Auld Lang Syne

Aaah and so 2011 dawns. C celebrated it by refusing to go to sleep until 10pm... but then slept through until 5.55am - yeehaa baby!! K slept through too - excellent child :) I must give some thought to resolutions... perhaps to increase my activity levels/cavorting hahah.

No more bites have been discovered upon C's delicate flesh. This is great news as the mosquito's are the size of blowflies! Seriously, I was able to count the black and white stripes on the one that landed on my arm!! Good west auckland water haha. This week is going to be a good one - chilling out and having some solid family time. We are looking forward to friday/payday. Chris especially as he received a italian cheesemaking kit for christmas and is afire with cheesemaking zeal!! We plan to take K to the museum before Chris goes back to work. We are putting up the pool today - which will excite K tremendously haha and will also be baking biscuits for K to cut shapes for. I can't believe K's birthday is in 10 days - where does the time go!! Soon I will be baking a gruffalo cake and partying up at the playcentre :) Plans for tomorrow include calling playcentre contact, Southern Cross and collecting my key from Suzie.

Hooray for Christmas Day

On the 23rd Chris headed off to work and I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I also took the boys off for a walk to the playground. Sadly Chris arrived home at 2 - a full hour later than expected so departure got pushed out an hour too. We headed off to Puhoi and Ruthsnew house. Ruth's was lovely. We had a fab roast dinner, viewed the property and the BEAUTIFUL house and headed on up. We arrived in Kerikeri at 11:30pm, no credit on our cells and with 10c left in our bank saccount - but we got there. We chilled out on the 24th, doing last minute shopping (payday!) and then it was Xmas Eve..... We staggered into bed at some awful hour as K seemed too excited to sleep. Oddly, for all of his excitement looking forward to xmas, he didn't seem that excited on the day and had to be urged to open his presents. And, typically, twas sunny before and after xmas day... but the 25th was cloudy and dull. All 3 boys helped stud the ham with cloves - and boy, did they make a mess! Our gifts of preserves went over well, and K really liked his little fire station and truck. K had a blast. C just chilled. Before we knew it we had done xmas, visited the beach house, had birthday celebrations and hopped in the car to drive back home. It was a MUCH better trip back as the boys were quieter C sleeping for an good chunk of the trip and K just chilling. Today I got bread done, washing and heaps of other chores underway while Chris did a sterling job of walking K, hanging out washing, running the dishwasher and making dinner. Sadly C was savaged by mosquito's his first night back... 11 on one arm, and bites on his ear, eyebrow, forehead and lip. My poor baby!!!

Silenced seedlings

Alas, no WOF!! Chris returned to the house somewhat disconsolate and reported that the front brake hoses were perished and cracked... and OF COURSE needed to be replaced. $340!! This was exciting as we were heading out to a work function at Auckland University on sunday. We wound up catching the train in and walking through the domain. It was a hurried, hot and sweaty experience as we were running late. However a good time was had by all, and K was entranced by the magician's rabbit. We had a lightning fast catchup with Colin and Ros - too fast - and then we dashed off to catch the train home. We staggered into our respective beds at 11pm. But both boys were very good, and it was a good time out. On the monday we headed out in the stroller to playcentre where once again K romped and had a fabulous time. Tuesday it rained and we decided to stay home as Chris had taken the car into work. We did puzzles, and made a magic wand. I also made lemon cheesecake, swedish gingerbread, lemonade, bread and yoghurt. On wednesday we headed up to the rooms for the Plunket coffeegroup and K merrily built towers and frolicked about. We arrived home to find a christmas parcel and much frivolity ensued. That afternoon we headed into town on the train as I had a meeting to minute. To my horror, I discovered that K had dug up the precious 4 seedlings that had managed to escape K's trowel of doom. Since I had planted seeds on 6 seperate occasions - and K had disobeyed my very clear instructions to leave the seeds/pots/seedlings alone on 5 previous occasions I was understandably irked. Nevertheless, he was very well behaved on the gtrain and bus trip to the University. All was going well until, yet again, I was unable to find the area where Chris worked. And alas, Pascal was not in his office to be my guide. I made the meeting - albeit slightly late - and Chris cavorted in Albert Park with the munchkins. Friday was the last Playcentre session for the year and K had a blast dressing up as a policeman, rolling about on the gym mats, digging up the sandpit and playing with the trains. Cameron had a blast too, leaping about in the exersaucer. He was an angel on Friday too, politely requesting to play with his playdough. He has recently embraced the joy that is playdough - and adores it! Saturday dawned, and with it the last dance class of 2010. The next one is in February!! So, I have popped a vid up of once of the little dances :) Enjoy!!

Weekend frivolity..

Last weekend we headed out to the Playcentre xmas party. Sadly I forgot my camera so we have no visual record. K was in fine form chatting about Santa and sitting patiently for his present. It was only as we were 2 steps from the man himself that his courage failed him and he clung limpet like - retaining enough presence of mind to accept the gift AND say Thank you Santa :) As soon as snackings had been consumed by the K monster we raced off down the road with the stroller to go to Nicole's first birthday party. Again K thoroughly enjoyed himslef and showed excellent sharing skills and manners. He was a pleasure to escort about, and so an ice cream was purchased on the walk home. And boy, he enjoyed it. C chittered like an angry squirrel at the sight until he got a suck of Chris's ice cream. When Chris removed the cone a SUBSTANTIAL amount of ice cream was missing.... those boys!! Today is dance class, and I shall be walking the boys. Chris has headed out to (hopefully) get a WOF for my car. And tomorrow is an Akl Uni event - tres exciting!

The sound of one hand clapping

Truly my youngest has mastered the art of zen. He was lying across my lap on his back with one arm raised in the air, opening and closing his palm. His face was a study of concentration. He did this for about 5 minutes until I tickled him, causing his big brother to launch himself into the fray :)

We went to playcentre on tuesday and as usual K had a blast. He painted up a storm and is really getting the whole sharing and taking turns concept. I am really pleased. The only downside to this was the battle getting K to walk up the hill. We spent 20 minutes on our hill with him refusing to walk to the top of the hill. My policy is that he walks to the top of the hill, and can then ride the rest of the way. Wednesday was the same sadly, when we headed out for the Plunket coffee group. On wednesday afternoon I gave some thought to changing this behaviour. Both boys were asleep at the same time ( A MIRACLE) so I cleaned the lounge, beat the rug, set up lunch outside ready for the boys, and did laundry and dishes. K was very excited to see the little table and the bumbo waiting on the lawn when he woke up - and actually ate a good lunch. On thursday we headed to the library for storytime and a morning tea. I changed the way we headed up the hill and asked K to walk up the hill as "that would mummy very happy". It worked = yay :) Last night poor C sounded like an 80 y/o smoker as he struggled through the cold K afflicted him with. It was so bad I couldn't really sleep, listening to him. We cancelled our ride to Cornwallis Beach and booked a dr's appointment... and they are both fine!! Lingering rotavirus for k which is why his tummy still dodgy, and C...just a cold. We headed in to Henderson on the train today too - K was beautifully behaved!! We purchased all sorts of good things - yay. Tomorrow is dance class and while "we" dance Chris will be taking the car for its WOF..... Oh, let my assault on the fence/letterbox not cause it to fail!!!