Oldie but goodie

Blythe much?

Blythe much?
Originally uploaded by Dusty Jo

Found this today at Big W ... it is cute ... but another cheap Blythe rip off I guess.
Melissa race off and get one for Lola, it was $7 :)

The End

I'm going to tie this blog up now that we're back in Melbourne and start a new one that is more me less kids :) will let you know where it is when it's up and running. 

Thanks for reading along and the comments I've loved loved LOVED sharing our happenings with you all and following along on yours. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Remind you of anyone?

I love this photograph. Mum sent it to me a few weeks ago, the girls are Mum's two half sisters, this photo was taken some time in the 1920s. Does the girl on the left remind you of anyone? 

One month on ..

We're back in our house, it's been tidied up with thanks to Matt's parents in the garden, huge effort from them as well as Matt and myself and the girls! Geordie has been a fabulous Site Manager/Cheer Squad. The garden is back to a neat condition at the front and basically a flat dry wasteland out the back, ready to be worked on! 

Asha is happily settled at her new school, she's found her feet so quickly thanks to identifying with three of the children in her class, Alice, Rupert and Hannah who I'd told her she had known as a baby, amazing how connected she feels to them. I've also reconnected with their families which has been really lovely. 

Lulu has started Kindy down our street two afternoons a week and is in her element there, instantly happy. The kids understand the history of the house and the places around and have settled in amazingly. 

Geordie has been incredible, he's really a chilled out little man, a smile for everyone who gives him one and such a sweetness about him. Just need to work a little on the night waking though really we're dealing with it just fine. He's just moved into his tiny little room last night, went well, I coped better than I thought I would. Could be the start of some longer sleeps from him. 

Matt has the next week off work and has been putting an amazing effort into the house, project managing the renovations, and we've been bouncing ideas off each other and it's coming together well. I forsee a very comfortable home by the end of the week if we keep the momentum up, will be so great to have Matt home so that both he and I are able to get the things we need to done while the children are run around and cared for!

I need to find a new hairdresser, priorities priorities! Trini is going to help me with some design ideas, new blinds, light fittings etc. which desperately need updating. But one step at a time, we've already done so much in a few weeks, don't want to burn out! 

Trini and Mark helped out a lot today unpacking books (Trini), lifting heavy objects (Mark!) all while being madly and viciously loved by their neices and nephew. Thank you guys. XX

So there is the round up for now wow, it's so HOT! And DRY and DUSTY, we're really having a culture shock with the weather and environment, but jeez do I love the drying time on the old Hills Hoist!

A random photo added - Matt and Geordie yesterday at Spensley Street Primary School's Tempting Fete yesterday, we used to go every year Geordie was having a ball boogying to the band, and you should have seen Lulu!  .. will hopefully be back around more often now that I have laptop (though battery still broken) and broadband!

Lulu's last day

Bear Park has been a huge rock in our life from the very first week we arrived in New Zealand. We have made great connections with the staff and our children have benefitted strongly from the amazing programs and curriculum at the centre. We would not have had such a great experience here if it were not for this place, it was one of my saddest goodbyes leaving there today. 

** note I am having an horrific time adding pix to blogger lately and have just given up will try again later this week. XX

Happy Last Day (x3)

Today has been a huge massive enormous gigantic astronomical day of tears and goodbyes, oh and add into that Geordie's needles, house inspections, goodbye parties times three and some microdermabrasion (don't ask). 

A 5am start has meant that we were able to fit a lot into it .. and now Matt and I finally have a couple of hours of peace with our last episode of Outrageous Fortune and a glass of NZ bubbles thanks to our friend Simonne. 

Here are some pics of the girl's last days today. Lots of sadness today but lots of happiness to come, tomorrow will be a huge day of change. 

It's been a big few days

But the worst of it all is that our internet connection has gone down so I can't post pics of it easily!

I'm on Matt's laptop on dialup and will attempt a photo or two now but will make up for it when I get some wireless broadband access again for my Macbook.

Firstly Friday was Asha's Rainbow Fish production, she was the star of the show and performed in front of the entire school, gee proud much? She did a brilliant job.

