Merry Christmas... I hope you had one!!

I know Christmas is NOT about presents, family or has anything to do with snow, but nonetheless, it is a picture of what Jesus did for us: he came to earth, a gift from our heavenly Father to us, he joined the family of mankind.... and, uhm, and liked playing in snow??? Ah! And he was as white and pure as freshly fallen snow (There!!! My metaphor works out).

Christmas is a great opportunity to remember that He choose to come and He choose to become human and He also choose to obey the Father up to the last breath on the cross.

But if I'm TOTALLY honest, I love the presents, the family gathering and the snow. I love them a lot... in fact VERY MUCH!!!

I wasn't very hopeful though to have a white Christmas this year. We had quite a lot of snow for this area of Germany the week before Christmas but then just a couple days later everything was just a left-over of some snow heaps and lots of sludge. We still had our summer tyres on our car, so that was the only advantage of the snow being gone, because finally our winter tyres had arrived at my parents place and with the roads cleared, I was able to drive to their place and now our car is ready for winter.

I had prayed a tiny prayer: "Lord, it would be nice to have a white Christmas for once, especially because we we'll have summer Christmases the next couple of years.... please??", but honestly, I didn't pray with much faith, I mean, what does God care if or if not I'd have a white Christmas??? Ou you of little faith (that's ME)... how surprised was I when on the day of Christmas Eve (only the very next day after we had finally had those winter tyres on) it started to belt down with snow... honestly I can't remember a Christmas with freshly fallen snow at all... wow, I was bamboozled... God did answer my (and many other people's) prayers for a white Christmas.

At a friends place, I wonder if they have any hats left inside...???

The Christmas tree at my grandparents place, guarded by my uncles dog Maggie

In Germany the biiiig Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve. We also GET our presents on the Eve, which is quite nice, because you don't have to wait one more agonizing night before you can finally open your presents... I mean before the CHILDREN can finally open their presents... me, I'm SO mature, I don't mind presents anymore, hm, hm!!!

We were celebrating at my grandparents as usual. When I was a kid, there were always heaps of people present, now we're down to only 14. It makes me a bit sad to think, that maybe this was my last ever Christmas with my grandparents, you never know when they will go to be with Jesus and you never know when it will be the next time we're in Germany for Christmas... sigh.

Maggie's not only guarding the Christmas tree and presents but also the baby

Do you think he'll be a dog over???

Anyways...

It was great fun. My 3 younger cousins were there and Ned and Ced of course, besides the dog that is, and seeing Christmas through the eyes of children is so much more exciting than through your own eyes.

What did you get??

Ned's still too young to understand, although he loved opening up presents, which weren't actually his own and he was a bit disappointed that they weren't all for him.

We had a nice meal, apparently it is quite typical for Germans to eat potato salad and (NICE) sausages for Christmas Eve. I didn't know it was typical until a Scotsman told me. He must knowJ, but typical or not, it was very yummy... there was ice cream (and brandy) for dessert. My grandma happily fed some to the baby; the poor boy looked so longingly at her spoon. I really like my family, they are a funny bunch, but family often is, isn't it???

Many other things have happened since...

Ben broke his new toy I got him for Christmas (actually he broke it on Christmas day already) so he desperately tries to fix it, and in the process he super-glued his thumb to the little remote controlled helicopter I got him... I had to cut him off again, but no damage done to his thumb and the helicopter is still broken, sigh! Boys and their toys.

And we seriously started toilet training... for Ned that is, not Ben, and he's doing really good, in fact he sometimes sits on the "throne" for over half an hour and refuses to get off... I feel weird having to almost "bribe" my kid OFF the toilet, crazy.

We still have little accidents when he proudly informs me that he peed on the floor, I also have to remind him if he has to go, but he's doing a really great job. He's as proud as punch and happily shows visitors his achievements on the potty (Ben refuses to say potty, and insists on calling it a dunny as well... Aussies, I tell you!!). He doesn't go without nappy the entire day yet, especially when we're out and about (okay, on the 24th we did an 1/2h walk WITHOUT nappies on and made it home dry, yay!!!!), but we're getting there. AND he loves collecting stickers: a sticker for telling he needs to go or for trying on the toilet or for actually doing some business on the throne.

