I love November.
Today has been extra special cause I prayed last night for a sunny day for my babies- and boy did I awake to lots of sunshine:) Noah & Jo had a rough night last night - it was cold and wet and they have been ill, and all I wanted was sunshine to come along and make us all feel happier. The sun soothes and calms me. Plus - it helps dry all the laundry on the line...mr.Tumbledryer is clankety clanking away in the scullery, like we need more noise around here (we've all had to shout extra loud to be heard - poor old neighbours). Mr. Tumbledryer's days are numbered I believe. And that's a shame, as he's been one of my most reliable and important non-human members of the household for the past few years.
He may have to be replaced by a clothes horse. It is almopst Christmas after all and my budget has been drawn up and must be stuck to to ensure happiness for us all. Ho ho ho.
Noah graduated from Beehive on Wednesday night. He looked every inch the sweet little gentleman that he has become this year. His mortar board kept falling off his head - mommy did not measure, merely cut ,stuck and hoped for the best(20 minutes before we left for the ceremony). And then mommy and daddy giggled away happily watching their sweet little boy give them the thumbs up every time he shoved it back into place. He loved having us all there. His Juju, Papa, daddy, mommy, Jo, Phoebe and Sophs. We sat in the third row, on kiddies plastic chairs(ow) behind some goliath parents - but no matter - he saw us, and shone. I love being a mommy.
We also trapsed off to Joburg again this past weekend. We had another Temple trip with some other families in the ward. The children loved being there - loved playing with their friends. Sammy Clark organised a Treasure hunt in the Temple gardens - and sweetly taught the kids about the Temple and what it offers us and what we do there. I, the very unspiritual mother, followed after them all - in a dwaal as I felt the arrival of some flu symptoms. There has been lots of sneezing, wheezing and coughing around here since then, but it was still lots of fun, and we loved being away together again. Our germ friends have not gotten the better of us:)
Phoebe and Sophie are winding down to the last few days of formal education - and are enjoying their friends and cousins. Phoebe has her Prize giving ceremony in a weeks time - she is thrilled, and will have a part in the play that the children are doing for the parents. She is still loving her piano lessons, and loves playing her latest songs for the children to sing along to - yet mostly they are running riot at the same time, screaming and laughing so there just seems to be a big noise...all the time really. Sigh. I am considering ear plugs - I would like to seem serene and peaceful amidst the chaos. Phoebe loves to be The Boss. Make the rules, change the rules. This makes her happy. She loves being independant - and is thrilled when left to create and make different things, scrap booking to baking. Wonderful. She loves Nancy Drew Mysteries, and especially loves it when we read together into the late hours - while her siblings are fast asleep. She also always calls for her hug and kiss at night after I've tucked her in.
Sophie is Sophie. Entertaining and wise and rather quick witted, and often the spitting image of her Granny Gail that it shocks me. She had a school trip to the Botanical Gardens in Durban on Wednesday - loved the bus, hated the rain and the wet and the grass - but loved being away from school for a few hours. She goes there all the time, so the novelty was a bit lost on her. Sophie has a habit of falling asleep as soon as the car engine starts on a long journey - I wondered if she'd stay awake on the bus this trip - she fell asleep last time. I was there to welcome her back to school - she will sit and wave to me for ages, so thrilled to see us. She generally is in bed before everyone - and is the 1st up in the mornings to come and give me a hug and kiss and tell me about her dreams. She has inherited Brod's uncanny ability to annoy - and can send Phoebe into a rage at her indifference and quick retorts.
Jonah is still my little baby. He's 4 now - and very independant but still loves his hugs and kisses. I watched him play tennis with a little girl at school yesterday. His little face shone with excitement as he wacked the ball with all his might (which is tied to a tree branch by the way). He loves to run, and always seems amazed at how quickly his legs can get him around as he's constantly looking down at them watching them. He loves sweets - which is not so great - and loves fruit and raw vegies - which is great. He hates having his hair washed, STILL. Fights when it's time to brush teeth. Loves swimming in the bath, but won't swim in the pool or play in the sea too long. And will happily walk around for ages carying Mr Meow Meow in search of bugs for him to eat. He loves to change his clothes (constantly throughout the day) - and likes clothes to be fitting - he is my left handed child and likes to wink at me.
Noah - a realy mommy's boy. Tells me all the time that he loves me, and missed me so much when we are apart. He has a Teddy, he calls him Teds. Teds is till around. Less so than before. Noah loves to sing and dance. He likes things to be just so. And still cries from a 'broken heart' when his sisters are sisters and are mean - as sisters will eternally be it would seem. He's ace on Playstation, and any other games he comes across - and can compete favourably with his big cousins. Liam is his special big cousin - who invites him to sleep over(which is his special treat) and will even play Star Wars games with him still.
Brod is Brod. He does love the Blog - but does seem to want to always feature in it too much. Perhaps you've wondered about that. He still makes me laugh like no one else can - and can fetch a glare from me like no one else can too, in an instant! We are well suited, and I thank God for that.
It is the weekend, at the end of a busy week. And the weekend brings no respite. We have lots of activities planned for tomorrow and hope to fit it all in with room to spare.
Tonight - Harry Potter. A Date. I do love a date with Brod.
