34/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 (3 years, Sibon)

"...she remembered watching a summer sunset from this very spot. Not so long ago; just a lifetime."  Sharon Kay Penm

We are back at Sibon, our favourite place in the world. I love watching this place grow in your hearts as you sip hot rooibos tea in the chilly mornings, waiting for the world to wake up, as you think it's normal to see a herd of elephant come down to drink at the waterhole, as you jump into the Landrover as if this is more than just a holiday spot, as you experience the joy of roasting marshmallows for the first time. This place nourishes all of our souls. 

33/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 (3 years) (Some pics by Lucky Pony)

Your third birthday party can be summed up in a few words - ponies, pink balloons, chocolate cake, and fairies. What a special day, celebrating with special people. Being three is magical. 

32/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 (3 years)

You both love cooking, whether it's helping Papa make dinner in the evening or helping me make breakfast in the morning. Here you are making scrambled eggs. You crack the eggs, pour in the milk, add the spices, grate the cheese, and stir. In fact my role has been relegated to hot-stove overseer, and toast-maker. 

31/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 ( 26 July, 3 years)

Alice: How long is forever?

White Rabbit: Sometimes, just one second.

30/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 ( 26 July, 3 years)

When you were new and tiny, I would often cast my mind to this day, your third birthday, and I was not be able to imagine what it would be like to have two two year olds, or two three year olds. I could picture two one month olds because we were going through it right then and there. But two three year olds! And now we are here and it is beyond anything I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. How much you amaze me, challenge me, grow me, make me laugh, make me cry, teach me, try me, and let me be an intimate witness to one of the most special relationships between two humans. Your third birthday means I have been a mother for three years (and for no time and for all time). And I can't believe my babies have grown and changed and morphed from newborns to little people who are celebrating their third birthday. 

The day started with balloons and presents in bed, and ended that way too. In between you opened presents - we gave you handmade dolls and you got pink tricycles from Kimmy and Bear, you went for a hair cut, we blew out candles, we ate cake, we went for high tea at The Westcliff with the family, and we sang happy birthday a million times. 

Happy birthday darling girls. You are the brightest lights. 

29/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 ( 2 years 11 months)

This photo is taken in the foyer of our apartment building. A few years ago, all the residents worked together on the paper mosaic on the wall, created by an artist living in the building. On arriving home, I would walk through the foyer and spend some time adding tiny squares of paper to the mosaic. It represents a lot about where we live and the wonderful spirit of community in this building. It's a place where your neighbors know your name, where a dad will knock on your door late at night asking for a nappy as they have run out, where mom's chat way past dinner time, a place where friendships are formed while planting seedlings in the veggie garden. The foyer has become an aeroplane or school room when you play down there, and a garden swing hung outside a friend's apartment has become a place where you've found your wings, learnt new tricks and dared to swing high as you can go. It is a bitter sweet feeling leaving the only place you've known as home. Where the building staff and all it's residents have know you since we first brought you back from the hospital, the place where you've grown into three year olds. 

28/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 ( 2 years 11 months)

Our new apartment is at one end of a very long corridor. You usually want to run all the way back to the lift after a visit. Your running styles are quiet different - Anna I could describe your's as determined as you insist on being first and try with all your tiny might to keep that position, and Florence, your's as vertical as you prance upwards more than forwards.