Ella Bella turns 2!!!

Well 2 years ago today this little dynamite arrived to rock all of our worlds & things just haven't been the same since!! :) :) :)

I know at times it can be trying to be the Mum of such a strong-willed, trouble-making, independent little ball of fire, but to be her Aunty is the coolest thing EVER!! 

She is so cheeky & full of life... & she LOVES to stir things up amongst the kids - doesn't even matter if they're twice as big as she is :) 

She's a crack-up & soooo hard case. I love you my precious Ella Bella. Even just the very thought of you brings a smile to my dial :) You are without a doubt ONE OF A KIND!! 

Happy 2nd Birthday Sweetheart xxx

Here are some of the pics from her party yesterday....

The birthday girl :)

Check out Mell's basketball - gotta be a boy this time for sure!! 

Aunty Bex & Aunty Sez

Anaya-Bree

Super yummy Reeses slice that Mell made

Aunty Natty gave Spence his first taste of chocolate with a chocolate finger. Good one Aunty Natty!!

Making icecream sundaes out of Aunty Mell's yummy chocolate bowls :) So good!

Spence's 1st haircut

So as it was the National Conference up at the Stake centre on Sunday, the boys & I didn't go to church, but instead had a nice, cosy day just chilling out at home :)

I was so looking forward to it as we have to get up & out the door so early most other days, so it was a real treat to just be able to laze around playing cars with Mac & peekaboo with Spence, not having to worry about other places to go or people to see... Pyjama days are the best!!

Half way through the day we decided to cut Macs hair & every couple of weeks when we shave his head we discuss whether we think it's the right time to give Spence his first haircut??? Up until now we've always decided on "No" only because we know it will make Grandie upset.....& I think I've shown pretty good self restraint holding myself back every cut until now... but to be honest his hair has been killing me for the last few weeks - the way it's been growing on top, but not on the sides, so this time round I just couldn't resist!!!

Once I got the clippers out & was all ready to go however, I realised that we had a bit of a problem as there was no-one to hold him while I did it! So we set up the little bath chair thingy on some newspaper in the kitchen & I put the cape on, & he just lay back on that :) I think he was wondering what the heck was going on, but he didn't protest one little bit (such a refreshing change to the drama Mac's cuts can be!)

We kept the clippers on a No 3 hoping that Grandie wouldn't even notice such a subtle trim - & like I said, it was really only the top that was getting a bit long so nothing really came off the sides anyway.

So after a really quick, not much more than 30 second cut, this is his new look :)

P.S My hopes of Grandie not even noticing were totally in vain - the first thing he said when he got back & saw Spence was "oh no, your Mum's been at your hair while I've been gone!!"

Oh & after we'd finished the hair cuts, I finally got around to drawing Mac a beard. He's been asking for one ever since he saw the pics of the one I drew on Spence while he was at kindy a couple of weeks ago...

This is him cracking up when he saw himself in the mirror. He thought it was the coolest!! (That's the last time I'm drawing on beards with that gel eyeliner though. It is seriously hard to get off!)

My two gorgeous boys xxx

I think photography's come along way since the old school style photo shoots they used to do back at school & kindy even way back in my day - & I have to say I'm alot more partial to the more modern stuff.....but I decided to get the boys pic taken at kindy anyway, as it was a fundraising thing & boy am I glad I did cause it turned out gorgeous!!!

Words can't describe just how much I love these two little munchkins.

I love you my precious boys xxxx

Aren't they delicious??!!!

8 months

I just want to start Spence's 8 month post by saying that I think teeth are totally overrated! I wouldn't mind in the slightest if he just kept his gummy little smile forever & was left alone by all those nasty teething symptoms.... He's had all the usual telltale signs that teeth were on their way from about 3 months old cause I remember thinking "wow he's going to be one of those babies that gets teeth really early!" & now 5 months later he's still showing all the signs, but NONE of the teeth!!!! How very frustrating!!!! Surely they're just around the corner now?? Surely!!!

I counted the bibs I washed & folded today & it was a grand total of 13. 13 in one day is alot right! I think I'll try & remember to count how many we go through on the day of each monthly post from now on to see if things are getting better or worse? One things for sure - the day Spence is finally able to exist without a bib will be an extremely momentous occasion for his Mum lol. In fact I'll have to throw some kind of party to celebrate that milestone for sure!!

