Family Photoshoot... 2008

Yesterday afternoon after a swim... I organised the kids and took my annual family photo... for my Christmas cards and Christmas 'scrapbooking' layouts!!! I was completely surprised at how obliging the boys were... and even the Ella wanted to be in the photo jumping up onto the bed and insisting that the kids arrange themselves around her!
And I must say I am REALLY REALLY happy with the way they turned out....

Aidans' last day of 'preschool'

Today Aidan attended his last day of preschool... or school here in Darwin... I dont think he totally comprehended this... and I am sure come next Monday he will be ready to go to school again... His class concluded the school year with a Christmas Party.... and the night before Aidan and Nanny made lolly bags for the kids in his class... for Christmas.

The next morning Aidan was so excited about his school Christmas Party. He was dressed-up in his Batman suit and ready before sunrise ... unfortunately - I didn't get any pics of him dressed up with the basket of lollies.

Aidan's teachers compiled a CD full of photos of Aidan at school throughout the year.... here are some of the pics of my big boys first year of school...

Mathew Alexander Voute

We are proud to announce the safe arrival of our 3rd baby boy ....

Mathew Alexander Voute

Born on the 2nd December .... after a relatively painfree labour (epidurals are wonderful things) at 6.55pm @ Royal Darwin Hospital....

Statistics:

Weight: 3540kg

Length: 50cm

Head: 36cm

Aidan and Josh... two delighted 'big' brothers...

Our First Family Photo at Royal Darwin Hospital

On Friday night we had Aidan's school concert at the Darwin Entertainment Centre... Aidan was so excited. His class had been practicing their routines for weeks and weeks.... Aidan's great performance required him to be part of a circus act... and he was a 'plate spinner'...

Dressed in green.. he pointed his toes and performed wonderfully... The preschoolers were all very cute... but none were as GREAT as my little man....
We bought our concert tickets a little late... so we were sitting up the back... but it worked out to be the best place in the entire concert hall. Joshie was away from the public... we could escape quickly when he suddenly wanted to go to the toilet... and he was able to dance at the side... and cheer Aidan on stage.. he had just a good as time as Aidan..

After the concert... (we left at the interval) the boys had fun running around on the boardwalk at the Entertainment Centre... enjoying the balmy 'hot' Darwin evening....

Well done Aidan...

What a week...???

Well nothing too significant happened this last week... ..... only that I finally finished my Graduate Diploma. ... and I am now only days away from being a registered teacher... yay... I have a little more paper work to submit and $60 to hand over... and then I may be able to work... ... yay.... eventhough I wasn't the most pleasant (Justin says the word 'pleasant' wasnt the right word!!!!) person to be around for a few days...

I worked almost 'non' stop for the entire week on this teachers portfolio... talk about stress... it nearly drove me to insanity. I threatened to kill the teaching portfolio numerous times... (it was a PowerPoint presentation) but realised that that would have been professional suicide...

It still hasn't rained here... not since that first big storm over 3 weeks ago... and that is also sending me troppo (probably moreso than the teaching portfolio)... it is SOOOOOOO HOt.... you cant escape it and even after a few hours in airconditioning ... it feels as though it is making no difference... We did get a wonderful electrical storm last night, but the rain that the meterology department says fell in Darwin didn't come to Farrar... it never comes and rains in Farrar, NT... Australia... Wet Season ... i am sure that it is a myth!!!

I had another ante-natal appointment Friday afternoon... and the inducement day is booked... it will be the 3rd of December! A nice little birthday present to me... so long as it is all over before the 4th!!! So the countdown to baby number 3 is now in full swing. Mum and dad get here on the 28th... Aidan and Josh are really looking forward to them getting here... and have even started playing games where Poppy is actually visiting... but poor Joshie doesn't exactly understand the 'make believe' and keeps going to the front door to let Poppy in... which is very cute but the poor baby is confused....

