I’m A Mom With Tattoos – Nicki From One Of The Boys

Welcome back to another installment in our new series – I’m A Mom With Tattoos.  In case you have missed the last couple, don’t forget to check them out here.

Hello, howzit, hi!  Friday again?  Flip. So much to do so little time.  I feel like that little white bunny in Alice in Wonderland – *sings* I’m late / I’m late / For a very important date. / No time to say “Hello, Goodbye”. / I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.  In fact, the moment the girls wake on school mornings one the first things they ask me is, “Mommy, are we late today too?”  And the answer is nearly always yes.  Besides going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier, any tips on how to be on time to things?

Anyway.  I’m about to introduce you to one of the loveliest people I have ever had the pleasure of cyberstalking.  Nicki’s tattoos are as gorgeous as her personality – bubbly and genuine.  And let’s not even mention her adorable boys!  You know the drill.  Get your poison, make yourself comfy and enjoy the read – I definitely did.

Your name and blog deets:  Nicki Dadic from One Of The Boys

Your age: Almost 32 (OMG)

Your Occupation:  Blogger, Instagrammer and freelance social media manager

A Mom’s favourite thing to do is talk about their children – tell us about your family: I am married to David, my very own Harvey Specter. We’ve been together for 12 years in August and we have two BEAUTIFUL boys, Luca Jack and Mika Alex. Luca is almost 5 and is the most intuitive, aware and intelligent child. He is incredibly smart and confident, but also very soft and emotionally driven, much like his mamma! Mika is 2 and a half and is TOTALLY different to his big brother. He is equally beautiful, with a mischievous dimple and a permanent cute-naughty glimmer in his eyes. They are the absolute joy of our lives, even when they’re fighting like cat and dog, turning Dave and I into raging alcoholics, one day at a time.

If you work, tell us a bit more about your working environment – are you regularly in contact with new “clients/public”.  I have been freelancing for just over a year and am in regular physical contact with clients, from corporate legal types, to small business owners. I like to believe that my professionalism and confidence far outweigh any need for concern about my tattoos and this is proven. Just last week I was in a meeting with 4 lawyers and not one glance was made at any of my ink. People know who I am and I am not judged by what is on my body.

Tell us a bit about your tattoo’s, what they are, why you have them, where they are located.  Wow. Okay. *counts all the tattoos* I have ten tattoos. Starting from the feet, up:

1. Two stars on the top of my right foot: this is something that my sister and I share – a love for stars. She has the same, on her left foot.

2. A filigree heart on the inside of my left ankle: this includes the letters D and N, which I got just before Dave and I got married.

3. A Chinese symbol for “Tranquility” on the right side of my pelvis (We all have one embarrassing, tacky tattoo, right? *CRINGE*): got this when I was 16/17. My second tattoo. Nuff said.

4. An owl key on the left side of my pelvis – my late mom loved owls and so do I.

5. “Storm” on my lower back in graffiti – my 3rd tattoo, which is my middle name. Lower back tattoos were all the rage in 1999. Again, nuff said 😉

6. Luca’s name in a fine typography, with a little swallow on my left side rib cage: a dedication to the first little boy to steal my heart

7. A framed portrait of my sister, Lauren, on my right side rib cage: my sister and I are best friends and soul mates. She has a similar portrait of me on her right forearm.

8. A barn owl on my left shoulder blade: this tattoo covers my first tattoo, a tribal “thing” which I got when I was about 16. The owl again, is a reflection of my late-mom and my love for these gorgeous birds.

9. A small star on the back of my neck: a shared loved for stars with my beautiful sister

10. A date and initial on my left wrist: the date that my late mom, Debbie, passed away

How old were you when you got your first tattoo?  I think I was around 15/16.

Which tattoo is your favourite and why?  I think it would be a tie between the owl key and the owl on my shoulder. They were done by Sean Perrins and Jan “Munky” Giebelmann and their work is just INCREDIBLE.

Do you plan on getting more?  Absolutely! I’m not sure what, when and why, but I know that I’m not done.

How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)?  As far as I know, people love them. What counts though, is that I love them.

What is the general reaction that “the Public” have towards your tattoo’s?  Have you run into any negativity or adversity because of them?  People see the owl on my back and they’re immediately intrigued. From “Who did it?” to “Was it sore?” and generally being a conversation starter, it’s never been a negative for me. I had a LONG conversation with a woman in a queue at Woolies a while ago about the barn owls in her garden in Linden and how she planned on actually making little owl boxes for them to live in. Anyone who doesn’t like my tattoos is entitled to their opinion, but as I said, I love them and that’s all that counts!

Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed?  Spend time looking for the right artist for you. Think about what you want and why. And, if you’re 16 years old, DON’T go into a tattoo parlour, point at a tribal/Chinese symbol and say, “I’ll take that one”. Trust me. I made that error in judgement already 😉

And as usual, if you’re a Mom who wants to share your tattoo story, please in touch with me cindyalfino(at)gmail.com