One thing that's definitely changed this month, is that the reason for him needing bibs. Up until now it's always been because of his spillyness (is that a word?). He's been spilly since birth so he's always needed to wear bibs & I've always had cloth nappies close at hand to clean up any of his mess, but the washing has dramatically reduced this past month as we don't seem to need those anymore (yay!) & he can stay in one outfit all day now that he's not spewing all over himself lol :).....It's just the bucketloads of drool that remain (it's comforting to know that someday this too shall pass as well though!!)
I really am loving the stage he's at right now. He's such a little ball of cuteness & although his crawling has really sped up since he started a few weeks ago, it's still commando styles & once he gets to something he wants he'll park up there for awhile before moving on to something else so I'm still managing to keep him under control (unlike his big brother!!). I did get the first tug on my pants while I was making dinner in the kitchen tonight though, so I might be having to get out the gate to block off the kitchen over this next month.

Even though he's still a real catnapper for his morning & afternoon sleeps, I SUPER love that he's goes down at 6 oclock every night without a fight & then usually gets up just in time for us to take Mac to kindy in the morning. I also love that when I lean into his cot to kiss him goodnight, it always brings a big grin to his face & makes his dummy pop out. He has a real talent for just rolling his head & picking it back up with his mouth too... He's usually too lazy to actually use his hands to get it & put it back in :)

Just this past week we had a cull of his clothes to get rid of all the stuff that he's grown out of over the last couple of months & this week we're also all ready to drop the exersaucer, activity ring & snap n go back to Mell :( I can't believe he's finished this stage already! My baby's growing up so quickly!! I love you precious xxx

    

Mother's Day Jackpot

So last night we had the annual Aeroview Mother's Day Dinner put on by the Priesthood. They really do do such an amazing job & it was such a fun night out - especially considering it was my 1st night out without Spence since he arrived on the scene 8 months ago :) :) :) (Looking forward to more of those now that he's a bit older!)

Anyways, when I got home from the dinner & my mother in law was leaving she said she'd left me a little something beside my bed, so when I went into my room a little later on, I saw that she'd spoilt me with a lotto ticket for the Mother's Day draw :)

Mac's mother's day treats for Bubu (pronounced Boombu - Nana in fijian)

Now I don't usually buy my own lotto tickets so I don't really ever have to spend time dreaming about what I'd do if I won, but when I woke up this morning I glanced at it on my bedside table & thought I wonder if I won the Mother's Day jackpot, to which straight away a voice in my head replied "you sure did!"

When Heavenly Father assigned out Mums... or when I bid on my Mum or fought for her to be mine & WON - however it happened - I well & truly hit the jackpot xxx 

My Mum is everything I could've hoped for & more. She is kind & loving & selfless & patient & beautiful & funny & talented & uncoordinated lol....& she knows it too, but she dances anyway cause she doesn't care what other people think & I love that about her. I love it when she laughs so hard & tries to talk about what she's laughing about at the same time, but she's laughing so hard she can hardly breathe, let alone string a sentence together :) I love that she is so faithful & committed to her beliefs & so genuine & caring of others. 

The list goes on & on, but I'm eternally grateful for my beautiful Mommy. She is without a doubt the sweetest Spirit I know & though I don't often dream about what I'd do if I won the lotto, I often ponder on what an overwhelmingly joyous occasion it will be to be reunited with my precious Mum again. Happy Mother's Day Momma. I love you no number xxxx

I also hit the jackpot to be blessed to be the Mum of my two little Monkeys :) Being a Mum is by far the hardest AND most rewarding position I've ever held, but if it really came down to it, I wouldn't trade them in for a thing :) :) :) (I had to say if it REALLY came down to it, cause some days I sorta feel like I could & like I want to lol) Lucky they're so cute I always say....P.S I thought the song Superhuman was SUPER appropriate for Mother's Day cause I definitely think that's what Mum's are for being able to cope with childbirth & everything that follows after!!! 

PYJAMA DAY

So today Mac got to do something that I was totally jealous of because it's what I feel like doing most days now that it's getting so super cold in the mornings - he got to go out in his jammies & dressing gown!!!!

It's been book week at kindy this week so for the last day today they had PYJAMA DAY. I'm not actually sure why? Maybe because you usually read books in your pjs just before bedtime?? Just a guess  - but for whatever the reason I thought it was a great one! It was the cutest thing ever to drive up & see the kids all out playing in their pjs - & the teachers even wore theirs too! Mac thought it was great :)

So what did Spence & I get up to while Mac was swinging on monkey bars in his pjs??? Well check this out....