Your first "swim" - some pics

My dear angel, here are some pics of when you had your first swim in your mushroom pool that Yolandi bought for you with your buddies Keaton & Malakai last Thursday. You seemed to like it, but I think we should try to get you to a bigger pool somewhere.

Love you plenty!

Mom

Wishes!

Happy one year anniversary Lisa & Dale!

May you enjoy every day of the rest of this journey together!

Also very happy birthday Dale for yesterday!

May you have many more to come!

Love

Us 3

What says Khalil Gibran? From Ohpaw

Hello my dear boy. Your Ohpaw has always recited the following paragraph from Khalil Gibran to me, eversince I was a teenager. But I have not heard it since you were born, and your Ohpaw just reminded me of it:

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said: Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,

which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

These words are the most profound that I have ever heard about parenthood and I will strive each and every day to live up to them. Thanks for reminding me dad!

Here are some photos of when you and Kai had a playdate. It was amazing to see you "discover" each other, but you can see that for yourself on the pics!

Love you my only!

A new day has truly come...

My precious boy, I thought I just had to write the words down (or some of it) of a song by Celine Dion - A new day has come. Everytime I hear it my eyes fill up with tears and I realise how blessed I am to be able to call you my son. Here's the part that always makes me cry and I couldn't have said it better myself:

Through the darkness and good times
I knew I'd make it through
And the world thought I had it all
But I was waiting for you...
Where it was dark now there's light
Where there was pain now there's joy
Where there was weakness, I found my strength
All in the eyes of a boy
Hush now I see a light in the sky
Oh, it's almost blinding me
I can't believe I've been touched by an angel with love
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears
Let it shatter the walls for a new sun
A new day has come
Ohhh, a light
Hush nowI see a light in your eyes
All in the eyes of the boy
I can't believe I've been touched by an angel with love
Hush now...

I love you my only. You are beautiful, you are perfect, you are love, you are my everything...

Christening Pics - Thank you Anja & Arno!

When can we play?

My family

Me & granny grey

Me, dad, granny & grampy

Me, mom & ohpaw

Me & Dad

Hello handsome!

Me, Ouma & oom Koevoet

I'm praying too

Being Baptised

I understand ...

Can I eat that?

Me, mom & dad

Me & Oumagrootjie

Me & my girlfriend Anè

Christening candle from Megs & Samm

Big pappa C & my buddy Keaton

Loren & Darryl

Poem

Hi my beautiful boy,

Your ohpaw found a poem for you and posted it on the comments. But I thought it was so beautiful that I wanted to post it here.

~George MacDonald
Where did you come from, baby dear?
Out of the everywhere into here.
Where did you get your eyes so blue?
Out of the sky as I came through.
What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?
Some of the starry spikes left in.
Where did you get that little tear?
I found it waiting when I got here.
What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand stroked it as I went by.
What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?
I saw something better than anyone knows.
Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.
Where did you get this pearly ear?
God spoke, and it came out to hear.
Where did you get those arms and hands?
Love made itself into hooks and bands.
Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?
From the same box as the cherubs' wings.
How did they all just come to be you?
God thought about me, and so I grew.
But how did you come to us, you dear?
God thought about you, and so I am here.

Beautiful hey my angel?

Love you plenty
Mom

Some pics of the weekend

Me, Samm & Caden

Megs, Keaton & Loren

I love standing!

Tired from all the playing!

Listening to the minister

Look at my sexy tekkies!

Getting baptised

I love being udressed!

Almost sitting!

Your Christening

Hello my angel,

As I am writing this I am missing you terribly! It feels like I haven't seen you in days, but it's for a good cause, I have to share you with people that also love you very much.

Yesterday we had a very big party just for you my only. A lot of people came to see you get baptised and we promised to teach you all about God and what He did for us. The sermon was absolutely beautiful. Gerhard (the minister) spoke about the similarities between you and little baby Moses and how your incubator was a lot like the basket Moses was placed in. I admit, I shed a tear because I was taken back to those early days, when you were so tiny, just fighting for your life and we didn't know whether God would spare you for us. Thankfully he did and now I have the wonderful pleasure of being your mom, my greatest accomplishment yet. I thank God each day for giving me that chance, another day to love you. You were very good in the church, at some stage it looked like you knew exactly what Gerhard was talking about.

Well, I'm taking off early today so that I can spend some time with you because I miss you so much. You had another sleepover last night, this time with Granny Marilyn and from what I hear you were very good.

I just want to thank everyone for spending that important day with us and for all the beautiful gifts and wishes we received. It meant a lot to have all the people so near and dear to our hearts there.

Oh and ofcourse, Happy 8 month birthday my angel. Thank you for growing so beautifully each and every day. Love you millions.

Also just want to recognise National Down Syndrome day today. My friend Loren wrote some very beautiful and inspirational words, please have a look on www.malakaistow.blogspot.com

Love
Mom

Veels geluk Ouma Rina!

Baie geluk met ma se verjaarsdag. Mag daar nog vele meer wees en mag God ma nog jare en jare vir ons spaar. Dankie dat ma so 'n wonderlike mens is en dat ons altyd op ma kan staat maak! Ma is 'n inspirasie vir ons en almal om ma en beteken vir ons baie.

Baie baie liefde.
Ons 3

You're growing up too quick!

Hi my angel,

Well, this last week I just realised how quickly you are growing and becoming a little man. I still want to "baby" you, but your ouma and ouma grootjie had a serious chat to me and told me that I need to let you explore more things. I guess I'm just so use to being over-protective and it's hard to let go. I'm still so worried that something might happen to you and that they'll take you away from me again, but I'm trying my sweetheart. You had your first taste of a marie-biscuit yesterday and you seemed to like it a lot, but as soon as a little piece broke off in your mouth you spat it right out. It seems that you really dislike different textures, maybe that's why you're batteling with the porridge. I'm going to try a different flavour next week and if that doesn't work I'll go onto veggies. Maybe you'll like that more. I had such a great day with you today. You had a sleepover again last night, and I missed you so much that I couldn't stop kissing you today. We played a lot and I let you spend some more time on your tummy because your legs are very strong, but your arms need a little work. My boy, I love you so incredibly much and I will try my hardest to do what's best for you, and not what I want. You're sleeping right now, but I can't wait till you wake up so that I can hold you again. I love you my angel and you are truly my wonderful miracle from God.

Lots of Love

Mom