Ferret racing.... it's a thing!

 

Dear Matthew

The other week you, your dad, your grandad, Maree and I had a lovely picnic at Jackadder Lake with the dogs, Soda and Beau. It was the most perfect winter's day, so much so that you were dressed in shorts and a t-shirt (something I can't comprehend at the moment given it was 2 degrees this morning and is still freezing at midday).

We enjoyed our lunch and then (oh so slowly) walked around to the playground. We were surprised to see that there were in fact a set of tunnels set up for ferret racing! I didn't even know this was a thing, but you were so intrigued by the ferrets (animal lover that you are), that a lovely lady, who said at once stage she owned up to 50 ferrets, let you pat and cuddle a few of them. I have never seen you happier than when you were cuddling one of them (see the beautiful photos below), despite the fact that at one stage it actually bit you on your neck. You just loved holding it and it was so gorgeous to watch. There were lots of exclamations of 'oh! It's sooooo cute!'.

We then watched the racing and patted a few more before having a play on the playground. We ended the day with a cup of tea at grandad's house before heading home. It was such a lovely day and inspired me to consider a ferret for you in the future should we end up a cat-free house for some reason!

All my love my beautiful boy,

Mum xxx

 

 

 

Postgrad studies... and chickens!

Dear Matthew,

 

I have recently reapplied to start my postgraduate studies at Notre Dame after a three and half year break from studying. I'll be looking at studying the Master of Counselling this time (having already completed two of its required units before you were born as part of a different course).

 

I'll be doing the course very slowly, probably only one unit per semester, to try and ensure my study doesn't eat into family time too much and because Notre Dame will be paying for a unit per semester so it makes sense from a financial perspective (it would cost me $46,000 otherwise!).

 

I understand that this may mean you and your future sibling/s won't have as much mummy time, but I'm hoping you see me studying and that it inspires you to do your own study one day. No doubt during the course of this degree you and I will, eventually, be doing our homework together.

 

So here's to a new challenge to help stimulate my mind a bit more and to hopefully, make me a better mum as I'll have a greater understanding of human development and experiences. Below is a photo of the two of us sick and huddled together while I try and draft my re-admission letter. I have a feeling this scene is going to repeat itself many times over the next five or six years!  



 

 

In other news, you have enjoyed catching up with you nanna lately, especially now that she and Darryl have three chickens! You are always keen to check their hatch for eggs and a few weeks ago you were lucky enough to collect one, while still warm. That's my boy, forever interested in animals! Maybe you'll be a vet? We'll have to wait and see :)

 

All my love,

 

Mum xxx

Days out at the zoo and chipmunks

Dear Matthew

On Sunday we went to the zoo with your Aunty Chantel, Andrew and your cousins (and a friend of Mikayla), which meant we walked around with 8 kids. Luckily it wasn't as challenging as it sounds as you were all so well behaved. Your big cousins (especially Ella) always want to take special care of you so you were smothered in love from beginning to end.

 

I love how you get to sit in the stroller that your cousins brought along for Harry. And then Andrew looks after you despite having 7 other kids to look after while your dad and I walk around and look at the animals. He's a good guy :)

 

In September we are going to Rottnest with your cousins so we're looking forward to you spending even more quality time with them. We find that when you're around the big kids you take a little while to warm up (it can be overwhelming at first) but then you find your groove and start cuddling them all eventually (this weekend you especially loved cuddling Quentin).

 

Yesterday we caught up with Mother's Group at Chipmunks again (our local playcentre). You surprised me greatly when you climbed up the giant inflatable slide without any encouragement and slid down like a champion. It really is amazing watching you grow (and so, so quickly at that). It was a bit awkward however when we were waiting for chips we had ordered and you decided you couldn't wait anymore so you wandered over to a stranger's table and just helped yourself to their food. They were very kind and obliged you but after a chip or two I had to stop you, which of course ended in a meltdown until your own precious chips arrived.

 

I then lost you a little while later and while scouring the playground for you and starting to panic, Gareth from Mother's Group noticed that you had walked up to a table with leftover fairy bread on it and helped yourself to someone's leftovers. Lovely.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Don't change, Machu Machu.

Love,

Mum xxx

Doing things my way

 

Dear Matthew

 

After your birth it's safe to say I was disappointed in the way it panned out. I was overjoyed to have you in my arms and for you to be happy and healthy but I hadn't planned on meeting you via caesarean section. I was angry at myself for not looking at other options when the induction failed and guilty that you didn't get to experience all the benefits that come with a vaginal birth.

