Today

With the kids away at Mum's last night, Nate and I got to get a few errands done. One was to buy Leah some new training wheels for Em's old bike. She wouldn't ride it because it felt so wobbly, but now she is stoked and was off down the driveway like a shot as soon as she got on it. It fits her so much better than her last bike.

The other thing we did was to start getting Ammon's birthday presents. How organised is that?! It's still two months away, but today we got him a bike (it's a tradition in our home to get a bike on your 2nd birthday) and a big bed. As you can see the bike is a hideous colour (KTM motorbike brand), but we think he'll enjoy it once his legs are long enough to reach the ground. The seat is adjustable and nope it's not meant to have pedals.

The bed is part of a second bunk set, identical to what we already have. We'll put it up for his birthday. Hmmm... perhaps I should buy him some boy sheets?? For some reason his daddy would prefer he didn't ride purple and pink bikes, or sleep in purple or pink sheets! Go figure.

We'll keep the second bunk in the shed till we need it which won't be soon for baby, but the kids may use it if friends sleep over.

Also got the cleaning done at work, the lawns mowed, Leah's teddy fixed up and a rest before the kids came home and we went for dinner at Marc and Nat's. Not much beats sitting around with good friends and good food with good weather and a swimming pool.

More of Leah's Birthday

Some pics from her kindy farewell...

her party at Lollipop Playland - the cake came out really well!...

and getting off to school this morning…

You probably can't see it, but she also got a haircut for big school (to her shoulders, much better!). I stayed with her till 10am and she was very clingy, wanting to go back to kindy. She said the kids scared her. There were about 9 others in her class, and she knew one from kindy. I left her doing maths which she seemed to be enjoying as it was all colour, cut and glue and waiting for morning tea.

She's 5

Here's a few pics from Leah's birthday today. She woke up to balloons hanging from the bunk above her, to banana-choc chip pancakes for breakfast plus prezzies. A day at Nanny's, then honey chicken for dinner and a small cake for dessert. I wasn't going to do a cake today, but I was making cupcakes for kindy tomorrow and had left over mixture.

She says a big thank you to Uncle Andre and Aunty Shannon for the money (she came out waving $10 around very excitedly. You did well to whip over here and hide it under her pillow!), and Brooke and Elisa for her new dress. She plans to wear it tomorrow for her last kindy day.

Ammon started back at swimming on Tuesday and gymnastics today. He likes both but wants to do his thing not what everyone else is doing. Leah is nervous about doing her own gymnastics on Monday because now I can't be with her while she does it. From 5 years she has to do it herself and I sit upstairs watching. Today Emerson started dancing. She is doing hip-hop and so far is liking it. It's in Ngaruawahia so a little travel involved but also an excuse to visit Nanny and Papa.

Em is in room 10 now with Mrs Williamson. She likes her and her class. It is a mix of year 3 and 4. Em is year 3. Leah will be year 1 with Mrs Gribben.

                                                       

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!

Merry Christmas

If you were asleep in our house this morning you wouldn't have missed the cries of Leah shouting "It's Christmas Eve, it's Christmas Eve" before she ran into our room to ask if she could open a present. Oh Leah.... one more day to go my darling!
The girls are so excited. They have also enjoyed doing their 25 days of Christmas. We've missed a few of them due to the kids going for sleepovers or me just not being prepared, but it gives me a better idea of what to do next year. I think the most successful day was when we got to paint Christmas things on the lounge windows. It looks very festive. Ammon just loves opening his chocolate advent calendar each morning, and is now very good at saying the word 'chocolate'. He has my sweet tooth for sure.
The pregnancy is going well thank goodness and the tummy is no longer hide-able. Although I'm not sure if it is the stress of the Christmas season or being hormonal or both, but I find myself very mentally tired and a little overwhelmed recently. Of course December is always a busy time with end of year productions, work events, church activities, Christmas preparations, Emerson's birthday and preparing for camping. I tried my best to have all the present shopping done before the end of November, but that didn't quite work out. It has been a struggle to buy particularly for Emerson this year, so to have to think of Christmas AND her birthday gifts has been hard. Especially when you ask her what she wants and she doesn't know. I guess I could buy her some toys but they'll just end up under her bed not being used, so that's a waste of money. Last year she got alot of clothes, but she seemed somewhat disappointed by that. Even now I'm not sure we've sussed her birthday but today is the last chance to do so as we're off camping on boxing day till after her birthday. There are no shops in the middle of the bush! Thank goodness I can go up the road to Grandma's to bake her a cake! In some respects I think I'd rather skip the rest of December and all of January and just go straight into February. There's the Christmas spirit!
Work has been going very well, and I've even had the chance to escape the office for a few days of training in Auckland. My last day was yesterday and I go back on the 5th for a week on my own then I get a week off before being back to normal. Nathan has been hanging out for his holidays, his work is quite stressful and he is keen to go to the farm and do as little as possible (besides ride his bike of course!).
Emerson is going to have her proper birthday on the 19th with her cousins and friends, we have a bridal shower, bucks night, wedding and a couple baby showers to attend all in January. Then we get into getting Leah ready to start school in February. It's such a busy time.
To my brothers and their sweetheart's especially I wish you a very Merry Christmas. We miss you. I hope you get to have SOME decent time together without work getting in the way too much. Big kisses to Rose and Jean.
To Petria, Brent and Grace - Merry Christmas. We have a birthday present for Grace but I'm waiting for it to arrive to me so not sure it will arrive to her in time but nevertheless... it is a favourite of Leah's so wanted Grace to have one too.
Mum and Dad thank you for who you are. You are a great support to us and we feel very lucky to live close to you. Our children love you immensely but hey, what's not to love? Congratulations again on 40 years of marriage. Perhaps our gift has been a selfish one as it means we and our children will always be able to see you and talk to you wherever we are.
Merry Christmas everybody, may you have a little of Christ with you this season and have the happiness that I enjoy with my husband and children. Love you.

