed up with "my African flags Mommy" all prepared for the Rugby World Cup Final! According to Shannon any game that she sees being played ought to be called rugby and she will happily sit and watch big chunks of the game if it is riveting enough!



I learned a very special lesson this week: Shannon LOVES to sing, so the other day the two of us were sitting in the car waiting for Sean to get something from a shop, singing at the tops of our voices! I had my sunglasses on and after a while Shannon cocked her head, looked at me sideways and said "I can't see you Mommy!" I took off my sunglasses and the look of pure happiness on her face made me realise just how important eye contact is when it comes to communication! My New Years Resolution for 2008 is to try to be a better communicator on ALL levels - not just talking, which I have already mastered through PLENTY of practice!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

*snif*

Ok, what do we have to do to move out from under this cloud??? I can't even remember when I last saw blue sky! I am not, however, (for once) going to sit here and moan about the weather, for while we have been sitting under this cloud a few silver linings have appeared:

  • My exams start today! This is a silver lining because it means that I will be one down and closer to finishing them!

  • I am well prepared for my exams - I may have been less inclined to revise had the sun been shining and outside activities been possible!

  • Shannon has decided she is a big girl, not a baby any more, and since big girls can do ballet and babies can't she ought to do ballet - when the baby is born (I added the last bit - we all need to save special treats for when our lives get turned upside down)

  • Suzi has decided to make the most of her life at present and go to Argentina (this is good, not because she will be so far away but because it is sooooooo exciting)

  • I am holding my own against Clare and John in the scrabble competition - OK not winning but at least coming close!

  • I have had an article accepted for publication - and they are paying me for it!

The only bad things that have come of this rainy episode are:

  • I CAN'T DRY LAUNDRY - please, please, please, just one day of sunshine!!!

  • I HAVE A COLD - and I can't take ANYTHING for it... except lemon and honey toddies... without brandy... *snif*

Monday, October 01, 2007

Dirty Sky!

This morning the weather is REVOLTING! I am as happy as the next person for a bit of rain to soak the land over night... but does it have to stick around for days on end? And today, well, the mist is so thick around us in these highlands that those drivers WITHOUT headlights CANNOT BE SEEN!

Anyway I am, contrary to all normality in this weather, in an extremely good mood today, and the reason for that is Shannon. When I opened the door for her to go out this morning on the way to school, she took one look at the sky and said: "the sky is dirty, mommy, you have to clean it so it can be blue!" So I will just add that to my job list and try to get to it sooner rather than later... I wonder what one uses to clean the sky?

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Ball-ie Paint

When I was about 10 years old I remember being told by my horse riding teacher that she was expected to Jump Judge that weekend and that she would love some company, if I would like to go along with her. I was both very excited and somewhat confused by this, first of all I felt very important to have been asked and, as it was a horsey activity, I didn't need to be asked twice, and secondly Judge, who was one of our horses was no jumper, so I had NO idea why we might be jumping him. As it turned out we were to sit near a jump on a cross country course and ensure that everything was as it should be during the event, hence jump judge. Anyway I feel that Shannon had a similar experience this weekend as Sean, his brother Dean and some friends had all decided to go Paintballing. Well, Shannon knows what paint is, and she knows what a ball is, but during one of her imaginary phone calls to her imaginary friend (this IS normal, she is 3) she said: "I am going to ball-ie paint today!" Not sure she had ANY idea what she was headed for!

Nonetheless, off we went to Crestholme Paint Ball where Shannon and I stood in the vague drizzle laughing at grown men and their children shooting paint pellets at each other and yelping in pain every time they got hit! It was great comedy - the men were gunning for eachother (no pun intended) and most of the girls just hid behind the shelters too afraid to move. Brad aimed a direct hit at Sean's head which has resulted in a wonderful egg, though at the time all you could see was pink paint. Everyone is covered in bruises and welts and I am not sure I see the fun in that! What I did see was some men, who prior to this had been fairly stressed by life in general, run around playing at war, and all came away full of humour and completely relaxed by the end of their session! So to all the wives and girlfriends out there - if your man is a little stressed send him out for paintball and he will come back laughing like a little boy at Christmas! Shannon said to Sean when all the fun was over: "Have you finished shooting all your friends Daddy?" I think we will have to teach her to add "with paint" into that sentence!

