Raising men

This was a good weekend, which pretty much started on Thursday with interesting twists, friends, &Union and a hotel. On Friday I got home to my brother Paul’s arrival -and Kat too! The weekend was a rush of photo shoots, garden parties, dinners, lunches, mini trips, presents, friends, visits and those two gorgeous boys that inhabit/rule the Raising Men residence. I fell in love with Kalk Bay & St James all over again. Octopus’ Garden is my new favourite kids and family lunch venue but I’ll talk about that another time. It’s been incredible having my brother here, and the boys are really enjoying him too.

On Saturday Noah and Benjamin were out, so Paul and a few friends came over. I made ‘photo shoot cocktails’ – vodka, cranberry: orange juice, red bull, fresh mint & chopped strawberries. We put on some 50s rock and really had so much fun taking these pictures. I made a nice little lunch of whole wheat rolls with camembert; red pesto; rocket; basil; cream cheese and avo – I really am really good at making sandwiches guys. Really! Seeing these pictures made me feel so proud of Paul– he is a good photographer with buckets of talent and energy. I have always been an insecure person when it comes to my appearance, so it was really nice to play and pose and see such a fun and beautiful result.

I don’t talk about this a lot, but when I was younger I had really bad skin (a nice little family heirloom if you will)... From about 15 to 21 I spent a lot of time on antibiotics, receiving treatments, acupuncture, reoccutanne. It's still a problem here and there, but manageable. My hair is naturally curly and in KZN it was pretty darn frizzy too. Having kids did weird things to my body ; I gained and (sort of) lost 20 kg with each pregnancy. I do sound a bit whiny lately, I realise.

So one day I’ll be old. One day I’ll be reading this when I’m in my sixties or seventies -when my appearance will be completely different. I’ll look at these pictures and say “You stupid girl, you were in your 20s and ‘gorgeous’ and all you did was complain!” My dad has this little saying for almost everything in life: “When you’re hot, you’re hot. When you’re not: Fake it!”

I am however, really proud of these pictures. I’m no Cindy Crawford, but I’m the best that I can be. Also, I sort of think that I look really beautiful here. This is what I wanted... Natural, easy going and fun with a little bit of sensuality and femininity. Thank you Paul x

On Sunday a few of us took a drive out to Muizenburg, St James for lunch. Now, it's damn hard finding a place to lunch with two active boys. Trying to conform those two to a dining table is like putting a wild bird in a cage - you just don't. I have been there a few times over the years, but I haven't taken the boys properly. We spent the entire afternoon there, moving between sections and exploring, eating and playing. They have a really cool jungle gym vibe, and hammocks that the boys called "Spiderman's webs!!!" The garden is set adjacent to the train platform, so the boys loved running to see and wave at the train each time it tooted past.

They have board games, pizza, interesting decor and a really nice big garden. There are bird baths with quirky things in it, there is another garden section with creepers and fairy lights. There is like a beer / pizza garden outside, then a very beautiful mess of adventure inside. There is a more grown up garden and table setting along the side and another couch section in the front. Most importantly, the food is great. You can view the menu here, on their page (couldn't find a website) I had the Kung Fu wrap, with tender spicy chicken and a peanut butter dressing. Apparently the Tiger Prawns are fab, the pizza was great and their salads come in generous, fresh portions. None of us looked at each other's plates with 'order regret'.

The service was good, the waiter let us move between sections, everyone was attentive and really friendly. The garden is big enough to chase your kids, swing them by their hands and we even played hide and seek. There was music, sunshine and the kids had the best time running around and exploring in a safe environment.

This was not an organized review, but in the spirit of sharing great finds, please mail me with other suggestions for rad, kid friendly places in and around Cape Town. I'll be sure to pay them a visit!

This picture is from their Facebook Fan Page

Dove recently launched their Real Beauty Sketches campaign on the 14th of April and have been creating quite the stir online. By stir, I mean the video alone has about 28 MILLION views to date. 28 MILLION in two weeks.

Dove conducted a compelling social experiment to explore how women view their own beauty in contrast to what others see. The film shows Gil Zamora, an FBI trained forensic artist, creating composite sketches of seven women based on their descriptions of their looks. Prior to their session with the forensic artist, each of the women were unexpectedly asked to spend a short period of time with a stranger without being told why. Zamora then drafted sketches of the women from the stranger’s depictions. The difference between each rendition was quite remarkable, and many of the women had strong emotional reactions as they were forced to reassess how they see themselves. I've been tracking the campaign (as one Head of Social Media for a digital agency does) and in light of my 'photo shoot' blog post this week, I had to share it.

I have never considered myself particularly beautiful for any length of time. I have never looked at the mirror and went "Hey you, you're totes good looking" par the odd glass-of-wine-induced-vanity. I've been getting undressed in the dark since my teens, I've had kids, I've gained and lost weight, had skin problems and never considered myself a physically beautiful woman. Looking at these pictures, I realized how this affects me on a daily basis in all my interactions. How my insecurities have affected not only me, but my marriage, career and even friendships. Tell someone that you think you look or feel good might open up to a whole other sort of criticism -from others. "Oh she's so full of herself" but grant every woman you know a bit of ego and vanity because we ARE all beautiful. We give life, we nurture, protect, heal and we love with our whole hearts. A woman's body is incredibly powerful. Her smile, and her ability to light up an entire room with a confident and sunny disposition.

I got hold of Dove head office (I could start my own Carte Blanche right now you guys) to get my hands on these high res sketches because you need to see them close up. I particularly wanted to share it with all husbands, fathers, brothers and sons in my life too. Be very careful of the words you use on women. On little girls. On your sisters. Your girlfriends. One comment about her hips, her legs, her anything could leave a stain. Beautiful is not skinny, not perfect. Beauty is self confidence, intelligence, kindness and taking care of yourself. Pride. Grace. Generosity of spirit. Here is the campaign on how women perceived themselves, and how they are seen by others.

This is obviously an incredibly powerful campaign that stirred a lot of emotion and realization in a lot of women, including me. Watch the video for the women's reactions and a documentation on how the process was carried out here. While I have your attention, please do like the Dove South Africa page on Facebook here for more updates, inspiration and launches. I leave you with my favorite quote from the most beautiful woman of all time. Preach.

The boys and I have always been fans of Sticky-Fudge clothing. It's innocent and fun and their garments have names like "Peter Pan Pants" and "Bo Peep Shirt". See a little shoot of the boys in Sticky-Fudge at around this time last year. I've been driving competitions and giveaways to the Raising Men Facebook Fan Page, because this is all about the batty bunny house. I still like to spoil my readers though, and this is a goody.

Sticky-Fudge is letting me give an outfit to one of my readers, so hop on over there to win a gorgeous get-up for the baby or toddler in your life. Here are a few pictures from their current and 'coming soon' range. I'll be putting that post up with a big little announcement coming from their side, soon. Hang on to your credit cards parents and lovers of children everywhere.

