14 Months ~ Letter to August

Darling Boy,

So much has changed this month. You have developed  a LOT. I feel like the days have flown by and you have achieved and learnt so much. 

The summer is starting, and like a plant you have spent a long time physically growing towards the sun, taking nutrients, storing energy, however now you are starting to unfurl into this beautiful flower. You whizz around cruising and crawling...your so quick! The chatter has turned into words, and you seem to pick up new words almost daily. When you were only a few days old, I had a lovely South African midwife come and give you a hearing test. She told me as we were raising you bi-lingual you might take much longer to talk...I think you are bucking the trend.

This month we have seen lots of family. Your Cousin Isla seems to like you alot...the feeling is mutual, you like to hold each others hands and smile at each other...a lifelong bond is forming. As I have told you before it is your job to protect her and screen every boy who comes within 10 feet of her!!

Your toys have taken on a new role, and you have started problem solving...working out that the stacking cup all sit in one another...and the tower of rings all are different sizes and only go on one way. I love to see the look on your face as you work it out for the first time...you do it, look around for me, I tell you how clever you are and this huge smiles come across your face...pride. You amaze me with it everyday.

We recently found this little piano at the charity shop...I have high hopes that you will learn an instrument, something I wish I hadn't flaked out on...I would have been a female version of Nigel Kennedy by now if I had not :). You love to listen to us play it, and when you play it, you are always giggling at the sound it makes.

I now have gone back to work, it is nice for us. We have some time apart and I'm sure we are both benefitting from it. I however adore coming home to your smiles and nose bumps, and even homemade Mama cake!!

You love to play in the baking cupboard, picking up all the colouring bottles, hundreds and thousands, and flour.

You can say Mama, Dada, Nana, No,Tractor, Banana, Flower, More, Nijntje, and when we say Baxie to you, you wave!

You eat mainly with your hands now...the spoon is banished.

Peas...they rock your world....with huge 'ohhhhhh' when you see them on your plate.
You can stand without help...for all of 3 second :)
You adore your bedtime stories with Papa.
You sit in the bath without a seat.
You smell flowers in the shop with Nana everytime we go in, which is daily.
You are loving the time we spend in the garden.
You had your first swim...you might need a few more as you were not amused!
We all went camping in the woods...you got naked A LOT!
You and Papa have a boys day every week.
You dont have to have anymore jabs until you are 3 years old...YAY!

The next stop is walking Master B...I think this time next month I will be writing about it. I cannot wait to see you run around the Garden, a great big grin on your face, squealing with joy.
 More memories, more fun...It will be magical for us all.

Be bold my beautiful boy.
Love Always,
Mama
xxx

Heartbreak

Today we lit a candle for little baby Vaughan Leonard...

...too beautiful for this world...

...soaring high, with the Angels...

The newest twinkle in the sky.

Fly free & Sparkle bright Sweetheart.

XXX

10 Months ~ Letter to August

 Mr Moo,

Wow how you have grown little man! Developmentally you are so smart, I love to see the amazement in your face when you discover something new. We build towers out of your blocks and you don't like to knock them down but place more things on top. Like your dummy or another block, it is so sweet to watch.

You love to share and offer everything to us....if your playing, you offer us a stacking cup, dummy, or toy. You have even started to offer us your spoon after you have taken a mouthful. I adore to see this kindness in you, I pray it continues throughout your life, because it is a wonderful quality to have August.

We have seen you sleep a lot better this month...I bought you an amber anklet to see whether it sooth's your horrid teething pain...I really think it has worked to take the edge off. You seem so much better, and that make Mama & Papa so happy.

This month we have been spending a lot of time with other babies, it has been fun, you are so calm and gentle, even when others are crying and fussing. However the only time this doesn't work is if your hungry...you are ruled by your tummy; just like your Papa!! Your meals just keep getting bigger and bigger as does your appetite!  Food is your world, which is great. I am very grateful you are not fussy about what you eat and you hardly ever refuse anything...thank you for that darling boy, it makes Mummy's life so much easier.

