Matthew turns 5!

Dear Matthew and Toby

Well Matt, I can't believe you're 5! How were you born half a decade ago?!

We celebrated with a big party at home the weekend before, with all your family and friends. You had asked us to have a reptile party so we organized for a reptile team to come out and give you and your friends a 'show and tell' experience which included three snakes and a lizard. You got to hold all of the reptiles and we got some awesome photos.

We had made a cool (your words) snake cake all together the night before, which you and your dad helped decorate. We also did a piniata (which seemed indestructible) which you enjoyed crushing at the end of the party (see photos below). You had a great time :)


A couple of days later on your actual birthday you woke up and opened up your presents from us, and especially loved your new Where's Wally book and scooter. You have since mastered the scooter like a pro and love zipping around on it.


Being a Monday, you also went to school and got to be the class Star of the Day and handed out skittles to everyone at the end of the day.


We hope you enjoyed your birthday beautiful boy. We are so proud of the loving and kind person you are. We are so so lucky to be your parents, as is Toby to be your brother. This past year has been so wonderful, you seem to have settled into school, have gained a heap of confidence and your knowledge of the world is growing at lightning speed. I am especially proud of how you have adopted a growth mindset,  how grateful you are generally, how you show endless patience and love for Toby and your friends and how you are so open to learning about new things. We can't wait to see what the next year holds for you.


Love you both,


Mum xxx



Operation Christmas Child

Dear Matthew and Toby

In preparation for Christmas and to help teach the importance of giving, we took part in Operation Christmas Child. This involved us preparing a shoebox for a little boy somewhere in world (who wouldn't otherwise receive Christmas presents) filled with things he would love.

So we headed to K-mart and filled our basket with all sorts of things that were specifically chosen by you, Matt. You loved being in charge of what would go in the shoebox, and chose something to love, something for school, something to play with, something to wear etc. You were so enthusiastic and happy to find just the right things, including the 'key car' that was similar to the one your nanna bought you recently that you love.

We took everything home and wrapped up a shoebox and will make sure it gets collected by the end of the month so it can be shipped overseas by Christmas. We are going to track where it goes and will get email updates on it.

Matt I know you are starting to understand the importance of giving. You know that you are so lucky to have all the toys that you have and that with the privileged position that we are in comes the responsibility to help people, especially at Christmas. In the car the other day you even said that you wanted to go to the shops again to buy something for a kid that isn't going to get something for Christmas, so I know you're learning. Your heart is so big and I am so proud of your generosity of spirit. Tobes, hopefully when you're older and can understand the importance of helping the less fortunate then you'll follow in your big brother's footsteps.

Love you boys,

Mum xxx

Lachlan's 18th birthday and halloween

Dear Matthew and Toby

In October we celebrated both your cousin Lachlan's 18th birthday and Halloween at my work.

For Lachlan's birthday, Matt and daddy went to dinner at your granddad's local Italian restaurant. Toby and I stayed home as Tobes you still don't like travelling in the car at night. From the photos below you can see you had a wonderful time Matt, and your pizza looked delicious. Your cousin Lachlan has been such a great role model for you both, he has always looked out for you two and we are so lucky to have him as part of our family.

A few weeks later we went trick-or-treating at my work. Luckily your dad had the day off work so brought you down all dressed up. Matt you were dressed as Spiderman and Toby you were a skeleton (although you slept through half of it!). You got into the activities Matt, painting a small pumpkin, doing some colouring in and putting your hand in some boxes filled with 'scary' things. We then went upstairs to the American student's residences and you knocked on all the doors to get your lollies. The decorations were amazing again and you had a fun time seeing everyone's costumes and collecting your stash.

Love you both,

Mum xxx