Freakin Friday meets Manic Monday

Well enough..........what is going on?!
Friday I drove the car in to take Marley to school because I had finally planned a day to use my A.S.Coopers gift certificate that I got last Christmas! I haven't bought new clothes for myself since I was pregnant with Marley and don't even ask me how long i've been wearing maternity underwear! If they weren't so damn comfy I think mothers would be more motivated to pick up their look a little after having babies.  I also had planned to get a few things at the Black Friday sales they have started now in Bermuda.  Nana had a greed to take Jacob for the morning so I could have this time.

DIVA!

But no doubt my girl got car sick on the way in! Now really come on... motion sickness when you live on a boat... really?! So we get to Nana's for a quick bath before I send her to school (nothings gonna ruin my 'me' morning) and Nana tricks her into playing hookie from school with temptations of painted nails and Ribeana! I didn't want to leave both kids with her, as they are a lot to handle but she insisted.  Off I went and although they were still in the back of my mind the whole 2 hours I was in town I still made out relatively good and got a smoking hot dress for my girl's engagement party this weekend.  First time I felt like a hottie without being a MILF! LOL (the party was a success and I learnt that I could do with dressing myself up a little more often; I may have two kids but i'm not 50!)

my laundry helper

The weather is still not cooperating and so we spent the weekend alongside the dock yet again.  With Jacob's 4 month Dr. apt. and Marley's gymnastics, the 3 loads of laundry that had piled up, plus Mark doing a charter for the Spirit of Bermuda we wouldn't have had time to get away anyway.  We had a great day on Sunday with a walk and a swim at Cooper's Island.  (in case you were wondering Marley did not get carsick from one end of the island to the other; Dockyard to Cooper's Island- apparently its just morning car sickness!) Jacob also had his first food (rice cereal), Marley also said one of the funniest things ever.  Mark woke up with a bit of a 'do' going on as he hasn't cut his hair in over a year and does little to manage his locks at all.  He must have had his first realisation to how offencive this can sometimes be when he caught himself in the mirror.  He asked Marley; "Daddy's hair is a bit scary huh?" Her innocent reply was "It's just a part of you Daddy, its ok." This just about killed me with laughter because no matter how many times we have all told him about his hair he has refused to realise... Marley said it all with such simple words! Love this girl!
Monday came all too fast and I awoke to my phone still missing.  I lost it at some point Sunday night getting back to the boat or on the way to Frog and Onion for dinner.  I tossed and turned worrying about its fate all night and stressing over the importance that I have allowed this little device to have over my life.  Mark left before work to see if he could find it in our tracks as I prepared for another car ride in as I needed to get my car fixed today.  He came back with the phone! He also came with a neighbour who needed a ride into work which was on our way.  We all filled into the car and I went to turn the key and sure enough... click, click, click.  The battery was dead!  Mark and I knew I would need a new one soon, but of all times to go!  The poor neighbour was not having much of a good start either and was now late to work.  Luckily I saw someone else who could give her a ride while Mark went to get a jumper pack from work. 

Jacob and I at Coopers island

All is sorted now, I took Marley into school and left the car running throughout the drop off then took the car into the shop and picked up another battery on my way.  I think our bad luck has run out for now.  The phone is on charge and Jacob is peacefully asleep (although thumb sucking as I forgot the pacci on the boat!)  I should really get to work on my various projects for the holidays but think i'll take just an hour or two more of 'me' time and sneak in a nap too!

