What a year 2008 has been!

2008 has been at the same time the most trying and also most amazing year of my life! It has certainly been the most exhaustive.

As a family we have survived the first year of raising twins and a 3 year old and we have finally snapped out of pure survival mode into doing more for ourselves and really living life again. Well, we hope to. That is our family's resolution for 2009.

On a personal level I have grown tremendously - I have experienced a huge growth in my dependency and love of God, I have grown as a mother and I have grown towards trying to take better care of myself on all levels. I am also 7 kg (15,4 pounds) lighter than I was before I became pregnant with the twins and am now in a relatively good weight ( last time I weighed this little was in the first year of our marriage), although not shape - gosh, if I could only move fat around I'd look great! I also read 21 books this year - it is down from my average of about 35 a year, but not bad for a working mom of 3, I think.

So, this was our year in pictures and words:

January
Started with a visit to the farm near Bethulie in the Free State.

The Boys were tiny tots and still shared a camping cot on holiday - Little man C on the left and L on the right.

The Little Miss had her 3rd birthday party with a butterfly theme.

February
The Boys both learned to roll and hold their toes and I had to give supplementary formula for the first time. They also sat in their Bumbo seats for the first time - we had to prop Little man L with a blanket.

We had a day trip to our local game reserve.

March
My mom celebrated her 72nd birthday.

The Boys grew in leaps and bounds.

The In-laws came to visit for Easter and H's birthday.

And we had a family get-together with my cousins on H's birthday.

April
I started this blog.

The Boys started on home-cooked solids.

The Boys had a week long hospital stay due to RSV and Bronchiolitus.

May
The Boys both cut their first teeth about 5 days apart. Little man L had his second hospital stay of 4 days.


And we celebrated becoming an aunt and uncle for the very first time when little Madelein was born.


June
Little Man C says "Mamma" - his first word and claps his hands

The In-laws came to visit on their way to and back from Dubai where they went to visit little Madelein.


July
H went on a hunting trip and I flew solo at home for the first time. Little man L said "Pappa" - his very first word and clapped his hands. We had to move The Boys' cribs apart and they slept not being able to touch each other for the very first time in their lives.


The Minivan became part of the family and twin prison got erected in anticipation of mobile babies.


August
Little man C crawled on the 10th of August after just a week of sliding.

The Little Miss drew her first recognisable drawings. Little man L started with physiotherapy and even The Little Miss' dolls did their exercises every day.


September

On the 4th of September Little Man L started leopard crawling well and at last he was mobile. Uncle Werner came for a quick visit from Dubai.

We attended SAMBA's Spring day at the Lory park Zoo. We are holding a Caracal kitten.



We had a lovely holiday at San Lameer.



We celebrated The Boys' first birthday.

October
On the 7th Little Man L did his first crawl at the Physiotherapist. At last we had two crawlers.



H led a trail in the Pilansberg National park and I flew solo again. On the 30th we got great news from the Neurologist for Little man L. The Little Miss and daddy build a birdhouse - the first of many craft projects.

November
On the 2nd Little Man C stands on his own.

And the Little Miss has her school concert.

December
On the 1st Little Man C took his first steps and on the 10th Little man L stood on his own.

On the 4th we celebrated my 40th birthday.

My BIL and SIL and little Madelein came for a visit. The 4 cousins together for the first time.

And we had a family get together with my cousins. The next generation in the picture.

We had a lovely holiday and celebrated Christmas at home.