Did you know there's a rainforest next door to my cousin's house?

Today we spent the most relaxed day so far of our vacation.  By relaxed, I mean that I learned how to cook porridge this morning after repeated attempts by multiple children to get that Auntie Kylie with the silly thing in her nose out of bed.  

Yes, my nose ring is the object of much fascination with Mitchell, my cousin's three year old son.  Mitchell is a darling, though.  Utterly rambunctious and so not how Alex was at that age, but he has the most charming smile that has completely melted my heart.  

So although Alexandra and Nikita jumped on me more than a few times this morning, I didn't get up until Mitchell came up to the bed, pulled rather insistently on my hand and said "will you make brekky please?"

A pot of porridge later, I had fed all four children, plus my father and was completely proud of myself.  (My cousin had an appointment this morning and so left us with the children for a bit.)

Have I mentioned how much I adore these children?  I can't help but love Nikita - she's so much like Alex, only braver.  If only I could get Alex to be so brave!

Logan is the quietest of the lot, but he's the most like me, I think.  He started off last night with the snappy comebacks and sarcastic (but all in fun!) replies that I love!  The kid is ten years old and has a great great wit!

So, anyway, they all had breakfast, then had breakfast again when Suzanne came home and made boiled eggs and toast.  I had forgotten how much I adore boiled eggs and toast - and Alex also learned how wonderful they are!  I'm always amazed at how often children are hungry...  After our second breakfast, we went for a walk in the public gardens next door to their house.  It's gorgeous - and there's even a rainforest!  After walking through the rainforest, we went up a hill, upon which there were a few trees that looked perfect for climbing.  

The children immediately started climbing them and picking... avocados!  They had a lovely time picking avocados - as did the three adults (Suzanne, my father, and myself) - and they also enjoyed playing in the trees.  I managed to capture some pretty great shots of the four of them in the trees - and discovered that Logan has a new career prospect as model: "Auntie Kylie, here, take a picture of me like this!"

After our walk, I finished up a couple of things I was writing and then accompanied Suzanne to the market, where we picked up a few groceries and I was able to drop some letters in the post.  I learned today that it's very expensive to mail anything from Australia.  Two dollars for a letter to the States.  And I also learned that the woman who works at that particular post office doesn't appreciate good natured joking about the cost of postage.  

Shortly after we got back to the house, another cousin of mine, Gregory, and his wife Chelle came over for dinner.  It was a lovely meal - the children ate first and went to bed and then the adults sat down to eat.  It's a custom that is vaguely familiar to me - I can remember being sent to bed like that when I was a little girl in Sydney while all the grown ups stayed up conversing.  It's not one that I practice, however - I always eat with Alexandra and so am a little thrown (not in a bad way, just a different way) by the whole thing.

In all, it was a relaxing, hanging out with the children, nursing the headache that four children bring on, kind of day - but it's just past nine at night and I'm exhausted and ready to crash.

Unfortunately, I told the girls they could fall asleep in my bed and I'd move them to theirs when I went to sleep - so I have to at least wait until they're asleep, I think!