Nice sticker collection, eh?? Like the Bob the Builder undies???

Earning gummibears: at the end of each row he'll get some

AND as my grandmother fed the baby stratiatella ice cream with brandy, I thought I'd give it a go to start Cedric on solids. He seems to like his mushed up banana and oats... so maybe he's excessive puking will stop soon...??? Maybe that's only wishful thinking, but it did stop with Ned once he was on solids.

And as you can see -if your eyes are really sharp- Ced has TWO front teeth now

Not the table, mate!!!!

That's better!!

So what did I get for Christmas you ask??? JJJJJJJ

I got a nice toy as well, a graphics tablet to play around with Lightroom and Photoshop on the computer, thank you BenJ

Lots of biting going on

Well, I bit Ned (you can read about it in the last post) and yesterday Ned bit me... with much more consequences: he (accidentally) bit me in my finger with such a force that it started bleeding and my finger was throbbing all day yesterday. And today he bit Cedric in his little cute chubby finger... and it was NOT accidental whatsoever and there were print marks on the finger. Ced also bites me... actually quite frequently due to the fact that I stick my finger constantly in his mouth to check if tooth No. 2 has arrived yet. As far as I know Ben hasn't bitten anyone so far... who knows... maybe we've got rabies... hmmmm...

I should go to bed... actually I wanted to go to bed 5h ago.... still haven't finished with those Christmas cards... sorry... but I think they won't make it in time... somehow Christmas comes EVERY year and EVERY year I get surprised by it... hmmmmm strange... but nonetheless I wish you a wonderful Christmas and celebration of our Saviour's birth...

night, night!!

Yesterday I went to the Christmas market. Well, actually I didn't really go there with the purpose of going there, but it happened to be on my way so I went through it. They have this big nativity scene there and of course Ned wanted to have a look. He loves the real size wooden cow as well as the donkey... and baby Jesus. Just when we stood there and almost finished admiring everything (we were on a mission, remember?? Feeding the ducks!) a woman approached me and started asking questions which surely were supposed to make me think about the true meaning of Christmas. She kept going on about that Jesus didn't stay a baby and what would I think if it was me that everyone always thought of as a baby and how does Jesus feel that we only celebrate him as a baby, but now he is the King of kings and the Lord of Lords... and things like that. To be honest, I was very affronted by her and just wanted to get going as fast as possible, and I am a believer of Christ. It is true, we put lots of focus on "BABY" Jesus at Christmas, but I don't know about you, when we celebrated Ned's birthdays I ALWAYS remember the day he did come as a helpless baby as well. We shouldn't stop with Christmas and think of Easter as well, but I think it is a good thing to celebrate that he came down to earth as one of us but yet still God, sinless amongst us sinners. I didn't want to talk with that woman, she was intimidating and I wonder how many none Christians will feel the same. So in theory it is a good thing what she's doing, trying to start conversation but the way she's doing it turned me very quickly away.. well, maybe she approaches other in different ways.

Today it is SUCH miserable weather... all the snows melting again and the streets look more like sludge rivers... and I had to run to the shops once more. I did my "BIG" shopping last week when we had some milder climate for a while and I was able to use our car... we still have our summer tires on so it's no great use in weather like this (due to some complications getting our winter tires... long story... hopefully soon our faithful car will also be ready for winter), but somehow we consume a LOT of fruit and veggies, so I had to run to ALDI to restock, luckilyALDI is very close by so I can walk there with the stroller.

So here we were in ALDI and IT ALWAYS seems to happen at the cash desk. Ned was great all the time shopping... well, up to the cash desk. Luckily there aren't any sweets or the likes at the check out at ALDI but still, the tantrums always happen when it is the MOST inconvenient time imaginable.

At ALDI they pride themselves that they are the fastest cashiers ever and it is very true!! In fact they are so fast, that you yourself get stressed out throwing the stuff back in the trolley fast enough, as they do NOT have an area behind the cashier for your goods to linger and wait while you pack them neatly back in. So this IS the most inconvenient time for toddler to throw a tantrum. And of course he must know... somehow.

