Stuff Happens

Remember the other week when I wrote about what was happening for our little family? About the childcare woes, the distinct lack of village, and the big changes?

A few people commented on here and over on Facebook, imploring me to ask some mums. After all, what was the worst thing that could happen? They could say no.

I sat on it for a few days feeling really, absolutely awkward.

Then I bit the bullet and contacted a few mums that I vaguely knew from dropping the kids off to their houses. I asked them if they could look after our smalls one afternoon a week, for the next two terms. I told them they had no obligation.

And then I waited for them to respond. The three all responded saying they'd love to help, but of the three, one logistically couldn't do it. But the other two said YES! And one asked if we could look after their daughter before school. Of course we said YES!

Things have worked out well. Well, so far so good. We won't know until we're in the thick of it. But for now, I feel so much happier with this place we are at.

Thank you for empowering me to ask. Thank you. Thank you.

images - because I love them - by Spanish artist Lola Guerrera via Design for Mankind

So. It's Wednesday. I Am Ready To Talk. Sort Of. (Also Known As the Most Vague Blog Post Ever)

It is true. It is Wednesday.

Life is a funny thing. Isn't it?

When you think one thing will go one way, it goes the other. When you expect something, it will turn itself on its head - anything to not happen.

I am not going to lie. Life, these last few months, has been... Interesting. It's been a difficult and sometimes tumultuous ride. A ride that I have thought - hellz bellz, I want it to stop.

You know, I know, Sydney sucks me dry. I struggle with it. On one hand, I really love it. It's a beautiful city that offers so much. And on the flipside, it's like a bad friend that takes and takes and what does it give me? Expensive living costs.

Are you lost? Yes. Me too. Is this cryptic? Gosh. I hope not. There's nothing I loathe more than cryptic blog posts.

But all I really want to share is this, this is your take-away from this blogging session:
just when you think the chips are down - you can turn the beat around.

Last Days of Disco

The last few months have been a real struggle for me. Juggling almost full-time work with parenting, with housework, with wife-ing, and then toss blogging on top of that - I'm not going to lie. I am 100 % completely exhaustipated*. 


Something's got to give because everything in my life seems to be suffering from the knock on effect of everything else. Every night I race home from work, help with the kids going to bed, and collapse onto the sofa so darn beat down, I can barely muster any energy to open my laptop, let alone use my brain to come up with some content. I've tried. Trust me. I really have, but I feel like I am drowning in over-commitment - it's not a good feeling. 


It's with heavy heart that I've decided to put PottyMouthMama into retirement. At least for the next few months. 


If you feel a bit jipped, might I suggest you start at the very start of PottyMouthMama? There's four years worth of content, with highlights being Tiny smearing poo everywhere, the Doctor being delicious, and me rummaging through someone else's bin. For. Weeks. On. End. 


Bon appetit baby.


By the way, I'll still come back tomorrow and announce the LEGO winner. Last chance to enter that competition chicitas. 


image source here


*exhaustipated was a word a girl that I used to work with always used. I never had the heart to tell her it wasn't a real word. So I always thought of it as a combination of being immensely tired - and constipated - all at once.

The Perfect Myth

The other day I inadvertently interrupted one of my colleagues speaking with some other work friends. Later, for some reason or another I asked what they had been chatting about. 

"Your perfect family."

I cringed. And I'm sure my brow furrowed. And then I cacked myself.

"My family perfect?" And then I laughed hard again thinking about how imperfect my life is. 

The perfect family? Don't think so. Far from it.


I quickly popped that bubble - because I am not one for perpetuating myths. I am not perfect. My family is not perfect. Life is not perfect.  I quickly jumped to my family's defence and went to town mythbusting.


I rattled off a whole bunch of reasons why our family is not perfect:
- we argue
- our house is a mess
- sometimes we can't pay our bills on time
- we don't really know what we're doing - we just fumble along
- we sometimes struggle to make decisions - big decisions
- I want to move out of Sydney, Matt wants to stay in Sydney
- my kids faces are covered in chocolate
- I struggle juggling family life with work life
- and sometimes we eat crumpets with butter and honey for lunch

There's so much more that makes us imperfect, and delightfully so, but I won't bore you.

