New Camera!

And the bargain of the week was a new digital camera - brought through good old Trade Me (like ebay). So we've been a bit snap happy. This shot is Emma after feeding herself yoghurt. Oh such fun!

Swimming Take #2

Grandma Janet came to swimming on Thursday so here's a couple of swimming photos as promised. Emma is loving swimming again after taking a while to warm up after the long summer break.

Grandma Janet Arrives...

Grandma Janet arrived safe & sound from England on Saturday night. Her & Emma are making up for lots of lost time - and as long as Em can't see me (she's pretty clingy) she is enjoying lots of cuddles with Grandma Janet too. Hopefully there will be lots of sun for the next couple of weeks so we can enjoy lots of outside time together. Although if it is raining it gives us a good excuse to go shopping something Grandma Janet is very good at...

Emma's Week

Emma's been a little miserable this week with a nasty cold.. But one happy moment she had today was when I was tidying her room and I got distracted moving clothes round - and together we came across these hats. Emma had great fun trying them on and I decided to turn into a kodak moment... We need to work on her looking at the camera! She is very good at getting the camera out of it's case and saying "Cheeeeseee!"

See ya Later....

I caught up with Sheryl, Caitlin & Ryan the other day for am tea it will be the last for a while because they're off to live in Australia. Sheryl has been my friend for years - we first meet during our nurse training. And we have been through all kinds of stuff together and we have lots of fun memories too - one that comes to mind straight away is a week in Sydney being somewhat young and crazy! And then we grew up and we both found English Pharmacists for ourselves! Caitlin (4) & Ryan (22 months) are completely adorable. Caitlin is extremely gentle and loving to Emma reading her stories and drawing her pictures. While Ryan is the loss of a boyfriend for Em! Thank goodness for email, blogs, phones etc... Sheryl is a priceless friend and we wish them all the best and promise to keep in touch and visit for very sunny, beachy holidays!

I remember once hearing someone say they never say goodbye they always say See you later instead so things don't sound final... This is Jess another dear friend whose leaving the country. Jess is off to the sunshine of California. It was great to catch up with Jess the other day and we wish her all the best for her time in the States.

Laura Comes to Stay

Laura Anderson came to stay last night - it was teachers' only day at her school and Debbie (her Mum) had a busy day at Uni. And it is never a hassle to have Laura because she completely adores Emma. Repeating constantly 'thats so cute!' So far since she's been here she's read Em about a hundred books - Em's most favourite thing in the world. And Laura loves watching Motherhood in action - like nappy changing, bathing etc. Laura is 11 years old and for those of you in the UK who came to our wedding she was one of our then little ring-bearers. This morning we went for a nice walk round Western Springs getting rid of heaps of old bread to the very hungry ducks, geese, sparrows, pukehos and other strange animals (a bird that is a bit smaller than a duck but is completely black apart from one stripe down it's head and beak???) Anyone it was great having Laura to stay and we're hanging out till she's old enough to babysit!!

Summer Fun!

Quiet couple of days. I have to admit though sometimes those quiet days are my favourite when I get to spend lots of quality time with Emma. In fact if I have too many busy days I end up feeling guilty...

Yesterday we went to story time at the local library for the first time and then in the afternoon Em enjoyed time in her paddling pool and sandpit (which she hasn't done for a couple of weeks..) She loves climbing between the two and splashing Mummy & Dudley!

And then today we went to Waikowhai Park and enjoyed a walk by the coast. Emma has a love for playgrounds now. She gets very excited when she sees the swings especially.

Lastly, Emma has two new words for the week - pop (doesn't sound exactly like that though) and bum - guess who taught her that one!!

Dudley Grooming Day!

This is the day our poor wee dog Dudley dreads - he hates being groomed. This is due to a very bad first experience of being groomed (I could use all kinds of nasty words to describe that lady!!) So now it is a nightmare to even comb him at home and he is the kind of breed that needs it at least once a week. If we move towards the draw where we keep his comb he runs away. We even have to give him some herbal sedation spray to calm him beforehand (it was Rob's idea and he's anti herbal stuff!) Thankfully we have found a decent groomer now - he always comes back really short partly due to us not combing him enough at home. The after shots are pretty funny because his head looks massive - or like a powder puff!

