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. 

 

A Quarantine 7th Birthday

Who would have thought this time a year ago I'd be posting your birthday blog entry working remotely from the farm, during a pandemic which has seen the entire world shut down for the past 2 months. Who would have thought that 2020 would be the year we sheltered in Forster for weeks to avoid the hazardous smoke that consumed and choked Canberra for months during the worst bushfire season on record, the year hail stones the size of tennis balls pelted homes and cars and workplaces causing catastrophic damage, the year schools, parks, pools and business' were forced to shut to avoid the spread of disease and assist in social distancing measures.

 At 7 years old I wonder if this birthday will be remembered by you the same way it will be by me? Did you feel as young and carefree as you did on your special day last year, do you have any understanding of how frightened the world is or have I successfully managed to protect you from that? Will you remember this as a self-isolation / quarantine / online learning birthday,  or just as one spent on the farm with your grandparents, brothers, our Au Pair (Sini) and I breathing fresh air, roaming for miles, and full of energy?

Whatever your memories of this day years into the future I hope they bring a smile that consumes your whole face, the way it does now when you laugh. I hope that behind all my anxieties around how this period will affect you, you look back fondly and realise how lucky we were to be together, with your grandparents able to have the space and freedom to be a child.

Despite all the doom and gloom in the world  this past year you have shone through. This year has been a year of the highest of highs for you. The summer of 19-20 was your first attempt with the Ginninderra Little Athletics club, and you took to it like a fish to water. Week in and week out you smashed your PBs and won event after event with such strong motivation to never be defeated in the long distance races. In the end you ended up second behind the Age Champion over all. You were brave enough to enter the school swimming carnival placing 3rd in under 8s (yes that's correct, you were the only 6 or 7 year old who wanted to give it a go, so you competed against girls in year 3) in 2 events! At school your end of year report showed us that you are so much more capable than what you say you are at home, receiving Bs across the board! You still show great leadership and are extremely resilient. 

We've fought less this year than we have in the past, I know it won't last but I've really enjoyed seeing you shine and grow this year. I particularly love your competitive side (despite the fights of who wins between you and Coop), I love the side of you that makes your father melt into workable clay that gets you what you want, I've loved learning more about your friends, your likes and who you want to be. I'm not ready for you to be 7 and I'm sorry we aren't able to spend the day with your friends, but I hope to make it special for you, because my darling daughter you deserve to feel special. 

You've grown so much this year Zo Zo, you are a real little lady when you want to be, boisterous at all other times though, while I may get frustrated by the noise, one day I will miss your squeals and giggles of delight as you play with the boys. Please stop being in such a rush to grow up, to wear make up and a bra, to straighten your hair or wear high heels, just be my baby girl for just a little longer.

You Love: running, proving to people that you are right, being a big sister, talking with your friends, hugs from mum, drawing, writing and you are starting to enjoy reading.

Your Best friends are: Ruby, Rosie, Emmy, Elsie and Sophia 

You play: Athletics; and you are damn good at it. You are enrolled to start soccer this year again, but we will have to wait and see.

Your Favourite food is: tuna mornay, but you also love mums berry crumble, pepper steak pie, sushi, Oma's home made chicken schnitzel and tasting plates. 

You hate:  having to follow anyone else’s rules, not getting to do the same things Cooper does, not getting your way.

You want to be: A teacher or a nurse when you grow up
You have: finally lost your first tooth and have a second wobbly one! (lost on the 1st of March 2020)

The most memorable events for you: Racing from the start hill at BMX. Attending your second cousins (Alexandra's) wedding, going on most of the same slides as Cooper at Wet & Wild, spending a week with the Kay's at Forster after Christmas, coming 2nd overall in the age champion category in little As, missing out on so many events and parties because of smoke, fire, hail or COVID-19.

You are 119.5cm tall 

You weigh 23kg 

 

I love you my baby girl, I'm so very proud of who you are xx
Love ,
Mumma

An open letter to my husband

Lately I’ve realised just how lucky we are to have you, I mean I’ve always known that when we need you you’d be there, but lately there’s just that air of something more special in you than that.

While I know both our lives have changed dramatically since the boys were born, I’ve really seen you grow. I’ve seen you put our kids first, be involved and actively participate in parenting alongside me. I’ve seen a shift from “if I have to” to “of course I will” or “I want to do that” and it’s made you unbelievably and unequivocally more sexy to me.

In these past few weeks alone you’ve made runs to pick up extra summer school uniforms for next term after our bigs grew too fast over winter, you’ve willingly texted me as “Charlie elf” to tell the kids Christmas is only 100 days away, you’ve left work early for training pick-ups or drop offs, for school assemblies or just because I got too nervous letting Zoe catch the bus by herself. You’ve attended parent teacher interviews and actively participated and despite the tantrums and screams for mum you’ve navigated dinner and bath time alone more and more as I try to stay on top of other things – and while some may say “he’s their dad that’s just expected” sometimes it can’t always be the case. 

