Three things that scare me:

1. When my brothers shout
2. When someone creeps up on me
3. When I don't see Mommy in the morning when I wake up

Three people that make me laugh:

1. My brother Quintus.  He is so funny
2. My mom
3. My granny

Three things I love:

1. Taking a bath
2. Playing "where's he, where's he"
3. Sleeping in my Mommy or Granny's arms

Three things I dislike:

1. Having my nose wiped
2. When my brothers are in my face
3. Getting dressed

Three things I like to play with:

1. Paper
2. My dummy 
3. My feet

Three things I don't' understand:

1. Why babies have to get colds and flu 
2. Why I have to wear clothes
3. Why I can't be in Mommy's arms all day long

Three things on my dresser:

1. Cream
2. Wipes
3. Cream for my eczema

Three things I'm doing right now:

1. Sleeping in my Granny's arms
2. Dreaming of my mom
3. Putting my hand in my Granny's mouth (don't ask)

Three things I can do:

1. Sit by myself
2. Eat (I love to eat)
3. Hold out my arms for Mommy to pick me up.

Three ways to describe my personality:

1. Friendly
2. Calm
3. Cuddly

Three things I can't do:

1. Roll
2. Crawl
3. Undress myself

Three things I think you should listen to:

1. My laugh
2. My scream
3. My giggles

Three things I think you should never listen to:

1. Your brothers
2. My brothers screaming
3. My mom when she is upset

Three absolute favourite foods:

1. Banana
2. Banana cereal
3. Pear and apple mix

Three things I'd like to learn:

1. How to crawl
2. How to roll
3. How to talk

Three beverages I drink regularly:

1. Breastmilk times three

Three shows I watch:

1. Barney
2. Powers Rangers (with my brothers)
3. Noddy

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

• I got a letter from my Grandfather today.  My first ever letter from him.  It was mostly addressed to Tommie and my boys lol  Very nice of him to write a letter to us.  I loved that he addressed it to Lord and Lady de Bruyn.
• It is cold.  All of a sudden cold.  It is also raining.  In the winter.   Who knew.
•     This is Quintus and his little friend who rides with us every afternoon.
• My husband ticked me off yesterday on our way home (maybe the fact that he got caught in a speed trap just as we left the resort had something to do with it) and it's not getting better.
• I hate that.  I don't like it when we are upset with each other.
• I couldn't go jogging this afternoon due to the rain.  I used that as an excuse to eat cookies and chips.  Now where's the logic in that?
• Tommie just asked what's for dinner and I said whatever he is making hahha
• No I'm not normally like this.  But the combination of enough cookies and chips plus me not being impressed with him, equals him making dinner.

I took these pics just as we left the resort yesterday.  Thought they were cute.  You can see more of the weekend photos here.

Yes, my "baby" is four.  It feels like just yesterday, when I held him in my arms for the first time. I so clearly remember holding your little warm, soft foot in my hand as they took our first photo together.  At that moment I thought I would never forget how that little foot felt and four years on I still remember.

I love this little boy with all my heart.  I love how he thinks I'm the most gorgeous mom ever.  That I'm as pretty as a dwarf?  Yes, so he says.  I love that he has such a way with girls.  A charmer most definitely.  I love how strong willed he is.  Okay, not always but I know that this will help him fight his battles as he gets older.  That it will help him not to succumb to peer pressure so easily.  I love his humor.  How he can get me to laugh when I should not.  Happy birthday to my middle son.  The one who binds his older brother to his younger brother.

Little Jay wanted a Cars picnic.  This guy loves a picnic.  So we went to his favourite vacation resort and had a picnic.  My folks and my eldest brother with his family joined us.  Jason was super excited about his cake.  He wanted a Cars cake and couldn't wait to see it.  He loved it.  The kids all had a lovely time, with their picnic under the trees.  I thought it was so sweet that Jason wanted fruit at the picnic too lol  Didn't think he would ask for that!  (it was of course left untouched)

When everyone left on Sunday, he got so upset.  He had thought that everyone would stay there for his birthday.  I felt so sad for him. 

This morning when he woke up, we brought him a cupcake with four candles in (we always do this for the birthday guy).  We opened gifts and went to Wimpy for breakfast.  On the way I picked some white flowers and put them around his plate (continuing my mom's tradition)  After going back and having our last swim, we headed back home.

Happy birthday Jay - you are a baby no more - you are now four.

