Halloween Antics

Last year Isla was intrigued by the few trick-or-treaters that we had. The fact that kids got to dress up and get lollies was just too much for her to handle! So there was no getting away from it this year.

I decided to stage a little halloween themed afternoon tea at home for the kids.

Firstly, Nana turned up as a surprise, dressed as witch

 to very mixed reactions!

Followed by afternoon tea...

...and various costume choices.

 

 

Lightning McQueen Racing Car Driver

Later we headed off to the Glen Eden Intermediate School Light Party. Run by the church, it's an alternative to traditional halloween celebrations and trick-or-treating which i didn't really feel comfortable with at this stage in their lives.

The kids had a good time, we bumped into a couple of friends and Isla didn't once ask to go trick-or-treating instead - phew! Basically it was like a small school fair and as long as Isla had candy floss she was happy.

First experience of face-painting didn't go so well, the pirate look only got so far as a mo!

Belle - still the firm favorite.

 

All in all, a fun time and the kids are exhausted today!

My little buddy

It's so nice being the centre of someone's world. At the moment there is no question that I am the little guys favorite person and although it can be a little draining I'm aware it's a fleeting phase (refer tiny being above!) and I'm sure he will soon be all about Daddy, like Isla is. So I'm just enjoying all of the cuddles and devotion while I can.

A few things that give my heart a good squeeze when I think about them are:

• He is such a sweet, placid guy. When I put him down for a nap lately he does his little chubby-fingered, whole-hand wave and says "ba bay". Sweeeeeeet boy.
• He follows me around the house yelling "Ma! Ma!" whenever he loses sight of me.
• When he nods, he is agreeing with such vehemence that his whole body nods. Such enthusiasm.
• Last night I said to him "Can you say Nana?", he replied "Nana". Then i asked "Can you say Grandad?" His reply? "Nana". Ha, so he's got the association right and granted, Grandad is much trickier to say!
• Last Sunday, I sat in the sun at the park while the kids and Francis played over the other side of the field in a sand pit. Several times, my little buddy ran backwards and forwards over about 200m on his chubby, stubby, 18 month-old legs to proudly present me tiny handfuls of sand clutched in this little fists. Not a very exciting gift maybe, but priceless because of the effort involved to bring it to me. So determined and earnest! It put me in mind of a quote i saw recently:

Thanks for being such a great mate little buddy!

Keeping up

I just cannot keep up with these kids!

I have something to write on here just about everyday with the things they do and say that amuse me and amaze me. But if i did that, down the line when they come to look at this scrapbook/diary of sorts i can just imagine the eye-rolling and them chastising me for writing trivial tidbits EVERY day!

So, i try to hold back, but Isla seems to be coming up with some great ones lately. She's such a curious kid, really developing a strong, determined personality and sense of herself.

So today while driving to swimming, out of the blue (as these things usually are):
"Mum, what are humans made of?"
"Well, skin and bone..."
"What else?"
"Organs, like your heart, your lungs to breathe with, your liver..."
"What else?"
"Muscle, fat (struggling to think of other things - where is science minded Dad when you need him!)"
"Have i got all of that?"
"Of course honey"
"But that's so much stuff for a little girl to have."

Then a few minutes later:
"Mum, how do babies get into eggs".
A timely arrival at swimming allowed me to escape that one for now!

Meanwhile, the little dude is in the wars again - this morning he whacked his nose on the coffee table and it bled quite a bit. It's the first time one of the kids has had a nosebleed from an injury and it frightened me a little. Since he absolutely refused to let me ice it with frozen peas its going to be very bruised and very swollen. He's such an adventurer, but pays the price in bruises, cuts and scrapes.

His vocabulary is expanding every day and he joined his first two words the other day, "Yaya, Bye". So cute. He's such a lovely sensitive and intuitive little guy. He loves his sister, the dog, taking off his pants, blueberries and grapes (still) to distraction - can't believe is now one and a half!

A holiday of two halves

We finally got to take our trip to Taupo to show the kids snow for the first time after cancelling last year due to horrid weather and earlier this year due to my surgery. The weather was pretty revolting, but we saw snow! Got absolutely drenched and frozen up on the mountain and it wasn't pleasant. Was pretty sure it ruined Isla's perception of snow and skiing forever, but you forget how kids have an amazing ability to just remember the good bits! Half an hour, warm clothes and a hot chocolate later she was pretty excited that she'd been.

                                           Whakapapa and at Taupo Playground

We've just finished up the last holiday of the year before Christmas. Just over two months to go and I'm already getting excited for Christmas decorations, baking, shopping. Soon it will be time for the advent calendar and Englebert Elf to make an appearance (or "Uncle Bert who comes to my bedroom at night" as Isla said about six months ago. Freaked me out momentarily until I realized she meant "Englebert").

Anyway, the beginning of the holidays started to feel like summer, but it ended up feeling like winter. Naturally we chose the second week (wind, rain, hail) to go away to the beach. Didn't stop the kids swimming however. Crazies. I remember the days when my grandad used to say he would pay us 50cents (big money in my dad kids!) to go swimming when it was freezing like that - didn't even need to bribe them!

It was a relaxing few days away where we did very little and watched a lot of Jake and the Neverland Pirates (Isla's latest obsession). We did manage to squeeze in a couple of walks, bike ride, shopping, the park, the beach a few times, planting the vege garden and horseriding.

Isla was a little sad as her old friend Muffin had gone to horsey heaven (at the grand age of 33) so she chose Splash instead.  So proud of our girl, She helped catch and bring him in, brush him and saddle him up. But most of all proud because she had her first fall, she didnt cry or get scared and she hopped right back on-such a brave monkey. Hah, probably helped that muffin is about four feet tall and it was a fall at the trot so not too much danger involved!

Smaller helmet required!

Little guys first ride - hah, doesn't look all that pleased!

A few catch up with friends involved the Hello Kitty cafe (sadly, very average), the zoo, the Smurfs Movie (Isla was petrified of Gargamel) and a visit to the Seedling store (great fun, but will leave L at home next time!).

Buddies at the zoo - so much fun, Lachy was REALLY into it this time and loved the seals and otters especially.

After the zoo, five minutes of peace for me.

So, it's back to reality and kindy today and a list of things to get done that we didn't get to because of the holidays. Little does Isla know she will be having her vaccinations after dancing today - I am NOT looking forward to breaking that news!

On my last legs

Yesterday Isla asked me if I would be 7 on my birthday in a few weeks. Bless.

I replied "No, I will be 37."
"Wow, will you die on that day, cause that is really old like Bet Bet (currently 88!)".

Still laughing.