A lot happens in a year when you are two! We've seen Quill come more into his own little self at preschool and in primary where he is universal loved by everyone. Adults really gravitate to Quill, he is very affectionate, friendly and open with people and charms them immediately. He also has a very special relationship with Grandma. All of this makes us very happy as at home, fighting for place as Number 3. (I can relate) does not always go smoothly for him, so it's lovely that everywhere else he is Number 1.
This past year was a really full and amazing year. Especially for me personally. There was something about the effects of the pandemic that flicked a switch in me. Even though we still had a long lockdown during the year, life gradually approached normality and I was eager to get back to it. With the kids getting older and life settling more into its rhythms, there was room for me to take on some projects and go after things that have meaning for me. When I think back on the year, it was a great one with some local getaways, so many good times as a family and with friends and lots of goals met.
Together at last. It was a joyful reunion as the Tate and Hanna Ryan's joined us at Mum and Dad's in Sydney for a week together as a family. There were hugs all round with cousins gleefully embracing and getting right into play, while the siblings all took each other in with excited conversation of all that's been and will be. It was a full house with all the kids sleeping in the upstairs lounge room for the ultimate sleepover. We were very keen to make good plans and enjoy the time we had together to the fullest.
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Our little boy is 3! Quill is such a character. We are right in the two's going on three's and it's a big mixed bag of laughs, cries, joys and frustrations. He is so much fun, especially when he is outside exploring the world, shadowing Levi. riding his balance bike and feeling on top of the world. He is always so friendly and will say hello and goodbye to everyone he sees and makes friends with all the neighbours. Quill is last in line for the family birthdays of the year so he has waited patiently for this day to come.
An opportunity came up to have a family photoshoot with a photographer I really admire, Sarah Black . She shoots with film and I really love her candid style and the raw quality of her pictures, they remind me of pictures my mum use to take when I was little. I know that the days are long but the years are short with little kids and I really want to capture my children in their childhood and our family at this chaotic but beautiful time in our lives.
A little thought led to a BIG project for me this year. I saw a cute little kids jacket made from very nostalgic '1980's Australia' wool blankets and had the thought that often leads to big things for me 'I can make that'. And that was it. It turned into a whole family affair, Dad scouring op shops for blankets, mum picking them up from peoples houses, Courtney searching high and low. They all turned up a rainbow of colours and I had all I needed (almost) to make over 50 coats and vests for some very happy customers. We had blankets being washed and dried, cut and sewn all over the house for the next three months, all culminated in a market stall at the Bungendore Showground.
Easter is my absolute favourite
holiday and this last one was one to remember. It was on the tail end of a
special surprise visit from Shannon and his family for mum’s birthday. After
months of covid lockouts they were able to visit and we spent a wonderful few
days with them. We stayed on in
It's not often that you have the opportunity to make a public stand for something you believe in. The violence against women scourge on this country reached boiling point this year with historic rape allegations against Christian Porter, Brittany Higgins stepping coming forward to tell her story and Grace Tame's brave campaign. It all just brought to the the public eye what is raging in every day Australia - violence, perpetrated predominately by men against women and children. The March for Justice was a chance to add my voice, my heartbreak, my anger to the chorus of other Australian women and men who believe enough is enough.
We started this year clouded in smoke from raging bushfires and ended it separated from family because of a pandemic ... so it's been a bit of a year. 2020 will likely go down as one of the most difficult years of our generation. And although challenging for us in some ways, we've had some wonderful things happen too and lots in between. Life goes on and for that I am very grateful.
