Monday 2 April 2012

Riding the Tsunami

At the moment we are surfing the big waves.

Hawaii style ones that break way out the back- deep deep in the ocean.

There's no chance of your toes touching the bottom.

It's either swim hard or be taken under.

Tsunami style waves that pick you up, swallow you whole and turf you around like kelp.

And then spit you to shore bedraggled, limp & exhausted.

Waves that feel so enormous.  So enormous that when you look at them you try to prepare but don't really know how.

And then just as you have surfed one another follows.....and another.

And then night descends and the sea calms.

Until the next following day......when the waves begin again.

Our 5th child is 3.

My last experience with 3 was NOT my favourite.  The ones before that I can't remember (convenient perhaps!).

Here is a list of some of the highlights....ok maybe lowlights of the 3yo's week :

  1. Ran out of the school gates straight onto the road followed soon after by a clog wearing mad lady who had suddenly aged 25 years.
  2. Weed on a friend's super doop posh lounge suite.
  3. Bit his brother no less than four times in one week.
  4. Screamed and kicked me as I sent him to bed on more than one occasion.
  5. Took off his shoes and threw them at a fellow customer at a restaurant (not someone we knew- and clearly he didn't want to know us after that episode!)
The list could go on & on but I choose to forget most of it because I would go bonkers.

What I do know about this is this:
  1. It will pass.
  2. It is far better to laugh about it or I would go singularly insane.
  3. It never ceases to amaze me how a child of 3 years of age wields more power than two of his parents put together and can very nearly make them both come unstuck.
  4. The grog cupboard should remain fully stocked for the next year when history tells me a calm suddenly arrives when he turns 4.
  5. Sleep is a huge part of it all-mostly a lack of it.
  6. That as a parent I make it up as I go along every.single.day. 
  7. I know no more about parenting a 3yo than anyone else even though this is my fifth run at it.
  8. I ain't trying again to see if I get it right next time.
  9. Running in clogs is really pretty hard and not advised.
  10. Wine o'clock seems to come around a lot earlier most days when you have a child aged 3.
  11. Despite all of this I love him beyond words & so does his Papa and his brothers. Nature is an awesome thing.
Check out the super doop grumpy face of the 3yo. I took this pic just minutes after the shoe throwing episode. LOVE.


STEAMED JAPANESE EGGPLANT SALAD:
I have mentioned my love for eggplant before.
It is one of my fave vegies.
A lot of people have said to me they aren't sure how to cook it.
Steaming it is probably not one of the ways most people are familiar with but it gives it a lovely slippery consistency and removes the oiliness of frying it.
This recipe can be served warm and is also lovely at room temperature.
It is be delicious on it 's own or alongside pan fried fish.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

  • 2 large eggplant, sliced and then cut into 1cm ribbons
  • 2 1/2 tblspoons sugar
  • 1 tblspoon soy
  • 1 tblspoon mirin
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 4 spring onion, chopped fine
  • 1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
  • 3 teaspoons black sesame seeds (or substitute with toasted ones)
METHOD:
After slicing the eggplant into ribbons place them into a steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes.
Place into a bowl and cover with cling wrap.


Meanwhile in a small bowl add all the liquid ingredients and heat in a small saucepan (I did this in a microwave).


Remove the eggplant from the bowl and place into a large serving bowl.


Add liquid ingredients, spring onion & fresh coriander and stir through.


Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve.




I think I will NEVER tire of playing this song VERY VERY loud. And loud music may or may not have been helping me survive over the last few weeks:

27 comments:

  1. I read the first part hoping you had the answers to 3yos...
    Now I'm just embracing early wine o'clock and heading out to buy eggplant

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  2. Oh dear. As I haven't had children, I can only imagine just how tough it could be, but you seem to have the right attitude to getting though this next year! I hope you don't mind but I did giggle a little at the image of the clog wearing lady running out the school gates and the weeing incident. But a fully stocked grog cupboard sounds like a fantastic strategy!

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  3. As I fell for you, I have now fallen for your blog too. And I friggin' love eggplant.

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  4. Firstly, LOVE that song. Secondly, your boys are so adorable in all your pics. Thirdly, I am so glad I can start drinking again ready for my Little Miss to turn three. She already is starting to think she's the boss of the house, I dread to think what attitude the next few years will bring!
    You're a wonderful mama. Making it up as we go along is the way to go. xx

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  5. I think the fact that you acknowledge that you're making it up as you go along means you're far wiser than any know it all really is. ^_~

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  6. Ah yes. "The true sign of a dictatorship is a three year old in the house."
    Ruth, I love your honesty in this post, and such a great description. Yep, I remember oh so well what it's like, the relentlessness of it!
    I guess all I can say is baton down the hatches!
    Sending Mama Hugs to you. xxx

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  7. Pleased to meet you. Never never will I, ditto.
    ONly have one 2yr old heading to 3 and I take solace from this.
    see ya.
    JIll

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  8. My girl is three and a half, and we've found it mostly wonderful. Mostly... And it's funny at that age how things are either awesomely amazing or completely terrible. No in betweens. Good luck! ;)

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  9. You know I've had a similar week to you Ruth....Bebito has bitten, "what ever-Ed", screamed at me, tried to jump off a train platform, hit, had to sit out of swimming lessons for not listening & hitting another child. I am surrounded by people who tell me he's doing this because he hasn't gone to childcare. I call that bullshit. I've found his mood swings worse at this age than since he was a baby frustrated by his inability to communicate. It is exhausting that is for sure. When he's awesome he is the best company ever but when he's a grump he's foul. Still, he is incredibly adored by me & his Dada too. I love your rules! Oh & I love eggplant, can't wait to try this. I've been searching for years for a decent eggplant pickle recipe ... Do you happen to have one?

