Home School Holidays

Having a newborn baby while focusing on continuing a learning environment for older children has meant lots of household jobs have been put out of mind. Things like washing windows, painting gates and re-organising our storage room.

I thought that a 'holiday' would mean much less work for me and an ability to get more things done. 

What I have seen occur in our home is very little change. Except my focus or goal for a day has been to wash windows, paint the gate and re-organise the storage room. All have been done.

One lady commented to me that school holidays must be chaotic for me having 5 little kids. I had the opportunity to let her know that actually we homeschool so we don't have school holidays. 

This lady said oh so it'd be normal for you. 

She's so right. Normal for us. Routine or rather our families rhythm has remained in balance, meals, daily chores, daily play, self-directed learning. 

As many traditional homeschoolers break for holidays they are relieved for 'no school' 'no planning' 'no work' and chill out. They seem to be burnt out, run down and exhausted. Needing some sort of time to recover. So do their kids. 

In our families path of eclectic home schooling methods I have found the opposite true. I have found our approach to be invigorating, free and fun. Whilst has its challenges is mostly fun for all of us. 

Being a facilitator of learning in the majority of learning areas, placing before children a topic I believe they may be interested in before them, sharing interests or answering a naturally curious child's question with research means for us that learning is natural and freeing bringing family members relationships closer together on a daily basis.

We don't naturally store information (in our brain) in a set program or chronological order. We draw information out of our memory bank as required, so we do not generally 'learn' in chronological order such as reading through the bible from Genesis to Revelation or doing History from the begining of Creation to now. No, our school has a much different rhythym to it, one that relates to our everyday life in a way that is more meaningful than simple facts. 

Truthfully, I am a natural teacher. Not formally trained I tend to sit the family down and give a lesson throughout the day which you can not plan for with pen, paper and schedule. Allowing children the freedom to answer the questions themselves, giving them opportunity to think and respond with words, allowing children of differing age levels to learn by listening to one another. After all that is how they learnt to count.. 

Homeschooling holidays has been an eye-opening experience for me. Shown me how integrated our learning days is simply our pure life. 

5 things I am thankful for:

1. Freedom of life

2. Freedom in life

3. Family relationship bonding. Daily

4. Children naturally choosing educational activities in their everyday life

5. Making the time for larger projects

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Avigail turns 2

Dear Avigail,

What a glorious two years of the delightful Miss Avigail Shiloh!! You've hit the two year mark unscathed, well you are missing a part of your little finger but other than that.. Your all good.. Fit, healthy and fighting strong.
You are now day toilet trained, with outings made with no accidents, although the odd accident when your Papa is around just to make him think otherwise.

You like food. And drinks. And cuddles. And shoes. And being the baby, playing the baby and acting the baby. I watch you being pushed around in a doll stroller and can hardly believe the fact you happily sit in there trusting your older siblings to crash push you around.

Your personality is that of the strong-willed nature with a touch of delightful cheekiness. Two year old development has been kicking in for awhile, getting stronger as time passes. Some times your just a little bit inconsolable but it doesn't last for long.

You know you are loved. It is something that we see that you have no doubts, and looking back through your baby pictures I can see why. You had 3 older siblings who lavished you and still do. And 2 parents who adore you. Your loved.

You can dress yourself from head to toe without help and with getting them on the right ways. And wrong ways.
You still have a day nap!
You will trash your bedroom if the cupboard doors are left open and make your big 5 year old sister cry when you do.

You have been sleeping in your own big baby bed (mattress on the floor) under Amalia's midi-bunk for awhile now but you've grown. Which means when you run to your bed you conk your head! Ouch babe!

Your favourite toys are babies and bags although you are happy to play with duplo blocks and cars also.


Your preferred home school spot is in the second high chair at the school table with us, drawing with textas and on paper. You love drawing!

You can handle conflict with your siblings and even compromise with them. Although you have recently started calling out to the other kids to "share".

Papa still holds your lil delightful heart, you still run to the door when he comes home and watch him do what he does.

You walk around saying "Cuggle" and call me "Mar-mee" actually you are VERY good at speaking and chatter about all sorts of things! You are advanced developmentally and very social, preferring to be in the face of.. well.. mostly me but always someone.