This is the boys in last year's Sticky-Fudge and we're busy organizing more adorable outfits for them. How small were they? These photographs of my boys are by Paul Clark (obviously). To win a Sticky-Fudge outfit, go to the Raising Men Facebook Page for the details. Giveaway closes next week Friday guys. I am so happy for whoever wins this. Their clothes are gorgeous.

This next birth story comes from Nicki, one of my favorite South African bloggers / people, and the mother of two gorgeous boys, Luca Jack and Mika Alex. Nicki is a sweet, kind and ambitious gal. She's also just started her own little social media agency in Joburg, so be sure to give her a ring. They're a very good-hearted and gorgeous little family, and you'll feel it all over this birth story. Enjoy!

"Before I get into the details of Luca’s birth, let me get this out of the way.

I chose to have an elective cesarean section for my first child’s birth. I chose, again, to have an elective cesarean section with my second son, Mika, even though I probably could have opted for a VBAC.

Whilst I have the utmost respect for women who birth their children naturally, and I do believe that it is a natural process, I don’t think there is anyexperience in the world that could have brought me any closer to my two boys. Not if I’d laid eggs and they’d hatched out of them. Not if I’d adopted them. Not if I’d pushed them down my birth canal, naturally. I believe that every mother, regardless of what kind of birth was chosen or what process she went through to 'have' her child (and I include adoption in that long list of 'processes') has an unbreakable and undeniably incredible bond with her children.

We’d planned the birth of our first son, Luca Jack, down to the last detail. From the Sunday lunch with the family the day before, to the outfits he’d wear after he arrived into the world. I think most moms do, and it really is just the most incredible time. When I think back to that morning, almost 4 years ago, I smile and my heart beats a little faster …

On Monday, 25 May 2009 I drove my brand new purple Honda Jazz to the hospital. I insisted on driving as I’d only just got my new wheels and a friend had asked to borrow her until I was meant to start driving, after my 6 week post- cesarean section check-up. I drove Dave mad, by taking a long, scenic drive but still managed to get to the hospital early enough for the two of us to get REALLY nervous as we sat, with nothing to do but think about how much our lives were going to change that day.

Eventually a nurse called us into our small private room in the maternity ward, where I got changed into one of those horribly revealing green hospital gowns. My belly was so big that I struggled to get the ties done up at the back and resorted to either sitting on the bed or standing with my back to a wall. I think that we were late – well, the doctor was late – and we’d told all our family and friends that our boy would have been be born by a certain time, so Dave had to field calls while we waited to let everyone know that we were still just Dave and Nicki … no baby yet … NO PRESSURE!

I peed in a cup and had a drip done in my left arm before I was wheeled out of the room and into pre-op, where Dave was called out to get dress into his surgical scrubs and booties. A couple of minutes later, Dave came back in and I could see how nervous he was … all jumpy and ever so teary-eyed. We both, at that moment, thought about our late moms and hoped that wherever they were, that they knew that the most amazing moment of our lives was literally minutes away.

After blowing my nose on some nasty one-ply, I kissed Dave for a quick goodbye as I was wheeled into theatre for prep … not something we were expecting as our pre-natal teacher had shown us those videos. How I would hold onto Dave for support as my spinal block was administered. Instead, I embraced a cold hospital pillow as the anesthetist started marking my spine. After he warned me that I would soon feel a few small pricks, he began injecting the local anesthetic to numb my body before the long spinal block needle was inserted in between two vertebrae. I can’t say that it was even slightly painful and, in fact, I kinda love the feeling of a spinal block! I was laid down on my side as my legs began to go numb … it felt like I was slowly being lowered: toes, calves, knees, thighs, bum and them tummy, into a gorgeously hot bath.

All in all, despite my husband being MIA, I was really chilled. That was, until a cute, tattooed (male) nurse arrived to … ahem, insert my catheter. I was mortified … but little did I know that was only the beginning of the loss of my dignity!

(Side note: two kids, two egg donations and a cervical scrape later, I’m really not worried about who looks at my bits anymore. In a medical way, OF COURSE!)

Soon all of the pre-op preparation was complete. But where the hell was Dave? Just as I had come to terms with the fact that he’d passed clean out from nerves or had decided “HOLY SHIT, I’M OUTTA HERE!”, I looked to my left and in he shuffled, like a deer in the headlights, completely high on Redbull. His eyes were wide and he was shaking like a leaf and it made me love him so much more than I ever thought I could. He sat down on a chair at my left shoulder and made rookie mistake #1: he looked up and over the (VERY SMALL) dignity sheet and almost instantly all the colour drained from his cheeks. “Look at me”, I whispered to him, trying to be brave for both of us but the tears rolling down my cheeks gave me away. The truth is that I could 'feel' them cutting, pushing my numb lower half from side-to-side. It was beyond unnerving and I felt like my body belonged to someone else. The doctors and nurses chatted away happily, making it feel even more like a tripped out episode of The Twilight Zone.

I suddenly felt a lot more pressure and I looked up at Dave, who was dutifully staring only INTO my eyes and said, “He’s coming, he’s coming”… and at almost exactly the same moment, the surgeon said, “He’s coming!”

Dave looked up again and I felt a huge release of pressure … he’s here. It was quiet. Shouldn’t we hear that first gasp of air and a loud, unimpressed squeal?

I heard a suctioning noise, a tiny little cough and the surgeon announced “He’s here, where’s your camera?” and Dave stood up, risking seeing my insides on the outside again, and took the most breathtaking photographs of Luca’s first seconds outside of my body.

Tears rolled down my face and my heartbeat raced out of control. I still hadn’t actually seen him yet as the doctors walked him over to a table to my right and the pediatrician called Dave over to help with the cutting of the long umbilical cord that was still attached to the tiny little body. Dave shouted, “He has hair!” and all I could see was the most enormously happy grin on his totally overwhelmed, new daddy face.

A nurse lifted my left arm from under the sheet that covered me and placed my baby boy onto my chest. Luca, swaddled in a blue blanket, opened his dark eyes and looked into mine, overflowing with tears that I’d never cried before. Tears that only a mother can cry. He knew, right then, who I was and I knew him, at that moment, like I’d known him for a hundred years before.

Read Mika Alex’s birth story– also a c-section, but so very different!"

We went out to Stanford this weekend, and I feel so relaxed and content being back. It's great to get away and in to a different environment for a few days - even just for one night. We stayed at one of the Stanford Country Cottages and it was blissful. Quiet, charming, relaxed and very easy going. We had a nice little afternoon braai while the boys played in the sprinkler. Our garden at home is tiny, and there's not nearly enough space for them to run around, get lost, play hide and seek, explore or even kick a ball around properly. It was so good for them.

We had loads of lazy tea times, a big home made country breakfast on the Sunday, paddled along the river in a canoe and visited the local market for fresh produce. We took a lot of long walks around the village and I wish that I'd taken the boys' bikes or even bicycles for us. You can't really do that in the city bowl anymore, not as a family. I really love the small-town village life, not a block of flats or double story building in sight. We could hear the Church bells from our garden on Sunday morning, and there is a big town square (a field) where you can run around, play cricket - whatever. Everyone was really friendly and down-to-earth. We loved it. The boys had a great time, although Noah was very apprehensive about all the spider webs. He kept looking for little spiders, wondering if one was going to crawl out from somewhere and physically attack him. MUST get my mom to tone down on the Spiderman movies.