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  10. Ah 3 sucks. Nothing else for it. I only had to do it twice and it still sucked. Each time. Count the days til he turns 4 - there is no other advice! Xxxx

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  11. Making it up as we go is the key isn't it. So is a well stocked booze cabinet.


    xxx

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  12. Well said Ruth, as always! My eldest is 3 & I can relate to all of this beyond belief! Thankfully, the good times and funny moments allow him to shine so bright that it eclipses those tiny dictator moments/hours/days!!!! But, boy does he know how to push me to my absolute brink!!!!!

    It is extremely comforting to know that an "expert" mama has the same situations to face as us novices!!!

    That eggplant dish looks incredible!!!! If I ever dine with you (something I regularly dream of) I will definitely request this! In the meantime, I will try to make this myself ASAP!
    Xoxo

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  13. Sage words my friend. I can't remember 3 and am now in a panic trying to remember if it was as bad as the tantruming overtired piece of work I have on my hands at the mo....shit, now I need a drink! x

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  14. Oh dear god. I have only 9 months left. I thought putting a potty on one's head and running around hysterically yelling about poo was as bad as it got. I am doomed!
    Rushing out tomorrow to buy both gin and vodka.
    Thanks for the heads up.
    Much love to you and the bad-arse honey badger xox

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  15. Ill be over immediately to have words. Beautiful little bastard!!

    BIGLOVE

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  16. Oh my, I was torn between nodding furiously and laughing out loud because I'm at this stage with my littlest and third time around, it's no easier. Those dear little souls know how to push and test us, and I'm making it up as I go too. Thank goodness for beautiful hubbies to unwind with at the end of the day and wine o'clock. xxx

    ps. love, love, LOVE eggplant. Can't wait to make this!

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  17. Hello, I'm so delighted to find someone else with 5 who seem pretty feisty! I have 4 boys and 1 girl thrown into the mix, but am glad that we are finally (as of last week) past 3! I think you are dead right about forgetting, if we didn't we'd go nuts!
    I'm off to scroll through your blog, nice to 'meet you'!
    Sandra x

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  18. Love your work A-man. If your gonna do something do it the best you can!!! That's a paraphrase of 'My' rule no.1.
    Go you good thing.
    And good luck to you Bunz!!!

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  19. OMG! Are you saying that 3 is worse than 2? &(&(*)*&!!!!!

    Ms Nada

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  20. Oh my goshness, I think I purposely blocked out those years. When my twins were 3 it was double dose of everything (tantrums/stress/last of the potty training). I'm sure I aged 10 years that year. On the upside, how YUMMO does that eggplant look! It's one of my fave vegetables too.
    And I totally have to say that you give the GREATEST HUGS! How lucky are your precious ones that they get to be embraced by you all the time!!! It was such a treat to meet you at DPCon. Hope there's a next time so that we'll actually get to chat! Hugs xxxx

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  21. I loved 3. Both my boys were super awesome at 3. I miss 3.... But from 10 onwards my boy has turned into a demon!!!! I don't know where my sweet boy has gone, its hard & it makes me so sad, angry & disappointed. He leaves me feeling like an utter failure as a parent when he is behaving like this. Everyone likes to say it's hormones, & it probably is a huge part of it, but he turned 12 yesterday & things are looking grim....

    I am making no promises on 13. I'm not sure any of us will make it LOL

    I don't drink, I eat....maybe I should drink, my hips may thank me for it.......

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  22. How did you get to be so funny? Maybe because you were a pretty hefty 3 year old yourself! I'm sure a brilliant sense of humour must be required to be so inventive in wreaking havoc. Go you good thing! you're doing the best job ever with those marvellous men you're raising.And keep up those clog exercises - so good for you!

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  23. Why they call it terrible twos is beyond me... Three is so much worse. We're there too. And I still have another one following behind. Drinking, be my friend.

    Laughing is the only way through. And apparently, according to many older women I know, these are the best years of our lives... Oh.dear.gawd.

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  24. Running in clogs-good for your calves? i laughed!

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  25. I've just shared that recipe around the Stuck on You offices. YUM!Thanks.

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  26. Gosh, Ruth. I thought I had the monopoly on 3 year old little boys being 3 year old little boys! I so super wish I had a grog cupboard! 3 is really really tough, isn't it, but I am really enjoying the working it all out! Remind me of that when I put him back to bed for the elevnty hundredth time tonight, ok?
    Heart you!
    x

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  27. Hi there, I really really loved your post! My just turned 3 year old had his tonsils and adenoids out last week and if I thought his usual behaviour was bad I must have been in a lovely dream. I almost wept with relief there is hope at aged 4? I laughed at the wee as I remember my older son weeing on my husband's brand new sub-woofer while toilet training. And to make you feel better, a few weeks ago we just sat down in a cafe and my son displayed his stomach contents to all those surrounding us.
    Cheers, Struth

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