 

Since then I've been trying to manage my anger and guilt over your birth but have been struggling to do so, so instead of simply plodding along expecting something to change, I've decided to attend birth trauma counselling in an attempt to be better prepared for when your sibling comes along. We are hoping to conceive your brother or sister towards the end of this year and I don't want to be fearful of his/her birth or out of control. I have been researching VBAC births (vaginal births after caesarean) since shortly after your birth and feel that my knowledge is very strong. The last piece of the puzzle is attending counselling with a qualified counsellor.

 

 

I had my first session on Tuesday and to be honest, we talked for an hour and haven't even got up to your birth yet! The main thing we focussed on was that I unapologetically parent based on my values, such as breastfeeding to natural term and bed-sharing. I do it because I adamantly believe it is best for you and (as you'll see below in the photo of Ma Ma, your uncle Andrew and myself) it's all I know. I sometimes find it hard to parent 'against the grain' because my personality is one where I try to fit in and get those 'gold stars' for doing all the things that the books tell you to do. It has taken a lot of my strength and courage to burn those books and to simply be the best mother I can for YOU, which means following your lead. I'm hoping I can draw on this strength in the lead up to your siblings birth - doing things the way I feel they should be done, not simply because someone tells me that's how they're to be done.

 

I want to set an example for you not to simply be a sheep. You can do things on your own terms if you wish. So long as you feel in your core that what you are doing is right for you, you will always have my full support. For it is only when we act based on our values that we will ever be truly happy and fulfilled in life.

Love you my darling boy,

Mum xxx

School interviews

Dear Matthew

Last Monday your dad took a day off work and we attended school interviews with you at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School and Yidarra Catholic Primary School.

In preparation for these interviews I researched the schools, talked to parents with kids at the schools and formulated a list of questions I wanted to ask each of the principals.

I thought I was well prepared but I was still a bit nervous about being quizzed on my knowledge of Catholicism/information about the schools etc.  

However, I didn't anticipate the main issue - you not wanting even to enter the office of the first school and running down the street back towards the car, twice, in an attempt to escape whatever it was that had you fleeing. I think perhaps you thought the office resembled a doctors/dentist office and wanted to be free of any potential injection/mouth review.

In any event it was difficult to keep a conversation going when your toddler is sitting next to you screaming to leave. We survived but I'm pretty sure I had a mild panic attack following the interview because I was convinced we'd screwed it and you were unlikely to receive an offer. Truth be told, we received an offer in the post the next day and the school understood that in fact you were just acting as a typical two year old.

The second interview went a bit better later that day because they were prepared with an awesome toy in their reception and when things became a bit boring for you in the principal's office she suggested we go outside to the playground (you had a tantrum when we attempted to get you to leave the playground but your dad hung with you while I chatted with the principal so it was generally less traumatic).

We have to wait a few months to see if you'll get an offer to Yidarra but you have your offer for Mel Maria so looks like you're off to Catholic school (somewhere)! Your dad and I are really want you to attend a Catholic school so that you have the benefit of the amazing pastoral care that comes with it, which we think will help you thrive at school. Looking forward to you starting pre-kindy next year! Can't believe it's come by so quick!

Love you my crazy toddler,

Mum xxx

Playgroup and Mother's Day

 

 

Dear Matthew

 

Last month, after a few weeks of difficulty getting you to sit on the mat during gymbakids and running around disturbing the class, I decided it was time to move on from gymbakids (at least for the moment) and try playgroup.

 

We joined the local group that your friend Charlotte from mother's group is a part of and (the first week at least), you seemed to really enjoy it. I was surprised at how easily you joined in with the kids, played on the toys and ate happily at the kids table during morning tea. Unfortunately the second week was a disaster and we had to leave early as you became upset in the bathroom when I went to change your nappy and simply couldn't be consoled. It's safe to say your mum is really struggling with transitioning you to new surroundings (you also had multiple tantrums at your school interviews last week, which I'll post about soon). Hopefully it's just a phase and you'll get better with time. 

 

 

We also celebrated Mother's Day where we had your grandma, gramps, nanna, Darryl and aunty Robyn come around for dinner. It was an interesting night with lots of different discussions to say the least! In any event it was great to have two sets of your grandparents together and to celebrate and show gratitude to your grandma and nanna for all the wonderful things that they do for us. 

 

Love you Matt,

Mum xxx