My Boys!!!

They are indeed awesome, they must be the two most awesome human beings alive, I love them and they are one of the reasons I get up every morning, well....above the "TEE HE" - (I want my tea) every morning, I love getting up to get some time in with them. Sometimes I think I am the luckies mom out there, my boys are loving, happy and giving. Even Nathan at 13 months, he loves kissing, cuddling and playing with his brother, Daniel is just a soft and sensitive character, who does not mind a smack from mommy...but please, not one from daddy...as I think that hurts the ego more than the bum!

At times I think with me working, they suffer, but then if I consider it, at least they are with me 24/7 and my input is the only input in their lives right now, which is the best I suppose. They thrive daily on being home, being in their normal routine, though I think Daniel finds it a bit boring at times, yet he is ok with it, as long as I read with him daily...it would be hourly if it was up to him...And is he starting to talk now, his best sentence thus far is "gan ek met ouma se kar ry?" which means "am I going to get to go in Grama's car"...he says all the words you can find, but he has to just get them organized into sentences now.

Nathan is a little firecracker, totally different from his brother Daniel, he is stubborn, mischievous, and a botherer...he loves bothering anyone that comes in his sight, and it means often times that he gets a book over his head, or a set of teeth on his leg....as that is hopefully for now, the way Daniel say "NO STAY AWAY"...he is always and constantly hungry and will eat anything that comes his way, be it a piece of seed from the garden...or a tire from one of Daniels cars...He keeps me busy, that is for sure! At only 13 months I cannot imagine that he will be a boy that will let anyone sit on his head, so beware everyone...here comes NATHAN!! I dont know where he gets this personality from, as neither Jason or myself are firecrackers....mmm, makes you wonder hey!

These are my boys...my pride and joy, my reason for bragging...better stop now...

An update of Wriggly Worms will happen again as soon as I can figure out how to post pictures properly!

Chaos at times, but mostly fun!

I realize with a sadness that I am not able to write my blog all that often, sorry to everyone who wishes for it to come weekly, or even daily! I will try my best to do it once a week, things have been busy lately, my boys were ill and up all night, and some days I had 5 kids to contend with...so please bear with me...

In our family things have been going very well...I have been enjoying my own kids so much, and treasure every moment with them. Daily I am thankful that I can work, and have them with me all day. I sometimes feel guilty, as I share their love and care with two other kids, but then, at least they have their mommy every day!

I had my birthday yesterday...it was wonderful. My family did their best to make me feel loved and cared for! For a better family I cannot ask. My beloved Jason also did his best, by cooking me a wonderful dinner, and buying me a beautiful silver necklace, love him to bits!

Wriggly worms is doing really well. The kids are all awesome, and I must say...though some days it is hard work, and I feel so tired....I enjoy each one of theirs company. They teach me patience, if one thing...

Sofia has been so awesome....she goes into the campcot on her own now. She started getting a bit uncomfortable with taking her naps in her pram, so I decided to slowly bring her to get used to the cot, and does she love it, first time she actually gave a big sigh of relief, and after a bit more than a week of soft patting and singing whatever song comes into my head, she is now sleeping without any patting, just put her down and she goes down, sometimes she fights, but then a little pat for a bit, certainly does not harm. She loves the floor, rolling, practicing to sit, and she loves clapping her hands to singing. She enjoys Nathan the most, and loves it when he plays around her, and even rolls over her sometimes...

Daniel, he is my clever little boy! And is he a boy! He is not so fond of painting anymore, as it means he has to sit still for to long. So if I make it very interesting, like applying the paint to his body, then he happily participates. He loves Carli, and they can play together in the room, packing and unpacking things, or hiding and playing in the big box...which needs replacement very soon. Their most fun thing is still going out into the garden on their bikes, parking the bikes and exploring what the garden offers them. I then sit and Sofia and Nathan and myself chat away while the toddlers play.

Carli, she is just a joy! She loves having her arms around my neck to give big cuddles. She happily comes to visit us every day, and some days still remain a huge fight to get her into the car to get her home. Her aupair Yvette always does a great job to get her in, counting 123..but the best is when mommy can bring her and pick her up, then I also get to see my friend...Carli has 2 weeks left with us, then she will be going to another school closer to her house, then Catherine - her nanny can pick her up every day. Much fun! A small surprise might come your way little Carli!