Well when all our stuff was on that black rubber band conveyor belt thingy thing (you know what I mean...) Ned wanted to get off the kiddy board. Bad timing. He refused to get back on. I insisted. All the while we got closer to the cashier and I knew that soon I had to be very quick to get our then paid for goods into my bag and backpack... and a toddler freely roaming about is definitely NOT helpful. But your hands are tied in public, aren't they... he started screaming (just the thing in such a situation) and I didn't even really know what I was doing but all of a sudden I bit in his nose... not very obvious for others (obviously) and NOT very hard but hard enough to shock him and stop him screaming... but starting sobbing (great), Then he insisted on getting back on the kiddy board (which I had wanted just 2 min earlier) but by now I was desperately busy getting our stuff into my bags and off the cash desk where they were piling high already and the cashier was waiting for me to pay. He was wedged between the cash desk and the stroller until I was finished with my business and was able to clear off. I felt ashamed that I had lost my temper and was afraid that there were some bite marks on his nose (I honestly hadn't bitten him very hard). I took my little tyke in my arms and gave him a big cuddle and then we were fine again. To receive forgiveness without having to ask for it is such a great relieve because I felt quite aweful of having bitten his nose... although it really wasn't very hard or anything but still... you don't bit your kids nose in the supermarket... hang on you don't bite your kids nose where ever.... but... after all.. it was kind of effective... wasn't it?

So we go on with our normal daily life... and Ned has gotten SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better with his tantrums and I have gotten SOOOOOOOO much better with showing how much I love him in a way he can understand... but we aren't perfect yet, so there are still relapses into old patterns.

Somehow I often seem to forget that I do have actually TWO kids. Ced is such an easy going and comfortable and cozy baby.... my brother once said: "This guy will NEVER be hyper active!!! Never!!" He takes things slow and observes a LOT. Sometimes he just stares at someone without blinking. If you move his body he adjusts his head in order to be able to continue to stare at the same person. And he smiles a lot. Unfortunately he stops smiling as soon as you get close with your camera (most of the times, I have been lucky once or twice). He isn't interested in moving much yet, but he has started to turn form back to front at times. He also isn't interested in solids yet. The other day I thought I'd give it a go, but the look of disgust on his face was hilarious... unfortunately it forced lots of his milk to come out again. Great. I really wonder how this little guy can be so big as he spits and pukes so often.

But the days of toothless smile have ended, his first tooth has arrived, bottom front left and I expect the one on the right to come soon as well... somehow it makes me sad... my little baby grows up... so fast... sigh!! :o)

The Weird Hobbies of a Two-Year-Old

It IS strangely fascinating what fascinates a toddler.

Honestly, I never put much thought into our dirty laundry basket, except of course, thinking of putting the dirty laundry rather in it than on the floor (which OF COURSE would NEVER EVER happen in our home, uhm) , but well, Ned fell in love with it, insists on calling it "Logos Hope" and is rather offended with me if I use it for it's normally designated purpose.

Also numbers.. I know that there are some Maths-freaks out there who love nothing better than numbers, but I didn't expect my son to be one of them, but here we go. He loves counting, and sometimes he even accidentally hits the right number for the right amount. Today at lunch for example he counted the stars in the room all the way from "one" up to "six" (okay, there are only 5 stars in the room, BUT I was SO impressed with him being able to count all the way up to six by himself.

Another thing is his potty. The other day, out of the blue I decided to give potty training a go, very easy-going and relaxed.. and yesssss, I bribed him with HARIBO. Now the problem is that he hardly get off the silly thing... not for peeing sake but for gummibear's sake... so I started a different approach, and did (what all parents seem to do now-a-days) a sticker chart. He is VERY excited about the stickers as well.... so here he thrones on his potty, reads books and you hardly get him off it, because of "sticker" or "gummibear", but he actually thrones successfully.... so maybe we are getting somewhere with it????

Just like almost every normal child he really likes sweets, but he is also really crazy about veggies.... I mean how often do you have to tell your kids: "You can't have more tomatoes until you've eaten your cheese and nice bun!!"??????

