A family of four...

I've always wanted four children, but right now, I feel oddly, unexpectedly complete with my two beauties. I am sure this will change at some point, and I do feel that my kids would benefit from having more than one sibling each, but for now, I do feel oh so satisfied with my lot. Don't have a lot of money, don't own a house, but have something that money cannot buy. Really happy.

So! Lots has been happening. Otis continues to delight all who know him with his funny antics and ever-expanding vocabulary. He has taken to adding an "ing" to words in quite a clever, if innacurate, way. When we walk up the stairs, he says "upping". When he's having fun, he says "funning". When he wants to crunch ice cubes, he says "icing". When he's reading, he's "booking". Love it! What an ingenious use of the English language!

We went camping recently, and it was not the disaster people had told me it would be (nasty pessimists). It was great! The tent held up during some pretty crazy weather, and we survived some extreme temperatures. Our babies slept very well, and we all enjoyed the novelty of tent life and our access to a kid-friendly, complete with fountains, inground pool, and our trips to the beach. Mum and Dad stayed in luxury at the nearby Norah Head lighthouse, and generously allowed us to stay a couple of nights there after our tenting experience. The only issue was Otis falling off his single air mattress and ending up in a shivering heap in the opposite corner of his room in the tent... We ended up switching things around a little, so that Phil and O shared the double air mattress and I had the single, next to Peggy in her little Valco carrycot.

Speaking of Peggy... Wow. She is a dream. A dream and a half, even. I cannot get over how easy and stress-free it is to put her down to sleep. Night or day, anywhere... Music, dummy, wrap and - bam - her eyes are closed. I am enjoying her much more than I did Otis at this stage. But, you know what? You might expect that to translate into me loving her more... But I don't. I can honestly say that I love them absolutely equally. My heart is full to the brim.

I currently have my period... This is the second menstrual cycle since I gave birth... Which means I could potentially have conceived a baby that would be less than a year younger than Peggy... Which is completely inhumane and insane. I think it is a cruel trick of my particular biology that I am fertile again so absurdly quickly, despite fully breastfeeding my baby. Not a drop of formula has passed that girl's lips, but still, I bleed!! Anyone would think God was suggesting that I am cut out for mothering three under three... God is so very wrong. Condoms are my religion, for now.