The perfect end to a perfect afternoon for Shannon was that she got to sit on a beautiful, tiny little pony - Shannon is OBSESSED with riding (no questions where she gets that from) and had been begging me all afternoon to be able to ride the pony. When we got home she said she would like to watch a movie and then promptly fell fast asleep. Hmmmm, I am sure Sean and I will be signing our lives away next year when we sign her up for proper riding lessons!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Shannon the Good

Shannon is three... and a bit...so expecting perfect behaviour from her is not really an option. She has, however, usually been fairly well behaved... until last week. For the first time EVER at school, Shannon was sent to time out... twice! I mentioned to her teacher that she was behaving in a very un-Shannon manner at home and the teacher mentioned her transgressions in the classroom as well! So we had a 'chat'. Yes, Sean and I actually had the 'D' chat with Shannon, you know the one: "we are very Dissappointed in you!' (I am inclined to believe that this particular word was actually brought into existence with parents in mind as NOTHING was more effective from my own when I was young, and in fact it is still the word I dread the most from the people who really matter!) Except that beacuse she is 3 and might misinterpret the D word as something good, we said it made us sad! Shannon said: "I won't do it again Dad, and tomorrow I will say sorry to Bronwyn" (the teacher) which she did... as soon as we arrived at school! Shannon has been an absolute PLEASURE ever since.

The upside of this is that 'time out' works VERY well for Shannon wherever she is, threaten her with it and she modifies her behaviour straight away! What it does mean is that while she is coming to terms with the new methods of discipline in the home, ALL her dolls and teddys have spent time in 'time out' too!

Long may it last as this seems to have made her into a much happier and more settled person... come to think of it, when I am feeling grumpy and out of sorts, I could do with being sent somewhere quiet to think about things too!

And now for something completely different... Shannon has just told me that she needs to 'pop quickly', and that her action man doll has a 'kigger' instead of a nose! What is that about?

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Not a minor, nor twenty niner...

So, here I stand on the threshold of a new era... awaiting the next decade of my life experiences and adventures! To all those who have gone before me, well... you are older than me... but does that make you wiser??? ;) All those behind me, don't grow up too fast. Those of you going with me... hang on to your hair, this is going to be a great adventure!!!!!

For the first time in about 9 years I am excited about my birthday. Tonight Sean and I are going out to RJ's Steakhouse with my Mom and Dad to celebrate my last day of 29! Tomorrow... is the next day, and on Saturday my little sister is driving down from Jo'burg to party the night away with me! See you in the next decade!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Beach Baby!

This past weekend Sean, Shannon and I, along with Sean's folks, his sister Kim and her daughter Amy, headed off for a weekend at Shelley Beach. Having kept a careful eye on the weather all week so that we would know what to expect we set off for a couple of days of soaking up bennies (for those not in the loop, bennies are benificial rays of sunlight) As it turned out it was overcast the whole weekend, but as it was far from cold we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Much to everyone's surprise Sean did not fancy fishing and I firmly believe our sweet Poppet is responsible for this! Shannon's favourite movie at the moment is Happy Feet, in which a young penguin, called Mumble, sets out to discover where all the fish have gone as there are very few left and those that are there are not enough to feed all the penguins. Shannon told Sean he couldn't go fishing in the sea bacause Mumble ate all the fish. "I will buy you a blue fish Daddy" she offered to try to cheer him up about this!

Shelley Beach is about an hour and a half down the coast from us and the sand on the beach there was washed away during that destructive storm we had a few months ago. This has left it looking BEAUTIFUL. The rocks are all exposed and they provided a very adventurous Shannon with huge entertainment as she clamboured over and round them looking for crabs and shells. Shannon was a little loath to put her feet in while Amy was fishing with a net in the rock pools however!

Armed with her duk (to prevent her hair from blowing away!) Shannon played and explored and dug in the sand for as long as she was allowed. She loved that beach and keeps telling me stories about it. I walked with whoever would join me and we all sat on the rocks staring out to sea looking for very elusive whales! This was a great weekend getaway and we are SO lucky to have it right on our doorstep!

We live about 40 minutes drive from the nearest beach and admittedly it has been winter so not really beach weather, but I am determined to take my beach baby down there as often as possible this summer.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Shannonisms

Last night after bath, Shannon and I were playing in her room and somehow got into an 'oh no you don't' 'oh yes you do' banter. It occured to me that she would LOVE to got to the Pantomime this year - if there is one in Hillcrest! So I said 'We must take you to the pantomime' Shannon said 'I've already GOT my panties on' (!)

One of Shannon's friends, Sydney, has given Shannon a pair of her shoes that she no longer wears. They are orange, with sequins on and Shannon ADORES them. These shoes are a little too big for Shannon still so she is not allowed to wear them to school incase she falls over them. So she made a deal with me: 'I will wear my orange shoes to school and then put my school shoes on!' which she did! Hmmm, our 3 year old can rationalise!