Friday after school was the school disco, much fun and dancing - Lulu had a ball too.

Saturday morning the last soccer game of the year and Lulu even played the first half!

Later that morning was Lulu's big party - here at home, Coach Adam came and played ball games with the kids which was a hoot. It was so nice to have a great party in our beautiful backyard - the sun shining, the magnolia still in flower, it was great. Octopus and baby seals cake - TICK. Cow pinata - TICK. Was nice to give Lulu a special day with all her Bear Park friends - plus her special friend Alexander, who partook enthusiastically and happily - what a fantastic kid.

Last night Matt and I finally had our 'fancy' night out at Partingtons (will add a link later!) which was amazing.

Then today we started packing - oh and for those who missed it, yes we are heading back to Melbourne permanently - in TEN days time. Scary stuff.

Asha had a party - a Leggo party - what a hoot, she had a ball, then a play at Anna's house.

So a crazy few days, and we're moving out of here in three more sleeps. Life won't be stopping or slowing down for a while I'd say.

First Goodbyes

They're starting. Yesterday was Annabel. Of course I cried, she's so staunch, typical Kiwi teenager, but she's brilliant, so cool under pressure, just so cool. 

Annabel was our afternoon babysitter, she'd come by and play with the girls while I did the supermarket shopping with Geordie, that sort of thing. She was completely interactive with Asha and Lulu, let them boss her around (to a degree) but read to them, played Musical Statues with them, did drawings, played teachers, and watched Charlie and Lola. 

She'll go far that girl. 

End of Season

The soccer season is over. So sad that it was cut so short after the ongoing torrential rain which flooded Madill's Farm for 5 (maybe 6?) weeks mid season. Our great friends Paul and Ali put so much effort into the team and there was an end of season BBQ at their house last Saturday where Asha got a trophy for best passer and most improved, yay!

Here is the team, could they be any blonder? Gorgeous looking little guys and a little bit well known for having so many girls, fantastic, so proud of them!

ps: as usual, click pic to see larger, Asha is on far right

Kai Time

13 days short of six months and Geordie is on solids. We started this morning with pear which he thought was okay, then tonight kumara and corn .. now THAT was a hit! 

Asha did most of the feeding tonight, which was fantastic, she did very well, not too much mess and Geordie swallowed most of it, brilliant!

Now hopefully I can get some sleep tonight!

(apologies for yukky flash photograph)

Cool Jumper

Trying pic in a new post ... blogger .. ARGH!

Thanks Di and Grampi

Some photos now of the G-Man for his grandparents .. G's latest pleasure is whacking himself and me with his rattle, so cute, so hard! He's got the whole hang of holding onto stuff now and loving shaking it all about. 

Also thanks Di for this awesome jumper, it's so soft and stretchy and the wool is brilliant - a great sheepy smell to it too. Comments from everyone who sees it. Stunning!

For Mish - Look! Goldie Hawn! Hahahahahaha!

What a spectacle!

X-posted everywhere!

Darling wee Lulu picked up her glasses today (and another handful of Hershey kisses) and does she look cute in them or WHAT! It is very odd to see her wearing them as it all happened very quickly but she looks super super cute in them and is enjoying all the accessories and being 'special'. 

Gingerbread Girl

Asha had her school cross country today, basically a run around the field for the juniors, the weather was threatening (der!) and of course the wind and rain started only while the Room 12 girls did their race poor kids! But they were off and had huge grins all the way around the field. 

Asha (yellow tee, black legs) had come first in the practice yesterday so hopes were high but she came in a very respectable fourth after her three great friends Anna (green), Molly (red) and Sophie(obscured). Well done to all!

Five months of Geordie.

Our beloved Geordie is five months old today. It is all going so fast, we just love him so much and I'm wondering if there are ways to stunt his growth and keep him small forever. At the same time we are so excited to watch him become a little boy. He's a total doll. He's slept for 7 hours straight the last two nights, tonight won't be so great as we've got him to bed a bit too early but still things are looking up. I found all the night waking/feeding hard but to be honest I'm happy to give him a cuddle any time of day or night so it's been fine, I just love my little boy. He's the light of our lives. So loved.

