At the end of every bath, there are always sister hugs.

…I will gnaw your arm off

Hahaha! I win!

Early start to the day with us up at 00h00. Last few things packed, baby fed and everyone in the car by 01h00 and in Jeffrey's Bay by 09h00. Grace and Eli were really amazing. Grace was actually awake (sort of) until about 04h00 (but quiet the whole time), then waking up about an hour later and seeing that it was starting to get light she was ready to start the day. And since she has been here she has pretty much been playing full on all the way until the end of the day. I'm really proud of how well she travelled.

Thank you Father God that we travelled and arrived safely.

I'm enjoying watching Grace & Eli's relationship grow. She is being really loving towards her brother at the moment – lots of hugs and she is happy to sit and play with him. He smiles at her, which she likes ("He smiled at me!")

It is just really sweet to watch them together.

It's fun to stick stickers on your brother. Grace is really enjoying Eli at the moment.

Our sweet, smiley boy

The Noah's Ark advent calendar has been big. There is super-excitement each day when she opens a drawer, and also the joy of the countdown to seeing Gogo and Granny – just one more day!

Today we got to celebrate an amazing 10 years of marriage, a blessing which we truly cherish. It was just a chill day together (ending with yummy sushi), but so good to just be together, chat and connect after a really busy and hectic year.

Yesterday Donné whacked her toe on the skirting and it has bruised quite a bit. This morning, before we got out of bed, Grace says, "Mommy, how is your toe feeling?" D: "It's feeling a bit better today." G: "You should lie in bed today." Just what the doctor ordered.

While we were eating sushi Donné took Grace to the toilet and when she came back Grace was saying, "Mommy, you hurt my feelings," (with Donné not really sure where that was coming from). Intrigued I asked, "How did mommy hurt your feelings?" She points to her side and says, "There." Okay, so she doesn't quite get what that means yet.

Last year was the first year for building gingerbread houses, and in the spirit of creating a tradition today was gingerbread house day again….except the three year olds decided eating the sweets was a much better idea than putting the houses together. Maybe they just needed Caleb to give them some guidance – pity about the pink eye which kept him away.

Grace and Donné were talking about Eli, brothers and sisters this morning when Grace pipes up that she wants a sister. "Grace, you don't have a sister, Eli's a boy." Grace then says, "Let's get an Alice band so that he can be a girl."

We finally have Bob the BMW back after weeks and weeks of panel beaters and service centre's and he seems to be back in good health – super yay! Donné dropped me off to collect the car and on the way home she looks back in her review mirror to see Grace nodding off in her car seat. It was the end of the day, so not a time for naps. Donné says to Grace, "Grace, are you falling asleep back there?" and she says, "Just showing Eli how."