A long time ago I made one wish and two came true. After five long years of IVF, four gruelling cycles, two miscarriages and a possibly 10 extra kilos, my dreams did come true. I got two beautiful bubbas for the price of one.
And while they’ve never shared much (apart from my womb and their birthday) these two gorgeous and growing teens of mine give me such joy every day. Even in lockdown.
While other parents of teens cry out, search for answers and look for advice, I have to say my experience has been one of pure bliss. I hate that I have become that mum who is able to boast! But I do feel somewhat justified, considering my toddler and primary years were excruciating, and there wasn’t a moment I didn’t tell people about how hard that time was. I feel I have finally popped through the other side and am now getting to experience the lovely times.
The last few months in lockdown have seen both provide me with double the belly laughs, eye rolls, sushi runs (for her), burger deliveries (for him), bad jokes, littered around the house empty chip and red frog packets (him again). There’s been an endless series of late nights screaming into gaming sets for one (clearly him), early mornings for the other creating tie-dyed tees and gorgeous water coloured paintings (clearly her). Many nights of Harry Potter marathons balanced with binge-watching Nicholas Cage action flicks & bad John Cusack rom-coms.
Their crazy antics, hilarious insights and laid back, sunny and just wonderful attitude to life teaches me more than they know. They are great conversationalists, entertaining company and more importantly wonderful people. They both make me laugh, smile and think how lucky I am everyday – except when Matisse is in the driving seat and when I attempt to get Maximus to study. The other day he told me, with trademark laid backness, that I “had it all wrong, mum” and that school was a marathon and he was just pacing himself to hit the home stride. Well it’s now THAT stretch in the school marathon where you need to kick in gear!
But I’ll be absolutely devastated when they go back to school in a few weeks time, so blissful has our little cocoon been.
For the endless rotating playlists ranging from Harry Belafonte to Billy Joel being belted out at full volume in the morning showers. For the mullet grooming every time he passes the mirror and the weekly Succession and Impeachment watching sessions (Tootie) …
There’s no doubt one is a dreamer, one a realist; one a spender, one a saver; one a girl and one a boy; one gives super hugs the other doesn’t really like cuddles; one is totally independent, the other more needy; one breast fed, one bottle; one slept as a baby, one didn’t; one loves books, the other doesn’t read; one is a serious night owl, the other a (ridiculously) early morning bird, one can swim and run fast, the other has never broken a sweat, one is crazy, the other sensible; one likes gangster rap, the other SmoothFM.
They seem to prove to me daily that it’s nature over nurture, not what you do or how you parent but rather who you are innately as a person. They make me laugh with their laid back attitudes, as frustrating as that may be (I mean if I could get one to study hard like their younger sister it would be amazing!). Or if I could get one to manage to do a chore in entirety as promised it would be a miracle. But their smiles, their sense of humour, their personalities are just pure joy in a bundle.
I hope they keep dancing to their own rhythms, that they wear their hearts on their sleeves, that they love without measure and remember they are the artists of their own life. They are both ONE of a kind and will always be my favourite kind of crazy. And I only have ONE wish for them both! And that’s to shoot for the stars. I’m hoping they aim high and know they won’t need it, but I will always be there to catch them.
I’m just so excited I get to be their Mum. How lucky am I that I get to be on both of their life adventures!! For I know, if nothing else, they will be full of fun and never dull. Keep dancing to your own rhythms, my loves.