And our dearest Nathan, he is learning to walk. He squeals with delight when he can walk with his walker, vacuum cleaner, chair...any object does it for him, when he wants to exercise those...I legs. I think it wont be long, then we will have a little walker. He now says Mamma, hey and deeda, which is the name Daniel calls him. Oh and Fi for sofi! The last few days he has been sleeping most of Wriggly worms hours...so we miss him...soon we will start including him in our art sessions...cannot wait.

Our new little addition Emma, came to visit us a few days, just to get used to the whole setup. She is a cute little thing, and we all cannot wait to welcome her into our home when she starts full time on the 22nd of March. She is the smallest little one of I think 14 weeks, with blond hair and bright blue eyes.

I have a stack of pictures, and it is hard to decide which to use...so enjoy!

Ps if anyone knows how to arrange the pics properly on here I would love some help, I would like o put a pic of a child at his paragraph!

And the days go by!

Things have been going very well here at Wriggly worms, much activity, enjoyment and fun. Hopefully learning something new every day, from the Ant to the autumn tree.

I have really been enjoy these kids so much, each one is unique in their own way. Little Carli is a little firecracker, she is not slow to speak her little mind, and she loves learning, as soon as I call them to come and sit on my knee to learn about something at the computer(yes this is our biggest learning resource) then she is there, keen to jump on and jump in! She loves painting even more now, and as soon as she comes in the door, she wants to know what we are painting today! This is unfortunately her last month with us, but we will enjoy it as much as we can!

Daniel loves Carli...he always kisses Sofia, and he always fights with his brother Nathan, but he enjoys their company! I think the boy in him has come out as he does not find painting so enjoyable as he used to when he was smaller, he kinda gives it a smear here and a smear there...and then he is done...and I get a very satisfied "klaar"....at time frustration for me, but enjoyment for him, so I usually just leave him there. As long as HE enjoys it. He still loves his writing and counting and reading so much, and will sit down with anyone who will sit with him for a minute...sometimes he scares me!

Sofi...she is just awesome, her happy squeals when I sit down to play with her, she is so good at baby gym now, she rolls, she loves stretching her arms, and her legs up and down, and she loves practicing her sitting! We do baby gym every day, and then she has a bath, which I reckon she loves even more! She splashes and giggles with much pleasure. And dont even start talking about eating...that must be her favorite new past time...esp butternut...she actually schmucks her little lips together when she eats.

Nathan has figured out that he can walk very fast with the walker, it is so cute, and he is so delighted with himself, looking around to see who can see him, and if he can get an applause from some interested bystander. Usually his very eager daddy. He is our delight, and I just enjoy him as he develops into a happy little boy, ready for more adventure. I find some mornings he loves being in the front line of being mischievous, he is younger than the older ones, but he loves "saying" what to do, and it is always touching the naughty line, but I love it....to see that I have a little leader...with his older brother always ready to follow...

That is our little school...my enjoyment, their pleasure....

We had a little visitor last week, Mister Xander Yntema, he joined us to learn about the Ant, and I think he loved it, this was the first time he painted, and one can see the concentration and enjoyment in his little face. To cute! Hope you come again soon Xander.

We are now one year old!!!

So, our dear little baby boy Nathan had his first birthday last week, and it was a wonderful day indeed! He just was Nathan, and awesome in every sense of the word! The day of his birthday was eventful enough to write an entire book about! Stress, rushing, baking, enjoying, loving, not sure what other words to use...but eventful. The evening was wonderful, Oupa and Ouma, Justin, Oom Jan, Tannie Kinny, Veronica and Adriaan came, and we enjoyed some lekka cake and watched Nathan as he had his first taste of real chocolate sweetness...it was so cute.

Nathan is such a sweet little boy...I just cannot believe we made a year with him already, the first year was hectic, loads of illnesses, reflux etc, but now he is crawling and just happy, he loves his brother, and his favorite past time is to bother Daniel as much as he can, be it taking his raisins off him, or putting his foot in the paper when Daniel tries to draw...

Time flies, and we need to enjoy and cherish every moment, I am always so scared I dont enjoy it to the full, and later on will say....why didnt I? Life is full of enjoyable moments, with each other, and just in life...and we must grasp every moment with both hands....

Here is to another wonderful year, with a wonderful little boy, who will grow and be an enjoyment to each one who meets him!

What a day!!

I reckon daycares goes through days where things are just tough, babies just cry, the house is a mess, and becoming a bigger mess as the day goes by. And the owner of the daycare feels that she is just not coping!! That does happen right...

