Singing in the rain

11 Months

Autumn is 11 months today, just one more month till she's one! I'm treasuring these last few months of babyhood, they are just getting better. Here's her 11 month photo shoot, I had alot of fun with this one on our front stoop.

At 11 months Autumn's "girlyness" is coming through. She loves shoes, smiling and kissing her dolls, she plays with my skirts, and says "hi" to anyone who passes by. She loves her peek-aboo book and animal touch books. I thank the Lord for her little life in mine, she is the cause of much joy and sanctification in my life!

Daddy's Home!

After 12 days of Clint studying his doctorate in LA, the kids were WAY excited to have daddy home. Noah counted down the sleeps and remembered really well that daddy was gone and didn't ask for him. He'd just say "12 more BIG sleeps." We are so glad to have him back and are so thankful for all the people at Grace who hosted him and looked after him. Thanks for your hospitality and encouragement to him while he was there!

Dancing with Daddy in our PJ's the morning he came home :)

And just a freebee of my littlest munchkin

Busy week

So on one of my last posts I said I was going to post a photo for Clint every day that he was gone, and well, as you can see, that didn't happen! To all those moms out there whose husbands come home after the kids are in bed, or are raising them by themselves, I raise my hat to you. It's been a busy week. I'm used to Clint playing with the kids outside while I make dinner, and this week I had two hungry crying children alot at around 6pm, so I had to learn to make dinner at like 4 to avoid this at all costs. I got through the week with much prayer for me to be patient and gracious when the 6o'clock crazies hit!

The church has been so great and I've been out every day this week that Clint has been gone with different people. I've learned alot too that I CAN take both kids to the mall by myself, to the beach by myself etc. It's alot of work, but way worth it, cause the smiles on their faces are just priceless. So here's a few photos from this week:

Liz came by for one final hangout before she went to Australia with little Emma and Lyle. Noah has been asking all week wheres "Liz and Lygle and Emma?" cause they made regular appearances at our house while they were here. It was sad to have Autumn's "twin" go!

My husband organized flowers to be delivered to me on my birthday, they are so pretty! I love how he never gets plain roses, its always unique.

Kerry organized a birthday tea for me since Clint was gone and a bunch of ladies from our church came, it was alot of fun. I love this place because you can sit and have your tea while your kids feed the ducks.

Noah ate tons and tons of cake. Mommy's birthday was the best, cause there was cake!

Amber, Frances and me

Raqel is from HBC but now goes to Master's College. It was fun to hear her talk about my old "home" and now her's too.

Cornerstone girls!

When Noah heard it was my birthday he said "but Christmas tree is DOWN momma!" Then he realized when I started opening presents and we were eating cake that it really was my birthday.

Sue with her twins Nathan and Luke. Autumn and the twins are just 4 months apart.

Some of Noah's friends got to come too. Here's Gemma

And Luka. Noah plays SO nicely with Luka

Ohleng and Louisa

Paula with her baby "Marco." Recently Noah said "please make a baby Marco!" So funny. He loves Marco.

Group shot minus Kerry who is taking the photo!

My friend Nina had her baby girl Stellah who we got to go see in the hospital. I told Noah that Nina was in the hospital because its sore to have a baby. He said "oh mommy, give Nina medicine, doctor make it better." He liked seeing baby Stellah alot.

Noah "picasso" Archer. He drew his real first drawing this week. Mostly they always look like scribbles, but this time he said "look mommy, Noah draw car" and it totally looked like one! Hurray!

I also went to spend the day down the south coast with Mindie at a caravan park where they had rock pools and waterslides and awesome stuff for kids, but I didn't take any photos cause we were having so much fun!

We went to the petting zoo with my friend Sally and her little boy Caleb. The horse ate the ENTIRE bag of feed, including the bag! This made Noah quite sad!

Noah playing with Caleb on the jungle gym

Autumn on the tire swing, she loved this!

So its been a busy week. Both of my kiddos are sleeping better than they ever have cause they are so tired. But I can't wait for my hubby to come home!

Soccer

Our church gets together to play soccer every Wed and today I took the kids to watch. I brought Noah's ball with and he played on the steps with some of the young adults. This was his face pretty much the whole time, he just loved it!

Autumn made friends with a girl named Praise (cool name huh?) They both played with keys for about an hour

A lady was there facepainting and she offered to paint Noah's face. She had a bunch of pictures and Noah chose the pirate.

Me and my pesky pirate, I love the beard!

Noah LOVES Taz, he played with her the whole afternoon, and at our house right until bedtime. He thanked God for Taz in his night prayer, so cute!

Autumn got a little heart

She was oblivious to its cuteness, but was all smiles anyway.

We didn't play much soccer, but we had a great time of fellowship!

12 BIG sleeps

So Clint left for LA last night and will be gone 12 days in LA to do his doctoral classes. This is pretty hard for me since its the first time we'll be apart with kids AND he's going to my home. (I actually don't know what to call home now, SA and LA are both home).

When Clint was packing Noah got his quilt and pillow off his bed and climbed in Clint's suitcase and said "noah's going nigh nigh in suitcase, goodnight!" And then he'd open the suitcase and pronounce..."noah wake up, yay!"
Noah totally knows that daddy is on a plane and didn't ask for him once today. He just said "Daddy's on a plane, 12 BIG sleeps daddy come home." Amazing how much kids take in. Anyways, in honor of Clint being gone 12 days I'm going to post 1 photo of the day per day he's gone. Today its Autumn's little girly curls. I just love them!

Silly Noah

About once a day Noah will do something that he thinks is funny, and then he'll end it with "silly Noah"

"Take a picture Noah's teeth, silly Noah"

(While making cookies) "Noah's cooking, sticky hands, silly Noah"

(While swimming) "Noah's a frog, ribbit! Silly Noah"

Pretoria

A few weeks ago we had an early Christmas for 2 days up in Pretoria with Granny and Grandpa. Autumn got some good "hang out" time with Grandpa and Pooh Bear :) I love this photo, its like their having a good chat

Granny soon became Noah's favorite person, because there was chocolate hiding in his stocking!

Noah & Autumn opened their presents with cousin Dyllan, it was a full house with three kiddos!

Autumn with Auntie Bronwyn

We only were in Pretoria for two days, and Noah always talks about "Granny and Crapa" and if he plays with something they gave him he'll say "Granny and Crapa made it mommy!"

We tried taking a photo of Santa with the three cousins, and well, Autumn screamed down the house, which made Noah and Dyllan and every kid in line cry. Noah calls Santa "the scary red man" now. So we were quite unsuccessful!

10 Months!

These were taken a few weeks ago when Autumn turned 10 months but I haven't had a chance to post them! At 10 months Autumn can say "hi, dadda, momma, and a form of "all done" She also signs for "more" and claps her hands and waves goodbye. She's cruising and crawling fast, she loves to swim and bath, and her nickname for this month has been "sweetie pea bea." Here are some photos from her 10 month photo shoot:

She loves her teddy bear

Her hair barely fits into a neat little ponytail now.