New Years Eve

My last post of the year, need to put something down right>>???

Anyway Ili, Jaime and myself spent the last day of the year in our PJ's watching a marathon of movies.  To make our decision rational it was quite cold outside and raining.  We did manage to chat and catch up with some friends and family which was cool.

To everyone out there, we hope you have a fantastic New Years, may the best of 2011 be the worst of 2012!

 "Boas saidas e melhores entradas"

Until next year....

Merry Christmas

To all our Friends and Family, near and far, may you have a blessed Christmas filled with love, happiness and family! 

This Christmas, our first in the USA, has been very special.  We are very fortunate to have part of our family here, being adopted by my sister in laws family and the convenience and intelligence of Skype, whats app and facebook, all of which helped us connect with family in South Africa. 

Mr Jaime was old enough this year to enjoy the "magic" of Christmas-giving presents, good food, snow (sort of), love of family and of course Father Christmas.

Every year Better & Better

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Christmas Morning

No words will every explain this....

Santa's gift

'Tis the season to be jolly

Fa la la la la la la la la.

My Favourite time of year

The day before Christmas...

Ili and I jazzed up our little abode for the up and coming feast.   Ham in oven, chicken marinated, couscous ready to go, tick tick tick.  I think this dinner will do my mother proud ;-)

Christmas Mass: 4pm

Jardim Duarte Familia Christmas Eve Dinner

While dinner was being finalised the boys got to decorate some cookies for Father Christmas and his reindeer

Hard work!

Dinner is ready...lets feast!

 

Party is on!
The nativity on the table took severe abuse by the toddlers lol

 

Cheese!

Present frenzy... everyone loved their gifts! 

Jaime got an awesome Chuggington train track, Ili got a seat warmer for his car and I got a crock pot (slow cooker).  Robby also gave us each some special gifts - Jaime a magnifying glass, specifically a pink one, Ili got a 0andX game and I got a heart shape soap "so i can wash Jaime"... too precious

Whats up?

Craft Number 2...Jaime's gift to Robby and himself

Painting his "Welcome"  Reindeer stake

What you doing Josh?  ..... is that the tub of ice cream in your lap????

So proud

Christmas Day preparations 

Ok now the hard work... building the bike that Avo gave

Looking for clues... think his screw is loose..?



Reading instructions.. the yawn... you bored Ili? tired?



Ok ok looks like he knows what he is doing



 And voila...All done!

The test drive

Now off to bed....

Oh hang on look...



Prezzies under the tree



Stockings are filled

Milk finished, salad and grapes all over the floor and cookies eaten...

And a special note for Jaime

  We were so distracted with building the bike we completely missed Santa!

Can you believe it!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Santa Claus...do YOU believe?

Thought I'd share an extract from a blog I read recently.  Thought it was well written and straight out my heart... enjoy!

I’m rather convinced that modern parents have forgotten what it means to have a magical childhood. 

Nowadays, we’re all in favor of the Very Serious Childhood—full of flashcard drills and tofu sandwiches on organic, squaw bread. We have collectively decided that frivolous things like fairies, imaginary friends and Santa Claus must be banished.

I’m pretty sure all this uber-functioning, over-scheduled, Very Serious Childhood stuff breaks poor ol’ Santa Claus’ heart. What he must think of all these highly-literalistic children running around shouting that he isn’t real? And also: parents have lied–LIED–to their own children!

 

 

 I’m a terrible parent because I play make-believe and pretend and dress-up and dance through the garden singing songs to elves and fairies!

 

 

How dare I? There are more IMPORTANT things to do like learn Latin root words and algebraic equations! And how DARE I lie to my children about Santa Claus? Won’t they stop believing in Jesus now?

 

 

Well, I talked with Santa Claus about that he laughed a very big HO HO HO and assured me that if I’ve only done one thing right as a mother it’s this: I’ve delivered my children from the clutches of a dark, cold, SERIOUS childhood and given them the ability to dream. To behold.

 

 

To embrace the mystery without needing to unveil it, explain it, understand it.

I’ve made it safe for them to be wonderstruck and awestruck and to hear sleigh bells on the roof.

 

 

Let others have their literalism and facts.

 

 

We have Santa Claus.

A HUGE thanks to my Mommy and Daddy for sharing your belief and giving us a magical childhood.

