Category Archives: age

The Ice Cream Man

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As the sun slowly sets on this relaxing Sunday, I find myself quite disappointed. All day I have been straining my ears to hear the ice cream man. The familiar jingle that would give me all the confirmation I need, that summer is on it’s way.  The ice cream man is like my ground hog. If I hear him, then winter-like weather is nearing an end. Hopefully next weekend he will surface.

Funny thing is I have never even seen the ice cream man here in South Africa. I hear the jingle, then search for my wallet and keys, rush to open the gate on our door, then one at the front of the house and lastly, the gate on the street, by then Mr. Ice Cream man is at least two blocks away. It’s not too terrible, as you all know how I feel about South Africa and their ice cream, which I wrote about here. I was still a bit shocked the first time I heard that the ice cream man only sells soft serve?!?! How boring is that?!?! No ice cream baseball glove, with the bubble gum ball? Unimaginable.

Note to Self: Ava MUST experience an American summer, chasing after the ice cream man, for an ice cream baseball glove, with a bubble gum ball.

Friday night was Johan and I’s first night out without Ava. It wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated, however, I did check my phone a bit more than usual. In my defense, both our phones were on silent so I was a bit paranoid something would happen and no one would be able to reach us.

The night was wonderful. A glass of wine at this swanky new restaurant, then a hilarious comedy show that had us all in tears, and then a nice snack and glass of wine at another swanky restaurant. Felt young again, until I realized the only people I was younger than were my friends. Everyone else around us looked like they were still in matric!! Thank goodness we don’t get out much these days. I don’t think my confidence can handle it. Honestly, I don’t think I ever wore my skirts as short as the girls these days.

Happy Half Birthday, Ava! Here is a look back at the first half of her life:

Don’t forget to enter my Birthday Giveaway here! It’s easy, just leave a comment saying which lucylucybangbang print you like the most and WIN! The winner will be announced next Sunday, on my birthday!

Goodbye July, hello August!!

Blair

To Ouma We Go

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On Saturday, Johan and I picked up his Oupa from the retirement home and took him to visit Ouma in the hospital. At 93 years old, he is still able to get around. Slowly, but surely. As we walked in, he spoke to everyone as we passed, especially all the ladies. Johan was holding Ava, and I was walking with him. He held on to me tight, like a proud grandfather.

On the 7th floor, we came to Ouma’s room. She fell last week, broke her hip and has been in the hospital ever since. After the hip replacement, she got a few blood clots in her lungs and is slowly recovering from both. 
Ouma lay in her bed, thin, pale and weak. When she saw Oupa she started crying, she had thought he was dead. Lying in the hospital is making her lose her mind a bit. Oupa touched her face and told her she was silly, he wasn’t going anywhere. I thought I saw tears in his eyes. He probably won’t go anywhere. He will loose her, before she looses him. As I watched them interact with each other my heart swelled up. I can’t even imagine losing Johan. Not even when we are in our 90s. When I looked up, I saw my husband holding our daughter with tears rolling down his face. My husband is sensitive and not afraid to show it. I love him so much.

After 60 years of marriage, Johan’s grandparents are still very much in love. He kissed her forehead and kept trying to make her more comfortable. He told jokes and honked her nose. She cried and tried to joke back. She’s in a lot of pain these days. 

After leaving the hospital, I realized just how fast life is going by. My youth is gone. I am now older than my mom was when she had me. I try to imagine her at my age. Where our family was, what we were doing. My grandmother at my mom’s age now. I try to look forward and imagine life as Ava. Of what her memories of grandma’s house will be. Of school, pets and first loves. I think a lot about the decisions I made as a teenager and even as an adult. The good and the bad. Try to figure out how to save Ava from the bad. Yet, I know she will have to learn her own life lessons from her own decisions.

Johan and I are in agreeance that we must live life to the fullest and always have something to look forward to. We don’t leave angry. We wake up with smiles in this house. We love each other, our family and our life. 

