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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (18 months)

Anna asks why at every possible occasion. I can't imagine you understand what it is you are asking, but it is always in context and you listen attentively to my explanations. Florence has starting imitating her, pronouncing the word with pursed lips. I think you like the way the word feels as it emerges from your fish-mouth. What curious minds you are - I am amazed by your learnings and wonderings. 

Happy New Year!

So my new year always begins in February. January arrives too quickly amidst holidays and after the festive season and I find it doesn't give me enough time to reflect, plan and prepare for the year ahead. Thus February is a much more sensible month to begin a new year. So, as one does in a new year, here are my resolutions for 2015:

- Learn a magic trick. When I was a child I fancied myself quite the magician, with a set of magic cards, magic tricks and a coerced audience of family members. But my skills have long since faded it is time to hone them once again. Because, you never know when you may need a trick up your sleeve or a little bit of magic.

- No technology in bed. With twin babes who are not winning any sleep awards, sleep is particularly precious to me and yet I often find myself checking my phone or browsing social media for another 10 minutes. I know there are a host of other scientific reasons why you shouldn't browse just before sleeping but for me this is mostly driven by the need to get to sleep as quickly as possible without wasting any time.

- Simplify. This is quite a sweeping statement which mainly has to do with tidying my house up and removing clutter. We live in an apartment and are sort of bursting at the seams so this is a necessity. But I also believe that decluttering your home has a positive impact on all areas of your life. I bought this book to aid and inspire me in this project and I can't wait to started.

- Drink a cup of warm water with fresh lemon every morning. Great way to wake up the body and easy too. Apparently there are numerous health benefits. 

- Make time for creativity. I do not have enough spare hours in my day to meet all the time needed to complete all the projects I want to do. But I am going to try and dedicate more time to these projects to keep those juices flowing: write, do a calligraphy course, sort out all my photographs, master photoshop.

Have a wonderful year!!!

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (18 months), an evening walk on holiday in Cape Town

 

Anna your vocabulary has suddenly exploded. You are saying new words every day - I can't keep up with them as they spring up out of the blue. Bath. Bus. Cold. Bib. Cot. Cat. Sea. Dot. Shoe. Car. Hot. Pear...

Florence, you imitate these words you hear from Anna at times - shouting Sea! Sea! whenever it came into view while we were in Cape Town. But otherwise you are extremely adept at communicate through symbols and signs and sounds. Almond (thumb and forefinger held together at the corner of your mouth), Kitty (lapping sounds with your tongue), Biltong (straight finger in your mouth), Dummy (a different sort of lapping sound with your tongue), Water (pointing at your tongue)...

I still love your baby babble though. You tell me complicated stories with great concentration. You also read very well from slips, labels and old scraps of paper. But my favourite of all your talking variations are the conversations you have with each other. Your own sounds and language and tones. A wonder to watch and listen.

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (17 months)

 

We spent the afternoon at Chessie's house, playing in the room that will be transformed into the nursery for her babe. In a few weeks this space will be home to a brand new being and you will no longer be the babies of the family. You will become the middle children. Which, take it from me, is a wonderful, if somewhat underrated, position to be in - flanked either sides by a cousin to love and adore and dote on.

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (17 months)

 

We are about to head down to the beach in Southbroom where we re on holiday with your aunts and cousin.  It is nostalgic for me being back on the south coast where I grew up coming - the thick, humid air, the smells of the undergrowth being being trodden on as we trek down to beach, the stickiness of the sea on our skin as we wrap up in towels after a late swim at high tide, snacking on sweet fruit like grapes or litchis and dried mangoes to counter the saltiness left on our tongues. You live the sea, running from waves as they splash at our knees; the sand between your toes as you dig and build not much at all. You love being part of this little gang of girls, bathing together, playing together, eating together, and waking up every morning surrounded by some of your favourite people.

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A portrait of my babes once a week in 2015 (17 months)

 

Happy New Year darling girls. The previous year saw you transform from real babies into almost little people. Your constant change and growth filled me with wonder, an awareness of the fleetingness of time, and gratitude for being your mama. I can't wait to see what this year will bring - what new experiences will be had, what new tastes will be tried, what new skills will be mastered, and how much more those smiles can light up my world.

The 52 portraits project

In 2014 I took part in the 52 Portraits Project. Looking back over the images now, it is remarkable to see how much my babes have changed in a year - from wobbly little 5 month old babes to beautiful little beings with mops of curls on their heads.

I am going to be doing the 52 Portraits Project again this year to track my babes' change and growth and transformation. And, in a way, to capture a memory of each week as time flies by...