Bailey | Essentially Jess

A Space of His Own

Posted by Jess on Dec 20, 2012 in Essential Extras | 30 comments

This is a sponsored post for Tidy Books When I was pregnant with Miss Ava, most well meaning people remarked that we would certainly be hoping for another boy. With two sisters already, Bailey would certainly be worse for wear with another member of the X Chromosome. To be honest, we never really had a preference. It would have been lovely to have had another little boy, but the day I found out it was a girl, I was completely overjoyed. I love having girls. Boatman was likewise happy; having...

Hope Deferred

Posted by Jess on Nov 12, 2012 in Essentially Family | 33 comments

There’s nothing quite so devasting as taking away hope from a person, particularly a small child. I was struck by this anew the other night, when Ava lived in hope that she would actually get ice-cream despite not touching her dinner. Her devastation at the reality was heart breaking. It was as if all her hopes and dreams for the future had been completely destroyed with the firm utterance of the word no. And seeing as she is two, and has no hopes and dreams for the future, apart from...

My Son, the Romancer

Posted by Jess on Sep 6, 2012 in Essentially Jess, Essentially Random | 22 comments

The mothers of boys will know that a strange thing happens when you discover your offspring has a penis; you become oddly protective of it him. Obviously, any child that is welcomed into your family is loved and treated with a precious honour, but there is something in a woman that is awoken with the birth of a son. A fierce protectiveness that is best summarised in the words of Monica from Friends. “I’m gonna love you so much, no woman will ever be good enough for you!”...

Of Star Wars, Preschool, and Saving the Empire

Posted by Jess on Aug 17, 2012 in Essentially Faith | 9 comments

I think that most parents would agree with me, that we all just want to keep our babies safe. From everything. It’s not just that we don’t want them to suffer physically, but we want to spare them from any kind of emotional or psychological pain as well. It’s the reason that kids sports don’t keep score, or that everyone gets a trophy. It’s why one mother will attack another mother if she feels her child is hard done by. It’s the reason that our children...

The Party MUST Go On

Posted by Jess on Jul 28, 2012 in Essentially Random | 9 comments

As I write this I’m tired, hungry (it’s lunchtime) wondering where my glasses are, and why Elmo is dressed like a butterfly. On account of not having changed the channel from ABC2 cause the kids have only just left the room for a nap, and let’s face it, who remembers to change the channel anyway? There is washing to do, dishes to clean, and a Tinkerbell birthday cake to make. So I thought I’d blog. Cause that’s just how I roll. Tomorrow is Ava’s second...