All posts tagged: parenting

Why I love my toddler

It’s not a secret and I have written about it before, I didn’t have an easy start with my baby. She was refluxy, I had hypothyroidism, not a great combination. I am doing this volunteer course for supporting mothers with difficulties at the moment and I’ve come to realise that I should have had some reassurance back then. I found it so hard, coping with my own emotions and minding an ever crying baby. But this is in the past and I suppose it makes me appreciate even more having a beautifully balanced toddler now. I’m gonna, randomly and as it comes to mind, make a list of how my toddler melts my heart on a daily basis: -she uses “Peas(please)” and “Tenk(thank) you” all the time. Especially when she’s after a round of “Yeea, yeea,oooh” on my computer but also when she’s offered a drink, her favourite food or help with dressing up. -she’s ever so determined to do things herself. Be it either a puzzle, eating her cereal in the morning, putting her …

Happy Mother’s Day, mama!

http://youtu.be/SEOTlxLMTjQ

I miss being in Romania for special days like the 8th of March, Mother’s Day.
I have been singing this song to my mum every single year on Mother’s Day since I was 5 and she’s still touched when I do.
The song says: Mummy, I have brought you my love because I couldn’t think of anything better to bring. And it expresses so well what I feel…
I miss just being there with my mum and doing normal things like having a coffee in her tiny, untidy but full of her presence kitchen. Love talking to her about everything and nothing in particular. Love waking up to the smell of fresh bread. Or staying up till late to have fresh from the oven cozonac(traditional Romanian cake) and sarmale(stuffed vine leaves).
Miss the carelessness of my childhood. Thank you, for making it as special as you could,mama!

The worst boy in the world

Last week was a week of excitement and exhilarating feelings. A break from reality we all need sometimes. But it wasn’t a break completely sheltered from reality. Every morning the hotels we stayed in dully provided us with the daily newspaper, either the Irish News or the Irish Times. Of course, when you travel with a toddler you can’t really have a proper read, you just scan the titles. Just to keep yourself up to date with what is going on around you and in the world. Well, on Wednesday morning this title caught my eye, a story of horrendous neglect and abuse in a family with five children, aged between two and nine. I managed to read it through actually as it was succinct and cold, a mere rendering of appalling facts. Children left hungry, improperly dressed and NEVER toilet trained, not even one of them…It took my mind a while to get around the physical facts in order to begin to assess the psychological damage those things alone would have inflicted on those …

In sickness and in health…

Yeah, I think I know where your mind will go when you read this line…white dress wedding, church and a happily-ever-after couple riding into the sun… Well, I will go on and admit I’m a bit of a romantic and I still have this very vow saved for safe keeping along with our wedding invitation and our wedding photo album somewhere. But it’s not there that my mind goes where I hear this. Strangely enough, it’s not the Carrickfergus castle or the hilarious(now) mishaps of our civil wedding day that I think of when this line comes to mind. It’s my small girl I think of.. You see, Emma has been a sickly child since she was born..reflux, then a looooong line of infections/coughs/trips to the doctors…We’re not sure what’s causing it but it’s worse in the winter and when the weather is humid. We eliminated asthma, we looked into various allergy trigger agents, we put her on a gluten-free and wheat-free diet. We have been trying recently all these natural cures and products. And …

Hello world, Mama’s Haven is up and running!

My life has been a bit topsy-turvy in the recent months…I changed location,  went from working full time to being in the house all the time, sailed through unexpected changes in hubby’s work and the adherent stress that comes with such changes and have generally been exposed to an overwhelming array of experiences that are bursting to come out. So you can understand why I chose this particular name for my blog…I intend it to be not only my own HAVEN from my daily routine and a valve to release pressure but also a haven from all mamas out there in the same situation(s). Yeap, I know, I could have gone to see a therapist but I reckon blogging is a tad more fun , wouldn’t you agree? I intend to speak from my experience mainly about parenthood(at the end of the day, that’s what I do best) but because I love cooking, fashion, reading and travelling there will be loads of posts on these subjects too. So without further ado, wish me happy blogging …