You will often grab my hand to show me something or just use your words or have a mini-tantrum until someone catches on what your talking about.

Overall, your loved.

Love Mum
xx


You might be interested in this:
Avigail's Birth story
Avigail at 5 months
Avigail at 7 months
Avigail at 10 months
Avigail's First Birthday 
Avigail's Love Letter from her Aunty
Another Avigail 1st Birthday post

And here's a story that never got posted dated 11/07/2011
This morning I started up the vacuum cleaner and started vacuuming. We havnt had a vacuum cleaner for a while now after the last one got used too much.
So anyway.
I could hear the faint sound of my lil bubba crying when I looked she was speed crawling towards me, tears in her eyes, terror on her face.
How absurd I thought. She doesn't realise it but she was crawling straight for the noise she didn't like just to be comforted.
Anyway, I just wanted to share that little story so I could remember in times to come.

5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Life with Miss Avigail
2. Delight & Joy Avigail brings to our lives
3. Loved. Being loved by Avigail
4. That you sleep through the night!!
5. That you day nap happily. Still :)

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Amalia is FIVE

Amalia's day was set up to go against her from the begining..

We gave her two wrapped up gifts of dresses. Lots of dresses, pencils, textas a draw clothing onto people book thing, a toothbrush, toothbrush holder and kid tooth paste. Seriously. ;)

Amalia is one of three of ours who react to colours and preservatives. Badly.

Her Nana (michaels mum) took her out for breakfast and it didn't cross my mind to say please don't use the syrup at maccas. That 'syrup' is overflowing with tantrums in a tub.

I'm sure they enjoyed their time together.

The morning was spent with me pre-paring the cake, food, and dealing with her meltdowns whilst kicking myself about what I allowed to happen.

I made a failsafe cake with failsafe icing. I made the icing sugar out of sugar in the thermomix and even made the butter for the cake AND the icing. The pink part of the ear was made using beetroot juice - I was told it was yummy.

Lunch in the park for her party went well. She played well, mingled, smiled and laughed.

She is very happy with her new toys and things to play with. The kids have played 'shops' with her shopping trolley, food and til. I sense the need for a refrigerator box ;) shop window :)

After the party we went home briefly, collected the dog, camera, chair, and some dresses and went out to Aunty Vicky's special lake to play, run and take photos. Very cool. Very funny.

After the lake we drove to helms and took more photos, ran the dogs behind the car and spotted some kangaroos. So we gave chase to the kangaroos and captured some photos of one.

Fun and excitement.

Overall she's had a great day, even with the colours and preservatives.

Rabbit Cake with Colour & Preservative FREE (Except smartie nose)

Happy to receive a toothbrush holder that sticks to the mirror AND toothpaste :)

Happy she's FIVE (5)

So excited to open a musical box and show me what it is :)

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Isaiah turns 7

Its my big boys birthday, he's incredibly going to be 7! Well he is.

I believe he has had a very blessed day.

First up was a breakfast at McDonald's with his nana who shares a birthday with him. Happy Birthday Nana Shaz.

Play at the park with some special kids.

Received a recorder (I think my mum is trying to pay me back for something??!)

Lunch at bakery. He chose fruit salad.

Was served at bakery, handing money over and pocketing the change. All $8 of it! Sheesh

Camera bought for his gift (& SD card!)

Birthday party with too many people ;) at park of his chosen place.

Playing with friends for ages.

Receiving birthday cards! He likes birthday cards.

Receiving money that he plans on putting away to go to China.

Walking his little sister into gymnastics class while I waited in the car with babies.

Having a train cake. Complete with train and track. Made with love and frustration by Aunty Vicki

Collecting little sister from gymnastics while I waited in car with babies.

A visit to the Circus with just his dad.

Buying a light! Wooh.. From the circus.

Getting a 'big Mac' after the circus with Dad.

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Surprise 30th for the hubby

Last night I took the opportunity to drive my husband blindfolded around town and to our church's youth group.

Already present were family members and a few friends awaiting our arrival.

