now you're 3 Carter....

My baby boy my goodness how this year has flown. Every single day is a joy with you in it, with your warm cuddles and when you place your hands on my cheeks and give me sweet kisses. Days with you fly by, because days with you are full of fun, smiles and giggles.

You still love a quiet place to play alone when you can get it, I often hear you talking to your toys and playing "make believe" in your room. You have found your voice and while you still aren't a huge fan of talking to people I know your vocabulary has grown exponentially over the last few months.

You run down the hall each morning demanding breakfast like you haven't eaten for weeks, and every morning it makes me smile.

You love the secret little club you and Zoe have formed, the exclusivity, time away from the others and her devout attention to you.

I know the whole concept of COVID19  is lost on you. I'm really thankful for extra time out on the farm with wide open spaces fresh air and the love and care of your grandparents. I'm thankful all you experienced was having your mum home for more hours of the day. I don't think you'll ever appreciate how lucky I felt to have this extra time with you. For me, this global pandemic was a wonderful time to slow down and reflect on the most important things in our typically busy lives, and coming out on top was quality time with you and your siblings.

You are such a special kid Carter. I love you. Happy 3rd birthday, I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us.

At 3:

• you are 100cm tall and 16.5kilo heavy
• you have all your teeth, and yes some are chipped 
• you love big cuddles, stolen kisses, playing with Zoe, reading cranky bear on repeat, watching the Julia Donaldson books on i-view, finding worms and snails, playing on the oval kicking balls, riding your scooter and sleeping
• your favourite meal is anything that you can put sauce on
• you hate: when Mason interrupts your quiet time, waking up, apologising, when anyone asks you to do something you don't want to.
• your best friend is Mason, perpetually telling people at day-care he is "your Mason"

Mr Mason.... your 3rd birthday

What a year you have had! I'm actually finding this blog entry really difficult to write. This past year you've grown up, you are now a little boy rather than a toddler or baby, it's kind of hard to grasp.

You are so like Zoe in a lot of ways, a firm believer in doing it yourself and doing it your way. You just don't stop. You don't stop moving, talking, laughing, squealing, eating...... you are so busy all the time. I've loved your outgoing personality shining through. Always looking for someone to play with, to talk till their ears bleed, to make games up with and to pretend with.

Despite early signs that you might toilet train over the past 6 months you've swiftly decided that's not your thing right now and that's OK, though for Christmas this year mum really wants to never have to change a nappy again.

You've really learnt through make believe play, it's probably no secret that I haven't had the hours to spend teaching you your letters or numbers, but that hasn't stopped you counting to twenty to play hide and seek, or pointing out coloured objects.

I know the whole concept of COVID19 for you was simply just that mum got to be home with you, i don't think you'll ever appreciate how lucky I felt to have this extra time with you, to watch you build cubbies on the farm, feed horses grass from your hands and ride your bikes for kilometers around the block.

I'm really thankful for you Mason, you make me feel like a super star mum when you cuddle me, I can really feel the love from you, you are so genuinely you.

I often say that you are cheeky trouble and you are; but for now, you're the very best kind of trouble.

birthday joy - your PJ masks cakes with our Au Pair Sini

At 3

• you are: 100.5cm tall and 15.5kilo heavy
• you finally sleep through the night
• you have all your baby teeth, even if a few are chipped
• you love: playing doggie, being outside, running wild, being the winner, big hugs, visiting your grandparents
• your favourite food is: sausages with mash and veggies, spaghetti, chicken schnitzel
• your best friend is Carter, but you love to spend time with Evie & Oscar Carter and often ask for them
• you hate: when Zoe leaves you out of a game, going  to bed, when Carter just wants to play by himself, when you have to share my lap to sit on and having your nappy changed.
• you love to say "don't be sad" whenever you leave the room or the comfort of someones lap for mine.