When I was a kid, we used to be spoiled with some special finger foods whenever we stayed over at my grandmother. It was called "Mannetjie-kos", which means, when translating directly, 'small-man-food'. Now that I'm a grown-up, I understand exactly why she made it for us - It is a colourful, balanced, quick and creative meal all at the same time with almost no cooking involved. It excited us so much when we were little and I thought it would be a good idea to keep the family tradition alive and to make some "Mannetjie-kos" for Danru too.
You are called siblings if you have the same parents, and when jumping up a branch on the family tree, you will find cousins. To some this might only be another relative and for others it means great fun. The past weekend I have seen, once again, that blood is thicker than water.
Where's Romé, where's Romé …. There's Romé! Where's Romé, where's Romé …. There's Romé! And giggles will follow. What is this about this silly game that fascinates babies so much? It's played all over the world and babies just love it!.
Last weekend we decided to take Romé for her first, far overdue haircut. Initially it was just something that needs to be done, but when the lady took out the scissors and ask how much she should take off, I suddenly felt quite emotional. Although a bit untidy, I liked the baby curls on the side of her head. I kept on saying, just tidy up and don't cut too short. I suppose with girls it is differently as with Danru my experience was totally different. 
I am always amazed at how a beautiful melody can instantly uplift me when I am feeling down and I have experienced the same with my kids. The best medicine for a cranky mood is a good song. I could not imagine the world without music - it would certainly make the raising up of my children difficult. We bought the PraiseBaby Collection DVD's when Danru was only 4 months old and I think it is one of the best investments we could have made. Let me tell you more......
The time has come - Danru needs to be weaned from his dummy. If it’s as scary to him as it is to me, I am not sure, but I found this handy small plastic gadget to be so convenient. It gives comfort, allows extra time to heat up the bottle and also keep those little mouths shut {when needed :-)}. At some point I suppose it is just there for the sake of being there and become more of a hassle than a soother. 
Holidays and parties are over now, so it's time to focus on the serious stuff again - Rome's eating plan! Every mom will tell you that this is quite a messy story, from the first bowl of porridge, to the time they start to use the spoon themselves ….... I remember how the porridge flew through the air with Danru's first feeds - I mean, how would an inexperienced mom knows that those little hands can grab a spoon so quickly and forcefully!
We are almost through Winter, and this post might come a little late, but I thought I would share it anyway. 
I decided to break away from the ordinary party packs for school this year {those packets never get finished anyway and a lot goes to waste}. Birthday = Cake!
It is just as icy cold outside as 2 years ago, but inside it is heating up - Danru is turning TWO today! Although it is still pitch dark, my husband and I enter his room with a loud "Happy Birthday" melody to announce this exciting event to him. Not understanding what exactly is happening, he quietly keeps lying down with his eyes closed. The last notes of the song fades away and a big smile appears as he knows this must be something special and he enjoys every moment thereof.
My husband and I love the bush-veld. The Wild animals, the Smell of the bush, the Sound of the birds, but also the Quietness and Mystery thereof. Holidays are the time that we use to recharge and get our binoculars focused on the things that really matter in life. What better place to do this than in the bush with our kids and family! As working parents we treasure the time we have to spend with our kids and we want to make the best of every moment. I would like to share some memorable moments of our recent holiday to the Kruger National Park.