Scallywag
Confessions of a multi-mom
Jacoba Combrinck
Copyright © 2012 Jacoba Combrinck
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher.
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2012-05-30
Acknowledgements
I thank my family for their unwavering support and patience.
The team at FastPencil.com made the publication process smooth.
Dedication
For Marietjie, David and all the children and staff at Owl.
Introduction
I am a multi-mom, which means to me that I play in multiple teams. First, the wonderful RIM team, as a programmer/analyst, which I love; secondly the Combrinck team, where I am Mom, Doctor, Chef, Partner, Friend; finally the K-W (Kitchener-Waterloo) team, where I belong to a most warm and welcoming community.
Naturally my thoughts are filled with stories from my action-filled plays in all the paths I happily tread.
Since many of my musings come from moments with my son, I wanted to include a few of my favourite poems about childhood, by Rabindranath Tagore. His work finds a connection with my own, although I would not be so bold as to place myself in his league as a poet. I also took the liberty of adding my own illustrations of his touching verses.
Haven
Swirls by David, 2 years
Century
You run on your small strong legs,
confidently scramble up carpeted stairs, giggling
as your father tries to grab you
As I rub cream on you, I know these soft limbs of yours
will become a man’s legs
They will carry you to 2100, where I will never go
Journey
As you sleep in your car seat, your small busy hands are still
Chubby fingers and dimples in rosy soft skin are still
Clear and pitched voice is still
Long eyelashes move slightly, tender mouth, smiling, is still
Are you dreaming of some joy in play?
Birthday
Peaceful home-day, family-day, heart-day
Joy-day, play-day, small-boy-hug-day
Chocolate-cake-day, candles-blow-day
Peaceful home-day, family-day, love-day
Baby to Boy
You pull me out of myself,
tug at the ends of my strength.
Nurturing you brings challenges never imagined;
Loving you brings joy never known
September Day
Before the early morning light
You call to me for a hug
Small arms reach as I kiss soft cheeks
Fluffy duvet still warm from the night
My blonde boy with your silky hair
You giggle when I tickle your back
Your dad comes in and you beam
Snuggle for a moment in the rocking chair
Reach
Snowflake
Last night we read in your nature book about snowflakes
You looked at the picture with wide eyes,
amazed that they are one of a kind
This morning we cuddle for a few moments in the lightening dawn
I whisper that you are my snowflake, no one else is just like you
You smile: “Thank you Mamma,
and you are my beaudiful budderfly”
Castle
Blue triangles, red squares
Stack the blocks to make stairs
Towers and turrets, up they go
Just one more - oh!
Heap of triangles, red squares
Try again, make higher stairs
Towers and turrets, just so
There we are - wo!
Sick Day
You wake at four and call to me
Small face flushed and small body hot
Milk and medicine soothes until seven
Cheeks still warm, eyes bright
you quietly watch treasured stories
while Mamma works nearby
