Holiday activities

Dear Matthew and Toby

 

During the October school holidays we've taken advantage of the many activities/free time with your cousins and friends. Matt, you've enjoyed the reptile exhibit and farm animals at the local shopping centre, we've had a picnic at Heathcote with your cousins (where you and Harry also covered each other in sand by the river), we've celebrated birthdays of the girls from Mother's Group and enjoyed visiting a new park which surrounds a lake with tortoises in it. The weather has been mostly nice and it's been managable getting out of the house with two kids so we've been able to do quite a bit.

 

I have realised that we only have a few months all together before Matt starts school three full days a week so I'm conscous of taking every opportunity to have fun as a famly before then.

 

Love you boys,

 

Mum xxx

 

Meeting the great-grandparents

Dear Matthew and Toby,

You are both super lucky to have two sets of great-grandparents, my fraternal granparents and your dad's maternal grandparents.

We visited nan and grandad when Toby was about three weeks old, at their house (they don't travel often). Nan has been suffering from memory loss in recent times so every time we visit I wonder if she'll remember me (given I have only been in her life the last 12 years, and people with dementia generally are better at recalling their earlier years), however the second I walked in the door she said 'hello dear, where's the baby?' and it melted my heart that she remembered. So we handed Toby over for a good cuddle, and then grandad had a cuddle too.

When Toby was about six weeks old it was Gramps' birthday so we had afternoon tea and you got to meet your nanna and grandad, who had travelled up from Mandurah. You are one of their eleven great-grandchildren, nine of which are boys! Nanna and grandad told us some great history, especially about grandad's dad, who used to work on a farm near Harvey for Bryce Bunnings, the man who started the Bunnings chain (and the reason why your great-grandad is named Bryce).

It was lovely to see you in the arms of family members who are three generations above you, and the reason you are here.

Love you boys,

Mum xxx

 

Toby's first month

 

Dear Matthew and Toby

 

Our first month as a family of four ended up being a lot easier than I expected. We seem to have found our groove, which was helped a lot by your dad being at home the whole time (especially given I was recovering from a c-section). We have had a lot of visitors dropping by with the best presents - food and company.

 

Toby, you are what they would call an 'easy baby'. You feed really well, sleep relatively normally (and have even done some seven and eight hour stints - incredible!) and most importantly - you don't hate the car! So we've managed to get out of the house relatively easily, visiting friends and family and have been enjoying the nice Spring weather.

 

One thing I also need to mention is just how BIG you are Toby. Matt, you were always big, somewhere on or above the 97th percentile for height and weight, however Toby is literally off the charts - at the 110th percentile! This may be because Toby was born 10 days past his due date, so he's older than your typical baby and comes from a tall family, but in any event my bet is that Toby will be the taller brother.

 

Below you can see a few of my favourite photos from Toby's first month earthside, including our first walk to Morris Buzzacott, first bath, and first cuddle in my own 31-year-old baby blanket.

 

Toby, you have been a joy so far, don't change! You have slotted in so well, it's like you've always been here.

 

Love you both,

 

Mum xxx