aug, 5th - claya turns one - part II....

day 1303 / 402:

so, after the grand total of four kids' birthday parties so far, i've found that i only manage to take pics for the first fifteen minutes. after that, i'm scrambling around trying to do all the things that i should have done before the party started. next year, i'm definitely creating a photo booth!

so, here are some pics of mainly the first fifteen minutes.......

i love Claya's face in the one above. she can't quite believe that her 'lion tamer' won't pose next to her.

happy birthday Claya Clam! your first birthday was a blast to organise. {see part I here}

aug, 19th - claya turns one....

day 1285 / 386:

while i was having a blog break, Claya turned one. 

on the day of her actual birthday both A and i had to work so, we opened presents in bed (Limi did most of the opening) and then Claya and Limi each had a cupcake for breakfast.......

after about the fifth rendition of 'Happy Birthday', Claya started to understand that all the fuss was actually for her! although, i do think that she was more taken with the idea of cake for breakfast!

(i'll post pics of her birthday party later this week!)

sep, 10th - first day....

day 945 / 44:

i had great visions of doing a million pics of Limi on her first day of school (how did our parents always manage to wrangle us together for the obligatory pic in the front garden?).....instead, her first day felt like it went by in a blur.......with me reminding her on the way to school, at least five times okay, probably only twice (although it felt like twenty times), to ask a teacher if she needed to wee.....am i the only one who worries that they will sit there all afternoon not asking for a drink or to wee?

anyway, she came home with a sticker that said, 'i went to the toilet today' so obviously my pep-talk worked.....other highlights were:

• bathing the babies (dolls)
• being a crocodile and snapping each other
• sitting down for a drink and raisins
• reading a book about a dog

so, first day of school....and it seems to have gone by in a happy blur......

oct, 15th - dolled up....

day 246:

this is limi's first doll. we bought her in South Africa last year, before we knew whether my growing bump was a girl/boy. 

we've staggered bringing out all her toys so that she doesn't get too bored.....so this was her very first encounter...

with her very first doll!

now to bring out the big fire engine, so that there is no gender bias!

oct, 10th - swinging time....

day 240:

FIRSTS! who doesn't love the first time that they try something good....or, being with someone else when they try something for the first time....watching their fizz of joy and excitement is even better

when i think of Lissom and all the Firsts that she has in front of her.....first jump on a trampoline, first feel of running, first taste of chocolate, first feel of snow, first read of alice and wonderland.....and if her wonderment over her first balloon is some indication (day 234)....she's going to be bursting out her skin when we take her to her first fair.

so with my mum and stepdad in town, we took her off for her very First Swing....

she didn't quite fit...

and seemed more intent on her toes than swinging.....

but once she'd taken some tips from the 2/3 year old veterans swinging next to her....

there was some sedate serious swinging to be had!

.....you may need to wait awhile for those flying-through-the-air action shots though.