These people don’t see how you leave the house at 5:30am Monday through Friday some nights after being up for hours on end with Carter crying and how you don’t come home some nights till after 8. They don’t see you studying for your masters until 1 or 2 am or waking at 4am on a Saturday to travel with the Junior Raiders during their season. They don’t see all the stuff you are doing in the hopes that it will improve our lives and what we can provide our children in the future.

I know that in the thick of these years I can feel overwhelmed by coping on my own, I can resent that you aren’t home as much as other dads are but the truth is I am unbelievably proud of you. I am also unbelievably thankful that despite all of these things you still want to be there for your kids, you stand track side, sit in grandstands, you attend ceremonies and you do bath times. You “duck” down to the shops at 9pm when I realise there’s no milk or bread, you do load after load after load of laundry so we have clothes to wear, you hug them when they need it and you back my parenting decisions 100%.

I knew when I married you that you’d be a great dad, but I never imaged you’d be exceptional.

I’ve never loved you more and I want you to know how thankful I am for you each and every day.

xx

sincerely, your wife.

8 years since I became the luckiest mummy alive

You unlike anyone before you called me mumma, and now you are 8.

I fear that our time with you as a child is nearing to an end, that soon the things we do will bore you, be uncool and daggy. I fear that next year you'll start to become aware that perhaps Santa isn't real, the Easter bunny too.... I fear you're childhood is wrapping up on magic and entering pre-teen. I hope as I write this next year that I still have a little longer with my special boy by my side.

In 8 years we’ve grown together and we’ve created a personality that wasn’t in existence before. I am different because of you and I am thankful for that. You are you, and I can’t explain my pride in you.

You are just and right. You are kind and strong. You are smart and respectful. I can honestly say that there is no one out there like you Cooper, a wise soul on a young body. This year you are doing extension maths, which proves to me that you have your dads brains, you love to read and learn and ask questions to understand the whys, hows and when’s. You still deeply care about your friends and family. You love time on the farm, at Forster and with your grandparents. If you had a choice you would spend all your waking hours with your friends. 

During school holidays you will often spend a day or three on the farm and while you always come back tired you come back happy. While you love video games the wide open space and adventure suits you. You still insist you are going to be a zoologist, palaeontologist or archaeologist when you are older despite me constantly pushing you into a trade.

This past year we’ve supported you every week with footy, bmx or soccer. We’ve been to theme parks, zoos and sporting events, we’ve walked mountains and swam in oceans, we’ve been watching you grow and grow and grow inside and out! You spend many weekends sleeping over at friends places or arranging play dates at the park. You have learnt to compromise and to tame your temper by walking away.

You look forward to having your own room back – while you certainly tolerate sharing, and at times when in trouble find comfort with Zoe in your room; you long for a space for you to display your Lego, hide you secretes and read quietly alone without disturbance. You absolutely cannot stand when Mason and Carter get into your room for fear they will destroy everything you've worked so hard on. 

You love to hear the boys cheer for you on the side line – they call you BUBBA and your face explodes with pride. You’ve surprised us this year with your desire to win, until now you’ve always just enjoyed playing, but now you don’t like to lose.

My highlights for you this year: the heart-warming birthday card you made and hid for Zoe. The absolute excitement of all the major rides you went on at Movie World and Wet and Wild proclaiming both the best day of your life. The intense joy you still get when Charlie Elf arrives on the 1st of December. The huge hugs you give me when you are feeling overwhelmed and the rare moments you hold my hand to walk through the shops.

Each night before you turn out your light you call to us from down the hall, each and every night you yell “ I love you, goodnight, see you in the morning” – I hope it never ends.

after 3 years patiently waiting to be old enough to use the adult go carts you
finally got to  with your best friends for your birthday.

8 and very pleased with your Arsenal  FC cake

Your best friends are: Liam, Paxton and Lewis

You have 8 adult teeth with an 9th just popping through

You play league, futsal, bmx, soccer and oz tag - you are begging to play cricket this up coming summer

You love spending time with your friends, PlayStation games, reading  and Canberra Raiders matches

Favourite food: PIZZA, any kind of pizza..... curried sausages with mash and Oma’s apple pie with custard

You hate: when things aren’t fair, losing, sharing a room, having to stop reading and go to sleep

You are 141cm tall

You weight 29kg

Mason Rushby you cheeky little 2 year old

Mason,

Things I’ve learnt from you over this past 12 months…..although you can understand me and even for the most part respond to me you will do nothing unless you actually want to. I’ve learnt that you, like Cooper before you, prefer the outdoors and wide open spaces to anything offered to you inside. You are confident and comfortable where ever you are but you also look for Carter more than he looks for you for reassurance. You are happy to talk to anyone who will give you attention. You are mischievous and cheeky and oh so troublesome at times. You want to do everything on your own, you will tantrum over the wrong shoes, not being able to carry your own bag to daycare and especially being told you can’t eat slugs, worms, poop or drink from the dogs bowl. You are Brave.

