After a busy birthday today was a relaxed recovery day. Grace and I took a walk to the beach this afternoon to fulfil her beach need, and while we were there some girls came onto the beach taking their dog for a walk. One of the girls was riding a bicycle (which Grace has been into lately). Grace looks at the girls and says to me, “Let’s go make a friend.”

We didn’t go and make those friends, but she did make some friends while going around and around on the merry-go-round.

Grace is four today! One of the first things she did was go through to Gogo and Gramps, put her hand on her heart and says, “My heart is so happy.” She then proceeded to be spoilt our of her socks…

Piling up the presents. The big hit was a Barbie doll

The other big hit for the day was the princess dress and shoes that Gogo bought her. She lived in the dress today.

Make-up also played a signification part in the day

We had a whole bunch of family around for her birthday, but when it came time to open the party packs Grace sat quietly in her corner with her sweets

One thing that Grace had specifically requested was pass-the-parcel.

Mama, loves and cuddles

Eli and Grampa having a cuddle

Eli got to try out some granadilla sorbet

The fanciest Barbie cake I have ever seen

Ooooh, its so beautiful!

Singing the birthday song, and the noise was just a little too much for Grace

A super-duper big thank you to Gogo and Gramps for opening up their house and organising everything, and a great big thank you for all the special gifts she received.

After arriving safely in Jeffreys Bay at 02h00 in the morning, Grace was up and about a 07h00 and ready to enjoy her last day as a three year old. The fact that she had only slept about 2 hours on the drive here didn’t seem to impact on her – having Gogo and Gramps around was enough to get her excited and ready to go.

Gogo and Gramps had to work, but Grace was super excited to join Gogo on her afternoon grocery shopping, so off she went on her own with Gogo.

At bed time she was hyped up and ready for her birthday. I say, “You have to sleep so that it can be your birthday,” to which she replies, “Can I wake up at any time?” Sneaky.

Where’s my supper mom?

We’re leaving for a break in Jeffreys Bay tonight and Grace is very excited. She woke up this morning talking about it.

We’re going to arrive at 02h00 or so in the morning, so I said to Grace, “When we get there it is still sleep time and we’re going straight to bed.” So she says, “I’ll say hello to Gogo and Gramps first.” “Yes, but then straight to bed – we’re all going to sleep when we get there.”

Then Grace says, “And when I wake up in the morning I mustn’t come into mommy and daddy’s room, I must go and look for Gogo.” Seems like a plan to me….

Eli is also keen to go

We have a policy that things – such as toys and such like – are our family’s so that we can minimise conflict over whose toy it is. There are certain things though which are personal items, such as Grace’s monkey – which is most definitely her monkey.

Grace wanted to eat some of Eli’s snack and Donné said to her, “Grace, please leave those, they are Eli’s.” Grace looks at them longingly and says, “It’s our family’s!” and waves her arms to a big all encompassing circle. She convinced us.

Donné has cut Grace’s hair….Grace has cut her own hair…..and now finally, in anticipation of her fourth birthday, a hairdresser has cut Grace’s hair.

Sweets to keep her still for a short while…like 1 second

Princess hair

Little babaloos flying through the air…

Eli said his first word today, “Baba”! It is doubly exciting because Grace never really had a clear first word (a common symptom of her oral dyspraxia). He was very chuffed with himself and even said, “bye-bye” later, including a little half wave.

Eli’s speech development is going to be an entirely different thing compared to Grace, and it is going to be exciting to share in the joy of it.

It is holiday time, which means more time for arts and crafts. Grace was painting with corks and earbuds today

Corks…

Earbuds..

Done!