The flowers that bloom in the spring...

Some photos of what we have been up to....

Planting flowers and herbs, that may survive the TLC they get given

Going to Dad's retirement dinner

Setting up a "big, big bed" for Alex - and even sleeping in it ;-)

I love seeing the boys sleeping together - so sweet curled up together, so peaceful and no fears about one about to bop the other on the head....

Birthday flowers

Eating "the house with the star inside". This was on playschool about 3 weeks ago and since then we have eaten many, many apples....

Convincing James that non-liquid food is not evil. He's somewhat keener on the concept when he gets to put the food in his mouth than when one of his parents is wielding the dreaded spoon.

Boys giggling together...

Book Giveaway Number 1: Alexander!

A few months ago Catherine hosted a giveaway for a Arnold Lobel book and a discussion on our favourite children's books. I was rather a bookworm as a child (I was frequently found hiding somewhere reading), but my first favourite book was Seven Little Rabbits by John Becker.

In this book seven little rabbits take one long trip to visit their friend toad, but one by one they find themselves sidetracked by the need for a nap. Fortunately they find a hole (built by a mole) where they can be "tucked in bed" ("sshh don't say peep, s/he's fast asleep"). This was the book I first learnt to read - probably helped by the highly repetitive, rhyming text and the fact that I insisted on having it read to me every night. My parents (and I) can still recite the whole thing!

Part of this books charm is the illustrations (by Barbara Cooney). While the text doesn't imbue much individual character to any of the rabbits (or even the mole), the illustrations and captions impart much needed character to each of the rabbits. When we were a little older (about 6 or so) my sister and I would imagine the back stories about the rabbits and why each of them was tired.

I gave this book to Alex for his third birthday and it has already been read many times. I think we have a while to go before he has it memorized though, but I did catch him reading this to James.

I have one brand-new, unread, hard copy of this book to giveaway (with bonus bookmark!).

To enter please leave a comment below and a favourite bedtime book for a preschooler (3 - 4 year old). If you mention this somewhere else (your blog, facebook, etc) I may even be convinced to give you another entry. Sorry Australian entries only!

Entries will close Midnight Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time on the Sunday, 10th October.

Apparently...

...someone turns three today.

I must have blinked, because he is now more of a "small boy" than a toddler - capable of (some) reason, remembering events and people for longer, able to walk 10km in one day.... He is much more decisive and can be very particular about what he wants to happen/wear/eat. So much so that he can get worried if something is out of place.

It has been fun watching more of his personality emerge, particularly over the last month where there has been lots of interaction with different scenarios and additional adults around.

Sometime is seems that this particular character has the ascendency (often paired with a dose of Mr Helpful). Unfortunately at times that means Mr Bossy appears...

We are having a small celebration tonight (read Alex's favourite dinner - spaghetti, and cupcakes), but are having a slightly larger one on the weekend when my parents can come.

So Happy Birthday small boy. May you grow as much in the next year as you have in the last

PS And just to round things off - here is some baby goodness from not-quite-three years ago.

You know the travel preparations are at their zenith when

.... the two year old starts to make his own travel plans.

These have consisted of

• pointing at random cities on a map of Europe and saying "Coffee here, and Coffee here and Coffee here" (A man after his father's heart!)
• measuring (with the measuring tape and scales) the luggage and saying "Oh No - too heavy" or "Yes - its OK)
• playing "aeroplanes". Which consist of Alex the pilot ensuring everyone has on their seatbelts, and headphones before we take off. We then "fly around up there" looking out the window at "astronauts" and then "land". I think Alex might be a little disappointed that he won't get to fly the planes....

The world according to Alex

Alex loves our camera - posing for photos, watching them afterwards and taking pictures himself. He has taken to "borrowing" the camera from where ever it is (and given his ability to work the step ladder it doesn't seem to matter where that is...) and photographing EVERYTHING in his life.

So we get bizarre pictures of peoples feet, everyday objects and the things that Alex deems photographable.

• Apparently James gets photographed.

• As does dinner

• And Daddy is a looong way up!

Slightly Elevated Tea

In the quest to find entertainment on cold winter afternoons, Alex and I occcasionally have a "proper" afternoon tea. We make a pot of "proper tea" drink tea from small espresso cups and have mini-muffin sized cakes with them. (That we baked earlier in the week...)

It makes a change from the usual "milo in sippy cup with rice crackers and fruit" afternoon tea that we normally have. Alex quite enjoys the ritual of choosing which colour cup to use, pouring the tea and then drinking from a grown-up style cup.

It is a pleasant spot of calm for me in the day and probably good practice for sitting in European Cafe's. Just a pity that cleaning up after eating takes as long as the afternoon tea....

The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak

Someone lost the fight (with themselves) to not have an afternoon sleep.

The Joy of Bedtime

Joyful for all (including Mummy!)



Alex asked me to take this photo with his Teddy. BTW Teddy has apparently had a name change from Teddy to Sammy...

Just spent....

...a lovely hour playing in the park with the boys. But, oh that wind is cold!