Hubby had no idea although he put two and two together (daughter stating we were at church, being blind folded)

I got him out of the car, put him in front of a heap of people and run. You know what happened? He just stood there!

And nothing happened.

So I said 'you can take it off' and as he did the people screamed.

You know what was meant to happen? Water bombs. But they didn't :(

The night was a success. And enjoyed be me at least.

The hubby said he felt blessed.

A few people gave speeches, then we had dessert.

Ice cream cones with ice magic & sprinkles for the kids. Pavlova, rice pudding, 97 gorgeous cupcakes.

For dinner there was sausage casserole, a rice dish, lasagne, and two salads.

It was a low-key event. Kind of what the hubby seems to prefer. With not too many people - which is hard to do when just his siblings and partners and parents and kids is 18.

I think it was a success... And he was buzzing all night.

Until the morning when he woke up very very sore.

Muffin Cakes for his 30th

My gift to him :)

After birthday celebration - actual birthday! 

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Miss Avigail First Birthday

The day was fairly cruisey, no tears from mummy this time.. Loads of playing, school for the bigger kids, cuddles and smiles all round.

For lunch we had party pies, sausage rolls and yoghurt. Babies love yoghurt you see. Papa was in a silly mood so threatened kids on eating their yoghurt. There was lots of screams. Til mummy put a stop to it.

For dinner after Grace we each said something we like about Avigail. (stolen/inspired by Lusi who blogs elsewhere - www.homeschoolingmamalusi.blogspot.com )
Jarah said he loves her, Isaiah said he likes her birthday and that she has top teeth and bottom teeth. Amalia said she likes Avigail's birthday and that she opened her own presant. Papa said he likes Avigail's smile as she sat grinning at him and eyeing him off. She loves that man!! I love holding her, and that I find delight in her, she makes people happy.
We all agreed there are lots of things to love about Avigail.

Michael's parents and youngest siblings came over for a little bit. The children handed out their party bag to their delight ;) and gave Avigail a gift. Avigail opened the gift mostly on her own but it took a bit longer then the other kids would have liked.
Avigail wrapped two arms around her first ever baby doll (all the dolls in this place are Amalia's) and gave it a smooch. Made everyone (including the males present) go awwwww :D

As the fourth child down and being of the female variety I had NO idea what I could get for her birthday since we've got everything we need. Especially considering I'm taking on the simplicity of life and refusing to have multitudes of 'stuff' laying about. Most all our toys are well used or passed on to another child to love. I actually forgot to hand out her birthday gift. Part of it anyhow.

I gave her a pretty box which I'll put her special things in (birthday cards, photos, keepsakes etc) and dark pink feather boa and some little plastic necklaces. Papa suggested the necklaces as she has a tendency to pick things up and place them over her head and walk around. I am really glad he did as I wouldn't have picked it/thought about it myself and she is really enjoying them. Well done honey.

For dinner we had party pies, sausage rolls, calamari rings, potato gems and fish fingers. All finger foods because this baby likes her finger foods over being spoon fed. I had yoghurt but that was eaten at lunch time :(
I don't usually buy packaged foods like this but I've been time poor.

I have plans for a cake smash but we will see how that goes. I've got a single layer cooked and ready but many more to go :(

Uncle Daniel & Aunty Vicki came to bring us a birthday cake. Uncle Daniel played puzzles, tickles, and trains with Isaiah. Aunty Vicki played necklaces with Avigail.

Isaiah informs me that he likes Uncle Daniel coming here because he loves him. So sweet.

It's been an overall good day.

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Dear Little Miss Avi

So mummy has already said her happy birthday to you on here but I wanted to add mine so that when you are older you can read it and see how much I love you...

Your my special little birthday sharer!
I was thinking this morning that a year ago when you were being born I felt so privileged to have out birth times almost 9 hours apart (even though 21 years apart). But now I feel blessed beyond belief. This year has gotten tough for me and I don't have a special child of my own. And you are at an age right now where you give me great love...

You are your fathers joy,
Your mothers delight,
But you are Aunty Vicki's Love...

I am proud to be your aunty and it's true that when I don't see you for even a week my heart crys out to see you and see how you have grown and see your cute little smiley face. A smile that melts my heart. Even when covered in chocolate cake/ice cream/lollipop dribble.