I just started out this wonderful day of love being very tired, I mean, like bone - dry tired, I had no energy for the day! So that was a bad start. Then the boys were fine when they woke, but I just felt the house was a mess, and I had no energy to fix it. The kids came and seems like poor little Sofia was poorly! She just cried, mostly when I put her down, as sometimes I just had to, to take care of the other 3 kids, and sometimes when I held her, she just cried. So Nicole came to get her a bit earlier...I hope she is better now!

The boys, my boys just wanted my attention, so through the afternoon, trying to clean and take care of things, they just cried for me, I felt like a worthless mother, so I just gave them my time. I called hubby, who called someone, who arranged a domestic help for me, to do the cleaning...sjoe, what a load off me!! So she is coming....I cannot wait, and I hope she is great so that she can come every week, I cannot do this 4 kids alone and do the house and the laundry and the....and the....I am not some kind of SUPERWOMAN!! Even though I wish I were....

I ended up going to bed with beloved Jason at 8:30...and I feel so refreshed this morning...I think that is much needed at times...

So my question is: I am working part time and from home, with my own children around me, how does the mothers who work away from home do it, the house, the kids, giving enough attention, giving yourself enough time that you dont conk in after a week, and Hubby who is also needing that extra love? How do you all do it?

I realize more that my time is mine, but I have to be so balanced with it, to give each one a piece of it...little Carli, little Sofia, and my own two precious boys, my most precious possession, I suppose us moms are just fit to do so!

Well, here is to today...a better day than yesterday, less focusing on what is not important to what is..giving more time to relationships, and loving what you have more...

And most of all, Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith!

Valentines day!

I began today being totally nervous, as Nathan was up a lot and I thought he was coming down with something, with a runny nose and constantly tugging at his left ear. I ended up giving him ponstan and a bottle of formula, he went down around 8 and slept for an hour, he woke up a new child, I reckon he was just tired, after being up the whole night, and the reason for being up...it is so hot here these days!! So all is well in Nathan country!

We had a wonderful day. Sofia came early, as mommy still had to feed her, and then when mommy left she just played under the playgym, for about 30 mins while I gave our boys breakfast and got Carli settled in for the day. She was just content to play and gurgle and the other kids would go and say hi to her and shake the playgym to get the toys moving, she loves that.

Carli had a bit of a fall today during arts and crafts, trying to get of the chair to fast, but ice pack and loads of cuddles later, she was all fine, and of course a 15 minutes Dora the explorer break(with mommies permission)...

Daniel and Nathan are doing better, it was to be honest, a bit of an adjustment for them to have 2 extra children in the house and having to share mommy, but at least they go home at some point during the day, and arent here for good like a new brother or sister does, they cope, and they do end up enjoying the friends, Nathan always checks out little Sofia, and Daniel and Carli gets on like a house on fire. I found them inside the play box but I could not find my camera again, to capture the moment...they are really cute together, Carli always says to Daniel "DOM NOU DANIEL", she says for "kom" - "dom" I think the "k" sound has not realized yet...that means Common now Daniel!!! So cute, they are great friends.

We did some Valentines day gift for the mommies and daddies, and the colour red and pink and the heart shape, one always has to bring in some learning into the fun!! Even Sofia gave her mommy one....(even though someone grown up did it - dont tell mommy Sophia)

It is weekend, I might come on again with some fun we had on the weekend with our boys!!!

Kisses everyone and have a good one!

Oh I almost forgot, Sofia had a whole teaspoon of rice cereal...and she loved it!!!

Wriggly worms daycare

I will try my best to post as often as I can, I managed to find my camera, after much sweating and worrying it was behind a photo frame on the book shelf!

It went well today. Carli is so cute, she tells Daniel off for me when he does stuff he should not, and she hangs around me and always helps me to clean up and do things, she likes to give Sofia her dummy when she is crying and it is always a bit concerning to her when she does cry...shame...

We had some fun, playing in the room, with the building blocks and also with the train set, and they even tried to get the normal matchbox cars to ride on the train tracks...it does not really work, they found out...Nathan loves following them around, and with Nathan, once drawing happends, we need to go onto the table, as he just wants to eat all the crayons and the paper...and the toddlers does get very mad when he gets to close...

Sofia is settling in, she is still getting used to sharing the attention with 3 other children, but she takes it in her stride and goes on. I am not to worried about her, mostly if she is around me and can watch what I am doing, she is very happy...she goes to bed in the red campcot..and loves it...well I think so, by the lying in it after she wakes and gurgling and chatting, that must be a good sign hey. Seems like she likes a nap every 2 hours, and she if she takes her bottle before her nap, she sleeps a bit longer...hehe, then she is more refreshed when she wakes...I love her little smiles and chatters...very cute...