Five in the bed and the little one said

"Meow?" says Griffin.
"What….oh no….Oh my poor ears, my eyes, my whiskers……oh my POOR TAIL!"

Yes there soon to be an extra…and it is actually the little one at the moment only being a blip in the size of things. I've just found it very hard (as with last time) to keep anything quiet…I've got all day sickness again (and night). So we are only in the early days and with luck and love we'll hold onto it for the 9 months needed to grow…well we are due May the 4th.

Even though I'm finding it hard with being sick it’s not as bad as when I was pregnant with Ara…I couldn't move without throwing up….I couldn't eat anything (well I must of kept something down but not much) for about 4 months.
This one seems to be following in its parent’s footsteps and liking curry…eh?

So while we are excited…Ara is calling it the next bubba…it’s taking a little while to come to terms with the extreme tiredness and the loss of food.

Dave and Ara are both angles and running round after me…Ara reminding me as I turn green to go to the toilet…Dave single handedly looking after Ara on the weekends and cooking me dinner - RIGHT NOW.

When the trees came down

Going to the Zoo

I drove down to Auckland in case Kitty needed me and while I waited I took Ara too the Zoo.

Thanks Chelz for coming with us at the drop of a hat.

I was very excited to take Ara to the zoo as last time she was just a little bit too small. We have been watching "The Lion Man"...so Ara calls lions Lion Man.

The first thing she wanted to do when we came up to the lion enclosure was get in with them and was most put out that we could not do this.

My battle with shoes was lost very early on and Ara managed to walk around just about the whole complex with none on. I can see in summer this visiting the zoo is going to be even better.

Maxine (Ara's little favorite toy) got held up to see the real Meerkats - I have to say I was really worried as Ara got down grabed Max and looked as if she was about to throw Max in the cage.

In all a stress free day...even though we are in the middle of learning about going to the bathroom.

Cow watching from a safe place

Dave has put a platform up on top of the frame that Mum and Dad brought Ara. This is a good safe place for Griffin to watch many things....just not a place to get away from Ara.

We had the cows come in the paddock which was great to keep both of them happy watching out the window for a few minutes.

My birthday dinner

Thank you Nana for a great dinner

Up date...snow in waipu

Art form got a contaner load of snow dumped on their front deck...I think this is the third year and its great. Dave took Ara down before work started (Snow arrives at 6am).

I asked Ara how she enjoyed it. Dave said that she tired to pick it up and started to cry as it was so cold.

Singing in the Rain

Ara does not normaly like the rain...but today after being told to go away she ran and stomped through the puddles for about 15-20mins. The rain is quite heavy and she was totaly soaked by the time she wanted to come in.

Museum Trip for Toddlers

The Playcentre trip to the Museum...

Who every thought that taking some Toddlers to the local museum would go down well. I'd have to say that Waipu Museum did it to a T.

While the younger ones like Ara needed to be held a few time (...some bits were a bit scary as the exibits are really well done...and it probaly smells a bit different as well...) they really did enjoy themselves.

The highlight for Ara was getting to sit up on the "ship bunk" and listen to the "sailor" talk in his scary voice (a few parents reconded there would be a few nightmares tonight).

The other main attaction for some of the children including Ara was the bag pipes playing on the small interactive TV that they have there...it was played again and again. And now Ara can say "Bag Pipes" in her own language (you have to be a Mother to understand) talk about living the local way.

Our trip was cut short by Ara and another little lad crashing down to the floor and Ara hitting her head and bumping her eye on the lads head (she was trying to hug him). So now we've got a little black eye but other wise fine...we left and headed home to Dada.

I would totaly recomend a Trip to the Museum for it is very well done for a small town with a big history....and thank you very much Waipu Museum for taking us through.

The Haircut

I know I cut it very short in the front but I thought I was only going to have one go so I might as well make it last a while...It doesn't look too bad once its been washed.

An up data on Ara

For about a week Ara didn't want to sleep in her room and tried out every other bed in the house...and now we are back to her room again....sleeps are getting shorter.

We try to get out everyday for a walk...we've been lucky so far with the weather very little rain and not very cold. Ara still has problems wearing shoes or boots though. I think we'll have to get Dad on the spray pack to get rid of the prickles when he gets home.

Dave is helping Ara pick a little leaf off the tree...something that we have to do every time we go past this patch on the property...I suppose through time we'll keep it nicely trimmed back.

Brestcancer fundraiser

Dave was out the door and off to the B plant...to finaly hand it over.
And we were left with the house work day....humm.
Raining and cold.
Frances rang to say that there was a breakfast on down at Artform to fundraise for breastcancer. Even though I'd already eaten what a great start to the day.
Heaps of people...most of playcentre and mainly music along with mothers of mothers...and a few fathers.
All the kids ate well and some how they managed to stay inside out of the way and pretty quiet.
Ara had her first tangle with a bigger girl and got bowled over which she seemed very confused about.
And we have just learnt about "mine"
My rocks...my pen...my tea...my shoe...but she still has the idea that takeing turns is the way to go so thats good (so far).