Despite seeing Johan’s Ouma in such a state, it was so great for her to meet Ava and introduce Ava to the rest of Johan’s family. We stayed at his cousin’s house, a beautiful home built over 100 years ago. His beautiful wife and their two gorgeous daughters welcomed us with opened arms, lots of great food, laughter, good wine and heated blankets! We really must visit them all more often. 

My favorite photos of the weekend:
Farm Life

I love Ava’s hand on her great-Oupa’s arm. Melts my heart.

Johan with his Oom Charl and family

Johan and his cousin Charl – almost everyone in his family is name Charl, even Oupa!

9 month old lions

Johan is one calm cat

Me, freaking out

The cat sensed it, then swatted at me with his paw and tried to bite my leg

So I was out of there.

Just another Sunday in South Africa

These are rare white lions, Charl’s neighbor breeds them. Not for hunting purposes, thank the lord.

So close, yet so far away.

These tigers were looking at the girls and licking their lips, not cool. Ava is not a morning snack, mister!

The van der Riet’s beautiful farm house

Yep, this one is getting printed, framed and hung on the wall!
For some reason I can’t get Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide song out of my head. 
Well, I’ve been afraid of changing
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older I’m getting older too
Yes I’m getting older too, so
Getting older by the second,
Blair Scheepers


Scratch that off the "Mommy Fail" list

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It’s taken me five months to come to the realization that no matter how often I trim Ava’s nails or how short, she will inevitably scratch her face. And scratch it a lot. This week she has a scratch coming out of the corner of her eye. How she didn’t cause serious damage to her eye ball, I have no idea. But, I am officially taking face scratching off of the “Mommy Fail” list, as there is nothing I can do to prevent her from said bodily harm.

Yes, I said five months. Ava turns five months tomorrow! I can’t believe how fast time has flown by. Last year at this time, the notion of being pregnant was only starting to sink in. My diet had changed to 95% crackers and 5% fruit. I could not stomach the idea of any meat and yearned only for sushi. And American fast food, of course. During my pregnancy I gained a total of 23 kgs, which is 50.7 lbs. Way over the recommended limit. I cannot imagine how fat I would have been if we lived in the US during my pregnancy. I’ve got 6 more kgs, 13.22 lbs to loose before I am back to my normal weight. With only two months until bathing suit season…

Yesterday my Aunt hosted a baby shower for my brother and his girlfriend, who is due in August. Missing special moments like these really make me miss home. But if we lived in America then we would have missed Johan’s nephew’s 1st birthday party this morning. Unfortunately, we will always be in a lose, lose situation.

Sometimes I day dream that Johan is American and his family all live in Charlotte. Or that I am South African and my grandmothers are only a few hours away. But then I guess we wouldn’t be the people we are. And maybe those people wouldn’t have fallen in love like we have. Life is all about tough choices and our toughest choice is being away from the ones we love. Right now it is mine and maybe one day, it’s his.

We got Ava’s mid-term report on Friday. The additional comments read:

Ava is ‘n baie oulike dogtertjie. Sy het gou aangepas en geniet die skool. Sy is ‘n plesier in die klas.

I know enough Afrikaans to understand what it says, but for those of you who don’t, Google’s translation is:

Ava is a very cute girl. She quickly adjusted and enjoys school. She is a joy in class.

So Google’s translation isn’t so great. Here is mine:

Ava is the cutest little girl in class. She has adapted well and is a pleasure to have in class.

Keep makin’ Mommy proud little one, so I can keep my “Mommy Fail” list short!

Here are some photos from the weekend:

The Birthday Boy and his Mommy

 Sweetie Pies, some chocolate log thingys, strawberries and white chocolate! Yum.

Again, Ava drank way too much and was the first to pass out at the party…

5 Months old! Yay for Ava! She is laying on top of one of my baby blankets, almost 29 years old…

Modeling is hard work, Mom…

 My mom and sister, along with her girls are coming to visit Ava and I next weekend. The Skipper will be out of town for work, so it is perfect timing. And we will get to celebrate Amanda’s 32nd birthday!! Man we are getting old! Well, she is.

Be on the look out for more pictures of beautiful babies coming next week!

-Blair