mummy has a life?

If I'm totally honest, it wasn't until I had my own kids that it hit me.  That my mum had a life outside of me.  That she is a person who has hopes and dreams, frustrations and feelings.  Someone who has made sacrifices and denied herself things throughout her life.

When I lived at home, it was an inconvienence if Mum got sick (it didn't happen very often), if she wasn't there for me, it was annoying (because she was always there for me) and if we went out shopping for her, it always ended up being for me.  Mum was just there. She was great. She was the perfect mum.  She was my security rock.  I could never see a time when I wouldn't need her.  But I never thought about her as a person, not really.  It was all about me. I admit it. I totally took my parents foregranted. It makes me cringe now looking back.

Most people harp on about how their mum is their inspiration, best friend, blah, blah, blah. And while that's true in some way for most of us, do we really know who they are and what they have done for us?

It was a strange realisation when it hit me. How selfish I was, and that I knew nothing about my mum as a woman. Her favourite colour, music, flower... her loves and regrets... her life story... 

So I set out to change that and one night last year, we sat together and I scribbed down her life story, and I'm so glad I did because what a life story it is (I could write a novel about my mum's life)...  I want my kids to know her story when they got older, because it is inspiring and colourful and dramatic, but this post isn't about that.

No this post is asking, is this how all kids treat their parents? Will mine do the same to me? But then I am not as selfless as my mum.  I regularly tell my kids that, "It's not always about you, or how you feel". It's that old 'nature' or 'nurture' question again isn't it?

I thought I'd add a nice cheesy picture with this post!

 

the great wall of...

Now come on admit it.  You'd all be curious to see this.  It's only natural to want a gawp.  It's fascinating.  Which 'type' are you...?

An art piece, from the UK artist, Jamie McCartney, called...

The Great Wall of Vagina's.

It's about changing female body perception through art - and I'm all for it! It's not pervie, or gross, or porn - this is art.  It's empowering and educational and shatters the myth of what's 'normal'. I think every teenager should have to see this, for a healthy dose of reality.

The exhibition is opening in London in May (2012) and I sooo wish I could go along.  I hope it comes to Oz!

400 women got involved, from all ages and backgrounds and the result is 10 panels containing 40 casts.

I think it is brilliant.

oh to get my hands on these!

For those of you, who like me, have a fascination and appreciation of women's bodies, I've just discovered a very cool book series called 'The Big Book of...'

Published by Taschen. The Big Book of Breasts explores (funnily enough) the start of 'bosom mania' and covers three decades of mammary madness with fabulous pics of big, bountiful baps.  A wonderful coffee table book (okay, maybe bedside table book, for those of us with young kids). Or, for those of you who prefer the male member, or buxom bottoms, there's a book for you too, so everyone's happy!