Giving Thanks

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (although we are in Bermuda and do not technically celebrate the American holiday) I would like to post all the things I am thankful for.
First of all, I think its hard to make a list like this right now as last year was the worst year of my life and therefore everything I have been blessed with this year is that much more special including all the things I have always taken for granted.
Last year, the loss we suffered was unexplainable.  It seemed that the whole year was plagued with death.  My great Auntie Lilly who lived up the hill from us growing up passed early on in the year.  Although it was for sure her time to go it still hurt.  Then came my lil brother Dan who lived in the apt. under my parents house most of my childhood.  That was sudden and more than hard to comprehend.  Soon after we began to loose our second child, the miscarriage was long and drawn out lasting the entire summer. Loosing something of your own, that you carry never heals.  The last and biggest blow was Mark's 22 year old brother Adam.  He died in October and it still amazes me that we actually deal with it everyday when really the amount that we suffered that year would explain any odd and out of the ordinary behavior of any of us.  But somehow you go on.  Our lives will never be the same after that year but somehow that was the plan and we must live on for our beautiful family.
This year I am first grateful for my beautiful family.  Mark is an incredible partner who has the strength of 1,000 men.  He knows me better than I know myself and usually before I can catch myself.  He is an incredible father and I am more than lucky to have him in my life.  Marlena is the most precious little girl anyone could have.  She is compassionate, beautiful, smart, and will for sure be successful.  She is the light of my life and is the reason I get up everyday.  Jacob was the sweetest blessing all year.  He has been here before I am sure and teaches me everyday about the world that he deserves.  He pushes me to be more that I am and motivates me to be better.  What a gorgeous boy!
I am secondly thankful for my friends.  My friends that have stood by me in my toughest times.  My friends that have without fail answered the phone, flown in as soon as they could, come over without needing to be asked and of course told me when I am being a complete idiot.  It is so true that until you have been to the bottom you will never know who will sit there with you.  I know now and I am thankful for them everyday.
Thirdly I am thankful for my family.  They love me anyway even when I give them a run for their money.  My parents should be given extra props for putting up with all that I throw at them so well.  Really who would still put claim to a daughter who lived on a boat, had two children out of wedlock, teaches public school after a pricey private education, grew dreadlocks, and then decided to move back on a boat with two kids?! They have the patience of saints!
Next I am thankful for my new family, Mark's sister who recently married and my 'in-laws' who technically are not.  They all show great support with the children and I am forever having to explain to people why out 'nana' is not for hire!  My new family also includes all of Adam's wonderful friends who have reached out to us and allowed us to know an Adam we didn't see very often.
I am thankful for the beautiful island that I live on, for the beautiful little community I am a part of that my children get to grow up in.  I am thankful for the love Marine and Ports shows me everyday... today in fact the stopped a meeting just to say hi as Jacob and I passed by on our daily walk LOL
All in all I am blessed!  So Happy Thanksgiving to all my American followers out there... and everyone else who is too blessed to be stressed....
Not sure if that last statement is entirely true. LOL tomorrow will post about the laundry 'situation and the rain that intrudes on my chores'... stress still happens, I suppose its just how we handle it. When you put it into perspective of all the things to be thankful for there really isn't all that much to stress about.

Firsts!

This morning on the ferry Jacob did his first real hearty giggles.  He has been giggling every now and then but today on our ride back to dockyard while I changed him on the seat he let out some real hearty giggles. He sounded just like Marley when she first started to laugh.  People say she gets it from me; i'm not sure of that as my own laugh is kind of annoying but their little giggles are the best sound in the entire world! Its so pure and sincere you can't help but laugh out loud yourself!
Tonight was Marley's first trip to the movies.  I knew she would be fine as she has her daddy's habit of becoming completely engorged in whatever she is watching.  A bomb could seriously go off next to them and they wouldn't notice if the TV is on.  So I knew she would be able to sit through a film without becoming restless or getting distracted but I didn't know it would be this much fun.
Auntie Abbie had bought us tickets to the movies for our birthday's (nana and I share the same day) and we decided to add Marley into the mix.  All weekend she talked about her outing with "just the girls".  Tonight daddy met us in town and "just the girls" filed into the 5:45 showing of Happy Feet Two at Speciality Theatre.  We got Marley some dinner and made sure she went to the bathroom before we went in which meant the previews were already over than the lights were off.  This didn't bother her one bit, she just marched in (asking us if this was where the movie was) and sat in her own seat, dinner on her lap and special "Eric" drink cup on her arm rest.  She even attempted the 3D glasses but soon gave up on them as they were too big.  She sat through the whole thing without complaint.  There was the odd humorous comment about the plot of the movie but all in all she did excellent!!!
Side notes:  When did the movies get so expensive?! also Happy Feet (both of them) have to be some of the greatest movies, they have so many layers (any age can enjoy) and the message is better than any other Disney movie.... Mambo reminds me of Captain Planet from our day!
Bad news is the weather was gorgeous today, perfect boating weather and there is a scheduled 30 knots for Friday and the weekend.  Asked Mark if we should just go sailing during the weeks and send him to work on the weekends instead to sort it all out!

