Emotional Meltdown

I dropped my youngest Aspies child at pre-school this morning and my heart shattered in a thousand pieces...

Kaylin who has just turned 5 on Sunday, is quickly following in her sister's foot-steps when it comes to what she thinks is cool, what she wears, how she acts.  

Now, my eldest is a out-and-out tom-boy and takes great pride in the fact that she loves everything to do with boys - from the way they cut their hair, the games they play, the clothes they wear, the TV programmes they watch, och just about everything that a boy would be labeled to do... She hasn't worn a dress since she was 2 and that was only for a wedding and I had to bribe her to wear it.

So, back to Kaylin.  She has fast become more and more tom-boyish in the last couple of years, looking up to her big sister and watching what she does.  She loves to mimic her big sister and has only ever known a very boyish older sister to look up to.  Kaylin used to love dresses and dolls... Oh, don't get me wrong she still loves her dolls and dresses up as "Mummy" in her dresses, heels, jewelry and loves her handbags etc.  BUT it isn't day-to-day wear for her.  She sees it only to be used in roleplay dress up (at least she will still wear it).

I've always believed that a child needs to have the freedom to be who they want to be.  To be unique, to be an individual and that includes wearing what they want to (as long as THEY are happy - thats my motto).  I've put up with her wearing two different shoes to school for nearly a year. I've put up with wellies in the blistering heat. I've put up with her wanting to wear her favourite jeans that have huge holes in them for 3 days in a row, och you name it.  

Our Wee Kaylin. Always Smiling...

This morning she was so very chuffed she dressed herself!   She put on a yellow Scooby doo T-shirt, a pair of bright green and fuchsia board shorts, boys flip flops and ripped out the pony tail I put in her hair - no knickers!  Fuck it - she was as  happy as a pig in shite!  I didn't fight.  I actually praised her for getting ready without me even asking...sometimes my eldest can't even manage this...

Off we go to school in a good mood ready to start the day and Kaylin, eager to see her wee pals.  The minutes she walks in the door her wee girlfriends call her.  "Kaylin! Yaaaaaay!" and she beams with happiness.  She runs towards the two little girl-friends, who always wear frills and barbie brands....and the one of the little Prissy Misses points to Kaylin, sniggers behind her hand and says to the other little girlie-girl "KAYLIN'S A BOY!"

My heart broke for her.

I could see on her face that Kaylin was hurt.

Then Kaylin got angry!

She yelled at them "I'm NOT a boy!!! I"M NOT A BOY!!" going red in the face.

Of course Mummy Bear stepped in to defend her BABY BEAR immediately!

I told those two wee lassies that the should be ashamed of themselves because it is very nasty and ugly to tease a friend for what she wears.  That, just because her favourite colour is NOT pink and that she doesn't like skirts and dresses, does NOT mean that she's a boy.  I asked if they would like to be teased for being different?  I could've gone on forever but they looked at me with startled big eyes...

Then I backed away.

I got down and gave Kaylin a huge hug and told her that she shouldn't listen to anyone who teases her.  I told her that she is just perfect the way that she is.  

I wanted to scoop my baby up into my arms and hide her away and protect her from those two little bitches!!!  

But she needs to fight her own way in life.  I'm not doing her any favours by stepping in and making a scene that only a red-headed feisty Scots mum can make.  

Och, but sometimes a Mummy Bear has gotta do what a Mummy Bear's gotta do, right?

Tomorrow all will be forgiven between all three of them.  I'll be the one who still ponders it all and worries about it.  I'll be the one who struggles with my little girls that are so different from the other little girls at school. My girls are happy just being themselves and I want to let them be who they feel comfortable being.

But kids can be so fucking cruel!

I had plastic surgery...

...I cut up all my Credit Cards!

Day #4 of Liquid Diet

Yesterday's Smoothie

This one seems to be my favourite so far.  

It includes carrots, pineapple, mango, apple, banana and orange 

juice a couple of mint leaves and a handful of cashew nuts.

Today's Smoothie

Includes:  Spinach (you really don't even taste it but it looks fucking awful!), celery, mango, carrots, apples, banana, pineapple and cranberry juice, a handful of nuts and mint leaves.

don't you just LOVE the dog in the cartoons?

 H

e's forever peeping out with a worried look on his face.

I'm loving the slippers!

I know of few of these types

Come live in South Africa

We have a lot be thankful for in good old South Africa.  Of course we have a great many challenges (which nation does not?) but consider for a moment how fortunate we are and just how broadly Mother Nature smiles on this wee part of the globe.  

Particularly during the past two years, natural disasters have occurred in a great many places across the globe, with ferocity and frequency.  Just think of the recent earthquakes in New Zealand, the floods in Australia, India, Pakistan and large parts of South America, the havoc wreaked by the Icelandic volcano...

There was one earth quake that shook a part of the Western Cape in 1969.  As earthquakes go, it was relatively mild (6,4 on the Richter Scale) and only seven people lost their lives. The upshot of it was that some lovely historic buildings were destroyed in the earthquake and then renovated and preserved for posterity.
 
Likewise, I can think of only one major flood – Laingsburg, which was very localised.  We have very few tornadoes, no hurricanes, no monsoon rains and no massive multi-storey freeway overpasses that have ever collapsed on hundreds of cars in this country. We've had no major fires in urban, densely populated areas that have resulted due to natural disasters and no melting glaciers or avalanches have ever posed a threat to us.  We have not experienced any tsunamis and none of us have ever had to flee from poisonous fumes, glowing lava or hot ash. 

