Donné, Eli and Grace were all swinging together on the one swing, with Eli and Grace facing each other. Grace was playing with Eli saying, “Boo!” and every time she would say it, he would pack out laughing (because big sisters are super funny). So Donné says to her, “Grace, you are so lucky to have such a captive audience.”

Grace, being Grace, says, “Eli is so lucky to have such an entertaining sister.”

Grace has discovered pancakes, and would happily eat them everyday

The best type of glasses are the edible ones

They guys are Vida just love Eli and now call him, “Pow, pow” – a side effect of wearing a superhero jacket with “Pow!” on the back.

Grace was looking at her butterfly and Eli was having some fun playing in the dirt

Grace and Eli having some fun singing together

Okay, family packed….now for the rest of the house.

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