Raising Pickney

Who needs a bestie when you have a sister? Their dynamic continues to fascinate me. Though they sometimes fight and argue , they still defend each other to me. Anna always want to tell Mia what to do but Mia is no pushover.

They are so similar while maintaining their own individual sense of self and style. I am so glad that they have each other as they create the best memories together.

p.s They are the coolest kids on the 🌍…pardon my bias😜

Happy 8th birthday to my wonderful daughter. You make me see life in full color! You add sparkle and pizzazz to everything and today we celebrate the fun, awesome and amazing young lady that you are!

You are surrounded by love and all your favorite things today and forever.

Happy Holidays from my family to yours.

Whatever is meaningful and gives you joy, I hope is yours for all seasons

These two…all I wanted was a decent picture of them in front of the Christmas tree. Dem neva have to do me like that. Swipe to see how Mia just started to joke out the ting.

All their antics made the last slide even more special

Introducing the new girl Lower Junior & Kindergarten Department Captain of

now have kids in K1 and Grade 2…yet here we are!

Anna is always excited for school and new adventures. Today was no different. Mia introduced us to her new teacher and off she went to her new classmates…I am a mess!

I hope everyone’s back to school journey went well today.

I do not think I will ever get used to the fact that I now have kids in K1 and Grade 2…yet here we are!

Anna is always excited for school and new adventures. Today was no different. Mia introduced us to her new teacher and off she went to her new classmates…I am a mess!

I hope everyone’s back to school journey went well today.

Bring your daughter to work day…

Anna doing field work with her dad. She is convinced she is already a land surveyor.

Would you want your kids to take up your profession?

A little because I am feeling nostalgic. Remember when I had a 1yr and 3 yr? OMG! Time is certainly flying fast around here!

Look who stepped out to support her little sister!

Family is everything and we are gonna celebrate every milestone.

Anna is such a delight and is the best date to any event.

Anna’s dress

Felt Regal Today…won’t delete later!

Round of applause for the dress! I had to go hard for this special occasion.

Mia graduated today and I was so emotional watching her reach this milestone. Her next stop is K1. I am a proud mama bear.

It was kinda sad too knowing that this was my family’s last chapter at . My girls together spent quite a few years here and they were nothing short of magical.

Mia was a sick puppy today but despite that she was a such a trooper. 🎓s off to her!

p.s. Got no pics with her as she was not about that life today😛

If Thank God It’s Friday was a person!

Happy Friday from Mia and her favourite pose.

Dress

# ̇day

Afro Puff Girls…

Whether you are a natural hair master or beginner, afro puff is a simple and practical go to hairstyle for kids.

Anna and Mia love their puff and are happier have a similar look.

They are still on school break are ready their day out in Portland with their daddy. Anna says she is bringing a note book to write down everything fun thing she sees😉

What is your go to hairstyle for your daughter(s)?

Mia’s Outfit
Dress & sneakers

Anna’s Outfit
Romper
Sneakers

Anna woke up this morning and decided that she is going to be Mary, Mother of Jesus. She is in full character mode and naturally Mia is gonna follow suit. Now I have two Marys’ at home🤷🏿‍♀️. By the looks of it this holiday will be very festive.

Hope your Easter Holidays will be just as exciting!

Sisters make the best friends in the 🌎

They fight. They play together. They teach each other. They get in my makeup. It’s like living with your BFF and the mean girl at school all at once. Having a sister is like having a best friend you can’t get rid of. No matter what you do, they will always be there.

My daughters’ relationship with each other is no different and I am happy they have each other.

Soccer mom but make it cute…

Merry Christmas from me and mines to you and yours🎄🎅🎁

Just me and my girls…

FTR I believe they are the spitting image of me and I love that😘

May this Holiday Season sparkle and shine and may all your wishes and dreams come true✨

This picture perfectly describes how my week in ‘raising pickney’ went. I had a tough week. I felt as if I was being twisted into all sorts of shapes and positions and expected to come out a super hero. I came through it but just barely. Parenting is like that. It’s not always gravy but press on we must.

p.s Anna now knows I am not as flexible as her and everyday is a flexibility challenge just to rub it in😡 These kids can be brutal.

I hope you are having a great week.