Your mummy says that I am your favourite and I will let you in on a secret (you are kind of my favourite too). Your mummy and you bless me continually. Even last night when in tears on my birthday you were ratty for mummy but you sat on my tummy and stared quietly out the window and that made me feel super special.

I can not believe that you are a year old! And I am most positively sure that you were born a year ago today so that this year you would be at the perfect age to continually bless me. (how selfish am I to think its all about me).
But I want you to always know how much aunty Vicki loves and cherishes you and how special you are to me...

I asked the lord for a scripture for you and he gave me Matthew 2:10. (doubting that there was a Matthew 2:10 I looked it up and there it was!)
"when they saw the star they were over joyed"

I love you little one...

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Dear Avigail

Happy First Birthday

I love you and having you around.

Such a big part of our family.

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Dear Vicki

So it would appear that my blog has been hacked by a contributor without my permission. How dangerous!!

So here is my reply:

Dear Vicki,

I remember being at a party, sitting around in a circle and noticing a shy quiet person sitting in the group who looked like she was trying to hide into her shadow. Me being me decided she was the one I was going to befriend. I have to admit, you made it hard. Even the best of questioner (which I considered myself to have been) had a trying time. I was sure I didn't win that round but I hold joy in my heart to think I left an impression.

As a new mum with a roughly 5-6 month old baby wearing a blue fluffy bunny suit turned up to Aunt Libi's work to see her. You served me. I looked into your face and thought "wow she's beautiful" I still do. I do recall telling Libi wow that girl is really pretty. I can almost hear her tell me who Vicki? Yes she does/is!

Ages later apparently my brother-in-law has a chick he's in love with. He says otherwise as he pulls out a framed photograph of a beautiful girl. He tells me of the two previous encounters but I didn't recall at that time. I did later, I recall more now then before. Anyhow, we knew he liked you as he placed this diamanté framed photograph at the head of his bed and fell asleep each night. The first thing to see as he awoke.

Ages later...

I was pregnant with my second child and kind of jokingly said for someone to come babysit Isaiah while I gave birth. You wanted to. But your parents said no. I told you to pray and that if it was meant to be that God would make the path straight. And so the path was straightened. What a glorious time!
You indeed were a lot of fun, and great to chatter with. You, Katie & I. I introduced you to scrapbooking and then we stayed up til 5:30am not noticing that the sun was rising as we were still taping things down & trying to spell words. You did all sorts of strange things... like putting my baby into a bush to take photos of her.. That's when it all started... The whole "Vicki/Amy" & "Vicki/Katie/Amy" thing...

Ages later we returned to Esperance, WA. I got to hang out with you lots. Then i was gone... again...

You (& Katie) rarely hesitated to come all the way 4-6hours to rescue me. In fact you did. Lots.

As we approached the birth of our fourth child, I confessed to you that I was at a high risk of contracting Post Natal Depression (PND), to which you simply replied, Don't worry about it, we'll help you. And you have. You were there the day we made.. 300 muffins?? And the time we filled my freezer with precooked meals. We used your brain and your recipes and your opinions to fulfill this task. I think we also used your freezer to accomodate some of those meals. Whoopsie!! & Thanks...

I didn't get PND, and I contribute a part of that to your presence, love and assistance.

We took kids to dancing week in and week out, actually you took them tons of times without me while I was without a car. You accompanied us to M for Mummys (McDonalds) for the customary ice cream afterwards.

We attend church with you (& Daniel... + others)

We had Friday Night Family Dinners EVERY Friday night ("No, sorry I cant go I've got family dinner... @ Amy's" -- without even being invited/asked)..

You don't knock on my front door, in fact I think you've got a key.

We grocery shop most weeks together.

In fact, there isn't many memories of the past year + that doesn't have you in it, and if you were not there... I know where you were and what you were doing.

We've been through the highs, through the lows, and through the every days.

We've grown an even deeper relationship since being back. You are one of the kids favourite Aunts & one of my favourite people.

I know that my family have been blessed because your a huge part of it, I couldn't think of a better woman that my brother-in-law could marry just so we could be friends.