The Cyclone warnings have started up on TV again now... (not exactly sure why... like I said the Wet Season is a MYTH!!!) and currently there is a Cyclone predicted for Christmas Day.. Wonderful... Happy Christmas... they are talking it all up... saying that current weather patterns are mimicking Cyclone Tracey which was 35 years ago... blah blah blah... so it will be interesting.... so long as the Cyclone doesn't hit December 3rd!!!! that would be too much to contend with???

Well that is all... for this week... I am relieved and excited that I have completed my teaching... my mentor teacher is feeling VERY relieved that no early baby arrivals occurred whilst teaching at school... and I must agree that I am too!!

Have a great week ...

Poor Little Man

This weekend Justin's 'step-brother and nephew' were in Darwin... so they came for dinner tonight, with John and Andrew.... The boys had patiently yet excitedly waited for Uncle Andrew and Lachlan to get here all day... and when they finally did... they were all straight in the pool... having fun..... until disaster struck....

And struck it did!! Joshie swam in front of Andrew (who was swimming butterfly!!) and whack... Andrew fished him out of the water...crying with his face a nice shade of claret. He had blood pooring out his nose and left eye.... he was not happy, and he certainly didn't look happy.

Andrew felt horrible... and Joshie was quick to tell everyone that it was Uncle Andrew that hurt him!!

In the end... Joshie forgave Uncle Andrew... and loved him again... but it did take about an hour!!!

But... other than the blood, crying and a sad looking little man, the evening was lovely. The weather was slightly cooler than it has been... there was not as many mozzies... and there was even a really nice 'cool' breeze. Dinner turned out good... despite being a little later than anticipated and it was really nice to see Mark and Lachlan again after 4 years!!!!

The JOYS of the Build-up!!!

Nothing much has been happening lately... which would explain why we have been missing in action for the past few weeks... one thing is for sure however, and that is IT IS HOT... everyday is 35+ degrees... and the humidity is extreme... (still not as bad as I had imagined... however some days I do find it almost unbearable.... there is something about constantly wiping streams of sweat from your face... that eventually can drive you somewhat MAD!!!) However we are surviving so far... But the airconditioning bill might do us in!!!

We have also had the first of the storms... The first storm was last Thursday night just after midnight and it was a Ripper... I sat up watching the lightening for about 1/2 an hour.. it was incredible... I expected the boys to wake up but to my utter surprise they didn't, even when the thunder was cracking just metres above our house... Justin 'surprisingly' (yeap.. said sarcastically) didn't wake up....

The 2nd storm was the next afternoon... and that was great too... the rain was great... finally cooled everything down (but only for a little while). The boys were swimming in the pool as the storm moved in... The rain drops were huge... and did I mention "it was great"...

However the return of the rain has bought those very 'unwelcome' guests back... and again the Voute household is having to resort to carnage & slaughter!!!
After the morning carnage & slaughter... we went off to Tennis... Aidan is playing pretty well... (a little confusion about which hand to hit the ball with... Both work fine!!) and it seems like his coach is wanting him ot go up to the next class... so he will be training with the big boys... 7 and 8 year olds... Mummy is so proud... ('she has visions of glory... world travel... ??) And Joshie hit the ball at tennis this Saturday too... he is trying... but doesn't have the patience and easily gets frustrated... but he had fun... and was so proud of himself for hitting it Big!!

The day to day life continues to roll on... I now only have 8 days of teaching prac. to go... so we are praying that bubs stays put.... 'touchwood' as it is now only 51/2 - 6 weeks until bubs arrives... ahhh... and Nanny and Poppy fly in to 'do all the hard work???' (hey mum!!). I trully cant believe how quick this year has gone by... ... ... ... ...

And before we know it we will be in Sydney... yeap.. we are on the move again.. Justin is being promoted to Chief Petty Officer and is returning to work at the very picturesque HMAS Watson (had some good nights once at that place at the bar!!) ... so we are packing up, leaving the heat and returning to the city of seasons, traffic and more traffic... Not sure whether i am delighted or not? I am really looking forward to catching up with friends I haven't seen in years... and having mum and dad not so far away... but it will take ALOT of adjusting to the traffic... all I can think of is mayhem and bedlem; but I am sure that it wont be that bad, or I at least hope it wont be.