Just Like Mum

Well we had some big news for Lulu yesterday, after some initial testing at Plunket she was referred on a specialist and yesterday we found that she will be needing to wear glasses full time, mainly due to astigmatism, which hopefully will correct itself over the next few years (crossing everything). Great that we caught it early.

We spent the afternoon trying on frames and we came to a decision finally, she has a pink pair with lavender arms coming later in the week. Today she's wearing mine for laughs and she's feeling good about it and seems happy to wear them, she seems to understand what it will mean. And they look super cute on her. Will post a pic when we pick them up this week. 

So proud of my Big Girl (click on the pic)

Today was a special day for our Asha. Her lovely teacher Miss Crabb emailed me yesterday to let me know that Asha was up for a Principal's award at today's school assembly so we all got ready this morning and trooped in, Matt included to watch her receive it. It was for being a role model for all the children in her class. *sigh* she's a great kid. 

 

Our Leading Lady

News today, Asha has the lead in her class's assembly production of the Rainbow Fish. Yes, Asha is *the* Rainbow Fish. I am so incredibly proud. 

Di - get the sewing machine out ;)

Lookalikes

Asha was giving Geordie a cuddle on the couch the other day when I noticed how similar they look. I'm not good at noticing this usually and I couldn't say what it was particularly but took a pic to share anyway. Asha looks soft and young in this photo. I like it. 

Drowned Rat

Asha finally had a soccer game this morning, it has been cancelled for the last SIX weeks due to flooding and rain, last night the website said 'It's on!' and sure enough we woke up this morning to driving rain and off went Matt and Asha (I convinced Lulu to stay with me) and they played! Only four kids turned up, all girls, courageous or silly? Tough!

Asha arrived home soaked through with purple hands and covered in mud but SO happy!

Goldfish like milk too.

We're having a sick day at home today. Lulu is still in her PJs, we're not so well, she's coughing and spluttering and snuffling and I'm feverish and have revolting things in my throat and a splitting headache, yukko.

I'm really lucky that Lulu is the sort of kid who is happy to noodle around at home and be creative and silly, she doesn't get bored. I have Bear Park to thank for that I think! She spent the morning in her 'ship' (Geordie's capsule) with his teddy bears sailing the 7 seas, this afternoon after making block icecreams she's made a bed for her rubber goldfish in a cup with a tissue and water (yuk). But you know, she's sweet and doesn't complain about being bored when I don't have the energy to do much. 

Took this pic while she had afternoon tea, she's having her 'Kiwi' yoghurt, Feijoa and apricot, her cup of milk with a special treat sippah straw which the rubber goldfish is enjoying as well. 

Now she's playing hide and seek by herself. 

 

Old Favourites

It's strange and sweet to see Geordie playing on and with the same quilts and toys that the girls loved. Same with the clothes, it's lovely to see old favourites used over again. Inchworm here was a great friend to both Asha and Lulu and now he's being smothered in gummy goo by their little brother. Also the mirror, who can blame the boy for staring at that beauty, it's addictive, I know I can watch him endlessly (when the housework isn't calling!). 

Making Music

This morning we braved the wind and rain and I took Asha - and Geordie - to the New Auckland Art Gallery to the kids club. It was great they talked the kids through some pieces then played them some music by artists who make all their own instruments through 'found' objects. 

They then took them into the art room where they made their own instruments. Asha made a little shaker/drum for Lulu from a paper cup and a larger shaker/drum of her own. She was in art heaven (of course) and these pics are from after everyone had gone.

Hopefully we'll be able to go quite often, a great winter Sunday activity. :)

Kath - note the shoes, she LOVES them, and the look so cute on her, thank you so much. 

Another Surfin' Girl

Taken with the underwater camera hence the grain though I kind of like it. Asha also had a ball out on the water. Little Cove has perfect little waves for beginners. 

With an enormous storm due tomorrow, weather warnings due left right and centre .. feels like this is half a world away! It was less than a week ago!

