My Hart se Punt...

Trek Oos Kaap toe, Transkei toe. Die heuwels wat rol met alle kleure huise en mense, diere en die see. Soos ons land in Oos London, klop my kinder hart opgewonde en bly. Ek voel of ek huis toe kom. Al daai Desember vakansies wat ons aan die kant van Suid Afrika gekuier het. In Keimond het ons saam met ons tweeling niggies die aarde plat gespeel en ons 'domain geclaim'. Niks kon ons keer nie. Ek onthou min van my kinder dae, maar Desember vakansies in die Oos Kaap en Safaris in Afrika saam met my familie, is vars in my geheue. Ons land in die middag en elke slaggat oppad King Williams Town toe laat my nader voel aan hierdie deel van my Suid Afrika waar ek al mooi moes mik om die onaangelaste paaie wat na avontuur lei te volg. Dis landelik en ongerep. Die wildheid is wat meeste frustreer en ja, miskien as jy nie daagliks hoef te maak werk nie, is dit makliker om te romantiseer. Om van 'n baie gereguleerde deel van die wereld te kom waar als mooi in pas en min verstrooid is, voel die deel van my geliefde land soos 'n morsige soet lekker en die groen van die heuwels en die stukkende paaie en die aangelapte huise gee vir my heimwee. En CQ reageer op almal en alles met soveel liefde in haar glimlag, sy laat my hart pyn na haar pa, ek wens hy was ook hier om saam met ons te kuier en te geniet. Ons kuier 'n hond uit 'n bos uit by Twins, my niggie, Quinta se gastehuis waar ons baie bederf word en lekker op die stoep sit en opmaak vir verlore tyd.

CQ ry haar eerste perd op 29 weke. Sy is in die sewende hemel toe sy uiteindelik kans kry om ook op die ponie se rug te klim. Sy is vreesloos, rustig en so natuurlik met diere. Ek staan elke dag verstom met hierdie kind van ons. Ek is van vooraf bewus van die wonderwerk van menswees. Hoe klein en weerloos ons begin en met die liefde en versorging van ander word ons selfversorgende individue...amazing.

CQ & kids

I love seeing CQ respond to kids, even those in their teens, or when adults allow their inner kid to show. It's as if a light goes on and she sees something the rest of us can't anymore. Sparks fly and love fills the air. It is the sweetest sensation when she is in my arms and she spots another child across the room. Tell an older child that a baby likes them and you make their day.

What is it about babies? I don't know how to explain it other that calling it baby-magic. They seem to radiate with this unconditional sense of self that possibly remind us of our truest nature, I love and want to believe that we can all hone this energy and keep it alive no matter how old we are or what life throws at us, look in the eyes of a baby and see yourself.

MetaMama: "I become more and more aware that my outer world reflect my inner world. Look at how the world responds to a baby, generally it responds with love and light, if we can bring ourselves back to this balanced state of love, how will the world, our world respond? If we could accept unconditionally who we are our circumstance might just begin to resonate and create itself to match the sense of ease acceptance bring. When I desperately want something to change I accept it as is. Only once I truly accept what is as perfect and let go the need to have it different, change occurs.

Baby Magic

We arrived in South Africa, but it took two days flying across the globe. CQ was amazing and seemed to love world travel, she is nicknamed PR, since she will charm any one young and old within split seconds. She might be cranky and screaming at mom, but the moment a stranger shows up or she is looking over at the crowd her face change and she's all smiles, her happy self.

I have to admit, it was the longest flight of my life and I am so grateful Ouma Salome was on the journey with us. Sixteen hours on a plane with a six month old is no joke. Hours seemed like days. I only managed to watch two movies halfway, don't know why I even bothered and she was too big for a basinet, unfortunately, so use your imagination.

BABY MAGIC and COMMITTED SERVICE : When we arrived in New York, not my favorite airport to begin with, we made our way to terminal 4 to check in on our SAA flight to JHB. CQ asleep in the MOBY, we stood in line for a while. When we finally reached the check-in booth they couldn't find CQ in the system and wouldn't let us add this lovely infant to our flight without buying her fair again. This seems so ridiculous since we have her passport and proof that I am her mama... and we had proof of paying the fair already, we just didn't have her paper ticket(who issues paper tickets anymore??). I find it a little disconcerting that we had to pay as much as we did for an on the lap infant, no extra baggage and no extra seat, what are we paying for? Anyway... there we were, a little at a loss, when BABY did her MAGIC. Out of no where a beautiful woman stepped into the booth with great authority, she asked what the problem was and how she could help, she was a customer representative for SAA, on vacation. Dressed in all purple her shirt actually had "ANGEL" engraved on it, not kidding. After numerous phone calls to SA and some serious communication between the check-in booth and the ticket-booth, we were issued a new e-ticket for CQ. If I ever doubted BABY MAGIC, this moment confirmed it. SAA is a great airline, tops any of the American Airlines with their service, the mistake was made on the travel agents side unfortunately. We were impressed with the service we received from this wonderful women who stepped out of her vacation into work mode to help us out. Thank you ANGEL "S"!

CQ seems ecstatically happy to be with her family in South Africa. Her little body has to adjust to the sun coming up at a different time, but this seems easier for her than for the rest of us. It's in the middle of the night that she's not sure whether she's supposed to wake up or be asleep. She takes her naps with great ease, this is wonderful for mama and she continues to suck down her ROOIBOS TEA, it's definitely even better here in its land of origin, I'll be going home with a suitcase loaded with this "Miracle brew".

Any ideas or advice about moving onto solids with baby? This will be my next topic since we crossed the sixth month mark and started with some cereal and sweet potato.

the power of a name

I should tell you all about the naming ceremony we had for Charlotte Quinta ala CQ yesterday.

It was beautiful and sacred. The sky was shining blue and the sun was bright. We had the ceremony on the beach here in Carlsbad, surrounded by family and friends. CQ is a blessed little girl bestowed with love and support around the globe. It was 8pm in South Africa where the other half of her God-Parents and Guardians and family were sending love and prayers into the ether.

CQ has a powerful name, a family name, who would've thought. We heard the name, Charlotte, when my mom listed the names on our family tree, I had goosebumps all over and the sense that this was her name was so strong it was eerie. We knew she would have her Great Ouma's name as a middle name. Aunt Charlotte was the sixth daughter of her father Charl who decided to name her after him. Ouma Quinta and Aunt Charlotte was so close, they remained best friends and spoke their unique private language till they were beyond 80. It was confusing listening to their conversations and they would always end up giggling at us mysteriously. So it is only perfect to have their names forever side by side as CQ's name. It's powerful and I am proud of her name, knowing they were both remarkable women, forces to be reckoned with.

Charlotte - "Spry Witty Involved and Gentle"; "Strong Woman"; "Feminine". Quinta - "Questing Unbiased Daring", "The Fifth"

Happiness is standing up...

CQ conquering her world!