scriptures and prayers

Ammon can say scriptures and prayers now, copying after us one ward at a time. SO cute!! Some words are clearer than others but he seems so proud of himself when he's done, he doesn't want to finish. Go my boy!

The past week

Tue 24th ended up being a great day. The tree went up (with all the decorations on one side and at child height) and a yummy dinner. The girls - Emerson especially - were ultra excited with the news. It brought a tear to my eye.
Wed 25th I told my workmates. They were not surprised although they hadn't guessed. We have a chair at work that is at my desk, that has been dubbed 'the chair' (obviously) because whomever seems to sit in it ends up getting pregnant. This is number 10 child. Although no one else seems to want it now!?! Go figure.
Thu 26th Emerson had another basketball game. She had so many shots on goal, but finally managed to sink two. I think this makes seven for her this season. Nathan took me out for my birthday dinner at The Crazy Farmer with a few of my friends. I enjoyed the evening. He gave me a present before we left - a whole box of chocolate and tim tams. Not the smallest box either. It's going to take me a while to get through it.
Fri 27th we went with our ward on an overnight camp at Waihi. It was a lot of fun and we had a good turnout. There was no set plan, you could do what you wanted and that was great. Here's hoping it turns into an annual event.
Sat 28th the girls decided it would be fun to swim in the freezing sea! My kids are crazy. I'm surprised they didn't get hypothermia from it, it was SO cold. After lunch we came home. The children were knackered and it was an early night for all of us.
Sun 29th I battled with Ammon through another round of church. It is hard with Nathan sitting on the stand, as Ammon wants to go to him but gets distracted along the way. Whether it's the steps, a chair, another child or a plug... I'm mindful of how distracting that might be to the rest of the congregation. If he makes it to Nate then he sits there really good for a while. He did enjoy singing on Sunday though, so much so that he wanted to sing all through the closing prayer aswell! He has decided he hates nursery, won't even go near the door. I mentioned to his teacher he doesn't like nursery, she says that's probably because it's the room where Daddy disappears. (Nate usually takes him). So I wasn't going to fight him and took him with me to deliver newsletters and update noticeboards and then go to class. We finish church at 4pm, he falls asleep at 3.30pm. Handy. Next year will be better when we have church at 9am. He'll be more awake and less fussy and then home in time for his usual nap. Looking forward to it. Sometimes you wonder what you get out of attending church some weeks, but I know it is where I am meant to be and that the Lord will bless me and my children for the efforts I make.
Mon 30th I had a midwife visit. I could hear baby's heartbeat and that was VERY reassuring. I have also felt some movements which seems a little early but I know what they feel like and my midwife Megan says it's possible, so.... all is good there.
Tue 1st - we have started our 25 days of christmas courtesy of Jacinda's blog idea. The kids are excited. Today was that they could start their chocolate advent calendars. Ammon's favourite things these days are lollies. And he can say it too. You know exactly what he wants. Monkey. We were supposed to go to Leah's gymnastics end of year show tonight but Nate is at cricket and I think this is a two person job when one of you has to perform with Leah, the other gets to look after Em and Ammon, so that is tomorrow.

Not a bad week.