Lots of stuff

Playing with your clay


All the goodies we bought from your school market day


Kissing the dolls when I went to go look for a present for a girl for the Christmas party in December


All your Easter Eggs (that are left over)


Yum Yum ice cream


You and dad admiring the grass at the cheese farm


Feeding the turkeys with Kelly at the cheese farm


Your first hair cut certificate


Your first school photo


Your class photo

Hello my beautiful big boy,

We had a wonderful easter, of which you haven't even gotten halfway through all the chocolates and easter eggs you received. Between Ouma, Granny and Aunt Lynette I think a conspiracy was formed because we have a whole fridge full of Easter goodies! They just don't want me to sleep at night, lol. But we had a wonderful long weekend with me and dad taking you and your brother absolutely all over. We didn't go away, so made up for it by keeping really busy, ha-ha. We went to visit my cousin Amelle, went to the cheese farm in Hartebeespoort dam, took long drives into nowhere, had a braai at Ivan's and had breakfast with Ohpaw, among other things.

Then this weekend was family time! Granny and granny Grey came up on Thursday and Aunt Lynette, Uncle Grant, Tanya and Candice (dad's cousins) came on Friday. What a fun weekend and you mister, got spoiled rotten! You were so happy to have all the people around you and constantly showed off your vocabulary. You got so many clothes and sweets from gran and Aunt Lynette, and you even got to pick your own clothes when you went shopping! Thank you very very much! Unfortunately, being a typical 2 year old, you had to show them what a tantrum is supposed to be and on Saturday night 01h00, threw your worst one ever. You woke up, asked granny for sweeties to which she obviously responded "no" (in a much nicer way than your mom would've my angel) and then it all came apart. Dad and I were ready to put you in a cold shower just to calm you down! Luckily it stopped after about 30 minutes (which felt like days!!!) of hair-raising screaming! So unfortunately you had to go on a detox on Sunday and didn't have any sweets again...One day you'll understand, lol.

Anyway, just want to say thank you so much to Wes's family for coming to visit, it was wonderful having you all here and thank you for spoiling our boys so much! And a big thank you as well to all the girls from granny's embroidery club for Caden and Noah's presents, we appreciate it very much!

Till next time my precious.
Mom

My reason to celebrate!

Hello my angel,

Today I want to some space on your blog to honour another man. This is a man who gets up at 5 every morning to sit in traffic for an hour and a half, gets to work and goes full-out to give his everything, gets back in his car to sit in traffic for another hour and a half (if there isn't an accident, which is highly unlikely) and gets home at about 18h30. This man then walks in the door ALWAYS with a smile on his face, after all that and gives you kisses and hugs and all the attention you demand. Why does he do all that, sitting in traffic, working late? Well, it's all for you my angel.

He loves you so much that he wants to make sure that you get a good education, have a safe home, and something nice to put in your tummy, with the occasional sweet here and there. He wants to make sure that you have warm running water to bath in, electricity so we can see at night, warm clothes for winter and swim suits for summer, books to learn and get smart, a school to go to, a car that we can take you places in and so the list goes on. This man does absolutely everything just for you and even though I know he may not like it at times, he does it without complaint.

This man is your father, daddy weasel, and he is one of the most admirable men you will ever meet. I urge you to follow in his footsteps my angel, because a better rolemodel cannot be found.

So why am I writing about this today? Well, because today we celebrate our 4 year anniversary, and it has been an amazing journey, starting when you were just a twinkle in our eyes. I have been blessed to become the wife of the most amazing person ever, someone who appreciates me, who motivates me, who inspires me every day to be the best that I can be, someone who looks after me and most of all, someone who loves me for who I am. I hope that you can find this kind of love someday my angel, because it is truly precious and a gift to be treasured and without it, you would not have been here today.

So to big daddy weasel, THANK YOU. Thank you for being who you are, for doing what you do. No one can do it better and we love you!

P.S. Don't be surprised to find the exact same post on your brother's blog, after all, he does this for both of you.

Love you plenty!
Mom

Pictures

You thought it was the coolest thing wearing ouma's black berry box sleeve as a crown...we thought so too!


Wearing ouma's shoes, very fashionable my boy...I'm so gonna show this at your 21st!


Pearl necklace on a bike? I don't think dad will approve my angel!


This was a glorious moment for me. You've always fed me your soggy biscuits, or left over bread, and being your mom I've accepted your "gifts". This time it was dad's turn, and you decided dipping coco pops in tomato sauce was the best "gift" ever. I wish you could see your father's face as he unwillingly accepted his fate!


