Moments

Mom.ments.

A collection of memories, stories, and pictures collected by a mother, so that she can store them and cherish them, and maybe even share them with others, but never, ever lose them.  

When I was 19 and untethered from the whole world I had ever known - all the way across the country in California volunteering with a group of people who still feel a little bit like family - I had this thought that each of us is just collecting stories.  That was our purpose in life.  To collect stories so that we could tell them later.  And all of these stories reach out from us, to other people, and our stories join their stories and weave and blend together.  We share them.  We collect them.  But never do we get rid of them.

That's what this blog is for, isn't it?  To collect stories and share them with you.  I haven't been very good at sharing stories lately, but I have never stopped - can never stop - collecting them.

Here are a few.  Moments.  Mom.ments.     

1.  I'm sitting in our computer room, working on an ad for the bakery to go into a local magazine.  I am home alone, and both babies are asleep.  I hear a door open, and think, "oh, I wonder who is home."  And then I realize that the only door in the whole house that squeaks when it opens is the door to Trip's room.  Odd.  He was in his crib...   So I poke my head out into the hallway just in time to see my not-quite-2-year-old toddling into the kitchen.  He turns and sees me.  Smiles around the pacifier in his mouth.  Says, "hiii."  And chuckles.  The cheeky little monkey has figured out how to climb out of bed!  I blame his father.  For encouraging activities like this:

Toff's favorite part of being a dad may very well be getting to climb stuff in the guise of "teaching" Trip how to do it.
Right...because our toddler needs someone to TEACH him how to climb over things.  And on top of things.
And out of  things.

2.  Both kids are awake and we have all had breakfast.  We didn't leave the house yesterday, so I'm starting to feel a little stir crazy.  It's Friday, and Toff will often come home so I can go into work and help them close the bakery.  But I haven't heard from him yet, so it is possible that he's too busy and I'll just have to stay and watch the kids.  Let's walk down to the bakery to get lunch, so I can at least talk to someone else.  Anyone else.  Great idea.  I'll put Meg in the sling, and Trip in the stroller.  But Trip won't get in the stroller.  He is screaming and carrying on.  Fine.  I'll put Meg in her sling first.  Now Meg is screaming.  Oh dear.  I can't get anyone to stop screaming.  That's okay.  It's okay.  We're all okay.  We'll just drive down.  No worries.  Meg can go in her car seat.  Nope....that doesn't stop her screaming either.  "Trip, let's go in the car!"  Nooooo.  More screaming.  Now everyone is screaming, and all I wanted to do was get out of the house.  Talk to someone else.  Have a change of scenery.  But I can't get everyone to stop screaming!  Ring Toff.  "Can I come into work, please?"  Work is my escape.  It is an oasis where (practically) no one screams at me and all I have to do is put pies into bags and smile at people.  Toff comes to rescue me, and I drive off to work for a couple hours.  And when I get home, no one is screaming.

3.  We go out to get Chinese food at the new takeaway place in Aldinga.  We make it a family outing because we have to pick the kombi up from the garage.  I go up to the counter to order and pay while Toff puts Trip on the car ride in the middle of the mall in an attempt to keep him entertained.  I turn around from the counter, and find it a little odd that all seven people waiting to collect their food are laughing.  And as I keep turning around, I see this:

Toff may be having more fun then the children!

4.  Meg wakes me up in the morning.  Not by crying or screaming, but simply by rustling and wriggling around in her bassinet right next to my side of the bed.  I stand to pull her into bed with me for one more sleepy cuddle, and she is happily lying there, smiling up at me.  What a pleasant sight to wake up to, I think.  So I feed Meg, and we finish our cuddle.  We go out to play in the living room - a wriggle on the floor for Meg, and a cup of tea for Mommy.  Eventually she gets cranky and fussy so it's back to bed for her.  Trip still isn't up.  I take a shower.  When I get out Trip is just stirring.  Talking to himself quietly and happily.  I get dressed and go to get him.  He doesn't even want to get out of bed (now that his legs are confined in a pyjama/sleeping bag thing so he can't climb out!).  He likes it there with his blankie and stuffed animals.  Eventually he lets me get him up, and we go share a bowl of oatmeal.  This is an idyllic morning.  Quiet, gentle mornings like this are rare and magical, and are such a beautiful way to start a day.  

5.  As expected, one of the hardest parts of having a baby for Trip, is all the cuddle time she gets when Mommy is feeding her.  Cuddle time that Trip doesn't get, because he is a big boy and eats all on his own.  He rarely wants a cuddle anymore, but when he does...it is when I am feeding Meg.  I have solved this problem by reading a book with Trip sitting on the couch next to Meg and I.  And sometimes, if he promises not to squish the baby and is really gentle, he gets to sit on Mommy's lap too. That's okay.  It's not a problem at all.  There is always room on Mommy's lap for everyone.  Mom's are magical, that way.

See?  Plenty of room.

6. Pictures.  I take a lot of them.  I recently got an iPhone for work so I could have access to the calendar.  (It also didn't occur to me that I was getting a PHONE.  I have never everever had a phone that worked so well!  You mean it doesn't drop calls???  And when someone talks to me...I can HEAR them???  I never realised how crappy all the phones I have ever had have been!)  And also....for the camera.  It is a quick, easy, accessible camera for me to use.  A little too easy.  Like I needed an easier way to take pictures?!  Holy snap happy!  Toff may be regretting his decision to get me a company phone.... Here are some photos I probably would have been too slow to capture if I had to rely on pulling out my SLR:

Sigh.  Pictures make me happy.  They're just another way of capturing and sharing stories, aren't they?  And if you want to "hear" more of my stories, follow me over on instagram @ausacara.  ...did I mention that I like taking photos?