Do you see what I see?  

I actually took in the sight as we were about to leave to collect Sean from work this afternoon.  I looked behind me and saw three car seats, each of them filled with a child, and realised that there is a reason I often take a few moments to psych myself up for any endeavour outside of the home.  And to think that there is another one to be added to the mix in the not too distant future; well, there are many different adjectives that could be used to describe the feelings I have about that.  We're going to have four under five, enough to keep me well and truly busy.  I do happily admit that my children were little angels for this particular car ride; James was asleep by the time we arrived home and we let him go straight to bed for the evening.

It's so nice to see Isobel and James more frequently and spontaneously playing and interacting with one another; lovely enough to melt this mother's heart.  Today has been a day of jumping.  Together, in pairs, individually.  Now, Isobel does plenty of jumping on any given day.  I've come to realise that for a three - almost four - year old, jumping is surely one of the strongest signs of excitement.  But today there was lots of jumping on Daddy's bed.  She had her mother join in, although not on the bed.  Encouraged by his sister's energy and the exciting beat of the music he could hear, James finally got the gist of the whole jumping thing and started to do just that, he jumped. He jumped, and jumped, and jumped again.  We're talking a real jump, with both feet off the ground.  For months he has spent his time on 'quasi jumps' (the type where his whole body goes up, yet he just can't get that one foot to leave the ground completely), and I have seen his frustrations as he was aware that these 'quasi jumps' weren't the real McCoy.  But today he did it, he got both feet off the ground and he loved it.  Yippeeeeeee!!

I'm still feeling a little surprised that we find ourselves only three sleeps out from Christmas.  Oma and Opa arrive tomorrow and Uncle David will be here Christmas Eve.  I get a bit tired of all the toys that our kids have and am always trying to cull their collection and am mindful that Christmas presents only add to the problem.  As a result we opted for re-purposed items for the children this year, thinking that at least when the toy-culling takes place, we're not adding new toys to the cycle, but rather allowing previously used toys to continue on in general rotation. Presents were wrapped and out under the tree about a week and a half into December.  You may note the boxes next to Isobel in the picture to the right; what you don't see in the picture is the half unwrapped present on the top of that pile! Mental note, don't put presents under the Christmas tree until shortly before Christmas, children struggle with the temptation.  Those presents made their way back upstairs and out of sight within a week of their initial trip down.

Anyhow, to all who read this, may your Christmas season be joyous and memorable.  I wish you all much (much love, much laughter, much happiness, much opportunity, much of all that is wonderful and bright). Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Donaldson Clan.

Today is Thursday and again, the working week is fast heading to a close. No, I myself do not work - well, not in the standard, paid, nine-to-five kind of job - but Sean does, and I always look forward to the weekend, as weekends are when our family gets to spend time together... and I might sneak in a little nap!!

This picture to the right was taken a few weeks ago in our back yard. The Primary President requested photos of our primary children and that meant 'photo time'. Isobel was a most willing participant; James was a little more challenging as he was focused on getting his darling little hands on the camera.

Isobel and James are both growing and developing at what seem to be extraordinarily accelerated rates - but in reality, they are merely growing and developing as two and three year-old children do.

James is catching onto the idea of talking and now wants to talk and chat about many things; numbers, the alphabet, shapes and colours being his favourites. Guaranteed, if you get his attention and hold a couple of fingers up, you'll have a willing participant in a conversation about counting.

Isobel has plenty to say about absolutely everything. She loves people (although initially cautious) and wants to be involved. Any tradesperson who walks through our doors is a sitting duck.

And then there is Lewis, lovely little Lou Lou - as Isobel loves to call him. She says that that is her 'special name' for him.

He is now nine months old and is really getting into cause and effect. He now realises that if he makes a noise, and then if I make a noise in response his noise, that if he makes that noise again, then perhaps I might just make a noise again too.

Lewis is a happy, easy-going little man who is working hard to deal with the trauma of teething. He has four big lumps pressing down on his gums, but no teeth as yet. The fact that he is sleeping through the night is much appreciated. And by sleeping through the night, I mean that he generally goes to bed before 7.00pm and doesn't tend to wake up before six. The others were much older before they allowed me to sleep through the night. So I'll say it again, the fact that Lewis sleeps through the night is much appreciated.

My little ones are just delightful - although I am prone to forgetting that at times. Keep tuned and I'll keep you up to date with the goings on in the Donaldson home.