I hope that today (being your birthday) you feel loved by many... Including me... I do apologise (once again) that your birthday presant was 6 hours and 10 minutes late.. We should be celebrating these two special ladies birthdays on the same day, today..

I have something a bit special planned this morning but not many will notice it.. It's just for {us} and those in the know.

For Traditions sake: things I like about you, I like the way you can light up the room by entering in, with your beautiful smile pretty eyes and carefree demeanor you can change an environment into joy and laughter..

This is what Isaiah wanted to buy for you. He thought you'd like it..
And Amalia really really wanted you have to have what she's holding.. She also wanted to get you a pink car because your a girl and you need pretty things.
Jarah heard the word "car" and that was enough for him.

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The big fuss

Well, my birthday party came and went after all the sneaking around by my husband and SIL. Apparently my mil was in on it too.

I might have gotten a bit fearful that we might have been doing something a bit wild, a bit crazy, a bit like a very old long time ago type Amy. Like jumping out of a plane, throwing people off a very long jetty, getting blind drunk. Kidding on being blind drunk.

I started wondering if perhaps it was dinner for two + bubba. It wasn't.

I might have been getting nervous at some stage and decided I wasn't going.

As we drove off I was taken on a tour, blindfolded, ear plugs in. Seriously not my idea of fun. Up, down, around and around. Up, down and parked.

Ripping off the blindfold to discover we were at the Youth Shed. Decorations, party food, party people, all waiting for me.

We played a few games. No kidding. Like pass the parcel, musical chairs, oranges and lemons?, tug-o-war, bum shuffle (vomitting & pushing totally acceptable) and pin the bow on Amy.

We ate hot dogs (red sausages). Like on my blog post the day before. I declare they're blog-stalkers!!!

I enjoyed my time and was happy to sit and hang with some special people and chatter.

I was made a pink marble cake with pink icing, THREE pavlovas with pink cream!! Yep, definitely spoilt... And they sung Happy Birthday... Twice...

Thanks for coming :) it was fun!!!

I received some amazingly wonderful news whilst there, that I'm not sharing but are so excited over. And no! I'm not pregnant.
And a fellow FB friend from school birthed her third child, a girl after two boys. How wonderful xx

Be Blessed today,
I'm going to be with my kiddies, attend a first birthday party & go to work with my husband (catering).. Bit excited for the day.

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25 days of Christmas 2011 - day 21

Are you like me & freaking out about the big day? Every reminder makes me cringe on the inside. Four days and its the big day. I need a calender. And an overseas hotel with daily massages to aide in relaxation from the big day. It hasn't even happened yet.
I have 3 man gifts to but & 1 special gift to buy & 2 of my very own children to buy for. Seriously who leaves this kind if thing so late? Hasn't been the first time either. I havnt even sent the parcels off so they'll be late. Typical. I suck at this stuff.
So anyway, Miss Amalia usually has a tanty or two and not being in very good mood I decided to put her hair up to remind me to smile & laugh when she had her tanty whilst out. Pleased with my clever scheme I let her go and told her to go check it out. One look in the mirror had her flopping on the floor in protest. What a fail. However while out today she didn't even have a tanty but i did get a few strange looks. And doubtly fully it was cos I shop with so many silly people. Yep, I bred that one too! You should see her Father!!
Anywhoo...
My Christmas shopping today consisted of putting my birthday presant on layby. So that's what it feels like to buy your own presant. Mind you I am so excited that I wanted to take it home TODAY but I couldn't. Nevermind the part that it was ME working that PAID for it either right? (Yeah, I've worked one day in 7yrs).
It's a book shelf. Like the IKEA expedit ones with the lil holes in them and no back. It's chocolate so it matches in with our clock. Yep, clock. And the curtains match the clock too. Not into decorating really but this has been fun. I even picked out a floor rug but that can wait.
Have I mentioned I'm over Christmas yet? I am. Four days............
Darn, I still have to organise food. *sigh*

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Birthday Boy & Baby Loss

As we close in on another year of our first-born-son's birth I am aware of the birthday's that we will not have with those of whom we would have loved more than we do already. I know how much of a blessing our very own 6 year old son is to our life & others around us & yet remain painfully aware of how 'missing' other children are. What am I on about?? I'll tell you. A deep personal story.

