Happy Christmas......

Well it’s that time of year again. Christmas chaos.

We have had a good year. We moved house last January, and now have no intention of ever moving again ever again! The new house is very retro in as much as it all harks back to the 1970’s, but is large enough for us to all have room to swing a cat, and the plan is to renovate as time and money allow. The garden is gorgeous and Andrew spends much time maximizing the effect of his green fingers. We have enjoyed much home grown produce and look forward to his mighty crop of tomatoes…..

Olivia is now heading towards her 4th birthday and she continues to delight and amaze us: she is an affectionate, bright and bossy little girl. She starts kindy in February & she is incredibly excited about it all, and I am looking forward to spending a little more time with Charlie and Lexie without her knowledgeable interruptions! She will attend 3 sessions of kindy a week, as well as the two days she already does in childcare.

All 3 of the children do 2 days at childcare whilst I work………I started a part time role back in April of this year, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is a fairly low level job with the SA Chamber of Commerce (Business SA) but it provides me with some much needed mental stimulation, adult company and the opportunity to find some balance in my world!

Charlie is coming up to two and a half, and has had some hearing issues diagnosed this year, and is coping amazingly well. He doesn’t realise he has any impairment so just charges through life regardless. His speech is developing at a slow but steady rate……..I doubt he will become as linguistically advanced as his elder sister, however his humour, his laid back demeanor and his gusto for life more than make up for his lack of verbosity.

Lexie is now 14 months, and we have nicknamed her the “all terrain baby” because she can crawl anywhere despite obstructions, on any surface wet or try, gradient no issue. Like Olivia she is a petite and tiny little thing, but perfectly proportioned, happy and healthy. She is cheerful and funny and there is a great deal of mutual admiration between her and her siblings, and of course her parents…..as our final little baby, she is destined to remain “Baby Lexie” her whole life, and she brings us much joy.

The year has been chaotic but uneventful……..the domestic hurly burly of three small children has meant that we have not had much time for anything else, but swimming lessons and park dates have prevailed.

We enjoyed a stay from my nephew time during the year which was wonderful, and his little cousins miss him greatly.

We had a holiday in Kangaroo Island in September which was wonderful. It was our first family holiday with all 5 of us and it was a treat for the children to all sleep in the same room in our little holiday house and restful for Andrew and me simply to “get away”.

This year Christmas is again spent in Adelaide, along with Andrew’s sisters family, as well as his parents and his brothers family who are coming over for a week or so from Sydney. It’ll be good to spend time with all of them…….so 8 children at Christmas lunch!

I hope this letter finds you well and that you have a very safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Lots of love,
Lucy xx

It has been ages since I managed to sit down and write a monthly update........and it makes me realise how slack I have been with getting the camera out too!

We have been busy, but we are all well.

Olivia continues to amaze and delight us, as well as drive us crazy.....people talk about "the terrible twos" but there should be a phrase for the "Little Madam Three's".....she is constantly gorgeous but also a constant trial........

She and I had some wonderful "just girls time" last week with a trip out for lunch prior to going to the Christmas show of "The Fairies" which was enchanting. Olivia was nearly bursting with excitement from the moment we arrived at the Norwood Concert Hall and the minute the house lights went down she was int he Fairy Mosh Pit dancing her little heart out, complete with wand.......it was very "panto-esque" so I felt like a good mummy for indulging her.......

In turn, Andrew and Charlie are off for a treat too, in a few weeks, to see the Wiggles, live at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Charlie will no doubt wow the Wiggles with his perfect renditions of "Toot Toot" and "Rock-a-bye your bear".......

Charlie's speech is coming along well and whilst he learns he constantly amuses us.........

He is addicted to all things water and has been getting into trouble at school and at home for constantly finding taps and hoses and playing in water and creating floods. We have had a few weeks of very hot weather and I think the obvious connection for Charlie is to get wet and cool.........regardless of location!

Charlie has started toilet training himself and objects very masterfully when we attempt to encase him in a nappy, so little boy jocks have been purchased and I find myself asking "Charlie do you need to go to the loo" about 60 times a day to avoid puddles..........

Lexie, our little peach, has become a character.....crab crawling with her bottom in the air all over the house, including garden and fishpond exploration....it makes for interesting times. She has acquired the habit of her siblings of trailing loo paper around the house and using the loo to pull herself up to a standing position. Bless her........all this done with a smile that lights up my world.

Lexie appears to be getting new teeth practically daily, with no apparent distress.......she truly is an easy baby, and one that I delight in.

Only a few weeks until Andrew breaks up for Christmas, when I will post again...........