I told the boys that we were going to a little cottage and that it was where mice lived. I don't know why I said that - maybe thinking of Granny Mouse in the midlands. So they kept looking for the mouse too, which was pretty funny. They had such a great time and it was nice getting them out of their comfort zone. I'm not going to lie, they hated the canoe ride... I put these huge life jackets on them and the complained the whole time... little buggers. It was such a good trip. On Sunday we arrived at my mom's in Betty's Bay for a beeeeg family lunch of roast chicken, pumpkin, potato salad, bread, rice, gravy and baked cauliflower with cheese sauce. Then we all went sand boarding, which I am really good at as long as I don't stand up. Noah particularly loved it, we'll definitely do that again and I'll share those pictures later.

Paul goes back to Joburg this week and I've already got a case of the sads - I really wish he lived here, you guys have been enjoying him so much. Things are changing again, and there's loads going on and I'm grateful for how full our lives are, full of reward and opportunity. I promise to organize more family time and adventure for us. I loved having you all to myself the whole weekend without your cartoons and squabbles at home. It was just perfect.

Noah's favorite movie at the moment is Howl's Moving Castle. This Japanese fantasy film was scripted and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The boys are big fans of his other films, Ponyo and Spirited Away. I don't know why it took me so long to watch Howl's Moving Castle (Paul has been pushing for years) but since I got it, I can't stop watching it and nor can Noah. These type of movies are soooo good for kids, much better than Sponge Bob / Spider Man vibes. I especially love Sophie and Calcifer, and Noah really loves Turnip-Head (the scarecrow) and I suspect he loves Markl who is the little boy that lives in the castle. Really, everything about this movie is magic. It's creative, exciting, arty and emotional. Noah and I absolutely love watching this together. Please get it for the kid in your life.

"Sophie is an 18-year-old girl who toils in the hat shop opened years ago by her late father. Often harassed by local boys, one day Sophie is unexpectedly befriended by Howl, a strange but flamboyant wizard whose large home can travel under its own power. However, the Witch of the Waste is displeased with Sophie and Howl's budding friendship, and turns the pretty young woman into an ugly and aged woman. Sophie takes shelter in Howl's castle, and attempts to find a way to reverse the witch's spell with the help of Calcifer, a subdued but powerful demon who exists in the form of fire, and Markl, who protects the four-way door which can instantly take visitors to other lands and dimensions. Howl's Moving Castle was released in North America by Walt Disney Pictures, who distributed the film both in its original Japanese and in a dubbed English version; the English-speaking voice cast includes Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, and Billy Crystal." - Rotten Tomatoes

This birth story is via a friend of mine, Lorien Bolus. She is very witty and smart, you really should follow her on Twitter for a few laughs and insights here: Lola by The Sea I love how honest she is in this post, raw and almost unemotional. She is a very loving and kind mother and loves nothing more than the gorgeous Lily and Vaughn. I just really like how she captured so many little truths in this. It's not all sunshine and magical unicorns guys, not all the time. Over to Lorien!

I found out I was pregnant because I was extremely nauseous, which I might add was the first and last time I felt nauseous throughout my pregnancy (start hating me now). A friend who was with me at the time suggested I either had sunstroke or was pregnant. The pregnancy test confirmed the latter. I was 22 and terrified.

I didn't have morning sickness during my pregnancy. I did crave cupcakes in a large amount and only from the BP service station near my house. No chalk or sawdust or any of that weird stuff people say they crave. I found out I was having twins when my doctor told me she could hear two heartbeats and upon having an ultrasound I saw them. Two little people. I was 5 months pregnant.

I wanted to have a natural birth thinking that it was the purest way to have a baby. I wanted to feel the labor pains and contractions. lol, none of which I experienced. And for a while I feel like I missed out, but today I'm glad my ladybits are all in perfect order.

So I went in for a checkup at 36weeks and was told that I had to have an emergency c-section because my son hadn't grown since my last checkup and was losing fluid. I called their dad and my best friends and family who arrived at the hospital with video camera in tow. I wanted to see the WHOLE operation. I was pretty excited to have them out as I had become super uncomfortable sleeping with this beachball strapped to my front.

I was dressed in the backless gown and made sure that I didn't see the anesthetist with the epidural needle. This has been a practice of mine since I was a child. Just don't show me the needle and I'll co-operate. I placed my arms over my doctors shoulders in a limp hug and waited. The epidural was not as painful as I had imagined but a deep, aching cold in my spine. Weird but once those drugs were in my body it was amazing. I felt like I'd peed in my wetsuit. They did a test where they drop water on your arm and see if you can feel it. I was happily numb from round about the chest down. Watching the video now, I laugh at the amount of crap I said. Talking about the popcorn that I ate the night before and complaining about a cut on my finger. Absolute bollocks.

There was a green curtain in front of my face so I couldn't see much of the operation. My doctor talked me through the whole procedure and let me know when she would be applying pressure where she was cutting etc. At one point she pushed down pretty hard and there was some tugging and then out popped a baby. My daughter, Lily, was first as she was facing upwards and a few minutes later they took my son, Vaughn, out by his feet. They both cried immediately and I started to cry.

My friend with the video camera was also saying over and over 'Such a clever mommy, look at how beautiful they are. Such a clever mommy'. The relief that they were out and the joy of seeing something that had grown inside of me was overwhelming. But after that there was a lot of worry because they both had "stuff" in their windpipes and the doctors put tubes in their noses and I could see them gagging. I couldn't hold them as they were taken into ICU and placed into incubators. I also had to be sewn up. I made sure my friend filmed this whole process too. No one wants my guts all over the nice clean floor.

The healing was long and fraught with pain. The drugs wore off and I had to get injections every 4 hours, which I welcomed. It hurt to cough, sneezing was unbearable. I felt like I was going to explode every time I stood up. Like all my stitches were going to pop right out. They encouraged me to walk as much as possible and I had to wear anti-embolism stockings. I must have looked like Quasimodo all hunched over, afraid to straighten up because of the pain and possibility of popping!

I left in a wheelchair after a few nights in hospital. They only let me see my kids the next day. Being premature, they wouldn't breastfeed so I had to express milk using a pump. I couldn't and I still can't decide if I was happy or sad that they wouldn't breastfeed. They got the milk they needed, didn't matter how.

Caring for two newborns with a gaping wound in my belly was not all sunshine and rainbows. My bed was wet every night from breast milk and I was pretty bleak. But looking back, the surgery was so clean, you can't even see my scar anymore. They say the risk involved in having twins naturally is so complex. Lily and Vaughn are such epic little people, I'm so blessed to be a mommy. I am grateful that being young and unmarried didn't stop me from accepting this challenge and not wussing out. Life without them just wouldn't be living.