Oh mud mud

Down to look at the Horses again.

She ran backwards and forwards through the puddle just above the horses paddock and had a whale of a time. When I said home time she put her hands up and asked to be carried...which I said no thank you to. She walked home without gumboots on and about half way home decided that the two rocks she was carrying would be easier if to hold if they were in her boots.

A climbing frame

Mum and Dad brought Ara a climbing frame and put it up before they left the country. I think if Mum had enough time she would of taken it back down again. But once Ara didn't have "gMamma" looking over her shoulder she started doing really well ie not falling off.
I've also set up a swing using her old wrap which she just loves. I think once some of the other kids come over it will be a hit.

Nana is here at the moment just giving Ara her dinner (my silverbeet is a bit hotter than I expected to share).

I've been walking a bit down to see the horses and Ara wants to go further and she seems to be happy again to go in the backpack...might get fit again carrying a pack ready for a track? Ara pulls out our tramping soxs and stamps her feet and asks for her sox.

The word for today is "watch" plan and simple once and back to playing

New words for today

I've been trying to get Ara dressed in the morning which is as many would say is hard but with the blind up Ara can see outside...
"Jojo..yum yum..rassss" = Jojo is eating grass. We have Jan and Pete's horses in the paddock across the way.
We seem to be having a few words a day in some cases depending on what is happening....from Griffin brining in an "eel" to a new "dress" and its "wet" and "tissue".
I'm not getting any other colour unless its blue...well everything is blue at the moment.

Ara is still a great help around the house putting things 'back' where she thinks they go but even filling up the bathroom with clean towels and tolet rolls (all in their right places of course). How long this will last I don't know so I'll keep on enjoying it for the moment.

Ma and Pa are off to the other side of the world again today...so I will be trying to keep up with some posts.

Dada Dada DADA

Ducks and Dance at the wedding

Little coz meeting little coz

Debbie, Andrew and Thomas are here.

We are all getting ready for the big weekend!

I'm really excited so I have no idea what Ely and Gotham are like.

I can't wait to see what we're all going to look like and I just can't wait to see Ara and Thomas together.

Wedding!!!

Photos photos!!!!

I popped down the other day so the kids could play and I could have a little catch up. We'll also be down on Sunday too so Dave can see everyone.

Grandpa Selwyn was moving the cows so Tom and Ara could see...I think they just wanted to get in the padock with them.

Looie the weta's little brother

Its all about living in the middle. Not in the bush and not in town we get an intresting mix of things here.

Ara is becoming quite good at picking out the different things and has the sign for spider now...but this one she was just not too sure about.

This little weta is quite a small one...he was just trying to catch up to the other two I've found by drinking some of Dave's strong coffee. I found another REALLY big one in the leg of Dave's jeans (not while he was in them I was getting the washing ready).

What have we been doing all this time?

I've had an odd kind of cold cough thing which has been more of a pain rather than knocking me out like I normally am.

Both Dave and Ara have been trying to kick me out of bed so they can get some sleep...even Griffin has left.

But nearly right now.

We've been working really hard in the garden!!! AND totally enjoying ourselves. Ara is running in between both of us and having a whale of a time.

Griffin has been a wonderful little mate for Ara too climbing trees on cue and hiding under the silver beet plants.

We are just starting to get geared up to get a digger in to get a few areas cleaned up. Puka flats will be come even more flat...and we'll be extending the veggie garden to about twice the size with a new patch down the hill just below the orchard.

We'll also be doing away with the back lawn and putting in a path down beside the house with a rock edge. Dave is really good with the rocks!!! Grandpas got all keen too so I think we'll start to see some amazing things happen here soon...well we've already got heaps of amazing things...but even more on the go.

So even though I'm a bit slow...I think there will be even more to watch in this space.

Swimming pool for Ara

A big thank you to Roy, Dean, Katie and Bump for this wonderful gift.

The boys had a lot of fun blowing this up...and as you can see they really didn't want to wait.

It was also the same with filling it too. As out in the country we only have our little house water pump and small garden hose which does not reach the courtyard anyway as we have gravety feed in there.

So nothing like a big 50mm hose cyphening from our main tank...once that gets going...wow!

And hey presto a pool for Ara's birthday.

Wow this post was a mission Blogger has not been my friend today ;-)

A party on a Friday night

Wow just like old times....but with a few more kids....I think about 8 (sorry if I've missed anyone)
We had a lovely time up at the Boyes kitchen warming....GREAT pizza and WONDERFUL kids meals (sorry that Ara did not eat much).
Really nice looking kitchen too.
Its amazing how much you can pack into a really short time and then try and get the kids to sleep later.
It was so nice to see everyone and all the children growing up SOOOOOO fast.
We managed to sit down for some of the time and enjoy the views of friends...Warren & Aleisha have worked so hard to get a wonderful night for everyone I hope you managed to enjoy your selves too guys.

