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Excerpt 9. Putting out fires.
After spending the last two weeks locked up at home with influenza, this week I decided I wanted to do something special with Ariya, just the two of us. It’s hard getting any quality time with your first born, after you have a second (3rd, 4th etc) born. So now and again I try to…
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Excerpt 8. Our Anniversary.
Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. And by celebrate I mean, we spent the day being parents with very minimal interactions between us, romantic or otherwise. We were meant to go away the weekend that just passed, but thanks to the influenza that wiped out our household, those plans did not…
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Excerpt 7. Grateful.
The last week and a half has been hell. Can’t and won’t sugar coat it. My entire household was struck down with that ol chestnut, Influenza A. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy, as the saying goes. Nelson was patient zero, however he tried to shrug it off as allergies. We’re dead set…
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Excerpt 6. Unlearning Guilt.
Today can only be described as a painful come down from yesterday. Painful, being literal. I mentioned that last week I had tonsillitis on my birthday, Well, I woke up this morning feeling like I was swallowing golf balls again. Actually, woke up is putting it kindly. I don’t think I got much sleep at…
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Excerpt 5. Alone Time.
Today was the best of days. Last Sunday was my 38th birthday. Once upon a time I thought getting this close to 40 would be terrifying, but as I etch closer to it, I find myself more excited about it. Anyway, I digress. Back to my birthday. Last week was my birthday, but I spent…
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Excerpt 4. Learning to listen.
Today was long. Eva is sick. Enough said right. Every mum can relate. All you need to say is ‘my kid is sick’ and every mum hears your resounding cry. It’s been a long, hard few weeks of back to back sicknesses in this household. Starting with Ari. Followed by me, ending in Eva, and…
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Excerpt 3. It’s all fleeting.
Today was productive. I managed to do a big grocery shop run while Eva behaved. Cleaned out my fridge. Re organised my pantry. Did a few loads of washing. Cooked two separate dinners for the family. Now I’m depleted. I’m currently stealing time in my room writing, while Nelson watches over the girls for 30…
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Excerpt 2. My dad.
This essay is essentially the first real entry to this collection. Excerpt 1 was really to introduce the why, the how, the what, the who. Today is about today. Today was hard. Exclamation mark. Eva, aka my hurricane/bulldozer, aka my rainbow baby, aka my second child, was sick today. So that was a joy. I…
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Excerpt 1. Why.
An old friend asked me today if I still write. You see, I thought myself a writer once upon a dream. Whether I was good or not, I wrote. It was an outlet. A way I found my voice. A sense of expression I found easier than words said out aloud. It was also my…
Excerpts by Claudia Hayes 