Nan and Pops December Visit...

It is hard to believe that Nan and Pop's December visit is already over... it seems like we were only waiting for them to arrive!!! and that 2008 is almost over... also and we only have another
17 days remaining here in Darwin before our big move to Sydney...

We didn't do a great deal whilst they were here.. the Darwin heat left them both rather uninspired to do too much. They did a day trip to Katherine... and saw the seasons of the Top End in one day... Pooring WET season rain, and hot muggy Build up Weather the remainder of the day... it hadn't rained 'properly' this wet season until Mum and Dad went on their one and only Day trip... but that is typical for our family...

Other than that... our time in December was mainly spent at home... and largely uneventful. Yes we welcomed Baby Mathew into the world and celebrated Christmas but the days in between were quiet, relaxing... and I 'really' enjoyed mum taking over the washing duties... thanks mum!!!

A photo collage of Mathew with the family members he met shortly after his arrival....

Now for a photo share of December ....

And this shot we took just before the boys went to bed on the night that Nanny and Poppy caught the plane and flew home...

2008 Santa Photo... success!!!

Yesterday... was a day of small 'Christmas' miracles... we decided to brave the shops with all three kiddies.. and get our annual Santa photo...

What I thought might go wrong didn't... in fact it was the opposite.. the outing was a complete success... in a number of ways....

1. travelling in two cars can often be a problem (mum and dad came too) .. but Justin and I both got 2 car parks 'straight away', all the previous outings to the shops, particularly to the great Darwin shopping metropolis of Casuarina... have begun with a longish (not as long as other parts of OZ no doubt) wait for a carpark.. only to finally get one and then have it start to rain!!!!

2. The boys were SOOOO keen to see Santa.. that there was no fear and we got a great 2008 Santa photo.. (Josh was so keen... he went and gave a fat greyhaired man a cuddle whilst waiting for his photo... he was convinced he was a Santa too... but he wasn't!!)

3. We scored table and chairs in the overpacked eatery....

and ...

4. The rain 'stopped' raining just as we wanted to go home! So I could get bubby into the car... and all the shopping without getting saturated... yay...

So all in all it was successful.. Amazing???

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 ...