Last week I received a little 'inspiration' present from NoMU, one of my favorite brands for all things flavour and style. I've got stuck in the rut that all parents go through from time to time. The rut of spaghetti bolognaise and macaroni cheese and I'm bored. Bored of my meals and my kitchen. I read many food blogs and have bought books, but the meals are sometimes hard to make or not practical - recipes that require ingredients like mustard seeds from the south of Brazil that you'll probably never find. Things I can't pronounce. Things that my kids would never eat. I lost my spirit of adventure in the kitchen, and it sucked. If I cook safe, my kids eat safe and I want them to experience more texture, flavour and excitement at the dinner table. Sure I still love dippy eggs and stir-fry, but what do you make when someone fancy comes to dinner? Not cheesy toast guys. Not even with tomato sauce.

Apart from the Salmon, it's actually a really affordable meal! The fish was not even that pricey - about the same as a good sirloin or fillet at the same cut. If you can't find shallot (like me) then just use a small red onion. This was really easy to make and apart from chopping the tomatoes, it took about seven minutes to make this meal. Make sure you have the table set and the wine (unwooded chardonnay - please!) poured before you get started, otherwise the fishies will get colder than Nemo in a dentist's fish tank. I really do love my little kitchen, I gave her loads of love yesterday.

Get everything ready on one plate before you get going. Do the salsa first, then do the asparagus and salmon at the same time, in different pots. I served my asparagus with lemon juice and butter - and I used brown sugar in the salsa. I don't know what is in the Seafood & Fish grinder, but do not swap that ingredient out. It's the body flavour of the whole meal. I like to add my own little ingredients to recipes because I have insubordination issues (and I'm a Leo) so I struggle to take instructions. "Just add butter? Don't tell me what to do, I'll add lemon too!" You know? *clears throat*

The pan needs to be on high, and you need to sprinkle olive oil on the fish - not the pan. Dust both sides with the Seafood & Fish grinder - generous amounts. Now place the asparagus in to boiling water. Put the Salmon on the pan - serving side first and fry for about thirty seconds until crispy out the outside, but still raw inside. Turn. Take it off about thirty seconds later. Serve on to a plate, scoop the salsa on top, take the asparagus out, plate it with the salmon with some butter and a few lemon squeezes and serve. Sit back and enjoy the faces of the people that you love. Bask in the glory of how amazing you are at life.

I got this recipe card from the NoMU Recipe Box. It's a really cool box that you can top up with different starters, mains etc as they are released. They also give you blank cards so you can add in a few of your own recipes, family favorites etc. Also, you can just scroll through the cards, pick a recipe, pop the card in to your handbag and take it along on your next shop for the ingredients. I love how much thought and consideration they've put in to this. It's because the founders / owners Tracy and Paul are so real. They have their hands on everything, they also have two young kids -they know what it's like and how important convenience is. They know that these little touches of style and culinary treats are a necessity in every household and that you cannot live on cottage pie and peanut butter sandwiches for keeps. I felt really fancy dishing this up for the family. Totes better than fish fingers.

I'll be posting more recipes for while now. And I'm working on the perrrrfect three course meal - something every gal and guy should have up their sleeve for meeting the parents, having the boss' family over for dinner, an anniversary, a first dinner date or just for spoiling your family and the people you love in general. You can visit the NoMU online shop here - and they have gift boxes. Happy almost-Mother's-Day to me!

Last week I was invited to review The Annex restaurant in Kalk Bay. It's on Main rd, tucked behind Kalk Bay Books -a sister company. They have been open for three years and draw on the heritage from the 100-year-old buildings that surround them. The Annex is the original name of the building that now houses the restaurant. Designed by architect John Parker and built in 1913, The Annex was built as part of the old Masonic Hotel and then the Majestic Hotel. The restaurant has a little library, a fireplace, dining hall, veranda and courtyard with a harbor view.

The staff are all locals and passionate about Kalk Bay, the history and the food. Their fish is received daily from the Kalk Bay Harbour fishermen, supporting the local community and ensuring the freshness of their meals. I was really excited to go, but I was also ready to be all 'consumer journalist / Gordon Ramsay' and come and tell you that "There's too much salt in the chorizo! SHUT THEM DOWN!" You have read my other restaurant reviews, and this one in particular right?

So we had dinner inside, next to the fireplace. We sipped on a wine recommended by a manager, the Sophie Terreblanche Sauvignon Blanc (R30 per glass / R110 per bottle) and it was delicious and well balanced. The atmosphere was nice as there was a little event / reading at Kalk Bay Books around the corner, so there was a bit of a bustle with a romantic and cozy atmosphere. My favorite thing about The Annex is that they have an outdoor kitchen, sort of between all the sections. The dining hall has big glass panes with a view to the courtyard, so you can see the kitchen and your meal being made from your seat, if you want to. I asked to go in to the kitchen and everything was really organized and hygienic with a great atmosphere. There were little baskets with eggs, like you'd have in your own kitchen - it has a lot of touches of country charm.

This was our table - without a doubt the best table in the 'house'

It looks closer than it is, but this is the view from our table if the turn toward the kitchen. That's our food being plated!

We ordered the Coconut Tempura Prawns (served with chilli, coriander fine noodle salad with a sweet chilli dressing) R55 and I had the Teriayaki Prawn & Calamari salad (with a generous helping of avo, cucumber and cherry tomatoes) at R60 and both were equally delicious with loads of flavour and good helpings of sauce. The salad is surprisingly rich and I don't eat a lot at a time, so you really could order this as a main meal if you're going to be a girl about it (I was). I asked to take pictures of the plated food in the kitchen for good light - I just had to show you how beautiful and delicious-looking the food is.

Coconut Tempura Prawns - the prawns were really just perfect. Crispy outside, tender in, very fresh

Teriayaki Prawn & Calamari salad. It comes with a delicious dressing and loads of avocado

For mains we had the Duck Confit and Chorizo Risotto R95 and I had the Crispy Pork Belly R95, served with mild wasabi mashed potatoes, sesame carrots, mange tout and a teriyaki sauce for R95. You can order half prices on some of the mains at just over half the price. The Risotto is R55 at a smaller portion. You don't have to be a greedy fatty face like me, but you do. I am not a huge fan of Risotto, but the duck was tender, the meal was creamy and my date assured me that it was incredibly good. He didn't even try touch the crackling on my plate until I offered. The wasabi mash is absolutely incredible and went so well with the slow-cooked pork. The veggies were crispy and sweet and the sauce was spicy and again, so much flavour. Look!

Crispy Pork Belly with wasabi mashed potatoes, sesame carrots, mange tout and a teriyaki sauce

Crackliiiiiiiiiiing. Crackling. Crackling. My dad would be so jealous if he saw this picture. The meat was super tender.

Duck Confit and Chorizo Risotto. This came with little wild mushrooms, creamy sauce and fallofthebone duck

The chorizo was not too salty. Gordon Ramsay STAND DOWN.

