the kids are extremely entertaining right now, when they are not busy being two, or possibly even worse, three. sebastian, embarking on the world of five and the wisdom it brings, is alternately endearing and exasperating.

the other night, in the post meal bathroom pile up, sela was shifting from foot to foot, curls bouncing as she waited for jasper to complete his business, at which he is notoriously and predictably slow. finally she burst out, "jasper! hurry or i will chow-chow all over barbie knickers!" (we do have another bathroom that sela could have used, but that other bathroom is not equipped with a dora the explorer toilet ring. sela believes her buttocks will inflame if they touch against anything other than dora or barbie toilet rings and refuses to grace any other comic or action figure.)

today, jasper was very cross with me for making him hand over one of sebastian’s birthday presents back to it’s rightful owners. i was in the playroom, tidying and talking with auntie pammie (btw – thank you to grandads doug and blake, mo, auntie pammy, auntie mandy, charmaine, auntie carolyn and cousin galen, and shayna for calling and wishing sebasitan a happy birthday. i am not good at calling on birthdays, you all calling and thinking of him was so kind…xoxo) and jasper stands in the playroom door, looks at me reproachfully and says, "mummy, share". and then walks away.

little lulu started crying today when sally called and informed them that gymastics was cancelled. it broke her tiny little heart and she loves sally so very much. "but i love nastics! i love jumping!" she informed me, and she did a couple of little jumps to prove her devotion to the sport she has mastered. her hair is a mystery to me, i have no idea how to style it, but i am happy to report that it is long enough to put into two very thin bunches. after an hour and some running, the elastic invariably falls out…but…while it lasts, those 13 hairs look quite cute all bundled together. carys, who walked in as i was replenishing the female hygene section of my closet the other day and said, "mummy, you wear little nappies?"

with sebastian, i think it is his learning what is gobsmacking me right now. he’s coming home jauntily throwing about words like "pentagram" and described his birthday as "wonderful". this growing up is wonderful, but painful too. today at a birthday party i saw this blonde child and thought, "ooh, he’s exquisite" and then realised as my mind was forming the opinion that it was sebastian. i still worry about some aspects of his learning, and his speaking being too loud…but oh the love i have for this boy.

and for magnificent. he is divine. really love that fellow.