what we've been up to...

time seems to be speeding up

and i can't seem to keep up

we are nearing the end of our winter school holidays

its been relatively quiet

 we have retreated mainly to the kitchen

they have had cooking classes here

and baking up a storm at home

decorating cake pops. i was secretly relieved this was not my kitchen.

:::

lily loves to cook

and has been working on spaghetti and meatballs

from scratch

yes, even the pasta

although recently she declared she was going to be a vegetarian

like her dad

but the lure of a succulent, flavoursome meatball was too much
to resist

making muffins that will later become cake pops 

:::

we also spent time with my god-daughter mia

a headstrong and sweet 4 year old

this gave lily and sean the chance to experience having a little sister around

they quickly worked out that while she was very cute

they were not sure they could endure watching the wiggles or play la-la-loopsy dolls 

for too long

decorating cookies is quite an art. mia is a natural.

:::

dumpling has not exactly been sentient, either

at 30 weeks 

i am still marvelling at this being inside

its been a journey of learning for all of us

i thought carrying child number three would be much the same

but this time around

i have been able to be fully present and observant

:::

no one is more excited than i
after an early struggle to accept that our newly minted 
travel and life plans were going off the course we'd charted
(and we plan EVERYTHING to within an inch of its life)
i simply can't wait to hold her in my arms

paul has been busy painting and repairing and constructing

it still feels strange
when we look at the freshly painted nursery that used to function as a 
store room filled to the brim with hoarded bits
i guess it will serve a much better purpose soon