Parent Adventure

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Isaac was a water baby from his first bath in hospital. He loved the bath, loved the pool and especially loved a warm dip in our backyard spa.

He very quickly outgrew the baby bath and enjoyed his nightly dip in the big tub. For a good year and a half we looked forward to the daily splash and play. We had boats, cups and plenty of games. Bathing the muppet was a lovely parenting experience…until…

One day the bath suddenly became akin to hell on earth. Isaac vigorously refused to get in. Scenes of peace became episodes of kicking, screaming, floods of tears and me throwing my back out whilst wrestling the “water baby” into the bubbles. We tried bribing, tricking, threatening, standing in the empty bath with a wet washer, sharing the bath with a dolly, sharing a bath with Mummy and even dragged out the old baby bath. But the screaming tantrums prevailed.

Buggered if I know why, but something in his little brain decided bath = BAD. Tubby-time was no longer fun.

Then one day, just as suddenly, the bath – or the “inside pool” as we now call it - was in favour again.

These days he enthusiastically watches bubbles form as the bathtub fills, rips off his clothes and nappy in anticipation and leaps into the water to bathe his trains, wash his bum and scrub dolly’s eyeballs.

The inside pool is THE place to be.

The challenge now is to get him out!

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

One super stage at a time

November 19th 2008 12:33

This week I have finally confirmed that there is no need for me to be superwoman, and that being a stay-at-home mum is a REAL JOB.

I was made redundant in February, and at the time cheered about being able to spend the three month pay-out on staying at home with Isaac. Weeks later, after a few job interviews, the thought of going back to ten hour days, traffic from hell and the giant egos that are often attached to those in the sales & marketing field, I decided I’d be a full time mum while providing (mediocre) administrative support for hubby’s business and studying what I should have taken at uni - journalism.

Sounds perfect right? Perfect, apart from feelings of guilt, the notion that I was now fairly useless, plenty of “blah” days and the overwhelming need to justify myself and my situation whenever I spoke to old colleagues and friends. I was embarrassed to be “unemployed” and probably felt more guilty about not “working” than I did when I returned to work after maternity leave. Screwed up priorities anyone??

Why is it that we put so much pressure on ourselves to be a super career woman, super mum, super wife and super everything else - all at the same time?

After months of slowly settling into this stage of my life, I can finally recognize my career so far for what it was…a fabulous STAGE of my life. I’ve worked my way up the ladder, had 15 years of perks, overseas trips, free stuff, and the satisfaction of doing a good job and enjoying the confidence that comes with it.

Now I’m at a STAGE where I’m far from high flying but have different kinds of perks such as two-year-old kisses and cuddles on tap, time to cook a decent meal, zero road rage, zero executive stress and the satisfaction of having a gorgeous well behaved little boy and a happy, relaxed household.

Rather than feeling guilty about staying at home, I am feeling very lucky that I have the opportunity to do so. So we won’t be buying a house anytime soon, and restaurant meals would be out of the question even if Isaac would sit still for more than 10 minutes at a time. I wouldn’t trade my time with the little monster for all the money (or perks) in the world.

Life is super!

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Baby News...but how much?

October 2nd 2008 03:06

Is the world in the midst of a baby boom or am I just noticing because I have a baby? Kind of like when you buy a yellow car and then suddenly notice all the yellow cars on the road?

I’ve been toasting many new births lately, and every week it seems another friend or relative is knocked up, so I’ve been thinking about babies quite a lot.

I’ve noticed that the majority of expectant parents can be slotted into one of two camps – I’ll refer to them as the “Nicole Kidmans” and the “Bec Hewitts”.

Those on the Nicole side of the fence like their privacy. They’ll keep people guessing… Is she pregnant or did she just have a big lunch? When they finally announce the happy news it will be well after the 12 week “danger period” and will be accompanied by a vague due date like “October-ish”.

On the other hand, the Becs yell from the rooftops seconds after the pee stick turns blue. They’re publicly rubbing their tummies and setting up Facebook “count down the days” applications as the four cells of their foetus split into eight. The excitement is infectious, though 40 weeks later you’re STILL waiting for the baby to arrive.

Becs find out the sex of the baby, give it a name and tell everyone. I received a baby shower invitation this week that featured an ultrasound photo of an already named but yet-to-be-born lad’s twig & berries. I’ve seen his goolies before he has! Is that fair?

