Reading

I love seeing Daniel and Eliza read books. Sometimes they will be quiet (which all parents know often means the kids are up to no good) and I'll find them sitting on the floor or on a chair reading. The other day Eliza was sitting on the kitchen floor while I was getting dinner ready. She asked me to read a book but I said I was busy making dinner. She then proceeded to 'read' the book 'Each Peach Pear Plum'. 

 

Giggles

Alexander is such a smiley bub. I do love his smile. He has started to giggle more too which is lovely to see. I was videoing him giggling and then started to watch it back. He started to giggle at the video. It was precious.

 

Trying to Sit

Alexander is getting better at sitting. I still wouldn't say that he can 'sit' but he can stay up on his own for a few seconds. I do always enjoy the flop that comes at the end of it though and the face that follows.

Trying to Crawl

This week Alexander has started to try to crawl. He is not very coordinated when he is doing it but he gives it a good go. 

I don't think it will be a very long time before he is on the move other than rolling around to different places! 
I love it how he strikes a pose like a model. It's too cute!

I'm not ready for him to move. I'm a bit worried about him getting to smaller toys when he is on the move. Daniel now has lego and other smaller toys which I'm worried Alexander might put in his mouth. Hopefully I'll be able to get on top of packing up and having the kids pack up their toys so he will be safe.

Anyway, here are some videos of Alexander trying to crawl. Sorry there are a few but he always seemed to turn his back to the camera when I started recording. Cheeky boy.

 

Row Row

Alexander enjoys songs and being sung to. He enjoys listening to music. His favourite song though seems to be Row Row Row Your Boat. He always smiles with it. He even starts to sing along with it. It is just gorgeous!

Daniel is also enjoying singing more songs. He loves using a microphone. Here he sang Splish Splash Splosh. I wonder if he will sing at church when he grows up...

   

Church services

Daniel and Eliza have started to do little church services. It is just to cutest thing to watch! It tends to include: a song, prayers and announcements. It all goes in. I hope that they come to understand why we go to church and praise God. Maybe they already do... we are told to have faith like a child.

 

Weekend Away

After a pretty busy time one of James' work colleagues offered for us to go and stay in her fiancee's holiday house at Elizabeth Beach, near Foster. James worked out a weekend to suit which worked out to be last weekend. We headed up on Friday morning, stopping to have breakfast on the way. James then planned to work from the house. I set up the kids' beds and then we headed to the shops to get food for lunch and for the rest of the weekend. Once back at the house we had some lunch and then it was rest time. Both kids were so excited about the place they didn't have a sleep. I enjoyed a short time sitting on the verandah reading a book (even though the kids were calling out to me quite a bit).

After nap time we headed to the beach. It was Alexander's first time at the beach to properly go in the water. Daniel and Eliza were straight into it and Alexander was pretty happy having his feet on the sand. That was until the water reached him. He wasn't too sure at the start but then he cried each time the water reached him. 

On our way to the beach

Checking out the water

Happy bubba

Focussed on the water.

Not too sure about it

Happier away from the water

He was tired so I had him in my arms and he ended up falling asleep. While he slept in my arms Daniel and Eliza enjoyed burying my feet and laughed each time my toes flicked sand off. After fun at the beach we headed back to the house, had showers and then had dinner together on the verandah - sausages. Yum! 

The kookaburras were keen to eat our dinner too but we didn't feed them.

It was then bedtime. The kids went down pretty well which was great. I fell asleep on the couch while we watched some tv and then headed to be a bit later.

Saturday morning we headed north to Old Bar to see Grandma G and have her meet Alexander for the first time. Both kids were pretty tired, they even fell asleep!

It was lovely to see her, even if she doesn't remember that we were there or who we were. She had some lovely hugs with Alexander and took great delight seeing Daniel and Eliza. They did really well with some other ladies touching them, chatting with them and even eating their food. It created some very special moments with Grandma.

We then headed back to the house for lunch, a bit of a hang out and a nap. 

We then headed to the beach again in the afternoon. Alexander was again not very keen on the water and neither was Eliza. Daniel had a great time playing with some other kids, throwing sand, splashing the water. Alexander fell asleep in my arms again. After a while James took Daniel and Eliza back to the house and I sat on the beach with Alexander sleeping. I just love sitting on the beach. It was so peaceful. I just love spending time with God there. After a while I headed back home and we organised dinner. After dinner it was again bedtime. The kids went down pretty well again.

Sunday morning we packed up the house and headed home. The kids both made sure their toys had some milk (too cute!)

We stopped at a special beach on the way home that had a boardwalk to get to it. 

The water felt lovely. It was unfortunate that we were heading home so weren't going to swim because the water definitely was swimming water. 

After putting our feet in the water for a bit we headed back to the car for the drive home. We stopped part way for lunch in a park and then continued back home.

It was a lovely break for us and so generous of Lisa to think of us. We'd definitely head back again if we were given the chance.

Alexander's Dedication

On Sunday 6th November we had friends and family gather around  to help dedicate Alexander. James' parents were already coming down to Sydney so we decided that we'd organise the dedication for then. 

The morning was spent cooking and cleaning and organising everything. Malcolm and Julie came around to help look after the kids which was a big help. After having lunch the kids has an early nap time so they'd be up for the afternoon tea. Alexander had had a feed at 9:30 and then happily sat with Nana J while watching Daniel and Eliza play outside. I put him to bed around 12 and hoped that the timing would work for him having another feed and being awake and happy for the dedication. I wasn't sure it would all work out. 

At 2pm people started to arrive. We sat outside in the courtyard and everyone just chatted and ate. It was a really lovely time. Alexander had a massive sleep and didn't wake until 3:30 - he went 6hrs between feeds. Oops. But fortunately that meant that he would be good when at church.

Once awake I fed Alexander and then he was content to go outside and see everyone. He happily sat with Aunty Megan and Aunty Julie for most of that time and the enjoyed a cuddle with Boompa. 

Jens and I with Alexander

Love my boy

The Nobles

His Auntys love him so much

The afternoon tea

I am so grateful for all the family and friends who support us in this journey of being parents. Friends like Rach and Ruth who still catch up with me since I've finished work.

Friends like Tamara from Daniel's mothers' group who support me in raising all 3 of my kiddies. Our amazing families who help look after our kids, who help support us, who encourage us. Our fantastic pastoral team who are so encouraging, welcoming, supportive. We are very blessed. 

We headed to church and when we arrived we saw Zoe and Tom but also Phil and Shaz. They were just there to pick something up but it was nice to bump into  them. When I walked into church James pointed out that Ally had come. I cried from joy. I haven't seen Ally for over 4 years, she hasn't met any of the kids, yet she was here. I couldn't believe my eyes. After a few tears, hugs and a quick chat we sat down. 

After a couple of songs and a prayer Brendan invited us up on stage. Daniel and Eliza came up with us. Brendan was lovely in commenting on how I am doing a year of thankfulness on Facebook and how it's important to be thankful. To also be thankful for Alexander today but also to know what a privilege it is to raise a child and how it can be hard. We need God's support as well as those around us. Alexander was great for the dedication. Happily sat with us and with Brendan when it came to the blessing and prayer for him. Eliza had a great time doing laps onto stage and back to family in the congregation then back up to us. 

 

Our little guy is very blessed with so much support around him. I feel honoured that God has chosen James and I to raise Alexander. I hope and pray that as he grows up he will come to know Jesus as his own Lord and Saviour. That he will know he is saved by grace alone. That he will choose to hollow God with all his heart, soul. Mind and strength.