( Day 210) Photo shoot

At long last Mama was given the most wonderful gift of (wait for it...) a new camera!!! 

One that actually takes photographs that don't need editing, re-editing, cropping and editing again - and takes photographs that almost do its subjects some justice. Oh the possibilities!

Of course that meant that it was time for a photo shoot, and the weather was perfect to take some gorgeous snaps of Nina's brand new crochet baby woolies for her new venture Maria Concetta Designs! (how exciting!). Aside from the fact that we are ever so slightly biased, we are a little bit in love with Nina's designs - hats with pom poms, ever so sooooft wool and bright colours that remind Mama a little bit of fairy floss. You must think that they look yummy too, because you kept pulling them off of your head to munch on! 

(Day 209) Appreciating our kids more

I am at loss to describe how deeply affected I have been today by the news that a fellow Mummy-blogger whom I have occasionally happened by, and often admired, lost her much loved baby son Elijah Rainbow. Elijah was only a mere few days older than Layla-Rae, and as I read her story of love, longing and intense greif, as she mourned the loss of her son, and the passion with which she continues on with her writing, I was reminded of how powerful documenting your life can be. 

For this mother, who lost her child so early, and so tragically, there will always be her blog - a written and visual tribute to the magic that was her fleeting 7 months with her baby boy. 

His birth story

Love and laughter as they travelled, ate, sang and explored together

Photographs and memories of time that she can never get back, but days that she can perhaps look back on, and remember more vividly through her documentation of it.

I can not imagine how she has been able to summon the strength to be able to continue on with such dignity, integrity and grace

However this woman has inspired me today - to cuddle my own children a little more tightly, to hold Layla a little longer in my arms, to be happy and content with my decision to home school our children for this little while - and spend that time with them. 

I have remembered this mother's words many times throughout my day today - that although she has such intense grief for her son, she will never regret that she did not hold him enough, or spend enough time with him, and in that knowing, she can take comfort

xxx

(Day 197) At the ice rink

Sooo colddddd at the ice rink!

lucky that you have Daddy to keep you warm ;-)

(Day 196) Reading books!

It is a little difficult to get you in a natural pose at the moment because every time you see the camera (and Mama behind it!) you light up and forget all about what you were doing before!

I can't really complain

It is quite a wonderful problem to have :-) 

Today I was making something in the kitchen, when I heard your big sister reading aloud. Curious as to what was happening, I peered around the corner to find you perched up on her lap, contentedly playing as she read you something from our trip to the library today. 

How blessed are you, to be getting such a wonderful education from your brother and sisters  

(Day 195) The best life

Some days this is how you like life best

sitting close to Mummy

watching your brother and sister playing in the park

while you peer over the top of your carrier

... the sight of your little eyes peering out at us makes me so very happy

(Day 192 ) Time machine

We sifted through some old and treasured items today and found this cute little shirt that your Mummy wore at your age - and exactly in your size!

So of course we had to get a pic of you in it!

(Day 191) It's not fun having a cold :-(

(Day 190) In the park with Daddy

(Day 188) Winter at the beach

(Day 187) First winter!

*I stole this pic from day 188 as we have been so busy getting ready for home schooling and running around after the four of you munchkins that good photo's have been hard to take (and my camera is seriously bad! I have put my orders in to Santa to get me a nice one this year ;-) hehe).

It is the first day of winter (well around our parts) and it has dawned on us that you have never experienced cold weather. You poor little thing! Last night was very long, as you mewed like a little kitten and buried your head deeper into your Mama (there was no getting you anywhere near the cot - the cot is getting more of a work out as a toy storage unit than anything else!). You wanted to breast feed all night, or alternatively, just be cuddled, despite the million or so layers of clothing that you had on!

For the first time ever, you were very happy to lay in your hammock *mwahaha I finally got you into it!* in the sunshine, snuggled in your jumper and blankets, and worship the sun for a little while ;-) 

(Day 185) Look how big you are!!!

Today we thought it was about time that we took a pic of you with your dolls to compare to this one...

Look how big you are!!!

(Day 183) 6 months old today!!!

Today you are 6 months old!

and as you are getting older, it is getting increasingly difficult to; 

a) find time to blog!

b) take any pics of you that aren't fuzzy - you are in constant motion

Some funny Layla facts about you at 6 months old:

- you are all but crawling! (there have been some great advances toward crawling, including lots of backward-crawls, side-manoeuvres, rocking back and forth on your hands and knees, rolling/ sliding/ inching forward and little crawl-hops, where you go to crawl, but end up hopping forward on your hands and knees

- your brother and sisters are spending much of their time enticing you to crawl, trying to video-tape your first crawls, and standing around cheering when you make even the slightest advancement. Wow! your very own cheer squad - you are incredibly blessed ;-) 

- you have started to eat solids!

- we are sweeping the floor several times a day because you are always refining your skills in grabbing/ pinching things between your thumb and forefinger

- you have two massive teeth, with which you are terrorising everybody with (Grandma has a big bite mark that won't heal! and everybody has teeth-marks somewhere on their body!)

- you are obsessed with music. Anywhere that there is music, is where your attention will be!

- we are still breast feeding...and managed to make it to the 6 month mark without a bottle. This is a family first for us ;-)

- you are immensely fascinated with children and babies! 

(Day 182) Baby smack-down

Two babies with an urge to eat each other's hair and gouge out each other's eyes, together on a table (with big brother quietly chanting "fight fight!" - I don't know where he got that from!!!) = 

Layla with a finger bruise on her cheek and her bestie Sophie with a clump of hair missing!

This is Layla throwing a rare tantrum from being denied unlimited access to Sophie's hair!