Tea is better with besties👯‍♀️

She didn’t want to go to her tea party this morning but the mention of her bestie Xiah always do the trick. The second pic made me glad she did.

My reluctant Princess!

She didn’t want to go to her tea party because she wanted to dress like her sis this morning (who wasn’t going anywhere btw)🤷🏿‍♀️

She warmed up on her way to school and she told me at pick up that she had fun☺️

Close your eyes to see me with your heart.

In deep silence, close your eyes and let your heart fly by spreading those wings of love in an unknown sky.

Close your eyes to feel the tranquility and serenity of mind.

Close your eye to see the world with your imaginative mind. ~Debasish Mridha

Her presence inspires me on my worst days. She encourages me to show up as better version of myself. With her around there is always something to smile about, always something new to discover and always a reason to face each day with hope and thankfulness.

It’s hard to watch my kids wrestle with the hard things and not intervene.

The list goes from the daily sibling rivalry to being rejected by their play mates, to being unable to open a bottle or put on a shirt.

There is this constant urge to step in and fix things as I do not want to see them sad or hurting. I realize that I step in also because I still want to be the hero/saviour in their stories.

However, I have to give them the tools to figure things out for themselves. I have to remember that I raised them well. They are capable and they will be ok.

I do not dress up much these days but I had to for my darling Mia’s birthday

MY darling Mia! You are unbelievably precious to me. I hope your day be as radiant as your smile and as lovely as you. May you continue to bring sunshine, joy and beauty wherever you go. Have an amazing birthday my sweetheart!

My life in pictures…

p.s. Mia neva wah wear nuh shirt today🤷🏿‍♀️

Give yourself grace at all times but especially when you find yourself unraveling. Or just being hard on yourself for whatever reason. Give yourself the kindness that you deserve.

I find it easier said than done to give myself grace. I tend to beat up on myself for mistakes or even things out of my control. The times I need grace most are the times I am least likely to give it to myself.

It has become a conscious effort for me now and I am doing better.

It helps to be real, not perfect. Aiming for perfection is a waste of energy and for what? No one expects you to achieve it anyway. Just keep it real about what you are going through and that will take some of the pressure off.

Speak kindly to yourself. Words are powerful so choose the ones that will uplift you and help you to maintain focus. You can do it.

It’s ok to mess up. You will forget to dress your child like an astronaut or that parent/teacher meeting but that does not make you a bad mother. It’s a bad not a bad life.

Set aside some me time everyday day for some self care. This can look different for everyone but do something just for you. This will help to keep you centred for when the crazy starts.

Lastly, it always help to take a deep breath and be thankful for this journey called .

They are the most perfect balance of peace and sacrifice. I would choose them every time

These pictures were taken as Mia was heading out to school. The last picture was taken when she got home.

She was crying because she left her best friend Xiah at school. She bawled all the way home which was not a fun ride for me.

Despite the crying, I was low key happy that she is forming bonds outside of our home and making friendships with her peers.

Celebrating with my favorite afro chick

No one is coming to rescue you so save yourself!

This has been my go to message recently. I have been feeling overwhelmed like I want someone to come and relieve me of all my burdens; save me. Life does not work that way though and everyone is dealing with their own ish.

I may not always want to hear the truth but the reminder to save myself gets the job done. It springs me into action and gets me to focus on what’s important. It reminds me that I am the hero of my story and only I can save me.

I hope that this message helps you too as you navigate this new day and new week into showing up for yourself; believe in yourself and be your biggest cheerleader.

The sun shines on them and for that I am .

Everyday is a chance to To give it another go or change direction.

Starting over can be hard as we hold on to the old expectations of self and that of others. It gets easier when we let go of our pride and begin, again.

Embrace the new and wonderful opportunities that come with a new day

My aim when deciding to have a second child was for my children to be three years apart because I wanted them to grow together as playmates. Two other perks of having children close in age are:

1. I find it easier to plan outings that they can both enjoy because they are in the same age group.

2. They are able to share clothes and toys. This works out perfectly for me as both my kids are girls. Even though sometimes Anna hates to part with her clothes; I love to see Mia wearing them.

As they get older I am so please to watch their friendship grow as they discover more about themselves and each other.

Today, they are inseparable. Mark you, they bicker and fight too and that can be exhausting.

However, I am forever grateful that they have each other during these and the new normal of no movement days and online classes.