Ok people. Are you ready for a photo overload?
Sit down.
Strap in.
Because here we go......!!!
Amali's very first ballet concert, She was so excited and I was so proud.
Then the school holidays began. I made a 6 week calender, asked the kids what they wanted to do (within reason) and we planned it out, including birthdays, weddings, Christmas and when Daddy came home. Our first day out was to the local play center/cafe. This used to cost me around $40, including food. This time it cost me $90 because the trio are now over 1. Eeeeeeek! At least they had fun right?
Ball pits make for the best photos.
Isaac
Ailah
Dylan
Family photo - kind of!
Then it was the BIG surprise. I wrote it on the calendar as CCBB. They had no idea. Until we drove into the Lyric Theatre parking area in Brisbane and they saw the signs advertising Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the stage show. Then they got even more excited!!! They love the movie and watch it often.
We all loved getting dressed up too!
Man I'm a lucky mumma hey?
And then before we knew it - it was Christmas!
Playful Isaac
Loopy Dylan
Miss Serious
Cute tush's!!
The big kids woke up first. Our tradition is that I put a present on the end of their beds that they can open straight away. Then they can come in and wake us up. They can open a few stocking (Santa) presents but not all until both parents are up, then they get to open the rest. Once all family members are up we sit and open the tree presents (from us). Santa only fills stockings in our house. This is to stop kids from asking for ridiculously big toys as Santa is so magical he can afford them......!
The plastic wrapped pressies are the trio's bikes. I used Christmas tablecloths!
They came running down the hall and just stopped dead! We hadn't been able to put any presents under the tree until Christmas Eve as they would have just ripped them all.
Dylan loves to point!
Sheer and utter bewilderment!
The cubby is a BIG hit. They love it. Especially when they run in there and hide from me!
Dancing in the kitchen to Amali's new 1D CD on her new Barbie CD player. Note the cute bags? They are insulated lunch backpacks that also come with a little leash!
The things you buy when you have triplets......
How good is this!!! Second take. Self timer on the camera. I put the singing Santa next to the camera and pressed his button. He did his song and rang his bell and flashed his lights. And they ALL looked! And Dan's eyes are open, which is always a bonus :)
For all my international followers - this is what an Aussie Christmas lunch looks like. Moreton Bay Bugs and Oysters on the BBQ. There was also prawns (no, not shrimp!), ham and yummy summer salads.
And some Vodka.
Isaac
Ailah
Dylan
From left to right - Step Dad Kerry, Mum Dianne, Dan, Me, Step Mum Nilong, Dad Arjuna. It was only us for lunch but this lot came in later for dessert. Damn. I was planning on having 2 serves!
Me and my girls x
There was also plenty of swimming. I prefer the river, Dan prefers the beach.
Love this shot of Jordan!
We also had the pleasure to have Dans sister and her family stay with us for a week after Christmas. It was rather crazy with 7 kids running around and 4 adults - including one who was 33 weeks pregnant! We sure did go through some food - especially fruit (Ange I swear your kids are little fruit bats!) but we had a great time. Mitch can't sit still for more than a minute so we used him for his fencing skills and tractor driving skills and repaid him in food and beer. Thanks buddy! Ange was the washing up queen (just a little obsessed with bubbles, a weird pregnancy thing apparently!)
Then we had a 1st Birthday to go to. Yo may remember my best friend who was at the trio's birth and was pregnant? Yup, her little girl Aria turned one. And Queensland turned up the thermometer for that day. Thankfully Taryn has a pool. But seriously - are they not the cutest??
Everyone say it together - awwwwwww!
What did you do for New Years? I was baking and icing a cake (not my finest) for my biggest boy Jordan who comes of age on the 1st of January each year. A big 7 this time!
He had chosen to go to the Noosa Aquatic Center and as it was on the calendar it had to be done. Good day to do it too, hot and sticky and barely anyone else was there (they obviously were NOT baking cakes the night before!)
'The Crew' This is how we roll. They had a blast!
This kid had a great birthday
So the top of Dan's shoulder is my cervix.
Ummmm.
That's just weird.
But you get the picture!
J for Jordan
Cutting a cake is serious business you know.
Two days later we were off to the Gold Coast to stay for 3 nights and be at Dans brothers wedding. Amali was flower girl, a job she took very seriously but loved very much!
Of course, the rest of the tribe had to get dressed up too.
The Trama/O'Brien/Bovill/Smith/Allen side of the family! Only a few were missing which was a shame! Bloody pregnant women and army men!
The all important family shot. Too bad we were looking at different cameras. Ignore the watermelon soaked babies ok?
And then the outtake when we tried to get one of all of us looking at the camera. Gotta laugh (but I wasn't at the time!)
A nice shot of Dan and I. And my boobs. That's what happens when you borrow a dress but don't try it on. Oops.
Two days later we were back on the birthday train. Thankfully we came home to a beautiful, clean house thanks to Mum. Jordan's balloons came down and up Amali's went. My baby girl turned 5.
Off to big school this year!
Opening her presents in the morning she was ecstatic to see her ballet picture on a canvas for her room.
Pancakes for breakfast are a tradition in our house.
And of course, the cheapest present always wins out. $8 baby carrier from Kmart. She has barely taken it off!
I needed to get her school shoes and a few other things for her birthday party so we went shopping together. When I first told her she seemed bored - until I told her it was just her and I. Then she was a happy little chappy! We shopped then went for High Tea!
Excited much? She even had a tea.
And then home that night for cake. Again, not my finest. Miss Ailah is to blame for that! I'd baked the cake (an oversized cupcake) the night before but didn't want her to see it so I put it in the cooled oven. The next morning Ailah turned the grill on (must lock oven!) and a few minutes later what did I smell? Burnt cake. I had to get rid of the whole top section! Cheeky monkey!
And that's it.
A big few weeks!