He's also a neat-freak... he LOVES putting things in the bin, and his young mind even gets a hold of the German recycling system, amazing... okay, sometimes you have to check the bins before you empty them that nothing valuable has found its way in it out of a strange reason, but still, bins are great in his eyes... maybe because they are so conveniently on his eye level???

Well, I shall go to bed now!

It has been snowing A LOT of late

I really wished it was Christmas already, because then we would have a VERY white Christmas. It has been snowing like crazy... to be honest, I haven't seen so much snow in this part of Germany as long as I can remember. The problem is that it isn't so very cold (although it feel very cold, because wet cold feels colder than dry cold). It's +/- 0 . So last night lots of the 30cm of snow had actually melted away and today I mentally prepared myself for miserable, sludge, baeh weather, but instead it is bucketing down snow once again.

I mean, yeah, it's nice, but it also means that I need to go outside now and clear the footpath of snow so that no one can fall there and blame us... and it really is a help to people if the walkway is cleared, ESPECIALLY if you're a mum pushing a stroller with a heavy baby in it and additionally have a toddler standing on the kiddy board... it sums up to around 40kg to push, and that ain't no fun pushing on a sludgy, snowy, icy footpath because someone was too lazy to clear it out. I actually almost fell going downhill and saw with my mental eyes already the stroller with my two kiddos shooting down the rest of the hill onto the main street.

I try to be outside as often as possible, not because I want to but because it's good for us to be in the fresh air. So today I decided to go and feed the ducks once more. Ned was excited by the idea and when we were all finally wrapped up we headed off. Ned didn't want to wear his gloves so I put them on the stroller, which proofed to be a mistake. 15min later one of them was missing. Great. I personally am convinced that they should sell gloves not in pairs but in triplets so that you have the chance to loose one glove and still have two left over (WE had lost a glove of another pair already an I was lucky to be able to buy exactly the same once again, so now I have triplets of those gloves, but they are only knitted once which aren't any use in playing with snow). As I was heading though Down Town Mosbach anyway I quickly stopped in a shop to grab a new pair, but there weren't any anymore. Great. I kind of send a quick prayer up to our Father in heaven that he'd help me to find it on my way back home.

It started to snow heavily, but as I had promised Ned to go and feed the ducks, on we went to the park. I had forgotten that most likely no one would bother shovelling snow in the park, and in fact no one had, so I had to push my tank engine of a pram through the deep snow while it was continuing to bucket down on us. That was one of the moments in live when you ask yourself for the trillion-est time "What in the world am I doing here???", but when I finally reached the very eager ducks it was such a joy to see offspring feeding them... and eating the duck food partially himself (poor boy, doesn't get anything to eat at home).

Well, and off we went to go back home. My eyes scanning the snowy ground for the lost sheep... uhm, glove, but the further I went, the lower my hopes got. I was busy pushing this gigantic baby chariot and attachments up the hill to our place when I had to stop to blow my nose. I turned my head slightly, and there was the glove, sitting on top of a fence, already covered with snow, hardly visible... and really, just next to me. Wow. I was blown. I mean it's just a little thing, but somehow I didn't really expect God to answer my prayer, but nonetheless, he did!!

We also went sledding on the weekend. Ned LOVED it:

Especially because he didn't have to pull the sledge.

Just look at that happy smile

I would smile as well if someone pulled ME up the hill again :o)

My little Ced sausage all warm and wrapped up

But one of the nicest things of winter is coming home into the warm and cosy indoors :o)

This post is dedicated to my pot plant!

I normally don't do something like that, dedicate something to a pot plant. And I'm not dedicating this post to it because I am so thoroughly attached to it (I never get attached to a pot plant. Usually they don't live long enough for me to get attached to them, ahm.), but because it is a very special pot plant, AND a quite annoying one as well: it is a peeing pot plant... lets just call him Fred, as "pot plant" is always a lot to write.