Matt wanted to name her Gidget ...

and perhaps that might have been a good choice. 

We're back from Byron/Noosa/Brisbane and we had such a great time, not exactly relaxing but really lots of fun. We stayed out in the Byron Hinterland to begin with in an old farmhouse was fantastic. Caught up with Mish and her family, met the nippy little sweet Fonzie, saw the new amazing headquarters of SeeSaw, saw Beck and Shane and their new house which they're working on which looks amazing and can't believe how much they've got done so fast. Ate well, shopped well, had a night out at the Bangers pub with the girls. Went too soon. Sad to leave. Must go back!

Then on to Noosa, to the rain, oh well, the sun came out in time and we spent some beautiful time down at the perfect Little Cove beach. Happy place. Happy times. 

Then onto Brissy to stay with the incredible Kath, meet up with Megan and family and also Jan, always great to see these guys, happy, positive, lovely people. Went to the Picasso Collection which we all loved, kids included, then back home. 

So that's the short version. Here are some braggy pics of the amazing Lulu who stood up all by herself and rode the malibu into shore. Asha did it also. These kids are amazing. 

Away, Away

I'm pretty sure everyone knows we're away at the moment, coping quite well, the kids are having a ball and behaving themselves well. We've spent four days in the Byron Hinterland catching up with friends and we're now up in sunny Noosa .. using the wifi hotspot at my favourite restaurant! Better go my salad is on the table! Here's a pic of Asha, Lulu, Beck, Mish and Ted .. was so nice to catch up with old friends. 

All Three Together

I don't get many pics of all three kids together. This is a cute one, I was hoping to show off how similar their eye colour is (for Rach) but got this nice shot. Do you think they look similar? I know that they all look beautiful! (don't forget you can click the pic to see it bigger).

School holidays today, we had a little party planned here for Asha's friend Sophie but unfortunately she's sick. Matt made a cake and Asha decorated it, it was stunning! I dropped if over to Sophie's house without taking a pic. Another dreary rainy day here. Not feeling very well but that photo of my three darlings cheered me up a little. As will an early night. 

One of my favourite things ...

is to give Geordie his bath. It's such lovely peaceful quiet time together. He loves it and he's so chilled. I always wish that I could take some pix of him in there but never prepared. Today Matt gave him his bath so I rushed in to take a quick one. 

He's going to be another water lover like his sisters. 

Family evening at Bear Park

Lulu's creche put on a special night tonight, they have been exploring light all year, in all it's forms. Tonight they decorated the centre out - it was incredible, hard to show in the photos but there were lasers and light tables, fluorescent rooms, disco rooms, glow sticks, smoke machines, and great food and wine!

Great to spend the night with the staff too and meet some other parents and kids. Found out the most lovely Claire is pregnant again, fantastic news. 

Asha loved being back in that environment, with some of her old friends Clayne and Beanie, and Lulu was so happy boogying in the disco room .. and spent quite a bit of time at the food table, hee hee. 

The photos don't do the centre justice, it was super fantastico. :)

Oh that face :)

He's getting cuter and cuter and sweeter and sweeter. Such a gorgeous child. These are from yesterday. He does smile, just hard to get on camera, I promise!

Winter Uniform

The long hot (ish) summer has finally gone, it was a good one! It is bitter, windy, rainy, haily, thundery and lightening-y. Which is fine. That's what winter is for, as long as it doesn't last until Christmas. Asha is in her official winter uniform at V.A.S. and looks well cute in it. Thought I'd throw a pic up to show off just how cute she looks in it. 

OH and got her mid year portfolio and had her interview last week .. she's doing just fine, thank you very much. Ahhhhhh.  

6 Down

Fourteen to go. 

Hope that the Tooth Fairy comes tonight!  You can click the pic to see it larger if you like (same goes for all the pics on here). 

Lazy Sunday

Buckets of rain started the day and we hid inside the warm cave that our house has become. I leave the curtains closed to keep the warmth in, today was the coldest day yet this winter ... bitterly cold, and wet, and windy .. gah!

