Dear Lola & Maeve, 

8. You quite like to pretend you're a knight.
9. Our little trip away was full of whizzing colour & wonder.
10. I could have watched you dance around the squirting water all day long.
11. Smiley pants.
12. We waited an hour for this. Worth every second.
13. Keeping an eye out for Mr Shark.
14. Most often her most favourite place to be.

Your mama

Dear Lola & Maeve,

A week into the new year, and here are my first seven favourite photos.

1. I went to put Maeve to bed and came back to find you here.
2. That little face gets me every time.
3. Maeve, three of your favourite things - being outside - standing on your feet - & your papa.
4. Papa made you your own bat & you play cricket every afternoon. 
5. Lola, you always ask if you can babysit Maeve.
6. Al fresco dining & barbeques at every opportunity.
7. Sunday afternoons see quiet time. Reading. Sleeping baby. Puzzles & Watermelon. 

Your mama

Dear Lola,  

I'm a little late with putting these up, but nevertheless here are the final photos to wrap up a wonderful series.

A photo of you once a week, every week of 2013.

49/52

 I love that you tell me you love me so, so, so much at least a dozen times a day.

50/52

 You have a wild imagination & a great sense of humour.

 51/52

 And I love that when you wear this tiara, you are either the 'Queen'

or the 'Paper Bag Princess'

 52/52

We made it - 52 photos of  our peachy girl. 
And here, the first photo of 2013 compared with the last...

I have really enjoyed photographing your sweet little face each week, and I only have to glance at the 52 photos of you to feel happy to have completed the series. But this year, I'm changing it up a bit, and instead of one photo a week, each Tuesday (which will mark a week since the new year),  I'll be posting seven of my favourite photos taken from that week. A new challenge. And one I'm really looking forward to.

Your mama

Dear Lola & Maeve,

Our journey into the new year has begun! I've never really been one for new year resolutions, but there's just something about entering into a fresh year, that makes me want to set a few goals. For instance,

I want to sew more.  Things for you girls & things to give as gifts.
Bake more. Cakes in particular! 
I would like to start swimming. Of the lap variety...
I want to set up a store at the markets once a month with Jules & mum.
Knit more. A winter scarf for you Lola, would be a good start!  
More date nights at home with papa. Now that you both have respectable bedtimes, this is possible!
More travel. But I'll settle for more day trips and time by the river.

What else? Plenty I'm sure.. but we'll start by searching for those goggles of mine.

And photos... I want to take lots of them.

"Just practicing my piano playing on maeve mama."

52 photos of this face - complete!

The most loveliest Christmas gift made by Jules.

Lola bear

New Years Day rompers. 

 Someone has learnt how to cut... properly.

She calls them snippers, and is pretty proud of herself. As am I. 

The most precious knitted flowers made by mum for maeve.

Say 'I'm a big girl' maeve

 Okay....enough playschool, time to hit the road.

 Spotty

 Here comes Lola...

 Here's to an adventure filled 2014!

Your mama

Dear Maeve, 

You are 3 months today little Maevie girl. 

You are such a pleasure to be around.
Some people want to poke you to make sure you are real, as you tend to be calm almost all of the time. 
You give us countless smiles everyday and love your sisters company.
You love being held out, so you can look at the big wide world.
You love the car, and seeming we spent a fair amount of time in it over the holiday season, this is a good thing.
We enjoyed a very relaxed first Christmas with you.
You had a few tummy aches over this time, we think due to yummy food over indulgences on my behalf, but as soon as they passed you were happy & smiling again.
And seeming you really don't cry very often, when you do, it can be pretty heartbreaking...

Speaking of hearts, you have the sweetest little one, and we are so happy you're ours.

Your mama

Dear Lola, 

Lola, you get to spend time with your beautiful cousin Edie pretty much every single day.
Instead of having a cousin type relationship with her, your relationship is more like that of sisters. 

And just like sisters -
 
You take toys off Edie.
Edie protests when you try and hold her hand.
You don't like Edie interrupting your 'big' girl games.
Edie squirms when you try to cuddle her, which in turn makes you cuddle her even harder. Hmmm.

But...

You both smile at each other like no one else exists.
You swap books and toys regularly.
When playing, Edie is Cottontail & you are Peter Rabbit.
You feed Edie, and she opens her mouth with wide enthusiasm.
You laugh together on the trampoline. 
You explore together.
You're growing up together, side by side.

Lola, you expect to see her everyday and get sad when you don't.
Edie, the name 'Lola' was the second word you ever spoke.

And these two precious photos, courteous of Jules...

Needless to say, it's a pretty special thing you two have going on. A friendship & bond that will last forever & always...
Just like your two mamas have.

Your mama

Dear Lola & Maeve, 

Tonight is my first night home alone solo-parenting with you two goofballs!

First of all, things must be going alright if I have time to sit down and write this post to you both.

Secondly, boy oh boy, have the text messages I send your papa changed over the years. 
I have to share what I wrote to him earlier tonight...

"All going smoothly so far. Maeve is beyond brilliant and just did a big poop. Lola is tired but ate two big pieces of flat head!  Not having mum up, surely I can do this on my own. Wish me luck! Enjoy your night, have a drink for me! Love, love"

Yep, things have changed... in a big, messy, fun sort of a way.

And, best of all, it's only 7:30pm and you're both fast asleep in bed (for now at least!).

Thanks for giving your mama an easy time girls.

Your mama