Crazy times!

Sometimes things get a bit crazy around here!!!!

Like my Dad pretending a continental chocolate is a pretend eye!!!!

Or Benny regressing to his earlier days of kitten times and wanting to be a baby!

His protest for the travel cot to remain up even if we were no longer babysitting!!!

In the doll's pram!

Funny cat!!!

Sometimes I think we do well to remain as 'normal' and 'sane' as we are!!!!

A New Arrival!

We’ve been in preparation the past few weeks as my friend was expecting her second baby.  We were on call for her 2 year old daughter, if anything happened and she needed to speed to the hospital.

This new baby had other ideas, and didn’t come of her own accord but needed a little help from the hospital.  This meant we could be even more prepared for looking after their first little Miss.  So all little Miss’ belongings arrived at our house on Sunday and my friend went into hospital on the Monday morning to be induced.

Our job – Collect Lil’ Miss from nursery and care for her until Mammy came home from hospital. 



Best friends having a cuddle at the start of the day!



My friend was in hospital for two nights, with baby number 2 arriving late on 30^th April. 

Welcoming the new little addition – baby Eleanor.

We went to visit and Lutaaya doted on her.  I wasn’t sure she would like a small newborn, but once she had tried holding her and knew how to support her head, she just wouldn’t put her down.  No chance of me getting any cuddles, I can tell you.

I forget how much care Lutaaya gave to the younger children and babies at the home she grew up in.  I know she misses it madly and loves being with younger children.  She gets them, and they get her.  Seeing her with the baby made me appreciate all her strengths.  She is caring and loving.  She is a protector.  She accepts challenges and deals with any situation as best she can.  She is eager to learn new things. 

The sweetest cuddle photo ever!

Lutaaya refers to my friend as her Auntie, so her daughters are Lutaaya’s cousins. 

We don’t need a blood link to be family. 

We are family. 

I can’t wait to see how much fun these three girls get to have together in the years to come.

There’s a Queen in town!

On 27^th April Her Majesty, The Queen, visited our local area as part of her Jubilee tour.  Lutaaya was so excited that her class were some of the children going to line the streets for the Royal Visit.

As Uganda is a commonwealth country, the Queen is head there too.  Lutaaya knew just how influential and important this Royal lady is.  She was soooo, soooo excited about the day.

Getting ready for school in the morning and the excitement crept up.  When feelings get big for children who may not have felt them before it can lead to meltdown. 

Meltdown was about to hit our house.

I had the grumpiest, moodiest child E. V. E. R!

She just couldn’t cope with all that she felt inside.  She couldn’t explain she was excited, she didn’t know why her tummy ached or butterflies danced around in there.  It confused her and she showed it by shutting down.

We had little conversation, little eye contact, disrespect, poor attitude.  You name it, we had it, all in a matter of an hour!

Just what you need on the morning school run!

But as Lutaaya’s Mum, it’s my job to stop the meltdown.  It’s my role to help her understand feelings and emotions and all the niggles and aches that go on inside us. 

It would have been easier in Lutaaya’s world, if I had met her with a stern look, or angry words.  That’s how she thought she was feeling after all. 

But no,

This time I was going to do better for her and I was going to help her go to school and start her day happy.

So I waltzed around the house with a smile on my face.  I talked to her, even if she didn’t respond.  I put comments out there showing I could imagine she was nervous today and excited all at the same time and how I bet she had a feeling of butterflies in her tummy.  And then I had a breakthrough....

We sat in the car on the journey to school (car journey’s are great for conversations as there’s no uncomfortable eye contact when you’re driving) and I said,

‘You watch her mouth as she passes you today mind.’

‘Who’s mouth?’

‘The Queen’s mouth.’

‘What?  Why?’

‘You see what she says.’

‘What will she say?’

This conversation was getting too interesting for her not to ask any questions. 

‘She’ll say oh Look Phillip, there’s Lutaaya, Natasha’s daughter.  Remember?  Wave on her.  And then they’ll wave just at you.’

‘Oh Mam, shut up, she won’t say that.  How would she know you?’

‘She knows me.  I wrote to her once about Uganda, so she’ll definitely know you’re my daughter.  She wrote back too, I’ll show you the letter after school if you want.’

And with a big giggle, a huge smile and a goodbye kiss she left for school, as happy as can be.  Off to see our Queen.

She had a fantastic time, even in the rain.  She proudly waved her Welsh and British flags.  She had even practised what she would say if she got to meet the Queen face to face, her little sentence of, ‘Hello your Majesty, I’m very pleased to meet you.’  And she certainly was!