My favorite things

So Jacob and I have the same favorite spot on the boat.  Looking out of the hatch above Mark and I's bunk.  However we like them differently.  He likes it when the windscoop is up and the brezze blows in tickling him and creating an ora of blue in the cabin.  I like it at night when the lights from Bone Fish Resturant twinkle on the waves between us and them, the reflection can be seen on the glass as I lay in bed looking out beyond the hatch at the stars above.  LOVE

Yet again the wind has picked up and although dad is on a Boys Night Out it doesn't look like we will be going out again this weekend :(  I am sick of the weekends being windy.  As soon as the weather gets nice I am ready to cast off the lines and head to the open ocean and start home schooling from there.  Maybe we should wait for an engine first.  How can I feel stranded when we live on a boat?! I will post once the weather improves because lately these posts have been more about my mini dramas than babies on boats.

Night Rider

Well its been difficult lately to find something to post about.  All day I think of things to tell the world but recently all the mini dramas and stories that come to mind do not have much to do with raising babies on boats.  It's important to me to keep with this theme although recently we haven't had much boat action.

On Tuesday night we went for an evening cruise with Auntie Lizzie.  It was the day after the government changed the ferry to the winter schedule.  Boy does it suck! Not only do I now have to wait until 10:00 until I can leave town in the mornings after my walk (I had gotten to the point where I could make the 9:10 ferry after only arriving at 8:20) but the last ferry to Dockyard leaves Hamilton at 4:15.  Although I am not a regular working commuter... that sucks! Anyone who lives on a boat in Dockyard- or even lives in Dockyard for that matter and has a regular 9-5 in town can not use public transportation to commute.  That is just silly.  There has been quite a bit of adjusting in our little community to this schedule.  Today and yesterday we were the only boaters on the ferry in the morning and there have been many people stranded in town.  On Tuesday night after we dropped Auntie Lizzie back in town to her bike and grabbed a little something to eat from that great grease pit on the wharf there was a lady who was stranded in town.  She had just moved onto her boat last week and was unable to get back to Dockyard.  I suppose like hurricanes a little distress with the new schedule will only bring our little growing community closer together.

Night Rider Strider!

Tonight in an attempt to get Marley sleepy (we have a bit of a hard time putting her to bed, even after a long day at school and then a play in the park with Nana and Auntie Abbie!) we took an evening walk out to the pier.  I used to do this every night when I was pregnant with Marley. That is the nice thing about Dockyard in the winter... just when you get sick of all the tourists the disappear for a few months and the place becomes quiet and peaceful, then when you are about to go mad with the silence they reappear with all their karaoke and silly questions.  On the way back to the boat, we stopped to my poor damaged car (I scratched it bad on Tues afternoon :( of course right after paying for it to be insured and tested for TCD) to leave the pram in it (we still don't have a dock box).  We also grabbed Marley's Strider bike (def something to look into if you have a toddler!) to put back on the boat.  She decided she was up for a little night ride to the dock.  She was hilarious with her little pink helmet balancing her way along the road and then down the rap to the dock shouting "RIDER coming through... RIDER!!!" LOL we gave her the nickname 'Night Rider" for the night and then off to bed. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my1TAI3rulo

Battle with the Bimini

Before I start.. you all should know I WON! :)

This morning we were finally well organized.  Maybe because daddy was left in charge last night or maybe because I had 3 hours to prepare this morning but we made the ferry on time with all of our belongings and children!  I went to bed last night with a terrible tooth ache and woke for the 4am feed to a very happy and active baby who refused to go back to bed.  Never mind the ferry was late then Jacob did a massive poo as we arrived into Hamilton and then proceeded to perform some projectile vomit for all to see on the ferry back! Haha and there I thought it was going to be a smooth ride.

This is not his poo face! 

I arrived home and quickly bathed and fed my little munchkin before his nap (he was exhausted as he too had been up since 4am!)  I then got on top of the many projects I have been leaving for 'while i'm off with Jacob'.  Managed to vacuum and get the Stingrays newsletter done before lunch.

