Nothing is better than making my baby laugh

make my baby laugh

I love making people laugh. No, not enough to become a comic or something, and I no longer have dreams of pursuing a career in the performance arts. However, I love being able to crack people up, to make them smile, to make even the darkest and most horrible things that can happen in a life absolutely hilarious. I often say that Dean makes me laugh every day, and that’s why we work. But I have found my new favorite audience.

Sure, I love quick wit, and I adore truly intelligent comedy, but now I find myself not worrying about that. Instead, I will do absolutely anything to make my baby laugh. Her smiles are adorable, but her laughter is like crack – I need my fix! When she laughs, it’s as if everything is right in the world, and any sadness or frustration I might be feeling is utterly obliterated. Continue Reading

1 Comment Breast feeding, Parenting, Rambling

Support networks and other necessary things

support network

Being a mom is hard. Actually, let me correct that, being a human is hard. Even before becoming a mom, I had plenty of ups and down in life. Life is hard no matter where you are, who you are and what your background is. Sure, there are some ways that things can be made easier, but no one lives a charmed life. However, being a mom feels even more trying because you often feel alone.

I don’t know what it is that’s so lonely about motherhood – maybe it the sleep deprivation, or the weird things your baby or partner does that you think can’t be normal and you must the only one experiencing. Maybe it’s all the weird comments or visuals we see on TV or online – those picture perfect moments where moms and babies just coo at each other and everyone looks happy and well rested, with perfect hair and clean clothes. Instead, so many women struggle with feelings of inadequacy, inferiority and painful loneliness. This is why we all need support networks. Continue Reading

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Socks and food and other baby dramas

baby feet

I never really interacted much with moms or babies before joining this special tribe of motherhood. I didn’t particularly like babies. I mean sure, they’re cute and stuff, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to look at one or ooh and aah. But, if I saw a pregnant woman or family with small children walking towards a closed door or carrying things, I’d always open doors or offer to help; if waiting behind a mother and child in the checkout at a store I’d smile, make faces at the kid and maybe tell the mom or dad how adorable or charming their child was.

You know, normal, good human being stuff. But I’d never try to hold someone’s person, I tried to avoid asking weirdly personal questions, and generally just limited my engagement to compliments and smiles or understanding before moving on. I wish more people were like me from back then. Continue Reading

39 Comments Parenting, Rambling

My baby is still being rejected by her country of birth

South African Home Affairs

When I got pregnant, one of the last things I was worrying about was the admin involved in Harley’s birth. I mean, babies are born all the time and they get birth certificates – it’s not even a question, right? Well, Harley is now seven months old and she still doesn’t have an ID, a birth certificate, or even a proof of baby registration, and it’s all because I’m foreign.

Yup, it’s my fault that Harley is in limbo, all because I dared fall in love with a South African while being from overseas. While I was pregnant, my residency permit was up for renewal. As usual, I contacted my immigration dude from Execuserve. I’d previously had issues trying to sort out Home Affairs things myself, so I used Andrew and typically didn’t have any issues. Anyway, Andrew submitted my application, just waiting on the police clearance and all would continue to tick over as normal. Except Harley needed to come early. Continue Reading

12 Comments South Africa

To Harley on her 7th month

Harley smile

 

Dear Harley,

I write this as you sleep on my chest. You’ve spent most of the morning either on me, or crying because you want to be on me. I’m a bit worn out, and struggling to get any work done, and yet I’m totally okay with that. You see, today you turn seven months old. You are so much bigger than you were seven months ago, and so much more fun. It was hard in the beginning with you, but now we have such a great time together, it feels like all the bad stuff has faded into distant memory.

At the moment, the hardest thing with you is your separation anxiety. It’s a new development, and a totally normal one. You see, you’ve finally figured out that you and I are two separate beings, and that I can be further away or closer to you. You obviously prefer being close. All the time. And as hard as it is when I need to work or eat or shower or sleep, it’s amazing to know that this tiny little person you are knows who I am, and wants me around. Continue Reading

1 Comment Parenting