So this is Fred, in all his magnificence. He looks quite nice but I've got NO clue whatsoever what kind of plant he is, and, well, he leaks.... he leaks a LOT!! He peed on my wall papers so I had to move Fred (the stains remained though). Then he constantly peed on the couch. I moved him once again. Then he peed on the floor so that the water slowly work its way into the wood of the floor. So Fred had to move yet another time. Then he peed on my IKEA shelf thing and left an ugly dark blob behind which I can't get rid off. So off went Fred to yet another location. There he peed on the floor again. I tried to cover the wooden floor with a rug under the peeing Fred, but Fred's rather big leaved so the rug doesn't cover all and we have to clean up a little Fred puddle every second day or so. Who said it's easier to keep a pot plant than a dog???

Well, it's not only the peeing. Fred can also be rather nasty. I had to cut off one of the big leaves and I thought it rather fascinating (and he thought he'd pee out of the cut off stem for the next 2 weeks): there was SO much water stored in the leave and its stem, it had a bit of a WOW-factor. Unfortunately Fred did not like me squeezing out the water of his cut off leave and I had itchy hand for the next hour or so.

I never knew that a pot plant can cause so much annoyance, but I suppose we have to bear it, as he is too magnificent to be thrown out as well as he's still green and living, and not many plants are still green and living with me after so many months, so I suppose we'll continue wiping after Fred for the next couple of months, but he will NOT move to Australia with me!!!!

P.S. someone should invent pot plant nappies!!

Excitement!!

Well, I caused an electrical fire the day before yesterday!! Yepp!!! Ned was there, and Ben was there as well... even Cedric was there. It gives you quite a thrill to plug in your electric blow heater thing and all of a sudden flames come out of the cable just behind the plug. Luckily the fire stop right there and then when our fuse tripped, but still, Ned talked about it all day, in fact he is still talking about it: "fire - kaputt- boom" :o)))))

The Perfect Parent!!

Lets face it: there is NO such thing as a perfect parent.

And I think that's a very encouraging thought!!! We all fall short, every one of us is a sinner and fall short of perfection, everyone makes mistakes in raising their children, even those thousands of people who wrote, write and will write those smart books about parenting. It is difficult to find a book which really helps you personally, there is so much junk on the market, but I found one which helps ME to be a better parent... at least I think so.

To be honest, with Ned I felt I was at a dead end or better at the bottom of a hole I actually had dug myself. His tantrums and general behaviour mad me plain MAD!!! It made me actually not wanting to spend time with him, not playing with him, looooooonging for nap times or bed times... and it made me feel miserable, that I didn't WANT to spend time, precious time, with the kid I love so much (especially when he's sleeping). The question came to my mind of course: "What am I doing wrong?" and often I got answers like: "You're not doing anything wrong, it is a phase in life you have to go through."

Several months ago, when Ned's tantrums where on their highest, I ordered a couple of books like "Parenting the Strong-willed Child" or "Strong-willed Child or Dreamer??" or "Potty Training Boys" (which doesn't really belong in the same category, but was order the same time nonetheless) as well as a thin book with the title "How to Really Love Your Child". To be honest, they collected dust on the shelf (inclusive the potty training one, although I LONG to have one boy out of his nappies). I was contemplating a lot the last couple weeks to finally tackle one of the strong-willed once, but it was "How to Really Love Your Child" I eventually un-dusted... and was convicted.

I knew I WAS doing something wrong, and I was right I'm convinced. I wasn't showing Ned my love for him in a way that he could understand. He didn't feel loved and tried to get my attention through negative behaviour, I got mad at him, showed him even less love and so down we went. He is a child and he is still allowed to behave childish, but to be honest (again), I was behaving very childish myself, and I'm supposed to be a grown up. When I started to read this book yesterday I made the decision to break this vicious circle. I want to make an effort, step out of my comfort zone and my "madness" and show him love in a way he can understand. I haven't finished the book, so I'm no expert yet (neither will I ever be), but I made the decision to try to follow the first three steps stated in The Book:

1. Eye contact, not only for scolding or negative things but as much eye contact as possible
2. physical contact
3. focused attention

I know I won't turn into the perfect parent from now on, but I made the decision to change and want to make sure that my adorable little boy gets the message that I'm crazy about him... actually about all my three boys. So I made the resolution not to get mad at him whatever the day might bring, no shouting whatsoever (besides a firm NO if he decides to sit on the baby yet again) and LOTS of eye contact as well as physical contact and take some time just for the two of us, no baby, no computer, no phone no nothing, just me and my boy, to show him, that he is special to me.