I think a hot lunch is in order. (and hopefully a rest of B1)

Alex's saying of the day

(After bestowing kisses on every member of the family)

"Please, Mummy, I need a kiss"

(Of course I obliged!)

No more tears, no more crying

Earlier this month was my Grandma's 91st birthday. My sister and I, and the two little boys went to visit her (it was fortuitiuosly on a Saturday and we were in Sydney).

Grandma has been in a nursing home for about 18 months since she had stroke and her dementia worsened. In the last six weeks she has been in major decline and has been unable to shake pneumonia.

She still enjoyed seeing the little boys even though she was not quite sure of how she was related to them and was very tired from the visitors she had that day. Alex sang "Happy Birthday" a few times (we had been practising in the car).

Unfortunately since we saw her she had declined rapidly and late last night went home to the Lord. My parents and aunts and uncles were able to see her yesterday.

Please pray for our extended family as they arrange the funeral.

This song, from the CD Alex listens to before bed, is a good reminder of the home that my grandmother had been anticipating eagerly for some time.

No more tears, No more crying

There's a country awaiting us

No more sadness, No more sighing

God's preparing a place for us

All our troubles will be gone

We'll see Jesus on his throne

No more tears, No more crying
There's a country awaiting us
No more sadness, No more sighing
God's preparing a place for us

Crystal river flowing by

God himself lights up the sky

No more tears, No more crying
There's a country awaiting us
No more sadness, No more sighing
God's preparing a place for us

Simone Richardson, A very very very Big God

Things to remember whe you have a 2 year-old #1

Empty pockets before putting in the wash.

The washing machine does not like pebbles.

Temora Air Show

Last weekend we travelled to Temora (about 200km away) to attend one of the flying weekends at the aviation musuem there. One "plane/rocket/helicopter" obsessed little boy was very excited!

There were aerobatic displays and fly-passes from a range of prop-driven (mostly) WWII aircraft - Spitfires, Kittyhawks etc - as well as some jet-propelled planes (like the Sabre). We enjoyed our picnic lunch with the planes. After the flying display the allow the spectators onto the runway to talk to the pilots of the aircraft.

We finished the day with (very large) milkshakes at the White Rose Cafe - an art-deco style cafe that still has all the original fittings - including the rose pressed iron ceiling, before driving home.

How can you resist....

showering those sweet baby cheeks with kisses?

Welcome Home James Andrew

James Andrew Larkings
born 5:34pm 19th February 2010; 3220g; 49cm long

Your imminent arrival caused the rest of the household to rush about in the early hours of the morning. Despite showing such strong signs that you were keen to arrive, you refused to co-operate so some 15 hours later alternative arrangements for your arrival had to be made! But all was well.

Apparently you were hungry for you have not stopped eating since you have arrived; In fact you banquet like a Roman Emporer - multiple courses, with stops for naps, and the occasional vist to the vomitarium!

And then you sleep - for two, three and even four hours at a time. Long luxurious sleep that is undisturbed by the excited shrieks of your brother, the beeps of the hospital equipment or the general noise of the household. Your mother is happy for she sleeps too.

Occasionally you wake up and rail against the "darts and arrows of outragrous fortune" that this new world contains. Hunger = Bad; Digestive processes = bad; the process of being dressed or wrapped = bad; no longer being able to feel the edges of the world = bad.

But then, when fully satieted and safely in the comfort of your parents arms, or lap you uncurl and explore your new world. Looking with wondering eyes at all that it is now made of; bearing with equanimity the overly-generous love of your big brother as he brings you toys and food, or tries to play with your fingers, toes and nose.

And we look back at you, wondering at how you could be so perfect and tiny; wondering what sort of person you will be and what you will be like; all the while praising God for your safe arrival and asking that he will watch over you and be will you all of your days.

Welcome to the world baby James. We are so blessed to have you part of our family.

Alex turns 2

Our little Entropy warrier has now turned 2. While we can't imagine life without him, it does seem to be so quickly that he has changed from a helpless (contented) bub to a small "independent" child with a definite mind of his own.

We celebrated by staying at my parents and having dinner with cake. Alex then got to stay with his grandparents while we went to the movies.


This year he sort of knew what was going on with the cake - he waited till we finshed singing and then attempted to blow out his candles! He had also had fun "helping" me ice and decorate said aformentioned cake that morning.


He also had fun opening his presents. Even three days later he is "reading" his cards like books.

Wriggly Boys

Why do little boys have to wriggle? And why do they have to do it at the most inopportune moments? (I presume little girls wriggle too, but I wouldn't know about that!)

This evening - post dinner, post bed, post pyjamas, and post story - Alex needed an urgent nappy change (he must have been having an excrement day, because it was not the first of the day!). He willingly submitted to having his nappy come off, but then he insisted on wriggling (before i had the chance to clean up...) - he wriggled right over, tried to stand up and then slipped on the cot! In the process he managed to soil the changetable, his pyjamas, his feet, his legs, his sleeping suit and me. Needless to say I was not at all symphathetic to the banged head!

If anyone knows of a failsafe method to stop little boys wriggling then please let me know!