We had to take a break after that. You can take a little stroll around the terrace and sit on the couches outside with your wine, which is what we did. Then back inside, I had to try the dessert. I don't usually order it, but I wanted to try the Apricot Cheesecake Gourmet Ice Cream R25. We also ordered the Amarula Orange Creme Brulee R40 because how could you not be curious? Again, not the biggest fan of Creme Brulee, but apparently it was the business, and very different! The Apricot Cheesecake Ice Cream was creamy, icy and so refreshing. Served with fresh mint and strawberries, it was exactly the kick I needed after a rich meal, great conversation, beautiful surroundings and quite possibly too much indulgence / wine in general.

Apricot Cheesecake Gourmet Ice Cream, very light and refreshing with a zesty flavour.

You can have a look at other reviews on The Annex here, and make a booking by calling 021 788 2453. Their trading hours are from 8am and the kitchen closes at 9pm. For winter, they are closed on Sunday evenings. This is a perfect all-year dining venue as they're in a courtyard-setting, quite protected from the wind. I really want to go during the day, and have a few sundowners there too. I imagine it must be stunning for breakfast, and they have wifi there if you want to have a lazy breakfast and get some work done.

This is not a child-friendly venue for dinner. For breakfast and lunch with infants, you'd need to take your own feeding chair and for toddlers, you'd need to keep an eye on them if they ran around the bottom passage as there's a gate to the street there, but it's quite far off. For kids, they don't have a kiddies menu (this is not Spur guys) but children really are welcome and there are loads of things you can order off the breakfast and lunch menu for them. They're also happy to accommodate fussy kids (like Noah) and can make a small portion of plain cheesy pasta for you - even if it's not on the menu, they'll make a plan. Personally, I would go for sun downers and in to evening for a bit of romance, or an intimate dinner with friends.

Bunny-hop to the website to see the new Winter Menu, and please tell me what you would have ordered?

It's Mother's Day on Sunday guys. Luckily, I already know exactly what I'm getting for my mom, but do you have everything sorted for yours? I wanted to highlight a few really cool campaigns that are going on now, namely the work being done by Woolworths and Style36.

Whoever manages the PR for Woolies is doing a fantastic job. They have been creating so much awareness for their Mother's Day offering. They have an online store for gifts, clothing, beauty, shoes, accessories - even their Trenery and Country Road goodies are available online. Then they also have an online florist AND they've opened up a special section for Mother's Day gifts. Go to www.woolworths.co.za to get gifting.

What I found really neat is that they tweeted me to ask about my favorite time of day, my favorite things - see below. And then see the gifts and personalized card from them. How clever? You guys really made me feel special, thank you!

The Woolies online store has made it so convenient to get your mom something special for Sunday. These are a few of the their goodies that I have my eyes on: The floral bathrobe and this candy stripe and floral apron... How beautiful? Man alive I wish my kids had credit cards and jobs and things already. I might just spoil myself.

Then a new(ish) online store called Style36 has launched. They are great for fashion - they stock a wide variety of local and international brands. They also do beauty and accessories. Their last order date for Mother's Day is Wednesday for other cities and areas, and on Friday for Cape Town. Go directly to the Mother's Day section here and receive R100 coupons. Also, there is a hidden icon on one of the products in that selection. Find it, and you could win a hamper for your mom. Personally, I've got my eyes on these: Mommy wants for Mommy's Day. How awesome that they even stock Hunter boots? Right here in SA guys.

Truth is, both boys are in school now and what I'm looking forward to most is the Mother's Day craft or card that they'll probably be making in class. That really is what is going to make my day special, and spending Sunday with my own mom. I hope that you all have a fantastic time and spoil the mother in your life completely silly. I'll be giving away a few goodies for mummies on my Facebook page this week - two separate giveaways from two great brands. Be sure to hop along, or something x

This story comes from Sharon, a fellow blogger, mother and a friend of mine. Sharon struggled with infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss for over 7 years, which included 2 surgeries, countless timed and medicated cycles, numerous IUI’s (Inter Uterine Insemination’s) 4 fresh IVF’s (Invitro Fertilization),one Frozen Embryo Transfer & 7 first trimester miscarriages. She finally became a mother after her and Walter decided to pursue adoption. They were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Ava-Grace, just 3 short weeks after starting the adoption process. This is their birth story.

Sunday, 13th December 2009, started out like any other, well almost. I’d woken up early and was sitting in my Dad’s study, about to start writing a blog posting about our meeting with our birth mum that had happened on Saturday evening. The meeting had been amazing. I LOVE our birth mum, she’ smart, intelligent, funny, loving, strong and very very very brave. Both Walter and I were feeling a million times better and a million times more confident after meeting her. I’d just dialled into my parents connection when my cell phone rang, it was 05h50 and it was our social worker and this is what she said:

“I told you I know my job! *Irene is in labour, contractions are 10 minutes apart. Take your time but get to the hospital as soon as you can.”

I went racing down the passage, flung open the bedroom door and yelled at Walter to get his ass out of bed. He did what all men with a woman in labour do, he got this wild look in his eyes and started to panic. We did not take our time, we rushed out of the house and got to the hospital an hour after our social workers call. Our social worker was waiting for us and she informed us that our birth mom was only 1cm dilated and it was still going to be a while, that we should leave, go have some breakfast and she’d call us to come back when the time came.

Just after 9am she sent me a message to say we should come quickly. We’d been wondering around the shopping mall trying to find the perfect gift for our birth mom. We’d eventually settled on a Pandora bracelet and charms and had carefully selected the charms that signified the miracle unfolding in front of us. We also liked the memory beads as it made it possible for us to add goodies to the bracelet with each defining moment in Ava’s life.

Just as we arrived back at the hospital, our social worker called me to come into the birth room. I was totally overwhelmed by the pain our brave birth mom was in. She was in full active labour and there were almost no breaks in between contractions. All I could do was cry each time she was gripped by another painful contraction. This brave woman gave birth without any pain medication. Between the social worker and I we took turns in holding her hand as she writhed from the contractions. Each time I was holding her hand, when the pain became unbearable, she’d bite me on my thumb and stare into my eyes, after the birth, she told me she was doing that to send me a message, to tell me how she was doing this for us, for our Ava. About 10 minutes after I was called into the birthing room she started shouting she needed to push. The social worker quickly went to call some nurses to assist in the delivery. That’s when things got really interesting. I started to panic and had an overwhelming sense that I wanted to vomit, I ended up having to put myself in the corner and give myself a little pep talk and tell myself to get a grip! The nurses went to call Walter as our birth mom wanted him to witness our child’s birth too but he most past out just standing at the door listening to the moans of our birth mother. He refused to come in and said he’d rather stand at the door and wait for the baby’s birth and I’m glad he did.

Sharon and Ava today - a gorgeous pair

For starters, there was no dignity in the situation for our wonderful birth mom and despite her assurances that he could be there, I’m not sure either of them would have been comfortable. Secondly, Walter is fairly squeamish, he couldn’t even assist me with an IVF injection, so I reckon he would have passed out at some point during the birth.

