Snack Packs

In self-defence, now that it's school holidays, we created elaborate "Snack Packs" for the children this morning. One of my least favourite cries just happens to be - "Mum, what can I have to eat. I'm hungry". Grrrrr. Didn't they just eat??

So each of the children now have a divided plastic snack box packed with all of the following:

sultanas, peanuts, dates and mini marshmallows
grapes and cheese cubes
jatz sticks (little stick shaped crackers ideal for dipping)
carrot and celery sticks, tiny tomatoes, cucumber cubes
a dip made with avocado and cottage cheese
a hard-boiled egg
They are also allowed additional fruit (we currently have nectarines, peaches, bananas and mangoes - I love the fruit this time of year).

They are allowed to nibble on these snacks any time throughout the day, but once they've finished their box, that's it for the day. Hopefully this will prevent the constant calls for food!

Someone Else's Body

There are times when I really struggle with the fact that our son relies on me to be his body. It is difficult in two distinct ways:

Firstly, it's not easy to be constantly interrupted by his needs and wants, when I have needs and wants of my own. At times it feels like such an intrusion to have to be someone else's body. In addition, it's physically demanding to have to engage in transfers so many times throughout a day.

Secondly, I struggle with my own selfishness. Whenever I sigh out loud because he needs another nappy change, or wants to lie on the floor, or get up off the bed, or get in the walker, etc, I feel so guilty for resenting his requests. I immediately condemn myself for not having enough compassion to understand what it must be like for a nine-year-old to be totally reliant on other people for his every basic need, let alone the things every child should be able to enjoy.

It is a real challenge for me to overcome this feeling on a daily basis, and just get on with the business of loving.

Books and Movies

Here's what we've been watching this week:

The quirky and delightful dead letter office starring Miranda Otto and
Ordinary People - terribly sad and yet with glimpses of hope

And here's what I've read this week:
Jodi Picoult's Vanishing Acts, which was just as good as My Sister's Keeper and
With No One as Witness, a dramatic crime novel by Elizabeth George

Ninety Years

On the other side of the world, and in a different time zone, my grandfather will soon be celebrating his 90th birthday. One of my most vivid memories of Opa is when he was here in Australia and had his 70th birthday with us. The whole family went out to a fancy French restaurant for dinner. In Holland, it's not uncommon for the 'birthday boy/girl' to stand on their chair while everyone sings to them. So - you guessed it - my 70-year-old grandfather got up on his chair in the restaurant while we sang to him! Here is a wonderful photo of my dear Opa:

Happy Birthday and lots of love from all of us!

What to Say?

Often as I'm doing things around the house or garden, I find myself composing little blog entries in my mind. But when I actually sit in front of the computer I've forgotten all those wonderful ideas and end up wondering what to say. It's very quiet in the house this morning. Garry is reading (The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman), Christopher is still asleep, and we can just hear Catherine singing quietly in her bed. That's a good sign that she's starting to get over the chickenpox at last. The cat, Hermione, is so lethargic that she can barely move two steps without lying down for a little nap. Soon we'll be into the busy routines of our day and this peaceful interlude will be just a fleeting memory.

As Christopher says, "It's a good life, mum".