After lunch I figured i'd tackle putting the bimini back up.  We have a great bimini that covers our companionway and provides shade over the main hatch.  In the recent bad weather we had taken it down as it is old and would easily tear in the winds.  The first time we attempted to put it up after buying the boat we really struggled and since it has been a challenge to beat the time before!  I figure myself fairly good at packing and things of that sort however puzzles of the engineering nature do stump me.  I can never figure out if I have it backwards and which part zips into what.  Because you have to put in on, on the boat its hard to see the 'big picture' while you are doing it.
Anyway I got going while Jacob continued to nap.  Amazing what that child can sleep through.  After much cursing, a few straddle positions that my old gym teacher would be proud of, many clunks on the head with the heavy metal poles I managed to get it up.  There is always one point that I am ready to give up, this is when I am pulling the back pole into the middle pole to try and get the zipper to line up even though i'm not sure it is the actual zip that goes together.  Then somehow it all clicks and it slides into place perfectly.  I always hope that the people on the dock only catch that moment as they walk by instead of the circus mishap that is actually putting the bimini back on!
Planning for a beautiful night of evening cruising with friends :)

Manic Thursday

So really this should have been posted before my last post but I was so inspired by the weekend I didn't want to add one of my rants last night but I do have to write about Thursday.
I had planned meetings for Thursday with Sandys 360 as that is where I am hopefully going to be doing some part time work while I am off with Jacob to bring in a little extra cash.  I was all organized Wed. night and planned to get one or two things done in town on my way back t the ferry from walking Marley to school in the morning- like my insurance for my car.  It wasn't until Thurs. morning that I was reminded that Friday was the holiday! Woops, you really do loose your mind once you've had children!
I had to rearrange all my plans, cancel my meetings as the new number one task was getting my car licensed and insured before the weekend.  So already in a panic on my way to the ferry, I forgot my phone on the boat, no time to go back because we are already late and its still blustery.  I get going on the walk and as we approached the Reid St. Burnaby Hill intersection Jacob's pacifier blows right out from the baby bijorn!  I mean really what are the chances?! Just right up in the air and into the street.  I stood on the crosswalk in shock watching the pacci get run over by an endless stream of jeeps and cars.  I really couldn't believe it!
I continued on in awe and managed to get Marley to school without much fuss from Jacob.  Luckily he's more of a thumb sucker.  However as we left the ferry (before the pacci incident) I was informed by what I thought was a reliable source (a deck hand on the ferry!) that there were no more ferries to Dockyard today because of the weather.  Just how was I supposed to get back to get my car to do the one and only item on my list foe the day?!! Oh boy!
I called my savior nana and she had agreed to come pick me up and then messaged Mark and let him know my predicament.  Mark messaged Kareem who was in town and instead kindly offered to be my chauffeur. With time to kill before his hair cut finished I caught up with another mommy who lives near Marley's school and vented about the morning shenanigans.
The rest of the day ran fairly smoothly, car passed and insured.  Although I had a good laugh with the tester.  When he was checking the undercarriage of my car he needed to drive it onto the ramp.  When he got into my little sporty number he looked around at the two car seats in the back and pram in the front seat and commented "Lady, you need a bigger car".  I replied with the standard "You gonna buy me one? I can't afford one"  He then asked "where does the passenger sit?" I played dumb and said "passenger?" he said, "yeah you know passenger?!" I told him "Mate, I have kids to drive around, I don't have time or room for passengers!" LOL At least I put a smile on his face for the day.

Birthday Weekend

The weather finally eased up for the long weekend.  Unfortunately we didn't get to go out for the sail we had been hoping for.  Fingers crossed next weekend!
We started off on Fri. with family and friend visits on land.  I have been an Eastender most of my life so moving all the way to Dockyard (on a 21sq mile island) means that we don't see family and friends as much during the week as we usually did. However their are the few loyal friends who will make the drive occasionally to visit us!
Saturday was the best day of the whole weekend.  The wind dropped right out, although it picked up later in the day (hence why we didn't take Blew Horizon out) so after gymnastics we took the Scout to town to run some errands.  Namely birthday gifts for Nana and myself (we share the same birthday- Nov. 13th).  As we headed out Marley recalled 'white caps' and named the types of boats we saw; sail boats or motor boats.  She was really switched on and having a great time on our outing.  Her enthusiasm for everything we do always surprises me.  Once in town we wandered around and got our last min gifts; her and daddy helped me pick out a new pair on sunglasses, it was great.  On the ride back since she hadn't had a nap all day we thought she might go down for one in the cabin while we cruised but both kids wanted to see the sights.  All in all an excellent family boating day yet still accomplishing weekend errands.
An art walk about night in St. Georges inspired me to get back into creating my own artwork again, maybe a new years resolution for 29! Ha!
A swim and brunch with great friends old and new was a brilliant end to my birthday weekend this morning.  How much love I have in my life, I only hope I can pass it on.
Back to the grind already as Mon. is around the bend before we know it. More on the week soon to come, with all this weather last week was quite an adventure :)