This is where is got interesting and things started to happen really fast. There were two nurses in the room, each one supporting our BM’s legs and feet to help her brace for pushing. The nurses were wonderfully talking her through each push, explaining when she had to push and when not to push to avoid tearing. After only a couple of pushes, they were calling me to stand at the base of the bed and see the baby’s head start to emerge. It was amazing to see, all I could see what this tuft of very dark straight hair. Our BM was a trooper and in a matter of minutes the rest of the baby’s body simply slipped out. I was SO in awe of what I’d witnessed that I didn’t hear the nurses say it’s a girl. I only realized it was a girl when our birth mom took my hand and said to me: ” Look Sharon, it’s your daughter”. I start crying every time I think about that beautiful gesture. I will love this woman forever because of what she’s given us. That was when the nurse handed me a set of clippers and I cut Ava’s umbilical cord!

Within seconds Ava had been cleaned off and handed to me to take her outside to show Walter. I could barely see her I was crying so much. And when Walter saw her, he too was completely overcome with emotion and the two of us had a good sob. She was then whisked off to the nursery to get weighted etc. She weighted 2.9kg’s, was 49cm in length and had a 34cm head circumference. Her Agpar scores were 9 & 10 . The nurses dressed her and brought her back to me and by this time our amazing birth mom was showered and dressed and sitting with me. Walter went to buy her some KFC because all she was craving was a coke and some junk food. We had a great chat and spent a little more time getting to know each other.

Walter, Sharon and little baby Ava

And just like that, our 7+ year journey of heartache and family creation ended with the birth of our beautiful daughter.

Sharon has since adopted another gorgeous little girl, Hannah. Ava is loving being a big sister and I'm so happy for this beautiful family. Read more about their adventures on her blog.

Ava today, completely in love with being a big sister

Hannah (baby) and Ava today. How incredibly beautiful are they?

To help another couple to become a family, you can become an egg donor. A relatively easy and rewarding process - read more about it here.

I'm completely overwhelmed by the enormous support on this series, and there are loads more coming. I'd like to hear from my readers. If you would like to share your birth story on Raising Men, then please mail me typingaugust at gmail . com.

Look I’m not a beauty blogger / person. I generally suck at being a girl. I can’t remember when last I tweezed my eyebrows, I have the remains of 2 week old nail polish on my toenails and the only time I really paint my nails is on my mother’s couch because she has nice stuff and is usually entertaining the boys while I do it.

I’ve found products and a routine that really works for me and I want to tell you about it. I am in no way affiliated with any of these brands or products– this comes from about ten years of testing and trial and error. I learnt how to apply make up the same way all girls do, by watching my mom in the mornings and playing with her stuff when she wasn't looking. My mom is a big Estee Lauder fan, I can't smell any of their products (or White Diamonds perfume) without thinking of her. It was my dad that was my critic. I would plaster my face with Barbie-pink everything and go running to him for approval. He always said "If I can see that you have make-up on, then you've done it completely wrong." Isn't that so true? I think the trick is to accentuate our best features, not give you a brand new face that you don't really have, right?

I’m 28 years old and I don’t have any wrinkles (that I can see) yet. I thank good genes (thanks mom), but mostly I credit Clinique City Block for this. It’s a 40SPF block that blocks out the sun, UV, pollution and even cigarette smoke. The thing is, Clinique City Block has a tint to it (a little bit of base) so it’s all you need as a face cream forward-slash foundation forward-slash primer. I have scars on my cheeks and get darkness under my eyes sometimes (have you met my children at three am?) so I use the Body Shop concealer stick (R110). I've always had problem skin and have tried every cover stick on the market. Not even Clinique's is as good as this one, not Yardley, Mac... You need this one. I use that to touch up any blemishes after the City Block. I let that settle while I dry and straighten my hair. Cover stick needs to dry a bit before you blend it in with your fingers. To seal it all together, I use the Body Shop all-in-one powder (R170). I brush that on with a professional application / face & body brush (R140). This makes my skin super matte and evenly toned. I don't know what is in that powder, but it makes your skin look so soft, fresh and natural looking.

Then I put on an ivory colored eyeshadow (I use Yardley here) to open up my eyes. I use a dark brown eye pencil to elongate my eyes – just from the corners of my eyes to give that wispy effect. This gives the illusion of long lashes, and looks super feminine. I never use black liner because I think it looks too harsh on my face.

Then I brush on some mascara – not really fussy about the brand here, I'll use anything. Then I put on my best fake smile and brush on rosy pink blusher along my smiley bits / the plump of my cheeks. Just a teensytinylittlebit.

I’ve gone through dozens of different lipgloss / lip balms. If you want something that works medically for winter then use Zambuck or DCT. If you want that glossy, but still kissable / approachable look then use the body shop’s strawberry lip balm. Even 8-hour cream feels too sticky for me. Stuff like labello cherry leaves a weird residue or line along my lower lip. The Body Shop one renders your lips rosy with a natural tone. It's a 'soft glossy' which means your lips don't stick together and your hair doesn't stick to your face in a breeze - you know?

I’m a lazy girl, and before bed I grab a tea-tree wipe from my dresser and wipe my face off. I don’t use any night creams because I want my skin to breathe with full lungs while I sleep. I’m prone to problem skin and tea tree has loads of healing properties. I also have sensitive skin (so many problemmmms), and this wipe hasn’t caused any rashes or break-outs. I love it, and it’s convenient. I used to fall asleep with make-up on all the time, usually on about page six of The Gruffalo. Wetting my face at night is a mission because I have a fringe and can never find a headband or elastic anywhere. Also, slightly rewarding to look at the dirt-covered wipe afterwards. Is that weird?

I'm not a fan of using too many treatments, masks and creams that contain too many ingredients and chemicals. I asked my dermatologist what works best to prevent ageing and he said the only thing that really works best with the longest lasting effect is sunblock. Protect your skin from the sun, pollution, smoke and you're just about there. However, if anyone knows of a really good night cream that doesn't clog your skin, then give me a shout. Aaaand this concludes my very embarrassing 'beauty' post. Eeeek!

Like most girls, I've always used Dove products. I love the freshness, moisture and natural smelling-ness of it. I don't need to convince you how well Dove works -that it leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I already use their soap, shampoo, conditioner and underarm thingies. Their new lotions are right in line with Dove quality. They provide deep care and the containers are huge - perfect for lathering all over your pretty self.

Dove lotions come in Hydro Nourishment and Intensive Nourishment depending on your skin type and just how crispy you get in winter (or all-year round). I use the Hydro one daily now, and I really do love it. I gave the Intensive Nourishment one to my mom, and she loves it too. Dove understands the complexity of skin, and its DeepCare Complex nourishes your skin for up to ten days. Pretty smart, right? Aaaaand...

Because I'm so passionate about this product, I'm giving away a Dove Hamper to one of my readers. Leave me a comment here and tell me what you love about Dove and you could win ALL of this soft and nourishing goodness for yourself.

This competition is open to South African readers only, your prize will be couriered to you directly by the brand team. I'm going to print all the comments out, and the boys will pick a name for us this Saturday morning. Remember to leave your name, email address and 'love for Dove' reason. If you struggle to get a comment in, mail me typingaugst @ gmail . com and I'll publish it for you.