Big Sister talk:

Shannon put her ear to my belly button (because that's obviously the portal to this baby) as if it is a phone...

'Hallo? I'm Shannon. I got a skirt on. Ok bye!'

Shannon sits up and asks: 'Can I talk again Mommy?'
Mommy says 'of course you can'

So Shannon starts again. Well, this baby loves to hear poppet talking so everytime she lay down with her head on my belly button and talked to her little sibling, it kicked and punched and wriggled. So I told her that the baby was kicking me. She lay her head down on my belly button and said in her cross voice: 'Naughty baby, stop kicking Mommy!'

Now we tell her the baby is wriggling!

Monday, September 03, 2007

Come September...

Can you BELIEVE it is September already???? I am speechless (and let's face it, that doesn't happen very often!)! It feels like just yesterday that Sean and I were discussing whether or not we were ready for another child and now I am more than 5 months into pregnancy No. 2!

This September is a Very Important Month as it is the month in which I turn 30! When I have mentioned this before people have looked at me as if I am insane but I'll say it again: I am REALLY looking forward to my 30's! I am not greatly into symbolism of any kind but this new decade does hold some symbolic importance to me; you see I believe that with every year that passes we can all become better, more capable, mentally and emotionally stronger people and I have strived to do that with, I believe, a great deal of success. I became someone in my 20's and now I get to enjoy that person in my 30's. I feel empowered!

I am convinced that in order to achieve this sense of personal satisfaction, one has to draw a line between certain era's of one's life. During certain years we are influenced by different people (ie parents as a child) and from them we can take strengths and discard weaknesses and build on ourselves: take responsibility for who I am and develop the person I want to be. I see many people inhibited by the fact that they blame people in their past (such as their parents) for the way they have grown up. This makes me sad, especially since becoming a parent, as no one is perfect and most people do the best they can by their kids! In order to properly grow up and become a real person in our own right we need to say thanks to our parents for what they gave us and what they taught us, and use what is useful and disregard the rest, and not BLAME them for the people we have become, or curse them for what they didn't give us!

Mom and Dad you helped lay a great foundation for me that I have been able to build on to become the person I want to be. I am ready to tackle the 30's with vigour and happiness, while all the time building on ready for the next decade. I hope that I can provide that same foundation and insight for my own children!

To add to the fun of having a birthday in September, my three great friends, Tracey, Vanessa and Nicci, will be celebrating with me on the same day at the same party (we need 121 candles between us!), two virgos, two libras four friends! HAPPY BIRTHDAY girls, it will be a good year for all of us!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Exhaustingly good fun!

Yesterday Sean had planned to spend the day tinkering in the workshop with Mark, who is helping him out with his first big job in metalwork in the building sector. Since we know this family through Sean's brother, and they have a daughter not much older than Shannon, they invited Shannon and I at the last minute too. We went along and had SUCH a relaxing day. Shannon and Chelsea played like old friends, painting, swimming (I know it is winter but they were determined!), playing with dolls, watching movies (through which they didn't stop talking much to 7 year old Luke's dismay!)... ALL DAY. Lara and I lay on loungers in the sun keeping an eye on the pool and plying our husbands with coffee and hotdogs (Lara, not me, I was just LAZY all day!)

Shannon did not have her normal afternoon nap, and since she was playing so nicely I did not raise the question of whether or not she should! Having arrived there at about 10am it was a full day of fun and games (and sun lazing) by the time we left at about 5pm. Shannon was OUT FOR THE COUNT after5 minutes of being in the car! We stopped at Tracey and Quinton's house on the way home (to collect Spud... The Madness Continues - Thanks Trace!) and she slept through that - Shannon can normally sense other children in her vicinity and will raise herself from the deepest of sleeps to play with them... not this time!

We got home and I got her out the car and lay her down on the couch...ate supper...read Spud...wondered if she would wake up at 2am wanting breakfast having not had supper...took her to bed and SHE WOKE UP AT 7AM! 'Wes go make porridge Mommy!' was the first PEEP I heard out of her since leaving her playmate yesterday afternoon! If 14 hours of deep sleep isn't a good sign of a day thoroughly enjoyed I don't know what is!

Friday, August 24, 2007

Ladies nights!

There is an unwritten rule, somewhere amongst all those other unwritten rules that men are never privy to but expected to know, that ladies never breathe a word about what happens at Ladies Nights! So I won't. What I do feel the need to say is thank you to all the ladies with whom I sat last night and laughed more than I have laughed for a long time.