When our first-born-prince was 9 months old we conceived our second-unborn-princess whom we lost 9 weeks later.

I still remember that 'feeling' that I needed to see the Dr & so I did. Ultrasound day was the next day & as we waited for the flicker thing to flash on the screen it was absent. The sonographer was deadly silent. Moving, poking, prodding. I could tell something was not 'right' just by the way she held herself. She got a second opinion then she told us the news Michael & I already knew. There was no heartbeat.

Our baby who we had gotten all excited about had died without us knowing. We had even shared the exciting news & I did a scrapbook page about her.

We had to wait around for hours for the printout to happen. It sucked. Rarely are we that quiet. Rarely am *I* that quiet. Another Dr visit, a referral to hospital. More waiting. Seeing another Dr who wanted to scrape living cells that surrounded my baby out of me. Pfft!! As if!! A stranger trying to treat us as if our baby was 'just cells'.

I went home and waited it out. Quiet & sullen. She popped out the next day. I held her in my hands. She was tiny and small. She was the size of a 10c piece. I could see the curve of her back bone, her tiny little arm studs, the curl where her legs & feet would have grown & two black dark eye sockets where her eyes would have developed to have witnessed the world that was created all those years ago. She was not just a bunch of cells. She was a real-live-baby. Our Baby. She had been growing for 7 weeks. She had been alive in our separate bodies before that.

We named her Anaya Lysandra which means look up to God, & One who was chosen. It was fitting. It didn't feel right to 'flush her', or put her in the 'bin'. So I put her in a little scrap-booking container & popped her in the freezer. When the freezer got low I could see she was still 'alright', or other times I would panic thinking she had gotten lost or flicked out & would check on her. She never moved. But there were plenty of times that I thought about her. She stayed like that for two years.

Psalm 139:13

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb"

I remember every May. Thinking we should have had a 1yr old, 2 yr old, 3 yr old, 4yr old, next year we would have had a 5yr old. Then my lil Princess (third pregnancy/second child) would crawl past or run past with her bouncy curly hair & I know that I wouldn't have had her without the loss of our second pregnancy.

Every August I remember this was the month she was conceived & every September I remember this was the month we lost her.

I remember each time we have to tell a midwife how many pregnancies we have had & the births of all our children. I even remember her 'birth' when I think of the others.

Only 6 months later we conceived our third child. Our second born child. We wouldn't have her if we hadn't lost our baby. That's a hard one isn't it. To be grateful for the baby who made it who is in your life daily without feeling loss for the one who didn't. How do you make sense of that?
I have had the priveledge of talking to another mumma *waves* who lost her baby & conceived her living baby while she would have been pregnant. We are both very grateful for that which we have while still thinking & missing our missing child.

Jeremiah 1:5 

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb"

I heard a mother who lost her son at age 34? say "what is easier? Losing a baby early term? full term? still birth? a child or an adult child with a wife & 2 kids? I don't think ANY would be easier" & I think she is right. One has lived many years on earth yet leaves behind a spouse & children, another hasn't lived earthside. Isn't that a hard concept. Either way there is a loss encured. Grief hey. It is a strange thing.



I think that there are different kinds of 'baby loss'. Through miscarriage, still birth, live birth with an early death, live birth with a death at age 34, abortion, accidents, incidents.

But then there is a different kind of 'baby loss'. The kind where there has not BEEN a baby but the mother so dearly, so desperately would LIKE one but can not for whatever reason. (Think Hannah mother of Samuel, Rebecca & Leah, Abraham & Sarah, Tamar, etc). What category does those women fall under? The TCC mothers? Barren women?? *sigh*

They are all hard categories arn't they. Which is hardest? Which is easiest? They are all forms of loss. Some more seen then others, some can be hidden others can not.

Let me tell you this. If you blame yourself in any way then I have news for you.

YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO FORGIVE YOURSELF!!!

YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO CRY!!!

YOU HAVE PERMISSION GRIEVE!!!