I don't know what I expected, but the day blew my mind. I don' t know if it was because of my changed attitude and resolutions or because Ned was contemplating about our relationship as well last night (at 2am I heard him crying and went in to him and found him sitting on his big toy box crying, so maybe he was thinking about life and made a resolution himself). It was an excellent day. Our main goal was to go and feed the ducks. But on the way to the ducks we had to do a couple of errants: going to the bank, buying yet another set of gloves for Ned and getting some brezels for lunch. No tantrums, no fits, no nothings, just joy being together. He stood on his kiddy board or walked without complaining, enjoyed feeding the masses of ducks in the park and afterwards when I had to go into a grocery store he didn't want to stand on the kiddy board but there was no trouble whatsoever in the shop. I had so much fun having fun together with him, which I haven't had much of late because his tantrums would take the joy out of things for me. And the day continued like it. Wow. I know it doesn't mean that tomorrow will be the same, but it is a start, it is a good start, and I am very grateful to God to let me see my sin and my mistakes while Ned is still young so that I can be a better mum for him in the future and that there will be as little to regret as possible.

Well, enough deep stuff... I have gone running again today. It was snowing quite heavily. I think I love running in the snow. You don't need a torch because the snow makes everything so light, so silent, so beautiful. And you don't sweat like a pig because it is so cold, but you get quite warm while running and don't mind the cold.

My resolution not to eat chocolate it's also going really well. I haven't had chocolate in more than two weeks and don't have any desire or longings or cravings for chocolate (this is coming form a confessed chocoholic). It makes me feel great not to be dictated by a craving or desire or addiction. I do eat Christmas biscuits but in perfect moderation. I like eating healthy. I hope and pray it'll stay.

I also have been to the dentist. That makes me feel NOT so great though. I have bad teeth, REALLY bad teeth. I need to have an operation at on of the roots of my back teeth some time in January and I need to have my crowns redone. Only thinking about it makes me feel sick, but it has to be done. I am still convinced that I prefer having children than going to the dentist, because at the end of the pain you have a little baby as a reward, whereas with the dentist you only have more pain in your mouth afterwards and a high bill (better don't ask me the question while in the process of delivering, I'm pretty sure my opinion would be quite the opposite)

I'm getting a bit more "adventurous" with my cooking of late and try things I have never made before. I discovered that I'm madly crazy about couscous. Luckily the family likes it too, so they don't mind :o))) in fact Ned complimented me at dinner today: "Fein gemacht!! [Well done!!]" that felt REALLY good!!!

Well...

Finally I started running again.. yay for me!! In the cold, wet and sludgy snow that is... AND it was great fun AND I feel great even without having had a shower yet (but I will go soon, promised)... but today I just felt like the ceiling would fall on my head so to speak and I just HAD to go outside for a run.

Ned wasn't being difficult, just being an energetic and exploring two-year-old, insisted on doing things his way, not mums. No idea how often I had to say "DO NOT SIT ON THE BABY", not even daring to count the "DON'T!!!"s and the "NO!!!"s which came out of my mouth during the day. I never wanted to be a "don't" and "NO" mum, but here I go down the lane... sigh...

well, he wanted to help me with the cooking today and pulled up a chair next to me at the work bench, put his bucket with some wooden block up and tried to get a hold on everything. Well, he found the pepper and salt mills and was quietly spicing up his wooden blocks and later on licked it off again. He also greatly enjoyed eating the raw nicely cut onions, at least I got all the knives out of his way... and when he beams at you with his mischievous and remarkably cute smile you almost can't be upset with him...

He also insists on calling our dirty laundry basket "Logos Hope - ship" and is very upset with me if I want to use his ship for its normal uses (how DARE I put dirty laundry in the dirty laundry basket?? I mean, HELLO???)