Children are like sponges

Yesterday we attempted the ferry ride again even with these gales and we were fine until we arrived in Hamilton and I was told there would be no more ferries to Dockyard.  But in fact after I flagged down a ride back and we arrived at the boat sure enough there was one but anyway....
On the ferry ride Marley and I discussed the rising sun.  Feeling like I should siese the moment I also explained to her what 'white caps' were.  She got it one time and once her new little ferry buddy arrived at Rockaway she proceeded to explain them to him too!
Later that day I had a play date with two girls from my new mommy group.  One of them has a little boy a week younger than Jacob and the other a girl about 9 months.  Wow how quickly you forget the stages! She was so cute moving herself all around and very interested in the babies.  Jacob wasn't fazed much having his big sister always in his face probably helped.  Now today after seeing his little friend scoot about he is so frustrated trying to move himself.  He managed to flip himself over the day before for the first time but now I think his goal is probably to crawl! He is kicking his legs and screaching away, he even almost pushed himself out of his chair where he usually sits taking in the view.  Oh boy i'm going to have my hands full with this one!
We are now off to Jacob's first swim at Sandys 360 pool.  I would have liked it to be in the ocean but its a little cool for that and the pool is indoor and heated.  It is so important for our kids to learn how to swim living on the boat.  A lot of people wait until their kids are older to teach them but they really are sponges and pick it up very quick when given the opportunity.  Sometimes it is our own fears that hold our children back. Will post on how it goes :)

Age Is Just A Number...

and your only as old as you feel!
I really think sometimes I have age confusion.  I really have to think about how old I am for one but also on any given day I range in how old I actually feel.
Sometimes I feel like a teen mom, especially when I drive Marley to school in my sporty little car with its pumping stereo.  The only reason I haven't gotten a vanity stripe down the middle to make it look more like a mini coupe is because I don't think 'mommies with bills to pay' should waste their money on that.  But I think if I could I would LOL  It's also probably too small for two kids, but I like to convince myself not, even when I have to squash a passenger between the baby seat and car seat in the back because the stroller takes up the front seat because it doesn't fit in the trunk!  Its also usually when I am attending any kind of child function that I feel too young to be a mommy of two, but now that I have made a new group of mommy friends I think this feeling will fade.
Sometimes I feel even younger, this is usually when i'm at the gas station, no one else in the car.  I always feel like i'm just 16 and have run to the gas station on an errand for my mum or dad.  I don't know why, maybe its a memory I have but when I am alone in the car playing the music I like instead of Raffe, I always feel 16 again.
Sometimes I feel like a real grown up.  Especially when I walk into a store and the items on my list are no longer chips, soda, and a magazine but instead; formula, milk, bread, hair dye, mydol, and go on throw in a diet soda!
Sometimes I still feel like i'm in college; this is when i'm cooking dinner and jamming to some sweet reggae music as I cook.  This is also when I get really excited in the summer about the various shows or when I get together with the girls for a 'girls brunch'.
My favorite age is what I am right now... 28 (had to think about it) and I don't feel a number but instead like a real mommy.  Weather is gently humming High Tide or Low Tide to Jacob as he drifts off in the boppy pillow or chanting and dancing to One Love with Marley before bath on the top of our lungs in the saloon.  We laughed ourselves silly with her at dinner because she put so many peas in her mouth that Mark had to tell her to stop and her reply was "its okay daddy, if there's too many you can always spit them out!"  Then we waited for the water heater to heat up and danced to a selection of classic reggae vibes that she already knows by heart.  Jacob takes part in it all just as she did at his age by being gently rocked and swung in the middle of it all.
At the end of the day i'm sure I will feel twice my actual age, icing my knee and staring at the lines and black circles of sleeplessness that are around my eyes.  But no matter how many lines come I know I want to feel like this... 28 and a mommy all the time, for the rest of my life.  LOVE

