We're going on an egg hunt...

Easter well and truly crept up on us this year. I think with it being so late, Lachy's birthday, the family visiting from England etc it just sort of appeared!

We considered going away, but with the weather the way it was decided to stay put. We ended up spending some lovely quality time with family and friends and even managed an Easter egg hunt in between the showers. Needless to say, the kids had a ball. The Easter bunny created a map, with small eggs hidden around the property leading to a goodie bag of a few more eggs, books, Easter coloring pages etc. Even so, between friends and family these kids ended up with a HUGE haul of chocolate, some of which remains stashed away.

Isla drew her own map afterwards and wanted to relive the excitement of the hunt over and over again.

Both kids love chocolate. But Lachy REALLY loves it. While Isla would rush to the next location on the map, Lachy preferred to unwrap and eat each hunting egg as he found it. He continually visited his goodie bag all afternoon to snack away at his haul. It wasn't until later that evening when Max started vomiting brown, foil flecked stuff everywhere that we realised Lachy had quite a bit of assistance in getting through his stash! However, that dog is made of stern stuff and managed to clear it out of his system without a trip to the vet as on previous occasions (chocolate, contraceptive pills, unidentified "dietary misadventure").

So another week of holidays to go (Isla actually asked to go to kindy this morning) - here's hoping the sun will keep shining.

Toy Story movie night lounge sleepover (dog not watching Toy Story, dog watching popcorn).

Cousin time at Kelly Tarltons

We were all sad (Especially Isla who could only be consoled with mango sorbet) to see Aunty Reena, Uncle Hamish and Etienne jet back to the UK.

General silliness

Cornwall Park with Grandad Tom

Pro on his new scooter

Stunner of a day at Cornwall Park

Two!

As with Isla's 2nd birthday we decided to celebrate with just immediate family when Lachy turned two this week. As his birthday was mid-week and we were going to be away for Easter we decided on a party at dinner time.

Francis stayed home from work and after Isla spent the morning at kindy we had a fun afternoon at Kiwi Valley then raced home with only an hour to prepare the food and ice and decorate the cake - phew, i was somewhat stressed and will never do that again!

Anyway, it was a great day, he was super excited, very spoiled and revelled in the limelight. 

Lunchtime clamber over Daddy.

This vehicle/machinery mad kid loved the tractor.

Had to include this one - being butt-butted by the goat.

First proper pony ride on James.

Tractor trail ride.

Intrigued by these very cute and curious little chicks.

Me and my girl waiting for the party to start.

Cuzzy meal time. And a mutt waiting for a morsel to fall.

Pretty chuffed at Happy Birthday being sung by everyone.

Now we are two, well, nearly...

Two years ago, right around this time, an amazing little guy decided (4 weeks early) that he was ready to face the world. He has been surprising us ever since.

I can barely reconcile this bundle with the tearaway that he is today (or for that matter the little girl that is now so grown up).

So, tomorrow our handsome, hilarious, adventurous guy turns 2. For a long while now he hasn't been a baby but somehow his turning two seems a real graduation into little boyhood.

He's shooting up before our very eyes, but since he will always be my baby it's a nostalgic time for me. He is starting to come up with some real conversational pearlers and his vocab is super-impressive for a nearly two year old. The other morning he hid under the covers and said "Lachy disappeared" and the other day described the digger we stopped to watch as "massive".

I love his silly, cuddly, daredevil character, his perseverance (most notable while playing Lego), his ongoing love of all things fruit and his sister, his crush on Emily next door, his waking me at 6am saying "see digger today", his refusal to say "Grandad" and saying "Rick" or "Tom" instead, his growing insistence that he do things his own way, the way he calls Winne the Pooh "poo bum", his love of entertaining and making people laugh - I could list for hours (oops, I think I just did) the things I adore about this kid. But I will sign off on the song he sang to me in the car the other day "happy birthday yay, yellow submarine poops, cock-a-doodle-doo".

Doing it his way.

We love you little dude, have the most wonderful second birthday xxx

No expert

Photo of Isla being cheeky. Just because.

On a recent trip to Whitianga Nana and Grandad were explaining to Isla that they were going to build a new house. Isla was quick to offer Francis' services "Daddy can help you build it, he can do building. But he's not an expert". Ha, take that.

Inexpertly building the playhouse.

Cuzzies at the zoo

Cheeky monkeys making off with the keepers truck

Our family experienced something lovely on Sunday, meeting (in person rather than via Skype) our one and only first cousin and nephew Etienne. The kids were so excited and look forward to lots of time getting to know each other before he jets off again to England in three weeks time.

Today we took a day off from kindy and dancing and ventured to the zoo - it feels like summer is back and it was super warm but the kids loved it and all the attention they got from Aunty Verena and Uncle Hamish.

Serious exchange of leaves.

Obligatory dragon mouth photo

Little guys taking a break

Up close and personal with Burma

Obligatory dragon photo 2