Eventually we crept out of the cave and journeyed to Sylvia Park .. for Borders browsing and purchasing and for pub lunching and baby foot. All good. 

Quick mad rush of chores on the way home then an equally quick trip to the wet park with a small towel in hand to wipe swings and monkey bars and slides. It was very cool to have the park to ourselves. Very low res video of Asha the Queen of the Monkey Bars. Nothing puts that kid off the bars, not even two broken arms.  She's obsessed.

Home to Matt's yummy beef burgundy stew from the slow cooker and listening to the new Anika Moa cd and reading the new Henrietta book for Asha, then I'll head to bed and start my book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  

Bovver Boy

This is a just cos post. 

Just cos he's cute basically.

All aboard the Vomitron!

with great thanks to Amanda/BDG.

With the modern advent of 'Tummy Time' we are required to give our babies time on their stomachs (preferably not after a feed  ewwwww!) each day in order to stop them getting flat spots on their heads and to build up neck control .. Geordie has always had great head control but we got him this playmat just for fun as it specifically designed for 'Tummy Time'. 

He spins around looking at the different 'petals' on the flower. It's okay. He lasts a few minutes. He may last longer soon, or Lulu will bust it as she spins around like a mini mad woman. 

Spider Kids

I went along for the first time to watch the girls climbing ... woot! ... they are amazing. This photo doesn't show the height but there is one on Flickr and have emailed a few to the doting grandparents. Very proud of our girls, there is not much that they won't try, they give their all. 

We ran into the girl's friends Beanie and Harry, also Hayden and their parents .. I feel so much more a part of the community here now, school has widened our circle so much (though those friends in particular were originally through Bear Park). 

Player of the Day .. and a future All Black

Oh my, the pride! Asha came home from her third game of soccer this morning with the TROPHY she kicked two amazing goals and was awarded Player of the Day! So proud, what a little champ. 

Geordie is proudly showing off his Thunderwear, our future All Black. Not. He'll be the leading goalkicker for North Melbourne in 2029. 

Tummy Time .. during and after

It's serious business and I got in a wee bit of trouble from the Plunket nurse for not giving Geordie enough 'tummy time'. He does have good head control but yes, how will we know when he first rolls if he doesn't spend much time on the floor? So we'll make a concerted effort to give him more floor time from now on. Here's a pic of during, look at the concentration and exertion in his face! And then after, ahhh .. that's better Mum!

Eeep I missed a day!

Got a bit keen but it won't last, I'll be missing weeks soon!

Yesterday was crazy in the bucketing rain - to the doctors for Geordie's checkup - to Lulu's swimming - back to the doc for G's needles. Poor baby, he screamed and screamed but he was lucky to have his big sister there for cuddles. Lulu was fascinated and though she said she wasn't going to look she did, up close - Mama didn't though! 

Poor baby. He had a temp last night and was unsettled, was hoping for a long sleep like last time but it didn't happen. Hopefully tonight to make up for it. 

So he's 3 months as of yesterday, 13 weeks on Sunday when the photo was taken with his Dad. Getting cuter every day. We love him so. 

3 months stats are:

Head 41.5cm - 50th Percentile

Weight 6.3kg - 50th Percentile

Length 64cm - 90th Percentile

So long like his sisters. Wonder if he'll overtake them and if so at what age?

Storylines

It's that time of year again and the Storylines Festival was on at Aotea Square, five levels of books, authors talking and signing, craft activities, face painting and crowds. Highlights were meeting Hairy Maclairy and Clifford (as was last year) and meeting Babette Cole and getting her to sign a copy of Princess Smartypants .. we watched a talk she gave, she's a total crack up and Asha put up her hand and asked her a question into the microphone I was quite proud!

Tanya Batt was scheduled to perform but had cancelled and I was so disappointed .. she's my idol. *Wail!* But a bargain was found, I bought the 7th Harry Potter for $12.50, will put on the shelf and hopefully read it one day as I'm still up to the start of HP5 as of about 4 years ago. Whoops. Maybe purchasing this new one will inspire me to get reading again.