Avocado is still your favorite and you have just started to eat some finger food and wheat puffs are devoured with much pleasure and orange hands.  

Mama has made your 1st Birthday Party invites, which I'm trying not to think about because you cannot possibly be one soon!

You love wheat puffs

You can stand up with the help of the chair

You can turn around on your bum

You now sit sideways in your high chair!

You still wave like crazy

You bounce to the beat of the music

You Dutch clock ALWAYS gets you smiling and laughing

You hate strong wind

You hate the car seat

You saw your first ever snow, and loved touching it

Your handknitted GG blankets are a huge comfort for you

You love to dance with Mama in the sling
You play peek-a-boo, lifting your blanket to cover your eyes then dropping it to reveal a huge grin!

You had your first fall...and bruise!

I have spent 19 months loving & nurturing you. Imagining your future, worrying, laughing and enjoying your every wriggle, hiccup, smile & giggle. Seeing your achievements, the light in your eyes, every pound gained, every mouthful , every ounce of milk & every outfit outgrown. Words cannot say how mind blowingly beautiful this time has been. 

Can we do it all again August? With maybe more sleep?

I adore you with every tiny atom in my body and soul.

Hugs,

Mama

xxx

P.S I want to see teeth next month please!

Spa Day

Yesterday we had our Spa Day (thank you Pip for holding out!)

To say it was bliss is an understatement....it was glorious! We had lovely long swims which were wonderful. We floated around looking like a whale, but feeling weightless. Getting out of the pool was another matter altogether...ok so I am THAT heavy!

Anyhow, my lovely friend Jenna came with us...we got scrummy massages and facials, along with head massages and I got a leg massage which was out of this world, who would have thought my legs were SO tense!! We then had a gorgeous bento box lunch which was perfectly delicious. We read trashy magazines, gossiped about people we have never met and generally chilled the hell out.

 I also had a tingling pedicure, which set off my restless legs!! However it was still fab, and she painted my toes the most dramatic red...and I got to take the colour home, which was just perfect. 

I cant thank my wonderful Family enough for treating me to this joyous day.

I love you all so much

xxx 

So Pip, I am ready...get a wriggle on!

xxx

Letter to Pip ~ Part 6

Dear The Mighty Pip the Pickle,

Well my darling we are nearly there...today you are 37 weeks old and I couldn't be more proud of you and my body. We have been through a lot. We have had adventures, laughter, stresses, fun, tears and moments of breath holding and prayers.

You seem to be kicking well this week. In fact I feel you are running out of room and those long legs are getting a bit cramped now. We managed to freak Auntie Louise out as she watched you kick and jiggle about, she just couldn't believe how strong you are...I think we might have put her off having a baby. I however told her how wonderful the feeling was. After last weeks antics you can kick as much as you like darling baby.

So all you have to do now Pip is arrive soon, before the 28th March would be wonderful. I want to give birth to you naturally, so you have 2 and a half weeks to pack your bags and come into this wonderful world.

We are all waiting & wondering what you will be....boy or girl? We have all had a guess in the 'Pip Tote'. Mine is a Boy born on the 21st March, however I am only about 50.5% about the boy thing...I think it could go either way!! 

Daddy thinks Girl born on the 9th March....so you better get a wriggle on if he is to be right!!

We are off to have a spa day on Thursday with Auntie Jenna...a lovely gift from our wonderful family...I honestly cannot wait. We are going to have a massage, facial and pedicure....we are going to float in the pool for ages, in our blue polka dot tankini, in which we look rather like a whale in!! 

So if you can resist coming out until we have been pampered I would really appreciate it!

Come safely and quickly gorgeous babe...we are ready & waiting for you to complete our little world Pip.

Head down little one

We love you 

xxx

Letter to Pip ~ Part 5

Our Dear Darling Pip,

This is us at 31 weeks....the PJ's are being rocked a lot lately which is just great as we are both super comfy in them.

