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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (28 months), New Years eve day in our garden

We started the year with two toddlers and somewhere along the way we said goodbye to baby cheeks and leg rolls and unruly hair and watched two little girls emerge that never cease to amaze me, delight me, amuse me and full me with such wonder. I love this stage and age with you. Our year had its ups and downs, some scary times and a few tough days. But it was one the best years

Best of 2015

1. TALKING Listening to your talking bloom from single words to full conversations, your names, English and Afrikaans, stories, secrets, songs and dreams and I love you's
2. EXPLORING Travelling all over with you, to the beach and the bush, to the farm and to Cape Town, to Millstream, to the lakes and to London
3. ADVENTURE Sleeping on the platform under the stars
4. BONDING Watching you grow together and distinctly become yourselves
5. DEVELOPMENT Witnessing your empathy develop with your big, golden hearts and your minds grow with your big, beautiful brains
6. TOGETHERNESS Nursing you to sleep at night and morning snuggles with all of us in bed
7. BIRTH Welcoming two new family members into our lives
8. INDEPENDENCE Seeing you get excited for your birthday and Christmas and parties. And learning to swim. And riding a horse. And doing puzzles. And feeding yourselves. 
9. GROWTH You continuously growing into two beautiful little beings
10. LOVE Unconditional love

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (27 months), pre Christmas Eve sparklers at Cheska's home

Me: What do you want for Christmas?

A: (without hesitation) a star!

F: me also want a star!

Happy Christmas baby girls. You make it so special.

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (27 months), Millstream

We went to a farm in Dullstroom for a week. I love that when you go away, normal routines slip away and the days seem to take on a rhythm of their own. I also love the way different family members just naturally take on different roles - bed time stories with Chessie, mealtimes with Francie Sugar, and driving with Human. k and we would start our mornings with you at the kitchen counter nibbling on rusks and helping prepare breakfast. After breakfast we would make our way to see the horses, which Anna named Angelpie Snowflake and Florence named Bow (as in take a bow) Snowflake. We would then go for a swim and meander back home for some home made apple pies (Anna with crea, Florence without). Our afternoon naps with us all on one bed would usually be accompanied by thunderstorms and incessant rain on the tin roof. Following a late lunch we would go for a walk in the hills, or around the dam, with you two snuggling up in the carriers.Evenings ran later as you helped papa with the fire, naps ran longer, and bathtime was an eventful affair joined by whoever was staying at that time (Kimmy, then granny nanny, and Chessie). In between you made mud pies and found fairies, you saw a rainbow and went on a row boat. It was a good week. 

A note on horse riding: Although you were nervous of patting the horses,  after the first day of visiting themAnna you said right away, and determinedly, that you were going to ride by yourself the next morning. Which you did. Florence, you started off riding with papa and the said half way through you would ride alone. Which you did. The pride in your faces made me beam as we walked along side you around the lawn. You then asked to go riding every morning! One morning papa and I went for a ride by ourselves while you stayed with Chessie and Human. I was misty and the horses were frisky and we galloped across the grasslands passed zebra and springbok and blesbok. It was magical and I cant wait until we can all go riding like that together. 

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (27 months)

Honor's fifth birthday party. Your perfect profiles, and pretty little bonnets made by Kimmy, watching the older girls jump on the trampoline. Watching, observing, taking it all in. You were very excited for this party because singing 'happy birthday' and blowing out candles is one of your favourite things to do. 

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (27 months)

"Help each other.

Love everyone.

Love every weed.

Love every ray of light.

Forgive."

The Tree of Life