Dreaming of Ladybugs & Flowers!

I've just got home from playgroup & Em is already sound asleep.... I joined the committee of the Playgroup last year. When you join up you get to choose whether you want to be a craft person or a music person. I chose craft and this morning was my first morning on.. and we made ladybugs and flowers. I was quite nervous about this! I even had a dream where a Mum was screamig at me telling me what a rubbish craft I had created! But thankfully all went well this morning - with a very large group of children. And thankfully Emma wasn't too clingy - she enjoyed watching the action and nibbling on some straws. When I was preparing the ladybugs & flowers I found a cool web site the address is www.kidssoup.com

Emma enjoys playgroup with a fun music section, morning tea, then craft & playtime. And usually it's fun messy play. I think we'll stay involved in this for a good couple of years yet. Hopefully next time I'm on craft I'll be a little more chilled. Now I think I need a snooze too...

Daddy's Home

Today, first thing Emma and I had a 'Toddlers' without Tears' session - a pilot programme set up by Plunket to assist in parenting tips for toddlers. I had a great chat with a lady afterwards - she is a solo Mum with an eight year old, a four year old and 15 month twins!! And the twins have a vomiting syndrome thing (nurses' language huh!!) How challenging must this Mum's everyday life be?? Very humbling - I just wish now I had given her my phone number to offer to baby sit!

And then in the afternoon Emma and I went to the airport to pick up Daddy. Exciting to pick up Daddy but also exciting to go to the airport - I love the airport cause I'm a professional people watcher and I love all the different emotions on display (think airport scene in Love Actually movie.) I took Emma to the viewing lounge and we even saw Daddy's plane land. Rob had been in Bangkok for the weekend (as you do!) It was an infectious disease drug conference thing that he managed to be invited to. Sounds like he had good time - and we're glad to have him home again - especially seem he's brought Mummy some yummy Baileys'!!

Butterfly Creek

This morning Grandma, Emma and I went to Butterfly Creek. The butterflies were in a huge green house type room flying around freely landing on anyone and anything. There was every colour, size and shape of butterfly there and Emma enjoyed watching them fluttering about. Although Em's true delight came at Buttermilk farm (which is attached to the same place). She enjoyed the very tame goat wandering about, the very noisy pigs and she tried competing with the rabbits in bouncing. There were baby bunnies to hold - although Emma did go hysterical when I was holding one... ummm not sure why maybe a good reason to not have another child just yet!!! But she did enjoy sitting on the bench chatting with them. Also a nice cafe attached - for quality coffee and muffins. Grandma spent the rest of the day with us too - even doing her food shopping with us. A fantastic Saturday - I'll talk about where Rob was at a later date!!

Ruby, the very quiet black cat

This is for you Gillian... Ruby is a tiny wee black cat who moved to the neighbourhood round the same time as us with her owner Nicki. Ruby liked hanging out at our place and when Andrew (Nicki's brother) came to our housewarming party he said we could keep her! Although later we found out Nicki had other ideas.. but by then it was too late Ruby loved us! Her name was orginally Princess but we changed that! She is a quiet and content cat who is quite the hunter. She's very curious and loves to sleep in/on all kinds of things. She is also one of Emma's bestfriends she is very tolerate to squeals of delight in her ear, pulling of her tail, cuddles and Emma's not so gentle strokes!

Cornwall Park

Today Em, Dudley and I went to one of our all time favourite places... Cornwall Park. For those reading this in the UK it's a huge local park - which has a farm attached, heaps of picnic areas, trees, gardens and a big massive hill in the middle that use to have a tree on it! Today as I walked blissfully enjoying the gorgeous sunshine I felt blessed again that we only live 10 minutes away from this lovely spot. Emma loves feeding the birds, chickens, roosters, staring at the sheep and mooing with the cows. While Dudley loves seeing any of his mates that he may come across. Rob often catches the bus home from work and walks through the park and we walk up to meet him which is a nice family tradition. Emma had her 15 month vaccinations today so a walk in the park was needed to cheer her up a little - which worked a treat.

(PS I only took one photo but there will be more cos there's the leaves, the lambs and daffodils in Spring etc etc...)