MEET TRACY

 

Next up on the Mom-series is Tracy, she is our ”boy-mom” here is her story and a small glimpse into her life as a boy Mama!

Hi Tracy, tell us who you are…

I’m Tracy, and I’m a wife and mom of two boys, Liam (10) and Cole (2). I’m from sunny Durbs but my life and home is now in Cape Town. I’m an introvert but still enjoy the company of others. My philosophy in life is: Never take shortcuts, hard work will pay off! I work for a corporate but my passion lies in my blog because its where I get to express myself, unleash my creativity and release my stress. I’m just an average girl who loves everything that makes my life easier. My blog is Liam and Cole the blog

 

Describe your typical day in 5 words or less..

There’s always something to do!

 
Name 3 things you can’t live without..

I can’t live without my family, my contact lenses and my phone.

 
What’s in your mom bag and show us a pic;

My diary, planner and my makeup purse. Nothing else because I literally just de-cluttered this weekend. There’s usually loads of tissues, sweet papers, a couple of toys and something for a migraine. My mom bag which is basically 5 years old and has been used every single week day for work and whenever I go to the mall alone or with the kids. Basically its my everyday bag.

 
Name one thing you wish you knew before you became a mom:

I wish I knew that I’d miss my sleep this much but never want it back because my heart will overflow with some much love from my kids.

 
What do you do when the kids are napping/asleep?

I tidy up, catch up with hubby, blog, read, pamper myself or cook.

 
What’s the best part of your day?

The best part of my day is when I finally sit down after a long day and my eldest son Liam makes me a cup of tea. After that I cuddle my toddler to sleep and tuck my eldest son in. Memories I will forever hold on to.

 
Name a few of your mom guilty pleasures..

All the junk food and take-aways. All the chocolates that I eat. Infact eating just about anything without the kids makes me feel guilty haha!

 
What has been the scariest moment of your mom life and who did you look to for support?

I’ve had many scary moments in my mom life and they were all the same type of scary moment just repeated over and over. My son has had several prolonged seizures over the last 5 years. I cannot begin to describe how it feels to stand by and be helpless and watch your son hurting. But I’m thankful that he’s now 8 months seizure free and we hoping that the seizure he had 8 months ago was the very last.

 
Who is your hero and why?

My hero is my eldest son, Liam. He is so brave and has taught me that no matter what you’re going through, love will always see you through to other side. I don’t believe in fear and that no one is born with fear. Fear is learned and it is taught. I believe that if there is anything I am fearful of, if i make the effort to learn more about the consequences, I will not be afraid.

 

Name something that your mom taught you that you have taken into your own motherhood / parenthood.

One of the many things that my mom has taught me is that to teach is not to talk, but to set the example. I always try to keep this in mind throughout my parenting journey.

 

If you could be anyone for just one day who would you be?

I’d love to be Oprah Winfrey for just one day so I could feel what it feels like to be a billionaire!

 

Worst mom-fail?

I once didn’t help my kid with his studying and he didn’t do too well in his test. There’s a long list of mom fails in my closet!

 
How has motherhood changed you?

I’m responsible now. I don’t take reckless risks drinking and driving or not buckling up and I always put my family first. I choose my kids over sleep every single day.

 
Your proudest moment?

I’ve got so many proud mom moments but the latest one was about two weeks ago.  My toddler had recently started attending creche/daycare for the first time. My little one Cole cried and cried every single day. It really bothered Liam that his little brother was so upset every single morning so he started getting out the car every morning with us at the creche and he would walk his brother to the school gate. It was obvious that he was being strong and protective of his brother and showed on him as he courageously took his brothers hand each morning and walked up to the gate. He consolingly told his brother that we would be back to fetch him after school. That voluntary gesture made all the difference to his little brother  and each day got better and better. An absolute proud moment for me!

If your house was burning down, name 3 things you’d grab besides the kids and pets?

My camera, my laptop, and a few of my clothes.

Send me a photo when you were at your worst or best during your motherhood journey and tell me why you chose it.

I chose this photo because I remember exactly how I felt that day. I was so happy that I could finally spend a minute with my eldest while my youngest had finally taken a nap after being needy all day. I was also overjoyed because my eldest was finally showing signs of being himself again, after being on too heavy a dose of medication  that didn’t agree with him for over a year. That day I remember feeling like there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Name one thing you would change about yourself and one thing you wouldn’t.

I wish I could change that I’m a perfectionist because my life would be much less stressed and I wouldn’t constantly feel the need to be good enough for people that don’t matter. I am learning to be more aware of this habit and try to nip it in the bud the minute I identify it. Its tiring!

What piece of advice would you give to a new mom starting her journey?

Go with your gut! Other peoples opinions of your motherhood journey with your child does not matter!

Who is your biggest support?

This is a tough one. Both my mom and my husband are my biggest supporters. They are with me every step of the way, and I’ve been down many different roads in my short life time.

 

Best part of being a mom? 

Best part of being a mom is seeing the love in my kids eyes for me. I love being their mom and raising them to be the best they can be.

Best book you’ve ever read?

The Bible. Its the only book that always leaves me in awe after reading. There’s so much to learn from it and so many real life lessons for us to learn from.

 

Have you ever been judged for how you do things as a mom or how you parent? If so why?

I’ve been judged plenty of times. I’m an aspiring crunchy mom so I always try to go the natural route first when it comes to medicine. I’m also a gentle parenting mom which many don’t quite get. I raise my kids my way as I am their mother and know what’s best for them.

Worst parenting advise you ever received?

I was once told to give my kid a higher dose of medication than what the directions said on the insert. I was given bad parenting advice so many times, but I blame it on pure ignorance. Because if one knew the consequences of the advice being given, they would never (I hope) have given the advice in the first place.

 

The best part of being a BOY-Mom?

The best part about being a boy mom is that I often get to express the tom-boy in me. I’m an adventurous person that loves all the boy cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles etc. Also, I don’t have to worry about brushing girls hair 😆.

 

Do you think your family is incomplete without having a girl?

I do long for a daughter but don’t think our family is incomplete. Whilst I know I could love as many more children that I would bare, I am content with the ones we have.

 

What’s the grossest part of having 2 boys?

The grossest part about being a boy mom is constantly sitting down on a wet toilet seat!

 

Tracy you have a beautiful family, with two beautiful boys, you are an amazing mom and your boys are lucky to have you. Thank you for a glimpse into your life, home and heart!