YOU HAVE PERMISSION!!!

Whilst many mourn the loss of a full term baby there are many more mourning the loss of an early term baby. Their baby is hardly recognised as being a baby. I've heard of people giving their baby a name while others bury their very little baby under a tree or special plant in memory.
 That is about it.

So today, in memory of many missing babies but a few in particular with loads of tears & a giant handful of balloons off the end of the jetty. It was rather a series of special moments that I know I will remember for a long time.

If you are one of these mumma's with or without children I want to pay tribute to you and let you know that I believe there is hope in healing. That you can be healed from your loss/es. Do you need to go let of a series of balloons? Do you have something to say to your baby/s (yes I am aware that is not correct spelling)? Then I encourage you, to find the time, to do so.

Psalm 91:1

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty

So, I would like to pay tribute to SOME babies whom are not here on earth, but resting peacefully in the arms of a loving saviour: I have never really done anything special for our missing baby. I do have some plans in my head. I think that from now on I should.

IN MEMORY OF:

Please feel free to add more babies that you in the comments section

Anaya Lysandra 2006
Kharlie 2010
Joshua
Jeremy
Samuel

Jack 2005

Adam Joel 2006

Thomas George 2009

Serenity

Sebastian Levi 2011- Go read this blog!!
Hannah
Rebecca
??? 1980-1981
Ella

((And if you are wondering what I tell my children, because I know the questions come up about what they tell their children when someone dies, I tell them the truth as it is. The baby died in the tummy so mummy is sad. My children know about Anaya and that she died in my tummy. I do not believe in witholding life truths from my children and as their parent that is my & my husbands choice. Not saying that those who do not are doing it wrong. Simply stating this is what *I* do & I believe it is right for our family))

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Birthday Parties

Since Jarah had his first birthday last year (2010) we have had a lot of talk about birthday's in our home. Truly the children don't currently understand what that ACTUALLY means but we talk about it often enough.

For a (long) period of time our favourite song was "Happy Birthday", and each time a cake was made or even saw it just HAD to be somebody's birthday & the singing commenced.

Being married to a man who was raised as the oldest of 9 siblings means there is a LOT of birthdays. Which has given plenty of opportunity to talk about birthdays. Buying gifts, baking cakes, singing happy birthday. But I guess one of the most enjoyable parts (as a mother) is the birthday PARTIES that the children have attended recently.

I guess it is rather amusing really that the birthday parties the children attend the most happen to be uncle or aunties.

I remember the excitement building up for birthday parties. Do you?

My MIL (Nana Shaz) does birthday parties alot differently to the way my mum did them. She plays funny games, like musical bobs, & bum shuffle, & egg & spoon race (Pictured Below with my kids). My kids are not entirely sure what is going on but they play along.

On asking my two oldest what they want for their birthday (as in present) they have both asked for a head lamp. You know one of those camping lights that gets put on your head? Funny hey!

On any given random day one child might announce that it is their birthday today, and that they need a cake, a present (always the head lamp) & sing happy birthday. Isaiah will tell you that he wants to play a game which varies on the day he tells you. Sometimes there is balloons requested.

On the day of a birthday party when I let them know they are going (cos it would be silly to let them know before hand) they ask if there will be a cake, and balloons & then... they'll tell you its their birthday as well.

Actually some days we argue over who's birthday it is, before I crush them both with news it is no body's birthday. Some times we are told "nope, I havn't had a birthday yet". They know how old they are going to turn with their next birthday (although Amalia might tell you she's going to be 5, that is because she WANTS to be as old as Isaiah).

Birthday's are a big deal in our house! Just not so great a deal to me... the mother... who birthed them all...

The above photographs were taken at an Uncle's birthday. (10yrs? maybe 9... or 11?) They did the egg and spoon race, and I laughed my little head off the entire time. See my Amalia? She is wondering WHAT THE HECK IS WITH THE EGG & THE SPOON IN MY MOUTH!!! She just didn't get it, but that's okay!

Oh! what sweet joyous memories...

& with that... I must end... Cos I think Aunty Vicky has come to play...?? Nope false alarm...
Blessings all round... xx

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