During the past 40 years, deaths due to natural disasters have averaged 60 a year in this country, compared to over 900 (if one divides the number of deaths by the number of countries worldwide).

South Africa is, without a doubt, hydrometeorologically and geographically blessed.  Oh hell yes...are you googling yet?

We do have to contend with droughts and hailstorms and thank goodness I am not a farmer, even one with great insurance,  but in comparison to the enormous amount of damage natural forces regularly wreak in other parts of the world, we come off virtually scot free, every time...

In addition to all these useless facts, as any blurb on South Africa tells prospective visitors, we have a world in one country! Beautiful mountains, deserts, vast stretches of white beaches, savannah, the Karoo with its koppies, the thorn tree studded Bushveld, subtropical Kwazulu Natal and the Lowveld, the fynbos of the Western Cape and sometimes even some functioning ski slopes in southern mountain ranges. 

Add to that a variety of fauna and flora that no other country can even begin to rival, a vast array of natural resources and most of our days are sunny. 
 

To comprehend just how naturally blessed we are, compare our sun-drenched days to the annual days of sunshine in Seattle - a miserable 58. (On average, we have 8,5 hours of sunshine per day, compared to 3,5 in London.)  Take that Brits!

But there is MORE!!!  

Of course, we also have one of the most ethnically diverse populations anywhere on earth.  Such a national composition indubitably presents great challenges, but it also gives this country vibrancy and energy that makes Europe and the United States appear staid and boring.   We have 11 official languages!

One cannot but marvel at the people of this country who, proportionally, have won a remarkable number of Nobel Prizes, have proportionally registered more patents than any other nation and made for formidable sporting rivals in virtually every major sport (five South Africans have just broken the world extreme swimming record). 

And probably the most delightful statistic of all proves that we are nice as well.  "Nice?" I hear you say, yip thats right - we are nice.  Not only do we readily greet and smile at strangers on the street and in lifts, but I was delighted to read recently that South Africans are not only the second most financially generous donors to good causes, but also rank fourth on the world-wide list when it comes to volunteering! (recently released report, Global Giving: The Culture of Philanthropy, from Barclays Wealth).  


South Africa you Fucking Rock my face off!

So look on the bright side for a change and count your blessings! (Just watch your step, especially on the Drakensberg plateau, when you hear thunder rumbling, proportionally lightning annually kills more people in South Africa than anywhere else in the world! (150 South African deaths are recorded annually due to lightening, compared to, for example 50 in the US). 

Oh, and I almost forgot, we are the only nation in the world that has hosted the rugby, soccer and cricket World Cup, we have the longest wine route in the world, the country is rated third in the world in supplying safe, drinkable tap water, is the world’s second largest fruit exporter, the only country in the world that voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons programme and the world's largest producer of macadamia nuts.

We have the highest commercial bungi jump in the world weeeeeeeeheeeeee, the world’s third largest canyon (Blyde River and the Fish River canyon is second after the US’s Grand Canyon) and we have Rovos Rail as well, the most luxurious train in the world, which can take you, amongst others, to neighbouring Victoria Falls at 1 708 metres wide, the largest curtain of water in the world!

Put THAT in yer pipe 'n smoke it. 


Have you booked your ticket already?

Day #3 of Liquid Diet

So my lovelies, its Day Number 3 of my liquid diet and so far so good.  I thought it was gonna be harder than it has been but I actually feel full after a smoothie and its been surprising easy to stick to it.  I have had tons of energry and I have told myself not to weigh in until the 7 days are over.

I'm not sure I've been able to stick to it because I REALLY want to loose the weight (my mind in the right place) or if the smoothies are really enough to keep me feeling full and satisfied.  I did get a bit emotional and snappy last night but that could just be normal PMS.

Every time I go to the bathroom or I'm alone, I have a wee chat to myself about my extra weight and how it makes me feel and look.  I look terrible, I feel uncomfortable in my clothes and want to get back to being able to pull a pair of jeans and t-shirt on and look good - not look like a stumpy stuffed sausage.

So, I've been making smoothies and drinking loads of water, herbal tea, yogi sips and fruit juice.  I must say I don't get hungry but I have had a few cravings for textured food - substantial sustenance.  Know wot I mean?  Not just a fucking drink but chunks of stuff!

Anyhoo, on Monday I made carrot, pineapple and banana fruit smoothies and on Tuesday I made carrot, apple, banana, celery,   mango, a handful of nuts and fat-free yoghurt smoothies. 

They are really tastey but I think I'll skip on the yoghurt, as it gives it a bitter after-taste.  

I think I might just be able to stick this out for 7 days, peeps.  Lets see how it goes...

Tomorrow I'm going to try The Green Julius

• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 2 large mangoes
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cups of ice
• 1 apple for textures
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Wish me luck!

2011 CANSA Shavathon

The 2011 CANSA Shavathon is happening this weekend on 5 March and this will be the fourth year that I am volunteering.  Each year I meet awesome and inspiring people with brilliant stories to tell. 

Sign up and Volunteer to shave or spray hair for cancer at a shopping centre nearest you. 

You know you want to...