Monkey Matthew

Dear Matthew

 

Last Friday after gymbakids we were strolling back to the car when we passed a big tree along the path. I thought 'why not let him have a climb, experience nature' etc so I hoisted you up into the tree and got my camera out to take a photo.

 

Little did I realise how much of a monkey in a tree you really are - off you went, climbing so high I literally had to jump to grab your t-shirt to yank you back down again. I totally freaked, as I was petrified you were going to keep on climbing then slip, fall and break your neck.

 

Anyway you survived. But the crazy lady screaming at a tree outside Melville Recreation Centre? Yeah, that was your mum.

 

Love you monkey,

 

Mum xxx

 

A day at the beach

Dear Matthew

We recently found ourselves with a free Sunday and thought why not head to the dog beach? So off we went to Leighton beach with your pal Soda and enjoyed the sand (not so much the surf as it was still a tad chilly and windy). You built sandcastles with your dad and we enjoyed some lovely family time.

We are so lucky to be our little family of three (plus four pets of course) and to have the luxury of just hopping in the car and heading to the beach. There is so much heartache happening in the world right now (the war in Syria and the devastation that ISIS is causing makes for heavy hearts) so it is days like this that remind me just how blessed and truly fortunate we are to lead the life we do. Australia truly is the lucky country, but it's our responsibility to ensure we help others less fortunate than ourselves. I hope we can instil this in you and your sibling/s.

On a happier note, enjoy these beautiful photos that I took!

Love you my darling boy,

Mum xxx

A week in Paradust

Dear Matthew

At the end of last month we headed up to Port Hedland for a week as my aunty Julie was getting married to her fiancé Sami. Your grandma is from and grew up in Port Hedland so I was looking forward to taking you back to the motherland for some history lessons!

Unfortunately before we left you had just started to get your two year old molars, waking up screaming for two nights straight, which isn't what you want as you're about to head away on holiday but little did we know what other illnesses were coming! Throughout our time there you suffered from croup and an ear infection and I had severe gastro for a day so there were plenty of trips to see doctors but rather than get into too many details about the negative health issues we were plagued with let me just say this: thank goodness we were surrounded by family and that ultimately, we survived it all!

Anyway, we headed up to Paradust (paradise covered in dust... I knew you'd get it) and you were a dream on the plane, just watched a few episodes of Peppa Pig and then fell asleep. We were charged with the important job of bringing the wedding dress up with us following aunty Julie's final fitting the week before and luckily it arrived up north safe and sound.

Once we arrived you went straight to the red dirt near the front of the airport and started playing in it. As soon as you did so I realised the Port Hedland force was strong with you, running through your blood. Or maybe you're just a toddler who likes dirt. Whatevs.

We then caught up with the family for dinner before celebrating aunty Julie's hens party the next day, which was Parisian themed. Friday (after our trip to the ER with you) we went to the cemetery where you great grandma, great grandpop and great uncle David are all buried. You were named after your uncle David (grandma's brother who passed away when he was eleven or twelve from hepatitis) as his middle name was Matthew. It was good to see where they were all buried and next time we come up we should be able to see their headstones.

We then had a 'night before the big day' dinner at the Esplanade where we enjoyed fresh fish and chips and you played on the playground and looked at diggers over a fence with your gramps.

The next day was the wedding day and although you cried in pain throughout the ceremony (we hid at the back of the property so know one could hear us) you still had good parts of the day and we managed to stay at the reception until the wee hour of 8:30pm. Aunty Julie looked beautiful and didn't mind the crying - she even had a kids table set up at the wedding. What a champion bride!

The next day we had a family breakfast at the Dome followed by a tour of Port Hedland by your grandma, showing me the old cottage we used to stay in when we visited as kids, the house mum grew up in, the location of my grandma's sewing store and a few other places around town. It was great to visit to relive childhood memories but even in winter the weather was a tiny bit hot for my liking so I know never to visit during the actual summer.

That night we mis-timed watching the stairway to the moon but it was still beautiful watching the moon set over the water. The next day your dad headed home and we tried to catch some fish but unfortunately the wind at the beach wasn't helping your croup and that's when sickness hit me so that was about it for the trip. You were great on the plane on the way home but I was glad to be back in Perth despite the wonderful opportunity it was to see extended family.

Looking forward to our next plane trip in February when we all head to Singapore!!

Love,

Mum xxx