Such an eclectic mix of ladies cannot fail to amuse someone with a sense of humour such as mine and I failed to participate much due to the fact that I could not stop LAUGHING!

What is a little scary is that these ladies arrange trips away together once - or sometimes twice - a year (without kids or Hubs) to go off for some real UNSENSORED girl time. Now, judging by the stories from last night these are ...erm... really well behaved times where nothing interesting happens! (bother that rule!) And these ladies get up to the most amazing...erm...good behaviour! (there's that rule again!) What worries me about the idea of joining these ladies on one such weekeknd is not the...erm...boring well behaved-ness (!) of the whole thing so much as the fact that by the time it is over I will HURT! From LAUGHING! Not to mention they will NEVER ask me to join them again as I will lack input...because I will have perpetual giggles! Ah the dilemmas of a social life!

Anyway, thanks Ladies... I had FUN!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Bad days and the artful con!

So Shannon is 3 (and a bit) and has already managed to understand the art of conning (or attempting to con) her parents. This morning she woke up in A Very Bad Mood and decided that she would prefer not to go to school, so she told us she was sick. "I am sick, look I'm coughing!" *attempted fake cough*! Now, she has had a bit of a fever over the last couple of days which I am inclined to believe is something to to with being tired as there are no other symptoms! So the young lady VERY nearly succeeded in staying home today. (Note to self: investigate drama lessons for Shannon - she could be the next GREAT stage actress!)

Evil mommy that I am, however, I decided she would go to school and IF she was sick her teacher could call me to fetch her! I am the cunning one now as, you see, I knew that once surrounded by her friends and activities pertaining to school, she would forget all about being 'sick' unless there actually was something more to it. (If that were the case this post would once again be about guilt and bad mommy-ness)

I have just phoned the school to check up on my little angel and apparently she is playing at full intensity with no recollection of this mornings bad mood! I think, perhaps, she envisaged a day of watching Barnyard, though she would have been sorely dissappointed as that involves taking over my PC which leaves me at a bit of a loose end! Not to mention I could not have got any other work done as Shannon prefers to ask for something as I sit down! (I seem to recall driving my own parents crazy with the same trick!)

So round 1 to the parents - I wonder how long we will remain successful in this regard as young Shannon becomes older and wiser?

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Personality tests and typos

This post is for anybody who attempted to take the personality test that I recommended on a prior post. The link I had was missing a letter and it took you through to a page of links... frustrating to say the least. Thanks to Bad Mommy for pointing this out, it has been corrected so PLEASE go back and take the Jung Typology Test (and any others you fancy).

Friday, August 17, 2007

Say what?

Bringing up children must be an art form of some kind as it sure is NOT a science! I am also sure it does not encourage Giggling At Cheekiness as a method of discipline! So an art I have NOT mastered yet then! Nonetheless I am determined to succeed in the end and feel that perhaps mitigating circumstances can be granted in certain situations. Here's one of those times:

Mommy (that's me): Shannon will you PLEASE sit on you bottom and eat your supper!
Shannon: (in her most angelic voice) Don't be so grumpy Mommy!

Well what was I supposed to do, notwithstanding the fact that Sean BELLOWED with laughter from the study, I could not help giggling. It's funny OK! Now, however, whenever I am getting a little on the stern side the little madam pipes up with a different version of the same thing: "Mommy's being grumpy again", or "Why are you grumpy Mommy?" Now, that little biased Mommy side of me thinks she is super clever and cute, the other always-a-child side of me wants to giggle... and then there's the art of bringing up children...hmmm...not sure that even amusing cheekiness is encouraged.

Shannon's other latest fascination is her grandparents, both sets! Paternal grandparents are known as Buddy and Grandma, and maternal grandparents are Granny and Grampa. Now Shannon knows what all these people look like but has managed to confuse who is called what. Buddy is easy, she's got him waxed, it is the others that cause confusion: Grandma gets called Grampa, as does Granny and Grampa is called Granny. (the logic here is that both girls must be 'Grampas' and the other is a boy so he must be the different one, and there is no distinction between grandma and grandpa)!) In fact she thinks that I am completely stupid that I cannot see this! Ah, well we will have them all in one place for a short time soon so perhaps she will figure it out then.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Hair today gone tomorrow!