These last few weeks have been sleepless. A mixture of you and me tossing and turning in bed, and the dreaded restless legs. Nothing seems to calm them down, so we are ever grateful for a good book!

When we do sleep I wake up to you striking weird positions in my belly. Papa and me try to work out which part of your tiny body we are feeling but it is tough. However your poses make us smile and marvel at your skilled acrobatic moves!!

To attempt to calm the dreaded legs we have been soaking in the tub A LOT, a personal favorite of mine...blissful hot water and bubbles makes my day. Your wriggles make the water ripple like a fish in a pond...you still amaze me everyday... I cant wait to meet your sweetness...tickle your toes...and watch you be in wonder of the world.

This weekend we have managed to get on top of your room...it is looking so fantastic. I have a slight love of pale blue at the moment, I don't know whether this is you trying to tell me that you are a boy...but we are working it in with pale greens, grey and lemon yellows...a giant world map is going up soon, so you can plan your big adventures from your cot.

We have placed our last orders for all the essentials...they all arrive this week, so your room will be done and all pretty in time for your Auntie Nats and Uncle Luke to visit....and before Valentines day, which will leave us free to make lots of people very happy with flowers! It will be a very busy few weeks until you are born... however I promise to keep you safe and happy until the doctors; or you decide to make an appearance.

8 weeks little one...8 weeks until you become a part of this beautiful, inspiring and amazing world of ours

It holds it arms open in a huge welcome to you Pip

You are Lucky

We love you

Papa & Mummy

xxx

15 Weeks to Go!!

Oh My God....that fact is rocking my world right now...25 weeks has come around so quickly I'm finding it hard to believe that in 15 weeks I will be a Mummy....It really is the strangest feeling!

I am feeling great...tired, but wonderful. The shop is so busy but I find myself totally exhausted by the end of the day, and often get sent home by the wonderful one and my Ma to put my feet up!! I have the best family ;)

The photo above was taken before we went out for dinner at a friends house...I felt amazingly pretty, however I paid for the heels later!

Our friends had just come back from holiday where they picked up these amazingly cool olive picks! I thought it was some form of modern art, until someone used one!

We also have our tree up! It is just divine!

Our last Christmas as 'just us'...next year we will be looking forward to Pips first Christmas!

As this ever growing bump wiggles, turns and perfects his/her star jump, I cannot help to feel totally in awe of my body...I feel relaxed, calm and thoroughly excited ...

...I can do this.

xxx

Week 22

I took these photos last week. Pip is certainly visible now. 

Week 22 has been a week of hard work in our little flower shop, buying for Christmas orders and working out window displays. My Grandparents have moved into their gorgeous new apartment, the old house with its 4 bedrooms and years of clutter has been cleaned and sorted.

If I could of had a large Gin & Tonic I would of had 3!!

Tomorrow we are off to Holland for Sinterklaas...Pips first time...I hope S/he will love to be surrounded with the dutch chatter....We are very excited!

I am wondering if it will be different in a plane when you have a Pip in your belly? 

Will we have another surprise from Zwarte Piet?

Will it snow?

Will we be able to sit in a cafe in Amsterdam and watch the world go by?

I will be back with photos next week 

xxx

The Kindness of Friends

Our friends are just the best! We have had offers of baby clothes, cots, Mosses baskets, bath seats and a hole heap more. We have had friends phone from their honeymoon in America to congratulate us. Today I got home to this card from our Dutch friend who had handwritten a letter to Our Pip...it was so sweet it made me burst into tears!

"Enjoy your mummy's heartbeat and your daddy's voice. They will wait patiently. You don't know it yet, but you are so loved already."

Sometimes, someone else's kindness touches you so deeply, you find it tough to put into words.

I will treasure this card forever.

Pip, you are blessed with a whole bunch of beautiful, unique, creative, kind, & generous Aunts & Uncles

Tante Mel was so right....You are a lucky & loved baby already

xxx