This is what you could win! Good luck guys, and if you haven't already - switch to their lotions, they really are right up there with the rest of the range. Happy pampering.

Sunday morning was perfect. I have been spoilt something ridiculous this Mother's Day by my family, friends, readers and a few brands that support & read Raising Men. Thanks again to Cadbury, Dove, NoMU, Woolworths, Artistry, Stork and Style36. Your gifts really made me feel special.

The biggest thing I was looking forward to was clumsy, imperfect little cards from the boys as they're both in school now, and that's what school kids do. I got the most beautiful crafts from them, they're already framed and I'll take a picture a bit later. On Sunday morning I got my favorite breakfast in bed: French toast, poached eggs and grilled tomato. The boys had made another card with daddy on the sneak and they came bursting in to the room with the boys singing Happy Birthday to me. I got a very cool laptop bag, flowers, chocolates, breakfast and this really cool little bag below.

Thanks Graeme for making it so special and thanks for cleaning the house while the boys and I cuddled and tickled in bed for at least two hours. Also, thanks for getting these pictures in. My favorite part of the card is Ben's name. I asked "Um, how did Ben write his name... he can't write?" and G said "I sort of wrote it with my left hand. I forged his handwriting" Thanks for such a special morning guys. Our little family isn't perfectly art directed or photographed, but I like us just like this. I also like you guys most when you can't fit the last "S" in. Thanks for loving me x

Sometimes I try keep my personal life off my blog at all costs. Sometimes I'm too busy and other times I just want to tell everyone how I feel, until I get distracted by something else. Being a parent doesn't mean that you stop being you. I still need my little 'time-outs' and often I get really over stimulated - the same way babies and toddlers do. The other morning Noah (I love you) started talking at 5:30am, didn't nap and did not stop talking until he fell gloriously asleep at around 8pm. While I put on my best fake smile after 4 (fine 2) hours of this, I do have my limits. My head hurt everywhere, even behind my eyes.

Wait, this is not a post complaining about kids and their noise. I could start a whole other blog on that. That, and what disgusting little creatures kids can be. How they dunk their toast in orange juice, eat anything they'll find in the folds of their car seat (7 month old bread crusts are totally not fine guys) and stick their hands in the toilet bowl at any given opportunity. I love them so much, those quirky, idiotic, adorable, infuriating, noisy, affectionate and incredibly sweet little boys.

I'm not going to bore you with all our little problems like Bunny's tummy bugs he brings home from school, or big ones like a marriage that is sometimes hard. Show me a perfect marriage and I'll show you a pair of newly weds, right? It's hard, hard work, but you pick one person and make it work (sometimes) and enjoy the good parts where you can. During the bad parts, you consider some good old pillow smothering or whatever it is that helps you through the bad bits. Do not actually smother your husband with a pillow because they can pick up the traces of feathers in the autopsy and they will find you. I saw it on CSI once guys. See, you learn so much from reading my blog.

Right now I'm trying to simplify everything, for everyone. I've started with little admin things and spring cleaning and declining a lot of mandatory things that aren't really actually mandatory. I have all this free time now. Even a simple thing like shopping for groceries online can free up an entire Saturday morning. WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?

Right now, without getting in to detail - I haven't been myself. I'm not particularly happy or exceptionally sad, I'm just... neutral, but unsatisfied. That's the word I'm after... Unsatisfied. I have so much (everything) to be grateful for, but there's an itchy bit somewhere that I need to scratch. I don't even know what or where it is. I cut a fringe (spoiler alert, it wasn't that). I started going out more, and it wasn't that. I thought... Maybe I should get a dog. Landlord said no. Then I thought cat, but I was like "I don't even like cats". I even considered having another baby, like you could just buy one at the shops and I was like NO TASH YOU WILL NOT FILL A PERSONAL VOID WITH A BABY, you will not be that person.

So I handed in my resignation at work instead.

And now I'm like. OMG. I quit my job. Why did I do that - what will I do now? What was I thinking?

Let the adventure begin.

We went to visit my mom in Betty's Bay this weekend. I really am starting to love our little weekends away. Daddy joined and the boys had the very best time. You have never met as excited little kids in your life - par Simba Surprise kids.

I have to take a minute here to thank my mom for being *the* best mother and grandmother (Gaga) to my little family. The boys absolutely adore her and she's so good with them, so good at keeping their little minds and hands busy, and so affectionate and attentive. You only really realize how much your mother loves you and become truly grateful once you have your own kids and go through it all yourself, right? I had a Saturday afternoon nap and was woken up with tea and a cupcake. My mom cooked all weekend, the boys made a braai in the evenings, and there was loads of refreshments for mommies on hand. I felt so relaxed and content all weekend. Dankie mamma - rerig!

On Sunday we spent the day at the beach, and the boys had little nets, buckets, bread and loads of big rock pools to explore. The guys tried their hand at fishing, and the boys obviously took the sardines (bait) and pretended those were the fish that that they'd caught with their nets. And we totally pretended to buy the story. Noah hid from my camera all afternoon and was completely involved with his surroundings. Daddy taught Benjamin how to fish, and he was VERY serious about it guys. Strange how the boys are so different - Nu wasn't interested in fishing at all, but we couldn't keep Bunny away from the rods. Noah literally disappeared (within sight) when we got there and busied himself exploring. It's something beautiful to watch their little personalities develop at this age - they are such good kids, I'm so proud of them every day, all the time - every minute.

Strange that it doesn't really feel like winter yet. I'm sure it was colder this time last year? We've been blessed with so many sunny days, but really cold nights. I hope that next weekend is just as warm so that we can go away again. Here are a few incredibly special pictures and memories from the beach.

This birth story is from one of my oldest, dearest school friends: Tammy. She had Emily at a young age, and her and the dad split up when Emily was a year old. She has since (very happily) married Ryan and they've just bought a house together. ALSO, they're expecting another beautiful little baba. I'm so happy for her. Here is her birth story, and how gorgeous little Emily came to be.

"It was a Wednesday and it was my last visit to the Doctor. He did an internal and checked my blood pressure and disappeared back into his office. He wanted to induce on Friday... Apparently my blood pressure was a little too high and Emily was ready to meet the world. What did I know and I had no choice really? I also had no idea what ‘being induced’ actually meant? I just knew that it was really sore from the word go. I didn't really like that idea.

That night I had just finished eating dinner with my parents and Emily’s Dad (we lived with my parents) when I felt small cramps along my sides. I ignored them for as long as I could and then they just became so much harder. My dad told me to stop overacting and that it was all in my head! My mom told me to go have a warm bath and Emily’s father... Well he didn't really know what to say or do. I bathed and tried my best to ignore the pains but it got harder and harder. The cramps felt like slow stabbing jabs along my lower sides. At about 9:30pm my mom suggested we go to the hospital. Every speed hump felt like a harder stab to the gut….it was sore! It’s really scary not knowing what is going on, or what you should or shouldn't feel, and wondering if everything was okay!