Batten down...

the hatches! I've been thinking of topics to write about since the end of last week. We had a great Fri. night evening cruise with some friends and then by Sat. am the weather began to change.
On Sat. morning we had planned to skip gymnastics (Marley's favorite activity!) for a Huggies baby contest at windreach which had pony rides (Marley's other favorite!).  We spent so long preparing the boat for the winds ahead, and then waiting for Mark to prepare everyone else in the marina that we were too late to make Windreach.  Instead we opted for the S.P.C.A. fair at the Botanical Gardens with for what it lacked in pony rides made up for with a dog parade with one dog as Marley's namesake.  When they called up "Marley Rose" to enter the ring Mark, Abbie, and I all thought that someone had played a trick and entered our child Marley into the parade! So there is a little terrier out there sharing the same name as my little terror LOL

We made it back Sat. afternoon to a blustery Dockyard! Marley kept commenting on the wind and the boat was really rocking. We were glad we put everything away and sorted out the lines before we left as it was really getting nasty.  We raced the rain and had an early dinner at Frog and Onion then went into hibernation for the night (all together in our bed!).  It was a sleepless night for most.  Jacob actually slept his first solid 7 hours (apparently he likes a lot of disturbance!), Marley tossed and turned and fought between Mark and I all night and Mark and I listened to every creak and moan in case something went. 

We were ok the next morning however there were a few slight casualties in the Marina.  The scariest was the large 55/ 60footer behind us Spellbound which had actually broken the finger dock it was tied onto in half!  Mark and the marina manager as well as the boat owners moved it to the hard dock but now we have the wind blowing straight up our stern without any protection.  Our little work horse the Scout also didn't make out well in the blow as one of the commercial boats broke a cleat and smashed into the bow of her but its only slight and the Scout actually made out better than the commerical boat!

Getting on and off the dock has been a bit tricky and requires both parents.  I put Jacob in the Baby Bijorn carrier and then Marley has to be carefully lifted onto the dock and hands held tightly.  Usually I can manage on my own with the two but the real trick it aligning the moving boat with the dock and making a graceful step down (or up)!

Both kids seem unbothered by the rough seas and weather and a little quiet time in our cozy little home was well deserved over the weekend however this is supposed to keep up all week and I'm not looking forward to that.  In the mean time I am connecting with some new mommy friends in the east end of the island while I hide out at Nana's doing laundry and waiting for Marley to be picked up from Nursery. 

The Sun Always Rises

Adam's sunrise; taken the morning after he was buried at sea 

Well last night was a rough night! But never fear, the sun always rises.
The thing about it is, my girl even knows that.  One morning when Mark went to wake Marley for the day she said, "Daddy its not time to get up yet".  He explained that it was and that we had to get ready for school.  So my smarty pants 2 and a half year old tells her daddy, "No, open the hatch".  He does, and she says, "look Daddy out there there is no sun, its not wake up time yet".  Mark told her thats because she was looking the wrong way.  Promptly she took him to the galley and pointed out to the east and said "no Daddy, this is where the sun comes up, behind that boat and see, its not up yet!"  And that is the affect of raising you kids on a boat my followers! Not only does she know what a 'hatch' and 'galley' is but she also knows that the sun rises in the east! :) Beautiful moments!
Today the sun rose again and it didn't start out for me much better than the day before.  On the way racing to catch the ferry I lost one of Jacob's really nice baby blankets overboard and watched it sink, then on the way back on the ferry after the morning commute I lost the loose wheel on the skateboard to the ocean as well! Will spend tomorrow googling the company in Australia to see if I can get a replacement!
Marley had a much better day and we even made a successful second attempt of trick or treating. Bless my wonderful boating neighbours who went out and bought candy for the only trick or treater in the marina and then had the patience to entertain her a day later!  Another thing that boat life will teach my children; the kindness of people.

Adam sailing off into the sunset one evening over cupmatch.