Children learn what they live..

Children learn what they live.. 1982, Dorothy Law Nolte

If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.

If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.

If a child lives with honesty, He learns truth.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, He learns to find love in the world.

May we be the kind of parents who teach our children the values that matter most not just through our words but through living by example...

I think about this so often.. How we will teach our children the things that matter most.. It's so easy to blame circumstances or other people around us or find excuses when things are not going well. I pray that we will remember that only through our example will our children really see and learn how to live and about the things that mean most in life.. And it's only by staying true to ourselves and most of all our God that we can live and teach the most important values..

And so faith, hope, love abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 AMP)

 

A first time today..!

Ethan started solids today.. He really looked like he enjoyed it and ate everything like a champ..!

He is growing up quickly..

We are celebrating the small things...

Hmmmm...

Was that all..? I'll eat my bib as well then! Yum!

And my hands for that matter... :-)

Moments with dad... (In celebration of fathers day...)

When I was a kid, my father told me every day, "You're the most wonderful boy in the world, and you can do anything you want to." Jan Hutchins

These go together with celebrating fathers day this past weekend. And it is just a reminder how blessed my boys are to have Michael as their dad..

As it is when the second baby comes along the older one becomes very much dad's responsibility especially around bath and bed time which makes the next few things somewhat of a special thing Michael and Jaydon shares.

• Wrestling with dad on the carpet - Michael 'wrestle' with Jaydon and play with him on the carpet before we start bath en bed time... Lately when Michael asks Jaydon if he wants to wrestle, Jaydon gets this little smile on his face and goes and lie on the carpet as a sign for Michael that he wants to play.. They then roll on the floor and you just hear laughs from Jaydon.. He just loves this special play time with dad
• Driving the car into the garage on dad's lap - As soon as we hear Michael is here, Jaydon runs to the garage and Michael usually waits outside for him and then Jaydon would climb in with him and gets this really big grin, as in 'look where I'm sitting mom!' and they drive the car into the garage.. It's just too cute to see Jaydon ducking under the garage door and 'running' to the car..
• Playing hide-and-seek before bath time - It's like this little ritual they have where Michael goes and hide in our bedroom and Jaydon has to look for him and the other way around.. Jaydon usually squeals with delight when Michael finds him and runs back to his room to start again..
• And the latest favorite for Jaydon is bed time reading with dad.. he already packs the books ready to read before he goes to bath and then can't wait to 'read' once he is in bed.. I just love hearing the laughs and noises and excited squeals from the other room.. Once they done Jaydon says 'Tata' to his books.. Really cute and just one more thing he is doing reminding us how quickly he is growing up..

• And little Ethan - for him the best part is when he can sit on dad's lap when he gets home and have a few moments 'uninterrupted' time with dad.. He really is such a content little boy and just loves being close to mom or dad.. So sweet to see how he now interacts with you and he just loves when Michael plays with him and pulls faces to make him laugh..

It's so special to see the bond between dad and his boys. We are truly blessed..

A few favorite photos of Michael and the boys taken recently..

A little blackboard drawing...

Being silly with dad..

Strand beach, May 2012, Ethan's first time at the sea

Best place on dad's shoulders

Ready to go down the slide.!

Dad's shoulder is the best place for a nap..

I'll just hold your hand for now, dad....

Weekend photos....

I'm posting a whole bunch of pictures from this weekend.. It was really freezing outside and we were mostly indoors... I did manage to get quite a few pictures of just what we were doing.. As you know by now I can't get enough of taking photo of the boys...

Enjoy!

Ethan sitting like a big boy and all...

"Hello Ethan" "Hello Jaydon" "I like you" "I like you too"

Jaydon has discovered how much fun reading is..

 

Very proud of his potty!

Fell asleep when we dashed to the shops on Saturday... still holding his chain he played with...

Eating with his hands.. Why is that always so nice...?

Geared for yesterday's freeze with his 'Inka' beanie made by Tannie Joy...

Pure concentration at what daddy is doing on the computer...

Playing on the subwoofer yesterday.. He was really tired here but refused his nap.. (We were out of luck again for a relaxed Sunday afternoon..... and this time it was too cold to play outside...:-( )

Stretching in all directions over this speaker...

"Hello again, little brother..."

Little cutie bear..

Artist in the making..... Discovering the joys of the iPad...!

From a different angle...

Taking his new favorite book all over with him...

He is now really into the reading thing and we dare not miss bed time reading! He gets so excited he squeals of delight and sits on his pillow waiting for his story..

"So what do I weigh mr Scale..?"

Really enjoying this lollipop!

Places to eat my food #59.. The camping mattress..

I'm 4 months old today!....



















Have a great week.. xx

"Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without." -Jodi Picoult, Perfect match