Dad taught you how to make a monkey face...and this is the end result. Now you are pulling your own ears as well!


Sleeping with dad. Look at those open mouths trying to catch flies! Like father like son I tell you!

Hey my monkey,

Just thought I'd post some pics of your antics. Oh, and just to let you know, you have been sick AGAIN, and....now dad and I are also sick. Just another way of making sure you're getting the needed attention I believe. Well, it worked and dad and I have been up with you a couple of times every night.

Anyway, love you plenty and hope you (and we) feel better soon!

Boetie is not a toy my love...

Hello my angel,

As the heading implies, I wanted to tell you about how much you want to play with your boetie, but...it's a bit rough. You don't understand at all that he is fragile and that you cannot pick him up and drag him along with you to the sandpit. We bought you a little doll of your own so that you can also feel like you have a "baba", but I don't think it's working. Last night Ouma said you must take your "baba" to bed and you grabbed it by the legs and threw it over your shoulders, dragging it with you. On top of that you think that sticking your finger in it's eye is also a wonderful new game. So understandably, we are a bit weary of letting you play with Noah just yet, ha-ha. It does break my heart though because you are so excited to see him, yelling "Hello Baba", "Baba drink melkies", "Baba slaap". Unfortunately you don't quite understand keeping your voice down either so usually it ends up in little boetie being a bit upset. I'm so sorry my love, just a couple of more months and your friend will be big enough to play with.

On the other hand, your language is really taking off. It took only 10 minutes the other day to teach you "triangle, square, circle, diamond and star", and if I ask you what you are to a person, you get it right everytime, like Daddy's "Big Boy", Ouma's "Pappagaai (Gaggagaai according to you)", Ohpaw's "special one", granny's precious "Pie", Grampy's "tokoloks" and Mamma se "boudjies". It's adorable! In the mornings you wake up repeating all the words you know, so you litterally wake up talking and do not stop until the end of the day. I love that!

Well my angel, just wanted to tell you about your antics. We love you very much and every day you impress me more and more!

Love you plenty!
Mom

We're home, and we brought you a little something...

You eating your "big boy" serial this morning for the first time...hmmm, chocos, you loved it!


Noah and Dad


World, meet Noah Christian Paul.


Just hours old

Hello my angel,

Well, I am finally home and brought back a little brother for you to play with. Noah Christian Paul arrived via C-section on 03/03/10 at 08h43 weighing a whopping 2.46kg and healthy as can be.

We are so incredibly blessed to have had absolutely no problems, he breathed easily, he ate easily and we haven't had a moment's stress thus far. Thank you for teaching your brother so well my angel, he obviously listened and we have had a wonderful birth experience.

Introducing your little brother to you was quite an experience. You are very excited about this little addition and want to play with him very badly,but you don't quite realise how small he is yet, and well, we have had to stop you from pulling him off the bed a couple of times. You usually start off with a kiss on his little head or shoulder, but soon that turns into a tug of war with dad trying to keep you from pulling him. He-he, at least you like him!

Dad has been looking after you so well while I was away. He really did an amazing job and the two of you seem inseperable now. He gave you all your medicine on time and I didn't have to worry about a thing! He really loves you so much, making extra sure that you don't feel left out. You look like a giant compared to Noah though, and suddenly all the milestones that you have reached are highlighted at every moment. I am so incredibly proud of you and cannot believe what a big, loving, caring, enthusiastic little man you are.

As for me, I am loving having a newborn in the house again and your brother is reminding me so much of you when you were a little baby, just without the oxygen tanks and pipes and stuff. He doesn't really look like me or dad, he mostly resembles you, we think, but with pitch black, straight hair??? But the way he pulls his mouth, his facial expressions, everything is just like you were. Last night I fed him while dad was bathing you and I tucked him safely into bed, and then I got to do the same with you (something I've missed out on the last couple of nights in hospital)and you turned around, half asleep and gave me your bottle, said "dankie dadd..dankie mamma" (when you realised it was me) and gave me two kisses. It was just such an amazing feeling, being so blessed with two boys to love and a wonderful, caring husband who supports me in everything. How did I get to be so lucky?

So this is our new little family. We are so happy and so blessed and just generally overwhelmed with all the love that surrounds us. This journey is going to be awesome!

Love you plenty my sweet.
Mom

Timing? You aint got none mr. Man!

Ok, so it's official, you have definitely found the way to keep mom's attention stuck on you little man, yup, just throw in a 39.4 C temp and mom is all yours!!!