No this is not a reference to Sean's increasingly sparse locks, but rather a mysterious compulsion that Shannon has recently adopted. When outside, Shannon is afraid that her hair is going to blow away! I first noticed this when we were at Amy's house a couple of days ago and Poppet was 'helping' to plant some flowers in a pot on the verandah (I am hoping to encourage green fingers and Amy's love of gardening!). She had her little hand clutched to the ponytail on top of her head and was attempting to dig a hole, for Amy to drop the plant into, with her other hand...needless to say this was fairly ineffective! I tried to persuade her to use both hands to which she replied that she couldn't as her hair would blow away! So being the indulgent mother that I am I held her hair on while she dug the hole!

I know it's wrong but it makes me want to giggle! She is so serious about it!

Shannon left for school this morning clutching her hair again, so I dutifully phoned her teacher to ask if she continued to do this at school, or if the distractions of friends and fun took her mind off it! She does it ALL THE TIME WHILE PLAYING OUTSIDE! Once again the overwhelming urge to giggle at my poor daughter's compulsion! - am I really such a bad mother??

Anyway I have concluded that she must have a bandanna of sorts to hold her hair on so that she can play outside with confidance and security that she will not become bald (a hat would be easier but perhaps not so meaningful to her!)! Funny child...where does she get these things from? Hhmmm...does anyone know of any kiddies movies in which someone's hair blows off?

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Introvert of Extrovert?

I have recently discovered that, contrary to popular belief, I am an introvert. (You can STOP laughing now!) Yes, this outspoken, sociable, talkative, self confidant individual is an introvert! Sean introduced me to a fabulous mag which he noticed hiding on the shelves of a newsagents; I was feeling nauseous thanks to Stig II and he wanted to spoil me so he bought it for me. Now there is no going back. Needless to say, it is this mag that pointed me in the direction of better self knowledge with the personality test at http://www.humanmetrics.com/. As it turns out I am an INFJ which stands for Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judged (it is not a sentence it is four words that describe me!). The fabulous Vanessa pointed out to me today that perhaps the 'Judged' part would better be described as 'Discerning', but who are we to rewrite what the pros think is just perfect the way it is?

As it happens introversion and extroversion base their true definitions in where one derives one's energy from. For example, I am self driven, I derive my energy from one on one with me, though I thoroughly enjoy the company of others, I HAVE to have 'me time' to recover afterwards and sort my over-stimulated mind out; other people (and I am related to a few of these) derive their energy from other people and they need to be surrounded by people at all times to feel energised and happy, these are the extroverts! So... take the test... you may discover something that surprises you! Whatever you learn it can only make your life easier as you begin to understand yourself better!

Oh, and if, like me, you don't believe the first test because it tells you the opposite of what you currently believe...take a few more...ALL the personality tests I have done in the last few days have said I am an introvert! Right - I am off for some 'me time'!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Daddy's Girl!

When Shannon was born Sean was the first person to hold her, he named her and he cut her umbilical cord - at least he was supposed to but sometimes I wonder if it is still attached! Since then Shannon has been wholeheartedly and obsessively a mommy's girl. Anything that she needs doing she calls me "Mommy, I want milk please" daddy gets a glass of milk... high pitched wail of indignance and refusal to drink said glass of milk ensue. Daddy is heart broken, Mommy gets cross with Shannon, Mommy pretends to refil glass, Shannon drinks milk! (I am thinking of changing my name from Mommy... to erm... something she can't pronounce) If Sean tries to help her with anything she flat refuses and will sit waiting for me to come and help her. Occasionally I think AAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHH! but for the most part I LOVE being the most important person in someone's life... BAR NONE!

Times Have Changed.



Shannon is now wholeheartedly and obsessively a Daddy's Girl. The umbilical cord has switched allegiance! WHATEVER Daddy is doing Shannon finds it IMPERATIVE to her existence to be a part of it... 'washing' the car, 'working' in the garage, doing puzzles (Shannon's favourite pasttime), talking on the phone (Poppet can imitate Sean to a T in this) ANYTHING that Sean is doing Shannon wants to do too. When she wakes up after her nap she asks "Where's my Dad?" If they are having a standoff - this happens occasionally as both are fairly headstrong individuals - and Shannon loses - this also happens regularly as at this stage Sean has more practice - a distraught wail declares "I want my Daddy!"

How do I feel about this? I am still wondering. There is a HUGE part of me that can't get over how CUTE it is, they have such a strong bond and that is a beautiful thing to watch. But what happened to ME being the most important person in her world BAR NONE? Ah well, I couldn't think of a better person to share this special little girl with than her doting Dad! And I couldn't think of anyone I would rather share my special man with than our adoring Daddy's Girl!

And then there were four... watch this space!