We've also seen the tree...the big tree which keeps dropping branches...not very cool. I must get a photo for everyone to see.

What is on today

We've had Roy here for the weekend and now we are getting ready to head off ... after nap time to listen to some music. Ara just LOVES the pipes.

The King of Pumpkins

As in the previous post I talked about buying this HUGE Pumpkin at the markets.

So we thought we'd make pumpkin soup.

We hollowed it out (or should I say Dave and Jan did) cooking a bit at a time.
We made sure that Nana was up here too so we could all share in the KING of PUMPKINS

Janette and Kitty return to four winds

Jan has been saying for a little while that she was going to come on up. We've not seen her for AGES! So its been great to have her nearly for a week.

I then got a call from Kitty asking what I was up to and would I be avalible for a visit

??? What???

Yes the lovely little sneek was in NZ for a quick dash...well not as quick as Rich but pretty quick. Still we managed to drag her out to the coast to pick up some seaweed on a beautiful day had a very quick picnic of fruit. But really the time was so short...next time.

Poor Jan was also made to jump straight back in the car as soon as she arrived to head down to Mainly Music and watch heaps of screaming kids boggie on down pretending to be cocodiles or hard out drumbers....or maybe just chewing on a few things that they shouldn't be.

We also made Jan carry around the pumpkin (see the next post) from the market and we also did this in the rain. Then quickly into the car and off down to Grandpas 83rd birthday bash down at Ma and Pa's place.

I felt like I'd been running for a couple of days and poor Ara has been so tired out...that we've been having some great sleeps.

Weather Windy

Have you ever heard trees Roar? Well thats what it sounded like all last night.
David and Ara shot out early this morning to catch this sun rise. And the old saying Red Sky in the morning....warning has come true. It's been blowing pretty hard here and we've had rain going sideways. Its warmish so its not too bad.

We've been to playcentre both Thursday and Friday...I've decided that two days is pretty cool and I can manage that...well now...hahaha.
I've just started getting into the course and hope to have the first part finished in a few weeks.
I hope the weather is better by the time Ma and Pa come home otherwise they will be wanting to go back.
Well its time for a curry and a little reading...once all is quiet.
Hope you are all well and happy
Love
m

Duplo more fun for the parents or the kids?

Many thanks to Warren, Aleisha and Islay for starting us off with a great kit...yes it had a little grey cat in it.

Then Great Aunty Sue brought the farm yard animals calling each animal by its name…Baa Baa - Almost singing Baa Baa Black Sheep…Cough Cough - Cow (Ara thinks that Cows cough...well she's right as she was right next to one when it did so)…Prrripp - Cat...we don't have any pigs around but she ocationaly gets it right.

Then Great Nana and Great Papa brought the train wheels and the blocks to make a house with.

Ara is really enjoy’n making ‘cities’ houses and places for Griffin to sleep. She moved on really fast working out how things go...and its great for teaching her about frustration.

Its finaly finished

Its taken me a long time to get this one done. Its been my project when I'm down at Nana's...but as Mum said it will probably fit her when she's six.

Dave has just come home from the Auckland run visiting some new clients.

We are looking forward to seeing what the Pipe bands are going to be like tommorow. We'll have to see if we can get Grandpa out...not sure how that is going to go.

Been to Playcentre today. Oh Ara can be a little bully she's pushed two kids over today ending in tears...but then she's made sure everyone had a drink of water at morning tea and offered Jacob a "lick" of the spoon while "mixing" her cake today. I can't see them flatting together as they both wanted to cook their way.

Rain has been an issue on and off. We got caught out on our morning walk and I ended up with the cat in the backpack too while we stood under a tree untill I couldn't wait anylonger. Its a nice break but I would like to get a little more swimming done.

An odd sky

After coming home from Mainly Music we saw a really odd coloured sky. Its not really come out all that well on camera and there was a lot more pink in there.

Its been lovely the last few days with the weather...and I am so glad we have our outdoor bath. We spent most of the morning watering the plants with yesterdays cool down water.

This is us going for out morning walk...normaly Griffin ends up down the bank with Ara throwing things at him and he's thinking its a great game.

Request for views of 4 winds

This is for Kez, Margot and Bev. Just so you know that we are not still living out in our shed...we do have a big house...and its lovely.

Do come and stay.

Pesto Girl

Ara loves helping in the kitchen at the moment. Its good but I have to learn that she's not all that good with keeping things in the pot...and the spoon out of the mouth. Yes she did lick the pesto spoon...haha and wouldn't go back for more.