I have absolutely no idea how this happened. Sunday night I saw you had a bit of a runny nose, but everything was fine. Then in the morning dad had to take you school because I had to go to hospital for Noah's injections, and he said you had a little cough. You seemed fine when I fetched you from school and we even went for a swim with ouma, but at around 17h30 I noticed you were very hot. I took your temperatur and it was 38.6, so nothing too bad yet, but definitely something that needs attention. I gave you all the necessary medicinces, and after some cold wipes, you were soon asleep and doing ok. I went to ouma to get the last of my injections, and when I came back, dad told me you were feeling very hot. When I took your temp it was 39.4, just 2 hours after I gave you your meds! I quickly gave you some empaped and that seemed to do the trick. You were very restless though and I spent the night with you in your room. On the other hand, I seemed to have picked up some sort of stomach bug, and was up the whole night with severe cramps and contractions, only getting about 3 hours broken sleep in total. Luckily you are on antibiotics now, so you can see your little brother tomorrow because you won't be "infectious" anymore. You are still not yourself and your temp keeps peaking every now and again.

Things are just not getting better though. This morning we heard some very bad news. Granny Grey had a stroke and was taken to hospital. Please keep her in her prayers so that she will recover as soon as possible. We are thinking of you Gran, and love you very very much!

I have been having very bad contractions during the day so I had to take some medicine that makes me very sleepy. Luckily ouma is around to help, but alas, no sleep for the wicked. Dad had to work late so that he could finish everything before taking some time off to be with us and our new little addition. Poor him, when he tried to leave, his car was completely dead! So ouma had to go and pick him up all the way in Johannesburg. They are still not home, poor monkeys.

So with 3 hour sleep tired eyes, I just want to let you know that we love you dearly, things are going to get a lot more hectic, but that doesn't mean that we are going to take one second of love and admiration for you little man.

Hope you feel better soon and I'll miss you very much while I'm in hospital, but promise to be back soon, and give you lots and lots of kisses.

Sleep tight my angel.

Mom

Almost a big bro!!!

Yay, cutting the cake!


Kai and Cole looking too cute!


Samm and gorgeous Deqlan. Can't believe how many words you are saying already little man. Your mommy is definitely doing something right!


Cutie Keaton in the sandpit


Kai enjoying the sandpit


Cole with his cute hat on


Little bro "Nonah" growing nicely


Your aeroplane cake made by Ouma


The gift baskets and flight certificates for your friends


Hello my angel,

Can you believe you will be a big brother in only only 2 days. I can't believe we made it this far already! I got my first set of injections this morning to help your little brother's lungs grow and to make sure all his veins are connected before his early arrival on Wednesday. We are booked for a caeser at 12h30, but knowing how these things go I'm sure we'll go in a bit later. I can't wait to see how you will react to your little brother. You are such a caring little man, but also tend to demand attention, so it will be quite interesting to see the dynamics! I got you your own little "baby" that you can take care of, the way I will look after Noah, and I dressed him in your old prem-clothes. This way we can look after our babies together!

I love how you kiss my belly when you say hi to your brother. You lift my shirt, kiss him, call him Nonah, and then close my shirt and say "bye Nonah". It is very very cute. But sometimes you think "Nonah" lives in your belly too, so I don't think you quite understand exactly what is going to happen, lol.

I must admit, I'm feeling kind of anxious, knowing I'll have to share my time with you. I know it's worth it because you will always have a friend around, and I'm sure you two will get along wonderfully. But I've been so blessed to be at home and having some extra time to play with you and teach you, that I think the thought of having to share that is quite daunting. On the flip side, I'm really looking forward to meeting your little brother and seeing what things you two will have in common. Will you look like brothers, or will he look completely different? Will he also be an extrovert like you and me, or take after dad and be a bit more reserved? Only time will tell I suppose, and as I firmly believe, you knew what you were getting yourself into before you came to this earth, so needless to say, you chose your little brother as well, and he chose you.

Oh, yesterday dad and I took you to the Johannesburg zoo so that we could spend a qualtiy family day together. You loved the animals, but I think it's safe to say your favourites were the elephants, the lemurs (monkeys according to you), the peacocks (chickens according to you) and the zebras (perdjies according to you). I loved how you immitated all the sounds, roared at the lions, baa-ed at the goats and so forth. And the zoo had beautiful open spaces, so you ran your little feet tired! I think we're definitely going to have your next birthday there!

Anyway my angel, just wanted to give you an update of how are lives are about to change.

Love you plenty!
Mom

TWO!!!

