No means No MOM!!!

Hello my angel!

Just a little note from me again to tell you about your cute"ness" in all it's glory. Firstly, I'm shocked to notice that even though you are so outspoken and clearly quite an extrovert at home, you seem to be a bit of a loner when around other people. I had my suspicions, but it was confirmed at Keaton's 2nd Birthday party (which was an amazing ado, I must say). It was a bug party, which is something you became very interested in a couple of weeks ago, caling all the goggas ("og-og") when we dig through the mud. Megan went to such great effort with the party and there wasn't want for anything. You each got your own bug box, with a catching net and lots and lots of sweets! We go hunting for goggas regularly now. But back to the socialising bit. I was shocked to see you only wanting to sit at the table, even after all the other children left, you remained seated, and for quite a while I must say. Thereafter you went to Keaton's outside play area and played in the sandpit all by yourself, not interested in playing with the other children. That was so weird, as I always thought you would be one who wants to be the centre of attention (you certainly want that with us, ha-ha). But it is very cute, none-the-less, to watch you discover new things and run to show me excitedly, by yourself.

Another new occurence is of the word "no". Now I haven't really spent much time in teaching you how to answer questions with "yes" or "no", but you figured it out anyway. So now, when I come in the mornings to get you out of your cot, you give me a mischievious smile, curl back into your blanket, and firmly say "no". When I ask you "Gaan ons bad?" a firm "no" follows, and if I try to convince you otherwise, you turn around, stark naked, and run to your dad. Luckily you still have to learn that he is on my side with that one, so he tackles you and playfully convinces you to get in the bath. By playfully, I mean he tumbles you around, up and down his shoulders until you are so disoriented that before you realise it, you are in the water, ha-ha! Another, (finally) occurence is that of "dankie" and "asseblief", which actaully sounds more like "please". I love it when I lie next to you in bed at night, waiting for you to finish your bottle and sleep, and you turn around with the empty bottle, hand it to me, say "dankie mamma" and turn around, cuddling your blanket and go to sleep. It makes every single day worth it!

On the weight side, it looks like you've gained quite a bit of weight (well, it feels like it) and you surely grew in length too. I only notice it when you stand up in your cot and I wonder how long it's gonna be before you try and climb out yourself...and succeed...gulp. Oh, and when all of a sudden you can reach things on tables where you couldn't before. Who knew baby-proofing was a constant job? So I haven't taken exact, or any for that matter, measurements yet, but we'll see when you go for your vaccinations on the 1st of Feb. I'm sure I will get a nice surprise!

I have to tell you, just a little reminder of how lucky we are really, about a programme on Carte Blanche the other day. There was a little girl called "Hope", who was born at 27 weeks(only a couple of days before you), weighing only 390 grams, due to stress in utero. Now, she recovered amazingly, just like you, and the Paediatrician said that they can see from the word "go", who will fight, and who will not. It made me wonder what your Paediatrician saw, and if he could see, like we could the first time we saw you, what a little fighter you were. But the other thing she said that was interesting is that only about 20% of babies born that early, have no signs of brain damage. WHAT? 20%??? We were shocked. Clearly you fall under that 20%, but we had no idea the percentage was that small. I suppose when you are faced with life or death, brain damage is the last thing you are worried about. But it just serves as another reminder to be grateful for every second, every chance and every opportunity.

Anyway my angel, just wanted to share that with you. Remember to say special prayers for Granny Grey, who is turning 80 this Friday!!! For Loren, Kai's mom, to enjoy/endure the last couple of days of pregnancy and that all goes well when she gives birth to baby Harlan (She's already 38.3 weeks pregnant, a lifetime hey my angel). Congrats to Grampy in Dubai, who had his birthday on the 4th, to your uncle Poena, who had his on the 16th, Keaton who turned 2 on the 16th as well, and to Deqlan who remains NED and celebrated 2 years of it, also on the 16th.

Stay as wonderful as you are my little boy.

We love you plenty!
Mom