At the other end of the scale the Nicoles like to keep an element of surprise. My cousin is about to have her second child via a planned caesarian section. We’re all waiting anxiously for his/her arrival as she hasn’t told us when the Caesar is scheduled. She hasn’t found out the sex (that will be her surprise) and was horrified when her husband told his parents the names they were considering.

Of my expectant friends some are Nicoles, some are Becs and some are in between. Makes no difference really – I can’t wait to meet every one of the boys, girls and “surprises” arriving in the next few months. Good luck everyone!!

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

The Housework Fairy

September 7th 2008 12:27

Isaac’s future wife is going to love her mother-in-law (that would be me…) Though he shares genes with an “allergic to housework” father, he is fast becoming a housework fairy, that fabled being every woman wants.

He’s been fabulous at making a mess since the day he was born, and the daily storm that is “Hurricane Ike” wreaks havoc on our house every day. Recently though, he’s taken an interest in helping Mummy clean – and it’s a trait I’m nurturing with all my might. I have a (probably delusional) hope that it will continue into his teenage years and beyond. Perhaps I’m raising a domestic God

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

There's a Bear In There

August 15th 2008 04:14

This morning Ike and I were watching ABC Kids on TV when the opening credits for Play School caught his attention. He grinned, cried “bear” and raced into his room. He soon returned with a cherished old teddy bear I received from my late grandfather on the day I was born.

I’d always hoped the bear might become a family heirloom in memory of Poppy, but since he was small Ike had been more interested in cars and Buzz Lightyear than teddy bears

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

One Backyard, One Dream

August 15th 2008 03:49

Here's an article I wrote that was published in the Brisbane Courier Mail on 8/8/08.
Have a fun weekend!

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Teach them well and let them lead the way

August 4th 2008 08:57

A proposal that a teachers’ salary should be on par with their ability is currently being debated. The Business Council of Australia is suggesting that top teachers should be paid in the vicinity of $130k per annum, almost double the highest current rate of pay for classroom teachers.
It’s an idea that I think has great merit. Here’s why…

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Full Circle

July 23rd 2008 00:27

Kids don’t seem to feel the cold. It’s a natural phenomenon that reverses as one ages. My poor mother had to fish my brother and I out of the pool each spring after we’d “accidentally” fall into the icy water then plead to swim longer, even though our toes were blue and required thawing in a warm bath.

Now I’m a frog. I get cold feet, cold hands, cold everything! And the shoe is on the other foot as I contend with a two year old who won’t keep his socks on. I’m extremely concerned about his cold little tootsies on our tiled floor and the possibility that a sniffle will turn into pneumonia if his feet aren’t encased in warm socks every second of the day. I’ve lost count of the WWF-inspired episodes where I wrestle his socks, shoes or slippers on, only to have him tear them off four minutes later

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Ironing out the wrinkles?

July 22nd 2008 00:21

Turning 35 a couple of weeks ago got me thinking about wrinkles. I’ve been looking at them in the mirror for quite a few years, but now I’m thinking about them as well. As a child of the sun-loving ‘70’s and a teenager of the tan-worshipping ‘80’s, I mostly shunned sunscreen, preferring to slather my limbs with coconut oil. This delicious smelling concoction turned me a lovely brown while sneakily creating havoc with my epidermis, forging wrinkles that would have me resembling a leather bag by the time I reached my mid-30s.

The realisation that I’m now closer to 40 than 30 (eek!), paired with a distinct reduction in bouncers requesting my ID, has me thinking I should take action before the crows that have been trekking around my eyes decide they’ll vacation on the rest of my face. It’s time to buy some wrinkle cream

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Comments (1)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Beware of Big Bad Wolves

July 16th 2008 02:41

Due to new guidelines, teachers will soon give children “safety messages” after reading them fairytales and nursery rhymes. Our little ones will be advised not to copy characters such as Goldilocks, guilty of break and enter, Little Red Riding Hood, who recklessly skipped through the forest alone, and Hansel and Gretel, who unwittingly snuck into a strange woman’s gingerbread house (another break and enter) and wound up in her oven.

Give our poor kids a bit of credit for goodness sakes. Even my two year old knows that bears don’t really eat porridge, Humpty Dumpty isn’t a real person and it’s a bad idea to talk to wolves! Fairytales and nursery rhymes are supposed to be FUN! That’s their whole point

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stephanie Allen - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

November 2008

2 Posts

October 2008

1 Posts

September 2008

1 Posts