this 'n that...

Malakai with Darryl on one of our hot summer days (hence the nappy-only-attire). They played on Darryl's bike (his second wife, really...) and then I got some pics of them just playing around on the patio.

Malakai with Darryl at the Irene Dairy on Sunday afternoon.

Malakai and Darryl at the Botanical Gardens - we found a pond and Malakai had a blast! He was soaked by the end of it, but it was worth every single drop!

Just some pictures I took one afternoon when Darryl got home from work - Malakai is always so happy to see him... so touching!

This year is now coming to a screeching halt... the days are really flying by and with Christmas approaching at a rate of knots, I'm starting to realise that my life is really about to change - forever...

Our little one (still nameless - we just can't make a decision!) is weighing in at over 2kgs and I'm really starting to feel pregnant - the little aches and pains, and the sometimes very sore back and legs! He's moving around alot and I'm starting to feel his soul around me, ready to come into this world and add to our little family unit.

I know that Malakai is going to make an awesome big brother and that Darryl will make an excellent dad - as he is with Malakai.

Malakai is doing really well - very close to taking those first steps... He's standing by himself now and can hold the position for up to 20 seconds, but he still needs one of us to hold his hand before he'll take a step. It is amazing how quickly he's progressed from sitting to crawling to cruizing to standing!

Malakai also got four pairs of top teeth at once! What a week that was! Now he has all his top teeth and I think he's working on his bottom teeth because he's quite grumpy, drooling buckets, and chewing on everything - shame, I just hope it goes quickly for him!

Malakai's communication is also improving - although he was using signs a while ago and babbling, it all stopped for a while. Now he's back to using signs for eat, sleep and something else I can't figure out. He's also waving hello! I know he understands quite a bit because he'll sit when I ask him to and give me a kiss when I ask as well (too cute)! He's also babbling again, using the 'ba', 'ma' and 'da' sounds (interspersed with farting noises, squeals and moans).

Darryl and I are loving spending time with Malakai these days, because he's really started to interact, socialise and even joke around (he'll pull faces and then expect you to do the same in return)!

On the home front, we've decided to keep the nursery as it is and give Malakai a new Big Boy room. I've eventually bought all the soft furnishings for the room, and the theme is kind of big-boy-beach, but without any obvious waves or fish... We'll be working on his room the week before Christmas, so I'll post pics as soon as we're done!

Also, we're designing Malakai a sensory garden - it is my mother's gift to him for Christmas. We'll have a little paved area for a table and chairs, under shade. A small jungle gym. A vegetable and herb patch. A sand pit. Stepping stones. Lush green lawn. Lots of pots of different sizes. And of course, plenty of flowers, shrubs, edible plants, flowering trees etc. He just loves being outdoors and this is the perfect place for our South African Summer! We're also planning on getting this done the week before Christmas...

Then, for Christmas Day, we're going to have a picnic with my mom, dad, Darryl's grandmother, my sister, her husband and their little girl. It should be fun! In South Africa, we have Christmas in the middle of summer (even though our cards and wrapping paper are of snowy white places...)!

Anyway! I forgive you all if you didn't get this far in reading the post (it has been rather long...). But I do hope that all my bloggy friends, who've become like family to me over the past year, have a very special Festive Season - Safe, Joyous, Peaceful and most importantly Love-filled!