Getting ready

Next week Leah turns 5. Wow - she's gonna be a school girl! She is very excited. So we are getting ready for her birthday, last day at kindy, her Lollipops Playland party and her first day at school. It's going to be a busy few days. I'm also wondering how Ammon will go without her at kindy with him. He is transitioning to toddlers this month so it's a few changes all at once for him.

I asked Leah what she wanted for her birthday this morning and she quickly described in detail the pink bouncy castle that she wants. Hmmm... don't think that's going to happen. Her next choice? A mermaid Barbie. Now they used to have one courtesy of Uncle Andre, but I'm thinking it's either been put away and I am yet to find it in the depths of the shed (that's where their toys go when they won't put them away), or else they have lost it. Would be good if I could find it again, I could wrap it up and she'd be happy. I'm all out of ideas after struggling to come up with some for Christmas.

We will have a little family party and presents on the 4th at home, cupcakes at kindy on the 5th and her party with her kindy friends and her siblings on the 6th. She starts school on the 8th. She's keen for Daddy to take her photo like he did when Em started school. Out on the front deck holding up one finger for her first day. But she says she wants to hold up five because she'll be five. Heck with our new camera we can take lots. So glad we bought that, it's been so good to take decent photo's at last!

I had my follow up scan on Monday and it was great. Got the all clear and once again resisted finding out.

Em's Party

Due to Em's actual birthday falling when everything is shut and most of her friends are away on holiday, she decided to have her 7th birthday party today and it was one of the easiest we have celebrated.
It started at 10am, and as soon as all her friends had arrived we went to Just Bead It. A bead shop in Hamilton East where they each made a necklace and bracelet. That took almost 2 hours but they time really flew.

Then it was back home for cake and food and presents, followed by a swim outside. No games, just do whatever you want. It went so smoothly that Nate and I even managed to have a quick nap in front of the cricket - the girls were so absorbed in Em's new hangman game that you didn't know they were still here!

Oh and I can't resist adding this photo of Ammon. He's been quite keen to wear no clothes of late, so we've been trying him on the potty. Too early I think but he did like wearing his Bob the Builder undies... as you can see!

20 weeks

...and going well.
We had our scan today and all is good. We took the kids and they didn't stop talking through it. Leah has so many questions and was so excited. Here is her favourite pic:

I'll have to go back in a few weeks to double check the heart. No major concerns, just baby was all curled up and not too co-operative and the technician couldn't get to see it all. So we'll try again... without all the kids in tow this time!

It was a real debate this time, but we decided to follow tradition and NOT find out if it's a boy or a girl. So bring on June 2010, and if you have any boys name suggestions that would be most helpful. (I've chosen a girls name but I'm not sharing :-) )

Camping

We left boxing day and returned on new years spending that time camping on the family farm at the Kaimai's. The weather started out great, turned to custard for a few days then redeemed itself with a couple perfect one's. We had family and friends there with us, and usually we settle ourselves in the shed that is there, but this time decided tents were the way to go. However with the very strong winds we had that turned into a not so wonderful idea, with our master poles eventually snapping so we moved into the on-site caravan. It was surprisingly colder in the caravan than in the tents, but with a few extra blankets it worked out fine.
Emerson received a 70cc two-wheel motorbike for Christmas, so she got to spend lots of time mastering that, and Leah is a whizz on the 50cc quad we've had for a while now. Ammon has a great love for motorbikes already, running like mad when he heard one start up, and crying if it left without him on it. He can already control the accelerator on the quad and I'm sure he'll be riding independantly before he is 3. He just loves it. Thanks heaps to JC for sending the shark helmet down, it fits Ammon perfectly and was exactly what he needed. He knows he has to wear a helmet on the bikes, but usually won't take it off even when he's done. If there is no one out riding, he'll just go climb on the bikes anyway and make his bike noises and pretend he's riding. Nate is really glad he likes motorbikes, but in a way I think he should have been careful what he wished for as Nate gets tired of riding before Ammon does!
We also went to the beach (too windy to really enjoy) at the Mount, swimming in the waterhole, possum hunting (yes we caught one and watched it be killed and skinned, the kids were fascinated!), had marshmallows round the bonfire, played lots of games, rode lots of bikes, had a trailer ride to the back of the farm, ate far too much and brought home a ton of washing. It was a good week. Even though the weather wasn't great the whole time, at least we weren't at home where there always seems to be chores that need doing. We're all a little sunburnt somewhere but happy to be home.
I'll post some pics as soon as I find my camera!