Happy Birthday for yesterday our precious little monkey! I can't believe you are two already, and my how time flies! You've grown into such a beautiful little person and every day with you just gets better and better!

Dad took you for your first hair cut yesterday and you look too cute for words! It's like you've gone from a baby to a little boy in one day!!!

We had your party in the afternoon and all your friends came to join and play with you. After lots and lots of sweets we opened some presents, which you got so many beautiful ones of, and you went to bed quite content at 19h30.

Thank you everyone for the presents and for spending the day with us. We appreciate it so much, having family and friends join us for a day which is very dear to our hearts!

Today, two years ago, was the first time I could see your beautiful face my angel, and what a joy it was!

I will post some photos soon.

Love you plenty!
Mom

Eish, the illness...

Hello big boy,

Well, as title implies, you are sick again. The wonders of school I tell you. You had a slight fever on Friday, so I took you to dr Vermaak so that we can have your 2 year check-up as well. You are weighing 9,5kg, not really catching up to your peers, but not falling behind either, so we are happy! He prescribed some anitbiotics and off we went. Your fever got a bit worse and on Saturday morning I realised with a fright that you are allergic to the antibiotics he prescribed, but I forgot to tell him that (sorry my angel). Well, Saturday and Sunday you looked just awfull, your eyes were swollen, you had a rash and a terrible fever, and you were just not a happy man at all. Luckily the right antibiotics kicked in and by Monday morning your fever broke and you were right as rain again, phew.

We finished your room, decorated with helicoters and planes, which you love, and you are sleeping on your own mattress, which you roll off of about twice a night. We definitely need to make a plan there, ha-ha. Your verbal communication is improving by the day and you are starting to string sentences together, often telling me that "Dadda is stout", ha-ha (I agree, lol). You also repeat every word we say, so dad and I really had to start watching what we say around you because you will easily tell on us, lol.

I love this stage of your development, well, I love every stage actually, but you are becoming so clever and independent. Every day dad and I just get more proud of you!

It's your birthday coming up on Saturday and I cannot wait to see how you will react to the people, the presents and the sweeties! We are so blessed to have so many people care for you and who will be joining us on that day. If I think back to two years ago, I was lying in a hospital bed, not knowing what was going to happen, if you would be okay, or what your journey would have in store for us. But somehow, dad and I both "saw" this future with this fiery little 2 year old with blonde curly hair making every day an adventure for us. That gave us such peace and comfort, "knowing" that you would be okay, well, more than okay! Words will never be able to describe the absolute joy you bring to our lives my angel!

An update on your little brother: He already weighs 2.25kg (huge hey?)and will be joining us, God willing, on the 3rd of March now. Doctor moved the date up so that little bro won't endure too much more stress in the womb. So in two weeks you will be a big brother! I cannot wait to see how you will react, even if it is in a jealous way, which I think is most probable. But, you are already full of love for him, lying your head on my tummy, kissing him, and covering my tummy with a blanket when you think boetie is cold. You also call him boetie Nonah, close enough.

Anyway my angel, my next letter will probably be after your birthday to let you know what adventures you were up to.

Love you plenty!
Mom

So this is what human feels like?

Hello my angel,

I'm so sorry, you must've had the roughest couple of weeks,not understanding why mom hasn't been the same. Last week was a complete daze, with saying goodbye to uncle Tim on Friday, me having more contractions on Wednesday, the medicine I had to take knocking me out completely until Thursday, and then Saturday, surprise surprise, Bronchitus! I've been so ill that I could hardly get out of bed, and I'm sure the lack of attention made you very unhappy. Dad's been holding the fort for a while,and shame, he's exhausted too! But today I woke up for the first time feeling slightly human again. Still a terrible cough and blocked nose, but I can actually open my eyes, yay! To my surprise, I haven't had any contractions (or I've been sleeping so much I haven't felt them), which is amazing as I just seem to sneeze somedays and they start. So hooray for now!

Anyway my love, just wanted to explain why things have seemed so out of sorts.

On the up side, this is what is happening to your little brother. He's already 32 weeks!!!

"Your baby now weighs about 1.7kg and is around 42.4cm long from head to toe. Although his lungs won't be fully developed until just before birth, your little one is inhaling amniotic fluid to exercise his lungs and practise breathing. Your baby is immersed in amniotic fluid, which is protecting him as he grows in the amniotic sac.

Some babies have a head of hair already, others have only a few wisps. Thick hair at birth doesn't necessarily mean thick hair later on, but children with fine hair in childhood usually grow up to have fine hair too."



Love you lots!