Well, I should go and take a shower but before I leave I want to finish with an interesting psychological phenomenon:

NORMALLY it is always the mum who wakes up at night times at the slightest little sneeze or movement or anything of offspring. And I truly used to be like that. But since coming back from Logos Hope I don't hear ANYTHING at night and sleep like a rock. Ned's been waking up screaming in the last weeks and I did not hear him at all, Ben did though. And the other day he also told me that baby made very cute baby noises for at least 1/2h from 7am onwards but them fell asleep again and woke up with me an hour later... and baby is parked right next to me, and I did NOT hear a thing, hmmm... strange!

So, I'm off... seeya later

Everything is just a liiiiitttle bit more complicated in winter!!

You know, some wise person once said: "There is no such thing as 'Bad Weather', there is only 'Bad Clothing'!!!"... or something along the line. And yes, in some sense that wise person was totally correct, isn't there anything more beautiful than to go for a wonderful winter walk surrounded by white where ever you look??? But the reality of winter is not so... uhm, romantic.

First of all, I DON'T have the right cloths so in my case it is "bad clothing"... at least, I don't really fit in it anymore (hmpf!!). The thing is, I can totally understand that things are a bit snug around midship, but how in the world were my FEET involved in being pregnant twice??? I mean, yes, they had to carry the extra weight, but that ain't no excuse to suddenly need a shoe size bigger and old shoes don't really fit no more. And what about the arms??? Yes, I know, they are busy carrying a gigantic baby around a lot but that doesn't really justify that they seem to be longer than they used to be (btw. that would only justify my right arm anyway as baby hardly ever gets carried on the left arm). Well my winter coat stops just a bit too soon, either it shrank or my arms grew... hmmm.

Another thing is that going for a walk takes forever... I don't mean the actual walk itself, but getting ready to go for a walk. I mean, in summer you grab your kiddos slap some sun cream on, put on a hat and maybe some sunnies and off you go. Well, in winter you first have to decide which kid you dress first -in my case I wrap up Cedric first-, so I stick him in some tights (yes, shocking, I know, but WARM, and I promise you Aussie people I won't stick none of my sons in tights Down Under, I know it's a big NO NO with you guys, but here it REALLY helps to keep them warm!) and after that I add another 3 or 4 layers and end it up with a beany on his head and stick him finally in a foot bag thing for the stroller. Understandably by now he is complaining a wee little bit. All you can see of him though is his face, everything is wrapped up and really warm.

So now the similar procedure with Ned (yess!!! He also wears tights, but I really promise you, I won't even pack them to take with us to Down Under) minus the bag thing, as he is walking. I would LOVE to add some gloves but unfortunately he GREATLY DISLIKES gloves and refuses to wear them. And finally it is only myself left to be dress for the great outdoors, trying to ignore the baby screaming and preventing the other one from falling down the stair or do similarly silly things and most of all hurry up. So finally, at least 1/2h later, we are ready to rock and roll. Ou well, but once we are past the dressing stage and on the road it isn't too bad; baby stops squealing once the stroller starts rolling and luckily Ned started to take a liking to his "Kiddy Board", which he did NOT before we left for the ship and refused to stand on it.

Next thing to destroy the winter romantic: IT IS COLD!!! REALLY COLD!!!Today I felt like having a brain freeze or something... it left like getting a headache from the outside. It also doesn't help that your toes start feeling funny once you stop walking for a little while... and your finger tips start doing funny things too. HOW do people survive something like -30C?????? (I guess they do have fitting appropriate cloths and shoes, which I don't... ).

And last but not least, you know that whole post about "Not because I want but because I can"-business??? Well, it seems like not only the freezing cold plays against me but also other evil forces: they fell down trees just along MY running path. In itself that would not really stop me from running, unfortunately they were busy along the path with biiig machinery and now the whole thing looks like several gigantic boars were busy digging up the path. Basically going running would be equal to taking a mud bath... ou how I love winter. So, so far I haven't started running again, being reluctant to jump in the mud and just go for it and let out the wild side in me... lately I thought it more preferablely to stay inside in our nice and warm and slowly Christmas-y looking flat.... but I WILL start running agin... I will.... and I will feel SO much better afterwards... especially once I've taken a shower and chipped of the mud....