5 more sleeps...

A gift for Mom and Dad

A gift from my big boy Jaime... how cool is that! 

Made in South Africa

Today we were surprised to find a package in our post box and guess what was inside.....

Made in South Africa shirt

Showing our other gifts off

Deciding what to do with our gifts

Our gifts you ask....

African decorations for our tree!!

The angel

our African American tree

Thanks Carmi... extra special package!

Our Nativity

Its Christmas and its the time of love, joy and of course the day Jesus is born.  We thought we better get our Nativity scene up so we can teach Jaime the Christmas story. 

Problem: we left our one in South Africa ;-(

Solution:  We make a plan...

Grab some colours, glue and paper. 

Colour colour colour

Cut it all out, put it together and ...voila!

Our own Nativity!

The final product!  Excuse the drunk donkey on the left, think he got high on the blue khoki tee hee

Close up

Top view: Baby Jesus has subsequently been moved.  To return on Christmas Morning. 
Dont you think the roof is "simply beautiful" (Jaime's comments on his hard work), "very pretty, hey mom, very pretty!"

Finishing off the Christmas Tree

With an angel - every tree needs one watching over us

The finished product

O' Christmas Tree

After 2 days of searching we have our tree..actually two tress.  One for inside and one for outside.  We found our perfect Pine tree today - a gorgeous big full tree, best of all its real and will keep on growing.  The idea being that we can one day plant it in our front yard as a memory of our first Christmas. 

However as per usual we don't read instructions and only after loading the Man Truck and paying for the tree, we realised that you cannot bring a live tree into your house straight away you have to give it 3-4 days in the garage and then when in the house cannot be close to any air vents or rafts.  Our house is so small we dont have a garage and every corner has a vent.  So what do we do off we trap to Lowes another tree we get.. for indoors.  A real one but one that is already "broken in".

And here it is...

The boys did some decorating

Even Josh got involved

And very proud of their work

With the lights on.

Now we got to work on getting the table and surrounding decor...one day at a time I suppose...or maybe one Christmas at a time ;-)

Otherwise around the house...

Stocking Holder 1

Stocking Holder 2

Stocking Holder 3

And the stockings

Will keep you updated with our second pride and joy.

Confessions of a Cranio Mom

 I Cry.

It might not seem like I do because most of the time I wait until everyone is asleep. Then I use the darkness of the night to hide my tears. Like a baby I cry myself to sleep and I silently wish the tears will wash all of this fear away.
...
I Obsess.

I research and I read and I blog until my eyes bleed. My poor eyes. I can't learn enough... can't know enough. I keep on searching for a different/better answer when I know I have already found it.

I Hate.

I'm not a jealous person but why is this happening to my precious baby and not yours. It isn't fair, it isn't right, and I hate the fact that you are so happy and I am so unbelievably scared.

I Doubt.

I doubt my decisions, I doubt my surgeons, I doubt my motives, I doubt my faith. It's amazing how someone who once was so strong can crumble into a million pieces so quickly.

I Wait.

For answers... for appointments.... for surgery..... for acceptance... to finally shout from the rooftops "we're on the other side".

I Stare.

At your head, at their head..... At the waiting room wall..... At the Ct scan... at the surgeon when he says "craniosynostosis".

I Deny.

I make yet another appointment in hopes that someone will reverse the original diagnosis. This can't be happening.

I Worry.

About everything. Developmental delays.. ICP... what other people will say.... your vision...Your blood count... Anesthesia... Second Surgeries... will it ever stop?

I Pray.

For guidance, for peace, for my life to return to normal. For a successful surgery for you and a successful surgery for all.

I Cry Again.

I never knew that happiness could bring so many tears. You smile at me behind all of your bandages and wires and I melt into the floor.

I Grow.

Not only as a mom but as a person. Your journey and strength changed my life for the better.

I Overcome.

The fear, the anxiety, the tears, the hate, the doubt, the worry.

I Love.

My baby. My cranio family. Your successful journey and the beautiful life it's become.

By Lauren DiIenno Hassinger

ABC's

After many months we have it down...

Helping out at home

The task: Check all is out the tumble dryer

Open door

Check inside

Oh heck climb in

Check Mom I fit

 

Ok nothing inside

All done Mom!