But I did keep confirming to her that our family was not perfect, and that there isn't such a thing as a perfect family. With four individuals, there's bound to be conflict, tension, tears, and mess. Everyone has their challenges.


I could go on. And on. And on. But I won't bore you on the reasons why our little family is imperfect. And we're perfectly happy being imperfect.

This Is Me. Just Another Mother Blogger.

This is me.
Lexi.
PottyMouthMama.
Worker bee by day.
Mama and wife by night.

I was thinking about mummy bloggers and thinking how that tag does not fit me. Well I don't think so anyway. That tag makes me really uncomfortable. I get kind of itchy. I am no expert parent. And sometimes - a lot lately - I am sad how little time I have to spend with my children, that is quality time. I get home, I am tired. Sometimes snappy. I hate that. I feel so distant sometimes. There's a disconnect between work life and family life. I struggle with it. Battle with it daily. I don't find the work-family juggle very easy and it can sometimes make me feel immensely sad. Right to my bones. 

But we gots to live.

And someone once went to town on me in the comments section, saying that I chose this and that it's my own fault. Well. I guess she didn't read my blog very carefully. I work four days, and when I am home, Matt works. We have that one day together, and Sydney sucks you dry. To your very marrow.

But back to my blog. Life is this imperfect thing, and so is my parenting. But, I am a mama, but I am also so much more. And my blog is more than parenting and sometimes not so much about parenting. And since I've returned to the paid workforce, I feel distant from the mummy blogger tag. Actually I think I've always been distant from the mummy blogger tag (EEK!). I could go 'round and 'round in circles with this discussion by myself. I won't. But I could.

I think Anna sums it up well here.

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This is me wearing a necklace my friend Pip gave me, a few years ago. I love wearing it. It makes me think of her and all the awesome sauce she spreads throughout the world.

I have other things that have been gifted to me that remind me of special people in my life. My Mum gave me one of her vintage kaftans. I wore it throughout my first pregnancy, with the Doctor in my belly. I love that kaftan, though it's getting a bit threadbare, it's so loved and makes me think of my Mum.

I love wearing things that remind me of people. It puts me in a good mood and makes me think they're kind of looking after me that day. In a weird way. That might sound kooky. Apologies. I might be a little kooky.

End of rambling post.
At ease soldiers.

When Life Hands You Lemons

I'm not even going to pretend.

The last few weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster. And I really want to get off it, pronto.

My Mum is sick. And I'm worried.
Work is stressful. And I'm not coping.
I miss spending time with my smalls.
Some a$$hole broke my rearvision mirror - and 5 others in our street
The kids fetes are on - stress. Baking. Donating. It's never ending.
And Matt's show opens this weekend.
Right this minute, I've drunk half a bottle of wine (yep, way to control stress) and I'm dancing to this.

How are you holding up? For realz, I want to know.
And so what I was going to say is: when life hands you lemons, make a peach and raspberry tart to sell at the preschool fete. Ok? (Trust me, it's easy)

So What Can I Tell You About This Week?

Oh man. Phew-eeee!

It's been a heck of a week. I've been body-slammed at work with lots on and I'm pooped. So I'm grasping at straws as to what to share.

- One more sleep 'til our habit forming starts, but ladies - can we start on July 2? Saturday? That is much better for me, but if you're busting to bust out your new habits, start tomorrow, I can dig it.

- It's rainy in Sydney. I love this shot of The Beatles. It reminds me of my Dad who introduced me to them - well their music, when I was around 9 or so. I loved lying on my tummy, next to the record player, listening to them, reading their lyrics. I think I was completely obsessed with the Sgt. Pepper's record cover and used to stare at it for what seemed like hours.

- Seeker Lover Keeper have released their debut album is out. You should get it. It's amazeballs.

- Bon Iver's new album is out. It's beautiful. You should get that too.

- I've eaten way too much cake.

- Matt and I are going on a date tomorrow night. Quelle romantique.

Anything to report? I'm listening.