I struggle to believe that it's really been 8 months since I last
posted an update on this blog! So here are a few photos to bring you up
to date.
Appropriately, the first few are of a monkey
being a ratbag. She loves talcum powder and we NEVER leave it in reach.
Except for once. Look carefully and you can see a white layer over the
sink.
and in the sink
and
this is her slightly forced 'oh crap, I'm in trouble but I still think
it's really funny' face. The really funny thing is that after we cleaned
it up, we didn't think to put it away and she emptied the rest of it
all over the bathroom the following day. Idiots!
Hanging out and being sisters. How did we get one so dark and one so fair?
Joining Mummy for a spot of yoga of a morning.
And this is what happens with tomato sauce when you leave the room after fish'n'chips ...
No pictures please, I'm creating!
Yup. Plain ole tuckered out. Too tired to lie down even. zzzzzz ...
Ruby's
school taught their junior classes some traditional dances. And then
they taught us one - of all the music to finish off the day with, they
had to choose the chicken song. How many days do you think it took to
get THAT music out of our heads?
One day Mummy wanted some time out so she had a bubble bath. The time out didn't last long.
We
had an awesome Christmas! Surrounded by wonderful friends, family on
skype and two very excited, unreservedly believing little girls. Hannah
and Gareth spent Christmas Eve at our house. Ruby and Leah got letters
from Santa. Hannah read Leah's to her ...
... and Ruby reads hers to Gareth and explains the ins and outs of Santa to him. He seems suitably excited by the whole concept!
Then they had to sprinkle reindeer food on the driveway.
Apparently it glows in the dark, so the reindeer can find it and know
the way to your house. Very important and serious job.
It must have worked, because there were stockings in the lounge the next morning!
Ahh - the traditional pre-breakfast, early morning mouthful of chocolate!!
After
a delicious breakfast, it was time for a swim/play on the beach and
then on to Sarah and Mike's for a delicious lunch/afternoon
tea/dinner/supper/midnight drink ...
oh - and a bit of a boogie!!
Christmas
day was a bright and beautiful sunny day - sunburn weather! But the
rest of the summer was largely rained out. So we contented ourselves
with creating the tiniest blondest pigtails in NZ.
A friendly black'n'white pussy cat has taken to visiting us
... a lot! She thinks she lives here. We don't mind, as she is super
friendly and very soft and soppy. You can even pat her furry tummy,
something that our own cat doesn't allow! The girls have shown a
startling imagination and named her "the black'n'white pussy cat"
One
day it was raining but we were tired of being inside. So we played in
the rain instead. Ruby jumped on a splashy trampoline ...
Leah made lots and lots of footprints ...
... and this is what Ruby looked like when she was done.
We did have another fine day a bit later on - this is what happens to baby fine hair when you rub it round on the trampoline.
And when you take photos of one little girl, a second one always wants in too!
And this is what happens when Mummy jumps while you're lying on the trampoline!
Muckin' around with the camera one day ... 'the girls'
Ruby
lost her first tooth!! Literally. We think she swallowed it. She had to
write a note to the tooth fairy to explain what happened. This tooth
container was given to Ruby by some friends in Scotland when she was
barely one year old. Finally got used! But we had to leave the lid open
"because it's quite hard to open and the fairy is only little and she
might not be able to open it." Bless.
Luckily
the tooth fairy is a kind soul, who completely understood that Mummy
didn't want to wait around to see if the tooth came out the other end,
and was quite prepared to leave a note and a flower and the traditional
coin. Delight!!
Mummy
made a bunny for a precious little girl born on the 8th of February
2012. Leah test cuddled it for a bit to make sure it was suitable!
Aunty Sarah and Mummy actually made a bunny each, in matching
colours. Here are the bunny brothers. After realising that Sarah's was
more lightly stuffed and mine was overstuffed, they ended up with the
unfortunate nicknames of Mr Floppy and Mr Stiffy. Not very appropriate
for a teeny tiny baby, so they'll have to be changed by deedpoll a bit
later on. Aww ... ain't they gorgeous boys?!
Ruby now reads stories to Leah. No, they're not real glasses, she just likes them ...
Ruby
goes to 'Kelly Sports' on a Thursday afternoon, where she learns all
sorts of useful things like catching, throwing, kicking, batting,
running, skipping ... and earned her first trophy for 'enjoying
everything'! Proud much?
Remember what I said before about 'take a picture of one and the other sister wants in?' More proof ...
All glammed up with nowhere special to go.
The
girls' Great Uncle Graeme gave them a kid-sized picnic table! One day
there was going to be a big storm, so we moved it into the garage and
they used it for an indoor picnic and some drawing! Fabulous!
Grandpa
- remember you gave me a fantastic sticker book for my birthday? And
while you could see me on skype I was being very sensible and making
pictures with them? This is me 10 minutes after hanging up. Just like
markers and paint, I can't resist putting them everywhere they ain't
supposed to go!!
Mummy
did some more knitting. This is Knitbot. For Mike's birthday.
Whatever will she knit next? And will she ever knit something to wear??
And then ... Leah turned three! The
excitement knew no bounds about the upcoming birthday party!! And finally it was THE day! Here's Nan helping the girls make necklaces.
A new fairy dress from Aunty Hannah and Uncle Gareth and Rosa!
Of course it had to go on immediately! Look Uncle G, we match!
Aww. Butter wouldn't melt. Cough cough.
Aunty Sarah knitted Leah her very
own bunny!! Quickly dubbed Mrs Bunny!
The other most beautiful girl at the party, Rosa Gregory enjoys some smiling time with Daddy.
Oren from Israel, Sarah and Mike from Canada but really just down the road, and Ruby with long hair playing the fun new games!
Some random sleep shots. When this girl is tired, there's really no stopping the nap!
I
was lying on the couch when she said "Mummy I want to have a nap on
you". I thought (a) there's no better excuse to continue lying on the
couch and (b) there's not too many more of these times coming up as she
gets bigger ... so ... yes - go and get a blanket. Snore.
And
conversely - when she's not ready to sleep, there's no forcing her.
This is about 9pm on a Friday night "I want to sit in the lounge quietly
and read books". So she did. The pile to the left are the ones she's
read.
But if she can find a willing volunteer to read them
to her, she's all ears! Debra and Chris visited from Wellington and Debra was flavour of the month all weekend!
As they say ... that's all folks ... will try not to leave it so long next time!!