You are determined to peddle your own trike….to climb the rock wall alone…. Eat seated at the table instead of your high chair. You are just determined. Your vocabulary is outstanding, with every new word I wonder how you go so clever – so many people told me that you’d be slower to learn to walk, talk, jump, run because you were premature and because you were a twin – but as I said –determined!

Over this year I have laughed and smiled with you and at you. I’ve held your hand and kissed your face 10000000 times and I’ll never get sick of hearing you say “love you mum” .

When you arrived our whole worlds changed, my ideas for our family changed and my perception of myself changed. Sometimes I feel like I am super-mum tackling each day with you and your siblings then there are times i  feel like I am barely scrapping by, am I spending enough time with you? Have I read to you enough, played with you enough, have I told you I love you enough. As you will learn as you grown there is never enough time to spend with those you love, never enough time to hug, but for you Mason, I hope I’ve given enough for you to know you belong here.

Every morning I wake to you yelling at Carter to get up from bed, and then your little face beams as I open your door and you run as fast as lightening down the hall for breakfast. At night long after your brother is asleep I hear you playing or climbing into his bed to give him toys. While you fight – you two are exactly who each other needs 100% of the time.

You love:  tormenting your brother Carter till he loses it. food, trucks (especially garbage trucks) bikes, buses, rudiger, climbing, running, football, dancing and octonaughts

You hate: sleeping, broccoli, nappy change time,  the white part of a poached egg, did I say sleeping already?

Your best friend is Carter.

You can count (with Caterina) to 10 in Italian and English, have been requesting you sit on the toilet (alas nothing happens) climb jump and run as well as must 3 year olds.

Teeth: 16 – just 2 year old molars to come

Height: 86.5cm

Weight: 12.2kilo

Your favourite food: anything with pasta in it and cheese on top. Anything that comes with a dipping sauce.
Your Favourite place: outside, at Cooper’s football or the park

The terrible Twos - Carter Rushby

Carter,

You have certainly come out of your shell. You are so much more comfortable playing on your own, you don’t go looking for Mason if he’s not around, but you do love (and hate) his company. You like to fight, I don’t know if its watching Cooper play football or just wrestling with Dad, but tackling people is you favourite thing! You still love your cuddles and you’ll fight anyone who’s cuddling mum when you want to. You shower me with kisses and cuddles whenever you get the chance. You are cautious and you are shy. I often hear you singing songs or making up babbling stories as you play, but the second you catch someone watching you it all stops. Zoe is still your everything, whenever mums roused on you or Mason has upset you in any way you turn to Zoe to make it right. Now let me tell you, you Carter John Rushby can tantrum with the best of them kid - you will full on pitch a fit for no good reason, go stiff as a board and throw yourself to the ground, scream, kick and hit like the whole of Kmart isn't watching...... but that's just one side of you... the other side is sickly sweet.

You are happy laying around inside with books and trains but nothing beats throwing and catching with dad when he’s home. You are super clever, you like puzzles and building things. You are the Calm to Mason’s Storm and I love that you are both such individual and independent little beings. When he wakes you each morning you beam at him, both laugh and giggle and then run down the hall yelling "breakfast breakfast" until we oblige. I just love your bond.

You love to cheer, you are everyone's biggest supporter – you yell and clap and cheer from the sidelines of netball games, football matches and BMX racing. Your little “GOOOO BUBBA”  is Cooper’s favourite thing to hear from the side line. I hope you are always your siblings biggest fan!

You cheer in the car when you realise it’s a daycare day and you aren’t fond of Caterina when Mums at home. You really are my little koala kid, you spend most nights in bed with us, or at the very least the wee hours of the morning. Whether it’s because Mason has crawled into your bed and you’re not happy about it, or because the dummy just isn’t cutting it to sooth you back to sleep – I don’t mind, neither does your Dad, because  I know one day I’ll have blinked and these days will seem like a distance memory, I know one day I’ll ask for a hug and it’ll come on the provision that your friends don’t see it. I know right now I am where you feel safe, and I hope you always look to me for that security.  Much like your brother I spend my days telling you how amazing and special you are, how I love you and how you complete our family – I hope you always know and feel that you were meant to be our child and that we wouldn’t have life without you in.

You love: sleep, tackling Mason, food, balls, books, rudiger, music and shaun the sheep

You hate: when Mason is cuddling mum, apple skin,

Your best friends:  Mason and Zoe

Teeth: 16 and working on 4 molars as we speak

You can: count to ten and randomly sing the ABC song, dance and tackle

Height: 87.6cm

Weight: 13 kilo

Your Favourite Food: curried sausages with mash

Your Favourite Place: the shower, mummys lap or bed