Cate spent the day here yesterday, arriving early enough to join us for coffee and babyccinos. By 09h00 they had made potions, played with Barbies, built Lego, and gone for a bike ride. After that they settled into a steadier groove to play Zingo, paint, eat pancakes and just have fun together.

Eli making pancakes while the girls built some Lego

Cate was hanging washing while Eli ironed

Picnic lunch

Going to bed last night turned out to be much more surprising and funnier than expected.

I went to bed at about 01h00 and thought it was unusual that the door was open (it’s normally closed until I come to bed). I go into the dark room and start getting ready to climb into bed. Donné rolls over and say, “You really should check for children under the bed before you go out of here.” Not having any context for this I’m thinking, okay, Apple cat was making some noise and say, “Apple was trapped in Grace’s room, but I let her out earlier.”

Donné says, “Not the cat, children.” I’m a bit confused, “What do you want me to look for?”

“Children under the bed,” she continues.

Dramatic pause. I’m very confused now.

“What do you want me to look for? I know Grace’s scooter is under the bed.”

“Look for children under the bed!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Children under the bed, check under the bed!”

Pause. I’m thinking: what is she talking about, our children are in bed sleeping, there are certainly none under the bed. Is there some puzzle piece that I’m missing? Something that will make this all clear? I’m seriously confused and a bit exasperated and don’t understand why my wife is getting so worked up about me checking under the bed.

“What the heck are you talking about?”

“The boys – Duncan – children under the bed. Just check under the bed.” (in this case “Duncan” is referring to one of the boys that lives down the road)

By this point I’ve accepted that Donné has gone cuckoo and I better just check under the bed so that I can actually get into bed and go to sleep. I shine my cellphone under the bed, and let Donné know, “Nope, no children, no cats, just a scooter.”

Donné says, “I was just dreaming,” and rolls over to go back to sleep. By the time I’m actually in bed Donné has the deep breathing of someone who is sleeping, and I just laugh to myself and get to go to sleep with a big smile on my face.

It turns out Donné was having some awake dream about the boys from down the street being in our room and disturbing her sleep. She had even gotten up to open the door to let them out. By the time she was telling me to, “Just check under the bed,” she was starting to realise that she must have been dreaming, but wasn’t quite ready to let it go – she really needed me to check under the bed for the boogey boys that had been keeping her awake. We’ve had a good laugh about this quite a few times today, and I think it’s going to be a while before she lives this one down.

The last time Gogo and Gramps were visiting, Grace was saying goodbye to them. She gives Gogo a hug and says, “Gogo, you smell like Turkish delight!” In Grace’s books that is definitely a good thing.

Eli was watching some teenage boys style their hair….getting some tips for later. He just loves the hairdresser and leans into it like its his happy place.

Grace on the other hand….well….she’s a more sensitive child and doesn’t like it so much. Moaning and groaning, but at least it is done.

Last night Grace says to Donné, “Mom, when can you organise another baby? I don’t mind what comes out, it can be a baby brother or sister – I don’t mind – but I want another one.” At least we know she loves her brother, but luckily she doesn’t get to make those plans.

Our funny little girl, full of plans

A different view on the aquarium clown fish makes them look entirely different.

The photo was taken from the floor looking up into the tank, with Eli and Grace inside.

The typical clown fish shot

Packing began in earnest today, with us going through cupboards of toys, books, and bathroom toys to decide what to give away and what to box. Two hours and about 8 packed boxes later it feels like we’re getting the packing show moving. It is still a while until we move (mostly like at the end of August)….but it is also not that long, and packing up a house takes a bit longer while looking after two children. Today they just enjoyed all the toys coming out, and they pottered around with them while we worked through it. Grace kept asking why we’re giving the toys in the donations box away – she doesn’t seem to be entirely convinced that that is the best option.

There are still going to be a lot of packing sessions, and a lot of boxes.

Keren and Eli took this photo on Grace’s birthday, and since then he has decided that selfies are great. He takes his phone (which is off), holds it out in front of him and says, “Cheese!”

After finishing his supper, Eli decided mine looked yummy too…

Bradley, Jenna, Grace and Eli had lots of fun on the slide