So after my cleansing vent of the last few posts - something a bit more light hearted - a photo essay of the last few weeks!
Here we are at the beach (South Golden Beach to be exact, just north of Brunswick Heads) - on a very, very wet day. From left, William asleep under my dressing gown, Tom playing Minecraft (it's holidays!), Sammy on Damien's lap and Eddie surveying all of them. And stuff everywhere! I love being away as there is nothing to be done except the above - nothing!
A close up of Daddy and Sammy (my crazy Germans, if you are reading this - recognise the jumper Sammy is wearing? - it has had some very good use - been through six boys now!)
Don't know how I did this with my iphone camera - but seriously - how gorgeous!!! Sammy was the only one of the children that liked my pumpkin soup. I did spoon it into his mouth - with limited success as he kept grabbing the spoon and wanting to do it himself but his spoon-eye co-ordination is a bit lacking at present!
What a fabulous week to be on holiday! Tour de France starts. So either or both we stay up late and watch or catch the highlights the next morning over breakfast. The TDF always reminds me of T's birth as when we got home from hospital it was on, so the late nights were very manageable for us both because we got to watch the cycling!
Well butter wouldn't melt would it? My boys looking angelic at Lennox Heads for breakfast. I LOVE the looks we get when we eat en masse. There are just the stares, then there is the long look and the head nodding as they count the children, and then there is that catch of my eye and smile - to acknowledge the four BOYS. Some mothers just know what I am going through (normally the older ones that are now having coffee alone with their husbands). It is a nod of camaraderie. Damien still freaks out at the stares, but secretly I think he likes being a bit weird/different like I do!
Sammy now eats with us - no lap sitting or pram lying. He is just a little follower like the others - he eats what they eat, laughs when they laugh (really so funny to watch this), and just watches watches watches them.
The day before we left, T had a soccer game that was Dads vs Sons. Very fun and very funny. Some Dads were really pooped! And injured. Well they didn't think they needed to wear shin guards! Here is T and his best friend another T - discussing the game after the match!
And here are E and W - with their new raincoats and boots. Luckily I had the forethought to purchase these the day before we left for holiday when I assessed the rain forecast. Now we can at least send them out into the yard and to go for a walk around the neighbourhood to jump in puddles and explore. Even with the raincoats and gumboots they come back saturated. So this means all clothes in the washing machine and all boys in the bath. They love the big deep bath here and they play with the plastic kitchen things for up to an hour.
We had a game of monopoly this afternoon whilst William slept. Eddie was official die roller, Sammy sat in his high chair and watched/laughed with us. It was soooooo funny. D does not like to lose. When it looked like D might win (T was on edge of going bankrupt) so T and I did a deal to get T back on track. D was not happy. As the game progressed and S got a bit agitated, I was rolling the die for everyone to speed it all up. D thought I was somehow rigging my throws as he kept landing on my properties. Well he was one grumpy Daddy - T and I were laughing so hard. D thinks it is against the rules to do deals and conspire. He would be hopeless on Survivor!
I LOVE board games - and I can't wait until all the boys are old enough so we can play every night. Monopoly, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Snakes & Ladders, Charades, etc.... And I love jigsaw puzzles - we have some good ones down at the beach so if it keeps raining we will be doing that tomorrow as well. Simple soul I am ......
Here was the purchase of three new helmets and three new scooters. In preparation for our holiday - needless to say - not much of a workout of any of these yet! Due to rain.
Sammy has become accustomed to going to sleep in the pram - good boy! He is a thumb sucker, like me. Helps at this age - please may he not still be doing it at 40 like me though! Luckily my thumb sucking is only when tired at night and has not adversely affected my teeth. It is a bad habit I know - but no one is hurting from it, so no real incentive for me to give it up .....
Sometimes when S wakes and I can't get to him immediately one or more of the kids goes in to entertain him for me. He loves it! E cannot really be trusted with him though so I have to race in to watch them. E loves to bash up Sammy whenever he is looking for attention - because it is a guarantee I will respond if he is about to injure S.
S in the activity centre - he loves it in short bursts.
My boys in our bed at home. Couldn't you cuddle them all??!
Sammy eating - he is eating soooo much lately. Tonight I served him four bowls of pasta elbows and Bolognese sauce. It ended up being about 40 elbows. And then he had two full boobs of milk. Where does he put it all?! D says he is getting fatter. I should think so! I hope it means a good night's sleep. D, ever the optimist, says he will probably be up from all the pooing. Joy.
Finally, FINALLY, E can watch tv for up to 20 minutes. Mainly Fireman Sam or Playschool or Tikkabilla. On iView or youtube. I am soooo happy.
Norman Park State School Fete was June 15. A great time was had by all, and lots of money was spent to. Prefer to spend it on the school than at the Ekka (Brisbane Show). Here are the kids on some of the rides.
Lovely having big brothers to look after little brothers. Eddie feels so confident when he is with T and W. Only a few days ago at a park with a big slide, the three of them instigated a threesome train ride down the slide. E in front, T in middle, W at back. The Newman bobsled team. They loved it and T ensure E didn't fly off the end by grabbing his shirt.
E loves his books - just the same books though. My goodness I am sick of them. Luckily reading falls mainly to D before bed. S loves his books too.
And lastly - the view from my bed. A set of crooked photos - from T at 10 months, W at 10 months and E at 10 months. In about three months we will be able to have S at 10 months as well. Thanks to the awesome G for the patient photographic shoots and photoshopping of Mummy's wrinkles. I love my wall of beautiful faces. I feel so lucky as I go to sleep seeing these photos.
This family, these boys are EVERYTHING to me. Nothing is more important. It is like this now, and always will be. Relationships are what matter. It is all that counts.
