Anniversary lunch and Toby's first trip to hospital

Dear Matthew, Toby and Josie,

Given it's November, it would be remiss of us to not take you all to the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle for lunch to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. We have done this every year since our wedding night, given we held our reception at the hotel. One day when we don't have a breastfed baby your dad and I may stay overnight by ourselves, but every single anniversary we've had one, and will probably still have one for a few years, so in the meantime we will all enjoy our time all together having a meal and talking about that special event back in 2012. It was wonderful knowing that finally all our children were here to celebrate our anniversary with us this year, and we had some yummy pizza, chips and milkshakes at the restaurant in the hotel together. 

We also had a funny but scary moment with you the next day Tobes. You had gotten up around 6am and your dad, Josie and I were all just watching early morning TV on the couch together while you played with little lego nearby. All of a sudden you turned around and started screaming that there was lego up your nose. You were so distressed that we knew you weren't making it up, so we tried to look up your nose with the torch on our phones and attempted to use tweezers to get it out, all the while you kept pushing your fingers up there trying to get it out and potentially pushing it further up. So we quickly made the decision to take you to the ER and your dad zoomed off with you. I think it was karma that this happened as I had just been chatting with Ma Ma about how you had never been to hospital other than when you were born Tobes, and now look! Anyway you were seen relatively quickly by the ER doctors who managed to get you to breath out through your nose while blocking the nostril without the lego in it, and out it popped! So lucky! The piece that ended up there can be seen in the photo below. I think you learnt your lesson to never put another piece up there after that trauma Tobes!

Love you all, 

Mum xxx

 

Matt's dance concert and karate grading

Dear Matthew, Toby and Josie

Being near the end of the year, there's a lot of events happening! In the past week you have had two important ones Matt: you school dance concert and your karate grading. Unfortunately as Josie is still so little I wasn't able to come to your concert, and given the coronavirus restrictions still in place, you were only allowed to invite a couple of people to come watch you (when in previous years we've been allowed to invite all your grandparents), so your dad and Aunty Robyn took you along. I was lucky enough to see the video of you dancing, and of course you absolutely rocked it with your class - you have always loved dancing and I am so grateful your school always includes a dance performance as part of the curriculum in term four. This year you performed to the song 'Song of the Heart'. 

I was very lucky however to be able to take you a few days later, with Josie, to your karate grading presentation. The previous week you had completed your grading and I was absolutely shocked to see how well you are now undertaking your moves and following instructions. Taking part in these classes has been absolutely fantastic for your discipline and the crew that run the classes are always so encouraging and positive. It's a wonderful community to be part of. As you can see, Josie watched on intently and was very happy to see you awarded your new green tip belt! So proud of you Matt! 

Love you all, 

Mum xxx

 

Josie at 3 months and Toby starts daycare

Dear Matthew, Toby and Josie,

Below is my summary of Josie's third month from Instagram:

Josie your third month was pleasantly largely uneventful, other than you gaining some epic rolls. We now call you Pud Pud because you’re our little Pudding. You are smiling heaps and love watching your brothers play. You’re trying to sit up when we lay you back and will just fling yourself forward when you’re sitting in my lap. Something tells me you’re going to be folllowing in Tobes’ footsteps, as you seem very motivated to move, which has its pros and cons when you’re baby number three! You’re giggling and gurgling and you’re happy to sit in your rocker for a while (but still not the car). We’ve been taking plenty of bus trips and walks in the pram to get out and about, fitting all our Christmas presents on top of and under your pram (thank goodness you’re still little and you don’t get squashed). You sat peacefully at the doctors surgery yesterday while I had a mole removed from my back and I couldn’t believe that a baby of mine would sit happily in a pram for so long! We put up your first Christmas tree while you watched and I bought you your first Christmas ornament. You had another vaccine and barely made a sound, and never developed the fever I expected you to get.

The next month is going to be hectic, but here’s hoping we can all slow down to still savour your littleness over the festive season, because come the next one you’re sure to be running around like your crazy brothers!

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Tobes you also started a half day a week at daycare recently, as I've been struggling to get out of the house and do fun things with you, so enrolled you in the local daycare so you can enjoy some time with other kids and do some interesting activities. The first day you cried a little but settled well, and have enjoyed it since, just like I knew you would!

Love you all, 

Mum xxx

Playgroup Christmas and gingerbread with Aunty Robyn

Dear Matthew, Toby and Josie

Now that we're in November, Christmas is not so far away, and we've started to prepare, for what will be your first Christmas Josie! This is always such a special time of year, we are so lucky to be covid-free at this point and are just praying that we are safe over Christmas so that you kids get to enjoy the season as normal. Most children around the world will definitely be having a very altered version of Christmas. 

We started the season by having a Christmas party at your playgroup that we attend, Toby and Josie. This little playgoup is filled with school families and is an absolute highlight of our week, and it's proven invaluable since I've had you Josie, with all the mums pitching in to support me postpartum. It is a beautiful and caring community of women and kids and we are very lucky to be part of it. The coordinator arranged for little activities for you all (see below for a glimpse of your decorating skills Tobes) and a special visit from the big man with presents. Tobes I was surprised that you happily walked up to Santa when your name was called to collect your present, as I was expecting tears. Here's hoping we have a chance at a good Santa photo next month then as I'd written that one off for this year too! Anyway it was a lovely morning and I'm going to miss catching up with the group over the break but we'll be rejoining them again next year, at least until I return to work in late August. 

We also had Aunty Robyn over so that you and Matt could do your annual gingerbread house decorating. Now that there are three kids in our family my motto is officially do whatever amounts to the least crying so the houses were store-bought this year but you still had a heap of fun decorating them with icing and lollies. It's so special that you maintain this tradition with your aunty, and I hope you continue to do so for many many years to come. Can't wait to see all three of you taking part next year when you're around 15 months Josie!

Love you all, 

Mum xxx