And playing in the 'snow' (the ice from the esky) - I mean, why buy presents when some ice will give them hours of entertainment?  They made snow balls, a snow man and even dolly had a go making snow angels.... 

Bella has taken herself to the potty several times (yay!) and has also been sleeping in her own bed (well, R's bed) all night (even more yay!) - though still not every night.  She is also talking non stop and putting sentences together very well.  She is very clear to her wants and only occasionally can we not understand what she is saying (stupid mummy!).  Day sleeps are pretty much out the window - except for two days this week (I'm sure only while big brother is away...).

What a big grown up girl she has become.

R is home tomorrow so we look forward to hearing all his excitement then....

Then, after the movie they headed home, taking R with them.  I asked for a hug and he said "oh we've already done that", so I asked again reminding him we wouldn't see each other for a week.  He gave me a big hug and lots of kisses and said "I gave you lots of kisses because I love you lots muchly"

So now the house is very quiet and, whilst I admit I am enjoying the rest, we miss him already....

mmmm - that's what you get when a little girl has a shower (don't even ask about the nappy that led to the shower...), then lathers herself in body lotion and then gets into mummy's baking cupboard.  YUM!

Here are some pics:

So, what did I learn?

We were buying a house and wondering if we could afford it, dreading moving, but so excited about the new house.  So, 12 months on we still love the house, have done little to it, still have boxes to unpack and are struggling to pay for it - but then we didn't know that DH would quit his well-paying job of 5 years and have us in limbo for so long.  Still, we have got through it and learnt a lot.  And I am proud of what we have survived intact and sure that this is only a blip in the long term story.

I was alone a lot and struggling with 2 kids on my own - at least now DH is home a lot more and is a lot healthier (except tired from all teh driving).

We were planning a birthday party!  Still are!  However at least last year our house was empty - this year I have 10 preschoolers coming to a house that is a disaster!  And I worry because many of them I don't know that well and have not really met the parents - that in itself is a change!

Bella was struggling with sleep and waking multiple times a night, I was trying sleep training and trying to get her to sleep without feeding to sleep.  mmmm - now what has changed?  She still ends up in my bed most nights and the nights she sleeps through are so remarkable I wake and run to her room to check she is ok.  She still needs "beeby" to sleep, but thankfully that is the only time she is having it.

R was struggling with sleep too - taking hours to get to sleep and then waking with bad dreams.  What's changed?  Nothing - except they have both grown so much and learnt so much.  When I looked at the photos I couldn't believe that they were taken a year ago - and yet I can see so many changes!  How quickly they grow up - and this time next year R will be in at school.  Wow!

Unfortunately I had to step over the puddle her brother had left on the floor to get to her - grrrr....  Don't know what to do - his "accidents" are getting worse!  Cleaning up after one is bad enough - not sure I can toilet train the other at the same time....

Then he looks at me and asks "how do boys who marry boys have babies?"  Another curly one for mum.  So I manage to formulate an answer knowing that he has a friend at school with 2 parents of the same gender, so if not physically possible "if someone wants a baby enough there are ways they can have a baby" - though not always.  Man, what else is coming my way I wonder - I bet my parents never had to deal with these questions.

So, now we come to planning his birthday party.  He wants everyone in the whole world to come - everyone we know.  So, I explain why we can't do that and can we have names.  We eventually whittle it down to a list of 12  names - only 2 girls!  I guess for a 5th birthday that is normal.  The only girl he picked to invite is his cousin - because he loves her and wants to marry her, which I guess is a relief, except that I don't think you can marry cousins.  Still, I guess we do live in a small town!

So, next time he tells me that what I am wearing is lovely and the colours match really well, I guess I start to worry again - do I have a mini Carson on my hands?

What God has Promised:

God has not promised skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways all our lives through

God has not promised sun without rain

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain

God has not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe

He has not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden. many a care

But God has promised strength for the day

Rest for the labourer, light for the way

Grace for the trials, help from above

Unfailing sympathy, Undying Love

Annie Johnson Flint

Because his sister (who I think is planning to be a stripper, from the fact that she can't keep clothes on for more than five minutes), took his undies out of his school bag and is wearing them.  Now, they are actually too small for him (sz2-3) and somehow have been sitting in his bag for months, without us realising they were too small.  They fit her perfectly and she is of an age that if she prefers undies over nappies I would like to encourage it.

So, he took her 'baby' and held it ransom for his undies and when she had hysterics, mum intervened.  I took the dolly and gave it back to her and told him she could wear the undies.  So, he yelled and smacked me and I sent him to  his room.  Big drama!  Now I am in the poos and I will never be his friend again.  It is so sad, yet somehow I won't hold it to heart...