The nurse examined me and said that I was having early labor symptoms? I was about 1 cm dilated and she wanted me to go home and come back later. EARLY….What the heck? I have to be in labor! HOME? That woman was crazy in my eyes. I wasn't going anywhere! They found a bed for me and we waited for my doctor. Doctor arrived at 10 and did his internal checks etc etc. That same mad nurse came back in and announced it was time to do the enema….It was so degrading, I felt so dirty...It wasn't fun. The doctor came back in and said he wanted to break my waters. NOW THAT WAS PAINFUL! Breaking my waters with that huge hook (like a knitting needle) has to be the worst pain I can remember. It was really really sore!

The worst was over! Now I needed to get my epidural. I was managing with the cramps, but I didn't want it to get any worse than where I was at that stage. I was freaked out because it’s a big-ass needle but it was over really fast. Keeping still was hard, but breaking my water was much more painful.

I totally recommend an epidural. I was almost instantly comfy and I shortly fell asleep. YES I know everyone looks at me like I’m crazy…I REALLY DID FALL ASLEEP! I can vaguely remember my mom freaking out because she was worried that I was sleeping the whole time. I also had a bit of a itchy reaction to it…I didn't care I felt good.

I was in heaven and because I was relaxed I was dilating like a dream. At 2am the nurse called my doctor to say that I was almost ready. He couldn't believe it, he thought I would only have Emily the next morning. The doctor came running in at 2:30am in bright yellow PJ pants and a bright green long sleeved t-shirt. He put on his apron and gum boots and shouted “LETS DO THIS” –I swear he actually said this! The Gum boots freaked me out a little but it was time.

Emily Ann Atkinson was born at 3am on the 1st February 2007. She weighed 3.46 kg and I didn't feel a thing!!!! She was perfect in every way! I had my mom and her father with me the whole time and the amazing doctor. He talked me through the whole thing and told me when to push and how to breathe. According to him did a amazing job…I think I was just lucky. Looking back I would not change a thing.

I really hope I’m this lucky with our new baby. Ryan’s is a amazing step father to Emily and I just know he is going to rock at helping me every step of the way with this new little bump! I’m very excited to start all over again. I’m older now and hopefully wiser…hahaha! Emily’s going to be such a good big sister. I’m very excited."

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us my love. I can't wait to see you guys again! Kisses x

We went to Stanford a while ago, and I blogged part 1 of that post here: Stanford Country Cottages. We stayed at the most beautiful little Poppy Cottage and enjoyed a weekend break as a family. We went for long walks, played in the garden, the sprinkler. We played, went down the river in a canoe, visited the market, the brewery, the diary farm. We had long, lazy afternoons in the garden and a braai. Tea on the porch, wine on the lawn - under the trees. It was magical. After a lot of ups, downs and changes at home: Daddy took us all away for a weekend spoil to have us all to himself. We loved having all his attention too, without the distractions of work, television, laptops, phones... I literally switched my phone off the entire time.

On our way home we stopped in Betty's Bay for a big family lunch with my brother Paul, and the beautiful Kat. My mom makes the best food and spoilt us silly with roast chicken, baked cauliflower with cheese sauce, bread, gravy, rice, salad, pudding... The Sunday works. With full tummies and happy hearts, we all went sand boarding and it was SO much fun. Kat and I took flattened cardboard boxes hoping we could slide down the hill, but we couldn't. Not even with wax. Noah loved every minute too and everyone fell a few times. I am very good at sand boarding as long as I don't stand up. Graeme is terrrrrrible at it in general. I was shouting from the bottom of the dune "Don't worry baby you have OTHER talents, like you can design... and you're good at your job... and you make really good spaghetti and meatballs... YOU CAN POACH EGGS" which made all the other dudes at the bottom of the dune laugh a lot (sorry bups). I included a picture of him falling for you. I actually only have pictures of him falling. I really enjoy it when Graeme is bad at any outdoor activity, because when we climbed Lion's Head, he took a photo of me every time I had to stop to catch my breath. He has 11 photos, that he showed to everyone. He also keeps telling people that I only got to half way, but I actually got two thirds of the way because I stopped at the chains and ladders. Apparently I had left my abseiling equipment at home. I thought we were going for a 'fun walk', not doing stuff that actually requires an indemnity form to be signed with National Parks. He obviously climbed all the way to the top and I waited on a rock in the sun for an hour. SO I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT GRAEME SUCKS AT SAND BOARDING *cough*

It was so nice to get away for the weekend, really. We realized we had actually never, ever gone away together just the four of us. Isn't that completely bizarre? It was so nice to reconnect and figure a few things out together and really bond with the family. The bunny house is full of warmth & laughter all over again. We've also started a few new ventures that I can't wait to tell you about. We're doing some decorating, gardening and lots of fancy admin stuff like seeing accountants about tax things and getting ourselves ready (on paper) to buy a house. The house. The right house. Here are some pictures of the four of us, just us - and of Graeme falling. Enjoy!

Suicide Bunny.

I recently ran a little giveaway here, which is now closed. It's been a busy week and I'm about elbow-deep in admin, so Noah and I only chose the winner this morning.

I took a little video for you, and then a few pictures. I really love involving the boys with the blog and choosing winners and explaining all these fun things to him that I do on the side. It also makes him feel very important, as you'll see here. It's so important to involve kids in every aspect of your life, and to make them feel that their input in to even the smallest things have value. Even having the 'responsibility' of choosing the milk at the shops can be a little confidence boost for any eager toddler.

And the winner of the Dove hamper IS... And a HUGE congratulations to...

Raising Men at home. Sometimes. Well, mostly on Saturdays. Sort of.

Alice in Wonderland meets Under the Sea. Octopus' Garden St James

The Dove Real Beauty Sketches - a Raising Men opinion & perspective.

Sticky-Fudge: Helping kids be innocently stylish & fab since like all the time

The Birth Story Series: Nicki Dadic : Birth by Elective Cesarean: Luca Jack

I found my soul in Stanford: Part 1 (there are that many pictures & updates)

Howl's Moving Castle, a new Hayao Miyazaki favorite with Noah (and mom)

The Birth Story Series: Twins via Emergency Cesarean, Lorien Bolus

Pan-Fried Salmon with Tomato and Herb Salsa, from the RM kitchen.

A Raising Men Review: The Annex Restaurant, Kalk Bay.

Mother's Day Shopping - You're probably doing it wrong & my wish list!

The Birth Story Series: Birth Partner to her adopted daughter's birth mother.

My beauty routine lately and way too much of my face all over everything.

All you need is love. I mean DOVE, all you need is Dove guys. A Giveaway.

"We love you like the boys would love to eat that cake" Mother's Day

Two 'personal' days later, and a sort of personal blog post. In that order.

A weekend away, too much relaxing and an incredibly serious fisherman.

The Birth Story Series: Tammy & Emily: Natural Birth with elective Epidural

I found my soul in Stanford: Part 2 (and a mini note on the bunny house)

Dove Hamper WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT, via Noah Nicholas William B x