More common in children.  You wake up screaming, terrified.  Even when your eyes are open you will most likely still scream and feel terrified for a long time afterwards.  Not to be mistaken as nightmares... this is worse.  It is associated with high levels of stress.

I used to suffer from this quite a bit when I was younger.  Then for about 10 years I haven't had it at all.  Now I have had two in the last two months.  Last night was particularly bad.  I screamed so loudly and so much that Quintus came running into our room, wanting to know whats wrong.  Even I couldn't wake up and stop screaming.  Tommie calmly tried to wake me and after a while I did.  I was petrified.  Scared.  Unable to fall asleep again.  About an hour later I did manage to...hoping I would have another.

While night terrors are absolutely frightening, it also made me realize that should something happen, should someone break into our house, Quintus would come running.  I wouldn't want him ti.  I would want him and his brothers to hide.

My cousin and her husband was attacked in their home a while back.  While they were being terrorized....stabbed....hit, their boys were hiding in their room.  They didn't come out and this protected, kept them safe from the idiots.  I would want my children to do that.

So now I have the unpleasant task of explaining that sometimes our home...their safe haven is not as safe.  That should I scream, they should hide.  Or do I say nothing and hope that nothing ever happens to our family.  I'll take this weekend to think about it.

Yes, we are going away for the weekend.  Today.  Coming back Monday.  I have so been looking forward to this weekend away.  It is also Jason's' birthday on Monday.  He is having a Cars picnic at Klein-Kariba.  That's what he wants, that's what he'll get.

Have a great weekend everyone.  I might update from there, as the resort has an internet cafe, but I'm not promising anything!

Zander's shirt says it all:

I was so tired last night but still forced my own self to do some work.  By 10 pm I was just too tired to concentrate and decided to call it a night.  I fell asleep almost immediately.  At 11 pm the phone rings.  I nearly had heart failure! It's the security company of our brand new alarm system, that wants us to plug the alarm in.  Now let me recap first.  They installed it on Monday and by last night we were still waiting for someone to explain the thing to us.  So I told the lady that it is plugged in (as it was).  She goes "oh, ok" and puts the phone down.  I go right back to sleep.

At 2 am we get woken up by Jason who had wet his bed.  He even brought clean pj's with.  Tommie got him dressed up and put him in bed.   Zander wakes up to nurse and we are back to sleep.

At 4 am the darn alarm starts beeping.  Beeping.   Beeping.   Beeping.  At 4:20 am and just bbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeps.  We phone the alarm company, who tells us to phone one of their technicians.  We wake the guy up and he gives us this list of things to do that doesn't work.  The alarm is still beeping in our ears.  Thankfully the sirens didn't go off, so at least our neighbours could sleep in peace.  After about 10 minutes on the phone, the technician tells us to pull it out of the wall and cut the red wire. Uhm...ok.  We do and it shuts up.  By 5 am we try to sleep again.   5:30 am Tommie puts on the TV and 6 am Tommie's phone alarm goes off.

So yes, even though it's believed that "sleep is for the weak", the strong still has to sleep.

I have finally gotten myself motivated to start running again.  Well at this stage it is probably more walking than running but it's a start right?  I'm following the couch-to-5k program.  (For the third time)  It is SO easy.  No really.  Trust me.  Before you know it, you are fit and enjoying it.  I must say, I have forgotten just how much I love running.  It is such a great way to clear your mind, work of stress and just be. 

I started on Sunday.  That didn't go so well.  See, Quintus wanted to run with me.  So I figured he is not too unfit, maybe he can do this.  If he gets tired, he could always just wait for Tommie to catch up to him (Tommie walked with Zander and Jay)  Well, Quintus lasted for 3,5 minutes.  See me running, struggling for breath and begging him to rather wait for Tommie lol  I finally convince him to wait, when I turn around and see Jay running (he is like WAY behind me) calling my name.  boy oh boy.

Tonight went much better.  I put Quintus on his bicycle, same with Jason.  Jason was to stay with Tommie and Zander though, while Quintus rode with me.  It was nice having Quintus' company.  It's also a lovely way to get the family moving.  I have been telling myself that I must do this for a long time now.  I'm glad I have finally started.  Once I get my butt moving, I know I'll keep up with it.

I'm hoping to work it up so that I can do a 10 km run.  I know for any runner out there, that is not far lol but that is my target.  I know that within two months I will easily do a 5 km.  Hopefully there will be a race in our area in another four months or so.  I need a goal to work towards!