wordless wednesday : monkey bar girl




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Now I am one... in which Elli-boo celebrates his first birthday.

Today my beloved little baby son Elliott turned one year old.





Today I will be helping blow out his very first birthday candle... It was New Year's Eve in 2009 that I found out I was pregnant - was a tad more sober than it might have been otherwise! - and I remember that feeling of jubilation, excitement and wonder when my test was pronounced positive. 


My pregnancy was fairly straightforward... but the birth wasn't! Well -- it probably was completely normal, but I found it fairly horrendous, all the same! The truth is -- when Elliott popped out I had a small moment of panic. A BOY?? What would I do with such a thing?


But I didn't realise. 

And then about 5 minutes later, I did. What would I do with such a thing? Why -- just L.O.V.E him, of course. 

And love him, I did. 

And do. 

We all do.


He was such an easy newborn... a cuddly little koala bear who once slept the entire 3 hours I sat with the accountant in his Baby Bjorn (wish I could have, too!) Even now he loves a cuddle with his mum. When he's not tearing about like a hurricane destroying everything in his path he's quite content just sitting in my arms as I carry on with household chores, interestedly observing me go about my business... 




He rarely cried...


And Fern? She just welcomed him into our family; our lives; our home -- just like he'd always been there. 
And in some ways, he has.


But of course, it hasn't always been smooth sailing: the night-wakings, the round-the-clock breastfeeding; projectile white stuff... and brown stuff... tantrums, thrown food, back-arching, clinginess, fussiness, messiness, and the inability to hold still for even a second.......


... all of that overrided of course by the cheekiness. The smiles. The giggling attacks. The way he attacks food like he's already a teenager. The way he can climb before he can walk. The way he sits on my hip like he could spend the rest of his life there. And fossicks through the garbage like he's looking for gold. His goodness of heart, that shines through, even at this early age. The ELLIOTTness that makes him Elliott.










My son is one. ONE. 

Happy birthday, sonny-boy.

All I can say is that you are the most gorgeous little boy in MY whole wide world. 

Mummy loves you more than words can say.














Mysterious bullies


Like most parents, I spend a good deal of time worrying about bullying. Worried that my Tsunamis may one day fall victim to a group of bullies, yes. But perhaps even more concerned that one day they might take it on themselves to become one.

I know in my heart of hearts that my sweet little cherubs would never intentionally hurt someone else. They know it's wrong to tease and judge others and from a young age we've shown them how important it is to stand up for the little guy. But there is a little argy-bargy happening amongst the Cappers' friends and I do think from time to time "Heaven help me, I don't want to be raising a Mean Girl."

How will I know? How does anyone know?

I've never met an adult who admits to being a bully.

I know lots of people who were bullied, but I don't know anyone who says they bullied them.

Why is that?

I look back on my own childhood and teenagedom and I don't think I was ever a Mean Girl. If I did, it's not something I remember. Is that what happens? Bullies just forget? Is the act of bullying only significant to the victim? Is it 'just another day' to the bully? That's a right worry, that is.

I was fortunately enough to escape the cruelty of bullying, but people close to me weren't so lucky. I often used to wonder if their bullies ever felt sorry for what they had done.

Nowadays I just wonder if their bullies even acknowledge it.

Are they adults who admit to being bullies, or do they also express disbelief and deny they could ever do such a thing? Do they feel the burden of responsibility for the way they changed a life?

Where do bullies go?


Did you ever bully anyone? How do you feel about that today?
Were you the victim of a bully and did they ever apologise?
Anonymous comments welcome.

[Image by Mi Zhang found here]
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